| Archive His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends greetings to Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, Mar Gewargis III Sliwa, on 5th anniversary of the beginning of his Primatial ministry 27 September 2020 year 12:00 His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sent a message of greetings to His Holiness Mar Gewargis III Sliwa on the occasion of the 5 th anniversary of his accession to the Throne of Primates of the Assyrian Church of the East. His Holiness Mar Gewargis III Sliwa, Catholicos-Patriarch Assyrian Church of the East Your Holiness: Please accept my cordial greetings with the 5 th anniversary of your accession to the See of Primates of the Assyrian Church of the East. The lofty ministry that you strive to carry out, “bearing fruit in every good work” (Col 1:10), has fallen on the years of various afflictions and ordeals in the life of the Assyrian people and Christian communities of the Middle East. Recently, additional difficulties have been caused by the coronavirus infection which has spread across the globe. It is gratifying that despite these doleful circumstances the friendly relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Assyrian Church of the East continue to develop, thanks, to a large extent, to the activities of the Commission for Bilateral Dialogue. I hope for further successful and fruitful cooperation. I would also like to assure you of the Moscow Patriarchate’s unwavering support for the Assyrian Christians who to this day have been suffering privations and oppression in their historical homeland. May the Merciful Saviour grant unto Your Holiness spiritual and bodily strength for many years, and send down peace and welfare upon the people of Iraq. With love in the Lord, +KIRILL PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive Patriarchal greeting to His Beatitude Mar Béchara Boutros Cardinal Raï with the 10th anniversary of enthronement 25 March 2021 year 10:00 His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Rus " congratulated His Beatitude Mar Béchara Boutros Cardinal Raï on the 10th anniversary of his accession to the See of Primates of the Maronite Church. HIS BEATITUDE BÉCHARA BOUTROS CARDINAL RAÏ MARONITE PATRIARCH OF ANTIOCH AND ALL THE EAST Your Beatitude, Please accept my sincere greetings with the 10th anniversary of your accession to the See of Primates of the Maronite Church. The Lord ordained that you were entrusted to take over Patriarchal ministry at a time of severe adversities and terrible ordeals for the land of Syria and Lebanon, exacerbated now by the baneful epidemic which has spread throughout the world. However, the past years have also become a time of strengthening your Church’s authority both in and far beyond the Middle East. In all the difficult circumstances of the present-day life you strive, in accordance with St Paul’s words, to abide in the same mind and the same judgment (1 Cor 1:10) with your flock, sharing in their afflictions and joys. I appreciate the constant attention that you devote to developing good relations with the Moscow Patriarchate. Recalling with warmth our meetings in Russia and Lebanon, I hope for continuation of our brotherly cooperation. I wish to Your Beatitude bodily strength, fortitude and God’s inexhaustible help in your lofty and responsible ministry. Many and good years to you. With love in the Lord, +KIRILL PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive Primates of the Church of Alexandria and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church perform the rite of great consecration of the reconstructed Cathedral of the Holy Transfiguration in Bolgrad 1 October 2018 year 20:43 On the 29 th of September 2018, His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa and His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, accompanied by Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Izmail and hierarchs of the Local Orthodox Churches and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, visited the city of Izmail and officiated at the All-Night Vigil in the Cathedral of the Protecting Veil of the Most Holy Theotokos, the UOC Department for Information and Education reports, citing the Press Service of the Odessa diocese. On the 30 th of September His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa and His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine performed the rite of great consecration of the Cathedral of the Holy Transfiguration in the city of Bolgrad, Ukraine. The church was reconstructed following the decades of devastation in the 20 th century. His Beatitude Patriarch Theodore and His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry officiated at the Divine Liturgy in the newly consecrated church in con-celebration with an assembly of hierarchs representing the Local Orthodox Churches. After the Liturgy Metropolitan Onufry warmly thanked the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria for offering prayers for the people of Ukraine. Patriarch Theodore addressed all those present with the words of support at a time of great ordeals which befell the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| Archive Пн Christmas Message by Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia 6 January 2022 year 08:00 Christmas Message by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to the archpastors, pastors, deacons, monastics and all the faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church. Beloved in the Lord archpastors, all-honourable presbyters and deacons, God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters, I