tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-730428865986500752024-03-18T19:31:44.515-05:00Byzantine, TexasDiscussions of Eastern Christianity, often with a Byzantine flavor. Posts on the Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, and even the occasional church of the West.Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.comBlogger8962125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-87079866385845904582024-03-15T13:09:00.005-05:002024-03-15T13:09:59.919-05:00Former head of Antiochian Archdiocese, Met. Joseph, laicized<p>Nothing about this makes me think this topic is over. I expect the legal wrangling to continue. </p><hr /><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://antiochian.org/regulararticle/1984">antiochian.org</a>) - The Holy Antiochian Synod, presided by His Beatitude Patriarch JOHN X (Yazigi), held its eighteenth extraordinary session in Balamand from March 13 to March 14, 2024, in the presence of Their Eminences:</p><p>Elias (Archdiocese of Beirut and dependencies); Elias (Archdiocese of Tyre, Sidon and dependencies); Saba (Archdiocese of New York and All North America); Silouan (Archdiocese of Byblos, Botrys and dependencies); Basilios (Archdiocese of Akkar and dependencies); Ephrem (Archdiocese of Tripoli, Koura and dependencies); Ignatius (Archdiocese of France, Western and Southern Europe); Isaac (Archdiocese of Germany and Central Europe); Ghattas (Archdiocese of Baghdad, Kuwait and dependencies); Antonios (Archdiocese of Zahleh, Baalbek and dependencies); Nicolas (Archdiocese of Hama and dependencies); Basilios (Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines); Athanasius (Archdiocese of Lattakia and dependencies); Ephrem (Archdiocese of Aleppo, Alexandretta, and dependencies); Nifon Saikali (Metropolitan of Philippopolis and Representative of the Patriarch of Antioch to the Patriarch of Moscow); Gregorios (Archdiocese of Homs and dependencies); Antonios (Archdiocese of Bosra Hauran and Jabal Al-Arab). Also present was His Grace Bishop Romanos El-Hannat, Patriarchal Vicar and Secretary of the Holy Synod.</p><p>The Metropolitans who apologized for being unable to attend are as follows: Damaskinos (Archdiocese of São Paulo and All Brazil); Silouan (Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland); Ignatius (Archdiocese of Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbean Islands); and Jacques (Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and All Argentina). Despite his physical absence caused by his kidnapping, Metropolitan Boulos Yazigi is always present in the prayers and invocations of the Synod Fathers.</p><p>At the dawn of Great Lent, the Synod Fathers offer their sincere prayers for the faithful of the Church of Antioch, asking the Lord that this period may be a time of intimacy with God, a consolation to hearts, and a victory in adversity. <span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>The Fathers draw attention once again to the case of the Archbishops of Aleppo, Boulos Yazigi and Youhanna Ibrahim, who have been kidnapped since April 2013. They affirm that the case of the kidnapped bishops embodies a stab of deceit driven into the heart of justice. This justice has been crucified by interests, neglect, insensibleness, and exploitation of the fate of Eastern Christians and minorities. This East is tormented by afflictions but seeks with all its religious spectrum the mercy of God.</p><p>The Fathers lift up their prayers for the peace of the whole world and for the people of Gaza, who are suffering from the scourge of war and the injustice of decision-makers in the international community that seems to have lost its humanity. In addition, the Fathers offer their prayers for Syria and Lebanon. They appeal to the whole world to stop the killing machine in Gaza, lift the blockade, and bring about peace. They also plead all to work for preventing this war's impact on the region, and especially on Lebanon. The Fathers extend their best wishes to the Muslim community at the beginning of this blessed holy month of mercy and charity, invoking the mercies of the Father of Lights upon them. The Synod Fathers call their faithful children during this blessed period to intensify their prayers for the whole Orthodox Church and Her unity, and for the confessing Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This Church's faithful are suffering from the cruel brunt of war, organized violence, and danger of extinction through unjust laws that aim at closing their parishes and transferring their churches' ownership to other religious groups.</p><p>The Holy Synod was informed of the results of the Synodal Committee formed by the Patriarch regarding the events surrounding the resignation of Metropolitan Joseph Zehlaoui, formerly Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of North America.</p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">To the dismay of the Synod Fathers, following his retirement, retired Metropolitan Joseph Zehlaoui wrongfully claimed rights over Archdiocesan property; through his attorneys, he demanded from the Archdiocese a large sum of money and threatened legal action and public conflict with the Church, reflecting through his demands an improper attitude as a bishop with regard to monetary matters; and he ultimately filed a lawsuit against the Archdiocese in U.S. civil court. These actions contravene Holy Scripture and the Holy Canons. Therefore, the Holy Synod found retired Metropolitan Joseph Zehlaoui guilty of canonical violations related to:</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">- Improper actions as clergyman (retired Metropolitan) with respect to church property and monetary matters, and</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">- Initiating a legal proceeding against the Church in a civil court.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Consequently, the <span style="font-size: medium;">Holy Synod defrocked the retired Metropolitan Joseph Zehlaoui from the holy episcopacy and returned him to the rank of layman.</span></span></b> He is no longer entitled to the privileges and benefits associated with a bishop of the Orthodox Church. The Synod prays that he will spend the remainder of his life in peace and repentance.</p><p>The Synod also directs the Archdiocese of North America to take the necessary measures to preserve all the rights, interests, and property of the Archdiocese.</p><p>The Fathers deliberated on the request of Archimandrite Dimitri Mansour, elected in the last Synodal session as a bishop, to be exempted from accepting the episcopal rank, for personal reasons. He expressed this in writing through a letter sent to the Patriarch. The Fathers decided to accept his request.</p><p>The Holy Synod Fathers turn to their children in the Archdiocese of New York and All North America, embracing them in a paternal spirit and praying for their steadfastness. They address them with the words of Christ: "Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33), and with the words of the Apostle Paul: "All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28). The Synod Fathers are proud of you, of your faith and your love for the Church. They are at your side in everything that leads to the good, prosperity, and growth of your Archdiocese.</p><p>The Fathers send blessings and prayers to their children wherever they are present. They join the faithful in supplicating the Lord God to embrace His world with the spirit of His sweet peace, and to give comfort to the hearts of the bereaved and suffering people, for every blessing, comfort and light comes down from God's bosom.</p></blockquote><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-16368773876936516902024-03-14T11:02:00.006-05:002024-03-14T11:02:55.906-05:00How Bulgaria got a Patriarchate<p>Autocephaly is messy business. Gaining it is often a raucous game of King of the Hill, with as much loud outrage and overblown cries of triumph as the children's recess favorite occasions. A patriarchate is usually made contrary to the canons and only gains legitimacy much later. This is also not a growth pain relegated to the history books. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthodox_Church_of_Ukraine">OCU</a> is a glaring example of how badly such a process can go and is only four years old.</p><p>But you don't have to go across the ocean to see this conflict-laden process in action. See how authority and recognition differ from the Ecumenical Patriarchate's assumed authority through the view of most of the earth being their "diaspora." Look at how the Orthodox Church in America announced autocephaly some fifty-odd years ago to continued mixed reception. See how yet another body of Russian origin (ROCOR) coexists - however imperfectly - in the same territory of not only the OCA, but also the Moscow Patriarchate parishes here. </p><p>So it is with the Bulgarian people. A long and winding road to today's current situation that is well worth reading for context on the repose of the primate this week and the process of elevating his successor in the coming weeks.