Statistics and information

Does anyone want to see a popular posts listing on the sidebar? Blogger has added a pageviews counter (total number of people who have visited) and a popular posts widget (shows the most viewed posts) today, which I have no strong views one way or the other on using. Opinions, please.

Salvation, an interview with the martyr, Fr. Daniel Sysoyev

This has made the rounds on blogs for the last few days. For that reason I hesitated to be needlessly redundant, but this teaching is so good I cannot fail to post it.

On Abbot Gerasim and the Diocese of Alaska

Having met Abbot Gerasim a few times, I can say that he is a very welcoming and kind-hearted man. I had heard a while back that he was a possible candidate for Alaska, and am enthused to see that that possibility might become a reality.

Photo from the Diocese of the South's clergy conference. Pictured: Abbot Meletios, Met. Jonah, Abbot Gerasim.

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(ocanews.org) - In a recent letter to OCANews.org, Fr. Michael Oleksa, Acting Chancellor of the Diocese of Alaska and a member of the Metropolitan Council, explained the current situation in the Diocese regarding its vacant cathedra. Fr. Michael writes:

"I am writing only to clarify what has been happening in Alaska as we attempt to discern God's Will and nominate a new bishop for this diocese.

Many Alaska Native cultures, until quite recently, practiced match-making and arranged marriages, relationships initiated or promoted by the parents of a prospective bride or groom. Usually, the proposal was then accepted or rejected by one of the pair, but obviously, one could consider only a single option at a time. No one ever had to choose between several simultaneous suitors.

In the same way, selecting a bishop can be compared to an arranged marriage in which, in our case, the Holy Synod has vetted a man to become our bishop, and the clergy and laity of the diocese, as the bride, has the option to accept or reject him. That is the process in which we are intensely engaged now.

Abbot Gerasim (Eliel) was invited to celebrate Christmas and Theophany in Southeast Alaska, among the predominantly Tlingit parishes of Sitka, Juneau and Hoonah. They welcomed him and seem to have been favorably impressed by him.

This summer, Abbot Gerasim went to an Alutiiq regional summer camp, organized by the Chugachmiut Native Corporation at the ancient village site of Nuchek, in Prince William Sound, and then spent a week in the most isolated of all our villages, Nikolai, an Athabaskan Indian parish near the source of the Kuskokwim, Alaska's second-longest river. He witnessed and engaged in subsistence fishing activities, held daily services, baptized six infants and children and continued downriver by boat to the next village, Stoney River. From there, because of the unexpected death of a villager, we were detoured up the Stoney River itself, to one of our smallest parishes, Lime Village. I doubt that any bishop or candidate for bishop ever visited this community of fifteen houses and a log church. The town is too small to sustain either a public health clinic or a school. While it had been intent to accompany him all the way down the river, I had to return to Anchorage for a wedding and therefore left Abbot Gerasim in this isolated village, basically saying "Hasta la Vista, Brother," and flying off. I cannot imagine simply abandoning any past bishop I have ever known with the hope that I'd find him four days and four hundred miles later, but that is what happened.

And four days later, Father Gerasim had found his way down river, "hitch hiking" from Lime to Stoney to Sleetmute to Crooked Creek to Chuathbaluk to Aniak, to Lower Kalskag, all totally unfamiliar "bush" Alaska, and arrived on schedule at Kwethluk. This was a test of patience and even courage we had not engineered or foreseen, but he passed it with ease and grace.

By the end of July, Abbot Gerasim had visited all the parishes on the Kuskokwim and met all the local clergy. He attended the deanery conference in Kasigluk and visited Nunapitchuk, celebrated his 49th birthday in both Lime Village and Chuathbaluk, and, it seemed, had a great time doing so. He was in Kodiak for the St. Herman Day festivities and return to the Kenai Peninsula, where he visited Kenai and Ninilchik on the drive southward and visied Nanwalek and Port Graham on the way back north. Then he'll go to both the Yukon and Nushagak River regional clergy-laity summer conferences, concluding his tour of Yup'ik Alaska.

This winter, he will spend Christmas in the Aleutian and Pribilof Islands and begin Theophany at Lake Clark, performing the Great Blessing of Water along the entire river system threatened by the opening of one of the world's largest open pit mines. Together with His Grace, Bishop Benjamin, he will invoke God's blessing on the waterways at Nondalton, Newhalen, Igiugig, Levelock, Naknek, Pilot Point, Perryville and Chignik, meeting the people and spending time in the homes of every priest and his family. By the end of January 2011, Alaska will know Abbot Gerasim and Abbot Gerasim will know Alaska.

Then it will be our opportunity to nominate him to become our bishop or not. We will hold a special Diocesan Assembly to discuss whether or not we are prepared to nominate him. If the delegates decline to do so, we will find another candidate and begin another round of visitations, allowing everyone to meet and know the man, and giving him the chance to become acquainted with us.

There is no rush. We are not in any hurry. No one is being "imposed" on Alaska. Like an arranged marriage, the bride is free to reject any suitor and the "parents" cannot insist that she accept any particular "candidate." We have not adopted a "democratic" election process in which several candidates compete simultaneously because our diocese is too large and transportation is incredibly expensive.

As for the report that Bishop Benjamin vetoed the suggestion from some Native clergy to consider another candidate at this time, I think this was, therefore, somewhat misleading. His Grace only asked that the clergy consider one potential candidate at a time and not complicate the process by introducing "rival suitors." Trying to get acquainted with and then chose between two or more, would, His Grace and I believe make the process more confusing as well as expensive. The possibility remains that the first, second and even third candidates may not gain the confidence or support of the clergy and laity. This only means that His Grace Bishop Benjamin would probably continue as our locum tenens for another year or two. And I think we are content with that possibility. Bishop Benjamin served here for four years, two as dean of the Cathedral and two as dean in Kodiak, and he knows and loves us. We trust him. So there is no immediate need to hurry. God will reveal His Will to us in His Time.

I hope this clarifies the rather unique process by which we hope to discern God's Will for us and the future of our amazing and unique diocese.

with love and humble blessings
the unworthy archpriest
Michael Oleksa
Acting Chancellor
Diocese of Sitka, Anchorage and Alaska"

Metropolitan Hilarion continues US trip

On the visit with ROCOR...

(mospat.ru) - On August 30, 2010, DECR chairman Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, who is in the USA on a working visit with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and on invitation of His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah of All America and Canada, visited the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia to hold a working meeting with the chairman of the ROCOR Bishops’ Synod, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York.

They discussed a wide range of issues concerning cooperation between the Church in Russia and the Church in Diaspora and inter-Orthodox cooperation in the American continent.

In the evening of that day, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk and Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America visited the ROCOR’s church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Sea Cliff near New York. The head of the Orthodox Church in America, His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah of All America and Canada, was also invited to come to the church. The hierarchs inspected the church and venerated its shrines including the particles of relics belonging to men of God and the icons brought over from Ipatyev’s House and the kamelaukion of St. John of Kronstadt.

The three hierarchs had a talk which was joined by Archpriest Alexander Garklavs, chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America, Archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky, ROC’s director of foreign and inter-church relations, and Archpriest Seraphim Gan, secretary of the ROC’s Bishops’ Synod.

On the visit with the Greek Archdiocese...

(mospat.ru) - On August 30, 2010, DECR chairman Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, who is in the USA on a working visit with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and on invitation of His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah of All America and Canada, visited the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North America to hold a working meeting with Archbishop Demetrios of America.

