| Fr. Peter Robichau At some point in the last decade our society quietly morphed from a world of various religious dogmas to one where religion is becoming passé. I shouldn’t be surprised by this. I saw it coming several decades ago, but I didn’t really think that I would live to see it. Here we are … it’s 2013, and national media outlets are reporting on the rapid growth of the demographic called the “Nones” – the 15 percent of Americans with no religious affiliation . This demographic also happens to be the third largest religious demographic in the world. This is quite a paradigm change! A once popular bumper sticker stated, “My karma ran over your dogma,” suggesting the superiority of a theology based on “what goes around comes around.” Now, decades later, we are trying to wrap our minds around the significance of Generation None, where karma doesn’t even seem to play a role. Religious institutions that once stumbled to redefine themselves in a world that valued plurality over theological exclusivism now find themselves the unwitting victims of their inclusive messages. When everything is just fine, then nothing really matters. Praying hands statue in Tulsa, OK. Credit: Photo by C. Jill Reed, via Flickr, http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-2221223106 Without theological substance, there is no theology. Without theology there is little motivation to believe at all. In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, our liturgy emphasizes the mystery of God by proclaiming that he is, “Ineffable, inconceivable, invisible, beyond understanding, ever-existing and eternally the same,” and it finds great comfort in assurances that the experience of God is a mystery to those who receive him in faith. The Orthodox Church also emphasizes the greatest divine commandment, which is to love (first God, and then our neighbors). One could take these two teachings, and conclude that, to quote John Lennon, “All we need is love.” The Orthodox Church, however, takes these axioms, and places great emphasis on the fact that how and what we believe necessarily impacts our ability to experience the mystery of God by grace and to love as God loves. |
| Georgia’s Patriarch delivers annual Christmas epistle Source: Agenda.ge Natalya Mihailova 07 January 2017 Georgian Patriarch Ilia II outlined a number of issues last night in his annual Christmas epistle. Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II addressed the celebrating church-goers with his annual Christmas epistle today. Photo by the Patriarchate Prior to Christmas masse last night at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, the Patriarch touched on issues of love, faith in Jesus Christ, service to God and other topics in his address to the Church’s faithful. He stressed the importance of the unity of all peoples living in Georgia. The Patriarch believes the unity of Georgians, Ossetians, Abkhazians, Greeks, Russians, Ukrainians, Jews, Assyrians, Udis, Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Kurds, Kists (Chechens), Dagestanis, Circassians and all of those living in Georgia would strengthen the country. The Georgian Orthodox Church leader had the following to say on laws established by God and the State: “State laws don’t consider the following things as wrongdoing until their expression seriously harms someone else: vanity, love of fame, judgement, ire, envy, naughty, egoism, fear, enmity, hate”, Ilia II said. “But Jesus stated that not only these wrongdoings are a sin, but it’s also a sin to not have love and respect for our well-wishers and to have bad thought in mind.” Ilia II’s Christmas epistle was notably different this year in its mentioning of differences between divine and State laws. Both, he said, are meant to benefit and guide the people, but large differences exist between them: “This especially applies to those countries where some of state laws go against morality and there is an attempt to officially legalise a sin”, Ilia II said. “In parallel to this, television, mass media and social networks make this immorality look attractive and help to promote sins.” Georgia celebrates Christmas on January 7 due to the two – week difference between the Gregorian and Julian Calendars. Present at the Patriarch’s Christmas address were Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili and other government officials. |
| Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York Sends Nativity Greetings to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onouphry of Kiev and All Ukraine Source: ROCOR Natalya Mihailova 06 January 2017 To His Beatitude Metropolitan Onouphry of Kiev and All Russia Your Beatitude, Beloved in the Lord Vladyko! It is with fraternal love and spiritual joy that I express my heartfelt greetings to Your Beatitude on the great feast day of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! As we celebrate this holy event, which took place in a poor manger on that holy Bethlehem night, when the angels proclaimed Divine peace and good will to mankind, we will fervently pray that the blessed peace commanded to us by the All-Merciful Lord would reign in the hearts of all people in Ukraine and would fill the world around us with peace, that the Incarnate God would fill you with heavenly joy and grant you success in your lofty calling as Primate to the benefit of your episcopate, clerics and God-preserved flock of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. With immutable love in the Incarnate Christ, +HILARION, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. Tweet Donate Share Code for blog Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York Sends Nativity Greetings to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onouphry of Kiev and All Ukraine Natalya Mihailova To His Beatitude Metropolitan Onouphry of Kiev and All Russia Your Beatitude, Beloved in the Lord Vladyko! It is with fraternal love and spiritual joy that I express my heartfelt greetings to Your Beatitude on the great feast day of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! As we ... 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. Having said that, Pravmir provides daily articles from an autonomous news service, weekly wall newspaper for churches, lectorium, photos, videos, hosting and servers. Editors and translators work together towards one goal: to make our four websites possible - Pravmir.ru, Neinvalid.ru, Matrony.ru and Pravmir.com. Therefore our request for help is understandable. |
