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Source: Orthodox Church in America SYOSSET, NY [OCA] An interview with His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, is now available from the Orthodox Christian Network [OCN], an endorsed agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in North and Central America. Accessible at www.myocn.net/index.php/201212064336/OCN-Now/Breaking-News-Interview-with-His-Beatitude-Metropolitan-Tikhon.html, the interview was conducted by OCN’s executive director and CEO, Rev. Dr. Christopher T. Metropulos. In the interview, which was taped on November 28, 2012, Metropolitan Tikhon speaks of his personal spiritual “journey to Orthodoxy” and how it has impacted his ministry, explains the process by which hierarchs are elected, offers insights into the life of the Orthodox…

Source: The National Herald by Constantine S. Sirigos NEW YORK – The annual commemoration of the feast day of St. Nicholas and Trisagion memorial service for the 3000 who perished on September 11, 2001 at Ground Zero was held on December 6 near the site where the Church of St. Nicholas will be rebuilt. Archbishop Demetrios of America presided, assisted by St. Nicholas pastor Fr. John Romas, Archdeacon Panteleimon Papadopoulos, Deacon Aristidis Garinis and other local Orthodox clergy. The small but enthusiastic group of parishioners and faithful participated in the services, chanting the apolitikion -hymn – of the beloved saint…

Source: BalkanInsight by Bojana Barlovac / Belgrade Scenting a softening of Serbia’s claim to the former province, the Serbian Orthodox Christian Church has accused the government of being an accomplice to international plans to ‘cut its jugular and take out Serbia’s heart’. In a strongly worded letter, the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church has demanded that Serbia’s authorities stop taking part it what it called “the country’s suicide” over Kosovo. “It is perfectly clear to every reasonable man that the Western powers, after the NATO bombing war [in 1999] are step-by-step creating the state of Kosovo for Kosovo…

Source: Orthodox Church in America SYOSSET, NY [OCA] In a letter dated November 30, 2012, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon informed His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia that the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America had appointed Archimandrite Alexander [Pihach] as Dean of the Church of Saint Catherine the Great Martyr, Moscow, and Representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchate. The decision to appoint Archimandrite Alexander to the position was made by the members of the Holy Synod on November 14. Born Dennis Alexander Pihach in Saskatoon, SK, Canada on…

Source: The National Herald by Constantinos E. Scaros Special to The National Herald Part 2 A few weeks ago, part one of this story appeared in this space (TNH, Sept. 29), and a sizable number of readers responded and contributed to a lively exchange of ideas. Part 2 was to appear sometime after the presidential election and, as promised, here it is. To summarize Part 1, the question posed was why here in the United States – a predominantly Christian nation – are so few Christian Americans even aware of, let alone belong to, the Orthodox Church, considering that Orthodoxy…

Source: The National Herald by Evan C. Lambrou Special to The National Herald NEW YORK – After Hurricane Sandy devastated the East Coast at the end of last month, the most respected philanthropic agencies across the country mobilized to help millions of people who were left without power, and the many thousands whose homes were completely destroyed by wind and water. Among those respected agencies is International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), the philanthropic arm of the Orthodox Church in America, and the world’s only transnational Orthodox Christian charity. Other Greek-American organizations have also gotten behind efforts to help people impacted…

Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America NEW YORK – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America mourns the passing of Bishop John of Amorion who fell asleep in the Lord last Saturday December 1, 2012 at the age of 84. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America upon hearing the news of his passing he stated: I have known Bishop John of Amorion since he served as a priest in the Church of the Dormition of Theotokos in Somerville, Mass. Since then, I followed his continuous service to the Church not only as a priest but as a Bishop up to his…

Source: Huffington Post BEIRUT [AP] — The patriarch of a Damascus-based Eastern Orthodox Church, Ignatius Hazim, has died in a Beirut hospital. He was 92. Hazim was named Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East for the Greek Orthodox in 1979. His church is known as the Greek Orthodox Church of the Antioch. He died of a stroke in Beirut’s St. George’s hospital on Wednesday, Syria’s state-run news agency SANA said. Hazim hailed from the Syrian town of Maharda in the central province of Hama. SANA said his remains will be brought from Lebanon to Syria for burial.…

Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America NEW YORK – With the blessings of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, the support of the members of the Holy Eparchial Synod, National Philoptochos Board, Philoptochos Chapters, and individuals nationwide, the Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society purchased its permanent home, the Philoptochos Center of Philanthropy at 126 East 37th Street in New York City on Tuesday, November 27, 2012. This historic event culminates three years of planning and fundraising to ensure that Philoptochos, the philanthropic arm of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, secures its legacy for future generations, and allows Philoptochos to continue and…

Source: The New York Times By MARLISE SIMONS Originally Published on December 3, 2012 At a conference near Istanbul last June, the chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall spoke about the endangered habitat of what she called “our closest relatives.” Underlining the evolutionary link, she described her encounter with a senior male ape who had a “beautiful white beard.” With a smile, she turned to the 72-year-old man in the front row and added, “Very much like yours.” The man with the long white beard was Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians. Fortunately, he…

Source: Russia Today The majority of Russians would be happy to see churchmen run for posts in government bodies. However, far fewer citizens are actually ready to vote for priests, a poll has revealed. Some 43 per cent of Russians believe that clerics can take part in elections since they have the same rights as all other citizens, the Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) revealed. At the same time, 38 per cent of Russians insist that priests should do their own business and not interfere with politics, cites Izvestia daily. Those who oppose the idea are adamant that the…

Thanks to patriarch’s support ‘much progress’ has been made Source: ANSA.it (ANSA) – Vatican City, November 30 – Pope Benedict XVI on Friday urged the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I to “continue with confidence along the path that leads to the recovery of full communion” between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. In a message conveyed by a papal delegation to Istanbul for the feast of St Andrew the Apostle, the pontiff said “much progress” had been made “on this road” thanks to the “assiduous and active support” of Bartholomew I . “Even though the road ahead still seems…