The World Council of Churches (WCC) and Ecumenical Institute in Bossey welcomed the Presidium of the Synod from Church of Sweden for a study visit on 20-21 March.
A Global Peace Prayer on 22 March will draw Christians together in hope for a better future. A communique from a prayer planning committee explained that Christians are called into prayer and advocacy for peace. “In a global context where war and violence abound, the practice of peace has become even more urgent,” reads the message.
Le pasteur Jerry Pillay, secrétaire général du Conseil œcuménique des Églises (COE), a partagé ses inquiétudes et sa tristesse devant les actes présumés commis à l’encontre de l’Église orthodoxe d’Ukraine dans le contexte de l’invasion russe de l’Ukraine.
World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed concern and sadness upon hearing about alleged actions taken against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) against the background of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
On International Women’s Day, World Council of Churches moderator of the central committee Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm shared a special video message on his Facebook page about an important woman in the Bible.
Brother Alois, prior of the Taizé Community, along with a group of 60 young people from the community, visited the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva on 6 March for a time of prayer and sharing.
World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay extended sincere birthday congratulations to Cardinal Walter Kasper, expressing gratitude for the cardinal’s tireless service for Christian unity, particularly for his leadership role in the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Le 22 mars prochain, une prière pour la paix dans le monde rassemblera les fidèles chrétiens dans l’espoir d’un avenir meilleur. Un communiqué publié par le comité de planification de la prière explique que les chrétien-ne-s sont appelé-e-s à s’unir dans la prière et à défendre la paix. «Dans un contexte mondial pris d’assaut par la guerre et la violence, la pratique de la paix est devenue plus urgente que jamais», précise le texte.
Twenty-nine Swedish students from Athens, Milano, and Sofia visited the World Council of Churches (WCC) on 24 February, receiving a guided tour, participating in singing sessions led by Rev. Dr Mikie Roberts, and receiving an overview of the work of the WCC, Lutheran World Federation and ACT Alliance.
Le Conseil des Églises et organisations religieuses d’Ukraine invite les fidèles de toutes les dénominations à jeûner et prier ensemble le 24 février, soit un an après le début de la guerre en Ukraine.
The Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations is inviting all believers of all denominations to unite in fasting and prayer on 24 February—a day marking one year since the start of the war in Ukraine.
In a letter to the heads of World Council of Churches (WCC) member churches in Syria, Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed deep sadness at the loss of more than 40,000 lives in the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey.
On 20 February, 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, for an historic visit following the devastating earthquake that struck on 6 February.
Près de deux semaines se sont écoulées depuis le séisme qui a ravagé le nord de la Syrie et la Turquie le 6 février, ôtant la vie à plus de 41 000 personnes. Des milliers de bâtiments se sont également effondrés. Dans plusieurs villes comme Alep, Hama et Lattaquié, plus de 115 écoles ont été détruites.
Selon l’Institut pour les libertés religieuses, au moins 494 édifices religieux ont été détruits, endommagés ou pillés en Ukraine des suites de l’invasion russe, et la saisie de bâtiments religieux pour en faire des bases militaires russes ne fait qu’accroître la destruction des sites religieux en Ukraine.
At least 494 religious buildings in Ukraine have been destroyed, damaged, or looted as a result of the Russian invasion—and seizure of religious buildings for use as Russian military bases increases the scale of destruction of religious sites in Ukraine, reports the Institute for Religious Freedom.
Almost two weeks have passed since an earthquake that hit northern Syria and Turkey on 6 February, killing over 41,000 people. The disaster also caused thousands of buildings to collapse. In various cities such as Aleppo, Hama, and Lattakia, over 115 schools were destroyed.
H.H. Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, visited Antioch, marking an historic and first Apostolic visit to the place where Saint Peter established the Holy See of Antioch in the year 37.
Following the catastrophic earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey, the Middle East Council of Churches in Syria interviewed H.E. Ephraim Maalouli, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo, Alexandretta, and Dependencies.
The publication “Called to Transformation – Ecumenical Diakonia” is newly available in German, offering resources to strengthen the diaconal capacity of churches and to advance the cooperation with specialized ministries.