| St Gregory Palamas the Archbishop of Thessalonica Saint Gregory Palamas Saint Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica, was born in the year 1296 in Constantinople. St Gregory’s father became a prominent dignitary at the court of Andronicus II Paleologos (1282-1328), but he soon died, and Andronicus himself took part in the raising and education of the fatherless boy. Endowed with fine abilities and great diligence, Gregory mastered all the subjects which then comprised the full course of medieval higher education. The emperor hoped that the youth would devote himself to government work. But Gregory, barely twenty years old, withdrew to Mount Athos in the year 1316 (other sources say 1318) and became a novice in the Vatopedi monastery under the guidance of the monastic Elder St Nicodemus of Vatopedi (July 11). There he was tonsured and began on the path of asceticism. A year later, the holy Evangelist John the Theologian appeared to him in a vision and promised him his spiritual protection. Gregory’s mother and sisters also became monastics. After the demise of the Elder Nicodemus, St Gregory spent eight years of spiritual struggle under the guidance of the Elder Nicephorus, and after the latter’s death, Gregory transferred to the Lavra of St Athanasius (July 5). Here he served in the trapeza, and then became a church singer. But after three years, he resettled in the small skete of Glossia, striving for a greater degree of spiritual perfection. The head of this monastery began to teach the young man the method of unceasing prayer and mental activity, which had been cultivated by monastics, beginning with the great desert ascetics of the fourth century: Evagrius Pontikos and St Macarius of Egypt (January 19). Later on, in the eleventh century St Simeon the New Theologian (March 12) provided detailed instruction in mental activity for those praying in an outward manner, and the ascetics of Athos put it into practice. The experienced use of mental prayer (or prayer of the heart), requiring solitude and quiet, is called “Hesychasm” (from the Greek “hesychia” meaning calm, silence), and those practicing it were called “hesychasts.” |
| Funeral Service for Metropolitan Cornelius of Tallinn and All Estonia Takes Place in Tallinn Source: DECR Natalya Mihailova 24 April 2018 On 22 April 2018, the funeral service for Metropolitan Cornelius of Tallinn and All Estonia was held at the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Tallinn. Vladyka Cornelius passed away on April 19, at the age of 93. The service was celebrated by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations; Archbishop Yevgeny of Vereya, chairman of the Education Council of the Russian Orthodox Church; Bishop Lazar of Narva and Prichudye; Bishop John of Jelgava; Bishop Sergy of Maardu; and an assembly of clergymen. Among those present in the church were Mr. Taavi Aas, Mayor of Tallinn; Archbishop Urmas Viilma of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Estonia; Mr. Alexander Petrov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Estonia; Mr. Anatoly Stepus, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Estonia; Metropolitan Stephanos and Bishop Ilias (Orthodox Church of Estonia of the Patriarchate of Constantinople); and Hegumenness Philareta (Kalacheva) of the Pühtitsa Convent. Prior to the service, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk read out a message of condolences of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia over the death of Metropolitan Cornelius of Tallinn and All Estonia. Addressing all those present, Vladyka Hilarion also said, in particular: “The life of the late Metropolitan Cornelius was full of labours and afflictions. He became a priest in the year when the Great Patriotic War ended, and performed his ministry, first as a deacon, then as a priest, and later as a bishop, for over seventy years. In 1990, at a mature age, he became a bishop and headed the See of Estonia. “Vladyka Cornelius went through terrible ordeals. He was unlawfully sentenced to imprisonment in corrective labour camps and spent several years in “harsh labour,” but then by the mercy of God he was released and continued his ministry. In the 1990s, when the revival of the Church began all over the Holy Russia, he witnessed and took part in the revival of the church life in the Estonian land. However, even at that time he suffered numerous afflictions, enduring them as a good soldier of Christ. The Lord granted to him a long life. Metropolitan Cornelius outlived many of his brothers the clergymen and bishops. God preserved him until the day when He willed to take His faithful servant to the heavenly dwellings. |
| Annual Episcopal Assembly opens with clergy-laity gathering in Dallas Source: OCA Natalya Mihailova 17 September 2014 DALLAS, TX. The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America commenced its fifth annual meeting on Monday, September 15, 2014 with a Pan-Orthodox clergy-laity gathering in Dallas, TX. Some 200 people attended, including more than 30 bishops representing the member jurisdictions of the Assembly. hoto credits: Dimitrios Panagos/GOA The evening began with a Doxology—a service of thanksgiving—presided over by the Chairman of the Assembly, His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios of America. He welcomed those in attendance, remarking that the Doxology was an opportunity to thank God for all His gifts and for bringing the Assembly together once again. He expressed his wish that the evening would make the faithful more aware