Byzantine, Texas

Get ready, ladies and gentlemen, Irineu is not going to "go gentle into that good night." The below is Facebook-translated Romanian to English. A better translation is appreciated. ( Holy Ascension Monastery ) - Letter of clarification of the Bishop Irinej of the Synod of and ROEA Too Cuvioși and too pious parents, 30 June 2017 Love brothers and sisters in Christ the Lord, I waited a few days for things to sit down and create a little quiet following the unfair decision of the Orthodox Church of America (OCA) and the Romanian Orthodox Bishopric of America (ROEA) on my abusive and unfounded încriminarea. I also received a great deal of bitterness and dismay the official communique of the OCA and ROEA on the decision taken against me at the end of a so-called investigation that has done and the subject of my suspension so far from my serving. Although the outcome of this research is one so sad and unfair, although the investigation to which I was unfairly subjected wa...

It's that time of year again where I put out the call for any blogs or podcasts or other new media that you think people should know about or that might be a good resource for this blog. Please put them in the comments box. My thanks in advance.

( SCOOCH ) - To All of the Bishops, Priests, and Faithful of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church – Last year around this time (June 7, 2016), we wrote to you to offer our condolences upon the repose of His Eminence Abune Dioskoros, to wish you a blessed feast of Pentecost, and above all, to call upon the hierarchs of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church to lift the excommunication on His Holiness Abune Antonious I and to restore His Holiness to his Patriarchal Throne. A year has passed, and we are sad to observe that the painful schism which separates the Eritrean Church from her sisters in Oriental Orthodoxy persists unabated. We are writing to you once again to urge you to refrain from any action which might perpetuate division within the Body of Christ, and also to offer our fervent prayers for the life and health of His Holiness and his restoration to his Apostolic Throne in peace. With Love in Our Savior Jesus Christ, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian Primate, Diocese of the ...

( spc.rs ) - His Grace Bishop Dr. Mitrofan, Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Canada, hosted an annual meeting of the Orthodox Bishops’ Conference in Canada, on June 15, 2017. The meeting was moderated by Metropolitan Soterios of the Constantinople Patriarchate. The following hierarchs participated in the deliberations of the meeting: Bishop Job (the Moscow Patriarchate), Bishop Iovan Kasian (the Romanian Patriarchate), Bishop Daniel (the Bulgarian Patriarchate), Archbishop Ireneus (the Orthodox Church in America), Bishop Elijah from the Albanian Diocese (the Constantinople Patriarchate), Metropolitan Juriy and Bishop Andrey from the Ukrainian Diocese (the Constantinople Patriarchate), Bishop Christoph (the Constantinople Patriarchate) and Bishop of Gregory of the Carpathian Diocese (the Constantinople Patriarchate). In the spirit of fraternal love and mutual respect, the hierarchs discussed many issues concerning the life of the Church in modern times. The secretary of the Serbian Di...

H/T: Hyperdox Herman

If anyone has any more details, please email me or place in the comments. ( OCA ) - During their annual retreat held in Michigan on June 19-23, 2017, the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America held a special session convening the Synodal Court which canonically deposed the Bishop Irineu [Duvlea], Auxiliary Bishop of the ROEA, from the status and all sacred functions of the episcopacy, removed him from the ranks of the clergy, and returned him to the status of a lay monk. The letter of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon to the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America reads as follows. ARCHPASTORAL LETTER TO THE ROMANIAN ORTHODOX EPISCOPATE OF AMERICA June 27, 2017 (06/017) To the Clergy, Monastics and Faithful of the Romanian Episcopate, May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America has concluded its retreat, ...

This is super classy Washington Post. I note that they pulled this article from their website already. This may go soon.

Per Wikipedia: "He speaks fluently Slovak, Italian, actively communicates English and Russian and passively French. " Parma, Ohio ( Eparchy of Parma ) — Pope Francis has named Auxiliary Bishop, Milan Lach, SJ, currently Auxiliary Bishop of Prešov, Slovakia, as the new apostolic administrator of the sede vacante (vacant see) of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma. According to the statement, Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, in a letter dated June 21, 2017, announced that Pope Francis is relieving Archbishop William C. Skurla of the Archeparchy of Pittsburgh from the pastoral governance of the Eparchy of Parma. Bishop Emeritus John Kudrick resigned as the bishop of Parma May 7, 2016. Bishop Lach was born in Kezmarok, Slovakia, Nov. 18, 1973. He was ordained a priest of the Society of Jesus (commonly known as the Jesuits) July 1, 2001, and was ordained to the episcopacy to serve as auxiliary bishop of Presov 12 years later, Jun...

