Source: St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary | Deborah (Malacky) Belonick [SVOTS Communications, Yonkers, NY] “It is now possible for students to come to our seminary with their tuition fully funded,” announced Archpriest John Behr, dean of St. Vladimir’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY, as he unfolded a new plan designed to help theological graduate students cover the cost of their education. “Effective for this coming academic year,” explained Fr. John, “we’re instituting a newly devised ‘matching grant’ program for students seeking either a Master of Divinity or Master of Arts degree in theology, and we’re expanding tuition grants available to students in…
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How do we undertake and develop a plan to finance a unified Orthodox Archdiocese in the United States from the fragmented-jurisdictional Archdioceses that exist? What does the transitional stage of finances look like? Will the fragmented Archdioceses merge legally? How will the unified archdiocese be funded? This concept and questions need the input of the People of God who are the stewards of the Church. We need to provide input to assist the committees formulating regional and financial planning. Those with legal and financial expertise are invited to address these questions. Those knowledgeable with concepts of mergers are invited to…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America NEW YORK – National Philoptochos President Aphrodite Skeadas on January 17, 2012 issued an immediate appeal to all Philoptochos Presidents, members nationwide and their respective communities to support a drive for the welfare of the people of Greece. President Skeadas stated, “We enter 2012 mindful of the dire economic circumstances and supreme hardships faced by our brothers and sisters in economically ravaged Greece, our ancestral homeland. We cannot and will not turn our backs to the needs of our people.” Daily news reports document widespread poverty in Greece where many parents can no longer…
Source: Orthodox Observer | Archdeacon Panteleimon The Greek Archdiocesan School of Byzantine Music (ASBM) has recently published Byzantine Music: Theory and Practice Guide to assist novice-level Byzantine music students and to enrich liturgical music programs in local parishes. Prior to the guide’s publication, the only sufficient Byzantine music textbooks were available in Greek. After the first year of the school’s operation, officials re-evaluated the teaching methods and the resources offered to ASBM students. They concluded that a theory book in English was needed and formed a committee to produce a student-friendly beginner’s level textbook. An audio CD also was created…
Source: The Sofia Echo | Clive Leviev-Sawyer [January 27, 2012] If there is a hell with a department specially set aside for Bulgaria’s communist-era State Security and leaders of the atheist state, they may be chuckling right now, between being prodded with pitchforks and otherwise tormented. In its early history in power, the communist regime used brutal tactics against all its enemies, the church included. Clergy were executed or murdered, jailed with or without trial, sent to “labour education” camps. While the tactics changed over time, to seeking to subvert and manipulate the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, one tactic was consistent…
Source: Commentary Magazine | David Aikman February 2012 Abstract On October 2011, when the so-called Arab Spring took a dark turn in Cairo, Egypt, the social media and smartphone technologies that had aided protesters in their fight for freedom captured new and dangerous developments. On video-hosting websites such as YouTube, one can see footage of the Muslim mobs that began throwing rocks at Coptic Christians on October 8. These young Copts had been protesting the burning of a Coptic church in Aswan and the failure of the Egyptian authorities to respond satisfactorily. Frustrated with the traditional Coptic adoption of a…
Source: The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America NEW YORK, NY As reported on the web site of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, a number of meetings were conducted at the end of January 2012. Members of the Assembly’s Secretariat held their annual “face-to-face” meeting at Saint Andrew Church, Riverside, CA, January 24-25. An overview of the work accomplished at the meeting will be included in a forthcoming Assembly media release, which will report to the Church-at-large on the work of the Assembly during 2011. The Secretariat, which also meets…
Source: News24 Saidnaya – Divine intervention prevented a shell that pierced the walls of a Syrian convent from detonating, swears the mother superior of Our Lady of Saidnaya, a spiritual retreat near Damascus. “The Virgin Mary stopped the shell from exploding with her own hands,” said Mother Verone, who interpreted the close call as a divine message that “God is watching over sacred places” amid the unprecedented unrest rocking Syria. The sound of explosions and gunfire from nearby towns echoes around the normally tranquil convent. The nuns say the blasts come from the neighbouring towns of Rankus and Talfita, focal…
Source: The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America The Committee for Youth of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America held its semi-annual meeting on January 24th and 25th, 2012. The meeting convened at the Antiochian Village Heritage and Learning Center, Bolivar, PA, in conjunction with the Committee for Youth’s Consultants Meeting and was followed by the annual Camp and Youth Worker Conference (January 25-28, 2012). The Committee for Youth, consists of Bishop Thomas (Chairman of the Committee for Youth), Metropolitan Alexios, Bishop Irineu, Father Joseph Purpura (facilitator), Deacon Mark O’Dell, (secretary),…
Source: The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops’ Committee on Canonical Regional Planning met in-person on Friday, January 27, 2012, at the headquarters of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in Chicago, Illinois, hosted by Archbishop Nicolae, Chairman of the Committee. Committee members present in addition to His Eminence were Archbishop Justinian, Russian Orthodox Church in the USA; Metropolitan Jonah, Orthodox Church in America; and Bishop Demetrios representing Metropolitan Iakovos, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. Consultants to the Committee who participated in the all-day meeting were: Fr Nicholas Apostola, Fr Joseph Abud, Jerry Dimitriou,…
Hilton Garden Inn Columbus, Georgia Local Contact Person: Robert Poydasheff 706-317-3224 Thursday evening: Hilton Garden Inn. Board Meeting Overview – 6:30 pm in Dining Room. Friday morning: 9:00 am Board Meeting in Conference Room. 25th Anniversary Update. Principles of Charter for a Unified Orthodox Church. Friday evening: If a priest is available, Vesper at Holy Transfiguration Mission. Dinner at Local Club. Saturday morning: 10:00am Meet and Greet Faithful. OCL 25 Years of service. Holy Transfiguration Mission, 4612 Gilbert Avenue, Columbus, GA 31904. Interested faithful from Atlanta including: Annunciation Cathedral; St. Elias Church; St. John Wonderworker; Holy Transfiguration (Marietta); Holy Cross…
Orthodox Christian Laity Winter Board Meeting – February 23-25, 2012 Hilton Garden Inn Columbus, Georgia Local Contact Person: Robert Poydasheff 706-317-3224 Thursday evening: Hilton Garden Inn. Board Meeting Overview – 6:30 pm in Dining Room. Friday morning: 9:00 am Board Meeting in Conference Room. 25th Anniversary Update. Principles of Charter for a Unified Orthodox Church. Friday evening: If a priest is available, Vesper at Holy Transfiguration Mission. Dinner at Local Club. Saturday morning: 10:00am Meet and Greet Faithful. OCL 25 Years of service. Holy Transfiguration Mission, 4612 Gilbert Avenue, Columbus, GA 31904. Interested faithful from Atlanta including: Annunciation…