| The speaker expressed special gratitude to the Russian Orthodox Church for the February visit of the interreligious humanitarian delegation, noting that for Syrian Christians this action became an important sign of solidarity. Maronite Bishop Zahle Joseph Mouawad spoke about the difficult social and humanitarian situation in Lebanon, in which there are 3 million refugees from Syria. He also expressed gratitude to the Russian Orthodox Church for the humanitarian action carried by the Interreligious Working Group in the Beqaa Valley. He underscored the importance of political and religious dialogue for stabilization of the situation in Lebanon. After the conference, a reception was given on behalf of the Catholic Archdiocese in Vienna, during which participants continued discussing the reports. 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. 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. For example, 5 euros a month is it a lot or little? A cup of coffee? It is not that much for a family budget, but it is a significant amount for Pravmir. If everyone reading Pravmir could donate 5 euros a month, they would contribute greatly to our ability to spread the word of Christ, Orthodoxy, life " s purpose, family and society. Related articles To Russian Federation Minister of Defense S. K. Shoigu To the relatives and loved ones of… On 3 March 2018, a commemorative ceremony marking the Liberation Day in Bulgaria took place on… |
| Christianity in Straight Jacket of Political Correctness Yekaterina Kudashkina 29 September 2012 Paul Coleman, a legal councilor for Alliance Defending Freedom in Vienna, Austria, says that what we see now in Europe is political correctness overriding well understood Christian morality, which results in Christianity being bashed by the government and immigrants alike. We see restrictions against Christianity, against the Christian faith on the governmental level, and by that I mean by laws passed and government’s restrictions. And for example in the area that I work on in Europe, we see two areas in particular – one is through the use of hate speech laws, as they are often known; and the other is through anti-discrimination legislation. Both of these things sound like they are good things. No one likes hate speech and no one likes discrimination. But what we see happening is these hate speech laws are used often to target Christian speech for example on controversial areas, on sexual morality. For example if the Christian was to say that the Christian faith is correct and other faiths are not – what we see is Christians being even arrested and imprisoned for making those sort of statements through the use of these hate speech laws. And then the anti-discrimination legislation is really being used again to target Christians and Christian organizations who have been told that unless they fall in line with the values that the society is adopting, you know some of these areas like sexual orientation, then Christians will be suit or have their charitable organizations shot down or funding removed. And so we are seeing a rise of this sort of intolerance against what has been very traditional and well understood Christian beliefs for the last 2000 years. So, do I get you right that Christians are now being targeted from at least two sides – one is a society which has somehow decided to abandon its traditional Christian values; and another group is Muslim immigrants who are struggling to assert their own set of beliefs? Is my understanding correct? |
| In April of 1946, a meeting of the Council of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad was held in Munich, Germany. During this Council, the Byelorussian hierarchs (as well as several hierarchs of the Ukrainian Autonomous Church) were received into the Russian Church Abroad. The Byelorussian hierarchs received into the Church Abroad at that time were: Archbishop Filofei, later of Berlin and Germany 22 ; Archbishop Venedikt (Bobkovsky), later of Berlin and Germany; Bishop Afanassy, later Archbishop of Buenos Aires and Argentina 23 ; Bishop Stefan, later Archbishop of Vienna and Austria 24 ; and Bishop Gregory (Borishkevitch), later Archbishop of Chicago & Detroit. Also during the Council of Bishops of 1946 in Munich, Vladika Gregory delivered an extensive report and plan for establishing a seminary of the Russian Church Abroad in Western Europe. Due to the exodus from Europe of so many of the faithful of the Russian Church Abroad in the years after World War II, the plans were never realized. Although the Byelorussian Hierarchs were promised that they could oversee the Byelorussian emigration in Byelorussian parishes, the promise was completely disregarded after the Byelorussian Hierarchs joined the Church Abroad. This was a cause of great disappointment to them, especially Bishop Afanassy (Martos). Also, all of the Byelorussian Hierarchs were ruling Bishops in the Byelorussian Autonomous Church, but all had to serve only as Vicar Bishops (except Metropolitan Panteleimon, who had retired) immediately after they joined the ROCOR. This was also a cause of some sore feelings, as the promise about keeping the Byelorussian parishes “intact” also included the Byelorussian Hierarchs not serving as Vicars for predominantly Great Russian dioceses or vicariates. After his reception into the Russian Church Abroad, Vladika Gregory served as Bishop of Bamberg, Vicar of the Diocese of Berlin and Germany until 1947, when he was appointed as Bishop of Montreal and Eastern Canada. From 1950, Vladika Gregory was a member of the Hierarchical Synod, and in 1952, he was elevated to Archbishop. |
