The Oriental Orthodox-Anglican International Commission held its ninth residential meeting from 24th to 29th of October 2022, at The Bethel Centre of the Coptic Orthodox Church, in Braintree, Essex, England, hosted by the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of London. V. Rev. Fr. Hrant Tahanian, Ecumenical Officer of the Catholicosate, continued his participation in the commission on behalf of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, under the blessing of His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Cilicia.

As a two-day Caritas Internationalis conference gets underway in Paris, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin and various keynote speakers highlight the harsh realities and injustices many women face around the world, and pledge to work together to create a more just and equal society for all.

By Francesca Merlo - Paris, France

115 million girls are out of school. Less than 3% of humanitarian funding goes to organisations working on women empowerment. Only 5% of the world’s CEOs are women.

On October 26, 2022, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, officially inaugurated the First Gathering of the Syrian Christian Youth Leaders, convened at Ebla Conference Center in Damascus. The theme of the gathering is entitled “Together today for a better future”.

The gathering is organized by Hope Center, under the auspices of the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate.

CYPRUS – From October 20th to 22nd, 2022, the Assembly of the Catholic Ordinaries in the Holy Land (ACOHL) held a meeting on the island of Cyprus, hosted by Mgr Joseph Sfeir, Maronite Bishop of Cyprus. After reviewing the recent developments of the Church, the participants went over several issues, which included the Synodal process and the protection of children in the Catholic institutions in the Holy Land.

The participants also took the opportunity to visit the Church in Cyprus and to meet with church officials and parish priests. The charity Caritas Cyprus also benefited from their visit.

During their stay, the members of the Assembly also had the opportunity to learn more about the historical events that took place in the northern part of the island, controlled by Turkey, and about the deportation of Christians in the wake of 1974. Their visit allowed them to discover many historical and religious sites, including the tomb of St. Barnabas.

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

We, Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, Patriarch Mar Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, and Catholicos Aram I, the Armenian Catholicos of Cilicia, Antelias, Lebanon,

We thank God for granting us to hold the 13th Official Meeting for the Patriarchs of our Churches since 1998, within the framework of the communion of faith that is existing since the first centuries of Christianity.

Since early Christianity, our three Churches are joint through common Apostolic heritage and one faith, firmly adhering to our spiritual heritage and unity in faith that is sourced from the Holy Bible, that was expressed in the first three Ecumenical Councils: Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.) ,the Council of Constantinople (381 A.D.) and the Council of Ephesus (431 A.D.), and through the teachings of our Saintly Fathers and the refusal of heresies by our Churches throughout their history.

The Thirteenth meeting of the Patriarchs of the Eastern Orthodox Churches in the Middle East was held on 18 and 19 October 2022. The Patriarchs were His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, His Holiness Mar Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East and Supreme Head of the Syriac Orthodox Church, and His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, the Armenian Catholicos of Cilicia, Antelias, Lebanon. The meeting was hosted by the Coptic Orthodox Church in Logos Centre in the Papal Residence in St. Bishoy Monastery, Wadi El-Natroun.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, received, on Thursday 18 October 2022, at the Papal Residence in St. Bishoy’s Monastery in Wadi El Natroun, Egypt, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, to participate in the thirteenth meeting of the Patriarchs of the Coptic, Syriac and Armenian Churches (Oriental Orthodox Family).

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II participated today, on Monday 17 October 2022, in the International Conference organized by The League of Arab States at its headquarters in Cairo, with the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace, which started its work on Monday and for a period of two days.

The conference discusses the topic “Tolerance, Peace and Sustainable Development in the Arab World”.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II delivered a speech at the opening of the conference entitles “Forgiving in Christianity and its Role in the Consolidation of the Foundations of the Peace of the Community”.

Balamand, October 18, 2022

The Holy Antiochian Synod, presided by His Beatitude Patriarch John X (Yazigi), held its thirteenth regular session and fourteenth extraordinary session, from October 12 to October 17, 2022, in Balamand, in the presence of Their Eminences, the Most Reverend Metropolitans:

Elias (Archdiocese of Beirut and dependencies); Elias (Archdiocese of Tyre, Sidon and dependencies); Damaskinos (Archdiocese of São Paulo and All Brazil); Saba (Archdiocese of Houran and Jabal Al-Arab); George (Archdiocese of Homs and dependencies); Silouan (Archdiocese of Jbeil and Batroun and dependencies); Basilios (Archdiocese of Akkar and dependencies); Ephrem (Archdiocese of Tripoli, Koura and dependencies); Ignatius (Archdiocese of France, Western and Southern Europe); Isaac (Archdiocese of Germany and Central Europe); Ghattas (Archdiocese of Baghdad, Kuwait, the Arab Peninsula and dependencies); Silouan (Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland); Antonios (Archdiocese of Zahleh, Baalbek and dependencies); Nicolas (Archdiocese of Hama and dependencies); Basilios (Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines); Ignatius (Archdiocese of Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbean Islands); Athanasius (Archdiocese of Lattakia and dependencies); Jacques (Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and All Argentina); Ephrem (Archdiocese of Aleppo, Alexandretta, and dependencies); and Nifon Saikali Metropolitan of Philippopolis and Representative of the Patriarch of Antioch to the Patriarch of Moscow. Also in attendance was His Grace Bishop Gregorios Khoury, Secretary of the Holy Synod.

