Forpost (with English subtitles)

It's all in the pauses

Ss. Peter and Fevronia of Murom, pray for us

From Fr. John Whiteford's blog, a post on two estimable patrons of marriage.

---

What follows is a Google translation that I have cleaned up as best as I could, but there may be some minor errors. Fr. Michael van Opstall kindly provided a translation of the petitions.

JOURNAL 129 (original Russian)

CONSIDERED the establishment of an additional day to commemorate the wonder workers Holy Prince Peter (in monasticism, David) and Princess Fevronia (in monasticism, Euphrosyne), of Murom.

Information:

The celebration of the Holy Prince Peter and Princess Fevronia of Murom on July 8 (June 25 by the Julian calendar), falls during the Fast of Ss. Peter and Paul. In this regard, the Council of Bishops on February 4th, 2011, instructed the liturgical commission "to consider an additional date for the commemoration of the Holy Prince Peter and Princess Fevronia of Murom, referring to the desire of many Christians to be married on the day honoring these patrons of marriage" (paragraph 17, of the "On matters of internal life and external activities of the Russian Orthodox Church").In examining the issue, it was noted that an additional day of commemoration of Saints Peter and Fevronia could be installed on the 20th of January (the transfer of the relics of the saints from the Murom Museum of the Annunciation Monastery in Murom) or September 19th (transfer of the relics from the Annunciation Monastery to the Holy Trinity convent Murom.). The Commission of the Inter-Council on worship and religious art, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, discussed the issue, and recommended that in conjunction with the celebration of the memory of St. Peter and Fevronia, there also be additional petitions to be done at the augmented litany of Divine Liturgy, and that preaching on this day be devoted to the Christian doctrine of family and marriage.

RESOLVED:

1. To establish an additional day for the commemoration of the Holy wonder workers Prince Peter (in monasticism, David) and Princess Fevronia (in monasticism Euphrosyne) of Murom on the Sunday preceding the September 19 (September 6 by the Julian calendar), in remembrance of transferring their fair bodies in the year 1992...

Complete post here.

Orthodoxy comes to Parker, CO

(OCA-DOW) - The cold and the snow did not deter the faithful from celebrating the first Divine Liturgy of the newly established Orthodox Mission in Parker, Colorado on Sunday, December 09, 2012. Inspired and led by Father Anthony Karbo, this group of 41 missionaries planted the seeds of Orthodoxy on fertile ground in an area of the Southeastern Denver Metro area containing 60,000 people but not one Orthodox Church of any jurisdiction. Faithful from Elizabeth, Parker, Aurora, Centennial, Colorado Springs and Littleton converged on this neighborhood community center to establish this foothold of Orthodoxy.

From the portable iconostasis to the angelic voices of the choir, this first service exceeded everyone’s expectations. This mission is a collaborative effort of three OCA parishes in the Rocky Mountain Deanery; Holy Theophany in Colorado Springs, St Herman’s in Littleton and Holy Transfiguration in Denver. Although this mission church is sponsored by the Orthodox Church in America, its goal is to become a pan Orthodox oasis for anyone to have a place to worship should they not be able to travel to other churches in the area. Attendees of today’s services acknowledged they travel anywhere from 25 minutes to over an hour to get to the nearest Orthodox church from their homes.

After the service, everyone shared in fellowship over a pot luck luncheon. For now, the mission will celebrate Diving Liturgy on the second Sunday of each month, starting at 9:30 am. Through God’s grace they hope to expand beyond the 41 people who attended this first service and reach out to others; providing the opportunity for many to worship our Lord and Savior who live in the Southeast Denver Metro area.

The Holy Spirit is indeed inspiring this group of missionaries as they spread the work of our Lord to a section of this Denver Metro area. All of the people involved in cultivating this vineyard of our Lord ask that you keep them in your prayers as they continue to spread his word. Inquiries pertaining to the mission can be addressed to Fr. Anthony Karbo at Holy Theophany Orthodox Church in Colorado Springs.

Serbian Church decries schismatic group in Australia

This is an intriguing article as it is filled with little details normally left out of such declarations. Of particular interest is the enthronement of an Englishman in the New Kalenich Monastery in Canberra.

---

(SOC) - ''We swear you by Almighty God that in no way should you detract from the worth, greatness and importance of our reconciliation. Let not one empty and unverified word pass over your mouths. Let our reconciliation be an example for all the other Serbs, wherever they may live. Do not allow any one of us by our actions to hinder this common sanctity. Our reconciliation has just begun. We have planted a young seedling which we need to nurture and cherish as the apple of the eye that it may grow to the pride of all'' (Metropolitan Iriney of New Gracanica - 19 February 1993).

During the past few weeks there appear a multitude of unverified, inaccurate and often malicious articles published on the internet related to the litigation in which the Serbian Orthodox Church is attempting to return to her fold the now usurped New Kalenich Monastery in Canberra.

In light of the same, the Metropolitan Executive Board of the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand of the Serbian Orthodox Church desires to emphasise the following:

1. Management of the Property Trust of the New Kalenich Monastery claim to act in the name of the so-called "Free Serbian Orthodox Church", but have absolutely nothing to do with the original Free Serbian Orthodox Church, which existed a few decades ago as a temporary result of misfortunate times and an even more misfortunate schism which had befallen the Serbian Orthodox Church.

The schism was liturgically overcome on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, 15 February 1992, when the Liturgy of Reconciliation was concelebrated by Patriarch Pavle of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Metropolitan Iriney of New Gracanica, both now of blessed repose. In so doing, the New Gracanica Metropolitanate was established in place of the Free Serbian Orthodox Church and returned to the fold of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

2. The Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand of the Serbian Orthodox Church is the successor to the former Diocese for Australia and New Zealand of the New Gracanica Metropolitanate and the former Diocese of Australia and New Zealand. By decision of the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church of 10th May 2011, the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand was established in place of the former two parallel Dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Read more »

Russian Church approves multiple new akathists

(patriarchia.ru from machine translation) - The Holy Synod of the meeting December 26, 2012 (Journal number 131) Approved for use for Worship and prayer in the Home text litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Honor of Her "Vsetsaritsa" and the following text Akathists Saints: Thomas the Apostle, the great martyr Mercury Caesarea, St. Gregory Palamas, St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, St. Gerasimos of Jordan, of St. Simeon the New Theologian, Rev. Nicodemus.

• Akathist to the Mother of God in honor of Her "Vsetsaritsa"
• Akathist to the Apostle Thomas
• Akathist GreatMartyr Mercury Caesarea
• Akathist to St. Gregory Palamas
• Akathist St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco
• Akathist to St. Gerasimos of Jordan
• Akathist to St. Simeon the New Theologian
• Akathist to St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain

Notes from Russian Church's synodal meeting

Nothing earth-shattering. Notes from the previous day are available here, which included discussion of "A Provision for the Election of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia."

---

(mospat.ru) - On 26 December 2012, the Holy Synod continued its sessions at the Patriarchal and Synodal residence in St. Daniel’s Monastery in Moscow under the chairmanship of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Approved for reading at the services and for prayers at home were the texts of the Akathistos hymn to the “Queen of All” icon of the Mother God and of the Akathistos hymns to St Thomas the Apostle, St Mercurius of Caesarea the Great Martyr, St Gregory Palamas, St John of Shanghai and San Francisco, St Geracimus of Jordan, St Simeon the New Theologian, and St Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain.

