Remarks of His Eminence
Archbishop Demetrios of America
To
President Barack Obama
On the Occasion of Greek Independence Day
The White house
March 25, 2009

Mr. President,

On behalf of the Greek American Orthodox Community of this blessed Land, I have the great honor to wholeheartedly congratulate you upon historic ascendance to the Presidency of the United States. In addition to our warmest congratulations to you and the First Lady, you have our fervent prayers and support as you proceed with the awesome task of leading our Nation in accomplishing its great mission in our troubled world.

You also have our deepest thanks for kindly and personally inviting us to the White House for this commemoration of Greek Independence Day, a Presidential celebration of Greek and American Democracy.

It was on this day, the 25th of March, in the year 1821 that the Greek People, after suffering nearly 400 years of tyrannical occupation, stood up – a David against a Goliath, and declared their independence. They fought with astonishing bravery and against all odds, and established the free, modern Greek Nation among the Nations of the Earth, bringing democracy once again to its very birthplace of democracy.

Today, as we offer tribute to the heroes who, with the help of God, produced the miracle of the March 25, 1821, we honor them in this unique place, which constitutes a pre-eminent symbol of freedom and peace, justice and democracy, life and abundance of life, to use the words of Jesus from the Gospel of John.

In this spirit, and in full awareness of the tremendous power, both personal and institutional, of the President of the United States, we feel that we can kindly ask you for your special assistance. An assistance in resolving chronic injustices related to issues of religious freedom, human values, peaceful coexistence, democratic rule of law, and the pursuit of happiness.
I am specifically referring to the following three cases:
First: The case of the religious freedom of our Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. This means the free and unfettered exercise of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s purely spiritual mission of leading the leading Orthodox Christian world of over a quarter of a billion people. Furthermore, his possibility to proceed freely and effectively in his is pioneering work for the environment, and his passionate promotion of inter-religious and inter-cultural dialogue.
Second: The case of the well-known issue of the Republic of Cyprus, and
Third: The case of the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

We are confident, Mr. President, that you, following the brilliant example of Alexander the Great, will be able to cut the Gordian knot of these unresolved issues, and by so doing, enhance peace and reconciliation among the peoples included and involved.
The history of unbreakable ties and sincere friendship between the United States and Greece is well known, but there is a special connection prior to 1821. I speak of the famous “Barbary War” in Tripoli, Libya, North Africa, that involved the newly established Marine Corps in April 1805. A detachment under the command of a Lieutenant O’Bannon, consisting of six American Marines, a company of twenty four commoners, and another twenty six Greeks with their own proper officers, engaged the enemy. Seven Greeks fell in that battle on African soil in defense of the American Flag in 1805.

Mr. President,

As I offer to you a memorabilia from this event, a copy of a Master Roll including some of the names of these Men of Greece who fought for the United States, I should like to close by calling to mind that when Greece a few years later rose up in 1821, it was, in part, inspired by the declaration of the American Revolution for Independence in 1776. This comes as no surprise, as the love of freedom and democracy forges a bond among peoples that knows no boundaries of race, creed, ethnic origin or language or distance. And it is also no surprise that when the War of 1821 began, there were Americans of that time – the Philhellenes – who traveled across land and sea to help restore democracy in its native land, Greece.

As you continue to lead our blessed United States, the world’s greatest democracy, please know, Mr. President, that our fervent prayers are with you, our First Lady Michelle, and your daughters Sasha and Malia. We thank you once again for the great honor of this noble celebration of March 25th 1821.

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The President received the Archbishop in private and along with Vice-President Joseph Biden had a very cordial and open conversation. Later they all came into the East Room of the White House, where for the first time in the history of this event, the Vice-President introduced Archbishop Demetrios and said: “I speak on behalf of every American, Greek or otherwise, who cares about the union we share when I say that, Archbishop, we are truly lucky to have you here. And I feel and the President feels fortunate to be able to call you a friend, as well as a leading leader of one of the great faiths in the world.”

Archbishop Demetrios in talking the podium thanked the Vice-President, and in addressing the President and the guests of the event congratulated President Obama on his election and thanked him for the “kind and personal” invitation to a “truly Presidential celebration.” The Archbishop paid tribute to those who fought and died for freedom and liberty during the Greek War of Independence of 1821.

Subsequently, the Archbishop asked the President’s special assistance “… in resolving chronic injustices related to issues of religious freedom, human rights, peaceful coexistence, democratic rule of law, and the pursuit of happiness,” naming three unresolved issues relating to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Cyprus and the name of FYROM. “We are confident, Mr. President, that you, following the brilliant example of Alexander the Great, will be able to cut the Gordian knot of these unresolved issues, and by so doing, enhance peace and reconciliation among the peoples included and involved,” said His Eminence and concluded with the following:

“As you continue to lead our blessed United States, the world’s greatest democracy, please know, Mr. President that our fervent prayers are with you, our First Lady Michelle, and your daughters Sasha and Malia. We thank you once again for the great honor of this noble celebration of March 25th 1821.”

President Barack Obama in his response thanked the Archbishop for the favorable comparison to Alexander the Great and said it was a great honor to be with His Eminence “as we mark the 10th anniversary” since his enthronement. The President making the case for the long and historic ties between the United States and Greece mentioned the role the Hellenic ideals have played in establishing the American democracy.

At the conclusion of the program President Obama and the Vice-President greeted many of the attendees and the reception continued in a festive atmosphere. The Archdiocesan Metropolitan Youth Choir performed for the second year at the White House event, songs related to the occasion. President Obama asked to see the children of the choir greeted them warmly and was photographed with them.

The morning of March 25, the Feast of the Annunciation, Archbishop Demetrios presided at the Divine Liturgy in Washington’s St. Sophia Cathedral, followed by the service of Doxology. In the evening and following the White House event he attended the reception hosted by the Ambassador of Greece to the United States Alexandros Mallias at the Greek Embassy. Minister of Justice Nikolaos Dendias represented the Greek Government at these events.

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In order to apply for assistance through the Moscow House of Compatriots, please fill out this application in Russian, coordinate the text with the local Russian Embassy and send it to MHC (see application for address).

The Center of Humanitarian and Business Cooperation with Compatriots Abroad, also known as the Moscow House of Compatriots was established in 2003. The goal of the organization is the strengthening of ties between the Russian Diaspora and their historical homeland, as well as humanitarian and business cooperation with Russians living abroad. Through its various programs MHC assists compatriots in their efforts to preserve the Russian culture and language, and actively supports Russian Orthodox parishes around the world.

For more information please visit www.mosds.ru.

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Representatives of the parish clergy and laity of the Eastern American Diocese, having gathered on March 16-18, 2009, for a Regular Diocesan Assembly, under the holy aegis of the relics of the Lord’s Life-Creating Cross, His Raiment, and His Life-Creating Tomb, under the sacred canopy of St Vladimir’s Memorial Church dedicated to the Millennial Celebration of the Baptism of Russia, and under the presidency of His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, raised up their prayers to the Lord of Hosts for the repose of the souls of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, and His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, the latter having passed away on March 16 of last year, on the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, and of those builders of this majestic church here buried: Archbishops Vitaly (Maximenko; +1960) and Nikon (Rklitsky; +1976). Our meeting opened with the serving of a pannikhida for these departed hierarchs, led by our First Hierarch and concelebrated by Bishop Mercurius, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the United States, Bishop George of Mayfield, and Bishop Jerome of Manhattan.

