NEWS
The Patriarchal Circular issued by His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II - January 27, 2025
Below you can find published the Patriarchal Circular issued by His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II - January 27, 2025 (in English):
No. EN 54/25
ܒܫܡ ܐܝܬܝܐ ܡܬܘܡܝܐ ܐܠܨܝ ܐܝܬܘܬܐ ܕܟܠ ܐܚܝܕ
ܐܝܓܢܛܝܘܣ ܦܛܪܝܪܟܐ ܕܟܘܪܣܝܐ ܫܠܝܚܝܐ ܕܐܢܛܝܘܟܝܐ ܘܕܟܠܗ̇ ܡܕܢܚܐ
ܘܪܝܫܐ ܓܘܢܝܐ ܕܥܕܬܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܬܐ ܐܪܬܕܘܟܣܝܬܐ ܕܒܟܠܗ̇ ܬܒܝܠ
ܕܗܘ ܐܦܪܝܡ ܬܪܝܢܐ ܡ̄
We extend our apostolic benediction, benevolent prayers and greetings to our brethren, their Eminences the Metropolitans; our spiritual children: Very Reverend Corepiscopoi, Reverend priests, monks, nuns and deacons and the entire blessed Syriac Orthodox people throughout the world. May the divine providence embrace them through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and St. Peter, Chief of the Apostles, St. Thomas the Apostle, and the rest of the Martyrs and Saints. Amen.
His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II receives His Beatitude Joseph Absi
On January 29, 2025, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, received His Beatitude Joseph Absi, Greek-Melkite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Alexandria, and Jerusalem and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches at the Patriarchate Headquarters in Bab Touma - Damascus.
His Holiness Pope Francis: Jesus sustains our hope as we journey toward Him in unity
“to take a decisive step forward towards unity around a common date for Easter”
On the feast of the Conversion of St Paul, which marks the close of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, His Holiness Pope Francis invites Christians to rediscover the common roots of the faith, and repeats his appeal to find a common date for Easter.
By Christopher Wells
Although everyone faces moments of despair or know people who have lost hope, “the Gospel tells us that Jesus always restores hope,” Pope Francis said Saturday evening at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls. “He continually raises us up from the ashes of death and gives us the strength to go on, to begin anew.”
In his homily for the feast of the Conversion of St Paul – which also marks the conclusion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – Pope Francis reflected on the Gospel account of Jesus’ encounter with Martha after the death of her brother, Lazarus. In response to Martha’s profession of faith in the resurrection of the dead at the end of time, Jesus assured her that He Himself is the resurrection and the life, and asks of her, “Do you believe this?”
This Gospel passage provided the theme for this year’s Week of Prayer, and teaches us, the Pope said, “that even in times of deep desolation, we are not alone and we can continue to hope.”
His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II receives His Eminence Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery of the Oriental Churches
On January 25, 2025, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches received His Eminence Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery of the Oriental Churches, accompanied by a delegation from the dicastery including His Excellency Bishop Michel Jalkh, Secretary of the Dicastery, and Rev. Fr. Emanuele Sabadakh, Personal Secretary of the Prefect, at the Patriarchal Headquarters in Bab Touma - Damascus. His Eminence Cardinal Mario Zenari, Apostolic Nuncio in Syria, and Rev. Fr. Victor Villatoro, Secretary of the Nunciature, were also present.
The meeting was attended by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Assistant, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary.
Video - Homily of His Beatitude Patriarch John X at the Sunday of Zacchaeus from Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery
In the video, you can find the Homily of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, at the Divine Liturgy (Sunday of Zacchaeus), on Sunday 26 January 2025, in Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery - Lebanon.
His Beatitude Patriarch John X in a Meeting with the Saint John of Damascus Institute of Theology Family:
"The Institute is the crucible in which the experience of the Antiochian Church is fused, both in teaching and in its Eastern presence"
Balamand - Lebanon, January 24, 2025
His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, met with the faculty and students of the Saint John of Damascus Institute of Theology in the Patriarch Ignatius Hall at the Institute. The meeting had a familial tone, where the Institute's community gathered to receive His Beatitude's guidance and directives. His Beatitude emphasized the role of the Institute as the crucible in which the experience of the Antiochian Church is fused, both in teaching, ministry, and Eastern presence.
Meeting of the General Secretariat of the Holy Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, presided by His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, via the Internet
On January 22, 2025, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches presided over an online meeting of the General Secretariat of the Holy Synod.
Final Communique of the Holy Land Co-ordination
Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
‘‘A lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.’ 2 Peter 1:19
We came to the Holy Land, this Jubilee Year, as pilgrims of hope. We came in hope that a fragile ceasefire agreement, announced as we travelled here, would hold.
We came looking forward to those, in both [Israel] and Palestine, who have suffered the atrocities of violence and war, being able to rebuild their shattered lives, to mourn the loss of their loved ones, to come together again as families and to start on the long, uncertain road to recovery.
Joy at the return of [Israeli] hostages and the release of Palestinian prisoners is marred by the knowledge that so many will not return: hostages, prisoners, countless dead. We note widespread concern at the fragility of the ceasefire; that it may bring respite but not the sustained and lasting peace for which the Holy Land cries out. An online meeting with the parish priest of Holy Family Parish in Gaza impressed upon us the devastation being experienced by the whole population…
Meditation Of His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa : III Sunday of Ordinary Time C
Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21
Today’s Gospel passage (Luke 1:1-4; 4:14-21) comes from two different chapters of Luke’s Gospel: the first verses are taken from the first chapter and tell of the beginning of the Gospel. The next part is taken from the fourth chapter and tells of Jesus' first public appearance, immediately after the temptations in the desert.
