| Archive Metropolitan Hilarion meets with Chairman of Slovenia-Russia Friendship Association 13 March 2019 year 17:15 On March 13, 2019, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), met with Chairman of Slovenia-Russia Friendship Association and the first ambassador of Slovenia to the Russian Federation Saša Gerina. The Slovenian guest was accompanied by Mr. Branko Rakovec, Slovenia’s Ambassador to Russia, and Mr. Urban Ocvirk, and assistant to chairman of the Slovenia-Russian Association. The meeting took place at the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute of Post-Graduate Studies (CMI). Taking part in the meeting were also Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for the far abroad, and Hieromonk Kirill (Peregudin), DECR secretariat for the far abroad. Metropolitan Hilarion warmly welcomed the guests to the CMI. He noted the fruitful cooperation between the Slovenian Embassy in Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church, which has actively developed in recent years, and wished success to the recently appointed ambassador in his new place of service. During the talk, which was held in a friendly atmosphere, they discussed the development of interaction between the Moscow Patriarchate and Slovenia in the religious and cultural spheres and prospects for inter-Christian relations with the Catholic Church of Slovenia. Special attention was given to the preparation of an annual memorial ceremony to take place on the Vrsic Pass in the end of July, which will be timed to the 103d anniversary of the foundation of the Chapel of the Holy Prince Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles built in memory of the Russian soldiers who died there during World War I. Mr. Gerina conveyed an official invitation to representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church to come for the commemoration. In conclusion of the meeting, Metropolitan Hilarion presented the guests with copies of his book Patriarch Kirill published in the Lives of Remarkable People book series. |
| Is any of this, the strength of the patriarchate, a source of tension with the Israeli government today? Jerusalem is [at] the heart of the political developments here, so it is natural that the patriarchate is part and parcel of the political conflict and interests. But the mission of the patriarchate remains spiritual and religious. Unlike the other Christian churches here — and they do have a lot of properties as well — the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate is the only church institution that is independent, autonomous and autocephalous. This means the properties of the patriarchate are properties of the country here, the land here — they belong here. As for the properties belonging to the other churches, for example, those belonging to the Roman Catholic Church or to the Russian Church, these are state properties. They do not belong here to the locality, but to the respective states. Some time ago, if you visited Notre Dame you could see written [there] “Vatican Property.” The same happened recently, the Russians asked for some properties to be restored and returned to their proper owners. But who is dealing with the state about these properties, or with the Palestinian Authority? It is the state, not the church. The other thing is that all the other churches have their point of reference far away from Jerusalem. The appointments of the leaders of the other Christian churches and institutions are coming from abroad, from outside — not from within. So you understand the importance of the patriarchate; it is a local institution. How is the relationship now between Jordan, Palestine and Israel, the states within the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem? The relationship today is excellent. After the crisis that the patriarchate passed through, and [when] I assumed my responsibilities as the head of the church here, of course there were all sorts of problems, difficulties and misunderstandings. But eventually everybody realized that my task is to give what is due unto God and what is due unto Caesar. |
| About Pages Проекты «Правмира» Raising Orthodox Children to Orthodox Adulthood The Daily Website on How to be an Orthodox Christian Today Twitter Telegram Parler RSS Donate Are You a True Christian? Navigation Metropolitan German meets with participants of the 8th International Conference “Concord of Orthodox Youth” Source: ROCOR Natalya Mihailova 23 July 2015 On July 14, 2015, the Korennaya Pilgrim’s Center next to the Kursk-Root Hermitage of the Mother of God in Kursk, Russia, hosted the opening of the 8 th International Conference “Concord of Orthodox Youth,” which this year marks the 1000th anniversary of the repose of Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles, the Baptizer of Rus, and the 70th anniversary of Victory of the Great War of the Fatherland. Photo: http://synod.com/ For the 8th time, the ancient