International Orthodox Christian News

Hi Beatitude was welcomed at the Airport in Tripoli by His Eminence Theofylaktos, Metropolitan of Tripoli and the clergy, His Excellency the Ambassador of Greece in Libya, the Consul General of Greece in Tripoli, the Chargé d’ Affaires of the Egyptian Embassy, the Chairman of the Hellenic Community of Tripoli and other officials.

At noon on the same day, His Eminence Theofylaktos hosted an official lunch in honour of His Beatitude, with whom he discussed issues relating to the local Church.

That night His Beatitude attended an official dinner hosted in his honour by His Excellency the Greek Ambassador, who expressed the respect and joy of all at the presence of the Venerable Primate of the Church of Alexandria in Tripoli , a city which is one of the oldest and most historical on the African Continent.

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The Archangel Michael Award is presented every year to a distinguished member of the community who embodies and promotes the finer qualities and traditions of Greek Orthodox heritage. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America is being honored not only for the dedicated and inspired leadership he has offered the Church in America but also on the occasion of his 40th Episcopal Ordination Anniversary in 2007 and the upcoming 10th Anniversary of his Enthronement as Archbishop of America.

St. Michael’s, the only Greek Orthodox adult home in the United States offering assisted living to its residents, was opened in 1958 by the late Archbishop Michael. At that time, the facility was known as Spiti Tou Protoporou (Home of the Pioneers) but in 1966 the name was changed to honor its founder and was dedicated to the Archangel Michael. For five decades, St. Michael’s has been a home-away-from home for countless Greek Orthodox elderly most of whom have come from the NY/NJ/CT Metropolitan area but in recent years some residents have come from other states across the nation. Within this unique Greek Orthodox environment, the residents are provided with assistance with their daily routine as well as room and board, medical attention, and other services critical to the well-being of these individuals.

While the evening will be an occasion to honor the Archbishop and to celebrate the Home’s accomplishments during the past 50 years of offering quality care to the elderly, the Gala will also be an opportunity to plan for the future. For the past five years, St. Michael’s has been operating at full capacity and has been limited by its present State license in the level of care it offers. Plans are underway to expand both the number of beds plus the level of care the Home offers and all proceeds from the event will go towards the Expansion Fund.

For more information about the Gala, please call 914-476-3374 or to make a donation on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of St. Michael’s please visit the Home’s website at stmichaelshome.org.

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Divine Service was conducted by His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. After the crucifixion the Savior’s tunic was given to Elios and Longinus, Jews from Mtskheta. They brought the holy relic to Mtskheta. Elios’ sister Sydonia embraced the Savior’s tunic and dead. She was buried together with the holy relic. A cypress tree raised there on the grave. It was decided to build a church on the place of cypress during the reign of King Mirian and Queen Nana in the fourth century. King Mirian, Queen Nana, and Sydonia’s tribute day is celebrated together with Svetitskhovloba. Today, the Holy Synod awarded Savior’s Tunic Order to Catholicos Patriarch.

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http://www.patriarchate.ge/_en/?action=news_show&mode=news&id=46

"The prevailing misperceptions, ambiguities, polarizations, tensions and collision (of values between Muslims and Christians), hijacked and sharpened by politico-ideological agendas and geo-political strategies, can be transformed only through a shared life in community," stated His Holiness Aram I, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church (See of Cilicia), in delivering the key-note speech of the consultation.

For His Holiness Aram I, such a "community building must take place on the basis of equal rights and obligations, as well as full and active participation in all aspects of society life, including decision-making". It "presupposes a quality of integration that provides equal opportunities, ensures diversity and enhances mutual acceptance".

Among the "divisive issues" to be addressed, His Holiness Aram I listed how both religions deal with the relationship between faith and reason, the response to secularism, the concept of mission and the tension between human rights and Islamic law.

Having a "rich history" of Christian-Muslim dialogue, the ecumenical movement needs to keep pursuing it with a "more focused" agenda, "touching on issues that pertain to the life of the people," said His Holiness Aram I.

Organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC), together with a number of Christian world communions, the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) and the Roman Catholic Church, the consultation has gathered some 50 church leaders and experts on Christian-Muslim dialogue in Chavannes-de-Bogis, outside Geneva, Switzerland.

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His Holiness welcomed the guests to the center of Armenian spiritual life, reflecting on the history of the foundation of the Armenian Apostolic Church, its mission in the life of Armenians throughout the world and contemporary challenges facing the Armenian people.

His Holiness stressed that the mission of the UN is important not only for Armenia but for the entire region in establishing peace, decreasing poverty and sowing kindness in the hearts of people. During the meeting, they touched upon the will of Armenia to find a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, and the hopes for establishing relations between Armenia and Turkey.

Mr. Diarra expressed his appreciation for the reception, and spoke about the activities of the UN and its attempts to address current challenges in the region. He also stressed the importance of spiritual values in the life of people. The High Representative spoke with His Holiness about the work the UN is implementing through their assistance in different spheres of poverty reduction, development and diplomatic efforts aimed at improved relations with neighboring countries.

During the meeting, the Pontiff of All Armenians also mentioned the efforts of the Armenian Church aimed at nurturing the right atmosphere in the country, and reflected on the recurring quadrilateral meetings of the spiritual leaders of the Caucasus, held on the initiative of His Holiness Alexei II, Russian Orthodox Patriarch. His Holiness concluded by expressing his frustration surrounding the lack of international condemnation on the destruction of Khatchkars (Stone-Crosses) in Julfa (Nakhijevan), stating that acts of intolerance such as these must be condemned by the UN and other international organizations, in order to prevent atrocities and similar incidents of cultural genocide in the future.

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Students from Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville were in attendance, as were young people from New York and other US cities. Each one of them, as a rule, is an active participant in parish life, fulfilling one obligation or another to help their parish. Priests from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Moscow Patriarchate, Fr Joakim Provatakis and Protopriest Alexander Abramov, gave lectures on the life, podvigi and spiritual labors of the saint.

Fr Alexander spoke of the life lessons of the “All-Russian Batiushka” and the meaning of his podvig in contemporary church life. Fr Joakim told of the theological significance of one of the main works of St John, My Life in Christ. The speakers noted that the life and work of St John are infused with striving towards God, genuine sympathy for the suffering, true earnestness, and attention to seemingly insignificant aspect of the spiritual life. It is the fervor of his faith, the lack of indifference, the burning prayerful attitude towards the Creator that brought Fr John the fame as a great man of prayer even during his lifetime, and after his death placed him as one of the most revered of Russian saints.

The young participants visited the Russian Consulate in New York and spoke with Consul General Sergei Viktorovich Garmonin. The Russian diplomat told them about the role of consulates, referring to the preservation of culture and the protection of the rights of citizens. SV Garmonin pointed out the fruits brought by the cooperation of diplomatic missions of Russia and the Church now that the unity of Orthodoxy has become a fact. The Ambassador then answered questions.

That evening the youth prayed at all-night vigil at St Nicholas Cathedral of the Moscow Patriarchate. Officiating at the service was His Grace Bishop Merkury of Zaraisk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the US. The choir consisted of an assemblage of young singers. An icon of St John was specially brought from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Sign at the Synod of Bishops, along with the saint’s cassock, as well as his kamilavka, which was brought from St Seraphim Church in Sea Cliff, NY, by Protodeacon Paul Wolkow.

At the end of the service, the participants were offered a trapeza, during which Bishop Merkury and Russian Ambassador to the US Sergei Ivanovich Kisliak warmly addressed the youth.

The next day, for the first time since the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion in May of last year, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, Bishop Merkury of Zaraisk officiated at Liturgy at the Synodal Cathedral.

A prayerful mood was created by the wonderful singing of the youth, most of whom have been singing in the kliros for some years. The choir was directed by Peter A Fekula.

At the end of Divine Liturgy, Vladyka Merkury delivered a sermon, reminding the faithful of the purpose and aim of the holy life is. He noted that “Fr John’s entire life was devoted to one goal—to serve the Word of God, and the Word of God is the Gospel, which is the ‘good news’ of the Kingdom of Heaven brought to us by the Lord Himself. Fr John took upon himself the great labor of preaching, of bringing the Divine words to mankind.” Bishop Merkury emphasized that “the all-Russian pastor’s mission is especially clear now, when the Word of God is proclaimed with great difficulty, even though there are no more persecutions of Orthodox Christians. Now the enemy of mankind is wielding new weapons to prevent the Divine Word from permeating our hearts, tempting people with so-called freedom, with satiation, wealth, dissolution. Now we must struggle with ourselves, and sometimes this is more difficult than resisting open persecution.”

In conclusion, Vladyka called upon the participants of the symposium and the parishioners gathered for Divine Liturgy to keep from letting the flame within us extinguish, which warms us ever since the Mystery of our Baptism occurred, not to lose focus, but to piously stoke love for God in our hearts, and prepare ourselves to meet God.