The Antiochian Orthodox Media Center published a new video including a Homily in Arabic for His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, entitled “All Together”. You may watch it on the Facebook page of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, within the series of videos “Spots & Descriptions”.

On October 15, 2022, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, presided over the Holy Qurobo celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs , on the occasion of the Commemoration of the massacres of Sadad, at St. Mikhael Church in Sadad.

Their Eminences : Mor Maurice Amsih, Archbishop of Jazeera and Euphrates, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director were also present.

On October 16, 2022, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, inaugurated “ADISC, Aleppo Development Impact Support Center” in Aleppo which is under the Hope Center.

The inauguration was also attended by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Archbishop of Homs, Hama, Tartous and Environs, Mor Anthimos Jack Yakoub, Patriarchal Vicar for Youth Affairs and Christian Education, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, announced on Wednesday the 12th of October, 2022 about a meeting for the Patriarchs of the Orthodox Churches of the Middle East in Cairo next week, mentioning that this meeting is held on regular basis every two years. His Holiness concluded his weekly Wednesday sermon by announcing about the meeting. Today’s weekly sermon was held in St. Virgin Mary’s and St. Bishoy’s Church in Abbaseya.

Also, about the meeting of the Patriarchs, His Holiness said: ”Next week, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia,, will visit us. This meeting is called “The Meeting of the Three Patriarchs in the Middle East”, in the sister churches”.

The meetings of the Holy Synod of Antioch were launched in Balamand, Lebanon, on the morning of Wednesday 12 October 2022, at the Divine Liturgy, presided by His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, in the Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand, and attended by their Eminences the Metropolitans, Fathers of the Synod.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, witnessed ,on Saturday the 8th of October 2022 , at the Papal Residence Theatre in St. Mark’s Cathedral in Alexandria, a presentation of a project to prepare the Church’s children for service from an early stage with a spiritual curriculum, which is advanced in special skills and creativity and it is entitled “Tomorrow’s Servant.. The Church’s Dream for Tomorrow “.

The first season of the project targets children in 5th and 6th grades in the churches of the Central District of Alexandria. The aim is to prepare a conscious and mature Orthodox servant with a spiritual approach in special skills and creativity.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, received the newly elected committee of the Shnorhali Choir of the Catholicosate, headed by the conductor of the choir V. Rev. Fr. Zaven Najarian.

Expressing his filial gratitude, Fr. Zaven briefed His Holiness Catholicos Aram I on the forthcoming agenda of the Shnorhali Choir, including the events on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the choir and the 850th anniversary of the passing of St. Nerses Shnorhali (The Gracious), the 12th century Armenian Catholicos whose name the choir carries.

The Holy See Press Office publishes the schedule, logo, and motto for His Holiness Pope Francis’ Apostolic Journey to Bahrain on 3-6 November 2022, where he will attend the “Bahrain Forum for Dialogue”, under the motto “Peace on earth to people of goodwill”.

By Devin Watkins

His Holiness Pope Francis is set to make an Apostolic Visit to the Kingdom of Bahrain on 3-6 November 2022, to encourage the country’s small Catholic flock and to attend the “Bahrain Forum for Dialogue: East and West for Human Coexistence”.

Ahead of his departure, the Holy See Press Office released the programme for the papal visit to the Middle East country, along with the logo and motto.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, inaugurates the first academic year in the Bible Institute in Alexandria that is affiliated with the Theological College in Alexandria.

Father Andrawes Matta, Dean of the Theological College, began the ceremony with a welcoming speech where he presented the aims of the Institute in its first academic year.

Father Kirollos Roshdy, Director of the Institute also gave a speech in which he explained the stages of establishing the institute, the most prominent of which is signing of the documents of establishing the Institute, under the supervision of Theological College graduates as the Institute awards to its graduates a diploma degree.

On Friday, September 24/October 7, 2022, the commemoration of the Holy First Martyr and Apostle Thecla was celebrated by the Patriarchate in her chapel, located within the Central Monastery of the Hagiotaphite Brotherhood, west of the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen.

During this holiday, the Church remembers that the Saint came from the city of Iconium in Asia Minor and fleeing from her fiancé Thamyrid followed the Apostle Paul in his sermons and preached Christ in Antioch of Pisidia.

She confessed Christ and surrendered herself to torture for Him, from which she escaped and lived to a long age until she slept in the Lord in her birthplace.

The Armenian Theological Seminary of the Holy See of Cilicia held a teachers’ meeting ahead of the 2022-2023 academic year, headed by His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, on Saturday, October 1st, 2022.

The dean of the Seminary V. Rev. Fr. Barouyr Shernezian started the meeting and announced that the Seminary is pleased to receive new and returning students for the new academic year. Subsequently, he invited the Catholicos to deliver his pontifical blessings and offer his thoughts on the mission, vision and core values of the Seminary.