We rejoice in the Lord over the election of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, who in his sermons has called us to repent “in newness of life” (Romans 6:4), and to an apostolic mission among the people and in society, in spreading the good news of Christ’s Light, which “enlighteneth all.” To this we are called also by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, who said the following in his opening address: “We must have pastoral care for those who have always lived and remain within the Church, nurture them, show attention to them, take part in their life, travel with them on the path to God. There are also children of the Diocese who have come from the lands of the former Soviet Union in more recent times, and who, yearning for the Homeland, find it in our churches. For their churching and enlightenment we must not only take thought, but intercede in prayer before the throne of God. We must actively provide them with the good news of Christ, the Gospel, and the Church… We must extend a helping hand to those who live next door to us; that is, we must engage in missionary work. We have the possibility to share with local Americans the rich legacy of the Russian Orthodox Church, its traditions and spirit, the ideals of Holy Russia.”

In his presentation, Bishop George of Mayfield continued those thoughts on missionary service expressed by His Eminence, while Bishop Jerome of Manhattan shared his memories of the renowned archpastoral efforts and legacy of Archbishop Nikon, who selflessly served the fortification and growth of our parishes in North America, and who fostered in our midst a truly Orthodox worldview. Over the course of our discussions, which passed in a spirit of brotherly love, the question of Ecumenism arose, a teaching which continues to disrupt the peace of members of the whole Russian Orthodox Church. Here, His Eminence, Vladyka Hilarion, reminded the participants of the Meeting of the decisions of the Councils of the Moscow Patriarchate, condemning both the “branch theory” and joint prayer with heretics, and of the declaration of Patriarch Kirill, who emphasized at a Local Council that deciding the issue of Ecumenism is absolutely necessary to help quell misunderstandings that lead to fighting within the Church, brought on by supporters of one view accusing their ideological opponents of betrayal and apostasy. Participants at the meeting echoed their support for these statements, and continue to grieve for those who have fallen away from us through misunderstanding. We pray for them, awaiting their return, that we may “in oneness of mind and ceaseless love” once more praise the name of God “with one voice and one heart.”

With heartfelt gratitude we thank our merciful father and hierarch, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion, and the Bishop’s Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, who provided our Diocese with Bishops George and Jerome, for fatherly care of us.

We raise up prayers of thanksgiving to God, who allowed us to meet at His holy altar, to pray together, and to commune from a single Chalice the Holy Mysteries of Christ, in these days of our “spiritual spring.”

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Diocese of Eritrean Orthodox Church,North America

On Sunday March 8, 2009, forty one servants were ordained to the ranks of Deacons, assistant Deacons, readers and singers through the blessed hands of His Grace Bishop Youssef, Bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. The ordination took place at Saint Mary Coptic Church, in Atlanta, GA.

Thirty nine of the forty one newly ordained Deacons are servants of the Eritrean Mehanie-Alem Churcha in Atlanta, while the other two are servants of Saint Mary Coptic Church, in Atlanta.

On the other hand, On 20th February 2009, four servants of the Eritrean Orthodox Church were ordained at the monastery of Mar Mina in Cairo, Egypt, through the blessed hands of Bishop Kyrillos the abbot of the monastery. Three of them were ordained as assistant deacons while the fourth one was ordained a deacon.The Eritrean Orthodox Church prays to the Lord to bless the deacons and their service.

Also, on October 12, 2008, four servants of the Eritrean Orthodox Church were ordained at St. Mina Coptic Church in Cincinnati, Ohio ,USA, through the blessed hands of Bishop Wissa. Four of them are currently serving at St Mina Coptic Church.The Eritrean Orthodox Church prays to the Lord to bless the deacons and their service.

"To God be the glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen." (Eph 3: 21).

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Orthodox Church in America
P.O. Box 191109
Dallas, Texas 75219
(214) 522-4149

March 22, 2009 Sunday of the Cross

To the Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese of the South
Orthodox Church in America:

I would like to take this opportunity first, to ask for your prayers and forgiveness as we continue our journey to Pascha. May our Lord grant you a blessed and fruitful Lent and Holy Week.

In addition, please know that over the years your tireless efforts in service to Christ have been a tremendous source of inspiration and joy. We have labored together for 'the Truth that sets man free': in light of your personal dedication it may be said that, "I have (had) no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 4). With each conversion, with the start of each new mission I thank the Lord for "revealing Himself unto us," and for providing His humble servant an opportunity to be a steward of such a flock as we have in the Diocese of the South.

Overseeing a Diocese, however, is a temporary calling by nature. Thus, after fifty five years in the priesthood and forty years as a bishop of the Orthodox Church in America, I have asked for retirement from the active episcopacy, effective March 31, 2009. It is not a decision I make lightly. I feel confident that with our current Synod of Bishops as well as Diocesan leaders (both clergy and laymen) already in place, that the work of the Orthodox Church in the South will continue. Together we have helped to lay the foundation which is Christ, and now it is time for others to build upon our labors (1 Corinthians 3).

Again, I ask for your prayers. Be assured of my love and prayers for all of you.

In the love of Christ,

+ DMITRI
Archbishop of Dallas and the South

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ALEPPO, SYRIA [IOCC] -- On a rainy evening in this ancient city famed for its pistachios and historic mosques and churches, 120 Iraqi refugees gather in a church's basement to learn about the "silent killers" of their community: diabetes and high blood pressure. The prevalence of both diseases is rising among the estimated one million Iraqis who have fled to Syria from Iraq since 2003.

Dr. Rana, an Iraqi refugee who came to Syria in 2008 after completing her medical degree at Baghdad University, has organized the gathering. She pulls out test kits and begins to teach each patient how to measure their blood pressure and their glucose level. Dr. Rana explains that diabetes and high blood pressure are prevalent in refugee communities where unemployment is high and people lack access to regular health care. "Many Iraqis do not go to the doctor because they spend time worrying about their families and so do not have the very important regular tests for these illnesses," she says.

Dr. Rana is one of 70 Iraqi volunteers who have been trained by International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) to design and implement their own community social service project to benefit their community. Participants were trained in making assessments and in designing and implementing a project that would assist about 100 people. Thirty-five community projects will be implemented, reaching a total of 3,500 individuals.

The project is part of IOCC's $4 million program to assist Iraqi refugees in Syria by providing vocational training for young people, school tuition and school supplies for children, and emergency supplies for impoverished families. The program, which benefits an estimated 65,000 Iraqi refugees and 22,000 disadvantaged Syrians, is funded by the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) and implemented by IOCC's major partner in Syria, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch.

Anna, an Iraqi mother, says that her 7-year-old son was diagnosed with diabetes soon after a bomb went off near their home in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. She had been using out-of-date and unreliable testing equipment brought with them from Iraq when they came to Syria in 2003. Now, armed with a new kit from IOCC, as well as training in how to use it, Anna says she feels more equipped to handle her son's condition: "We can now be more secure in the care we give our son, having accurate readings of his glucose levels."