extend my cordial greetings to all of you on the great Feast of the Nativity of Christ. On this radiant night the whole creation rejoices, for the Lord now draws nigh and comes, expectation of the nations and salvation of the world (Forefeast of the Nativity, Compline Canon). Living in hope for many years of the Saviour’s coming were people who after their expulsion from paradise had lost connection with their Creator and forgotten how joyful it was to sense the presence of God every single day, hear His voice close by, be able to address Him and immediately receive an answer, and know that they were perfectly safe – because the Lord was near them. This feeling of safety, protection and peace is what we lack for today, when the pernicious pestilence still exerts its effect on our life, when it is difficult to make prognoses and plans, when the uncertainty of the morrow keeps people on their toes and causes alarm. However, in these adverse circumstances we have experienced with particular acuteness the fragility of human life. We have realised that we should appreciate every new day as the greatest gift from God, that enforced solitude may become a heavy burden and that it is of utmost importance to be able to regularly communicate in person with our relatives and friends. Beholding now the Infant Christ lying in a manger, His Most Pure Mother and the Righteous Joseph the Betrothed, we become aware that only love for God and people can strengthen us in various ordeals, drive fear out of our hearts and give us strength to perform good works. For at one of the most important moments in her life, the Most Holy Theotokos also found herself in trying circumstances – in a strange town, at a deserted place, in a cave used for keeping cattle. However, the poor cave became a beautiful palace for Her (Forefeast of the Nativity, Troparion), because her heart was overfilled with love for her Son and God: this love transfigured everything around Her, and the Most Pure Virgin noticed neither inconveniences nor the abject poverty of the cave. Gratitude to the Maker and tenderness for the new-born Infant allowed her to disregard any difficulties and see the good Divine Providence in every circumstance sent down by the Lord. It stands in stark contrast to our attitude towards God-given trials, to how, for instance, during the lockdown many people even thought of their own home as prison, lost heart and was pessimistic about everything. |
| Archive Пн His Holiness Patriarch Kirill chairs Holy Synod’s first session in 2023 16 March 2023 year 12:17 On 16th March 2023, at the Patriarchal and Synodal Residence in St Daniel’s Monastery in Moscow, the Holy Synod began its session under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church greeted the Holy Synod members and delivered an opening speech, in which he said: “We have assembled for this regular session and I would like to note that it is the Holy Synod’s 80th meeting since my election to the Patriarchal throne. We can say that it is at least a round-number date, if not a jubilee. “I have just made a televised address and expressed my deepest concern over the latest developments in Kiev. The Kievan authorities, while declaring their commitment to following the European path of development and hence democracy and their respect for human rights and freedoms, are flagrantly violating these rights and freedoms, practically expelling the monastic community from the Kiev Caves Lavra. How is that not an offence to the very principle of human rights and freedoms? How is it then possible to trust the regime which, while claiming its adherence to the democratic way of development, at the same time outrageously violates these very rights and freedoms – in a manner they were not always infringed on even in the Soviet times? This ambiguity reveals some innermost conflict within the Ukrainian society, some ontological untruth. “We can only pray that the Lord give strength to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine to endure this new persecution, for there is no other name for what is going on. We all must stand in prayer together with them. We all must exert every effort, working in liaison with international organisations and all our partners to draw the attention to this dreadful outrage in the centre of Europe. Nothing good will come out of it! The entire Soviet Union with its atheistic might, with its determination to carry out anti-religious work tried to extirpate the Orthodox faith, to close monasteries. We know how it all ended – the atheistic authorities were gone and the Church survived. Why? Because the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Mt 16:18). From time to time the Lord allows ordeals and sorrows to befall every one of us – perhaps so that we may be fortified in our faith and our hope in God, be more fervent in prayer and sensitive as pastors in how we deal with the problems troubling our flock today. |
