His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, officially congratulated President Ahmad Al-Sharaa on his election as President of Syria. In his letter, he expressed hope for a new and promising chapter in Syria’s history under the President’s leadership. Recognizing the challenges faced by the Syrian people, His Holiness emphasized the importance of justice and equality for all citizens. He concluded the letter by wishing President Al-Sharaa success in his duties.

In a Tuesday evening press release, the Holy See Press Office says that His Holiness Pope Francis has double pneumonia, but nevertheless “remains in good spirits”

By Vatican News

“Laboratory tests, chest X-rays, and the clinical condition of the Holy Father continue to present a complex picture.”

In a message to journalists on Tuesday evening, the Holy See Press Office gave the latest update on the Pope’s health since he was hospitalized on Friday to receive treatment for bronchitis.

The Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development speaks to Vatican News about his upcoming visit to Lebanon, where he will meet with Church groups, the Mufti of Tripoli and a group of Syrian refugees.

By Salvatore Cernuzio

His Eminence Cardinal Michael Czerny, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, will be in Lebanon from tomorrow, Feb. 19, until Sunday, Feb. 23.

It promises to be a challenging and intense trip, and not only because of the packed schedule, which contains meetings with the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon and with the Mufti of Tripoli.

From the General Secretariat of the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Sunday, February 3/16, 2025, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the memory of Saint Simeon the God-receiver in his Holy Monastery, located in the New Jerusalem in Katamon, in the church where his tomb and a small relic of his remains are also kept. The Divine Liturgy was led by His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrios Kyrios Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, with the participation of their Eminences, Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, the Archbishops Aristarchos of Constantina, Methodios of Tabor, and Dimitrios of Lydda, along with the Hieromonk Fathers of the Holy Sepulchre, with first in rank the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nektarios, the Hegumen of Beit Jala, Archimandrite Ignatios, Archimandrite Christodoulos, Archimandrite Vassian of the Russian Spiritual Mission in Jerusalem (MISSIA), Archdeacon Mark and Hierodeacon Eulogios, as well as other Priests and Deacons from other Orthodox territories.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark inaugurated the Coptic Monasticism Seminar, which is taking place from February 15 to 21 at the LOGOS Papal Center in Saint Bishoy's Monastery, Wadi El-Natroun. The event is attended by the rapporteur of the Synodal Committee for Monasticism and Monastery Affairs; H.G. Bishop Danial, Bishop & Abbot of Saint Paul's Monastery in the Red Sea, as well as abbots of Coptic monasteries and delegations of monks representing various Coptic monasteries.

Every year, a solemn requiem is held at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias on the feast day of Saint Sahag to honor the souls of the departed members of the Cilician Brotherhood of the Armenian Church.

On February 16th, 2025, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Cathedral by the Right Reverend Father Stepanos Pashayan. In his sermon, the celebrant priest delivered on the theme “I Am the Bread of Life,” emphasizing that the Catholicosate has always been sustained by Christ’s presence, even during difficult times. He praised the dedication of the clergy, which has helped the Holy See of Cilicia endure hardships and maintain peace for the nation and its diaspora. He concluded by asking everyone to pray for the souls of the reposed Catholicoi and clergy.

In a Monday evening press release, the Holy See Press Office says that His Holiness Pope Francis’ condition is “stable”, and he is “continuing with the prescribed treatment”.

By Vatican News

“The Holy Father remains without a fever and is proceeding with the prescribed treatment".

In a message to journalists on Monday evening, the Holy See Press Office gave the latest update on the Pope’s health since he was hospitalized on Friday to receive treatment for bronchitis.

His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, began his pastoral visit to Northern Zarqa in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on Thursday, February 13, 2025, which continued until Sunday, February 16, 2025.

Day One – The Official Welcome

Cardinal Pizzaballa was warmly received in the Zarqa Governorate by Fr. Eyad Bader, the parish priest of Zarqa North, Fr. Ruben Cabrera, the vicar priest, Dr. Firas Abu Qaoud, the Governor of Zarqa, and Dr. Hail Al-Ayash, Deputy Governor, along with the priests of Zarqa from various churches, municipal and central council members, and directors of security and official institutions.

While welcoming the Cardinal, the Governor of Zarqa expressed his appreciation for this significant visit, stating: "It is a great pleasure to have you with us. In this country, there is no distinction between Muslims and Christians; we are all united as brothers in God. Consider this your second home."

On Saturday the 15 of February 2025, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark visited the headquarters of the Coptic Girls’ College in Abbassia to mark the 110th anniversary of the founding of the Coptic Girls’ College Association.

On Saturday the 15th of February 2025, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark received His Beatitude Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Archbishop of Marseille for the Catholic Church, at the Papal Residence in Cairo. He was accompanied by His Beatitude Patriarch Anba Ibrahim Ishak, Patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church, and His Grace Metropolitan Tomas Adly, Metropolitan of Giza and Fayoum for the Coptic Catholics.

