The Church needs to move beyond words about ecumenism and unity to concrete acts that combine contemplation and action, work and prayer, the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order gathered in in Egypt has been told.

“These days, the world suffers from the five poisonous P’s of polarization, populism, protectionism, post-truth and patriarchy,” said Archbishop Emerita Dr Antje Jackelén, the former Archbishop of Sweden in an address to the five-day event running from 24 to 28 October.

“This contextuality of faith and Church requires interpretation of the signs of the times,” she said, and the signs of the times point to the connection between faith and justice. 

About 400 participants have gathered for the conference, organized by the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches and taking place at the Logos Papal Center of the Coptic Orthodox Church at Wadi El Natrun, southwest of Alexandria, Egypt. 

The Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has opened in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt, where His Holiness Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church appealed to Churches to engage in dialogue that will unite them on the path to true unity. 

Theological dialogue, His Holiness Pope Tawadros said in his address at the opening session of the conference, is a journey toward a shared understanding of faith. 

“It is not an attempt to eliminate or dissolve differences, but rather to discover the profound faith uniting the church,” said His Holiness Pope Tawadros, the 118th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark.

Organized by the WCC’s Commission on Faith and Order, the conference is meeting from 24 to 28 October 2025 at the Logos Papal Center of the Coptic Orthodox Church at Wadi El Natrun, southwest of Alexandria, Egypt, around the theme “Where now for visible unity?”

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the election and consecration of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the Armenian Prelacy of Canada organized an artistic program attended by clergy, community leaders, and a large number of faithful.

The event opened with remarks by Diocesan Representative Hampig Karayan, who highlighted the unwavering leadership and dedicated pontifical service of His Holiness over three decades, emphasizing his commitment to justice, national identity, and the Armenian Cause.

The keynote address was delivered by Vahakn Karakashian, editor-in-chief of Horizon Weekly. He reflected on the historic mission of the Catholicosate and the far-reaching impact of His Holiness’s 30-year spiritual leadership, underscoring Aram I’s tireless defense of Armenian rights, his advocacy for Artsakh, and his steadfast commitment to truth and justice.

On Friday, October 17, 2025, the second day of the Pontifical Visit of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), to Montreal, an official luncheon was held in his honor at the Avedis Aharonian Hall of the Armenian Center.

The event was attended by His Eminence Archbishop Papken Tcharian, Prelate of Canada; His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy; clergy members; and representatives of the prelacy’s national bodies.

Opening remarks were delivered by Very Rev. Fr. Karekin Shekerdemian, Spiritual Dean of St. Mary Church in Toronto. He called the gathering a moment of gratitude and reflection on thirty fruitful years of the Catholicos’s spiritual leadership and service to the Church and nation.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), began his Pontifical Visit to Montreal with a solemn service at Surp Hagop Church, where he was warmly welcomed by clergy, community members, and representatives of various Armenian organizations, led by the Prelate of Canada, His Eminence Archbishop Papken Tcharian.

In his address, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I expressed joy at being reunited with his flock and thanked God for the opportunity. Introducing the theme of his visit, “Let Us Revive Our Community Bodies Together,” he called for renewed energy, cooperation, and responsibility across Armenian institutions.

On October 15, 2025, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Supreme Head of the Syriac Orthodox Church of the World, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), which were prepared by the organizations Oeuvre d’Orient and ALIPH, the main sponsors of the reconstruction of the Cathedral.

On October 15, 2025, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Supreme Head of the Syriac Orthodox Church of the World, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), participated in the inauguration of St. Mary (Tahra) Chaldean Church in Mosul, in the presence of His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Louis Raphael Sako, Chaldean Patriarch of Iraq and the World, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).

— Wadi El Natrun, October 15, 2025

In the heart of the Egyptian desert, within the ancient walls of the Monastery of Saint Bishoy—where prayer and history intertwine—participants of the Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI), affiliated with the World Council of Churches (WCC), gathered on October 15 for a plenary session entitled “Memory and Mission: Churches Responding to Persecution and Genocide.”

The session formed part of the in-person phase of GETI, held concurrently with the World Conference on Faith and Order.

The session opened with a clear call for churches to reflect on their role in remembering the suffering of peoples, bearing a message of hope, and confronting persecution with faith and steadfastness.

The Coptic Church Opens Its Doors to All Who Seek to Know Christ

H.H. Pope Tawadros II: “Athanasius became the voice of the entire Church and the tongue of sound faith in an age filled with debate and doubt.”

