Israel threatens to cut Church of the Resurrection's water

Tel Aviv (AsiaNews) – The Churches of Jerusalem are perplexed and concerned by the municipal authorities threat to cut off water supplies to the basilica of the Holy Sepulchre. Since water supplies were first operational in the area, successive governments have always provided access to the Holy Sepulchre free of charge as a public service to the pilgrims and act of courtesy to the religious, Catholic and non-Catholic, who custody the sanctuary.

So did the British government in the Holy Land (1917-1948), the Jordanian (1948-1967) and so far the Israelis. But now Israeli municipal authorities have stepped up pressure and threats to cut off water supplies unless a tax is paid, not only in future but also for all water supplied since 1967.

The revelations were made to AsiaNews by sources in the Basilica, who prefer not to be identified in the hope that the city authorities will have a change of heart. The curious fact is that the payment requests are directed to a nonexistent entity, "the church of the Holy Sepulchre." An administration that does not exist, since the ancient basilica is governed by a special, internationally recognized, legal regime, known as the "Status quo". The "Status quo" means that the spaces, time, and functions are divided between the Catholic Church, represented by the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land and several groups of non-Catholic monks, primarily Greek and Armenian but also to a lesser extent, Copts, Ethiopian and Syrian Orthodox.

An expert of Church-State relations in the Holy Land contacted by AsiaNews, said: "The question of paying for the past use is clearly unfounded, because it was a conscious choice and consistent political of all the successive states that ruled in Jerusalem both de facto and de jure, to offer this courtesy to those who officiate and those visiting the Holy Sepulchre of Our Lord Jesus Christ [and also to many other churches in the past]. As for the future, nobody denies that nowadays the supply of water could be seen as a 'commodity' for which you should always pay a fair price. However, in order for this to be applied to the whole of the Holy Sepulchre, specific agreements must be reached between first among the different users regarding the splitting of costs for the consumption of water in common areas, and then you will have to install separate water metres so that it can be demanded that each group of monks pay for what they consume. In fact it is a rather complex legal and technical transaction, which can be addressed only by mutual agreement and not to the sound of threats and warnings, addressed to nobody in particular”.

With some hesitation, the scholar concludes: "But in the end, is it worthwhile for the Israeli authorities to remove an appreciated courtesy practiced by all other states that have controlled the area? It's likely that whoever had this idea will now have to consult with the Office of the Prime Minister or the Foreign Ministry to reach a more lenient conclusion".

On contemplating the priesthood

Separate posts on the same topic. A great interview (H/T Orthocath) with a future Tikhonite and a wonderful essay from Pithless Thoughts entitled Work and Priesthood.

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It is no secret to those who know me that I aspired to the priesthood for about 50 years of my life. For 30 of those years since I got fired from my one "full time ministry job" I've been a construction worker to put a lot of food on a large table under a large roof for a large family. Since I became Orthodox almost a dozen years ago, I've been "THIS close" to being ordained a few times, but by God's grace it hasn't happened. Now I know... well, actually it's more like "now I can admit"... why.

You see, even in grade school I wanted to be a priest so I would be seen and regarded as "a priest". For nearly 50 years the priesthood was a goal that would fulfill my self-perception. I "knew" I was called to the priesthood at age six, and I continued to "know" it for the next 50 years. It didn't happen in the Catholic Church. I did a stint in ministry in a protestant church. But as sure as I knew I was "called", I also knew I wanted other people to know I was called. Someone once asked, "How do I know if the fire I have inside is from God?" It is whether you want other people to notice the fire. I know this because I confess that I wanted people to notice the fire. And a lot of people did. And it both confirmed my "knowing" and convicted me of my falsehood.

Since becoming Orthodox, over the years laypeople, monks, abbotts and abbesses, priests and even bishops fed my delusion by trying to get me ordained. But I knew with a knowing deeper than my private lies to myself that it was my ego calling me, not God. In a dark place I knew that those who wished me the priesthood were responding to a well crafted facade, an illusion of piety, a chameleon-competence in putting on appearances and role playing. They only knew me for minutes at a time, perhaps a few hours now and then. Construction work paid well, it is honorable labor, but the priesthood would give me a true identity, the robe would affirm to others my self perception as a "spiritual person" better than paint crusted jeans and a stained T-shirt. I would be at the altar, I would be talking up in the front.

Read more »

Turning tragedy into wanton hubris

For shame. From the blog American Papist a reminder of how perceived hegemony and uncharitable myopia turns a tragedy into an opportunity to snipe.

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A tragic reminder why the Church, in its wisdom, has chosen against full immersion of infants for baptism:

(Pravda.ru) - A shocking incident occurred in the village of Mihaileny of Rishcansky district of Moldova with a boy named Laurentiu, who was born six weeks ago in the family of 24-year-old Ludmila and Dmitry Gaydeu.

.. Approximately twenty of the closest relatives and friends came to the church at 4:30PM. Father Valentin began the baptism ceremony.

“He dipped the baby in the water without even covering the baby’s mouth with his hand to prevent him from drowning,” recalls Dmitry Gaydeu, the father of the six weeks-old Laurentiu. “He put his hand on his stomach and dipped him in the water three times.”

The Godparents saw that the boy was not well and warned father Valentine. He answered it was not the first time that he was conducting the ceremony and knew what he was doing. When they saw that the child showed no signs of life, he was immediately taken to the district hospital.

I do not mean to take away at all from the sadness of the story, but the parents may find some small solace that this child surely died in a state of perfect grace.

World's largest chalice and diskos?

(mospat.ru) - On July 28, the commemoration day of St. Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles and the Day of the Baptism of Rus’, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Dormition Laura of the Caves in Kiev. The liturgy took place in the monastery’s square overcrowded with worshippers. The service was broadcast live by the Ukrainian television.

Kyiv procession draws thousands, police involvement

(kyivpost.com) - The Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate on July 27 said law-enforcement officials are attempting prevent church followers from traveling to Kyiv to take part in a holy procession commemorating the 1022nd anniversary of the baptism of Kyivan Rus.

The church's website says police have asked bus drivers not to take church followers to Kyiv and cancel pre-arranged trips. Local authorities "do not recommend" traveling to Kyiv on July 28, the website says, adding that buses transporting church followers are being stopped on the outskirts of Kyiv.

The press center of the Kyiv Patriarchate says court prohibition of rallies during the visit of Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill in Kyiv do not apply to the religious procession planned by the Kyiv Patriarchate, scheduled for noon on July 28 from St. Volodymyr's Cathedral to the Prince Volodymyr monument.

And also...