( mospat.ru ) - In his message to His Beatitude Yousseff I Absi, Greek-Melkite Patriarch Elect of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria and Jerusalem, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, congratulated him on his election as hew head of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. The text of the letter is given below. Your Beatitude, Please accept my greetings with your election as new head of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. As is willed by the Divine providence, you accept the lot of Primatial ministry at a time of great upheavals for the land of the East. A violent conflict continues in the blessed land of Syria, with thousands of Christians, including the faithful of the Melkite Church, having already fallen victim to it. Being the Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop of Damascus all these past years, you were at the epicenter of the tragic events and know well what hardships the Syrian people have endured. ...

It's the layering of vestments that makes my shoulders sag a bit during the summer. I always walk into the sacristy after services drenched. At the same time the parishes themselves sort of sag a bit with a noticeable reduction in altar boys and families. It's also an opportunity to try new stuff. Bringing in practices that might get more resistance in the fullness of in-school months, trying new things out in homilies, getting to small projects during the week. And yet, through it all I'm sweating, surreptitiously wiping my brow, and wondering if Krista West is going to make a set of wicking vestments some day soon.

( Christ and Pop Culture ) - Is there anything more reassuring than a church pew? Simple. Humble. Sturdy. Two rough-hewn planks, fastened with a handful of nails, permanently fixed to the floor—and open to all. Occasionally padded, often not; not comfortable, exactly, but comforting. An invitation to the weary traveler to sit and hear the Word of God proclaimed; a simple reminder that we follow a humble, crucified carpenter; the perfect symbol that all are equal at the foot of the cross. From the greatest king to the poorest pauper, from the holiest saint to the most desperate sinner, all have sat in these pews before us, pondering their failings and begging for mercy. Despite the advent of stadium-style seating and auditorium-like worship halls, the simple, ancient pew endures—and no wonder, because it is, and always has been, the perfect metaphor for the faith. Except—nothing I just said is even remotely true... Complete article here .

( basilica.ro ) - Metropolitan Joseph Naniescu and the Venerable lay-ascetic George Lazăr are the proposals for glorification launched Thursday by the Metropolitan Synod of Moldova and Bucovina that will be analysed by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church during its next working session. The Synod has also proposed that the Cypriote Saint Neophyte the Recluse be added to the calendar of the Romanian Orthodox Church , notes a press release of the Archdiocese of Iași. The Metropolitan Synod held its working session Thursday, 15 June 2017, at the Metropolitan residence in Iași. His Eminence Teofan, Metropolitan of Moldova and Bucovina, chaired the meeting. The Synodal members included: His Eminence Pimen, Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuți, His Eminence Ioachim, Archbishop of Roman and Bacău, His Grace Corneliu, Bishop of Huși, His Grace Calinic of Botoșani, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Iași. According to the press release of the Archdiocese, Metropolit...

The Greek Archdiocese has an episcopal seat to fill. Here are their options. ( GOARCH ) - In accordance with Article 14 of the Charter of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the pertinent Regulations of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (Advisory and Consultative Role in Hierarchical Elections) and in light of the vacancy in the Holy Metropolis of Chicago, the Archdiocese publishes the list of candidates eligible for election to the Office of Metropolitan or Auxiliary Bishop. The list includes the names of Auxiliary Bishops, in order of ordination to the Episcopacy; and the names of other clergy in alphabetical order. This list has recently been duly ratified by the Ecumenical Patriarchate with an official document dated March 1st, 2017 and under protocol number 37. 1) Auxiliary bishops (in order of ordination to the Episcopacy) His Grace Bishop Andonios of Phasiane His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos His Grace Bishop Sevastianos of Zela His Grace Bishop ...

