| Photo: the Greek Herald In an atmosphere of contrition but also with double joy, the great feast of Pentecost was celebrated on Sunday, June 7, at the Parish of the Resurrection of Christ in Kogarah, Sydney. Scores of faithful gathered in church, in accordance with the current regulations regarding the coronavirus pandemic, in order to celebrate the great feast of our Lord with His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia but also to welcome with much enthusiasm their new parish priest, Father Kyriakos Stavronikitianos. His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, with the Chancellor of our Holy Archdiocese, Bishop Emilianos of Meloa, the Very Rev. Fr Kyriakos, the Very Rev. Fr Christodoulos as well as other priests who were present, officiated during Matins and presided at the festal Divine Liturgy before continuing with Vespers for the Holy Spirit, where the set prayers for the kneeling service were recited. At the end of the service, His Eminence spoke appropriately on the great feast of Pentecost and urged the faithful to “put the Holy Trinity in our life.” “Today’s feast is a challenge for us,” he stressed and explained that the challenge has to do with “learning to pray to the Holy Trinity.” “We must pray to the saints, and pray to Panagia. But, above all, we must pray to the Holy Trinity because the Holy Trinity is our God.” Following this, His Eminence welcomed Fr Kyriakos with warm sentiments and spoke about a most praise-worthy clergyman who is a spiritually cultivated person. He declared that he is certain Fr Kyriakos will commendably continue the work of the previous parish priest, Fr Sophrony Konidaris whom, he said, worked with a great deal of zeal. “Fr Kyriakos will continue this and increase it and he will give his own witness,” His Eminence pointed out while inviting the faithful to embrace him, to support him, to show him their love, their dedication, and their obedience so that united they may move forward and progress. Finally, His Eminence referred to the worthy people who contributed over time to the progress of the parish, making personal references to the pioneer and the parish priest for many years, Fr John Varvaris, and to the President of the Parish Community, Mr Nicholas Varvaris, who both were present in church. |
| Homily on the 32nd Sunday after Pentecost. On Zacchaeus St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost (Lk. 19:10) The Apostle Zacchaeus. Beloved brethren! These merciful words that we hear today in the Gospel are spoken by God become man about the sinner whom God’s righteous judgment had pronounced lost, but who was sought out by the power and grace of redemption, and numbered by it among the saved. The sinner, Zacchaeus, was a publican with seniority over other publicans. He possessed significant wealth, as the Gospels relate, hinting about the way he obtained that wealth. “Publicans” were what they called tax collectors. It was tempting money! The sparkle of gold and silver charms the eyes of Adam’s descendants infected with sinfulness, and where money passes from hand to hand, abuse almost inevitably creeps in. Publicans were for the most part prone to extortion. When extortion becomes a passion it allows itself all manner of coercion and oppression against one’s neighbor. Then the passion of deceit and hypocrisy comes to the aid of the passion of extortion. From this combination comes the tendency towards captiousness, latching onto every trifle under the pretext of relentlessly fulfilling the laws, inventing guilt for the guiltless, exerting every effort to create an appearance of justness to conceal this inhuman oppression and cruelty against one’s neighbors. Because of this behavior publicans were horrible to the people, and held in contempt by moral people. Zacchaeus was a chief publican; his abuses were greater than those of his underlings. There is a reason why the Gospels point out that he was rich! He became rich unrighteously—his sin was extortion. His soul’s illness was filthy lucre and the mercilessness and lack of compassion that comes from it. Because of his serious sins and criminal disposition of soul, Zacchaeus was called “lost”. Not people’s light-minded, often mistaken condemnation called him lost—God Himself pronounced this judgment upon him. Zacchaeus had become a hardened sinner; in order to amass wealth through abuses one has to do so persistently and for a long time. |
| Metropolitan Hilarion of Volkolamsk: Reading of the Psalms for a Christian is a talk with God Source: DECR " I would like us to read the Psalter every day: if not one cathisma a day, then at least one psalm a day, looking into every word. The reading of the Psalter gives great comfort and helps us in our earthly life and on our way to salvation.” Natalya Mihailova 29 July 2014 On 27 July 2014, 7th Sunday after Pentecost, the commemoration day of the Holy Fathers of the Six Ecumenical Councils, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, rector of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute for Post-Graduate Studies, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the “Joy to All the Afflicted” Icon of the Mother of God in Bolshaya Ordynka Street in Moscow. Concelebrating with him were Metropolitan Zinovy of Saransk and Mordovia, Archbishop Mikhail of Geneva and Western Europe (Russian Church Abroad), and clerics of the church. On 27 July 2014, 7 th Sunday after Pentecost, the commemoration day of the Holy Fathers of the Six Ecumenical Councils, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, rector of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute