ROCOR synod meets in regular session

(ROCOR-EAD) - On Monday, September 23, a regular session of the Synod of Bishops was held, chaired by His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad. Participating in the meeting were Archbishops Mark of Berlin & Germany, Kyrill of San Francisco & Western America, Gabriel of Montreal & Canada, and Peter of Chicago & Mid-America; and Bishops Irenei of London & Western Europe and Nicholas of Manhattan.

Having heard a report from the Pre-Council Commission, and also from Archbishop Peter, the President of the Jubilee Committee preparing for the 100th anniversary celebrations of the Russian Church Abroad, the Synod of Bishops confirmed the previous decision to convene a Council of Bishops at St. Elizabeth Convent in the Bavarian city of Buchendorf, Germany, in June 2020. Coinciding with the Council will be celebrations of the Centennial of the Russian Church Abroad by the German Diocese.

The bishops then heard a report by Archbishop Gabriel on the recent pilgrimage of clergyman and laity of the Russian Church Abroad to the holy sites of the Russian Orthodox Church and their meetings with hierarchs, clergy, and believers, which took place this summer in Russia.

Bishop Irenei then delivered a report on inter-Orthodox relations and the present situation at Elevation of the Holy Cross Cathedral in Geneva, Switzerland. A general parish assembly was recently held and new parish by-laws adopted.

In discussing the question of adding to the ranks of the episcopacy, the Synod of Bishops decided in view of circumstances to permanently remove the candidacy of Archimandrite Alexander (Belya) as Bishop of Miami and vicar of the Eastern American Diocese.

Administrative and financial matters were also discussed at the Synod of Bishops, as well as petitions by the hierarchs for awards to clergy and laity in their respective dioceses.

EP speaks at Intl. Society for the Law of the Eastern Churches

(EP) - Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was the keynote speaker of the 24th International Congress of the Society for the Law of the Eastern Churches, which was held in Rome from 16-20 September 2019 on the theme “Fifty Years of Encounter Among the Eastern Churches: How Canon Law Assists in the Ecumenical Dialogue”. The Society brings together experts from the Eastern Catholic, Orthodox and Oriental Churches. This momentous occasion marked the 50th Anniversary since the founding of the Society and provided an opportunity for participants to reflect upon these fifty years of encounter and how the canonical tradition has assisted in the development of the Ecumenical dialogue.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who was one of the founding members of the Society and served as its first Vice-President after its founding in 1969, stressed in his keynote address that “the role of the Society cannot but be actively supportive of the Roman-Catholic – Orthodox formal theological dialogue. Our mixed theological committee could find useful relevant material to that end in the papers and conclusions of the Society’s congresses”. He reminded that “in terms of the importance of canon law for the advancement of the theological dialogue between the two sister Churches, the Ravenna Agreed Statement affirms: ‘In order for there to be full ecclesial communion, there must be, between our Churches, reciprocal recognition of canonical legislations in their legitimate diversities’ (§ 16).” Therefore, according to the Ecumenical Patriarch, “it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to reach the conclusion that the perception of canon law as a tool for the promotion of the ecumenical dialogue is deeply embedded within the DNA of the Society.”

The Society also had the honor of having a private audience with Pope Francis, who expressed in his address that the work of the Society was of fundamental assistance to ecumenical dialogue and that the participants could learn from one another in all areas of ecclesial life, such as theology, the experience of spirituality and liturgy, pastoral activity and canon law. “Canon law is essential for ecumenical dialogue” stated Pope Francis. Many of the theological dialogues pursued by the Catholic Church, especially with the Orthodox Church and the Oriental Churches were of an ecclesiological nature. Since ecclesiology found expression in the institutions and the law of the Churches, theological dialogues also had a canonical dimension. Ecumenical dialogue also enriched canon law.

10 Reasons Bivocational Ministry Matters

"10 Reasons Bivocational Ministry Matters" has been reposted again (this time on The Catalog of Good Deeds blog. As a priest who has done bivocational ministry, I have some strident thoughts on the matter.

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“I didn’t come to seminary to be a bivocational minister, to have to get another kind of job,” my student told me. I may not have agreed with my student, but I did understand his thinking. Back then (almost 15 years ago), we weren’t talking much about bivocational ministries.

Now, that conversation has shifted. Pastors are beginning to embrace as their primary calling the role of bivocational minister. Some even intend to remain bivocational regardless of the size of their church as it grows. If the Lord were to call me into a bivocational church role, here is why I would gladly follow His leading.

1. Bivocational ministers serve the church without being dependent on them for income. I affirm full-time pastors; in fact, I served full-time for 14 years. Further, I do not want even to hint that being dependent on a congregation for salary somehow leads to compromise. Nevertheless, I do suspect there is some freedom in leading a congregation that does not pay the bulk of your salary. This is true. The sometimes cruel and often ham-handed threat of playing with a priest's pay is not an uncommon story in priest circles. At the same time, not paying a priest for his labor or underpaying him because the congregation knows he has another job just makes being prepared for that man's successor even more difficult. The idea that paying a priest little means the parish can jumpstart its growth often gets institutionalized into "when the church gets X" thinking that is continually kicked like a can down the road. If the congregation can't pay, that's a diocesan concern that needs parish-episcopal discussion and not an open someday-in-the-future item like getting a real baptismal font or blue altar covers.

