ACN remains firmly committed to supporting Christians in Syria
In light of recent developments in Syria, the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) wishes to express its continued commitment to the vulnerable Christian communities in Syria, who have endured many years of war, poverty, and uncertainty. Regina Lynch, ACN’s executive president, stated: The fall of the Assad regime and the rebel takeover of Damascus mark a
Humanitarian aid to Gaza ‘largely blocked’ for two months
The UN has said that humanitarian aid to Gaza has largely been blocked for the past 66 days.
The Custody of the Holy Land and the current situation in Syria
For years the situation in Syria was on all the international media as a dramatic situation, first due to the civil war which lasted for 14 years, then the destruction caused by a violent earthquake and with a territory divided among many factions at war with one another. What has happened in the past few days, in such a sudden
Iraq: Cardinal Sako issues pastoral letter for the Holy Year 2025
“For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth” Psalm 71:5. This verse from Psalms powerfully expresses the motto chosen by Pope Francis for the Holy Jubilee Year 2025, “Pilgrims of Hope,” which will begin in a few weeks. Hope is a deep explanation of the Jubilee. Hope does not come from outside, but from the
Episode 3. “Emmanuel” | Advent Reflections with Msgr. William Shomali
Dear brothers and sisters, in this third video, we will focus on a specific word: the word Emmanuel, which means God with us. Humans have viewed God from two very different perspectives. On one hand, God is the mighty one, to be revered. A distant and transcendent God. He is the Judge who punishes and pays one according to their doing. On
Patriarch Yohanna X and the new Syria: “We Christians are not ‘guests’ in this land”
Damascus (Agenzia Fides) - "We are here in Damascus, on the street of Al-Marymiya, next to the Umayyad Mosque, and we tell the world that we, as Christians, come from the land of the Levant and the cedars of Lebanon... from the spaces of Homs and the authentic history of Aleppo, from the waterwheels of Hama and the roar of
Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity in Our Lady Church – Amchit
Details with the Parish Priest Father Charbel Al Khoury https://youtu.be/7sVu1lsN_gU By: mecc
The Church at the Midst of the Tragedy
What is happening in the Middle East—specifically its Levantine part—is almost beyond description. Utter chaos engulfs the region, spreading crime and corruption everywhere: fighting, looting, kidnapping, and oppression under the waning of certain regimes and the emergence of others whose contours remain unclear. As if all this were not enough, rumors—some spontaneous, others organized or deliberately planted—further add to people’s
Church leaders express ‘hope’ that Syrian regime will respect Christian communities
Catholic Church leaders in the U.S., Rome, and the Middle East have expressed cautious “hope” that the new regime in Syria will respect Christian communities after a lightning offensive this past week by Islamist rebel groups toppled the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Bishop Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon and chairman of the U.S. Conference of
Christian Leaders Hold ‘Positive’ Meeting With Islamic Groups in Syria
On Monday, 9 December, the leaders of all the Churches and ecclesial communities present in Aleppo met for the second time with representatives of the armed groups that have taken control of the Syrian city. It was the first meeting after President Bashar al Assad fled and the rebels also took Damascus. "We were all present: bishops, priests and religious,"