Byzantine, Texas

( Syriac Orthodox Church ) - On Tuesday and Wednesday, September 28th and 29th, 2021, His Eminence Mor Dionysius John Kawak (the Co Chair of this dialogue) along with Very Rev. Fr. Joseph Chamoun, deacon George Kiraz and sub-deacon Imad Syryany, attended the Oriental Orthodox and Roman Catholic Dialogue via ZOOM.On the first day, the discussion was on Eucharistic intercommunion, where Archbishop Kawak gave a short presentation about the common declaration signed by Rome and the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch. On the second day Sub-Deacon Imad gave a presentation on the qualities of the priesthood as expressed in the ordination rite of our Holy Church.

From one of my favorite blogs (authored by Roger Pearse), a post entitled 'Where does the Vulgate use the word “unicorn”?' You might also enjoy this post " Stump the Priest: Unicorns? In the King James Version of the bible, the unicorn is mentioned in Numbers 23:22 and 24:8, Deuteronomy 33:17, Job 39:9,10, Psalms 22:21, 29:6 and 92:10, and in Isaiah 34:7.  As I understand it, in 1611, in current English, the words “unicorn” and “rhinoceros” referred to the same, vaguely known, animal.  The two go back to the Latin bible, the Vulgate, which uses both in these passages, to represent the two Greek words “monokeros” (“one-horn”) and “rhinokeros” (“nose horn”), again both referring to the same obscure animal.[1]  The KJV translators knew that a single Hebrew word, rē’em, lay behind both words, and (correctly) chose to use just one term.  Unfortunately they chose the “wrong” word, at least as viewed from our own days, because subsequent science instead standardised on “rhi...

( OCA ) - The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, meeting under the presidency of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon via teleconference, on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, issued the following communique: At numerous points in recent years, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America has reiterated its commitment to the unity of Orthodox Christians in North America, in fulfillment of the charge given to the Orthodox Church in America in the Tomos of Autocephaly, the witness of the canonical tradition, and the command of the Lord Himself, who wills that His followers be united together in a bond of love as He and His Heavenly Father are. This Sunday, October 3, prior to the meeting of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops that will begin next week in Washington, DC, the Executive Committee of the Assembly will concelebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington. With one accord, the Holy Synod rejoices that His Beati...

Support the Manuel missionaries here ! ( RNS ) — When the clergy and seminarians of the St. Andrew’s Seminary in Aguacate, Guatemala, roll into town they have their work cut out for them.  “On day one, we did the liturgy, 10 baptisms, and seven chrismations,” explained the Fr. Thomas Manuel, an Orthodox Christian priest. “Then the next day, we did another visit, we had nine confessions, the Divine Liturgy, four chrismations, three weddings and a baptism.” The men’s workload is their own doing. Established only a decade ago in a country traditionally dominantly Roman Catholic, Guatemala’s Orthodox Christian community is so successful that its few clergy are in a constant state of being overwhelmed. Guatemala’s border with Mexico is a region of volcanic mountains and fertile farmland. For centuries, this area has been largely occupied by the Indigenous Maya people, whose great pre-Columbian Mesoamerican civilization once spanned from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula to El Salvador’s Pacifi...

This isn't a political discussion (have no fear), but rather a talk on what new struggles COVID has given us and what opportunities it has offered us.Also, longtime readers will know I am a big fan of Bishop Irenei of Great Britain and Western Europe, but I think this series transcends my bias.

Warren, N.Y. ( Syracuse ) — After a Herkimer County man was charged with fatally stabbing his father and 12-year-old sister Sunday, the surviving members of his family are still trying to figure out why. Michael Andreev Jr. was arrested and charged with two counts of second-degree murder after police found the bodies of his father, Michael Andreev Sr., and his sister, Sofia Trusova, stabbed to death Sunday at their home in Jordanville, state police said. Michael Andreev Jr., 22, was found in the front yard of the house with a cut to his neck, troopers said. He was immediately considered a suspect, they said. Stefan Andreev said in a Facebook post Thursday that his older brother Michael “has exhibited symptoms of schizophrenia for a long time now.” He also said in the post that his biological mother, Elena Trusova, and his maternal grandmother both suffer from the chronic brain disorder. “This senseless act of violence on our beloved is inexplicable,” Stefan Andreev wrote. Michael J. An...

What a great photo. Details available here .  

