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Last Updated: 18 December 2023

Salhiya December 7, 2023

While watching the tragic scenes of our people in beloved Gaza, I wept repeatedly, especially at the sight of our children and infants, the darlings of their fathers and mothers, covered in rubble, blood and wounds, their cries rising to heaven as they called for help, looking for their parents and siblings.

Today, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Child of the Cave, and approach the commemoration of the Children of Bethlehem, put to death by King Herod, I pray to the Child Jesus for the children caught up in this catastrophically violent, destructive and unjust war, asking Him to be born again in the houses, neighbourhoods, streets, towns and villages of beloved Gaza, bringing to all our people there, good news of peace... good news of security... good news of love... good news of hope... good news of the dawn of a new future, proclaimed by the angelic hymn on Christmas Eve near Bethlehem... so that as the angels sing, the sound of weapons, bombs, missiles, cannons and mines may fall silent.

May the Christmas hymn be sung on the fighting fronts in martyred Gaza... It is a martyr because of its martyrs and a martyr for all its inhabitants, its sons and daughters. It has become a symbol of Palestinian martyrdom, carrying the flag that has represented the Palestinian tragedy since 1947, over seventy-five years ago.

On the Afterfeast of the Nativity, (29 December) the Byzantine Eastern Church commemorates the Fourteen Thousand Holy Infants killed by King Herod in and around Bethlehem (House of Wheat). “In his exceeding wrath, Herod mowed down the infants as wheat.” (Kontakion Tone 6) This hymn describes both the ferocity and brutality of Herod and raises the infants to the level of first martyrs for Christ. Their witness means that, by being killed instead of Him, they participated in the sacrifice offered by the newborn Child Jesus.

This is the reality for the child martyrs in Gaza, whose number stands at 7,112 as of the date of this letter.

I convey to readers of these Christmas thoughts my love for these martyred children, the wounded in hospitals and the disabled... and for their honourable families... and I cite below some passages from these prayers, as an expression of the Church’s solidarity with these children, the martyrs and victims of war in Gaza, and with all the inhabitants of beloved Gaza:

“We beseech and implore thee, O Lord and Lover of mankind, to accept in supplication the suffering that thy holy children endured for thy sake, and to heal all our infirmities (and the sorrows of the children of Gaza.}

“When the King was born in Bethlehem, Herod was troubled and mowed down the children like wheat, lamenting because his power would soon pass away.

“..the lawless Herod …killed the innocent children; he made them martyrs without even realising it. They are now residents of the Kingdom on high, and they reprove his foolishness forever.

“The wicked Herod was enraged and seized the new-born infants from the arms of their mothers.…

“The choir of infants is brought forth from the blood of martyrs. Thou didst justly illumine those untroubled souls whom Thou didst lodge in the dwellings of everlasting life. They continue to reprove the wickedness and harsh foolishness of Herod.

“Your sacrifice has reached the ears of the Lord of Hosts, O honoured child martyrs, because your blood has been shed for him, and you remain in Abraham's arms forever.”

Similarly, the Church honours the child martyrs of Gaza.

How similar is the present to the past, and the past to the present! Today’s Herod has sent an army that has martyred children, women, and men, destroying the roofs over their heads... Today’s Herod is more murderous than the Herod of yesteryear. The Gaza Health Ministry announced an increase in the latest number of victims of Israeli aggression. The number of martyrs since the start of the war has reached 16,248, including 7,112 children and 4,885 women, while the number of injured has reached more than 43,000.

I raise my voice again on the Birthday of Jesus, (the Nativity) the Child of the Cave (manger), in appeal to the Arab countries, the Palestinian factions, the United States of America, the countries of the European Union, the countries of Asia and Africa and the whole world.

And I call on them to hear the cries and tears of the children of Gaza and to see with the eyes of justice and mercy the tragedies of Gaza that have surpassed historic massacres. Indeed, I call on the Jewish congregations throughout the world, on the Churches of the world and on the Islamic organizations of the whole world...

I call upon them all on the Feast of the God of Peace and the Child of the Cave to put an end to war, the logic of war, the war machines and the feelings of racism, bigotry, wickedness and hatred.

I call on them to be sons of peace and peacemakers, and my great hope is, that as we prepare to celebrate Christmas, all parties will reach a long truce, that will be a prelude to the end of the war and the communal strife and lead to the final outcome of a just, lasting and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian question, so that all the inhabitants of this Holy Land may live as Jews, Christians, Muslims, Palestinians and Israelis, in an atmosphere of peace and security, and together realise the Christmas hymn, the song of Bethlehem, the song of heaven and the song of the Holy Land, in fact, the song of peace for the whole world, east, west, south and north. Let us sing it together, and work together for it to become humanity’s constitution and the anthem of peace for all the sons and daughters of humanity.

And with the angel, and the heavenly hosts together, let us sing, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men.”

To all who receive this appeal, best wishes upon the Birthday of the Child of the Cave (the Nativity) and the God of peace, and for the beginning of the new year 2024, wishing you a good year,

Gregorios III
Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Emeritus
Of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem

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Last Updated: 12 December 2023

Salhiya, Lebanon - 10 December 2023

I am at a loss for words to express my condemnation of the United States of America’s veto on the UN Security Council’s resolution for an immediate ceasefire to stop the massacre in Gaza.