In their talk, which was also joined by Archpriest Mark Arey, secretary of the Archdiocese, and Archpriest Seraphim Gan, secretary of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia’s Holy Synod, they discussed a wide range of issues concerning relations between various Orthodox jurisdictions in North America. Archbishop Demetrios spoke about the work of the North American Bishops’ Assembly, which met for its first session in May 2010. The head of the Greek Archdiocese also shared remembrances of his trips to Russia and meetings with the late Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and the then DECR chairman Metropolitan Kirill, now Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

Metropolitan Hilarion, on his part, spoke about the development of church life in Russia and other countries under the canonical jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate.

As a token of their meeting, the head of the Greek Archdiocese presented the DECR chairman with a bishop’s crozier and two volumes of his works in English.

On the visit with the Orthodox Church in America...

(mostpat.ru) - On August 30, 2010, DECR chairman Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, who is in the USA on a working visit with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and on invitation of His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah of All America and Canada, visited the chancellery of the Orthodox Church in America in Syosset near New York.

At the chancellery’s chapel, His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah said a brief thanksgiving, with His Eminence Hilarion attending.

After the service, the DECR chairman had a meeting with Metropolitan Johan, Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia and Easter Pennsylvania, Bishop Michael of New York and New Jersey; Archpriest Alexander Garklavs, chancellor; Archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky, director of foreign and inter-church relations, Archpriest John Behr, rector of St. Vladimir’s Seminary; Archpriest Chad Hatfield, chancellor of the seminary, and Archpriest Alexander Rentel, secretary of the seminary’s academic council.

They discussed issues concerning the development of Orthodoxy in the American continent. The DECR chairman spoke about his participation in the Preparatory Commission for the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church and a number of inter-Orthodox events.

As a token of Metropolitan Hilarion’s visit to the ROC chancellery, Metropolitan Jonah presented him with an icon of St. Herman of Alaska with particles of the saint’s relics.

The Six Psalms and the Extinguishing of Candles

From the blog Gladsome Light Dialogues:

At the very Beginning of the service of Orthros (Matins) the Typicon prescribes the reading of the “Six Psalms,” or “Hexapsalm” i.e. Psalms 3, 37, 62, 87, 102, and 142, read in that order, and combined into a single whole.

The faithful should be aware of the fact that the reading of the “Six Psalms” is one of the most important points in the service , a time when all should put aside other thoughts, stand quietly, and concentrate on these penitential prayers. The reading does not constitute a pause in Divine Services, a time during which to go for a walk outside or to talk to one’s neighbor. It is one of the holiest moments in the entire All-night Vigil.

The Six Psalms comprise an entire scale of experiences which illumine the Christian life of the New Testament – not merely its overall joyous mood, but also the sorrowful path to that joy.

This is why according to the rubrics of the Church, the candles in the church are to be extinguished. The falling darkness symbolizes that dead of night during which Christ, praised in the angelic song “Glory to God in the Highest,” came to earth. The semi-darkness of the church facilitates great prayerful concentration.

In his reference book The New Testament, or Explanations of the Church, the Liturgy, and of all Church Services and Furnishings, published in St. Petersburg in 1908, Archbishop Benjamin of Nizhegorod and Arzamas explains the extinguishing of candles during the Six Psalms in this way: “According to the ustav (Typicon in Greek practice), during this reading the candles are to be extinguished. This is done so that we, able to see nothing with our eyes, might listen to the Six Psalms attentively and with fear [of God] and so that everyone standing in the dark might shed a tear and release a tender sigh. For at night, and if there is no lighted candle nearby, it is difficult for people to see one another. It is for this reason that the ustav (Typicon) directs: thus we pronounce the Six Psalms with all attentiveness and fear of God, as conversing with our invisible Christ God Himself, and praying over our sins.”

Midway through the Six Psalms, at the beginning of the 4th of the psalms, the one most filled with sorrow and extreme bitterness, the priest leaves the Altar and, standing before the Royal Doors, continues to quietly read the 12 appointed morning prayers. At that point, the priest symbolizes Christ, who, having heard the sorrow of fallen mankind, not only descended, but to the very end also shared in the suffering of which Psalm 87 speaks.

The morning prayers quietly read by the priest include prayers for the Christians standing in the church, with requests that they be forgiven their sins, that they be given true faith and sincere love, that all of their works be blessed, and that they be made worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Adapted from http://www.stjohndc.org/Russian/what/e_SixPsalms.htm

See bellow a link to the Six psalms as read during Orthros:

http://www.orthodox.net/services/6psalms.html

Orthodox church to be built on Beslan massacre ground

Moscow (AsiaNews) - A memorial cross, pending the construction of an Orthodox church, will be erected in the courtyard of school No. 1 in Beslan on September 2, the sixth anniversary of the massacre of innocents in North Ossetia. The local administration sources reported the news to Interfax news agency.

The program of commemorations of what is considered the Russian September 11 also includes a Requiem concert, "The memory of the heart", organized by the “Beslan Mothers” Committee. Everything will start on September 1 at 9:15 in the morning: the sounds of school and church bells will mark the first shot fired by terrorists as they took classes’ hostage on the first day of school. Relatives, friends and anyone who wants to, may deposit flowers and candles on the ruins of the building. Until Sept. 3 - the day of the Russian Special Forces raid on the school, which ended in bloodshed - uninterrupted music will be played from what remains of the school.

The approximately 1,200 hostages in the gym packed full of explosives, went three days without drinking, eating or going to the bathroom. The terrorist commando, consisting of Chechens and Ingush rebels, were demanding the independence of Chechnya. According to official estimates, the dead amounted to 331, among them 186 children. The wounded numbered 720, of which 135 are now invalids (NA).

Metropolitan Hilarion in the US

At the OCA chancery

SYOSSET, NY (OCA) - On Monday, August 30, 2010, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah welcomed His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion [Alfeyev] of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, to the Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America here.

Metropolitan Hilarion, a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate, arrived in New York on Saturday, August 28, to attend a meeting of the Saint Vladimir's Seminary Board of Trustees, of which he is a member. As reported on the seminary web site, illness precluded him from concelebrating the Sunday Divine Liturgy with Metropolitan Jonah at the seminary's Three Hierarchs Chapel. [Read that story here.]

Metropolitan Hilarion is visiting the OCA Chancery to contribute to the reflections within the OCA regarding its participation in the Episcopal Assembly process. [Read the related story here.]

Joining Metropolitan Jonah in welcoming Metropolitan Hilarion were His Grace, Bishop Tikhon of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania; His Grace, Bishop Michael of New York and New Jersey; and Archpriests John Behr, Chad Hatfield, Leonid Kishkovsky, and Alexander Rentel.

Upon his arrival at the Chancery, a Service of Prayer in honor of the Saints of North America was celebrated at Saint Sergius of Radonezh Chapel as the hierarchs venerated the chapel's relics and icons.

Further information will be posted as it is received.

And also...

(mospat.ru) - On 28 August 2010, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, arrived on a short working visit to the USA with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and at the invitation of His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah of All America and Canada.

That same day in the evening His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah gave dinner in honour of his high guest. Present were the chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America archpriest Alexander Garklavs and the head of the Office of External Affairs and Interchurch Relations of the Orthodox Church in America archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky.