| La historia del Patriarca revela el estado interno de la Iglesia ortodoxa, la presión que había de soportar de los divididos cristianos occidentales, y la peculiar mezcla de intereses religiosos, políticos y comerciales que operaban en Constantinopla durante el siglo XVII. Los principales actores de este drama fueron los embajadores de Francia, Austria, Holanda e Inglaterra. Desde 1535, Francia había sido reconocida por los turcos como protectora de los cristianos en su Imperio, privilegio que animó a la Compañía de Jesús a batallar por la sumisión de los ortodoxos a Roma. La elección de Cirilo, opuesto a sus miras, constituyó una provocación para el prestigio francés, y su enviado, el conde de Cézy, ayudado por su colega austríaco, y utilizando todos los métodos de la diplomacia oriental – denuncias y sobornos – , consiguió retirar a Cirilo de su ministerio. Los diplomáticos protestantes defendieron a Cirilo y le ayudaron a recuperar su puesto. Este juego se repitió varias veces. Mientras tanto, Cirilo concibió el plan de establecer una unión entre los ortodoxos y los protestantes. Es imposible adivinar si vislumbraba la posibilidad de un acuerdo doctrinal o si sólo pretendía una cooperación práctica. Su atrevido plan hizo que los jesuitas le considerasen como hereje peligroso, y los turcos como astuto intrigante político, pues los franceses le acusaban de provocar incursiones por medio de los cosacos ucranianos, que se habían convertido en una seria amenaza para la seguridad turca en el Mar Negro. Cirilo trató de evitar la publicidad acerca de sus negociaciones, pero sus amigos protestantes deseaban la prueba tangible de que aprobaba una teología, reformada. En este complicado complot desempeñó un papel fatal Antoine Léger, calvinista de Ginebra, capellán de la Legación holandesa. Fue instrumento de la publicación de la Confesión de fe, de Cirilo, que apareció en latín en 1629, en Ginebra. Este documento contenía varios, artículos calvinistas, que enseguida fueron repudiados por otros prelados ortodoxos. No obstante, la mayor parte del clero y del pueblo permaneció leal a su patriarca, y cuando los jesuitas sustituyeron a Cirilo por un obispo romanizante, Atanasio Patelarios, el intruso fue expulsado a los veintiún días. Cirilo fue rehabilitado por cuarta vez, pero su nueva victoria hizo que sus enemigos se decidieran a desembarazarse de él por completo. Fracasó el primer intento de asesinarle, pero en 1638 fue otra vez derrotado y encarcelado; sobornados sus carceleros, fue estrangulado mientras se hallaba ausente el Sultán. Cirilo fue asesinado el 27 de junio. Arrojaron su cuerpo al mar, pero lo encontró un pescador y ahora reposa en la iglesia patriarcal de Phanar. |
| Дискогр.: Рождественские песнопения. Избр. песнопения ТСЛ//Песнопения Русской Православной Церкви. 1968-1969. Грп. 2; Духовный концерт в честь интронизации Святейшего Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Пимена. 1971; Пасха Христова: Избр. праздничные песнопения СТСЛ. 1978; Избранные духовные песнопения: К 70-летию Святейшего Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Пимена. 1980; «Память их в род и род»: Памяти 600-летия победы на Куликовом поле. 1981; Избранные духовные песнопения: К 75-летию Святейшего Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Пимена. 1985; «Песнь всяку духовную принесем Богородице»: Молебный канон с Акафистом Божией Матери. 1987. 2 грп.; «Днесь земля Русская предстоит Богу»: Празднование 1000-летия Крещения Руси. 1988; «О дивное чудо!»: Концерт в Париже. 1988; Russische Mönche Singen In Deutschen Domen/Koch-Records GmbH (Austria). 1988. 2 LP; «O Russische Erde»: Ulmer Kloster, Abtei Maria Laach, Dom zu Regensburg, Dom zu Speyer, Dom zu Eichstaett: DVD. 1990; «Кто Бог велий»: Интронизация Святейшего Патриарха Алексия II. 1990; 400-летие Донского Ставропигиального мужского мон-ря. 1991; Божественная литургия в Успенском соборе на второй день Рождества Христова. 1992; Академия у Троицы. 1995; Пасха Христова: Пасхальная вечерня и Божественная литургия в храме Христа Спасителя. 1997; «Глубиною мудрости»: Панихида по случаю 80-летия со дня убиения имп. Николая II и членов его семьи. 1998; День памяти прп. Сергия, игум. Радонежского: Божественная литургия в ТСЛ. 1998; «Посетил ны есть свыше Спас наш, Восток Востоков»: Рождественский праздничный триптих. 1999. 3 CD; «Дам вам пастырей по сердцу Моему»: 10-летие интронизации Патриарха Алексия II. 2000; «Свят Храм Твой»: Освящение храма Христа Спасителя. 2000; «Днесь радостно ликует Церковь Русская»: Прославление Собора новомучеников и исповедников Российских. 2000; «Слово стало плотию»: Божественная литургия у Живоносного Гроба Спасителя, Иерусалим. 2001; «Даждь мне прегрешений оставление»: Великий канон прп. Андрея Критского. 2001; Торжественное подписание акта о каноническом общении РПЦ и РПЦЗ. 2007; «Пою Богу моему дондеже есмь»: Юбилейный диск 70-летию главного регента СТСЛ архим. Матфея (Мормыля). 2008. |