2. Bivocational ministers are often more connected to non-believers. No full-time pastor I know wants to be disconnected from people who need to hear the gospel, but that separation happens. Unless they intentionally fight against it, full-time pastors can be cocooned in the church world. Bivocational leaders can be equally cocooned, of course, but their work outside the church at least provides a roadblock to that process. This hasn't been my experience at all. A priest in a cassock has a lot more impromptu talks with people in the world than a man in a suit. Also, the learned behavior of not discussing religion with coworkers often bleeds into other aspects of a bivocational priest's life. If your life is evangelism, you will evangelize. If half of it is TPS reports, you only have half of your time for church growth.

3. Bivocational ministers lead churches that often have a higher percentage of funds available for ministry and missions. In most churches with full-time staff, the largest percentage of their budget goes toward personnel. Funds for doing ministry are often lacking. The church that has fewer personnel commitments, though, can free dollars to reach their neighbors and the nations. Building a group of people into a mission and then into a full parish requires a lot of time and effort. It also requires a lot of experience. The Church seems to want to send men right out of seminary into the most challenging scenario imaginable; little money, few materials to perform services, and not a lot of experience dealing with real parishioners in stressful situations. The very people we want  growing the church through missionary efforts - men with lots of experience and a proven record of such growth - are the very people we don't send. You want to use the sharp end of the spear to advance and yet we send untested men into very stressful situations with little oversight.

4. Bivocational ministers make starting more churches possible. To reach North America, we need more churches – healthy, outwardly focused churches. Young churches, however, usually don’t have the funding to support a full-time pastor. A bivocational church planter can provide leadership without straining the church’s budget. This is painting a problem and trying to sell it as a solution. The answer to already constrained budgets is not to put a toe into mission efforts. The diocese should have a plan, fund that plan, articulate a timeline for success or pulling the plug, and stay on top of things. Sink or swim mentality when combined with a man dividing his time across secular employment and his vocation leads to more sinking than making it to the far shore of a successfully founded parish.

5. Bivocational ministry models good missiology. Getting the gospel to the world will require efforts far beyond full-time missionaries. Businessmen and women will need to carry the message as they travel the world. Others will start businesses around the world, and they will use that work as a platform for Great Commission work. Bivocational pastors can model that same general approach in North America. We can remember Paul here. As soon as the local churches could pay for his efforts they did so. He didn't do tent making because it was conducive to church growth. He did it because he had to and quit doing it as soon as the people could fund his evangelism properly.

6. Bivocational ministers must learn how to train workers and delegate ministry. Burnout is always a danger for the bivocational minister unless he learns to share the load. His role should push him toward a 1 Corinthians 12 ministry, recognizing that God puts everyone in the church as He wishes to play a particular role in that body. The bivocational minister realizes he cannot do ministry alone – a lesson I wish I had learned years ago as a full-time minister. You don't need to be bivocational to learn this. Actually, a man who is already spending half his time dealing with non-church issues is just as likely to have difficulty organizing all the tasks that need to be done as he is to have an epiphany about sharing the load.

7. Bivocational leadership affirms vocation as ministry. Pastors speak the language (“Every member is a minister”), but we don’t always help our members understand this truth. We still too often promote a clergy/laity divide that lacks biblical warrant. The bivocational minister, however, brings these worlds together. His workplace is his mission field. Or, just as often, the priest who also sells insurance during the week feels like less of a priest and reinforces his rule by "being priestly" and exacerbating clericalism instead of being comfortable in his role and encouraging empowerment.

8. Bivocational ministers likely better understand the struggles of laypersons. Bivocational pastors know what it’s like to work in the secular world for eight hours, run home to have dinner, and then spend the evening at church. They understand the pull of a world that daily beckons church members to live like that world. They know the struggle of trying to be a tentmaker and an evangelist at the same time. If we ordain men with life experience you accomplish the same thing. Trust me, parishioners remind priests they have "real lives" all the time. It's one of the first explanations priests get when they approach a parishioner about a missed service or a promise that falls through. 

9. Bivocational ministers can now get theological training without leaving their place of ministry. Via online education, bivocational ministers can now earn fully accredited undergraduate and graduate degrees while keeping their lives planted among the people they seek to reach. That approach is educationally solid and practically relevant. Some denominations, in fact, are providing funds for their bivocational pastors to get this training. We need seminaries. It's not the brick and mortar of it that makes it essential. It's the rubbing down of sharp edges, the winnowing of kooks, the expanded experience of parishes beyond ones own, and the essential understanding of how the jurisdiction works that online education doesn't provide in equal measure. The drop-everything-and-have-faith method of seminary education has brought a lot of families to bankruptcy, but the problems that accompany distance education as a replacement for seminary are filled with problems too.

10. Bivocational opportunities invite us to challenge all our church members to consider God’s calling. Following God’s calling does not always mean leaving home and occupation. It might mean staying where you are and doing what you do as a base for ministry. Indeed, it may mean recognizing that God has given you your job so that you might lead His church. There are lots of opportunities for such in the Church; serving in the altar, being a reader, exploring the diaconate, and more help in this discernment process. Jumping to pastorship when those steps are skipped has - in my experience - had disastrous results.

Oriental Orthodox hierarchs meet in NJ

(SCOOCH) - On September 19, 2019 – His Eminence Mor Silvanos Ayub, Archbishop of the of the Knanaya Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church, hosted the Fall Meeting of the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches. The meeting was held at the Mor Aphrem Center of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese. All members of the SCOOCH were present and a variety of issues were addressed at the meeting, including ecumenical dialogue with the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, missionary outreach to the African-American community, the upcoming SCOOYA Youth Conference scheduled for December 28, and regional con celebrations of the Divine Liturgy in the New York area on October 12 and in the Philadelphia area on November 2. The present crises in India, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, and elsewhere in the Middle East were also discussed, and prayers were offered for the Orthodox faithful throughout the world.