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHzcbEyhrhUaY4kl0ovIoW5_3TrvXkNnH2M0cA4Zl5XfcJBo6Ghj5FWLEZ5625gW1r9Z0OsVgcjtiOKqP-BS78T1eoHFqt1JGNAlOoxBJIa1Dl-W4K7JV7EKQmbJL-YfeSi_cJaHo-7LnmTwOd21_QF2QIGoAZT4r2ya_KkSvDBsTd-zqoKdjhXHV7vLH/s585/Pieter_Bruegel_the_Elder_-_King_of_the_Hill_cropped).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="585" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtHzcbEyhrhUaY4kl0ovIoW5_3TrvXkNnH2M0cA4Zl5XfcJBo6Ghj5FWLEZ5625gW1r9Z0OsVgcjtiOKqP-BS78T1eoHFqt1JGNAlOoxBJIa1Dl-W4K7JV7EKQmbJL-YfeSi_cJaHo-7LnmTwOd21_QF2QIGoAZT4r2ya_KkSvDBsTd-zqoKdjhXHV7vLH/w400-h390/Pieter_Bruegel_the_Elder_-_King_of_the_Hill_cropped).jpg" width="400" /></a></div><hr /><blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_prvAXPV7qOxOxDwY9K9EVURIEEzgQifF7-6CI96LPriXsm_GkLWhX_nD7GmKuSVDBcOYC-9hvz_A42GF0SXez96yCt7nGS8UbRifHADITjvNScQZz968IXfcUogwRL1U8uGvQWjPjBd-MrAweKR-6dKzT1A2K5N5PhBydNVmTxMx-kBPSYML2Yr77hhE/s400/Coat_of_arms_of_BPC.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_prvAXPV7qOxOxDwY9K9EVURIEEzgQifF7-6CI96LPriXsm_GkLWhX_nD7GmKuSVDBcOYC-9hvz_A42GF0SXez96yCt7nGS8UbRifHADITjvNScQZz968IXfcUogwRL1U8uGvQWjPjBd-MrAweKR-6dKzT1A2K5N5PhBydNVmTxMx-kBPSYML2Yr77hhE/w200-h200/Coat_of_arms_of_BPC.png" width="200" /></a></div>(<a href="https://orthodoxhistory.org/2022/03/15/the-longest-schism-in-modern-orthodoxy-bulgarian-autocephaly-ethnophyletism/">Orthodox History</a>) - In 1767, the Ottoman Empire had suppressed the Patriarchate of Ohrid and subordinated its Bulgarian Orthodox people to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Beginning in the early 1830s, the Bulgarian Orthodox subjects of the Empire began agitating for the restoration of their own church. In 1838, Sultan Mahmud II visited the Bulgarian provinces of the Empire and the people petitioned him for Bulgarian-speaking bishops. The same year, the Greek speaking Metropolitan of Tarnovo (a small city in north central Bulgaria) died, and the people pushed for one of their own, Fr Neofit Bozveli, to succeed him. The Ecumenical Patriarchate rejected this and imposed another Greek speaker ; Bozveli responded by moving to Constantinople and giving speeches to the Bulgarians in the city, calling for the creation of a Bulgarian parish in the capital city itself.<p></p><p>In 1841, Bozveli was arrested in Constantinople and exiled to Mount Athos. The reason for this punishment was Bozveli’s refusal to accept the appointment of an ethnically Greek bishop to the see of Tarnovo – a see to which Bozveli himself had been nominated by the local Bulgarians, only to be rejected by Constantinople.</p><p>In 1848, the Ecumenical Patriarchate finally agreed to the construction of a Bulgarian church and school in Constantinople. It was consecrated the following year, and, for the time being, remained subordinate to the Ecumenical Patriarch.</p><p>In 1851, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, facing a growing call from the Bulgarian people for bishops of their own nationality, decided instead to appoint a Serb, Stefan Kovacevic, as a bishop for the Bulgarians. This satisfied neither the Bulgarians nor the Greeks, and Stefan was ultimately removed from his see.</p><p>Two years later, the Crimean War broke out. Thousands of Bulgarians, along with Greeks, Serbs, and Romanians living in the Ottoman Empire, volunteered to fight on the side of Russia, forming their own Orthodox legion. As the conflict raged Russia pulled its embassy out of Constantinople, and the Ecumenical Patriarchate came under the increasing influence of the British Empire. When the war ended and the Russians resumed diplomatic relations with the Ottomans, their relationship with the Ecumenical Patriarchate had cooled. From now on, Russia would no longer support the Greek hierarchy, instead spending its diplomatic capital to benefit the laity of the Patriarchate. This would come to include a sympathy toward the Bulgarians’ desire for their own church. In 1857, the Russian Church appointed St Theophan the Recluse – then a hieromonk and not yet a recluse – to serve as the Russian church’s representative in Constantinople. Theophan sympathized with the Bulgarian cause, taking the position that they should be allowed to have their own hierarchy and clergy and worship in Slavonic rather than Greek...</p></blockquote><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Complete article <a href="https://orthodoxhistory.org/2022/03/15/the-longest-schism-in-modern-orthodoxy-bulgarian-autocephaly-ethnophyletism/">here</a>. </span></b></p><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-90533893903950691622024-03-14T09:42:00.003-05:002024-03-14T09:42:21.671-05:00How a new head of the Bulgarian Church is selected<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rTueg8S2nYM?si=SZiUddCRIU3ZoVgo" title="YouTube video player" width="600"></iframe><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://orthodoxtimes.com/the-election-of-the-next-patriarch-of-bulgaria-an-insight-into-the-process/">Orthodox Times</a>) - The Church of Bulgaria should elect a new Patriarch within four months after the death of Patriarch Neophyte.</p><p>The election of his successor will take place according to a specific procedure. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has 13 dioceses in Bulgaria and two abroad. The Church Statute regulates the election of the Patriarch and the conditions for his election.</p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Specifically, the Patriarch of Bulgaria and the Metropolitan of Sofia must not be younger than 50 years of age, must have served as a Metropolitan for at least five years, and must be distinguished by Orthodox faith and strict adherence to the rules of the Church.</span></b></p><p>The Patriarch is elected by the Patriarchal Ecclesiastical Council, which consists of:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Metropolitans and Bishops of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church</li><li>Five representatives from each diocese (three clergy and two lay) and ten representatives from the Metropolis of Sofia (six clergy and four lay).</li><li>One representative from the Stavropegian Monasteries (Rila, Bachkovo, Troyan), elected by the respective Monastery Councils</li><li>Two representatives from the Episcopal Monasteries of each diocese (one monk/nun designated by the respective Metropolitan and one representative from the Theological Schools designated by their administrations).</li></ul><p></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">After the death of the Patriarch, the Holy Synod is temporarily chaired by the senior member of the Metropolitan Council in its reduced composition.</span></b></p><p>He notifies the local Orthodox Churches of the Patriarch’s death, as well as the President of the country, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Prime Minister, who manages the affairs of the Patriarchate until the election of the Vice-President, which must take place within seven days of the Patriarch’s death.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>The elected Vice-President, together with the Holy Synod, takes all necessary <b><span style="color: #990000;">steps to conduct the election of a new Patriarch, which must take place no later than four months after the death of the Patriarch. </span></b>The exact date of the meeting of the Patriarchal Election Council is determined by the Holy Synod, which sends the Metropolitans to the regions to convene the electors in each diocese. All these persons participate in the Patriarchal Electoral Ecclesiastical Council.</p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">At a meeting held at least seven days before the date set for the election of the Patriarch of Bulgaria, the Holy Synod, by secret ballot and by a two-thirds majority of its members, elects as candidates for the Patriarchal Throne three Metropolitans who meet the requirements.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">The election of the Patriarch takes place in the Patriarchal Elective Ecclesiastical Council, which the Holy Synod convenes in the Synodal Palace on the day determined (which must be a Sunday).</span></b></p><p>After verifying the canonicality of the ballots of the elected and appointed members of the Patriarchal Ecclesiastical Electoral Council, and provided that at least three-fourths of the total number of members of the Electoral Council are present, the Vice-President of the Holy Synod calls the Patriarchal Ecclesiastical Electoral Council to order.