(kyivpost.com) - More than 5,000 Ukrainian Orthodox priests and laymen walked from the St. Volodymyr Cathedral to the Monument to Prince Volodymyr shortly after noon on July 28.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kyiv Patriarchate a day earlier said law-enforcement officials had attempted prevent church followers from traveling to Kyiv to take part in their planned commemoration of the 1022nd anniversary of the baptism of Kyivan Rus.

Russia marks Baptism of Kievan Rus'

H/T: Mystagogy

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia officially celebrated a new holiday on Wednesday marking its conversion to Christianity in 988, the latest Kremlin boost to an Orthodox Church that has grown increasingly powerful since the fall of Communism.

Rights groups have criticized the new holiday, approved by President Dmitry Medvedev in June, as undermining Russia's secular constitution and members of the country's large Muslim minority have complained that it excludes them.

Marking the anniversary, Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, told state-run television: "Abandoning the historical significance of the baptism of Rus means discarding the supporting pillar of our entire civilization".

Kirill held a liturgy in Kiev, the capital of modern Ukraine and mediaeval Kievan Rus, whose leader Prince Vladimir converted to Christianity over a millennia ago and adopted it for his state. Kievan Rus is seen as the precursor to modern-day Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.

Clad in a flowing gold cloak in Kiev's historic Pecherska Lavra monastery, Kirill told thousands of followers: "Facing aggressive atheism and resurgent paganism we remain firm in our belief in God".

The Orthodox Church is undergoing a revival in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union almost 20 years ago and Russia's leaders have endorsed it as the country's main faith.

The Russian patriarch also presides over the biggest branch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, although some Ukrainian clergy have declared themselves independent of Moscow and Kirill's visit to Kiev has angered some Ukrainian nationalists.

The trend toward consolidation of the church as a national force in Russia has worried its 20-million strong Muslim population -- a seventh of Russia's people -- as well as those who believe church and state should be strictly separated.

Medvedev on June 1 signed a law making July 28 a National Day, a state holiday that is also a working day.

Across Russia, churches prepared to hold ceremonies and mass river baptisms in honor of the conversion.

Since Medvedev's law, Muslim lawmakers have asked for a national holiday to mark the arrival of Islam in modern-day Russia, which Arabs brought through the southern gateway city of Derbent on the Caspian Sea more than 1,000 years ago.

(Reporting by Olzhas Auyezov in Kiev and Amie Ferris-Rotman in Moscow; Editing by Peter Graff)

Technical note: apologies to sharers

For those who tried recently (in the last few weeks) to share posts, you might have seen some unsightly code instead of a preview of the article (this primarily affected Facebook users). I think I have the problem fixed. Apologies for the coding error.

OCA Canadian Archdiocesan Assembly audio

(AFR) - Held in Victoria, BC July 25-31, the Canadian Archdiocese of the Orthodox Church in America heard reports and lectures including a keynote address by Metropolitan Jonah. For more information, see http://orthodoxassembly.ca/.

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Here's an audio clip from Metropolitan Jonah on the Episcopal Assembly, the autocephaly of the OCA, and the way forward. It is not a puff piece - Metropolitan Jonah doesn't speak in tergiversation.

Great piece on Carpatho-Rusyns, Orthodox & Greek Catholic

If you don't already receive One Magazine, you should. They cover the Eastern Churches like no one else does. In the same magazine you can get a story on the Ethiopian Church, Ukrainians in Argentina, and the Paschal traditions of Jerusalem.

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(One Magazine) - For more than a millennium, Central Europe’s Carpatho-Rusyns have been engulfed in a violent whirl of Magyar, Germanic and Slavic antagonism. Always subjugated, Rusyn peasants toiled the soil, kept the livestock or cut the timber of their Hungarian, Austrian or Polish masters. Such conditions, coupled with centuries of serfdom and forced assimilation, hardly favored the development of a distinct Rusyn identity. Nevertheless, among the Rusyns such an identity did develop, sowed by their distinct Slavic language, nurtured by their Byzantine Christianity — which they received from Sts. Cyril and Methodius in the late ninth century — and reinforced by their full communion, or unia, with the church of Rome.

Today, fewer than 900,000 Rusyn Greek Catholics are scattered throughout Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, North America, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine. A unified church, gathering them all under one mantle, does not exist. Rusyn Greek Catholics — also called Ruthenians — make up three distinct churches that, while sharing the same origins, traditions and culture, remain independent of each other...

Complete article here.

UOC-KP responds to Russian Church's recent statements

(RISU) - The Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) published its response to the Address of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) to the Orthodox Christians of Ukraine Outside the Unity with the Holy Church. The statement of the Synod of the UOC-KP was passed on July 27. The Kyivan Patriarchate expressed its regret over the "non-constructive position" of the Synod of the ROC on the church situation in Ukraine. The members of the Synod of the UOC-KP stressed that "in Ukraine, there is no church schism but only a divide according to jurisdiction (subordination)."

"Against the background of the progress in the work of overcoming the church division in Ukraine, which was made as the result of the activity of the work teams of the Kyivan Patriarchate and the UOC-MP on preparing a dialogue, the position held by the Holy Synod of the ROC at its session on July 26, 2010, as to the church situation in Ukraine is non-constructive. In its ‘address,’ the Synod of the ROC actually repeated the fruitless rhetoric proclaimed by the Moscow Patriarchate regarding the church situation in Ukraine 10-15 years ago, as if nothing has changed over these years and as if it not having any prospects has not become obvious," reads the statement.

The document stresses that the address of the Synod of the ROC has nothing to do with the Kyivan Patriarchate. "It, as the national Ukrainian Orthodox Church, is an integral part of the One Holy Ecumenical Apostolic Church, despite the fact that the ROC and some churches, which are holding the same views, do not recognize it so far," stressed the bishops of the UOC-KP.

The only possible and acceptable way of overcoming the church division in Ukraine is "by forgetting the current disputes and recognizing the autocephaly of the national Ukrainian Orthodox Church," the authors said.

The statement of the Synod of UOC-KP says that the Synod of ROC manipulates the conscience of the faithful.

According to the UOC-KP, it becomes clear that the representatives of the Moscow Patriarchate "do not want a constructive dialogue to overcome the division within the Ukrainian Church, but they want to start the systematic destruction of the Kyiv Patriarchate under the pretext of 'changes of political circumstances' and are trying to involve the Ukrainian authorities in this," the document said. The members of the synod expressed hope that the "state will invariably repel such encroachments on the foundations of the constitutional system, rights of the citizens of Ukraine, social peace and agreement."

