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Last Updated: 20 February 2018

press.vatican.va (2018-02-12) - At 11.45 this morning, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the members of the Greek-Melkite Synod, and addressed the following words to them:

Address of the Holy Father

Beatitude, dear Brothers in the Episcopate,

Thank you for your visit. The happy occasion is given by the public event of the Ecclesiastical Communion, which will take place tomorrow morning during the Eucharistic celebration and which I have already had the opportunity to grant to Your Beatitude in the Letter of 22 June, after your election as Patriarch, Pater et Caput, on the part of the Synod of Bishops.

So, as today, dear Brother, I assure you of my constant closeness in prayer: that the Risen Lord will be near you and accompany you in the mission entrusted to you. It is a prayer that cannot be dissociated from that for the beloved Syria and for all the Middle East, a region in which your Church is deeply rooted and performs a precious service for the good of the People of God. A presence, yours, which is not limited to the Middle East, but has extended, for many years now, to those countries where many Greek-Melkite faithful have moved in search of a better life. My prayer and my affectionate remembrance goes also to those faithful in the diaspora and to their Pastors.

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Last Updated: 11 February 2018

A solemn group of Christians held their first prayer service in years on Saturday in the ravaged church of St. Mary in Syria's eastern Deir Ezzor city.

Stones, strips of wire, papers and remnants of rockets were strewn across the church floor, and bright sunlight streamed in from the blown-out windows. Holding thin white candles under pockmarked archways, the congregation of less than two dozen worshippers relished their first service in nearly six years. Fighting has gripped Deir Ezzor since rebels captured part of the city in 2012, and grew worse when the Islamic State jihadist group shot to prominence there in 2014. Syrian troops recaptured the entire city in November and residents have slowly begun to trickle back. Saturday's service -- which was also attended by Muslim clerics -- was led by the silver-haired Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, Ignatius Aphrem II. He presided over the service from behind a small table draped in a white cloth, as the church's altar had been badly damaged.

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Last Updated: 11 February 2018

CWN - Two people were killed and three people were injured as mortar shells landed near Cathedral of Saint George in Damascus, according to media reports.

L’Osservatore Romano reported that the mortar fire originated in Ghouta, an area controlled by Syrian rebels.

The cathedral is the headquarters of the patriarchate of the Syriac Orthodox Church. The church ceased to be in full communion with the Holy See following the Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in 451.

 
Further information:

• Bombe contro il patriarcato siro ortodosso (L’Osservatore Romano, p. 1)
• The latest on developments in Syria (AP)

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Last Updated: 11 February 2018

Tackling Violence Committed in the Name of Religion

Wednesday 31 January – Friday 2 February 2018

Chaldean Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako

Offering Gratitude

Thank you for your concern in organizing this Conference about Tackling Violence Committed in the Name of Religion. It is a pleasure to be here, promoting peace and dignity for humankind regardless of religion and nationality.

Introduction

In general, the core of the religious “message” is to call people for worshiping God; cooperating among them; protecting nature; achieving peace and security. However, it is a pity that all religions have used some forms of violence during the history.

Interfaith conflict is a scandal. It is a crime that people are persecuted because of their faith, as it happened in Iraq (100 churches have been attacked, burnt or destroyed since 2003 but also many mosques). The same thing happened, in Syria, Egypt, Nigeria, and against Muslims of (Rohingya) in Myanmar, and other countries around the world.

If different religions have a sincere dialogue to understand the importance of the spiritual dimensions of religions, such as the urge to obey God, respect humankind and environment. They will definitely bring peace to the world.

Two Major Factors are contributing to Religious Violence:

Scripture

Major problem in religion is when we interpret the scripture literally. Religious authorities should look for an exegesis and an update in order to move from the “rigid letter” to the appropriate meaning that allows us to understand the “message” properly and apply it on our daily life. Saint Paul in the second Epistle to the Corinthians says: "for the letter brings death, but the Spirit gives life" (3/6).

As we are living in a different age compared to the religious era, new concerns and values are emerging on the surface, such as freedom, human rights, women issues, democracy, secularism, justice, equality etc. Hence, there is a genuine need to look at the reality and do what suits the lives of people without sacrificing their doctrine and moral values. The Church realized that and made a big progress.

Politics

The use of religion in political matters and personal interests is distorting it.

1. Since Crusades, the Arab world has linked the loyalty of Middle – Eastern Christians to the West. This confusion is so common, that it is very hard to be removed from their minds.

2. The Israeli – Palestinian conflict is also creating tension. The Arab world believes that the west is supporting Israel against Palestinians. This mentality motivated political Islam to take over this region, using violence.

Some Solutions

Countering extremism and terrorism, religious authorities should work together to develop an effective strategy that responds to challenges of current and future times to achieve peace.

No matter how discouraging are the chances, we are firmly convinced, that the future is promising due to our persistence in strengthening life's respect and promoting peace by:

1. Assuring that Governments are applying the established charter of human rights for all citizens, and avoid creating “second-class citizenship”. Especially that Christians and other minorities are facing thousands of problems on daily basis caused by constitution and the sectarian culture. So, it is necessary to get rid of certain laws that treats Christians as 2nd class citizens.

2. Reforming the Constitutions and laws in order to respect life, promote peace and stability.

3. Granting equal citizenship to all people, away from religious preference. It does not matter I am Christian or Muslim. The main thing is, I am an Iraqi citizen and I have the right to live in freedom and dignity.

4. Updating religious national education programs, as well as helping other religious and ethnic communities to avoid the re-emerging of extremists and terrorist groups, such as al Qaeda and ISIS.

5. Promoting humanitarian and national participation to endorse a spirit of tolerance, affection and respect for the right of religious and intellectual pluralism.

6. Eliminating the ideology of jihad in Islam or holy war in Christianity and other religions, since every country has an army and police to protect citizens and defend the homeland.

7. Preserving the Christian patrimony. Especially that there are churches and monasteries since the 5th century standing as a living witness of Christianity on this land.

In conclusion, I believe that our mission as Christians and Muslims in the Middle East is to educate our people how to achieve peace, mainly by living together in harmony. It may take time, but we won’t give up.

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Last Updated: 03 February 2018

Zenit.org - Pope Francis visited Rome’s Greek-Catholic Community of Ukrainians today at the Basilica of St. Sophia on Via Boccea, northwest of Rome, Jan. 28, 2018.

The Pope arrived around 4 p.m., after having celebrated Mass this morning at Rome’s Marian Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, and after having his traditional noon Angelus.

Jumbotrons were set up outside the church transmitting coverage to the faithful unable to be inside. Faithful welcomed the Pope with Ukrainian Christmas songs because for Greek-Catholic Ukrainians, following the Julian calendar, it is still Christmastime, since the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple is February 18.

Continue reading at Zenit.org.

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Last Updated: 03 February 2018

Cairo (Agenzia Fides) - The Copts of Egypt have suffered growing political and social marginalization since the 1950s. But this trend has actually reversed in the last seven years. And many unpublished facts - such as the visit of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi to the Cathedral to congratulate the Copts on their feasts and restoring the demolished churches restored such balance, eliminating clamorous discrimination against Egyptian Christians. This is what Coptic Orthodox Patriarch Tawadros II underlined during his meeting with the leadership and journalists of al Ahram publishing group. The Patriarch's visit took place on Tuesday, January 23, during the inauguration of an exhibition of the oldest historical publications of the newspaper.

During the visit, Pope Tawadros praised the contribution made by Al Ahram - a newspaper founded in 1875 by two Syrian brothers residing in Alexandria in Egypt - in the cultural growth of modern Egypt. (GV) (Agenzia Fides, 25/1/2018)