H/T: User submission

His Holiness Orthodox Metropolitan of Belgrade and Patriarch of the Serbian and Coastal Porphyrios lands in to hostile apostate (due to communism) town of Cetinje to enthrone the Orthodox Metropolitan of Montenegro Joanikije in the historical see of Cetinje's Monastery. The local apostates helped by the various liberals, communists, secularists, atheists had blocked all the main roads leading to Cetinje, to prevent the visit of the Patriarch to Cetinje's Monastery, so the Patriarch bypassed the barricades and rubbles by air. The Government fearing possible assassination of the Patriarch organized heavy police security. 60 people were hurt trying to overrun police and break in to the monastery which guards the sacred incorrupt hand of St. John the Baptist.

( SVOTS ) - The new Workbook Companion to SVS Press’s Building an Orthodox Marriage should prove invaluable for couples preparing for marriage and those who provide premarital counseling. Building an Orthodox Marriage: A Workbook Companion , by Gregory J. Abdalah, serves as a helpful supplement to Building an Orthodox Marriage: A Practical Commentary on the Eastern Orthodox Marriage Rite , authored by Bishop John (Abdalah) and Nicholas G. Mamey. The Workbook enables pastors and couples to get more out of Building an Orthodox Marriage, and helps them see more clearly how to apply the theological principles and teachings of the Church in the particular circumstances of their own lives. About Building an Orthodox Marriage Building an Orthodox Marriage offers sage counsel that is both practical and grounded in the teaching of the Church, as found in Scripture, tradition, and the marriage service itself. The coauthors bring their knowledge and experience to the aid of readers: Bishop Joh...

( UOC-USA ) - The second day of the Synaxis of the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople commenced in the early hours of Thursday, September 2, 2021,  in order to cover a vast number of topics on the agenda. Among the presented topics was a lengthy discussion about the spiritual dimensions of the on-going COVID-19 Pandemic, titled “The Pandemic and Ecclesiastical Life”. His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch expressed his parental gratitude to the hierarchs of the Patriarchate for their archpastoral love and care for the spiritual flock of the Church in various Metropolias and Eparchies of the Great Church of Christ. Hie Eminence Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon presented a Response to the Introductory Remarks of the Patriarch, offering communal gratitude of the brother-hierarchs to His All-Holiness for his guidance and leadership by example during the past 18 months of the ongoing Pandemic struggle and for the 30 years of spiritual leadership on the Pat...

( UOC-USA ) - On Wednesday, September 1, 2021, His Eminence Archbishop Daniel joined the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne from across the globe in order to co-preside with His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Divine Liturgy in the Venerable Patriarchal Church of Saint George in commemoration of the feast of Indiction — the proclamation of the New Ecclesiastical Year. At the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy the Service of the Indiction took place, during which the Patriarchal Prayer was offered for the new Indiction. Then His All Holiness signed the special Codex of the Great Church and subsequently all the co-officiating hierarchs signed as well according to their seniority. In his Message, the Ecumenical Patriarch pointed out that in our time, “the natural environment is threatened more than ever in the history of mankind.” His All Holiness emphasized that “…the Feast of the Indiction, the solemn day of prayers for the natural environment, finds once again human...

( EA ) - The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America agrees with longstanding United States Supreme Court precedent that the government should not: (a) interfere with the operations and decisions of churches; or (b) attempt to interpret the internal rules and practices of churches. Along with other Christian groups, the Assembly of Bishops has joined an amicus (“friend of the court”) brief petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the case of Trustees of The New Life in Christ Church v. City of Fredericksburg, Virginia. In this case, a city government attempted to impose its own definition of a “minister” of the church in a ministerial housing allowance case, over against the church’s own definition. The city’s action violates past U.S. Supreme Court cases holding that the courts and government should not interpret or interfere with decisions of a hierarchical church. Allowing this decision to stand would set a harmful precedent of government interfe...

Let me say I would no more be Ancient Faith's content officer than fly a cardboard spaceship to the moon. Fr. Damick's below response is very clear-eyed and concise and I don't envy his position at all. A traditional publishing house has the benefit of time. Time to edit manuscripts that come in, time to ponder putting out more books by authors in the face of their questionable life choices, time to talk with authors about things like "tone" and "direction" and "reason." That's not the speed at which the Internet operates. Being a place for influential Orthodox bloggers is more akin to administering Deep Space Nine than anything as pedestrian and terrestrial as facilitating the application of ink to paper. Cardassians, Ferengi, Trills, and the Maquis are always up to something and it's hard to know what they are up to until things are well underway.  You can be a good blogger/author and also say and do silly or outrageous things. I hav...

