Byzantine, Texas

( ROC ) - As His Holiness Patriarch Kirill noted in his report at the Bishops’ Council of 2017, the reorganization of the system of theological education remains the priority for the supreme church authorities and dioceses in their work. In 2011 the Bishops’ Council approved new principles of education for seminaries and academies within the Bachelor’s, Master’s and postgraduate programmes. For the next several years, the complex of necessary curricula and standards was formed. Since September 2015, the theological educational institutions in Russia have been using the common Bachelor’s degree curriculum. In the 2017/2018 academic year, 4176 students are studying according to the new educational programmes. That is 74% of total amount of Bachelor’s students at the Russian seminaries. The transition period is due to be over in the next 2018/2019 academic year. Besides, the development of the two-year Master’s programmes continues. As of September 1, this year, 10 educational institut...

( ROC ) - In his address at the Bishops’ Council that opened in Moscow on 29 November 2017, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia focused, among other things, on the preparation of the Catechesis of the Russian Orthodox Church. “From all evidence, this task requires more time than was expected,” His Holiness said, “Following up the decision of the last year’s Council, the text was sent to all the hierarchs who had expressed their wish to take part in reviewing it, as well as to the synodal and leading theological educational institutions. Then the text was amended, based on the comments that had been made. For instance, taking into consideration the specific character of Catechesis as a genre, excluded were those fragments in which some debatable theological issues were discussed. Besides, the text was published for wide discussion, and its term has not expired yet.” As His Holiness Patriarch Kirill noted, the text prepared by the Biblical and Theological Commissi...

I quite likes this line... "The Church’s service in the world is, figuratively speaking, is the service of a leaven that makes sour the whole dough. It is this path that the Church has taken since the apostolic times – the path of moral and sacramental transformation of people, not by way of, for instance, political power. Our service is authentic only when it proclaims the transformation of the world by the power of God, whose magnitude is higher than all our actions. When the Church prays for peace in the world, she brings this prayer to the Heavenly Father with confidence, with profound awareness that God alone can give salvation to the world." - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow ( ROC ) - In his address to the Russian Orthodox Church Bishops’ Council, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia reminded its members of the principal calling of the Church to be the salt of this world (cf. Mt. 5:13), to bring people into unity with the Lord, to give them the li...

Machine translated from Russian. ( patriarchia.ru ) - The document was adopted by the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church on November 29 - December 2, 2017. The Council of Bishops heard a written appeal from the former Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine Filaret to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church on November 16, 2017. The letter contains a request for the restoration of eucharistic and prayerful communion with Christians in the Ukrainian church schism, and on the abolition of "all decisions, including on reprisals and excommunication ... for the sake of God's achievement of the commanded peace between the faithful of Orthodox Christians and reconciliation among nations". The letter ends with the words: "I apologize in everything, I sinned in word, deed and all my feelings, and I also sincerely forgive everyone from the heart." The Council is pleased to take the appeal ...

The executive summary has some interesting factoids. For example: "Young adults (persons ages 18‐34) constitute 12% of active Orthodox church members. This figure (12%) is only half of the presence of young adults (23%) in the US general population. In only 8% of Orthodox parishes the percentage of young adults is equal or higher than 23%;" "Survey data show that having designated young adult leaders is very important for thriving young adult ministries and growth in young adult members. Parishes with designated young adult leaders are much more likely to grow in the number of young adults and report “Good/Excellent” young adult ministries than the other parishes. Remarkably, this survey data also suggest that it does not make much difference whether these leaders are volunteers or paid professionals (although this answer may change if the survey were expanded to youth leaders): what is most important is to have a person whose clear responsibility is to engage young...

