Source: Ekathimerini.com Greece’s Orthodox bishops have voted unanimously to reject planned government legislation for marriage equality that would also allow for the adoption of children by same-sex couples. A meeting of the Holy Synod further decided to address an open letter to all 300 members of parliament outlining the church’s objections to the proposed legislation. The letter will also be read out in churches across the country on February 4. In a statement, the Synod said that while it is the state’s responsibility to legislate, “this parameter neither deprives the church of freedom of speech, nor relieves the church of…
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Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Demetrios S. Katos has been appointed President of Hellenic College Holy Cross (HCHC). He will start February 1, 2024. He comes to HCHC from Northeastern University, where he is Associate Director of Leadership Giving. He is a higher education professional of 25 years, having also been Dean, Professor of Religious Studies, and Registrar at Hellenic College. “I’m humbled and excited to be the next President of Hellenic College Holy Cross,” Katos said. “I look forward to building a coalition of hierarchs, clergy, laity, trustees and alumni to collaborate with the talented faculty and staff…
Source: Orthodox History by Matthew Namee In 1894, Pope Leo XIII issued a papal encyclical on the “Eastern Rites” — that is, the Uniates, those groups who use ancient Orthodox liturgical rites but submit themselves to the Pope of Rome. In 1898, St Raphael Hawaweeny, then an archimandrite in New York, published a response in a periodical called Faith and Reason, and […] Click here to read the article
Source: Assembly of Orthodox Canonical Bishops of the USA WHAT IS PEACE OF MIND? Peace of Mind is a composite training program on mental health crisis response that includes a clinically-based course (Mental Health First AidTM, owned by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing) which is augmented by a theologically-based presentation developed by the Assembly of Bishops. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES This in-person event is designed to support and equip Orthodox Christian clergy and ministry leaders in: appropriately identifying, understanding, responding, and referring mental health concerns as they arise in the parish exploring the connection between Orthodox Christian anthropology, pastoral care, and…
Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA On December 29, 2023, Patriarch Kirill issued the following decree relating to Archimandrite Cyril Hovorun: “Hereby, on the basis of the decision of the diocesan church court of the Moscow diocese dated October 31, 2023, you are deposed from the priesthood in connection with violation of the 25th rule of the Holy Apostles.” http://moseparh.ru/ukaz-u-02216-ot-29-dekabrya-2023.html (first posted on Jan. 17, 2024) On October 31, 2023, the Moscow diocesan court had ruled: “Recognize that, on the basis of the 25th Rule of the Holy Apostles, Archimandrite Kirill (Govorun) is subject to canonical reprimand in the form of demotion from the priesthood.” http://moseparh.ru/reshenie-eparxialnogo-cerkovnogo-suda-moskovskoj-gorodskoj-eparxii-po-delu-zapreshhennogo-klirika-arximandrita-kirilla-govoruna.html …
Source: Assembly of Orthodox Canonical Bishops of the USA Washington, D.C. – The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America sent a delegation to the annual March for Life in the nation’s capital on Friday, January 19, 2024. Bishop John (Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America) led the delegation. He was joined by Bishop Theophan (Albanian Orthodox Diocese of the Americas, Ecumenical Patriarchate), Metropolitan Tikhon (Orthodox Church in America) and Bishop Andrei (Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, Orthodox Church in America). The members of the delegation attended the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity West Palm Beach, Florida, is the Epiphany City for the Orthodox Christian Community in Southeast Florida. The faithful gather from Fort Meyers, Miami, Coral Gables, Kendell, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Davie, Boca Raton, Lantana, West Palm Beach, and Fort Pierce. The Metropolis of Atlanta proclaims the event one or two weeks after the ceremony at Tarpon Springs, Florida, on the actual feast day (January 6). For thirty years, this inspirational event has been organized and implemented by the parish community of St. Catherine. St. Catherine Parish is located on the Southeast corner of Flagler Drive and the…
Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA On January 12, the Russian news agency Novosti reported that Archpriest Alexey Uminsky failed to appear for the second time before a Moscow diocesan court (Link). Novosti interviewed Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin, deputy chairman of the diocesan court. Tsypin stated: Yesterday we waited for him [Uminsky] for 4-5 hours. He is being summoned to court due to failure to comply with the instructions of the hierarchy, the Patriarch, to read a prayer for Holy Rus.’ This quotation is the most authoritative information to date that the current proceedings against Uminsky are based on his failure to recite this prayer. The…
Source: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America DOWNLOAD the PDF With just the swipe and pinching of your fingers, you can now move through and enlarge the articles and photos of The WORD Magazine more easily on your smartphones and tablets. Click on the magazine picture below for the January-February 2024 edition that features such articles such as: That God’s Peace Be Restored in Both the World and Our Hearts By His Grace Bishop John What is Truth? By Subdeacon Scott Strickland What The Antiochian Women Organization Means to Me by Lucy Hanna The Joyfulness of Jesus and Mary By Deacon David Lochbihler…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America – Center for Family Care by Presvytera Melanie DiStefano What does the phrase “eternal memory” mean really, for us mere mortals? This question begs at me much now that I am in my sixth decade of life and have witnessed so many lovely souls pass on to the next life. My sweet grandmother passed away on Theophany 6 years ago. She is in my thoughts at times, but I must admit not at all times – thus her memory is certainly not eternally in my small mind. There are moments when my heart throbs…
Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA Director’s Update Dear Friends, The final three months of 2023 have been exciting! On Giving Tuesday, we received over $1,700 for our Accessibility Ministries and about $1,500 for operating expenses. Additionally, the Inter-Parih Association Program received a major grant. We are so grateful for the continued support for our important Ministries. Our Mental Health Ministries continued training Clergy and Lay Leaders through Peace of Mind. We also finalized content drafting for the Living Well Book series, which is expected to be published in Q3 2024. The Liturgy Committee is working on an…
Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA The Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate met in Moscow on December 27, 2023. The minutes of the meeting can be read at link. There were some important decisions made. The most important decision is that the Synod created a new diocese, carving it out of the existing Kherson diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). In this regard, Journal Entry 120 includes the following decision: “1. To form, within the administrative boundaries of the left bank [eastern side of the Dnipro River] districts of the Kherson region: Aleshkinsky, Golopristansky, Kalanchaksky, Skadovsky, Chaplynsky, the Skadovsky…