of the sacred and great work that the Lord is doing through the Assembly. Following the Doxology, a panel of bishops answered questions submitted by those in attendance. Questions pertained to the work of the Assembly, including youth ministry, inter-church relations, evangelism and outreach, and challenges facing the Orthodox Church today, including questions of language, administrative reorganization, and the persecution of Christians in the Middle East. Five bishops were on the panel: Archbishop Demetrios (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America); His Grace, Bishop Basil (Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America); His Grace, Bishop John (Russian Orthodox Church in the USA), His Eminence, Archbishop Nicolae (Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese); and His Grace, Bishop Gregory (American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese). The panel was moderated by Archimandrite Nathanael Symeonides, a member of the Assembly’s Secretariat. The evening concluded with a meal and fellowship in the church hall. The Assembly is grateful to the parish of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, which hosted the event, and the numerous Orthodox parishes in the Dallas area that helped make the evening fruitful. |
| New Finnish Bishop to deliver SVOTS Commencement address Source: OCA Natalya Mihailova 06 February 2015 His Eminence, Metropolitan Elia, newly consecrated Bishop of the Diocese of Oulu of the Orthodox Church of Finland, will be the main speaker at the Saint Vladimir’s Seminary Commencement on Saturday, May 30, 2015. Metropolitan Elia, formerly known as Priest Matti Veli Juhani Wallgren, is an alumnus of the seminary, having graduated with a Master of Divinity degree in 2003. “Being the 2015 Commencement speaker at my alma mater Saint Vladimir’s will be a great honor for me and for the Finnish Church,” remarked Metropolitan Elia upon his acceptance of the invitation by Archpriest Chad Hatfield, seminary Chancellor/CEO and Archpriest John Behr, seminary Dean, to deliver the main Commencement address. Father Matti was ordained to the priesthood on September 1, 2003, in Jyvaskyla, Finland. He served as second priest for two and a half years in central Finland, and for eight and a half years as Dean of the Cathedral in Vaasa, western Finland. Father Matti was tonsured and elevated to the rank of archimandrite on December 16–17, 2014, in the Valamo Monastery of the Transfiguration and given his new monastic name “Elia” in honor of the Prophet Elijah. Archimandrite Elia was recently consecrated to the episcopacy on January 11, 2015, at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Oulu, by the hands of His Eminence, Archbishop Leo of Karelia and All Finland and the entire Synod of Bishops of the Finnish Church. Father Chad Hatfield, representing the seminary, attended Metropolitan Elia’s consecration and installation. Metropolitan Elia noted that his “best years and most challenging years” were when he studied at Saint Vladimir’s. He credited the influence of three seminary Deans—Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann, Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, and Archpriest John Behr—as being key in his formation as an Orthodox priest. The Orthodox Church of Finland is an autonomous archdiocese under the Patriarchate of Constantinople. It consists of three dioceses with 58,000 souls, and is one of two religious bodies legally recognized as a national church in Finland, the other being the Evangelical Lutheran Church. |
| Vatican Official Denounces Santa Muerte as " Sinister and Infernal " SOURCE: huffingtonpost.com By R. Andrew Chesnut The Mexican offensive against Santa Muerte (Saint Death) launched by former president, Felipe Calderon, has now gone global. In an interview last week with a Peruvian Catholic news site ( Aciprensa ), the President of the Pontifical Council for Culture, Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi, condemned the cult of the skeleton saint as " sinister and infernal. " The Italian prelate, whom Vatican watcher John Allen recently called " the most interesting man in the Church " and even profiled as a candidate for the papacy, called for both Church and society to mobilize against devotion to Saint Death. " Everyone is needed to put the brakes on this phenomenon, including families, churches and society in its totality. " The cardinal explained that devotion to Santa Muerte " is the celebration of devastation and of hell. " The influential member of the Curia will take his message directly to Mexicans during his visit there next month to lead his pet project, the " Courtyard of the Gentiles, " a Vatican program designed to engage with and evangelize non-believers. Having closely followed the development of Santa Muerte " s burgeoning cult on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, I had anticipated a condemnation by the Vatican, although I am surprised that it came before any such statement made by American bishops. So the pressing question is why a Vatican condemnation now? In accord with previous denunciations of the cult of the skeleton saint made by Mexican bishops, Cardinal Ravasi rejects devotion to her (she " s a female figure) on theological grounds. From the Christian perspective, Christ defeated His last enemy -- death -- through His resurrection. Thus, the veneration or worship of a figure of death puts one in league with the enemy of Christ, or Satan. Most of the statements made by Mexican bishops imply that devotees of Santa Muerte engage in Satanism unknowingly. Church officials can point to high profile criminal cases in which Santa Muertistas have committed heinous crimes in the name of the skeletal folk saint. Human sacrifice, narco-assassinations and other lurid crimes have been committed in Mexico and to a lesser extent here in the U.S. by a small minority of devotees who believe that Saint Death sanctions if not blesses such nefarious deeds. |