What the US synaxis of EP monasteries accomplished

If you don't want to read the whole thing: they will meet again next year, they will try to formalize more documents related to monasticism, and written communications will be both in Greek and in barbar...er... English.

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NEW YORK (GOARCH) – The first ever Monastic Assembly of the Sacred Monasteries of the Holy Archdiocese of America convened on the invitation of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, September 21-22 at the Sacred Monastery of Saint Nektarios in Roscoe, NY concluded today.

Abbots and abbesses of 18 Sacred Monasteries of the Holy Archdiocese of America participated in this assembly. In addition, the following hierarchs attended: their Eminences Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver, Alexios of Atlanta, Nathanael of Chicago, and their Graces Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos, Apostolos of Medeia, and Bishop Ierotheos of Eukarpia, Abbot of the Sacred Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monastery of St. Irene Chrysovalantou.

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew blessed the Assembly with an inspiring video message (transcript below) in which he congratulated the Archbishop for his initiative and encouraged him to continue to promote and support the blessed Orthodox Monasteries in the USA. “Orthodox monasteries express Christian authenticity, 'what is needed' according to the faith concerning man and his eternal destiny, within the pluralistic, technocratic, and economically focused world of our age,” concluded the Patriarch in his message.

At the conclusion of the inspirational opening address of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America—in which he made reference to the principles and values of the monastic life as angelic life and the observance of the word of the gospel—the following presentations were made:

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Keynote Address by Abp. Elpidophoros to Monastic Synaxis

This is not quick reading. It's quite long as he had a lot to say; to be perused and not scanned over quickly. He covered a lot of the topics people have been bringing up for years about the monasteries under the EP (spiritual direction being #1 by far).

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(GOARCH) - MONASTIC SYNAXIS
Keynote Address
By His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros
(St. Nektarios Monastery, September 21–22, 2019)


Your Eminences, venerable members of the Holy Eparchial Synod,

Very reverend abbots and abbesses of the precious monasteries of our Church,

It is my privilege and pleasure to welcome all of you to this historical and national synaxis of monastic members of our communities and convents within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

This is truly a momentous and extraordinary occasion because we are able to listen to and learn from one another as spiritual fathers and mothers commissioned by God with the spiritual direction and pastoral protection of the souls of those entrusted to our care. It is the first time that, along with the members of the Eparchial Synod, your Archbishop is able to meet and deliberate with the heads of monasteries and convents of our Holy Archdiocese in order to define the role of monasticism in the broader society as well as to determine the responsibility of our monasteries within our communities.

Introduction: The power of community

It may come as a surprise to you that your Archbishop would wish to gather you together, but this meeting was among the foremost in my heart since my election to this blessed Archdiocese and Eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. And I say this for two reasons:

First, because as the spiritual father of our faithful throughout this beautiful land, where we are called to preach and plant the good news of the Gospel and the treasures of our Tradition, I feel that it is crucial for all of us to serve as brothers and sisters, as inseparable and invaluable members of the one and united Body of Christ. We are called and are obliged to work together for the glory of God and the care of His people. We cannot accept or afford to work in isolation, still less of course in opposition to one another when it comes to the service and salvation of our brothers and sisters.

However, there is a second reason that compelled me to invite you from your cells and communities in order to attend this meeting. This is because I share with you the love of dwelling within a brotherhood that teaches us silence and prayer, obedience and humility, as well as compassion and love. This is how we understand the words of the Psalmist David:

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First-ever US assembly of EP monastics held

(GOARCH) - Archbishop Elpidophoros of America today convened the first ever Monastic Assembly in the United States to promote the value and importance of monasticism in our Orthodox Christian tradition and the spiritual life of the faithful. The abbots and abbesses of 18 monasteries are attending the Assembly, which is taking place at the Holy Monastery of Saint Nektarios in Roscoe, NY.‬

Hierarchs in attendance included the following members of the Holy Eparchial Synod: Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver, Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta, Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, and Bishop Apostolos of Medeia, the Holy Eparchial Synod’s Chief Secretary who was assigned coordination of the Assembly. Their Graces Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos and Bishop Ierotheos of Efkarpia are also in attendance. The Assembly will conclude tomorrow with the celebration of the Archieratical Divine Liturgy.

An extended interview with Archbishop Elpidophoros

A Visit With Archbishop Elpidophoros from Ancient Faith Ministries on Vimeo.

Episcopal Assembly's executive committee met in NYC

NEW YORK (EA) – The Executive Committee of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America met today, under the chairmanship of Archbishop Elpidophoros, to discuss the state of Orthodox Christian unity in the USA. Recognizing the challenges in global Orthodoxy, the jurisdictional representatives reiterated their commitment to the local faithful of America and rededicated themselves to fulfilling the call for canonical normalcy and pastoral unity on contemporary issues.

The meeting began with jurisdictional updates followed by the Secretary’s report on the activities of the body since the last Assembly meeting in October 2018. The Executive Committee went on to discuss the Assembly’s structure including committees, agencies, endorsed organizations, and dialogues, and decided to analyze all components prior to the next Assembly meeting in order to determine the best path to achieve the ultimate goal of unity. The heads of the jurisdictions committed to regular concelebration and look forward to the annual Sunday of Orthodoxy celebration in March 2020 in New York. In addition, all other hierarchs, clergy, and laity are encouraged to organize regionally.

