Byzantine, Texas

Moscow, September 27 ( Interfax ) - Spokesman for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Vasily Anisimov has suggested that the patriarch of Constantinople do missionary work in Turkey, where the spiritual center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate is located. "Tell us about how you're Christianizing your native Turkey first, before teaching Ukrainian bishops to bring to faith a people that has come out from under a 70-year atheistic yoke," Anisimov told Interfax-Religion, when asked to comment on a statement by Archbishop Job of Telmis, a representative of the patriarch of Constantinople at the World Council of Churches, who said that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church had no right to demand that the Constantinople exarchs tasked with preparing the country for autocephaly leave Ukraine. "The ghost of Communism once roved through Europe, and now the ghosts of the Byzantine Empire, the current Constantinople bishops, poor things, are looking for someone to care for and milk them,...

( BBC ) - Ethiopians are celebrating the annual Meskel festival, the first big festival of the Ethiopian religious year. According to Ethiopian Orthodox Christian tradition, the national holiday marks the finding of the cross that Jesus was crucified on. Thousands celebrated the eve of the festival, known as Demera, by gathering in Meskel Square in the heart of the capital city, Addis Ababa. Demera, which falls on 26 September, is a colourful occasion, attracting scores of believers in dressed in robes. They are joined by hundreds of priests and deacons from churches around the city, who bring drums and ornate crosses used in religious ceremonies. Other priests are seen with traditional umbrellas used in the churches. Before sunset, a huge pyre in the centre of the square is lit. The bonfire signifies the efforts made by St Helena, the mother of the Emperor Constantine, to find the cross while in Jerusalem in the 4th Century. It was in Jerusalem, the story goes, that St Helena was ad...

( Malankara-NEAD ) - Metropolitan Zachariah Mar Nicholovos, conveyed the prayers, love and best wishes of the Northeast American Diocese to the new Bishop of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, His Grace Anoushavan Tanielian. Bishop Anoushavan was elected to serve as the new prelate of the Eastern Prelacy on Saturday, September 8th at a special session of the Prelacy’s National Representative Assembly that convened at St. Illuminator’s Armenian Apostolic Cathedral in New York City. The new prelate to succeeds Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan who is retiring after 20 years of distinguished service as Prelate. On September 11, 2018, His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of the Great House of Cilicia ratified the election of Bishop Anoushavan as the new Prelate. In his congratulatory letter to the new Prelate, our Metropolitan shared the meeting of our Catholicoi in February 2010 and in July 2015, and wrote: "In July 2015 upon the invitation of His Holine...

( OCA ) - On Wednesday, September 26, 2018, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon addressed an Archpastoral Letter to the clergy, monastics and faithful of the Orthodox Church in America in reference to recent developments with regard to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. The text of the letter , which reads as follows, is also available in PDF format. Archpastoral Letter of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon in Reference to Recent Developments Regarding the Orthodox Church in Ukraine 09.26.2018 09/016 To the Clergy, Monastics, and Faithful of the Orthodox Church in America: Christ is in our midst! I write in reference to recent developments respecting the Orthodox Church in Ukraine which have received much media attention. The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America has been closely following these developments inasmuch as they have an impact in our own communities. Many of our parishes have been affected by the painful historical ecclesiastical division...

( state.gov ) - The United States strongly supports religious freedom, including the freedom of members of groups to govern their religion according to their beliefs and practice their faiths freely without government interference. The United States respects the ability of Ukraine’s Orthodox religious leaders and followers to pursue autocephaly according to their beliefs. We respect the Ecumenical Patriarch as a voice of religious tolerance and interfaith dialogue. The United States maintains unwavering support for Ukraine and its territorial integrity in the face of Russian aggression in eastern Ukraine and the Russian occupation of Crimea. We also support Ukraine as it charts its own path and makes its own decisions and associations, free of external interference.

