| St. Athanasius of Lubensk the Patriarch of Constantinople Commemorated on May 2 Saint Athanasius III Patelarios, Patriarch of Constantinople, Wonderworker of Lubensk, in the world Alexis, was born in 1560 on the island of Crete, into the pious Greek family Patelarios. Despite his education and position in society, Alexis was attracted by the life of Christian ascetics. After his father’s death, he became a novice in one of the monasteries of Thessalonica with the name Ananias. From there, he he later went to the monastery of Esphimenou on Mt. Athos, where he fulfilled his obedience in the trapeza (dining area). From Athos he journeyed to the Palestinian monasteries, and he was tonsured with the name Athanasius. Upon his return to Thessalonica he was ordained presbyter and spread the Gospel of Christ among the Vlachs and the Moldovians, for whom he translated the PSALTER from the Greek. Sometimes, the saint went to Mt. Athos for solitude, and to ask God’s blessing on his pastoral work. The holiness of his life attracted many Christians who wished to see a true preacher of the Orthodox Faith. By his remarkable abilities and spiritual gifts he attracted the attention of the Patriarch of Constantinople, Cyril I (Lukaris) (1621-1623). Summoning the ascetic, Patriarch Cyril appointed him a preacher of the Patriarchal throne. Soon Saint Athanasius was consecrated bishop and became Metropolitan of Thessalonica. At this time Patriarch Cyril was slandered before the sultan and imprisoned on the island of Tenedos. Saint Athanasius assumed the Patriarchal throne on March 25, 1634, on the day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos. Patriarch Athanasius led an incessant struggle against heretics, Jesuits, and Moslems. After only forty days on the Patriarchal throne, he was deposed through the intrigues of the enemies of Orthodoxy, and Cyril I was returned. The saint went to Athos, where for a certain time he pursued asceticism in solitude. Then he became Patriarch again, but was deposed after a year. After this, he returned to Thessalonica and renewed his connections with the Holy Mountain. In view of the intolerable persecution of Christians by the Moslems, Saint Athanasius was repeatedly (from 1633 to 1643) obliged to send petitions to the Russian tsar Michael (1613-1645) seeking alms for the hapless Church of Constantinople. |
| Five young adults representing the Orthodox Church in America are among the forty-plus participants from around the world attending the international Orthodox youth festival, “Attaining Conciliarity,” at the Monastery of the Annunciation’s Academy here during the last week of August 2015. In the Warsaw Seminary chapel are [from left] Victor Lutes, Janine Alpaugh, John Shimchick, and Joseph Green. Sponsored by Syndesmos, the World Fellowship of Orthodox Youth and hosted by the Orthodox Church of Poland , the gathering marks the first time since 1998 that youth from the OCA are participating in such an event. In early 2015, each OCA diocese had been asked to select a young adult to participate in the festival. Representing the Archdiocese of Washington is Victor Lutes, while Janine Alpaugh, William Kopcha and Joseph Green are representing the Dioceses of New York and New Jersey, New England and the South respectively. Also representing the Diocese of New York and New Jersey is John Shimchick, who had visited the Church in Poland several years ago. Archpriest Dr. Chad Hatfield, Chancellor of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, Yonkers, NY, is the keynote festival speaker. His topic is “The Conciliar Model of the OCA: The Dream of Saint Tikhon.” Also slated to address the gathering is Archpriest Vladimir Misijuk of Bialystok, Poland, who will speak on “Attaining Conciliarity: The Task of our Daily Life.” Father Vladimir is an alumnus of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary and former Syndesmos General Secretary. “Since its establishment in Paris, France in 1953 as a way to connect Orthodox youth and young adults the world over, Syndesmos has worked closely with youth in North America, Western Europe and the traditional ‘Orthodox homelands,’” said Andrew Boyd, OCA Youth Director . “This was especially crucial in the late 20th century as the only means to connect Orthodox youth in eastern and central Europe with their counterparts elsewhere. While still a university student, the late Father John Meyendorff was among Syndesmos’ founders, while other Influential members of Syndesmos as young adults and beyond include the late Father Alexander Schmemann, the late Patriarch Ignatius of Antioch, Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow, Archbishop Anastasios of Albania, Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North America, Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, and countless others. The OCA has a strong tradition of supporting Syndesmos through its general secretariat, elected vice-presidency and board membership and by providing interns and staff members. In 2009, I had the honor of serving as a Syndesmos intern.” |
