Browsing: Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle, WA USA  Pope Francis has just completed his first day in Sofia, Bulgaria.  In reviewing the reports in major Bulgarian newspapers and the comments by top government officials, it appears that the visit so far has been very well received.  The Pope’s humble approach seems to win hearts.  There has been considerable coverage of the visit in the Western media both before the Pope’s arrival in Sofia and afterwards.  One very important aspect of the visit is the Pope’s contact with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.  With respect to that aspect, several items today caught my…

Source: The National Herald By Theodore Kalmoukos BOSTON – Interim Deans of Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology Dr. Bruce Beck and Rev. Thomas FitzGerald, respectively, sent a joint letter dated April 24, 2019 to all students attempting to pacify them regarding the situation at both Schools. They emphasize that, “during the coming academic year, all the majors in the College will remain the same, and all current students will be able to complete the majors in which they are currently enrolled.” The deans also informed the students about a recent note issued by academic authorities…

Source: Orthodox Church in America POWAY, CA [St. John of Damascus Church] As Archpriest Alexander Federoff and the faithful of Saint John of Damascus Church were finishing the Old Testament prophecies during the Vesperal Liturgy of Great and Holy Saturday—April 27, 2019—they were alarmed by what sounded like gunshots. Saint John’s located next to the Chabad Synagogue that was attacked on that day. “We had just finished the prophecies and the choir was in the middle of the church, finishing the canticle,” Father Alexander explained.  “I stopped the service and told parishioners to call 911 and then went to the back…

Source: The National Herald By Antonis H. Diamataris No, it’s not fake news. The National Herald readers have known for some time that the situation at the School of Theology (and Hellenic College) in Boston is not sustainable. But the news that Archdiocesan officials were forced to dismiss the clergy-president of the School just a few days before Easter made it abundantly clear that they were acting under acute panic. Anticipating the worst (after everything we have witnessed thus far), we moved to explore what might have being the real reason for removing him just before Easter. There were two prevailing schools…

Resurrection Pastoral Letter 2019 + NATHANIEL By the Mercy of God, Archbishop of Detroit and the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America To the beloved clergy, monastics and pious faithful of our God-protected Episcopate: Grace, mercy and peace from God, and from us our fatherly love and hierarchal blessing. “Glory be to him who can keep you from falling and bring you safe to his glorious presence, innocent and happy. To God, the only God, who saves us through Jesus Christ, our Lord, be the glory, majesty, authority and power, which he had before time began, now and forever. Amen.”  (Jude 1:…

Source: Orthodoxy in Dialogue A nuclear priesthood has arisen in Russia. From portable churches to the consecration of weapons systems, the Russian Orthodox Church has been integrated into every facet of the armed forces to become a vital part of Russian national security, politics, and identity. This extraordinary intertwining of church and military is nowhere more visible than in the nuclear weapons community, where the priesthood has penetrated all levels of command and the Church has positioned itself as a guardian of the state’s nuclear potential. Russian Nuclear Orthodoxy considers how, since the Soviet collapse in 1991, the Church has worked…

Source: Project Mexico “Hosanna! Blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel!” In advance of the Great and Holy Week, we have begun our Annual Pascha Challenge. Last spring, friends and supporters came together and gave generously in support of our Pascha Feast at St. Innocent Orphanage. Our community was able to celebrate at the Ranch because of their generosity. This Pascha, you can help us provide family, education, and hope for our boys at St. Innocent Orphanage and Project Mexico. There are two ways you can join us this year. During this time of…

Source: Orthodox Christianity Wyoming, Michigan, April 12, 2019 Exaltation Press, a new Orthodox publishing company has just been launched to help make more Orthodox books available in the English language. While we in the English-speaking world have been blessed with many good Orthodox authors and publishing companies, Orthodoxy in the English-speaking world is still a very small fish in a big pond. A priest in the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America with a bilingual family noticed that there were many good Orthodox books for children that were only available in other languages. After years of wishing he could lend the…

Source: Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry OUR MISSION To share the love of Christ and His Church with those who are incarcerated and their families so that lives are transformed and God is glorified. Dearest Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We continue to pray for your continued strength as we pass the mid-point journey of Great and Holy Lent! Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) clergy and lay volunteers continually face the difficult challenges involved with reaching those who are incarcerated in order to share Christ’s love. This holy season of Lent, though more trying, does, in fact, lead us to more…

Source: Basilica.ro Published by Aurelian Iftimiu His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania welcomed at his patriarchal residence the manager of US President Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign on Friday, March 22, 2019. The meeting was also attended by Brad Parscale’s spouse, Mrs. Candice Blount, prof. Dan Dungaciu, head of the Ion I. C. Bratianu Institute for Political Science and International Relations of the Romanian Academy, and Mr. Adrian Thiess. Brad Parscale visit to Romania was occasioned by a conference on political marketing held on Thursday, March 21, at the Aula Magna of the Romanian Academy. As reported by the Romanian Patriarchate’s…

Source: Basilica.ro The tennis champion Novak Djokovic said he was ready to help preserve the Dormition chapel in Nice, Orthodoxie.com reports. Tennis player Novak Djokovic said he was ready to help the Orthodox Dormition Chapel in Nice (Serbian diocese), located in a building that could otherwise be sold. Novak Djokovic: “Before I am an athlete, I am an Orthodox Christian” The chapel houses frescoes by Bishop John-Nectarius (Evgraf Kovalevsky). Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice, said he was going to see with the Serbian champion how to preserve this place. Novak Djokovic recently went to the chapel with his son to pray.…

Source: Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate The Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, notes with sorrow and dismay new reports that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may convert the Hagia Sophia to a mosque. Hagia Sofia in Istanbul is known throughout the world as the Great Church of Christ. Built in the sixth century by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian, Hagia Sophia was for nearly a thousand years the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the center of the Orthodox Faith, and the world’s most magnificent cathedral. Following the Muslim conquest of Constantinople in 1453, it was converted to…