Vladyka Merkury’s sermon was heartfelt, for the Pastor of Kronstadt was one of the saints through whom the Savior brought the future bishop to Orthodox Christianity.

Vladyka recounted how once he saw in the icon corner of his grandmother—at one time the only believing member of his family—a portrait of a priest in a cassock and wearing medals right next to the icons. This was in the 1970’s, when Fr John had not yet been glorified in Russia [The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia canonized St John in 1964—Ed.] As a non-churchly person, the future bishop naturally wondered who this priest was that his portrait was together with the icons of saints? He even offered to hang it apart from the icons.

His wise grandmother replied that the portrait should remain where it was, and gave him a book titled Two Days in Kronstadt. When the future bishop read the worn volume, the image of this pastor took form in his mind: how zealously he performed divine services, with what trepidation he stood at the Altar of God, the way he intoned the priestly exclamations. This was not simply the utterance of words: one felt the meaning of each word, one sensed the priest’s own profound experiencing of them. And the young man then understood who Fr John of Kronstadt really was.

Later, he went to St Petersburg, found the grave of the batiushka in Karpovka’s St John Monastery. This was in the 1980’s, the church was being used as a workshop, and in the convent residences were a pantomime theater and other lay organizations. At the time, the saint had not yet been canonized, but the people of God had long been visiting his place of rest, looking into the little window of the small church. The window of the crypt where Fr John’s body lay looked out into the sidewalk, and someone had carved a cross with a knife so that everyone would know that a man of God reposed there, a priest by God’s mercy, Batiushka John of Kronstadt.

On his feast day, in the freezing weather, hundreds would gather at the window. The police would often drive away the people of God, but through all the brutal years of suffering, the All-Russian Pastor was visited by laity and clergy. But on the whole, alas, Russia remained godless.

“The Russian people forgot what Russia was,” grieved Fr John at the beginning of the last century, “For Russia is the floor underneath the Throne of God.”

Vladyka Merkury pointed out that “Fr John’s entire life was bound to the life of the Fatherland. He did not set out to be an All-Russian beacon of light, but was always obedient to his Fatherland and Church. Most dear to Fr John were our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the most cherished after that was the soul of man, which was his foremost focus of care and support.” His Grace expressed the hope that everyone, whether they serve as pastors of the Church or serve God and man as a layperson, would have St John’s book My Life In Christ on their table, and called upon the young people to study the saint’s works and pray to him.

After divine services, Protopriest Andrei Sommer read an epistle of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion addressed to the participants of the symposium. Fr Andrei gave Bishop Merkury an icon of St John in memory of the occasion, saying that the members of the gathering are mostly now the third generation of Russians, who try to preserve the language, culture and faith of their ancestors far from the borders of their historic Homeland, and they live in the Russian spirit. And whoever they are to become in life—pastors, diplomats, businessmen, some would spiritually nurture Orthodox Christians outside of Russia, others would serve the Fatherland and people in their lay lives, preserving and strengthening the bonds between Russia and Russians abroad.

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For the first time in history, on October 26, 2008, bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church prayed for Russia and Brazil and for the unity of the Church at the world-famous statue of our Lord Jesus Christ in the city of Corcovado, over 700 meters above Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The unprecedented divine service was held as part of the program called "Days of Russian Spiritual Culture in Latin America." Afterwards, a Russian flag was unfurled at the feet of the statue of Jesus Christ, held aloft by enthusiastic Brazilians, along with tourists from other countries.

"We prayed for Russia and for the well-being of the Brazilian people and this magnificent country," said His Eminence Metropolitan Platon of Argentina and South America. "We also prayed for the unity of our Holy Church."

According to Vladyka Platon, "a thousand years ago, Christianity was unified, but the second millennium saw it divided." The division of the Church into Orthodox and Catholic occurred in 1054.

Metropolitan Platon pointed out that there were also delegates of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, serving together with the bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate on Corcovado.

"A happy event occurred only a year ago, on May 17, 2007—the reestablishment of Eucharistic communion between the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. This is a great joy, which moved us to come to this holy place and bear witness to the fact that we are now in unity and commune from one Chalice," said Metropolitan Platon.

One of the greatest holy icons of Russia was placed at the feet of the sculpture of Christ, the "Reigning" Icon of the Mother of God, specially brought from Moscow for the veneration of the faithful of Latin America.

Also participating in the divine services were His Eminence Archbishop Pavel of Ryazan and Kasimovsk; His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Khust and Vinogradovo; His Grace Bishop Evtikhii of Domodedovo; His Grace Bishop John of Caracas; Archimandrite Tikhon, Prior of Sretensky Monastery and other clergymen.

The services were attended by Alexei Labetsky, the Consul General of Russia; Sergei Kirienko, the head of Rosatom (the Russian nuclear agency), members of the Russian Ministry of International Affairs and other cultural figures.

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http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2008/10ensaliturgybrazil.html

Mr. Raul Castro was granted the high church award ‘in recognition of his support for the construction of the Church of Our Lady of Kazan in Havana’.

‘His Holiness Patriarch Alexy and the Russian people are grateful to you and in your person to the people of Cuba for the construction of a Russian Orthodox church in Havana’, Metropolitan Kirill said, presenting the order, and stressed once again: ‘We are aware that Cuba is not a very rich country and it was difficult for you to build a Russian church, but all the works were carried out within the time limit and with a good quality’.

Fidel Castro, the First Secretary of the Cuban Communist Party, has been awarded the Russian Orthodox Church Order ‘Glory and Honour’ in recognition of his contribution to interreligious dialogue and on the occasion of the consecration of the Church of Our Lady of Kazan in Havana.

According to Metropolitan Kirill, ‘the legendary Cuban leader was the one who determined the place where the church of Our Lady of Kazan has been built’. As a result, ‘we can see a remarkable five-domed Russian cathedral and a religious and cultural center standing at an embankment in Havana’, Metropolitan Kirill said.

In a talk that lasted for over two hours, the head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations and the leader of the Cuban state discussed the past and present of Russian-Cuban relations, the role of religious factor in relations among nations and many other issues.

His Holiness also visited the nearby wooden Church of the Holy and Life-Giving Trinity, where he was met by the rector and the parishioners.

In the interview to the journalists His Holiness summed up his visit to Belarus. He noted that the state authorities and the President had paid much attention to the celebration of the 1020^th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia. His Holiness underscored that memory of this event has united many people. '…The Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church held last June issued a resolution on the necessity to consolidate Orthodox unity. This was a motto of the celebrations in Kiev.' His Holiness also told his audience that idea of the Orthodox unity was the keynote of the meeting of the Primates and representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches.

'We ought to manifest the unity of Orthodox before the secular world and the non-Orthodox Churches, and we must oppose any attempts to divide us, - His Holiness said.

As to his impressions of his visit to Belarus, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church said: 'I visited Belarus and its capital six years ago, and now I could hardly recognize Minsk.' He mentioned many new building that adorn the city, and the National Library of Belarus in particular where many people come who are introduced to the written word. His Holiness also said that the concert performed for the 1020^th anniversary of the Baptism of Russian had shown how talented are Belorussian people, and the young generation in particular.

'I wholeheartedly wish the Belorussian people led by their spiritual and civil authorities God's help, peace, accord, prosperity and success in their work,' His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russian said in conclusion.

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Moscow, October 28, Interfax - Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has supported the idea to construct a Russian Orthodox church in Quito, the capital city of Ecuador.

He also expressed his wish to attend the church's consecration, the official site of the Moscow Patriarchate reports Tuesday.

Rafael Correa stated this at his meeting with Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations who headed the Russian delegation which visited Ecuador under the program of Russian Days in Latin America. Metropolitan Kirill explained to Rafael Correa the basic principles of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church which include the views of the Moscow Patriarchate of international problems and economic relations. He also presented Rafael Correa a copy of the Holy "Reigning" Icon of the Mother of God and told him the story of its invention at the beginning of the 20th century.

As it became known, another Russian church will be put up in the other Latin American country, the capital of Venezuela Caracas. Metropolitan Kirill met with Venezuela President Hugo Chaves who offered his support in the construction of the church. During his visit to Cuba on October 19, Metropolitan Kirill lead the opening and consecration ceremony of the Orthodox church in the honour of the Kazan Mother of God which was constructed in Havana.

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http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5314

Minsk, October 24, Interfax - Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia stressed the necessity of preserving unity between Byelorussian and Russian people.

"I hope for the unity between Russian and Byelorussian people. We need to keep the unity of the holy Orthodoxy," the primate of the Russian Church told journalists in Minsk. "Unity will allow us to find common features and solve problems and difficulties the world has faced in time of the economic crisis," the Patriarch stressed. He confessed that he "is glad to visit Byelorussia," and informed he would have a meeting with the country's head Alexander Lukashenko. "We have often met with the Byelorussian President and we always managed to find mutual understanding," Alexy II said.

