| The Russian TV Channel “Kultura” Will Premiere Metropolitan Hilarion’s Film “Orthodoxy in the British Isles” Source: Pravmir.ru The documentary film “Orthodoxy in the British Isles” will be shown on June 18, 2014, at 10:05 PM (Moscow time) on the TV channel “Russia – Kultura.” Natalya Mihailova 18 June 2014 PRAVMIR. The documentary film “Orthodoxy in the British Isles” will be shown on June 18, 2014, at 10:05 PM (Moscow time) on the TV channel “Russia – Kultura.” The author of the film is Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev); the film’s producer is Valery Shehovtsev. The film, which comes out in the Russian-British cross-culture year, relates the history of Orthodoxy in the British Isles: the conversion of the archipelago’s inhabitants to the Christian faith; the development of Christian churches on the Foggy Albion Islands up to the division between the Eastern and Western churches; as well as the current status of the Orthodox Church in Great Britain. Participating in the film are bishops, parish priests, and simple parishioners, native Britons who are on the challenging path back to their spiritual roots—to Orthodoxy. A significant part of the film relates the stories of modern theologians and ascetics that Great Britain gave Orthodoxy, such as Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov), and Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware). The film was created by the St. Gregory the Theologian Foundation, with support from the Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communications. Tweet Donate Share Code for blog The Russian TV Channel “Kultura” Will Premiere Metropolitan Hilarion’s Film “Orthodoxy in the British Isles” Natalya Mihailova The documentary film “Orthodoxy in the British Isles” will be shown on June 18, 2014, at 10:05 PM (Moscow time) on the TV channel “Russia – Kultura.” 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. |
| Pentarchy The author, Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin, is a professor at the Moscow Theological Academy, teaching the History of Europe, Ecclesiastical Law, the History of the Russian Church, and the Canons of the Ecumenical Councils. He holds a masters degree in Theology, and a doctorate in Church History. The term " Pentarchy " arose in connection with the evolvement of ecclesiastical order during the era of the Ecumenical Councils, and specifically in connection with the development of the Patriarchates. During the fifth century, the primates of the largest local Churches began to be ordinarily given the title of Patriarch. Incidentally, the word " Patriarch " in ecclesiastical sources regarding bishops, was first used by the end of the fourth century, albeit without an unambiguously fixed meaning. Thus, according to the Church historian Socrates Scholasticus, the fathers of the Second Ecumenical Council entrusted the canonical care for separate regions of the eastern half of the Roman Empire to bishops whom it names " Patriarchs " : " Then too patriarchs were constituted, and the provinces distributed, so that no bishop might exercise any jurisdiction over other churches out of his own diocese: for this had been often indiscriminately done before, in consequence of the persecutions. To Nectarius therefore was allotted the great city and Thrace. Helladius, the successor of Basil in the bishopric of Caesarea in Cappadocia, obtained the patriarchate of the diocese of Pontus in conjunction with Gregory Basil's brother, bishop of Nyssa in Cappadocia, and Otreius bishop of Melitina in Armenia. To Amphilochius of Icononium and Optimus of Antioch in Pisidia, was the Asiatic diocese assigned. The superintendence of the churches throughout Egypt was committed to Timothy of Alexandria. On Pelagius of Laodicea, and Diodorus of Tarsus, devolved the administration of the churches of the East; without infringement however on the prerogatives of honor reserved to the Antiochian church, and conferred on Melitius then present. " (Socrates Scholasticus, Historia Ecclesiastica, [Philip Schaff, NPNF V2-02], 122). |
| St. Meletius the Archbishop of Antioch Commemorated on February 12 Photo: Days.Pravoslavie.Ru Saint Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch, was Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia (ca. 357), and afterwards he was summoned to Antioch by the emperor Constantius to help combat the Arian heresy, and was appointed to that See. Saint Meletius struggled zealously against the Arian error, but through the intrigues of the heretics he was thrice deposed from his cathedra. Constantius had become surrounded by the Arians and had accepted their position. In all this Saint Meletius was distinguished by an extraordinary gentleness, and he constantly led his flock by the example of his own virtue and kindly disposition, supposing that the seeds of the true teaching sprout more readily on such soil. Saint Meletius was the one who ordained the future hierarch Saint Basil the Great as deacon. Saint Meletius also baptized and encouraged another of the greatest luminaries of Orthodoxy, Saint John Chrysostom, who later eulogized his former archpastor. After Constantius, the throne was occupied by Julian the Apostate, and the saint again was expelled, having to hide himself in secret places for his safety. Returning under the emperor Jovian in the year 363, Saint Meletius wrote his theological treatise, “Exposition of the Faith,” which facilitated the conversion of many of the Arians to Orthodoxy. In the year 381, under the emperor Theodosius the Great (379-395), the Second Ecumenical Council was convened. In the year 380 the saint had set off on his way to the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople, and came to preside over it. Before the start of the Council, Saint Meletius raised his hand displaying three fingers, and then withdrawing two fingers and leaving one extended he blessed the people, proclaiming: “We understand three hypostases, and we speak about a single nature.” With this declaration, a fire surrounded the saint like lightning. During the Council Saint Meletius fell asleep in the Lord. Saint Gregory of Nyssa honored the memory of the deceased with a eulogy. |
