| Tweet Нравится Symposium in Honor of Newly-Glorified St. Sebastian Dabovich Alhambra, CA, September 8, 2015 The festivities of the Nineteenth Diocesan Days gathering of the Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America continued on Saturday following the Divine Liturgy in which the proclamation of glorification of St. Sebastian Dabovich was read with a symposium luncheon. The symposium was emceed by Fr. Josiah Trenham, pastor of St. Andrew Orthodox Church (Antiochian) in Riverside, CA and featured several instructive and interesting discussions concerning the life, canonization and icons of St. Sebastian from various special guests. From the words of the various speakers it is clear that St. Sebastian was a holy man, greatly loved by those who knew him and those who have come to know him after his repose. Fr. Josiah Trenham emceeing the St. Sebastian symposium The program began with Fr. Josiah’s greeting of all the hierarchs, especially including His Holiness Patriarch Irinej, His Eminence Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and His Grace Bishop Maxim in whose cathedral these illuminating events were held. Each speaker likewise began with greetings for the gathered hierarchs, which are here omitted. In introducing the symposium Fr. Josiah offered a beautiful “summary” of what it means to be a saint: Brothers and sisters this is a very delightful day and a day of tremendous significance for us Orthodox Christians to celebrate the day of glorification of St. Sebastian of San Francisco. The glorification of a saint is an honor and ennobling of human nature. It is the unveiling of the true calling of every one of us in this room and of every human being. It is the accomplishment of God’s will for the human race and it is the culmination of all of the saving acts of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the reason for the Incarnation, it is the reason for the Transfiguration, it is the reason for the Passion and Crucifixion of our Savior. It’s the fruit of the Resurrection. It is the continuance of our Savior’s ennobling of human nature through the glorious Ascension forty days after His Resurrection and it is the direct result of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church on the day of Pentecost. St. Sebastian therefore holds for all of us tremendous significance and his elevation into Heaven is not just a magnificent delight for God Who wills this for us all but also for us. Holiness is possible. |
| A Regular Session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia Coincides With the Celebration of the 700th Anniversary of the Birth of St Sergius of Radonezh Source: ROCOR Natalya Mihailova 14 October 2014 As part of the celebration of the 700th anniversary of the birth of St Sergius of Radonezh, a regular session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia was held in Cleveland, OH. In addition to His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Church Abroad, participating were His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany; His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops; His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada; His Eminence Archbishop Michael of Geneva and Western Europe; His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America; His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield and His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, Vice Secretary of the Synod of Bishops. On Tuesday, October 7, 2014, Metropolitan Hilarion opened the session by welcoming the participants and expressing special thanks to Vladyka Peter for organizing his warm hospitality. The hierarchs then reviewed the schedule of services at the Cathedral of St Sergius in Cleveland. Archbishop Mark spoke on the recent visit of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign” to Voronezh and the Kursk Diocese, and about the status of the monasteries of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem. Bishop Nicholas reported that next year, should His Holiness Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow and All Russia grant his blessing, the miracle-working icon will again visit Kurk as well as Ekaterinburg and the city of Ufa. Vladyka Nicholas also asked the blessing of the Synod of Bishops to lead a pilgrimage to the Holy Land around the date of the Ascension of the Lord. Archbishop Gabriel, treasurer of the Synod, then gave a detailed financial accounting and read the report of the Auditing Committee. |
| Blessed Alypia, Fool-for-Christ of Kiev An honored grave Blessed Alypia. On the northern outskirts of Kiev, amongst the fir and old birch trees, Lesnoe cemetery extends for several kilometers. Deep within it, to the right of the central gates, one of the cemetery plots seems to have broken away from nonexistence and atheistic captivity. It starkly differs from the now customary marble preponderance of brownish-black gravestones and slabs. White crosses on the humble graves speak of eternal life, transfigured and joyful. This cemetery ground belongs to the old Florov Convent, and here rest the nuns and clergy, who died during the latter half of the last century. Lesnoe cemetery came into being during the 1960’s, when Abbess Antonia of the Florov Ascension Monastery brought money to the city’s executive committee to purchase eight cemetery plots. The Abbess