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http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5295

Minsk, October 24, Interfax - Orthodoxy has a special significance for Belarus, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said.

"There is no doubt that Belarus is an Orthodox nation. We shall strictly follow the chosen line because the people want it," Lukashenko told Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia in Minsk on Friday. "Jointly with other faiths, we have come to realize that the Orthodox Church is a foundation, it includes 85% believers. Nobody argues about it," he said.

"Your arrival is not only an event for the believers, it is a major political event," he said. The Belarusian people "are especially grateful to you because you have a great and kind attitude to the Belarusian people," he added.

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http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5300

Kirov, October 24, Interfax - Staff-members of the Vyatka diocesan youth department believe that Goths show great interest in religious search.

"Goths often come to our Thomas discussion club. They are very interested in the theme of death, life after death. They admire traditional black cloths of clerics and monks. I believe missionaries should pay more attention to Goths as a social group actively interested in Orthodoxy," Head of the diocesan youth department Deacon Oleg Fominykh told Interfax-Religion.

According to Fr. Oleg, when talking to representatives of any youth subculture, it is necessary to find common grounds, common interests that can bridge them to Orthodoxy. It is important for young people not to isolate in certain subcultural frames, to participate in joint useful actions, social service. The Vyatka Diocese has an experience of missionary work with other youth subcultures. Thus, Archpriest Alexander Perminov is a leader of the Transfiguration Order Club for bikers. The Club helps orphans and holds actions to return historical names to the streets.

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http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5299

Moscow, October 27, Interfax - Moscow House of Scientists presented the five-volume economic doctrine of Russia, where religious aspect was also considered.

"We're convinced that Orthodoxy has a great influence on the Russian economy. The doctrine reflects this fact. Morals runs through out the book!" the edition's scientific consultant and academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Valery Makarov was quoted as saying by the Noviye Izvestia daily on Monday. Over 100 Russian scientists and experts prepared the doctrine. It represents new principles and ways of developing the country. The authors assure their research will help officials find ways to overcome the crisis. They set over 550 administrative goals and tasks in their work. According to them, if efficiently solved, they will ensure stable economic development for Russia.

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http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5304

The guests were accompanied by Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun and Fr. Igor Vyzhanov, the secretary for inter-Christian affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, the Moscow Theological Academy press service reports. After their visit to the Laura and the Church Archeology Study, the Academy invited the guest to dinner and a conversation about the current state of theology in Russia, theological education and the history of the Russian Church in the 20th century.

Members of the delegation also met with a group of students. During their conversation Andre Vingt-Trois stated the need to establish trust relations between the Western and Eastern Churches. The head of French Catholics visits Russia on the invitation of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia. Last year the Patriarch visited Paris where he had a warm reception from the Catholic party, and this is the return visit by the Cardinal.

The Moscow Theological Academy, the oldest school of higher education in Russia and the largest center of development of theology and theological education in the Russian Orthodox Church, was founded in 1685.

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http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5312

Havana, October 23, Interfax - The former Cuban leader Fidel Castro stated that Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad shared his views on the US foreign policy.

"There is no reason to make any minor concession to the Yankee imperialism. I have an impression that His Eminence shares my opinion," he says in his article published by Granma - the paper of the Central Committee of the Cuban Communist Party.

"He is not anti-Muslim, he respects this religion. In frames of his ecumenical conception, he believes that the Catholic Church can solve its problems with such countries as China and Vietnam," Castro said. Fidel Castro confessed he had an "agreeable and edifying" meeting with Metropolitan Kirill who is visiting the countries of Latin America.

"His Eminence is no enemy of socialism and doesn't condemn to the eternal fire those like us basing on Marxism-Leninism to fight for just world. When he speaks to the UN Human Rights Commission and other organizations, they listen to him with great respect. In his enormous country, he often speaks on a 15 minute TV program and dozen million people follow him with interest," the article went on to say.

Speaking about recent consecration of the first Russian Church in Cuba conducted by Metropolitan Kirill, Castro noted that the capital of his country "has been enriched with a church worthy of a prestigious Russian Orthodox Church." According to the Cuban leader, it is an irrefutable proof of Cuba's respect to "one of the fundamental principle of human rights, which is consonant to the profound and radical socialist revolution."

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http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5288

Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations handed over the award to Raul Castro at the meeting of Cuban leaders with the Russian church delegation in frames of the Days of Russia in Latin America. The diploma signed by Alexy II says that Castro is awarded with St.Daniel of Moscow order for his help in building the Church of Our Lady of Kazan in Havana. Fidel Castro is also awarded with Glory and Honor order for his contribution in strengthening interreligious cooperation and in connection with consecration of the Church of Our Lady of Kazan.

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http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5276

Moscow, October 17, Interfax - Former adherent of not traditional for Russia Islamic trend - Wahhabism - decided to adopt Orthodoxy after a series of conversations with an Orthodox priest.

"This man came to our church to talk about interaction between Islam and Christianity. He asked why Christianity committed such "a ridiculous logical mistake" as a dogma of the Trinity. At the same time, he didn't understand the Islamic teaching on predestination. To clear up these questions he started attending our catechetical meetings," Rector of St. Thomas Church in Kantemirovskaya Fr. Daniel Sysoyev told Interfax-Religion on Friday.

The young man found the answers to his religious questions and then decided to take baptism. Fr. Daniel found that he was firm in his decision and baptized him. The newly converted Christian conceals his name as he is afraid that his former Wahabi co-religionists will punish him.

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http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5272

Moscow, October 16, Interfax - Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia was critical about giving 2008 Nobel Peace Prize to former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, who worked out the plan for "a peaceful separation of Kosovo."

"It was unjust to award Mr. Ahtisaari who contributed to separation of Kosovo from Serbia with an international peace prize," Alexy II said in his meeting with Serbian Ambassador Stanimir Vukicevic in the Moscow patriarchal residence.

The Patriarch stressed the position of the Russian Orthodox Church on the independence of Kosovo remained the same.

"We were against separation of Kosovo from Serbia and we consider it unjust," Alexy II said.

He urged to remember what Kosovo meant for Serbian people. "It is a holy land, especially for the great number of churches and monasteries," the Patriarch stressed.

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http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5264

His Holiness Karekin II, The Supreme Catholicose-Patriarch of all Armenians will visit the Malankara Orthodox Church and her head His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Didymus I, The Catholicos of the East & Malankara Metropolitan from Nov 5-8.His Holiness is coming to India to attend the 300th anniversary celebrations of the Armenian community in Calcutta and Chennai. His Holines Karekin II be accompanied by

1. His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, Primate of the Armenian Church Diocese of Australia,
2. His Excellency Dr. Ashot Kocharian, Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia in India.
3. His Grace Bishop Arshak Khachatryan, Chancellor.
4. His Grace Bishop Armash Nalbandian, Primate of the Armenian Church Diocese of Damascus.
5. His Grace Bishop Anushavan ( Andranik)Zhamkochyan, Dean of Yerevan State University - Theological Faculty.
6. V. Rev. Fr. Oshagan Gulgulian, Pastor and Manager of the Armenian College and Philanthropic Academy.
7. Rev Fr Hovnan (Artur) Hakobyan, Staff-Bearer.
8. Rev Fr Ktrij (Armen) Devejian, Translator.
9. Ms. Manya Ghazaryan, Executive Director-Shoghakat TV.
10. Mr. Suren Ter-Grigoryan, Chief cameraman-Shoghakat TV.
11. Ms. Paula Devejian - Director-Internet Development Dept.
12. Mr. Gagik Galstyan.
13. Ms. Aida Khachatouryan.

His Holiness Karekin II will be received by His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Didymus I at his Catholicate Palace, Devalokam on the 5th. His Holiness Karekin II will be confered the Order of St. Thomas by His Holiness the Catholicos of the East, in a function at Mammen Mappilai Hall on 6th. His Holiness will attend a couple of functions at Parumala and the inauguration of the newly built and consecrated Metropolitan's Residence of Mavelikara Diocese on the 7th. On the 8th His Holiness will visit the Orthodox Theological Seminary and will inaugurate the recording studio at SRUTI complex. His Holiness will leave to Chennai in the evening.

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The revered Church fathers, MOR BASELIOS SHAKRALLA (Maphryono of the East, d. 1764), entombed at Kandanad St. Mary’s Church and MOR KOORILOS YUYAKKIM (Reesh Episcopo to Malankara, d. 1874), entombed at Mulanthuruthy MarThoman Church, were Canonized by the Supreme head of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church, H.H. Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, at two different ceremonies held at Kandanad and Mulanthurthy church on 21st October 2008 and 20th October 2008 respectively. Thousands of faithful were present on both the places when the Synod Secretary read the concerned Patriarchal bulls in the presence of the H.H. Patriarch, H.B. Catholicos, the Metropolitans and priests.