The programme of Metropolitan Hilarion’s visit in New York includes his meetings with His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah, hierarchs of the Orthodox Church in America, the president of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, the head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in America Archbishop Demetrius, as well as with the dean of St. Vladimir’s Theological seminary archpriest John Behr and chancellor of the seminary archpriest Chad Hatfield.

"They are a people without a country."

If you want to read a book on this topic I recommend Glory To Jesus Christ - A History of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese by Fr. Lawrence Barriger.

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(RISU) - Sons and daughters of peasant farmers who found their way to Johnstown in the late 1800s from isolated Carpathian Mountain villages in central Europe did not have a strong sense of national identity and had little knowledge or interest in politics of their homeland.

"They didn't know who the hell they were," history professor Michael Kopanic of Cresson said.

"They were too busy trying to make a living. They didn't have a national awakening until they came here."

The people now generally identified as Carpatho-Rusyns have been given many names over the centuries: Rusnak, Uhro Rusyn, Ruthenian, Carpatho-Ukrainian, Lemko, Slavish and Byzantine.

Except for a brief period after World War II, there has never been an independent nation for the Carpatho-Rusyn people.

"They are a people without a country," said Richard Burkert, Johnstown Area Heritage Association president and chief executive officer.

"Even today with the resurgence of interest in our heritage, it is still kind of like an invisible nationality."

Little Russia

The homeland once known as Little Russia was actually a scattered region of isolated mountain villages in what are now Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine and Romania.

Its people were set apart as a distinct ethnic group with its own language and religion.

They knew little of the outside world and referred to themselves as the "po-nasomu" people.

It translates as "people like us" -- not Ukrainians, not Slovaks, not Polish; just us.

Rusyns were always simple mountain people, Kopanic said, eking out their livings as farmers on land they rented from absentee farmers.

"You won't find Carpatho-Rusyn nobles," Kopanic said.

Carpathian Mountain passes were key travel routes from eastern to western Europe, making the region an attractive holding for ambitious governments, said the Very. Rev. George Johnson, rector of St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church, 427 First St., East Conemaugh Borough.

"It is not a big region," Johnson said.

'Strategic region'

"It was always considered a strategic region because of the passes through the mountains," Johnson said. "It was desirable for empire countries to be able to control it."

With each new empire came a new identity.

Those arriving in Johnstown before World War I were officially citizens of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, although they were neither Austrian nor Hungarian, Burkert said.

Their language was similar to the Slovaks who came before, so many found their way to Slovak neighborhoods and churches.

The identity crisis has continued to this day, so much so that many Americans of Carpatho-Rusyn descent cannot identify their ethnic roots.

"I think what's interesting about doing this nationality or group is that, even in Johnstown -- that if anywhere is the (American) homeland of the Carpatho-Rusyns -- most of the people who read your article aren't going to know what you are talking about," Burkert said.

No homeland

"They never had their own homeland," said Kopanic, who has published works on Slovakian history and teaches at St. Francis University in Loretto and the University of Maryland, University College, in suburban Washington.

"The Carpatho-Rusyns are a lot more complicated than the Slavs," Kopanic said, noting that many Rusyn communities are physically located in Slovakia.

Complications spread when as many as 500,000 Rusyns came to America to escape poverty following the depression of the 1870s.

Many Rusyn immigrants found their way to southwestern Pennsylvania, finding jobs in the steel mills and coal mines around Johnstown and Pittsburgh.

"There weren't more than a couple million of them (in Europe)," Burkert said.

"That's a huge migration of people. Whole regions were transplanted."

Official language

This was also the time when Hungary's leaders outlawed the Carpatho-Rusyn language and closed schools where the dialect was used. Hungarian, or Magyar, was the official language.

Prior to World War II, the closest thing to an independent Carpatho-Rusyn nation was the Czechoslovakia province of Subcarpathian Rus', which was established after the First World War during a remapping of Europe.

Ironically, its formation and alignment with Czechoslovakia was launched by Rusyn organizations meeting in suburban Pittsburgh, calling themselves the Greek Catholic Union and United Societies in July 1918, Kopanic said.

The group sent attorney Gregory I. Zatkovich to Europe, where he gained support for a self-governed Rusyn province within Czechoslovakia.

First governor

Although he was born in the region, Zatkovich was raised in the United States and was a U.S. citizen. That did not prevent Czechoslovakia's founding president, Tomas Masaryk, from naming Zatkovich first governor of Subcarpathian Rus' in 1920, promising the Rusyn homeland the autonomy that never existed.

"They thought they would get independence in Czechoslovakia," Kopanic said.

"But (Masaryk) wanted to form a centralized state. He gave in to opportunists."

Zatkovich resigned and came back to Pittsburgh in 1921 following the evaporation of hope for an independent Rusyn state.

A second reconfiguration of national boundaries following World War II at first created a Carpatho-Rusyn nation, but as soon as the Soviet Union began its eastern European push for communism, Joseph Stalin declared the Rusyns did not exist, said John Righetti, president of the Pittsburgh-based Carpatho-Rusyn Society.

"They did not exist as a people," Righetti said.

'All Ukrainian'

"They all were Ukrainian in the United Ukraine," he said. "They all had to be Ukrainians. From there, he very effectively spread communism through Eastern Europe."

Communist governments continued the historic mistreatment of Carpatho-Rusyns, breaking up communities, said Monsignor Raymond Balta of Rusyn-founded St. Mary Byzantine Greek Catholic Church in the Cambria City section of Johnstown.

"Part of what they did in that regime was to move people around," Balta said.

"You transplant people from this country to this country. You diluted the concentration. It was much more difficult."

Resilient Rusyns

But the resilient Rusyns were able to overcome the Russian Communists, continuing their traditions in private, Righetti said.

"Rusyn culture, theater, all of this culture bubbled from the underground," Righetti said.

The fall of communism and heightened ethnic awareness in the United States has reopened lines of communication between local residents and their ancestral homeland and family members there.

"I just discovered in 2000 we still had relatives there," Michael Charnego of Homer City said.

The Windber native has made several trips to explore his family's "roots" in the Carpathian Mountain villages of Runina and Parihuzovoce, both in the Humenne district of Slovakia.

"Seeing the villages, I could understand my grandfather a lot better and their way of thinking," Charnego said, noting the Carpathians' similarity to western Pennsylvania.

Villagers' homes had the same type of gardens, grape arbors and other features of his family's homes around Johnstown.

"That's what you see today in those small villages," Charnego said.

"They brought their culture with them."

Pithless Thoughts: The "Journey"

The below image is from Pithless Thoughts. There are innumerable 'Journey to Orthodoxy' blogs written by people who have found something wondrous and want to share their experience with the world. I am a reader of many of these, but with some caveats. I am not too fond of the Apologia Pro Vita Sua-esque blogs filled with often tendentious pericopes from the Fathers. It's as if the writer feels he has to make theological bulwarks on each step of his walk towards the Church. I made this hill, and now I have to build up defenses lest I be overcome and die on it.

Honest and straightforward expressions of thoughts, questions, and the struggle to understand and fit in are - to me - much more readable (I think for the same reason diaries are more enjoyable to read than thesis papers are). To paraphrase Fr. Matthew of blessed memory: "The conversion journey is important, but what is more important is what you are doing about your faith NOW." How you got here is a valuable thing to remember, but theosis is not a rear-view mirror.

