Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA Pope Francis, in his Angelus address on Sunday, August 25, made a strong appeal relating to the religious situation in Ukraine. The official English translation of his remarks can be read at https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/angelus/2024/documents/20240825-angelus.html. With respect to Ukraine, he stated: I continue to follow with sorrow the fighting in Ukraine and the Russian Federation. And in thinking about the laws recently adopted in Ukraine, I fear for the freedom of those who pray, because those who truly pray always pray for all. A person does not commit evil because of praying. If someone commits evil against his…
Browsing: Governance Top Stories
Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA On August 20, the Ukrainian Rada approved on the second reading Draft Law 8371 without discussion and by a large majority vote. https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-parliament-legislative-ban-ukrainian-orthodox-church-539e0f3a6d657277aa4fa93b8ec53505 The Draft Law is now being prepared for the signature of President Zelensky. https://itd.rada.gov.ua/billInfo/Bills/Card/41219 It appears absolutely certain that the President will sign 8371 as he repeatedly urged its passage in his nightly addresses last week. In the event of an alleged violation of the new law, there are a series of administrative steps that will occur. A very brief summary of these administrative steps is as follows: (1) On the initiative of the…
Source: St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary YONKERS, NY, Tuesday, August 20, 2024—At its meeting on August 9, 2024, the Board of Trustees at St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) announced its decision to indefinitely pause the relocation of St Vladimir’s Seminary, and pursue the needs of the Seminary for recruiting a new president, strengthening the Seminary’s finances, and creating a strategic vision and direction in fulfillment of its core mission. The Seminary’s core mission remains to “train priests, lay leaders, and scholars to be active apologists of the Orthodox Christian Faith—focusing on academic rigor and spiritual formation within a residential…
Source: Orthodox Church in America SPRINGFIELD, VA [OCA] In preparation for the upcoming 21st All-American Council in Phoenix, AZ, July 14-18, 2025, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon is calling on all communities of the Orthodox Church in America—parishes, missions, seminaries, monasteries, and all institutions—to submit reflections on this moment in the life of the Church. A companion study guide has also been made available to help guide these discussions. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (Acts 2:1) In July 2025, the bishops, clergy, monastics, and faithful of the Orthodox Church in America will gather in…
Source: Orthodox Church in America SPRINGFIELD, VA [OPL] By the Grace of God, the Orthodox Church in America’s (OCA) Office of Pastoral Life (OPL) is thrilled to announce a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. that will better equip clergy and their families to face economic challenges that can persist throughout their careers. OPL supports clergy as they fulfill their vocation of pastoral service by offering resources that promote personal, spiritual, and educational growth and health. Through workshops, seminars, retreats and Thriving in Ministry peer learning groups, OPL seeks to equip clergy, clergy wives and clergy families with resources and tools to maintain…
Source: Orthodox Church in America Suprasl, Poland [SUPRASL] Fr Nilos offering a morning reflection, “Life as Gratitude”. For the third year in a row students and clergy of the Orthodox Church in America participated in the annual World Gathering of Orthodox Youth – Suprasl 2024 – organized by Suprasl: A World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth at the Monastery of the Annunciation and the Suprasl Academy in northeastern Poland from June 30 – July 8. Participating from the OCA were Father Nilos Nellis of Saint John in the Wilderness Orthodox Sanctuary, Birchdale, British Columbia; Caleb Hooper from Saint Nicholas Church, Mogadore, OH; and…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America FREEDOM (Faith-based Response to Eradicate Enslavement: Didactic Outreach Ministry) July 30th is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Yesterday, a Special Intervention was held at the United Nations Church Center in New York City. Rev. Protopresbyter Peter J. Spiro, the Director of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese FREEDOM (Faith-based Response to Eradicate Enslavement: Didactic Outreach Ministry) Ministry, was one of the 5 expert panelists presenting at a hybrid conference that included participants from the United States, Uganda, Nigeria, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Congo, Carribean, Belize, Tanzania, Serbia, Kenya, South Africa, Australia, and Germany. Father Peter was asked to present…
Source: Orthodox History Originally published on May 29, 2024 by MATTHEW NAMEE As you may have seen, Ancient Faith recently published my book, Lost Histories: The Good, the Bad & the Strange in Early American Orthodoxy. If you like this website, you’re the target audience for the book. And while reading it should give you a good handle on the early history of Orthodoxy in America, I wrote it not just to educate but — hopefully — to amaze and surprise you (even if you’re a longtime reader of this website). With that in mind, here are fifteen random, amazing facts from…
Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA The Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate held its summer meeting on July 25, 2024. Journey Entry 78 of the minutes of the meeting announced an important decision relating to Metropolitan Hilarion of Budapest and Hungary. http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/6146121.html A Google translation of the complete text of the entry is as follows: HAD A JUDGMENT on the state of affairs in the Budapest-Hungarian Diocese. RESOLVED: To form a Commission to study the situation in the Budapest-Hungarian Diocese. For the duration of the work of said Commission, temporarily remove Metropolitan Hilarion of Budapest and Hungary from the administration of the…
Source: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America Story and photos by Dn. Peter Samore Photo album “We must examine our ministry in light of this good shepherd, Raphael. He laid down his life for his people, dying young. Do we do the same?” On the night of July 25, and into July 26, the 22nd biennial Clergy Symposium concluded with the celebration of a vigil for St. Raphael, bishop of Brooklyn, at Ss. Peter and Paul Church at the Antiochian Village. It was served in the presence of the saint’s newly exhumed relics. In the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy, His…
Source: Orthodox Church in America BROADVIEW HEIGHTS, OH [OCA] The 2024 Parish Development Forum recently welcomed clergy and laity attendees from multiple Orthodox jurisdictions and eight OCA Dioceses to explore the Forum theme of “Our Parish and the Future: Equipping to Serve Christ in a Secular World.” Host parish for the Forum was Archangel Michael Church in Broadview Heights, OH. The Forum was once again sponsored by the OCA’s Archdiocese of Western Pennsylvania, the Diocese of the Midwest and the Bulgarian Diocese. Archpriest Stephen Frase, Rector Saint Gregory of Nyssa Church in Columbus, OH clergy co-chair of the Forum, noted “A significant portion of…
Source: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America View the Adult Camp Vimeo Registration is open for Adult Camp at Antiochian Village, open to anyone over the age of 21 who wants to spend a weekend in the beautiful natural setting of Antiochian Village Camp and grow in the Orthodox Christian Faith. This year’s dates are Sept. 20 – 23, and the featured speaker is Fr. Raphael Daly, pastor of St. Luke Church in Erie, Colo. Whether you are 21, 51, or 101 years old, you’re never too old experience the joy of being a child again! Come and enjoy fellowship with each other: daily services, Christian…