| Archive Пн His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: We pray and work to the end that the forces of evil may not shatter the unity of Orthodox Churches 2 December 2019 year 16:46 On 2 nd December 2019, during a brotherly repast following the Divine Liturgy celebrated at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia commented on the situation that had arisen in the world Orthodoxy after the recognition of the OCU non-canonical group by several Local Churches. “Certainly, in every epoch the Church endures sufferings and afflictions. And us, as well, the Lord did not keep out of afflictions which pertain, first and foremost, to what is going on in the world Orthodoxy. It is amazing how under the influence of external political factors our Orthodox brothers are embarking on a path of recognition of the schismatics – people who have no lawful ordination, who, in fact, are laymen calling themselves clergymen! It is especially dangerous and sad that the schismatics receive support not from some marginal groups, as was formerly the case, but from among the canonical Local Churches,” His Holiness Patriarch Kirill said “Nobody yet knows the aftermath of this situation,” His Holiness continued, “Of course, we pray and work in order that the forces of evil may not shatter the unity of Orthodox Churches, that the good and evil forces may not mix and turn into some amorphous mass, wherein it is already impossible to distinguish the good from the evil, the verity from a falsity, the canonical order from trampling on the canons. In other words, we have entered a very difficult period, and our success in going through these ordeals depends to a large extent on the inner state of our Church. The stronger our unity is – both in tackling the tasks of internal development and in conducting the dialogue with the world Orthodoxy – the more successful our actions will be. We will have to look into and make sense of the processes going on in the world Orthodoxy today, and I hope that in the nearest future the Bishops’ Council will clearly define our position in relation to the schisms and to those of our brothers who, regrettably, support these schisms.” |
| Archive Пн Paschal Message from Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia 15 April 2023 year 09:00 Paschal Message from Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Archpastors, Pastors, Deacons, Monastics and All Faithful Children of the Russian Orthodox Church. Beloved in the Lord archpastors, all-honourable presbyters and deacons, God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters, I address all of you, Orthodox Christians living in many countries of the world, who are now in churches or praying in your homes, to extend greetings to you on the great feast of Holy Pascha with my heart full of spiritual joy, and to proclaim victoriously in accord with the ancient tradition: CHRIST IS RISEN! It is in these very words that the Holy Church has been triumphantly proclaiming the glad tidings of the God-given salvation for two thousand years. In them is the fire of our faith, the strength of love, the foundation of hope, the cornerstone of the Church, the heart of the New Testament message to the world, the unfading light of enlightenment and the source of inspiration, the core of Christian life and our entire future. Whatever happens in our ever-changing, sometimes restless and conflict-torn world, whatever hardships and ordeals befall us, we know, believe and preach that the Paschal joy in the Risen Saviour remains unfailing and all-victorious. What is the meaning of this greatest Christian feast? In the name of what and why did the Son of God come down to earth, take the form of a servant (Phil 2:7), endure sufferings, being crucified on the cross, and rise from the dead? And what do we, people of the 21st century, have to do in order to become true partakers and heirs of Christ’s victory over death? The Church gives us answers to these questions, bearing witness that through the Son of God Who was incarnate of the Most Blessed Virgin hell is led captive, Adam is recalled from the dead, the curse is made void, Eve is set free, death is slain, and we are endowed with life (Sunday Theotokion, Stichera at the Praises, tone 2). Truly, the Lord quickens us by His love, delivers us from the fear of death and corruption, heals our spiritual and bodily infirmities, supports us in hardships and trials, comforts in afflictions and sorrows, and helps us follow the path of salvation leading to eternal life when God will wipe away every tear from [people’s] eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more (Rev 21:4). |
| – Are the Ukrainian authorities oppressing the Ukrainian Orthodox Church today? Can we speak of persecutions? – As of today, some 45 our church buildings have been seized and in a hundred and fifty cases there is still a conflict situation. When people are being driven out of their own churches, forced to find premises for celebrating divine services and praying, what is it if not a persecution? When every day the Ukrainian mass media throw tons of informational mud at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, discriminating against it and presenting the Church as an enemy, what is it if not a persecution? Persecutions have different forms; they do not only mean killings. – And in conclusion, what would you, dear Vladyka, like to say to the Orthodox Christians in Bulgaria? – I believe that the Lord allowed this ordeal to befall us so that we all may get stronger – we, Orthodox Christians in Ukraine, as well as Orthodox Christians all over the world. You in Bulgaria survived the schism, and to some extent the body of the Bulgarian Church still remembers and feels the pain of the schism. It seems to me that your people, who went through the tragedy of schism, feel the pain and are aware of the problems we are facing today. Therefore, we ask for your prayers and your support for our Church and wish you to be faithful to your Holy Bulgarian Church. And I ask you to pray for the unity of the whole world Orthodoxy. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 20 апреля 2024 г. (7 апреля ст.ст.) суббота Похвала Пресвятой Богородицы (Суббота Акафиста). Прп. Георгия исп., митр. Митиленского (после 820). Прп. Даниила Переяславского (1540). Мч. Каллиопия (304). Мчч. Руфина диакона, Акилины и с ними 200 воинов (ок. 310). Прп. Серапиона монаха. Сщмч. Аркадия Добронравова пресвитера (1933); прмц. Евдокии Павловой (1939). Литургия св. Иоанна Златоуста. Евр., 322 зач., IX, 24–28 . Мк., 35 зач., VIII, 27–31 . Богородицы: Евр., 320 зач., IX, 1–7 . Лк., 54 зач., X, 38–42 ; XI, 27–28 . Служба по Триоди. На утрене по 1-й и 2-й кафизмах и по 3-й и 6-й песнях канона поется Акафист Пресвятой Богородице. (Порядок пения Акафиста указан в Триоди.) Поется великое славословие. |
