Within the framework of his Pontifical visit to Canada, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church of Cilicia, met with representatives from Armenian organizations in Montreal at the Pastrmadjian Hall of Sourp Hagop Armenian School.

The main agenda of His Holiness’ Pontifical visits is reorganizing and revitalizing the Armenian diaspora as underlined in the Catholicos’ 2023 declaration.

His Holiness Pope Francis is admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital where he will undergo abdominal surgery on Wednesday 7 June 2023, afternoon. He is expected to remain in hospital for some days to allow for full recovery.

By Vatican News

At the end of the General Audience on Wednesday morning His Holiness Pope Francis was admitted to Rome’s A. Gemelli University Hospital where he will undergo surgery in the early afternoon.

A statement released by the Holy See Press Office said the Holy Father “will undergo a laparotomy and abdominal wall surgery under general anaesthesia.”

On Tuesday, June 6, 2023, upon the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Holy Synod of our Syriac Orthodox Church started its sessions at the Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh - Lebanon.

Their Eminences Archbishops of our Syriac archdioceses from all over the world are attending the Holy Synod.

An official banquet was organized in honor of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church of Cilicia, at Plaza Volare in Montreal, Canada, on the evening of June 4, 2023.

In attendance were the Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy of the Eastern USA, the Armenian Ambassador to Canada, the Honorary Consul of Armenia in Quebec, the co-Chair of the Central Council of the Catholicosate, the member of the Central Council residing in Canada, the ARF Bureau Chair, the Executive Chair of the Prelacy, as well members of the Religious and Lay Councils of the Prelacy and representatives of sister organizations.

By: Miral Atik/ lpj.org

RAFIDIA - From June 1st to June 3rd, 2023, His Beatitude Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, made a Pastoral visit to the Parish of Rafidia - Nablus, Palestine, after having previously visited the parishes of Til’Al’Ali (Jordan), Bethlehem, Ramallah, and Aboud.

Nablus is located 63 km north of Jerusalem. It’s the second largest city in Palestine and is divided into three religions: the Samaritans, Christians, and Muslims. The Christians have existed in Nablus since the time of Jesus Christ and the city of Samaria is mentioned in the bible more than 100 times. Christians make up a small percentage of the population and resides in the Western part of the city, in a neighborhood called Rafidia.

On Saturday evening, June 3rd, 2023, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church of Cilicia, presided over the Divine Liturgy celebrated at Bon Pasteur Catholic Church in Laval, Canada, by H.E. Arch. Anoushavan Tanielian, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy of the USA.

H.E. Arch. Papken Tcharian, Prelate of Canada, and V. Rev. Fr. Keghart Kusbekian, chair of the Religious Council of the Prelacy, and Cilician clergy joined the Catholicos in Prayer.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, prayed today the liturgy of the feast of Pentecost in King Mariout, Egypt.

Following the Liturgy, His Holiness had a minor medical issue due to inflammation of the Seventh nerve.

Physicians advised his holiness to rest and to take some medications.

Hence, immediate meetings related to His Holiness are being postponed, while future meetings will be kept.

On Sunday, May 22nd/ June 4th, 2023, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated Pentecost Sunday, that is, the fifty-day completion since the Ascension of the Lord and the day of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

On this day, according to the book of the Acts of the Apostles (Chap. 2), the Lord, who was gloriously taken up into the heavens, sent His holy disciples and Apostles, through His Father, His Holy Spirit. This paradoxical phenomenon was revealed “in a violent breath” and “filled the house where the disciples were sitting” and “in tongues of fire, which sat at the head of each one of them, were illuminated and spoke in other languages the greatness of God”.

On June 4, 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 the Feast of the Pentecost, at St. George Patriarchal Cathedral in Bab Touma - Damascus, Syria.

His Holiness was assisted by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Cyril Babi, Patriarchal Vicar for the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeerah and Euphrates, and Mor George Kourieh, Patriarchal Vicar in Belgium, France and Luxembourg.

On Friday evening, June 2nd, 2023, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church of Cilicia, led the procession consisting of clergy, headed by Homenetmen Laval band and scouts to Sourp Kevork Church in Laval, Canada.

With the Hrashapar hymn, His Holiness entered the Church, where Canonical prayer was held. In attendance were members of the Central Council of the Catholicosate, the Executive Council of the Prelacy of Canada, the prelacy board of trustees, representatives of the Armenian Community organizations, and the faithful.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church received Mr. Hagop Der Khatchadourian—chair of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau, Mr. Raffi Donabedian—member of the ARF Bureau, Mr. Mher Karakashian—chair of the Central Committee, and members of the said committee: Mr. Saro Der Bedrosian, Ms. Maral Nazarian, and Mr. Hovig Tufenkjian.

In attendance at this meeting were Prelate H.E. Arch. Papken Tcharian and member of the Central Council of the Holy See of Cilicia Dr. Jirayr Basmadjian.