As per the Patriarchal decree the names of these church fathers will henceforth be remembered in the 5th TUBDEN (Diptych). The canonization of these Church fathers has been hailed as a defining moment for the Syrian Christian community of Kerala. A brief biography of the Church fathers canonized are given below.

St. Baselios Shakralla, Maphryono of the East (d. 1764)

Maphryono St. Baselios Shakralla (Shukr Allah) is one of those illustrious Syrian fathers who came down to guide the church in Malankara during an acutely turbulent time and died here. It is more than 250 years since the Holy Father attained his eternal rest. Yet his memory is etched in golden letters in the history of Malankara Church.

The Maphryono (Maphrian) was born in the city of Aleppo in Syria as the son of Deacon Musa al-Qasabji. Under the Malfono of the local church, he studied Syriac, becoming proficient in it and also in Arabic. After completing the studies in religious sciences, he become a monk and later was ordained a priest. He was of commendable deeds and character. His knowledge was extensive. A book on the catechism written by him in Arabic is kept in the Church at Aleppo. In 1748, he was consecrated a Maphryono (Catholicos) for the church in Malabar under the name Baselios by the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East Moran Mor Ignatius Geevarghese III. The book Mor Baselios wrote about his journey to Malabar and the subsequent events, in Syriac, gives an insight into the happenings of the time. His primary mission in Malabar was to validate the consecration of Mor Thoma V as the Metropolitan of Malankara Syrian Christian Church and to overcome the confusion then prevailing here. Like many of his predecessors and successors who came to India, he too had to suffer a lot, but his upright and sincere efforts helped a great in bringing the faithful together once again. After serving the Malankara Syriac Christian Church for 13 years, His Beatitude died in AD 1764 at Mattancherry in Cochin and his mortal remains were entombed at the Marth Mariam Jacobite Syrian Church, Kandanad on 22nd October.

The feast day of this father is celebrated by the entire Syriac Christian community with great enthusiasm and thousands visit the church to pray at the tomb during this time, a practise that is continuing for many centuries now. In fact the main festival of the ancient Kandanad Church is the dukrono of this Holy Father who died 244 years ago.

St. Koorilose Yuyakkim (d. 1874)

Born in the Hbab village of Turkey in February 1810, Mor Koorilose was ordained a Deacon on August 6, 1839 and was tonsured a monk soon after. The then Patriarch of Antioch Moran Mor Elias II appointed him as the secretary to His Holiness, a position in which he continued till his ordination as Metropolitan at the ancient Deyrul-Saffron Monastery (Kurkumo dayro) on 18 February 1845. The very next year he was deputed to India by His Holiness to investigate the allegations against a bishop who was alleged to be got ordained by producing false information. In august 1846, he reached Malabar. When Mor Koorilose initiated stern actions against divisive forces, the British rulers of India who under influence from the European missionaries, caused serious hardships for him. In 1848 he was deported from the states of British Travancore and Cochin under the influence of these protestant missionaries who feared that even the presence of the Metropolitan would be a great obstacle in attaining their evil goals. However since he was armed with the power of God, no forces could ban him for long; after a few years of exile he was back. His life in India was always of tension and struggles. In 1865 he got a sincere companion in Mor Dionysius Joseph Pulikottil, who was ordained by the then Patriarch, in his struggle against the influential European missionaries. After hard struggles with sincere services for our Syrian Orthodox Church in India in different ways, spiritual and cultural, the Metropolitan passed away from this world on Tuesday 20^th of Chingam (September 2), 1874 and was entombed at the specially erected tomb in the Mulanthuruthy Mar Thoman Church compound.

Mor Koorilose Yuyakkim was a highly educated person in Theology and Holy Bible studies, and an excellent speaker as well as a master in Syriac music and calligraphy. He left for us many letters and poems in Syriac. In fact he was the first to help in publishing some of our church’s prayer books in Malayalam in 1859. St. Gregorios Chathuruthil, popularly known as Parumala Thirumeni, had his theological and Syriac studies under Mor Koorilos Yuyakkim. Later it was Mor Koorilos who elevated Chathuruthil Geevarghese (St. Gregorios of Parumala) to the order of Kassisso and Corepiscopus.

Having good knowledge in medicine, many people used to approach the Metropolitan for treatment. Old people used to say many stories about lots of instances where people were cured of many deadly diseases. There was a general belief that abundant Godly gift is bestowed on him due to his prayerful life. As the time passed this belief got strengthened and after his death his tomb became a place of pilgrimage. There are many instances where people who seeked the intercession of Bava has been cured from major diseases. It is this faith that is bringing many to the tomb of Mor Koorilose Yuyakkim Bava.

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SYOSSET, NY [OCA Communications] -- On Thursday, October 16, 2008, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America concluded its 2008 Fall Session.

Over the three days that the Holy Synod met, hierarchs heard reports on various aspects of Church life and administration. They also addressed a number of current matters in the life of the OCA. Included in these discussions was a review of the decisions of the Metropolitan Council at its September 4, 2008, meeting. Regarding the motions and resolutions from this Metropolitan Council meeting, the Holy Synod of Bishops issued the following statements:

• “All Metropolitan Council motions that were passed concerning the Pension Board's proposed Pension Plan amendments were blessed
  
• “The motion to have only two Church-wide appeals, one for the Mission Planting Grants and the second for the Seminary Internship Program, was blessed.
  
• “The motion accepting the report of the Property Review Committee was blessed.
  
• “The motion receiving the report and recommendations of the Charity Committee was blessed.
  
• “The motion of thanks to the Organizational Task Force upon completion of their mandate was blessed.
  
• “The resolution concerning the disciplining of the former Treasurers and the former Comptroller named in the SIC report was blessed.
  
• “The resolution regarding the possible recovery of funds from Metropolitan Theodosius was blessed.
  
• “The resolution mandating the SIC to complete their report was blessed.
  
• “The resolution of thanks to the Metropolitan Council members who are completing their terms at this time was blessed.
  
• “Regarding the motion to remove Dr. Alice Woog from the Metropolitan Council, the Holy Synod decided the following. Having received the written appeal of Dr. Alice Woog, protesting her dismissal by the Metropolitan Council from its membership, the Holy Synod has taken the decision to bless Dr. Woog to be present as a member of that body on November 10, 2008, and to make a response to the cause of her dismissal.”

In other matters, the Holy Synod issued the following statements.

• "The Holy Synod of Bishops confirmed that His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia has full authority in all matters, including financial matters, in order to regulate the situation of St. Tikhon's Monastery and Bookstore, with all their component parts, and also St. Tikhon's Seminary.
  
• "The Holy Synod of Bishops elected Bishop Alejo (Pacheco-Vera) to be Bishop of Mexico City and the Exarchate of Mexico. Bishop Alejo’s enthronement will be by the Holy Synod in Mexico City, January 18, 2009.
  
• "The enthronement of the new Metropolitan will be by the Holy Synod at St. Nicholas Cathedral, Washington, DC, on December 28, 2008.
  
• "The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, having received the report of the Canonization Commission and having received several letters of specific request, blessed the Canonization Commission to make its investigation of the requests to consider the holiness of Metropolitan Leonty (Turkevich)."
  

A noteworthy moment of the 2008 Fall Session came on the evening of the first day, Tuesday, October 14. After Vespers that evening members of the Holy Synod took part in a service of mutual forgiveness. Emphasizing the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation in the healing and future well-being of the Church, the hierarchs announced in their October 9, 2008, pastoral letter that they would hold a rite of forgiveness at their fall session. They also recommended that similar services be held "in all parishes or in deaneries, depending on the local circumstances, sometime before the All-American Council."

Also present for this session of the Holy Synod was Archimandrite Jonah (Paffhausen), Bishop-elect of Fort Worth. Fr. Jonah will be consecrated Bishop of Fort Worth and Auxiliary of the Diocese of the South on November 1, 2008, at St. Seraphim Cathedral in Dallas, TX.

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The OCA's Exarchate of Mexico was received into the Orthodox Church in America in 1972, together with His Grace, the late Bishop Jose [Cortes-y-Olmos]. Bishop Alejo was elected Bishop of Mexico City and Auxiliary for the Exarchate in 2005. With his election as ruling bishop of the Mexican Exarchate, Bishop Alejo now becomes a voting member of the Holy Synod.

The installation of Bishop Alejo will take place on January 18, 2009, at Holy Ascension Cathedral, Mexico City. May the Lord grant His Grace, Bishop Alejo of Mexico City, and the Exarchate of Mexico many years of fruitful service in His Holy Vineyard. Eis polla eti, Despota!

