Jerusalem

July 2, 2024

With a positive atmosphere, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches of the Holy Land met today with His Excellency the Mayor of Jerusalem, Mr. Moshe Leon, to convey to him in person the contents of their letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu earlier in June and their concern from the recent legal actions of the municipality against the Churches for the collection of so called Municipal taxes debts.

The Heads of Churches reiterated their long-standing position that such unilateral actions by the Municipalities is not in accordance with the Status Quo and with the rights of the Churches, recognized and upheld for centuries and granted to the Churches for their immense contribution to the Holy Land and the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Last Sunday's Gospel (Mark 5:21-43) helped us reflect on a very important aspect of our faith: where human religiosity, with its laws and customs, had created distance and separation from God. On the contrary, Jesus brought openness and closeness.

We witnessed the story of two women who, in different ways, because of the purity laws could not come into contact with the Lord Jesus.

The woman with the issue of blood was considered unclean and therefore untouchable: whoever touched her became unclean in turn.

Likewise for the body of a dead person, such as that of Jairus' daughter: those who came in contact with it, had to undergo various purification rites.

Mk 5:21-43 

A key reading that can help us in understanding today's Gospel passage (Mk 5:21-43) is verse 33: the woman afflicted with hemorrhages, after stealthily being healed by Jesus, is invited to come out, to show herself (Mk 5:30). And she does, but she does so "in fear and trembling" (Mk 5:33). 

These are not two random adjectives.

We find them in the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 12:18), in the chapter in which the author reflects on the two covenants, the one stipulated on Sinai (Ex 19) and the one renewed with the Passover of Jesus.

The author of the Epistle, speaking to his readers, says that they did not approach a tremendous and dramatic event, such as that recounted in the Theophany on Sinai: in that case, the spectacle was so terrifying that even Moses said. " I am terrified and trembling." (Heb 12:21).

On June 24, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, visited Peter Pazmany Catholic University in Budapest.

His Eminence Archbishop Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, accompanied His Holiness during this visit.

On the evening of Wednesday 26 June 2024, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, resumed the weekly Wednesday meeting, after it stopped at the end of the Holy Forty Days of Lent. The meeting was held in St. Mark’s Cathedral in Alexandria, which was filled with attendees from members of the church. Before the start of the vesper prayers, His Holiness visited the International Book Fair, which is held annually in the courtyard of St. Mark’s Cathedral, as well as an employment forum for youth and graduates, organized by the leaders of the youth service in Alexandria.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II prayed the raising of incense of vespers, with the participation of the General Bishops supervising the pastoral sectors of Alexandria, Hegumen Abraam Emil (Deputy General of the Patriarchate in Alexandria), and a large number of priests from Alexandria.

With the Apostolic Letter “Fratello sole,” issued motu proprio, His Holiness Pope Francis provides for the construction of an agrivoltaic plant in the extraterritorial zone of Santa Maria in Galeria, where Vatican Radio maintains antennas for digital broadcasting.

By Christopher Wells

Highlighting the need “to make a transition to a sustainable development model that reduces greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, setting the goal of climate neutrality,” His Holiness Pope Francis has ordered the construction of an agrivoltaic plant within the extraterritorial zone of Santa Maria di Galeria.

Agrivoltaics involves the dual use of land for solar energy production and agriculture. As the Holy Father explains in the new Apostolic Letter Fratello Sole (“Brother Sun”), “Mankind has the technological means to deal with this environmental transformation and its pernicious ethical, social, economic and political consequences; and among these, solar energy plays a key role.”

Sunday, June 10/23, 2024, the Feast of Pentecost was celebrated by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem and by the entire Church as the day of commemoration of the Outpouring of the Holy Spirit, whom our Lord Jesus Christ sent to His Disciple and Apostles from the Father.

Then, on the day of Pentecost, the Apostles spoke in various languages ​​the greatness of God to the multitudes gathered “by the violent breath” of the Holy Spirit, to whom the Apostle Peter preached and believed and were baptized and formed the first Church, Mother of all Saints of Churches, according to the book of the Acts of the Apostles.

On June 23, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, celebrated the Holy Qurobo on the occasion of the Feast of the Pentecost, at Mor Augeen Monastery in Switzerland.

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II was assisted by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Dionysius Issa Gurbuz, Patriarchal Vicar for Switzerland and Austria, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary…

Damascus, June 23, 2024

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, celebrated Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of Pentecost at the Mariamite Cathedral in Damascus. Reverend Bishops Romanos (Al Hannat), Youhanna (Batash), Arsenios (Dahdal), and Moses (Al Khasi) were concelebrating, as well as a many priests and deacons.

During the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude Patriarch John X ordained Deacon Nektarios Abu Sabia to Priesthood.

The Liturgy ended with the kneeling Prayers.

On June 17, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, attended a recital of the 4 choirs of the Archdiocese of Aleppo, at St. Georges Church in Aleppo.