OPEN LETTER: Asking Difficult Questions Assessing Metropolitan Nathanael’s Leadership By: Concerned Clergy and Laity of the Metropolis of Chicago Today marks the six-month anniversary since Metropolitan Nathanael was enthroned as the presiding hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago. On the surface, the past six months have felt like a breathe of fresh air to our Metropolis. We have a young leader brining new ideas while still discovering how his predecessor, Metropolitan Iakovos, maintained a dynamic Metropolis with many different faithful and dedicated people. There is no doubt Metropolitan Nathanael is making many changes. And we should not always view change through the lens of a negative connotation. However, the faithful should pay close attention to these changes. There are many wonderful things being said about our new spiritual leader, but let’s pause and exercise caution. The laity should not make the mistake of being blinded by false piety. We should e...

It's interesting reading. How many of our bishops are monks? How many had secular jobs first? How many were Catholics? If that sort of thing piques your interest, give it a read. ( EA ) - " Fast Questions and Fast Answers about American Orthodox Bishops " (PDF) is the first essay in a new series called "Fast Questions and Fast Answers…," a group of mini-reports to be published in the next few months. Based on questions that American Orthodox hierarchs often receive from clergy and parishioners, this essay offers readers plenty of interesting facts about their lives as Bishops, as well as who they are as people. Here are a few examples of the questions that are answered in this mini-report: What are our Bishops’ personal hobbies, talents and interests? Prior to becoming a clergyman, have any of the American Orthodox hierarchs worked in some "secular" – not church-related – job positions? Is being a Bishop a difficult "job?" What are the...

( Basilica ) - The superiors of the monasteries within the Archdiocese of Bucharest gathered Thursday, September 20, in Bucharest for a Synaxis chaired by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel. The assembly was held at the Conventus Hall of the Patriarchal Palace and was attended by His Grace Timotei of Prahova, the assistant bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest. The session was opened by the Patriarch of Romania who spoke about the contribution of the Romanian Orthodox Church to the achievement of the 1918 Great Union. ‘The Church’s contribution was very important through the cultivation of national consciousness over the centuries and the direct involvement of the clergy in all this work of achieving the Great Union, as one can see in the list of the 1228 delegates at Alba Iulia.’ ‘These delegates included many Orthodox deans and priests,’ the Patriarch said. At the Synaxis, the patriarchal vicar Archimandrite Paisie Teodorescu spoke about Romania’s first Patriarch Miron Cri...

( Antiochian.org ) - The Executive Committee of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America met Tuesday at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The meeting was chaired by His Eminence Archbishop DEMETRIOS. Those present were First Vice-Chairman, His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH (AOCA), His Eminence, Secretary, Metropolitan GREGORY (American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of North America) and Treasurer, His Eminence Archbishop MICHAEL (OCA). Also attending were His Beatitude, Metropolitan TIKHON (OCA) and His Grace Bishop SABA (Georgian Orthodox Church). Other guests included Archpriest Thomas Zain, (AOCA) and Nicholas Anton (GOA). The hierarchs met in preparation for the Assembly in Cleveland next month, in order to plan the agenda and review the previous year's work. At the end of the meeting, Archbishop DEMETRIOS hosted a lunch for all present. ​

( ahramonline ) - In his first papal visit to northern US cities, Egypt's Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II is sending clear messages of trust in the Egyptian leadership, comfort and unity concerning the circumstances of Copts in Egypt and hope in the future of the country. Pope Tawadros II left Cairo on Thursday 13 September for his first stop in Cedar Grove in New Jersey. The pope's tour includes New York, New Jersey, Florida and California. The organising committee member of the US visit Osama Ibrahim told Al-Ahram Weekly that the pope was expected to inaugurate 20 new churches in New York among a total of 68 during his tour , all under the auspices of Bishop David, bishop of the Coptic Orthodox Church of New York and New England dioceses. The pope is expected to spend 29 days in the US. He is staying in New York until 5 October, after which he will fly to Florida, then leave to San Francisco in California on 7 October, Ibrahim said. Tawadros’ visit to the US is...