</p><p>The Vice-President invites the Council to elect, by express vote, two clerics and two laymen as members of the Election Committee. The members of the committee are elected by a majority of more than half of those present. If this quorum is not reached, the Holy Synod schedules the elections for the Sunday immediately following. </p></blockquote><blockquote><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">At the beginning of the session, the Vice-Chairman announces the names of the three candidates for the Patriarchal Throne, as determined by the Holy Synod, and invites the members of the Patriarchal Election Committee to elect one of the three candidates by secret ballot. </span></b></p></blockquote><blockquote><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">The candidate who receives at least two-thirds of the votes shall be declared by the Vice-President of the Holy Synod to be the duly and lawfully elected Patriarch of Bulgaria and the Metropolitan of Sofia. If none of the candidates receives the required majority, the election shall be repeated with the two candidates who received the most votes. The one who receives the most votes is elected. </span></b></p></blockquote><blockquote><p>A decree on the election is drawn up and signed by the Election Office and the members of the Assembly. The Vice President then declares the end of the Patriarchal Electoral Ecclesiastical Assembly. A copy of the decree is given to the newly elected Patriarch. The Holy Synod offers a prayer of thanksgiving and proceeds with the enthronement of the newly elected Patriarch of Bulgaria. </p></blockquote><blockquote><p>The Holy Synod then announces the name of the new Patriarch to the heads of the local Orthodox Churches, the President of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Speaker of Parliament, the Prime Minister, and the people.</p></blockquote>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-62501600319984939982024-03-14T09:09:00.003-05:002024-03-14T09:09:48.047-05:00Bulgarian Primate reposes in the Lord<iframe width="600" height="334" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Flhht-pQGJ8?si=lA_xbXXf6ww7o7WI" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p><span style="background-color: white;"></span></p><blockquote><p><span style="background-color: white;">(<a href="https://sofiaglobe.com/2024/03/13/neofit-patriarch-of-the-bulgarian-orthodox-church-dies-at-78/">Sofia Globe</a>) - </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans", serif; font-size: 16px;">Neofit, Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and thus the head of its governing body the Holy Synod, has died at the age of 78, according to statements on March 13 by Metropolitan Antoniy and the Military Medical Academy, where Neofit had been admitted some months ago with a lung ailment.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans", serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Metropolitan Neofit of Rousse was elected as the new Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on February 24 2013, succeeding the long-standing Patriarch, Maxim.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans", serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Neofit was born in Sofia on October 15 1945 under the name Simeon Nikolov.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans", serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">He was ordained a monk on August 3 1975 in the Troyan Monastery. Neofit rose through the church ranks, becoming Metropolitan of Rousse in 2001.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans", serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By the canonical law of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the death of the Patriarch means that the Holy Synod is temporarily headed by the most senior Metropolitan, pending the election of a new Patriarch.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans", serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The election of a new Patriarch takes place no later than four months after the death of the incumbent.</p><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans", serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Currently, the Holy Synod is short of one Metropolitan, that of Sliven, with the election to fill the vacancy having been attended by controversy about the electoral process.</p></blockquote><p style="background-color: white; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: "open sans", serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0px 0px 15px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></p><div><br /></div>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-83349844494550700852024-03-13T13:22:00.002-05:002024-03-13T13:22:22.025-05:00"Why insist on couples?": Coptic Met. Serapion of LA on Fiducia Supplicans<iframe width="600" height="334" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/iCozsKtLNmc?si=xoV7aHgbHBNwnN3S" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-25120352207390617572024-03-13T13:15:00.001-05:002024-03-13T13:15:36.565-05:00Holy Cross launches a podcast<iframe frameborder="0" height="102px" scrolling="no" src="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hcophcbs/embed/episodes/Holy-Cross-Connection--1-Fr--Stavros-Akrotirianakis---Unto-The-Healing-of-Soul-and-Body-e2gtl35/a-ab28hvs" width="600px"></iframe>
<p></p><blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTUhHXD9TeYlFHiViQWHtxSOHbk77FKxk_lWgxmKJ-MhJwdARiDRYyBgwIGO6T2V1NsCjO-HJHIYTGvx63A37QAC8itNC6xcaw0ip-AgIf466DLQAV-opPj_ik0NO-kVKXGbldwZBpGwkvKxv0BHXJzbRrqwhhZZn3sINpD206T42-SW_wyZmNhZVGSPo/s1242/UntoTheHealingofTN.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1242" data-original-width="823" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVTUhHXD9TeYlFHiViQWHtxSOHbk77FKxk_lWgxmKJ-MhJwdARiDRYyBgwIGO6T2V1NsCjO-HJHIYTGvx63A37QAC8itNC6xcaw0ip-AgIf466DLQAV-opPj_ik0NO-kVKXGbldwZBpGwkvKxv0BHXJzbRrqwhhZZn3sINpD206T42-SW_wyZmNhZVGSPo/w265-h400/UntoTheHealingofTN.png" width="265" /></a></div>(<a href="https://holycrossbookstore.com/products/unto-the-healing-of-soul-and-body-encouragement-for-restoration-and-reconciliation-in-a-broken-world">Holy Cross Bookstore</a>) - <a href="https://holycrossbookstore.com/products/unto-the-healing-of-soul-and-body-encouragement-for-restoration-and-reconciliation-in-a-broken-world">Unto the Healing of Soul and Body: Encouragement for Restoration and Reconciliation in a Broken World</a>: The Sacrament of Holy Unction, celebrated on Holy Wednesday and at other times throughout the year, lasts about ninety minutes. Yet, that time is packed with such spiritual richness that it deserves to be reflected upon more deeply. This book contains forty-six reflections on the hymns, Scripture readings, and prayers of the service.<p></p><p>The human body is comprised of mind, body, and spirit, all of which are interrelated. When one part of the body suffers, so do the other parts. For every physical wound, there is also a spiritual consequence. This book not only reflects on God’s ability to heal our physical in infirmities but especially how our souls can be healed along with our bodies. In the times when our bodies are beyond physical healing—at some point, we will all suffer a physical death—Holy Unction serves as a reconciliation with God and a preparation for eternal life. This service includes many prayers offering forgiveness, many of which speak of the mercy of God, and many which speak of the ultimate destination, eternal life. The sacraments of the Church provide us a means to prepare for eternal life, by offering us the spiritual stamina to get through this life.</p><p>Father Stavros N. Akrotirianakis is a Greek Orthodox priest who serves St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa, Florida. A list of his other books can be found at the end of this volume.</p></blockquote><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-67601906517405644002024-03-13T11:25:00.001-05:002024-03-13T11:25:02.858-05:00“A Failure to Die”: Countering Death-Denying Culture through Orthodox Catechism <iframe width="600" height="334" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/OzMp5jJbs44?si=nw0Qqw_xprMHoiVg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-81471759553925425542024-03-09T20:28:00.000-06:002024-03-09T20:28:27.962-06:00The dialogue between the Eastern & Oriental Orthodox<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E4KcmAUWqFU?si=D7dMwH-FjSwIiqzQ" title="YouTube video player" width="600"></iframe>
