| Bp Timotei: Orthodox Youth Association members are Christ’s “mystical disciples” who are not ashamed to profess Him Source: Basilica.ro Aurelian Iftimiu 17 September 2021 “The mission of the Church at the Holy Altar is complemented by wonderful projects, deeds and ideas of young people who are mystical disciples of the Saviour, who are not ashamed to profess Him and inspire others of the same age,” Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova said referring to the activity of young people from the Romanian Orthodox Christian Students Association (ASCOR). The message was delivered on Sunday after the Divine Liturgy celebrated at the Patriarchal Cathedral to mark the conclusion of the ASCOR national conference. The young people were accompanied by Fr. Nicusor Beldiman, Patriarchal Counselor at the Theological-Educational Sector of the Romanian Patriarchate. The hierarch appreciated the activities of the young members of ASCOR and highlighted their love for their predecessors. “In a beautiful gesture of gratitude, in addition to the meetings they attended, they remembered the ASCOR members who reposed in the Lord. It is a very precious thing to be thankful to those who lived before us, confessing that they will do this annually, commemorating those who stood out through zeal and holy mission.” The assistant bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest thanked the young people, on behalf of Patriarch Daniel, for the dedication and love they pour into their multiple projects. “We hope that this zeal will always increase, according to their faith and piety, but also according to the tradition and faith of the Romanian people,” bishop Timotei said Sept. 12. Prayers were also offered for students beginning the new school year. Photography courtesy of Lumina Newspaper / Mircea Popa Tweet Donate Share Code for blog Bp Timotei: Orthodox Youth Association members are Christ’s “mystical disciples” who are not ashamed to profess Him Aurelian Iftimiu “The mission of the Church at the Holy Altar is complemented by wonderful projects, deeds and ideas of young people who are mystical disciples of the Saviour, who are not ashamed to profess Him and inspire others of the same age,” Assistant Bishop Timotei of Prahova said referring to the activity ... |
| Is War on Our Doorstep? It is alarming to observe yet another international crisis and conflict escalation. Uneasy. What should the Orthodox do in such a situation? Hieromonk Dimitry (Pershin) reflects on the matter. Is war on our doorstep? It is time for an all-Church prayer for love enhancement. There is such rite. Initially it was developed by monks for times when discord and disarray happened in the monastery. For the times when everyone is against anyone, when there are intrigues, deceit and cliques, framing and provocations, pride, jealousy and – worst of all – mutual deafness. That is when the Divine Liturgy is held, with a rite for love enhancement, admonition, mutual hearing and reconciliation. It is also held while praying for work, friends, and family peace. It seems now is the time to recognize that the Earth is also a monastery. Our home. Our family. A family, where, yet again, Christians are starting a bloody chaos. Christians precisely, for dear to us servants of God Vladimir, Donald, Theresa, Emmanuel, Angela, Petro and so on, do consider themselves Christians, and there is no counting numbers of them. Like a hundred years ago, there is no counting numbers of senators, deputies, ministers, generals, but, most importantly, nations, who considered themselves Christians. They hold grudges against each other, plot seditions. One day the devil, which is in the details, will trip us up. Someone’s ambitions will kick in, someone’s hurt pride will surge up, someone’s sham vows will remind of themselves. Someone will pull the trigger. Someone will pay the ultimate price. Someone’s moan will remain unnoticed. Someone’s children will become orphans. It all will come with bravura marches. Stirring people against people. Inside reports of national invulnerability of every separate country or an alliance – during the bright Pascha days. Shame be upon us Christians. We have endured the horrors of twentieth century – the horrors we have brought upon ourselves – and have forgotten nothing. Have learned nothing. |
| Patriarch Daniel proclaims 2022 Solemn Year of Prayer, Commemorative Year of Hesychast Saints Source: Basilica.ro Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro/Raluca Ene The first Divine Liturgy in 2022 at the Patriarchal Cathedral ended with the proclamation of the solemn and commemorative themes of the New Year. Therefore, 2022 was proclaimed a Solemn Year of prayer in the Church’s life and the Christian’s life and a Commemorative Year of the Hesychast Saints Symeon the New Theologian, Gregory Palamas and Paisius (Velichkovsky) of Neam. The patriarchal auxiliary bishop Varlaam of Ploieti, Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod, read the Act of Proclamation. The document notes that the Synod approved both this proclamation and a framework program for theological-educational, cultural and media activities in the Romanian Patriarchate. After the reading of the synodal act, Patriarch Daniel detailed the reasons for choosing these topics and their importance. “Prayer is the foundation of man’s life and spiritual growth, it is saving and sanctifying because