A common question: Will these exarchs meet with the canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine (UOC-MP) while they are there? No. Hierarchs from Moscow and Kyiv have both stated emphatically that they will not meet with this legation. ( President of Ukraine ) - President Petro Poroshenko had a meeting with the Exarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Ukraine - Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton and the Western Eparchy of the UOC in Canada and Archbishop Daniel of Pamphylia and the Western Eparchy of the UOC in the United States of America. The Head of State emphasized that the beginning of the mission of the Exarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Ukraine, Archbishop Daniel and Bishop Ilarion, is an extremely important event for all Orthodox people in Ukraine. "It is also extremely important that I can speak to you in Ukrainian. This is a huge pleasure and understanding that Ukraine has a big part in your heart," the President added. "I am very grateful to His All-Holiness,...

( Cerkvarium via RISU ) - The process of preparing the granting of autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church is already at a practical level. This caused a lot of negative emotions from the representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and the UOC-MP, who accused the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Patriarch Bartholomew of “heresy of papism”, interfering in the affairs of other Local churches, and almost preparing a new pan-orthodox schism. Such aggressive allegations could not have been left without a response from the Mother Church — the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Cerkvarium is grateful to the Archbishop of Telmessos Job (Gecha) for providing detailed explanations on the most painful issues that concern Orthodox believers. — The Moscow Patriarchate insists that autocephaly can only be requested by the canonical part of a Church, and everything else is “the legalization of the schism.” But all the latest autocephalies arose as a result of separation exclusively from the Patriarcha...

( ROC-DECR ) - The Statement was adopted at an extraordinary session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on 14 September 2018 (Minutes No. 69). With profound regret and sorrow the Holy Synod the Russian Orthodox Church learned about the statement made by the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople concerning the appointment of its two “exarchs” to Kiev. This decision was taken without an agreement with the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church and His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine – the only canonical head of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. It constitutes a flagrant violation of the ecclesiastical law and an intervention of one Local Church in the territory of the other. Moreover, the Patriarchate of Constantinople presents the appointment of the “exarchs” as a stage in the implementation of a plan aimed at granting “autocephaly” to Ukraine. This process, according to the statements of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, is irreve...

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia’s Orthodox Church said on Friday it would no longer participate in structures chaired by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, deepening a row in Orthodox Christianity over the Ukrainian Church’s bid to break away from Moscow’s orbit. The Russian Orthodox Church’s Holy Synod ruling body convened on Friday to consider how to respond as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has courted Constantinople to formally make it a self-governing body independent of Moscow. Ukraine’s pro-Western political leaders have sought step by step to take the former Soviet republic out of Moscow’s orbit after Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula in 2014 and a Moscow-backed insurgency broke out in eastern Ukraine. Vladimir Legoida, a Russian Church spokesman, said the Holy Synod had decided to suspend its participation in all structures chaired or co-chaired by representatives of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. It is also suspending all services with top priests of ...

( ROC-DECR ) - On 14 September 2018, at the Patriarchal and Synodal residence in St. Daniel’s Monastery in Moscow, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church held an extraordinary session. The permanent members of the Holy Synod are Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine; Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna; Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and All Moldova; Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, head of the Metropolitan area in the Republic of Kazakhstan; Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, head of the Metropolitan area of Central Asia; Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk and Zaslavsk, Patriarchal Exarch for All Belarus; and Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations. Summoned for the winter session (September-February) are Metropolitan Luka of Zaporozhye and Melitopol, Metropolitan Sergy of Barnaul and...

( orthochristian.com ) - In response to the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s troubling intrusion into its canonical territory as a stepping stone towards granting autocephaly to the Ukrainian schismatics, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has called for a council of all the primates of the autocephalous Local Orthodox Churches. Archpriest Nikolai Danilevich, the deputy head of the Ukrainian Church’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), spoke about this in an interview posted on the site of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church yesterday, saying, “I think that now is the time, on a global level, for the primates of the Churches to gather in a council, in a synaxis, a meeting, to make a decision on these matters, because very hard times are coming.” “And we have created these times for ourselves, or rather, not we, but some of our brothers,” Fr. Danilevich added. The DECR deputy head is referring to the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s recent appointment of two exarch bishops in Kiev: His Excel...