According to the press service of the UOC-KP, the Kyivan Patriarchate did not hear any response to the numerous questions included in the previous addresses to the Moscow Patriarchate.

2011 Episcopal Assembly tentatively scheduled

(antiochian.org) - His Grace Bishop BASIL, Secretary of the Episcopal Assembly, explained in his July 4 St. Raphael Clergy Brotherhood Memo, "In a letter dated June 28th addressed to the 63 bishops who comprise the Episcopal Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Hierarchs of North & Central America, Archbishop DEMETRIOS of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and chair of the EA, announced tentative dates for the next meeting of the EA: May 25-27, 2011. Please keep the work of the EA in your prayers!"

On personhood

Personhood is not self-defining; rather, it is other-defined. The more it breaks away and strives after independence, the less it becomes a person: what exists instead is merely an individual. Along with these differences lies also the concept of freedom. The very notion of individual freedom is understood as the ability to set boundaries around oneself, thereby affirming oneself. On the contrary, personhood exercises its freedom as the ability to “come forward,” to exceed its limits, to take part with others in a community, and finally to confirm its own existence and its very own otherness through someone else. It is paradoxical but true that without You, which confirms the existence of I, I ceases to make sense, it disappears, it ceases to exist. Thus, while the individual is under the threat of non-existence precisely when it unites with other individuals – from here also stems the great danger of collectivism – personhood is threatened with non-existence only when one ceases to be united with other persons, who confirm its hypostasis as “other,” as hypostasis.

- Metropolitan John Zizioulas
The One and the Many

Abba Seraphim (UK Coptic) attends US Eritrean event

Procession around city block after liturgy in New York City.

(britishorthodox.org) - At the invitation of the North American Archdiocese of the Eritrean Orthodox Church Abba Seraphim attended its twelfth annual conference, held this year in Stamford, Connecticut. Accompanied by Mr. Trevor Maskery, he was received at the Hampton Inn on Friday, 23 July by His Grace Bishop Makarios and introduced to the clergy and senior lay representatives of parishes as far afield as Oakland (California), Atlanta (Georgia), Seattle (Washington) and Toronto as well as east coast communities.

From here the clergy processed the short distance to the hall of the Sacred Heart Parish in Schuyler Avenue, which was made available for conference sessions by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport. Upon arrival the clergy were greeted by a large body of laity and vested deacons who conducted them to the hall with traditional songs and the beating of drums. They were then formally welcomed by Bishop Makarios, following which Abba Seraphim spoke of his close association with the Eritrean Church since its independence and his delight at visiting the North American diocese, which had remained such a staunch supporter of His Holiness Abune Antonios. Later that evening Abba Seraphim and Bishop Makarios dined together and were able to discuss matters of common concern and interest.

Abba Seraphim preaches the Gospel.

On Saturday morning, 24 July, Abba Seraphim and Bishop Makarios, assisted by the priests and deacons, celebrated the Divine Liturgy (Anaphora of the Apostles) at Archangels Greek Orthodox Church in Bedford Street, Stamford, during which Professor Deacon Habtu Ghebre-Ab was ordained a priest (with the name Father Athanasios) to serve the Eritrean community in Cincinatti. The new priest had only visited Abba Seraphim at the Church Secretariat in Charlton two months previously when he had spoken of his planned ordination although at that time Abba Seraphim had not planned to be in New York this summer.

During the Liturgy Abba Seraphim preached on the Gospel (John X: 11-21) and illustrated the importance to the apostolic faith and traditions, which recognised Abune Antonios as the canonical Eritrean Patriarch or the one who “entereth in by the door” as “the shepherd of the sheep” in contrast to the government appointee who “enterest not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” Abba Seraphim declared that the clergy and faithful who upheld the canonical church order were faithful to the apostolic tradition and were right not to follow a stranger but rather to “flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.” During the service special prayers were said for Abune Antonios and those imprisoned in Eritrea for their faith and the Patriarch’s picture was prominantly displayed in the church.

After lunch Mr. Trevor Maskery, who has designed the websites for Patriarch Antonios and the British Orthodox Church, spoke about the importance of harnessing the power of the internet and directed attention to some of the opportunities which still needed to be grasped.

Abba Seraphim also gave a keynote address, “How shall we sing the Lord’s Song in a strange Land?” addressing some of the issues which face an expatriate community which has largely fled from persecution at home. The text of this talk is now available in booklet form from www.lulu.org In the evening Abba Seraphim and Mr. Maskery dined with a group of lay leaders and explored further some of the issues raised during the day’s meeting.

Formal greeting of hierarchs

On Sunday. 25 July Abba Seraphim and Bishop Makarios, assisted by the priests and deacons, celebrated the Divine Liturgy (Anaphora of St. Jacob of Serough) with St. Gabriel Eritrean Orthodox Parish of New York which worships in the basement chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church at 469 W. 142nd Street, New York, which was also the commemoration of the Archangel Gabriel. After the liturgy the clergy and people went in solemn procession around the entire block as an important witness in the community where they worship. Many people came out to watch with deep respect and to share in the joy which the procession presented to all around. After a festive agape Abba Seraphim again preached on St. Gabriel and the angelic ministries and Bishop Makarios made commemorative presentations to Fr. Athanasios and those also ordained hegoumenos and reader over this blessed weekend. Abba Seraphim returned to London on 26 July.

Commenting on his visit Abba Seraphim spoke of the deep joy experienced in the opportunity to have close contact and eucharistic communion with this particular diocese of the Eritrean Orthodox Church which is notable for its integrity and fidelity to Abune Antonios and the Orthodox tradition. He was impressed by the dedication and commitment of the clergyand by their energy, which not only involved teaching the faith but also in studying for theological degrees (often in addition to degrees already earned in other disciplines) to advance their own knowledge. The continuing love and pastoral concern which His Holiness Pope Shenouda has always shown for the Eritrean Church was manifested recently by providing them with a bishop highly respected for his fidelity and integrity, which will provide the oversight long needed by the dio0cese. “Under the wise leadership of Bishop Makarios, these faithful priests and people will prove to be a powerful witness to this authentic expression of Orthodox ecclesiology, and with its eirenic and spiritually based ethos, this diocese will one day be the means of blessing the Orthodox in Eritrea who remain and quietly witness to their long and preciously held faith in Christ.”

Priest Matthew MacKay, Memory Eternal!

Priest Matthew MacKay

I have just been made aware that Fr. Matthew MacKay has died. He was the beloved pastor of St. Joseph Orthodox Church in Houston, TX. This is quite a blow to the community and to my father and his wife as they are parishioners there. He began his service there in 1994 from a small group of families meeting in an old dance studio to a thriving congregation in a beautiful parish filled with icons, beautiful singing, and plenty of children.

