Byzantine, Texas

( Pravoslavie.ru ) - For the first time since the October Revolution of 1917 Russian registrars have registered a marriage in a church. The ceremony took place at Saratov’s Holy Trinity Cathedral in southwestern central Russia, reports the Orthodox TV channel Soyuz. Then the couple sealed their union with a crowning, which per modern Church rules, should be celebrated after the official registration of a marriage. “We have come to a very harmonious process. The centenary of the establishing of the civil registry will be next year. Therefore, we took another step: today we reunited the state and Church,” said the head of the Saratov region civil registry Yulia Ponomareva, who was present at the wedding ceremony.

I heard Professor Patsavos speak three years ago or so in Pittsburgh. He was engaging and erudite. His books on canon law are de rigueur in our seminaries. ( OCA ) - Dr. Lewis Patsavos, retired Professor of Canon Law and Director of Field Education at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, will deliver the 34th Annual Father Alexander Schmemann Lecture at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary on Monday, January 30, 2017. Dr. Patsavos earned his Doctorate in Theology from the University of Athens, Greece in 1974, and he subsequently taught at Holy Cross for 40 years. His dual responsibilities of teaching Orthodox Canon Law and directing the school’s Field Education Program enabled him to experience the pastoral nature of the canons contextually in ministerial settings. Currently, he serves as the Consultant on Canonical Affairs to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and other Orthodox jurisdictions in the US. His commitment to ecumenical dialogue has allowed him to particip...

This is of course preposterous (and something that has been posted about on this blog for years so it's nothing new). Both Antioch and Moscow have had long established presences in South East Asia (certainly before 1996). Not only is this usurpacious it is also contrary to the very Chambésy process championed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. ( OMHKSEA ) - The Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and South East Asia announces that only the Orthodox Metropolitanate represents officially all the Orthodox Christians and the Orthodox Communities in Hong Kong and in other Countries of South East Asia. The Orthodox Metropolitan of Hong Kong and South East Asia is the only one who can act or speak officially on behalf of the Orthodox Church and the Orthodox Christians who reside in the region of South East Asia.

( OCA ) - The Fellowship of Orthodox Christians in America ( FOCA ) recently funded distribution of Orthodox Christian coloring books in Yupik for children in the southwest region of the Diocese of Alaska where, according to His Grace, Bishop David, “Yupik is still very much used in many homes.” The idea for the project began when an Orthodox teacher, Reader Basil Stuart, approached Archpriest Michael Oleksa about producing the books. “Dionysios Potamitis, who had produced the original coloring books in English and Greek, was contacted, and the plan for translating two volumes into Yupik was devised,” Bishop David added. “Archpriest Martin Nicolai, an accomplished musician and translator, was tasked with working on the translations of the books , which are available on-line.” Father Martin completed his work in 2014, but the Diocese lacked funds to publish the books. “Bishop David had mentioned the project to Marge Kovach and Becky Tesar, the FOCA’s current and past nati...

NEW YORK CITY, October 25, 2016 ( LifeSiteNews ) — Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's representatives, known as "Archons," bestowed the church's highest lay honor on one of the country's most notorious promoters of abortion, same-sex "marriage," and transgender bathrooms in schools. Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate led by Archbishop Demetrios presented the Athenagoras Human Rights Award to New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo on October 15 at the New York Hilton. Once again, those who lead the Greek Orthodox Church have proved with a “humanitarian” award that in their overriding quest to be approved by Caesar they couldn't care less about the most vulnerable in humanity. The award is in recognition of Cuomo helping the Greeks get through bureaucratic red tape to rebuild St. Nicholas Church, which had been destroyed in the terrorist attack of 9/11. The Archons' website explains that he was "the instrumental person in the process of securi...

Add caption ( UOC-USA ) - As the sun shone brightly, illuminating the golden leaves on the grounds of the Metropolia Center, the faithful began arriving for the XXIst Regular Sobor of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. which ran from October 19-22, 2016. Wednesday morning began with a Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Antony, surrounded by the clergy of our Holy Ukrainian Orthodox Church, who had arrived for the Clergy Conference which preceded the commencement of the Sobor that afternoon. It was moving to see the St. Andrew Memorial Church filled from wall to wall with clergy. The priests’ prayers were enhanced by the angelic voices of the Seminarians from St. Sophia Theological Seminary... Complete article here .

