His Holiness Pope Francis joins 1,200 guests in the Paul VI Hall to share Sunday19 November 2023 lunch with them on the occasion of World Day of the Poor.

By Vatican News

Awaiting His Holiness Pope Francis after he finished his Sunday Angelus, the guests gathered in the Paul VI Hall made up of the poor and their companions later greeted the Pope while enjoying a Sunday lunch. Over 1,200 people in all came for the lunch that transformed the Hall into a large and unique restaurant for the customary annual lunch with Pope Francis on the World Day of the Poor.

On Sunday, November 12th, 2023, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia presided over the Divine Liturgy and delivered his pontifical address at Sourp Khatch (Holy Cross) Church in Washington, DC. He was assisted by His Eminence Archbishop Papken Tcharian and His Grace Bishop Torkom Donoyan.

During his address, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I extended his pontifical greetings to the Prelate and the parish, centering his homily around Christ's quote, "I am the life." He emphasized the significance of leading a Christ-centered life, underscoring that without the presence of Christ in our lives, life loses its meaning.

On Saturday, November 11th, 2023, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia and his pontifical delegation visited Sourp Khatch (Holy Cross) Church in Washington, D.C. During this visit, he addressed the faithful and later met with the youth.

Following the canonical prayers, the prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan Tanielian, extended warm words of welcome to His Holiness and invited him to deliver his address.

Damascus, November 11, 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, inaugurated the Annual Conference for the Orthodox Sunday Schools - Damascus Center, Syria, which was held in the halls of the Church of the Holy Cross in Damascus, in the presence of the Reverend Bishops, Priests, and Fadi Al-Ash, Responsible for the Center, with members of the different branches from the Parishes of Damascus and its Countryside.

On Friday, November 10th, 2023, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia offered a lecture on the geopolitics of religion in the Middle East, in George Washington University. During the lecture, he emphasized the message of peace and respect for human rights in the monotheistic religions.

First, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I provided a general introduction to the increasing role of religion in societal life and its impact on geopolitical relations, stating that religion has historically played a significant role in various aspects of nations’ lives and that one cannot separate religion from general societal dynamics.

On the evening of Thursday, November 9th, 2023, a meeting was held, presided over by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, with the participation of the prelates of the Armenian Prelacies of the Eastern and Western United States, and the prelate of Canada, as well as the secretaries of the Executive Councils of these prelacies. Stepan Der Bedrossian, the co-chair of the Central Executive Council, was in attendance.

His Holiness Pope Francis will travel to the United Arab Emirates from 1 to 3 December to attend the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, where he will deliver a speech, hold private bilateral meetings, and inaugurate the "Faith Pavilion" at Dubai’s Expo City.

By Vatican News

A Holy See Press Office statement released on Thursday, 9 November, said His Holiness Pope Francis is scheduled to deliver a speech at the COP28 Summit taking place in Dubai, as well as engage in several bilateral meetings and inaugurate the "Faith Pavilion" at Expo City.

According to the official programme for the Pope's visit to Dubai from 1 to 3 December, it takes place on the occasion of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).

Amman, November 9, 2023

His Beatitude John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Orthodox Family, charged their Eminences Athanasios, Metropolitan of Latakia and its Dependencies, and Ephrem, Metropolitan of Aleppo and Alexandretta and their Dependencies of visiting Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. They were to bring to the Church of Jerusalem a message of fraternal love and the return of ecclesiastical communion between the Patriarchate of Antioch and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

His Eminence Bishop Christoforos received the two visiting hierarchs at the Archbishopric in Amman, welcoming their honorable presence. He expressed his personal joy and the relief and joy of His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City, Patriarch of the Jerusalem Church and its Holy Synod, regarding the decision of the Synod of Antioch.

The Conference of Secretaries of Christian World Communions held its yearly meeting from October 30th to November 3rd, 2023. After last year’s meeting in Vancouver, the Conference met in The Ecumenical Institute of Bossey and the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva.

The Ecumenical officers and secretaries of each respective church family and communion shared their reports and updates. Members detailed their ecclesial and ecumenical initiatives and challenges, as well as ongoing and future endeavors. On behalf of the Catholicosate of Cilicia and His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, V. Rev. Fr. Hrant Tahanian participates in the conference.

Mt 25:1-13

Before reflecting on today's Gospel passage (Mt 25:1-13), I would like to review what we heard last Sunday (Mt 23:1-12).

Jesus had warned his disciples and the crowd in front of him about the behavior of the Pharisees and the leaders of the people. Speaking of them, Jesus had pointed out an aspect of their life, which was marked by a certain paralysis: Those who occupy ranks or attend banquets, say and not do, not moving the burdens they place on others not even with a finger... This seems strange within the history of God's covenant where everything resembles a journey, where salvation is a journey of walking humbly with God, and where God himself walks with his people.

Hope Remains... Peace Shall Come

By: Lpj.org

A whole month has passed since the outbreak of the war, yet the blessed hope still beats in the hearts of the faithful who remain in the Holy Family Church of Gaza. Not ceasing in lifting their Prayers every day, and supporting each other, while receiving consolations from His Holiness Pope Francis, who has been showing his great support by contacting daily Fr. Joseph, assistant priest, and the sisters of Mother Teresa, as well as the Rosary sisters, who serve there, to check up on the well-being of the parish and encourage them by praying with them and consoling them amid their hardships as well as give them his blessing.  

