In mid-September, Azerbaijan launched a military operation against the indigenous population of Artsakh, after imposing a nine-month blockade, resulting in the forced displacement of Artsakh Armenians from their homeland. Today, Armenians worldwide are enduring yet another episode of ethnic cleansing all while justice for the Armenian genocide that occurred in 1915 remains elusive. And as in the past, Armenians draw solace and strength from their faith just like the biblical passage in Romans 5:5 promises: “Hope does not put us to shame.”

By: Miral Atik/lpj.org

VATICAN CITY - September 30TH , 2023, in St. Peter’s Square, His Holiness Pope Francis appointed the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa as a Cardinal for the Holy Roman Church, in addition to 20 New Cardinals during a Public Ordinary Consistory, which witnessed the attendance of thousands of faithful from various nations.  

People from different nationalities, united under one faith rejoiced as His Holiness Pope Francis  presided over the appointment, handing out the Scarlet biretta and placing a ring on the hand of each new cardinal while saying: “Receive this ring from the hand of Peter and know that, with the love of the Prince of the Apostles, your love for the Church is strengthened.”  

His Holiness Pope Francis appeals to the international community to favour mediation between Azerbaijan and Armenia as tens of thousands of Armenians flee the contested enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, and he prays for victims of a massive explosion in the city of Stepanakert.

By Linda Bordoni

His Holiness Pope Francis said he has been following the dramatic situation of displaced Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh in recent days and reiterated his call for a political mediation between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Speaking during the Sunday Angelus he said: “I renew my call for dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia, hoping that the talks between the parties, with the support of the international community, will favour a lasting agreement that will put an end to the humanitarian crisis.”

Damascus, Syria, October 1, 2023

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Orthodox Family, held a Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Holy Cross in Al-Qasaa. His Beatitude was assisted by the Most Reverend Metropolitan of São Paulo and all of Brazil, Damaskinos (Mansour), and their Graces, Bishops: Romanos (al-Hannat), Moussa (Al-Khoury), Ioannis (Batach), Arsanios (Dahdal), Moses (al-Khosi), as well as several Priests and Deacons.

On the occasion of the annual Thanksgiving / Harvest Sunday 2023, His Eminence Bishop Hosam Elias Naoum, the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, and the Primate of the Episcopal Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, sent a pastoral message to the faithful in the Archdiocese of Jerusalem, entitled “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to make this freewill offering? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you” (1 Chronicles 29:14, NRSV).

You can find below the text of this message.

On September 30, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, met His Holiness Pope Francis at the Papal Residence in the Vatican.

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II was accompanied by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Anthimos Jack Yacoub, Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem, Jordan and the Holy Land, and Mor Augeen Al Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary.

Dear All,  

Today’s Eucharistic Celebration has a special new "color" for all of us.   

I am not referring only to the scarlet red color with which the Holy Father wished to honor me and the Church of Jerusalem; which I have the grace to preside over, and of whom some are present and gathered here today. Nor am I referring only to the fact that it is celebrated in this venerable Papal Basilica. I am referring above all to the "new" call that this red means for me and for those who in some way are united to me by human, Christian and ecclesial bonds. 

In fact, this call is for all of us, for the Lord does not cease to repeat what we have just heard in today's Gospel: ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.’ (Mt 21:29). This is a continuous invitation that awaits a sincere and faithful response to Him who calls without wavering. And from which the answer of all depends the fulfillment of the Kingdom among us and for eternity.   

On Saturday 30 September 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, congratulated His Beatitude Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa on his appointment as Cardinal of the Catholic Church.

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II participated in an Ordinary General Consistory headed by His Holiness Pope Francis, on Saturday, during which he appointed 21 new Cardinals, in the courtyard of the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican.

His Holiness was accompanied by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Anthimos Jack Yacoub, Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem, Jordan and the Holy Land, and Mor Augeen Al Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary.

His Eminence Bishop Hosam Elias Naoum, the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, and the Primate of the Episcopal Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East, and the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, attended on Saturday morning, September 30, 2023, an Ordinary General Consistory headed by His Holiness Pope Francis, during which he appointed 21 new Cardinals, in the courtyard of the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican.

His Eminence Bishop Hossam Naoum dedicated a congratulatory message to His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, which was posted on his Facebook page, as follows:

The Vatican City, Rome

A joyful day for Jerusalem as the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, has been collated by His Holiness Pope Francis as a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Congratulations and well deserved!

On September 30, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, attended the ceremonial consistory of the creation of the new Cardinals at St. Peter Square in the Vatican, upon the invitation of His Holiness Pope Francis.

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II was accompanied by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Anthimos Jack Yacoub, Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem, Jordan and the Holy Land, and Mor Augeen Al Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary. Their Holinesses: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III, His Grace Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, and their Beatitudes: Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan, Greek Catholic Melkite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East Joseph Absi,and Coptic Catholic Patriarch Anba Ibrahim Ishaak, were also present.

In his homily during the Consistory for the creation of 21 new Cardinals, His Holiness Pope Francis reflects on unity and diversity in the Church, highlighting the importance of synodality under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the “master of walking together.”

By Lisa Zengarini

“The College of Cardinals is called to resemble a symphony orchestra, representing the harmony and synodality of the Church.” His Holiness Pope Francis made this remark as he presided on Saturday 30 September 2023 at the Consistory for the creation of 21 Cardinals in St. Peter's Square.

