His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, prayed the Liturgy of Covenant Thursday (Great Thursday) on the morning of April 13, 2023 at the Monastery of St.Mina in Mariout, in Alexandria, with the participation of H.G. Bishop Kyrillos Ava Mina, the Bishop and Abbot of the Monastery and the monks of the Monastery.
The prayers started by Thursday Day prayers, which includes Offering of Morning Incense then the prayers of the hours, followed by Lakan and Liturgy and ended by the 11th hour of Thursday.

His Holiness delivered the sermon under the title “Make Me a Partaker of the Grace of Your Life-Giving Mysteries,” during which H.H. pointed out that “Covenant Thursday” is one of the Lord’s feasts, which was filled with many events during the time of Christ, as He washed the feet, established the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and prayed the farewell prayer.

Beirut, April 13, 2023

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and MECC President for the Orthodox Family, left the Beirut International Airport for his paternal visit to enquire after the parishes in Antioch, Alexandretta and Mersin, following the devastating earthquake which struck the region.

His Beatitude is accompanied by Their Eminences Bishops Constantine Kayyal (Abbot of the Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Elias Shwayya and Arsenios Dahdal, Abbot of St. George Al Homeyra Patriarchal Monastery, Reverend Archimandrites Fr. George Yacoub, Economos of Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery, Fr. Jack Khalil, Dean of the Institute of Theology at the University of Balamand, Consul Mark Gharib, Dr. Walid Dagher, Mr. Ghassan Karam, and theology students Elias Kochoglu and Selim Polatoglu, as well as the media and production teams.

On April 13, 2021, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, celebrated the Holy Qurobo on Maundy Thursday at St. George Church in Hay El-Seryan in Aleppo.

Their Eminences Archbishops Mor Boutros Kassis, Archbishop of Aleppo and Environs, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Assistant, attended the Holy Qurobo.

After the Earthquake Which Hit the North of the Middle East

Prior to his departure with the accompanying delegation to the Antiochian parishes in Alexandretta, Antioch, and Mersin. His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and MECC President for the Orthodox Family, delivered a statement live from Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery in Lebanon on Thursday 13 February 2023. You can listen to it in the following video.

On Thursday 13 April 2023, The Service of the Twelve Passion Gospels on the eve of Holy Great Thursday was celebrated on the eve of the Holy Unction in Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery in Lebanon. You can watch the service in the following video published on the Facebook Page of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East.

On April 13, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, celebrated the service of the washing of the feet at St. George Church in Aleppo.

During this service, His Holiness called twelve children, representing the twelve Apostles and washed their feet following the example of the Lord Jesus Christ Who washed the feet of His disciples. It is a lesson in humility where we learn how serving others is greater than being served.

On Wednesday 12 April 2023, His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and MECC President for the Orthodox Family, celebrated the Service of the Holy Unction in Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery in Lebanon. You can watch the service in the following video.

His Eminence Archbishop Hosam E. Naoum, Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, and the Head of the Church for the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, joined some of the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem and some clergy in exchanging Easter greetings on Tuesday Morning, April 11th, 2023, at the Latin Patriarchate. Bishop Naoum was accompanied by Rev’d Canon Don Binder, Rev’d Nael Abu Rahmoun, Mr. Saba Kerry, and Mr.Khalid Dalleh both Postulants. They were welcomed by the Catholic Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa and some Patriarchate clergy.

Each of the Heads of Churches gave an Easter Message. Bishop Naoum talked about the living hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, as St. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1: 3. Patriarch Pizzaballa welcomed all who gathered, and shared his hope-filled Easter Message. Easter Hymns were sung in different languages and from the different traditions present, both Eastern and Western.

In the following, you can find the Status Quo Committee Of The Churches In Regards To Unreasonable Restrictions By Israeli Police For The Holy Light Ceremony.

On Holy Wednesday afternoon, March 30/ April 12, 2023, at the Holy Church of Saints Constantine and Helen, after the service of the Small Compline, the sacrament of the Holy Unction was officiated by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, with the participation of six High Priests according to the Typikon.  

The service ended with the blessing of all present with the Holy Unction.

As the Church celebrates the most joyous day of the liturgical year, His Holiness Pope Francis presides over Mass on Easter Sunday in St. Peter’s Square to mark the Resurrection of Christ.

By Devin Watkins

Over 45,000 pilgrims filled a sunny St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday morning.

The Catholic faithful were joined by tens of thousands of flowers from the Netherlands, which adorned the steps leading up to the Vatican Basilica and continued an annual tradition begun in 1985.