Take a look @GOMetropolisNJ . It is with great joy that we announce the creation of this TWITTER account for the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey, the purpose of which is to keep all interested in the life and ministries of our sacred Metropolis and the Holy Orthodox Church. Please follow us!!! — Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey (@GOMetropolisNJ) November 17, 2017

If money was used for something other than the Ground Zero location, this is going to make international front page news. It is also going to outrage Greek archdiocesan laity all over the US who were reminded emphatically and constantly to support this project. The pressure on clergy to get the money to the chancery to fund this was also not insignificant. NEW YORK – The Executive Committee of the Archdiocesan Council of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America formed an independent Special Investigative Committee (the “Special Investigative Committee”) related to St. Nicholas National Shrine, at a special meeting on November 21, 2017. The Executive Committee, which includes the Archbishop, the Holy Eparchial Synod and lay members, determined that it is in the best interests of the Archdiocese and Her faithful to form this Special Investigative Committee to investigate and evaluate expenditures related to (1) the St. Nicholas Shrine construction project, and (2) the potential us...

This issue of Copts not accepting the baptisms of others has a long history. You can see some more on this topic (and some rather contradictory pronouncements) here and here . ( Egypt Independent ) - A dispute between Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church and the Coptic Catholic Church over recognizing the sacrament of baptism has been renewed after Bishop Makarios, the top Coptic Orthodox cleric in Minya, said that that the Holy Synod refused to recognize the baptism of the Coptic Catholic Church. During a meeting at a Minya church on Friday, Makarios said that the Orthodox Church doesn’t recognize the very priesthood of the baptizing Coptic Catholic priest, or the sacraments he performs. Makarios dug the historical argument that the Orthodox Copts have been present in Egypt since the first century AD, while Catholic presence came with French colonialism and Protestants accompanied the British occupation. Makarios also argued that Catholic Copts and Protestant numbers in the cou...

Who could have foreseen an American diplomat speaking with a Russian representative warning the United States of the terrible results of attempting to build a utopia without God?

The Metropolitan of Skopje and Archbishop of Ohrid, Stefan was invited to attend the inauguration of Bulgarian Patriarch Neofit in February 2013, although he did not participate in the general worship. His presence was in the general atmosphere of the desire for good relations between the two churches, even though they lacked eucharistic fellowship at official level. ( IBNA ) - Bulgarian Orthodox Church Patriarch Neofit, speaking ahead of a November 27 meeting of the Holy Synod scheduled to decide whether to accept a request to become the mother church of the "Macedonian Orthodox Church", said: " We must accept the outstretched hand of Macedonia". The Holy Synod, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church's governing body, is to consider a letter from the "Macedonian Orthodox Church" - Ohrid Archbishopric sent on November 9 asking to be recognised as an autocephalous church and for the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to be its mother church. Autocephalous seems a ...

As someone who wears cowboy boots most of the time (when not going hiking or otherwise exercising), it has always been easiest for me to just order Ariat or Justin boots (in black of course) when the need arises. Recently, however I've needed to do a lot of walking (graveside services, hospital visits, etc.) in all kinds of weather and also have something that works in the altar. I'm not giving up the boots mind you, but I am delighted to have found something that is both comfortable and not a cause for lay panic ("Are those CROCS, Father?!"). So, if you want some very comfortable shoes that will serve for almost every occasion, give Lems Shoes a try. I'd recommend the "Mens Nine2Five Black." It's 30% off today (but worth it at full price if you miss the sale). If you have wide feet or just want some extra room in the toe box (All-Night Vigil certified), these are the way to go.

Texan, Orthodox, AND cute? How can you not help these kids out? Please, help us out! At The Saint Constantine School, we believe that children need to play. In a time when most schools restrict recess in favor of longer hours in the classroom, we take the opposite approach-- because we believe that schools should let children be children, and that means letting them play outside for hours each day. Last year we built Houston's first natural playground on our campus, and our students love it. They play in the fort, climb trees, and go down the hill slide over and over. Our natural playground preserves the natural beauty of our campus while providing students of all ages with a challenging playground that inspires imagination and activity. But with an ever-expanding student body, our students need a larger playground. And for a fraction of the cost of a traditional playground, we can add six new play features for students of all ages to our current play area. Will you help u...

( Old Church Slavonic Language ) - I would really like to know who was the person who started the myth that Cyrillic evolved from Glagolitic, or that Cyrillic was a later phase of Glagolitic. These are two unrelated alphabets that can't even be transliterated one on one. They look nothing alike! Glagolitic was created ex nihilo by Saint Cyril, making it a conscript (constructed script), and Cyrillic is just Greek supplemented with Hebrew letters, and only imitating Glagolitic letter order at the end. I would really like to know who started this myth, because people keep perpetuating it, and even calling old types of Cyrillic as "Glagolitic" because they assume it only looked different from modern Cyrillic types.

