Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East

Damascus – November 26, 2024

Patriarch Aphrem II: "We welcome the statement of the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches on the Conflicts in the Region"

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, welcomed the statement on the war in Gaza, Lebanon and the wider Middle East, issued by the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) which was held in Paralimni – Cyprus, from 21 to 26 November 2024.
His Holiness appreciated the Executive Committee's call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, Lebanon and the region to prevent more casualties and to restore compliance with international law. He valued their demand for the elimination of obstacles to humanitarian access. He also commended their call for the unconditional facilitation of humanitarian aid in conflict areas in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, as well as in Lebanon, Syria and other conflict-affected areas, especially after the attacks on hospitals, clinics, healthcare workers and volunteers in Gaza and Lebanon, the intentional destruction of medical facilities and the obstruction of aid from reaching those in need, in violation of international laws and the sanctity of life.

His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Celebrated the Mass

During the final week of the 2024 liturgical year, Christian youth groups across the Diocese of Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Jesus, King of the Universe, with a series of events focused on various themes. The celebrations were marked by the participation of clergy, including the Patriarch, bishops, priests, and consecrated men and women.

On Friday, November 21st, 2024,the Youth Group of Palestine, Youth of Jesus' Homeland (YJHP), held a special event for university students and working professionals. The celebration commemorated the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Secretariat. His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, presided over the Mass at St. Catherine's Church in Bethlehem, with Msgr. William Shomali, Patriarchal General Vicar, and several priests concelebrating. During the Mass, Fr. Louis Salman, Spiritual Chaplain, announced the end of the current General Secretariat's term and the appointment of the new Secretariat for the years 2025-2028.

On November 22, 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 the Holy Liturgy on the occasion of the declaration of Sainthood of the Massabki Maronite Brothers, at St. Antonios Maronite Cathedral in Bab Touma.

On Thursday, November 8/16, 2024, the Patriarchate celebrated the feast of the Synaxis of the Supreme Commanders Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel and all the heavenly bodiless hosts.

On this feast the Church remembers that the Angels, according to Saint Paul, are “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation” (Hebrews 1,14). Many incidents refer to the Archangels Michael and Gabriel in the Old and the New Testament. According to these, the Archangel Michael stood up against the angels that followed Lucifer saying: “Stand firm, stand in fear”. The other Angels followed him in the Doxology of God, unlike Lucifer, who chose to be distant from God.

The Church implores them for great protection when it chants in its Kontakion: “Supreme Commanders of God and ministers of the Divine Glory, guides of men and leaders of the bodiless hosts: Ask for what is to our profit and for great mercy, since ye are the Supreme Commanders of the bodiless hosts”.

Jerusalem, November 19, 2024

His Eminence Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury in the Church of England, recently visited Jerusalem, where he met with His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrios Kyrios Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and was accompanied by His Eminence Bishop Hosam Elias Naoum, the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, and the Primate of the Episcopal Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. The visit, which took place Tuesday, November 19, underscored the ongoing commitment to Christian unity and dialogue in the Holy Land.

Last year, as a means of standing in solidarity with the multitudes suffering from the newly erupted war, We, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, took a mutual decision to call upon our congregations to forego the public display of Christmas lights and decorations, along with their associated festivities.

While our intentions in doing so were good, many around the world nevertheless misinterpreted this call to signify a “Cancellation of Christmas” in the Holy Land—the very place of our Lord’s Holy Nativity. Because of this, our unique witness to the Christmas message of light emerging out of darkness (John 1:9) was diminished not only around the world, but also among our own people.

John 18:33-37

The book of Exodus is permeated by a question that will accompany biblical Israel throughout the history of revelation: Who is the true king? The one who feeds me but oppresses me and takes away my freedom, like Pharaoh in Egypt, or the one who liberates and saves me, like the Lord God?

This question about the king in our lives, about the king we want, is basically a question we all have to ask ourselves.

Although the various liturgical celebrations focus precisely on the liberation from Pharaoh, biblical Israel often forgets its liberation from Egypt in the course of history: it forgets that God alone is its king, that God alone is the only liberator. And therefore, it will want its own king, like the king of all other nations.

That is, it succumbs to the temptation to have a strong and powerful man at its head, a brave man who can guarantee it wealth and security, who can feed it, as Pharaoh did.

On Friday, November 9/22, 2024, at 10.00 am, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the Doxology that was held at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on the 19th enthronement anniversary of His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrios Kyrios Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem.

The Doxology was presided over by His Beatitude and with Him their Eminences the High Priests of the Throne, Holy Sepulchre Hieromonks, and Deacons, and Priests from the various parishes of the Patriarchate. The chanting was delivered by Hierodeacon Simeon, as the service was attended by the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Dimitrios Anengelosopoulos, Mrs Anna Mantika and faithful from Jerusalem.

After the Doxology, led by the Patriarch, all present went to the Patriarchate Reception Hall.

On November 19, 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, received his brother in Christ His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, at the Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh.

On November 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, blessed the 60th Anniversary of the foundation of Mor Aphrem Patriarchal Scouts Regiment in Damascus, at St. Georges Patriarchal Cathedral in Damascus.

On Saturday, November 3/16, 2024, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the memory of the deposition of the holy relic of Saint George the Trophy Bearer to the Holy Land.

During this celebration, the whole Church, especially the one in Jerusalem, remembers that Saint George was a military officer, a Cappadocian by father and a Palestinian by mother and that he went to Rome to obtain higher military positions. Moving to Rome, he saw the persecution and torture of Christians and confessed his faith. Consequently, he was tortured and martyred by Diocletian in AD 305.