could not have guessed, of course, that this place would in time attract pilgrims from all corners of the Ukraine, Belorussia, Russia, and even from across the ocean. In the fall of 1988, the blessed nun Alypia (Avdeeva) was buried here. She was known to the world as a fool-for-Christ and clairvoyant eldress. Now the honor shown her by the people of Kiev can only be compared to that of St. Matrona of Moscow, although Blessed Alypia is not yet canonized as a saint. Documentation is only now being gathered and studied, but in the opinion of the Abbot of the Pokrov Goloseyevsky Hermitage, Archimandrite Isaac (Andronik), who headed the restoration of that monastery in the 1990’s, the blessed nun will soon be canonized. As an aside, Blessed Alypia labored in asceticism at the ruins of the Goloseyevsky Hermitage, and prayed to the God-pleasers who lived there during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, some of whom were also buried there: Metropolitan Philaret (Amphiteatrov †1857) of Kiev, whose relics are now in the Kiev-Caves Lavra, and his spiritual father, Hieroschemamonk Parthenius (†1855); Hieroschemamonk Theofile the fool-for-Christ (†1853) and monk Paisius (†1893); and the elder, Hieromonk Alexy (Shepelev †1917). Blessed Alypia as if received the spiritual baton that the Goloseyevsky ascetics handed on, and prayed many years for the renewal of that monastery. She told her spiritual children that she would abide there “forever, but not right away.” |
| Metropolitan Hilarion sends message of greetings to participants in 21st International Ecumenical Conference on Orthodox Spirituality admin 06 September 2013 On 4 September 2013, the 21 st International Ecumenical Conference on Orthodox Spirituality on the theme “the Ages of the Spiritual Life” began its work in the Monastery of Bose, Italy. Taking part in the symposium are official delegations of Local Orthodox Churches, representatives of the Roman Catholic Church and Protestant communities, as well as prominent scholars and theologians. The delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church is led by Bishop Konstantin of Zaraisk, rector of the Kolomna Theological Seminary. Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, sent a message of greetings to the organizers and participants of the conference. The text of the message is given below. Esteemed Father Enzo Bianchi, Dear Participants in the Conference: On behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, I cordially greet all the participants in the 21 st International Ecumenical Conference on Orthodox Spirituality, organized by the Monastic Community of Bose and dedicated to the theme “The Ages of the Spiritual Life”. The notion of spiritual growth implying that a person goes through various stages in his self-improvement, appeared already in the works of the most ancient Christian writers. We can find this notion in the writings of the Cappadocian Fathers, St John Chrysostom and St Ambrose the Bishop of Milan. It became the cornerstone in the spiritual heritage of Evagrius of Pontus ad St John Cassian the Roman. In the 7 th century, St John of the Ladder systemized the idea of various ages of spiritual life, which he regarded as stages of gradual ascension to God through cutting off passions and gaining inner peace and true love. The experience described in the “the Ladder of Divine Ascent” became fundamental for Russian monasticism and gained a new momentum in the 18 th century thanks to St Paisius Velichkovsky and translators of the “Philokalia”. We can find this idea in the “Candid Narratives of a Pilgrim”, as well as in the ascetic feat of Optina Elders. |
| Tweet Нравится Christmastide: What is the Season and How are We Supposed to Spend it? Fr. Andrei Chizhenko Ukrainian " starring " and " kolyadki " -caroling during " Sviatki " Christmastide. Photo: pravlife.org The main thing is not to stain but to continue whitening the garments of our souls, Priest Andrei Chizhenko believes. In the Church liturgical cycle the Nativity of Christ is the second most important festival after Easter and that is why it is celebrated for whole twelve days. As always, the all-merciful Lord abundantly pours out His grace and light upon us. Hence the Russian name of this season: “Svyatki”, that is, “Holy Days”. In ancient times Christmastide was called “Holy Evenings” probably because it was in the evenings that Christians would leave their everyday work and celebrate the Nativity of Christ and the Theophany. The history of Christmastide is as follows… In the first centuries of Christianity the Church knew only one festival—the Theophany (another name for it is the Baptism of Christ ). Two events in the Savior’s life on Earth were commemorated on that day: the Nativity of Christ and His Baptism. Later, in the fourth century, these two feast days were separated from each other. The Nativity of the Lord was transferred to December 25 according to the old calendar (January 7 according to the new calendar), while the Theophany is celebrated on January 6 according to the old calendar (January 19 according to the new calendar) even to this day. But as in the Church consciousness these two feasts merge into one feast, the twelve days that now separate them are considered one continuous feast. Similarly, the forty days after the Resurrection of Christ until the Ascension of the Lord are celebrated as Easter because the Savior continued to appear to His disciples during this period. This is why the period between Nativity Day and the Baptism of the Lord is called Christmastide (Svyatki in Russian: derived from the Russian words “light”, “holiness”). |