( news.va ) - At midday today, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the members of the Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Assyrian Church of the East. The following is the Pope’s address to those present: Dear Brothers and Sisters, I extend a warm welcome to all of you. I thank you for your visit and Metropolitan Meelis Zaia for his kind words on your behalf. Through you I convey my fraternal greeting in the Lord to His Holiness Mar Gewargis III, recalling with joy our cordial meeting a year ago, which marked a further step on our journey towards deeper growth in mutual solidarity and communion. Our meeting today offers us the opportunity to look with gratitude upon the progress made by the Joint Commission, established following the historic signing of the Common Christological Declaration here in Rome in 1994. After professing the same faith in the mystery of the Incarnation, the Commission planned two phases of dialogue: one...

If you are a reader of this blog for any length of time, you know that I have special devotion to the martyr Daniel Sysoev (you can buy many of his books in English here ). On this day of thanks, we might do well to remember the ceaseless efforts of good men in His vineyard. ( Orthodox Christianity ) - Today is already eight years form the beginning of the eternal life of our dear brother and sincere pastor Fr. Daniel Sysoev! A priest once wrote these words in his last book: “The best end, which only a Christian can imagine, is a martyric death.” These words were written by the murdered priest Daniel Sysoev. His Holiness the patriarch wrote in his message: “The Lord honored his faithful servant with a confessor’s and martyr’s death, and he now abides in the Synaxis of the saints among the righteous, in the Synaxis of spirits made perfect.” St. John Chrysostom once said, “It is not only death that makes martyrs, but the whole dispensation of life.” But the whole dispensation of l...

It might as well have been a "Make your own Straw Man" workshop. She also doesn't seem happy with the "patriarchy" of male clergy in leadership positions, not being inclusive of LGBTQ people or their "civil rights," the "ascribed status of the Orthodox bishop," the sheer audacity of a priest requiring his parishioners go to confession and have fasted to be communed, and (amazingly) women being forced to wear long skirts at monasteries. Talk given on October 28, 2017 at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, Chicago, Illinois, by Dr. Frances Kostarelos, Ph.D., Professor of Anthropology and Sociology, College of Arts and Sciences Governors State University, Chicago, IL. She has written on issues related to religion and has served as a program evaluator for a Lilly Endowment grant awarded to Hellenic College for several years.

( ROC ) - From November 14 – 18, 2017 – With the blessing of Patriarch-Catholicos Abuna Mathias of Ethiopia and at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, a delegation of the Ethiopian Church has come to Moscow for a working visit. The Primate of the Ethiopian Church has sent to Patriarch Kirill a letter expressing interest in the resumption of active cooperation that existed between the two Churches earlier. The delegation includes Bishop Abba Philipos of South Omo Diocese, and Priest Elias Abraha, Manager of the Ethiopian Church’s Printing Department. As part of their trip, the guests visited the Sofrino Art Production, where they were received by its general director Ye. Parkhaev. They discussed plans for establishing cooperation between Sofrino and appropriate structures of the Ethiopian Church. The guests were taken on a tour of the factory to see the wide range of the Sofrino output. The delegation also visited the Moscow Patriarchate depart...

( Orthochristian ) - An unprecedented document has been released in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC) from the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church. According to Romfea, the uncanonical church is ready to recognize the Patriarchate of Bulgaria as its Mother Church. The letter, sent to the Holy Synod of the BOC on November 9, speaks of the restoration of Eucharistic communion and of the historic opportunity for the patriarchate to become the Mother Church of the so-called Macedonian Church under the leadership of Archbishop Stephanos. The Synod from Skopje has asked the BOC to establish “Eucharistic communion with the renewed Ohrid Archbishopric,” asking that that the Macedonian Church be recognized as autonomous, according to meta.mk. There have been both official and unofficial contacts between the people of the Patriarchate of Bulgaria and of the schismatic church lately, although the Bulgarian Church had been hesitant to make the first step. Relations between the Macedonia...

