| John Anthony McGuckin Proskomedie (Prothesis) JOHN A. MCGUCKIN The ritual preparatory to the celebration of the divine liturgy, which is substantially the preparation of the prosphora or loaves of offering. Greek usage involves the cutting out, from a single large loaf, of a cube of bread marked on its surface with the cross-shaped ICXC NIKA cipher (“Jesus Christ Conquers”) which has been baked into it. Slavic use generally employs five smaller prosphora, the first being used for the Eucharistic Lamb (Amnos) and the others for various commemorations. The priest who celebrates the Proskomedie (it is always celebrated by one priest alone) will leave some of the final elements unfinished if it is an episcopal service, since the presiding bishop will complete the prayers just before the Great Entrance. After the central cube of bread has been cut out, with attendant prayers, using a ceremonial knife (or lance), other particles of bread are also removed to symbolize the Blessed Theotokos, and the nine orders of saints (including angels, prophets, apostles, hierarchs ascetics, and martyrs), which conclude with the saint who composed the liturgy being celebrated (St. John Chrysostom, Basil, or James). These are laid on either side of the Lamb on the diskos. Particles are then removed to commemorate the ruling bishop, “the emperor” (civil authorities), the founders of the church, and those living and dead whom the priest wishes to remember. Wine is mixed with a little water in the chalice and the ritual concludes with the incensing of the veils that are laid over the sacred vessels in readiness for the Eucharist to begin. The faithful also provide other lists of names, and offerings of prosphora breads, to commemorate their own family lists (diptychs) for the living as well as the dead. The particles are placed into the chalice after communion with an intercessory prayer: “for all those commemorated here.” In earlier times the Proskomedie was celebrated in a separate building (as at Hagia Sophia, Constantinople), but in most Orthodox churches today the northern side of the altar area is used, where a small altar of preparation (prothesis) can be found, usually adorned with iconic symbolism recalling the nativity. SEE ALSO: Amnos; Eucharist; Lance Читать далее Источник: The Encyclopedia of Eastern Orthodox Christianity/John Anthony McGuckin - Maldin : John Wiley; Sons Limited, 2012. - 862 p. Поделиться ссылкой на выделенное |
| New Patriarch to pray for peace in Bulgarian’s Soul February 25, 2013 Neofit, the newly elected Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, vowed to pray for peace in the hearts of the Bulgarian people, minutes after he was officially enthroned. On his way to the Holy Synod, the new patriarch declined to make any comments to the reporters and his only words were: “The first task of the church is to be united and work together. May all Bulgarians be happy and work for the good of Bulgaria.” The new Patriarch, bishops, priests, President Rosen Plevneliev, ministers, delegates and officials took a family photo in front of St. Alexander Nevski cathedral. Ruse Metropolitan Neofit was elected Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church by the Holy Synod‘s national church council on Sunday after he prevailed over two other candidates at a runoff. The three who were were chosen after prolonged debates and stalemates last weekend were: Neofit, the Stara Zagora metropolitan Galaktion, and Lovech’s Gavriil. The news about Neofit‘s election was announced Sunday by interim Patriarch and Sofia Metropolitan, Kiril. Neofit collected 90 votes at runoff against Gavrail, who got 47. The announcement was accompanied by solemn church bells in downtown Sofia. Neofit was born on October 15, 1945 in Sofia. He is a graduate of the Theology Academy in Sofia, and has specialized in Moscow. Neofit is a former lecturer and conductor of the Theology Academy choir, coadjutor at Sofia Bishopric, President of the Theology Academy, first Dean of the restored Faculty of Theology at Sofia University, and was Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod. He is known to have been very close to late Patriarch Maxim. Bulgaria’s Patriarch Maxim , who led the Church since 1971, passed away on November 6, 2012, at the age of 98. A solemn procession from the Holy Synod building to the Alexander Nevsky cathedral followed the electionof the new patriarch. There was a cordon of representatives of all military divisions of Bulgaria. At the end of the enthronization ceremony, the new Patriarch stepped to the throne, when two Bishops promulgated three times “Worthy” for him, followed by the clergy and then the laity. The new Patriarch received the patriarchy attributes: robe, crown, scepter, the patriarchal cross and the engolpiya (small icons) – the latter two worn on the chest. The Orthodox Church 26 февраля 2013 г. ... Комментарии Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