My prayers go out to his family, to his clergy (Fr. James and Fr. Dn. Meletios), and to his parishioners. This is a great loss.

Memory Eternal!

"Faith Unashamed" teen retreat at Texas women's monastery

FAITH UNASHAMED

Teenagers Girls 13 to 18 years old

Parents interested in signing up your daughter, need to call the monastery (903) 498-4474 or e-mail the monastery at nativitymonastery@gmail.com.

Guest Speaker: Katherine Saclarides

This presentation is about the calling to do mission work in the Orthodox Church. We will learn about examples of mission work in the history of the Orthodox Church, and see how we can begin our mission work right in our own communities. My prayer is that you will be inspired to be a 'local missionary' following the presentation. I will also include examples of my own missionary work in Ethiopia and Albania.


Biography:

Katherine was born in Chicago, IL. She majored in Anthropology and Spanish at Vanderbilt University and recently she completed a Masters in Social Work from the University of Chicago. Kathryn worked with the Red Cross in Spain for 2 years, after which she moved to San Francisco and served at the Raphael House (an Orthodox homeless shelter). Over the past two years Kathryn has worked with the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) in Albania, and International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) in Ethiopia.

Currently Kathryn is the supervisor of a mental health clinic for immigrant families in Cicero, IL. She specializes in violence prevention and crisis intervention with high-risk youth.

Cost: $25.00

Schedule (Saturday, August 21 2010):

• 8:30am Liturgy
• follow- Breakfast
• 10:15am Retreat start
• 1pm Lunch
• 2:30pm- Retreat continues
• 4:30pm- End Retreat
• 5pm - Vespers

Patriarch Kirill arrives in Kyiv

(mospat.ru) - In the course of the pastoral visit to Ukraine, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has arrived in Kiev – the Mother of Russian cities.

Our Father

H/T: All of Creation Rejoices

Religious breakdown of Ukraine

Notes from the Antiochian symposium

The talks so far posted are all very good. The talk on the diaconate foresees a very different, active, and missionary role for the deacon. The talk on the presbytery is centered on relative morality and the role of the priest in preaching Truth. The talk on the episcopate (by Bp. Michael [OCA]) was on the historical role of the bishop and how Scripture and the role of the bishop today are connected.

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(ocanews.org) - In a question and answer session with clergy last night at the Biennial Antiochian Archdiocese Clergy Symposium currently being held at Antiochian Village, Metropolitan Philip forthrightly denied widespread reports he would request the revocation of self rule for the North American Archdiocese.

The Metropolitan sought to dispel rumors, purportedly originating in the highest circles in the Antiochian Archdiocese, suggesting that the purpose of his unexpected participation in Holy Synod meeting in Damascus next month was to request revocation as a prelude to moving Bishop Mark out of Toledo and reinstating his predecessor, the disgraced Bishop Demetri (Khoury).

Reports that Fr. Michel Najim, dean of St. Nicholas Cathedral in LA (and former dean of the Balamand Seminary) had prepared a paper for presentation to the Holy Synod arguing for the legitimacy of "auxiliary bishops" only heightened fears that the Archdiocese may be about to re-enter the crisis from which it has so recently emerged (In 2009 Metropolitan Philip unsuccessfully attempted to reduce the diocesan bishops to auxiliaries and decommission the dioceses.).

At the meeting last night Bishop Basil of Wichita asked the Metropolitan about the rumors concerning self rule and the upcoming Holy Synod meeting. Metropolitan Philip responded decisively that he would defend the self-ruled status of the Antiochian Archdiocese stating: “It is just a rumor. I haven’t heard this on the agenda.” He continued: “I will fight for it (self-rule) with all my strength and with all my power. We have self rule and we’re going to preserve this self rule.” Why "self-ruled" and not "autonomous" or "autocephalous"? Met. Philip explained in a recent talk that it was the term the Patriarchate was comfortable with.

According to one relieved clergyman present: "With these unequivocal statements, Metropolitan Philip has put to rest any concerns that the self rule of the Antiochian Archdiocese was at risk. He has conclusively allayed fears that were circulating among the Antiochian clergy."

Dog receives communion in Anglican parish

H/T: Elgreca

You've heard the statement "... this will lead to people marrying dogs." In all seriousness, I believe when the Eucharist is given to the dogs, things have gone so wrong that there can be no defense. "And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city." - Mark 6:11

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(catholicculture.org) - A dog has received communion at an Anglican parish in Toronto. Pets are permitted in the church.

“The minister welcomed me and said come up and take communion, and Trapper [the dog] came up with me and the minister gave him communion as well,” said Donald Keith, the dog’s owner. “Then he bent his head and said a little prayer.”

“I thought it was a nice way to welcome me into the church,” said Mr. Keith, a new member. “99.9% of the people in the church love Trapper, and the kids play with him.”

Following a parishioner’s complaint, the local Anglican bishop decided that Trapper would not receive communion again, though he will continue to be welcome at church.

Peggy Needham, the deputy people’s warden at the parish, told the Toronto Sun that the parish supported Mr. Keith.

“The backlash is from just one person. Something happened that won’t happen again. Something our interim priest did spontaneously,” she said. You can say this, but it points to the larger problem (if there can be a larger problem than this) of misunderstanding one of most basic pillars of our faith. In what other field would this be allowed? If you went to the bank would a teller throw wads of money in your dog's mouth? Would you feed your dog your most precious possession? Would you give the king's crown to it to gnaw on?

“This person went to the top and e-mailed our bishop to make a fuss and change things,” she added. “But he misjudged our congregation.”

ICJ votes Kosovo independence legal

This means great things for Texans, who are ready to declare independence from the dead weight. We all know how well the War of Northern Aggression went.

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(VOA) - The top United Nations court says Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008 conforms to international law.

Church burned and then urinated on.

That non-binding opinion from the International Court of Justice, issued Thursday in The Hague, sparked street celebrations in Kosovo's capital, Pristina. In Washington, visiting Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci called the ruling "the best possible answer for the entire world."

The U.S. State Department also hailed the decision, saying it is now time for Europe "to unite behind a common future."

The 10-4 court decision is expected to clear the way for more countries to extend formal recognition to the government in Pristina.

Church blown up by explosives.

Sixty-nine countries, including the United States and more than 20 European Union governments, have recognized the declaration. Serbia and traditional ally Russia -- a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council -- have led opposition to it.

