| On June 18, 2017, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with the delegation of the monks of the Coptic Church at the Red Hall of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Photo: http://mospat.ru The delegation will make a pilgrimage to the Orthodox monasteries of Russia in compliance with the decision of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Holiness Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the Holy See of St. Mark. This is a return visit: a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church made a pilgrimage to the Christian holy sites in Egypt in November 2016. The programme of the pilgrimage of the representatives of the Coptic Church includes visits to the cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin, the Laura of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius, the Danilov, Novospassky, Sretensky, Donskoy stavropegic and some other monasteries. On June 18 the delegation attended the Divine service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The delegation consists of Bishop Daniel, Abbot of St. Paul monastery; Bishop Epiphanious , Abbot of St. Macarius monastery; Bishop Selwanis, Abbot of St. Pachomius monastery; Bishop Kyrillos, Abbot of St. Menas monastery; Bishop Youstos, Abbot of St. Antony monastery; Bishop Daniel of Maadi, auxiliary bishop of Patriarch Tawadros II; hieromonk Ashia Elbaramosy of St. Mary Baramos monastery; hieromonk Efraim Anba Bishoy of St. Bishoy monastery; hieromonk Sedrak El Syrian of St. Mary el Syrian monastery; hieromonk Sharobiem El Bakhomy of St. Pachomius monastery; and Dr. Anton Milad. Attending the meeting with Patriarch Kirill were Archbishop Feognost of Sergiev Posad, chairman of the Synodal department for monasteries and monasticism; Bishop Paramon of Bronnitsy, administrator of the North and Northwestern vicariates of Moscow; and hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), secretary for inter-Christian relations of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill greeted members of the delegation, saying that their visit was a great joy. |
| Buddhism and Eastern Asceticism Compared to Orthodox Christian Asceticism The fundamental difference between Christianity and other beliefs and practices lies in the fact that the Jesus Prayer is based on the revelation of the One true living and personal God as Holy Trinity No other path admits any possibility of a living relationship between God and the person who prays. It is unfortunate that there is widespread confusion, not to mention delusion, in the inexperienced, whereby the Jesus Prayer is thought to be equivalent to yoga in Buddhism, or ‘transcendental meditation’, and other such Eastern exotica. Any similarity, however, is mostly external, and any inner convergence does not rise beyond the natural ‘anatomy’ of the human soul. The fundamental difference between Christianity and other beliefs and practices lies in the fact that the Jesus Prayer is based on the revelation of the One true living and personal God as Holy Trinity No other path admits any possibility of a living relationship between God and the person who prays. Eastern asceticism aims at divesting the mind of all that is relative and transitory, so that man may identify with the impersonal Absolute. This Absolute is believed to be man’s original ‘nature’, which suffered degradation and degeneration by entering a multiform and ever-changing earth-bound life. Ascetic practice like this is, above all, centred upon the self, and is totally dependent on man’s will. Its intellectual character betrays the fullness of human nature, in that it takes no account of the heart. Man’s main struggle is to return to the anonymous Supra-personal Absolute and to be dissolved in it. He must therefore aspire to efface the soul (Atman) in order to be one with this anonymous ocean of the Suprapersonal Absolute, and in this lies its basically negative purpose. In his struggle to divest himself of all suffering and instability connected with transient life, the eastern ascetic immerses himself in the abstract and intellectual sphere of so-called pure Existence, a negative and impersonal sphere in which no vision of God is possible, only man’s vision of himself. |
| His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus Is Interviewed by Tserkovniy Vestnik’s Chief Editor Sergei Chapnin 1. Your Eminence, the events of May 17 have already entered the history books as a day when by Divine mercy, the reunification of the Russian Orthodox Church took place. How do you look back on those days now? What was the most vivid impression you were left with? The biggest impression on me was the divine service in the heart of Russian Orthodoxy, under the vaulted ceilings of the grandiose Uspensky Cathedral of the Mother of God, the resting place of the Moscow Primates. Here lies St Ermogen, a shining example of staunchness in the Orthodox Faith during the Time of Troubles. His guidance led our ancestors to stand firmly for their faith, their Fatherland, and during his imprisonment, yet with his blessing, Archimandrite Dionisy of Holy Trinity-St Sergius Lavra and Avraamy Palitsyn, his protector, sent missives to inspire the defenders of the Muscovite state. I felt then that even after the second Time of Troubles, we must root out internecine strife and restore truth, peace and Divine truth within our hearts. Personally, I feel connection with that cathedral because here, over a hundred years ago, the second Primate of our Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Metropolitan Anastassy (Gribanovsky) of blessed memory was ordained as Bishop of Serpukhov. At one time, I had the honor of being an altar boy when he served. During his nomination, in accordance with tradition, he gave a sermon, in which he gave a remarkably powerful and artistic outline of “the path of a true pastor of Christ,” and in a surge of inspiration foretold the bloody strife that would befall the Russian Orthodox Church in the years of the Revolution. In his epistles, he grieved over the tragedy of our common history, denounced the lies of the atheists, praised the martyrs and confessors who suffered the persecutions, and rejoiced when the religious people of Russia felt joy, support and consolation. |