IOCC, founded in 1992 as the official humanitarian aid agency of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), has implemented over $300 million in relief and development programs in more than 33 countries around the world.

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We should find ways, legal and other instruments, to defend the authority and the unity of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

This claimed the prime minister Sergei Stanishev after discussing with the Bulgarian patriarch Maxim the situation with the decision of the European court for human rights in Strasbourg and the actions of the Bulgarian state.

Stanishev said that he was worried about this decision and that he has requested the patriarch to inform him about his meeting with the representatives of all orthodox churches throughout the world.

The decision of the European human rights court is an attitude not only towards the Bulgarian orthodox church but also to the orthodoxy as whole and its autonomous actions, claimed Stanishev.

We will do everything necessary to defend our arguments, stressed the prime minister and added that the Bulgarian orthodox church was, is and will be united, with a united clear leadership, which is respected not only by all orthodox people in Bulgaria.

“The whole orthodox world recognizes this leadership and the unity of our orthodox church”, claimed Stanishev. He said he wanted to hear the opinion of the Bulgarian patriarch, the ecumenical orthodox church and the viewpoint of the canonic law.

Exactly the canonic law is the basis for the decisions which are taken by the orthodox people throughout the world during their gatherings, pointed out Stanishev. The PM added he would request the judicial minister Miglena Tacheva, who leads the established interinstitutional group to prepare a report on the case and the council of ministers to take a decision.

Sergei Stanishev underlined the special role of the Bulgarian orthodox church, which according to him is a special part of the Bulgarian identity. Due to orthodoxy we have endure hard centuries under foreign yoke and we have preserved ourselves as a people, marked Stanishev and added that in the contemporary history the Bulgarian church was passing through a lot of hardships.

In the 90s there was an acute political intervention in the deeds of the Bulgarian orthodox church which led to tension and schism, said Stanishev and stressed that this schism was overcome with the Church convention in the autumn of 1998, when the unity of the Bulgarian orthodox church and its legitimate leadership was completely restored.

“There is one Bulgarian orthodox church, which is legitimate. Its leadership is confirmed also by the orthodox convention and is accepted by all orthodox churches in the world and this should be clear to everyone”, claimed Stanishev.

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United Nations' Committee calls on Turkey to reopen Theological School of Halki

3/18/2009 - The United Nations' Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has called on Turkey to reopen the Greek Orthodox Theological Seminary on the island of Halki, to return confiscated properties and to promptly execute all judgments by the European Court of Human Rights relating to it.

"The Committee invited Turkey to promote adequate representation of the various ethnic groups in the Parliament and other elected bodies, as well as their participation in public bodies. It recommended that research be conducted with a view to effectively assessing and evaluating the incidence of racial discrimination in Turkey, with particular focus on discrimination based on national or ethnic origin, and that Turkey take targeted measures to eliminate such discrimination," a press release by the Committee in Geneva said on Tuesday.

The Committee noted its concern "at the particularly serious situation of the Greek minority" and called upon Turkey "to redress such discrimination and to urgently take the necessary measures to reopen the Greek Orthodox theological seminary in the island of Heybeliada (Halki), to return confiscated properties and to promptly execute all relevant judgments by the European Court of Human Rights in that respect."

Pointing out that no country was entirely free from racial discrimination, the Committee also urged Turkey "to investigate why there had been no complaints of discrimination and recommended that it verify that the lack of such complaints was not the result of lack of effective remedies, victims' lack of awareness of their rights, fear of reprisals, or lack of confidence in the police and judicial authorities, among others," a CERD press release added.

The Committee also "regretted the absence of a definition of racial discrimination in domestic law, which might impede the adequate application of relevant legislation. It was noted that some groups, such as the Roma and the Kurds, faced a more difficult socio-economic situation than the rest of the population.

The Committee was concerned that the application of restrictive criteria to determine the existence of ethnic groups (by following criteria established in the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne), official recognition of some and refusal to recognize others, might give rise to differing treatment for various ethnic and other groups which might, in turn, lead to de facto discrimination.

It was further concerned by allegations of persisting hostile attitudes on the part of the general public, including attacks and threats, towards Roma, Kurds and persons belonging to non- Muslim minorities. Another concern was that Turkey maintained the geographical limitation to the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol, which reduced the protection, offered to refugees from non-European States and might subject them to discrimination.

In that connection, the Committee was also concerned at reports on deportation and refoulement (repatriation to danger zone) of refugees recognized under UNHCR's mandate, as well as of persons registered with UNHCR as asylum-seekers.

A remaining concern was that there were inadequate possibilities for children belonging to ethnic groups to learn their mother tongue," it also said.

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To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I am lovingly and joyfully writing to you on this solemn day, the Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary. This Feast is celebrated in the midst of the season of Great and Holy Lent, and, thus, it provides us the blessed possibility to enjoy the unending love of God for us as we continue along our spiritual journey to Holy Week. On this unique day, the God-sent Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and announced to Her future things to come, the nature of which no other human being in the history of humankind had ever heard nor will ever hear again:

The response of the Virgin Mary to the greeting of the Archangel was definitive: Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to Your word (Luke 1:38). With these words, the Virgin Mary accepted the immense responsibility of giving birth to the Son of God. With these words, she accepted the unique and amazing blessing of becoming the very Mother of God, the Bearer of God, as we so address Her with the most holy and reverential title Theotokos.

Her obedience to the will of God to give birth to His only-begotten Son, the Christ, and to be His Mother carry monumental significance. By Her full and unwavering acceptance of God’s will, the Theotokos reversed the terrible consequences of Eve’s tragic choice to disobey the will of God. By Her words and actions, the Virgin Mary made it possible for us to experience a full and total restoration from our tormented human condition, so that, in Christ, all human beings could live in authentic communion with God as He intended for us since the beginning of the cosmos.

Beyond Her exemplary words of obedience to the will of God, the Theotokos also demonstrated unparalleled courage when she accepted God’s most awesome charge of giving birth to His Son. For in the months and years that followed, the Virgin Mary, the Panaghia, faced unprecedented difficulties which called for uncommon bravery. It is enough for us to remember the birth of Christ in a cave in Bethlehem, the flight to Egypt to escape the dangers to the newborn Jesus’ life imposed by Herod’s wrath, and the sight of Her Son hanging upon the Cross. Hers was a level of courage that human language fails to express and which can only be attributed to the Mother of God, the ever-Virgin Mary and Theotokos, a courage most unique in its grandeur and in its authenticity as compared to the courage of all other human beings.

These characteristics of obedience to the will of God, and the courage of the Most Holy Theotokos have inspired Christians of all ages to ask for Her divine intercessions before God whenever in time of need. For us as Greek Orthodox Christians, it is precisely these attributes which serve as the basis for our associating this great Feast of our Church, the Annunciation, with the Day of Greek Independence, March 25, 1821. For on that day in history, our Hellenic forebears wanted to reestablish the God-given right of life and liberty as had been previously bequeathed to them by their fathers and mothers. With obedience to the eternal will of God, they conformed their actions to the teachings of the Orthodox Christian faith, and they demonstrated extraordinary levels of courage in their righteous struggle for enduring conditions of freedom and independence. With unceasing prayers to God, through the intercessions of the Theotokos, and with their obedience and courage, they restored a lasting independence to the nation of Greece, which had been oppressed for four centuries far too long. In memory of these fallen heroes, who gave their lives for freedom, we offer our prayers of profound gratitude especially to God on this Day of Greek Independence.