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A main item of the agenda on Tuesday was reporting from the four-person Chancery administrative team: Chancellor, Archpriest Alexander Garklavs; Secretary, Archpriest Eric G. Tosi; Treasurer, Priest Michael Tassos, and Director of Ministries and Communications, Archpriest Andrew Jarmus. The Tuesday meeting concluded in the evening with Vespers, followed by a rite of forgiveness. This was announced in a pastoral letter from the Holy Synod issued on the feast day of St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Apostle to America, October 9, 2008. "The paths of mutual forgiveness and reconciliation are the ones that we all must follow and we must walk upon them beginning this day," the hierarchs wrote. "Shortly, the Holy Synod will meet for its Fall Session. It is our intention, on one particular day, to celebrate Vespers followed by a ceremony of mutual forgiveness." The celebration of the Divine Liturgy will follow on Wednesday morning, October 15. During the remainder of the Fall Session, hierarchs will hear reports from various Church committees and commissions and will address a number of current issues, including discussing final preparations for the OCA’s 15th-All American Council that will take place November 10 to 13, 2008, in Pittsburgh, PA.

Joining the diocesan and auxiliary hierarchs at this meeting is Archimandrite Jonah (Paffhausen) Bishop-elect, who will be consecrated Bishop of Fort Worth and Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of the South on November 1, 2008, at St. Seraphim Cathedral in Dallas, TX. The 2008 Fall Session of the Holy Synod of Bishops will continue to the afternoon of Thursday, October 16. More information on the meetings will be posted as it becomes available.

Source:

www.oca.org

October 9, 2008
St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow

Dearly Beloved in the Lord:

In all things, it is good to begin with God in whose grace we live and move and have our being. We, the members of the Holy Synod, pray that this same grace will inspire us in our words to you, and will guide each of us in a life of repentance in the communion of the Holy Church.

The past three years have been a time of great temptation and difficulty for our Church, and the weight of the cross has been heavy for all of us. The Lord of Glory Himself was nailed to the Cross and we should not imagine that it is possible for us to attain His Glory without bearing our own crosses. This was the message of the feast of the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross, which we recently celebrated. In this time of turmoil, it is fitting to reflect upon the great mystery of our Faith, the mystery of the Cross, through which “joy has come into all the world,” “corruption has been destroyed, and incorruption has flowered forth” and through which “every gift of grace has shone upon us.”

Mankind has been wounded by sin, broken by passions and subject to corruption and death. Yet, through Christ we are able to find healing for our souls, purification for our hearts and eternal life in His Heavenly Kingdom. We offer this pastoral letter as an expression of our desire to share with you the burden of bearing the cross and of our prayer that we might all be guided by God’s mercy to the joy, the incorruption and the grace which the Cross offers.

Past and Present Storms

On April 10, 1970, The Orthodox Church in America received her autocephaly from the Russian Orthodox Church. This historic event ushered in a period of great promise and hope for Orthodoxy on this continent and, over the past thirty-eight years, much good has been accomplished by God’s grace. At the same time the granting of autocephaly caused quite a stir throughout world Orthodoxy, something which Father Alexander Schmemann referred to as “a meaningful storm” in an article with that title, in which he offered some reflections on the nature and the causes of the controversy.

Today, we find ourselves passing through another storm which has overshadowed the life of our Church for some time and appears to offer less promise of blessing than the one that we faced at the dawn of our autocephaly. Nonetheless, it is often in the midst of temptations and struggles that we best respond to God’s grace and make spiritual progress. The Lord Himself passed through a cataclysm to which no earthly storm can compare in His Passion in the flesh, Death on the Cross and Descent into Hell. In voluntarily undergoing this unjust suffering and death, Christ paradoxically shattered the gates of death, brought light to those in darkness and rose on the third day, granting all of us who are justly condemned to death entrance into the eternal life of Paradise.

As we face the challenge of emerging from the turmoil we have experienced in our Church these past years, it is our conviction that we too can participate in the resurrection of Christ through our imitation of His voluntary bearing of His sufferings. Though our sufferings cannot compare to His, still, all that we have endured can become a source of growth, repentance and renewal if we voluntarily take them upon ourselves, beseeching God’s help in moving forward. As the particular problems and failings of the past are addressed and resolved, it is our conviction that meaning can be found in the present storm and that, by the grace of Almighty God, we can attain to a calm harbor.

A Great Temptation

The Church has undergone a great temptation, beginning with the revelation of financial misconduct and negligence and resulting in a loss of trust, feelings of betrayal, division among brethren and an increase of passions in the hearts of many. We have endured the shame of being humbled in the eyes of the world and seeing the life and the mission of our Church become entangled in earthly cares.

We, as members of the Holy Synod, accept our own responsibility for what has taken place. We acknowledge that we have been both inattentive and negligent. We recognize that we have failed on many levels and we are determined that we will learn from our mistakes. We also acknowledge the reality and the depth of the pain, hurt and confusion that have been endured by many of the clergy and the faithful of our Church.

Though the resolution to our current crisis has been proceeding at too slow a pace, still, we are grateful that the life of the Church has not become paralyzed, and that the work of the Gospel has continued in parishes, deaneries and dioceses. We are also grateful for the patience, advice and support that we have received from our clergy and faithful in all of this.

We feel strongly that now is the time to work to recover the zeal and the courage that once inspired us. The Holy Fathers of the Church remind us that temptation and humiliation can lead either to despair and death, on the one hand, or to humility and life on the other hand. The way of the world leads to despair, the way of Christ leads to humility. We must follow the way of Christ if we desire to be healed and reconciled.

The Path Forward

At the most recent joint meeting of the Holy Synod and Metropolitan Council, the Report of the Special Investigative Committee (SIC) was received, approved and distributed to the Church. All of the recommendations were either acted upon at that meeting, or procedures were set in place to follow through on those recommendations in the immediate future. The Holy Synod of Bishops urged Metropolitan HERMAN to retire, which he did. Archbishop DMITRI was elected Locum Tenens, and Archbishop SERAPHIM was appointed Administrator to assist him. The Holy Synod and Metropolitan Council also issued a joint statement of apology to the Church in general and to Mr. John Kozey (former chief auditor) in particular.

The release of the findings of the SIC and the subsequent actions taken were a positive pivotal point in the turmoil of the past three years, but were by no means the conclusion to that turmoil. In the same way, the upcoming All-American Council in Pittsburgh will be a pivotal event on the path to healing and reconciliation, but this single event will not automatically provide that healing and reconciliation. We must all begin today to prepare ourselves, not only for the All-American Council, but for the betterment of the life of our Orthodox Church in America.

We stand at a crucial time in the life of our Church, but it is a time at which we continually stand as Christians: one of repentance. St. Gregory Palamas reminds us that “repentance is the beginning, middle and end of the Christian way of life, so it is sought and required before Holy Baptism, in Holy Baptism, and after Holy Baptism.” As we seek repentance and reconciliation, we must recognize that these are not to be sought only once, but should be the continual focus of our earthly life, and the process of our Christian spiritual growth. It will be important for us to remind ourselves of this and to help each other as we move forward.

Forgiveness and Reconciliation

The upcoming All-American Council will neither be the continuation of the status quo nor the finalization of our mutual forgiveness and reconciliation. The paths of mutual forgiveness and reconciliation are the ones that we all must follow and we must walk upon them beginning this day. Shortly, the Holy Synod will meet for its Fall Session. It is our intention, on one particular day, to celebrate Vespers followed by a ceremony of mutual forgiveness and, on the following day, to concelebrate the Divine Liturgy.

In addition, each local Bishop will recommend that a similar service be held either in all parishes or in deaneries, depending on the local circumstances, sometime before the All-American Council. Although each parish will be represented at the All-American Council, the service of mutual forgiveness is one that is most effective and meaningful in the local community. There is need, of course, for some expression of this at the All-American Council as well, which has been considered by the Preconciliar Commission and is reflected in the proposed agenda for the Council.

Fighting the Passions

Our task now is to work towards the healing of the wounds inflicted upon our ecclesial family through the overcoming of the passions in our heart. In a family, conflict can either bring about the destruction of unity and love, or it can conversely bring about healing and reconciliation. The most direct path to the latter is the nurturing of the virtues within our hearts and in our actions.

The experience of the saints is that all the passions have their root in the heart, no matter what their external cause. The following words of Saint John Cassian concerning anger could be applied to all the passions: “No matter what provokes it, anger blinds the soul’s eyes, preventing it from seeing the Sun of righteousness. Leaves, whether of gold or lead, placed over the eyes, obstruct our sight equally, for the value of the gold does not affect the blindness it produces. Similarly, anger, whether reasonable or unreasonable, obstructs our spiritual vision.”

Let us strive for love so that we might truly fulfill the law of Christ by bearing one another’s burdens. The justice of the world can never comprehend the depths of Christian love, which assumes responsibility even for the sins and mistakes of others.