| His Eminence, Archbishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West will represent His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon at the canonization of two clerics who served in North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries—Bishop Mardarije [Uskokovic] and Archimandrite Sebastian [Dabovich]—at Saint Steven Serbian Orthodox Cathedral here September 5, 2015. Icons of Bishop Mardarije and Archimandrite Sebastian at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Serbian Orthodox Church, Fair Oaks, Calif. written by iconographer Miloje Milinkovic His Holiness, Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, will preside at the liturgical celebration, at which many visiting hierarchs, civil dignitaries, and others will be present. “This is a wonderful blessing for all of us Orthodox Christians in America, and for the whole Orthodox Church throughout the world,” said His Grace, Bishop Maxim of the Western Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church. “When one thinks of the tremendous sacrifices that these two holy apostles made, and the many sorrows that they endured, one is especially gratified that they are now universally recognized as being among the Church’s luminaries.” A detailed program for the liturgical celebration and related festivities may be found here . At their regular session in Belgrade May 29, 2015, the members of the Holy Assembly of Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church announced their intention to glorify Bishop Mardarije and Archimandrite Sebastian as “preachers of the Gospel, God-pleasing servants of the holy life, and inspirers of many missionaries” for their pastoral labors in America and their homeland. The glorification came in response to a recommendation by the Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America. The annual commemorations of Saint Mardarije of Libertyville, Bishop of America-Canada, and Saint Sebastian of San Francisco and Jackson will be observed on November 29/December 12 and November 17/30 respectively. Ss. Mardarije and Sebastian Saint Sebastian was born Jovan Dabovich in San Francisco, CA in 1863—in the midst of the US Civil war. His parents were Serbian immigrants from Sassovae. From his early youth he was devoted to the Church and spent much of his time at the city’s Holy Trinity Cathedral, where he later served as a reader and teacher. In 1884, he was assigned to assist at Archangel Michael Cathedral, Sitka, AK. Shortly thereafter, he was sent to Russia for training and formation as a missionary priest. After completing three years of studies at the Saint Petersburg and Kyiv Theological Academies, he was tonsured to monastic rank and ordained to the diaconate in 1887. |
| Love of God Do not fabricate raptures for yourself, do not excite your nerves, do not inflame yourself with a material fire, with the fire of your blood. The sacrifice pleasing to God is humility of heart, contrition of spirit. With wrath does God turn away from sacrifices offered with self-confident presumption, with a proud opinion of oneself, though the sacrifice be a whole burnt offering. Bishop Ignatius was a prominent Orthodox spiritual writer of nineteenth century Russia. Born of a noble family, he completed an education in engineering in St. Petersburg under the patronage of Emperor Nicholas I and was destined for a brilliant worldly career. Later, as an officer, he chose instead to follow the spiritual yearning of his soul and receive the monastic tonsure, as a disciple of the famous Elder Lev of Optina Hermitage. Well grounded in the ascetic writings of the Holy Fathers, Bishop Ignatius captured the spirit of the ancient patristic and monastic traditions of the Orthodox Church in his own works, written in the most eloquent language of the time. His best known work, The Arena (An Offering to Contemporary Monasticism), which comprises the fifth volume of his Ascetical Works, is an indispensable treasure for seekers of spiritual life today. The Arena was published by Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY. This article was sent to us, and presumably translated, by an unknown monk. Love God as he commanded you to love Him, and not as self-deluded daydreamers think they love Him. Do not fabricate raptures for yourself, do not excite your nerves, do not inflame yourself with a material fire, with the fire of your blood. The sacrifice pleasing to God is humility of heart, contrition of spirit. With wrath does God turn away from sacrifices offered with self-confident presumption, with a proud opinion of oneself, though the sacrifice be a whole burnt offering. Pride excites the nerves, heats the blood, arouses daydreaming, enlivens the life of the fall; humility calms the nerves, subdues the motion of the blood, eliminates daydreaming, mortifies falls, enlivens the life in Jesus Christ. |