Can anyone supply some context here? ( Pokrov ) - Pokrov.org recently learned that John Smyrni, the Holy Cross student who was expelled from the seminary in 2012, was made a deacon on March 26th of this year in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (PDF) . He is now known as Deacon Gregory. The former seminarian was removed from the school shortly prior to graduation due to “ an incident of serious misconduct with a young adult woman.  (PDF)” The National Herald reported that Smyrni was a middle aged man with six children of his own at the time. The young woman, barely past the age of majority, was hired by Smyrni to babysit his younger children. Smyrni was ordained by Metropolitan Hilarian Kapral. The new deacon is now working at Saint Thomas Orthodox Church in Mountain Home, Arkansas, a Western Rite parish.

O Master, Lord our God, Who through Thy consubstantial Word, Who is without beginning, and Thy life-giving Spirit, Who is equal in honor, hast brought everything out of nothingness into being; Who hast set sandy barriers to the sea, and hast weighed the mountains and the valleys in a balance; Who hast measured the skies and holds the water in the palm of Thy hand; Who hast given to this visible world of the senses its law and rules, its harmony and order; Who hast appointed changes to the weather and variations in the orbit of the sun; Who, through the mingling of the elements, holds all things together by Thine inexpressible power and keeps them free from harm and intact: Do Thou Thyself, all-good King, extending to us Thine innate and customary love and goodness, visit the work of Thy hands. Do not deprive us of Thy mercies and Thy compassion, and do not destroy Thine inheritance, for Thou hast ineffably created us in Thine own image. Thou hast given Thine only-begotten Son as...

I blame this hurricane on the Patriarchate of Alexandria.

E.g. this image making the rounds...

( ROCOR ) - Standing before God in prayerful solidarity with our long-suffering brethren of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, headed by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, who, being revered and respected throughout the whole of the Orthodox world, is primate of the only recognised canonical Orthodox Church of Christ in Ukraine, we, the members of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, which carries out its ministry in the lands of North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and other nations of the West, ministering to numerous emigres from the lands of historic Russia and their descendants, express our profound indignation at the blatant violation of the Holy Canons by the Orthodox Church of Constantinople. The decision of its hierarchy to send its ‘exarchs’ into the canonical territory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, without the agreement and permission of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Beatit...

I'd love to send my college-aged children, but I can't countenance $325 plus travel to make it happen. I wish the episcopal assembly would underwrite some of these costs. That said, if you can afford it, I'm sure it will be a lot of fun. BROOKLINE, MA ( OCF ) — Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF), the official campus ministry of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops, will open registration for OCF’s College Conference 2018 on September 10, 2018 at 12:00PM EDT. Each year during Christmas Break, OCF’s College Conference hosts hundreds of college students from across North America for four days of fellowship, education, and prayer. OCF will offer two College Conferences from December 27-30, 2018 – College Conference East at the Antiochian Village (Bolivar, PA) and College Conference Midwest at the St. Iakovos Retreat Center (Kansasville, WI). The 2018 Conference Theme, around which the keynote and workshop sessions will be based, is “Who Do You Say That I Am?” K...

( Meduza ) - The Russian Orthodox Church hopes to erect an “Orthodox Vatican” in Sergiyev Posad, just outside Moscow, that would require the demolition of several downtown buildings, according to the BBC Russian Service. Journalists learned about plans for an “open-air temple” at the walls of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius with a platform stage that would allow the church to hold outdoor mass. The new church will feature a library, a complex of various church institutions, a youth center, a “congress center,” and a media center. The “Orthodox Vatican” would gobble up real estate currently occupied by the Sergiyev Posad town administrative building, two hotels, a shopping mall, an outdoor market, an amusement park, and several residential buildings. They’re all slated for the wrecking ball. In August, arch-priest Leonid Kalinin (who heads the church’s art and architecture council) first announced the plans to “cleanse the town of its Soviet legacy” and transform it into “the s...

One wonders if a schism in Ukraine means a complete destruction of the careful harmony of the Church in America. If the EP and Russia break communion, does that mean OCA priests and GOA priests will no longer concelebrate? Will the many non-EP clergy serving for diminished pay in GOA parishes be forced to stop and leave smaller Greek parishes priest-less? Will The Antiochian Archdiocese cut the GOA out as well? The Serbs? What happens to pan-Orthodox events? Do we walk separately at the March for Life? A thousand questions present themselves. What will Orthodoxy look like this time next year? God grant us humility, peace, and healing in this trying period.