for Post-Graduate Studies, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the “Joy to All the Afflicted” Icon of the Mother of God in Bolshaya Ordynka Street in Moscow. Concelebrating with him were Metropolitan Zinovy of Saransk and Mordovia, Archbishop Mikhail of Geneva and Western Europe (Russian Church Abroad), and clerics of the church. During the Liturgy, Metropolitan Hilarion said a prayer for peace in Ukraine. After the service, the DECR chairman greeted Metropolitan Zinovy and Archbishop Mikhail, who had arrived in Moscow to take part in a session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church and in the celebrations on the commemoration day of the Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles. After greeting the hierarchs, Metropolitan Hilarion addressed the worshippers with a homily, saying in particular: |
| All-night vigil at Sihla Monastery marking Saint Theodora’s 30th canonization anniversary Source: Basilica.ro Photography courtesy of Facebook/Leonard Dumitru Militaru An all-night vigil was held at Sihla Monastery to mark three decades since the canonization of Saint Theodora of Sihla on June 20. The monastery is located near the cell where the venerable woman lived in fasting, prayer and asceticism. The feast of Saint Theodora of Sihla is celebrated in the Romanian Orthodox Church on August 7, after the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. To mark the 30th anniversary of the canonization of St. Theodora, an all-night vigil service was held at Sihla Monastery on Monday, 20 June 2022. Photo: Fr. Leonard Dumitru Militaru The resolution to canonize Saint Theodora was approved by the Holy Synod on June 20, 1992, and made public by the Synodal Decree of June 21, 1992, which generalized the veneration throughout the Romanian Patriarchate of 62 Romanian saints or other saints who laboured in Romania. By the same Decree, the Sunday of the Romanian Saints was established, celebrated on the second Sunday after the Descent of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). Photo: Fr. Leonard Dumitru Militaru The beginnings of the Sihla hermitage are lost in the mists of history before the year 1200. The first written mention of the Sihla hermitage dates from 1326. The Sihla Skete was founded in 1731. The main church, dedicated to the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, was built of wood in 1741 by the Cantacuzino family. Photo: Fr. Leonard Dumitru Militaru The present appearance of the church of Sihla Monastery dates back to 1813, when Archimandrite Benedict, abbot of Neamt and Secu Monasteries, renovated it. The monastery’s hillside church, called “The church of a fir tree”, is dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Lord and was built in 1763 by Ionita Cantacuzino Pascanul in memory of his friend, Ioan Coroi, who died hunting deer in the ravine in the area, which today bears his name. Photo: Fr. Leonard Dumitru Militaru |
| Prayer for Peace on June 8th: Bartholomew will be there too Source: Vatican Insider The Ecumenical Patriarch has accepted the invitation extended by Pope Francis and will be in the Vatican with Presidents Mahmoud Abbas and Shimon Peres. Natalya Mihailova 04 June 2014 At the encounter to pray for peace in the Holy Land, called by Pope Francis at the Vatican on Sunday, June 8th there will be also the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew. Vatican Insider received this confirmation from authoritative sources of the patriarchy. The decision will be made official most likely tomorrow, after the meeting of the synod during which the patriarch will present the initiative. It was Pope Francis who invited Bartholomew during the meeting held at the Greek-orthodox Patriarchate on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. The patriarch of Constantinople had accepted the invitation, though reserving the right to respond. The presence of the Successor of the Apostle next to the Successor of the Apostle Peter, on the occasion of the arrival of the Israeli and Palestinian presidents at the Vatican, is an important sign of the commitment of Christians for Peace in the Holy Land. It testifies that the “Sister” Churches intend to continue along this path undertaken in Jerusalem. As we recall, the meeting to pray for peace, in the initial intention of Francis, was to be held during the three-day pilgrimage, but political and organizational problems prevented it. For this Sunday, May 25 th , from Bethlehem, the Pope announced the initiative after obtaining the approval of Abu Mazen and Shimon Peres. Even Bartholomew, during his stay in Israel and Palestine met the two presidents who will be in the Pope’s home on the day of Pentecost. Francis explained that this is not a diplomatic initiative or mediation, but only a prayer for peace. Tweet Donate Share Code for blog Prayer for Peace on June 8th: Bartholomew will be there too Natalya Mihailova The Ecumenical Patriarch has accepted the invitation extended by Pope Francis and will be in the Vatican with Presidents Mahmoud Abbas and Shimon Peres |