land of Kursk is hosting participants of this conference. Over a thousand young people from many nations of the near and far abroad participated, meeting with other Orthodox youth, strengthen their multi-faceted collaboration and spiritual communion. This year, over seventy participants from 12 nations gathered in the land of Kursk to demonstrate their unity on the basis of traditional spiritual valutes. The conference opened by tradition at Korennaya Hall, where the delegates gathered to meet with the Head of the Kursk Diocese, His Eminence Metropolitan German of Kursk and Rylsk, who warmly greeted the youth, telling them about the history and activities of his diocese, then answered questions. “It is especially difficult for young people today, as they seek spiritual foundations and the meaning of life. It is for this reason that such initiatives, such as this one in the land of Kursk, are so important,” said Metropolitan German. The youth were able to discuss real questions in the development of Orthodox youth groups. The archpastor wished the youth success and fruitful work, and heartfelt Christian communion. A flag with the emblem of the international conference was then raised up, followed by a procession of the cross with a copy of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign.” At the gates of the monastery, they were greeted by Abbot Seraphim and his monks. Metropolitan German then performed a service of supplication “to the beginning of a good work” in the main Monastery Church of the Nativity of the Mother of God, and spoke to the youth about the history of the monastery. Vladyka German then took the youth on a small excursion through the monastery, talking about the reestablishment of this holy site, after which he gave them his archpastoral blessing. |
| The situation in London was rather unique. As far back as the early eighteenth century, Orthodox services had been served in London, when an embassy church was instituted, which had a long and colorful history. The advent of Soviet power changed all this, as it did everywhere in the world where there were Russian churches. With no more government support, the faithful had to become responsible for their own parish churches. In 1919, the parish of the Dormition of the Mother of God was established, with nearly 400 members. This parish was not only comprised of Russian emigres – quite a few were British, descendants of mixed marriages, those who had lived in Russia and returned home to England with wives and children. (By law, all children of mixed marriages in Russia were to be raised in the Orthodox Faith.) Beginning in 1921, services were held in the former Anglican church of Saint Philip the Apostle. The Church had been consecrated in the name of the Dormition, but, was known familiarly as “Apostle Philip’s.” By 1926, Archbishop Seraphim (Lukianov) was the Rector of the parish. Archbishop Seraphim had been appointed as ruling bishop of the Diocese of Finland in 1917. A brief Civil War in Finland brought about the triumph of the “Whites,” and a Finnish republic was proclaimed. A period of severe Russophobia set in; the Church in Finland was given autonomous status by Patriarch Tikhon in 1921, but this was not acceptable to the Finns. They arranged autonomous status from the Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1923. Immediately, not only the new calendar, but also the western Paschalion was established. In 1924, the Patriarchate of Constantinople retired Archbishop Seraphim to the Konevitsa Monastery. He arrived in Western Europe in 1926, and agreed to serve as Metropolitan Evlogy’s Vicar in London. As a result of Metropolitan Evlogys’s schism, Archbishop Seraphim was appointed to head the Church Abroad’s Western European Diocese, and he moved to Paris. The Dormition parish in London was divided nearly down the middle, much along political lines: monarchists adhered to the Church Abroad (also called the “foreign” Church) and “liberals” adhered to the “Evlogian” church, as they called it (the parishioners themselves did not refer to “the Patriarchal Church,” although it was under the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate). Since some “political differences” existed within families, this also somewhat softened this division. The two groups agreed to use the church on alternate weeks. Archimandrite Nikolai (Karpov) was appointed in 1928 to serve for the Church Abroad faction. |