On Friday, November 18, 2024, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, began a three-day pastoral visit to Al-Wahadneh, Jordan. He was warmly greeted by Fr. Salam Haddad, the parish priest of Al-Wahadneh, alongside Fr. Manuel Bader, Fr. Bashir Bader, Fr. Rifa’t Bader, Fr. Iyad Bader, Fr. Yazan Bader, Fr. Elias Haddad, Greek Orthodox parish priest, MP Wasfi Haddad, MP Dr. Abdulhaleem Abu Annab, Mr. Zahruddin Al-Aroud, Mayor of Al-Wahadneh, and the Husn Latin Parish Scout group.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, delivered his weekly Sermon at the Wednesday meeting, on November 13, 2024, from the Church of Virgin Mary and St Abu Sefein in Ezbet El Nakhl. The sermon was broadcast on Christian satellite channels, the official website of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and the online C.O.C. channel, belonging to the Church's Media Center.

His Holiness prayed the raising of the incense of Vespers prayer, joined by several bishops, priests of the church, and a large number of priests from the churches in Ezbet El Nakhl and El Marg areas. H.G. Bishop Sedarous (General Bishop of the Churches of Ezbet El Nakhl and El Marg), welcomed Pope Tawadros, congratulating him on the twelfth anniversary of his enthronement on the See of St Mark. Additional speeches were given by priests, along with various hymns and church melodies sung by the church's youth choir, the choir serving the Sudanese community, and the children's choir. His Holiness praised and encouraged their performances. He also honored distinguished people from the area for their academic and sporty achievements.

Mk. 13:24-32

The evangelist Mark has his very own way of reporting Jesus’ account of the end times.

In the eschatological discourse that we find in chapter 13 of his gospel, there is no shadow of a possible final judgment to which the nations and individuals would be subjected.

The time of the end is not intended as a time of judgment by God, who sits like a judge on a throne and weighs up and evaluates our failures and good deeds. Life should not be lived in fear of judgment, and what motivates us to act cannot be the fear of doing wrong and being condemned.

But what then can motivate our existence and how can the thought of the end brighten our days?

The passage we read in today’s liturgy (Mk. 13:24-32) is taken precisely from this eschatological discourse and tells us something about the time of the end, which will indeed come.

A partnership between the Vatican and Microsoft gives life to a new digital portal that aims to bring St. Peter’s Basilica closer to the global audience and enhance the experience of pilgrims and visitors.

By Fabio Colagrande and Linda Bordoni 

Entitled “St. Peter’s Basilica: AI-Enhanced Experience,” an AI-enabled project was unveiled on Monday in collaboration with Microsoft and Iconem, a heritage digitalization company, as the Church prepares for the Jubilee celebrations in 2025.

With the blessing of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, and in the presence of Rev. Bishops Romanos (Al-Hannat) the Patriarchal Vicar, Moussa (Al-Khoury), and John (Batash), the Patriarchal Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development celebrated the Sunday of the Good Samaritan, its patron's feast, which coincided with its thirtieth anniversary in the Mariamite Cathedral, November 10, 2024

On numerous occasions, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches. joyfully receives the Catholicosate Sunday School family, appreciating their talents and offering his blessings. This time, Sunday, November 10th, 2024, marked the back-to-school, which was celebrated with a brief ceremony.

Despite numerous challenges—this time due to the war—the Sunday School administration opened its doors to its students, remaining committed to its mission of Christian education for the young. Accordingly, following the Divine Liturgy, Ms. Janine Tanielian led the students, their parents, and the teachers to the atrium of the Catolicosate to celebrate the opening of the new academic year.

As Azerbaijan hosts the United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP29, from November 11-22, effectively greenwashing its ethnic cleansing of the indigenous Artsakh Armenians and the unlawful holding of prisoners of war and political prisoners in Baku, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, and president of the World Council of Churches, reached out to prominent international leaders and extended letters to various international councils of churches, including World Council of Churches, Conference of European Churches, Middle East Council of Churches, Christian Conference of Asia.

Despite the challenging political climate in the Holy Land, His Beatitude Cardinal Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, resumed his pastoral visits to the parishes of the Diocese of Jerusalem, beginning with a visit to the parish of Smakieh in southern Jordan, which lasted from Thursday, November 7 to Sunday, November 10, 2024. Rather than allowing the circumstances to distance him from the parishioners, he has prioritized visiting them, connecting closely to hear their needs, and offering them spiritual counsel.

Highlights of the Pastoral Visit:

Upon his arrival to Smakieh, Card. Pizzaballa and his accompanying delegation were warmly welcomed by Fr. Khaled Gammoh, the parish priest of Smakieh, along with several Patriarchate priests from Karak, and the Priests of the Hijaziin family, as well as local church leaders, and authorities. Among the attendees were the Director of the Security Center in the Qasr District, the Mayor of Sheehan, and senior members of the Al-Hijazin and Akasha tribes. Security services accompanied His Beatitude throughout his visit, and the Scout group of Northern Zarqa animated the reception. In the parish hall, Fr. Khaled welcomed His Beatitude and distinguished guests, highlighting the significance of this historic visit, and praying for peace in the world. Then Card. Pizzaballa proceeded to the church to invoke the Holy Spirit's guidance for this pastoral visit.

On December 26, 2024, the feast of St Stephen, His Holiness Pope Francis will open a Holy Door in the Roman prison of Rebibbia, marking a historic moment in the history of Jubilee years. It will be the first time that - in addition to the Holy Doors opened in the four Roman Papal Basilicas - one will also be opened in a penal institution too. The announcement was made by the Pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, during a press conference on October 28. The Pro-prefect emphasized that Rebibbia, on December 26, should be seen as "a symbol of all the prisons in the world".