it fills us with the presence of the love of God Almighty,” His Beatitude stressed, offering several biblical exhortations and recalling that the “Our Father” is the source of inspiration to all other prayers. Nothing can replace prayer Patriarch Daniel explained that “prayer, as the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in the godly person, brings comfort, peace and joy. It unites us with the Most Holy Trinity, the Source of joy and eternal life, but also with the Church of Christ of all times and all places.” “Without prayer there is no Church and no Christian life. When we lose the joy and peace of mind, it is a sure sign that we are not praying properly and as much as we should. The Orthodox Christian must pray as much as possible because prayer brings much holy love into the heart; it unites us with God the Merciful; it helps us to see in every man a brother and in every beauty of creation a gift from God. Prayer helps us to face the hardships of life and to taste the light and joy of the resurrection and eternal life in this world.” |
| Photography courtesy of Basilica.ro/Mircea Florescu His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel inaugurated the Kindergarten of the Romanian Patriarchate in Bucharest during a blessing service on Tuesday. In his speech, the Romanian Patriarch stressed that the kindergarten, together with the family, plays an essential role in the development of children, in a time that is popularly called “the seven years from home.” “Kindergarten and family form the child together when his being is very flexible,” Patriarch Daniel said September 15. The project of the kindergarten, His Beatitude said, “started from the desire to help the Christian family today in the great art of education, of spiritual modelling of the child’s soul”. He stressed the need to educate children, including in spiritually, arguing that the Church treats them as people fully prepared for spiritual growth from birth. “Saint John Chrysostom says that the one who only gave birth to a child from a physical point of view is not a full parent. The complete parent becomes the one who shows responsible love and care for the education, for the formation of the child,” said Patriarch Daniel. “So, the spiritual growth through education of children is just as important as their physical growth.” Spiritual development begins at birth “In the Orthodox Church, when a child is baptized, on the same day he is confirmed, anointed with the seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. The chrismation is not postponed for later. And on the same day, he is offered the Sacrament of Holy Communion. ” Through this, explained the Patriarch of Romania, “the Orthodox Church considered that along with the child’s physical growth (…) it is necessary to develop the spiritual growth.” “Therefore, the baptized child is considered a person – not a person in the making, an existing person, who has a name and a face and was placed, through Baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, in a relationship of eternal love with the Divine Persons of the Holy Trinity,” added the Romanian Patriarch. |
| Message by Patriarch Kirill on the Occasion of the Millennium of the Repose of the Holy Prince Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles His Holiness Patriarch Kirill His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow & All Russia, addressed an epistle to the archpastors, clergy, monastics, and all faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church regarding the 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-of-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir. Most reverend archpastors, reverend priests and deacons, monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters in Christ! This year, the whole Russian Church, and with it the whole Orthodox world, celebrates the 1000th anniversary of the repose of the Holy Equal-of-the-Apostles Great Prince Vladimir. What did this man bring us? Why is it that, after so many centuries, we triumphally celebrate his memory? The Holy Hierarch Hilarion of Kiev remarkably expressed the nature of the prince’s feat in his renowned " Sermon on Law & Grace: " " All countries, and cities, and peoples, " he writes, " honor and glorify each its own teacher, who has brought them to the Orthodox Faith. Let us also, according to our power … praise the one who did such great and wondrous things, our teacher and preceptor, the great prince of our land Vladimir. " His wise decision changed the whole course of our history, because he brought to us the glad tidings of Christ, the Savior of the world—the Unsetting Sun of Righteousness, Who with His Divine Light illumines the entirety of human being. Thanks to the Holy Equal-of-the-Apostles Vladimir, our people came under the protection of a fervent Intercessor and speedy Helper—the Most Pure Virgin Theotokos, who spreads her pure omophorion above our land. It was thanks to this holy ruler that the Russian Church was founded, which for more than a thousand years has been bringing the people the word of life, love, and peace, and in which we, like our ancestors before us, obtain the Kingdom of Heaven. Having received the Faith from the Eastern Roman Empire—Byzantium, Russia fully joined both in Divine Revelation, and in the great cultural tradition of the age, creatively adopting and developing it further. |