( Bonners Ferry Herald ) — The Holy Myrrhbearers Orthodox Church in Bonners Ferry was blessed with visiting speakers, David and Mary Ford, from South Canaan, Pa., this past week. On their tour of the West, they came to the local parish to visit former student, Father Gregory Horton, and his congregation. Their tour is titled “When the Foundations are Shaken.” Dr. Mary Ford taught about the book of Revelations of St. John. She touched on how the book of Revelations ties into the Old Testament, the description of the apocalyptic times, and several other key points in the scripture. She gave historic details of the origin of the Bible, detailing how the scripture developed from one long run-on word, to punctuation, and eventually to chapters. She explained how the development of the printing press affected the availability of the Bible, also touching on the history of numbers, and how they evolved. Speaking about how the book talks about revealing God’s purpose, Mary Ford said, “...

Here's the money quote from Fr. John Whiteford's post: "The problem in the Orthodox Church in the United States today is not that we are ignoring homosexuality. It is that so many in our Church are failing to take a clear stand on what we actually teach on the subject, and instead, like Fr. John Chryssavgis, choose to focus on how compassionate we ought to be to homosexuals, to the exclusion of clarifying whether or not the Church considers homosexual sex to be incompatible with the Christian life." It's a long post, but it begins thus. Do give a read to the full article here . In 2011, Archdeacon John Chryssavgis wrote a review of Homosexuality in the Orthodox Church, by the openly homosexual Episcopalian priest Justin R. Cannon. This review was published in the Saint Vladimir's Theological Quarterly (Vol. 55, no. 3), and is now featured prominently on Justin Cannon's pro-homosexual website "Inclusive Orthodoxy." Archdeacon John Chrys...

( Narharnet ) - Bishop Joseph Absi was elected on Wednesday the new Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, the National News Agency reported. Absi was elected one month after Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Melkite Greek Patriarch of Antioch Gregory III Lahham, 82 years. The Melkite Greek Catholic Synod has been convening since Monday at the Patriarchate's summer seat in Aley. Absi was born on June 20, 1946 in Damascus, Syria. He obtained the Lebanese nationality. In 1973, he was ordained priest and became Chaplain of the Missionary Society of Saint Paul. On 22 June 2001, he was appointed Titular Archbishop of Tarsus of Greek Melkites and Curial Bishop and Auxiliary Bishop in the Melkite Patriarchate. Melkite Patriarchate of Antioch Gregory III Laham, BS, was his consecrator and the co-consecrators were Archbishop Jean Mansour, SMSP, titular archbishop of Apamea in Syria dei Greco-Melkiti and Archbishop Joseph Kallas, SMSP, Archeparch of Beirut and...

( CWN ) - The Synod of the Melkite Catholic Church convened on June 19 in Ain Traz, Lebanon, to choose a new Patriarch. The resignation of Patriarch Gregory III Laham, who is 82 years old, was accepted by Pope Francis in June. After a day of prayer and reflection, the Melkite bishops will begin voting on June 20 to elect a successor. The new Patriarch will be announced after the vote received papal recognition.

Apostolic Mission of the Moscow Patriarchate has converted deserted Roman-catholic Monastery in to growing Orthodox Christian Seminary.

( OC Media ) - Leaders of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party have said that they may consider turning Georgia into a constitutional monarchy, after the head of Georgia’s Orthodox Church Patriarch Ilia II suggested it during an 18 June sermon. ‘We could think of Georgia as the oldest monarchy’, Ilia II said, adding that ‘this [a shift to constitutional monarchy] cannot happen today or tomorrow, but we must analyse the past, present, and future’. Parliamentary Chair Irakli Kobakhidze met the Patriarch on 19 June with parliament’s Legal Issues Committee Head Eka Beselia to discuss the initiative. Beselia confirmed that it would be possible to hold a plebiscite on the issue, adding that the Patriarch’s initiative is a ‘notable idea’, but that ‘people need to understand the idea first’. Kobakhidze said earlier on 19 June ‘what His Holiness has said is truth’ and that ‘constitutional monarchy brings peace in political and state life’. He made no additional comments after the meetin...