Responding to an appeal of Orthodox Christian mental health professionals, the Executive Committee decided to mandate its Endorsed Organization, Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology and Religion (OCAMPR), to develop a task force to address the issue of mental health. OCAMPR will work in partnership with the Assembly, through the Office of the Secretariat. Additionally, the bishops received an appeal from Orthodox Christian organizations working on the crisis of homelessness. In response to their recommendations, a working group to develop an Orthodox Volunteer Corps, under the guidance of the Assembly Secretariat, was sanctioned.

Finally, the date and location was established for the 10th Anniversary Meeting of the Assembly of Bishops: May 2-5, 2020 in Washington, DC.

In a story that will upset no one: EP meets with UGCC primate

(Romfea) - Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew held a meeting with the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic (Uniate) Church, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk, on Monday, September 16, 2019.

The meeting took place at Casa Santa Marta where Pope Francis lives.

According to the Uniate Archbishop’s Press Office, the two sides discussed the situation in Ukraine and the relations among the Churches.

The meeting began with an exchange of gifts. Archbishop Sviatoslav offered the Ecumenical Patriarch a copy of the oldest Slavic manuscript of the Gospel, which dates from 1144. Not something you give on a spur-of-the-moment meeting.

On his part, the Ecumenical Patriarch offered the Archbishop an edition on the history of the Patriarchate, and a medal issued in memory of Pope Benedict’s visit to the Phanar in 2006.

During the meeting, the Uniate Archbishop emphasized that from the historic moment when the autocephaly of the Church of Ukraine was proclaimed, the main interlocutor regarding the ecumenical dialogue for the Greek Catholic Church of Ukraine is no longer the Russian Orthodox Church, but the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”

The Uniate Archbishop also proposed to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew that a Joint Committee of the Orthodox Church and the Eastern Catholic Churches should be established “to give new impetus to ecumenical dialogue”.

On his part, the Ecumenical Patriarch referred to the steps that had been taken so that the autocephaly status could be granted while praising the Greek Catholic Church for opening up a channel of ecumenical communication.

Finally, Archbishop Sviatoslav thanked the Ecumenical Patriarch for their second meeting, welcomed the fact that the faithful of the Church of Kiev remembered that their Mother Church was the Church of Constantinople.

And also...

(RISU) - The Ecumenical Patriarch came to the Vatican on an official visit. The next day he met with Patriarch Sviatoslav to discuss the situation in Ukraine and Ecumenical relations between the UGCC and the OCU.

The meeting began with an exchange of gifts: the head of the UGCC presented the Patriarch with a facsimile edition of the Galician gospel of 1144 — the oldest of the precisely dated handwritten Gospels in Slavonic. Patriarch Bartholomew, in turn, presented his Beatitude Sviatoslav with publications on the cell of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and a historical stamp issued in honor of the visit of his Holiness Benedict XVI to Constantinople in 2006.

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Sorcery and the Church of Alexandria

(Romfea) - The Alexandrian Church’s position on modern forms of slavery and on the struggle of refugees -migrants for a better life, dealing with the issue of sorcery in the African countries, applications of modern technology on the African continent today, the clergy fund, as well as ecological issues and the use of the media in the missionary work, are the most important topics to be addressed by the proceedings of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, which meets in Alexandria, from October 7 to October 10, chaired by the Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa.

The highlight of the meeting will be the celebration of the Patriarchal and Synodical Divine Liturgy, attended by all the priests of the Throne, and in the presence of Greek, Cypriot and Egyptian officials, at the Monastery of St. Savvas in Alexandria, on October 9, in the same place where exactly 15 years ago, the Patriarch of Alexandria, Theodore of Zimbabwe, was unanimously elected.

In total, nine presentations, the activities of the local Metropolises of the African continent, as well as issues that may be of concern to the provinces of the Alexandrian Church will be presented during the meeting by the metropolitans and bishops of the Alexandrian Church.

Odd Fr. Alexander Belya story

Anyone have any more on this strange story?

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(EOCN) - Alleged ROCOR episcopal nominee Fr. Alexander Belya, already confirmed by the ROC Synod, had not been elected by the ROCOR Synod and a letter informing about his nomination sent to Moscow was a forgery. The priest in question was suspended, internal investigation was started.

Abp. John of Dubna asks exarchate to follow him to Moscow

(AROC-WE) - The Archbishop - Protocol number : 19.046

Beloved in Christ Fathers, Brothers and Sisters,

Since the decision of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople of 27 November 2018 repealing the tomos signed in 1999, which granted our Archdiocese canonical link with the Ecumenical Throne, I have never ceased to protect our communities of "canonical subjection" (Act of 12 January 2019) which removed purely and simply the Archdiocese as created by the Metropolitan Euloge of blessed memory.

This decision has shaken our Archdiocese, which lived peacefully from nearly 90 years under the omophorion of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, where I myself grew up and celebrated until today. It still confuses the entire world to be honest. No one really knows why the EP did what it did, so we are left to guess.

For the past ten months, we have been looking together for a future for our Archdiocese, and a very clear mandate was given to us by the Extraordinary General Assembly of February 23, where 93% of delegates chose not to dissolve our Archdiocese. We worked tirelessly, but after the EGA of September 7th, which left us in a state of shock with regard to the violence and the destructive mood of some of us. I humbly think that we have to admit : we went astray.

I looked again at our statutes. These statutes organize the life of our Archdiocese and protect us. However, it must be said here, that they are not the foundation of the Archdiocese. The purpose of our Archdiocese is the exercise and coordination of worship in accordance with Orthodox Greco-Russian rite in respect of the holy canons of the Orthodox Church and the specific rules of the Russian tradition, in accordance with the decisions of the Council of Moscow 1917-1918.