Matushka Constantine R. Palmer has written another book - this one entitled " The Sweetness of Grace: Stories of Christian Trial and Victory ." I earlier interviewed her about her book " The Scent of Holiness " a few years back; a title that continues to be quite a popular read. She has again agreed to answer a few questions for the blog about her latest book in the following interview. Enjoy! So what prompted this second book? I know your first publication was well received and it seems to be a staple in many church bookstores that I've visited. A large impetus for this book was all the "untold stories" that I had mentally compiled even while writing The Scent of Holiness. I felt that I couldn't tell all the stories I would have liked to because they wouldn't necessarily fit in the confines of a book predominantly about women's monasteries. I believe I snuck one story about my theology professor in the first book, and maybe one ab...

( OCA ) - The Fall 2017 Session of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America was held at the Chancery here November 14-17, 2017. The session opened on Tuesday, November 14 with the celebration of Prayers for the Opening of a Council and a Panikhida for the departed family members of the Holy Synod and all hierarchs of the OCA. In his opening address, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon reported on the ongoing development of the “Four Pillars of the Church” document which he plans to release to the Church in the coming months. He thanked the OCA’s officers and Chancery staff for their good work and reported on a number of issues, including his recent travels and initiatives. Reports were offered by Archpriest John Jillions, Chancellor, who presented the revised document, “Guidelines for the Reception and Transfer of Clergy into the Orthodox Church in America,“ which the hierarchs will continue to review. Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, Secretary, reviewed the ongoi...

It's much more common for the claim to be that the cause of such acts is insanity. ( Egypt Independent ) - The North Cairo Criminal Court decided on Wednesday to refer the documents of the Ahmed Saeed, who is accused of killing the Coptic priest, Samaan Shehta, to Egypt’s grand Mufti, seeking the Mufti’s approval to execute the defendant. The referral of Saeed’s documents to the grand Mufti indicates that the court’s judiciary approved of a death sentence. The court set the date to declare a final verdict to January 15 2018. In October, the priest was stabbed to death in the northeastern Cairo suburb of El-Marg. The defendant admitted he had purchased a knife and monitored the priest’s movements before deliberately killing him. Shehta’s vehicle was allegedly blocked by the defendant, who then asked Shehta to step out of the vehicle before attacking him and escaping. Another priest, Benjamin Moftah, was present and also assaulted but survived the attack, according to a st...

( The961 ) - The Lebanese Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Bechara Boutros Al Rai is in Saudi Arabia for a historic visit. It’s the first time that the kingdom invites a church leader, unlike Christian politicians who visit the kingdom often. The patriarch met the King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman. He also met with the Prime Minister Saad Hariri who said that he would return to Lebanon within days. The kingdom intends to restore a 900-year-old church. It will be a symbolic gift to the Lebanese Maronite Patriarch and the symbol of the beginning of the Christian-Islamic dialogue. This visit has an important significance since Saudi Arabia vowed to be open to other faiths. The Crown Prince is aiming at moderating Islam and making Saudi Arabia a country open to all religions and cultures.

(TNH via OCL ) - The issue of the salaries and benefits of the clergy comes up very often for discussion in many if not all parishes, and certainly at various gatherings of Greek-Americans through the country. Something has to be done to review this issue, because the way we are going, fewer and fewer parishes will be able to afford the high salaries and the demands of many of our priests. Let me say that I have great respect and honor for those faithful, humble, and ethical priests and bishops, no matter in what corner of the world, who serve because they are heavenly men or earthly angels, if you wish. Be assured that there are such priests and bishops, but they are invisible amid the showy lightweight noisemakers. I do believe that the priests should get decent salaries in order to enjoy a decent quality of life with their families. Like everyone else, they have necessities and obligations. They have children to raise and educate, and of course, those of us with college-ag...