<p></p><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://www.svots.edu/headlines/expert-eastern-oriental-orthodox-relations-speaks-student-body">SVOTS</a>) - Prolific author and scholar Christine Chaillot visited St Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary (SVOTS) on Thursday, February 22, giving a stirring presentation to the student body in the Metropolitan Philip Auditorium, titled “The Dialogue Between the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox.”</p><p>The Very Rev. Dr Chad Hatfield gave the introduction, noting Chaillot’s abiding commitment to studying and writing about reconciliation between the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches and applauding her for “going right to the top” in bringing the issue to the leading hierarchs of our day. Fr Chad endorsed Chaillot’s many contributions to the study of this millennia-old division and mentioned plans for a conference to be held at St Vladimir’s Seminary in 2025, intended to further the dialogue between Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches.</p><p>Christine Chaillot opened her presentation by summarizing the current relations between the various Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches. She then posed the question, “What does Church unity really mean?” and shared thoughts inspired by a 2022 article by SVOTS Professor Emeritus and former dean, the Very Rev. Dr John Erickson, “From Division to Dialogue and Beyond: The Quest for Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Unity.” Chaillot summarized various approaches to interpreting the conclusions of the 4th Ecumenical Council (Chalcedon, 451) and the main points presented by those who oppose dialogue and reconciliation between the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, including the question of how to deal with varying liturgical practices, and how to recognize saints canonized after the Council of Chalcedon.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>In concluding her talk, Chaillot urged her listeners, and all those not well informed or against dialogue, to take the time to read the writings produced by others in the “family of churches” to gain an understanding of their Christological and spiritual kinship. “By reading the liturgical books of the Oriental Orthodox,” said Chaillot, “we can understand that their Christology, Mariology, and faith in general are Orthodox.”</p><p>Chaillot placed a special emphasis on the importance of practical dialogue, informed by love and humility, to be experienced as a “living reality,” not only by theologians and specialists but also by clergy and faithful from the two families of churches, especially by seminarians who will become clergy in the future. Her final question to the audience was, “If we understand the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches actually have the same Christology, is it proper to reject the possibility of unity any longer?”</p><p>The lecture was attended by a large group of students, spanning multiple Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and was followed by a Q&A session. Watch the recording of the talk by Christine Chaillot by clicking the button below.</p></blockquote><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-55347946358469505162024-03-09T20:16:00.002-06:002024-03-09T20:16:57.797-06:00OCA confecting chrism at St. Tikhon's Monastery<p></p><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://www.oca.org/news/headline-news/his-beatitude-metropolitan-tikhon-to-consecrate-holy-chrism-during-holy-week">OCA</a>) - His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon will be presiding at the Rite of Consecration of Preparation of Holy Chrism during the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of Great and Holy Thursday, May 2, 2024 at St. Tikhon’s Monastery. This rite is reserved for Primates of autocephalous Orthodox Churches. The last time Holy Chrism was consecrated for the Orthodox Church in America was in 2017 and marks the second time His Beatitude has presided at the rite.</p><p>After the Chrism has been consecrated it will be distributed for parish use across North America for the Holy Mystery of Chrismation.</p><p>Holy Chrism is distinct from other blessed oils in Orthodox Christian rites and undergoes careful preparation, incorporating various ingredients such as olive oil, aromatic incenses, and fragrant oils. The process, overseen this year by Protodeacon Peter Ilchuk, will begin on Great and Holy Monday, April 29, and will conclude on Great and Holy Wednesday, May 1, with continuous stirring and readings from the Holy Gospels.</p><p>Clergy are invited to participate in the rite. A sign up sheet will be made available on the OCA website in coming weeks. Shifts reading the Gospel and stirring the Chrism are expected to be two-hours in length.</p></blockquote><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-53382511068445805342024-03-08T10:01:00.003-06:002024-03-08T10:01:29.826-06:00Coptic Church SUSPENDS dialogue with Catholic Church<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hffL7s6gTR4tVZ40L5FqyQ7nf0toN2Vqry_wHK6HrQKg8FpPZeEyoyYWI4r4GyhyuBJ4SaC6evfu6zKzvRjhgyRmigR33bpuW9v7hZS8gbjQHlgToWAiVCiPrSWYWPU-0XlScJAhjImuR8mY5ASxVvGCsKch1Cv4IWutqQBY-Y9-Qmfh50HNJ-qunLgK/s1200/IMG-20240307-WA0022-1200x639.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hffL7s6gTR4tVZ40L5FqyQ7nf0toN2Vqry_wHK6HrQKg8FpPZeEyoyYWI4r4GyhyuBJ4SaC6evfu6zKzvRjhgyRmigR33bpuW9v7hZS8gbjQHlgToWAiVCiPrSWYWPU-0XlScJAhjImuR8mY5ASxVvGCsKch1Cv4IWutqQBY-Y9-Qmfh50HNJ-qunLgK/s16000/IMG-20240307-WA0022-1200x639.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><p></p><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://ocpsociety.org/coptic-church-synod-rejects-same-sex-relations-suspends-dialogue-with-catholics/">OCP</a>) - Cairo – Egypt: The plenary session of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church was held on March 07.2024, at the Logos Center at the Papal Residence in the Monastery of Saint Anba Bishoy in Wadi Natroun, headed by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, and attended by 110 of its 133 members.</p><p>His Holiness the Pope delivered a speech at the opening of the session, in which he spoke about the importance of fruit in the life and service of the shepherd through “the parable of the unfruitful fig tree” (Luke 13:6-9).</p><p>The main committees of the Holy Synod held their annual meetings starting last Monday and for three days, at the papal headquarters in St. Mark’s Cathedral in Abbasiya, to discuss the reports submitted to them by their subcommittees. It issued its recommendations, which were presented to the members of the Academy in today’s plenary session for approval.</p><p>The Church announced its opinion on the issue of “homosexuality” through a statement issued by the Holy Synod (to be published later). In its statement, the church emphasized its rejection of same-sex relations. Supporting her opinion with many biblical verses that clearly declare the rejection of such relationships that are contrary to the human nature that God created.</p><p>The text of the decisions and recommendations of the Holy Synod – March 2024 session was as follows:</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">First: decisions</h3><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Restoring the monastic life of the Monastery of Saint Prince Tadros Al-Shattabi (for monks) – Manfalut.</li><li>Restoring the monastic life of the Monastery of Prince Tawadros of the Levant, the Warrior (for nuns) – in Luxor.</li><li>Recognition of the Monastery of St. Paul the Apostle (for monks) – in California.</li><li>Recognition of the Monastery of Saint Tadros and Saint Moses the Black (for monks) – Ismailia Road.</li><li>Recognition of the Monastery of the Virgin Mary and the Archangel Michael (for monks) in Bahansa.</li><li><b><span style="color: #990000;">After consultation with the sister churches of the Eastern Orthodox family, <span style="font-size: medium;">it was decided to suspend the theological dialogue with the Catholic Church</span>, re-evaluate the results that the dialogue has achieved since its beginning twenty years ago, and establish new standards and mechanisms for the dialogue to proceed.</span></b></li><li>Establishing the General Technical Office in the Patriarchate, with the establishment of branches in the dioceses to communicate with various government agencies and finalize procedures related to churches.</li><li>Establishing an office bearing the name HIGH, which is the abbreviation for the slogan Hands in God’s Hand, which is specialized in communicating between the members of the Coptic Church abroad and the areas in need of service at home.</li><li>Establishing the General Secretariat of Coptic Hospitals in Cairo, similar to the General Secretariat of Coptic Hospitals in Alexandria.</li></ol><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Second: The most important recommendations:</h3><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Developing topics that encourage the consolidation of the spirit of citizenship and the positive role in society within church education curricula.</li><li><b><span style="color: #990000;">Each church should have its own page on one of the social media channels, on which all church activities and a special archive of masses, sermons, and spiritual revivals in the church are posted.</span></b></li><li><b><span style="color: #990000;">The Coptic Orthodox Church affirms its firm position of rejecting all forms of homosexual relationships, because they violate the Holy Bible and the law by which God created man male and female, and it considers that any blessing, whatever its type, for such relationships is a blessing for sin, and this is unacceptable.</span></b></li><li><b><span style="color: #990000;">Raising awareness of the danger of consanguineous marriage and the resulting disorders and disabilities in subsequent generations.