And Honoring the Top Technical Diploma and High-school Students

On the evening of Wednesday 4 September 2024, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, delivered his weekly Sermon in St. Mark’s Cathedral in Alexandria, Egypt. The Sermon was broadcasted on Christian satellite channels and the C.O.C channel of the Church’s Media Center on the Internet.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II prayed the raising of Incense Vespers, with the participation of the General Bishops supervising the pastoral sectors in Alexandria, Hegumen Abraam Emil (General Deputy of the Patriarchate in Alexandria), the Priests of the Church, and a number of Priests of Alexandria.

After the Vesper Prayers, the top technical diploma and high-school students were celebrated. Father Karas Youssef (the official of the General Secretariat Service for the secondary stage in Alexandria), presented three examples of distinguished service attendees. He also presented the statistics and activities of the leaders of the service for the past year. A dialogue was held with His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, during which he answered several questions related to the high school stage and its academic challenges. Following this, His Holiness Pope Tawadros honored 88 of the top technical diploma, high-school and equivalency degrees students.

Balamand, September 1, 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 the Divine Liturgy at Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery in Lebanon, with the concelebration of Their Eminences Bishops Arsenios (Dahdal), Moussa (Al-Khasi), and a group of Clergymen.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude Patriarch John X held the Litany for the Indiction, on the occasion of the beginning of the Ecclesiastic Year.

Mk 7,1-8.14-15.21-23

This Sunday's Liturgy of the Word takes us back into Mark's Gospel, after reading the entire Sixth Chapter of John's Gospel over the past few weeks.

The passage we read comes from Chapter 7 of Mark, not coincidentally placed between the two instances of bread multiplication, reported by the evangelist: the first takes place in the land of Israel; the second is in pagan land.

To get from one bank to the other a crossing must be made, not only physically, but also in terms of mentality and thinking.

1Chr 13:6-8; 16:1-2.4.8-9.34-36; Heb 9:11-24; Luke 1:26-38

Dear brothers and sisters,
may the Lord give you peace!

Let us thank the Lord together for this beautiful time of fraternity, of church gathering and joy. The reopening of a church after a long period of closure, the dedication of a new altar, the participation of the various faithful of our Church of the Holy Land in this event, are a tangible sign of a renewed commitment, they express the desire to continue our mission in the Holy Land, they are a sign of a new beginning, of rebirth, in a certain sense. It is therefore a moment of grace, a bright glimpse into the future for the life of our Church and our people. In this context of war, where everything seems to talk of closure and of end, it seems to me that it can be said that our Church today, here, in this place, also thanks to our Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition, is renewing her “yes” by uniting it to that of Mary, the Ark of the Covenant, and renewing her trust in the work of God, the Lord of history.

Sixteen kilometers from Jerusalem, the hill of Kiryat Yearim, where the Ark of the Covenant resided for 20 years, today bears witness to God's sovereignty and faithfulness. The Church of Our Lady of the Ark of the Covenant for the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Apparition marked its centenary on Saturday, August 31, 2024. It celebrated the reopening of its doors following two years of renovations.

The centenary celebration and dedication of the new altar were led by His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, along with Msgr. Bolous-Marcuzzo, Bishop Emeritus, Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris, and a delegation of bishops, alongside numerous priests. The event was also attended by Mr. Nicolas Kassianides, the French Consul General in Jerusalem, his wife, and representatives from Malta.

From the General Secretariat of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Wednesday, the 15th / 28th of August 2024, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos in the Holy Church of the Dormition, built in AD 317, containing the sacred Tomb of the Theotokos.

During this Feast, the whole Church, especially that of Jerusalem, remembers that the Mother of God, daughter of the Holy Ancestors of God Joachim and Anna and mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, fell asleep on the ground of Zion and was buried by the “God’s Spirit” gathered Holy Apostles in Gethsemane. The Lord took her God-bearing body in His hands and made her sit down at His right hand, so that there, above the heavenly orders, first after God of the triumphant Church, she prays for those who honour her and for the whole world.

In a video message accompanying his Prayer intention for September, His Holiness Pope Francis prays that "each of us might listen with our hearts to the cry of the earth and of the victims of environmental disasters and climate change, making a personal commitment to care for the world we inhabit."

By Christopher Wells

Considering rising temperatures around the globe, we can say the earth has a “fever”, His Holiness Pope Francis says in his video-message announcing this month’s Prayer intention.

The earth “is sick”, he continues, “just like anyone who’s sick”.

“But are we listening to this pain?” he asks. “Do we hear the pain of the millions of victims of environmental catastrophes."

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the Archbishop of Constantinople, shared a message on the opening of Season of Creation 2024. 

“The environmental threat is a dimension of the extended crisis in contemporary civilization,” stated the Ecumenical Patriarch. “In this sense, confronting the problem cannot be successful on the basis of the principles of the same civilization, of the rationale behind it, which created it in the first place.”

He reiterated the conviction that churches and religions can contribute significantly to a vital spiritual and evaluative conversion for the sake of the future of humanity and the planet. “The Christian faith recognizes the supreme value of humanity and creation alike,” he said. “Faith in the God of wisdom and love inspires and supports the creative forces of humankind, strengthening it in the face of challenges and trials, even when overcoming these appears humanly impossible.”

His Holiness Pope Francis meets a group of families of victims of the 2020 devastating explosion at the port of Beirut, expressing solidarity in their quest for truth and justice, and again invokes peace in the Middle East.

By Lisa Zengarini  

Greeting the 30-member delegation in the Consistory Hall on Monday,  His Holiness Pope Francis conveyed his closeness to the Lebanese families, saying that he continues to pray for them and shares in their grief. 