| Photo: mospat.ru In 2020 the Japanese Orthodox Church celebrates the 150 th anniversary of the Russian Orthodox Mission in Japan, 50 th anniversary of the autonomous life of the Japanese Orthodox Church as part of the Moscow Patriarchate and 50 th anniversary of the canonization of Nicholas of Japan Equal-to-the-Apostles. On September 12-13, 2020, solemn divine services took place to mark these anniversaries. On September 12, the All-Night Vigil was celebrated at the Cathedral of Resurrection in Tokyo (known as Nikorai-do – the church of Nicholas dedicated to Nicholas of Japan Equal-to-the-Apostles, who brought Orthodoxy to Japan). It was led by Archbishop Seraphim of Sendai. He was assisted by Archpriest Nikolay Katsiuban, rector of the Russian Orthodox Church representation in Japan, as well as Rev. Michael Tainaka and Rev. Paul Nikanisi, clergy of the cathedral. Worshipping in the sanctuary was Archbishop Daniel, Archbishop of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan. On September 13, Metropolitan Daniel of Tokyo and All Japan, assisted by Archbishop Seraphim of Sendai celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the St. Nicholas Cathedral. They were assisted by Archpriest Nikolay Katsiuban, Archpriest Mark Koike, secretary of the Diocese of Sendai; Archpriest Paul Oikawa, rector of the Cathedral of the Annunciation; Archpriest Constantine Masuda, rector of the church of the Resurrection at Suginami City in Tokyo, and Rev. Michael Tainaka and Rev. Paul Nakanisi, priests of the cathedral. Due to the coronavirus epidemic restriction, there were about 70 worshippers in the church. After the Divine Liturgy, a thanksgiving was celebrated and ‘Many Years’ was sung. Metropolitan Daniel addressed himself to the congregation with anniversary greetings. Archpriest Nikolay Kotsiuban read out a message sent by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on the occasion of the festive divine services in Tokyo. Hieromonk Nicholas (Ono) of the ROC Tokyo representation read out the Japanese version of the Patriarchal message. |
| Within 24 hours of the Orthodox Church celebrating Easter, three of its buildings around the world have gone up in flames. Firefighters battle a three-alarm fire in the historic Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Sava, Sunday, May 1, 2016, in New York. Photo: The Associated Press Orthodox churches in Sydney, Melbourne and New York all caught fire, although there appears to be no link between the blazes. In Sydney, the Macedonian Orthodox Church of the Resurrection was gutted following a fire that broke out about 10pm on Sunday. Less than 12 hours after the end of the Easter service, the Rockdale church, parts of which have been standing since the 1890s, was destroyed. Church treasurer Steve Kostovski says the blaze is doubly heartbreaking as the church did not have contents insurance for the building, which contained irreplaceable icons from around Europe. Three firefighters were injured and two were taken to hospital after being struck by bricks falling from the building, which investigators cannot enter until it is declared structurally safe. Australia’s second oldest Greek Orthodox church in East Melbourne was more fortunate, saved from a blaze on Monday afternoon. The cause of the fire at the 115-year-old Holy Church of Annunciation of Our Lady, is not believed to be suspicious, investigators say. No one was inside at the time of the fire at 1.30pm, which was mainly contained to the roof. In the US, a Serbian Orthodox church has been gutted in New York. The blaze started on Sunday evening local time at the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of St Sava in Manhattan, sending smoke plumes billowing into the sky and completely destroying the roof of the Gothic Revival style building. The church was built in the early 1850s and was designated a city landmark in 1968. 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. |
| John Anthony McGuckin Men, Alexander (1935–1990) KONSTANTIN GAVRILKIN Bible scholar, theologian, religious writer, and evangelist, Alexander Men was born to a Jewish family, but in 1935 his mother decided to become Orthodox Christian and he was baptized together with her in the Russian Catacomb Church. In his teens, Alexander had a spiritual experience that prompted him to write a book about Jesus: the first draft was finished when he was 15, and The Son of Man, published in 1969, was its final version. Around the same time, Alexander discovered the writings of the Russian philosopher Vladimir Solovyov, who shaped his understanding of history and Christianity. In fact, Solovyov’s idea to write a Christian interpretation of the history of world religions was later turned by Alexander Men into the six-volume series History of Religion: In Search of the Way, the Truth, and the Life, published in Russian between 1970 and 1983. When, in 1958, he was expelled from college for his religious beliefs, he was ordained a deacon and in 1960 a priest. He served in a number of parishes in the Moscow region; for the last twenty years of his life as a pastor of the Annunciation Church in Novaia Derevnia. In the 1960s Fr. Alexander became a supporter ofhuman rights activists, some of whom joined the Orthodox Church because of his influence. He also continued to write on the Bible, the history of salvation, and the Orthodox Church, publishing his books in the West under various pseudonyms (E. Svetlov, A. Bogolyubov, and A. Pavlov) with the help of the Catholic publishing house in Brussels, La Vie avec Dieu, which was instrumental in supplying Christians in the Soviet Union with Russian religious literature. In the 1970s and 1980s Fr. Alexander became a recognized spiritual leader of many Soviet intellectuals who were baptized and joined the Orthodox Church despite KGB harassment and political persecution. During the Gorbachev years, Fr. Alexander took full advantage of new avenues for evangelization and ministry: he and his followers founded the Russian Bible Society and the Open Orthodox University in 1990, created a network of Sunday schools, and initiated charitable ministries at various hospitals. |
