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.
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.
חנה ברג, אישה ישראלית המתארת את עצמה כ“דיפלומט לזכויות האדם” חברה בארגון מחסום ווטש, בילתה עשרות שנים בצפייה לדברים הקורים לפלסטינים במעברי גבול, והמסקנה—במילה אחת—“הפיכה ללא אנושי,” היא אומרת.
Hanna Barag, an Israeli woman who has described herself as a “human rights diplomat” for the organization Machsom Watch, has spent decades observing what happens to Palestinians at checkpoints, and it’s—in a word—“de-humanizing,” she says.
Faith-based and humanitarian groups across the world were setting in motion appeals for aid and prayers as response expands in the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey on 6 February.
Following the devastating Turkey-Syria earthquake on 6 February, the presidents of the Middle East Council of Churches held an emergency meeting to discuss the disaster and how to respond.
As communities in Turkey and Syria were left reeling in the wake of an earthquake that has killed at least 4,300 people—and that figure is growing—churches were reaching out to check on those affected and praying for the safety of those missing.
A group of Ecumenical Accompaniers completed their service in Palestine and Israel, handing their ministry over to the next wave, and celebrating the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity at the same time.
In a congratulatory letter, World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed great joy and gratitude over the appointment of Archbishop Mor Anthimos Jack Yakoub as the patriarchal vicar for Jerusalem, Jordan, and the Holy Land by His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II.
בשנת 1919 הזמין המושל הצבאי של ירושלים, סר רונלד הנרי אמהרסט סטורס (Ronald Henry Amherst Storrs) שלוש משפחות ארמניות של אמני אריחים – באליאן (Balian), קרשקשיאן (Karakeshian) ואוהנסיאן (Ohanessian ) – לירושלים, כדי לשחזור ושיפוץ האריחים המפארים את כיפת הסלע במסגד אל-אקצא, אשר צוירו במאה ה-16
In 1919, three Armenian families—the Balian, Karakeshian, and Ohanessian families—were brought to Jerusalem by Sir Ronald Henry Amherst Storrs, then military governor of Jerusalem, to renovate the 16th century tiles at the Dome of the Rock in Al-Aqsa Mosque.
מזכ"ל WCC הכומר פרופ' ד"ר ג'רי פילי (Jerry Pillay) הצטרף לבישופות האפיסקופלית של ירושלים ולכל כנסיות ארץ הקודש בגינוי של חילול בית הקברות הפרוטסטנטי העתיק בהר ציון.
World Council of Churches general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay joined the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and all the churches of the Holy Land in condemning the desecration of the historic Protestant cemetery on Mount Zion.
World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca expressed joy on receiving the news of the election of His Beatitude George III of Cyprus as the Archbishop of New Justiniana and All Cyprus.