Bishop Armash Nalbandian to speak at St. Nersess Seminary

Bishop Armash Nalbandian poses with Fr. Daniel Findikyan at the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate of Bzommar, Lebanon, where they participated last Fall in an international sympsium on St. Gregory of Narek.

(SNAS) - His Grace Bishop Armash Nalbandian, Primate of the Armenian Church of Damascus, Syria, will the guest of St. Nersess Seminary for a few days in early September. The bishop is travelling through New York on his way to Los Angeles for the consecration of the new cathedral of the Western Diocese there.

On Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 7:30PM Armash Srpazan will deliver a public lecture in Armenian and English entitled, The Armenian Communities of Syria: Yesterday and Today. A reception in honor of the bishop will follow Srpazan's presentation.

Both events are free and open to the public.

"Armash Srpazan is a true friend of St. Nersess Seminary," said V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, Seminary Dean. "For two years he has hosted our seminarians for periods of study and service within his Diocese."

A native of Aleppo, Syria, His Grace completed graduate studies in theology and liturgy at the University of Tübingen, Germany after having graduated from the Gevorkyan Seminary of Holy Etchmiadzin. His Grace speaks five languages fluently. Under his leadership, the Armenian Church in the historical city of Damascus is experiencing a period of remarkable growth and vitality.

Srpazan will speak in Armenian and English about the history and role of the Armenians of Syria, as well as the current state of the church and community.

For further information contact the Seminary office at info@stnersess.edu or (914) 636-2003.

Episcopal Assembly + OCA = ?

SYOSSET, NY (OCA) - On Thursday and Friday, August 26-27, 2010, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, several members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, and advisers met at the Chancery here to begin a series of broader discussions and reflections within the Orthodox Church in America regarding our participation in the Episcopal Assembly process.

According to Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary, "His Beatitude has invited His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion [Alfeyev] of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church and a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Moscow, to meet at the Chancery on Monday, August 30, to contribute to our reflections prior to future conversations."

Metropolitan Hilarion will be visiting Saint Vladimir's Seminary, Crestwood, NY, August 28-29, his first as a member of the school's Board of Trustees, and concelebrating the Sunday Liturgy with Metropolitan Jonah at Three Hierarchs Chapel.

Hiring and firing based on religious beliefs

(heritage.org) - Earlier this week the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an important religious liberty decision that protects the right of faith-based social service organizations to protect their religious identity and mission.

The case involves World Vision, a nonprofit Christian humanitarian organization focused on the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision was sued for religious discrimination by two employees it fired after learning that they did not agree with World Vision’s doctrinal beliefs.

As a general rule, federal nondiscrimination law demands that private employers ignore religion in making employment decisions. But the same law includes an accommodation for “a religious corporation, association, educational institution, or society.” The question in Spencer v. World Vision was whether World Vision fit this definition and therefore qualified for the accommodation.

Two of three judges agreed that World Vision, even though it is not a traditional house of worship, is entitled to the institutional religious liberty accommodation. Circuit Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain wrote the opinion for the court.

This ruling comes at a time in the life of this nation when faith-based organizations face increasing burdens. Illustrations include D.C. lawmakers’ refusal earlier this year to protect the right of D.C. Catholic Charities to uphold its religious identity and character while providing social services in the District. Because it refused to compromise its religious belief that marriage is the union of a husband and a wife, Catholic Charities was forced to stop offering adoption services and providing spousal benefits to its employees. Similar to the UK Catholic adoption group that just closed its doors because the government demanded they make children available to gay couples.

Similarly, earlier this year the Supreme Court ruled that state universities can deny equal recognition to a Christian student group that refuses to accept members and leaders who disagree with the religious beliefs of the group. Under this ruling a Christian student group could be denied recognition “if it does not allow an atheist student to lead its Bible studies.”

Other examples can be found in this Heritage backgrounder and this book promoted by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Not surprisingly, many of the threats to religious liberty and right of association discussed in these and other sources stem from nondiscrimination dictates that seek to control the conduct of private citizens and private organizations. The rule here seemingly being that my right to receive demands your fealty to supply.

Protecting the religious freedom of faith-based organizations and other civil society groups is an important part of building an American where freedom, opportunity, prosperity, and civil society flourish. They meet important needs and shape people’s identity, and the existence of such organizations also serves as a check on government overreach. As Heritage’s William E. Simon Fellow Ryan Messmore has argued, the role, power, and influence of government grows when the role, power, and influence exercised by religious communities shrinks. The ability of groups like World Vision to make employment decisions based on their deepest convictions is important for sustaining freedom and a robust civil society.

The Ninth Circuit’s decision in the World Vision case will likely be proposed for further appellate review. For now, however, it stands as an important victory for institutional religious liberty.

Blessing of the antimensia

For more on antimension (antimins), see this post.

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(Diocese of Sourozh) - On 27th August, the Forefiest of Dormition of the Mother of God, the Patronal Feast of the Cathedral of the Diocese of Sourozh, Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh blessed the Antimensions received with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to celebrate divine servises in 30 parishes of the Diocese of Sourozh.

The semantron

H/T: Athos - Agion Oros

The semantron (Greek: σήμαντρον) also semanterion (σημαντήριον) or simandro; also called a xylon (ξύλον) (Romanian: toacă; Russian: било, bilo; Bulgarian: клепало, klepalo) is a percussion instrument used in monasteries to summon monks to prayer or at the start of a procession. In Palestine under the Ottoman Empire, when ringing church bells was outlawed, the simandro replaced them.

Mar Demetrios visits St. Vlad's

Seminary Dean, Fr. John Behr, greets His Grace Mar Demetrios of India in the seminary chapel

(SVOTS) - Ever since our Dean, Fr. John Behr, made his extensive tour through the churches and seminaries of India in the Fall of 2009, St. Vladimir's has been strengthening its friendship with the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church in a series of cordial exchanges. Most recently, in August 2010, Fr. John welcomed His Grace Dr. Yuhanon Mar Demetrios, Assistant Metropolitan of the Delhi Diocese, to our campus, and in turn attended and spoke at a reception for His Grace at St. Mary's Orthodox Church, Bronx, NY.

Mar Demetrios is the Professor of New Testment at the Orthodox Theological Seminary in Kottayam, India, and also is Secretary of the Inter-Church Relations Committee of the Orthodox Church in India. As well, he is a member of the WCC Committee on Education and Ecumenical Formation. He has authored several books and articles, including the volume, Gospel of Mark: An Interpretation, and many articles about the Virgin Mary. Formerly, Bishop Demetrios served St. Mary's Church as a layman and a deacon, in the position of Sunday School Headmaster and Youth Leader.

We honor you, O divine warrior, glorious Phanourios!

Today my wife is making Phanouropita (also often spelled Fanouropita). The explanation is from Orthowiki and the recipe is from the invaluable orthodox.net website.

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The custom of the Phanouropita ("Phanourios" and "pita" for "bread" or "cake") is a Greek and Cypriot tradition, preserved in many regions of Greece and Cyprus and spread to the Greek people of the diaspora. Though it is not a Holy Tradition, it has been welcomed and adopted formerly into the church as a blessing service, that take no more than 5 minutes to complete.

It is offered at Vespers services and/or just before the Liturgy finishes on the feast day of the saint (August 27). Many villagers in Greece believe that they follow this tradition to grant rest to the soul of the saint's mother. The Church does not formally hold this position since there is no evidence from what we know of the saint's life to confirm whether his mother indeed was a fornicator, as this 'hearsay' suggests. Despite the Church having made this statement on many occasions, the common people within the Church will still express the phrase, "May God grant rest to the soul of Saint Phanourios' mother." More on the life of this saint here.

