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The head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy (center) said the move was "vitally necessary." [Social Media}

Ukraine changes date of Christmas in move away from Russian tradition

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By on Governance & Unity News, Governance Top Stories, Uncategorized

Source: CathNews Ukraine has moved its official Christmas holiday to December 25, breaking with the Russian Orthodox Church, which celebrates it on January 7 in line with the Julian calendar. Source: SBS News. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy submitted a bill pushing for the change in June, with the aim of moving away from “the Russian heritage of imposing Christmas celebrations” in January. Ukraine’s Parliament voted in favour of changing the date of the Orthodox Christmas holiday earlier this month, with Mr Zelenskyy signing the bill on Friday. The bill highlights the deepening rift between churches in Kyiv and Moscow since Russia’s invasion…

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Vladimir Putin attends a Christmas service alone at the Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Kremlin.

Russia’s Attempt to Weaponize Orthodox Christianity in Ukraine

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By on Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: The Moscow Times By Ksenia Luchenko The celebration of Orthodox Christmas in both Russia and Ukraine on Jan. 7 provided ample evidence of what the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War has called Russia’s weaponization of religion in its propaganda war against Ukraine. Just as Ukraine’s 2013 Maidan Uprising was seen by Vladimir Putin as a personal affront, the 2018 creation of an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church to replace the Moscow-aligned Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate, has not been forgiven by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, who was left fearing a domino effect should other regional churches seek to break…

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Archbishop Elpidophoros at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine

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By on Governance & Unity News, Governance Top Stories

Source: Orthodox Times Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over the Christmas Liturgy and performed the ordination of Deacon John Capones to the Priesthood at Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine in New York, on December 25, 2022. In his speech, the Archbishop stressed that “We possess our natural fathers and mothers according to the flesh. But we also have the Church as our Mother through our baptismal rebirth. And we have the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ by our grace-filled adoption – our calling to be the children of God. Thus, the Lord has become our elder…

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CONTENTMENT: A VALUABLE HOLIDAY PERSPECTIVE

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By on Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News

Source:  OINOS Educational Consulting by Frank Marangos, D.Min., Ed.D., FCEP “He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.” ~ Socrates On the night of November 16, 1930, Mrs. Henrietta Garret, a lonely 81-year-old widow died in her home in Philadelphia. Her death unwillingly started the most fantastic case of inheritance litigation in history. She had failed to leave a will, or, at least, no will was found. The problem? She left an estate of $17,000,000.Although Mrs. Garret, at the time of her death, had only one known relative, a…

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Israel to grant 500 exit permits to Gaza Christians for Christmas, a ‘positive sign’, says local parish priest

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By on Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: PIME Asia News Father Romanelli notes that for now only an “announcement” has been made. Hopefully, words will be followed by deeds. This year no age restriction is expected. Gaza Catholics are waiting for Patriarch Pizzaballa for the celebrations. A solemn Mass will be held “for those unable to get an exit permit.” Gaza (AsiaNews) – This year, Israel has decided to grant hundreds of exit permits for the Christmas holidays to Gaza Christians. This is “good” news as well as a “positive sign” for Christians living in the Strip, although for now, “it is only an announcement”. Hopefully,…

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Metropolitan Tikhon’s 2020 Nativity Message

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By on Governance & Unity News, Governance Top Stories

Source: Orthodox Church in America To the Venerable Hierarchs, Esteemed Clergy, Reverend Monastics, and Beloved Faithful of the Orthodox Church in America, My Beloved Brethren and Blessed Children in the Lord, on this the glorious and light-filled Feast of the Nativity in the Flesh of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, I greet you with the words that resound throughout our Churches and homes during this season: Christ is Born! Glorify Him! By the grace of God, we have come through an extraordinary year fraught with challenges and trials that none of us could have expected. We have found…

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An Ancient Faith Family Christmas Letter

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By on Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: Ancient Faith Ministries Melinda Johnson Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One, and the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One! Angels with shepherds glorify Him! The wise men journey with a star! Since for our sake the Eternal God was born as a Little Child! Each of us at Ancient Faith wishes you great joy and blessings on this holy day! This year, we asked our content contributors to send us news of what they’ve been working on. We compiled their notes into a “family Christmas letter” post, which you can read below. Blessed Nativity!…

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Remember the Persecuted at Christmas

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By on Governance & Unity Essays, Governance & Unity News, Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: The Wall Street Journal Covid restrictions are mild compared with what many of the faithful endure. By Timothy Dolan  and Toufic Baaklini For the first time in their lives, millions of Americans have been ordered by their government not to attend church. For millions of persecuted Christians across the globe, this is the only reality they know. The theme of persecution lies at the heart of the Christmas story. The Holy Family were forced to flee their native land due to state-sponsored oppression. As citizens of a global superpower whose lawmakers are responsive to their citizens, we are called to stand in…

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Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria leads mass at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ on 6 January 2020 (AFP)

You thought Christmas was over? For Coptic Christians it’s just started

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By on Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: Middle East Eye Christmas for much of the Middle East’s Christian population falls on the 7th January, but it’s not just the date that’s different By Nadda Osman For many Coptic Christians in the Middle East, Christmas falls at around the same time as decorations in the West are being packed away. On 7 January, many Orthodox Copts and other Orthodox Christians (including those in Russia and Ethiopia) celebrate their Christmas Day. The difference in date lies simply in the calendar being used. Many Orthodox Christians follow the Julian calendar, which predates the Gregorian one introduced by Pope Gregory in 1582. The calendars are 13 days apart, pushing celebrations for…

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Help the Homeless This Christmas

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By on Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

Source: Oinos Educational Consulting by Frank Marangos, D.Min., Ed.D., FCEP Click the photo above to View an uplifting video. Music provided by Amy Grant. “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Matthew 8:20 Christmas is a time of festive excitement and anticipation. For the nation’s homeless families and individuals, however, it is a particularly emotional and painful season of the year. While many of us are spending time with loved ones, the poor, hungry, and homeless are struggling with the devastating effects of loneliness, isolation and sleep…

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