Ancient Faith responded through its Chief Content Officer, Fr. Andrew S. Damick, via tweet : The blog seems to be completely gone: And here is an explanation of sorts:

A Pastoral Encyclical to Clergy Regarding Protective Measures Against the Coronavirus Pandemic (sourced from  here ). Dear Fathers and Brothers As you know, our country and the whole world has been suffering for more than a year and a half from the so-called health crisis, SARS-CoV-2, that causes infection and the disease of Covid-19.  In this matter the state takes the appropriate measures, coordinating with the world organizations for the health of its citizens, and the Church treats this matter with seriousness, sobriety and responsibility.  Among the measures to prevent infection and disease, and perhaps one of the most important, is the vaccine, as is the case with many other diseases. The standing Holy Synod took specific decisions on this issue:  On January 13, 2021, it decided: The Holy Synod "closely monitors the issue of vaccinations, through the Synodal Committee on Bioethics, which, with its continuous reports, informs the Synod. In this context, the Holy...

To read this you'd think the professionals have been an unwavering source of dependable information. It's as if the medical authorities haven't been rowing the boat in different direction every other week. Masks aren't needed. Masks are essential. Maybe two masks are needed. The vaccinated don't need masks. Masks protect everyone. The vaccine works. The vaccine works for a little while. The vaccine works only against some strains. The vaccine needs boosters. Natural immunity is strong. Natural immunity is not enough. The virus spreads on all surfaces. The virus spreads on some surfaces. The virus doesn't really get spread over surfaces. And so much more. What will the "competent medical authorities" say in a month? Which "false narratives" of today will be truths in October? The below points to a great divide between our betters and the kooks. I propose that the divide is not only not easily discerned, but is constantly moving.   COMMUNIQUE O...

 Looking for anyone with some personal insights into what is going on here and any background on previous decisions Abp. Sotirios has been making in these coronal times. ( Orthodox Reflections ) - On August 24th 2021 during the feast day of St. Kosmas the Aetolian, Archbishop Sotirios of Canada BANNED the laity from receiving Holy Communion at the monastery of St. Kosmas – established by the late Elder Ephraim of blessed memory just outside of Toronto in 1993. The Archbishop announced during the service: “ONLY THE NUNS WILL COMMUNE – NO ONE ELSE!” After the sisters communed, the laity were NOT allowed to approach the Holy Chalice as can be seen in the video. Among the hundreds of faithful in attendance were also a very large number of children (of all ages) who remained “uncommuned”. As a result, the faithful respecting the mystery of Holy Communion taking place, waited patiently until after dismissal and began confronting the Archbishop with serious objections during the giving o...

I believe Fr. Timothy Hojnicki has done a "teaching Liturgy" before. In fact a number of clergy have been doing these annually or by request. Some have let people into the altar which I can't really abide, but moving the table of preparation out to the people (or elsewhere in more of a classroom environment) is great. I do an abbreviated explanation for catechumens, but if people were to ask I might do something like the below. I might even add a "all the things father has to do before he can go downstairs and bless the meal" so that people understand that it's not dawdling but good order to take the time after Liturgy to do all that is required before heading out the north door. ( OCA-DEPA ) - Today at Divine Liturgy, Holy Apostles (Mechanicsburg) commenced the new Church School year with a "Teaching Liturgy," throughout which Fr. Timothy Hojnicki provided a detailed explanation of the main components of the Liturgy service. At the end of the serv...

( SOC-AU ) - An archpastoral reflection on the current situation in Australia.  “But He answered and said to them,  I tell you that if these should keep silent,  the stones would immediately cry out!” (Luke 19:40) To Whom It May Concern,   I am compelled by my conscience as Bishop of the faithful entrusted to me, to address by way of this open letter my deep concerns regarding the situation our Nation has spiraled into during this current health crisis, which we fear is becoming more of a crisis of humanity than that of health itself. The Latin proverb Homo homini lupus est, "A man is a wolf to another man," has tragically found its new form and expression in today’s crisis as: Homo homini virus est!  Man has become a virus to his fellow man in this ever-changing world and dystopian looking society. This is not hyperbole; it is happening right now around us. Just look at our workplaces, formerly places of collegiality and friendship, now rapidly digressing into ...

