| 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. |
| Pochaev Lavra: Government’s Actions are Leading to Destruction of Monasticism in Western Ukraine Source: Orthodox Life (Russian) The brethren asks people for their prayers. The events taking place around the Dormition Pochaev Lavra show that the Ukrainian government’s actions are aimed at the destruction of monasticism in western Ukraine. This is said in the statement of the monastery’s brethren published on Pochaev.org.ua . “ We are forced to state that at present the Ukrainian authorities are using communist methods of struggling against the Orthodox Church,” the statement says. The government structures and controlled media put pressure on the monastery. For example, the Pochaev city council has refused to carry out the decision of the court to give land to the Pochaev Lavra for the brethren buildings. For a short period of time, the prosecution authorities instituted several unwarranted criminal cases against the monastery. On November 23, 2018, the Commission of the Ukrainian Ministry of Justice in response to a complaint from the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture revoked the state registration of the right to use six objects by the Pochaev Lavra: the Dormition and the Holy Trinity Cathedrals, monastic cells, a bell tower, a bishop’s house and a gate building. “ It is worth mentioning that starting from 2000 it is the third attempt to turn this holy place into a museum,” the statement says. At the present time, the brethren stated, “the current Ukrainian government has taken a course to seize property from the Holy Dormition Pochaev Lavra and transfer it to the newly formed church organization, and as a result – the destruction of monasticism in the territory of western Ukraine.” In this regard, the brethren asks Orthodox Christians to “increase their prayer for the sake of peace and the unity of believers in the body of the canonical Church.” Translated by pravmir.com 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. |
| The Emigration of Faith An Intevrview with Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov) This Friday, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, who died last Sunday, will be buried in Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY, where he served as abbot. He played a crucial role in the reunification of the Orthodox Churches. It is symbolic that Vladyka Laurus died on the first Sunday of Great Lent, the feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. His spiritual and historic role in the life of the Church served exactly that—the triumph of Orthodoxy. The Prior of Moscow’s Sretensky Monastery, Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov) talks with Russkaya Gazeta about Metropolitan Laurus’ role in the unification of the Churches. RG: Metropolitan Laurus’ role in the reunification of the Russian Churches is called crucial and preeminent. What was it that depended upon him personally? Archimandrite Tikhon: The question of the reunification of the Churches depended enormously on two persons—His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II and Vladyka Laurus. All that one or the other had to say was—not even a categorical " no " —but " the time has not come, " and the process would have been stalled for many years. But both one and the other said " Yes, this must happen. " And a very complicated, painstaking effort began. Vladyka Laurus understood perfectly that there were more than a few proponents of unification. But when this process began, there may actually have been more opponents . RG: Who opposed it, and why? Archimandrite Tikhon: A large percentage of people simply did not believe in the changes in Russia as a matter of principle. Some were perfectly satisfied with the " isolation " of the Russian Church Abroad. Some simply disdained today’s Russia. And Vladyka understood that at his age, and with his very bad health—for he had serious illnesses, he underwent complicated brain surgery—the task of reuniting the Churches would cause him great and persistent stress. He knew that he would not only endure criticism but would be denigrated. He knew that he was fulfilling the will of God and his historic duty as the Primate of the Church Abroad. He made this the most important goal of his life, he drew to a conclusion one period in the life of the emigre Church, he fulfilled the legacy of her founders on the reunification with the Russian Orthodox Church in the Fatherland after the government that promoted ideological godlessness and militant atheism would disappear into nothingness. For decades they believed that this would happen. And Vladyka Laurus turned out to be the one who completed this stage in the life of the Russian world. |