| Elizabeth Theokritoff, Mary B. Cunningham Elizabeth Theokritoff, Mary B. Cunningham Notes on contributors Dr Nicolas Abou Mrad is Assistant Professor of Biblical Studies at Saint John of Damascus Faculty of Theology, University of Balamand (Lebanon), and Lecturer at various non-Orthodox theological schools in Lebanon. He is author of various articles and reviews in biblical theology and literature. The Rt Revd Dr Hilarion Alfeyev holds doctorates from Oxford and Paris. He is currently the Moscow Patriarchate " s Bishop of Austria and Representative to the European Institutions. He has published widely in the areas of Byzantine and Syriac patristics, Church history, dogmatic theology and contemporary theological, moral and social issues. His writings in English include St Symeon the New Theologian and Orthodox Tradition (2000), The Spiritual World of Isaac the Syrian (2000), The Mystery of Faith. An Introduction to the Teaching and Spirituality of the Orthodox Church (2002) and Orthodox Witness Today (2006). The Very Revd Boris Bobrinskoy has served as Dean and Professor of Dogmatic Theology at St Sergius Institute of Orthodox Theology in Paris. A pupil of Georges Florovsky and Nicolas Afanasiev, he has published numerous studies on the theology of the Trinity and the Holy Spirit, the Church, and the Eucharist. Translations of his writings include The Mystery of the Trinity: Trinitarian Experience and Vision in the Biblical and Patristic Tradition, trans. A. P. Gythiel (1999) and The Mystery of the Church (2005). Dr Peter Bouteneff is Associate Professor in Theology at St Vladimir " s Seminary, New York, having served for five years as Executive Secretary for Faith and Order at the World Council of Churches. He has written extensively on Orthodox relations with other churches, as well as on patristic and dogmatic themes. Recent publications include Sweeter than Honey: Orthodox Thinking on Dogma and Truth (2006) and Beginnings: Ancient Christian Readings of the Biblical Creation Narratives (2008). |
| Patriarch Kirill meets with heads of Diplomatic Missions of Latin American countries in Russia Source: DECR June 8, 2017 – His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with heads of diplomatic missions of Latin American countries in Russia, at the patriarchal and synodal resident in the St. Daniel Monastery in Moscow. Photo: http://www.patriarchia.ru The meeting was attended by sixteen high-ranking diplomats representing Cuba, Paraguay, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Panama, Uruguay, Colombia, Guatemala, Brazil, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Argentina, El Salvador, Mexico, and Costa Rico. The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs was represented by the director of the Latin American department A. Schetinin. From the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), there were Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for the far abroad, and M. Palacio, officer of the secretariat. Patriarch Kirill reminded the gathering that his first meeting with Latin American diplomats took place in September 2009, soon after the beginning of his patriarchal ministry. ‘I am delighted to have such an opportunity again. I would like to thank the Cuban ambassador Mr. Emilio Lozada for the initiative to arrange this meeting’. Quite recently, on May 21, 2017, it was 230 years since the Latin America outstanding political and military leader Francisco de Miranda met with Metropolitan Platon (Levshin) of Moscow, who played a considerable role in organizing church life and especially theological education in the Russian Church. ‘It is known that Metropolitan Platon advised that Mr. Miranda visit the St. Sergius Monastery of the Trinity in order to come to feel the spirit of Russian Orthodoxy and to understand the soul of the Russian people’, His Holiness noted, ‘Mr Miranda did so; he left a note in this diary. I was told that on May 21 some of you took the same route, repeating the journey of your Latin American hero Francisco de Miranda’. His Holiness reminded the diplomats that the history of Russian Orthodoxy in Latin America began in 1901, when the first Orthodox church was built in Buenos Aires. According to His Holiness, today there are Orthodox Russian churches in most of the Latin American countries. Their primary mission is the spiritual and pastoral care of compatriots and, generally, Orthodox Slavs who reside in these countries. |
| Introduction As world population rapidly heads towards seven billion and technology becomes ever more sophisticated, it seems as if the future world will be run as a Digitocracy. In such a system, perhaps not so distant now, authorities will be able to register and number every human-being born on earth electronically in a universal and obligatory DNA Facebook. Such a Western end-game of Digitocracy would enable complete control and manipulation of every individual on the planet by a single world ruler and his centralised and computerised bureaucracy. After all, the beast of the end time will have a number, and not a name. For the last hundred years in particular, the world has seemed to be intent on speeding towards this self-inflicted end in a series of suicidal acts of hatred of God, man and self. However, we know that this rush to embrace spiritual and physical death is not inevitable. It can be slowed, stopped and even reversed. However, in order to do any of this, all who are willing must first be baptised into the Orthodox Church in the Name of the