| The turmoil of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation in the West affected the Orthodox world indirectly but drastically. In their argument with Rome, the Reformers had an understandable interest in trying to enlist the support of the rest of the ancient Churches for their interpretation of authentic Christianity. In 1573 a group of Lutheran scholars from Tübingen sent Patriarch Jeremias II a copy of the Augsburg Confession, to which he responded with a detailed critique affirming the Orthodox understanding; amicable correspondence continued for some years until it became clear that there would be no meeting of minds. Later hierarchs, however, would find themselves swept into the vortex of Western arguments. The most famous instance is Patriarch Cyril Loukaris of Constantinople. Cyril " s work in Poland in the immediate aftermath of the Union of Brest-Litovsk had left him with considerable sympathy with the Protestants ; his 1629 «Confession» was strongly influenced by Calvinism. With the aid of the Catholic powers of France and Austria, Loukaris was deposed and murdered. The »Confession» was subsequently condemned by six councils in succession. But this was not the last attempt to adapt for the defence of Orthodoxy the ill-assorted toolbox of Western theology. Peter Mogila, Metropolitan of Kiev (1632–47), took the opposite approach from Loukaris; hoping to use Rome " s own weapons to counteract Rome " s influence, he drew directly and uncritically on Roman Catholic manuals. After judicious removal of some of the most egregious Latinisms, Mogila " s Confession was approved by the council of Jassy in 1642. Mogila " s Latinising theology and adoption of Jesuit educational models proved tremendously influential, and came to dominate theological education also in Russia. The rash of «Orthodox confessions» culminated in that of Patriarch Dositheus, approved by the council of Jerusalem in 1672; Dositheus too resorts to a Latin framework, despite his mistrust of Roman influence. |
| Part of the difficulty in many western countries, he said, has been the media’s siding with the homosexualist ideology. This has denied a voice to the majority of the public. While the media portrays the issue as one of human rights or equality, “for normal people, real people, life is very different. For them, their views are very different.” “If you look at public opinion, if you look at public discussion, then the opinion of tens of thousands of people is almost never represented. It’s just a handful of people who get to express their ideas. And thereby they [the media] develop a completely twisted understanding of public opinion.” The petition, however, has put the lie to the media myth, showing “the people in power,” as well as the public at large that there are “actually tens of thousands of people who value family … and who think that family and marriage may not be redefined.” Moreover, the movement to preserve the natural family in law comes from the real grassroots, Vooglaid said. Homosexual activists are supported by very few on the ground. These groups, he said, call themselves citizens’ organisations, NGOs, “but the reality is that almost nobody supports them. No simple people support them with small donations.” The most influential of the groups pushing for same-sex recognition in Estonia is the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association or ILGA, which is heavily supported by both the UN and the European Union. While ILGA Europe claims to be a grassroots NGO, they receive the bulk of their funding directly from grants from the European Commission. According to information IGLA made public, in 2012 they received a grant of €1,017,055 from the EU. The rest of their €1.95 million budget came from grants from the government of the Netherlands, George Soros’ Open Society Institute (OSI) and the Sigrid Rausing Trust, a UK organisation with similar goals. Vooglaid also pointed to the direct intervention of other western countries, saying that three days after the petition was delivered to Estonia’s parliament, the embassies of the US, Canada, Britain and Austria hung the facades of their buildings in the capital Tallinn with rainbow flags as a public signal of their support for the homosexual agenda. |
| The sound came from the dawning recognition of freedom. Lt. Col. Walter Fellenz of the US Seventh Army described the greeting from his point of view: Several hundred yards inside the main gate, we encountered the concentration enclosure, itself. There before us, behind an electrically charged, barbed wire fence, stood a mass of cheering, half-mad men, women and children, waving and shouting with happiness—their liberators had come! The noise was beyond comprehension! Every individual (over 32,000) who could utter a sound, was cheering. Our hearts wept as we saw the tears of happiness fall from their cheeks. Rahr’s account continues: Finally all 32,600 prisoners join in the cry as the first American soldiers appear just behind the wire fence of the camp. After a short while electric power is turned off, the gates open and the American G.I.’s make their entrance. As they stare wide-eyed at our lot, half-starved as we are and suffering from typhus and dysentery, they appear more like fifteen-year-old boys than battle-weary soldiers. . . . An international committee of prisoners