</span></b></li><li>Activating the work of the development and social care offices in the dioceses and coordinating between them and the Development Partners Committee of the Coptic Orthodox Church through the bishopric of public and social services.</li><li>The need to pay attention to transforming families dependent on charity into productive, income-earning families, to ensure the education of their children, to benefit from the “Daughter of the King” project, and to provide them with a blessing bag that takes into account proper nutrition.</li><li>The need to add mental health topics to courses for those about to get married, as well as to service preparation meetings and youth meetings.</li><li>Establish family reconciliation committees before resorting to the seminary, consisting of: a priest, a legal advisor, a psychiatrist, and a women’s member.</li><li><b><span style="color: #990000;">Add a drug test to the tests required before engagement.</span></b></li><li>The importance of documenting marriage contracts with the ritual prayers for the wreath in the church.</li><li>Paying attention to teachers of Christian religious education in schools, conducting training courses for them, following them up spiritually, and arranging periodic meetings for them through a responsible priest in each diocese.</li><li>Collecting all books that have been translated from the Coptic heritage into other languages and new book releases for each diocese abroad in one site in order to share the benefit and avoid duplication of translation.</li><li>The Coptic Orthodox Church prays for the unity of the sister Orthodox Church in Ethiopia, and for peace and love to prevail among all. </li></ol><p></p></blockquote><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li></li></ol><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-4029917777614587802024-03-01T10:42:00.000-06:002024-03-01T10:42:04.079-06:00Antiochian Patriarchate still handling Met. Joseph situation<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYFdHLSGuaqO0VQWRcVEU7XRRYj6ATyR28Ud0kELDocmZWFdA1pbdF_5m9g9t4M2mVC2SFnNkj3OV9AN3_yKn6eDSQzo5qdcPuLYWx3hxi94Y_qOn1toyXp2hMjwCp7fHBvgn5JLPFOujVLwXQbTFPPqld3dOm7of2-ISPZNobl3Jjh0WcYKBapH9Rle_/s2048/417450770_800463712124053_259658504911542768_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1363" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioYFdHLSGuaqO0VQWRcVEU7XRRYj6ATyR28Ud0kELDocmZWFdA1pbdF_5m9g9t4M2mVC2SFnNkj3OV9AN3_yKn6eDSQzo5qdcPuLYWx3hxi94Y_qOn1toyXp2hMjwCp7fHBvgn5JLPFOujVLwXQbTFPPqld3dOm7of2-ISPZNobl3Jjh0WcYKBapH9Rle_/w400-h266/417450770_800463712124053_259658504911542768_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><blockquote>(<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Antiochpatriarchate.org/posts/pfbid02PmfSzijM3jJkZj5fu7WL1gH27ugXYNs7ULbckT2AxPxGiAoRmKWy3yGii24MUNaAl">Patriarchate of Antioch</a>) - The Synodal Committee formed by His Beatitude Patriarch JOHN X held a meeting to discuss the developments taking place in the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America. This committee consists of Metropolitans: Elias Audé (Beirut), Antonios Souri (Zahlé and Baalbek), Nicolas Baalbaki (Hama), and Athanasius Fahd (Latakia). </blockquote><blockquote>Its first meeting which took place in Balamand was chaired by His Beatitude and attended by the Metropolitans, members of the Committee. It examined the ecclesiastical transgressions committed by the former Metropolitan of the Archdiocese Joseph Zehlaoui. </blockquote><blockquote>It decided to hold several meetings for further investigation and deliberation, in order to prepare a detailed report to be submitted to the upcoming Holy Synod meeting on March 13, 2024, where the appropriate decision will be taken.</blockquote><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-13117657169780926872024-02-29T20:50:00.000-06:002024-02-29T20:50:04.952-06:00Orthodox-Catholic consultation issues marriage statement<p></p><blockquote><p>NEW YORK (<a href="https://www.assemblyofbishops.org/news/2024/ocdialogue-statement-annoucement-2024">Episcopal Assembly</a>) – Christians from the Orthodox and Catholic Churches in the United States and Canada have engaged in dialogue for more than a half-century. Most recently, the representatives from the two faith traditions, announced the publication of new agreed statement on marriage, <a href="https://www.assemblyofbishops.org/news/2024/ocdialogue-2024-marraige">The Pastoral Care of Mixed Marriages: Neither Yours nor Mine – but Ours</a>. The Theological Consultation is currently co-chaired by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, CSsR, the Archbishop of Newark, and Metropolitan Methodios of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston. The document was completed in Spring 2023 at a meeting hosted by St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto, Ontario. Like most dialogue-agreed statements, this document does not speak officially for either Church. However, it has been drafted by prominent theologians and circulated to those representing both traditions for prayerful reflection and discussion.</p><p>While commonalities exist between the two faith traditions, the Theological Consultation acknowledged that estrangement can often be seen when a Catholic and an Orthodox Christian enter into marriage. Instead of dividing the parties in a mixed marriage into “yours” and “mine,” the Consultation proposed that the parties begin with a joint solicitude for the spouses and embark on the pastoral care of each mixed marriage as “our” concern. Otherwise, they stated, the division often experienced is a painful reality for the mixed families. The new agreed statement on marriage addresses past understandings, further emphasizing the sacredness of all Christian marriage, the lifelong nature of matrimony, remarriage, the importance of the spiritual formation of children, and the need for shared and continuing pastoral care.</p><p>Differences in canonical practice between the Churches were acknowledged regarding the dissolution of the marital bond, as well as in their understanding of the constitutive elements necessary for its formation. An affirmation was made that, in both traditions, sacramental marriage takes place in an ecclesial context through the ministry of the Church. The Consultation made recommendations on the celebration of mixed marriages in both churches, the recognition of remarriage after divorce, joint pastoral care, mutual recognition of the married life in Christ, updating of pastoral materials, and the avoidance of indifferentism as well as spiritual confusion.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>The North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Consultation is sponsored jointly by the Committee for Ecumenical Relations of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, the Bishops’ Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Since its establishment in 1965, the Consultation has issued some 31 agreed statements on various topics, which may be found on the respective websites of the Assembly of Bishops, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Furthermore, as part of the ongoing dialogue on the American side, the Joint Committee of Orthodox and Catholic Bishops has been meeting annually since 1981 to discuss pastoral issues between the two churches. A summary of their work may be found here. An analogous initiative has also long existed in Canada.</p></blockquote><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A summary of the recommendations:</span></b></p><p></p><blockquote><p>1. <b><span style="color: #990000;">That for the present the Catholic party of the proposed marriage with an Orthodox be married with the Orthodox bishop or priest officiating, </span></b>after consultation by the partners with their pastors, and with an official dispensation, for the Catholic partner, from ecclesiastical form. <b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">What an interesting recommendation, acknowledging what Orthodoxy says about sacramental boundaries between us and what Catholicism holds.</span></i></b></p><p>2. That Orthodox hierarchs consider the extension of ecclesiastical economy to Orthodox parties in legal contractual unions that have been established through the exchange of matrimonial consent and made with the intention of a lifelong bond in the Catholic liturgical and canonical tradition. Such an economy would be extended solely to the Orthodox spouse for the purpose of his or her canonical standing in the Orthodox Church, reflected in continued eucharistic participation and subsequent sacraments offered in the life of the Church such as the ability to serve as godparent at a baptism or sponsor at a wedding, and full participation in parish ministry life, including serving on the parish council. <b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">This is of course not the present practice. Currently, if I had an Orthodox spouse who married outside the Church, they would not be permitted to be a godparent/sponsor.