Images by McKenna Snow
CV NEWS FEED // The Vatican is celebrating the Jubilee for Eastern Churches this week, featuring liturgies from a variety of Eastern rites and drawing thousands of pilgrims, with the event culminating in a special audience with Pope Leo XIV.
On May 12, liturgies from three Eastern rites were celebrated. St. Peter’s Basilica held a Divine Liturgy in the Ethiopian Rite at 8:30 a.m. in the Choir Chapel. Vatican News reported that Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel, archbishop of Addis Ababa presided over the liturgy alongside Archbishop Menghesteab Tesfamariam of Asmara.
Both the Ethiopian and Eritrean churches share the rite, which is also called the Ge’ez liturgy, Vatican News added.
“The spirituality of these Churches has deep biblical roots that date back to the story of the Queen of Sheba, drawn to the wisdom of King Solomon, as told in the Books of Kings (1 Kings 10) and Chronicles (2 Chronicles 9), and of their son Menelik, who became heir to the throne of Axum,” Vatican News stated. “Another foundational episode was that of the Deacon Philip, recounted in Chapter 8 of the Acts of the Apostles, describing his encounter with the official of Candace, Queen of Ethiopia.”
At 1 p.m, the Pauline Chapel of St. Mary Major Basilica held an Armenian rite Divine Liturgy, Vatican News reported. Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, head of the Armenian Catholic Church, presided over the liturgy.
In his homily, Patriarch Minassian called for hope and peace, especially for Middle Eastern Christians. He asked the congregation to let go of all forms of hatred.
“We, children of the Eastern Armenian Catholic Church, witnesses to centuries of faith and martyrdom, are called today, in this time of ongoing wars in the Middle East and throughout the world, to bear witness with our lives and our blood to our fidelity to Christ, strengthening our faith rooted in charity and Christian love,” he said.
At 3 p.m. the same day, a Coptic Divine Liturgy was held in the Pauline Chapel at 3 p.m., Vatican News reported, presided over by His Beatitude Ibrahim Isaac Sedrak, patriarch of Alexandria of the Catholic Copts and president of the Assembly of Patriarchs and Bishops of Egypt.
Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, also addressed the congregation. He thanked them for their historic and heroic witness to the faith.
“These have been terrible years — years of massacres — but you made it. Perhaps it was the blessing of the Holy Family of Egypt, or the great saints and theologians, or a deep identification with the land of Egypt from which your name and your deep faith come — faith that moved mountain[s],” the Cardinal said. “Perhaps it was the tireless work of creating a Coptic Church. The fact is, there is a wisdom in your blood that is precisely the fruit of your blood.”
The Jubilee’s website lists the rest of the schedule for the Jubilee of Eastern Churches. On May 13, St. Peter’ s Basilica is set to hold a Syro-Malabar Divine Liturgy, and St Mary Major will hold Vespers. Later on, at the piazza in front of the basilica, pilgrims will have the opportunity to chant the Akathistos, a Byzantine hymn honoring the Blessed Mother.
On May 14, Pope Leo XIV will hold an audience with the pilgrims and leaders of the Eastern churches at 10 a.m. local time in Paul VI Hall. At 2 p.m., there will be a Byzantine Divine Liturgy in St. Peter’s Basilica.
