We, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem, are saddened by the latest escalation of violence in the Holy Land.

On Sunday night, February 26th, dozens of Israeli settlers rampaged through the Palestinian town of Huwara near Nablus, killing a man, injuring dozens of people with metal rods and tear gas, and torching scores of buildings and cars. This took place as a retaliation after a Palestinian gunman killed two Israeli settlers near the same town—an act itself in response to the killing of eleven Palestinians in Nablus the week before.

On February 26, 2023, 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 evening prayer at St. Georges Patriarchal Cathedral in Bab Touma – Damascus.

‏At the end of the prayer, His Holiness conducted the special service of Shubqono (Forgiveness) during which the clergy and faithful ask forgiveness from one another, on the occasion of the beginning of the Great Lent.

On Cheese Sunday afternoon, February 13/26, 2023 around 5.00 p.m., at the Monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen and during the service of the small Compline, the Prayer of Forgiveness was read by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, as preparation for the beginning of the Great Lent.

After the prayer, there was the brotherly osculation and the departure for the cells for three days without work or visits at the Central Monastery.

On February 26, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, celebrated the Holy Qurobo on the occasion of the Sunday of the miracle of Cana, at St. Georges Patriarchal Cathedral in Bab Touma – Damascus.

During the Holy Qurobo, His Holiness was assisted by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Cyril Babi, Patriarchal Vicar in the Patriarchal Archdiocese of Damascus, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director.

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, presided over the Holy Mass of the Forgiveness Sunday (CheeseFare), on Sunday 26 February 2023, at the Mariamite Cathedral in Damascus. During the Mass, His Beatitude delivered a Homily in which you can watch it in the video that was published on the Facebook Page of the Greek orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East.

(Mt 4 : 1-11)

The occurrence of Jesus’ temptations in the desert is positioned, in each of the Synoptic Gospels, after the event of Jesus baptism in the Jordan River. Jesus arose from the Jordan filled with the Holy Spirit, of the very life of God.

And it is precisely the Spirit who leads Him into the desert (Mt 4:1), in ordinary life, that life which is put to the test and asks us to unmask our identity, to show who we are.

The identity is exactly that which, in the Jordan River, was revealed as that of being the beloved Son, in whom the Father is well pleased (Mt. 3:17). For Him, therefore, this “who are you?” coincides with “whose son are you? To whom do you belong?”

It is no coincidence, therefore, that the tempter begins with this expression: “If you are the Son of God…” (Mt. 4:3.6). Temptation always pertains to this fundamental aspect of life, it always reaches us here, in our relationship with the Father, because it is from here that our life depends.

On Wednesday February 22, 2023, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, delivered his Wednesday’s meeting sermon from the Church of the Virgin Mary and Saint Bishoy Cathedral at the Papal Residence, Abbaseya, Egypt. The sermon was broadcasted on Christian channels and the C.O.C channel of the Church’s media center on the Internet.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II spoke about the importance of the Lent and discussed a part of chapter 6 of the Gospel of our teacher Matthew (verses 19 to 34). His Holiness indicated that the Great Lent focuses on the “Eye”, so during it, His Holiness will discuss a series that talks about the Christian family, in which His Holiness links the “Eye” with the subject of every Sunday of fasting, and its relationship to the family.

“Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen 4:10)

ܒܫܡ ܐܝܬܝܐ ܡܬܘܡܝܐ ܐܠܨܝ ܐܝܬܘܬܐ ܕܟܠ ܐܚܝܕ

ܐܝܓܢܛܝܘܣ ܦܛܪܝܪܟܐ ܕܟܘܪܣܝܐ ܫܠܝܚܝܐ ܕܐܢܛܝܘܟܝܐ ܘܕܟܠܗ̇ ܡܕܢܚܐ

ܘܪܝܫܐ ܓܘܢܝܐ ܕܥܕܬܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܬܐ ܐܪܬܕܘܟܣܝܬܐ ܕܒܟܠܗ̇ ܬܒܝܠ

ܕܗܘ ܐܦܪܝܡ ܬܪܝܢܐ ܡ̄

We extend our apostolic benediction, benevolent prayers and greetings to our brethren, His Beatitude Mor Baselius Thomas I, Catholicos of India, and their Eminences the Metropolitans; our spiritual children: Very Reverend Corepiscopoi, Reverend priests, monks, nuns and deacons and the entire blessed Syriac Orthodox people throughout the world. May the divine providence embrace them through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and St. Peter, Chief of the Apostles, St. Philoxenus of Mabbug and the rest of the Martyrs and Saints. Amen.

With the increasing needs resulting from the earthquake, the translation of the directives of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, continues with intensive work on the ground, where GOPA-DERD team, at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, present new levels of response, paralleling the momentum of relief efforts that have continued since the first day of the disaster.