| The Standoff in Ukraine: Stop! Immediately End the Violence and Restore Dialogue! Natalya Mihailova 20 February 2014 February 19, 2014. In connection with the bloody clashes in Kiev, Metropolitan Anthony of Boryspil and Brovary, Administrative Director of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, has urged the disputants to stop immediately. “From the beginning of the political crisis, and throughout the period of standoff, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has repeatedly called for an end to violence and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Unfortunately, the voice of the Church has not been heeded. “On February 18, violent standoffs, bloodshed, and deaths again resumed on the streets of Kiev. In these moments we heard disturbing reports of new clashes on Maidan Square. “At this difficult time, we again and again categorically condemn the shedding of blood and cry out: Stop! Immediately end the violence and restore dialogue! “Our country, for the third month already, has been balancing on the verge of a national catastrophe. Now everyone – both the authorities, and the opposition, and each one of us – should take responsibility before God for his actions. The threat of civil war and economic collapse is, unfortunately, becoming all the more real. “We urge both sides in the standoff: Brothers and sisters! Do not divide Ukraine! “We urge all believers: Let us pray and implore the Lord, that He might enlighten us and show us the path to reconciliation!” Prayers For Peace in Ukraine Petitions for the augmented litany Again we pray to our Lord God that all strife, dissension, division, hatred, and malice in our domain be ended, that quiet be granted to our people, and that peace might surround us, let us all say: O Lord, hear us and have mercy! Prayer at the Divine Liturgy O Lord Almighty, Holy King! Look down from heaven and behold how much enmity there is among the people of this earth, how much vain and evil plotting! O Greatly-Merciful One, forgive our sins and iniquities, for which so many sorrows, afflictions, and troubles have befallen us. By the grace of Thy All-Holy Spirit bedew our hearts with love, and forgive us our self-love, hatred, envy, malice, wickedness, and iniquity, that fervent love for Thee and our brethren may grow, which shall cut off all strife, discord, and division in our Fatherland! |
| 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 Russian Church representatives convey Christmas greetings to Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem DECR Communication Service, 09/01/2024 On January 8, the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev), together with staff members of the Mission – Hegumen Nikon (Golovko) and Deacon Makary Petukhov, as well as Mother Superior Yekaterina (Chernyshova) and nuns of the Gorny Convent in Ein Kerem, attended an annual Christmas reception held in the Grand Throne Hall of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The reception was hosted by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, Press Service of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission reports . Earlier that day, Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev) visited the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen , Equal-to-the-Apostles, where he prayed at the Divine Liturgy together with His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos. Among those who attended the reception were hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, ordained members of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre and representatives of the community of Greek- and Arabic-speaking Christians in Jerusalem. A choir of the Sretenskaya Theological Seminary graduates opened the reception by performing Christmas hymns and carols. The head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission conveyed to His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos Christmas greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External ChurchRelations . In addition, Archimandrite Vassian extended Christmas greetings to His Beatitude on behalf of the clergy of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission and the abbess and sisters of the Gorny Convent. As the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission noted in his address, God became man and was born in the Bethlehem cave as an ordinary humble person; the Pre-Eternal God became man so that man might inherit everlasting life in the Kingdom of God the Father, which is a great gift of the Divine love. “We are undergoing hard times, when we all need love and accord in order to overcome enmity among nations and restore peace and tranquility in our hearts and in our homes,” he said. |