| The Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery/Православие.Ru The Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery On the Sunday of the Synaxis of all the Saints of the Pskov-Caves Monastery Today, the fourth Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate the memory of all the saints of the Pskov-Caves Monastery in Pechory, Pskov Province, Russia. This monastery became especially important to the Russian Orthodox people during Communist times, because it was the only men's monastery in Russia that was never closed by the atheist regime, becoming an oasis of Orthodox life in a socialist desert. The Holy Dormition Pskovo-Pechersky (Pskov-Caves) monastery is located on the historically Russian land, 50 kilometers to the west of the city of Pskov, near the very border of Estonia and 340 kilometers from St. Petersburg. The date of the monastery's foundation is considered to be August, 15/28,1473. It was on that day that the monastery's founder, St. Jonah (Shesnik) consecrated the church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God—a church which was built into the hillside. But the monastic life had actually begun there much earlier, when a few hermits, seeking solitude, came to live in the caves. The holy relics of one of them, St. Mark the desert-dweller, still rest in the caves and many people come to venerate them. The monastery's chronicle relates that " the Most Pure Virgin herself chose this site in the valley of the Kamenets spring, blessed it, exalted it through her chosen people and has been protecting it ever since. Five centuries have passed, and the monastery has seen both glory and tragedy, but never have the holy lampadas gone out, nor prayer ceased in this blessed place. The monastery gradually grew in size and reputation. The 16th century was the time of its flourishing, when under Abbot Cornelius the Annunciation and St. Nicholas Churches were erected as well as the stone belfry and the monastery was fortified around by a stone wall with bastions, and the brethren numbered up to 200. Abbot Cornelius collected a rich library, established chronicling and founded an icon-painting workshop. The monastery became an important missionary center and stronghold of Orthodoxy on the western border of Russia. Tradition has it that, slandered by envious people, Abbot Cornelius was beheaded by Tsar Ivan the Terrible on the 20th of February, 1570 and now numbers among the hosts of holy martyrs. |
| Archive Enthronement of Primate of the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox Church takes place 22 October 2023 year 16:50 On 22nd November 2023 on the twentieth Sunday after Pentecost the enthronement took place in the Resurrection Cathedral of Tokyo of the newly-elected Primate of the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox Church the Archbishop of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan Seraphim. With the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill in his capacity as representative of the Russian Orthodox Church, which granted in 1970 granted autonomy to the Japanese Church, the festivities were attended by the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations the metropolitan of Volokolamsk Anthony. Concelebrating at the divine liturgy with metropolitan Seraphim and metropolitan Anthony were clerics who had come to Tokyo from all of the parishes in Japan. Among those praying in the cathedral were the temporary representative of Russia in Japan Gennady Ovechko, as well as numerous guests and parishioners. The service was conducted in Japanese, Church Slavonic and English. At the Little Entrance the chancellor of the Japanese Orthodox Church archpriest Mark Koike read aloud the resolution of the Council of the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox Church of 28th September 2023 on the election of the archbishop of Sendai Seraphim as Archbishop of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan. Metropolitan Anthony read aloud the decree of His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill on the canonical confirmation of the election. After the singing of the Trisagion metropolitan Anthony made the following proclamation: “May the grace divine, which always heals that which is infirm and completes that which is wanting and which forever guides the providential ways of his Holy Orthodox Churches, place upon the throne of the holy hierarch of Japan Nicholas our father Seraphim, the Most Eminent Archbishop of the God-saved city of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” |
| Archive Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk leads celebration of the 300th anniversary of Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary 5 July 2021 year 12:48 On 4 th July 2021, the 2 nd Sunday after Pentecost and the Sunday of All Saints Who Shown Forth in the Land of Russia, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Nizhny Novgorod to mark the 300th anniversary of the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary. Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, officiated in concelebration with Metropolitan Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas, Metropolitan Zinovy of Saransk and Mordovia, six bishops, and many clerics, including the ordained graduates of the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary. Attending the service were many officials of the Nizhny Novgorod region; a delegation from the Republic of Srpska; hegumeness Filareta (Gazhu), mother superior of the Convent of the Elevation of the Cross; hegumeness Gavriila (Sukhanova), mother superior of the Convent of the Intercession in the village of Lukino; lecturers, graduates and students of the seminary and of the ‘Pokrov’ education centre named after Metropolitan Nikolai (Kutepov). Liturgical hymns were sung by the choir of the Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky, choir of the Nizhny Novgorod seminary, choir of the ‘Pokrov’ centre, and choir “Unity’ from the Republic of Srpska. Requiem litany was said for the late lecturers of the seminary during the Liturgy, after which the graduates of the seminary and of the ‘Pokrov’ centre greeted the archpastors and other concelebrants and expressed their gratitude for the celebration. Metropolitan Georgy thanked the archpastors for common prayers and congratulated all those present on the 300th anniversary of the theological school, mentioning that many graduates have left their mark in the life of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese and of the Russian Orthodox Church as a whole. He said: ‘The troubled years had not spared our theological school, but it revived thirty years ago and since then has educated over one thousand pastors now serving in fifty-six regions of our country. The Church places special emphasis on the education and training of pastors.” |