The government in Belgrade asked the 15-member court to rule on the declaration, and argued last year that it undermined world order. Serbian lawyers told the court the declaration would, if upheld, set a dangerous precedent and encourage secessionist movements elsewhere in the world.

However, ICJ President Hisashi Owada, who read the lengthy ruling aloud Thursday, said international law contains no prohibitions against such declarations.

Hours after Thursday's ruling, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic warned of difficult time ahead, and said his country would continue to fight for control of its former province by peaceful means.

Bible burned in church set on fire.

Ahead of the ruling, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden affirmed U.S. support for Kosovo's independence, in telephone talks with Serbian President Boris Tadic. Biden urged the Serbian government to work constructively to resolve practical issues with Kosovo. He said that kind of cooperation will improve the lives of people in Kosovo, Serbia and the greater Balkans.

Kosovo was placed under U.N. supervision in 1999, following a 78-day NATO bombing campaign that stopped a deadly crackdown by Belgrade in what was then a Serbian province. The Pristina government formally declared its independence on February 17, 2008.

Rare word #10: megalynarion

Megalynarion: The term megalynarion (pl. megalynaria) is used in English to refer to three types of hymnography that have no relationship to one another.

• In Byzantine practice, a megalynarion is a short hymn for the saint of the day or the feast that is sung after "Among the first...". This type of megalynarion is also used during other services, such as a Paraklesis.
• In Slavic practice, a megalynarion is a hymn, sung at the end of the polyeleos, which usually begins with "We magnify..." In Slavonic, this type of hymn is called a velichaniye. Another common term in English used for this type of hymn is magnification.
• In both Byzantine and Slavic practice, the term megalynarion is also used to refer to the hymn that is sung at the Divine Liturgy just after the consecration of the Holy Gifts.

The most common megalynarion is the one used at the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom when it is not a feast of the Lord or of the Theotokos:

It is truly meet to bless thee, O Theotokos,
ever blessed and most blameless and the Mother of our God:
More honourable than the Cherubim,
and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim,
who without corruption gave birth to God the Word,
true Theotokos, we magnify thee.

The hymns that replace "It is truly meet..." in the Divine Liturgy are called in Slavonic the "Zadostoinik," or in Greek the "anti tou Axion Estin", both which mean "Instead of 'It is truly meet.'" These hymns come from the refrain and irmos of the ninth ode of the Canon of the Feast, which is sung at Orthros. Some English-speaking Orthodox prefer to use the Slavonic term to distinguish it from the other types of hymns that are also referred to as a megalynarion.

I went to the local Greek church to a Paraklesis service last night and was taken with the below megalynarion both for its beauty and its timeliness as the EU struggles with its Christian patrimony (see below for a recent summary of the crucifix ban). As I posted on a few months back, Greece saw the attack on the crucifix as a short step away from banning icons of the Theotokos found ubiquitously in the classrooms and courtrooms of the country. With that in mind, this is the megalynarion that brought their struggle to mind:

Speechless be the lips of impious ones,
Those who do not reverence
Your great icon, the sacred one
Which is called Directress,
And was depicted for us
By one of the apostles,
Luke the Evangelist.

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ROME (AP) — An emotional debate over crucifixes in classrooms is opening a new crack in European unity.

It all started in a small town in northern Italy, where Finnish-born Soile Lautsi was so shocked by the sight of crosses above the blackboard in her children's public school classroom that she called a lawyer to see if she could get them removed.

Her case went all the way to Europe's highest court — and her victory has set up a major confrontation between traditional Catholic and Orthodox countries and nations in the north that observe a strict separation between church and state. Italy and more than a dozen other countries are fighting the European Court of Human Rights ruling, contending the crucifix is a symbol of the continent's historic and cultural roots.

"This is a great battle for the freedom and identity of our Christian values," said Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.

The court case underlines how religious symbols are becoming a contentious issue in an increasingly multiethnic Europe.

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Discovered books shed light on Orthodox Church in China

Moscow (AsiaNews) – The three tomes, which are waiting for a translator, are about the birth and development of three churches in Beijing, Tianjin and Harbin. The Chinese government does not recognise the Russian Orthodox Church. Its 13,000 members meet occasionally for religious functions, and usually inside the Russian Embassy and consulates.

The Russian Orthodox Church in China is trying to rediscover its origins. Some believers have been able to borrow some old books on Orthodox Christianity in the Middle Kingdom that date back to the first half of 20th century. They describe the foundation and development of three churches in Beijing, Tianjin and Harbin. Scanned one page at a time, the rare copies are available on the internet. Originally published in Russian, they are waiting for a translation. All three tomes are rare specimen with facts, figures and pictures of some of the earliest churches of the Orthodox Mission to China.

The first book, by a nameless author, is dedicated to the Church of the “Protective Mantle of the Mother of God”, built in Tianjin in 1931. Archimandrite Viktor was the first priest put in charge of the church, which included an Orthodox cemetery, a library, an Orthodox ecclesiastic confraternity, the first high school ran by religious in the country, a Russian hospital and the Mercy House of the Blessed Serafim Sarkovsky. Many Chinese but also foreigners from places like Great Britain, France and Italy received physical and spiritual assistance from the last two structures.

The author of the second book has instead a name, Konstantin Komarov, a theology student. Titled History of the Church of the Annunciation of Harbin, the 200-page tome was published in 1942 and is all about what the author calls the oldest Orthodox church in the city. Originally built in 1903 in wood, the church was rebuilt in stone in 1907. At one point, it ran a school for Russian children and served as a hospital during the Russian-Japanese of 1904-1905. It burnt to the ground in 1918 but was rebuilt.

Brought back to the attention of the Russian Orthodox community by some of its members, the third book, titled Beijing: Russia’s spiritual mission in China, was published in 1939 in Tianjin. From there, a copy found its way into the Harvard University Library. The book itself covers the history of the Russian Orthodox Mission to China that was launched in 1896 in Beijing. The Mission itself was headquartered in the Church of the Annunciation, which had a Russo-Chinese school with gym in which Chinese children studied in Russian.

The history of the Russian Orthodox Church in China goes back more than 300 years ago. The first communities were formed by Russian immigrants, especially in the north. Even today, most of its 13,000 members are of Russian descent, concentrated in four main centres: Harbin (Heilongjiang) where the parish church is dedicated to the Protective Mantle of the Mother of God, Labdarin (Inner Mongolia) and Kulj and Urumqi (Xinjiang).

At present, there is no clergy because Orthodox bishops and priests disappeared, swallowed up by the Cultural Revolution. With no priest, some of the faithful meet on Sundays on and off to pray.