| SYNAXIS OF THE PRIMATES OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHES Chambésy, 21-28, 2016 COMMUNIQUÉ At the invitation of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Synaxis of Primates of the Orthodox Autocephalous Churches took place at the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Geneva, from 21st to 28th January, 2016. The following Primates attended: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem Patriarch Kirill of Moscow Patriarch Irinej of Serbia Patriarch Daniel of Romania Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria Patriarch Ilia of Georgia Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus Archbishop Anastasios of Albania Archbishop Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia The following Primates were unable to attend: Their Beatitudes Patriarch John X of Antioch and Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland, for health reasons, and Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, for personal reasons. Nevertheless, all three were represented by official delegations of their Churches. The Primates of the Orthodox Churches convened to finalize the texts for the Holy and Great Council. In the framework of the Synaxis, on Sunday, 24th January, a Divine Liturgy was held at the Holy Stavropegic Church of St. Paul. Along with the Ecumenical Patriarch, who presided, Their Beatitudes and Heads of the delegations of the Orthodox Churches concelebrated the Liturgy, with the exception of the Head of the delegation of the Patriarchate of Antioch. During the Synaxis, whose sessions were held in the apostolic spirit of “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4.15), in concord and understanding, the Primates affirmed their decision to convene the Holy and Great Council. The Council will be held at the Orthodox Academy of Crete from June 16th to 27th, 2016. To this end, the Primates humbly invoke the grace and blessing of the Holy Trinity and fervently invite the prayers of the fullness of the Church, clergy and laity, for the period leading to and the sessions of the Holy and Great Council. |
| Accept The site uses cookies to help show you the most up-to-date information. By continuing to use the site, you consent to the use of your Metadata and cookies. Cookie policy On commemoration day of St. Sergius of Radonezh Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates Divine Liturgy in St. Sergius monastery’s church of the Holy Spirit On July 18, 2017, when the Church honours the memory of St. Sergius of Radonezh, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles in the St. Sergius Monastery of the Holy Trinity. The archpastor was assisted by Bishop Lazar of Narva and Prichudsk, Bishop Clement of Krasnoslobodsk and Temnikovo, Bishop Mstislav of Tikhvin and Lodeinoye Pole, Bishop Paisiy of Schigry and Manturovo and brethren of the monastery. After the Prayer of Fervent Supplication, Metropolitan Hilarion lifted up a payer for peace in Ukraine. After the service, His Eminence Hilarion addressed himself to the faithful with an archpastoral homily. He said, ‘Your Graces, Dear Fathers, Brothers and Sisters! Today we are celebrating the memory of our honourable and God-bearing Father Sergius, abbot of Radonezh and the Wonderworker of All Russia. Every time we are going to celebrate this feast within the walls of the St. Sergius Laura of the Trinity, we come to think what the significance and meaning of monastic life lie in. Many people who live in the world, especially those who are far from the Church, do not understand what monastic life is and what it is for. Such people would say: Isn’t it unnatural that a person, a man or a woman, should live alone all his or her life without getting married? Didn’t the Lord Himself command: “Be fruitful, and multiply?” (Gen. 1:28). And isn’t it natural for a person to be attracted by nature to the opposite sex? Who is the true progenitor of monastic life? Various names are given: some say it is Pachomius the Great, while others name Anthony the Great. They also recall the founders of Russian monasticism – Ss Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves. |
| Metropolitan Hilarion: St Sergius is rightly called the Hegumen of the Russian land Source: DECR On 18 July 2015, the commemoration day of St Sergius of Radonezh, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, officiated at the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles at the Laura of the Holy Trinity and St Sergius with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Photo: http://mospat.ru Concelebrating with His Eminence were Metropolitan Pavel of Khanty-Mansiysk and Surgut, Metropolitan Vladimir of Chita and Petrovsk-Zabaykalsky, Bishop Anatoly of Kagul and Komrat, Bishop Flavian of Cherepovets and Belozersk, and ordained brethren of the monastery. After the service, Metropolitan Hilarion delivered a homily, saying in particular: “Every time we assemble in the Laura of the Holy Trinity on the commemoration day of St Sergius, we celebrate the Liturgy in all churches of the monastery. We pray to the Hegumen of the Russian land, asking him to protect our Church by his heavenly blessings, help her perform her salutary mission, and preserve this holy Laura as the centre of monastic life, where during many