As previously announced, 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), through a special Pontifical Encyclical, has proclaimed the year 2026 as the “Year of Spiritual Renewal.” The Pontifical Encyclical was read by His Eminence Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian, Director of the “Cilicia” Library and Head of the Manuscripts and Old Printed Books Departments at the Catholicosate, during the Divine Liturgy following the Feast of the Nativity on Sunday, January 11, 2026.

Since 2003, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I has dedicated each year to a specific theme, concern, or event directly related to our lives, guiding the faithful to focus on it throughout the year in their thoughts, actions, and overall life.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV tells Rome’s young people not to be content with superficial relationships, but to seek the truth, goodness and communion that arise from encountering God and one's neighbour.

Upon arriving in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV was enthusiastically welcomed by the young people of the Diocese of Rome, who greeted him warmly and offered him a moving embrace.

The meeting, held this Saturday, January 10, just days after the conclusion of the Jubilee Year, brought together thousands of young people—accompanied by priests, religious, and educators—both inside and outside the Paul VI Hall.

Continuing a tradition begun in 1981 by His Holiness Pope John Paul II, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV presided over the Baptism of 20 children of Vatican employees in the Sistine Chapel.

Carrying on a 45-year-old tradition, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV baptized 20 children of Vatican employees in the Sistine Chapel. Following in the footsteps of his predecessors, the administration of the Sacrament took place during a Mass on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

On January 9, 2026, 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), met the President and Members of the Advisory Committee of the Archdiocese of Baghdad and Basra, in the presence of His Eminence Mor Severius Hawa, Archbishop of Baghdad and Basra.

The meeting was also attended by their Eminences: Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary.

On January 9, 2026, 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 St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral in Baghdad.

His Eminence Mor Severius Hawa, Archbishop of Baghdad and Basra, attended the Holy Qurobo while their Eminences: Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, assisted His Holiness in the Holy Qurobo.

The Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff has released His Holiness Pope Leo XIV’s calendar for January and February, with the Pope scheduled to preside at liturgies for the Conversion of St Paul, the Presentation of the Lord, and Ash Wednesday.

By Christopher Wells

Over the course of the next two months, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV will preside at liturgies for the feasts of the Conversion of St Paul, the Presentation of the Lord, and Ash Wednesday, according to the calendar released Friday by the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.

During the first week of Lent, the Holy Father will also take part in the traditional Lenten Spiritual Exercises along with the Roman Curia.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV concluded the first session of the meeting with the cardinals yesterday with an off-the-cuff address, following work in linguistic groups in the Paul VI Hall. He thanked them for choosing two themes—synodality and mission in the light of Evangelii gaudium—from among four proposals, saying: “Thank you for this choice; the other themes are not lost. There are very concrete, specific issues that we still need to address.”

“I feel the need to be able to count on you: it is you who have called this servant to this mission. Therefore, I believe it is important that we work together, that we discern together, that we seek what the Spirit is asking of us.” At the conclusion of the first day of the Extraordinary Consistory he convened in the Vatican, Leo XIV once again asked the 170 cardinals present for their support and assistance.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV releases his Prayer intention for January, and invites everyone to join his monthly Prayer intentions under the new “Pray with the Pope” initiative.

With the new year, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV has thrown his support behind a renewed initiative known as “Pray with the Pope,” which brings his monthly Prayer intentions to the Church throughout the world.

A press release noted that the new initative continues Pope Francis’ desire to share Papal Prayer intentions by video and audio.

“This initiative aims to increase the visibility of the Pope’s Prayer intentions, using a language suitable for Prayer, in new formats, so as to better reach the faithful throughout the world, especially in today’s world of digital communication,” noted the statement.

On Wednesday, 25 December 2025 / 7 January 2026, the solemn Despotic Feast of the Nativity of Christ was celebrated, the Feast of Feasts and Metropolis of all feasts.

The celebration commenced with the descent from the Gate of the Baptistery of the Patriarchal Commissioner, His Eminence Metropolitan Hesychios of Capitolias, followed by the Service of Matins.

At the Kathisma, “Come, let us see, O faithful, where Christ was born,” the Patriarchal Procession, headed by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine and Jordan, emerged from the Gate of the Holy Altar. On his right stood the Vice-President of the State of Palestine, Mr Hussein Al-Sheikh, together with the Minister of the Interior of Jordan, and on his left the Consul General of Greece, Mr Dimitrios Angelosopoulos. The procession then proceeded through the Chapel of Saint Nicholas and entered the Grotto through its southern entrance.