Prayer and Reflection

St. Theophan the Recluse reminds us that “when prayer is right, everything is right”, and therefore we encourage all to devote our energies to this indispensable spiritual work. Let us reflect upon the events of the past three years in the context of prayer, as a spiritual effort, rather than an intellectual one.

Special petitions in preparation for the All-American Council have already been distributed to the parishes. In addition to these prayers at the Divine Liturgy, let us all to offer fervent prayers in our homes, beseeching the Lord on bended knees for the good estate of the Church and for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Godly Communication

Much has been spoken and written about the crisis of the past three years. Many have spoken publicly, in newsletters, in blogs, on websites and on lists. Many have shared comments and concerns in smaller and more private venues. Still others have said nothing but have had their hearts darkened and confused by thoughts. There is no medium of communication that can be declared inherently good or evil. It is only the use that we make of these means of communication that renders them so.

Let us all, clergy and faithful, be mindful of the commandments of Christ in our communications with one another. Whether we are speaking face to face, on the telephone or through a multitude of other electronic devices, we must always remember to see the other as a person, as one bearing the image of Christ, as an icon of Christ.

The Immediate Future

The upcoming All-American Council will provide us with an opportunity to reflect more fully on the causes which led to our present crisis and on the means by which we might continue to correct that which needs correcting. In this process, it is important that we be mindful of the proper ecclesiology which should always guide us. The Holy Scriptures used for the theme of this year’s Council remind us that we are “members of one another in Christ” (Eph 4:25). There can be no clergy and faithful without the bishop, and there can be no bishop without the clergy and faithful.

At the same time, the storm through which we are passing makes it clear that much thought, prayer and discernment will be needed to clarify the relationship among the various members of the Church. This work will require a serious evaluation and clarification of the Statute of The Orthodox Church in America, which in turn will require both a faithful adherence to the patristic and canonical Tradition of the Church and an honest appraisal of the conditions and needs of modern life on this continent.

In conclusion

As we move forward in this difficult time, let us continue to do the work of the Lord. Let us recall the rich history and tradition of The Autocephalous Orthodox Church in America and continue to offer of our time and our talents for the spiritual growth of our families, our parishes, and our dioceses. The spreading of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the responsibility of all and this work must be continued with repentance in our own hearts and with love for God, which will bear fruit in our love for the neighbor. We exhort you to preach Christ, to support your parish priest and his family, to bring back the lost sheep, to offer hospitality to those seeking the True Faith, to increase inter-parish cooperation and to come together as often as possible within your local communities, and to support local, diocesan and OCA programs and departments as well as the seminaries as they work towards furthering missionary and educational growth.

Finally, we ask for your prayers for the members of the Holy Synod so that all things may be done in good order and for the glory of God and His Holy Church.

With love in Christ,

+DMITRI
Archbishop of Dallas and the South
Locum Tenens of the Metropolitan See

+NATHANIEL
Archbishop of Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate

+JOB
Archbishop of Chicago and the Midwest

+SERAPHIM
Archbishop of Ottawa and Canada
Administrator of the Metropolitan See

+NIKON
Bishop of Boston, New England and the Albanian Archdiocese

+TIKHON
Bishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania

+BENJAMIN
Bishop of San Francisco and the West

Source:

www.oca.org

The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) convened in the Kykko Monastery in Cyprus last week.

The MECC was re-structured in 1970 with the inclusion of the region’s Orthodox Churches. With the participation of Catholic Churches in 1990, the MECC included all the churches of the Middle East. The Council’s General Assembly convenes once every four years. The Council is composed of the executive committee, which includes 30 members, the General Secretary and an 80-member staff. The Council’s headquarters are located in Beirut with offices in Cyprus, Egypt and Amman.

As one of the Presidents of the Council, His Holiness Aram I actively participated in the activities of the executive committee. The Primate of the Diocese of Lebanon, Bishop Kegham Khatcherian, is also a member of the Executive Committee on behalf of the Armenian Church. The Catholicosate also has representatives, both spiritual and lay, in several other committees under the auspices of the MECC. The report of the MECC General Secretary was presented during the opening session of the executive committee’s meeting. The participants discussed the Council’s activities as detailed in the report and its future plans. The committee then listened to over ten reports from the Council’s departments and programmes.

The MECC pays special attention to projects in the spheres of education, social service, human rights, church unity, evangelism and Christian-Muslim dialogue. Following the presentation of reports, the participants in the meeting were divided into four groups, which discussed the activities of the departments and programmes and made proposals for future work. The participants paid special attention to the Council’s financial situation and the serious challenges it faces in this respect. At the end, the executive committee adopted a statement emphasizing the need to strengthen Christian unity, give new impetus to the Christian-Muslim dialogue and pursue a justice-based peace in the region. The executive committee’s next meeting will be held in Beirut.

Source:

http://www.armenianorthodoxchurch.org/v04/doc/English/visitseng.htm#6

The 79^th academic year of the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s Seminary was inaugurated this Sunday during an official ceremony in the Veharan following the Holy Mass on the occasion of the Feast of the Holy Translators (Tarkmantchats).

His Holiness Aram I presided over the Mass in the Cathedral. Bishop Shahe Panossian, the Seminary Dean, officiated the Mass. In his sermon, Bishop Panossian spoke about the Seminary’s mission in the service of the church and the people.

Following the mass, the procession of the Cilician Brotherhood and Seminary students was led by His Holiness Aram I to the Veharan, where the opening ceremony was held. The Seminary’s Alma Mater and hymns on the Feast of Translation were sung. Sections from the Holy Gospel and Nareg were read.

Speaking on behalf of the Seminary’s management, Bishop Shahe highlighted the sacred work carried out by the Seminary in passing on a noble mission to the new generation. “The responsibility for this task is placed on our shoulders for the sake of our church’s and the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s further growth,” he said. Finally, the Bishop expressed his gratitude to the Pontiff who closely follows life in the Seminary and the activities of its management.

With his pontifical blessings His Holiness Aram I announced the new academic year opened and stressed the need to preserve our church’s and nation’s history and traditions. Looking at the legacy of our translating forefathers, His Holiness spoke about the beginning of the new academic year as an occasion that spreads hope in Armenian communities worldwide. The Pontiff also spoke about certain phenomena that drive us away from our roots. He called upon those present and particularly the Seminary students to study the history of our church and the tradition of our forefathers very well so that they can pass it on in its true form to the people.

His Holiness also spoke about the Seminary’s mission. The Pontiff depicted the Seminary as an intellectual-spiritual establishment, where the Armenian youth is formed and prepared to serve a mission. Portraying the Seminary as a treasure box of spiritual and intellectual values, His Holiness called upon new and old students to embrace those values, become enriched with them and to serve our nation, church and Motherland with utmost dedication.

The Seminary students, their parents and the believers attending the ceremony received the Pontiff’s blessings through Atchahampouyr while the Catholicosate’s Seminary sung “Cilicia” and “I Veh Partsants”. Following the staff meeting on Monday, October 13, the classes will begin in the Seminary in Bikfaya on October 14.

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A procession of the cross was first made from the monastery church to the open-air chapel of the Icon of the Mother of God of the “Sign” with the Life-bearing Cross, the myrrh-streaming Icon of St Anne and relics of Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon. After the procession, a moleben was performed at the chapel before the Port Arthur Icon of the Mother of God.

All-night vigil was performed by 17 priests and three deacons. Confessions were heard by four priests. Because of the large number of pilgrims, confessions were still being heard even after the dismissal. There were no fewer than 250 pilgrims in attendance.

The festal Divine Liturgy was held the next day under the open sky. During the reading of the hours, Reader Jonathan Yerkes of St Nicholas Parish in Millville, NJ, was ordained subdeacon; and the local parishioner Jeremiah Davis was ordained a reader. During the minor entrance, the rector of the podvorie, Hieromonk Seraphim was awarded the gold pectoral cross and elevated to the rank of hegumen; Hieromonk Alexander was awarded the nabedrennik. At the prescribed moment of the Liturgy, Subdeacon Jonathan was then ordained to the deaconate. Because of the great number of pilgrims, three chalices were used to administer the Holy Gifts. His Eminence delivered a sermon on the Honorable Life-giving Cross. The pilgrims rejoiced at the opportunity to pray before the Port Arthur Icon, the Icon of St Anne and of St Panteleimon. The Port Arthur Icon is to remain at the monastery for several additional weeks.

After Divine Liturgy, a trapeza was held at the local National Park, and awards were given to those who labored and donated in benefit of the monastery. Deacon Gabriel Weller, Subdeacon Julian Saad, Louis and Alexandra Gephart, Dr David Leif and Ryan Paul Winter received icons of Great Martyr Panteleimon. With the blessing of the First Hierarch, Priest John Moses appealed to the pilgrims to contribute towards the construction of a residence for Archimandrite George (Schaeffer), who in December will be consecrated bishop. With the blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion, the future Bishop George’s home will be Holy Cross Hermitage.