| John Anthony McGuckin Phelonion PHILIP ZYMARIS A Byzantine vestment equivalent to the western chausible. It has its origins in a poncho-like garment referred to by St. Paul ( 2Tim. 4.13 ). It was once worn by bishops but was later replaced by the sakkos. Presently, priests wear them at all sacramental services. Plate 49 Orthodox priest wearing the phelonion vestment and the pectoral cross (stavrophore). PhotoEdit/Alamy. SEE ALSO: Epitrachelion; Sticharion; Vestments REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READINGS Day, P. (1993) “Phelonion,” in The Liturgical Dictionary of Eastern Christianity. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, p. 233. Phountoulis, I. (2002) “Paradose kai exelixe leitourgikon hieron amphion,” in Ta hiera amphia kai he exoterike eribole tou orthodoxou klerou. Athens: Church of Greece Publications, pp. 63–78. Philokalia ANDREW LOUTH Philokalia is the Greek term for an anthology. Nowadays, the Philokalia virtually invariably refers to a collection of Byzantine ascetical and mystical texts published in Venice in 1782 by St. Macarius of Corinth and St. Nikodemos of the Holy Mountain, although there is another famous Philokalia, of extracts from Origen, mostly on the problem of free will and the interpretation of the Scriptures, composed 358–9 by St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory of Nazianzus. The 18th-century Philokalia is a collection of texts from the 4th to the 14th centuries, culminating in works drawn from St. Gregory Palamas and his circle, both predecessors and followers, representing “hesychasm,” the monastic movement centered on the recitation of the Jesus Prayer which claimed that it was possible to behold the uncreated light of the Godhead in prayer. This claim was reconciled with the apophatic doctrine of God’s unknowability by the distinction drawn by Gregory, based on earlier Greek patristic writings, between God’s essence, which is indeed unknowable, and his uncreated (and therefore divine) “energies” or activities (energeiai in Greek) through which God makes himself known personally in the created world. |
| Metropolitan Hilarion Offers up Prayers for the Repose of Patriarch Ignatius admin 10 December 2012 A delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church led by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), arrived in Beirut on 8 December 2012 with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to attend funeral ceremonies for His Beatitude Ignatius IV, Patriarch of the Great Antioch and All the East. The delegation includes archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR deputy chairman; hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), a DECR staff member; and Mr. Leonid Sevastianov, executive director of the St. Gregory the Theologian Charity Foundation. The delegation was met at the airport by Metropolitan Georges of Homs, H.T. Alexander Zasypkin, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Lebanon; archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Antioch; archpriest Anatoly Yegorov, rector of the Russian Orthodox parish in Beirut, and Russia diplomats. Metropolitan Hilarion proceeded to St. Nicholas Cathedral located in the Ashrafia district of Beirut. He offered up prayers for the repose of Patriarch Ignatius IV of the Great Antioch and All the East at his coffin and was joined in prayers by archpastors and clergymen of the Orthodox Church of Antioch, members of the Moscow Patriarchate delegation, and many parishioners. After the litiya prayers, the DECR chairman talked with the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchate Throne of the Orthodox Church of Antioch, Metropolitan Saba of Bosra-Hauran and Jabal Al-Arab, members of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Antioch and representatives of the Local Orthodox Church who arrived for the funeral ceremonies. In the morning of December 9, the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church took part in the funeral service for His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius. Source: Department for External Church Relations |
