On May 31st, 2023, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, accompanied by V. Rev. Fr. Barouyr Shernezian and the co-chair of the Central Council of the Catholicosate Mr. Kirkor Mahseredjian, arrived in Canada for a pontifical visit.

His Holiness was officially received at the airport by the Prelate of Canada H.E. Arch. Papken Tcharian, H.E. Arch. Souren Kataroyan, the Consul General of Lebanon to Canada Mr. Antoine Eid, clergy of the Catholicosate of Cilicia, member of the Central Council Dr. Jirayr Basmadjian, members of the Religious and Lay Councils of the prelacy, members of the organizing committee and board trustees.

By: Miral Atik/ lpj.org

HOLY LAND – During the month of May, His Beatitude Mgr Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Mgr William Shomali, General Vicar, and Mgr Rafiq Nahra, Patriarchal Vicar for Israel, administered the First Communion and the sacrament of Confirmation to over 200 children from the various Latin parishes of the diocese. 

“You have to be aware of the gift you are receiving today. It is something that will change your life,” said Mgr Pizzaballa during his homily in Saint Savior, in Jerusalem, where he administered the sacrament of confirmation to 33 boys and 19 girls. “After this, your very lifestyle should express your love for Jesus”.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, is continuing his pontifical visits within the framework of declaring 2023 the Year of the Armenian Diaspora. On this account, he departed for Canada on May 31st, accompanied by V. Rev. Fr. Barouyr Shernezian and the co-chair of the Central Council of the Catholicosate Mr. Krikor Mahseredjian.

In a message for the launch of the Family Global Compact, His Holiness Pope Francis gives his support to the initiative that aims to bring the pastoral care of families into dialogue with centres of study and research on the family in Catholic universities around the world.

By Thaddeus Jones

His Holiness Pope Francis has expressed his support for the Family Global Compact that is being launched as a way to support the welfare of the family, "decisive for the future of the world and that of the Church.” In a message released on Tuesday 30 May, the Pope lauded the goals of the Compact, an initiative of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life and the Pontifical Academy for Social Sciences. 

Social media is a way for the Church to be among the people, and work toward the common good, not about compromising the truth to gain followers or 'likes,' says Dr Paolo Ruffini. The Prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for Communication was speaking with Vatican News after presenting the Dicastery’s new theological and pastoral document reflection on social media, titled “Towards Full Presence. A Pastoral Reflection on Engagement with Social Media." (#FullyPresent).

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

The Vatican's Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, Paolo Ruffini, says that social media is valuable for being present in today's rapidly evolving world. However, he said in an interview with Vatican News, it’s not about gaining followers or 'likes,' but working toward a better world.

By: Cécile Leca/ lpj.org

JERUSALEM - On May 27th and 28th, the city of Jerusalem marked the Feast of Pentecost celebrated by His Beatitude Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, with a vigil at the Basilica of St Stephen and a solemn Mass at the Abbey of the Dormition. The video presents an overview about these celebrations.

On Sunday, May 15 / 28, 2023, on the commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. made a Pastoral visit to the Greek Orthodox Arabic-speaking Community of the county of Turan, adjacent to Cana of Galilee.

His Beatitude was warmly received by a parade of Scouts and a reception by the Priests, and he officiated in the Holy Church of Saint Georgios of this Community, with the co-celebration of their Eminences, the Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, the Elder Chief Secretary Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Archbishop Philoumenos of Pella, the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nektarios, Arabic-speaking Priests of the Galilee region, the Archdeacon Mark and the Hierodeacon Eulogios, under the chanting by the members of the Community choir and the participation of many faithful of the city.

Below you can find the Pastoral Letter from Archbishop Hosam E. Naoum, Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, the Head of the Church Synod for the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, and the Primate of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, on the occasion of Pentecost 2023.

Dear brothers and sisters,

May the Lord give you peace!

Today, it is a special Pentecost that we are celebrating here in Jerusalem. First because we have finally returned to celebrate at the Dormition, as per tradition, after the end of the renovations that have restored it to its former glory. But also because today, along with the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are also blessing the beginning of the abbatial ministry of Fr. Nikodemus Schnabel, newly elected abbot, and until now Patriarchal Vicar for Migrants and Asylum Seekers. It is therefore an important moment for the whole Church in Jerusalem.

In his homily for the Solemnity of Pentecost, His Holiness Pope Francis calls on us to invoke daily the Spirit who gives "harmony to the world" and "directs the course of time and renews the face of the earth."

By Thaddeus Jones

At the Mass on this Solemnity of Pentecost celebrated in Saint Peter's Basilica, His Holiness Pope Francis in his homily highlighted how the Holy Spirit acts in the world he created, in the Church, and in our hearts, bringing order and harmony in all spheres.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, on May 27 2023, visited the Church of St. Marina in the Brock and Dermore area of the Austrian Diocese.

His Holiness was accompanied during the visit by His Grace Bishop Gabriel, Bishop of Austria, and Fr Kyrillos, St Bishoy, Director of the Pope’s Office.