There are however 13 Orthodox Chinese studying at the Sretenskaya Theological Academy in Moscow and the Academy in Saint Petersburg. At the same time, Russian priests celebrate liturgical functions during high holidays (Christmas and Easter) inside the Russian Embassy and consulates.

Wide ranging interview with Patriarch Kirill

(mospat.ru) - The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church had a discussion with representatives of the Ukrainian mass media on July 15, 2010, at his working residence in Chisty Pereulok. Before his visit to Ukraine, Patriarch Kirill answered questions from Ukrainian TV channels Inter, Ukraine, First National, and Era.

I would like to welcome representatives of the Ukrainian mass media and to have a talk with you before my visit to Ukraine. As an introduction I would like to tell you about my impressions of the first visit because I was so much moved by all that I saw and felt in Ukraine.

The places I went to became my most vivid remembrances of the last year. I was struck by the fact that despite the complicated political context and the contradictions existing in the Ukrainian society, an absolute majority of the people cherish the Orthodox faith and spiritual values defined by this faith. These are the same values that are cherished in Russia, Byelorussia, Moldova and other places. These are the values that outline the parameters of a very important cultural and civilizational notion which I would describe as the Russian World.

For Ukrainians I would like to stress that the Russian World does not mean that of Russia. Even less it is a world of the Russian Federation. It is the world which has come out of our common font – the baptismal font of Kiev. It is the world which exists on the level of faith, intellect, spirituality and culture. This world is not altered by the fact that some deny it; nothing changes because this world exists, and it is an objective reality. I have come to feel this reality and the whole power of this wonderful spiritual and cultural phenomenon, which has been generated by the Orthodox Church. It is a most powerful experience.

I am again going to Ukraine with joy. I hope to visit Odessa, Dnepropetrovsk, Kiev and to pray again with my faithful people, to touch shrines, to think about much and to understand much. These trips are very important for a Primate of a Church.

I would like to use this opportunity and say that I hold Ukraine very dear for many reasons. But the most important one is the power of faith, the power of religious feeling, the purity and naturalness of the manifestation of this feeling. God grant that people preserve this faith and together with it the remarkable spiritual tradition of Kievan Rus’.

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Added functionality - sharing buttons

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Serbian Church, "Free Orthodox Church" unite

(spc.rs) - The head of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand has declared the dispute between factions at Wodonga's Serbian Orthodox Church over during a visit to the city. Bishop Irinej conducted services at the Serbian Orthodox Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul in High Street on Saturday.

The dispute between members of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Free Orthodox Church, which had been subject to court proceedings and police mediation, came to a head in May when members of the Free Orthodox Church locked the gates to the Wodonga church.

There was a clash that left one person hospitalised. Bishop Irinej said the parties had since united under the Serbian Orthodox Church. "Some people were still reticent about coming back into the fullness of the church," he said. "The two factions have recently come together and become one. "This unity is a great source of joy for all of us." The bishop conducted a traditional service, mostly in Serbian. Bishop Irinej said the service celebrated the apostles Peter and Paul. "Peter was a simple character, uneducated but who could also be fiery," he said. "Paul was very well educated, a teacher of law and a genteel man. They were diametric opposites yet both became foremost among the apostles. It shows for each and every one of us there's a place within salvation in Christ."

"Sharing the Faith" Orthodox Institute event scheduled

The Church on race

Splitting the difference, I am posting on the Holy Martyrs Proclus and Hilarius celebrated on the 12^th of July on the New Calendar and on July 25^th on the Old Calendar.

From God is Wonderful in His Saints - (abbamoses.com):

Proclus was the uncle of Hilarius; both were from Kallippi in Asia during the reign of Trajan. When Proclus was brought to be tried as Christians, the judge asked him 'Of what race are you?' Proclus answered 'I am of the race of Christ, and my hope is in my God.' When the judge threatened to torture him, he said 'When you are afraid to transgress the Emperor's commands and risk falling into temporal punishment, how much more do we Christians fear to transgress against God's commands and fall into eternal torment!' When Proclus was given over to torture, his nephew Hilarius came forward and proclaimed 'I too am a Christian.' After torture, both were condemned to death; Proclus was crucified and Hilarius beheaded.

Imagine how the Orthodox Church would benefit if, when we were asked 'Of what race are you?' the first answer that came to mind was not 'I am Greek, Russian, Serbian...' but 'I am of the race of Christ!'

Bp. Maxim on the Episcopal Assembly

When, by God’s providence, the time comes for the realization of unity, it will be a joy for many. Undoubtedly, the primates and hierarchs of all of our Orthodox Churches, in Europe, Asia, Africa, guided by the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, will show love and understanding, and give their consent and blessing for the establishment of one new sister church in America” (Bishop Nicholai, Collected Works XIII, page 565-572, Serbian text page 573-579).

(antiochian.org) - Recently a historic event took place in New York: a pan-Orthodox Assembly of the Fullness of God’s Church on the North American continent, represented by the Hierarchs of the local Orthodox dioceses. The most important goal of this body is to witness Orthodox unity in a “new world” and to secure a more effective organization of mission, witness and cooperation of the local Orthodox Churches in diaspora.

In accordance with the decision of the Fourth Pre-conciliar pan-Orthodox conference held June 6-12, 2009 in the Orthodox center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Switzerland, and at the invitation of Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the first Assembly of canonical Orthodox Hierarchs of North and Central America was held in New York May 26-28, 2010. Of sixty-six hierarchs of this region, fifty-five were present at this historic gathering.

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios presided over this Episcopal Assembly, having Metropolitan Philip (Antiochian Orthodox Church) and Russian Archbishop Justinian (Moscow Patriarchate) as co-chairs. Bishop Basil of Wichita (Antiochian selfruling Archdiocese) was elected secretary. His Eminence Metropolitan Christopher of Libertyville/Chicago and His Grace Bishop Maxim of the Western American diocese represented the Serbian Orthodox Church. (The other three Serbian hierarchs here did not attend this historic event because of prior commitments).

It needs to be said that the entire gathering was held in a spirit and atmosphere of brotherly love, in the joy of the Pentecost Feast Day: Greeks, Serbs, Romanians, Bulgarians, Russians, Syrians, Arabs, Americans, and Latin Americans, all together spoke with one mouth and one heart. Discussions about various questions and problems of the “diaspora” went on in a spirit of understanding, while Archbishop Demetrios wisely and capably led the gathering.

One of the topics which was repeated many times as a refrain during this threeday Assembly was the will and the wish of all participants “for the swift healing of all canonical anomalies which resulted from historical circumstances and pastoral necessity.”