</span></i></b></p><p>3. That Catholic hierarchs seek ways to receive the pastoral decisions of Orthodox spiritual courts and hierarchs and not only recognize, with the Orthodox hierarchy, the remarriages, in some carefully examined cases, of divorced spouses in mixed marriages, but also allow such divorced and remarried Catholic parties, in marriages with Orthodox Christians, eucharistic participation in the Catholic Church. <b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Can't see how most Catholics would accept this one.</span></i></b></p><p>4. That both churches exercise their responsibilities for the pastoral care of spouses and their children in mixed marriages jointly in a spirit of love and mutual respect. <b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Easier said than done.</span></i></b></p><p>5. That the spouses of a mixed marriage have a mutual recognition of their shared life in Christ and their assistance of each other on the way towards salvation as a foundation of their marital unity.</p><p>6. That materials for Christian marriage and family life be updated and jointly developed, both for the guidance of the clergy and for the use of the people involved in Orthodox-Catholic marriages.</p><p>7. That these materials accurately reflect both the pastoral preparation and the decision-making required prior to any wedding to avoid indifferentism and spiritual confusion.</p></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-81245532643972895402024-02-22T13:27:00.004-06:002024-02-22T13:27:42.209-06:00Church of Crete adds some checks on baptisms<p></p><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://orthodoxtimes.com/the-church-of-crete-implements-stricter-conditions-for-baptisms/">Orthodox Times</a>) - In a recent encyclical published on February 9, 2024, the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Church of Crete has announced stringent conditions for the celebration of the sacrament of baptism.</p><p>According to the encyclical, baptisms will now require prior “approval” from the Archdiocese of Crete or the relevant Metropolis.</p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">The encyclical outlines specific requirements for parents seeking baptism for their children. They must provide “required” supporting documents, including a “solemn declaration” affirming that the contractor performing the baptism is an Orthodox Christian. Additionally, if one or both parents are married, they must have undergone a religious marriage ceremony. The encyclical stipulates that the solemn declaration must be certified for the authenticity of the signature.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">Notably, the encyclical expressly prohibits the baptism of children born to parents who have only undergone a civil marriage ceremony, without a religious one.</span></b></p><p>These new measures reflect the Church of Crete’s commitment to upholding Orthodox Christian traditions and values in the sacrament of baptism.</p></blockquote><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-2764344121754520502024-02-20T09:07:00.001-06:002024-02-20T09:07:11.375-06:00Prayers for Abp. Nathaniel of Detroit & the Romanians<p></p><blockquote><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHjc-db69cby2vQ3_Lc3CInBNwP9Pr-dy1tVy1t3IGhHFQIY0wKmZO0X1qJSmnM6QcHC4Lq0crBvIIFfLfE99grE8hTnlkosA5pyN-IX6VgKbXmIZ3uy9CCDxhxqq14MFUZEf2-68Y7AQvoZHOX_fse1aOBJM6UTY0DAa9tH2QIDHTn_20iUJDyIKph3Q/s960/nathaniel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="640" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikHjc-db69cby2vQ3_Lc3CInBNwP9Pr-dy1tVy1t3IGhHFQIY0wKmZO0X1qJSmnM6QcHC4Lq0crBvIIFfLfE99grE8hTnlkosA5pyN-IX6VgKbXmIZ3uy9CCDxhxqq14MFUZEf2-68Y7AQvoZHOX_fse1aOBJM6UTY0DAa9tH2QIDHTn_20iUJDyIKph3Q/s320/nathaniel.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>(<a href="https://www.oca.org/news/headline-news/prayers-requested-for-archbishop-nathaniel">OCA</a>) - The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America has accepted His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel’s request for a medical leave of absence from his archpastoral duties as he deals with serious health complications. His Eminence went into heart surgery at 11:30 AM on February 15, 2024 and will need a long period of rest to recover and recuperate.<p></p><p>His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon has appointed His Grace Bishop Andrei as the administrator of the Romanian Episcopate, effective February 15, 2024, for the duration of His Eminence’s recovery.</p><p>Please pray for the health and swift recovery of Archbishop Nathaniel. Cards and other correspondence can be sent to the Chancery of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America:</p><p>PO Box 309</p><p>Grass Lake, MI 49240-0309</p></blockquote><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-20280918549291991682024-02-20T09:00:00.000-06:002024-02-20T09:00:00.579-06:00Orthodox Church in Guatemala: a new era<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIWssyVulo390eLsj8HEiflRNiO5eQ7E60eZRNiKU94RmSETxrcuV53sbSuDNqpNkCteB97LkpZ-t0kotvDGGNMDnXGm3Q6V5pJBnVKirQ3C3cayMe4uRdKuv-aoBOAq_eg2K32RDTYbQADpSsqVJcSe7ZQCxsNXetaZNUFetdSa7SuyW9JQD2RgrMs2Q/s1600/BE11A99F-03C7-4231-A3E1-9A9D4D7A3461.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="More than THREE THOUSAND attendees" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIWssyVulo390eLsj8HEiflRNiO5eQ7E60eZRNiKU94RmSETxrcuV53sbSuDNqpNkCteB97LkpZ-t0kotvDGGNMDnXGm3Q6V5pJBnVKirQ3C3cayMe4uRdKuv-aoBOAq_eg2K32RDTYbQADpSsqVJcSe7ZQCxsNXetaZNUFetdSa7SuyW9JQD2RgrMs2Q/s16000/BE11A99F-03C7-4231-A3E1-9A9D4D7A3461.jpeg" title="More than THREE THOUSAND attendees" width="590" /></a></div><br /><p></p><blockquote>(<a href="https://www.thewordfromguatemala.com/2024/02/20/new-era-begins-for-orthodox-church-in-guatemala/">Word from Guatemala</a>) - The Orthodox Church in Guatemala began a new era in its short history with the blessing of its newly completed Seminary/Mission Center in Huehuetenango, that will serve the spiritual, educational and administrative needs of the faithful. </blockquote><blockquote>The project, which began some two years ago under the direction of Archimandrite Evangelos Patá, counted on the support of the Orthodox Mission Center, many generous donors and hundreds of volunteers from the church’s many villages throughout Guatemala. The moment was made all the more poignant with the announcement of the retirement of their beloved archpastor – His Eminence Archbishop Athenagoras, who tearfully bade farewell to the faithful. With great nostalgia, he also invoked the memory of Father Andres Giron, a fierce advocate for the rights of the indigenous people and charismatic spiritual leader to his beloved flock, shepherding it into the embrace of the Orthodox Church. </blockquote><blockquote>The <b><span style="color: #990000; font-size: medium;">more than 3000 in attendance</span></b>, together with the dedicated Guatemalan Clergy, His Grace Bishop Timoteo from Columbia, OCMC missionaries and San Andres seminarians, sensed the presence of the Holy Spirit, not only throughout the Divine Liturgy, but also during the blessing of the new facility which followed. The palpable joy that filled this day reflected the vibrant Christian faith of the long suffering Mayan people who endured much throughout their tragic history, but never lost hope. May this new beginning be for them a lasting renewal of their life in Christ and a stepping stone to a blessed and glorious future for generations to come.</blockquote><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-61079775028352418192024-02-20T08:54:00.005-06:002024-02-20T08:54:46.165-06:00When patriarchs defrock outside of their jurisdictions<p>We keep seeing these defrocks and "re-frockings" in contested locales often in recent years (Asia, Western Europe, the US). It's confusing to the people, looks silly to the outside world, and is often more petty than proper.</p><hr /><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://orthochristian.com/158739.html">Orthochristian</a>) The Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Alexandria ruled on Friday, February 16, to defrock the Russian Orthodox Church’s second African Exarch.</p><p>After an extensive discussion on “the issue of the Russian Church’s encroachment on the spiritual and pastoral jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Alexandria on the African continent,” the Holy Synod resolved to defrock His Grace Bishop Konstantin of Zaraisk, according to the Synodal report published by Romfea.</p><p>The report states that Bp. Konstantin, who was appointed acting Patriarchal Exarch of Africa by the Russian Holy Synod on October 11, had settled for some time in Cairo, on the territory of the Archdiocese of Alexandria, where he committed a series of canonical offenses, including “encroachment on the jurisdiction of an ancient throne, distribution of antimensia, buying off native clergy, even defrocked clergy, factionalism, ethno-phyletism, etc.”