The pita is small and round, like a cake, and should be made using either nine or eleven ingredients. The basic ingredients include sifted flour, sugar, cinnamon and oil.

Easy St. Phanourios Bread

Fasting (with oil)

Preheat oven to 350.

1. 1 cup sugar
2. 1 cup oil
3. 2 cups orange juice
4. 3/4 cup raisins
5. 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
6. 1 tsp. baking soda
7. 4 cups flour

Troparion - Tone 4 A heavenly song of praise is chanted radiantly upon the earth; the company of angels now joyfully celebrates an earthly festival, and from on high with hymns they praise your contests, and from below, the church proclaims the heavenly glory which you have found by your labors and struggles, O glorious Phanourios.

Mix oil and sugar, and beat until it's a creamy yellow. This may take a long time.

Put the baking soda IN the orange juice, and stir until dissolved. [NB: this can be spectacularly dramatic if you use a two cup measuring cup with two cups of o.j. in it. (Please don't ask how I found out.) It might be easier to hold a two cup measuring cup OVER the bowl full of oil and sugar and pour in *one* cup of o.j., mix in 1/2 tsp. baking soda, watch the fireworks, pour it into the bowl, and again mix *one* cup of o.j. with 1/2 tsp. baking soda, stir and pour again. If you don't dissolve the baking soda completely, you get lumps of it in the cake. So, stir well.]

Add the flour, then the raisins and nuts.

Pour the batter into an ungreased 9"x13" pan and bake at 350 degrees F. for 45 minutes (or until a clean toothpick dipped in the cake emerges clean.)

I use a bundt pan instead of one 9" x 13", and my kids prefer this with chocolate chips in the place of the raisins and nuts. It doesn't really need a frosting, but if you wanted to drizzle a stiff glaze made out of, say, powdered sugar and lemon juice and a little water over it, that would be okay, too.

If you wanted to put spices in the batter, I'd go with a tiny amount (1/4 tsp. or less) of ground cloves.



Fancy St. Phanourios Bread (Phanouropita)

Not even close to fasting!

Kontakion - Tone 3 You saved the priests from an ungodly captivity, and broke their bonds by divine power, O godly-minded one; You bravely put to shame the audacity of the tyrants, and made glad the orders of the angels, O great martyr. Therefore, we honor you, O divine warrior, glorious Phanourios.

This recipe originally came from a cookbook for a Greek parish in Chicago, but I've tampered with it, mostly by editorializing.

Doubles well; the recipe given is for one loaf pan worth, but Doubled it makes a bundt pan's worth.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, combine:

1. 1 cup orange juice
2. 1/2 cup brandy
3. 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. 2 cups golden raisins
6. 3/4 cup sugar
7. 1/2 cup honey
8. 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
9. 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for exactly ten minutes -- any longer, and you'll have a good caramelized smelling door stop instead of a cake.

Set pot in cold water to cool mixture completely.

Sift into cooled syrup:

1. 2 cups all-purpose flour
2. 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
3. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

Beat vigorously for eight to ten minutes (Takes muscles! We use a wooden spoon for this) or until batter is smooth and bubbly.

Stir in: 2 Tablespoons grated orange peel

Turn into well greased 7" fluted pan or 8" loaf pan.

Sprinkle with 1/2 sesame seeds (optional; skip if you like).

Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup brandy and cool cake in pan.

Bring to church to have blessed, and then share with parishioners or the poor.

Smells amazingly wonderful while cooking.

Metropolitan Christopher laid to rest

Chicago, IL (SOC-NASA) - In the presence of many family, friends, parishioners and those who respected him, brother hierarchs of our local church from America, Canada and Australia as well as other Orthodox Churches, diplomatic representatives and devoted clergymen, Metropolitan Christopher of blessed memory was laid to rest yesterday at St. Sava Monastery in Libertyville, Illinois.

The Divine Hierarchical Requiem Liturgy, served beneath the open sky in front of the Monastery church, was celebrated by the presiding hierarch of the Orthodox Church in America His Beatitude Jonah, Archbishop of Washington and Metropolitan of America and Canada, and concelebrated by His Grace Bp. Georgije of Canada, His Grace Bp. Longin of the New Gracanica – Midwest Diocese, His Grace Bp. Mitrophan of the Eastern Diocese, His Grace Bp. Maxim of the Western American Diocese, His Grace Bp. Irinej of Australia and New Zeland, His Grace Bp. Petar of Cleveland, Vicar of Midwest Diocese (ROCOR) and His Grace Bp. Mark - Diocese of Toledo and Midwest (Antiochian Orthodox Church).

Eulogizing Metropolitan Christopher in a moving sermon, His Grace Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand, among many words of praise, stated that: “we have lost a very strong spiritual and administrative leader who helped foster bilingual church services and schooling, and had a profound spiritual influence on the lives of many people during his 60 years of pastoral service to Christ’s holy Church.”

After the procession to the grave site with the late Metropolitan's earthly remains, Very Reverend Fr. Nick Ceko, Dean of the St. Steven's Cathedral in Alhambra, California, bid farewell to the Metropolitan at his graveside, saying: “that during his long history as priest and then as hierarch, Metropolitan Christopher had to make many challenging decisions which were not always popular, but always right and in accordance with the teaching of the Gospel and the sacred order of the Orthodox Church.”

After the burial of the Metropolitan of blessed repose, a memorial luncheon was offered at the hall of Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois, during which Rev. Fr. Darko Spasojevich, Cathedral Dean, thanked everybody for their prayers and support and introduced V. Rev. Fr. Dennis Pavichevich, the Metropolitan’s Deputy who gave a very moving and compassionate speech, recollecting his personal memories of Metropolitan Christopher. Many representatives of different church affiliated organizations addressed the family and the people present: Mrs. Danijela Randjelovic, President of the St. Sava Monastery Women’s Auxiliary Organization, Mrs. Yvonne Orlich, 1st Vice President of the Serbian Singing Federation, Mrs. Biljana Sevic, President of the Executive Board of the Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, Mr. Constantine Triantafillou, Director of IOCC, Mr. Dmitar Rakic, a long time friend from St. Archangel Michael Parish, and Mr. Petar Kovachevich, son of the late Metropolitan Christopher.

May Metropolitan’s Christopher Memory be eternal!

Patriarch Kirill at Nativity of the Mother of God Monastery

Patriarch Kirill before the relics of St Tikhon of Zadonsk.

Schema nuns in attendance at the Divine Liturgy and moleben.

On "gnomic will"

An excerpt Frontier Orthodoxy's continuing series on St. Maximus:

So “gnomic willing” is the kind of willing we do that deliberates in this fallen world to determine the obscured divine principles and intentions God has for created natures (especially our own). Therefore, “gnomic willing” is a kind of employment of the natural will. It is the will in action by fallen creatures in a fallen world.

- Fr. Oliver Herbel

Fr. Alexander Atty to be formally installed at St. Tikhon's

There is quite a lot of excitement about this from the seminarians I have spoken with (both Antiochian and OCA). Please pray for his continued health.

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SOUTH CANAAN, PA (OCA) - Archpriest Alexander Atty will be formally installed as Dean and Chief Operating Officer of Saint Tikhon’s Seminary here on Saturday, October 30, 2010.

