Inspired by the parable of the Good Samaritan, this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity invites us to pray for love of God and neighbour.

By Christopher Wells

For more than fifty years, the Catholic Church has joined with other Christian communities in the initiative of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (WCPU).

Each year in January – beginning on the 18th and concluding on the feast of the conversion of St Paul, January 24th – Christian churches and ecclesial communities observe the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Following on the ecumenical impulse provided by the Second Vatican Council, in 1966 the fledgling Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity (which evolved into the Dicastery of the same name) began working with the World Council of Churches’ Faith and Order Commission to prepare materials for the annual Week of Prayer.

On Friday 12 January 2024, Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, Acting President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Evangelical Family, alongside representatives from the UAECNE, visited His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and MECC President for the Catholic Family, to offer congratulations on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his ordination.

A gathering of Armenian Evangelical Pastors accompanied Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, Acting President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Evangelical Family, on an official New Year’s visit to the Armenian National Sanatorium at Azounieh, Lebanon, on 9 January 2024. The UAECNE, along with the Armenian Church of the Great House of Cilicia, have partnered for over a century in overseeing the work of the Sanatorium.

This year too I invite everyone to celebrate Sunday of the Word of God on the third Sunday of the year. In the previous two years, the participation of the entire Church of Jerusalem, together with other Churches, was exceptional: priests and parishes, families, religious institutes, and youth participated with a truly edifying enthusiasm, making clear how much the Word of God is vital in the life of our diocese.

We celebrate this day during a time of immense tragedy for Gaza, and for the entire Holy Land. A tragedy that needs our heartfelt supplication to the Lord, like the widow in the Gospel, capable of tiring the unjust judge who has always denied her the justice she deserves, but who in the end, just to get rid of her, listens to her and grants her what she asks for. It is the same word of Jesus that gives us hope when He comments on the parable: “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you: he will see that they get justice, and quickly.” (Lk. 18: 31)

Message of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I of the Great House of Cilicia for the New Year 2024

To the Prelates,

the clergy,

the community authorities

of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia,

and to the daughters and sons of our people,

On the eve of 2024, with fatherly love, patriarchal blessings, and intense patriotic feelings, we greet the beloved­ daughters and sons of our people from the Monastery of the­­ Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia. We greet especially our Prelates, community authorities, the organizations and associations that are active in the Armenian community, as well as community, educational, charitable, cultural, social,­ and sports institutions, and we wish them all a year of new achievements. We pray to Most High God, that the New Year that begins with His Son’s becoming man and His revelation,­ will be full of heavenly ­riches and grace for our people.

During his brief visit to Doha, Qatar, upon the invitation of the Qatari Prime Minister, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, conducted meetings with the ambassadors of Lebanon and Armenia. Additionally, he attended a dinner hosted in his honor by the Qatari Ambassador to the UK, Fahad Bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah, and visited former Minister of Energy, Abdullah Bin Attiyah, as per the latter’s invitation.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I also convened with the Executive Council of the Prelacy and received the Armenian community…

His Holiness Pope Francis appeals for an end to all wars, and prays that God might sow the seed of peace in the hearts of world leaders.

By Devin Watkins

As he led his Wednesday General Audience, His Holiness Pope Francis relaunched his appeal for peace in our war-torn world.

In his greetings to the Italian-speaking faithful, he expressed his solidarity with the people of countries that are enduring the horrors of war.

“We renew our prayerful closeness to the dear Ukrainian population so harshly tried and to those who suffer the horror of war in Palestine and [Israel], as well as in other parts of the world,” he said.

On Tuesday, January 9th, 2024, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and his Pontifical delegation arrived in Doha, Qatar, upon the invitation of the Qatari Prime Minister.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I was welcomed at the airport by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar; the Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy in UAE and Qatar, His Grace Bishop Mesrob Sarkissian; the Co-chair of the Central Council of the Catholicosate, Mr. Krikor Mahserejian; the Chair of the Armenian National Representatives Assembly of the Diocese, Mr. Varoujan Nerguizian; Shant Vartanian (standing in for the Lebanese Ambassador in his absence)  and members from the Armenian community.

From Secretariat-General at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Tuesday, December 27/ the feast day of Saint Stephen the First Martyr (Old Calendar: January 9, 2024) the following Churches visited the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem for the celebration of our Christmas to relay modest holiday greetings:

1. The Franciscan Brotherhood – Custody of the Holy Land

2. The Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem

3. The Coptic Church in Jerusalem

4. The Syrian Church in Jerusalem

5. The Ethiopian Church in Jerusalem

6. The Anglican Church in Jerusalem

7. The Lutheran Church

8. The Brotherhood of the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem.

We are all still enlightened by the light of the feast we celebrated yesterday, the feast of Epiphany: we saw that God manifests himself, reveals himself to those far away, wants to reach every man with his light, which is the light of mercy and peace.

Today too, on this feast of the Baptism of Jesus, we are reached by the same light; today too, God reveals himself to us, and he does so in a way, that even today, may surprise us.

The Gospel passage for this feast (Mark 1:7-11) is sharply divided into two parts.

The first part (vv 7-8) speaks of John the Baptist, his preaching and the expectation that animated him: John knew the arrival of the Messiah, a strong Messiah, was imminent (Mk 1:7). The Baptist waited for a powerful Messiah who, with this strength of his, with the superiority of his power, would restore justice, chastise sinners, eliminate evil.

This is John's expectation, and it is, after all, the expectation of each of us.

What do we expect of God but that he would set things right, that he would eliminate injustice, and that he would do so forcefully? Don't we expect a God who can do everything, and therefore put an end to what makes us suffer? Do we not continue to expect this?…

As is customary on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, His Holiness Pope Francis baptises 16 infants in the Sistine Chapel, welcoming them into their new life of faith.