Also approved was the document “On the Russian Orthodox Church’s Participation in Rehabilitation of Drug Addicts”, recommended to be used at the parishes and monasteries, as well as at other church institutions, which take part in the rehabilitation of drug addicts. The document was drafted by the Inter-Council Presence; church-wide discussion in dioceses and in the Internet followed. Then the plenary of the Inter-Council Presence held in Moscow on 22-23 November 2012 submitted the document to the Holy Synod for consideration.

The members of the Holy Synod heard the report presented by the members of the working group for drafting the provision regulating the award system of the Russian Orthodox Church and submitted the results of their work to the Bishops’ Council for consideration at the meeting due to be held on 2-5 February 2013, and thanked the members of the working group.

Read more »

Abp. Hovnanof of Armenian Western Diocese on the Nativity

(Armenian-WD) - We are pleased to present to you the video Christmas Message of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America.

Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in LA ransacked

(ROCOR-WAD) The Rector of Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Los Angeles, Archpriest Alexander Lebedeff, wrote the following in his Facebook page: "I write with great sadness that Holy Transfiguration Cathedral was broken in to on Saturday night, and many liturgical items were stolen, including chalices and veneration crosses. The total value of the items stolen (by preliminary count) was at least $50,000. The altars were ransacked as well.

By God's grace, we were able to have the church open for Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning. A police investigation is continuing.

We ask for your prayers at this difficult time for our parish."

On the glorification of St. Gabriel, Confessor & Fool-for-Christ

(pravmir.com) - It was with great joy that the Church of Georgia on December 20 2012 confirmed Archimandrite Gabriel (Urgebadze) amongst the Saints of Christ’s Church. Any new arrival in Georgia will be surprised to see photographs of an elderly monk of small stature in offices, taxis and homes. “Mama Gabrieli” was well-loved during his difficult life in the Soviet era and revered after his death, with many miracles attributed to him.

Saint Gabriel was a deeply eccentric character and to the Soviet authorities he was considered to be insane. He was renowned during his life as a “Fool-for-Christ“; in Greek the term is “Salos”. This is a humble person of great holiness who is considered highly unconventional by secular society. Saint Gabriel was famed for his powers of prophecy during his life, as well as a fearless approach to denouncing Communism publicly; had he been considered “sane” by the authorities, he probably would have been executed. He was famous for tearing down a giant banner of Lenin during a May Day parade and trampling upon it while denouncing the Marxists, for which he was beaten badly. He was renowned for his compassion and deep insight into human nature.

Saint Gabriel spent much of his later life living at the Monastery of Saint Nino, a nunnery attached to the Samtavro Church of the Transfiguration in Mtskheta. It is just uphill from the Svetiskhoveli Cathedral. He died in 1995 and is buried there; there are many pilgrims who visit his grave every day. A detailed website providing information about his life can be viewed here.

Video footage of his Canonisation is provided here.

Patriarch-Elect John X of Antioch on the Nativity

(antiochian.org) - With God’s mercy

John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East

To my brethren, the Shepherds of the Holy Antiochian Church And my children who belong to this Apostolic See

We approach these Holy and Blessed Feasts as we witness the crucial events our Antiochian Church has gone through recently, first and foremost with the departure of our Father, Patriarch Ignatius IV^th who ministered the Church with patience and faithfulness for several decades. His memory shall remain alive in our minds and hearts, and shall be eternal before the Lord Whom he served all his life. At this time, our Church and our people are experiencing dramatic situations caused by violence and troubles shaking our region.

The Holy Spirit has willed that I be elected by my brothers, the members of the Holy Synod, to succeed this great Minister, in spite of my unworthiness. However, I rely on God and on you, my brothers and children of my Church, and this shall make me expect, with great hope, divine help, which will enable us to overcome these hard tests and look for a better future.

In the midst of these events, you have left in my heart the feeling that you have lived in this period as the people of the living God; you have expressed this reality in three responses: You were deeply moved at the departure of our great Patriarch; You maintained your fasting, prayers and hope before the elections; and finally you showed joy, exultation and peace after the elections. For all these three responses and your care, allow me to express my deep thanks to you, convey my pride in you and my steadfast hope in the one body of our Church.

Behold, the Child Who is coming to us in the cave to die for us; is reminding us that He is with us, talking to us, and entrusting us with conveying the message of peace and love, which He addressed to each and every one of us and to the whole world. He is coming to us as a humble one, knocking at the door of our heart with gentility as if He wanted to be born in it. The feast of Nativity is not a mere remembrance of Jesus’ birth in a cradle from the Virgin Mother of God; it was meant to be the feast of His birth in us, a birth that can only occur if we seek the purity that distinguished the Virgin Mary. The Birth of Jesus in us will invite us to renew our commitment to His teachings, and our struggle to become His unblemished Church, a Church that is free of weaknesses, pure in everything, and shining with the Holy Spirit. Together we shall be aware that the Church of Christ is our mother, and that the shepherds and the believers are called to be Christ’s messengers inviting their brethren in the world to reconciliation and to the rejection of violence so that His peace may prevail.

The world will not be convinced unless it feels that it is much loved by the followers of Jesus and that they are its servants.

The Church is our mother. Each and every one of you is important and has a unique position in it. You have the right to be ministered by its shepherds. All ministers, at all ranks, should go out to you, listen to you, to your problems, and should seek to help you and answer all your crucial questions.

You have the right, as believers who submitted themselves to the Word of God and sought to be like Him in everything, that you be included in consultations and the resolution of its issues; all the children together with the father, are supposed to keep vigilance for the future under God of the family.

We approach this feast as many of the children of our Church are displaced, away from their homes, enduring much suffering. Our duty as brothers and sisters is to support them and give them consolation, not only with money and necessary material help, but also by showing them care, love and compassion.

We approach the feast as our people are facing many changes and challenges in a world that is departing increasingly from traditional concepts, making violence, consumption and possession a new law for this life. Needless to say, the luxury with which we celebrate this feast, the feast of the poverty of Bethlehem, is a clear sign that we, also, have adopted this law in the conduct of our lives. As we are accustomed to exchange gifts in the manner of the kings who visited the Lord Jesus at His birth, let us express our love to the Divine Child, coming to us, by feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, offering a shelter to the homeless and doing whatever we can do.

We approach this feast as many in our countries are asking what might happen to them.

Read more »

Nativity homily of St. Isaac the Syrian

From the Antiochian Archdiocese, a Nativity homily from St. Isaac the Syrian.

---

This Christmas night bestowed peace on the whole world;
So let no one threaten;

This is the night of the Most Gentle One -
Let no one be cruel;

This is the night of the Humble One -
Let no one be proud.

Now is the day of joy -
Let us not revenge;

Now is the day of Good Will -
Let us not be mean.

In this Day of Peace -
Let us not be conquered by anger.

Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake;
So, rich one, invite the poor to your table.

Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask;
So let us give alms to those who implore and beg us.

This present Day cast open the heavenly doors to our prayers;
Let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness.

Today the DIVINE BEING took upon Himself the seal of our humanity,
In order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of DIVINITY.

Who put the animals in there? A Nativity icon investigation.

If you haven't already browsed the new Orthodox Arts Journal blog, I highly recommend a perusal. Those of a Western patrimony will see some kinship with the New Liturgical Movement blog. The list of contributors in enviable and these are still early days for the effort. A very merry Christmas to those on the New Calendar!