The formal installation Service of Thanksgiving will be celebrated at Saint Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church, Wilkes Barre, PA, at 11:00 a.m. A luncheon will follow at the parish center.

Father Alexander brings with him over 30 years of experience as a parish priest and chief administrator. For years, he served as pastor of one of the nation’s largest pan-Orthodox parishes, Saint Michael the Archangel Antiochian Orthodox Church, Louisville, KY.

Father Alexander is joined at the seminary by his wife, Khouria Olga, and their two children, Katherine and Alexander. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Philadelphia, a Master of Divinity from Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, and a Doctorate in Ministry from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.

As reported on the OCA web site on March 25, 2010, STS Board of Trustees gave its approval to the recommendation of a search committee to engage Father Alexander on March 12, 2010. The Holy Synod of Bishops gave its blessing at its Spring Session March 16-18, 2010, along with a decision to permit Father Alexander to remain attached to the Antiochian Archdiocese while serving as the Dean of the Seminary, an institution of the Orthodox Church in America.

Father Alexander officially assumed duties on July 1, 2010.

Blessing of First Fruits at the Hermitage of the Holy Cross

Orthodox and Catholic representatives meet in Rimini

Cardinal Peter Erdo and Metropolitan Filaret

ROME, AUG. 24, 2010 (Zenit.org) - High-ranking representatives of the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches embraced on Monday in a moment reflecting a will for unity between the two Churches.

A photo of the embrace between Cardinal Peter Erdo and Metropolitan Filaret was printed with the title "Europe's Brothers."

The embrace between the two high-level representatives was a highlight of the 31st Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples, an annual event sponsored by the Catholic Communion and Liberation Movement in Rimini, Italy.

The cardinal and metropolitan made their embrace of unity as they joined in a debate on the topic "Can An Educated Man, a European of Our Days, Actually Believe in the Divinity of the Son of God, Jesus Christ?"

Cardinal Erdo is the archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary, and the president of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE). Filaret is the metropolitan of Minsk and Sluzk and Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus.

2011 meeting?

The Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches are already united in their common stance on many issues affecting Europe: challenges to life and family and religious freedom among them. Recently, an apostolic nunciature was opened in Moscow, and there is ever greater insistence on a meeting between Benedict XVI and Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

To this end, Metropolitan Filaret said that "the time is ripe for a meeting between the Pope and the Patriarch. It might even be possible in 2011; in principle I see no obstacles,"

"We have been in dialogue with the Catholic Church for some time, at times with moments of exhilaration, at others with a fall in tensions," he added. "Now we are in a moment of stability, but between us, we, the parties, are open to dialogue. I hope this atmosphere will continue."

Cardinal Erdo pointed to Catholic-Orthodox union in dogmatic issues. "Hence, for me," he said, "the circumstance that we are not in full and complete communion is a physical pain."

Debate

The cardinal and metropolitan considered the debate topic on Christ's divinity, a theme drawn from notes of the novel "Demons" by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It reflects a question among the European elite of the 1860s, which returns with burning timeliness.

Filaret observed that "Europe is completely changed; European man has changed to the point of being irreconcilable. However, the question is always the same."

He reflected on the doubts plaguing Europeans of our day and suggested a "lively conscience" to overcome them -- a conscience that "does not grow silent, but that sets afire the lies that deceive the heart, and unmasks the sin that besieges the soul."

"We must pray so that the Lord will help our faith because everything is possible for one who believes," the metropolitan concluded.

For his part, Cardinal Erdo pointed to the contradictions in contemporary European intellectuals.

He suggested that a "trite atheism" and the "famous historical and dialectical materialism of traditional Marxism" do not seem attractive. But, pantheism is fashionable, he proposed.

"If the man of today asks himself seriously the question on the existence of God, absolute, transcendent and personal, he must investigate also the possibility of communion between God and man that took place in Jesus Christ," the cardinal said.

"God is only one, and only one is the mediator between God and men: the man Jesus Christ," stressed Cardinal Erdo. Because of this, "we must be messengers and missionaries of the new evangelization of Europe. We must be united with our other Christian brothers, because unity can reinforce our testimony."

On the Diocese of the Midwest's episcopal selection process

From Fr. Ted’s Blog some words on the process...

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The OCA’s Diocese of the Midwest is in a year long process of nominating a man to become bishop of the Diocese to replace Archbishop Job of blessed memory who passed away in December of 2009.

This week, August 23-25, was the annual Clergy Convocation in Chicago. This year the convocation focused on introducing to the clergy of the Diocese the three men who are being considered for the episcopal office: Frs. Paul Gassios, David Mahaffey and Matthais Moriak. These three men are the final candidates from a list of names submitted to a Search Committee, which then following its own process and procedures worked together with the Diocesan Council and Bishop’s Council to submit the names to the OCA’s Synod of Bishops. The three priests are thus considered vetted and approved by the Synod of Bishops.

Currently, the process of electing a bishop is in the stage where the members of the Diocese are getting to know the three nominees. This is a long process both for the diocese and for the three men who in accepting nomination have agreed to put themselves through a long vetting process. Orthodoxy is a hierarchical church, and so men are needed who are willing to put themselves through this process to become the diocesan bishop. It is a very particular calling by the church...

Complete article here.

New metropolitan for Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada

H/T: OBL News

Archbishop Yurij of Toronto

(Winnipeg Free Press) - He turned to the church after a failed singing career, but now damaged vocal chords have robbed Archbishop John of his role in leading a Winnipeg-based Orthodox Christian Church.

Last month, after five years in office, Archbishop John retired as metropolitan of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada. He will be replaced by Archbishop Yurij, bishop of Toronto and the Eastern Eparchy, who was elected to the position during the denomination's sobor, or general council, which took place in Winnipeg in July.

Traditionally, bishops in the Eastern rite, which includes the Orthodox, are called just by their title and first name.

Born Ivan Stinka in Buchanan, Sask., just northwest of Yorkton, the former public school teacher once aspired to stardom in the country-western world, but never hit the big time.

"I even quit teaching so I could be a country singer, but the funny thing is I never made it to Nashville," says Archbishop John, 75, who now carries the title metropolitan emeritus.

"It's as if the Lord said it wasn't meant to be."

Metropolitan John of Winnipeg

He lost his voice two years ago after surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm.

He attributes his health issues as the impetus for his departure, which he describes as "forced."

"If there are meetings that take place, I'm not asked to attend," he says in a whisper during an interview in his office, located just down the street from Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral, which he is packing up to vacate at the end of the month.

"According to the bylaws, if there are any meetings, the Archbishop should be present."
Church officials are quick to say that the former metropolitan was not pressured to resign, but retired because of medical issues.

"His health forced him out of office," says Rev. Eugene Maximuk, communications director for Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada.

Winnipeg is home to about 1,200 Ukrainian Orthodox Christians, spread across five parishes, and the denomination has a membership of about 10,000 across Canada.

Archbishop Yurij takes on the office of metropolitan as a relatively young man at age 59, having already served 22 years as a bishop. Previously a music teacher and choral conductor in his hometown of Hamilton, he says that experience of reading multiple lines of music while leading a choir will help him in his new role.

"It helps you analyze the situation you're in and notice all the little details you might not ordinarily see," says Archbishop Yurij, born George Kalistchuk, who spent four years before his 1988 ordination co-ordinating the recording of 35 Ukrainian choral concertos.