| On the feast of the Saint and Great Martyr Theodore of Tyre, 17 February 2016, the day on which His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa celebrates his name day, a festive Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Holy Church of St Nicholas, within the Missionary Centre of Kolwezi. Photot: http://basilica.ro Together with the Alexandrian Primate concelebrated Their Eminences Nicephorus, Metropolitan of Kinshasa, Innocent, Metropolitan of Burundi and Rwanda, and the local Metropolitan Meletios of Katanga, accompanied by the Clergy of the Hy Metropolis. As the official site of the Patriarchate reports, His Beatitude the Patriarch spoke during his homily about the Great Martyr St Theodoros, emphasising the confession of martyrdom before the persecutors of faith and his love for Jesus Christ. At the end of the Divine Liturgy the Primate of the Alexandrian Throne consecrated the Catechist elder Theano, one of the first members of the Missionary staff in Kolwezi, to “Deaconess of the Missions” of the Holy Metropolis of Katanga and read the prayer for one entering the “ecclesiastic ministry” for three Nuns and two Catechists, in order for them to assist the missionary effort of the Holy Metropolis, particularly in the Sacraments of Baptisms of adults and marriages, as well as in the Catechetical department of the local Church. Note that it is the first time in the history of Missions in Africa that these consecrations have been done. The Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria restored the deaconess ministry during its working session held in November 2016. Several holy women who fulfiled the deaconess ministry are enlisted in the Orthodox Calendar, among whom the most well known are St Tatiana (January 12), St Olympias (July 25), and St Foebe (September 3). Code for blog Since you are here… …we do have a small request. More and more people visit Orthodoxy and the World website. However, resources for editorial are scarce. In comparison to some mass media, we do not make paid subscription. It is our deepest belief that preaching Christ for money is wrong. |
| The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, meeting under the presidency of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikho n via teleconference, on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, issued the following communique: At numerous points in recent years, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America has reiterated its commitment to the unity of Orthodox Christians in North America, in fulfillment of the charge given to the Orthodox Church in America in the Tomos of Autocephaly , the witness of the canonical tradition, and the command of the Lord Himself, who wills that His followers be united together in a bond of love as He and His Heavenly Father are. This Sunday, October 3, prior to the meeting of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops that will begin next week in Washington, DC, the Executive Committee of the Assembly will concelebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington. With one accord, the Holy Synod rejoices that His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon will concelebrate the Divine Liturgy with the heads of the Orthodox jurisdictions in the United States and members of the Executive Committee: His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Christian Archdiocese of North America, His Grace Bishop Irinej of the Eastern American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas, and His Grace Bishop Saba of the Georgian Apostolic Orthodox Church in North America; together with His Eminence Metropolitan Gregory of Nyssa, Secretary of the Assembly. The Holy Synod also gives thanks to God and confirms the decision of His Beatitude to accept the invitation from the Moscow Patriarchate to travel with a delegation in November to Moscow, in order to celebrate the seventy-fifth birthday jubilee of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. In doing so, the Holy Synod reaffirms the fundamental relationship between the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Orthodox Church, and the warm ties that these two Churches share. |
| Accept The site uses cookies to help show you the most up-to-date information. By continuing to use the site, you consent to the use of your Metadata and cookies. Cookie policy Metropolitan Hilarion completes his visit to Metropolia of Tatarstan On March 29, 2015, the 5d Sunday of Lent, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, celebrated the Divine Liturgy together of Metropolitan Anastasy of Kazan and Tatarstan and Bishop Mefody of Almetyevsk and Bugulma at the Cathedral of the Annunciation in the Kazan Kremlin. He was assisted by diocesan clergy. Among the worshippers were sisters of mercy, participants in the Metropolia’s youth held in Kazan, Cossacks, and students of the Suvorov and Tank Military Schools. There were also governmental officials. After the Dismissal, Metropolitan Anastasy greeted Metropolitan Hilarion on behalf of the faithful of the Metropolia of Tatarstan, saying in particular, ‘With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, we officially begin today the celebrations marking the millennium of the blessed demise of Prince Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles’. The celebrations are to last throughout this year. Addressing Metropolitan