Our statutes organize and thus make possible our pastoral activity. They rule the essential and organic problems of the functioning of our clergy, its composition, its resources, the election of bishops, its assemblies, its organs of control, and its eventual dissolution. However, they do not regulate pastoral care, and they remind us that the sacramental link between the Archbishop and the Archdiocese is intrinsic.

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Russian Church reaffirms desire to absorb EU exarchate

(ROC) - On September 14, 2019, the Holy Synod considered an appeal from Archbishop John (Renneteau), head of the Archdiocese of Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition, who expressed the desire of a majority of the Archdiocese’s clergy and parishes to preserve its existence through entering the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church and asked for the entry in canonical communion and unity with the Moscow Patriarchate together with those clergy and parishes who wish to follow him. Archbishop John also informed that an assembly of representatives of these parishes would take place in the nearest future to send their proposals on the canonical form of their organization to His Holiness the Patriarch and the Holy Synod.

Having considered this appeal through remote connection, the members of the Holy Synod resolved (Minutes No. 122):

• That Archbishop John (Renneteau) be accepted in the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate with the title ‘of Dubna’ together with all the clergy under his leadership who wish to follow him and parishes which will express this desire;
• That Archbishop John of Dubna be charged with administration of these parishes;
• That, after receiving an appeal from the assembly of representatives of the parishes, additional consideration be given to define the canonical form of their organization on the basis of the historically developed special features of the diocesan and parochial administration as well as liturgical and pastoral traditions established by Metropolitan Eulogius, taking into account the conditions of existence of the Church’s part which he headed in Western Europe.

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Timeless wisdom

On Folk Wisdom and Allegory

So this image has been making the rounds of late. And while I appreciate the symbolism applied to this very commonplace item, I think there's a bit of confusion that comes with such things.

People who come to the church as inquirers, children, and the just very curious often ask what such-and-such meaning something has in our services. Often the angels are brought in somehow (or almost as often, the Holy Spirit) as being participants in what is being discussed. I've heard everything from the most reasonable explanation to the most outlandish for why I might be doing most anything behind the altar.

I appreciate the sentiment. But I also think we need to separate the folk knowledge that is a very natural outgrowth of our reverence for God and His Church with the reality of things. Or, to be more specific, it is perfectly fine to highlight spiritual truths by pointing to the way things are configured, but those are often accidental (or at least not essential) to why something is the way it is. It's a venerable practice to point to the seasons or plants or animals or even architecture as a way of understanding the divine, His body, or the articles used in His worship. Less palatable is presenting causality and correlation where functionality and historical development is at the root of the configuration.

So if you want to take something like a censer or vestments or anything really and point out how X being connected to Y is sort of like the way [insert broader, more existential thing] connects to [another big picture idea thing], you need to be explicit that this is a method of instruction and not the reason why it is that way. Otherwise people assume (and quite rightly) that we have four chains, a pull ring, and a hook on our censers because we want to express holy ideas whilst we flail the thing around the church.

There's enough beauty in our faith that we don't need to gild every lily.

Bibliophiliacs rejoice! More Philokalia!

(ROC-Sourozh) - On September 7, 2019, His Grace Bishop Matthew of Sourozh took part in a theological conference dedicated to the completion of the publication of the fifth volume of Philokalia in English, held at St. Anthony College of the University of Oxford.

Presentations at the conference were made by the honorary lecturer of the University of Oxford - Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia, professor of the Harvard University James C. Skedros and professor of Durham University Christopher C.H. Cook.

Philokalia [Greek Θιλοκαλία], which has received the widest distribution in the Orthodox world, is an anthology of patristic writings (from the 4th to the 15th centuries), mainly dedicated to the prayer-contemplative experience of monastic life. Most of the writings included in the Philokalia in Greek, were in circulation on the Mount Athos already in the heyday of Hesychasm in the XIVth century. In its final form, Philokalia was prepared for publication by St. Macarius Notara, former Metropolitan of Corinth, and St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain. The book includes carefully edited and systematized rich materials collected by them in the Holy Mountain’ manuscripts repositories. To the present time, Philokalia remains a fundamental "encyclopedia" of spiritual life.

Met. Tikhon is locum tenens of Nikonian dioceses

(OCA) - On Tuesday evening, September 3, the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church met via teleconference in Special Session under the presidency of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon. At this meeting, the Holy Synod declared vacant the sees of the Diocese of New England and the Albanian Archdiocese following the death of His Eminence, Archbishop Nikon.

At this same meeting, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon informed the members of the Holy Synod that he would be the locum tenens for these two dioceses. It is to be remembered that under Met. Jonah the synod said that the metropolitan should not be put into this position because of the strain it places on the primate - this edict was immediately abandoned following his stepping down.

Russian exarchate not as pro-Moscow as many have assumed

(Orthodoxie) - Today was held in Paris an Extraordinary General Assembly ( Statutes , Articles 35 and 28) of the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox Churches in Western Europe. The discussion was lively and the various opinions could be exchanged. The question asked was: " Do you accept the canonical act of attachment of the Archdiocese to the Moscow Patriarchate as presented in the published document? The assembly counted 186 voters. There were 179 votes cast, six whites and one draw. The "yes" vote received 104 votes, or 58.1% of the votes cast, the "no" 75 votes, or 41.9% of the votes cast. We are waiting for the official communique of the Archbishop who will inform about what will be done.

On Mount Saint Macrina

(SQPN) - Every year, thousands of Eastern-rite Catholics gather in a small Western Pennsylvania town on pilgrimage to Mount Saint Macrina. Tom and Noelle Crowe explain how the pilgrimage started and what Pope Pius XI and Archbishop Fulton Sheen had to do with it.