| Venerable Anthony the Abbot of Siya, Novgorod Commemorated on December 7 Saint Anthony of Siya, in the world Andrew, was born into a family of rich farmers in the village of Kekhta near the North Dvina river. In childhood he received a fine education, read much and learned iconography. After the death of his parents, Andrew went to Novgorod, and for five years worked for a boyar [nobleman] there. He later married, but his wife died after a year. Then Andrew decided to devote himself to monasticism. He distributed his goods to the poor and as a wanderer came to the Pachomiev wilderness monastery at the River Kena. Saint Pachomius tonsured him with the name Anthony. Soon he was ordained a hieromonk, and Anthony, with the blessing of the igumen, celebrated the divine services by himself. He went out with the other monks of the monastery to work for the monastery’s needs. Out of love for solitude Saint Anthony eventually left the Pachomiev wilderness, after choosing two companions from the monastic brethren, and he settled upon Mikhailov Island, on the one side washed by the River Sii, and on the other, by encircling lakes. In this harsh frontier within the dense thickets Anthony built a chapel in 1520. But to clear the forest required difficult work, and Anthony’s companions began to grumble against him. Then quite unexpectedly an unknown man furnished them with the means of subsistence, offering money for good measure. The Siya monastery became famous, and inhabitants of surrounding villages often visited it. And again Saint Anthony, taking one disciple, withdrew to a still more remote place on Lake Palun. There, in a solitary cell, he dwelt for three years. When the igumen Theoctistus refused to guide the Siya monastery any longer, the brethren tried to persuade Saint Anthony to return to them. He finally acceded to the request of the monks, again became igumen and piously guided the monastery until his death in the year 1556, when he was seventy-nine years old. Troparion — Tone 1 You renounced the world in favor of the spirit,/Seeking the one God with your whole heart, O Anthony./You retreated to a far wilderness, near waters,/In tears and labors living the angelic life./You gathered a multitude of monks in your wisdom./Visit them and cease not to implore the Holy Trinity/To deliver us from evil/And to save our souls! Kontakion — Tone 8 From your youth you exhausted your flesh by fasting and prayer,/And taking up your cross, you followed Christ./Having joyfully completed your journey to heaven,/You stand with the saints before the Holy Trinity./Now visit your flock and remember those who honor you,/That all the faithful may cry out in thanksgiving:/Rejoice, O wise and righteous Anthony, guide of desert-dwellers! The Orthodox Church in America 13 декабря 2016 г. Подпишитесь на рассылку Православие.Ru Рассылка выходит два раза в неделю: Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
| The film, 50 Shades of Grey, will not be released in Chechnya and Ingushetia/Православие.Ru The film, 50 Shades of Grey, will not be released in Chechnya and Ingushetia Grozny, February 11, 2015 The film 50 Shades of Grey, will not be released in the Chechen Republic, reported Madina Ayubova, representative of the Kinostar cinema network, to TASS . “This film will not be shown in our cinemas as most of its contents contradicts the mentality and religious beliefs of the majority of the republic " s population,” Ayubova said. A spokesman for the second popular Chechen cinema network, Chernaya Zhemchuzhina (the Black Pearl), noted he could not confirm the ban of the film in their cinemas and added that the film " s release was unlikely. There are no other cinema networks in the republic. The only cinema in the Ingush Republic, Druzhba (“Friendship”), has refused to show this Hollywood melodrama for moral and ethical reasons as well, reported Mahomet Amin Yevloyev, director of this private cultural institution, to TASS . According to him, this is not the first film banned by the Ingush movie theater. Earlier it refused to release the 300 Spartan Warriors action movie as well as the Noah drama. “Our cinema is intended for family relaxation and we cannot show films with explicit erotic content here,” Yevloyev explained. The day before the Spiritual Board of Muslims of North Ossetia spoke out against showing of this movie on the territory of the republic. Also, according to a representative of the Republic’s Civic chamber, in the near future the Prosecutor General’s Office of the Russian Federation will receive an appeal with a request to inspect the film for pornographic material. “Whatever the response to our appeal, we are calling on the managers of North Ossetian cinemas to show their social responsibility, to renounce any possible financial benefit and not to participate in showing this scandalous film on the territory of the Republic,” said the activist. In the Krasnodar territory representative of the Pravoslavny Soyuz (“Orthodox Union”) organization on Monday spoke out against release of 50 Shades of Grey. On Tuesday the region’s ministry of culture noted that the present legislation did not allow banning this movie and recommended the cinemas to control the age of those buying tickets on this film. |