His Holiness Pope Francis presided over the Mass on the Solemnity of the Resurrection of the Lord, better known as Easter Sunday.

Your Excellencies,
Dear Consuls General,
Dearest brothers and sisters,
May the Lord give you peace!

Today, like the women of the Gospel and the disciples Peter and John, we have returned here, before the empty Tomb of Christ, to pray, to contemplate, to once again proclaim our faith.

The Gospel of today is a passage that resonates in this basilica almost daily. It is a Gospel full of momentum and life. It speaks of night and darkness that no longer frighten, for they are about to yield to the light of the coming morning. It speaks of a mighty stone that was overturned, and no longer closes anything; of disciples running; of cloths – signs of death – that no longer bind anyone; of eyes that see; of hearts that believe; and of Scriptures that are revealed to full understanding. For us, those signs have a clear meaning of joy, of life, of hope.

You can find the Pastoral Letter from His Eminence Archbishop Hosam E. Naoum, Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, and the Head of the Church for the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, on the occasion of Easter 2023.

Following the Easter Sunday Mass, His Holiness Pope Francis delivers his Easter message and blessing "To the City and the World", underscoring the joyous hope that Christ's resurrection brings and encouraging Christians to rediscover the joy of serving God, working for peace, and helping our brothers and sisters in a world marked by so much suffering.

By Thaddeus Jones

His Holiness Pope Francis gave his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" Easter message on Sunday 9 April 2023, appearing from the central loggia of Saint Peter's Basilica overlooking the Square below where he had just presided over the Easter morning Mass.

On April 9, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, celebrated the Service of Nahire (the Feast of Lights), at St. Georges Patriarchal Cathedral in Bab Touma, Damascus, Syria.

‎‏This service was attended by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Cyril Babi, Patriarchal Vicar for the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Assistant.

On Palm Sunday evening, March 27/ April 10, 2023, the First Service of the Bridegroom, which is the Matins of Holy Monday, was held at the Catholicon of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

On this service, the faithful Christians are prepared through the contrite Troparia of this day to unite their souls with the Lord as the Bridegroom of the souls, and to experience the Passion of the Lord and His Resurrection.

On Monday 10 April 2023 evening, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, prayed the Holy Paskha of Tuesday Eve at St. Mark’s Church, Alexandria, Egypt.

The general Bishops of Alexandria have attended the prayer, which are His Grace Bishop Pavly, General Bishop of Montaza, Alexandria, His Grace Bishop Elarion, General Bishop of West Alexandria and His Grace Bishop Hermina, General Bishop of East Alexandria, as well as Fr. Abraam Emil, the Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria, the Priests and deacons of the Church and a number of the congregation who filled the Cathedral.

On the occasion of the glorious Palm Sunday and the Holy Week, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem extends its greetings to the Orthodox communities and to the people of the world in general. The Patriarchate hopes and prays that peace and security will come to the Holy Land and the entire world in those holy great days.

On this glorious occasion, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem calls for the largest participation in the ceremonies of the Holy Week and Saturday of the Holy light in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the first destination for believers from all over the world during the Holy Week and the Feast of Resurrection.

His Beatitude expresses his wishes and expectations that all believers would be able to exercise their natural God-given right to reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, especially on Saturday of the Holy Light, and to worship freely and safely without restrictions, as was the case for 2000 years, for this Holy Saturday is one of the holiest days marked in the annual calendar of the Orthodox Church. It is a symbol of new life and joy in the resurrection, especially in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

On April 9, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, celebrated the Holy Qurobo on the occasion of Palms Sunday, at St. Georges Patriarchal Cathedral in Bab Touma, Damascus, Syria.

During the Holy Qurobo, His Holiness was assisted by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Cyril Babi, Patriarchal Vicar for the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Assistant.

In his sermon, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II spoke aboutthe journey of the great lent that is an opportunity for us to discipline ourselves, strengthen our faith, straighten our behavior and conquer our desires.

On Sunday, March 27 / April 9, 2023, the feast of Palm Sunday was celebrated by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

On this feast, the whole Church of Jerusalem commemorates the triumphal entry of the Lord after the resurrection of Lazarus, seated on a colt, when the children of the Jews, spreading their garments, received Him holding palm tree branches, crying “Hosanna to the Son of David”.

On this feast, the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood held Great Vespers in the evening at the Catholicon f the Church of the Resurrection after the reception and veneration at the Holy Deposition and the Holy Sepulchre, presided over by His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III.