Quite a small update for two issues with so much import. ( mospat.ru ) - On 13 November 2017, a plenary session of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church took place at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Postgraduate Studies under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk. The Commission members discussed the results of the analysis of the documents adopted at the Council of the ten Local Orthodox Churches held on the Island of Crete on 18-27 June 2016. The Commission’s conclusion will be submitted to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. During the meeting, Mr. Andrei Shishkov, secretary of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission, informed the Commission members of the comments on the draft Catechesis published for Church-wide discussion. The Secretariat of the Biblical and Theological Commission received 136 comments from hierarchs, clergymen and lay people of the Russian Orthodox Church...

NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio ( Fox8 ) — Fire officials are investigating the cause of a blaze that ripped through Saint Matthew the Evangelist Antiochian Orthodox Church in North Royalton Saturday morning. It happened at around 9 a.m. at the church on Albion Road, when someone inside called to report the fire. North Royalton Fire Chief Robert Chegan says firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the church. The blaze was knocked down quickly and under control within 30 min, Chegan said. Crews from Strongsville, Parma, Broadview Heights, and Seven Hills came to assist North Royalton fire. No one was hurt, but the building sustained significant damage. Officials are still investigating the cause.

( Life News ) - Texas religious leaders gathered Thursday to bless an abortion clinic and its staff as a judge considers whether to allow the state to ban brutal dismemberment abortions on live unborn babies. The pro-abortion clergy prayed at the Whole Woman’s Health abortion facility in Fort Worth, Texas, blessing its staff and patients, saying prayers and singing “Hallelujah,” according to the Daily Caller. The Texas abortion chain is one of the groups challenging the state dismemberment abortion ban. It also has a poor reputation for patient health and safety, racking up dozens of health and safety violations in the past decade. They include things like failures to properly sterilize equipment, rusty spots on medical equipment that had the “likelihood of causing infection,” rips in exam tables and more. Kentina Washington-Leapheart, the director of reproductive justice and sexuality education at the Religious Institute, said they chose to bless this particular abortion cli...

I try to post about sign and Orthodoxy whenever they intersect because it's an important effort for the Church. For those interested, there are a few groups on Facebook specifically dedicated to this discussion. ( Cyprus Mail ) - A liturgy is to be performed next week in sign language for the first time ever in Cyprus, aiming to include the deaf in the holy mysteries of the Greek Orthodox Church. A theologian will travel from Greece at the invitation of the Bishopric of Tamasos and Orinis to simultaneously interpret the liturgy into sign language for the deaf people who will attend. The service will take place on Sunday, November 19 at the church of Ayios Ioannis Chrysostomos in Lakatamia, in the Nicosia district. According to the church’s priest Father Kyriacos Kasparis, initially the bishopric will bring the theologian over once per month, increase to once per fortnight and on major religious holidays depending on his schedule. “This arrangement is aimed at satisfying th...

Paramus, NJ ( SCOOCH ) – His Eminence Mor Dionysios Jean Kawak – Patriarchal Exarch of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of the Eastern United States – hosted the fall meeting of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches at the Mor Aphrem Center on Thursday, November 2, 2017. In attendance were H.G. Bishop David of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of NY & NE, H.E. Mor Titus Yeldho of the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church in North America, and a number of priests and deacons representing each of the respective Oriental Orthodox jurisdictions. The assembled clergy discussed several important initiatives at the conference, including fellowship and unity at the parish level, concelebrations of the Divine Liturgy, youth events, campus ministry, dialogue with other Christian jurisdictions, and the upcoming UN Prayer Service convened jointly with the Eastern Orthodox Church. The fathers were also updated on the current situation in the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo...

Let me say that I really enjoyed my time in California as a child. An easy stroll over to the beach, walking through fog in the morning, and all of those quintessentially Sunshine State activities. And yet, I'd never move back there. Their legal and societal choices border on the suicidal and their attack dog-like approach to Christianity and living a Christian life would prove suffocating to me. I've served the homeless all over North America and never felt like I was enabling people to be homeless by giving them healthy food to eat. They are more likely to die from poor nutrition and medical complications than they are to feel strong borborygmi and think "You know what? I need a job! Jeeves, find me my interview suit and have someone prep the car! Let's motor!" Feeding the homeless is not optional. It's a commandment of Christ to be taken literally. Boo, Malibu. Boo. If you want to help a throughly Orthodox ministry helping the homeless (body and soul), pl...