Mt 3, 13-17

The Gospel of the Epiphany gives rise in us to the same question that set the Magi on their journey: “Where is the child who has been born?” (Mt 2:2). Because Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Mt 2:1), the Magi can ask this question and begin their search. If Jesus had not been born, if God had not come among us, this question would make no sense and would have no answer: it would be useless to ask it. 

But God truly is Emmanuel, God with us, and in today’s Gospel (Mt 3:13–17) we can begin to find an answer to this question: where is the one who has been born? 

The account begins with a surprising act: “Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him” (Matt. 3:13). Jesus goes down from Galilee to the Jordan; He descends into the ranks of sinners, descends into the waters that bear the weight of sin and the conversions of others. It is a movement that is not spectacular: it is a movement of silent solidarity. He descends to the Jordan without fanfare, a loud public announcement… 

On the occasion of Christmas/Epiphany, Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, Acting 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, and Central Committee Chair, Reverend Raffi Messerlian, as well as Pastors, Church Leaders and youth of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, visited the Armenian National Sanatorium of Azounieh in Lebanon, on 8 January 2026, accompanied by the Sanatorium’s Director, Mr. Dajad Srabian, and Board Chair Mr. Hagop Ladoyan, along with Board Members.

On January 8, 2026, 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), presided over the Ramsho Prayer at St Peter and St Paul Cathedral in Baghdad. He blessed the vestments of the young Deacons who will be ordained on the occasion of the Feast of Mor Stephanos.

Their Eminences Mor Severius Hawa, Archbishop of Baghdad and Basra, Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, were also present.

On January 8, 2026, 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), received His Holiness Mar Gewargis III, Patriarch of the Ancient Church of the East, as well as the Heads of the Churches in Baghdad, at the Archdiocesan Headquarters in Baghdad.

The meeting was attended by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Severius Hawa, Archbishop of Baghdad and Basra, Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary.

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV opens the Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals and recalls that Christ draws us to follow Him, warning that division in the Church scatters the faithful.

“I am here to listen,” His Holiness Pope Leo XIV said in his opening address of the Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals taking place in the Vatican, on 7-8 January.

The Pope began by expressing his joy at welcoming the Cardinals to Rome on the day after Epiphany, praying that the Holy Spirit may guide them during these two intense but important days of reflection and dialogue.

The Pope said their day-and-a-half together “will point the way for our path ahead."

His Holiness Pope Leo XIV celebrates Mass with the Cardinals gathered for his first Extraordinary Consistory, and invites them to share their burden of pastoral care with each other as they seek to help the Pope guide the Church.

At the start of the second day of the Extraordinary Consistory of Cardinals, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV presided at Mass with the Cardinals who have come from across the globe to consult with him.

They began their discussion on Wednesday, January 7, taking up the themes of “Synod and synodality” and “Evangelization and mission in the Church in the light of Evangelii gaudium.”

In his homily, the Pope began with the theme of fraternal love, saying the Consistory represents a moment of grace that expresses their unity in service to the Church.

On January 7, 2026, 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), arrived to Baghdad.

His Holiness was received by their Eminences Mor Severius Hawa, Archbishop of Baghdad and Basra, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, as well as the priests of the Archdiocese. His Excellency Dr. Ramy Aghajan, Director of Christian Endowments in Iraq, was also present.

He was accompanied by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs.

After the official welcome of the Syriac Scouts, His Holiness presided over the Ramsho Prayer at St Peter and St Paul Cathedral.

On the joyous occasion of Christmas the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE) held an official reception on 6 January 2026 in the “Aharonian Hall” of the First Armenian Evangelical Church in Beirut.

Acting President of the Union, Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Evangelical Family, Central Committee Members, and Armenian Evangeliacal Pastors and wives greeted guests from Ecclesiastical, political and diplomatic circles, both Armenian and non-Armenian, as well as Church Members, to celebrate the birth of Christ, carrying wishes for peace and reconciliation for Lebanon, the region and Armenia.

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), presided over the Christmas Vigil (Jrakaluytsi Badarak) on the Eve of the Holy Nativity and Theophany, solemnly observed at the St. Gregory the Illuminator Mother Cathedral, Lebanon. V. Rev. Fr. Sdepanos Pashayan conducted the Divine Liturgy.

At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, the Grand Sacristan of the Cathedral, His Grace Archbishop Sipan Ketchejian, took a candle from the Altar symbolizing the Light of Christ and presented it to the Catholicos, who in turn shared it with the faithful present.

On the morning of Monday, January 5, 2026, 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), received His Excellency Archbishop Paolo Borgia, the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon.

His Excellency Archbishop Borgia extended to His Holiness a congratulatory letter from His Holiness Pope Leo XIV. In the letter, the Pope expresses his gratitude to His Holiness Catholicos Aram I for his participation in Ecumenical and inter-religious meetings during his recent visit to Lebanon.