( Assyrian Church ) - To all the sons and daughters of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East and fellow brothers and sisters in faith, The Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East would like to inform all the faithful of the Church of the results on the Electoral Council held from the 6th to the 8th of September 2021, at St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Erbil, to choose the 122nd Catholicos Patriarch. The Prelates of the Church gathered from all dioceses across of the world, except for His Beatitude Mar Aprem Metropolitan India and the UAE, whose health condition prevented him from attending the Holy Synod meeting. We pray to the Almighty God to grant him good health, and we hope to see him with us in the coming councils. With supplication to the Almighty God, and guidance of the Holy Spirit, and in the spirit of love and brotherhood, the Synodical meetings took place to elect a new Patriarch for the Church, to succeed His Holiness Mar Gewargis III Sliwa, who subm...

" The Ecclesial Crisis in Ukraine and its Solution According to the Sacred Canons " by Metropolitan of Kykkos and Tylliria Nikiforos is an interesting read. But first, who is the author: His Eminence Nikiforos, Metropolitan of Kykkos and Tillyria, is a senior and widely respected Bishop of the Church of Cyprus and abbot of the ancient and renowned Kykkos monastery in the Troodos mountains. In 2001, the Municipality of Athens bestowed on him its highest distinction, the Golden Key to the City, in recognition of his ecclesiastical, social and cultural work. He has also been awarded Honorary Doctorates from the Department of Pastoral and Social Theology of the Aristotle University Of Thessaloniki and the Department of Social Theology of the University of Athens. And what is in the book. It's really one hierarch's answers to the following questions: Ukraine belongs to the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of which patriarchate? Who has the Right to Grant Autocephaly and under W...

A Joint Message for the Protection of Creation   ( EP ) - For more than a year, we have all experienced the devastating effects of a global pandemic—all of us, whether poor or wealthy, weak or strong. Some were more protected or vulnerable than others, but the rapidly-spreading infection meant that we have depended on each other in our efforts to stay safe. We realised that, in facing this worldwide calamity, no one is safe until everyone is safe, that our actions really do affect one another, and that what we do today affects what happens tomorrow. These are not new lessons, but we have had to face them anew. May we not waste this moment. We must decide what kind of world we want to leave to future generations. God mandates: ‘Choose life, so that you and your children might live’ (Dt 30:19). We must choose to live differently; we must choose life. September is celebrated by many Christians as the Season of Creation, an opportunity to pray and care for God’s creation. As world lead...

( GoFundMe ) - On Sunday morning, September 5, our beloved Fr. Stacey Richter, priest at St. Elizabeth Orthodox Church in Chesterton, IN, collapsed in the altar. He was rushed to the hospital but pronounced dead a short time later. He was in good health, vibrant, and energized to build and grow the church for the glory of God. His family - Matushka Trudi and daughters Anika, Sarah, and Michal were stunned by his completely unexpected death. They now need our love and support and, frankly, donations to provide a buffer during this tremendously difficult time. Thanks for whatever you can do. More on this good priests life available here .  The GoFundMe for his family is available here .

TEXAS ( LifeSiteNews ) – UPDATE, September 1, 2021: Texas became the first state in the nation Wednesday to effectively ban abortions on babies with beating hearts, as the United States Supreme Court declined to act on the abortion lobby’s last-minute petition to block the Texas Heartbeat Act from taking effect.  While it remains to be seen what the Court will do over the long term, for now the law has already begun to save lives. NBC News reported Tuesday evening that “all 11 of the Planned Parenthood health centers in Texas” have “stopped scheduling visits after Sept. 1 for abortions past six weeks of pregnancy,” and that Whole Woman’s Health claims that its “four clinics in Texas will also comply with the law and prohibit abortion at seven weeks or less depending on the ultrasound results and if cardiac activity is detected.” The development was met with joy across the pro-life community. “It’s September 1st. Know what that means?? Babies in Texas with a detectable heartbeat can...

August 31, 2021 ( GOARCH ) - The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has acquired certain assets of the respected AGES Initiatives organization, which has provided digital music for Byzantine Chant utilizing both Byzantine and Western notations and translations of liturgical texts for Orthodox churches around the world since 2012. In that time, AGES Initiatives has developed a full suite of digital texts designed to facilitate the study of Byzantine chant in a variety of languages for those at church, at home, or in the classroom.  The acquisition of the Digital Chant Stand, the most popular resource of the AGES Initiatives, will allow the Archdiocese to continue its mission to enhance the worship experience of the Orthodox faithful by supporting the liturgical arts and making them widely available with meaningful translations and modern technology. The Rev. Hieromonk Seraphim Dedes will join the Archdiocesan Staff as Digital Liturgical Content Manager, Liturgical Translator and ...