By Francesca Merlo

His Holiness Pope Francis on Sunday 7 January 2023 baptised 16 infants on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

Under the frescoes of the Sistine Chapel, His Holiness Pope Francis celebrated the Lord's gift of faith to these children, saying they are also protagonists of the ceremony, since they give witness of how to receive faith. 

Although the children were all silent as the Pope spoke, “it only takes one to give the first note and the concert starts,” he said. Should they in fact cry, he continued “let them cry!”. Likewise, “if they are hungry, feed them”. They decide on this feast day, as they prepare to receive the gift of faith.

From Secretariat-General at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

The Christmas Feast of Sunday, December 25, 2023/January 7, 2024, began with the Descent in the evening from the entrance to the Baptistery and the entrance to the Basilica, presided over by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias.

Then the sequence of Matins began, as written in the Minaion, in the Catholicon of the Basilica. During this time, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos the Third, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, the High Priests and the Priests proceeded to the Grotto, with, the President of the Supreme Ecclesiastical Committee, representative of the President of the Palestinian State Mr Mahmoud Abbas-Abu Mazen, Mr Ramzi Khouri and associates of his office on the right and the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Dimitrios Angelosopoulos on the left and the representative of the King of Jordan.

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, One God, Amen.

I congratulate you, my beloved ones for the New Year and for the Glorious Feast of Nativity. I congratulate you from the land of Egypt, from the land of Saint Mark the Apostle, the Evangelist of Egypt. I congratulate you on this feast. I send congratulations on behalf of all Copts in Egypt. To all the Coptic dioceses and churches around the world. I congratulate the fathers; the metropolitans and bishops. And the fathers priests, hegumens, and presbyters. I congratulate church boards and deacons. I congratulate all the Coptic people who celebrate Christmas according to the Eastern calendar which falls on January 7th.

There are many reflections on Christmas. Perhaps the important question that concerns us all is: “Where is Christ?” The world has a lot of turmoil, wars and conflicts. But the question that has been asked since the incarnation of Jesus Christ is: “Where do we find Jesus?” When the angel appeared to the shepherds and told them: “I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” (Luke 2:10), they were shepherds doing a very simple job…

On the eve of the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ, January 5th, 2024, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, presided over the Christmas Vigil Service (Jrakaluyts - Lighting of the Candles), at St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral, in Antelias, Lebanon.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, the grand sacristan of the Cathedral, His Eminence Arch. Gomidas Ohanian, lit a candle from the altar, symbolizing the Light of Christ, and handed it over to His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, who in turn passed the light to the faithful. Following this, the Pontifical Procession proceeded to the Main Hall of the Catholicosate where Blessing of Home service was held.

In place of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East UAECNE's traditional Christmas reception, a special gathering for Prayer for Artsakh, Palestine and Lebanon will take place on Saturday, 6 January, at 12:30 p.m., Beirut time, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church, Beirut.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, received at the Papal Residence in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday 2 January 2024, Reverend Dr. Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Community of Egypt, who led a delegation consisting of: the General Evangelical Council, Heads and Leaders of Evangelical Denominations, the Evangelical College of Theology, and the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services. They congratulated His Holiness on the glorious Feast of Nativity.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II welcomed the evangelical delegation, and spoke about the blessings of the birth of the Lord Christ, who gave us a new beginning, peace, hope for a better life, and announced God’s eternal love for man…

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, received, at the Papal Residence in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday 2 January 2024, His Beatitude Patriarch Anba Ibrahim Isaac, Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria, and Head of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, accompanied by a delegation of Heads of the Catholic churches in Egypt.

The delegation that visited His Holiness Pope Tawadros II to congratulate him on the glorious Feast of Nativity included, in addition to His Beatitude the Patriarch: Their Eminences Metropolitan George Shehan (Metropolitan of the Maronite Church), Metropolitan Elie Warda (Metropolitan of the Syriac Catholic Church in Egypt), Metropolitan Krikor Aughosteynos Koussa (Metropolitan of the Armenian Catholic Church), Metropolitan Jean-Marie Shami (Metropolitan of the Roman Catholic Church), Chorbishop Mgr Paulus Sati (head of the Chaldean community), in addition to representatives of nuns and a number of Catholic entities in Egypt…

His Holiness Pope Francis releases his Prayer intention for the month of January, and invites Christians to embrace the diversity of charisms in the Church as a richness.

By Devin Watkins

“Let us pray that the Spirit help us recognize the gift of different charisms within the Christian communities, and to discover the richness of different ritual traditions within the Catholic Church.”

As the new year got underway, His Holiness Pope Francis released a video to accompany his prayer intention for the month of January 2024, during which Christians celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, on 18-25 January.

Most Reverend Eminence,

Your Excellencies, Most Reverend Fathers,

Dearest Brothers and Sisters,
may the Lord give you peace!

I usually begin my homilies and speeches with this greeting, which now seems more like a formality, something that is said without much thought, and perhaps even without much belief. Yet, that greeting says a great truth, that peace comes from Him, from the Lord Jesus, that it is an expression of His goodness. This is neither the time nor the place to enter into judgments and evaluations of the situation we are experiencing. We have already heard enough of them. They will not change the course of events and leave us as before. Here, today, we must and will turn our gaze to Christ and draw from Him the strength we need to intensify our trust, wounded by so much pain.

JERUSALEM - On Monday, January 1st, 2024, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over a Mass at the Pro-Cathedral, in celebration of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of the Eternal Son of God, which is God himself, and the annual celebration of The World Day of Peace, asking for the peace of God to reign in this new year. Concelebrating was Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, as well as several Bishops, and priests: in the presence of Italian Consul, different religious and consecrated sisters, as well as the faithful of Jerusalem.