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…

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, received their Excellencies: Archbishop Magar Ashkarian, Armenian Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo, Archbishop Antoine Audo, Chaldean Archbishop of Syria, Archbishop George Masri, Greek Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo, Rev. Ibrahim Nseir, Evangelical Arab Church in Aleppo, as well as other representatives of Christian Churches in Aleppo, at the Archdiocesan Center 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, were also present.

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, visited the restored parts of the old city of Aleppo.

On June 14, 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, participated in the Celebrations of the Centennial of the Edification of Mor Aphrem Cathedral in Aleppo and the Edessan Migration to Aleppo. The event was held at the Theater of the Syndicate of Artists, in Jamiliyye in Aleppo.

On June 14, 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 Mor Aphrem Development Center of the Universal Syriac Scouts at the Archdiocesan Center in Aleppo.

On June 14, 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 “Archbishop Youhanna Ibrahim Library” at the Archdiocesan Center in Aleppo.

On June 14, 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 new studios for Suboro TV at the Archdiocesan Center in Aleppo. The inaugurated studio is equipped with new devices and updated technology and will broadcast religious and cultural programs as well as cover other events and activities.

On June 13, 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 MECC Honorary President, celebrated the Holy Qurobo of the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ to heaven, at St. Georges Patriarchal Cathedral in Damascus.

His Eminence Archbishops Mor Joseph Bali, Patriarchal Assistant, assisted His Holiness in the Holy Qurobo, in the presence of His Eminence Archbishop Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary.

Last Sunday’s Gospel passage ended with Jesus’ gaze resting on those around him (Mark 3:34). It is a gaze capable of seeing beyond what is apparent: Jesus looks at the people listening to him, and sees in them brothers, sisters, and mothers.

He looks at people and sees a relationship, he sees the bond that unites them in depth.

This bond is the ripened fruit of faith: Faith is not just believing in revealed truths, but entering into a life-changing relationship, and accessing a new identity that can no longer think of itself outside of a relationship with the Lord and with one's brothers and sisters.

Today's Gospel (Mk. 4:26-34) is a passage with two parables, both inspired by the agricultural setting, by which the Lord speaks of the Kingdom, namely, the relationship we previously talked about. Because the Kingdom of Heaven is a relationship of love that unites people into one life, the life of God.

On Wednesday, June 12th, 2024, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, met with His Holiness Pope Francis in the Vatican.

During the meeting, they discussed several important topics proposed by the Catholicos:

a) The necessity to broaden and transform the ecumenical relations into a partnership.

b) The goal of establishing a common date for the celebration of the Holy Resurrection by all Churches…

On Wednesday June 12 2024, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, called His Eminence the Grand Imam, Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Sheikh of Al-Azhar Mosque, to congratulate him on the blessed Eid Al-Adha. During the phone call, His Holiness expressed his good wishes to His Eminence the Grand Imam and to all Muslim brethren for happiness, goodness, and peace in all parts of the world.

On June 11th, 2024, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, delivered a lecture on “Religion in the Geopolitics of the Middle East” at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in the Vatican.

The event was organized by the said Institute, Pontifical Gregorian University, and the Lebanese Embassy.

The lecture was attended by His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Catholic Family, His Eminence Archbishop Mesrob Sarkissian—Prelate of UAE and Qatar—university scholars, ambassadors, and Vatican department heads.

From Secretariat-General of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Monday, May 28 / June 10, 2024, His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrios Kyrios Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all Palestine and Jordan, with the conservator of icons and books Mr. Stavros Andreou and his collaborators from Russia, visited the area of ​​the house of blessed Patriarch Diodoros, which is being prepared for the creation of an Ecclesiastical Museum.