| Patriarch of Jerusalem: The Annunciation of the Theotokos Announces the infinite love of God Photo: en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info On Wednesday, April 7, 2021, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the feast of the Annunciation of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos in the city of Nazareth, at the holy shrine where this event took place. On this feast, the whole Orthodox Church in joy and gratitude towards God, commemorates according to Saint Luke the Evangelist (Ch. 1:26-36), that Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to the Virgin Mary and announced that She was going to conceive by the Holy Spirit and bear in the flesh His Only Begotten Son. With Mary’s reply, “behold the maiden of the Lord, let it be done unto me according to thy word”, the Bodiless was made flesh, He became incarnate, for the sake of the rebirth, renovation, and salvation of the humankind from the corruption of death. This festive divine service was officiated by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, during which the Patriarch of Jerusalem delivered the following sermon : “O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day” (Psalm 95:1-2), Prophet-King David chants. Beloved Brethren in Christ, Noble Christians “Today there is the true joy and gleefulness of the whole world,” Saint John Damascene says, praising the Annunciation to the Theotokos by Archangel Gabriel, in the holy place where the grace of the Holy Spirit has gathered us all to celebrate in Eucharist the annunciation of the “salvation of God”, the joyful message of the incarnation of God the Word by the pure flesh of the Ever-Virgin Mary in the city of Nazareth. “Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women” (Luke 1:28) the Archangel Gabriel exclaimed. The interpreters of Evangelist Luke’s testimony on this say: “because God told Eve she was going to bear children in sorrows, Eva’s sorrow is dispelled through this joy”. “Through ‘Hail’, Christ came to dispel the sorrow”. “He called her ‘full of grace’, as she was granted the grace beyond logic”. And “because the snake brought Eve the sorrow, rejoice, because the Lord is with Thee”. “One should know that at the time of the annunciation the Virgin conceived immediately paradoxically”. |
| 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 Communities of the Russian Orthodox Church in different countries of the world pray for victims of terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall DECR Communication Service, 24.03.2024. Prayers for those killed in terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall in Krasnogorsk near Moscow and for the health of the injured are offered up at the Representations of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Local Orthodox Churches and in the parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate located in foreign countries on different continents. On Saturday, March 23, archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus " to the Patriarchal Throne of Antioch, celebrated the Divine Liturgy and the memorial service in the church of St. Ignatius the God-Bearer – the Representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Damascus, Syria. On March 24, parishioners of the Metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Lebanon prayed during Matins and the Liturgy at the church of the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary in Jal el Dib. Archimandrite Philip celebrated the office sung on the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy and the memorial service for all the victims of the terrorist attack. Attending the services was Mr. Rodrigue El-Khoury, a representative of the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On March 23, archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev), head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, Israel, celebrated the litany for the innocent victims of the terrorist attack at the Crocus City Hall on March 22. Concelebrating with him at the mission church of St. Elijah in Haifa were archpriest Miroslav Vitiv, a sacristan, and hieromonk Tikhon (Proyaev) and deacon Makary Petukhov, clergymen of the Mission. On March 23, parishioners gathered at the church of the Holy Trinity – the Metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade, Serbia, to pray for those who had lost their lives at the hands of the terrorists at a concert hall in the Moscow region. The requiem service was celebrated by archpriest Vitaly Tarasjev, rector of the church and representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus " to the Patriarch of Serbia. Archpriest Vitaly called all the worshippers to pray for the killed and injured innocent people. |
| Archive Пн Round table on Orthodoxy in China takes place as part of the Nativity Readings 24 January 2024 year 18:42 On 23rd January 2024 as part of the XXXII International Nativity Readings a round table was held at the pilgrimage centre of the Moscow Patriarchate entitled “The Traditions of Orthodox in China: Losses and Gains of the Past and the Image of the Future”. The organizers of the round table were the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and the metochion of the Chinese Orthodox Church in Moscow. Gathered in the Annunciation Conference Hall of the Universitetskaya Hotel were clergy, sinologists and representatives of the scholarly and educational community from the Institute of Eastern Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow State University, Saint Petersburg State University, the Russian State University for the Humanities, the International State Institute for International Relations, the Moscow Architectural Institute and