| After the Council closed, Bishop Nestor made his way with the utmost difficulty—through Kiev, Odessa, the Crimea, Turkey, Syria, Egypt, India, and China—to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, where he continued his episcopal service. Soon, however, the Bolsheviks banished him from Kamchatka. Finding himself in forced emigration in Harbin, Manchuria, Bishop Nestor was deeply distressed by his separation from his beloved homeland, but he did not fall into despondency. With redoubled energy he continued his pastoral, ascetic, compassionate, social activities and soon became one of the accepted spiritual leaders of the far-eastern branch of the Russian emigration. In 1921, Bishop Nestor founded the Harbin Kamchatka podvorye, (representation), and later the House of Mercy and Industry, thanks to which the lives were saved of thousands of adults and children swept into the maelstrom of civil war. Through the bishop’s efforts, a church and memorial chapel dedicated to the Royal Martyrs were built on the territory of the House of Mercy. Despite the confusion inherent in Church life of the 1920s–30s, both in the homeland and the Russian diaspora, Bishop Nestor consistently stood for the idea of unity with the suffering Mother Church. During this period, he visited a number of countries in Europe and Asia, met with hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, representatives of various Local Orthodox Churches, and many distinguished figures of the Russian emigration. He also made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. In 1938–39, Bishop Nestor performed missionary work in India and Ceylon (Sri-Lanka). Archbishop Nestor of Kamchatka. Photo 1940. In 1933, he was raised to the rank on Archbishop, and in 1941 he was granted the right to wear a cross on his klobuk. Bishop Nestor was never deceived about the nature of the Bolshevik regime in Russia. He clearly exposed its anti-theist nature in October 1917, having observed the tragic events surrounding the storm of the Moscow Kremlin by the Bolsheviks. His active participation in many events of the civil war in the Ukraine, the Crimea, Siberia, and the Far East also left no doubt in his mind. Ever consistent in his views, Bishop Nestor always openly expressed his negative attitude toward the Bolshevik regime, both in his speech and in his many books, brochures, and articles. A conviction that the anti-theistic government would inevitably fall never left Bishop Nestor to the end of his days. |
| Coronado: Russian Orthodox Mission in Costa Rica celebrates 20th Anniversary November 21, 2014 The clergy and faithful of Costa Rica recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the parish of Our Lady of Vladimir Church. On Wednesday, November 5, the church’s current rector, Archpriest Serge Lukianov, arrived in Coronado. Two days later, Archpriest Daniel McKenzie arrived in the Costa Rican capital of San José, not far from the city the church calls home. Fr. Daniel was the first priest of the parish, and he and Fr. Serge quickly went to work helping with the final preparations for the blessing of the cupolas and the celebration of the parish’s anniversary. The history of the Russian Orthodox mission in Costa Rica under the jurisdiction of the Russian Church Abroad began 20 years ago, when Fr. Daniel traveled to Costa Rica in 1994 at the request of warden Nicholas I. Zakharov, and celebrated the first Divine Liturgy there. At that time, there was no church yet, and services had to be held in private homes. Despite its distance from the Orthodox world, priests serving in the surrounding areas were able to find the time and strength to spiritually nourish the parishioners in Costa Rica, instructing them with wise counsel and protecting the faithful and the parish as a whole from temptations and dangers, supporting their efforts through prayers and words of comfort and encouragement. Even during his first visits, Fr. Daniel instilled in the people the hope to obtain land and build a Russian Orthodox church. Five years ago, construction began on the church. Soon the Lord sent parishioners a new priest – Fr. Rodion Aragon, an assistant to Fr. Daniel, who had enrolled in Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville. His Matushka Elena did all that she could to help support the labors of her husband and the mission: she sang and read on the kliros, baked prosphora, became involved in the process of obtaining and preparing land for the church, and rallied the faithful around these good works unto the glory of God. But their family and community were struck by a great trial – the sickness and repose of Priest Rodion. In those difficult days, the clergy and faithful of the Eastern American Diocese prayerfully supported the family and parish. Appointed rector, Fr. Serge would divide his time between his responsibilities as secretary of the Eastern American Diocese and his work in the Coronado parish: he would come to spiritually nourish the parishioners – confessing, baptizing, wedding, bringing back to God’s church those who had left over some or another misunderstanding, gathering funds to benefit the mission, negotiating with benevolent organizations, and bringing liturgical vessels for the mission. One year ago, the Lord sent parishioners a kind-hearted laborer from the Antiochian Orthodox Church – local priest Ignacio Miranda, who currently nourishes primarily Spanish-speaking parishioners. |