</p><p>Bp. Konstantin commented simply: “The fact of the matter is that I am a bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church. I am subordinate to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia as his vicar and to the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church as any of its bishops.”</p><p>Recall that the Alexandrian Synod ruled to defrock the first African Exarch, Metropolitan Leonid of Klin, in November 2022 for the same offenses, though the Russian Church formally rejects this decision. However, he was recently released from all his positions by the Russian Synod and awaits ecclesiastical trial for irregularities connected with his release from the All Saints Church in Moscow that serves as the headquarters for the Exarchate and the handing over of control to his successor.</p><p>In February 2022, the Alexandrian Synod also ruled to defrock Archpriests George Maximov and Andrei Novikov, the two most active priests of the Russian Exarchate in Africa.</p></blockquote><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-39235126871717183752024-02-12T15:31:00.004-06:002024-02-12T15:31:39.545-06:00The Holy Mountain - An Orthodox Pilgrimage <iframe width="600" height="334" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/4G7E64n7Dzo?si=p0pwdjW_OU9KMVRJ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-26160429130588891852024-02-07T14:02:00.001-06:002024-02-07T14:02:11.610-06:00Blessing of antimins at ROCOR cathedral<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUpGZvbltwQ_FWoy7YMrJwBHuHec3QBi3A7Y5UzfKRtZzNva2y4s2XARGw4qM1eow56ldwgWGeHDKtLUukg2mpdl3GEJS1IWbjOcez1ib89Hcs7Bqd6JHm5uCpr4s-P8MGYPkj-58I8yaVv0qlNpxrvx7LedSGO_fUL8El2bSxEZeRdzLA4D8wbK3CDiti" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="1064" data-original-width="1600" width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUpGZvbltwQ_FWoy7YMrJwBHuHec3QBi3A7Y5UzfKRtZzNva2y4s2XARGw4qM1eow56ldwgWGeHDKtLUukg2mpdl3GEJS1IWbjOcez1ib89Hcs7Bqd6JHm5uCpr4s-P8MGYPkj-58I8yaVv0qlNpxrvx7LedSGO_fUL8El2bSxEZeRdzLA4D8wbK3CDiti=s16000" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-63502386199406475662024-02-07T11:18:00.000-06:002024-02-07T11:18:14.932-06:00Orthodox Christian Homeschooling: Myths and Benefits<p>It's hard to imagine a more supportive jurisdiction for homeschooling than the Antiochian archdiocese. They are often the best place to go for resources, conferences, and the like. I'd recommend that parents who aren't sure if they want to homeschool to engage in this resource and consider going to the next Homeschooling Conference at the Antiochian Village in PA.</p><hr /><p></p><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/1930">antiochian.org</a>) - Help us help you! Survey for homeschooling families</p><p>Despite homeschooling's meteoric rise in the past few years, many myths about homeschooling persist in mainstream thought. In some ways, perhaps the myths have only grown, as many families were introduced to a very particular, narrow version of schooling at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. In reality, homeschooling is a varied and multi-faceted little universe! </p><p>Whether you are interested--but hesitant--about homeschooling, have family members or friends exploring homeschooling, or think homeschooling is just plain crazy, we hope this information will offer you food for thought. Did you know that the Antiochian Archdiocese has a Department of Homeschooling? If you have questions or would like to talk about any of the information provided here, please email the Saint Emmelia Ministries office at: <a href="mailto:office@saintemmelia.com">office@saintemmelia.com</a>. (View the Department's introductory <a href="https://antiochianprodsa.blob.core.windows.net/websiteattachments/Why%20Homeschool%20Video.mp4">video</a>, Why Homeschool?) </p><p><b>Homeschooling Myths</b></p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Homeschoolers cannot succeed in college or in the workforce. </b>By the numbers: Homeschoolers have an average standardized test score of 87th percentile, compared to public schoolers in the 50th percentile. 66.7% of homeschooled students graduate college, 10% higher than public school students. College students who were homeschooled earn higher first-year and fourth-year GPAs when controlling for demographic, pre-college, engagement, and first-term academic factors. <b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Here's the deal. The modern school system is built to accommodate working parents and not children. You need nothing like eight hours of instruction to match with what your child is doing at school. At the same time, you have to be consistent and intentional. It's a trivial thing to be better than most schools at educating your children, but you can also put out little effort and your child will not learn. The rewards are great but the safety net of public school minimum standards for matriculation is gone, too.</span></i></b></li><li><b>Homeschoolers are all socially awkward.</b> While it is difficult to qualify what "socially awkward" means, 87% of peer-reviewed studies on social, emotional, and psychological development show homeschool students perform statistically significantly better than those in conventional schools[4]. Additionally, homeschool students self-report a high level of comfort interacting with people from all age groups. Ask a librarian, museum docent, etc. their experiences working with homeschool students–they will almost certainly say that homeschoolers tend to be polite, well-behaved, and curious. <i><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">School students are very accustomed to associating only with kids in their grades. As a result, the idea of being in 5th grade and talking to a 7th grader is unthinkable. Homeschoolers are a bit precocious here; they'll talk to adults as readily as a two-year-old. This can seem awkward, but they more defy being hemmed in by age distinction than anything else. All that said, and to be fair, school children can spot a homeschooled child from a thousand paces.</span></b></i></li><li><b>Homeschool parents are unqualified to teach their children. </b>Parents' education level statistically makes no impact on the success rates of their children. There are multiple factors that contribute to this: typically, homeschool parents are driven to provide their children with an excellent education; there are many wonderful curriculum options, and homeschool families know how to make use of the resources available to them! <b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">There are so many resources out there that you could offload a lot of this elsewhere. Or if you want to do certain classes that way. I recommend the S<a href="https://saaot.edu/">t. Athanasius Academy</a> and the <a href="https://www.clrconline.com">CLRC</a>.</span></i></b></li><li><b>Families homeschool so that they can brainwash their children. </b>While it is true that many families homeschool so that they can cultivate their values in their children, that is rarely the only goal (and it is a very different goal from "brainwashing"!). In fact, the number one reason 80% of polled families homeschool is to protect their children from unsafe environments and negative peer pressure; for 61% it is to offer their children a higher quality education. Homeschooling is not a defensive reaction; it is a positive, proactive step; not an emergency, but rather a difficult, but treasured calling. <b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">If anyone is brainwashing anyone, it's not parents.</span></i></b></li><li><b>The only people who homeschool are rich, white, religious fundies. </b>Homeschooling is far from homogenous. Not only do families homeschool according to a variety of methods and belief systems (everything from Classical Liberal Arts to Charlotte Mason to Montessori to Waldorf), but homeschooling families across the political and religious spectrums are choosing to homeschool. The vast majority of homeschoolers are lower middle class (which makes sense, considering most homeschool families are single income), and 17-26% of homeschool families are Hispanic, 6-8% are black, and 2-3% are AAPI, 4-6% identified as other (29-41% of all homeschool families). This falls roughly along the lines of the national race demographics (59.3% white, 18.9% Latino, 12.6% black, 5.9% AAPI, 3.7% other). <b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Fundamentalist is just another term for saying they are religious and actually meaning it. It's a convenient derogatory term to dismiss or revile someone. Also, it costs less to homeschool a child than to send them off to school. </span></i></b></li><li><b>Homeschooling hurts public schools. </b>While homeschool families support the public schools via taxes, homeschoolers receive no tax breaks or special government support. When families choose to homeschool their children, they free up resources (especially teacher time and energy!) for other students. In fact, homeschooling saved taxpayers 51 billion in 2021-2022. </li><li><b>Homeschoolers miss out on extracurricular and other opportunities.