| Archive On the day of the 20th anniversary of his episcopal consecration, DECR chairman celebrates Liturgy at the church of Our Lady the Joy to All the Afflicted in Moscow 14 January 2022 year 18:48 January the 14th, 2022, the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and the commemoration day of St. Basil the Great, marked the 20th anniversary of the episcopal consecration of Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk. The chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate presided over the festive Divine Liturgy at the church of the Icon of the Mother of God ‘the Joy to All the Afflicted’ in Moscow. His concelebrants were Metropolitan Dionisy of Voskresensk, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Metropolitan Zinovy of Saransk and Mordovia; Metropolitan Anthony of Chersonesus and Western Europe, Patriarchal Exarch for Western Europe; Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, Patriarchal Exarch for Africa; Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman; Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), DECR vice-chairman; Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky), representative of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia to the Patriarchal See of Moscow; Archpriest Kakhaber Gogotishvili, a cleric of the Georgian Orthodox Church; and the clergy of the church. During the Prayer of Fervent Supplication, prayerful petitions were lifted up for deliverance fr om the coronavirus infection. This was followed by His Eminence Hilarion’s prayer traditionally read during the spread of a pernicious infection. After the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Dionisy of Voskresensk read out a congratulatory message from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the DECR chairman’s episcopal consecration. Then Metropolitan Niphon of Philipoppolis extended congratulations to His Eminence Hilarion on behalf of the representatives of Local Orthodox Church to the Patriarchal See of Moscow. He noted in particular, “In your youth you were given the gift of faith in God. Through the subsequent years, you have lived up to this faith, developing it and bearing in yourself the flame of love for neighbours. In ascending the stairs of the service of the Holy Church and accumulating knowledge and experience in carrying out various tasks, you have discovered how rich is the Lord in His mercy to us in His great love wherewith He loved us (Eph. 2:4). |
| Archive Пн Russian Church representatives convey Christmas greetings to Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem 9 January 2024 year 13:41 On January 8, 2024, the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev), together with staff members of the Mission – Hegumen Nikon (Golovko) and Deacon Makary Petukhov, as well as Mother Superior Yekaterina (Chernyshova) and nuns of the Gorny Convent in Ein Kerem, attended an annual Christmas reception held in the Grand Throne Hall of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The reception was hosted by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, Press Service of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission reports . Earlier that day, Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev) visited the Church of Saints Constantine and Helen , Equal-to-the-Apostles, where he prayed at the Divine Liturgy together with His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos. Among those who attended the reception were hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, ordained members of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre and representatives of the community of Greek- and Arabic-speaking Christians in Jerusalem. A choir of the Sretenskaya Theological Seminary graduates opened the reception by performing Christmas hymns and carols. The head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission conveyed to His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos Christmas greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External ChurchRelations . In addition, Archimandrite Vassian extended Christmas greetings to His Beatitude on behalf of the clergy of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission and the abbess and sisters of the Gorny Convent. As the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission noted in his address, God became man and was born in the Bethlehem cave as an ordinary humble person; the Pre-Eternal God became man so that man might inherit everlasting life in the Kingdom of God the Father, which is a great gift of the Divine love. “We are undergoing hard times, when we all need love and accord in order to overcome enmity among nations and restore peace and tranquility in our hearts and in our homes,” he said. |
| In honor of the 700th year since of the birth of St. Sergius of Radonezh S. Kirillov. St. Sergius of Radonezh Undoubtedly, the most outstanding establisher of the truly selfless “life equal to the angels” in fourteenth century Russia is St. Sergius of Radonezh, the founder of the famous Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Monastery, which embodies in its historical legacy his blessed precepts, and gradually became a kind of spiritual heart for all of Orthodox Russia. The significance of this monk, humble yet great in his love for God, to the Christian enlightenment of Ancient Russia and to the tangible manifestations of the ideal of Holy Russia is difficult to overestimate. It is no wonder that the fourteenth century is called the century of St. Sergius, the only monk—owing to the grateful memory of the people—who is referred to as the “Abbot of the Russian land”, the “vigilant guardian of the Russian people.” The famous historian Vasily Klyuchevsky writes of him: “The name of St. Sergius reminds people of their moral