( AINA ) - In Egypt's Minya province, which has the highest percentage of Christians in the country, even the mention of the word "church" can be dangerous, as churches are believed to be religiously "unclean" by some local Muslims, according to a report. "They burned my house. They burned the house my brother was building and the houses of five other brothers. They thought we were going to open a church," NPR quotes Ebrahim Fahmy, a resident of Kom al-Lufi village, where the houses were attacked and set on fire in April when they had gathered to pray for the families of victims of the Palm Sunday attacks that had killed 44 people. "Christians should go somewhere else to pray because the village has a lot more Muslims than Christians," the mother of an underage Muslim student who allegedly attacked a group of Christian students was quoted as saying. She claimed that the Quran says churches are "haram," or religiously unclean. ...

( Orthodox Christianity ) - St. Alexis Toth arrived to the United States from the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1889, and now a piece of St. Alexis has returned to his native land. During the celebrations of the 113th annual Memorial Day Pilgrimage at St. Tikhon’s Monastery in Waymart, PA, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon had the blessing of gifting a particle of the relics of St. Alexis to Archimandrite Pimen (Matsola) who was visiting from the Western Ukrainian Diocese of Khust and Vinohradova, reports the Orthodox Church in America. Archimandrite Pimen, the dean of the Monastery of the Archangel St. Michael, visited the holy sites of America from May 22 to 31 with the blessing of Metropolitan Mark of Khust and Vinohradova. The main purpose of his visit, according to the Pilgrimage Center of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, was to visit St. Tikhon’s Monastery, where the incorrupt relics of the Carpatho-Russian St. Alexis Toth are kept. The Khust Diocese is located near the Slovak a...

( spc.rs ) - His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej received the Archbishop of the Syrian-Jacobite Church in Sweden, His Eminence Benjamin (Atas), at the Serbian Patriarchate on 14 June 2017. Archbishop Benjamin expressed his gratitude to the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church for the cordial reception during which they discussed various challenges and problems faced by Christians in the modern world. The Serbian Patriarch thanked His Eminence for the visit, wishing him, his faithful flock as well as his people abundant Divine blessings. The reception was attended by His Grace Dositej, Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Britain-Scandinavia, together with Archpriest-stavrophor Dusan Rakovic, entourage of Archbishop Benjamin and the General Secretary of the Office of Serbian Patriarch deacon Dr. Aleksandar Prascevic.

( Antiochian.org ) - "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live." John 11:25 His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch, the Holy Synod of Antioch, and the Archdiocese of North America announce with great regret the departure to the house of the Lord of Metropolitan Antonio Chedraoui on the morning of June 14, 2017. His Eminence was born in the City of Tripoli, Lebanon, on January 17, 1932. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Lebanon and the Bachelor of Theology at the University of Athens, Greece. On July 20, 1952, he was ordained as a deacon, and on August 29, 1958, he was ordained a priest and elevated to be an archimandrite. On June 5, 1966, he was consecrated as a bishop, receiving the appointment of Patriarchal Vicar for Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbean. On June 12, 1996, the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Antioch elevated the Diocese of Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbe...

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( Republic of France ) - France is deeply concerned by the continued house arrest – which has now lasted 10 years - of His Holiness Abune Antonios, Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Church. We deplore the fact that in addition the 89-year-old does not have access to the medical care he needs. We call for his release. This situation reflects the Eritrean authorities’ serious and persistent violation of the freedom of religion or belief and fundamental freedoms. France reaffirms its attachment to the freedom of religion or belief, as well as the freedom of opinion and expression. It calls on the Eritrean authorities to take all necessary steps to comply with the international commitments to which they have freely subscribed.

As one priest friend told me, "Yes, Father, this is quite good, but you're too young to deliver it." Point taken. You may bring yourself to believe that there is life after death Or you might have the same outlook as some of our ancestors who were Nihilists boldly asserting that life is meaningless and death is permanent! But regardless what you believe in, there is a God, there is life after death. And of course there is a place called "Hell" Some folks say: "There is No Hell". Well how can there be No Hell when you are living in it? Don't believe me? Go look in the mirror of yourself and notice the grim expression on your face Can the Crown of Creation in other words the Supreme creation of God really have such a gloomy miserable look on its face? If you believe you're very smart have a free will to do anything you want you think you know it all" and don't have a care in the world, then why do you have such a huge sc...