St. Gabriel Monastery welcomes pilgrims

(Daily Sabah) - Some 5,000 members of the Assyrian community from around the the world gathered in the southeastern town of Midyat to remember Mor Gabriel or Saint Gabriel, on the 1,351st anniversary of his death.

The faithful gathered at a monastery bearing the saint's name in the town, located in southeastern Turkey's Mardin. The monastery is one of the oldest surviving Assyrian monasteries in the world and believed to have been built some 1,600 years ago. Speaking at the religious service dedicated to the saint, Hori Gabriel Aktaş, vice metropolitan of Midyat for the Assyrian church, said they were pleased with the fervent atmosphere.

"We have a large crowd today who came from Europe and other cities," he said. Daniel Savcı, an Assyrian priest who attended the service, said Mor Gabriel was among the most revered saints of the community due to the multiple miracles he exhibited during his lifetime.

"We mark his anniversary of death here in this monastery because this is where he was buried along with thousands of other saints. It is like a second Jerusalem for the community," he said. The community set up large pots outside the monastery and served meals to the guests while the faithful recited the Bible throughout the night and into the early hours of Tuesday.

Russian exarchate's initial response to Constantinople

From computer-translated French...

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(AROC-WE) - On Saturday August 31, 2019, the day after the meeting of the Board of Directors, the Office of the Archdiocese issued a communiqué detailing the three points that were retained by the Board for consideration by the Assembly on the future of the Archdiocese.

Shortly after this publication appeared a statement from the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople expressing his decision to grant a canonical leave to Archbishop John "personally and only for him".

Monseigneur Jean announces that he had not requested such a holiday to date and sent the Patriarchate a request for explanation. In the meantime, Archbishop Jean confirms that the Extraordinary General Assembly will be held regularly on the 7th of September as planned.

But the decision of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople has the consequence of modifying the list of the solutions envisaged, submitted for the consideration of the Assembly.

Thus the first option for the study of a new ecclesial structure for the archbishopric in the Patriarchate of Constantinople is rendered obsolete.

Father George Ashkov, for his part, informed the Archbishop that he was asking for the withdrawal of his project, which had become unimaginable for the time being in the newly created situation, while hoping that it could be examined later.

Thus it will remain in the General Assembly of September 7 to decide directly on the "project of attachment to the Moscow Patriarchate" developed during six months by the joint commission "archbishop-patriarchate of Moscow".

In order to carry our assembly in prayer, we ask all our faithful to practice a fast from Wednesday to Friday and to invoke in their prayers the Holy Spirit so that He will lead the members of the AGE towards the path that will allow the Archdiocese to continue the works of our predecessors with blessed memory.

Syriac Catholic Church reestablished diocese in Northern Iraq

BERUIT (Crux) - To support the faithful and encourage them to stay in their homeland, the Syriac Catholic Church has reestablished a diocese for the Kurdistan region of Iraq.

Syriac Catholic Patriarch Ignace Joseph III Younan celebrated the new diocese at a Mass at Queen of Peace Syriac Catholic Church in Irbil, Iraq, Aug. 24. In his homily, he commended the faithful for being “the embodiment of the living faith, and a testimony to the challenge and steadfastness amid takfiri terrorism and in the face of evil forces that wanted to kill hope in your believing souls.”

“I say and repeat: You have carried the cross on the example of the Savior, our divine teacher, and you have persevered in your faith, your heritage and your hope, which has been admired around the world, East and West alike,” Younan said.

Archbishop Nathaniel Nizar Semaan heads the new Diocese of Hadiab-Irbil and all Kurdistan. Previously, the area was under the Mosul Archdiocese’s jurisdiction.

Semaan was ordained a bishop June 7 as the coadjutor archbishop of Mosul; then he was named archbishop of the new diocese when it was erected June 28. He had served as a priest in London for 14 years.

The Hadiab Diocese was founded in the 13th century, but had dissolved by the mid-17th century.

In the summer of 2014, some 120,000 Christians were uprooted from Mosul and the Ninevah Plain by the Islamic State, fleeing to Irbil in the Kurdistan region. While dozens of families have since migrated to the West, some families have returned to liberated areas in the Ninevah Plain, and others have settled in the Kurdistan region.

Younan noted that, during their synod in June, the Syriac Catholic bishops decided to revive the diocese “in order to activate the episcopal care of the clergy and believers residing in the Kurdistan region.”

The Kurdistan regional government has provided two plots of land in Ainkawa and Dahuk, each dedicated to the construction of a Syriac Catholic church.

Read more »

Pat. Irinej recovering following hospitalization

(spc.rs) - A health condition of His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, who is being hospitalized at the Military Medical Academy, is stable.

His recovery is in progress, and a permanent consulting body of doctors of the Military Medical Academy headed by Brigadier General Prof. Dr. Dragan Dincic expects that the Primate of the Serbian Church will reassume his regular responsibilities soon.

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej has been in the Military Medical Academy since the 27th August 2019.

Grand event at St. Sava Serbian Church in San Gabriel, CA

And to quote my favorite line from the event - Metropolitan Joseph: "Kosovo is Serbia!"