| With the blessings of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, St. Michael the Archangel Orthodox Mission in Pakistan and the parishioners of Saint Sergius of Radonezh Orthodox Church Sargodha Pakistan on November 01, 2015, celebrated the feast of our righteous father John of Kronstadt. Righteous father John had the greatest gift of prayer , and so the solemn celebrations were begun with prayers to Saint John of Kronstadt. The prayers were taken from the spiritual diary of Saint John of Kronstadt, My Life in Christ . The following prayers were translated by Fr. Joseph Farooq and recited along with the faithful: Other prayers were also said for the health and many good years of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia, and His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. Divine Liturgy: After this prayerful session the Divine Liturgy was celebrated for the Orthodox faithful in Pakistan. We commemorated the dead who have lost their precious lives in the Egypt plane crash on October 31. The sudden crash of the Russian airline in Egypt on Saturday with 224 people on board killed, including children, May God receive their souls into His heavenly kingdom, forgiving them all their sins for His love for mankind. May the Divine Mercy of our Lord and God comfort the grieved families. May their Memory be eternal! Sermon: After the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Joseph Farooq preached to the faithful about the life and miracles of St. John of Kronstadt . The following key points were preached in the sermon: The Life of Saint John of Kronstadt and his services in the St. Andrew Cathedral in the city of Kronstadt, which is near St. Petersburg. Miracles of John of Kronstadt: St. John of Kronstadt Fr. Joseph Farooq told the faithful that there were many miracles performed by St. John of Kronstadt, especially the healing of the sick, and these miracles were witnessed by thousands of individuals around the world. The gift of miracle-working made St. John renowned far beyond the boundaries of Russia. Thousands of people from all ends of Russia daily arrived in Kronstadt, seeking help from St. John; he received an even greater number of letters and telegrams. Further Fr. Joseph Farooq told the Orthodox faithful in Pakistan that, “ Our great wonderworker, righteous father John of Kronstadt filled the whole world with his miracles, like Saint Nicholas. |
| ‘An Extraordinary Experience of Holiness’: Pilgrimage Through Orthodox Ireland Successfully Concludes Source: Orthodox Europe The castle and church atop the ancient Rock of Cashel. Photo: orthodox-europe.org The first pilgrimage through Ireland organised within the Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe concluded successfully on Sunday, bringing to a close a full week of prayerful visits to sites associated with the numerous Orthodox Saints who have shone forth on the island of Ireland. Organised by the Mission Parish of St John the Wonderworker in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the pilgrimage was well-subscribed despite the instability of international travels, with over twenty participants from various parts of the world, including Europe, the UK, the United States of America and the Russian Federation. The pilgrimage was pleased to welcome participants not only from the Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe, but also the German Diocese and American Dioceses of the Russian Church Abroad, as well as various dioceses of the Moscow Patriarchate in Europe, and the Orthodox Church in America. After commencing with Confession and the Divine Liturgy in the parish of St Colman in Stradbally last Sunday, on the summer feastday of St Seraphim of Sarov, the pilgrimage group set out by coach for the first of its visits – to Glandalough and various holy sites associated with St Kevin, the great ascetic and monastic founder, including the ‘monastic city’ of Glandalough and the near and far lakes where the saint practiced his asceticism. His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe joined the pilgrims, together with clergymen who were themselves pilgrims – Archpriest Michael Carney and Priest Patrick Burns – and spoke to the participants about the saints they were encountering and the sites on which they would set foot, as well as leading the group in various Divine Services and prayers at each. Following Glandalough, the southern-most holy well of St Patrick, the Apostle to Ireland, was visited and the Blessing of Waters performed there – participated in both by pilgrimage participants as well as local residents who came out to take part. The pilgrims then travelled to Ardmore, where the great St Declan founded his monastery, praying for the repose of their departed loved ones in its remains and before the site of the saint’s original grave – as well as visiting his far hermitage and holy well. At the remote lake hermitage of St Finbarr, the pilgrims again blessed the waters of a holy well and served a moleben upon the ruins of the saint’s cell – a prayerful pattern then repeated in the monastery of St Finian on Inishfallen Island, to which the pilgrims voyaged by way of a short boat journey. |