As we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation, I pray that we may remember and take to our hearts the sterling examples offered by the Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary of obedience to the Divine will and the courage to act in accordance with it. Through Her intercessions, let us beseech God to protect our Genos, that it may be preserved in conditions of freedom, independence, and the readiness to conform to the will of God in all things.

With paternal love in Christ,

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Coptic Orthodox Mission

The Coptic Mission took the opportunity to answer God’s call and serve our Coptic brothers and sisters in Tala. Harvesting season this year yielded the worst crop the locals have seen in years. The drought has left many families from our 4 thriving churches in Tala without food. The Coptic Mission knew it had to act, and act swiftly, for it’s not enough for a church to provide spiritual food while neglecting the people’s physical needs. Jesus said, “I have compassion on the crowd because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat. And I am unwilling to send them away hungry” (Matthew 15:32).

The Coptic Mission made 2 separate trips to Tala, 50Km outside of Nairobi. The first trip provided the congregation with flour and yoghurt, not to mention sweets for the many excited children that gathered around. In total, we distributed 1200 cups of yoghurt and over 700 Kg of flour. The people of Tala welcomed us into their churches with arms wide open, singing that surely reached heaven and dancing that came from a heart of joy. Out of the many faces that we saw was Beatrice, a widow taking care of 4 orphans. On Sunday morning, she was asking God for a way to feed her children. She wondered who she would borrow from this time, since she had already borrowed from all her friends. She decided to go to church first, pray, and then maybe God would tell her where to go for help. Beatrice literally shed tears so of joy when she saw the food being distributed. She couldn’t wait to share her story with Father Joseph and rejoice together in God’s abundant love for his flock!

The second trip to Tala provided locals with urgently needed medical care. Approximately 40 missionaries, joined by Father Makary, went on the trip with a heart to give and a longing to serve. Of the 40, we had a doctor, a nurse, a paramedic, and a pharmacist. Thanks to God’s grace, we were able to see over 80 men, women and children. We treated them, measured their vitals and provided a hygiene station where we gave away toothbrushes and toothpaste, and showed them how to use them of course! A number of servants helped with the paperwork, others gave spiritual talks to those in the waiting area, and the remaining accompanied Father Makary and Father Joseph on home visitations to the houses in the mountain nearby. Although, there is a clinic close by, it’s much too expensive for anyone to afford and their pharmacy is rarely restocked. Having a medical team come to their church especially for them, with free medical care and free medicine was a dream come true.

The people said that they feel a difference when their church cares for them. God has graced His Coptic Mission to be able to show them His love and compassion.

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Coptic Orthodox Mission

While the fellowship, praising, and the service were wonderful, what truly meant the most was celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the reason to celebrate this season and provides the true joy that brought us all together in a remarkable way. Thank God for His love and grace.

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OCA

On March 12, consultation members traveled to the Bulgarian parliament and met with parliamentary leaders and government ministers to express officially their support for Patriarch Maxim and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and to urge the government to take all necessary steps to appeal the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights.

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YONKERS, NY [SVS/OCA Communications] -- Intense liturgical training is the focus of a 4-day program to be held June 14-17, 2009, on the campus of St. Vladimir's Seminary.

Practical liturgical training will be supported by daily celebration of the Divine Liturgy and other divine services by participants with seminary clergy. In addition to practicums, focused presentations by faculty will augment the deacon's understanding of his place in the liturgical life of the Church and the deacon's broader vocation as a symbol to the faithful of the diakonia of Christ our Lord. Instruction in public speaking and vocal technique will also be offered.

Participants are invited to arrive the afternoon of Sunday, June 14, 2009. The program begins with supper in the seminary refectory followed by an opening prayer service and the first session. Sessions conclude in the late morning of Wednesday, June 17, following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.

This practicum, which is being offered for the third consecutive summer, is held in conjunction with the Orthodox Church in America's Diaconal Vocations Program and is highly recommended for participants in the Church's program by the Holy Synod. "Diakonia is at the center of the vocation of every Christian," explains His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, primate of the Orthodox Church in America. "The hierarchs thank God for the growth in diaconal vocations throughout our Church and this annual program that gives deacons a strong context for their service at the holy altar."

Intensive workshops led by Archdeacon Kirill Sokolov, Archdeacon to the Metropolitan and Lecturer in Liturgics at St. Vladimir's Seminary, will aim to provide participants with the skills needed to serve effectively in the Orthodox Church as an attentive server, deacon, or priest. Particular focus will be given to the typical celebration of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom by one priest and one deacon. Attention will be given to the liturgical patterns of movement that inform the entire rite of the Church. Participants will also receive guidance on concelebrations and hierarchical celebrations so that they can effectively prepare for such occasions.

Fr. Alexander Rentel, the seminary's Coordinator of Liturgical Instruction, will offer presentations on the Liturgy of the Church and the place of the received Typikon and other liturgical guides in ministry.

Fr. Sergius Halvorsen will lead sessions on public speaking, teaching, and preaching as well as church reading and vocal technique. Fr. Sergius has taught at St. Vladimir's Seminary and St. Tikhon's Seminary, and currently teaches at Holy Apostles College and Seminary in Cromwell, CT.

Fr. John Behr, Dean of the Seminary, describes the purpose of this concentrated liturgical training for deacons and diaconal students: "Our former dean, Fr. Alexander Schmemann, taught us that everything in worship concerns us as the Church of God, makes us the living body of Christ, and concerns me, as a living member of that body. The deacon's prominent role in worship requires that he studies and learns the rubrics of the services. The training we provide offers just such an opportunity for learning."

Further information, including the program, online registration, and travel information, is available on the seminary web site at a special event home page: www.svots.edu/2009diaconal/.

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Romanian Orthodox Church

Fifty icons and frescoes showcased on the exhibition are replicas of the frescoes frommonasteries in Kosovo and Metohia. The exhibition will be open until March 24 when is going to be marked ten years since NATO bombing. Entrance is free of charge.

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Basic rights and freedom are also basic values of the legal order and society in whole. There belongs also anti-discrimination, that is a principle of equal protection of rights and freedoms. However, possible sources of discrimination are something totally different.

Discrimination is forbidden on the basis of property status, but the state is responsible to reduce poverty. Also discrimination is forbidden on the basis of disability, but the state has to undertake all measures so as to prevent possibilities of such discrimination.

The Bill that the Government has sent to the Assembly, consists of something that has no nothing with the discrimination on the basis of the sexual orientation. That Bill guarantees right of freedom to express sexual orientation. Such a right does not exist in any international agreement on anti-discrimination, nor in any European directive, neither in any relevant European or other nations` legislation. A right to express publicly of some inclination, which does not belong to nor in the scope of thoughts or ideas neither in the scope of culture, is not a mean of fight against discrimination. A practice of such right, actually expressing publicly any kind of sexual orientation, offends right of citizens to privacy and family life, but also offends their religious rights, as well as sacrosanctity of personal dignity.