The United States’ rejection of this resolution makes America an accomplice in the killing-fields of Gaza. This rejection proves its complicity in the killing of men, women, and children...indeed all those martyrs among the people of Gaza. In fact, it has been complicit in killing every one of the victims of the war that has been raging since the 7th October, on all fronts and among all combatants.

I appeal to all countries of the world to stand together in condemning America’s criminal position, and to strive to bring about a lasting truce, as a prelude to stopping the war, and charting an effective path to reach peace, that is the greatest and only good for all the people.

The Holy Land is the key to peace in the Middle East and peace in the whole world.

I address this appeal particularly to President Biden’s Christian and humanitarian conscience, asking him to add his voice to the voices of the countries of the world. Rather, I ask him to lead the peace process in the Holy Land, the Middle East, and the world. Sign your name as an historic peacemaker in the Holy Land!

As I launch this Arab Christian spiritual, ecclesial and humanitarian appeal, I implore all countries of the world to give the Holy Land the gift of Christmas, the gift of love and peace, so that there may be heard in the hearts and consciences of the people of the Holy Land, and indeed throughout the whole world the song of peace, the eternal hymn of Christmas:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men.” (Luke, 2: 14)

With my love, prayer and blessing

+ Gregorios III
Melkite Greek Catholic
Patriarch Emeritus of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria, and of Jerusalem

Address: Salhiya Care Home, Sidon - BC 17 - Lebanon
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

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Last Updated: 30 November 2023

vatican.va - The Holy Father has appointed the Reverend Michael Smolinsky, C.Ss.R., until now provincial superior of the Congregation of the Redemptorists in Canada, as bishop of the eparchy of Saskatoon of the Ukrainians, Canada.

Curriculum vitae

Msgr. Michael Smolinksy was born on 10 September 1972 in Saskatoon, Canada. He entered the novitiate of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists) on 1 September 1997, and gave his religious vows on 15 August 2002. He attended the University of Saskatchewan, where he was awarded a licentiate in education, and obtained a Master of Divinity from the University of Saint Michael’s College in Toronto. He also attended courses on Eastern Christians at the Sheptytsky Institute of Saint Paul University in Ottawa.

He received priestly ordination on 5 July 2003 in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Saskatoon, from the then-Bishop Kyr Michel Wiwchar.

He has held the following offices: director of a reception house (2005-2015); extraordinary member of the Provincial Council of the Redemptorists (since 2008); parish priest of Saints Peter and Paul in Saskatoon (2015-2019). Since 1 August 2019 he has served as regional superior of his Congregation.

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Last Updated: 27 November 2023

Episcopal Ordination and Enthronement of Fr. Robert Pipta as the Sixth Bishop of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, November 8, 2023. A sacred and solemn occasion, filled with rich traditions and rituals that have been passed down through generations.

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Last Updated: 19 November 2023

Salhiyeh, Lebanon 
6 November 2023 

After a month of war in Gaza, I again raise my voice with all peace advocates, saying:

Stop the War

Stop the Shooting

Stop the Killing

Stop the bloodshed.

“Come to a common word.” (Surah 3: 64)

Jesus calls everyone to peace: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

Saint Paul the apostle, addresses us, as he did the Ephesians, with this sublime spiritual appeal, “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” (Ephesians 2:14)

All leaders of nations throughout the world, come together in a universal peace march.

Work today and not tomorrow for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace for all the children of the Holy Land, the land of the prophets and righteous people, the land of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, the land of the Night Journey or Miʿraj, the land for all of us Christians, Muslims and Jews, Palestinian Arabs and Israelis.

I welcome the efforts made worldwide, and especially by the United States of America, to stop the war and find a fundamental resolution of the Palestinian issue.

I say to everyone that we are all children of God, stewards of God, all human beings, equal in God-given dignity. We are all created “in his image and likeness.” (Genesis 1:26)

May our homes, mosques, churches and synagogues be places of prayer and supplication, asking God for peace, who is the God of peace.

Stop the War, Stop the War, Stop the War.

O God and King of Peace, give our land your peace.

Gregorios III
Patriarch Emeritus

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Last Updated: 22 October 2023

17.10.2023 - We ask His Holiness, the Patriarchs, the Cardinals, the Bishops of all Churches and of all nations to issue a statement calling on the whole world - the European Union, the United States and all countries of the world – to work towards the two-state solution in the Holy Land in accordance with the oft-repeated UN resolutions on the Holy Land. We ask you to advocate energetically and by all available means for this international resolution on the two states of Israel and Palestine to be implemented.

Just, universal and lasting peace is the greatest good for all the inhabitants of the Holy Land, which is the land of peace and the homeland of Jesus Christ, the King of Peace. If the Holy Land experiences a war of annihilation, by Palestinians against Israelis and Israelis against Palestinians, as is currently the case, this war will bring destruction to the entire Middle East.

Nations of the world, stand together for peace in the Middle East, which is peace for the Holy Land and for all of us.

Peace, peace, peace is the future for the Middle East and for the whole world.

Patriarch Emeritus Gregorios III