---

(Orthodox Arts Journal) - There is no ass or ox in the Biblical narratives of the birth of Christ. Yet, besides the Christ Child himself, the ass and the ox are the most ancient and stable elements in the iconography of the nativity. In fact the earliest example of a nativity known to us contains only the swaddled Christ in the manger flanked by the ox at his head and the ass at his feet. David Clayton, on the New Liturgical Movement blog, has written a detailed piece on the subject, and I will go through the basics while adding a few more aspects he does not mention.

When reading comments on the nativity (for example in Ouspensky’s “The Meaning of Icons”) one finds that the inclusion of this detail is a reference to the prophecy of Isaiah:

The ox knows his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel has not known me, and my people have not understood.

Some apocryphal texts have the ass and the ox worshiping the Christ child, such as the gospel of pseudo-Matthew:

Therefore, the animals, the ox and the ass, with him in their midst incessantly adored him. Then was fulfilled that which was said by Habakkuk the prophet, saying, “Between two animals you are made manifest.”

What though is the relationship between the ox and the ass, why are these animals paired together so? We will often read that traditionally, the ox is seen as Israel, and the ass is seen as the Gentiles. This comes from a very important distinction about the two animals. The ox is a “clean” animal, and the ass is an “unclean” animal according to dietary proscription in the Old Testament.

Read more »

SCOOCH met at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary

(SOC-AEUS) - A meeting of the Standing Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Churches in America was held at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, New York on Wednesday, December 19, 2012. His Eminence, Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim participated in this meeting, with their Eminences: Khajag Barsamian, Vicken Aykazian and Mor Titus Yaldho.

Archbishop Karim was accompanied by Very Rev. Fr. Joseph Shabo, Rev. Fr.Joseph Chamoun and Rev. Fr. Alan Shaltan.

Some of the items on the agenda were: A proposed Forum on Oriental Orthodox Youth, Review of the Concelebrated Liturgy, Joint Commission of the Eastern/Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Orthodox/Oriental Orthodox Prayer Service for U.N., Christian Churches Together, Roman Catholic/Oriental Orthodox Dialogue, Oriental Orthodox NGO Project and Scooch Website.

Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim talked about Christian Churches Together’s plans for 2013. He specifically announced the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of MLK’s letter from prison, which the Conference decided to hold in Alabama, on April 15. He also read a draft of the Orthodox contribution to this letter. There was an agreement on holding the next CCT meeting in Austin, Texas, from January 29 to February 1, 2013, and the topic chosen was Immigration. Also, under the item( Roman Catholic/Oriental Orthodox Dialogue), His Eminence, Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim headed the discussion about Christians in the Middle East, particularly Pope Benedictus’ visit to Lebanon, immigration and refugee issues. The next meeting was scheduled for October10 and 11,2013. Fr. Findikian was appointed the secretary for the Oriental Orthodox delegation to assist Mor Cyril.

After the meeting, a dinner was held at St. Nersses Seminary for all the attendees.

Christmas: no pagan origins here.

I have succumbed to the pressure of many emails requests to post this Touchstone article. My only opposition having been that it was already so ubiquitous on the Internet that I didn't need to repost it as well. Alas, the Christmas spirit has taken hold of me and I find myself powerless to refuse reader requests.

---

(Touchstone) - Many Christians think that Christians celebrate Christ’s birth on December 25th because the church fathers appropriated the date of a pagan festival. Almost no one minds, except for a few groups on the fringes of American Evangelicalism, who seem to think that this makes Christmas itself a pagan festival. But it is perhaps interesting to know that the choice of December 25th is the result of attempts among the earliest Christians to figure out the date of Jesus’ birth based on calendrical calculations that had nothing to do with pagan festivals.

Rather, the pagan festival of the “Birth of the Unconquered Son” instituted by the Roman Emperor Aurelian on 25 December 274, was almost certainly an attempt to create a pagan alternative to a date that was already of some significance to Roman Christians. Thus the “pagan origins of Christmas” is a myth without historical substance.

A Mistake

The idea that the date was taken from the pagans goes back to two scholars from the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Paul Ernst Jablonski, a German Protestant, wished to show that the celebration of Christ’s birth on December 25th was one of the many “paganizations” of Christianity that the Church of the fourth century embraced, as one of many “degenerations” that transformed pure apostolic Christianity into Catholicism. Dom Jean Hardouin, a Benedictine monk, tried to show that the Catholic Church adopted pagan festivals for Christian purposes without paganizing the gospel...

Complete article here.

The Economist covers Patriarch-Elect John of Antioch

(Economist) - At a time when things are looking dire for Christians in the Middle East, they have acquired an articulate new spokesman who is also relatively young by the standards of clerical greybeards. At a gathering in Lebanon on Monday, the Orthodox Christians bishops with jurisdiction over Syria, Lebanon and much of the Arab Christian diaspora made a surprise decision to bestow on John Yazigi, who is currently serving as an archbishop in Paris, the ancient title of Patriarch of Antioch. The newly elevated prelate was born in 1955; his predecessor, who died earlier this month, came into the world in 1920.

Although it is said in the Bible to be the first place where the word "Christian" was used, these days Antioch—the Turkish city of Antakya—boasts few Christian residents. So the patriarch has in recent centuries resided in Damascus, which was a relatively comfortable place for Christians until the current civil war broke out. Since then at least 100,000 Syrian Christians have fled their homes.

Several claimants to the ancient see of Antioch, each representing slightly different denominations, reside in Damascus; but it is the newly elected one who will take his place alongside the Ecumenical Patriarch (based in Istanbul) and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow as co-leader of the world's Orthodox Christians. While many of the top jobs in Middle Eastern Orthodoxy are still reserved for Greeks, the newly-filled patriarchate of Antioch has been in local Arab hands since the end of the 19th century. Since then it has always had close relations with co-religionists in Russia.

The new Patriarch speaks English and French well and is comfortable at international conferences. In his Parisian post Mr Yazigi was responsible for many converts to Orthodox Christianity. But he is in no danger of losing touch with his hard-pressed heartland. His brother is Orthodox bishop of Aleppo, where an ancient Christian community has seen many of its churches and neighbourhoods targeted, and is living in terror of the possibility that a jihadist faction of the opposition will prevail and try to cleanse the city of all those who are not Sunni Muslim.

A TEDx Talk on icons

(YouTube) - Classically trained iconographer, Lynette Hull, draws fascinating parallels between contemporary and ancient "icons."

Barbie Dream Church

H/T: The Sacred Sandwich

Accolades continue to roll in for film "Archimandrite"

(cerkiew.pl) - The documentary film "Achimandrite" directed by Jerzy Kalina has won of the International Documentary Film Festival and Television Programme "Radonezh" in Moscow. "Radonezh" is the oldest review and contest of the film productions about religion in Russia. It takes place under the patronage of Patriarch Kirill and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. In the competition among TV productions, "Archimandrite" was the only film from Poland.

This is the seventh prize for the film about Father Gabriel, a monk from Podlasie, who has built the only one Orthodox hermitage in Poland in the village Odrynki on Narew river bank.