| SOURCE: TheHuffingtonPost.com Holy Great Martyr Demetrios the Myrrh-streamer The term martyr is often misused in modern discourse. A martyr is not one who chooses to die; rather, it is when one involuntarily - but without hesitation - suffers torment at the hands of others because of a public declaration or confession of faith, that they genuinely receive the crown of martyrdom. The term martyr actually comes from a Greek word meaning " witness. " A simple scan of the Synaxarion (a book on the lives of the saints) uncovers countless Orthodox Christian martyrs, or witnesses to the faith, celebrated throughout the year. On October 26, for example, one of the most notable of these saints, the Holy Great Martyr Demetrios the Myrrh-streamer, is honoured. But who exactly is St. Demetrios and why is celebrating him and other saints so important? St. Gregory Palamas writes: For among martyrs he is as a great luminary among stars, holding forth the word of eternal life (Phil. 2:16)... From childhood he was all these things at once: a solid, immovable pillar of goodness, a breathing, moving image of every virtue; the shrine of divine and human graces, representing them all; a living book telling of glory and leading us to better things. Born in the 3rd century in Thessalonica, Demetrios was the only son of distinguished and pious parents. Following in his father's footsteps, he joined the military and because of his many virtues was appointed commander of the Roman forces in Thessaly and Proconsul for Hellas. When the Emperor Maximian, however, began persecuting Christians, the Saint openly acknowledged his Christian Faith and courageously confessed his love for Christ. For this, he was thrown into prison but not before Demetrios distributed all of his goods to the poor through his servant Lupus. In continuous prayer, St. Demetrios was initially saved from death, helping many non-believers embrace Christianity. Gregory Palamas describes how Demetrios " struggled with evil to the point of shedding his last drop of blood; " beheaded c. 306, Demetrios appears to this day both in dreams and openly to those who invoke his holy name. |
| St. Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY concludes jubilee year with joyful feast Source: The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America Natalya Mihailova 10 November 2015 The jubilee year in honor of the 100th anniversary of the repose of St. Raphael of Brooklyn reached its apex with the celebration of the Feast of St. Raphael in the Archdiocesan Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Brooklyn, NY, on November 6–7, 2015. Photo: http://www.antiochian.org/ St. Nicholas is the first parish community established by the saint in 1895. His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph presided at Great Vespers on Friday evening and Festal Orthros and the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Saturday morning, assisted by Their Graces, Bishops John and Nicholas of the Antiochian Archdiocese. Metropolitan Hilarion of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia attended the Great Vespers on Friday evening. Also attending Vespers was good friend and neighbor of the Archdiocese, Bishop Gregory Mansour of the Maronite Church. Father Abraham Malkhasyan represented Archbishop Khajag Barsamian of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America at Vespers. Vice-Chairman of the Archdiocese Board of Trustees, Mr. Fawaz El-Khoury, and his wife JoEllen, attended and were joined by other Trustees. Photo: http://www.antiochian.org/ At Saturday’s Divine Liturgy, His Eminence Archbishop Michael of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), and His Grace Bishop John of the Moscow Patriarchate, concelebrated with the Antiochian hierarchs. Orthodox faithful of all backgrounds and jurisdictions from the greater New York area attended the services, along with clergy from the entire area. Seminarians from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary sang with the English Byzantine choir led by the Cathedral Assistant, Fr. Adrian Budica. They also assisted the Cathedral’s Arabic Byzantine choir and regular choral choir. Photo: http://www.antiochian.org/ For both Vespers and the Divine Liturgy, Archpriest Chad Hatfield, Chancellor/CEO of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, offered inspiring presentations on the life and legacy of St. Raphael. His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph commented that St. Raphael’s legacy was one for all of us, whether bishops, priests, deacons, or faithful, to emulate. Just as he labored for holiness, we are commanded to do the same. During the services, His Eminence wore the engolpion and cross that belonged to St. Raphael, and offered them to the faithful for veneration at the end of each service. |
| Monkmartyr Adrian of Poshekhonye, Yaroslavl Commemorated on March 5 Photo: Days.Pravoslavie.Ru Saint Adrian of Poshekhonye was born at Rostov the Great at the end of the sixteenth century, of pious parents named Gregory and Irene. Saint Adrian received monastic tonsure at the monastery of Saint Cornelius of Komel (May 19). Among the brethren gathered around Saint Cornelius were some capable builders and iconographers, so the monastery churches were constructed and adorned by the saints themselves. In the final years of Saint Cornelius’s life, Kazan Tatars invaded the territory around the monastery, and he led all the brethren to the River Ukhtoma. But the Tatars did not touch the monastery, being frightened off by the sight of the many soldiers defending it, and they soon withdrew from the Vologda district. Saint Cornelius returned to the monastery with the brethren and reposed there on May 19, 1537. Three years after the death of Saint Cornelius, Saint Adrian, then a hierodeacon, greatly desired to go into a wilderness place and found a monastery in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos. The Lord helped him fulfill his intention. A certain unknown Elder of striking appearance came to the Corniliev monastery. Saint Adrian asked him his name, and the Elder referred to himself as “the lowly one.” When Saint Adrian invited him to his own cell and asked him to say something beneficial for the soul, the Elder said that he would show Saint Adrian the spot where he should build the church and monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos. Saint Adrian immediately went to the Superior, Igumen Laurence, and sought his blessing to live in the wilderness. Recalling Saint Cornelius’s order that any monks who wished to withdraw into the wilderness should be released from the monastery, Igumen Laurence did not hinder Saint Adrian but gave him his blessing. He also sent with him his assistant, Elder Leonid. After they prayed at the grave of Saint Cornelius, Saint Adrian and Elder Leonid went on their way, led by the mysterious black-robed monk. Saint Adrian carried with him an icon of the Dormition of the Mother of God, which he also painted. |