( HTS ) - Today, when the Holy Church commemorates the memory of the Holy Apostle James, Brother of the Lord in the flesh, as has been customary in the monastery, the Liturgy of the Apostle James was concelebrated by the monastery and seminary clergy. This ancient liturgy, which was the basis of the liturgies of St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil the Great, impresses one with its great prayerfulness and a connection with the Old Testament. Being a Sunday, our pilgrims were able to take advantage of participating in this liturgy and to be impressed with the richness of the Orthodox liturgical tradition. The Liturgy of the Apostle James has only been served in the Russian Church since the 1930’s, and more specifically in the Russian Church Abroad, after the church musicologist, Philip Gardiner, translated the service into Church Slavonic. It is interesting to note that the service book was printed in the mother house of our monastery in Ladomirovo, Slovakia. It also might be pointed ou...

We hit four million views today for the blog. I appreciate all who have visited and those who continue to do so. I have some upcoming book reviews and interviews to post shortly that have been delayed by the vagaries of life, so check back soon!

On Tuesday afternoon, a Memorial service was prayerfully served by Archbishop Daniel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and Bishop John Bura of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church as well as by the Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox clergy at the Holodomor Memorial in Washington, DC. Poignant words spoken by a myriad of dignitaries including Ambassador Valeriy Chaly. Later in the day, a solemn commemorative program was held at the US Congress building.

You may need to unmute this video at playback. ( Orthodox Life ) - This Sunday marked the commemoration of the Holy Apostle James, Brother of the Lord and first Bishop in Jerusalem. In keeping with annual tradition, the Liturgy of St James was served on this day at Holy Trinity Monastery. This ancient rite is often misunderstood so Dr Vitaly Permiakov, an expert in the Jerusalem rite and associate professor at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary, fielded questions in a live online event. The discussion was moderated by Nicholas Kotar. About the Participants Dr Vitaly Permiakov is Assistant Professor of Dogmatic and Liturgical Theology at Holy Trinity Seminary and managing editor of the Holy Trinity Seminary Press. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame. Nicholas Kotar is an author of epic fantasy inspired by Russian fairy tales, translator from Russian into English, and conductor of Russian sacred choral music. He numbers several Holy Trinity Publications titles among...

When I see people do the big bows and crosses before and after communing, I want to direct them to an unused church school classroom for them to watch an instructional video on the dangers of moving all over the place while someone else is holding a cup one-handed with no easy way to escape your wild movements. "See how her hand just brushed against the spoon causing it to go skittering across the solea?" Cross your arms, state your name, and walk away reverently and quietly. Anything else could be catastrophic.

WHITE CREEK, N.Y. ( AP ) - New York State Police say they've charged a 48-year-old woman with stealing $250 worth of baked goods from an order of nuns known for their cheesecake. Troopers say the theft occurred last month at the Nuns of New Skete monastery in the rural town of White Creek, on the Vermont border 35 miles northeast of Albany. The nuns sell their cheesecakes and pastries on the honor system at the monastery's unstaffed gift shop. Police say surveillance cameras caught two women taking merchandise without leaving money in the drop box. Troopers say surveillance photos released earlier this week and social media postings of the images led to the arrest of a woman from North Arlington, Vermont. The other woman was identified as her 21-year-old daughter, who wasn't charged. The cheesecakes sell for $49 and up.

( mospat.ru ) - On October 23-26, 2017, 2nd session of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Assyrian Church of the East took place in the city of Modesto, USA. The delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate consisted of Bishop Kliment of Krasnoslobodsk and Temnikov, co-chair, and hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov) secretary for inter-Christian relations of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations. The Assyrian Church of the East was represented by His Grace Mar Awa Royel, Bishop of California and secretary of the Holy Synod of the Assyrian Church of the East, co-chair; Chorbishop George Kanon Toma, clergyman of the Assyrian St. Andrew church in Glenview, Illinois, USA; and priest Ephraim Alkhas, assistant to the Secretary of the Holy Synod. A main aspect of the Commission’s work is the coordination of inter-Christian cooperation in supporting the suffering Christians of Iraq and Syria, many of whom are members of the Assyrian Chu...