Archimandrite Gabriel is the founder and sole inhabitant of a hermitage in the Kudak wilderness on the river bank of Narew. For the first few years he lived there alone and prayed in a portacabin, without electricity, running water, completely cut off from the outside world. After some time, with the help of local Orthodox villagers, on the wilderness stood the wooden church, small monastery and outbuildings. Today this place is visited by dozens of pilgrims. They are attracted by the extraordinary personality of Archimandrite Gabriel. With each he can find a common language, provides spiritual counseling, heals with herbs, breeds bees, and when necessary, pitches up and along with the other builds a hermitage. But will it be forever? Will the hermit find their successor in his life? The next candidates for the monastic life in the hermitage cannot withstand long ... They cannot live without comforts, the gains of civilization and contact with peers.

Jerzy Kalina’s film is more than a story about an exceptional man and his work. In the lazy Narew currents no less than crosses of Orthodox skithe our globalized world is reflected, facing away from spiritual values, craving for money and exchange of information.

The strength of "Archimandrite" is that the author has managed to simultaneously touch of the local, rooted in the Belarusian-Orthodox Podlasie microcosm and universal values, fundamental in human life, regardless of age and his place in the world. For many Polish viewers this picture is also a surprising discovery of the richness of cultures and religions of our eastern border.

Awards for the movie:

• Golden Melchior in the category "Inspiration of the Year" All-Poland Reporter’s Competition MELCHIORY 2012 by Polish Radio.
  
• Jury’s award of The International Catholic Festival of Christian Films and TV Programs MAGNIFICAT 2012 in Minsk, Belarus, 2012


• The award for Best Cinematography at the Kyiv International Documentary Film Festival KINOLITOPYS 2012, Ukraine


• First prize in the documentary category of the International Orthodox Film Festival "Pokrov", Kiev 2012


• The "Bronze Turoni [barnyard animal]" International Festival ETNOFILM CADCA 2012, Cadca, Slovakia


• First prize in the documentary category of the International Charity Festival "Shining Angel" 2012, Moscow, Russia


• Award International Documentary Film Festival and Television Programme "Radonezh" 2012, Moscow

Chaldean Catholic Church to elect new patriarch in January

(Vatican Radio) - Pope Benedict XVI has convoked a Synod of bishops of the Chaldean Catholic Church for January, 2013. The aim of the Synod will be to elect a successor to His Beatitude Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, whose resignation was accepted by the Holy Father on Wednesday. Emer McCarthy reports:

The Chaldean Church is the largest Christian group in Iraq, consisting of eight dioceses, 100 parishes and approximately 500,000 faithful. The number has fallen drastically however, since the fall of Saddam Hussein and the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

During the war and subsequent insecurity, Christians in Iraq were the targets of an often violent persecution including bomb attacks, murders and abductions. This led to a wave of emigration generating a large Iraqi Christian diaspora.

The Chaldean Church has other dioceses and eparchies in countries including Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Australia, Canada, the U.S. and Europe. It is estimated that the Chaldean population is over one and a half million worldwide.

During the turmoil that ensued the 2003 invasion the Chaldean Church suffered great losses. Most notably, the young priest Father Ragheed Ganni, of the Chaldean Church of the Holy Spirit, who was killed on 3 June 2007 in Mosul, alongside the subdeacons Basman Yousef Daud, Wahid Hanna Isho, and Gassan Isam Bidawed, after he celebrated mass.

Also in Mosul, the Chaldean Archbishop Paulos Faraj Rahho and three companions were abducted on February 29, 2008, and murdered a few days later.

Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly, 85, was elected Patriarch of the Chaldean Church on December 3, 2003, succeeding the late Patriarch Raphael I Bidawid. He was created a Cardinal Bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on November 24, 2007. On that occasion Pope Benedict was said the gesture demonstrated his "spiritual closeness and affection" for Iraqi Christians.

Read more »

Who is Patriarch-Elect John of Antioch?

(AFR) - A report from Ancient Faith Radio on the background, qualifications, and personality of Patriarch-Elect John X, who was elected on December 17 by the Holy Synod at the Balamand Patriarchal Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos.

Please pray for Fr. Konstantin of St. Tikhon's Monastery

Just hours ago Fr Konstantin, a monastic of St. Tikhon's Monastery, fell from a ladder. It is reported that he has several breaks in his wrist, a shattered bone and a fracture in his elbow. Please keep him in prayer as surgery will be Thursday. More information forthcoming from here.

Everyone who is part of ROCOR needs to help the monastery

(ROCOR-EAD) - Metropolitan Hilarion: "Every Person who is part of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia needs to help Holy Trinity Monastery"

The First Hierarch of ROCOR, His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York, expressed his deep concern over the critical condition in which Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY – the oldest monastery in the Russian Church Abroad – finds itself. Holy Trinity Monastery is facing serious financial difficulties as a result of necessary renovations to the property, which will cost the monastery an estimated three million dollars.

On Friday, December 14, Metropolitan Hilarion, accompanied by several members of the Eastern American Diocesan Council, met with the abbot of the Diasporan Lavra, Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), with the stated goal of resolving these issues.

The Metropolitan was accompanied by diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, Priest Alexandre Antchoutine, Deacon George Temidis, Deacon Michael Wengrin, Reader Peter Lukianov, and George. N. Nikolsky.

After meeting with Fr. Luke and Hieromonk Cyprian (Alexandrou), Council members held a walk-through inspection of the monastery complex. The monastery is in dire need of new wiring in the cathedral, the construction of a new seminary dormitory, construction of a new kitchen, bringing the whole complex into compliance with NYSDEC standards, and replacing all of the plumbing in the monastery building. The pipes are currently in such a deteriorated condition that the monks are unable to use the washing machines, while the seminary dormitory has begun to lean several degrees.

"It was absolutely painful to see how many repairs are needed," said the Metropolitan. After the tour, Fr. Michael Wengrin was in a state of shock: "What I’ve seen here is just deplorable. I don’t know how the monks survive under these conditions. I wanted to cry."

Diocesan Council member Fr. Alexandre Antchoutine is a professional builder who owns and operates his own construction company.

"All of the monastery buildings, from the main building and monastic dormitory to the cathedral, are out of date," he said. "They built them from the heart, with their bare hands, and using the materials they had at the ready. Now everything is deteriorating at the same time: wiring, plumbing – the entire infrastructure is in a severely dilapidated state."

One of the monastery’s biggest problems is hard water, rich in calcium and other minerals.

"The minerals are eating away at the pipes and plumbing," noted Fr. Alexandre. "I think it will take two to three years to repair everything here, and it will cost no less than three million."

According to diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, the reason the monastery’s problems have thus far remained out of the spotlight can only be seen in the modesty of the brethren: "These monks are extremely humble and because of this, they do not share their problems with the rest of the world, and instead they bear their crosses in silence," he explained. "But the time has come for all of us to step up and help our monks."

In order to help the monastery, the Eastern American Diocesan intends to launch an informational video campaign focusing on the restoration work being done in the monastery, as well as Jordanville’s significance for the entire Church Abroad.

Read more »

Fruit of the poisonous tree and all that

(CBC) - Sometimes Christmas charity can come from the most unlikely places.

Dancers at the Barefax Gentlemen’s Club in the ByWard Market are offering table dances to patrons — usually $20 per dance — in exchange for toys instead.

“I had no problems, the girls were on board right away,” said club co-owner Carmalina Bentivoglio. “It’s something we all decided we wanted to do.”

Barefax dancer Melina, who did not want to use her real name, said she loves children and agreed to donate her time.

“When they asked me to do this I thought it was a really good idea because there’s a lot of children who have nothing,” Melina said.

Asked her thoughts on the method for collecting children’s toys, which some might view as inappropriate, Melina said people should not rush to judge her and her colleagues.