| Metropolitan Council retreat, fall session opens September 23 admin 21 September 2013 September 20, 2013 SYOSSET, NY [OCA] Members of the Metropolitan Council of the Orthodox Church in America will gather at the Chancery here for their fall session September 23-26, 2-13. According to Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary, the session will begin with a one-day retreat at which Priest Nicholas Solak, Rector of Holy Trinity Church, Stroudsburg, PA, and Dr. Albert S. Rossi, Director of Field Education at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY, will address the issue of conflict resolution. “The retreat,” said Father Eric, “is the most recent in a series that had been recommended by the Metropolitan Council’s Internal Governance Committee as a means of professional and group development.” In addition to His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon and the members of the Lesser Synod of Bishops, the chairs of two of OCA’s departments also will participate. “As part of a rotating cycle that aims to bring in departmental chairs to update Council members on their ministries, the Department of Evangelization’s Priest John Parker and Mrs. Donna Karabin of the Department of Christian Service and Humanitarian Aid , will report on accomplishments and future plans in their respective fields,” Father Eric added. “At the Council’s spring 2013 session, reports were received from the Departments of Continuing Education and Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry .” Members of the Sexual Misconduct Advisory Committee will update Council members on their work and the most recent revisions to the “Policy, Standards, and Procedures for Sexual Misconduct Allegations.” In addition to the report of the Chancellor, Archpriest John Jillions, Mrs. Melanie Ringa, Treasurer, will present the proposed 2014 budget, which reflects the second round of assessment reductions as mandated by delegates to the 16th All-American Council in 2011. Preliminary plans for the 18th All-American Council, slated to convene in 2015, and the composition of the Preconciliar Commission will be considered in depth. Finalized proposals will be forwarded to the Holy Synod of Bishops for approval. |
| A Council of Churches is set up to continue Christ’s mission admin 21 February 2013 Top Christian religious leaders met in Cairo yesterday, including Tawadros II, patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Their goal is to unify all Christians to face the challenge of a country dominated by the Muslim Brotherhood. The new council is set up after a week of prayer for Christian unity across Egypt. Cairo (AsiaNews) – A Council of Churches has been officially created. Egypt’s top Christian religious leaders met at the Coptic Orthodox cathedral of Saint March in Cairo’s al-Abbasiya neighbourhood to sign its constitution. Representatives from the country’s five main denominations were present, namely the Coptic Orthodox Church, Catholic Church (Coptic, Greek Melkite, Maronite, Syrian, Chaldean, Armenian and Latin), Evangelical Church, Episcopalian Church and the Greek Orthodox Church. In addition to the Coptic Orthodox Patriarch Tawadros II, Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak and Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria were also present. The creation of this Council crowns a week of prayer for Christian unity that began on 10 February. Traditionally, the week is held at the end of January, but this year it was postponed because of the anniversary of the Arab Spring on 25 January. Prayers were said throughout the week in Coptic Orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical, Episcopalian, Anglican and Greek Orthodox churches to fulfil the Chris’s words: “. . . that they may be one, as we are one” ( John , 17:22). “In light of the difficult moment Egypt is going through nowadays, we need to show solidarity, reinforce and sustain ourselves and put our hope in the living Christ ( Tim , 2:4-9),” week organisers and Catholic Church spokesman Fr Rafic Greiche said. “Unity is an utmost necessity in order to pursue the Church’s mission in bearing witness to the Christ”. “Creed and belief have theologians, but we have charity and love and my heart is open to all,” Patriarch Tawadros II said when he recently received the Assembly of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops. |