Along with this the participants emphatically called to mind the contributions of the Primates and representatives of the Orthodox autocephalous Churches gathered at the Ecumenical Patriarchate from October 10 to 12, 2008 to confirm their “unswerving position and obligation to safeguard the unity of the Orthodox Church” (Chambésy Rules of Operation, Article 5.1a). A slightly different view was presented by Antiochian Metropolitan Philip, who questioned the necessity of jurisdictional connections with autocephalous Churches which are, as he stated, over seven thousand miles away and do not have any ties with the “new world”. This was an isolated opinion. If there was an opinion that it is only necessary to follow the Primates of the autocephalous churches, or so called “Mother Churches”, in spirit rather than in letter, Archbishop Demetrios gave a witty answer: “This would test the distinct American sentiment for independence and democracy.” Through this exchange of opinions the participants came to the conclusion that the relatively “young” American Orthodoxy has a need for guidance and help from the “mother Churches” of the Old World, Middle East, Bosporus and Balkan. There is the need for both dependence and a certain independence in making decisions...

Complete article here.

UOC-Canada elects new Metropolitan

(UOC-USA) - The Hierarchs, Clergy and the Faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the United States of America greet His Eminence Archbishop Yurij on his election on July 14th, 2010 at the 22nd Sobor of the UOCC, as 'Metropolitan-elect' of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada. For more, read here and here.

Antiochian Archdiocese clergy symposium ongoing

(antiochian.org) - Bishops, priests and deacons from across North America, led by His Eminence Metropolitan Philip, are gathering the week of July 19 at Antiochian Village for the Sixteenth Biennial Clergy Symposium. The time of communal worship, fellowship and education brings great renewal to our clergy. Fr. Joseph Allen, Symposium Chairman, opened the gathering with an introduction to the theme of the meeting: "The Priesthood: Diakonos, Presbyteros, Episcopos."

In addition to a range of electives, the clergy will hear from three featured speakers over the course of the week: Fr. John Chryssavgis, on the Diaconate; Fr. Nicholas Apostola, on the Presbyter; and His Grace Bishop Michael Dahulich, on the Bishop. Ancient Faith Radio will be offering audio of selections from the Symposium in the coming days. Check back here for pictures from the gathering as the week proceeds.

Holy, Glorious Prophet Elias

EU takes step back from hostile position on religion

Brussels, July 20 (Interfax) - European Union leaders state they are ready to a closer dialogue with religious organizations, especially in settling social problems.

Speaking at the meeting of the EU leaders with religious leaders held in Brussels, President of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek said that they appointed vice-president of the European Parliament responsible for interaction with religious organizations.

Besides, Buzek will soon discuss concrete mechanisms of interaction with representatives of different churches and decide on setting up a special service responsible for religious dialogue.

Buzek pointed out that the Lisbon Treaty foresees in its Art 17 that the Union maintains an "open, transparent and regular dialogue" with religion, churches and communities of conviction.

"Churches and religious communities are important providers of social services in EU member states. If we want to combat poverty effectively, it is essential to draw from their long standing and wide raging experience," President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso said.

Herman Van Rompuy, the President of the European Council said Churches initiatives in social sphere should be considered. According to him, the main issue of combating poverty "is also, in essence, willing to restore human dignity, the dignity of both men and women and that is why societal, cultural and ethical questions should also be taken into account."

Acting representative of the Russian Church to European International Organizations Antony Ilyin mentioned that United Europe should became a dialogue based community, based on partnership between EU institutions and traditional religious organizations.

He put his particular attention to the importance of fighting against poverty and social exclusion in the context of EU neighborhood policy especially regarding countries which belong to the so-called Eastern Partnership and asked EU leadership to take into account Orthodox identity of those counties and their people who are spiritually linked to the Moscow Patriarchate.

The Brussels meeting was the sixth in a series of annual meetings launched by President Barroso in 2005. Over twenty senior representatives from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim and other religions from 14 European countries participated in it. They discussed effective ways of combating poverty and social exclusion as an imperative for European governance.

Holy Assumption Monastery being founded in Thailand

Moscow, July 20 (Interfax) - The Holy Assumption Monastery will be founded in Thai Ratchaburi Province.

Construction of the Church dedicated to the Assumption of the Holy Virgin and complex of dwelling and household buildings are almost completed, the Moscow Patriarchate official website reported on Tuesday.

The Russian Church Representation in Thailand has announced search for Orthodox men of any nationality not younger than 21 who are keen on monastic life as novices.

The Russian Church has recently been officially registered in the country as the Orthodox Christian Church in Thailand Foundation.

The Foundation Committee consists of Orthodox Thais who were converted to Orthodoxy and baptized in the Moscow Patriarchate Church of St. Nicholas in Bangkok. The first converted Thai is Danaya Vanna (now - deacon Daniel). He graduated from the Petersburg Theological Seminary in 2008.

"It's not working! Set it to high!"

(FOX News) - American atheists lined up to be "de-baptized" in a ritual using a hair dryer, according to a report Friday on U.S. late-night news program "Nightline."

Leading atheist Edwin Kagin blasted his fellow non-believers with the hair dryer to symbolically dry up the holy water sprinkled on their heads in days past. The styling tool was emblazoned with a label reading "Reason and Truth."

Kagin believes parents are wrong to baptize their children before they are able to make their own choices, even slamming some religious education as "child abuse." He said the blast of hot air was a way for adults to undo what their parents had done.

"I was baptized Catholic. I don't remember any of it at all," said 24-year-old Cambridge Boxterman. "According to my mother, I screamed like a banshee ... so you can see that even as a young child I didn't want to be baptized. It's not fair. I was born atheist, and they were forcing me to become Catholic."

Kagin doned a monk's robe and said a few mock-Latin phrases before inviting those wishing to be de-baptized to "come forward now and receive the spirit of hot air that taketh away the stigma and taketh away the remnants of the stain of baptismal water."

Ironically, Kagin's own son became a fundamentalist Christian minister after having "a personal revelation in Jesus Christ."

"One wonders where they went wrong," he chuckled to the TV show.

Novo-Tikhvin Monastery celebrates 200 years

H/T: Oasis

Schema monks process in honor of the 200^th year since the founding of the women's community.

(sestry.ru) - Our convent celebrated a great festivity – 200 years since its foundation. And perhaps, the services, the cross procession, and the festive concert had so much light and emotion, because they had been filled with your prayers and love.