On Thursday, February 13th, 2025, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, presided over the Eve of the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord Jesus Christ to the Temple (Diaruntarach) at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias. The service included the Antasdan (Blessing of the Four Corners of the World), a presentation of children for blessing, and a traditional bonfire.

At the invitation of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and with the blessing of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, three young clergymen—V. Rev. Antranig Kurumian, Director of the Birds’ Nest Armenian Orphanage; Rev. Fr. Stephan Baljian, Pastor of Saint Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church in North Andover; and Rev. Fr. Karekin Bedourian, Pastor of Forty Martyrs Armenian Apostolic Church in California—represented the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, at the Oriental Orthodox Churches’ study visit to the Vatican from January 31 to February 8, 2025.

Sister Raffaella Petrini, F.S.E., is the new President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

By Vatican News

His Holiness Pope Francis has appointed Sister Raffaella Petrini as the new President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and President of the Governorate of Vatican City State.

On Saturday, 2/15 February 2025, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the Despotic feast of the Meeting of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Temple:

1. In the Central Monastic Church of the Holy Constantine and Helen, with a Divine Liturgy led by the ministering priest of the Church, Archimandrite Kallistos, with His Beatitude presiding, who also chanted during the Matins the most poetic and theological Katavasiae of the Meeting of the Lord by Cosmas the Monk, with the surviving ancient melody of the hymn, namely: “The sun once shone on dry land that was begotten of the abyss; for the water became as hard as a wall on either side for the people that crossed the sea by foot, and sang in God-pleasing manner: Let us sing to the Lord; for gloriously He is glorified.”

2. In the Holy Monastery of Panagia Sayda Naya, located in the centre of the Old City of Jerusalem, near the Patriarchate.

Defending the dignity and presence of the People of Gaza

Jerusalem, the Holy Land

February 14, 2025

As custodians of the Christian faith and conscience in this sacred land, we raise our voices in sorrow and steadfast resolve in the face of the ongoing suffering in Gaza. The devastation that has unfolded before the eyes of the world is a profound moral and humanitarian tragedy. Thousands of innocent lives have been lost, and entire communities stand in ruin, with the most vulnerable— children, the elderly, and the sick—enduring unimaginable hardship.

Amid this anguish, we are compelled to speak against the grave threat of mass displacement, an injustice that strikes at the very heart of human dignity. The people of Gaza, families who have lived for generations in the land of their ancestors, must not be forced into exile, stripped of whatever is left of their homes, their heritage, and their right to remain in the land that forms the essence of their identity. As Christians, we cannot be indifferent to such suffering, for the Gospel commands us to uphold the dignity of every human being. The words of our Lord remind us: “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed” (Isaiah 10:1-2). 

On February 14, 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, participated in the International Prayer Breakfast at the Munich Security Conference, in Munich.

From the General Secretariat of the Greek Patriarchate of Jerusalem

Jerusalem – Feb.14.2025

Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, led by His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrios Kyrios Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine and Jordan, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), met on Friday, 14 February, with a delegation of several Consul Generals and Heads of Missions in Jerusalem and to the Palestinian Authority, as well as representatives of the Quartet and UNSCO, at the headquarters of the Jerusalem Patriarchate.

Lk 6:17, 20-26

The Gospel passage for this 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Lk 6:17, 20-26) recounts Jesus' words on the Beatitudes.

The evangelist sets this discourse in a flat place, or rather, in a place where Jesus is descending (Lk 6:17). He was on the mountain where he prayed and where he chose and called his disciples (Lk 6:12). Now he descends and stops in the plain, where he finds a large crowd waiting for him.

They are mainly poor people: sick, hungry, possessed. People who have been wounded by life (Lk 6:18-19).

His Beatitude Cardinal Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, began his pastoral visit to Cana of Galilee on Thursday, February 6, 2025, which lasted until Sunday, February 9, 2025.

Every pastoral visit carries its own unique character. His Beatitude considers these visits an essential part of his pastoral mission. On numerous occasions, he has emphasized the importance of personally meeting and listening to the people he serves, as it allows him to better understand their daily lives—something that cannot be fully grasped from a distance.

Day One – A Warm Welcome Reflecting Fraternal Love

The faithful gathered in front of the Church of the first miracle in Cana to welcome His Beatitude in a grand reception accompanied by the music of the Latin Scout of Reneh and the Orthodox Scout of Cana. Among the dignitaries receiving his beatitude were Msgr. Rafic Nahra, Patriarchal Vicar of Galilee, and Fr. Haitham Heno, the current Franciscan parish priest of Cana, alongside priests from various churches of the city, as well as the town's imam, Sheikh, and mayor. The scene was a true reflection of the spirit of love and fraternity uniting the local community of Cana.