This visit comes within the framework of His Holiness’s pastoral visit to Austria, and in conjunction with the ten-year anniversary of the consecration of the Church.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II was welcomed by a number of Priests, Deacons and congregation who joyfully welcomed His Holiness who were joyful with the pastoral visit of His Holiness.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, prayed on the morning of Thursday 25 May 2023 the Liturgy for the Feast of the Ascension in the Church of the Victorious Virgin in the Austrian capital, Vienna. His Grace Bishop Gabriel, the Bishop of Austria, participated in the Liturgy Prayers along with His Grace Bishop Abakir, Bishop of Scandinavia, His Grace Bishop Makar, Bishop of Sharkia and the Tenth of Ramadan and His Grace Bishop Anianos, Bishop of Bani Mazar, and a number of priests, monks and the Church’s congregation.

The Holy See of Cilicia, along with the prelacies as well as the community leadership and affiliated structures throughout the world, expresses its full agreement with the statement issued by the National Assembly of the Republic of Artsakh, rejecting any approach that would consider the Republic of Artsakh as an integral part of the territory of Azerbaijan, in this particular case by the prime minister and the government of the Republic of Armenia.

Indeed, Artsakh has expressed its collective will for self-rule in a popular referendum on December 10, 1991, and the Supreme Council of the Republic of Armenia reaffirmed the sovereignty of Artsakh on July 8, 1992.

On Thursday, May 12/25, 2023, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Ascension of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ into heaven, deifying the body of our human nature He had assumed and sat at the right hand of God and Father and from whom He sent us the Comforter Holy Spirit.

This Despotic feast was celebrated in the place of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives in accordance with the narratives of the Evangelists (Matt. ch. 28,16 Mark. 16,19, Luke. 24,50 and Acts ch. 1) with Vespers in the afternoon, led by His Eminence Archbishop Theophanes of Gerassa,  along with the Hagiotaphite  Hieromonks Fr Dionysios, Fr Kallistos, Fr Claudius, Fr. Amphilochios and the Priests of Saint James Cathedral. Local faithful Christians attended the service.

Jn 20:19-23

On this feast of Pentecost, we listen to the Gospel passage of John’s Gospel that brings us back to the Easter evening, “On the evening of that first day of the week…” (Jn 20:19-23): the Risen Jesus visits His disciples locked in the Cenacle, and immediately gives them His Spirit, the new life that He received from the Father. As soon as He receives it, He immediately shares it with His own because that is precisely why He came into the world, just for this reason, went through death, thus fulfilling the Father’s work.

Not only. But at the very moment when the Risen Lord gives His Spirit to His disciples, immediately He sends them on a mission, dispatches them, enables them to be His witnesses. These few verses of John lead us to the heart of the new life, the life of missionaries and witnesses.

There is, at the center of these verses, the gift of the Spirit that makes possible what precedes it and what follows it.

On the Sunday of the Blind Man, 8th/ 21st May 2023, according to the book of Pentecostarion, His Beatitude Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Church of Saint George in the Rum-Orthodox Arabic-speaking community of Reine, a town near Nazareth.

Before the Liturgy, His Beatitude was warmly welcomed by the Boy Scouts of the Community.

Co-celebrants to His Beatitude were their Eminences, the Metropolitan Kyriakos of Nazareth, the Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nectarios, the ministering Dean Priest of the Church Fr Simeon, and other Priests from the neighbouring communities, Archdeacon Mark and Hierodeacon Eulogios, under the chanting of the local Byzantine choir.

The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
cordially invites you to attend an

Ecumenical prayer for Peace
on the Eve of Pentecost

On May 21, 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 at Mor Yacoub Nsibinoyo Cathedral in Södertalje, Stockholm .

He was assisted by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Titus Boulos Touza, Apostolic Delegate for the Syriac Missions in Brazil, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Assistant.

On Saturday, May 7/20, 2023, the Feast of the Sign of the Cross Appearing in Heaven was celebrated by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

On this feast, the Church, especially that of Jerusalem, remembers that in the year 351, on the days of the Priesthood of His Eminence Archbishop of Jerusalem Cyril and on the days of Holy Pentecost, around the third hour of the day, a cross of bright stars appeared, extending from the Horrendous Golgotha until the Mount of Olives, becoming visible to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

His Eminence Archbishop Cyril himself is the source of this fact in his letter to Constantius the king, son of Constantine the Great.

ABOUD – From May 19th to May 21st, His Beatitude Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, made a pastoral visit to the Parish of Aboud, in Palestine, after having previously visited the Parishes of Til’Al’Ali (Jordan), Bethlehem, and Ramallah.

These pastoral visits are generally marked by a spirit of sharing and communion, vital for the spiritual growth and well-being of the Body of Christ, that is, the Church, with the pastor seeking to cement his relationship with its members.

“…Feed my lambs… Tend my sheep… Feed my sheep,” Jesus said to Simon Peter before ascending (John 21: 15-18).

His Beatitude Mgr Pizzaballa's main objective behind these visits is to better understand the living conditions of the faithful, to listen to their problems, joys and needs, and to pray, celebrate and rejoice with them.