The traditional Churches and religious communities do not want at all the anti-discrimination to be reduced. Citizens of Serbia, as well as the foreigners that are living in Serbia, should not be discriminated onthe basis of their personal attributes or inclinations. The traditional Churches and religious communities support any effort in that direction, as well as passing the law as soon as possible.

The present Bill, except in terms of the right to express sexual orientation, seriously deviates from the international standards in two ways: it does not contain a provision which would help ,in general manner, to resolve conflicts of performing different protected rights and provide objective responsibility for discriminative actions.

Obviously that such a Bill would lead to hard conflicts in society.

March 16, 2009

Delivers: Bishop Irinej of Backa, m.p

Source:

Serbian Orthodox Church

In the media centre of Tanjug on March 19, 2009 a presentation of so called WEB-DEP project was held for journalists, ministries and members of the Council of Europe, in which are take part all national media information agencies from the Balkans, then Athens Technology Center, International Teledemocracy Centre - of the Napier University from Edinburgh, as well as National Technical University of Athens from Greece. On this occasion at the roundtable spoke: Nebojsa Vasiljevic, Deputy Minister of Telecommunications and Information Society, Zivko Subotic, executive in chief of Macedonian information agency and deacon M.sci. Oliver Subotic, a manager of the Centre for study and use of modern technologies of the Archbishopric Belgrade and Karlovac.

Using the portal web-dep.tanjug.rs it is possible to inform on most up-to-date themes and events in the country and a region, as well as in an easy way to express your attitudes or thoughts taking part in forums and polls on this website. The main goal of this project is to establish communication and information network in which are , except public news agencies and citizens, involved also creators of politics and interested groups from the West Balkans. The whole idea is financed by the European Union. Vasiljevic, as well as Georgijevski spoke about functioning of the portal, in which way countries of the West Balkans are involved in it and about what possibilities and challenges it enables.

One of discussed subjects regarding the portal was of religious content, so the organizers decided to invite also the manager of the Centre for study and use of modern technologies, deacon Oliver Subotic. At first, he pointed at similar projects in orthodox world and using arguments he opposed stereotypes about the SOC not following new technologies. Deacon suggested to the creators of WEB-DEP project that a concept of electronic democracy should be led by three key principles: justice, truth and freedom, because all this is crucial for free information society. Deacon also pointed out an importance of freedom, which in the concept of e-democracy needed to defend with a polycentric structure of moderation, alternative sources of information and the privacy protection. Deacon Subotic also criticized some solutions and pointed out some lack of their system, as well as problems that could cause activities in forums, which was accepted as a valid argumentation.

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The participants in the working meeting between the representatives of the Orthodox Churches have united around a joint statement concerning the issues raised in the European Court of Human Rights decision of January 22nd 2009 in relation to complaints № 412/03 and № 35677/04 about the people who separated from the unity of Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church told Focus News Agency.

In the statement the participants say that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is one and the disunity issue, which existed in it between 1992 and 1998, was resolved at a convocation on September 30th and October 1st 1998. The convocation decisions were made in compliance with the Orthodox Church cannons.

The participants in the meeting ask why European Court of Human Rights did not discuss and take into account these decisions. They say that according to the Court's principles and practice religious freedom includes respect to autonomous right of every religion. In the case of the Orthodox Church it is about a cannon right.

The Court's conclusion that the state has to be neutral about its traditional religion, Eastern Orthodox, is not an obligation included in the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The Religion Act adopted in 2002 by Bulgaria's National Assembly expresses Bulgarian national self-awareness and does not contradict European practice. The participants call on the Bulgarian government to protect the legal interest of Bulgarian Orthodox Church, taking the necessary measures to appeal against the Court's decision.

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Traditional Churches and religious communities again, welcome the willingness of the Government to perfect the anti-discrimination Bill , which is not simple under the pressure of libels and disinformation about the essence of the problem.

We support every effort to restrain discrimination, so we support and help bringing the proper act as soon as possible.

An aggressive action to a constructive approach of the traditional Churches and religious communities reveal relics of the communist ideology, associated with an attempt to , through the prohibition of making differences in an acceptance and a protection of the basic rights, smuggle among the basic rights such rights that neither international practice and the Constitution, nor the state values and the laws of Serbia recognize.

Introduction of the law through theback door is unacceptable, out of public attention and legislative body, and such rights which insult public moral, religious beliefs, basic social values,as well as the international acts, the Constitution and Serbian laws guaranteed right to personal dignity and respect of private and family life.

The present Bill as if written to enable court , state organs and international instances misuse for a forced execution of interests within certain groups when it comes to the collision of protected rights or when there is legitimate interest in differentiated treatment. The present Bill would be the source of hard conflicts and it would under valuate the battle against discrimination as a whole.

One drastic example of weakness and multitude of regulations sufficiency of the present Bill is article 18, which contains a religious prohibition of discrimination, and which essentially narrows the prohibition in relation to that already immanent in the Law on the Churches and the religious communities.

Novi Sad, March 11, 2009

Brought by: Bishop Irinej of Backa, m.p

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Hence, deeply convinced that historical course of things will, as many times in past, confirm also this time that "God is not in force, but in justice", we call the faithful to take part also this March 17 in a memorial service for the suffered from the terrorist pogrom in Kosovo and Metohija. The memorial service will be held at the Cathedral Church in Belgrade on Wednesday at noon. On the occasion of 10 years of the NATO bombing of our country, a memorial service for the suffered will be held in all churches countrywide,along with ringing of bells at 18:45,when on March 24, 1999 the first bomb on our country was fallen. The memorial service will be held in Belgrade at St Marko's church at 17h. After it there is a commemorative academy at the Sava Center at 20h.

From the office of the Holy Synod of Bishop

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On Wednesday 11 March 2009, at the Main Hall of “Cilicia” Museum of the Catholicosate a significant number of scholars and intellectuals, met to discuss the document prepared by the Ministry of Relations with the Diaspora of the Government of Armenia. The event was placed under the auspices of His Holiness Aram I.

Bishop Nareg Alemezian welcomed the participants and opened the session with some introductory remarks. He first described diaspora communities outside Armenia and the challenges they face in the modern world. He also addressed challenges to Armenia and to its intellectuals. He then informed the audience of the new Ministry for the Diaspora and the document entitled “Envisioning the Armenian Diaspora” they had prepared, and invited the panelist to analyze and comment. The two panelists Mr. Hagop Balian, Editor of ‘Pakin’ Literary Journal and Mr. Aharon Shekherdemian, Editor in Chief of ‘Ararat’ Daily Newspaper.

Hagop Balian analyzed the organization of the diaspora communities described in the document, the concepts of citizenship and belonging, which in his opinion did not match the plurality of models of Armenian Diaspora existence.

Aharon Shekherdemian reflected on the section describing relations between Armenia and the Diaspora. He found the proposed strategy of relations complicated and unrealistic.

Following a public debate, there was a consensus that the Armenian Diaspora is not a monolithic reality. The political and social systems of the countries where Armenians lived conditioned the organization of Armenian Diaspora communities, and their relations to the homeland. Moreover, exodus of Armenians from Armenia was the major challenge today!