| Hieromartyr Pancratius of Taormina, Sicily/Православие.Ru Hieromartyr Pancratius of Taormina, Sicily Commemorated on July 9/22 St. Pancratius. Most of us know Sicily as a charming travel destination; the rocky, mysterious, venue of Punic wars, where Cyclops lurked brooding in his cave, and Mt. Aetna, the island’s fiery host and parent, still puffs its smoky clouds at an otherwise cloudless sky. But Sicily was also home to many early Christian saints, and the arena of their martyrdom. The fertile island had long occupied an important place on the map of the known world by the time of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Christianity spread there from apostolic times. One of the first saints of that ancient island is the Holy Hieromartyr, Pancratius of Taormina. St. Pancratius, Bishop of Taormina, was born when our Lord Jesus Christ yet lived upon the earth. The parents of Pancratius were natives of Antioch. Hearing the good news of Jesus Christ, Pancratius' father took his young son with him and went to Jerusalem in order to see the great Teacher for himself. The miracles astonished him, and when he heard the divine teaching, he then believed in Christ as the Son of God. He became close with the disciples of the Lord, especially with the holy Apostle Peter. It was during this period that young Pancratius got to know the holy Apostle Peter. After the Ascension of the Savior, one of the Apostles came to Antioch and baptized the parents of Pancratius together with their entire household. When the parents of Pancratius died, he left behind his inherited possessions and went to Pontus and began to live in a cave, spending his days in prayer and deep spiritual contemplation. The holy Apostle Peter, while passing through those parts, visited Pancratius at Pontus. He took him along to Antioch, and then to Sicily, where the holy Apostle Paul then was. There the holy Apostles Peter and Paul made St Pancratius Bishop of Taormina in Sicily. St Pancratius toiled zealously for the Christian enlightenment of the people. In a single month he built a church where he celebrated divine services. The number of believers quickly grew, and soon almost all the people of Taormina and the surrounding cities accepted the Christian Faith. |
| Metropolitan Hilarion begins his visit to Kazakhstan admin 19 February 2013 On 18 February 2013, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, chairman of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission (SBTC) and rector of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Church Postgraduate and Doctoral School arrived in Kazakhstan with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Accompanying Metropolitan Hilarion are archpriest Vladimir Shmaliy, vice-rector of the Postgraduate School and secretary of the SBTC; and A. Shishkov, research scholar of the SBTC. The main goal of the visit is field courses of professional development for bishops of the metropolitan area of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Kazakhstan, of the metropolitan are of Central Asia and of Azerbaijan. The courses are sponsored by the Ss Cyril and Methodius Church Postgraduate and Doctoral School. Meeting the guests at the Almaty airport was Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan. The hierarchs visited the Cathedral church of the Ascension and the Cathedral of St. Nicholas. They venerated the shrines and prayed at the relics of the holy confessor Nicholas, Metropolitan of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan. That sane day in the evening, Metropolitan Hilarion, Metropolitan Alexander and Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen, chancellor of the metropolitan are in the Republic of Kazakhstan, attended a concert of religious music at the Kazakh state conservatory named after Kurmangazy. Russian Consul General in Almaty, Viktor Zavyalov, was among the listeners. That same evening, the head of the metropolitan are in the Republic of Kazakhstan gave dinner in honour of Metropolitan Hilarion. Source: DECR Tweet Donate Share Code for blog Metropolitan Hilarion begins his visit to Kazakhstan admin On 18 February 2013, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, chairman of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission (SBTC) and rector of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Church Postgraduate and Doctoral School arrived in ... |