| The Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign” visits Kursk Seminary Source: ROCOR Natalya Mihailova 02 October 2015 On September 29, 2015, the miracle-working Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God " of the Sign " was brought to Kursk Theological Seminary. His Eminence Metropolitan German of Kursk and Rylsk performed a moleben in the seminary’s Chapel of Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. Photo: http://synod.com/ Also participating in the service were Archimandrite Simeon, Rector of the seminary; Priest Pavel Lizgunov, Prorector of Academics; Hieromonk Amvrosy, Prorector of Education; Protopriest Alexander Filin, Head of the Iconography Department and other seminary instructors. Photo: http://synod.com/ During the service, the clergymen, seminarians and parishioners were given the opportunity to venerate the icon of the Mother of God and ask for Her intercession before God on their behalf. The students majoring in iconography and liturgical music as well as correspondence students required to attend special sessions at the time were also in attendance. Photo: http://synod.com/ Afterwards, Metropolitan German expressed his joy that all in attendance were able to venerate this ancient holy icon and pray for the intercession of the Mother of God. He wished the seminarians academic successes and spiritual maturity. Tweet Donate Share Code for blog The Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign” visits Kursk Seminary Natalya Mihailova Also participating in the service were Archimandrite Simeon, Rector of the seminary; Priest Pavel Lizgunov, Prorector of Academics; Hieromonk Amvrosy, Prorector of Education; Protopriest Alexander Filin, Head of the Iconography Department and other seminary instructors. [caption ... 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. |
| Three-week campaign to enlist 300 “Stewards of the OCA” opens Monday, November 25 On Monday, November 25, 2013, a three-week campaign to enlist 300 Stewards of the Orthodox Church in America was initiated. The centerpiece of the campaign, which runs through December 13—the Feast of Saint Herman of Alaska—is the new stewardship page which may be accessed at oca.org/become-a-steward . On-line gifts may be made on the site, as well as by clicking the appropriate button on the OCA home page at oca.org . “For many years, the Fellowship of Orthodox Stewards brought together hundreds of individuals whose gifts helped to fund the OCA’s various departments and ministries,” said Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary. “The current initiative in part seeks to restore a sense of voluntary stewardship in providing funding for the continuation and expansion of these same departments and ministries.” Gifts to the Stewards of the Orthodox Church in America will be earmarked to support the OCA’s Departments of Christian Education , Christian Service and Humanitarian Aid , Evangelization , Institutional and Military Chaplaincies, Liturgical Music and Translations , Pastoral Life and Ministries , and Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministries ; Archives and Charities; and the Church’s efforts in the areas of Clergy Training Communications, Continuing Education , Diaconal Vocations , External affairs , and Seminaries and Theological Education . “220 years ago, Saint Herman and the first missionaries began their journey to plant the seeds of Orthodox Christianity in Alaska and North America,” said His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon. “Today, each of us has many competing demands on our generosity, but as the heirs of Saint Herman, we are still called to plant the Orthodox Church firmly in North America. I encourage all of you to pray about this task and to consider including your name among the Stewards of the OCA.” According to Archpriest John Jillions, OCA Chancellor, the effort to establish the Stewards of the OCA began in earnest in February 2013 with the formation of a committee which in part was tasked with developing the web page. |
| Eastern Orthodox make strong showing at March for Life/Православие.Ru Eastern Orthodox make strong showing at March for Life Washington, D.C., January 27, 2014 L-R: Bishop John (Abdallah), Bishop Mark (Maymon), Archbishop Nathaniel (Popp), and Metropolitan Tikhon (Mollard) March for Life President Jeanne Monahan addressed concerns that the annual pro-life walk was too heavily Catholic, reaching out to evangelical Protestants. But based on the participation of Eastern Orthodox Christians in this year's events, marchers may have been forgiven for believing the whole march breathed with the other lung. Every major event, and several minor ones, featured distinguished clergy from the world's second largest Christian denomination. Archpriest John Jillions, the chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), represented his church at the “National Memorial for the Preborn and their Mothers and Fathers,” an annual interdenominational prayer service held at Constitution Hall. The most visible participation came as Orthodox clergy filled the stage at the March for Life, which began with an invocation given by Bishop Demetrios (Kantzavelos), the Greek Orthodox bishop of Chicago. He prayed that the public witness would reach “civil authorities who have legislated against the rights of the unborn, jurists who have adjudicated against life, physicians who have not healed but have brought harm and death, parents who have made choices to end life in the womb – some callous and self-interested, others tragic and conflicted,” and “young persons raised in a culture that espouses a right for some to kill.” Bishop Demetrios, who also participated in the 2014 Chicago March for Life, said that supporting the right to abortion is based in “profound ignorance.” “Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do,” he said. He was joined on stage by the ruling hierarchy of the OCA (Metropolitan Tikhon, Bishop Melchisedek, Bishop Mark, Bishop Michael), as well as representatives of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Antiochian Orthodox Church, Armenian Orthodox Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, and a representative of the U.S. Catholic bishops. |
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