In his concluding remarks, His Holiness Aram I affirmed the importance of closer and more organized collaboration between Armenia and Diaspora. However, he concurred with the speakers that the document “Guidelines for Armenia-Diaspora collaboration” prepared by the Ministry in Armenia had many weaknesses and differences. It must reflect the concrete conditions of Diaspora. He then went on to say that participating in nation building should be the priority for all Armenians. Relations between Armenia and Diaspora should be based on mutual respect, mutual responsibility and accountability.

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According to the tradition the Prelate of the Diocese of Lebanon Archbishop Kegham Khatcherian and the Members of the Church Council invited His Holiness Aram I to preside over the Mid-Lent Sunrise Service at the Saint Neshan Church of the Diocese in Beirut. The students of the seminary who accompanied His Holiness did the singing.

At the end of the Service Archbishop Kegham Khatcherian welcomed the Catholicos on behalf of the Diocese and its leadership for this Pastoral visit, which indicated that the whole Church was being resourced spiritually in anticipation of the Holy Feast of Easter.

In his message to the congregation, His Holiness Aram I said that the period of fasting and praying prior to Easter is the human response to Jesus’ words “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 9:10). Despite the sufferings of the Armenian community in Lebanon for many decades, the leadership and people remained steadfast. New challenges are now touching the lives of the youth. The decision to declare 2009 “The Year of Youth” was taken in order to discern and lead the youth to the “doors” where Jesus’ teachings, the Traditions of the Church and Armenian identity are affirmed and shaped through love, peace and hope. He then invited the Diocese and the faithful to open “doors” to the youth.

After the Service, the faithful were invited to share friendship around coffee and special Lent sweets thanks to the hospitality offered by the Church Council and Women’s Committee.

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Moscow, March 20, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church supports the position of Pope Benedict XVI rejecting condoms including in order to prevent HIV infection.

"It is incorrect to consider condoms as a panacea for AIDS," the deputy chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin told a round table in Moscow on Friday, commenting on the international row concerned with the pope's statement in Africa.

AIDS can be prevented not by contraceptives but by education and a righteous life, the priest said.

"If a person lives a sinful, aimless and senseless life, uses drugs and is lewd, some disease will kill him one day, neither a condom nor medicine will save him," Fr. Vsevolod added.

Currently some organizations speaking on AIDS are seeking to simultaneously preserve the ideal of sexual freedom and the fight against AIDS, he said. It is impossible to reconcile these things, he said.

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Moscow, March 17, Interfax – Ensemble of St. Daniel’s historical bells toll in St. Daniel’s monastery for the first time in eighty years on March 17, which is commemoration day of Prince Daniel of Moscow.

In the morning, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the monastery’s Trinity Cathedral. Festival ceremony of the first ringing of the bells returned from Harvard University took place after the Liturgy.

Five bell-ringers performed the ringing almost unrehearsed. Until now, the monastery had used old bells. They were set at a temporary ground based belfry at the central monastery square.

The old bells have last ringed on March 17. Farewell with former temporary bells took place during the ceremony.

Voice of St. Daniel’s bells was considered the most beautiful in Moscow. Today the city authorities realize an expensive project of fortifying the belfry and mounting the historical bells.

Moscow mayor Yury Luzhkov, presidential envoy to the Central Federal District Georgy Poltavchenko and representatives of the USA Embassy in Russia attended the festival ceremony.

Some hundreds of believers came to St. Daniel’s Monastery to participate in the festival event.

Historical bells of St. Daniel’s Monastery were brought back to their monastery on September 2008 after spending about eighty years in USA “emigration.”

First of eighteen historical bells was brought back from New York to Moscow in September 2007.

The bells hardly survived the 1930s and were sold abroad. Member of the American charitable mission in Moscow and Harvard University Professor Thomas Wittemore saved the bells from total loss. He persuaded American manufacturer Charles Richard Crane, who was interested in Russia, to buy the bells.

Several buildings of the Harvard University campus were adjusted to have the bells installed on them.

First attempts to bring the unique bells back to Russia were taken in the mid 1980s. After talks with Harvard University organized by Alexy II and Svyaz Vremyon foundation and final agreement on their return to Russia signed in March 2007 the Society of Church bell ringers made their exact copies in Voronezh. It was decided to gift two more bells to Harvard. They won't be a part of the University complex.

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Moscow, March 16, Interfax – Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has sent messages to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) President Luis Maria de Puig and UNESCO Director General Koichiro Matsuura.

Patriarch Kirill reminded them that it will be five years on March 17 since the tragic developments in Kosovo and Metochia when radical nationalists started ethnic cleansing against Serbs, which he said resulted in the massive violation of human rights, hundreds of deaths, flows of refugees and the destruction of scores of churches and monasteries in the area.

The messages to the leaders of PACE and UNESCO express regret that international organizations failed to guarantee the protection of religious monuments of international significance enjoying UNESCO protection and also take sufficiently energetic action to restore the sanctuaries and guarantee the repatriation of Serbs.

The Patriarch praised the programs of the Council of Europe to restore part of the destroyed sanctuaries, but the scale of destruction requires even greater effort, he said.

"International organizations relying on the principles of human rights in their operations should pay special attention to the thousands of refugees and displaced persons. Their rights to return to their homes and to security have still not been guaranteed," he said.

The Patriarch urged PACE "to raise its voice to support the hapless victims of atrocities, to do their utmost to restore justice and bring hope to the hearts of people" in Kosovo.

The message to the UNESCO Director General praises the efforts made by the organization in restoring the destroyed Christian Orthodox monasteries and churches in Kosovo and Metochia and expresses the need to intensify concerted actions of the world community to guarantee the preservation of the unique spiritual and cultural legacy in Kosovo.

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To commemorate this event, Patriarch Kirill conducted the Divine Liturgy at the Moscow Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Khoroshovo and upon its completion appealed to the clergy to selflessly serve God and people without concerns for health and career.

"You should never spare yourselves while serving God… You should never say: I won't do this or that to keep my health, because this is the time you definitely lose it," Patriarch Kirill said in his sermon after the service.

Patriarch reminded the audience that God is never indebted to us, and the more we give ourselves to God, the more He gives us in return.

"Above all, we need to remember that it is God Who guides us in everyday life, rather than our human intricacies or our life diplomacy. We should always stay open to God and be courageous in our service," Patriarch Kirill stated.

He also said that priests who are now staying at the lowest levels of hierarchy should never care about the steps they need to take to promote their careers.

"A soldier who thinks that he will show his talent after he is promoted general is not a good soldier, because it never happens that way," His Holiness said and reminded that the talent to serve the Church keeps developing at every stage of such service - from acolyte to Patriarch - and at any moment you should serve as if you are pursuing the main purpose of your life.

His Holiness mentioned that many times he had been blamed for being too audacious, in particular, shortly before the last Local Council, but he had chosen honesty and straightforwardness, which finally failed to prevent him from being elected Patriarch.

In closing, Patriarch Kirill asked the clergy and believers for their prayer support of his efforts as Patriarch.

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Vladivostok, March 16, Interfax - Priests of Vladivostok diocese served the first Orthodox Divine Liturgy in history in Vietnam's capital Hanoi.

The service was held at the Russian Science and Cultural Center as part of the priests' visit to Vietnam made from March 5 through 12 by the blessing of Archbishop Veniamin of VladivostokVladivostok issue of Komsomolskaya Pravda daily reports.