H.H. Pope Tawadros II: “Athanasius did not confront the heretics with violence or anger, but with the spirit, the power of reason, and the radiance of thought. Without his linguistic and intellectual enlightenment, faith would have been confused and its meaning lost.”

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II inaugurated the academic conference of the Global Ecumenical Theological Institute (GETI 2025), affiliated with the World Council of Churches. In his opening address, His Holiness welcomed the leaders of the institute and all participants in the conference.

He also delivered a lecture during the first session, expressing at the beginning his joy in their presence within the Coptic Orthodox Church, noting that the Coptic Church always rejoices in opening her doors to all who seek to know Christ, and that she offers from her heart genuine love to every human being, for she carries within her the deep teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, who said: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

On Monday, October 13, 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 (MECC), departed on a Pontifical visit to Canada and the United States of America.
His Holiness’s Pontifical visit will embrace the Armenian Prelacy of Canada, as well as the Eastern and Western Prelacies of the United States. During this pontifical tour, His Holiness will successively visit Montreal, Toronto, Los Angeles, Fresno, San Francisco, New York, New Jersey, and other regions.

As humanitarian aid is finally granted access to the Gaza Strip, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV instructs the Office of Papal Charities to send medicines for the youngest victims of the two-year conflict. Meanwhile, food aid distributions continue in Ukraine.

By Benedetta Capelli

In the days when the “spark of hope” — evoked by Pope Leo XIV last Sunday during the Angelus — appears to take more concrete form in the Holy Land, the Pope’s closeness becomes a tangible sign of care for the smallest and most vulnerable.

His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, made a three-day pastoral visit to the city of Karak, beginning on Friday, October 10, and concluding on Sunday, October 12, as part of his ongoing visits to the Latin parishes of the Diocese of Jerusalem.

Throughout the visit, His Beatitude met with the parishioners of Karak and learned about their daily lives, visiting local churches as well as several educational and social institutions. He also met with numerous families and faithful, affirming that “the people of Karak remain an essential part of the Diocese of Jerusalem, even as our attention is naturally and painfully drawn to what has been happening in Gaza.”

With the blessing and presence of of Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Evangelical Family, the refurbished "Izmirlian Building" at KCHAG conference center was rededicated at a ceremony on 12 Oct. 2025. The upgraded building is able to accommodate over 30 people. Christian Endeavor retreats, as well as other groups, will greatly benefit from this new facility. We give thanks to God for the benefactors as well as the committee members, whose efforts made this possible.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, received Professor Dr. Michel Abs, Secretary-General of the Middle East Council of Churches, at the Papal Residence in the Monastery of Saint Bishoy in Wadi El-Natroun.

On October 12, 2025, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Supreme Head of the Syriac Orthodox Church of the World, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), celebrated the Holy Qurobo at Emm Nour (Mother of Light) Cathedral in Erbil.

On October 12, 2025, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Supreme Head of the Syriac Orthodox Church of the World, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), consecrated Emm Nour (Mother of Light) Cathedral in Erbil.

for the Greek Orthodox on the Occasion of the 17th Centenary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, attended the celebration held by the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa for the Greek Orthodox, at the Greek Club located within the premises of the Greek Consulate in Alexandria. The event was organized in commemoration of the Year of Saint Athanasius the Great, the 20th Coptic Patriarch.

As previously announced, in a gracious response to the wish of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Mr. Zareh Bezikian and his daughter Ani decided to sponsor the construction of a five-floor multipurpose building at the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon. This very generous gesture is as well an expression of love and gratitude towards Mr. Zareh Bezikian’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alecco and Ani Bezikian. The center will be called BEZIKIAN CONVENTION CENTER (ՊԷԶԻՔԵԱՆ ԿԵԴՐՈՆ).

On October 10, 2025, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Supreme Head of the Syriac Orthodox Church of the World, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), consecrated St. Thomas Cathedral in Mosul, following its reconstruction after it was completely destroyed in 2014.

(Lk 17:11–19)

To enter into today’s Gospel (Lk 17:11–19), let us begin with a detail in the text that holds a specific symbolic value, consistent with the rest of the Gospel. 

In verse 11, Luke recounts that Jesus is walking toward Jerusalem, passing through Samaria and Galilee (“As Jesus continued his journey to Jerusalem, he traveled through Samaria and Galilee” –Lk 17:11).

In reality, from a geographical point of view, the route would begin from Galilee, passing through Samaria, and then arriving in Jerusalem. Luke reverses the order of the route, and this inversion is not a mistake but an important narrative sign.