"It's the little things that stand out that catch your attention," he says in a telephone interview from his Toronto office.

"In the churches, you have to prioritize."

His immediate priority after taking office in November is to research the feasibility of setting up a small monastery in Canada, probably in southern Ontario.

"One feature of Orthodoxy is monastic life. We have in the past tried to establish a monastery. The sobor turned its attention to doing that again."

Both archbishops agree that the most critical issue for their denomination is making it relevant to their members and reaching out to those who have drifted away from their Ukrainian Orthodox roots.

"Membership is falling. We would like it to rise," says Archbishop Yurij.

"It's a question of doing more missionary work and for priests to have greater contact with people and trying to get more people involved. Everyone needs to be a missionary in their own way and try to be welcoming."

From the outgoing metropolitan's perspective, it may be time to move beyond the Ukrainian language and assume a more neutral identity.

"We were quite staunch in maintaining the language. Now we have to open up," says Archbishop John, reflecting on changes in the church during his 37 years in the priesthood, including 22 as bishop.

"There's some who complain, 'Why is it Ukrainian Orthodox? It should just be Orthodox,'" he adds, giving voice to dissenting opinions within the church.

"I think it would be good (to change the name) because it's an outreach to all."
For Archbishop Yurij, taking on the role of metropolitan also includes reminding his flock of the importance of faith and belief in God.

"We live in a very materialistic age, we have lots of opportunities and we can forget there is a spiritual world and this one will end but the spiritual world will continue," he says.

"You will have a distorted view of reality if we leave God out of it."

OCA department heads provide updates at recent meeting

SYOSSET, NY (OCA) - In an effort to continue seeking broad input into the future direction of the Orthodox Church in America, members of the Strategic Planning Committee [SPC] met with representatives of several OCA departments at the Chancery here on August 17, 2010.

"Most department chairpersons or co-chairpersons participated in the meeting and shared the visions, accomplishments, future plans and resource needs of their various ministries and provided specific feedback on the Working Draft Strategic Plan," according to SPC member Priest John Vitko. "SPC members were impressed by what these departments are accomplishing despite the very significant resource constraints under which they have been operating."

Highlights of departmental reports follow.

• The Department of Christian Education (Matushka Alexandra Safchuk, co-chair) has developed a variety of new study materials now available on the DCE web site at http://dce.oca.org. The department also offers consulting services for parish school programs. Future plans include an increased emphasis on the critical role the family plays in faith formation. The website is underused. It is also not very liturgical calendar-aware as you have to search for resources instead of having them presented based on the date.
• The Department of Christian Service and Humanitarian Aid (Donna Karabin, chair) provides training and resource material for Christian witness, including the popular "Resource Handbook for Lay Ministries" available on the OCA web site at www.oca.org, which features over 300 "how to" articles on parish life, outreach ministries, senior life and families, and related ministries. Future plans include a continuation of the work accomplished at the 2004 and 2007 parish ministries conferences, in collaboration with Institutional Chaplaincies and other OCA departments and various pan-Orthodox organizations to promote parish development of charitable outreach ministries.
• The Department of Evangelization (Priest Marcus Burch) continues to support full-time clergy in fledging mission communities through its Planting Grant Program. The department also has initiated work on revitalization programs for parishes and missions.
• The Department of Institutional Chaplaincies (Archpriest Steven Voytovich, director) now lists 18 credentialed Orthodox clergy and lay chaplains serving in corrections facilities, hospices, and hospital and psychiatric care institutions. The department is collaborating with the Department of Christian Service and Humanitarian Aid to create a program to develop and empower lay ministry in parishes. Future plans call for offering ongoing encouragement for and pursuing development of Orthodox institutional chaplaincies within the broader pastoral care and counseling community and for making chaplains available to serve as resource persons for parish-based ministry.
• The Department of Liturgical Music and Translations (Prof. David Drillock, chair) places a priority on making liturgical music resources available to parishes. At present, about 2,000 pages of troparia and kontakia and the texts for some 160 services throughout the year are available on the OCA web site. Future plans include producing web-based choral learning tools for choir members and directors. Lots of info that needs a facelift and database integration.
• The Office of Military and VA Chaplaincies (Archpriest Theodore Boback, director) has 20 OCA priests on active or reserve duty, ministering to Armed Forces personnel. Chaplains have served in the Middle East during the recent wars. They celebrate liturgical services, provide pastoral counseling; and visit service members at work, in the barracks, in combat environments, and in the hospital. Nine OCA priests are serving in VA Medical Centers. The department plans to place more emphasis in developing parish programs for returning veterans, caregivers, and families.
• The Department of Pastoral Life and Ministry (input via e-mail from Priest Sergius Halvorsen, chair) recognizes the demands placed upon clergy in parish life and assists them in their ministries through workshops, seminars, retreats, and publications, and developing resources for addressing family concerns. The department is currently gathering data on the most pressing needs facing today’s clergy and their families, which will be used to develop an action plan.
• The Department of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry (Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak, chair) has, for the past three years, emphasized the critical college years by cooperating closely with planting Orthodox Christian Fellowship chapters on college and university campuses across North America and developing programs such as "Real Break," which provides students the opportunity for short term mission trips as an alternative to traditional "Spring Break" venues. An endeavor of inestimable importance. Catching them while in college is important. Catching them in the divide between high school and college is even more important as 6 out of every 10 high school graduates quits going to church when they go to college.

SPC members participating in the meeting included Priest John Vitko, acting chair; Archpriests Theodore Boback and Michael Oleksa; Eleana Silk; and Dmitri Solodow, who were joined by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, SPC Episcopal liaison; Archpriest Eric Tosi, Chancery liaison; and Archpriest Alexander Garklavs, OCA Chancellor.

Bp. Benjamin visits St. Juvenaly Mission in Hawaii

(OCA-DOW) - The Bishop enjoys a "shave ice" with Matushka Jenny after visiting St. Juvenaly Mission on Hawaiʻi Island.

Blog Spotlight: Notes on Arab Orthodoxy

This is another post in the continuing, if very occasional, series spotlighting blogs in the hope of giving them higher visibility.

For English-speaking blogs, there is a noticeable lack of good resources into the Churches of the Middle East. Certainly whatever is translated for us is readily available, but I know of only one blog that covers and translates "Arab Orthodoxy" into something the English reader can understand. Today's post highlights the special place Notes on Arab Orthodoxy holds in the blogging world.

http://araborthodoxy.blogspot.com/

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The Arabic original can be found here. As always, this translation is my own and is not official. An unofficial French translation has also been released here (PDF).

Final report of the 46th Regular Session of the Holy Synod of Antioch, taking place in the Monastery of St. Christopher, between the 17th and the 20th of August 2010 under the leadership of His Beatitude Ignatius IV.

On Tuesday August 17, 2010 the regular session of the Holy Synod of Antioch was held, lasting until Friday August 20, 2010, under the leadership of His Beatitude Ignatius IV (Hazim) and in the presence of the Fathers of the Synod of Antioch, the metropolitans of the nation and the emmigration. They studied an agenda related to pastoral and ecclesial matters and adopted appropriate decisions related to them.

First, the Synod listened to a detailed presentation by Dr. Elie Salem, president of Balamand University. During it, he explained how the university is developing on the academic and administrative levels. At the end of the presentation, the Fathers thanked Dr. Salem for what he undertakes with the working team at the university and they affirmed the necessity that the university continue fulfilling its role showing the Church's mission of service to all the children of the nation.