On Thursday, November 9th, 2023, the Christians of Jerusalem participated in a Prayer for peace, which was organized by the Latin parish of Jerusalem in collaboration with Sabeel, and the Arab Catholic Scouts Center. His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over the Prayer and took a moment of silence for all the souls that have been lost throughout this war. Among the assembly were several Bishops, and Priests from different denominations, as well as a number of religious sisters.

After visits to Greece, Cyprus, Kuwait, Canada, and Lebanon within the scope of the pontifical proclaim "Year of the Diaspora II: From Self-Examination to Reorganization," His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, started his visit to the Eastern Prelacy continuing his mission to revitalize Diasporan life through the various fields of activity of the Cilician Catholicosate prelacies.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I arrived in Washington, D.C. on Monday, November 6. He was welcomed by His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy; the Chargé D'Affaires of the Lebanese Embassy, Wael Hachemi; Very Rev. Fr. Sahag Yemishian, Vicar, and community members. His Holiness will visit the communities of Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New Jersey, Troy, New Britain, and New York City, and will meet with our faithful and various governmental, diocesan, and religious bodies. He will give lectures, have ecumenical and youth meetings, and preside over a meeting of clergy from the three prelacies of North America.

Distinguished delegates, Esteemed spiritual leaders, Respected attendees,

and fellow caretakers of our Earth,

I greet you all in the name of our caring Creator of all things, visible and invisible.

As we gather here at COP28, we are all united by a pressing urgency, namely the imperative to preserve our planet, this wondrous creation that sustains and nourishes us all.

In the sacred scriptures, we are reminded of our divine duty: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it." (Genesis 2:15). This is not merely an ancient calling but a contemporary responsibility. Today, as leaders, believers, and human beings, we are entrusted with this very Earth – our shared home.

On November 6, 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 Global Faith Leaders Summit held at the Abu Dhabi Energy Conference Center in Abu Dhabi.

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II delivered a speech which you can red its text by clicking here.

His Royal Highness Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence, His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Vatican, His Eminence Dr. Mohamed Al-Duwaini, Deputy of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch, His Excellency Mr. Maulen Ashimbayev, Chairman of the World Congress of Traditional Religions, as well as several representatives of world religions, spoke in the opening session of the Summit.

On Sunday, October 23/November 5, 2023, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Holy Glorious Apostle and Martyr James, the Brother of God and first Hierarch of Jerusalem.

On this feast, the whole Church, especially the Church of Jerusalem, remembers that Saint James was the son of a woman who was previously married to Joseph, the betrothed of the Most Holy Theotokos, therefore, he was also called the brother of the Lord. Because of this legal relationship, Saint James was named Brother God. The Apostle Paul also testifies to this, saying: “None of the apostles did I see but James the Lord’s brother” (Gal. 1:19). He was righteous, a type of virtue and Holiness, also called “hoblias”, that is, righteous and protector of the people.

Saint James was installed by the Lord as the first Hierarch of the Church of Jerusalem, as his Kontakion says, “The Word of God, the Father’s Only-begotten, came down and dwelt here in our midst in these last days. He then appointed thee as the first shepherd of all-holy Jerusalem, and He made thee her teacher and a faithful steward of lofty spiritual mysteries. For this cause as is meet, O wondrous James, O blest Apostle, we all praise and honour thee”.

His Holiness Pope Francis renews his appeal for a ceasefire in the [Israel]-Hamas war, and prays for people suffering from wars in various parts of the world, including in Ukraine.

By Devin Watkins and Nathan Morley

“May we think about the children, all the children involved in this war, as well as in Ukraine and other conflicts: we are killing their future in this way.”

His Holiness Pope Francis made that appeal for an end to the war in the Holy Land on Sunday at the Angelus Prayer.

“I implore you to stop, in the name of God,” he said, adding: “Cease fire!”

The Initiative “Warm Christmas 2023”

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, launched the “Warm Christmas 2023” Initiative, hoping to help poor families in Syria and Lebanon.

You can find the letter addressed to their Eminences the Archbishops, and the Faithful Members and Friends of our Syriac Orthodox Church.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” (Matthew 25: 35-36)

After the majority of families in Alma Chaab, South of Lebanon, left their homes and lands, with the exception of a small number who remained in the village, a part of the Presbyterian Community in Alma Chaab met again in Dhour Chweir Evangelical Center, Lebanon.

A Worship Service was held, including Prayers for Lebanon and the South, asking for peace. Finally, attendees ate lunch together, before each family went to the house they lived in during the crisis.

Damascus, November 4, 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 Thanksgiving Prayer on the occasion of the glorification of the two Hieromartyrs, Fathers Nicholas and Habib Khasha, at the Church of the Holy Cross in Al-Qassaa, Syria, with the participation of their Graces the Bishops, the Parish Priests of Damascus and a crowd of the Faithful.

First, the procession of Clergymen and faithful crossed the outer square and reached the Church of the Holy Cross while the scouts of the Church were playing music. At the front, the icon of the two hieromartyrs was held in procession, while the Patriarchal Choir “Spiritual Cithare” chanted during the Prayer of Thanksgiving.

Following the painful events happening in Gaza, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, issued a new general appeal published on the website of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, in which he said:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

May the Lord give you peace!

Charity and prayer animate the entire extended family of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, especially during times of extreme hardship. Many lives were saved and much suffering was alleviated thanks to your support in these recent appeals: Covid-19, Gaza 2021; the Beirut port blast; and the Syria and Turkey earthquake

In all of these situations we heard and answered the cry of the poor. Once again, their cry is heard in the Holy Land because of the war that has been raging now for over three weeks…