Source: Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA On September 14th, Foreign Affairs, the influential magazine of the Council on Foreign Relations, published an article entitled, “Putin’s Useful Priests.” The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America hereby expresses its objection and concern with the inaccurate manner with which Orthodox Christians in the United States are stereotyped by the authors. First, the article contains significant factual errors that are surprising for the renowned Foreign Affairs and disrespectful to a vital Christian community whose roots in America date over three centuries. Orthodox Christians in America – representing a plethora…
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Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA On Sunday, September 25, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ issued a decree initiating canonical proceedings in the diocesan court of the Moscow Diocese against Archimandrite Cyril Hovorun. Pending a canonical trial, the decree imposed severe limitations on the priestly service of Archimandrite Cyril. The full text of the decree is posted at (link). A Google translation of the full decree is as follows: Decree No. U-02/152 of 25 September 2023 // to Archimandrite Kirill (Hovorun) The written commitment of fidelity to the Russian Orthodox Church given by you was repeatedly violated, which was expressed,…
Source: Orthodox History by MATTHEW NAMEE The following remarkable letter appeared in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on March 18, 1915. It offers a well-informed but obviously partisan perspective on the Orthodox reality in America and globally in 1915 — in the midst of World War I. There’s so much happening in this letter, so many layers. It has to be one of the most fascinating historical records I’ve ever stumbled upon. I only wish I knew the identity of the author — all we can tell here is that he’s a Greek-American who knows a great deal about the entire Orthodox world. Read…
Source: The Orthodox Observer In this eleventh installment, Fr. Samuel Davis speaks with Holy Cross seminarian Cornelius (Kevin) Grandberry about his conversion, his charismatic background, the importance of lay chaplaincy, and effective Orthodox outreach. Baptized and Chrismated into the Church in July 2020, Cornelius comes from a Nondenominational/Pentecostal background, and has a Master of Divinity degree from Liberty University with a concentration in Evangelism and Church Planting. He is currently a seminarian at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, recently completing his first year of study. The Black American Orthodox Experience is a program focused on Orthodox missions in…
Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA The first session of the XVI Assembly of the Synod of Catholic Bishops will be held at the Vatican during the period October 4-28, 2023. The Synod will be devoted to the subject: For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, Mission. On September 19, the Vatican provided the final list of the Synod participants. https://www.synod.va/en/news/the-participants-of-the-16th-general-assembly-of-the-synod-of-bishops.html Of the twelve “fraternal delegates” listed, three are from the Orthodox Churches of the Byzantine tradition, and three are from the Oriental Orthodox Churches. With respect to the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, Cardinal Kurt Koch is listed as a participant, and Father Hyacinthe…
Source: Public Orthodoxy by Very Rev. Dr. John Jillions Visiting Professor at the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies (Cambridge, UK) When the New York Times recently asked readers to tell them why they had left their religion behind some 7,000 readers responded (“Why Do People Lose Their Religion?” June 7, 2023). Clearly there is a lot of painful pent-up feeling about this. But an equally intriguing question is, “Why do people keep their religion?” This is a question that percolated throughout a course on religion in American history I was teaching this past Spring at Fordham University (“American Religious Texts and Traditions”). The class…
Source: The National by Anjana Sankar New facility to cater for increase in worshippers The St George Orthodox Cathedral building in Mushrif was demolished in September last year. A foundation stone was laid for the new one and construction started in December. Church authorities said nearly 40 per cent of the building work is complete. Meanwhile, regular services are being held in a purpose-built hall next to the construction site. Rev Father Eldho Paul, the vicar at St George’s, told The National that worshippers will be able to pray in the new cathedral by May next year. With an estimated cost of…
Source: Christian Network Europe The Latvian state broadcaster refuses to broadcast Orthodox worship services any longer. It implemented the ban after nuns prayed for the Russian Patriarch Kirill. The broadcaster, LTV discovered the prayer for Kirill during the recording of an Orthodox service at a branch of the Riga Holy Trinity Sergius Convent in Valgunda, Jauns writes. Praying for the Russian Patriarch is controversial because of his support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In response, LTV decided to stop streaming all Orthodox church services. According to LTV editor-in-chief Sigita Roque, praying for Kirill contradicts the values of the LTV but also…
Source: Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, has established a new Archon Engagement Committee: Women In Orthodoxy. This much-needed new committee is designed to foster the full inclusion of women in the life of the Church. Dr. Limberakis explained: “At this point in the life of our Church and Omogeneia, it is imperative that we support the greater participation of women in the life of the Church. The WORD was established by our Lord and Savior and evangelized by the Four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but the…
Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, who has been the key representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate with respect to Ukraine since 2018, has now arrived in Kyiv. On August 10, the Metropolitan met with President Zelinsky. https://www.president.gov.ua/news/volodimir-zelenskij-zustrivsya-z-predstavnikom-vselenskogo-p-84813. According to the President’s website, attention was paid at the meeting to “the spiritual independence of Ukraine, the discussion of the Ukrainian peace formula, as well as the issue of the return of children illegally deported from our country.” A short video of the meeting can be accessed at https://orthodoxtimes.com/elder-metropolitan-of-chalcedon-met-metropolitan-of-kiyv-and-president-of-ukraine-video/ The video shows that Viktor Yelensky, the head of DESS, was…
Source: The Greek Reporter By Philip Chrysopoulos A Greek Orthodox priest in the Sepolia area of Athens who baptized Giannis Antetokounmpo together with his brother Alexandros on October 28, 2012, spoke recently about his relationship with the NBA star and his family. Antetokounmpo developed a special relationship many years ago with Father Evangelos Ghanas, a beloved priest at Agios Meletios Church. Even the date of the NBA star’s baptism was deliberate, as he chose to be baptized Greek Orthodox on “OXI Day,” Greece’s second most important national holiday. Antetokounmpo’s patriotism and respect for the Greek flag have often been remarked upon; for example, when…
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…