| Patriarch Kirill: the Lord visited Fr. Kirill with illness, which he bore with humility and meekness Moscow, February 22, 2017 Photo: Pravmir.ru “In the last years of his life the Lord visited Fr. Kirill with an illness, which he bore with humility and meekness, showing an example of fortitude of spirit, patience, and wholehearted hope in God,” in the words of Patriarch Kirill. His Holiness expressed his condolences to the deputy abbot of the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, Archbishop Feognost of Sergiev Posad, the monastery brotherhood, and all the family and friends of the newly-departed Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov), who served many years as the confessor of the monastery. The letter has been published on the site of the Moscow Patriarchate. Fr. Kirill died on Monday evening, February 20, at ninety-eight years of age. His funeral will be celebrated tomorrow, February 23, in the Dormition Cathedral at the Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra by Patriarch Kirill. The primate offered his sincere condolences in the letter for the repose of the “well-known and revered elder in the Orthodox world.” He recounted Fr. Kirill’s life, growing up in the Ryazan region, and coming to faith after finding a Gospel book after the brutal WW2 Battle of Stalingrad, which opened his eyes to the reality of God. Fr. Kirill studied at the Moscow Theological Seminary and then the Theological Academy, and became a monk in 1954 at the lavra, where the remainder of his life was centered. “Goodwill, and the ability to empathize and rejoice with others attracted many to Archimandrite Kirill, and he, justifying their trust, attended to their sorrows, aspirations, and hopes with unwavering attention,” the letter reads. Patriarch Kirill recounts how he gained the respect of his contemporaries through his years of service to God and the Church, diligently celebrating the Divine services, and lovingly and modestly always attending to his spiritual children. “In the last years of his life the Lord visited Fr. Kirill with an illness, which he bore with humility and meekness, showing an example of fortitude of spirit, patience, and wholehearted hope in God. I pray to the Lord of life and death our Lord Jesus Christ for the repose in the mansions of Heaven of His faithful servant, the newly-departed Archimandrite Kirill,” writes His Holiness. “His soul shall dwell with the blessed, and his memory shall be from generation to generation,” he penned in conclusion. 22 февраля 2017 г. Подпишитесь на рассылку Православие.Ru Рассылка выходит два раза в неделю: Смотри также Комментарии Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
| Archive Metropolitan Hilarion emphasizes importance of continuing ‘Amman format’ of inter-Orthodox meetings 14 March 2021 year 12:26 In the end of February, in his message timed to the anniversary of the Synaxis of Primates and Delegations of Local Orthodox Churches which took place in 2020 in Amman, Jordan, His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, again called them ‘to meet for prayer and fraternal discussion’. ‘We pray that this may be possible later in this year’, the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem noted. According to the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, a meeting in the ‘Amman format’ can take place when the pandemic restrictions will be mitigated. ‘This meeting is necessary’, he emphasized in the air of the Church and the World program, ‘because it is very important for representatives of Local Orthodox Churches to meet in order to discuss the existing problems. And the mechanism, which functioned till recently when such meetings were initiated by the Patriarch of Constantinople, is no longer workable because Patriarch Bartholomew has joined the schism by concelebrating with schismatics and has lost legitimacy as the first among equals in the family of the Primates of Local Orthodox Churches’. For this reason, the DECR chairman believes, even if the Patriarch of Constantinople convenes such meetings, some Churches may even attend them but very many of them will evade them under various pretexts. ‘It will be bound up precisely with the fact that he has violated the fundamental principle of the co-existence of the Local Orthodox Churches - the principle called synodality in the church language, that is, all the decisions should be made in the conciliar way. If the decisions are made on the inter-Orthodox level, they should involve the Local Orthodox Churches’, Metropolitan Hilarion emphasized. And if one of the Primates, even if the first among equals, makes decisions to the detriment of other Local Churches, against the will of these Churches, it results in a schism, the archpastor said noting that ‘the Patriarch of Constantinople is working on the side of a further deepening of this schism’. ‘In this situation, it is important that the Orthodox Primates should meet’, the DECR chairman said, ‘the Patriarch of Jerusalem heads the oldest Orthodox Patriarchate - as we know it was Jerusalem and the Holy Land with which the history of Christianity began, and it is not accidental that in our liturgical texts the Church of Jerusalem is called the Mother of all Churches. Therefore, last year we were grateful to the Patriarch of Jerusalem for such an initiative. And this year we will accept this initiative. I hope this meeting will take place’. DECR Communication Service /Patriarchia.ru Календарь ← 7 December 2023 year |