ARMONK, NY ( SCOOCH ) – On Thursday, October 6, the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches convened its fall 2016 meeting on the new grounds of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary. Hosting hierarch and SCOOCH Chairman, H.E. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian (Armenian) welcomed H.G. Bishop David (Coptic), H.E. Mor Titus Yelhdo (Malankara-Syriac), H.G. Bishop Karas (Coptic), H.E. Mor Dionysios Jean Kawak (Syriac) and their appointed delegates, as well as the representatives of H.G. Bishop Makarios (Eritrean) and H.E. Archbishop Zekarias (Ethiopian). Among the items discussed by the Standing Conference were the reorganization of the Coptic Church in North America by H.H. Pope Tawadros II, the upcoming visit of H.H. Catholicos Karekin II to North America, external dialogues with the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches as well as with various schismatic bodies within the Oriental Orthodox Communion, the ongoing humanitarian crises in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa, an...

In 2004 Bishop Demetri of the Antiochian Archdiocese entered a guilty plea to a reduced charge of attempted fourth degree criminal sexual misconduct. To be specific he "grabbed the breast of a North Carolina woman seated next to him at a slot machine in the Turtle Creek Casino outside Traverse City" and was "highly intoxicated" (see here for more) as was evident from the closed circuit video that captured the event. He was drunk, he was gambling, and he sexually assaulted a woman. Bp. Demetri was relieved of his duties and then suspended (it should be noted that the Antiochian Archdiocese recently deleted their pronouncement on this issue from their website, but a cached version is available here ). In 2008 he was "restored as vicar of the Iglesia Católica Apostólica Ortodoxa De Antioquia México-Venezuela-Centroamérica-El Caribe in the Exarcado De El Caribe"(see more here ). This was all covered on this blog some years ago (see here ). In a surprising...

( ROC-Sourozh ) On October 18, 2016, His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, met with Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Buckingham Palace in London. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church was accompanied by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, and Archbishop Elisey of Sourozh. Participating in the meeting were also Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury and Bishop Richard Chartres of London. Patriarch Kirill wished the Queen of Britain ‘many happy returns’ on the occasion of her 90th birthday and presented her with an icon of the Mother of God ‘Swift to Hearken’ executed in Russian jewelry traditions. On her part, the Queen gave the high guest her portrait as well as a portrait of her husband Duke Philip of Edinburg. They discussed a wide range of issues. Patriarch Kirill told Her Majesty about the ongoing church renewal in Russia, which is visibly exp...

This man, not just a tacit accepter of abortion, but a man who pushed hard for late-term abortions (poison, mutilation, and dismemberment of our young in the womb) received an award from the Greek Archdiocese today. Also, let us not forget, a man who said of pro-life people, "they have no place in the state of New York." This is the man they are honoring today with the Patriarch Athenagoras Human Rights Award. NY Governor Andrew M. Cuomo Becomes Recipient of Patriarch Athenagoras Human Rights Award

"In the US Christianity is a like a vaccine. Americans get just enough to inoculate themselves against it." - Loosely attributed to Abbot Herman of Platina

This is actually a pretty extensive report by Greek Archdiocesan standards and is dealing with some surprisingly important issues. ( GOARCH ) - The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America convened for its regular meeting at the Synodal Chamber of the Archdiocesan headquarters in New York on October 12th and 13th 2016. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America presided at the meeting with the participation of all the Members of the Synod. The Synod deliberated extensively on many matters including the following: Discussed Liturgical matters related: a) to the implementation of the edition of the approved by the Ecumenical Patriarchate text of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom by the priests, chanters and choirs, and b) the continuation of translations of liturgical texts i.e. the Holy Prothesis, Great Vespers, Orthros (Matins) etc. A big issue. It's still rather up in the air. The priests have the new Liturgy book, but the use of i...

It's rather amazing to watch the growth and flowering of the Church in Latin America. Mayan Orthodoxy is a great resource for anyone who wants to see the struggles and accomplishments of a people building Orthodoxy from within with the help of missionaries and donors from around the world. God willing, the bright light of their faithfulness will illumine us north of the border as well. ( Mayan Orthodoxy ) - The Orthodox Church continues to grow in Guatemala, and one of the areas of progress is chuch music. A beautiful youth choir has formed at the Church of the Annunciation in Aguacate, Guatemala, where the people now sing the entire Divine Liturgy. There also is an excellent choir at the Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Tajumuco, Guatemala, and in the coastal areas of Guatemala the priests are teaching music as well. You can hear all of the major songs of the Divine Liturgy in Spanish here .