Anastasy, clergy and worshippers, His Eminence Hilarion congratulated them on the beginning of the celebrations, noting that the Metropolia of Tatarstan was the first among all the ROC metropolias to begin them. ‘For us, the memory of the Holy Prince Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles is of special significance. His memory is sacred for us because he was the baptizer of Rus’ and thanks to him the Christian faith, the Orthodox faith, came to our land. We venerate him with love and reverence because in his efforts he was like the apostles who brought to the world the good news about the resurrection of Christ’, he said. Expressing the wish that the Orthodox faithful in the Republic of Tatarstan may show an example of truly Christian way of life, Metropolitan Hilarion said: ‘We know that in our country, people of other faiths live side by side with Orthodox people, and God calls us all to be in peace with all them. We should be in peace with all so that we could walk together to the Kingdom of God’ (cf. Heb. 12:14). |
| Every form of violence in the name of religion is violence against religion itself What is happening in Nigeria and Sudan is a dual act of wrongdoing. The Ecumenical Patriarchate has witnessed with great pain and distress the recent manifestations of religious violence against women in Northern Africa, which have profoundly and justifiably concerned the global community. It expresses its outright and unequivocal condemnation of the kidnapping in Nigeria of scores of young women, who are forcibly subjected to espouse Islam. Moreover, it professes its wholehearted and unambiguous denunciation of the pregnant young Christian mother in the Sudan for refusing to espouse Islam. While on an official pastoral visit to Germany, His All-Holiness delivered a message of hope for the release of these women: We are horrified that, in the early twenty-first century, our world still experiences such horrific and disgraceful acts of religious violence. As we have repeatedly emphasized, every form of violence in the name of religion is violence against religion itself. What is happening in Nigeria and Sudan is a dual act of wrongdoing: first and foremost, it is a disgrace against humanity, which we believe and proclaim is created in the image and likeness of God; and second, it is a defamation of the God, whom the great religions of the world worship as divine creator of all life. In Northern Africa, both believers of Islam and Christianity are obliged to promote a God of love and compassion. And the political authorities are responsible for protecting their citizens, especially the more vulnerable members of their societies. Such acts are unacceptable from the perspective of religion and morality, as well as by standards of international human rights. The Ecumenical Patriarchate fervently prays – and urges the prayers of all its faithful, together with all people of good will – for the safe release of the young girls in Nigeria as well as the safety and life of the young mother in Sudan. |
| Metropolitan Anthony Addresses Final Session of the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions Source: DECR Photo: mospat.ru The 7 th Congress of the Leaders of World and Traditional Religions concluded its work in Nur-Sultan on September 15. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of the Republic of Kazakhstan led the closing ceremony; Maulen Ashimbayev, chair of the Senate of the Parliament and head of the Congress secretariat acted as moderator. The Final Declaration of the Congress was read out. Addressing the participants were highly respected representatives of religious communities, including Pope Francis; Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR); Ahmed el-Tayeb, Grand Imam of al-Azhar University; and Yitzhak Yosef, the Sephardi Chief Rabbi of Israel. They shared their opinion on the Declaration and named the main outcome of the Congress attending which were over one hundred delegations from different countries. The Moscow Patriarchate was represented also by Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, head of the Kazakhstan metropolitan district; Metropolitan Kirill of Kazan and Tatarstan; Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), DECR deputy chairman; and Rev. Dimitry Safonov, DECR secretary for interreligious relations. Metropolitan Anthony underscored in his address that the faithful are called “to hold an active position, help peace building, participate in the settlement of conflicts, and preach the values of compassion, accord, and love.” Besides, the hierarch reminded religious leaders of the necessity to be firm in their witness about the value of human life, saying that this witness would be more convincing if brought together. DECR chairman pointed out that the final document of the Congress “is based on the recognition of the fact of creation of human beings and all things by God, of Divine Providence and God-given laws of life and rules of morality.” He expressed appreciation of some items of the Declaration pertaining to the role of religious leaders in overcoming pernicious effects of certain developments, in preserving cultural and religious diversity, in developing religious education as an instrument for preventing extremism, and in surmounting injustice and inequality among countries and peoples. |
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