| 125th Anniversary of Orthodox Christianity in Chicago to be celebrated September 30 Source: OCA Proclaiming 2017 as the “125th Year of Orthodox Christianity in Greater Chicago,” the region’s ruling bishops have endorsed a historic celebration to take place on Saturday, September 30, 2017. Sponsored by the Orthodox Christian Clergy Association [OCCA] of Greater Chicago, the commemoration will include the celebration of a Pan-Orthodox Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Lane Tech Auditorium, 2501 West Addison at Western, Chicago, followed by an anniversary banquet at the Chicago Marriott O’Hare, 8535 West Higgins Road, Chicago. Chairing the event is Archpriest Nicholas Dahdal, Rector of Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church, Cicero, IL. His Grace, Bishop Paul of the OCA’s Diocese of the Midwest and other Chicago hierarchs, together with all area clergy, will gather to concelebrate the historic Liturgy. His Grace, Bishop Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America, former Director of Education at Chicago’s Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, will deliver the homily. Responses will be sung by the Pan-Orthodox Choir of Greater Chicago. History reveals that the Orthodox Christian presence in Chicago began in the late 1800s with the establishment of the “Greco Slavonic Brotherhood,” which included immigrants primarily from Sparta and Corfu, Greece; Montenegro and Hercegovina, in Serbia; and Carpatho-Russians and Galicians from what was then the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After petitioning the ecclesiastical centers in their respective homelands, priests were sent in 1892 to serve the faithful under the existing Russian Orthodox Diocese of Alaska. This marked the establishment of Saint Vladimir Church [today’s Holy Trinity OCA Cathedral], Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, and Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral. Today, there are nearly 80 parishes in the greater Chicagoland area. “A Pan-Orthodox committee representing 20 parishes is working on producing this grand event,” said Gordana Trbuhovich, an Orthodox Event Coordinator assisting Father Dahdal and the committee. “We welcome additional volunteers, and especially singers for the choir.” |
| November 4, 2015 (Baltimore, MD)— International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is responding with emergency relief to Hurricane Joaquin survivors on one of the hardest hit islands in the Bahamas. IOCC US Country Representative, Dan Christopulos, surveys damage to the home of a Long Island resident. Hurricane Joaquin caused massive destruction to hundreds of homes on this tiny island in the Bahamas. IOCC is responding with cleanup and home repair assistance. photo: IOCC Working in cooperation with Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, in Nassau, Bahamas, a parish of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and with local relief partner, HeadKnowles, IOCC is providing building supplies for residents of Long Island who have started to repair their homes. Blankets, hygiene kits, school kits, and cleanup buckets are also in transit to the Bahamas and being delivered to families in need on the affected outer islands. More than 3,000 people live on Long island in the Bahamas, but not a single one escaped the wrath of 130 mph winds or nearly 24 inches of rain. Hundreds of families were stranded without shelter after forceful winds ripped roofs from their homes or reduced them to rubble. Powerful waves surged over the hard hit island, flooding the islands and washing a freighter and numerous smaller boats inland. Four weeks after the storm, electricity is just starting to be restored. IOCC US Country Representative Dan Christopulos was on the ground last week to assess the immediate and long-term needs of the survivors. “Parts of the island were obliterated, with standing water still evident,” said Christopulos. “So many of the houses have been badly damaged or destroyed. While we help those residents who have been able to go back and undertake some of the more minor repairs, we realize that long term recovery will be needed to help Long Island families rebuild their homes and their lives after suffering so much loss from this disaster.” IOCC has also been in contact with relief partners, United Methodist Committee on Relief and Bahamas Methodist Habitat, about collaborating on rebuilds in the future with IOCC Orthodox Action Team volunteers from the US and Bahamas providing volunteer labor. |
| Ancient Discovery Made Under Nazareth’s Church of the Annunciation Source: TheBlaze Natalya Mihailova 02 July 2015 A team of American and Israeli archaeologists uncovered what they believe to be a 1,700-year-old mosaic 6 feet under the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the site where some Christians believe that the upcoming birth of Jesus was announced to the Virgin Mary. A Byzantine mosaic from the original Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, found beneath the modern church " s courtyard. Photo: http://www.timesofisrael.com “The mosaic floor is beautifully decorated with multiple stylized crosses and iconography,” Professor Richard Freund of the University of Hartford said in a statement . Archaeologists from the University of Hartford, Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and Haifa University said they discovered the fourth-century mosaic floor using ground-penetrating radar. “Based on the data we collected in December 2012 and January 2015 using the geophysical techniques ground-penetrating radar and electro-resistivity tomography, we determined that ‘something’ was buried beneath the courtyard behind the current incarnation of the church,” said Duquesne University’s Dr. Philip Reeder. According to Christian tradition, the annunciation refers to the angel Gabriel’s announcement to the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to Jesus. The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation was built during the Byzantine period at the site in Nazareth where Greek Orthodox believe Mary received the news that she would give birth. The church was destroyed and rebuilt several times over history. The mosaic was created around the time the mother of Constantine the Great, St. Helena, was in the Holy Land directing the construction of churches there. Tweet Donate Share Code for blog Ancient Discovery Made Under Nazareth’s Church of the Annunciation Natalya Mihailova “The mosaic floor is beautifully decorated with multiple stylized crosses and iconography,” Professor Richard Freund of the University of Hartford said in a statement. Archaeologists from the University of Hartford, Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and Haifa University said they discovered the ... |
