Source: Russia Today by Jim Jatras Originally published on October 3, 2018 One of the most contentious and significant controversies in the world today is also one of the least-well understood. In part, this is because it involves matters of faith and church governance, the importance of which many people, especially some of a secular mind who scorn mere “religion,” tend to underestimate. That is a mistake, certainly with respect to the storm that seems on the verge of plunging Ukraine into a new cycle of violence. That may happen if, as seems quite possible, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople recognizes an “autocephalous” (completely self-ruling)…
Browsing: Orthodox Church
“I had no idea what they wanted and still don’t,” said The Rev. Oleksandr Kolesov, a Russian Orthodox priest in Ukraine who was interrogated by the Ukrainian security agency.CreditCreditBrendan Hoffman for The New York Times
Source: The New York Times By Andrew Higgins CHERNYTSYA, Ukraine — Ukraine is on the verge of opening the biggest schism in Christianity in centuries, as it breaks from the authority of a Moscow-based patriarch and this week expects to formally gain recognition for its own church, taking tens of millions of followers. Intensifying a millennium-old religious struggle freighted with 21st-century geopolitical baggage, Ukraine’s security services have in recent weeks interrogated priests loyal to Moscow, searched church properties and enraged their Russian rivals. “They just want to frighten us,” said the Rev. Vasily Nachev, one of more than a dozen priests…
Epiphanius, Metropolitan of Pereyaslav and Bila Tserkva, applauds on the stage at Sofiivska Square after he was elected and announced as the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Dec. 15.
Photo by Volodymyr Petrov
Source: Kyiv Post By Toma Istomina. The Unification Council in Kyiv’s Saint Sophia Cathedral elected the head of the unified Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Dec. 15, the latest step on the path to Ukraine gaining its own national church. Epiphanius, Metropolitan of Pereyaslav and Bila Tserkva, born Serhii Dumenko, will head the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the council announced. Ukraine’s Minister of Culture Yevhen Nyshchuk announced the name of the new church leader on the evening of Dec. 15 from the stage on Sofiivska Square, where people had gathered to celebrate the event. Epiphanius then addressed the crowd on the square, calling the day a…
Source: NBC News Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko believes the potential outcome of Saturday’s meeting represents an “opportunity that arises once in a millennium.” By Yuliya Talmazan One of Christianity’s biggest splits in centuries is expected to be formalized this weekend as Ukraine moves to create a new church independent from Russia’s influence. It’s estimated that more than 70 percent of Ukrainians — or nearly 32 million people — identify as religious. The overwhelming majority of them are Orthodox Christian. But they don’t all pray in the same churches. There are currently three separate branches of the Orthodox church in Ukraine, including one under…
President of the Center of Ecumenical, Missiological and Environmental Studies “Metropolitan Panteleimon Papageorgiou (CEMES), Emeritus Professor Petros Vassiliadis
Source: Orthodoxia ORTHODOXIA.INFO | Maria Sereti This Saturday, December 15, the final stage in the process of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s granting to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church the canonical status of Autocephaly takes place in the famous St. Sophia Cathedral in Kiev. When this event was announced in Constantinople after a decision of the Holy Synod, our correspondent Maria Sereti M.Th. took an interview from the President of the Center of Ecumenical, Missiological and Environmental Studies “Metropolitan Panteleimon Papageorgiou (CEMES), Emeritus Professor Petros Vassiliadis, who was with members of CEMES conducting a scientific research on the Ukrainian crisis. The questions focused on…
Source: Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate The current church situation in Ukraine has a long history. Millions of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians were excommunicated from the church. In response, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has today restored them to communion and granted their church autocephaly. Rev. Dr. John Chryssavgis’s life and work
Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America “Fast Questions and Fast Answers about the Geography of Orthodoxy in America” is the second essay in a group of mini-reports about Orthodox Church life in America. Surprising, stimulating, and, at the same time, important facts about the geographic distribution of Orthodox parishes and church members in America are discussed in this essay. Download in PDF format Here are some examples of the questions that are addressed in this report: Is there is anything unique about the geographic distribution of Orthodoxy in America as compared to other Christian groups? How…
Source: Basilica.ro Raluca Ene via Photo Gallery | Consecration of National Cathedral in 20 picturesEither you attended or not the consecration of the Romanian People’s Salvation Cathedral, we’re helping you recall the important events that took place in Romania on November 25-30 by presenting you a selection of 20 exclusive Basilica.ro pictures. November 23 – HB Patriarch Daniel welcomed HAH Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Patra at the Patriarchal CathedralNovember 23 – The Honourable Hand of Saint Andrew the First-Called was brought to Bucharest by a delegation of the Greek Orthodox Church, led by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of PatraNovember 24 –…
Source: The New York Times By Kit Gillet BUCHAREST, Romania — Long past midnight, lines of worshipers snake through the central hall of the People’s Salvation Cathedral, in the heart of the Romanian capital. The building — set to become the tallest Orthodox church in the world when finished in 2024 — is missing its largest dome, and the interior lacks the lavish iconography that Orthodox churches are known for. But even in its unfinished state, the new cathedral is already being seen as an important symbol for Romania. “Being the national cathedral, it is a big building, a representative one,” said…
Russian Defense Ministry
Source: Moscow Times A Russian Orthodox cathedral set to be built for the country’s armed forces will reportedly train military priests, the head of a foundation in charge of collecting donations for its construction has said. Blueprints for the Armed Forces cathedral were reportedly unveiled at the Venice Bienalle on Thursday, two months after the Russian Defense Ministry began collecting donations to build the megastructure. Reports this year disclosed plans to trainpriests embedded with the Airborne Troops to drive combat vehicles and operate communication equipment. “A school for military priests is being built and the institute of Sisters of Charity [nurses] will…
St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Rue Daru, Paris
Source: Ecumenical Patriarchate The Holy and Sacred Synod convened under the chairmanship of His All-Holiness for its regular sessions from Tuesday, November 27, to Thursday, November 29, 2018. During its sessions, it examined all of the items on the agenda, upon which the appropriate decisions were made, including the following: a. Upon the recommendation of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, within the context of his canonical responsibility, the Holy and Sacred Synod reorganized the status of the “Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of the Russian Tradition in Western Europe,” thereby entrusting its faithful to the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne in Europe.…
In This Issue: Conference Exhibit | Short Communications | Pamphlet Distribution | Co-Laborer Organizations Conference Update: An interview with Dr. Paul Gavrilyuk, Founding President CONFERENCE BOOK EXHIBIT TO BENEFIT THE EMERGENT SCHOLARS.In the spirit of international collaboration, all IOTA members are welcome to bring one-two author’s copies of their books to be exhibited and sold at the Inaugural Conference on January 9-12, 2019 in Iasi, Romania. 100% of all proceeds of the Book Exhibit will go to support travel grants for emergent scholars to the next IOTA conference. The Exhibit has three goals: to provide international exposure for the work of…