renewal, making possible also their political renewal, and teaching the precept that political strength is only sound when it rests on a moral foundation. This renewal and this precept are St. Sergius’s most valuable contributions. They are not historical or theoretical, but rather housed in the living soul of the people, in its moral fiber.” In the Orthodox consciousness, the brightest examples of a harmonious human personality are connected with the figure of St. Sergius of Radonezh, living “by the law of Christ”—humbly wise, warmly merciful toward every man and every creature, yet without the weakness of sentimentalism; always active, hardworking, whether it be in the work of everyday life or in deep prayer. All of these qualities of the Christian worldview truly came together in the abbot of the Holy Trinity monastery—an ideal example of holiness who called us to true unity and brotherhood in Christ. It is known that the Orthodox consciousness of ancient Russia—especially during the time of the great elder Sergius—always recognized the ultimate symbolic expression of unity to be the indivisible unity of the Divine Persons: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in God the Holy Trinity. To St. Sergius, unlike to anyone before him in ancient Russia, had been revealed through his monastic strivings this “divine” or “celestial”, most heavenly mystery of the Trinity as a mystery of Divine Love, whose tireless worshipper and preacher he remained for the course of his entire life. |
| Metpolitan Methodios Visits the Watertown Community admin 23 April 2013 April 21, 2013 Sunday marked an important first step in the long process of healing for the parishioners of the Taxiarchae-Archangels Greek Orthodox Church. Following the terror and violence on the streets and neighborhoods of the Watertown community over the past several days, His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios made an Archpastoral visit to the Taxiarchae Church on Sunday, April 21, to celebrate the Divine Liturgy and to visit with families of the community that were immediately affected by these tragic events. Following the Divine Liturgy, the Metropolitan met with parishioners during the coffee fellowship who shared with him the terror and fear they experienced as they witnessed thousands federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel campus their streets and properties as they hunted door to door for the Boston Marathon bomber. His Eminence then toured the streets of Watertown and visited the home of a family from the parish who was in the line of fire as the violence of the manhunt unfolded in front of their eyes. He wanted to personally embrace them with the love and comfort of the Church and assure them of the support and prayers of our Metropolis family. Following this pastoral call, His Eminence visited the Watertown Police Department to personally express the gratitude of the Greek-American community for the officers’ heroic acts of bravery which ultimately led to the restoration of peace and order on the streets of Watertown. The Chief of Police, Edward Deveau, welcome the Metropolitan to his office where he shared details of the life-threatening battle that his officers endured over those many hours. He introduced Sergeant John C. MacLellan, who headed the Watertown police force during this 24-hour manhunt. Sergeant MacLellan shared details of the horrific gunfire encounters that took place in the residential areas of the town. The Metropolitan wanted to visit with the police officers to personally bring the message of hope, love and solidarity with the faithful citizens of the Town of Watertown. |
| On the Importance of Attending the Evening Divine Services Man’s life is a chain of alternating links of labor and rest. There are always more men who love repose than those who prefer labor. And, true, it is characteristic of human nature to strive more for consolation than for labor. Thus, man loves the beauty of the body; he loves beauty in art, in music, in fine literature; fame, honor, and respect impress him. Men have a preference for tasty food and fine beverages, for convenience and sufficiency, for elegance in their attire and dwellings; they love celebrations and parties, getting together with friends, vacations and trips to new places, comfort and rest, entertainment, all sorts of amusements, games, and spectacles; they prize good health, tranquility, good weather, a pleasant climate. In a word, man strives for blessedness; he seeks it as a natural manifestation of life, for his consciousness has retained the memory of his ancestors’ delightful sojourn in the wondrous garden of Paradise. However, in attaining to various degrees of earthly blessedness, man very quickly discovers that true satisfaction on earth is unattainable. The more man surrounds himself with comfort and momentary delights, the less satisfaction he derives from them, and he begins to seek out ever-new delights. Becoming convinced that earthly good things and health are unstable and changeable, man begins to pine. And this pining, this subconscious yearning for the lost Paradise is, as it were, a link with heaven. In reviewing man’s aspirations, one has to conclude that, in general, man is burdened by a long and laborious life, that he often loses patience and can fall into despondency. Very seldom do men find genuine satisfaction in a favorite type of work, laboring until exhaustion. Few individuals can be carried away by a profession or service to the point of self-forgetfulness, always guided by principle and not by gain, who have a special calling, a feeling of duty and responsibility. |
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