| Archive Meeting of the Blessed Virgin Mary with St. Elizabeth is commemorated at Gorny Convent 15 April 2022 year 15:22 According to tradition started by the founder of the Russian Palestine, Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin), the icon of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is taken fr om Jerusalem to the Gorny Convent in Ain Karim after the feast day of Annunciation thus commemorating the visit to St. Elizabeth of the Holy Virgin ‘who went into the hill country, to the city of Judah’ (Lk 1:39) to share the joy of the Saviour of the world to be born of her. This year, Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias officiated at the celebrations with the blessing of Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem. On April 11, after a prayer service celebrated by Metropolitan Isychios before the icon of the Annunciation in the Holy Trinity Cathedral, the icon was brought to the Gorny Convent. Meeting the icon at the spring known as the Fountain of the Virgin in Ain Karem were hegumeness Yekaterina (Chernysheva), mother superior of the Gorny Convent, and sisters of the abode. The procession of clerics led by Metropolitan Isychios proceeded to the Convent, wh ere the icon was put on the lectern at the church of the Kazan icon of the Mother of God. Near the icon a hegumeness’ staff was placed. According to tradition, the Precious Mother of God is considered to be the hegumeness of the Gorny Convent when the icon is here. Archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov), head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, officiated at the festive divine service, being assisted by the clerics of the Mission and of the Gorny Convent. The service was celebrated in accordance with the ordo of the Annunciation All-Night Vigil. Grand Compline with the Litiya was followed by procession around the church and Matins during which the akathistos to the meeting of the Holy Virgin with the Righteous Elizabeth was read. After the divine service, the head of the Mission addressed the sisters of the abode with edifying words. On April 12, Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias officiated at the Divine Liturgy of St John Chrysostom usually celebrated on the feast day at the Cathedral of All the Saints Who Shone Forth in the Land of Russia. The hierarch was assisted by Archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov) and clerics of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, the Mission and the Gorny Convent: archimandrite Bartholomew, dean of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, archpriest Nikolay Zhdanov, hegumen Nikon (Golovko), hieromonks Amvrosy (Ignatov), Dometian (Markarian) and Afanasy (Bukin), archdeacon Mark (Henderson), and deacon Iliya Drachuk. |
| Archive Gorneye Convent commemorated Meeting of Theotokos with Righteous Elizabeth 22 April 2023 year 10:21 On April 20, 2023, the venerated Icon of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God was brought fr om the Trinity Cathedral of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem to the Gooneye Convent in Ein-Karem. This liturgical tradition was founded as back as the 19th century by Archimandrite Antonin (Kapustin) in the image of the walk made by the Most Holy Virgin into the hill country, to a city of Judah (Lk. 1:39) to visit the Righteous Elizabeth and to share with her the joy of the Saviour’s forthcoming birth into the world. Metropolitan Joachim of Helenoupolis, who came to the Trinity Cathedral with a blessing of His Beatitude Theophilos, presided over the initial thanksgiving of the feast and a procession with the cross to Mary’s Spring in Ein-Karem. At the Spring, the icon was met by the convent’s Mother Superior Ekaterina (Chernysheva) with the clergy and sisters of the convent. The procession climbed the steep road to the convent wh ere His Eminence gave his blessing upon the beginning of the All-Night Vigil, the press service of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission reports. On this day, the special festive divine service is celebrated in keeping to the Paschal rubrics according to the Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God. During the lity, the clergy, sisters and pilgrims walked in a procession with the cross around the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God exclaiming one of the four diaconal petitions at each corner of the earth. The vespers was followed by the Paschal matins. After the service the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission, Archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov) addressed himself to the worshippers with a festive homily. On April 21, Metropolitan Joachim presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Gorneye Convent’s Cathedral of All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Russian Land. He was assisted by Archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov) and the clergy of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission and pilgrims in holy orders. The liturgy was celebrated in Greek and Church Slavonic. |
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