This summary for this book is almost breathless and promises more than I think it can possibly delivery. I neither think that the milquetoast pronouncements of Crete started an "entirely new [chapter]" in the history go the Church nor do I think a collection of theologians can yet write the definitive text that gives us the "right answer" to the what transpired. ( St. Sebastian Orthodox Press ) - Synodality: A Forgotten and Misapprehended Vision Reflections on the Holy and Great Council of 2016 , Sebastian Press 2017. Price $20. The Orthodox Church will never be the same after June 26th, 2016. On that day, when the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church held at Crete (Greece) finished, one big chapter of its history was concluded, or perhaps, an entirely new one has been opened. The most important question, perplexing the whole Orthodox world, before the Council was summoned and after it ended, is: What exactly is this thing? Metropolitans Kallistos W...

( ACOT ) - From 7 to 9 June, the Amsterdam Centre for Orthodox Theology at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam hosted an invited international group of Orthodox theologians and pastors to reflect on a wide range of matters concerning human sexuality as addressed by science and natural law, theological anthropology, legal issues, psychology, and pastoral care. This was an GroepfotoSymposiumJune2017opportunity for scholars and pastors to share work that they have been doing with their colleagues, in a conversation about how the Orthodox Churches might consider and respond to current pastoral questions while remaining faithful to Christ, the Gospel and Orthodox Christian Tradition. The dialogue was collegial and fruitful, offering each of those present food for thought in their continuing work and ministry. Participants were: Bishop Maxim (Vasiljevic) of Western America (Serbian Orthodox Church), Nikolaos Asproulis (Volos Academy), Fr. Michael Bakker (ACOT), Fr. John Behr (St. Vladimir...

( Orthodox Christianity ) - Archimandrite Gregory (Zumis), abbot of the Dochariou Monastery on Mt. Athos, has released another article, this time devoted to topical problems of Church life, including persecutions against monks who do not accept the Crete Council, and ecumenical dialogues. The main points of his article have been published on AgionOros.ru. “We proclaim that Christ has freed us, and that man has become a participant in this freedom in Christ,” the abbot writes, “Therefore, it is very sorrowful to see how monks are being persecuted with impunity, but Muslims enjoy freedom and patronage from Church and state authorities.” Fr. Gregory is referring to the more than fifty Athonite monastic kalyves and cells which ceased commemoration of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, in response to the “ecumenical course” of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, especially following last June’s “Great and Holy Council.” Although non-commemorators have been left in p...

( Toledo Blade ) - Metropolitan Nicholas, who heads the Metropolis of Detroit within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, has been named interim successor to the Metropolitan of Chicago, who died on Friday following a short illness. The Metropolis of Detroit covers Toledo, including Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Metropolitan Nicholas will take on more responsibilities in Chicago until a successor for that metropolis is elected, according to a statement from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. A metropolis is comparable to a Roman Catholic or Anglican diocese. Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago was 89 and had served the Greek Orthodox Church in America for nearly 50 years, according to the archdiocese. “With the falling asleep in the Lord of the late Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago, the Church in America has lost a prominent Hierarch, known for his great and long service to the people of God,” Archbishop Demetrios of America said in a statement. The Metropo...

( WSJ via RISU ) - Leaders of a Russian Catholic church feel sidelined as Pope Francis pursues closer ties with the country’s dominant Orthodox Church A group of Russian Catholics is demanding greater recognition from Pope Francis, saying the Vatican’s appeasement of Moscow threatens its very existence. Leaders of the Russian Byzantine Catholic Church, with fewer than 30,000 members world-wide, are meeting in Italy this week in their first such synod in a century. On the agenda is a longstanding request for their own bishop and resources for training their own clergy. Church leaders say the pope has ignored their appeals as he pursues closer ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, which is dominant in the country. “The survival of the Russian Catholic Church is what’s at stake,” said the Rev. Lawrence Cross, a Russian Catholic priest based near Melbourne, Australia. “One of the essential things we need for our survival, like any church or any family, is a father.” Archbishop...