| 140th anniversary of repose of St Antipas the Athonite of Calapodeti celebrated in Roman Source: Basilica.ro Saint Antipas of Calapodeti was honoured at the Cathedral in Roman with an all-night vigil and Divine Liturgy. This year marked the 140th anniversary of the blessed repose of Saint Antipas, the patron saint of a chapel of the Archdiocesan Cathedral in Roman, Neamt County. “Saint Antipas is also present and honoured in the synaxaria of other Orthodox Churches, such as the Churches of Russia and Serbia, which means that this holy hesychast is celebrated by universal Orthodoxy. Therefore, we could say that a Romanian is present in the list of the great venerable and hesychast saints, the intercessors who acquired the pure prayer and partook of the Tabor light,” Archbishop Ioachim said. The Archbishop of Roman and Bacu spoke about the significance and importance of the Commemorative Year 2022 in the Romanian Patriarchate, dedicated to the Hesychast Saints Symeon the New Theologian, Gregory Palamas and Paisius of Neamt. “They have appeared in the fresco of history at a distance of 300 years from each other, which means that God, from time to time, wants the spiritual renewal of the faithful and the monastic life,” Archbishop Ioachim said. “This saint, born in the southern region of Bacu county, in Dealul Morii commune, Calapodeti village, is a protector of our diocese and a result of the renewal of the monastic life of the 19th century.” The festal Divine Liturgy was celebrated on Monday, January 10, 2022, by the Very Rev. Archimandrite Pimen Costea, diocesan vicar. In his sermon, the archimandrite referred to the saint’s years of asceticism on Mount Athos, where he acquired the gift of tears, prayer, and foresight. “He amazed everyone not so much by his spiritual performances as he learned in the school of Athonite prayer, but by his early age, the dedication with which he engaged in this spiritual work being quite and utterly special.” “His soul and heart were burning with longing for prayer, for God, and heaven. His heart was a living flame, which for the love of God would have sacrificed anything,” the vicar added. |
| Bride of Christ, St. Catherine of Alexandria A graceful silver ring bearing the monogram of Saint Catherine of Alexandria betokens the most ancient of societies, its earliest membership predating Christianity itself. Presented to pilgrims at Mount Sinai by the monks of St. Catherine " s Greek Orthodox Monastery, the ring signifies pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain – a custom whose preservation in the memory of local populations led the earliest ascetics to settle at the Burning Bush. Saint Helena visited in the fourth century, and others followed, enthusiastically noting the hospitality that rewarded arduous journey through the desert by camel caravan. “Behold! A great number of monks and hermits beyond counting came out to meet us,” recounted a sixth century pilgrim in one of the earliest surviving Sinai travelogues, “carrying crosses and singing psalms. They lay down upon the ground and made obeisance to us, and we did likewise, weeping.” Then, as now, it would seem, few experiences surpassed that of comprehending the holy ground where God walked. Pilgrims return home with Saint Catherine’s ring to every corner of the globe, consoled in faith, inspired by her brilliance, and most of all, emboldened by her fearless love for Christ. His Beatitude the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Theodoros II (l) and Archbishop Damianos I of Sinai, Pharan and Raitho (r) share a private moment on the Feastday of Saint Catherine in 2005. (Massimo Pizzocaro/Italy) Upon admittance to the monastery fortress, sensory perception is disconcerted by a fragrance suggestive of heavenly mysteries – much at odds with the solidity of arched granite passageways. St. Catherine’s is situated on a slope, and the scent increases with the descent down a flight of well-worn steps to the door of its sixth century church. Byzantine icons displayed in the narthex welcome pilgrims without fanfare to the world of the legendary Sinai saints – for John Climacus and Gregory of Sinai gazed upon the same sacred images, as did a host of others. They represent the world " s foremost collection of Byzantine masterworks, saved by the monks from the destructive centuries of iconoclasm. Preserved by the desert climate, saints’ expressions remain as untouched by the centuries as the rocky wilderness without. Unaccountably, the discs of their golden halos revolve in the light as if to display the reality of immortality; a special effect never reproduced outside Sinai, modern iconographers still search for its secret. |
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