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…
Browsing: Orthodox News
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…
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.…