Browsing: Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: Life Site News by Hilary White MOSCOW, August 1, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Vladimir Putin has urged the world’s political leaders to stop the violent persecutions against Christians that have erupted in many Middle Eastern countries. Speaking at a meeting with Orthodox Christian leaders in Moscow last week, the Russian President said he noted “with alarm” that “in many of the world’s regions, especially in the Middle East and in North Africa inter-confessional tensions are mounting, and the rights of religious minorities are infringed, including Christians and Orthodox Christians.” “This pressing problem should be a subject of close attention for…

Source: Orthodox Church in America SYOSSET, NY [OCA] – On Friday, July 26, 2013, history was made as Priest Peter Baktis Ch (COL) USA became the first Orthodox Christian Chaplain to graduate from the US Army War College, at which time he was awarded a Master Degree in Strategic Studies and was certified for Joint Professional Military Education Level 1. Father Peter also received a new assignment as Command Chaplain for the US Army Intelligence and Security Command, a Direct Reporting Unit to Department of the Army.  This marks another “first” inasmuch as he is the first Orthodox priest to…

Source: Marthoman TV One hundred days since the abduction of the two Archbishops Yohanna Ibrahim and Boulous Yazigi On Monday, April 22, 2013, which has become known to everyone, His Eminence Archbishop Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim of the Syrian Orthodox and Boulous Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox church were kidnapped at the hands of an unknown group near the Turkish-Syrian border between Aleppo and Antioch. The two sister churches have publicly and in private and continue today to exert every effort at local, regional and global levels. These efforts concentrated on all types of communication with honorable ministers, members of parliament,…

Source: RIA Novosti MOSCOW, July 29 (RIA Novosti) – Neptune, the Roman god of the sea, will reportedly no longer be appearing at Russian Navy Day celebrations because the Orthodox Church, the strongest religion in the country, has protested against pagan characters at such events. Offending religious believers is a crime in Russia since last month. Violators face up to three years in prison. Pagan beings that were not aboard Noah’s Arc do not belong “at a celebration of an Orthodox Christian navy,” a Church representative told the armed forces branch, according to a military spokesman cited by Russian media.…

Source: The Atlantic How recent documentaries show Russia’s tilt toward Eurasianism and Byzantinism. PETER ELTSOV This week, Ukraine, Russia and Belarus celebrate the 1,025th anniversary of the Christianization of Kievan Rus, a medieval state that existed between the 9th and 13th centuries, which, depending on one’s historical and political stance, is seen as the precursor of these three nations. In Russia, the celebration of this important anniversary included the release of a documentary entitled The Second Christianization of Rus. This film, along with other recent events, shows how the political culture of modern Russia is tilting towards Byzantinism and Eurasianism, the…

Source: The Daily Star – Lebanon THESSALONIKI, Greece: Civilian authorities on Greece’s monastic sanctuary of Mount Athos said Monday a group of monks facing eviction attacked court bailiffs with rocks and petrol bombs. No one was injured in the incident early Monday outside the Esphigmenou Monastery at the sanctuary in northern Greece, and no arrests were reported. The bailiffs retreated from the site. About 100 monks in the 1,000-year-old monastery have been involved in a years-old dispute with the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, over his efforts to improve relations with the Vatican. The…

Source: In Serbia News MOSCOW – Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Irinej said, at the end of his visit to St. Petersburg and Moscow, that Serbia is not running away from Europe, but that it cannot enter “in such a Europe” under the imposed conditions. “We do not have the right to deny our spirituality, culture, all those things that make us people. That is why I hope that the people will bind to its church and be thankful to God for giving them the opportunity to save their apostolic faith,” said Patriarch in an interview for Voice of…

Source: Sobornost MOSCOW, July 25 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday praised the role of Orthodox Christianity in the country’s history and congratulated the heads of the world’s Orthodox churches on the 1025th anniversary of the Christianization of Kievan Rus, a medieval state comprising parts of modern-day Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. “The adoption of Christianity became a turning point in the fate of our fatherland, made it an inseparable part of the Christian civilization and helped it turn into one of the largest world powers,” Putin said in a message addressed to participants of a commemorative celebration…

Source: CNN Belief Blog By Rachel Held Evans, Special to CNN (CNN) – At 32, I barely qualify as a millennial. I wrote my first essay with a pen and paper, but by the time I graduated from college, I owned a cell phone and used Google as a verb. I still remember the home phone numbers of my old high school friends, but don’t ask me to recite my husband’s without checking my contacts first. I own mix tapes that include selections from Nirvana and Pearl Jam, but I’ve never planned a trip without Travelocity. Despite having one foot in Generation…

Source: Orthodox Church in America SOUTH CANAAN, PA [STOTS] –  Archpriest Dr. Steven Voytovich, a licensed professional counselor who spent many years in the field of pastoral care and education, has been named Dean of Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary here effective August 18, 2013. Father Steven succeeds Archpriest Dr.  Alexander Atty, who retired due to health after serving as Dean for the past three years. Father Steven brings to this position years of experience as a parish priest, educator, presenter at seminars and retreats, contributing writer for various religious publications,  and frequent presenter at Orthodox Church in America events.…

Source: Orthodox Church in America MOSCOW, RUSSIA [OCA] – His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, was among the Primates and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches who concelebrated at the Divine Liturgy with His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, at Christ the Savior Cathedral here on July 24, 2013. The Liturgy opened a three-part commemoration of the 1025th Anniversary of the Baptism of Rus’ that will be marked with similar celebrations in Kyiv, Ukraine and Minsk, Belarus. [See related story]. According to the Press Service of the Moscow Patriarchate, other concelebrating Primates included His Beatitude, Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All…

Source: Kremlin Vladimir Putin gave an interview to the makers of the documentary film The Second Baptism of Rus, which screened on Rossia 1 television channel on July 22.  The Second Baptism of Rus is a full-length documentary film about the resurgence of the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia over the last 25 years. The film gives a detailed presentation of the main stages in rebuilding church life in Russia from 1988, when the country marked the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus, to today. * * * QUESTION: We still remember the times when you could ruin your career prospects if you…