| A new Orthodox for the youth newspaper appears in the Crimea Sevastopol, January 27, 2015 A new Orthodox newspaper will appear in the Sevastopol Deanery. Now, in addition to the Svetlyachok (“ Firefly ”) and Khersonessky Vestnik (“ the Chersonese Bulletin ”) newspapers, so popular among the Orthodox readers, a new newspaper, Utro Sevastopolya (“ the Sevastopol Morning”) , will be issued. It will be a youth appendix to the Khersonessky Vestnik , reports the deanery’s press service. The newspaper is published with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Lazarus of Simferopol and the Crimea. The editor-in-chief of the new edition is Archpriest Sergy Khalyuta, dean of the Sevastopol district, the publishing editor is Artemy Slezkin. Utro Sevastopolya is aimed at young people aged 17-30, but the editors hope that some materials will be interesting for older readers. What is the new newspaper like? It is a stapled A3 format with 12 columns and a full-color glossy cover, front and back. 3,000 copies have been printed of the first issue. The newspaper is fully financed by the Sevastopol Deanery, and will be distributed free of charge. Since January 23 the newspaper has been available in the hall of the St. Vladimir’s Cathedral in the Chersonese. What kind of young people may be interested in the new edition? First of all, those who are not indifferent to what is going on around, who do not wish to swim with the muddy tide which sweeps the young away into the chasm of passion and vice, who think about the meaning of their lives, who are not indifferent to such things as “patriotism,” “a strong family,” or “healthy children.” It is planned that the newspaper will become a great help to those Orthodox young people who want to serve the Mother Church. They will find in the newspaper many missionary materials that may be of use to them. For example, they can cut out missionary leaflets, posters, flyers, spread them through churches, educational establishments where they study. It is planned to open the new newspaper’s official website in the future which will contain all its materials, including missionary leaflets, booklets, posters that all those willing will be able to download for further dissemination. “ Utro Sevastopolya is a newspaper which will write about the experience of spiritual life as well as people’s experience of keeping their purity. It will teach the youth to observe the Lord’s commandments, and about true love that God has given us. Not the passionate love that young people often talk about, but genuine spiritual love, which forms our lives. This is why we are creating a newspaper for young people: in order to enter their world and life and to bring them the true light of Christ,” relates Archpriest Sergy Khalyuta in the first issue of the newspaper. 31 января 2015 г. Смотри также Комментарии Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
| Memorial to victims of repression may be set up in a monastery near Moscow Moscow, October 5, 2014 Representatives of the public are proposing to set up a new memorial on the territory of the St. Catherine’s Monastery in Vidnoye—a small town about 5 kilometers south of Moscow, where the “Sukhanovka” (officially: “Sukhanovo”) political secret special-regime prison was located in the Soviet era, reports Interfax-Religion . Members of the city public organization of victims of political repression made the request to Michael Fedotov, head of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights , reports the Human Rights Council’s website. “In August the Council forwarded this appeal to the Moscow region’s governor Andrei Vorobyev with the request to consider it, to give support and to include this project in the regional program for the immortalization of victims of political repression,” the message reads. The letter of response, received by the Human Rights Council from head of the chief directorate for social communication of the Moscow region Irina Pleshcheyeva, reads that only local government bodies are competent to pass decisions on this issue, which is why the inquiry went to the district administration”. At the same time, I. Pleshcheyeva has noted that the St. Catherine’s Monastery complex has the status of a cultural heritage object on the federal level, and there is a decree prohibiting new construction on its territory. “Now the local authorities must decide how greater importance can be given to memory of the “Sukhanovka” prisoners,” the message reads. Currently a cross and a marble slab with an inscription of the tragic events are installed on the territory of the monastery. There is also an amateur museum of monastery history, dedicated, among other things, to the period when it was converted into a prison. However, in the public organization’s view, “all this does not reflect the scale of the tragedies and crimes, committed within the desecrated holy monastery.” The “Sukhanovka” was a special-regime prison of the Stalinist era that existed on the territory of the monastery and was intended for political prisoners. Individuals who had held high-ranking political offices were kept in the “Sukhanovka”: eminent party workers, military officials of high standing, diplomats, and foreigners. But ordinary students and family members of “enemies of the people” were also among those imprisoned there. 7 октября 2014 г. Смотри также Комментарии Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