other institutions of higher learning. Those wishing to participate in the meeting, including guests from China, were able to do so by videolink. Hieromonk Kirill (Peregudin) from the secretariat for affairs of the Far East under the Department for External Church Relations and professor of the Moscow Architectural Institute doctor M.Yu. Shevchenk acted as moderators of the session. Before the work of the round table began, Father Kirill served the Divine Liturgy in Church Slavonic in the domestic Church of Saint Olga located on the fifteenth floor of the pilgrimage centre. Concelebrating with him was cleric of the metochion of the Chinese Orthodox Church deacon Anatoly Goldman. Church hymns in both languages were sung by the choir of the metochion under the direction of O.S. Lesina. During the Litany of Fervent Supplication the prayer for the people of China by Saint Nicholas the Serb was offered. In his greetings to the participants of the round table the director general of the pilgrimage centre hierodeacon Sergei (Turkeyev) wished all the participants success and practical results in their work. |
| 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 Church for Russian Orthodox community consecrated in Lebanon DECR Communication Service, 10/03/2024 On 10 th March 2024, while in Lebanon, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, DECR chairman, took part in the celebrations marking the lesser consecration of the Holy Annunciation Church in Jal El Dib, provided by Metropolitan Silouan of Byblos, Botris and Dependencies (Mount Lebanon) for the use of the Russian-speaking Orthodox Christians in Lebanon. Metropolitan Anthony officiated at the consecration that was followed by the Divine Liturgy celebrated by the Russian hierarch together with Metropolitan Silouan of Mount Lebanon and Metropolitan Nifon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. Among other concelebrants were Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ to the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, rector of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Metochion in Beirut; Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky), rector of the Moscow Metochion of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia; Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR deputy chairman; and clergy of the Patriarchates of Antioch and Moscow. The Liturgy was celebrated in the Arabic and Church Slavonic languages. Attending the divine service were Mr Alexander Rudakov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Lebanon; Mr R. El Khoury of the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mr Yegor Skopenko, executive director of the Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture and Heritage; Lebanese politicians and public figures, and Russian citizens residing in Lebanon. After the Liturgy, Metropolitan Silouan of Mount Lebanon greeted all those present. In his speech, he pointed out that the restoration of the Holy Annunciation Church in Jal El Dib had been a matter of particular concern for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’, who had taken upon himself the task of getting the work completed. Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, and Metropolitan Nifon of Philippopolis had also made their contribution, facilitating the restoration works, Metropolitan Silouan noted. |
| 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 Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk begins a working visit to the Antiochian Orthodox Church DECR Communication service, 20.01.2023. On the 20 th of January, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, arrived in Lebanon. Metropolitan Anthony was accompanied by Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, Adviser to His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, Deputy Chairman Department for External Church Relations, and Priest Alexander Ershov, Assistant to the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations. On arrival in Beirut, Metropolitan Anthony and his entourage went to the Metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church, where they were warmly welcomed by its rector, Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East. The delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church then visited the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Jal El Dib, which is being reconstructed with the assistance of DECR with funding fr om the Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture and Heritage. Since 2020, with the blessing of the ruling bishop of the local diocese of the Patriarchate of Antioch, Metropolitan Silouan of Mount Lebanon, services have been held in this church for the Russian Orthodox community of Lebanon. Metropolitan Silouan of Mount Lebanon and Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, accompanied by local clergy and Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev), performed a thanksgiving service. The Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of Lebanon, A.N. Rudakov, Executive Director of the Foundation for the Support of Christian Culture and Heritage, E.I. Skopenko, manager of the reconstruction of the church, architect D. Naamen, and numerous parishioners of the Russian Orthodox community were present at the service. |