“Just because it’s a strip club doesn’t mean that we’re mean people and we can’t do any good,” she said.

To date the club has donated about 80 toys to a group that asked to remain anonymous. Some of the other toys were supposed to go to Debra Dynes Family House, but the organization canceled its agreement with Barefax shortly after CBC called requesting an interview for this story.

While Debra Dynes Family House said the toys it received would be forwarded to the Salvation Army, that charity group did not return CBC's phone calls.

Nevertheless, Salvation Army volunteer Tania Milosevic gave the club and its Christmas spirit the thumbs up.

"Whatever works, it's for the kids. Do it up. It sounds like fun to me," she said.

Church with history of attention-seeking, at it again

If the Gospel isn't good enough, why not try self-seeking heresy to fill the pews? See previous examples from the same "church" here and here.

---

(Daily Caller) - Just in time for Christmas, a progressive Christian church is asking — via billboard — for congregants and the public to consider “the sexual orientation of Jesus.”

The new billboard features the baby Jesus with a rainbow halo over his head and the caption, “It’s Christmas. Time for Jesus to come out.”

St Matthews-in-the-City of Auckland New Zealand announced they had raised their doctrine-challenging billboard Monday.

“Some scholars have tried to make the case that he might have been gay,” St. Matthew’s Rev. Clay Nelson said in a statement. “But it is all conjecture. Maybe gay, maybe not. Does it matter?” Does it MATTER?!

Nelson’s counterpart, Rev. Glynn Cardy, implied that Jesus likely would have sided with the pro-gay marriage advocates in the debate on same-sex marriage.

“There is almost nothing in the record of his teachings about sexuality while there is plenty about the perils of being rich,” Gardy added. “Certainly he always supported the marginalized in society.” So Jesus is supportive of whatever group is marginalized? That's a poorly thought out syllogism. 

St. Matthew’s has a history of posting controversial, publicity-seeking billboards around Christmas time. Last year the church offered a posting of the Virgin Mary holding a positive pregnancy test and covering her mouth.

In 2009 they offered passers by a billboard of Mary in bed with Joseph and the caption, “Poor Joseph. God was a hard act to follow.”

The church further boasts that their past stunts have garnered a lot of media attention — including last year 21 million Facebook visits, 30,000 page views on St Matthew’s website, and international media attention.

Orthodox remember massacred innocents in prayer

(ctpost.com) - Father Peter Paproski, of St. John's Orthodox Church, offers up a prayer to several people as hundreds attend a candlelight vigil in memory of victims from yesterday's mass shooting in Newtown, which was held behind Stratford High School on the Town Hall Green in Stratford, Conn. on Saturday December 15, 2012.

(pravmir.com) - We offer statements from Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America; Metropolitan Tikhon, Primate of the Orthodox Church in America; and Metropolitan Hilarion, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

Archbishop Demetrios (GOARCH) Calls for Prayers for the Victims of the Massacre in Newtown, Conn.

NEW YORK – Upon hearing the horrible news of the monstrous mass shooting in the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, which caused the tragic death of 26 people, most of which are reportedly children, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America immediately contacted Fr. Peter Karloutsos, the priest of the nearby Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption in Danbury, Connecticut. He expressed to him his deep pain and great concern about this terrible incident and its devastating effects on the local community, and offered any support on behalf of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

The Archbishop said that this is a crime whose magnitude and nature is impossible to believe, an abominable act of the kind that our society should work hard to prevent. He called upon the orthodox faithful across the country to pray fervently for support and healing from God to the many families and individuals affected by this violent act and for the repose of the souls of the innocent victims of this enormous tragedy.

A scheduled visit of the Archbishop to the Greek Orthodox Church of the Archangels in Stamford, Conn. this coming Sunday Dec. 16, has been postponed; instead the Archbishop will visit the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption in Danbury, in order to offer pastoral support and guidance to the people of the area and pray with them in a Divine Liturgy which will begin at 10:00 a.m.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

All of us have been shaken by the news of the tragic death of twenty young children and six adults at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. All of a sudden, the image of Rachel, who was ‘weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more’ [Jeremiah 31:15], becomes more than simply a passage from scripture. Rather, it becomes an unfortunate reality in the lives of those affected by the senseless incident and in our own hearts, as we share in their lamentation and sorrow.

None of us can truly understand the personal distress that so many are facing today. Yet every one of us knows the reality of such tragedy and experience it in the depths of our hearts. Our very being is shaken and we feel powerless to do anything. Nevertheless, we make an effort to direct our prayers towards the families of those who have lost their most dear ones, most of whom are innocent and pure children.

Concerning those who have fallen asleep, Saint Paul exhorts us not to “grieve even as others who have no hope” [1 Thessalonians 4:13]. And yet, herein he does not forbid us from grieving. Now is the time for us to weep, but we must weep with the firm hope that comes from our faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. “Shed tears, but remain calm; weep modestly, and with fear of God,” writes Saint John Chrysostom. And following this example, each of us must strive to transform our sorrow into prayer.

I therefore call on the clergy and the faithful of the Orthodox Church in America to offer fervent prayers for the souls of those whose lives have been so brutally cut short and for the consolation of all those whose existence has been shattered by this unfathomable event. I also ask that those who are physically able to offer their services to the grieving and the broken-hearted, both in the Newtown community and throughout this land.

It is at times like this that we must put our faith into action and offer our Christian support and love, to make our prayers concrete through action. Many have been affected, and many more will be overcome by grief, despair and isolation. We must ensure that we do all we can to provide a sense of true community to all those in need and to bear their burdens as the Lord asks us to.

Together with my brother bishops on the Holy Synod, I offer my condolences to all the grieving families, and I pray that they will find hope in the abundant grace of God. May they be given strength at this most painful moment and find comfort along the difficult path that lies ahead. Let no one among us have any fear, but let us remember that our Lord Jesus Christ has overcome fear, has trampled down death, and has granted us eternal life and great mercy.”

Read more »

Notes from regular session of ROCOR Holy Synod

(ROCOR) - On Monday, December 10, 2012, the feast day of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God, the Protectress of the Russian diaspora, a regular session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia opened with the celebration of Divine Liturgy in New York's Cathedral of Our Lady "of the Sign." His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, officiated, along with His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany, His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, His Eminence Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes of the USA, His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America, His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield and His Grace Bishop Jerome of Manhattan.

Before Holy Communion, Archbishop Justinian read a sermon to the many worshipers. After a moleben before the main holy icon of the Russian diaspora, Metropolitan Hilarion gave Prince Vladimir Kirillovich Galitzine, Warden of the Cathedral for many years, the Kursk-Root Icon Medal, First Degree, and Adam Nikolaevich Krotov, his colleague, a decree of blessing from the President of the Synod of Bishops.

Beginning later that day, the archpastors began their meetings, hearing the report of Archbishop Mark on the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem; the report of Protopriest Andre Papkov, President of the Church Liturgical Commission of the Synod of Bishops; Protopriest Andrei Sommer, Vice President of the Synodal Youth Department; Priest Nicholas Olhovsky, Caretaker of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God; Eugene Grigoriak, Treasurer of the Synod of Bishops; Deacon Ephraim Willmarth, Assistant Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary in Jordanville, NY; and members of a committee appointed by the First Hierarch to study matters concerning the building of the spiritual and administrative headquarters of our Church and possible solutions. The committee included Mark Selawry, Alexander Kulesha and Alexander Karpov, with Peter Vladimirovich Derby and Nicholas Ohotin serving as consultants.The reports were carefully heard and a serious discussion regarding many questions of church life followed.