| It would be good for the faithful everywhere to know the saints from all places‚ because each saints brings through his deeds in other circumstances a model of deeds for any circumstances in their lives. Romanian Christianity has given fruit to many and wonderful saints‚ even though‚the humility characteristic to our nation‚ or other unfavorable historical circumstances in which they lived in‚ have not allowed our Church to canonize but a very few of them and only in 1955. The Romanian saints were real and they have been recognized by popular piety‚even though the Church has not formally canonized them and has not dedicated them certain calendar days; this is why their deeds have not been praised through special church hymns. Actually‚ for the longest time‚ the saints have been revealed through the praise they gained through popular piety. Only in the later times the Church has started formal canonizations of the later saints‚ confirming their veneration by large circles of the faithful […] All saints‚ with the exception of the apostles and missionaries‚ have gained this quality by working for the faithful or becoming remarkable through their pure and sacrificial lives among the faithful of a special place or country. Their veneration started even during their lives‚ or after their death‚ among the faithful of that place‚ has extended step by step beyond those borders. The local saints became in this way universal saints. But they reached this veneration for their purity attained in a certain place‚ or for their martyrdom‚or for their deeds towards the true faith confessed everywhere‚ so now they can be imitated by the faithful of any place. They have applied the teachings of the true universal faith in a certain place or country. They have served and demonstrated the universal faith in the place they have lived in. In this way‚ all saints are local saints because they contend in a certain place‚but they are universal for the universal faith they serve in that specific place. From this point of view there are no local or universal saints. All are local for the people from a certain place‚ which they serve during their lives‚ through their deeds and example‚ but all are universal because this example is available for the faithful everywhere and contributes to the unity of all that want to know them. All are filled by the same Christ that shines through their beings and all are the bearers of the same Holy Spirit‚ even though the Holy Spirit That communicated to them was shared to others in a different language. They all belong‚ through the Same Spirit‚ to the Universal Church‚ started at Pentecost and continued through the centuries‚ involving different nations (Acts 2:3). Their languages May be different‚ but their souls are filled by the Same Spirit and they feel the Same Christ. |
| Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk Makes a Working Visit to Paris Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Photo: mospat.ru On June 30, 2022, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, arrived in Paris, France, on a working visit, reports the website of the DECR. On July 3, 2022, the 3d Sunday after Pentecost, Metropolitan Anthony and Archbishop Nestor of Madrid and Lisbon, acting administrator of the Diocese of Chersonesus, officiated a Divine Liturgy at the Holy Trinity Cathedral Church on Brainly Embankment in Paris. The liturgy was celebrated in Church Slavonic and French with a great gathering of the faithful, the website of the Diocese of Chersonesus reports . After the service, Metropolitan Anthony greeted those present. He thanked Archbishop Nestor for the warm welcome and expressed his gratitude to the clergy and laity of the diocese for the joy of praying together. In his response, Archbishop Nestor congratulated Metropolitan Anthony, who was appointed the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations in June, on the high duty and the special confidence shown by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church and wished him God’s help in his work as the chairman of the DECR. The archbishop presented Metropolitan Anthony with an Icon of Sts Sergius and Herman of Valaam. On June 4, 2022, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, at the conclusion of his working trip to France, met with the Apostolic Nuncio to France, Archbishop Celestino Migliore. Photo: mospat.ru On the occasion of the high-ranking guest’s visit to the representation of the Holy See in Paris, a dinner was given, during which the interlocutors, who have maintained good personal relations since Archbishop Migliore’s diplomatic service in Russia, discussed a wide range of issues concerning, among other things, the relationships between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. |
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