| New earthquake brings serious damage to the Orthodox Church in Japan The aftershock quaking still continues and add damages on damages. The restoration work takes years and years. Long term support will be necessary. Specialist says much more longer than in the case of Kobe. The aftershock quaking still continues and add damages on damages. The restoration work takes years and years. Long term support will be necessary. Specialist says much more longer than in the case of Kobe. Aftershock quaking still happens three or four times every day and last night, another magnitude 7 earthquake occured near Sendai and hit the damaged building and suffered people’s heart again. Since the disaster happened, Bishop Seraphim and clergies in Eastern Japan Diocese have been making great effort to contact with parishioners and to get information on their situation. For the first two weeks, shortage of gas and damaged roads disturbed direct visit to their flocks. Recently rubbles were pushed out from the main roads to the coast were opened to the traffic. On April 5 and 6, Bishop Seraphim visited the church and parishioners. This is the short report with newest information we received. In General, the damages of Orthodox communities were not in the worst level. Except Holy Annunciation Chapel in Yamada, all the church and chapels survived and stands fairly well at a glance. But examining carefuly, there found many cracks on the walls, damages on interior and exterior of the building and serious collaps on the foundation. And frequent aftershok quaking increases cracks and enlarge damages. It is supposed quite a big amount will be needed to restore and rebuild churches. Among 1.5 thousands parishioners in Tohoku area; seven were killed by tsunami, one died from shock of the earthquake. In coastal area many losts their houses and job. Countless people had damages on their houses, shops and offices. Diocese has not yet had clear grasp of their situation. -Coastal area- YAMADA (registered parishioners:15 families, 20 pax) |
| Photo: Facebook/Suprasl 2022: A World Gathering of Orthodox Youth Suprasl, Poland – Over 90 youth and youth workers from 22 countries participated in “Suprasl 2022: A World Gathering of Orthodox Youth,” an international gathering held at the Orthodox Academy at the Annunciation Monastery, Poland, 18-24 July 2022. Attendees explored the theme “Go and Bear Fruit,” based on John 15:16, learning how as young people, they have a vital role in creating opportunities for unity within the global Orthodox Church. “It was inspiring to hear participants share their wishes and dreams for the growth of more pan-Orthodox youth cooperation,” said Archdeacon Joseph Matusiak of the Polish Orthodox Church. “Suprasl 2022 was an event where the unity of Orthodoxy was experienced and lived, fostered and developed.” Suprasl 2022 was organized with the blessing and support of His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland. Other Orthodox primates and hierarchs of several Local Orthodox Churches encouraged and sponsored young people from their Churches to attend the event. At the opening of the gathering, Metropolitan Sawa greeted participants, expressing his gratitude to them for taking a step to renew and revive pan-Orthodox international youth gatherings. “Do whatever you can to build up and spread the unity of the Orthodox Church through your work here this week, because the work of the devil is very strong and active In bringing Orthodox young people together from around the world, Surprasl 2022 drew upon the legacy of Syndesmos, an organization founded in 1953 to encourage connections among Orthodox youth throughout the world. However, Suprasl 2022 was neither an administrative meeting nor an assembly. It was an opportunity for young people from around the world who had never met before, to taste and celebrate the unity found within the Orthodox Faith regardless of nation or culture, focusing on how that unity can be an inspiration for youth work. “When I signed up for Suprasl I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was a privilege and a blessing to meet Orthodox youth from so many different cultures and backgrounds. After this event I am convinced of the importance of Churches meeting each other and keeping up a conversation,” said Elias Van Outrive from Belgium. |
| Of course, viewed from the perspective of so-called “scientific” atheism this Gospel story supplies plenty of reasons for speaking of “myths and legends.” The rationalist will say, “When do angels ever appear to young women and hold conversations with them? Do believers really think that people of the twentieth century, living in a technological civilization, could believe this? Can’t believers see just how silly, unscientific and impossible this is?” The believer always has only one answer to this kind of contentious debate, disparagement and ridicule: yes, alas, it is impossible to fit this into your shallow worldview. As long as your arguments about God and religion remain on the superficial level of chemical experiments and mathematical formulas you will always easily win. But chemistry and mathematics are of no help whatsoever in proving or disproving anything at all in the realm of God and religion. In the language of your science, the words angel, glad tidings, joy and humility are of course completely meaningless. But why limit the discussion to religion? More than half of all words are incomprehensible to your rationalist language, and therefore in addition to religion you will have to suppress all poetry, literature, philosophy and virtually the whole of human imagination. You desire the entire world to think as you do, in terms of production and economic forces, of collectives and programs. Yet the world does not naturally think in this way and must be handcuffed and forced to do so, or rather, appear to do so. You say that all imagination is false because the “imaginary” does not exist, and yet the imagination is what people have always lived by, live by now, and will in the future as well. For everything most profound and most essential in life has always been expressed in the language