| The Church of the Ascension in Majske Poljane in Banija was completely destroyed. Photo: spc.rs Several Orthodox churches were damaged or completely destroyed in a 6.4 earthquake that rocked Croatia on Tuesday. Strong aftershocks on Wednesday also caused damage throughout the country, and at least seven people are known to have died in Tuesday’s disaster. The Serbian Orthodox Church reported on Tuesday that the damage to St. Petka Church and the parish house in Sisak was serious enough to completely interrupt the liturgical life of the community in central Croatia. Repairs to the church were finished just 15 days ago. The Church of St. Spyridon and the parish house were also seriously damaged in nearby Petrinja, as well as the Church of St. Nicholas in the city cemetery. The priests from both communities and their families were forced to leave their homes. Photo: spc.rs The Serbian Church also reported yesterday that the Church of the Ascension in Majske Poljane in Banija, also in central Serbia, was completely destroyed. The church was built in 1820, and thus celebrated its bicentennial this year. His Eminence Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb wrote in a statement on the damage that in spite of everything that has befallen the Church communities, they continue to believe that God does not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear, and that He will always provide a way out, as St. Paul teaches. “Therefore, let these difficulties, according to another great prophet, Peter, be understood as a fire in which our Christian faith will shine brighter than gold (1 Peter 1: 6-7)… May this experience, though tragic and painful, make us feel different about the misunderstandings that plague us in times of good and sometimes so easily distract us from the healing power of God’s peace and eternal meaning,” His Eminence writes. His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Gornji Karlovac also said he would be visiting the people to support them and bring them food, water, and blankets. |
| Putin presents icon to Sretensky Monastery church Source: Interfax-religion Natalya Mihailova 26 May 2017 Moscow, May 25, Interfax - Russian President Vladimir Putin has donated a 19th century icon of John the Baptist to the Church of the Ascension and New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church, which was consecrated in Moscow on Thursday. The head of state delivered the gift after the religious ceremony. The icon was placed in the president’s presence at the altar of the church that Putin visited together with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Bishop Tikhon of Yegoryevsk, who runs the monastery. The president was told about the interior of the church and the story of its construction. Later the president went into the lower section of the church, where he was shown a baptismal font decorated with unique mosaics in the style of ancient Byzantine churches. Baptism preparation classes will be held around the font on the foundations of the Orthodox faith. Tweet Donate Share Code for blog Putin presents icon to Sretensky Monastery church Natalya Mihailova The icon was placed in the president's presence at the altar of the church that Putin visited together with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Bishop Tikhon of Yegoryevsk, who runs the monastery. The president was told about the interior of the church and the story of its ... 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. Having said that, Pravmir provides daily articles from an autonomous news service, weekly wall newspaper for churches, lectorium, photos, videos, hosting and servers. Editors and translators work together towards one goal: to make our four websites possible - Pravmir.ru, Neinvalid.ru, Matrony.ru and Pravmir.com. Therefore our request for help is understandable. |
| Regular Session of ROCOR Holy Synod Held Source: ROCOR Pravmir.com team 11 March 2021 Photo: ROCOR (archive) On Tuesday, March 9, 2021, the feast of the 1st and 2nd Finding of the Head of St John the Forerunner of the Lord, a regular session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia was held remotely. Chairing the meeting was His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of ROCOR. Participating in this session were: His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany; His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops; His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada; His Eminence Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America; His Grace Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe and His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, Deputy Secretary of the Synod of Bishops. Hearing a report by Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), Chief of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem (ROCOR), the archpastors prayed for the repose of the newly-departed Abbess Moisseia (Bubnova), who spent the last few years in retirement, and sisters of Ascension of the Lord Convent on the Mt of Olives Schema-Nun Christina and Nun Rufina. Mother Moisseia and Sister Rufina died of complications from coronavirus, and Mother Christina died of cancer. The funeral and burial of Abbess Moisseia were performed on the feast day of Obretensky Church on the property of the convent. The Synod then deliberated on a written report by Archimandrite Nectarios of the Western American Diocese, Rector of Holy Trinity Monastery in Mexico, on the Mexican mission. Bishop Irenei, Secretary of the Office of Inter-Orthodox Affairs of the Synod of Bishops, gave a detailed report on the latest events in the Orthodox world and offered for consideration a draft of a new Diocesan Regulations for London and Western Europe. Archbishop Gabriel, Chief Financial Officer of the Synod of Bishops, reported on the financial situation, and also on the results of a meeting of the Council of Directors of Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY. |
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