In Latakia, GOPA-DERD's team distributed food to the affected families in the city, ready-to-eat meals, and family hygiene kits to those affected in Jableh, in addition to distributing food and family hygiene kits to the affected people in Al-Haffah, in cooperation with ZOA. The livelihoods team also inspected the damaged projects in Al-Haffah, and continued to provide meals to medical staff and patients in Jableh National Hospital.

His Holiness Pope Francis warns against impeding aid from reaching war-torn, earthquake-struck Syria, when addressing monks and priests from Eastern Orthodox Churches.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

"I hope that everything possible will be done for the people, that there will be no reasons or sanctions to hinder the urgent and necessary aid to the population."

His Holiness Pope Francis expressed this to young priests and monks of Eastern Orthodox Churches in the Vatican on Thursday 23 February 2023.

JERUSALEM – On February 22nd, 2023, His Beatitude Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, celebrated Ash Wednesday during a Eucharistic Mass held at the Pro-Cathedral of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Each year, Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, Prayer, charity, and repentance. Celebrated six weeks and half before Easter, the Mass was concelebrated by Mgr William Shomali, General Vicar, Mgr Giacinto-Boulos Marcuzzo, bishop emeritus, Fr. Piotr Zelasko, Patriarchal Vicar for the Saint James Vicariate, and several priests of the Latin Patriarchate, as well as seminarians, who served at the altar. The assembly was made up of Latin Patriarchate Staff members, CCAO member organizations, and the faithful of Jerusalem.

Balamand, February 23, 2023

The Holy Antiochian Synod, presided by His Beatitude Patriarch John X (Yazigi), Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, held its fifteenth extraordinary session, on February 22 and 23, 2023, in Balamand, Lebanon, in the presence of Their Eminences, the Most Reverend Metropolitans:

Elias (Archdiocese of Beirut and Dependencies); Elias (Archdiocese of Tyre, Sidon and Dependencies); Saba (Archdiocese of Bosra 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 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.

Balamand, Lebanon, February 23, 2023

The Greek Orthodox Holy Antiochian Synod convened in Balamand elected His Eminence the Most Reverend Metropolitan Saba (Isber), Archdiocese of Bosra Hauran and Jabal al-Arab, and Member of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches, as Metropolitan over the Archdiocese of New York and All North America.

Prior to the beginning of the Exceptional Session of the Holy Synod of Antioch, which was held on Wednesday 22 February 2023, His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, delivered a statement live from Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery in Lebanon. You can listen to it in the video.

On February 20, 2023, His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, arrived in the city of Antioch, the historical capital of the Patriarchate, where the disciples and followers of Our Lord Jesus Christ were first called Christians, on an exceptional and historic visit following the painful and devastating earthquake. Which struck the region leaving behind the great devastation, and thousands of victims and injured.

On this visit, His Holiness was accompanied by their Eminences, Mor Philoxinous Youssef Cetin, Patriarchal Vicar in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, Mor Gregorious Melki Urek, Patriarchal Vicar in Adyaman, and affiliate regions, Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Director of the Media Department, and Raban Andrew Bahi.

His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, visited Aleppo in a one-day Pontifical visit on Thursday morning, February 16th, 2023. The Catholicos was received at the entrance of the Church of the Holy Mother of God by the Prelate of Aleppo, the Diocesan Council, the heads of the community, and the faithful.

In his Pontifical address during the Divine Liturgy, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I expressed his solidarity with the people and exhorted the community to remain strong in their faith and cling to the Church and to its affiliated structures. Following the Divine Liturgy, His Holiness received the faithful at the atrium of the Church, where he conveyed his speech and gave them his blessings.

On February 19, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, celebrated the Holy Qurobo, at St. Stephanos Church in Istanbul.

Their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Philoxenus Yusuf Cetin, Patriarchal Vicar in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director, assisted His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II during the Holy Qurobo.

As part of the emergency response efforts, and in continuation of work under the directives of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, GOPA-DERD, at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, continues to meet the needs of families affected by the earthquake.

In Hama, GOPA-DERD's team met the needs of some shelters in the city by distributing pillows and sterilizers. The team also implemented a range of first-aid psychological support activities for women and children in these centers.

Which Was Destroyed by the Earthquake that Hit the Region

On February 18, 2023, His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, visited the St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral in Adiyaman which was destroyed by the earthquake that hit the city and the region.

His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II was accompanied by their Eminences Archbishops: Mor Gregorius Malke Urek, Patriarchal Vicar of Adiyaman and Environs, Mor Timotheos Samuel Aktas, Arhcbishop of Turabdin, Mor Philoxenus Yusuf Cetin, Patriarchal Vicar of Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, Mor Philoxenus Saliba Ozmen, Archbishop of Mardin, and Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Secretary and Media Office Director.