of imagination. I don’t pretend to understand what an angel is, nor, using the limited language of rationalism, can I explain the event that occurred almost two thousand years ago in a tiny Galilean town. But it strikes me that mankind has never forgotten this story, that these few verses have repeatedly been incorporated into countless paintings, poems and prayers, and that they have inspired and continued to inspire. This means, of course, that people heard something infinitely important to them in these words, some truth which apparently could be expressed in no other way than in the childish, joyful language of Luke’s Gospel. What is this truth? What happened when the young woman, barely past childhood, suddenly heard — from what profound depth, from what transcendent height! — that wonderful greeting: ”Rejoice!” For that is indeed the angel’s message to Mary: Rejoice! |
| Tweet Нравится Pro-life campaigns in Russia and Serbia to be held on Annunciation Moscow, April 5, 2017 Photo: Pravoslavie.ru The international “Beginning of Life” campaign in defense of unborn life will be held on April 7, the feast of the Annunciation, in many regions of Russia, neighboring countries, and in Serbia, reports Foma . With the blessing of Patriarch Irinej, the fourth annual cross procession will be held in Belgrade around the National Assembly building for the legislative protection of the unborn. “Everyone has in view artificial surgical and medical abortions, but few pay attention to the fate of children at the age of Christ (a few days from conception), millions of which are annually disposed of quietly by the abortive action of intrauterine and hormonal means of contraception, and also in the process of in vitro fertilization (IVF), when excess children conceived ‘in vitro’ are discarded, whether disposed of immediately, or once their cryopreservation has expired,” emphasizes the “ For Life ” movement. Festive events and flash mobs with the participation of Orthodox youth will be held in many churches and on the streets in April 7 throughout these countries. The aim is to show that “premarital chastity, strong families, and care for relatives, foster children and orphans are integral parts of the preservation of a nation, but the sins of contraception and artificial conception not only kill children, but are also contrary to human nature, destroying health and the familial way of life, leading to the degradation of society.” Participants will distribute thematic brochures and leaflets to passers-by, and also white flowers—a symbol of life and purity. There will also be festive concerts, charity events and round table discussions on the defense of unborn children. 5 апреля 2017 г. Квитанция Реквизиты для юридических лиц Оплата с банковской карты Visa, MasterCard и Maestro Оплата наличными через кассы и терминалы Пожертвование через Сбербанк Онл@йн Яндекс.Деньги Альфа-клик MasterPass Интернет-банк Промсвязьбанка Квитанция Реквизиты для юридических лиц Оплата с банковской карты Visa, MasterCard и Maestro Оплата наличными через кассы и терминалы Пожертвование через Сбербанк Онл@йн Яндекс.Деньги Альфа-клик MasterPass Интернет-банк Промсвязьбанка скрыть способы оплаты |
| This year Orthodox Christians and the Catholics are celebrating Easter on the same day – but this is not always the case. In fact, there are many distinct reasons why many a year the Orthodox Church celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on a different day than the Catholics. We spoke with Fr. Jon Magnolias, a Greek-Orthodox priest at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church in Modesto, CA, and asked him to explain what factors determine if the Orthodox Church celebrates Pascha (Easter) on the same day the Catholic church does. His explanation is below and clarifies the matter immensely: “As Greek-Orthodox Christians prepare to celebrate Easter on Sunday, April 16th, we would like to shed some light on the reasons why the Orthodox Christian Church celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ later than the Catholic one. While the issue is somewhat complicated, it may be summarized in the two factors at work that cause this conflict in dates: 1) The issue of the calendar; and 2) the adherence by the Orthodox to the early practices of the Christian Church. The first factor, the calendar, has to do with the fact that the Christian Orthodox Church continues to follow the Julian calendar when calculating the date of Pascha (Easter). The rest of Christianity uses the Gregorian calendar. There is a thirteen-day difference between the two calendars, the Julian calendar being thirteen (13) days behind the Gregorian. The other factor at work is that the Orthodox Church continues to adhere to the rule set forth by the First Ecumenical Council, held in Nicea in 325 AD, that requires that Pascha must take place after the Jewish Passover in order to maintain the Biblical sequence of Christ’s Passion. The rest of Christianity ignores this requirement, which means that on occasion Western Easter takes place either before or during the Jewish Passover.” The end result is that the Orthodox Church usually celebrates Easter as much as five weeks later than Western Churches. However, this year is an exception as Orthodox Easter in 2017 is on the same days as the Catholic celebrations. One thing worth noting is that this the last time that the two Churches will share Easter celebrations until 2025! Recently, the Easter holiday has fallen on the same day in 2010, 2011, 2014, as the two dates coincide only when the full moon following the equinox counts as the first full moon after March 21 in the Julian calendar and the Gregorian calendar. |
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