( ROC-DECR ) - In April 2018 the Patriarchate of Constantinople decided to admit for consideration the issue of granting autocephaly to “the Orthodox faithful of Ukraine.” The episcopate of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church unanimous spoke out for the preservation of its current status. However, against their will, Constantinople has set about implementing a project of the Ukrainian autocephaly. The communiqué of the Chief Secretariat of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, published on 7 September 2018, states that two hierarchs, Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon (USA) and Bishop Hilarion of Edmonton (Canada), were appointed “exarchs” of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Kiev. In his interview to Russia 24 TV channel, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, commented on the current situation and the reaction of the Moscow Patriarchate on the aforementioned decisions. – Let us clarify for our viewers ...

( Interfax ) - Establishment of Russian church dioceses in Turkey could become a response to Patriarch Bartholomew - religious expert *** Constantinople “plays a dangerous game” as it has its own schism Symmetric response of Russian Orthodox Church to actions of Constantinople in Ukraine could become establishment of the Moscow Patriarchate’s dioceses in Turkey, a famous religious expert, professor Roman Sylantyev believes. “Evident response decision is to set up dioceses in Turkey, where there are minimum ten times as many members of the Russian Orthodox Church even if we count only those who permanently live in the country. And if we take into account five million of our tourists who come to Turkey every year, it is absolutely different arithmetic calculations,” Silantyev told Interfax-Religion. He stressed that many Orthodox believers who come to Turkey usually look for a church where they can pray. “On Cyprus many churches really hold services in Russian, though there...

( ROC-DECR ) - On September 8, 2018, after his interview broadcast live on the Russia-24 TV channel, Metropolitan Hilarion, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, made the following statement for the mass media: ‘The Patriarchate of Constantinople announced yesterday that it was sending two exarchs, that is, its special representatives, to Kiev. Today the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church has made a statement pointing to the unlawfulness of this step. The sending of exarchs (special representatives) or any other representatives to another Local Church can be done only with an agreement of this Local Church. No request whatsoever has been made to either the Patriarch of Constantinople or the Patriarch of Moscow or Metropolitan Onufry, who has been repeatedly recognized publicly by Patriarch Bartholomew as the only canonical head of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. This action has been undertaken in violation of church canons and it cannot r...

( ROC ) - The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church expresses its resolute protest against and deep indignation at the communique published on September 7, 2018, by the Chief Secretariat of the Patriarchate of Constantinople Holy Synod announcing the appointment of two hierarchs of this Church – Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon (USA) and Bishop Hilarion of Edmonton (Canada) as ‘exarchs’ of the Patriarchate of Constantinople for Kiev. This decision has been adopted without an agreement with Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine and has constituted a gross violation of the church canons prohibiting bishops of one Local Church to interfere in the internal life and affairs of another Local Church (Second Ecumenical Council Canon 2; Council of Trullo Canon 20; Council of Antioch Canon 13; and Council of Sardica Canons 3, 11 and 12). It entirely contradicts the up-until-now invariable position of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and ...

Moscow, September 7 ( Interfax ) - The Moscow Patriarchate sees the Patriarch of Constantinople's decision to appoint two bishops as its exarchs in Ukraine as an unprecedentedly gross incursion into its territory and warns that this step would not be left unanswered. "The appointment by the Patriarch of Constantinople of his episcopal representatives in Ukraine, without agreement with the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, is nothing but an unprecedentedly gross incursion into the Moscow Patriarchate's canonical territory," Vladimir Legoyda, head of the Synodal Department for Church, Society and Media Relations, said on a social network on Friday evening. "These actions cannot be left unanswered," he said. The Ecumenical Patriarchate's Permanent Delegation to the World Council of Churches announced in a statement on its website earlier on Friday that it had appointed Archbishop Daniel of Pamp...