This was followed by a presentation by Dr. Georges Nahas, dean of the St. John of Damascus Theological Institute, which covered academic, spiritual, and administrative aspects, especially the new education program and modern and accepted methodologies. He likewise indicated the development of the master's program and the bachelor's in religious studies, and the fathers affirmed the necessity of connecting theological knowledge with pastoral experience so that the priest can bear the image of Christ the Good Shepherd into the world. They also formed a synodal committee to assist the patriarch in overseeing the affairs of the institute.

Pastoral care was a significant concern at this session, and on the second day the Fathers approved of a text prepared by Metropolitan Georges (Khodr) for a pastoral guide for priests to rely on in carrying out their pastoral, apostolic, and sacramental service. The guide contains texts reflecting the pastoral reality that priests live today. This guide, which covers a variety of topics in a simple style, treats in detail situations every priest faces. The guide pays close attention to the steadfastness of Antiochian tradition and reflects modernity. It calls for reliance on the principles of performing the sacraments in the Church while it pays close attention to the circumstances of pastoral practice in all other matters.

After that, the Fathers considered the status of youth work in the See of Antioch, and agreed to clarify the role of the clergy and laity in receiving all the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the sake of unity and peace in the Church. This relationship is based on the fatherhood of the bishop and his assistants and on the sonship of the faithful within the one Church.

With this goal in mind, His Beatitude commissioned the Holy Synod to form a committee under his leadership for the organization of pastoral and educational work on the level of the entire patriarchate.

The Holy Synod hopes that God will inspire all with the purposes of the Lord in the cooperation of all His children, so that love and respect will prevail in the establishment of normal relations between all the members of the Holy Church. The Synod is confident of a renewal of spiritual life for all and it remains clear that the responsibility of Christian education for everyone is the responsibility of the bishop and his leadership, along with the participation of those who have competencies for helping him in this.

The Fathers then listened to a report by Metropolitan Philip (Saliba), Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of North America about the status of the Archdiocese and aspects of apostolic and pastoral work there, indicating the development of the Archdiocese in all fields.

On the third day, in light of a study prepared by Metropolitan Basil (Mansour) about the historical status of the bishop in the Orthodox Church, and after long and detailed discussions, the Fathers affirmed that the bishops of the Archdiocese of North America are auxiliary bishops (asaqifa musa3idun) assigned to dioceses and entrusted by the Metropolitan of the Archdiocese to dioceses. They are subordinate to their spiritual point of reference, the metropolitan of the Archdiocese, who has general authority over the whole Archdiocese.

The Holy Synod then listened to reports about pastoral work in the Archdioceses of Central and Western Europe, Mexico, and Argentina. They praised the work being undertaken there and asked the bishops of these archdioceses to continue their work for the Good of the Church and her development. On the basis of the widening of the work of the Archdiocese of Central and Western Europe into the countries of Scandinavia, the decided to change the name of the archdiocese to "the Archdiocese of Europe".

On the fourth day, the Fathers listened to reports about the preparatory meeting for the general Orthodox council which took place in Chambesy- Geneva and also to reports about the meetings of the Orthodox Churches which took place in the countries of the diaspora and especially in North, Central, and South America. They raised up prayers that the mutual Orthodox work might bear fruits to the glory of Jesus Christ and the good of the Church.

After that, they went on to study the topic of Orthodox-Catholic dialogue and the stages it has reached. They affirmed the desire and effort of the Church of Antioch for the realization of the greatest possible closeness between the two churches, especially on the levels of daily witness and service to the weak. They formed a new Antiochian committee to pursue this dialogue.

Finally, they listened to a report from His Eminence Boulos (Yaziji) about the status of plans for Orthodox media and they asked His Eminence to continue work on the next stage.

The session did not end without the Fathers affirming that the the pastors of the Church are from beginning to end shepherds of the People of God, who suffers the difficulties of life and hard circumstances, and that they continue to be watchful in bearing these children of who thirst for the Word of God in the first of their paternal priorities, supplicating God to bless this good flock and its worship, and to increase upon it grace and blessings.

After the end of the meeting, His Beatitude sent a letter to the President of the Republic, Dr. Bashar al-Asad, the text of which follows:

Honorable Dr. Bashar Hafez al-Asad, President of the Syrian Arab Republic

After the best prayers for your preservation,
We lift up greetings and prayers for your honorable position on the occasion of the session of the Holy Synod of Antioch in Seidnayya. Their Eminences, the members of the Synod join me in doing this.

I express my great gratitude to you for this meeting which expresses your love for our Church and your regard for it as the national church par excellence. This makes us even more confident of our deeply-rooted existence in this country so dear to our hearts, Syria.

We repeat our prayer to God, may He be exalted, for your continual health and success.

Ignatius IV, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East

Press conference at Ground Zero on rebuilding St. Nicholas

NEW YORK (GOARCH) – As the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks approaches there is a ground-swell of public support for the re-building of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church which was destroyed under the rubble of the fallen south tower on September 11, 2001 and a renewed and increasing media interest. Former Governor of New York George Pataki had from the very beginning committed his support for the re-building of St. Nicholas, in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy.

Today, representing His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, Bishop Andonios of Phasiane, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese, joined former Governor Pataki and George Demos, candidate for U.S. Congress, in a press conference held at Ground Zero about the re-building of St. Nicholas and the stalled negotiations with the Port Authority.

Governor Pataki called upon the Port Authority to resume negotiations with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese immediately, so the re-building process at 130 Liberty Street, the site that the Port Authority had promised all along, can start as soon as possible.

Archbishop Demetrios of America, who is on a trip visiting the island of Imvros with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, issued the following statement:

STATEMENT OF ARCHBISHOP DEMETRIOS

I take this opportunity to convey my heartfelt appreciation to former Governor George Pataki for his initiative this afternoon to address the concerns of not only our own community but also citizens across our nation and the world regarding the rebuilding of St. Nicholas Church. Very soon after 9/11, the Governor expressed his commitment that this church would be rebuilt and this gathering manifests yet again that he is an honorable person who stands by his word. We are encouraged and deeply touched by this.

As it is well known, on September 11, 2001 our city and nation suffered a terrorist attack of unparalleled proportions. In addition to the tragic and horrific loss of almost 3,000 innocent victims, a number of whom were members of our own community, the world witnessed the unimaginable collapse of the Twin Towers. When the second Tower fell, it landed on and erased all traces of the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas, the only house of worship destroyed that day. Opened in 1916 by a group of Greek immigrants, the church not only served the spiritual needs of its parishioners but was also a sacred space in which people of all ethnic and religious backgrounds working in the surrounding area would often stop, light a candle and spend a few moments in prayer and reflection.

The Archdiocese and parish leadership of St. Nicholas remain firmly committed to the rebuilding of the church at 130 Liberty Street, honoring the long-standing agreement with the LMDC and the Port Authority. We believe and affirm that the new Church of St. Nicholas will have a far greater scope and outreach than a parish house of worship and envision the site as an appropriate memorial to the 3,000 innocent people of all Faiths who lost their lives that day. Trusting in Almighty God, we are hopeful that we will be successful in this sacred endeavor especially with the assistance and support of people such as our dear friend, Governor Pataki.

I convey my warmest paternal greetings and best wishes and invoke upon all of you the abundant blessings of the Almighty.