Last year, the Lord, in His goodness, granted that we were able to experience the joy of the restoration of the fullness of fraternal fellowship within the one Russian Orthodox Church in the heart of our homeland, Moscow, at a time when the Holy Church was hymning Christ the Savior, Who ascended to the throne of God and reconciled heaven and earth.

We later noted this joy in the several of the dioceses of the Russian Church Abroad to which the "Reigning" Icon of the Mother of God was brought, in company with an official delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate and the choir of Moscow's Sretensky Stavropighial Monastery. Addressing the clergy and flock of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Laurus, who has since reposed in blessedness, called these solemnities "a happy event for the increase of our efforts, so bestowed that the gifts of grace of the risen and ascended Lord might be worthily received." This year, within the context of the celebration of the "Days of Russian Spiritual Culture," this same great holy object of the Russian Orthodox Church will be brought to our parishes in Latin America, likewise accompanied by a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, one of whose members will be the newly-consecrated Bishop John of Caracas, as well as the singers of the aforementioned monastery choir.

I hope and believe that this journey will have a beneficial influence upon the further development and deepening of our unity and shared service to God and the people. For the Lord desired this and prayed to His heavenly Father especially for this, that all of His followers might be "one flock under rule of Him", the "one Shepherd" (John 10:16). For this reason, I call upon everyone to pray before the "Reigning" Icon of the Mother of God, to take part in the concelebrated divine services, to receive communion of the holy Mysteries of Christ, to avail themselves of the opportunity of sharing in fellowship with our compatriots, to learn more about the situation of the Church in Russia, and to listen to the compunctionate hymnody of the choir. Then we will be able worthily to receive the gracious gifts of the risen and ascended Lord, His mercies and blessings, during these festal days. Amen.

With love in the Lord and a request for your prayers,

+Hilarion,
Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York,
First Hierarch of the Russian Church Outside of Russia
October, 2008

The Christian Interconfessional Consultative Committee is co-chaired by the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, the head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow archbishop Paolo Pezzi, and the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Union of the Evangelical Christians Baptists Rev. Vitaly Vlasenko.

While greeting the participants, Metropolitan Kirill noted that people calling themselves the followers of Christ and bound by common history are living in different stated in which different national identity is being shaped.' Moreover, the Orthodox, Catholic and Protestants have their brethren of the same faith in all corners of the world, and these people live in the states with different interests. 'That is why it is necessary to always match the national and the universal in practical pastoral activity and theology,' Metropolitan Kirill underscored.

He is convinced that nothing separates people more than the shed blood, and the August events in the Caucasus bear clear testimony to it. The two Orthodox peoples, namely the Georgians and the Ossetians, have lived in peace for a long time, though their vision of history and the future was different. Now they are separated by blood and sufferings. Yet, the believers still have the Gospel categorical imperative, which is the Saviour's call to unity and peace.

'It is necessary to remember that we all are citizens of the heavenly Fatherland for, according to St. Paul, 'here we have no lasting city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.' (Heb 13:14). Orthodoxy has always been aware of the fact that government, states and even nations come and go, while the Church remains. Eternal life is most important to Christians who should be able to regard their earthly interests as secondary, as the main thing to them is their aspiration for the Heavenly Kingdom with its new heaven and new earth (cf. Rev 21:1) where no national and state borders exists,' Metropolitan Kirill continued.

He is convinced that Christians should not be indifferent to the sufferings, cares and needs of their neighbours. 'Patriotism is inherent in Christians as love to their neighbour, their families and their church community. Though love cannot be limited by family, and Christians love their native country and their own people. Therefore, Christians should not be afraid of the word 'patriotism.' It fits well into Christian vocabulary.'

He thinks that Christians should maintain relations even despite conflicts between states accompanied not only by military confrontation but also by information wars. For instance, after the Russian Orthodox Church had petitioned before military authorities, His Holiness and Beatitude Patriarch-Catholicos of All Georgia Iliya II visited the city of Gori and met with the locals and Russian soldiers there.

The Moscow Patriarchate initiated a visit of the delegations of the World Council of Churches to Georgia, South Ossetia and Russia and international Christian humanitarian aid to both sided suffered during the conflict. In conclusion of his address Metropolitan Kirill said that the Lord had called Christians to reconcile people and should strive for their unity and for life in peace.

The participants discussed future activities of the Christian Interconfessional Consultative Committee of the CIS and |Baltic countries and made a statement on the result of the meeting. The Committee was set up on the4 initiative of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1993 to develop cooperation among Christians in the post-Soviet space – In Russian and the CIS and Baltic countries. The Committee held three major interconfessional conferences in 1994, 1996 and 1999 and the Christian Interconfessional Youth Conference on 'Christianity in the Third Millennium' in 2001.

The Committee suspended its work in 2002 because of the difficulties in interconfessional relations. Yet in 2007, representatives of Christians Churches and communities of the CIS and Baltic countries meeting on the eve of the 3^rd European Interchristian Assembly put forward an initiative to resume its work.

Source:

http://www.mospat.ru/index.php?page=42822

The day before, Rev. J.-A. de Clermont issued a statement where he regretted the decision of the Russian Orthodox Church to suspend their participation in work of CEC for the reason of the Central Committee's inability to consider a resolution seeking membership of CEC by the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate. However, CEC earlier accepted the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church (EAOC) under Constantinople jurisdiction into membership while the Orthodox world hasn't recognized the structure. CEC President stated that in compliance with the CEC position, before taking a decision on EOC membership in CEC, the Constantinople and Moscow Patriarchates had "to come to an agreement" on Estonian church question.

"He claims the CEC Central Committee concluded that the two Patriarchates of Constantinople and Moscow need to come to an agreement before the Central Committee can arrive to an acceptable to all parties solution on CEC membership for the Moscow Patriarchate Estonian Orthodox Church," Fr. Vsevolod said. Fr. Vsevolod further said, the CEC Central Committee did not subordinate the EOC membership to any new agreements between the two Patriarchates as it took "no decision at all" and the idea to defer EOC acceptance before coming to some new agreements "was voiced only by the CEC President and representatives of Constantinople while other members of the Central Committee were against any delays."

"The Moscow and the Constantinople Patriarchates reached an agreement long ago. The Patriarchates concluded that the two church jurisdictions can co-exist even though they don't accept each others full titles and the status each jurisdiction takes for its own," the priest stated.

According to him, since the so-called Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church joined CEC a year ago, the situation hasn't changed dramatically and "it is absolutely unclear why Mr. Clermont didn't demand a solution acceptable for all parties in the same situation before accepting EAOC while today he seeks such a solution." "Isn't it a double standard? The position cited by Mr. de Clermont in his statement is not one of the Central Committee, it's his personal stand and there is every reason to upbraid him for his insincerity," the interviewee of the agency stressed. He reminded that J.-A. de Clermont considered the Estonian Orthodox Church membership in CEC possible when he met with Patriarch Alexy II in Moscow on September 30, 2008. Besides, when visiting Tallinn as a member of the delegation, he agreed with recommendation of the CEC General Secretary to accept the EOC at least on a time basis.

Today, Fr. Vsevolod went on to say, the CEC President claims the solution may be taken only if it is convenient to Constantinople. In fact, this is what he insisted on during the last session of the CEC Central Committee. "I deeply regret, but I have to accuse this man of his insincerity, one-sided approach, double standards and violation not only CEC Constitution as it requires the Church applicant only to fit its detailed criteria for membership, but principles of Christian morals as well. In fact, Mr. de Clermont deceived His Holiness the Patriarch and now assigns to the Central Committee the position it has never expressed," the priest said. "He is deeply dishonest in his actions. I don't know how to conduct a dialogue with a person who says one thing today and does the opposite tomorrow," the Moscow Patriarchate representative said.

Source:

http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5258

"The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is now conducting its saving service in difficult historic conditions. At the same time, it is the Church that has the necessary potential to unite the divided Ukrainian Orthodoxy and consolidate the Ukrainian society," states the address posted at the official site of the Ukrainian Church. Metropolitan Vladimir specifically stated that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in performing this mission "needs to have a unified position of all local Orthodox Churches on the way to overcome the church schism in the Ukraine."

"We hope that the synodic intelligence of the Universal Church enlightened by the Holy Spirit will show the way to restore the church union instructed by God (in Ukraine, IF)," the address reads. In July 2006, the primates and representatives of local Churches and hierarchs of the Canonic Ukrainian Church addressed the authorities of Ukraine to express their concern about "the stretching and unhealthy interdenominational situation" which prevails in the country within the last fifteen years.

