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Source: The St. Petersburg Times MOSCOW — Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Friday pledged his support for the Russian Orthodox Church, promising to re-establish the close ties that bound religious and military officials before the October Revolution in 1917. “We will continue to support the Russian Orthodox Church with renewed energy and, most importantly, restore those traditions that existed under the Russian [pre-revolutionary] government,” Shoigu said at a meeting with Patriarch Kirill, the country’s top Orthodox Church official, RIA-Novosti reported. Shoigu, who was installed as defense minister in early November after his predecessor was ousted amid a corruption scandal, worked…

Source: Orthodox Church in America SYOSSET, NY [OCA] Thursday, December 13, 2012, the Feast of Saint Herman of Alaska, marks the 29th anniversary of the repose of Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann, Dean of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary and a leading 20th century Orthodox Christian theologian. Born in 1921 in Estonia to a family of Russian emigres, Father Alexander spent his youth in France, where he received his secondary and university education. He also completed theological studies at the Orthodox Theological Institute of Saint Sergius in Paris, which was then the center of Russian Orthodox scholarship following the turmoil of the Russian Revolution…

Source: Orthodox Church in America SYOSSET, NY [OCA] His Grace, Bishop Irénée of Québec City, represented the Orthodox Church in America at the funeral of His Beatitude, Patriarch Ignatius IV of Antioch and All the East, at Saint Nicholas Church, Beirut, Lebanon on Sunday, December 9, 2012. The funeral followed the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, presided at the funeral, at which all hierarchs present concelebrated. The following day, services were celebrated at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Damascus, after which Patriarch Ignatius was interred at the Patriarchal Cemetery. Bishop Irénée noted that…

Source: Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam, Kerala, India Dr. Christine Mangala Frost, a venerable resource person at the Institute of Orthodox Christian Studies at Cambridge, UK gave a brief talk on her journey from being a Tamil Brahmin to Orthodox Christianity on Tuesday December 4, 2012 at the Ecumenical Hall in the Smrithi Complex. Dr. Christine Mangala was born a Brahmin Hindu. She was brought up on yoga. Her grandfather, in fact, was a personal friend of one of the expounders of modern yoga and Vedanta philosophy, the well-known Swami Sivananda, who is the founder of the Divine Life Society. She…

Source: StarTribune Article by: Associated Press JERUSALEM – Vandals have spray-painted “Death to Christianity” and “Jesus, son of a whore” on a Greek Orthodox monastery in Jerusalem. The overnight attack on the Monastery of the Cross was the latest in a series of vandalisms of Christian holy sites. Extremist Jews sympathetic to Israel’s settlement movement are suspected. Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Wednesday the vandals also sprayed “price tag” on the monastery’s outer wall — a form of retribution settlers and their sympathizers use in retaliation for acts they consider to be pro-Palestinian. Extremists have carried out similar “price…

Source: Orthodox Church in America ELLWOOD CITY, PA [OCA] For the tenth consecutive year, the nuns of the Orthodox Monastery of the Transfiguration here invite college students, young adults and the young at heart to join them in celebrating the New Year. On New Year’s Eve—Monday, December 31—the Vigil for the Feasts of the Circumcision of Our Lord and Saint Basil the Great will be celebrated at 6:00 p.m., followed by prayers for the new year. Dinner will follow at 9:00 p.m., with the singing of Christmas carols. At midnight, participants will enjoy the festive ringing of the monastery’s bells.…

Source: Daily News & Analysis (DNA) The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (Bombay Diocese) is set to celebrate the 1960th year of the advent of Christianity in India. Besides, it is celebrating the establishment of the Orthodox Church’s base in India 100 years ago. Orthodox Church is among the three prominent branches of Christianity, besides Catholic and Protestant churches. “While we too believe in Mother Mary, we only state that Jesus Christ was free of all sin,” said His Graceness Geevarghese Mar Coorlios, Metropolitan, Diocese of Bombay. Coorlios said the celebration will be held at St Mary’s School ground in Vashi…

Source: The Daily Star BEIRUT: Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Levant and Antioch Ignatius IV Hazim’s body was taken to Damascus Sunday, after a Mass at Beirut’s St. Nicholas Cathedral. In the Syrian capital, hundreds of faithful flocked to the Mariamite Cathedral to bid farewell to the man who served as patriarch for 33 years. Hazim, who was born in the Hama village of Mhardeh, will be buried in Damascus Monday. He died last week after suffering a stroke at the age of 92. In a Mass attended by President Michel Sleiman and Prime Minister Najib Mikati, archbishops and representatives…

Source: Terry Mattingly on Religion The first question was simple: “Siri, when is Christmas?” After the two-tone “BEED-EEP” chime, the voice of the Apple iPhone responded: “Christmas is on Tuesday, December 25, 2012. I hope I have the day off.” Then matters got complicated: “When is Advent?” Siri searched her memory and said: “I didn’t find any events about ‘Ed Fant.’ “ Trying again: “When is the Advent season?” Siri cheerfully responded: “I am not aware of any events about ‘advent season.’ “ After several more “BEED-EEP” chimes the Apple cloud ultimately drew a blank when asked, “When does the…

Source: Greek Reporter Europe By Nicky Mariam Onti The municipal council of Istanbul has decided to give the permission to rebuild the St. Stefanos (Yeşilköy) Church, the first time the Turkish Republic has allowed an Orthodox religious institution to be renovated. The church is under the aegis of the Arab-Orthodox community which had asked many times for their own place for prayer. According to the Turkish newspaper STAR, the temple’s rebuilding can be initiated after taking the formal approval of the Council on Monuments. Churches in Istanbul date back to 1923, when the Turkish state was founded, and until recent…

Source: Christian Today Prayers were said at a service held by the Catholic-Oriental Orthodox Regional Forum (COORF) in central London celebrating forty years of common statements by the Churches. Prayers were also said for the ongoing work by the two Churches towards unity. The service was joined by COORF Catholic Co-Chair, Archbishop Kevin McDonald, who spoke of the historical connections between the Churches. Oriental Orthodox Co-Chair Bishop Angaelos referred to John 17 as he spoke of the importance of common witness in the UK and throughout the world. Metropolitan Seraphim read from the letter of St Paul to the Galatians,…

Source: Orthodox Church in America On Friday evening, December 7, 2012, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, greeted the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, Washington DC. He presided at the celebration of the Akathistos Hymn, at which he was joined by area clergy and faithful who came to venerate the icon and ask for the intercessions of the Mother of God. Also present was Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware), who is currently in US, who delivered a talk at the end of the service. A photo gallery is also available. Moleben before the Wonderworking Kursk-Root Icon of…