is formed to take over the administration of the camp. Food from SS stores is put at the disposal of the camp kitchen. A US military unit also contributes some provision, thereby providing me with my first opportunity to taste American corn. By order of an American officer radio-receivers are confiscated from prominent Nazis in the town of Dachau and distributed to the various national groups of prisoners. The news comes in: Hitler has committed suicide, the Russians have taken Berlin, and German troops have surrendered in the South and in the North. But the fighting still rages in Austria and Czechoslovakia. . . . Naturally, I was ever cognizant of the fact that these momentous events were unfolding during Holy Week. But how could we mark it, other than through our silent, individual prayers? A fellow-prisoner and chief interpreter of the International Prisoner's Committee, Boris F., paid a visit to my typhus-infested barrack—“Block 27”—to inform me that efforts were underway in conjunction with the Yugoslav and Greek National Prisoner's Committees to arrange an Orthodox service for Easter day, May 6th. |
| In conclusion, the conference adopted the following resolution: We, the participants of the 13th All-Diaspora Russian Orthodox Youth Conference, consisting of 150 persons representing 11 nations of the world—Australia, Austria, Argentina, Belarus, Germany, Canada, Macedonia, Russia, the USA, Ukraine and Sweden, decreed: To recognize the success of the 13th Russian Orthodox Youth Conference and express gratitude for the blessing and prayers of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the organizers of the event: the Synodal Youth Department of ROCOR and its President, Metropolitan Hilarion, and its Vice President, Protopriest Andrei Sommer; Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America and the Youth Department of the Diocese of Western America and its President, Bishop Theodosius of Seattle; the Fund for Assistance to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia; the Russian and American benefactors and foundations for assisting in the preparation and operation of the conference. The conference considers its presented goals and challenges having been met, to wit: the exchange of experience of missionary and social work as an inseparable direction of church activity in the contemporary world, as well as the development of new, concrete ideas and projects to bring to life in the dioceses and parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church. The conference decided to create a database of projects produced by the forum for the strengthening and development of a single informational space of youth departments and social service departments with the aid of leading informational-communications technologies. The forum calls upon youth-based social organizations and networks to further seek and manifest new ideas and social projects of the Church in various nations, and under different conditions of existence. The participants of the conference recognized the need for close collaboration and the cultural interaction of Orthodox youth and called upon Orthodox youth organizations in Russia to establish active partnerships with youth organizations abroad. |
| Since the disappearance of the last Orthodox Empire, that of Russia in 1917, and of the last Catholic Empire, that of Austria in 1918 – the latter deliberately destroyed by anti-clerical France – the dream of a Christian politeuma has completely vanished. (It is true that a good number of the notions of John Paul II spring from an ‘imperial’ charisma, rather than from a ‘pontifical’ charisma, but that is another story.) This has accentuated the national character of the different Orthodox Churches. During the Second World War, they were at the side of their respective peoples. The Patriarch of Serbia was behind the 1941 plot to dismiss the Regent for having granted free passage to the German armies. He was sent to a concentration camp by the Nazis. In Russia, on news of the German attack, when Stalin floundered and an attitude of wait-and-see was growing in a good many quarters, it was the head of the Russian Church, the Metropolitan, and future Patriarch, Sergius, who called for national resistance. Subscriptions from the faithful enabled the Church to offer the State an armored column, which flew the flag of Holy Russia and bore the name of the victor of Kulikovo and friend of St. Sergius, Dimitry Donskoy. During the 900-day siege of Leningrad, the Church made a decisive contribution through prayer, exhortation and social assistance. But previously, unlike, for example, the Spanish Church, the Russian Church had refused to participate in civil war. Patriarch Tikhon did not give his blessing to the White armies. He himself offered the State the wealth of the Church to combat the famine, and he simply exhorted the faithful to nonviolent resistance; while Lenin, having refused his offer, ordered the confiscation even of the things needed for public worship. This was the time when Staretz Alexis Metchev opposed the calls for an anti-Bolshevik crusade made by some émigré bishops, and declared that a powerful spiritual renewal was the only way in which Russia would be able to overcome anti-theism. |
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