( ROCOR ) - On Friday, June 9, 2017, the feast day of St John the Russian, His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany celebrated Divine Liturgy at St Elizabeth Convent in Buchendorf, Germany. Praying at the service were archpastors of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, who had arrived a day earlier. His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan then performed a moleben to begin the convention of the Council of Bishops, after which the member hierarchs proceeded to the meeting hall and sang “This Day the Grace of the Holy Spirit Gathers Us.” His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of ROCOR, then opened the meeting with a greeting, wishing Divine aid to all the members of the Council. The bishops, who had already interceded for the awarding of a second panaghia to their Primate, listened as Archbishop Mark read a letter from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to the Council, and decided to appeal to His Holiness to grant the reques...

( B92 ) - These are malicious imputations aimed at compromise the Church," it has been stressed at the SPC seat. Neither Patriarch Irinej, nor anyone from the top of the SPC are in any way involved in appointments in the Serbian government. The selection of prime minister and ministers, is not the purview of the Church nor is it in accordance with its mission. The aim of these false news about "favoring" one and "obstructing" other candidates is damaging to the Serbian Churche. This is the response of the SPC Patriarchate to the public speculation about the alleged lobbying by the patriarch and some dignitaries in favor of certain politicians who are seen as prime minister. The office of the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church emphasized that his holiness is not dealing with this issue in any way. The Patriarchate also stated that the Church, through no fault of its own, found itself in the speculation about the future prime minister. In recent weeks,...

( NCR Online ) When it comes to theology, the Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches are very close. We accept the same Nicene Creed, we recognize each other's priestly and episcopal ordinations, as well as the sacraments of baptism, confession and Eucharist. Catholic and Orthodox teaching on morals are also quite compatible, with both being more conservative than their Protestant colleagues. The touchy issue has always been the role of the papacy, but Pope John Paul II invited a worldwide dialogue on this topic, showing that the Vatican is open to a less intrusive role for the pope in the Eastern churches than in the West. There were even attempts to resurrect the title of patriarch of the West for the bishop of Rome, in order to distinguish his robust role in the Western church from his role in the East. Rome is very much interested in improved relations with the Orthodox. It is deferential to Orthodox feelings. For example, the pope will not visit a country where a major...

Have a small project you've always want to get off the ground? This sounds like a good place to start. ( OCA ) - The Ganister Orthodox Foundation is now accepting applications for grants for organizations and parishes with innovative approaches to advancing the mission of Orthodox Christianity in the US. The deadline for submitting grant applications is June 30, 2017. Recipients will be announced in the fall. Founded in 2001, the Ganister Orthodox Foundation is a component of the Williamsport, PA-based First Community Foundation of Pennsylvania. The foundation takes its name from the village of Ganister in Central Pennsylvania, where immigrants drawn there by employment opportunities in the limestone quarry established Saint Mary’s Holy Assumption parish in 1916. Favor will be given to proposals that address priority needs of the Orthodox Church in America, especially those that do so in catalytic ways. The selection process also weighs leadership experience, clarity of...

( OAJ ) - Believe or not, this week we celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Orthodox Arts Journal. As an editorial team, we are excited to unveil the makeover we had announced when we asked you all for your support last year. The redesign was done by Fr. Joel Wilson of Rolla Creative. The architectural banner and our new Gryphon mascot were designed and hand drawn by Christabel Anderson. Apart from the general change in look, one of the biggest additions to the site is the extensive search features which let readers find what they are looking for with ease and rapidity. We have also integrated the Orthodox Illustration project as a database of images which can be used for local churches and even purchased for more official publications. It has been a long road to get here, and we are hoping this fresh start will give a new breath and impetus for a long life of supporting and promoting the best Orthodox arts made today for the glory God and the increase of His kingdom. We...

( Pravoslavie.ru ) - It is necessary to overcome the 17th century Old Believer schism in the Russian Orthodox Church, although it will not happen anytime soon, believes Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), head of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations, reports Interfax-Religion. The Old Believers, or Old Ritualists, separated from the Moscow Patriarchate after 1666, in protest of Church reforms introduced by Patriarch Nikon from 1652 to 1666. Old Believers continue the liturgical practices in use in the Russian Church before the reforms. Some Old Believer groups have rejoined the patriarchate over the intervening centuries, and in 1971 the Moscow Patriarchate repealed the anathemas against the Old Believers, although the schism continues. Met. Hilarion also serves as Chairman of the Commission on Old Believer parishes and cooperation with the Old Believer community. “The Church has always said that the split which occurred in the 17th century is not something we shoul...

