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World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca extended prayers and condolences to people in Tonga, and the churches and rescue workers helping them, in the wake of a massive volcanic eruption smothered the Pacific islands in ash, cut power and severed communications.

Registrations are open for a World Council of Churches webinar on 19 January that will launch the first volume of a major new history of ecumenism produced by a team of academics and scholars coordinated by the Italian-based Foundation for Religious Studies (FSCIRE).

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca shared joyful greetings to the Taizé European Youth Encounter as young people self-reflected, prayed, met each other, and together faced the needs of our times.

Middle East Council of Churches secretary general Dr Michel Abs welcomed World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca on 14 December at the headquarters of the Middle East Council of Churches General Secretariat in Beirut. The president of the National Evangelical Union in Lebanon and president of the Council for the Evangelical Family, H.E. Rev. Dr Habib Badr, as well the General Secretariat team in Beirut, also received Sauca.

On 15 December, Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, acting general secretary of the World Council of Churches paid a visit to His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of the Antioch and All the East at the patriarchal residence in Balamand, Lebanon.  

On 9 December, Pope Francis received in a private audience World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, accompanied by Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

As rescue efforts continue in Indonesia following the eruption of Mount Semeru, World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca extended prayers and solidarity on behalf of the global WCC fellowship.

Under the title “The Synodal Encyclical of 1920: 100 Years of Exceptional Influence,” the Ecumenical Patriarchate celebrated, on 1 December, one of the most important ecumenical documents of the 20^th century.

The feast of St Andrew, the first-called apostle, founder of the Church of Constantinople according to the tradition, is honored as the Thronal Feast of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. At this occasion, a solemn celebration took place at the Patriarchal Church of St George at Phanar, Istanbul, on 30 November.

World Council of Churches (WCC) acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca visited the Church of Norway on 23 November, expressing joy at being able to see the church offices for the first time and for the church’s support leading up to the WCC 11th Assembly.

On 29 and 30 November, Dr Rosalee Velloso Ewell, director of Church Relations, United Bible Societies, and Prof. Dr Alexander M. Schweitzer, United Bible Societies executive director of Bible Ministry, visited the Ecumenical Centre and the Bossey Ecumenical Institute.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) executive committee closed its meeting after convening from 12-17 November, leaving with a sense of hope, even while publicly expressing grave concern over many global injustices facing the world today.

During a special service concluding the Church of Sweden’s General Synod on 24 November, Archbishop Antje Jackelén made an official apology from the Church of Sweden to the Sámi for historical abuse.

Archbishop emeritus Dr Anders Wejryd, Church of Sweden, brought greetings on behalf of the World Council of Churches (WCC) to the jubilee of the National Council of Churches in Switzerland on 17 November.