Source: Orthodox Christianity Interview by Olga Orlova with Metropolitan Nikolaos of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki Every one of us is a potential saint, even if we do not believe right now! Metropolitan Nicholas (Khadzhinkolai) of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, a hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Church, considers disbelief the most valuable experience in the spiritual life. “I didn’t need someone’s stories and arguments about Christ; I was looking to experience His presence.” —Despota Nicholas, why does disbelief have meaning and value for you? It is, quite frankly, paradoxical to hear from a metropolitan… —Because the Lord reveals Himself only to those who…
Browsing: Orthodox Church
Source: Strategic Culture Foundation by James George Jatras Originally published on November 17, 2018 Was $25 million in American tax dollars allocated for a payoff to stir up religious turmoil and violence in Ukraine? Did Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko (unsuccessfully) attempt to divert most of it into his own pocket? Last month the worldwide Orthodox Christian communion was plunged into crisis by the decision of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in Constantinople to recognize as legitimate schismatic pseudo-bishops anathematized by the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is an autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church. In so doing not only has…
by Katie Kelaidis, PhD Over the past year, I have been engaged an effort to understand how and why Orthodox Christianity has increasingly become a bastion for far-right extremists of various stripes. This is both a professional and personal interest. As a scholar, I am interested in how history is deployed in the service of contemporary political discourse, particularly on the far-right. As a practicing Orthodox Christian, I want to challenge us to think about the ways in which our witness to the world suggests that the Orthodox faith might very well be a safe haven for those who would…
Source: Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Originally published on April 15, 2019 With the blessings of His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey, an Archon symposium was held at the St. Sophia, Sts. Faith, Hope and Agape Greek Orthodox Church in Jeffersonville, PA on Saturday, March 30, 2019, focusing on the historical, canonical and ecclesiastical status of the female diaconate, including a fresh look at the role of deacons in the Orthodox Church and an examination of whether the Church will lose young women if questions around the female diaconate are not addressed. Regional Commander Dr. Cary J. Limberakis, who…
Source: The National Herald By TNH Staff The announcement issued yesterday by the Ecumenical Patriarchate regarding America and Australia contains three interesting points: First, they accepted the resignation of Archbishop Demetrios, but it will “become effective Saturday, when a new Archbishop will be elected.” What does that mean? Second, it also states: “The Synod also expressed its gratitude for his many years of ministry.” But if that is so, holy hierarchs, why did you not let him remain in office? And, third, regarding the election of a new Archbishop of Australia, I also read in the communiqué: “Having heard the…
Source: Orthodox Christianity Ormylia, Greece, May 9, 2019 A revered Athonite elder, Archimandrite Aimiliianos (Vafides), who long served as the abbot of Simonopetra Monastery, one of the 20 ruling monasteries on Mt. Athos, reposed in the Lord today, May 9, reports Romfea. The funeral will be held tomorrow at the Annunciation Monastery in Ormylia, Chalkidiki, where the nuns had cared for the sick and elderly Fr. Aimilianos for many years. Elder Aimilianos was a monk of Meteora before moving with his brotherhood to Simonopetra on Mt. Athos in 1973. He was elected and enthroned as abbot of the monastery that same…
Source: Orthodox Christianity Jerusalem, May 9, 2019 His Holiness Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem has expressed gratitude to His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein on behalf of himself, the members of the Holy Synod, the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre, and the clergy and members of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem for his continuing care for the holy sites of Jerusalem, including his recent personal donation towards the restoration of the Holy Sepulchre, reports the Jordan News Agency. The donation comes two years after the completion of the restoration of the edicule over the Lord’s Tomb, which was also carried…
Source: The National Herald By Amb. Patrick Theros The Orthodox Church has lived through and survived many near-existential crises in the 2,000 years since the Apostles established it. It would appear that the 21st Century brings a whole smorgasbord of existential threats to the table. One would think that the headline issues threaten us the most. To wit: Constantinople and Moscow are locked in a titanic struggle for political leadership of the worldwide Church. Antioch has picked a fight with Jerusalem over jurisdiction in the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf despite the fact that the former must deal with a…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity Historically, the administration of the Orthodox Christian Church is shepherded by a bishop in a geographic area. Geography, bishops and cities are interrelated. This reality remains until today, and this is a major cause of the impasse among Patriarchs and Assemblies of Bishops in the USA and other parts of the world. Historically, the Orthodox Christian Church taught the faith and conducted its missionary work in the language of the people where they lived and in their own cultural setting. It helped create written languages where the people had none, and it taught in that language…
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: Critical Research on Religion by Stratis Psaltou National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece This paper considers the emergence of Mount Athos’ monk elders in Greek society in recent decades until the current economic crisis. Their social influence has grown over these decades, especially after some of them were recognized as charismatic and gerontismos (elderism) became one of the most important forms of religious discourse in contemporary Greek society. These elders were presented as a kind of cultural resistance in the service of an alternative economy of desire. This analysis suggests that they have ultimately worked in the service of a…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity The Synaxis of Patriarchs in 2008 decided that the Orthodox Church in the USA is uncanonical. How many more years can this situation fester? The Synaxis developed an Assembly of Bishops of all the canonical bishops in the USA to address the issue. They have been meeting for ten years and have reached an impasse. It is now up to the Patriarchs to act either in a synodical conciliar meeting with the 14 Self Ruling Patriarchs/Hierarchs, or if that cannot happen, the Ecumenical Patriarch needs to act as he did in Ukraine. On his visit to…