This is quite long (sometimes Abp. Demetrios' academic side shows), but it states some insightful and illuminating points. He doesn't pull punches at the lackluster products being generated by many of the committees nor does he allow the Crete gathering to overshadow the important work that needs to continue regardless of the mess that event caused to world Orthodoxy. ( AOB ) - Your Eminences, Your Excellencies and Your Graces, most beloved and respected brothers and Hierarchs of the Assembly of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, welcome to the 7th Annual General Assembly. Having approached and partaken in the Holy Eucharist as members of the Body of Christ, we convene here in Detroit, Michigan. It is a city whose people have experienced the results of decades of neglect, isolation, and abandonment, but now steadily move forward on the path of transformation towards a renewed life. I cannot help but reflect upon the idea of transformation in our ...

Thursday, October 06, 2016 ( AOB ) - To our beloved Orthodox Christians throughout the United States of America: Forbearing one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit. - Ephesians 4:3 Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord, We, the members of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, gathered in Detroit, Michigan, for our seventh annual meeting on October 4-6, 2016 greet you with love in Christ as we offer glory and thanksgiving to Him. Forty-one hierarchs assembled in order to recognize and reinforce our unity in the Orthodox faith. We express our deep gratitude to all those who planned and prepared for this year’s Assembly, which officially opened with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary in Livonia, Michigan. The hierarchs were welcomed by host Bishop Anthony. For some context, I believe there were 44 bishops at the last meeting. We remembered and prayed for our bro...

I am reminded a bit of Deuteronomy 4:19 "And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the Lord your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage." People are predisposed to mention a lot of the externals of the Church more than they are about Jesus Himself when evangelizing. The below is a good reminder. ( OCF ) by Emma Solak - A wonderfully wise woman gave me some advice: “Please consider when you write/speak/think about Orthodoxy: are you writing/saying/thinking “the faith” “Orthodoxy” “the Church” when you should be writing/saying/thinking “Jesus Christ.” OCF sponsors October as Orthodox Awareness Month and during this time, we encourage college students, spiritual advisors, lay advisors, and the like to spread the word about Orthodoxy and OCF. Change your profile picture on Facebook to the OCF logo! Participate...

A very informative post from Notes on Arab Orthodoxy . ( Notes on Arab Orthodoxy ) - The most recent issue of Majallat al-Nour, the official magazine of the Orthodox Youth Movement, has dedicated several articles to evaluating the Crete meeting and its aftermath. Over the next week or so, I'll try to translate a few of the pieces. The Arabic original can be found here . Metropolitan Siluan: The Decision of the Synod of Antioch Sets the Course Aright by Loulou Siba The great, general, expanded Orthodox Council, are words that have been repeated since the beginning of the twentieth century, when the Ecumenical Patriarch Joachim III sent a letter to the patriarchs and heads of autocephalous churches inviting them to meet and discuss emerging challenges for the Church. Then, in 1923, the Ecumenical Patriarch Meletius (Metaxakis) sent another invitation and meetings started and multiplied, but disagreements between the Orthodox churches dominated the atmosphere until in 1961 the ...

I wish I could go to this, but my schedule precludes it. If someone does make it, please do tell how it went.

( AOB ) - Detroit, October 5 - The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States began the 2 nd day of its annual meeting with a special forum dedicated to the important subject of religious freedom. Three highly accomplished scholars presented: Dr. Charles Haynes, Director of the Religious Freedom Center and Vice President of the Newseum Institute, delivered an overview of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and its central role in protecting the free exercise of one’s faith in America’s public square. He encouraged the hierarchs to study how Orthodox Christianity is presented in the public square, especially in the textbooks of our nation’s public schools, and shared his hope that seminarians be educated in the area of religious freedom. Dr. Debra Mason, Professor of Journalism Studies at the University of Missouri School of Journalism and Curriculum Specialist at the Religious Freedom Center, presented on the subject of religion in the media. Sh...

The royal family is closer to Orthodoxy than some might imagine. See today's story on Prince Charles visiting the burial site of Princess Alice of Battenberg, who is interred in the Church of Mary Magdalene on the Mount of Olives. Moscow, October 5 ( Interfax ) - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia is expected to meet with Queen Elizabeth II while visiting the United Kingdom on October 15-18. "Patriarch Kirill is expected to meet with Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, who celebrated her 90th birthday this year, and with Archbishop Justin Welby, the leader of the Church of England," Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, said in an interview with Interfax-Religion on Wednesday. He did not disclose the agenda of the meetings. "However, it can be said that the Middle East theme will be among the key ones, because this is one of the hot subjects that, unfortunat...