The priests also conducted the service on the eve of Orthodoxy Sunday in Vung Tau. They celebrated the memorial service at the grave of eight sailors of the Russian cruiser Diana which had participated in the Russo-Japanese War.

The next trip of Orthodox priests to Vietnam is planned for Easter.

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The Serbian government now expects to pass a long-discussed anti-discrimination law by the end of April, according to Interior Minister Ivica Dacic on Sunday (March 8th). Enacting the law is one of the conditions for placing Serbia on the so-called Schengen white list, which will allow Serbian citizens to travel to EU member countries without visas.

The daily Blic reported on March 10th that, barring any "substantial changes" to the text, the ruling For a European Serbia caucus was ready to support the bill. However, it also reported the government would not send it to parliament before the Serbian Orthodox Church debated the controversial parts of the bill at its March 10th Holy Synod.

The government adopted the draft law late last month, but representatives of the "traditional" Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Islamic, Evangelical and other faiths objected to Article 18, which guarantees freedom of religious conversion, and Article 21, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation. The government then pulled the bill from parliament's docket.

NGOs called the religious intervention in legislation undemocratic.

"I wonder if I will have to ask different churches for their opinion every time a law is being adopted," complained Labour and Social Policy Minister Rasim Ljajic. He also noted that nobody notified him of a government teleconference in which it was decided to pull the bill from parliamentary consideration.

According to the labour and social policy ministry, the group suffering the most discrimination in Serbia is the Roma, with inequality also affecting women and the disabled.

Discrimination against the Roma is the most frequent because a large portion of that population lacks identity documents. Roma often cannot exercise their right to education and have no access to health insurance or welfare payments.

The draft bill defines general and special cases of discrimination and envisions the creation of a representative for the protection of equality, whom members of the public will be able to contact if they experience discrimination. The representative could issue a warning or launch judicial proceedings against alleged offenders.

Because of the economic crunch, the representative will not start working until early 2010. Until then, should the law take effect, members of the public will be able to launch judicial proceedings on their own.

The law would enjoin discrimination on the basis of nationality, religion and age, as well as on the basis of sexual differences.

Fines for acts of discrimination, depending on whether the offender repeats them, will range from 53 euros to 1,056 euros. Serbia is the only country in Europe still without a gender equality law.

A church that dates to the Byzantine period which is paved with breathtakingly beautiful mosaics and a dedicatory inscription was exposed in an archaeological excavation the Israel Antiquities Authority is conducting near Moshav Nes-Harim, 5 kilometers east of Bet Shemesh (at the site of Horvat A-Diri), in the wake of plans to enlarge the moshav. According to archaeologist Daniel Ein Mor, director of the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, "The site was surrounded by a small forest of oak trees and is covered with farming terraces that were cultivated by the residents of Nes-Harim. Prior to the excavation we discerned unusually large quantities of pottery sherds from the Byzantine period and thousands of mosaic tesserae that were scattered across the surface level."

The excavation seems to have revealed the very center of the site, which extends across an area of approximately 15 dunams, along the slope of a spur that descends toward Nahal Dolev.

During the first season of excavation (November 2008) the church's narthex (the broad entrance at the front of the church's nave) was exposed in which there was a carpet of polychrome mosaics that was adorned with geometric patterns of intertwined rhomboids separated by flower bud motifs. Unfortunately, at the conclusion of the excavation this mosaic was defaced and almost completely destroyed by unknown vandals.

During that excavation season a complex wine press was partly exposed that consists of at least two upper treading floors and elongated, well-plastered arched cells below them that were probably meant to facilitate the preliminary fermentation there of the must. Part of the main work surface, which was paved with large coarse tesserae, was exposed at the foot of these cells. A complex wine press of this kind is indicative of a wine making industry at the site; this find is in keeping with the presence here of a church and is consistent with our knowledge about Byzantine monasteries in the region during this period (6th-7th centuries CE).

Other parts of the church were revealed in the current excavation season. The area of the apse was almost entirely exposed, as were other parts of the southern aisle.

Two rooms that are adjacent to the northern and southern sides of the church were also uncovered. In the southern room a mosaic pavement was exposed that is decorated with intertwined patterns of different size concentric circles. The mosaic also includes a dedicatory inscription written in ancient Greek that was deciphered by Dr. Leah Di Signi of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem:

O Lord God of saint Theodorus, protect Antonius and Theodosia the illustres (illustres - a title used to distinguish high nobility in the Byzantine period) [- - - ] Theophylactus and John the priest (or priests). [Remember o Lord] Mary and John who have offe[red - - ] in the 6th indiction. Lord, have pity of Stephen.

Various phases that were used after the church was abandoned in the later part of the Byzantine period were discerned elsewhere in the structure. The mosaic floor was completely destroyed in different places and the area inside the church was put to secondary use. Industrial installations that are ascribed to the same phase were found which attest to the functional change the building underwent during the end of the Byzantine period-beginning of the Early Islamic period (7th century CE).

According to Daniel Ein Mor, "We know of other Byzantine churches and sites that are believed to be Byzantine monasteries, which are located in the surrounding region. The excavation at Nes-Harim supplements our knowledge about the nature of the Christian-Byzantine settlement in the rural areas between the main cities in this part of the country during the Byzantine period, among them Bet Guvrin, Emmaus and Jerusalem."

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Since Wednesday 4 March 2009, Iran is hosting a two-day international Conference on Palestine in Tehran. His Holiness Aram I was personally invited to this Conference through the Iranian Embassy in Lebanon. Due to prior commitments, His Holiness Aram I delegated Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian, the Primate of the Armenian Orthodox Diocese of Tehran (Iran) to represent the Catholicossate.

Mr. Nabih Berri, the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, is heading the Lebanese delegation to this conference.

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The current menace is less bellicose but is deemed a threat nonetheless. A group of state land surveyors and Muslim villagers are intent on shrinking the boundaries of an ancient monastery by more than half. The monastery, called Mor Gabriel, is revered by the Syriac Orthodox Church.

Battling to hang on to the monastic lands, Bishop Timotheus Samuel Aktas(see pic below) is fortifying his defenses. He's hired two Turkish lawyers -- one Muslim, one Christian -- and mobilized support from foreign diplomats, clergy and politicians.

Also giving a helping hand, says the bishop, is Saint Gabriel, a predecessor as abbot who died in the seventh century: "We still have four of his fingers." Locked away for safekeeping, the sacred digits are treasured as relics from the past -- and a hex on enemies in the present.

The authorities of Madrid will soon transfer a land plot for construction a Russian Orthodox church, Madrid Mayor Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón Jimenes said at the ceremony of presenting the symbolic golden key to Madrid to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. "We are very pleased that Moscow and Madrid are sister cities, and that our cooperation also involves other large cities. We would like to further strengthen these ties", he said.

"To support this sincere wish of our further coming close together and cooperation, I am pleased to say that in reply to the request from the Russian Embassy in Spain the Mayor's Office of Madrid in the next few days will start the necessary procedures related to the transfer of a municipal land plot to the Russian Orthodox Church for the construction of an Orthodox cathedral", the Mayor said.