These two passages are both a beginning: the beginning of the Gospel and the beginning of Jesus’ mission.
And in both of these passages, the word fulfillment appears again.
It is the word that frames both pericopes: the evangelist says that many told of the events that were fulfilled in their midst (Lk 1:1), and Jesus says that the scripture he had just proclaimed was fulfilled in the synagogue of Nazareth (Lk 4:21).
The evangelist does not simply speak of events that have taken place, but emphasizes and specifies that they have been fulfilled. He is saying that it is not simply something that has happened, perhaps something new or beautiful, but that everything that has happened is a fulfillment. In other words, something that has reached its fullness, its purpose, its goal.
His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II visited his brother in Christ His Beatitude Patriarch Rafael Bedros XXI
Minassian to offer his congratulations to the sister Armenian Catholic Church on the occasion of Christmas
On January 21, 2025, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, visited his brother in Christ His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Catholic Family, at the Headquarters of the Patriarchate in Beirut, to offer his congratulations to the sister Armenian Catholic Church on the occasion of Christmas.
His Holiness Patriarch Mar Ignatius Aphrem II visited to congratulate His Excellency General Joseph Aoun on the occasion of his election as President of the Republic
On January 22, 2025, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches visited His Excellency President of Lebanon General Joseph Aoun, at Presidential Palace in Beirut.
Statement by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem on the Ceasefire in Gaza
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9).
As shepherds of the Christian faithful in the Holy Land, we welcome the news of a ceasefire in Gaza with cautious hope and fervent prayer. After 15 months of unimaginable suffering, this pause in hostilities offers a moment to breathe, to mourn, and to begin the arduous journey of healing. Yet, as Christians, we are summoned not merely to rejoice in the cessation of war but to dedicate ourselves to the sacred pursuit of true and lasting peace.
The toll on human life and dignity on all sides, but especially in Gaza, has been catastrophic, with civilian infrastructure obliterated and communities torn asunder. We are reminded of the words of the Apostle Paul: “If one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Corinthians 12:26). The suffering of Gaza is a wound not only to our communities there, but to the conscience of humanity. It demands a response grounded in justice, compassion, and the recognition that every human being is a bearer of the divine image.
His Beatitude Patriarch John X Meets His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi
Bkerke - Lebanon, January 20, 2025
His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, met with His Beatitude Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East for the Maronite Church, at the Patriarchal Residence in Bkerke. His Beatitude was accompanied by His Eminence, the Most Reverend Silouan (Moussi), Metropolitan of Byblos, Batroun, and Dependencies. The meeting was also attended by His Excellency, the Most Reverend Bishop Gregory Mansour, Eparch of the Maronite Eparchy of Brooklyn, USA. During the meeting, their Beatitudes engaged in a broad discussion that covered public affairs and current issues.
Video - Sermon of His Beatitude Patriarch John X at the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand - January 19, 2025
In the video, you can find the Sermon delivered by His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, at the Divine Liturgy that he presided over on Sunday 19 January 2025, at the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand, Lebanon.
Video - Morning Prayer and Divine Liturgy Presided Over by His Beatitude Patriarch John X, at the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand, Lebanon - January 19, 2025
In the video, you can find the Morning Prayer and Divine Liturgy, presided over by His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, on Sunday 19 January 2025, at the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand, Lebanon.
The National Evangelical Synod in Syria and Lebanon held the launched of the first two books of the "Reformed Theology in the Middle East" series
The National Evangelical Synod in Syria and Lebanon held the launching of the first two books of the "Reformed Theology in the Middle East" series, on Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 4:00 pm Beirut time (5:00 pm Syria time) at the Beirut Evangelical School for Girls and Boys - Rabieh Theater.
In the following link you can find photos from the launch ceremony of the National Evangelical Synod in Syria and Lebanon for the first two books of the "Reformed Theology in the Middle East" series, written by the Theological Committee and produced by the Media and Publishing Committee.
The Feast of Saint Basil at the Holy Monastery of Saint Basil
From the General Secretariat of the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem
On Tuesday, 1st / 14th January 2025, the memory of Saint Basil the Great, the Heavenly Manifestor, was celebrated at his Holy Monastery, located near the New Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem, under the care, preparation, and hospitality of the Hegumen and Elder Kamarasis, Archimandrite Nektarios. The celebration included Vespers in the evening and the Divine Liturgy in the morning, officiated by the Master of Ceremonies of the Patriarchate, Archimandrite Bartholomew, with the chanting of the nuns of the Patriarchate and the collective prayers of monks, nuns, and faithful Jerusalemites.
Declaration of the Catholic Ordinaries on the Ceasefire in Gaza
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news,” (Is. 52,7)
Declaration of the Catholic Ordinaries on the Ceasefire in Gaza
The Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land welcome the announcement of the ceasefire in Gaza, which aims to end the hostilities in Gaza, return the Israeli hostages and release the Palestinian prisoners. We hope that this ceasefire will mark an important end to the violence that has caused immeasurable suffering. It is a necessary step to halt the destruction and meet the urgent humanitarian needs of countless families affected by the conflict.
However, we are aware that the end of the war does not mean the end of the conflict. It is therefore necessary to seriously and credibly address the deep-rooted issues that have been at the root of this conflict for far too long. Genuine and lasting peace can only be achieved through a just solution that addresses the origin of this long-standing struggle. This requires a long process, a willingness to acknowledge each other's suffering and a focused education in trust that leads to overcoming fear of the other and the justification of violence as a political tool.