On Friday afternoon, June 2nd, 2023, Prelate of Canada H.E. Arch. Papken Tcharian and the Executive Council of the prelacy held a meeting with His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church of Cilicia. In attendance were Mr. Krikor Mahseredjian, co-chair of the Central Council of the Holy See of Cilicia, and Dr. Jirayr Basmadjian, member of the said Council.

During the meeting, they discussed issues on challenges facing the Canadian Armenian community.

On Friday morning, June 2nd, 2023, the Pontifical delegation accompanied by community heads and members, headed by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church of Cilicia, visited the Aram and Berdjuhi Markarian Nursery, ARS kindergarten, Sarafian Elementary, and Pastermadjian Secondary schools.

The principal of the Sourp Hagop Armenian School Ms. Lory Abrakian delivered the welcoming remarks. Subsequently, the students presented a brief program in honor of His Holiness’ visit, and His Eminence Arch. Papken Tcharian invited the Catholicos to the stage for his blessings and speech.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church of Cilicia, Pontifical visit to Canada proceeded on Thursday evening, June 1st, 2023, with His Holiness and the pontifical delegation visiting Sourp Hagop Church. The Pontifical procession consisted of clergy, acolytes, the Homenetmen GAMK band, and scouts.

The Hrashapar hymn was sung as His Holiness and his entourage entered the Church, where Canonical Prayers were held. Central Council members of the Catholicosate, Executive Council, Boards of Trustees, and representatives of the Armenian community organizations were present.  

On Friday, May 20 / June 2, 2023, the Feast of the Glorious and God-crowned great sovereigns and equal to the apostles Constantine and Helen was celebrated by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem with a transference of the actual Feast date.

On this Feast, the Church honors Constantine the Great as an apostle, because with the decree of the Milanese of the year AD 312, he recognized Christianity as the freed religion of the Roman state, and allowed the construction of Churches for the worship of the true God through Christ, His incarnate Son. The Church also honors his mother Saint Helen on this day, because, following her son as king, she came to the Holy Land and erected the Church of the Resurrection on the Holy Sepulchre and the Martyrdom on the Horrendous Golgotha and the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem and other churches in different places of the incarnate presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jn 3:16-18

In some passages of the Gospel of John, we find words of Jesus that are like summaries, keys to reading, and understanding all the actions of God.

The passage we hear on this Feast of the Most Trinity (Jn 3:16-18), which is part of the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus, is just one of these fundamental passages.

As I said, it is not the only one, there are others.

Let us think about Chapter 6: 39-40, where Jesus says that “…this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Or about Chapter 12:47, when Jesus repeats the same words that we hear today, as to repeat the essential: He did not come to condemn, but to salve.

A symposium dedicated to the 850th anniversary of the passing of St. Nerses the Gracious (Shnorhali) was held on May 26th, under the auspices of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, and organized by the Cilicia library.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I addressed the closing session and summarized the legacy of St. Nerses in three key endeavors: reorganizing and revitalizing the church; ecumenical relations; and state-church relations.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, prayed on the morning of Thursday 1st of June 2023, the Liturgy of the Entry of Christ into the land of Egypt at the Church of the Virgin Mary in Maadi, Egypt which is one of the stops visited by the Holy Family during their tour in the land of Egypt.

A number of metropolitans, bishops, priests, deacons of the church and the congregation participated in the liturgy prayers.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II blessed the waters of the Nile on which the church is located, by sprinkling the blessing water in it, after the end of the liturgy, which was held in the open air in the area directly overlooking the Nile.

In the morning of June 1, 2023, the official opening ceremony of the International Joint Theological Commission of the Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches took place at the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa.

24 Orthodox and 18 Catholic participants, Cardinals, Metropolitans, Elders and lay theologians were welcomed by His Beatitude Pope Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa.

The Patriarch said: “It is with deep love and great joy that we welcome the Co-Chairs and the members of the International Joint Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches at the seat of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, which has a long history and a promising future. We wish a very warm welcome to you all”.

The journey began from Palestine to Egypt, through the plateaus and deserts, and not via one of the known routes (three roads at the time) because they were fleeing from Herod the King. They reached the borders of Egypt and made the following stops during their journey:

1- Al-Farma: The Holy Family traveled from Bethlehem to Gaza to the Zaraneeq reserve (Al-Felusiyat), 37 km west of Al-Arish, and entered Egypt through the northern side of the Al-Farma (Bloziom) located between the cities of Al-Arish and Port Said.

2- Tal Basta: The Holy Family entered the city of Tal Basta near the city of Zagazig in the Sharqia governorate. The people of the city mistreated them, so they left.

3- The Mahmah (now Mostorod): Its name was the Mahmah because it was a place of bathing, and in it the Virgin bathed Christ and washed his clothes, with a spring of water that is present until today.