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(spc.rs) - For months the St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church in San Gabriel, California has been actively beautifying their church, parish hall and grounds in preparation of hosting the annual Diocesan Days celebration on this jubilee year 2019, as we mark the 800th anniversary of the autocephaly of the Serbian Orthodox Church. With the blessings of His Grace Bishop Maxim of Western America the annual Diocesan Days celebration came to an official start on Friday, August 30, 2019, as distinguished guests, clergy, monastics and the faithful began to slowly arrive to St. Sava’s Church in San Gabriel. As is the established custom, this annual celebration in the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Western America, per the blessings of the diocesan bishop, dedicates the first day and first order of business to a clergy seminar. This year’s seminar was led by the Most Venerable Archimandrite Metodije of the Royal Lavra Hilandar Monastery.

Following lunch Bishop Maxim introduced Fr. Metodije who delivered a moving talk on the role of Mount Athos in the celebration of eight centuries of the Serbian Orthodox Church. After all, Fr. Metodije noted, St. Sava was abbot of Monastery Hilandar at the time he became the first Serbian Archbishop. Moreover, St. Sava played a great role not only in the life of the Serbian monastery but throughout the Holy Mountain. There is an opinion that the entire Athonite monastic community rejoiced exceedingly upon hearing of his appointment to the rank of archbishop. The reason was that the Latins, who had control of Constantinople at that time, had appointed one of their bishops to the Diocese of Ierissos, under whose jurisdiction Mount Athos belonged. As the Athonite monks were firm and staunch defenders of Orthodoxy, they did not want the Latins to tonsure their monks, ordain their hierodeacons and hieromonks. Thus, St. Sava’s election brought much joy as he, himself, was an Athonite monk, and now would be able to tonsure and ordain monks throughout the Holy Mountain, which, in fact, he did.

Not only was Saint Sava respected at one time in history among Athonite monks but even to this day. As Fr. Metodije noted, eight centuries have passed since the time of Saint Sava and yet he is still loved greatly by monastics throughout the Holy Mountain. In fact, it is hard to find a monastery that doesn’t have a fresco of him or his father St. Symeon the Myrrh-bearer.

Read more »

Groundbreaking at new Orthodox school in Ann Arbor, MI

(ROCOR-Chicago) - On August 28, 2019 – the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos – His Eminence Archbishop Peter presided at the ceremonial groundbreaking for the Ann Arbor Orthodox Classical Academy, located on the campus of St. Vladimir Orthodox Church in Ann Arbor, MI. Following the evening services for the Image of the Lord Not Made by Hands, a special prayer for the founding of a new structure, and the requisite sprinkling of the site of the school with Holy Water, His Eminence took up a shovel and broke the ground at the location of the future day school. His Eminence was joined at the groundbreaking by the Rector of the St. Vladimir parish, Archpriest Gregory Joyce, along with the parish deacons Vladimir Pyrozhenko and Dmitriy Kashchenko. Also participating were visiting clerics Archpriest Victor Trotskyy (Rector of Dormition Cathedral, Ferndale, MI), Archpriest Vasily Kuzmych (Rector of Holy Trinity Church, Milwaukee, WI), and Priest Joshua Genig (Rector of St. Innocent Church, Redford, MI). Also taking part in the ceremonial groundbreaking was Jack (Alexei) Mitchell, Starosta of the St. Vladimir parish, and Gloria Appling, Head of the Academy.

God willing, construction will start on the school building in the next few weeks, with classes beginning in the fall of 2020. The parish and the school Steering Committee ask the prayers of all for the success of this important venture, which is slated to be the only preK-12 Orthodox Christian daily school in Michigan.

To learn more about the Ann Arbor Orthodox Classical Academy please visit the school web site here.

To make a donation to support the school project, please visit the school’s "Network for Good" site here.

Pictures of the Groundbreaking can be found here.

Russian Church receives Malankara delegation

The Russian Church really has no equal in holding discussions with Oriental Orthodox bodies. There's a constant stream of delegations, talks, reciprocal visits, etc. going on all year long.

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(ROCOR) - On August 31, 2019, at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the Primate of the Malankara Orthodox Church, India, His Holiness Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, arrived in Russia. During his official visit he is accompanied by Metropolitan Zachariah Mar Nikolovos, head of the Malankara Church department for external church relations; Metropolitan Yuhanon Mar Diascoros, secretary of the Malankara Church Holy Synod; Rev. Abraham Thomas, secretary of the Malankara Church department for external church relations; and Rev. Aswin Zefrin Fernandis, head of the Malankara Catholicos’s protocol service; Rev. Jiss Jonson, personal secretary to His Holiness the Catholicos; Mr. Jacob Mathew, member of the Malankara Church Council; Mr. Kevin George Koshi, head of the communication service of the Malankara Church department for external church relations; Dr Cherian Eapen, a representative of the Malankara diaspora in Russia.

At Domodedovo airport, His Holiness was met by Bishop Dionisy of Voskresensk, first Patriarchal vicar for Moscow and deputy chancellor of the Russian Orthodox Church; Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations; Archpriest Sergiy Tocheny, head of the Moscow Patriarchate administrative secretariat; and R. Akhmatkhanov, DECR secretariat for inter-Christian relations.

On the same day, the guests visited the Patriarchal Convent of the Protecting Veil to venerate the honourable relic of the Blessed Matrona of Moscow. They saw the churches and buildings of the convent and met with the mother superior Theophania (Miskina) and inmates of the convent’s orphanage for girls.

The plan of the visit includes a meeting with His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; talks with Metropolitan Hilarion, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), a tour of churches and monasteries in Moscow and the Moscow Region and visits to theological institutions of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The visit will last until September the 5th.

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The Malankara Church is part of the family of the Oriental Churches along with the Coptic, Ethiopian, Eritrean Churches and the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to tradition, it was founded by St. Thomas in the 1st century. Its center is located in the State of Kerala, India. It has dioceses and parishes in India, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Europe and North America. The latest visit of its Primate to Russia took place in 1976.