On September 30, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, participated in the Ecumenical Vigil Prayer at St. Peter Square in the Vatican. His Holiness Pope Francis invited, in cooperation with the Taizé community, Religious Leaders to this Ecumenical Prayer in preparation for the Synod of Catholic Bishops.

At an Ecumenical Prayer Vigil on the eve of the General Assembly of the Synod, His Holiness Pope Francis says that the truth “does not need loud cries to reach people’s hearts.”

By Joseph Tulloch

His Holiness Pope Francis has addressed the thousands of pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square for an Ecumenical Prayer Vigil.

The faithful – who hail from across the denominational spectrum, and include the heads of many Christian Churches – have gathered to entrust the upcoming General Assembly of the Synod to the Holy Spirit.

In his address, delivered toward the end of the vigil, His Holiness Pope Francis meditated on the topic of silence, stressing in particular three values it holds for Christians today.

His Holiness Pope Francis releases his Prayer intention for the month of October and invites everyone to embrace listening and dialogue through the Synod.

By Vatican News

“Let us pray for the Church, that she may adopt listening and dialogue as a style of life at every level, allowing herself to be guided by the Holy Spirit towards the world’s peripheries.”

His Holiness Pope Francis launched that invitation on Friday 29 October 2023 as he released his Prayer intention for October 2023: “For the Synod”.

DEIR RAFAT – On Sunday, October 29th, 2023, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mgr Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over the Solemn Mass for Our Lady Queen of Palestine and the Holy Land, main patroness of the Diocese, at the Shrine of Our Lady. Several Bishops, and Priests also concelebrated; In the presence of the Religious sisters, and the few Faithful, who managed to come to the Monastery amidst these difficult times.

Due to the current situation that is on-going in our beloved Holy Land, great number of faithful who yearly come from different parts of the Holy Land to celebrate the Solemnity of Our Lady, in the Shrine of Deir Rafat, which was built in 1927, unfortunately, were not able to come. Yet they celebrated in their parishes and asked Our Lady to intercede for the people of this Holy Land and its peace.

In his homily, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mgr Pierbattista Pizzaballa, said: Thanks to Our Lady, who loves to gather her children around her, we meet here today. As we consecrate again our beloved diocese and land to her care, we also entrust ourselves to God…

On Wednesday, September 27th, 2023, an online meeting was convened by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church of Cilicia, and the Prelates of the Holy See of Cilicia. The meeting centered around the strategies to support the people of Artsakh following the recent ethic cleansing. 

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I underscored three main actions:

a) Declare Sunday, October 1st, as a Day of Solidarity with Artsakh, hold Requiem Services to honor the fallen martyrs in Artsakh and offer Prayers for the survivors.

b) Engage actively in public campaigns advocating for the security and rights of the people of Artsakh.

c) Provide humanitarian aid to individuals facing social and economic challenges, both within Artsakh and Armenia.

The title of His Holiness Pope Francis' next Apostolic Exhortation will be "Laudate Deum," the Pope himself revealed, while addressing participants in a meeting of Latin American university rectors in the Vatican, and as he vehemently warned against a throwaway culture.

By Father Johan Pacheco 

The name of His Holiness Pope Francis' next Apostolic Exhortation on the environment will be Laudate Deum, His Holiness Pope Francis has revealed.

The Holy Father shared this on Thursday, Sept. 21 when addressing in the Vatican some 200 participants in the meeting of the Rectors of public and private universities of Latin America and the Caribbean, sponsored by the Red de Universidades para el Cuidado de la Casa Común and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America on Sept. 20 and 21 at the Augustinianum on the theme "Organizing Hope," with the participation of some Prefects and Secretaries of Dicasteries of the Holy See.

On Wednesday, September 14/27, 2023, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was celebrated by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

During this Feast, the Church remembers that Saint Helen, sent to the Holy Land by her son Constantine the Great, saw on the Horrendous Golgotha the Tomb of the Lord and the Cross, on which he was attached for our salvation, and she built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the decade 326-336 AD.

To the glory of our Crucified and Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, Saint Helen performed the Inauguration of his surrounding Church on September 13, 336 AD in the presence of the Archbishop of Jerusalem Makarios. Then he raised the Cross of Christ, so that the assembled multitudes could look at it from afar, and they repeatedly called out “Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy”.

This act has remained as a tradition since then in the Church, celebrated the day after the Feast of the Inauguration, that is on September 14th.

Mt 21, 28-32

"Or am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?" (Mt 20:15): this was the conclusion of last Sunday's Gospel passage (Mt 20:1-16), the so-called parable of the workers of the last hour.

God, as we saw in this parable, is like a good master: he is free from all calculation, from all lust for possession, from all power instincts.

And because he is good, he can do with his goods what he wants, because every thing he will do will be a good thing, will be a beautiful thing, that helps life, that serves the good of all.

Because he is good, he is free to treat his workers as he wishes, to treat everyone with justice, that is, giving each one not what he deserves, but what he needs, just like a father who knows his children and gives each one what he needs to live: he gives more to those who need it most.

Offering Condolences for the Families of the Victims of the Fire that Took Place in a Hall in Qaraqosh - Iraq

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, sent a letter to His Beatitude Patriarch Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan, Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, offering condolences for the families of the victims of the fire that took place in a hall in Qaraqosh - Iraq.

You can find below the letter in Arabic. It was originally published on the Facebook Page of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II.