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Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch marks 15th centennial jubilee of Mor Philoxenus of Maboug (523-2023)

In July 2021, I shared a blog with all of you, as my church, the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch and all the East marks the 1500 Jubilee Year of Mor Jacob de Serugh (St Jacob of Serugh) a great Syriac Poet, who religiously articulated theological doctrines for monks to fight heresies. He employed poetry to formulate pure and clear theological teaching using Biblical evidence.

25 September 2023

Dr Theodora Issa

Ecumenism in the Philippines means hope and resilience

As the World Council of Churches celebrates its 75th anniversary, a series of feature stories from different regions of the world will portray ecumenism at the local level—within churches, communities, and individuals who embody the spirit of ecumenism in unique ways. The feature story below offers a glimpse of some facets of ecumenism present in the Philippines.

22 August 2023

25 September 2015, Trinidad, Cuba: Glimpse of everyday life in Trinidad, Cuba.

Caribbean region celebrates unique contributions, addresses current challenges

Coming from countries and churches across the Caribbean region, people gathered during the June World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee meeting to celebrate their uniqueness, address serious challenges, and pray together.

17 July 2023

Visiting communities in southern Türkiye from 4-6 April 2023, the delegation met with churches in Mersin, Iskenderun, and Antioch, including communities in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople, Latin Catholics and others.

During solidarity visit to Türkiye, WCC and ACT Alliance witness great needs yet great collaboration: “the churches are all working together”

After returning from a solidarity visit to Türkiye, World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay and ACT Alliance general secretary Rudelmar Bueno de Faria appear in a video interview speaking about what they saw, how churches are working together, and their unique reflections on their visit—held 4-6 April—took place during western Holy Week.

13 April 2023

A delegation from the World Council of Churches and ACT Alliance visited Türkiye, expressing solidarity and support for churches on the ground responding to grave needs in the wake of the 6 February 2023 earthquake.

Hungarian Interchurch Aid helps earthquake survivors in Türkiye on path to recovery

During a solidarity visit to Türkiye in early April, a delegation from the World Council of Churches and ACT Alliance saw firsthand the devastation of the February earthquake, the needs of the affected population, and how churches are responding to that need.

13 April 2023

In interview, Greek Orthodox H.E. Ephraim Maalouli describes how churches are responding to earthquake-related needs in Syria

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.

16 February 2023

House in ruins, GOPA-DERD team responds to earthquake victims

Aid and prayers from churches across the world stream in for earthquake survivors

As search-and-rescue continued in Turkey and Syria following a massive earthquake, churches mobilized to offer humanitarian aid and prayers.

07 February 2023

Memorial service marking the 50th anniversary of martial law in the Philippines

Church leaders remember martyrs in Philippines, call for end to current campaign of repression

Church leaders in the Philippines gathered in an ecumenical memorial service in Manila on 21 September, the 50^th anniversary of the imposition of martial law, to solemnly recall people of faith who were tortured and killed during the brutal regime of president Ferdinand Marcos.

06 October 2022

Promoting human dignity through art

“Affirming justice and human dignity” was the theme of the fourth thematic plenary of the World Council of Churches(WCC) 11th assembly on 6 September. The presentation featured a wheelchair dance performance by Fadi El Halabi, a wheelchair user and Ms. Karen Abi Nader, an international artist. In the freestyle dance, Halabi effortlessly spinned around his wheelchair and, with slow coordinated moves together with his dance partner, threw hands in the air symbolizing the joy that can only be felt when all exclusionary and disempowerment practices in church and society are addressed.

06 September 2022

Entrance to the WCC 11th Assembly venue in Karlsruhe

Under the canopy of yellow leaves

Ushered into the venue of the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany, one finds a sanctuary, a safe space under the canopy of yellow leaves. Under the shade of trees with leaves slowly going through the withering process is the springing of hope for a better world engaged in conversations and dialogues that promote life at its fullness.

04 September 2022

Klein Fausto Emperado

WCC delegation meets Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II

WCC delegation visits Syria, expresses solidarity with those who “remain steadfast in their land”

World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca visited Syria, alongside the Middle East Council of Churches secretary general Dr Michel Abs, the general secretary of ACT Alliance Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, and WCC senior advisor on peace building Michel Nseir.

21 July 2022

A global ecumenical delegation in the cradle of Christianity

From the gateway to the eastern Mediterranean and its pearl, Beirut, an ecumenical delegation came to the Middle East in order to visit spiritual leaders who historically constituted the pillars of ecumenical work.

15 July 2022

Dr Michel Abs

Video feature

WCC shares greetings with Jamaica Baptist Union

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca shared joyful greetings with the Jamaica Baptist Union as the union gathered for its 172nd General Assembly, being held 23-27 February.

24 February 2022

Caribbean churches make clarion call for reconciliation

As World Council Churches (WCC) member churches from the Caribbean met during the WCC central committee on 10 February, the group issued a clear call for reconciliation as a set of actions, not just an abstract idea.

21 February 2022

Video feature

African farmer man's hand touches a green plant.

'Racism, Land and Food' seminar dissects how dispossession negates food sovereignty

As many communities worldwide battle to get food to the table, a World Council of Churches (WCC) webinar titled ‘Racism, Land and Food' highlighted the intersections of food, land, and racial injustices on food sovereignty over generations of dispossessed groups.

17 December 2021

Video feature

Animation of clouds on a blue sky, with the words 'Ecological Spirituality' in the middle.

Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago: “Instead of just activists, we create strategists”

A group of intern ministers from the Presbyterian Church of Trinidad and Tobago (PCTT)—including Cynara Dube-Sookoo, Bjorn Warde, and Robert Dinnoo—worked with PCTT synod moderator Rt. Rev. Joy E. Abdul-Mohan to produce a video about how young people and churches can lead the way toward climate justice.

19 November 2021

In Lebanon, “without peace there is no justice”

When Dr Michel Abs, secretary general of the Middle East Council of Churches, speaks about living conditions in Lebanon, his compassion for his people—and his passion for peace—brim over. In a video interview with the World Council of Churches, he honestly shared his deepest concerns about the current socio-economic crisis in his nation, and how churches are helping.

21 July 2021

St Gregory Cathedral of the Holy See of Cilicia in Lebanon.

Very Rev. Fr Hrant Tahanian reflects on how Divine Liturgy in Lebanon brings hope for the world

On Sunday 27 June, WCC central committee member the Very Rev. Fr Hrant Tahanian from the Armenian Apostolic Church (Holy See of Cilicia) attended Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of the Holy See of Cilicia, in Lebanon.

06 July 2021