| Archive Пн DECR chairman presided over the round-table conference on cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and compatriots residing in Latin American countries 9 February 2023 year 12:12 On February 7-8, 2023, a round-table conference took place on ‘The Russian Orthodox Church and compatriots: the experience of cooperation in Latin American countries’. With a blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, it was presided over by the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk. The Moscow church delegation also included Archpriest Nikolay Lishchenyuk, DECR vice-chairman; Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for the affairs of the diaspora, and Rev. Alexander Yershov, assistant to the DECR chairman. The forum was organized jointly by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation with the support of the Foundation ‘Russkiy Mir’ (Russian World). Similar conferences have been held since 2009, bringing together clergy and representatives of compatriots’ organizations in various regions of the world. Earlier, such meetings took place in Brussels, Buenos-Aires, Beijing, San Francisco, Johannesburg, Rome, Berlin, Rabat, Seoul, and Budapest. The roundtable in Buenos Aires brought together clergy and laity of the Russian Orthodox Church, representatives of the Russian diaspora in Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Peru and Chile. Before the beginning of the meeting, Metropolitan Anthony and Bishop Leonid of Argentina and South America held a service for the beginning every good deed. Opening the work of the roundtable, Metropolitan Anthony spoke on various aspects of interaction between the Russian Orthodox Church and diaspora organizations. At the instruction of the Holy Synod, the Department for External Church Relations coordinates the activity of parishes abroad and the interaction with compatriots residing in the far abroad. The theme of compatriots lies in the area of special attention of the Working Group for Cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Federation Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This Working Group marks this year the 20th anniversary of its work. |
| Michael Prokurat, Alexander Golitzin, Michael D. Peterson Скачать epub pdf HERESY HERESY. This word derives from the Greek verb haireo/haireomai, “to take” or “to choose.” In ecclesiastical use it signifies a conscious “choice,” taken on a matter of defined doctrine in disagreement with the faith. This faith or “mind” of the Church is determined by Scripture, by an Ecumenical Council (qq.v.), or by universal and longstanding consensus. The author of such a choice, the heresiarch, will, in the conventions of church historians, usually have given his name to the opinion and party deriving from it. The history of the Church and its teaching is in great part a history of Christian heresies. In New Testament times intense struggles went on between Paul and the “Judaizers,” between the author of 1 Jn and people claiming that Christ had only “appeared” to take on flesh (docetists), and between the author of the Pastoral Epistles (1, 2 Tim, Titus) and people preaching that the Resurrection (q.v.) had never happened, or had occurred “spiritually.” The 2nd c. saw an expanded front against gnosticism, replied to by Irenaeus of Lyons (qq.v.) whose Adversus Haereses laid the foundations for much of patristic theology, and against Montanism, an ancient world equivalent (with qualifications) to modern Pentecostalism. The former’s denial of the Old Testament Scriptures and the latter’s claim to an ongoing revelation of the Spirit on the same level as the New Testament led Church leaders to insist on the once-and-for-all character of the revelation in Christ. The canon of the New Testament emerged from these debates. In the 3rd c., arguments over the nature (q.v.) of the Godhead took center stage. Modalism, led by the priests Praxeas and Sabellius in Rome, argued that the divinity was one Person appearing in three different forms. Tertullian replied for the Latins, and Origen (qq.v.) and Dionysius of Alexandria for the Greeks, insisting that the three persons of the Trinity are indeed one, though always three persons. Adoptionists, such as Paul of Samosata, held that Christ was merely a man gifted at baptism with the Spirit. Finally, in Persia the preacher Mani began a new religion, Manichaeism, an amalgam of Iranian dualism, Christianity, and gnosticism (q.v.). It enjoyed a long life on the fringes of Byzantium (q.v.) and within the Empire as far abroad as 5th-c. North Africa; and drew responses from generations of churchmen seeking to defend the goodness of the created world. |
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