Source: Ecumenical Patriarchate by Rev. Cyril Hovorun Although only a few days remain until the Eastern Pentecost, when the Pan-Orthodox council has been scheduled, uncertainty remains whether the gathering in Crete will take place. It is the same uncertainty which I described more than two years ago in my CWR article “The Fragile Promise of the Pan-Orthodox Council”. In recent days, the promise of the Council has become particularly fragile. The final meters of the pre-conciliar marathon, which the Orthodox Churches have ran for more than fifty years, has turned into a tense drama. As the race becomes a sprint…
Browsing: Governance & Unity News
Parent of Governance Category
Source: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America Statement of the Secretariat of the Antiochian Holy Synod Balamand, on the 6th of June 2016 Decision In the sequence of its seventh exceptional session still open since the 25th of May 2016, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Antioch held a meeting on the 6th of June 2016 presided by His Beatitude Patriarch John X and in the presence of Their Eminencies the Bishops, to study the positions of the Autocephalous Orthodox Churches related to the Holy and Great Pan-Orthodox Council (mentioned hereafter as ”The Great Council”) and the issues…
Source: Pravoslavie.ru Beloved fathers, brothers, and sisters in Christ! From June 16 to 27, 2016 on the island of Crete will transpire the Pan-Orthodox Council, which, unfortunately, has not been canceled. At the Council they will examine the following documents: -Autonomy and the Means of Proclaiming It -The Importance of Fasting and Its Observance Today -Relations of the Orthodox Church with the Rest of the Christian World -The Mission of the Orthodox Church in the Modern World -The Orthodox Diaspora -The Sacrament of Marriage and Its Impediments The document entitled “Relations of the Orthodox Church with the Rest of the…
Source: Orthodox Church in America SYOSSET, NY [OCA] The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America has issued a Statement on the Holy and Great Council, slated to be convened on the Island of Crete from June 16 through 27, 2016. Concurrently, petitions have been made available and are to be included in the Litany of Fervent Supplication at all Divine Services, beginning immediately. The Statement and Petitions that appear below also are available in PDF format. The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America Statement on the Holy and Great Council to be convened on…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America NEW YORK – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has received today the text of an important announcement from the Ecumenical Patriarchate about the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church, which is presented below: ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE Communiqué An extraordinary session of the Sacred Endemousa Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate took place today under the presidency of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in order to review the progress of the Holy and Great Council to be convened by the grace of God in just a few days. The Sacred Endemousa Synod was informed…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity From the Editor – excerpt from complete, excellent essay which follows: The Role of the Laity and women. The final point I wish to touch upon is the issue of the Role of the Laity in the Church. I am fully aware of the distinction between the clergy and the laity (έχοντες ούν υμείς χαρίσματα κατά την χάριν την δοθείσαν υμίν διάφορα) but Ι have not seen the role of the laity given approriate weight in the Orthodox Church (in fact, I have seen more involvement of lay persons in the liturgical life of the…
Source: Pravoslavie.ru / Facebook Minutes of the Session of the Holy Synod (5.25.2016): On May 25, 2016, the regular plenary session of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Georgia was held at the Patriarchate of Georgia. The Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II acted as the Chairman of the session. Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri) of Senaki and Chkhopotsku was appointed Secretary of the session. The Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II gave an opening speech in which he greeted the members of the Holy Synod and congratulated the Georgian nation on the Day of the Restoration of Independence. Besides this,…
Source: The Sofia Globe Written by Clive Leviev-Sawyer on June 1, 2016 in Bulgaria The governing body of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the Holy Synod, signalled on June 1 its withdrawal from the Pan-Orthodox Council to be held in Crete from June 16 to 26. Strictly speaking, the Holy Synod demanded the postponement of the council unless its various demands were met, but given that this is unlikely to happen, the Synod’s decision effectively amounts to withdrawal. The Pan-Orthodox Council has been planned as the first such gathering in about 1000 years, but has been beset by controversies – one…
Source: The National Herald By Yianni Pappas The 2016 presidential election cycle in America has been wild. Pundits on all networks have said that the old rules just don’t apply anymore. Many have stated that “this is not the America we knew.” A lightbulb may have finally lit up. The pulse of the people is beginning to register. It is too late for most of the candidates, but perhaps in observing the political climate we can better understand the lay of the land within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA). Our lightbulb is still out and our GOA leaders…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Press Office Dear Media Representatives, Preparations for the Holy and Great Council, the first after the East-West Schism of 1053, are entering their final stretch. The Council already attracts international interest and a multitude of journalists from all over the world are expected to travel to Crete, Greece in June. Applications for press accreditation began today May 24, 2016 and will remain open until June 6. They will be processed online only through the official website www.holycouncil.org. Please note that the Holy and Great Council will meet in Crete June 19-26, 2016. A press…
Source: HOPE Association The nonprofit organization enlists ultra marathoner Levi Rizk to run across America to gain awareness for the cause Washington D.C., May 17, 2016 – The HOPE Association, a nonprofit service organization based in Washington D.C., will launch two pediatric mobile health clinics in early 2017 that will serve low-income families in the D.C. and Los Angeles communities. The two HOPE pediatric mobile health clinics will provide several free services to uninsured children, such as well-visits, physicals, immunizations, screenings, urgent care, psychological services, sick visits and more. Serving patients from birth to age 21 directly in their neighborhoods at no…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America NEW YORK – An historic gathering for the Orthodox Christian Churches, the first of its kind in 1200 years, is being supported with both digital communications and a multilingual team of experts. A website, www.orthodoxcouncil.org, provides background information on the Holy and Great Council, which will meet in Crete June 16-27 and gathers representatives from the 14 autocephalous (internally self-governing) Orthodox Churches to discuss issues ranging from the mission of the Orthodox Church in the modern world and its relations with other Christian churches, to the importance of fasting and the sacrament of marriage.…