"Not only separate political figures, people's deputies, but also whole political parties, deputy groups and blocks occupy different positions which definitely affect the Ukraine, and its international image, as international religious organizations widely inform the world community about the schism and aggressive actions of its followers in relation to the canonic Orthodoxy," the document said. In this case the self-proclaimed Patriarchate of Kiev was referred to in the address as a "pseudo-church structure". "The world Orthodoxy has no so called Patriarchate of Kiev, and nobody recognizes its primate, Patriarch Philaret (Denisenko Mikhail Antonovich) as hierarch," the address said.

Finally, the authors of the document appealed to the President, Government and people's deputies of the Ukraine for "regulating the Church matter in the legal context."

Source;

http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5253

Moscow, October 13, Interfax - Participants of All-Orthodox meeting held October 10-11 in Istanbul, expressed their concern with the world economic crisis, attempts to force religion out of social life and many other problems and made an appeal to overcome them. "The general tendency in many modern states is the attempts to force religion out of social life. The secular principle of a state may remain, but it would be unacceptable to treat this principle as a drastic ban of religion from all citizens' spheres of life," the final message of the participants accepted on Sunday reads.

The participants noted that in the world "there is a growing rate of alienation, separation and conflicts," and the source of this condition is "the estrangement of people from God," and "no transformations of social structures and rules of conduct are able to heal this situation."

"The gap between the rich and the poor is growing due to the economic crisis which is the result of the perverted economic activity which lacks human dimensions, and the profit pursuit by financiers which often becomes maniac," the document reads. The participants stressed that only such economy could be viable "which combines efficiency with justice and social solidarity."

"We firmly support all peaceful efforts aimed at fair settlement of arising conflicts. We welcome the position of Russian and Georgian Churches during the recent conflict and their fraternal cooperation. Therefore, both Churches have fulfilled their obligation to serve reconciliation," the document posted at the official site of the Moscow Patriarchate says. The primates and representatives of Orthodox Churches expressed their hope that "the joint efforts of the Churches will help to overcome tragic consequences of the warfare and facilitate the fastest reconciliation of peoples."

The participants in the meeting noted, “Various nationalistic, ethnic, ideological and religious contrasts continuously nurture dangerous confusion.” According to them, “The sacredness of the human person is constrained to partial claims for the “individual”, whereas his relationship toward the rest of sacred creation is subjected to his arbitrary use or abuse of it.” “These divisions of the world introduce an unjust inequality in the participation of individuals, or even peoples in the goods of Creation; they deprive billions of people of basic goods and lead to the misery for the human person; they cause mass population migration, kindle nationalistic, religious and social discrimination and conflict, threatening traditional internal societal coherence,” the message reads.

Consequences of these divisions are “still more abhorrent because they are inextricably linked with the destruction of the natural environment and the entire ecosystem,” the Orthodox participants believe.

They expressed concerns that “in the ever-growing confusion of our times, the institution of family and marriage faces a crisis” and stressed, “the Church is obliged to find ways to spiritually support and generally encourage the young and large families” “Orthodox Christians share responsibility for the contemporary crisis of this planet with other people, whether they are people of faith or not, because they have tolerated and indiscriminately compromised on extreme human choices, without credibly challenging these choices with the word of faith. Therefore, they also have a major obligation to contribute to overcoming the divisions of the world,” the message stresses.

Its authors also “desire to continue, despite any difficulties, the theological dialogues with other Christians, as well as the interreligious dialogues, especially with Judaism and Islam, given that dialogue constitutes the only way of solving differences among people, especially in a time like today, when every kind of division, including those in the name of religion, threaten people’s peace and unity.” Besides, the participants supported “the introduction of the subject of the natural environment in the catechetical, homiletic, and general pastoral activity” of the Churches, as this was already the case in some and confirmed their decision to set up inter-Orthodox committee to study issues of bioethics.

The document was signed by the Primates of the Russian, Constantinople, Alexandrian, Antioch, Jerusalem, Cyprus, Greek, Albanian Orthodox Churches, Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and representatives of the Georgian, Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian and Polish Churches.

Source:

http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5250

In this situation, the Russian Orthodox Church, "displaying solidarity with our Orthodox brothers and sisters in Estonia, has made the decision to suspend its CEC membership until a positive decision is made on admitting the Estonian Church to this organization," it said. "We have to point out with deep regret that the CEC is losing its role as a reconciling and consolidating force in that it has increasingly more often been ignoring the voices by churches from the countries outside the European Union. Thus, the Conference is losing its historical mission of being a bridge between the east and the west of Europe," it said.

Source;

http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5248

"It is not important for us if any particular hierarch of the Constantinople Patriarchate attends the meeting or not as the EAOC belongs to it. What is important is that the Russian Orthodox Church cannot agree with recognition of Metropolitan Stefanos as the head of the autonomous local Church," Inter-Orthodox secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archpriest Nikolay Balashov told Interfax-Religion on Thursday. Primates of Orthodox Churches are to meet in Istanbul on October 10-12 and is timed for the Year of St. Paul. Fr. Nikolay confirmed Patriarch Alexy intended to take part in final part of the meeting and in the joint Sunday liturgy in St. George patriarchal cathedral in Phanar (Istanbul district where the Constantinople Patriarch's residence is located - IF).

The interviewee of the agency reminded that participation of the Russian Church in the event was discussed more than once. Alexy II in his response letter to Barthlomew I of June 3 stated the Russian Church hadn't recognized church organization of the Constantinople Patriarchate in Estonia as an autonomous local Church. Bartholomew I met with Alexy II in the Kiev Laura of the Caves in July and again invited the Russian Orthodox Primate to the All-Orthodox meeting in Istanbul.

"We proceed from joint understanding that heads of autocephalous Churches will participate in the All-Orthodox meeting and only they or their official representatives will sign the final document," Fr. Nikolay said. He pointed out that Alexy II's delegation includes three primates of the self-governed Churches under the Moscow Patriarchate: Metropolitan Kornily of TallinnEstonia, Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine and Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and All Moldova.

The so-called Estonian Autonomous Orthodox Church was established by the Constantinople Patriarchate in 1996 in the canonical territory of the Russian Church and has not been recognized in the Orthodox world. and All

Source:

http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5244

Moscow, October 7, Interfax - Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia is due to visit Istanbul on Saturday and Sunday, a senior bishop said. Alexy will take part in a meeting of heads of the Orthodox Churches of various countries that is being organized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople as an event to mark the current Year of the Apostle Paul, Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk told reporters.

At a meeting with Alexy II during the celebration in Kiev in July of the 1020th anniversary of the introduction of Christianity in Russia, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I expressed hope the Russian Patriarch would be able to take part in October's meeting in Istanbul. However, in a letter of June 3, Alexy told Bartholomew that the Moscow Patriarchate would not attend forums whose participants included an Estonian Autonomous Orthodox Church that comes under the Constantinople Patriarchate but is not recognized by the Moscow Patriarchate.

Alexy expressed hope that Bartholomew would take this into account in organizing the Istanbul meeting.

Source;

http://interfaxreli.customers.ru/?act=news&div=5233

On September 29, 2008, His Excellency the President of Ukraine, Victor Yushchenko concluded his working visit to the United States of America. During his visit to the nation’s capitol, the President of Ukraine met with President George W. Bush. Also within the framework of his working visit to the USA President Yushchenko met with representatives of the US-Ukraine Business Council. At the meeting President said that American investments are very important for Ukraine, and invited the investors to deeper cooperation. According to him there are many projects that might be of interest for American investors, particularly in the field of high-tech, agriculture, energy, and preparations to Ukraine’s hosting of the EURO 2012 soccer championships, among others.

President Yushchenko also met with the representatives of the Metro-Washington, D. C. Ukrainian community, while laying flowers at the monument of Taras Shevchenko in the center of the city. Our Ukrainian Orthodox Church was well represented at the meeting with the President by the numerous members of St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral of Silver Spring, MD, led by His Grace Bishop Daniel.

The Bishop, accompanied by Protopresbyter Hryhorij Podhurec, V. Rev. Fr. Volodymyr Steliac, Pastor of St. Andrew Cathedral and Protodeacon Sviatoslav Novytsky greeted President Yushchenko and his wife Kateryna at the monument in behalf of the hierarchs, clergy and the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. His Grace Bishop Daniel was able to speak with the first lady of Ukraine Kateryna Yushchenko, who heads many charitable funds and organizations in Ukraine, to discuss our Church’s charitable work in our Ukrainian Orphanage Program.

The children of the St. Andrew Cathedral, Oles Steliac and Olenka Woloshyna presented both the President and the first lady with the bouquets of flowers. Volodymyr Semerej and Taras Iakiw, parishioners of the cathedral parish family carried the presidential basket of flowers to the monument, while the cathedral choir sang the national prayer for Ukraine, “Bozhe Velykyj”.

At the conclusion of his visit to the monument of Taras Shevchenko, President Yushchenko exchanged brief comments with Bishop Daniel and the clergy who accompanied him and the Ukrainian-Americans in attendance.

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