Having discussed also the celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty, the archpastors decreed:

1. To decree to the abbots and abbesses and rectors of the monasteries and parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to commemorate the Royal Passion-Bearers during the dismissal of Liturgies in the following manner: "The Holy Righteous Passion-Bearers Tsar-Martyr Nicholas, Tsarina Alexandra, Tsarevich Alexei, Tsarevnas Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia; Holy Martyrs Grand Duchess Elizabeth and Nun Barbara and those martyred with them," to commence on January 1/14 until the end of 2013.
2. And before the veneration of the cross during the first Sunday of Great Lent, to sing Eternal Memory to the Righteous Tsars and Tsarinas of the Romanov Dynasty and to "all members of the family of the All Russian Royal House," in accordance with the Rite of the Triumph of Orthodoxy.
3. The general celebration of the 400th anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty will be held at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Toronto, Canada, on September 5-8, 2013, to coincide with a Russian Orthodox conference and a session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

At the proposal of Bishop Peter, the Synod decided: "To instruct the clergymen of all monasteries and churches of the Russian Church Abroad, on the Sunday before the Nativity of Christ, to prayerfully mark the 200th anniversary of the victory over Napoleon, commemorating Righteous Tsar Alexander Pavlovich and all the Orthodox leaders and warriors who laid down their lives for the Faith, the Tsar and Fatherland."

Discussing the practice of divine services in the Russian Church Abroad, the members of the Synod of Bishops noted the importance of preserving traditions inherited from the holy fathers, founders of the part of the Russian Orthodox Church located abroad, and carefully examining persons preparing for ordination into the clerical ranks and those wishing to be received into the bosom of the Russian Church Abroad.

Among other administrative matters, intercessions by the archpastors for ecclesiastical awards to clergymen and laity were discussed.

Patriarchate of Antioch has new primate, Youhanna Yaziji

(naharnet.com) - Youhanna al-Yaziji was elected on Monday the new Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Levant and Antioch.

He will succeed late Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim, who passed away on December 5.

He will be known as Patriarch Youhanna X.

The election was made after a meeting of 20 archbishops at Our Lady of Balamand Monastery on Monday morning.

Born in Latakia, Syria in 1955, Yaziji earned his school and university education in Syria.

He earned a degree in theology in 1978 from the St. John of Damascus Faculty of Theology at the Balamand University and a doctorate in theology in 1983 from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece.

He was appointed a deacon in 1979 and a priest in 1983 and in 1981 he took up teaching liturgy at St. John of Damascus Faculty of Theology at the Balamand University.

He assumed the position of dean of the faculty from 1988-1991 and 2001-2005.

He became the head of the Our Lady of Balamand Monastery from 2001 to 2005.

In 2008 he was elected as the Metropolitan of western and central Europe.

EP Bartholomew seeks to restart ecumenical progress

CONSTANTINOPLE (OCL) – Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is attempting to inaugurate a new path and new dynamics of rapprochement and reconciliation with the Roman Catholic Church in conjunction with the Theological Dialogue working towards the Eucharistic Union of the Churches.

In his speech to the Delegation of the Church of Rome headed by Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, at the Thronal Feast of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the feast day of St. Andrew the First Called Apostle, on the patriarch said on November 30 that “the uniqueness of the founders of our Churches, of Elder Rome and of New Rome, the Holy Apostles Peter and Andrew, as brothers according to the flesh, constitutes a motivation for both of our Churches to move toward the genuine experience of spiritual brotherhood and the restoration of communion in this same spirit, in truth and in love.”

The patriarch went on saying that “unfortunately, throughout the course of the centuries, this brotherhood has been deeply wounded and as a result, the spiritual unity of our Churches has been disrupted.

For centuries, theologians, as well as personalities in both Churches, spent their energy not in the context of dialogue, but rather in promoting and supporting their own positions, not taking into consideration that of St. John Chrysostom, “Thou hast spoken once, perhaps, and he hath not heard. Speak therefore twice, and thrice, and as often as it may be, till thou hast persuaded him. Every day God is addressing us, and we do not hear; and yet He does not leave off speaking.”

Bartholomew desires to make a new beginning that it why he proposed that “it is already empirically evident that the conviction has matured in the hearts of both sides, namely that, from this point on the course of our efforts must be reversed. That is to say, we must expend our spiritual energy not in the effort of finding justifications for the strengthening of positions, which we overly defended in the past towards the justification of the schism, but in sincerely endeavoring to find arguments that verify the error of divisive inclinations and that, even more, seek out ways of approaching full restoration of the unity of the Churches.”

Read more »

A little happiness in your day

Today was pretty inarguably horrible. I hope this brings at least a smile to your face.

Orthodox service book published in Zulu

From the blog Khanya, an encouraging story on the growth of the Church in Africa and the memory of the Neomartyr Daniel Sysoev whom I hold in the highest esteem and whose intercession I pray for often. Even in death his evangelical spirit bears fruit in God's vineyard. Father Daniel Sysoyev, pray to God for us!

---

At a gathering of the clergy of the Archdiocese of Johannesburg and Pretoria we presented Archbishop Damaskinos with a copy of a new service book in English and Zulu, and copies were offered to all the clergy present.

Father Gerasimos and Archbishop Damaskinos at the clergy synaxis on 13 December 2012

The book has the Third and the Sixth Hours and the Reader’s Service, based on the Typika used in monasteries on days when the Divine Liturgy is not celebrated. In its present form it is designed for use in mission congregations for Sunday services when there is no priest, and it may be led by a deacon or reader. Some parishes use it if, for any reason, there is no priest available.

The Readers Service (Obednitsa, Typika) consists mainly of the parts of the Divine Liturgy that are not reserved to the priest or deacon.

It took rather a long time to get printed in its present form.

The new Readers Book in English and Zulu

In 1997 the African Orthodox Episcopal Church wrote to His Eminence Metropolitan Paul Lyngris, the then Archbishop, asking to be received into the Orthodox Church. The Archbishop asked me to teach them to prepare them for their reception into the Church, and gave his blessing for their clergy to be taught to use the Readers Service, which we then had partly translated into North Sotho. Later His Eminence Metropolitan Seraphim gave his blessing for it to be translated into Zulu, and we printed a few copies for use at courses and conferences, but we did not have money to print a large number.

Three years ago Father Daniel Sysoev, a priest who was doing missionary work among Muslims in Moscow, was shot dead, and a group of Serbian Orthodox Christians, inspired by his example, formed a missionary society in his memory. They wrote to Father Pantelejmon, a Serbian priest in Johannesburg, asking if they could help us to print liturgical books in local languages. Father Pantelejmon asked me if we had anything ready for publication, and I remembered the Zulu translation of the Reader’s Book. With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Damaskinos 500 copies were printed by the missionary society in Belgrade, in memory of Fr Daniel Sysoev.

Georgian Orthodox Church delegation visits Moscow

(mospat.ru) - A delegation of the Georgian Orthodox Church arrived in Moscow on 11 December 2012 with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Beatitude Catholicos Patriarch Iliya II of Georgia. The delegation includes Metropolitan Dimitry of Batumi and Lazeti, Metropolitan Gerasim of Zugdidi and Tsaishi, chairman of the Foreign Department of the Georgian Patriarchate, and Prof. Givi Gambashidze.