It was even difficult to imagine that so many people – over four thousand – would come to our festivity to share with us the joy of this day. And how moving it has been to see both the youth, the most elderly parishioners, and the young children together side by side... One cannot but help remember the descriptions of the convent's festivals made in the beginning of the XX century. At that time, all the festive days molebens and akathysts would have been served before the Tikhvin icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, whereas the pilgrims of any age, title, and status would flow in an endless stream to venerate the most favorite relic. And now we see with joy and tender emotion how this tradition is being revived, how many people come to venerate the honored Tikhvin icon with awe and love. According to the tradition, the services and the cross procession were presided by archbishop Vikentiy during these days. At the conclusion of the festivity, he handed over first degree commemorative medals of holy righteous Simeon of Verkhoturye to the Mother-Superior igumenija Domnika, the spiritual father schema-archimandrite Avraam, and the Mother-Superior of honor schema- igumenija Zlata.

From the bottom of the heart do we thank our parishioners and all those who, not having the opportunity to visit our convent, send warm and sincere letters to us, all those who help and support us! Congratulations on the feast!

The Ukrainian issue as seen through UOC-KP eyes

(RISU) - In an interview to the agency OstroV, Patriarch Filaret, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate, stated that he sees the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP) losing its independence and recommends the Russian hierarchy not to interfere in the matters of the Ukrainian state. According to him, when he was the head of the single Ukrainian Orthodox Church, he secured from the hierarchical council the status of an independent and self-governed church for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in 1990. Therefore, the Ukrainian Church is really more independent now than the Belarusian one or that of Kazakhstan or Baltic countries. But now, according to Patriarch Filaret, these rights of independence are gradually being taken away.

“Therefore, there are already divisions in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate): some are for autocephaly, some bishops and clergy are for closer unity with the Moscow Patriarchate. This is discussed in Moscow and they do not like that Metropolitan Volodymyr corresponds with the bishops in Ukrainian, that some churches serve services in Ukrainian. It is understandable that Moscow would like all Ukraine to speak only Russian. But our state language is Ukrainian, and Russian is not oppressed in Ukraine. We want Ukrainians to speak Ukrainian and all citizens to know Ukrainian: they can speak any language but they should all know the state language,” stressed Patriarch Filaret.

He is sure that the people “want to have an independent church as well as an independent state, And Kirill will not do anything about it. His efforts in this direction are in vain, it is a road to nowhere.”

Patriarch Filaret accentuates that the Ukrainian Church is already in existence and it is simply impossible to destroy it. “As of today, the Kyivan Patriarchate has 14 million adherents, believers, and the Moscow Patriarchate has nine million, even though the Moscow Patriarchate has twice as many churches and parishes than we do,” said the head of the UOC-KP. According to him, many adherents of the Kyivan Patriarchate go to churches of the Moscow Patriarchate. “We see no difference between the believers of the Kyivan and Moscow patriarchates. We are all Orthodox and we all live in Ukraine. But it is interesting that the youth is pulled more to the Kyivan Patriarchate. According to a poll conducted in Odesa a month ago, 33.7% called themselves adherents of the Kyivan Patriarchate and 31.5% called themselves adherents of the Moscow Patriarchate. And this is in Odesa!” stressed Patriarch Filaret.

He criticized the situation when the church allows someone to involve it in politics. The head of UOC-KP mentioned an example when Russian hierarchs begin to interfere in the state affairs of independent Ukraine. According to Patriarch Filaret, it is in violation of the principle of the separation of the church from the state. According to the patriarch, one cannot dictate where the Institute of Ground Forces should be located or what should be the name of a certain street.

In answer to the question what the UOC-KP expects from the all-Orthodox council, which is being prepared by Patriarch Kirill and Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch Filaret expressed a doubt whether such a council will take place at all. In his opinion, the “Council can do more harm than good. Because what Constantinople and Moscow recently agreed upon does not serve the unification of Orthodoxy but its division.”

Patriarch Filaret gives the following motivation of his position: “A church is granted autocephaly on the consent of its mother church. If the mother of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is the Russian Church, as they think there, our autocephaly depends on Moscow. If the Ukrainian Church is a daughter of the Constantinople Church, as history testifies, the autocephaly depends on Constantinople. But there can not be two mothers! Therefore, the preliminary agreement reached by Moscow and Constantinople is convenient to them but does not settle the issue of recognition of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church, one of the largest ones in Orthodoxy. But the agreement satisfies Moscow and it will not let the Ukrainian Church go. It also suits Constantinople because it will not let the American Church go, which has sought autocephaly for a long time. According to the agreements, the Tomos of autocephaly is granted by the Ecumenical Patriarch and not the Patriarch of Moscow. But it gives it on the consent of all the local Orthodox Churches. That is, if any church is against it, there will be no autocephaly. As we analyzed these agreements, we have come to a conclusion that they concern not the establishment of autocephalous churches but prevent the establishment of autocephalous churches. And in addition to the Ukrainian one, there are other churches seeking recognition of autocephaly; these are the Macedonian Church and the Church of Montenegro. And this can lead to a divide in Ecumenical Orthodoxy.”

Priest who shook up PCUSA congress visits OCA chancery

See background posting here.

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SYOSSET, NY (OCA) - On Thursday, July 15, 2010, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah received Archpriest Siarhei Hardun of Minsk, Belarus at his official residence here.

Father Siarhei was visiting the US for some three weeks at the invitation of the Presbyterian Church USA to participate in that denomination’s General Assembly as an ecumenical advisory delegate. He delivered stirring brief remarks during a plenary session of the gathering.

During his visit with Metropolitan Jonah, Father Siarhei conveyed the greetings of His Eminence, Metropolitan Filaret of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, and relayed an invitation for Metropolitan Jonah to visit Belarus. Father Siarhei also provided interesting information on Church life in Belarus. Visiting Metropolitan Jonah on the last day of his US visit, Father Siarhei expressed great appreciation for the opportunities provided by his US visit with the hope that relations of the Orthodox Churches in America and Belarus might be further developed. Metropolitan Jonah expressed his thanks for the invitation to Belarus and expressed his warmest greetings to Metropolitan Filaret.

During his US visit, Father Siarhei also had the opportunity to visit and participate in the liturgical life of several OCA and other Orthodox communities.

As a faculty member of the Minsk Theological Seminary/Academy, located at the historic Zhirovichi Monastery, and the Saints Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Belarus State University, Father Siarhei also visited the Saint Tikhon's Seminary, South Canaan, PA, and Saint Vladimir's Seminary, Crestwood, NY, where he discussed possible avenues of cooperation with Archpriest Alexander Atty, Dean of Saint Tikhon’s, and Archpriest Chad Hatfield, Chancellor of Saint Vladimir’s.

-- Alexis Liberovsky, OCA Archivist