News from the Orient - 21 March 2025

This week's news from the Eastern Churches

Gaza parish priest calls for peace 

In Gaza, under constant bombardment, the Christian community is torn between prayer and fear. Father Romaneli, the parish priest, has issued a heartfelt call for peace. In a message to Terre Sainte Magazine, he pleads for “not just a ceasefire, but an end to this war and the start of a period of peace for the entire Holy Land.”

The resumption of hostilities on the night of 17 March has resulted in over 400 deaths, ending a two-month truce. The priest speaks of the suffering of the faithful and the help being provided to refugees, including ill and disabled children who are being cared for by the Sisters of Mother Teresa. The World Council of Churches and Caritas Internationalis have condemned this escalation and called for the protection of the most vulnerable.

US and Ukrainian Church leaders meet in Kyiv 

As ceasefire negotiations in Ukraine continue, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, this week welcomed a delegation from the Catholic Church in the United State.

Leading the delegation was Bishop Gerald Winke, the newly appointed head of the US Office for Aid to Eastern Europe. For his first mission, he chose to visit Kyiv a powerful gesture that Shevchuk praised. He highlighted that this transatlantic solidarity shows world leaders how to support Ukraine in concrete ways and work towards peace.

Lent continues in the Christian world

This Sunday, the Eastern Churches continued their Lenten journey according to their traditions and calendars. The Armenian Churches marked Anaraki Sunday, reflecting on the Parable of the Prodigal Son. This story highlights God’s boundless mercy through the account of a son who, after squandering his inheritance, returns to find refuge in his father’s forgiveness.

In the Byzantine tradition, the faithful observed the Sunday of the Relics, a reminder that the relics of saints are seen as sources of blessing. Two traditions, united in their spirit of faith and reflection as they prepare for Easter.