Ukrainian Church of USA's Council of Bishops on shooting

(UOC-USA) - Dearly beloved Clergy, Laity and Monastics of our Holy Ukrainian Orthodox Church,

Once again we find ourselves confronted with the horror of what mankind is capable of – the almost inhuman deeds of man against mankind. Just before the time that we will commemorate the Holy Innocents murdered in Bethlehem at the orders of a malicious ruler – Herod – who sought to protect his obscene rule from the threat of the King of kings – our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ , the Promised One, Who, it was determined, was to be born in the town. Having been “mocked” as he perceived it, by the three kings who failed to return to tell him where the Child was, he ordered that all the male children age two and under in Bethlehem be killed, hoping thus, to prevent the Messiah from rising up to offer the Truth of God’s love for mankind and about the sanctity of life. St. John Chrysostom rhetorically asks of Herod:

“Why are you angered Herod, at bring mocked by the wise men? Did you not know that the birth was divine? Did you not summon the chief priests? Did you not gather together the scribes? Did not they bring the prophet also with them into your court of judgment, proclaiming these things from times old? Did you not see how the old things agreed with the new? Did you not hear that a star also ministered to these men? Did you not reverence the zeal of the barbarians? Did you not marvel at their boldness? Were you not horror-struck at the truth of the prophet? Didst thou not from the former things perceive the very last also? How did you not reason from all these things that this event was not of the craft of the kings, but of a Divine Power, duly dispensing all things? And even if you were deceived by the three kings, what is that to the young children, who have done no wrong?”

When we began to hear the horrific news coming from another small town, Newtown, Connecticut, and the murder of innocents and adults, our fear was that it would be a tragedy beyond belief because some sick mind wanted to make a statement during these Holy Days. Our worst fears have been confirmed. Nearly thirty students and adults have been slaughtered – “having done no wrong” – and our hearts are heavy with pain and we weep as did Rachel of old. We, along with all our clergy and faithful of our Holy Ukrainian Orthodox Church, express our profound sympathy to the parents and family members of those lost. We embrace you with in the Love of God and assure you of our continued prayers that the Almighty encompass you in His Comfort and Mercy.

We appeal to the mass media and beg that the individual or individuals not be “iconized” over the days, weeks and months ahead. An icon is normally a holy depiction of a saintly or heavenly being worthy of emulation in their devotion to and faith in God and for their love of fellow man. But evil can also be “iconized” – placed before society for horrific accomplishments, which defy all the laws of God and of man – very often denying the sanctity of life – gifted to mankind by our Creator and meant for only goodness. We of the Ukrainian nation are all too familiar with this kind of evil – always remembering the ten million of our brothers and sisters – men, women and children – who perished because of the sick and evil mind of the Herod of new times – Stalin – who also sought to preserve his heinous rule.

We appeal to the mass media and beg that the individual or individuals responsible for today’s horrific attack be simply identified and then consigned to anonymity. Why? For the sake of the memory of those he slaughtered. Why? For the sake of the families of those lost. Why? For the sake of the fellow students and teachers of those who perished. Why? For the sake of the family of the one who executed today’s horror. Why? So that other individuals, perhaps evil, perhaps sick in mind, body or soul, might not be “inspired” to “go out” in the same way – with their names and pictures published in many ways for months, years, decades or even centuries after they are gone, while their victims are forgotten by the world within weeks.

“Lord, have mercy on us…strengthen the families of all affected by the loss of deeply loved children, teachers, parents and friends, however remotely, as well as each of us whose lives are once more scarred by man’s inhumanity to man. Receive the souls of your children who have perished into Your loving embrace and give them rest in a place where there is no more such horror, pain and suffering in the Light of Your Countenance. May their souls rest in eternal happiness and their memory be eternal from generation to generation in Your Heavenly Kingdom.”

In our Lord’s all-encompassing Love,

+ Antony

By the Grace of God, Metropolitan

+ Daniel

By the Grace of God, Bishop

Given this 14th day of December in the year of our Lord 2012

Pres. Obama on nefarious massacre of children and teachers

“A voice was heard in Ramah,

Lamentation and bitter weeping,

Rachel weeping for her children,

Refusing to be comforted for her children,

Because they are no more."

"Turning East" autobiographical journeys to the Church

(SVS Press) - The Orthodox Church is one of the largest religious groups in the world. Yet, it remains an enigma in the West, especially among those who mistake it either for a Greek version of Roman Catholicism or for an exotic mixture of Christianity and eastern religion. Many, however, are coming to recognize the Orthodox Church for what it is: a worldwide community of Christian disciples that has been faithful to the apostolic command, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or by our epistle (2 Thess 2.15). Consequently, growing numbers of people are finding their true home in the Church that has continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers (Acts 2.42).

Among these converts are dozens of contemporary philosophers. Some are accomplished, world-renowned, senior scholars. Others are junior scholars in the earliest stages of their careers. As a group, they belong neither to any particular philosophical school nor to any particular Orthodox jurisdiction. What they have in common is a desire to enter deeply into an authentic and loving communion with the Living God, with God s people, and ultimately with all of God s creation.

Turning East is a collection of autobiographical essays in which sixteen of these philosophers describe their personal journeys to the Orthodox Church, explain their reasons for becoming Orthodox Christians, and offer a sense of how their conversions have changed their lives.

Read more »

University told they can't sack people for unpopular beliefs

WASHINGTON (BP) - Eastern Michigan University has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a graduate counseling student whom it expelled after she declined to affirm the "sexual orientation" of a homosexual client because of her Christian beliefs.

A federal judge dismissed the case Dec. 10 after Eastern Michigan (EMU) and Julea Ward agreed to a settlement. EMU agreed to pay her $75,000, saying it did not want to continue spending money on an expensive trial. It also removed the expulsion from her record, according to Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which represented Ward in the suit.

The settlement followed by nearly 11 months a win by Ward at the federal appeals court level. A three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio, unanimously overturned a federal court's summary judgment that was in favor of EMU. The judges sent the case back to the federal judge for a trial, saying a "reasonable jury" could find Ward did not breach a code of ethics and the school violated her "religious views and speech."

ADF is pleased Ward and "her constitutionally protected rights have been vindicated," said a spokesman for the legal organization.

"Public universities shouldn't force students to violate their religious beliefs to get a degree. The 6th Circuit rightly understood this and ruled appropriately, so the university has done the right thing in settling this case," ADF Senior Legal Counsel Jeremy Tedesco said in a written release.

The school, meanwhile, said the settlement enables it to maintain the requirements in its counseling program.

"The resolution of the lawsuit leaves the University's policies, programs, and curricular requirements intact," said Walter Kraft, EMU's vice president for communications, in a written statement. "

Ward had only four classes remaining at EMU when she entered in 2009 a required practicum that consisted of one-on-one counseling, according to the Sixth Circuit decision. Ward had told her professors her Christian beliefs prevented her from "affirming" or "validating" homosexual behavior. The file for her third client in the practicum reported he sought counseling about a same-sex relationship. When Ward asked her faculty supervisor how she should proceed, the supervisor reassigned the client to another counselor.

A school official said Ward violated sections of the American Counseling Association's (ACA) code of ethics, including "discrimination based on . . . sexual orientation." A review committee agreed and dismissed her from the counseling program, though Ward said she was not opposed to counseling homosexual clients if she was not required to affirm their "sexual orientation."