| Romanian Chamber of Deputies overwhelmingly votes to constitutionally define marriage as one man, one woman Moscow, May 10, 2017 Photo: Coalitia pentru Familie The Romanian Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of the Romanian Parliament, has overwhelmingly voted in favor of amending the national constitution to explicitly define marriage as the union of one man and one woman, Coalitia pentru Familie (The Coalition for Family) reported Tuesday. Their vote of 232 in favor out of 270 also included the strengthening of parental rights. Note that this is a citizen’s initiative, with 3.1 million signatures collected by The Coalition for Family. Only 500,000 signatures are required to promote an initiative to parliament. “This is a historic moment,” said Mihai Gheorghiu, one of the leaders of the Church-backed Romanian initiative, said at the time. “In an unprecedented show of solidarity, 3 million Romanians signed this proposed amendment,” he said. The proposed amendment to Article 48, paragraph 1 of the Romanian Constitution reads, “The family is founded on the freely consented marriage between a man and a woman, their full equality and the right and duty of parents to ensure the upbringing, education and instruction of children.” The Constitutional Court of Romania approved the legislative proposal on the revision of the Constitution initiated by The Coalition for Family on July 20, 2016, noting that it met all constitutional demands. The initiative has found broad support from all Christian denominations, including Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical, as well as international legal groups such as ADF International, Liberty Counsel and the European Center for Law and Justice also helped. This vote comes after both legislative chambers had been stalling, claiming a lack of competency in making a decision, although the nation’s constitution requires them to take action once an initiative has met all constitutional demands. During campaigning, the Social Democrats and the Liberals, the nation’s two biggest parties, signed written agreements in favor of the people’s initiative, but then were slow to act. If the Romanian Senate also votes in favor of the amendment then the referendum will automatically be scheduled for the last Sunday of the following 30-day period. Meanwhile a same-sex marriage case has come before the Romanian constitutional court, which is now to be ruled on by the European Court of Justice . 10 мая 2017 г. скрыть способы оплаты скрыть способы оплаты Смотри также Комментарии Подпишитесь на рассылку Православие.Ru Рассылка выходит два раза в неделю: Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
| Encyclical of Greek Archbishop Stylianos of Australia Concerning Same-Sex Marriage Concerning the impending address of the Federal Parliament concerning same-sex marriage, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia Archbishop Stylianos has issued na encyclical to his Australian flock: To the Reverend Clergy and the honourable Administrative Committees of the Parish-Communities of our Greek Orthodox Archdiocese Dearly Beloved, Further to our Encyclical of 28th May 2013, in relation to a law which the State proposes to vote upon with regard to Marriage between persons of the same gender, we write to you once again because the Federal Parliament is expected very soon to deal with the redefinition of the concept of Marriage. You might appreciate, then, should such an Act be legalized, what destructive consequences this will have on the institution of Marriage, but also on the institution of the Family more generally. As Orthodox Christians, therefore, we are obliged, once again, to express in the strongest possible terms, our objection to the enactment of such legislation, as this will assail the sacredness of the Sacrament of Marriage and the Family, as has been taught to us through the ages by our holy faith and by the Fathers of the Church. In the first instance, of course, our reaction must be through prayer to God. That is why the period of the August Fast for the Dormition of our Lady, which is about to commence, is the most appropriate time to beseech the Theotokos, of whom we ask, as " a fervent advocate and invincible battlement, fountain of mercy and sheltering retreat for the world, " to protect the People from such an aberration. We are also called upon to protest by gathering signatures, requesting the defeat of the proposed legislation. Our protest may be expressed by signing the relevant petitions or via the online internet page of the Archdiocese (marriage.greekorthodox.org.au). You shall receive detailed instruction from our Reverend Clergy. Hopeful that none of us will show indifference to such an important issue, I thank you for your cooperation in this matter and pray that the abundant blessings of God be upon you all during this blessed period of the Sacred August Fast. Sydney, 17th July 2015 With fervent fatherly prayers Archbishop Stylianos Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in Australia PS—To be read in the Churches at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy on the Sundays of 26th July, 2nd August and 9th August. 29 июля 2015 г. Смотри также Комментарии Мы в соцсетях Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку |
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