Byzantine, Texas

( 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 bisho...

( 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. ...

" 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. “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 d...

( 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.

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. 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...

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). ( 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 o...

( 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.

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

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 ...

( 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 ...

( 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...

Anyone have any more on this strange story? ( 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.

( 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...

( 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 ...

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 somethin...

( 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 Notar...

( 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.

( 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.

( 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.

( 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 mona...

From computer-translated French... ( 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. ...

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 ordai...

( 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.

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

( 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. Innoc...

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. ( 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 ...

( 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 p...

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. ( 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 ...

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 ). 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 add...

Kind of light on Americans, no? ( 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.

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 E...