centuries monks have been lifting up their unceasing prayers to God, performing their monastic feat. In every new generation God chooses those who want to follow monks of the past. It always remains a mystery for us why people, inspired by the feats of the holy fathers, forsake all the pleasures of the world and embark on the narrow path of monastic life. The reason is that the Lord Himself calls these chosen people to perform this ministry and this feat. During His earthly life, Jesus Christ Himself chose His disciples, calling them for the lofty service. He called twelve Apostles, and then another seventy Apostles. They all but one followed after Him, listened to His words, and were eyewitnesses of His miracles. After His Ascension, the gift of the Holy Spirit was conferred on them, and they began to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom, which Christ had preached during His earthly life. |
| Patriarch Daniel’s Message on the Consecration of a Romanian Church in South Africa Source: Basilica.ro Message of His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, on the occasion of the consecration of the Romanian Orthodox church in Johannesburg, South Africa, 30 November 2019: The joy of communion in the Romanian church in South Africa Your Eminence Metropolitan Damaskinos, Your Excellency Mr. Ambassador Marius-Constantin Bornescu, Your Excellencies, Beloved faithful, The Romanian church in Johannesburg, South Africa, wore solemn vestment on the occasion of its consecration by His Eminence Damaskinos, Metropolitan of Johannesburg and Pretoria, together with our delegate, His Eminence Iosif, Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe. This unique, holy and blessed event is a proof of the living and active faith of the Romanians settled temporarily or permanently on the African continent and who today see their wish to have their own place of worship fulfilled, in which to pray and be thankful to God in the Romanian language. A sacred space of prayer, the newly consecrated church is a new gate of heaven. Through this “gate of heaven” Christ the King of Glory enters, He Who, after His Resurrection, ascended with His body to heaven and placed His humanity on the throne of the glory of the Most Holy Trinity. He mysteriously enters in His church, in which He is always present through the Holy Sacraments performed here, and gives His heavenly gifts to those who pray, as the token of eternal life. Thus, the newly consecrated church becomes “the house of God and the gate of heaven” ( Genesis 28:17) or the house of the Most Holy Trinity. This newly consecrated church has the patronal feasts Holy Apostle Andrew , the First-called, Protector of Romania , and the Synaxis of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Baptist and Forerunner John . Thus, Holy Apostle Andrew becomes not only the protector of Romania, but also the protector of the Romanians from South Africa, together with the Holy Prophet John the Baptist. The second patronal feast was given because Mr. Ioan Cuemjiev, spiritual son of the Romanian Orthodox Church, is in fact the founder and benefactor of this church on the African continent. |
| Archive Пн Delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church visits the fold of the Serbian Orthodox Church 14 September 2023 year 11:11 On September 11, 2023, with a blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church – His Grace Bishop Konstantin of Zaraisk, Vicar to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill; Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, Vice-Chairman of the Department of External Church Relations – arrived to the Republic of Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the morning, the delegation prayed at the liturgy in the church of St. George the Great Martyr in the city of Bijeljina, after which they were received by Bishop Fotije of Zvornik and Tuzla in his residence. Welcoming the guests, Bishop Fotije underscored the importance of strengthening fraternal ties between the Russian and the Serbian Orthodox Churches, such ties being very relevant these days when the Orthodox Christian unity is being tested by hardships. In his turn, Bishop Konstantin thanked His Eminence Fotije for his warm hospitality and conveyed greetings fr om His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Taking part in the meeting were also Father Superior in Bijeljina Archpriest Ljubo Bogdanovic, and cleric of the church of St. George The Great Martyr Archpriest Goran Nenic. On the same day, the guests visited the Convent of the Holy Trinity in Tavna, wh ere they were warmly welcomed by retired Bishop Konstantin (Jokic) and Mother Superior Martha. The delegation also visited the Convent of Venerable Paraskeva in Bijeljina, where they made a tour of the magnificent cathedral with the nave dedicated to all Russian saints. On September 12, during the feast of the transfer of relics of Holy and Most-Orthodox Prince St. Alexander Nevsky, Bishop Konstantin of Zaraisk and Bishop Fotije of Zvornik and Tuzla celebrated the liturgy at the monastery in Ugljevik dedicated to this saint. Among the concelebrants were hierarchs fr om the Russian, Serbian and Polish Orthodox Churches. With a blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, Bishop Konstantin presented the monastery with an icon of Holy and Most-Orthodox Prince St. Alexander Nevsky, with a particle of his relics. Among the worshipers were Mother Superior Philothea, Mayor V. Peric of Ugljevik, Chairman of the Russian All-People’s Union party Mr. S. N. Baburin, and numerous pilgrims and parishioners. The liturgy was followed by a procession with the cross and a traditional order of bread sharing. After that, the guests were invited to a solemn common meal. |