The EP maintains a few websites. This is from the more anglophonic site. ( EP ) - The Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate announced on 7 September 2018 that within the framework of the preparations for the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has appointed as its Exarchs in Kiev His Excellency Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon from the United States, and His Grace Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton from Canada, both of whom are serving the Ukrainian Orthodox faithful in their respective countries under the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

( EP ) - Announcement of the Ecumenical Patriarchate (7th Sep. 2018) Announcement Within the framework of the preparations for the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has appointed as its Exarchs in Kiev His Excellency Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon from the United States, and His Grace Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton from Canada, both of whom are serving the Ukrainian Orthodox faithful in their respective countries under the Ecumenical Patriarchate. At the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the 7th of September, 2018 From the Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod

Moscow, September 6 ( Interfax ) - The claim by Patriarch Bartholomew at a Synaxis in Istanbul that his Church of Constantinople has exclusive rights to resolve the problems of the Christian Orthodox world was pure heresy, Archpriest Andrey Novikov, a member of the Moscow Patriarchate's Bible Theological Commission, said. "All these expressions - that without the Patriarchate of Constantinople all other local Churches are sheep without a shepherd, that Constantinople possesses certain exclusivity, that it represents an ethos, or nation, of the Orthodoxy, that it has the special rights of ultimate jurisdiction over the whole Church and ensures its unity - all this repeats the Roman Catholic views on the Pope's role in the Church, and that is already absolute, pure heresy," the priest told Interfax-Religion on Thursday. Overall, the patriarch's speech was a collection of what was said before by various Constantinople theologists, he said. "It is a trend...

Add caption FARMINGTON HILLS, MI ( OCA-DMW ) — A Pan-Orthodox Christian charity, Outreach Detroit Foundation [ODF], was recently established to help finance Detroit’s Own Orthodox Radio Program [DOOR] on WNZK AM 690 and other Orthodox charities dedicated to serving the poor in metropolitan Detroit. “ODF’s mission is to support Orthodox charities serving metropolitan Detroit through fellowship and charitable, educational and outreach programs that inspire and improve lives,” ODF’s founder, Richard J. Shebib, said. “We serve by living our Ancient Faith in the modern world, loving and caring for one another in our great city.” Mr. Shebib is Chairman of ODF’s board of directors. Todd Gulich, a Waterford-based business consultant, is ODF’s President and Chief Executive Officer. He is a member of the Antiochian Orthodox Basilica of Saint Mary, Livonia, MI; a former President of the Council of Orthodox Christian Churches of Metropolitan Detroit [COCC]; and a retired Ford Motor C...

CHICAGO, IL ( OCA-DMW ) — The Tenth Edition of the Symposium of Orthodox Spirituality, organized by the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas, will be held at the University of Chicago Divinity School, Swift Hall, Lecture Hall [3rd floor], 1025 East 58 Street, Chicago, IL on Saturday, September 15, 2018. The program will begin at 9.00 a.m. and conclude at 4:00 p.m. The Symposium theme — “Many Nations, One Faith: Orthodox Christian Identity in Contemporary America” — will be developed by a number of well-known speakers, including Archpriest Chad Hatfield, President of Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Yonkers, NY, who will speak on “The Witness and Foundation for Mission in North America from the Lives of the American Saints.” Prof. Paul L. Gavrilyuk, University of Saint Thomas, Saint Paul, MN, whose presentation will be titled “Ordo Amoris: Lessons from Saint Augustine and Vladimir Solovyov on the Love of God, Neighbor, Nation and Enemies.” Archpriest Nicolae...

Abp. Daniel participates in Synaxis of Hierarchs of The Ecumenical Patriarchate ( UOC-USA ) - For five days (31 August - September 4, 2018), His Eminence Archbishop Daniel of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA along with over 100 Orthodox Metropolitans and Archbishops of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from all over the world gathered in Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) in order to participate in a Synaxis (Assembly) of the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate convened upon the invitation and under the Presidency of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The meetings of the Synaxis began on September 1, 2018 following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George in Constantinople (Istanbul) Turkey. The formal plenary sessions began at Holy Trinity Church in Taksim Square and will continue through September 4, 2018. In his opening remarks, greeting the hierarchs of the Church, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew stated: “…All o...