The Nativity of Christ parish has been operative in Madrid since its establishment in 2002.

The day before, the parish was visited by Svetlana Medvedeva, the wife of the Russian President. She met with the rector Priest Andrey Kordochkin and presented the parish with the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan, and Fr. Andrey handed her a memorial cross.

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It is the latest ruling by the Strasbourg-based court against Turkey for violating the property rights of its ethnic Greek minority. The European Union, which Turkey seeks to join, has called on the government to return seized properties to minorities and expand their religious and cultural freedoms.

The European Court of Human Rights fined Turkey 105,000 euros ($131,880) for damages and expenses after it ruled authorities had illegally prevented the rightful owner of the Kimisis Teodoku Greek Orthodox Church from registering its property, the statement said.

The foundation was denied the right to register its title to three pieces of land and a building on the island after the state land registry was reorganized in 1991, the statement said.

Turkish courts had ruled against the foundation because it had missed an initial deadline to re-register its deed and had ordered the property be turned over to the state Treasury.

The Istanbul-based Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, spiritual leader of 250 million faithful worldwide, has filed more than two dozen cases with the European Court of Human Rights to recover some of the thousands of properties it says it has lost.

In September, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in a separate case that Turkey had violated the property rights of the patriarchate by seizing a 100-year-old orphanage on an island off of Istanbul and ordered its return.

It has also ruled that Turkey illegally took control of other properties in Istanbul owned by Greek foundations.

About 25 mostly elderly ethnic Greeks live on Bozcaada, part of a community of 2,500 Greeks in Turkey, which is 99 percent Muslim. Istanbul, Turkey's largest city, is also home to about 15,000 Jews and 60,000 Armenians.

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Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!

To the Very Reverend and Reverend Clergy, Monastics
and Faithful of the Orthodox Church in America

Dearly Beloved in the Lord:

Christ is in our midst!

If I fast from foods, St John Chrysostom said, how can I devour my brother by gossip and slander? If we don't eat things that have been slaughtered, why do I murder my brother by character assassination? If I abstain from wine, how can I allow myself to be drunk on my passions of resentment and bitterness? It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but rather what comes out of the mouth and the heart. It is these things, judgment and criticism, which reveal our piety to be a hypocritical sham. All our self-righteousness is as filthy rags before God, and we only condemn ourselves.

The only way of life for us, as Christians, is repentance and forgiveness. We must be "transformed in the renewal of our minds," (the real meaning of "repentance") and forgive those who have offended and sinned against us. Only then can we be free from our resentments, and our souls and lives--and our Church--can be healed. In short, we have to change our behavior, our words and our thoughts.

Let our fasting be accompanied by the refusal to indulge in judgment and criticism of others: gossip, slander, suspicion and innuendo, all that is hateful to God. Let us fast from meat, as we fast from the carnality of hatred and resentment of others, which is the source of our passions, pain and addictions. Let us fast from cheese, as we cut out the bitterness that curdles the joy in our lives, the pure milk of love. Let us fast from eggs, so that the seeds of corruption do not hatch in our souls. Let us fast from oil, so that we do not grease our lips to slander and fry our neighbor. Let us fast from wine, that we might remain sober and watchful, to maintain the purity of our souls, minds and hearts.

Let us make this Lent a spiritual fast, so that purified in mind and heart, as well as in body, we might behold the radiant Resurrection of Christ in the reception of the Holy Mysteries at Pascha, but most especially, in the resurrection of our souls. Let corruption be abolished, and let us be loosed from the sins that keep us enslaved. The only place to start is in our own souls, mindful of our sins, and in a spirit of love and compassion towards our neighbor. Only by the purification of our souls, freed from the guilt of sin and pain of resentment, will we be able to feast with Christ at His Messianic Banquet, illumined by His grace, being made partakers of the eternal Joy of His Kingdom.

With love in Christ,

+JONAH
Archbishop of Washington and New York
Metropolitan of All America and Canada

His Holiness Aram I accompanied with Bishops of the Brotherhood visited His Beatitude Ignatius Joseph III to congratulate him on his election as Patriarch to lead and serve his people.

During the visit, the two Heads spoke of the relationship between the two churches while the new Patriarch served his church in Syria and the United States of America as a Bishop. The two leaders also recalled the relationships between the Syriac Catholic Church and the Armenian Orthodox Church during the Armenian Kingdom (now Turkey), since the 11^th century.

Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III asked Catholicos Aram I about his visit to the Vatican in November 2008, and its follow-up.

At the end of the visit, His Holiness Aram I expressed the hope that the ancient bonds of relationship between the two churches would be strengthened under the leadership of Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III, and would find new expressions in their common ecumenical task regarding Christian presence in the Middle East.

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At a roundtable at the headquarters in Vienna of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria, head of the Moscow Patriarchate Representation to European Institutions, pointed out alleged problems experienced by Christians in Turkey, the Northern part of Cyprus and Kosovo.

He urged the OSCE to do its best to solve the alleged problems and monitor the life of Christians in those countries.

Head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, argued at the roundtable, that under international law, religious freedom implied not only one's right to profess any faith but also one's right to act on the basis of one's beliefs.

He said it was the duty of the international community "to confirm and support the freedom of Christians, just as other believers, to express their faith in political, economic and cultural life, in public debates, and through the media."

He pointed out "increasingly frequent attempts to mishandle Christian buildings and other sites of worship and symbols relating to Christianity and other religions."

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Moscow, March 4, Interfax – Priest Sergy Zvonariov, a member of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, proposed to draw up a list of high-ranking foreign politicians and state officials who should be forbidden to enter Russia.

"At the national level, we need to consider drawing the list of persona non grata, that is, those persons who we would not like to see in this country," Fr. Sergy said Wednesday at the meeting of the United Russia's state patriotic club.

The meeting was held on the following subject: "The denial of victory of the USSR in the Great Patriotic War (World War II) - is it a crime without punishment?"

Fr. Sergy stated that until such persons were in power and occupied high-ranking positions in their countries, it would be hardly reasonable to prosecute them for their statements denying the USSR's role in the victory over fascism.

However, the list of persona non grata would be a clear sign that their presence in this country was undesirable, the priest said.

He also supported Russia's aggressive and efficient government information policy on the international scene and mentioned that "we are losing this game so far."

Fr. Sergy said it's important to form social antagonism to "any attempts to tar the history of our people."

The participants of the meeting discussed the proposal made by Sergey Shoygu, Minister for Emergency Situations of Russia and Member of the Highest Board of United Russia, to impose criminal responsibility for denial of the victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War.

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Catholic Patriarch of Georgia Ilia the second blessed congregation to start Lent.
Ilia the second spoke about forgiveness in St. Trinity temple. Orthodox Church celebrates the day of forgiveness that is the Sunday of forgiveness. Believers ask each other for forgiveness. The service of forgiveness will be delivered by patriarch of Georgia, Ilia the Second in St. Trinity Temple at 18:00. Patriarch will also ask for forgiveness himself during the service.

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“We had already lost all hope but thanks to international cooperation to return stolen art objects we have been able to recover this treasure, which will return to its native country,” the Serbian Ambassador Sanda Raskovic-Ivic said during a ceremony in Rome where the statue was handed over.