“I continue to keep you and your loved ones in my prayers, and I join my tears to your own.”

You can find the statement issued by Their Beatitudes the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem on the urgent need to conclude the present war and turn from the pursuit of death and destruction towards the promotion of life and peace.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, participated on monday the 26th of August 2024, in one of the youth workshops within the program of the Fourth LOGOS Coptic Youth Forum, whose activities are currently taking place at the LOGOS Center in St Bishoy’s Monastery; Wadi El-Natroun, under the title: “Take a Step.”

The group that His Holiness Pope Tawadros II met with is one of the five groups of the forum.

From the General Secretariat of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Sunday, August 12/25, 2024, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the Procession of the icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos marched from the Metochion of Gethsemane, located in front of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre down to the Theotokos’ Tomb in Gethsemane.

This contrite majestic ceremony began early in the morning after the Night Vigil in the holy chapel of the Dormition in Metochion, which was led by Archimandrite Philoumenos.

On Sunday the 25th of August 2024; the second day of the Fourth LOGOS Coptic Youth Forum, witnessed many varied sessions, which began with the Divine Liturgy at dawn, which was led by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. This was followed by breakfast, after that, Businessman Karim Sami Saad also gave a talk on the steps to establish and develop your own project.

The evening period included workshops, one of which had His Holiness Pope Tawadros II participating in extensive discussions on many topics that emerged from the youth’s questions, as he spoke to them about the Coptic Church in Egypt and its current spread outside it. The other groups’ workshops were: handicrafts, a panorama about artificial intelligence (AI) and how the Church service can benefit from it , and a Bible study group.

On Mariam TV

His Eminence Monsignor Raphael Trabelsi, the Episcopal Vicar General of the Chaldean Diocese of Beirut, was the guest of the journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Coordinator of the Church and Media Relations at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in an episode of the “On Time” program broadcasted on Mariam TV, to talk about the preparations of the Chaldean Church to celebrate its 150th Jubilee, in addition to the meanings that this jubilee carries.

Jn 6:60-69

At the conclusion of Jesus' discourse in John 6, similar to what occurs in the dialogues following other signs reported by the Evangelist John, two distinct groups emerge among those present: one group embraces the message and comprehends the sign, while the other group rejects it and remains unbelieving.

The sign is meant for everyone, but while some are touched by the grace and gifts of God revealed through Jesus' works, and experience a transformation in their lives, others find it difficult to open their hearts. Each person has their own timing and path. What remains certain is that the Father never ceases to draw us to Himself, as Jesus repeatedly highlighted in this discourse, trusting that eventually, everyone’s heart will find an opening.

What can create an opening in the hardened heart of man?

Today's passage provides us with opportunities for reflection.

On Thursday the 22th of August 2024, His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, consecrated the Church of Virgin Mary and Archdeacon Habib Girgis in the Al-Magd neighborhood, in New Obour, Egypt. This was on the occasion of the Feast of Virgin Mary, which the Coptic Orthodox Church celebrated, and in conjunction with the Feast of the Departure of Archdeacon Habib Girgis.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II blessed the commemorative plaque that marks the consecration of the church, by drawing the sign of the Cross on it three times and cutting the ribbon on the church door to mark its official opening. His Holiness’ procession entered the Church, led by the choir of Deacons, singing the hymns of welcoming the Patriarch, amid great happiness and welcome from the congregation of the Church for Pope Tawadros.

On Tuesday evening, August 20th, 2024, His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Church, Holy See of Cilicia, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches, received His Beatitude Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenian Catholic Church, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Catholic Family, who was accompanied by His Eminence Bishop Robert (Krikor) Badichah, Auxiliary Bishop of the Patriarchal Eparchy of Beirut.

“We stress the importance of building bridges of communication among Churches at a time when the logic of confrontation prevails”

Damascus, August 20, 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, stressed the necessity of strengthening the principle of communication at a time when the logic of clash and disharmony prevails. This message was communicated during a recent communication with His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. The importance of building bridges of communication with other Churches of the Christian world through all bodies, dialogues, conferences and representative councils was also emphasized at a difficult time when countries and societies tend to replace the logic of encounter with the logic of clashes. The two Prelates also tackled the importance of the role of the Churches of Antioch and Jerusalem in preserving the Christian presence in the Middle East.

On the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, at the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Toronto

On August 18, 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, presided over the Holy Qurobo celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Athanasius Elia Bahi, Patriarchal Vicar of Canada, on the occasion of the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, at the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Toronto.

Their Eminences Arcbishops: Mor Teethose Yeldho, Archbishop of the Malankara Archdiocese of Northern America, and Mor Augeen Al-Khoury Nemat, Patriarchal Secretary, also attended the holy Qurobo.

“We are connected with the Church of Cyprus by history and geography, as much as we are brethren in faith.”

Damascus, August 18, 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, emphasized the depth of the relationship between the Church of Antioch and the Church of Cyprus. His Beatitude Patriarch John X uttered these words during a phone call to His Beatitude Archbishop Georgios, Archbishop of New Justinian and All Cyprus. The Patriarch emphasized the deep relations between the two churches, bound by ties of history and geography, and a brotherhood of faith that has been expressed for two thousand years.
The call meant to discuss ways to strengthen the fraternal bonds and the necessity of activating bridges of communication in the Orthodox Christian world in light of contemporary conflicts. His Beatitude also discussed the pivotal and important role and mission of the Middle East Council of Churches amidst the challenges that the region is witnessing.