| As a rule, children attending the Sunday school are not only children from Russian families who have come to Singapore but also children from mixed families, who for whatever reason have decided to go to this school. What are their motives? How many children like these are there? Children from mixed families make up about a third of all the pupils at the school. Usually, parents, having come up against the realities of modern life, realise that neither the modern school nor they themselves are capable of protecting their children from moral decay and consumerism that has been imposed on society. By bringing up children in the customs and principles of Christian life, we are trying to help shelter them from numerous trials and ordeals that they will inevitably encounter in their future life. Your church is located quite far from the city centre. If a new church is built in a different part of the city, do you think it will affect your church-attendance figures in future? Building a church in another part of Singapore would push attendance figures up rather than down. There are quite a lot of Russians living in Singapore today and I am sure that both churches will be well attended. During the service at your church, the prayers are said in five languages: Russian, Greek, Chinese, Japanese, and English. Is there a similar tradition in other Russian churches abroad? The Lord " s Prayer is said in the languages of people who come to pray at the church. This tradition is observed by many Russian Orthodox Church parishes abroad. There are often 10-15 English speakers attending the Liturgy. To make them feel included, we read some of the litanies in English. Similarly, some of the parts of the service are sung in English. It helps us to constantly remember that the Church is universal and is not limited either by language or ethnicity. How often do Russian priests visit Singapore? Don " t you sometimes feel isolated? Bishop of Ussuriysk Sergiy visits Singapore several times a year. There are also several other visits every year. Our parish has a tradition of making a pilgrimage once a year. Our Singaporean parishioners have twice visited the Holy Land and Russia once. This year we are planning a pilgrimage to Ukraine. During our travels, we constantly feel the warmth and support of our fellow Orthodox believers. Everybody is always genuinely interested to meet a group of pilgrims from Singapore! Like on the latest trip, everybody was touched to see an Indian lady in the group of Russian Orthodox pilgrims. |
| A fter the death of Moses and the occupation of the Promised Land by the Jews, the prophecies about the Messiah disappear for many centuries. A new series of prophecies about the Messiah arise during the reign of David, a descendant of Abraham, Jacob and Judah, who ruled the Hebrew nation more than 1000 years BC. In these new prophecies the Kingly and Godly qualities of Christ are revealed. The Lord promises David through the lips of Nathan to establish an eternal Kingdom in the Personage of His Descendant: “I will establish his throne for ever. I will be his Father, and he shall be my Son” ( 1Chron. 17:12–13 ). This prophecy about the eternal Kingdom of the Messiah is paralleled by a series of prophecies, which should be discussed more thoroughly. In order to understand and to properly assess the meaning of these prophecies, it is necessary to at least briefly familiarize oneself with the life of King David. King David, having been anointed by God as a king and prophet, was the prototype of the Higher King and Prophet – Christ. David was the youngest son of the large family of the poor shepherd Jesse. When the God-sent prophet Samuel came to the house of Jesse, in order to anoint the king for Israel, the prophet thought to anoint one of the older sons. But the Lord revealed to the prophet that the younger son, still a young boy, David, is chosen by Him for this high service. Then, in obedience to God, Samuel pours the holy oil on the head of the youngest son, thus performing the anointment to the throne. From that moment, David became the Anointed of God, the messiah. But David did not immediately set about to actually govern. A long road of ordeals and unfair persecution lay before him, put forth by the then King Saul, who had a deep hatred of David. The reason for this hatred was jealousy, because as a boy David defeated the previously unbeaten Philistine giant Goliath with a small rock and thus gained victory for the Hebrew army. After this the people said: “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands” ( 1Sam. 18:7 ). Only his strong faith in God the Intercessor helped David endure all the many persecutions and dangers to which he was subjected by Saul and his servants in the course of almost 15 years. Often, when wandering for months in the wild and impassable desert, King David would pour out his grief to God in inspired psalms. With time, the psalms of David became an essential element and an embellishment of both the Old Testament, and later in the New Testament religious services. |
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