( RISU ) - Profound ecumenical gesture: head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv Patriarchate, patriarch Filaret celebrated the panakhyda (memorial service) for the repose of the departed Patriarch Lubomyr (Husar) at the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Cathedral in Kyiv.

A blessed Pentecost to you, dear readers. Kneeling prayers are an impactful (literally) reminder of our reverence for the Godhead and for the responsibility entrusted to us by Him. At the same time it's a promise of hope in the direction and support of the Paraclete. Blessed feast to all! May Christ our true God, Who emptied Himself, leaving the bosom of the Father to assume our mortal nature and deify it, then ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of our God and Father; Who sent the Holy Spirit, co-eternal divine and of equal power and glory, upon His holy disciples and Apostles, thus illuminating them, and through them the whole universe, through the prayers of His all-holy and blameless holy Mother, the holy, glorious, illustrious, divine heralds and Spirit-bearing Apostles, and of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us in His goodness. Amen.

( GOC-Chicago ) - Our Spiritual Father and Hierarch: May His Memory Be Eternal! With the most profound sorrow and sense of loss, yet with confident hope in the Resurrection we sadly inform the faithful and clergy of the Holy Metropolis of Chicago that our spiritual father, His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago, fell asleep in the Lord this Friday evening, June 2, 2017, following a sudden, unexpected illness. Visitation and funeral arrangements will be announced as soon as possible. His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago was elected to the episcopacy of the Greek Orthodox Church by the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1969. He was enthroned by His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America on May 1, 1979 as the Bishop of Chicago at the Annunciation Cathedral. In November, 1997, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected His Grace Bishop Iakovos of Chicago as the active Me...

( GOC-Chicago ) - We ask for the prayers of all the faithful as our Spiritual Father, His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago was taken to the hospital on Wednesday evening, May 31, 2017, suffering from an unexpected illness. This was followed by emergency surgery in the early hours of Friday, June 2. His Eminence’s condition is very serious and we ask for the prayers of all, while the Holy Metropolis of Chicago will inform the faithful as we are informed by those entrusted with his care.

( UOC-USA ) - The Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops and North-American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation convened on May 31-June 2, 2017, at the Saint John’s Inn in Plymouth, Michigan. The purpose of the Joint Committee is to contribute to the restoration of full communion between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. The Joint Committee is the second formal gathering of Orthodox and Catholic bishops blessed and supported by both churches, and is co-chaired by Cardinal Sean O'Malley, O.F.M. Cap., of Boston, and Metropolitan Methodios of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston. In their working sessions, the bishops addressed together the topics related to the pastoral life and witness of the churches. Among the common statements that the Joint Committee has issued, include: Ordination (1988), Pastoral Statement on Orthodox/Roman Catholic Marriages (1990), and on Catholic-Orthodox Dialogue at the Dawn of the New Millennium (2000). The first day...

( Coptic Solidarity ) - Don't forget to register for Coptic Solidarity's Annual Conference, June 15 - 17th. With the increasing attacks on Coptic Christians in Egypt, it is imperative to show our support and advocate for them. Check out the confirmed speakers and program on our registration page . We hope you will join us!

( Crux ) - Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, the former head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, died on Wednesday at the age of 84 after having inherited a church "on its knees" in the post-Soviet period and leading it through a renaissance. Eerily reminiscent of St. Nicholas, the prototype for Santa Claus, Husar is being remembered as a sage and moral hero. Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, the former head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, died on Wednesday in Ukraine, according to a statement from the synod of the largest Eastern Catholic churches in full communion with Rome. For more than a decade (2001-2011), Husar was the face and voice of this resilient, defiant Catholic community that is the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. In a span of six decades, the church saw almost 3,000 clerics killed in Siberian gulags during the Soviet occupation of the country. In November 1991, after driving 3.5 million faithful underground and confiscating virtually every church property t...