by S. P. Stamatis, M.A. When we experience a neo-Byzantine style Renaissance in America…where the floodgates open once again from Greece with tens of thousands of new immigrants; where Greek is spoken freely like Spanish; where Studies in Hellenism and Eastern Orthodoxy are available in most universities; where signage and owners’ manuals are also printed in Greek; where Greek-town sections in major cities are restored and flourish…then, there’s no reason to worry! The Greek Orthodox Faith and Greek culture would fit in perfectly and prevail for years to come. Of Course, this is Fantasy! For most people, this kind of…
Browsing: Governance & Unity News
Parent of Governance Category
Source: The National Herald By TNH Staff ATHENS – With investment opportunities growing in everything from bitcoins to online lenders, the Church of Greece is readying an application for a license to establish a digital bank in the next few months. It’s been planned quietly for several years, said Kathimerini, a source not named saying that it’s created debate among the clergy and whether it’s appropriate for the church to be involved in the field that includes lending and sometimes foreclosures. The report said the documents would be submitted to the Bank of Greece by May or early June, moving…
Source: Orthodox Times The Holy Metropolis of Germany issued an official announcement warning the faithful about two individuals who do not belong to the canonical Orthodox Church and are not recognized by any legitimate ecclesiastical authority. The first is Monk Savvas, a former member of the monastic community of Mount Athos, who was expelled by the Holy Community of Mount Athos. Since his expulsion, he has continued to present himself as an “Elder of Mount Athos,” despite having no affiliation with the monastic republic or any canonical Orthodox body. The second is Panagiotis Papadopoulos, a defrocked former cleric who now…
Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA On Saturday, March 29, in the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Tirana, Archbishop John (Pelushi) of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania was enthroned following his election on March 16 as the new primate of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania. A video of the entire enthronement ceremony can be watched at https://www.facebook.com/RadioNgjallja/videos/1858940237978503/. It was encouraging to see that all of the Local Orthodox Churches were represented at the enthronement. A description of the enthronement ceremony and the names of the representatives can be read at https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/2025/03/29/fronezimi-i-kryepiskopit-te-ri-te-shqiperise-fortlumturise-se-tij-z-joan-ne-tirane-29-03-2025/ (official church site); https://orthodoxtimes.com/enthronement-of-the-new-archbishop-of-albania-ioannis-video/ (English article) The Ecumenical Patriarchate was represented by Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of…
Source: The National Herald By Theodore Kalmoukos BOSTON – A modern-day ‘miracle’ has taken place in the Metropolis of Boston, specifically in the state of Massachusetts, where two historic communities -Saints Constantine and Helen in Chicopee and Holy Trinity in Holyoke – have merged or, more accurately, unified. Each of these communities has existed for approximately one hundred years and are located near each other. The number of members, particularly in Saints Constantine and Helen, had declined, making unification necessary and bringing hope for the future of Holy Trinity in Holyoke, which is larger and generally stronger in terms of…
Source: The National Herald LOMBARD, IL – The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago has successfully developed and launched a fully automated digital registry for ecclesiastical records, the first of its kind among the Metropolises of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The new system boosts accuracy, reduces paperwork, and makes vital records – including baptism, chrismation, marriage, and funeral certificates – easier for clergy to submit and for the laity to access. In addition to streamlining the process, the digital registry reduces long-term operating costs. “Our new digital registry system is a modest step toward greater efficiency, allowing clergy more…
Source: Yankee Athonite by Michael Warren Davis I see that Vox published an article which, in part, scolds me for saying that Archbishop Elpidophoros—leader of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America—is a CIA asset: It’s why Michael Warren Davis, another Orthodox convert at the American Conservative, could directly call the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America a CIA asset without any evidence. Laypeople attacking their hierarchs is about the least “trad” thing one can do. It reveals just how little these conversions have to do with anything organic to these traditions, but are instead an act of rebellion against the American mainstream, with a…
Source: Orthodox Church in America SPRINGFIELD, VA [OCA] To the clergy, monastics, and faithful of the Orthodox Church in America, beloved children in the Lord, This year, the Orthodox Church in America marks the 100th anniversary of the repose of Saint Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Enlightener of North America. It is now a full century since this great missionary and churchman fell asleep in the Lord on the feast of the Annunciation (March 25/April 7, 1925), dying as a confessor for the faith under the Soviet yoke. In celebration of this centennial, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America The Executive Committee of the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Fund, Inc, a major nonprofit public charitable organization, seeks an Executive Director with overall strategic and operational responsibility for the staff, programs, expansion, and execution of its mission to advance Orthodoxy and Hellenism in America. The ideal candidate should have a track record of fundraising, communication and organizational skills and the ability to interface effectively with the Greek American Community. Leadership and Management The Executive Director shall be the chief operating officer of the Corporation and shall be a member in good standing of the Greek…
Source: Orthodox Christian Mission Center Metropolitan Joan of Korçë to be enthroned March 29 On March 16, 2025, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania elected Metropolitan Joan of Korçë as the new Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, with his enthronement scheduled for March 29, 2025. This significant event marks a new chapter for the Orthodox Church of Albania following the profound legacy of His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios, of blessed memory. Archbishop-elect Joan, a native of Tirana who served alongside Archbishop Anastasios for over 30 years in Albania, is celebrated for his deep commitment to…
On Looking into “Xenophobia in the Cloak of Progress – How English Liturgies Hurt the American Orthodox Church” by Katherine Kelaidis A Response by P. Stamatis, M.A. The above article appeared on the Public Orthodoxy site on March 12, 2025. At first glance, the intriguing title pulled me in to read, only to become confused by the attached sub-title: “How English Liturgies Hurt the American Orthodox Church.” If the author ascribes to the Orthodox Church in America the moniker “American,” how can using the English language hurt the Orthodox Church? That’s like saying: “How Greek Liturgies Hurt the Greek Orthodox…