Read more »

Znamenny Chant Primer by Fr. Simon Pimen

This is the first in a multi-part series. Part two is here.

---

Funeral of Mar Barnabas of Indian Church to be streamed live

(Malankara-NEAD) - The Burial of His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas, Metropolitan will be shown live this evening (Tuesday, December 11, 2012) at 9PM EST at www.orthodoxtv.in.

The Burial Service of our Vailya Thirumeni at Sts. Peter & Paul Orthodox Church, Valayanchirangara, Kerala, India will begin with Holy Qurbana (7:30AM IST), celebrated by His Grace Zachariah Mar Nicholovos, Metropolitan followed by the Rite of Burial.

And also...

(Newsday) - Metropolitan His Grace Mathews Mar Barnabas stood barely 5 feet tall, but his stature and influence among his followers in the Indian Orthodox Church on Long Island and elsewhere was enormous, leaders of the church said.

"He was a saintly man. He was a man of prayer, a man of simplicity," said the Rev. Paulose T. Peter, director for ecumenical relations of the Muttontown-based Northeast Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, known as the Indian Orthodox Church.

Mar Barnabas, 88, who headed the church in the United States for nearly two decades, died in his native India on Sunday, Peter said. Mar Barnabas left Long Island in May 2011 after retiring as bishop amid declining health. His funeral was to take place Wednesday in India's Kerala state.

One of Mar Barnabas' major accomplishments was constructing a $3.5-million U.S. headquarters for the church, moving it from Queens to a 3-acre plot in Muttontown, Peter said. The center opened in 2008.

He also was known for his compassion, often visiting the sick and needy, Peter said.
Under Mar Barnabas' direction, the Indian Orthodox Church -- which is Christian and is reported to have been established by St. Thomas, a disciple of Jesus Christ, in the first century A.D. -- grew in the United States and Canada from about 40 parishes to 100, serving 12,000 people, Peter said.

Parishes on Long Island are located in West Sayville, Elmont, Levittown, Franklin Square and Floral Park.

Under Mar Barnabas, the diocese included all of the United States and Canada. The church was divided recently into two dioceses -- the Northeast, based in Muttontown, and the Southwest, based in Houston. The current Metropolitan of the Northeast Diocese is His Grace Zachariah Mar Nicholovos.

The church reports having more than 2 million followers worldwide in about 30 dioceses in Europe, Africa, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and India, where it was born and still has its international headquarters in Kerala state.

An uncle who was an Indian Orthodox priest had a large impact on Mar Barnabas, influencing his later decision to become a priest, Peter said. Mar Barnabas spent most of his life as a priest in India, where he also taught in a high school for several years.

He was sent to Long Island to head up the church in the United States because he was so respected for his prayerful life and dedication to putting others first, Peter said.

"He was known to preach simply on one concept: love. Loving people for who they are and the virtue of love so they can witness the values of the gospel," said Deacon Daniel Mathai of Muttontown.

When Mar Barnabas prepared to leave Long Island last year, crowds of well-wishers gathered at his residence to wish him farewell, Peter said.

He noted that packing was easy for the former bishop, because "a simple soul like him hardly had any personal possessions to take with him."

More on optional celibacy seminar in Rome

(Vatican Radio) - The problems facing married priests in the Eastern Catholic Church were at the heart of a seminar in Rome this week, sponsored by the Australian Catholic University and the Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies at St Paul University in Ottawa, Canada.

The Second Vatican Council’s decree on the Eastern Catholic Churches clearly reaffirmed the value of the Oriental rites with their distinct liturgical practises and traditions. Yet a Vatican document dating back to 1929 prohibited Eastern rite bishops from ordaining married men in the West or sending them from the East to Western countries where they were said to cause “confusion among the faithful”. While Roman or Latin rite bishops in some countries, such as Australia, formally welcome married priests to serve their Eastern rite communities, others still see it as a source of tension and division.

To find out more, Philippa Hitchen went along to the conference and spoke to Fr Peter Galadza, a married Ukrainian Greek Catholic prelate and professor of Oriental liturgy at the Sheptysky Institute in Ottawa…..

“We organised this conference because frequently there’s this misconception that somehow a married priesthood is less than authentically Catholic. We understand that as we’re only one percent of the total population of Catholics throughout the world, this is not always going to be understood or covered. Nevertheless we know that throughout the centuries, married priests with their wives and children have suffered for their Catholic faith…..

In the case of the Ordinariate (for former Anglicans), a lot of people have told me it’s a kind of a transitional reality. But we are concerned……..that instead of being recognised as an integral part of our tradition, as is guaranteed by Vatican II, it will be just like the Anglicans, a temporary exemption and we don’t see ourselves as a temporary, alien, immigrant reality in North America…

Are we suggesting the Latin rite should do this? Absolutely not, in the same way as we don’t like them telling us how to do our Divine Liturgy, we certainly don’t want to tell the Latin rite what to do with regards to celibacy. But when it comes to our own tradition of optional celibacy, that has to be respected

I begin my speech with a word of profound gratitude to His Holiness for that exhortation (Ecclesia in Medio Oriente) – there’s a recognition, right after the very legitimate recognition of the consistent value of celibacy, he then says ‘I also turn with a word of encouragement to the married priests and their families that during this great time of difficultly they might be encouraged and upheld… “

Chrysostom Seminar in Rome discusses clerical celibacy

BINGHAMTON, NY (ACROD) - It was both an honor and a blessing to have the privilege to travel to Rome to participate in The Chrysostom Seminar at Domus Australia in Rome on November 13th. The forum dealt with the issue of the ongoing obstacles of the ordination of married seminarians to the priesthood of the Eastern Catholic Church in North America.

I was invited to participate by Fr. Peter Galadza, a married Ukrainian Catholic priest and professor at the Sheptysky Institute for Eastern Christian Studies at St. Paul's University in Ottawa and Fr. Lawrence Cross, a married Russian Catholic priest at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. Other participants included Fr. Basilio Petra (a scholar in the issue of marriage and priesthood in the early church), of the Theology Faculty in Florence, Italy, and Fr. Thomas J. Loya, a Byzantine Catholic priest of the Tabor Life Institute in Chicago.

Themes of the Addresses

In his presentation, Fr. Cross insisted that the vocation of married priests in the Eastern churches could not be understood apart from an understanding of the sacramental vocation of married couples.

"Those who are called to the married priesthood are, in reality, called to a spiritual path that in the first place, is characterized by a conjugal, family form of life," he said, and priestly ordination builds on the vocation they have as married men.

Fr. Cross and other speakers at the conference urged participants to understand the dignity of the vocation of marriage in the way Blessed John Paul II did: as a sacramental expression of God's love and as a path to holiness made up of daily acts of self-giving and sacrifices made for the good of the other.

"Married life and family life are not in contradiction with the priestly ministry," Fr. Cross said. A married man who is ordained is called "to love more, to widen his capacity to love, and the boundaries of his family are widened, his paternity is widened as he acquires more sons and daughters; the community becomes his family."

Fr. Basilio Petra, a Latin Rite priest and expert in Eastern Christianity and professor of theology in Florence told the conference: "God does not give one person two competing calls."

"If the church teaches—as it does—that marriage is more than a natural institution aimed at procreation because it is "a sign and continuation of God's love in the world," then the vocations of marriage and priesthood "have an internal harmony," he said...

Complete article here.