ROCOR Western American Diocese gets second vicar bishop

(ROCOR) - The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, during a meeting on August 30, 2019, at Danilov Monastery in Moscow, deliberated on the confirmation of a decision of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on the candidacy of Archimandrite James (Corazza) for Bishop of Sonora, Second Vicar of the Western American Diocese.

In accordance with the Act of Canonical Communion of May 17, 2007, hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia "are selected by her Council of Bishops or, in cases foreseen by the Regulations of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, by the Synod of Bishops. Such elections are confirmed in accordance with canonical norms by the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church."

The members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church decreed to confirm the decision of the selection of Archimandrite James (Corazza) as Bishop of Sonora. The place and time of his consecration are left to the discretion of the Hierarchy of the Russian Church Abroad.

EP flattens W. Europe Exarchate of Russian tradition parishes

And by flatten I mean compress the organizational chart of. This body will either accept this decision or just come under Moscow. And as Moscow has already drawn up their plans for this same group, I am more disposed to think that's the way they'll go.

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(Romfea) - The meeting of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which took place on Thursday and Friday, August 29 and 30, in the Holy Trinity Monastery of Halki, was concluded.

During the meeting, it was decided to discharge Archbishop Ioannis of Harioupolis from the Apostolic and Patriarchal Ecumenical Throne, personally and only to him, thereby relieving him of the responsibility of the Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox parishes of the Russian Tradition in Western Europe. services.

As a consequence, Metropolitan Emmanuel of France is now responsible for parishes of the former Exarchate.

The same is true of the rest of the former Exarchate parishes in other Western European countries, which fall under the responsibility of the respective Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in these areas.

Furthermore, the Ecumenical Patriarchate has decided to appoint Archpriest Alexis Struve, University Professor, to replace the Head of St. Alexander Nevsky Holy Church in Paris.

Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos heading to Florida

After taking a year-long sabbatical (more here) following his not being selected to head the Metropolis of Chicago, it seems the Greek Archdiocese has sent him to Florida. He has also been placed in another position within the Episcopal Assembly (you can read some history on his last position here).

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NEW YORK (GOARCH) - The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America joyfully announces that His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America appointed His Grace Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos as the Hierarchal Proistamenos of the St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine in St. Augustine, FL, which falls directly under the auspices of the Archbishop.

Among the duties and responsibilities of His Grace Bishop Demetrios will be the organization and development of missionary, social, and philanthropic activities geared towards the Spanish speaking population of the USA, since His Grace is knowledgeable in the Spanish language—the second most-prominent language in the State of Florida.

In addition, following the resignation of His Eminence Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh from his position as the Synodal Liaison of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the USA to the Orthodox Christian Mission Center and consequently from his position as a member of its Board of Directors, His Grace Bishop Demetrios was appointed as his replacement.

As is known, His Grace Bishop Demetrios served for many years as a priest and as a hierarch in his position as Chancellor for Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago of blessed-memory, and after the falling asleep in the Lord of Metropolitan Iakovos, His Grace Bishop Demetrios returned to his position as Auxiliary Bishop of the Archbishop of America.

Composition of the new Holy and Sacred Synod of the EP

Kind of light on Americans, no?

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(Romfea) - The term of the Holy Synod begins today, September 1, and will last until February 29, 2020.

The Hierarchs in its new composition are the following:

Metropolitan Ieremias of Ankara
Metropolitan Sotirios of Toronto and All Canada
Archbishop Eirinaios of Crete
Metropolitan Makarios of Anaea
Metropolitan Theodoritos of Laodicea
Metropolitan Makarios of Gortys and Arkadia
Metropolitan Athinagoras of Belgium
Metropolitan Amphilochios of Ganos and Chora
Metropolitan Damaskinos of Kydonia and Apokoronas
Metropolitan Nathanael of Kos and Nisyros
Metropolitan Athinagoras of Kydonies
Metropolitan Myron of New Zealand.

Abp. Nikon of Boston has reposed

Southbridge, MA (OCA) - His Eminence, the Most Reverend Nikon, Archbishop of Boston, New England, and the Albanian Archdiocese, fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday, September 1, 2019.

Born to a pious Orthodox family in 1945 in New York, Archbishop Nikon graduated from Saint Vladimir’s Seminary in 1966. He was ordained to the Diaconate on July 5, 1969, and to the Priesthood the following day, July 6. His Eminence served at Saint Nicholas Church, Southbridge, MA, and Saint Thomas Church, Farmington Hills, MI.

On Friday and Saturday, May 24 and 25, 2002, Archbishop Nikon was consecrated Bishop of Baltimore and Auxiliary to His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius in conjunction with the annual Memorial Day Weekend pilgrimage to Saint Tikhon Monastery.

Archbishop Nikon was nominated as Bishop of Boston at the Albanian Archdiocesan Assembly on October 10, 2003, and the Holy Synod elected him as Bishop of Boston on October 22, 2003. He served as administrator of the Diocese of New England and was elected ruling bishop during the fall session of the Holy Synod in October 2005. He was installed with the title Bishop of Boston, New England and the Albanian Archdiocese by His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Boston, MA on December 16 and 17, 2005. In addition to his archpastoral leadership of his own dioceses, he served as locum tenens of the Diocese of the South from February 2011 until March 2015.

Archbishop Nikon was elevated to the rank of Archbishop on May 9, 2012.

A full obituary and service times will be posted as soon as it is received.

May Archbishop Nikon’s memory be eternal!