Browsing: Governance Top Stories

Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Arrives for Official Visit October 23, 2021 WASHINGTON, DC — His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was joyously welcomed today by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.  The Ecumenical Patriarch, spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians worldwide, will begin his 12-day official visit in Washington, DC. Also in attendance to greet His All-Holiness and the Official Delegation were, according to State Department Protocol, His Excellency Marios Lysiotis, Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to the United States; His Excellency Arthur Sinodinos OA, Ambassador of Australia…

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Source: Associated Press by: PETER SMITH, Associated Press The spiritual leader of the world’s 200 million Eastern Orthodox Christians brings an agenda spanning religious, political and environmental issues to a 12-day U.S. visit beginning Saturday that includes a meeting with President Joe Biden and various ceremonial and interfaith gatherings. Making the latest of several trips to the country during his 30 years in office, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is expected to address concerns ranging from a pending restructuring of the American church to his church’s status in his homeland, Turkey. Bartholomew’s title, patriarch of Constantinople, reflects the ancient imperial name of the…

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Source: Y2AM (Youth and Young Adult Ministries) The Assembly of Bishops just created two new Pan-Orthodox Ministry Agencies! Hear from Archbishop Elpidophoros (GOARCH), Metropolitan Joseph (Antiochian), Metropolitan Tikhon (OCA), Metropolitan Savas (GOARCH), and Bishop Irinej (Serbian). (Excerpts from interviews conducted by Bill Marianes for Ancient Faith Ministries.) Check out the Orthodox Volunteer Corps, an opportunity for your adults to live together and serve together for a full year. https://orthodoxvolunteercorps.org/ And stay tuned for more details about a new Pan-Orthodox Youth and Young Adult Ministry Agency!

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Source: Orthodox Church in America The Holy Synod of Bishops and Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America convened at the Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel in Cleveland, OH for their regular Fall Sessions, respectively on October 21 and October 18-19. On Wednesday and Thursday, October 20-21, the Holy Synod and the Metropolitan Council also met in an expanded joint meeting which included Diocesan Chancellors, representatives from the three OCA Seminaries, and Monastic Superiors. Due to the pandemic, the Metropolitan Council met in person for the first time in almost two years. His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon opened the meeting with a Moleben on Monday afternoon. During…

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Source: The National Herald by Theodore Kalmoukos BOSTON – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, in an official announcement, accuses Metropolitan Joseph of Proikonnisos of “uncanonical and unbrotherly behavior” because “he is the single witness in defense of an opponent of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia (Consolidated Trust), at the Supreme Court of New South Wales.” The issue was discussed at the 10th Episcopal Assembly of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia which took place on October 6 in Sydney under the Presidency of Archbishop Makarios of Australia. “It was unanimously decided to prepare a canonical file to submit to His…

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Source: Vatican News In an interview with Vatican News, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk reflects on the importance of joint efforts geared towards the protection of our common home and the need for interreligious dialogue on the path to a world of fraternity. By Benedict Mayaki, SJ Pope Francis, along with scientists and religious leaders, met in the Vatican on Monday for a meeting themed: “Faith and Science: Toward COP26” as preparations for the UN Climate Change Conference scheduled to hold from 1 – 12 November in Glasgow, Scotland, continue. The Holy Father and the participants at the day-long encounter also…

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Source: US Religion Census The report “The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA) from 2010 to 2020: Changes in Parishes, Membership and Worship Attendance” is now available. The 2020 US Religion Census (www.usreligioncensus.org) obtained the data directly from GOA parishes. Overall, 98% of the GOA parishes participated. The report can be downloaded here: https://orthodoxreality.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Report-GOA-From2010To2020Reduced1-1.pdf The 2020 Census has revealed that from 2010-2020 the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese experienced a significant (-22%) membership decline. But these membership changes were different in different Metropolises: some Metropolises had much larger losses of parishioners than others. GOA Metropolises also vary greatly in the strength of…

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Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA WASHINGTON, DC — The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America convened in person for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, in Washington, D.C. October 2-5 for its 10th Anniversary Meeting. This is the first in-person meeting presided over by Archbishop Elpidophoros. Twenty-nine Hierarchs participated in-person and were joined by seven Hierarchs who participated virtually. In their opening session, they called to mind the losses suffered over the past year and a half, due to the global pandemic, and offered prayers for the continued…

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Source: St. Phoebe Center for the Deaconess Board Members and Reverend Deacon Salvatore Micheal Fazio, Director of Outreach for the Diaconate Program at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Theological Seminary, will speak at the annual Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology, and Religion (OCAMPR) conference. Themed “Care in a COVID Era: Unity and Truth in Uncertain Times”, the conference will be held November 4-6, 2021 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Phoenix. In a panel presentation, Deacon Sal, Dr. Jaquet, and Dr. Theodorpoulos will discuss how an enlivened diaconal ministry–both male and female–could make a difference in the life of the Church,…

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Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America will welcome His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the United States for an official visit which will begin on October 23, 2021 and continue through November 3, 2021.  The visit, originally scheduled for May 2020, was postponed due to the worldwide pandemic. This is the third official visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the United States. In addition to His All-Holiness, the official delegation will include His Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif of Proikonissos, His Eminence Metropolitan Ioustinos of Nea Krini and Kalamaria,…

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Source: The Orthodox Church in America SYOSSET, NY [OCA]  The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, meeting under the presidency of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon via teleconference, on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, issued the following communique: At numerous points in recent years, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America has reiterated its commitment to the unity of Orthodox Christians in North America, in fulfillment of the charge given to the Orthodox Church in America in the Tomos of Autocephaly, the witness of the canonical tradition, and the command of the Lord Himself, who wills that…

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Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America agrees with longstanding United States Supreme Court precedent that the government should not: (a) interfere with the operations and decisions of churches; or (b) attempt to interpret the internal rules and practices of churches. Along with other Christian groups, the Assembly of Bishops has joined an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the case of Trustees of The New Life in Christ Church v. City of Fredericksburg, Virginia. In this case, a city…

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