( AOB ) - The Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America convened their 7 th Annual General Assembly Meeting in Detroit on October 4, 2016 with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the Antiochian Basilica of Saint Mary in Livonia, Michigan. The Bishops commenced their work with an opening address by the Assembly Chairman, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, who greeted and welcomed the hierarchs, encouraging them that “…when we speak together as an Assembly of Bishops, we do so with the authority of the Church; we do not speak as jurisdictions or merely as representatives, but as a single body of Orthodox Hierarchs who are committed to sharing the transformative light of Christ with our local society.” His Eminence began his remarks with an expression of gratitude and with reflections on the Holy and Great Council which met in June of this year in Crete, crowning 55 years of preparation. The Archbishop noted that 12 of the Assembly’s bishops participated in ...

( Seattle Times ) - More than 1,000 people from six Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo churches celebrated the religious holiday of Meskel in West Seattle’s Camp Long Sunday. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church believes Queen Helena, the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, found the cross where Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem during the fourth century. The churches marked the holiday, also known as the finding of the True Cross, with a bonfire, candle-burning prayer and singing into the night.

See this article for some background. Tallin, October 3 ( Interfax ) - The Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate does not intend to join the Constantinople Patriarchate. "We have nothing to talk about. We have nothing in common with Constantinople," Metropolitan Cornelius of Tallin and All Estonia told Postimesees paper on Saturday. He noted that unlike the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church of the Constantinople Patriarchate, "our Church is alive." "What shall we join? We have nothing to join to. What church life it is if they have one priest for several parishes who works in one church today, tomorrow he works in the other church," the metropolitan wonders. He sees political context in Constantinople initiative, the desire to attract parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate. Metropolitan Stephanos of the EAOC CP stated that he had a plan of uniting Churches of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Constantinople Patriarchate acting in Es...

So says their Patriarch Sviatoslav. How many Orthodox agree? ( Youtube ) - Remarks by His Beatitude, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Patriarch of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (Святослав Шевчук, єпископ Української греко-католицької церкви), St. Michael's College, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 28 September 2016.

( MANA ) - In 1962, a group of young women made headlines in Greece by running away to join a convent. Each time they were captured and sent back to their families, but they kept trying until they finally succeeded. Uninterested in praying all day, they started a shelter, providing a family for abandoned and abused children. Half a century later, the surviving founders are still running the Lyrio Children’s Village without help from church or state, raising infants without a wedding band. This film tells the story of their vision and how they’ve changed the lives of more than 500 hundred children’s so far – simply by taking their fate into their own hands.

( aleteia.org ) - On a day when an official Orthodox delegation refused to attend an open-air Mass with Pope Francis in the capital of Georgia, the Pontiff and his host, Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Ilia II spoke of and demonstrated important signs of unity. “Notwithstanding our limitations, we are called to be ‘one in Christ Jesus, (Gal 3:28),” Francis said at the Orthodox patriarchal cathedral Saturday, the second day of his brief visit to the former Soviet republic, “and to avoid putting first disharmony and divisions between the baptized.” Earlier in the day the Orthodox delegation was absent from the Pope’s celebration at Tbilisi’s stadium. The decision was communicated yesterday evening and taken as a result of opposition from radical groups within the Georgian Orthodox Church. According to Crux, a Vatican spokesman explained the absence saying “their canon doesn’t allow it.” But in Tbilisi’s Svietyskhoveli Cathedral, a 1000-year-old edifice that is the spiritual heart o...

( Pravoslavie.ru ) - Metropolitan Stephanos of the Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church of the Patriarchate of Constantinople has suggested that the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate unite with his Church under his authority. Metropolitan Stephanos told the Postimees newspaper that he bases himself on the decisions of the Pan-Orthodox Council that was held in June this year in Crete according to which the existence of two Orthodox Churches in the same state is unacceptable, reports Interfax. According to the hierarch, he has a plan for uniting the Churches: “Yes, I am prepared. I have a plan which would equally respect both communities and both languages. It is a very human plan – the Russian culture and language cannot be cut off.” The metropolitan has acknowledged that Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia should discuss the question of the Churches’ union with each other. Presently there are two active Orthod...