| History Museum in Bulgaria " s Dobrich Revives Europe " s Earliest Christian Rock Monastery The Early Christian rock monastery near Bulgaria " s Balik was inhabited by monks from the 5th-6th century AD until the 14th century AD. An Early Christian rock monastery in Northeast Bulgaria, which according to some historians andarchaeologists is the oldest of its kind in Europe, has been revived for the first time since the conquest of the medieval Bulgarian Empire by the Ottoman Turks at the end of the 14th century AD. The place of the ancient rock monastery near the Bulgarian town of Balik, Krushari Municipality,Dobrich District, is still known today by its derogatory and offensive Turkish name “Gaiour (Gavur) Evleri” meaning “Homes of the Infidels”, as the original name of the holy place remains unknown. The first Christian service in the rock monastery near Balik since the 14th century has been served byFather Veliko Velikov from the Holy Trinity Church in Dobrich at the initiative of the Dobrich Regional Museum of History. With his service and prayers he consecrated an icon of St. Ivan Rilski (St. John of Rila) (876-946 AD),Bulgaria’s patron saint, which was placed in a special niche in the rock monastery to replace an iconthat has probably been gone for centuries. The new icon is the work of Georgi Georgiev, an icon painter (iconographer) from the Black Sea city of Varna. According to Bulgarian archaeologist Prof. Georgi Atanasov from the Silistra Regional Museum of History, the rock monastery near Balik is dated to the Late Antiquity and Early Byzantine period, namely the 5th-6th century AD, not so long after Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire in the 4th century AD. At that time, the territory of today’s Northeast Bulgaria was part of the Roman province Scythia Minor. The rock monastery near the town of Balik is located along the canyon of the Suhata Reka (Dry River)in Northeast Bulgaria, in natural caves that were also enlarged by the Early Christian and medieval monks who inhabited them; it consists of a rock church, service rooms, and a total of 10 rock cells. |
| His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia celebrates requiem service for those killed in plane crash over the Black Sea Source: DECR On 26 December 2016, His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia visited the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity – Metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade. His Holiness celebrated the requiem service for those who had died on board the Russian Defense Ministry Tu-154 aircraft. The tragedy occurred near the city of Sochi on December 25. Concelebrating with the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church were the rector of the Metochion, archpriest Vitaly Tarasiev, and the Belgrade clergy. Among those praying in the church were Bishop Nazary of Kronstadt, vicar of the St. Petersburg diocese, who is currently on pilgrimage in Serbia; Mr. Alexander Chepurin, Russia’s Ambassador to Serbia; Mr. Vladimir Chushev, Ambassador of Belarus to Serbia; Ms Nadezhda Kuschenkova, director of the Russian House in Belgrade; representatives of the Serbian Ministry of Defense; and parishioners of the Russian Metochion. After the requiem service, His Holiness Patriarch Irinej expressed his condolences to the President of the Russian Federation, Mr. Vladimir Putin, as well as to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the whole Russian Orthodox Church and all the people of Russia, saying in particular, “The tragedy that has stricken the Russian Orthodox people, the Russian Orthodox Church, is our common tragedy, our common pain.” His Holiness mentioned the artists of the Alexandrov Ensemble who had also died in the plane crash. As the Primate of the Serbian Church noted, “since its foundation the Ensemble has been bringing beauty and joy into the lives of those who had an opportunity to hear it perform.” Patriarch Irinej called upon all those present to pray for the repose of the souls of the victims, saying, “They deserve our human gratitude and God’s mercy. May the Lord give rest to their souls in the dwellings of the righteous and grant consolation to the families of the victims in their great sorrow.” |
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