Their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Boutros Kassis, Archbishop of Aleppo and Environs, Mor Chrysostomos Mikhael Shemoun, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeerah and Euphrates, Mor Yacoub Babawi, Patriarchal Vicar for Monks Affairs and the Administration of Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary in Maarat Saydnaya, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, were also present as well as their Excellencies: Afram Maalouly, Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo, Alexandretta and Environs, and Msgr. Joseph Tobji, Maronite Archbishop of Aleppo.

On June 17, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, met the elderly and the people with special needs of the Archdiocese of Aleppo.

Their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Boutros Kassis, Archbishop of Aleppo and Environs, Mor Chrysostomos Mikhael Shemoun, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeerah and Euphrates, Mor Yacoub Babawi, Patriarchal Vicar for Monks Affairs and the Administration of Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary in Maarat Saydnaya, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, were also present.

On June 17, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, visited the Spiritual Gathering of Young Families in Aleppo.

Their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Boutros Kassis, Archbishop of Aleppo and Environs, Mor Chrysostomos Mikhael Shemoun, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeerah and Euphrates, Mor Yacoub Babawi, Patriarchal Vicar for Monks Affairs and the Administration of Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary in Maarat Saydnaya, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, also attended.

On June 16, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, inaugurated the headquarters of the Secondary level at Bani Taghleb II School in Aleppo.

Their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Boutros Kassis, Archbishop of Aleppo and Environs, Mor Chrysostomos Mikhael Shemoun, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeerah and Euphrates, Mor Yacoub Babawi, Patriarchal Vicar for Monks Affairs and the Administration of Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary in Maarat Saydnaya, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, also participated in the event.

On June 16, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, consecrated the renovated St. Georges Church in Aleppo and celebrated the Holy Qurobo.

Their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Boutros Kassis, Archbishop of Aleppo and Environs, Mor Chrysostomos Mikhael Shemoun, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeerah and Euphrates, Mor Yacoub Babawi, Patriarchal Vicar for Monks Affairs and the Administration of Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary in Maarat Saydnaya, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, assisted His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II during the consecration and the Holy Qurobo.

On June 15, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, consecrated the renovated St. Aphrem Cathedral in Aleppo and celebrated the Holy Qurobo.

Their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Boutros Kassis, Archbishop of Aleppo and Environs, Mor Chrysostomos Mikhael Shemoun, Archbishop of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeerah and Euphrates, Mor Yacoub Babawi, Patriarchal Vicar for Monks Affairs and the Administration of Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary in Maarat Saydnaya, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, assisted His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II during the consecration and the Holy Qurobo.

On June 15, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, blessed the march of the Syriac Scouts of Syria in Aleppo for the commemoration of the Syriac Genocide Sayfo.

More than 350 scouts from 14 troops from all over Syria joined the march and performed on their musical instruments walking through the streets of Aleppo in commemoration of the Syriac Martyrs who were killed during Sayfo.

Within the multifaceted mission of the Armenian Church, the Christian Education Department organizes weekly Bible studies mornings. The closing ceremony of this year’s sessions took place on Tuesday, June 18th, 2024, in the presence of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, who delivered a heartfelt message encouraging participants to incorporate the lessons from the Bible into their daily lives…

Mk. 4:35-41

Today's Gospel passage (Mk. 4:35-41) immediately follows last Sunday's, which recounted two parables of the Kingdom and ended with an image of a tree growing in the garden becoming so large that it can shelter the birds of heaven (Mk. 4:32).

It is an important imagery because in heaven there are no national boundaries, no barriers whatsoever: and the image of the tree is meant to say that the Kingdom of Heaven is open to all, near and far. It is not reserved only for one nation, one category of people, but for every man who wants to take refuge in its shadow.

Today's passage begins with an invitation from Jesus to go to the other side (Mk. 4:35): the other side indicates the pagan shore of Lake Tiberias, and thus, potentially, territory outside the promised land, outside the kingdom of God.

The evangelist points out that this occurs on the same day (Mark 4:35), in the evening. It is the same day Jesus spoke of the Kingdom of God, greater than the land of Israel. A word that is certainly not easy to take in and understand: like the seed, so too this word needs time to bear fruit, and it also needs the dark of night, in which, under the ground, the seed dies…

At his weekly General Audience, His Holiness Pope Francis urges compassion for “all those who are forced to flee their homes in search of peace and security.”

By Joseph Tulloch

Ahead of the UN’s World Refugee Day, which is celebrated on the 20th June, His Holiness Pope Francis has called for called for better treatment for refugees.

Speaking at the end of his weekly General Audience, the Pope called for the World Day to be “an opportunity to turn an attentive and fraternal gaze to all those who are forced to flee their homes in search of peace and security.”

During his visit to the Vatican, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, met with the following key Vatican officials:

1. In the absence of the Secretary of State His Beatitude Cardinal Pietro Parolin, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I met with the Secretary for Relations with States, His Eminence Archbishop Paul Gallagher. They discussed the current situation in Lebanon, the issue of the Armenian POWs held captive in Azerbaijan, and the Lebanese presidential election.

2. His Holiness met with His Beatitude Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, to address the current challenges facing the ecumenical movement and the theological dialogue between the Catholic and Oriental Orthodox Churches…