Holy Trinity and strive to live by Her. And if this is to happen, a number of very basic missionary principles must be followed. These principles are inherent in the very definition and nature of the Church as One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic. Oneness The Orthodox Church is One. Therefore, we must oppose the spirit of divisiveness and every movement of fragmentation which enters Church life. Unfortunately, this spirit came to the fore in the Orthodox world at the beginning of the last century, among intellectuals and their pseudo-intellectual imitators in Russia. Protestantised, and so lacking the collective or ‘catholic’ sense of the Church, they and their descendants later formed egotistical personality cults in the Russian emigration, especially in France and the USA. In turn, in the emigration they recruited converts, mainly from Protestantism, for like attracts like. Their general reflex is even more to divide the Church, whenever there is a disagreement even with a single individual in the Church, they leave and found a ‘new Church’ or ‘jurisdiction’. The level of intolerance may be such that some refuse even to speak to others because they do not agree with them about some tiny detail. Only the renewed consciousness that the Church is One, and so greater than any number of personalities, can overcome such a spirit of division. |
| Real beliefs actually produce real religion, like church attendance, prayer and charity. But " religious opinions " have no power to produce any real religion. On any given Sunday, what is the most likely reason for why a youth might not be in Liturgy (or Mass, or Morning Worship, or Praise/Celebration/Happening)? Because, statistically speaking, he or she is probably not. The present reality is very different from that moment of Pentecost, when thousands entered the new apostolic church and continued to do so at an obviously miraculous rate. Contrary to the nattering doctrines of church growth and evangelism consultants (and especiatlly the hysterical secret-agent folk of the New Apostolic Reformation), the “numbers added daily” was never a goal for the church, or even a “value.” It was a sign , rather, and the signification was obvious. The entirety of human nature, renewed and assumed into Christ, had become the Holy of Holies. The new eschatological Israel was now present and real. But nowadays, there is no such sign — at least, not phenomenonally here, not in the globalized West. The inescapable fact is that the Christian West is living in a patently “John 6.66” moment. If you do not know this verse, with its troubling numerical reference, permit me to refresh your memory: “After this many of His disciples drew back and no longer went about with Him.” It should be noted that the incarnate Second Person of the Trinity actually experienced a decline in His attendance figures. This was immediately after His troubling doctrinal teaching on the Trinity and the Eucharist. Across the board, “Christian participation” in religion is in sharp decline — even in the Orthodox community, much as we would rather not admit. And please do not bring up megachurch numbers as a counter-narrative: those numbers mostly represent people who have laterally migrated from one Christian community to another. (The megachurch is to more authentic neighboring parishes what a brandnew Super WalMart is to mom and pop stores downtown.) |
| This article is a paper read at the informal Conference between Orthodox Catholic and Roman Catholic theologians in Paris in 1950. It was written in French and appeared in " Russie et Chretiente», which published all the papers and minutes of the conference. It was translated from the French text by Seminarian Alexander Romanoff, a student at St. Vladimir " s Seminary. The Editors My paper will be almost entirely devoted to the presentation of the Orthodox doctrine in its positive aspect. As yet Orthodox theology does not possess a trinitarian doctrine definitely elaborated and recognized by the magisterium of the Church or by the majority of theologians as a doctrine incontestably representative of Orthodoxy. This article will be an attempt to explain the faith from the basis of a synthesis of scriptual and traditional teaching. In Trinitarian theology all parts belong together, so I think it best to outline briefly the essential principles of the doctrine, so that the teaching concerning the Holy Ghost may be placed in its proper perspective. 1. God is a perfect and absolute being. God is one: not only numerically one, but one in Himself. The plenitude of divine perfections, the modes of His existence, are united in one absolute identity of His being. But unity is not outside of plurality; all unity is unity of a plurality. Unity has logical priority over plurality, but is inseparable from it. In God, plurality is the plenitude of his perfections, the diversity of the forms of His existence. Many of the perfections and forms we attribute to God are but virtual in Him. But even those that are proper to Him do not divide Him; each real attribute exists in God in its absolute perfection, but without separating from the others, and in perfect reciprocal interpenetration. 2. The first form which is really proper to God after unity is hypostasis. God is personal: He is so of necessity because the impersonal, anhypostaton, does not exist according to Orthodox theology. The Bible gives us a very clear picture of God’s personality, but without doctrine or precise terminology. |
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