</b> 98% of homeschoolers participate in an average of 5 extracurricular activities per week. Additionally, not being tied to a traditional school day allows students to take part in internships, apprenticeships, and other skill-strengthening activities. The flexibility of homeschooling gives students an opportunity to explore a range of interests to figure out what they are passionate about. <b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Every state/school district is different. Some will let your children do sports, some will not. But often the highest level athletes are homeschooled. Regardless, you can fill up every waking hour with activities or do none. Up to you.</span></i></b></li></ol><p></p><p>Like any group of people, homeschoolers are not a monolith: their experiences, interests, and other traits run the gamut of every possible human experience, interest, and trait. The only thing that just about every homeschool family shares is that the recognition that the greatest responsibility for their children's education rests on their shoulders. And what a joyful responsibility it is...</p></blockquote><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Complete article <a href="https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/1930">here</a>.</span></b></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-22297058576930693192024-02-01T09:28:00.003-06:002024-02-01T09:28:28.561-06:00ROCOR reminds clergy that seminaries exist<p></p><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://www.hts.edu/news_240117_1">HTS</a>) - In that 2023 was the 75th anniversary year of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Jordanville, NY, the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR, in a meeting of the Synod during September, 2023, discussed encouraging ROCOR clergy who do not have and formal theological formation/training to look to pursue this.</p><p>The following is an excerpt from the ROCOR Synod meeting on September 6, 2023:</p><p>“During the meeting of the Synod of Bishops which occurred on August 24/September 6, 2023, the bishops heard the request of Protodeacon Andrei Psarev to remind the clergy (of ROCOR) who do not have formal theological formation how they may receive such training.</p><p>The decision was made to remind the clergy who do not have theological formation, and wish to receive it, to inform them how (and where) to apply to study online, including at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary or the Pastoral of School of Chicago and Mid-America.</p><p>Metropolitan Nicholas, First Hierarch of ROCOR</p><p>Archbishop Kyrill, Secretary of the Synod of Bishops”</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>For those interested in enrolling at Holy Trinity Seminary, visit our website at <a href="https://hts.edu/admissionsrequirements">https://hts.edu/admissionsrequirements</a></li><li>For the Certificate in Theological Studies (CTS – Independent Study) Program in particular, visit the website at: <a href="https://hts.edu/certificateintheologicalstudies">https://hts.edu/certificateintheologicalstudies</a></li></ul><p></p></blockquote><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-11688898875062833142024-01-31T17:43:00.004-06:002024-01-31T17:43:36.463-06:00Ancient Faith investigates deaconesses<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/3x8Iw7RCtoI?si=2QiUZUryZkqafdGw" title="YouTube video player" width="600"></iframe>
<p>Some weeks ago Ancient Faith was going to have a chat with a proponent of deaconesses in the Orthodox Church. I commented on it elsewhere (X) and, my goodness, did it raise a ruckus. AFR got punched in the nose both for the proposed talk by opponents and by proponents for eventually pulling out of the talk. There was a general distrust in what was going to be broadcast and people let them know about it. It got quite personal and not a little destructive, but I didn't see much sign that it was AFR's intent to subvert traditional orthodoxy and inaugurate some great feminizing Council of Portland that would forever change the Church. But, where things like this are on the table, people are going to respond viscerally.</p><p>They later <a href="https://byztex.blogspot.com/2024/01/afr-to-host-important-panel-on.html">announced</a> a reformulated discussion with a very much expanded production. It became a 10-hour documentary which brought John Maddex out of retirement and involved interviews with fourteen people (clergy and theologians). Last night they hosted a two and a half hour preview of that documentary with some commentary by Mr. Maddex and Fr. Tom Soroka between segments. It finished with some call-in questions and a chat with Fr. John Whiteford before the episode ended.</p><p>I listened to it while I put kids to bed, tried unsuccessfully to move the dog off the couch, debated a grocery shopping list, and extemporaneously summarized it for my wife who had enough interest to want such a précis but not enough patience to endure the entire 180 minute event. It allowed both "sides" of the argument to speak. And, with a very active YouTube live chat, was much like reading the comments on a political debate with a mix of zingers, insults, and careful parsing of the issue. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfz-7psxNkXqWm2AV0S0PJp9BKuXDZCn93ok01k-aUPuR9H5SFjeSb4jHwsblccu5r0FNDcrsYOpn2PH-SigkBPTwLnBzALH7OIFLZ6uh_3ZYmxp21L1AWbQrGYs_k_4cmrxw86T-Pm-gKRR9ZC7AnuI5gDlbgZY0DlcPZ_4Goz3YPjGtZpxfRnBa13vQZ/s1024/moviereview2-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="1024" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfz-7psxNkXqWm2AV0S0PJp9BKuXDZCn93ok01k-aUPuR9H5SFjeSb4jHwsblccu5r0FNDcrsYOpn2PH-SigkBPTwLnBzALH7OIFLZ6uh_3ZYmxp21L1AWbQrGYs_k_4cmrxw86T-Pm-gKRR9ZC7AnuI5gDlbgZY0DlcPZ_4Goz3YPjGtZpxfRnBa13vQZ/s320/moviereview2-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The primary complaint was that by even bringing up the topic Ancient Faith was giving an alien presence purchase on the Body of Christ (pictured right; see <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5442430/?ref_=vp_close">Life</a> for cinematic treatment). I think if the current deaconess movement were not receiving some jurisdictional, financial, and academic backing this might be true. And there were also several (lightly attended) Zoom events and a conference as well in the mix putting the idea out into the world. In this case I don't believe engaging with the topic strengthened it at all. The more people heard, the more entrenched those in the live chat seemed to become in their positions. This might be a situation where daylight served as cleansing treatment on the topic.<p></p><p>The YouTube event touched on the historical deaconess role, what the church has been discussing on the topic in recent councils, what is being demanded by proponents, and what would happen if some or all jurisdictions brought in this role in any of the proposed forms. There was not agreement in what the historical role was. There was not agreement on what shape the "revitalized" form would take. There was not agreement on a safe way to roll this out should a bishop or synod choose to do so.</p><p>I could summarize this thing for pages, but I do encourage you to listen to it all the way through. Fight the urge to fast forward through some people. For me it was worth hearing how strong some positions were and comforting to see how weak others were. You also learned where things might go next, which might prove helpful at a future coffee hour discussion on the topic.</p><p>Did you listen? What were your thoughts?</p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-82055086904750826732024-01-31T14:40:00.001-06:002024-01-31T14:40:11.558-06:00When to baptize and who?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOVnNksHMTd-odJjdhf6mtNP7_QSM5CJ15U0Jpm_K3cuBYa-goZtz440mcQV7WM6QG4tC5azcS7l7YspX6fbUxl3cE2PvdAIQrlPwT6ha0AymtkMXdVnQXn4IaeeDtKB43SOmNdU_Zus8YRbGP9tQC_QHkKdY-KIGhWhH5R7I8zMFSsIPQuvxlIBdh4_1/s800/How-to-make-sure-you-re-buying-the-right-pony-for-your-child.jpg" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="552" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcOVnNksHMTd-odJjdhf6mtNP7_QSM5CJ15U0Jpm_K3cuBYa-goZtz440mcQV7WM6QG4tC5azcS7l7YspX6fbUxl3cE2PvdAIQrlPwT6ha0AymtkMXdVnQXn4IaeeDtKB43SOmNdU_Zus8YRbGP9tQC_QHkKdY-KIGhWhH5R7I8zMFSsIPQuvxlIBdh4_1/s16000/How-to-make-sure-you-re-buying-the-right-pony-for-your-child.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><p>Baptism is a good thing. It is in fact the greatest thing. But, as with everything, along with the benefits you also have responsibilities. If I give my daughter a pony, she is immediately happy to have him. She names him, she pets him, she wants to go on a ride. She is less enamored with the idea when it comes time to muck his stall, feed him in the morning and evening, get back on when she's knocked off, or take riding lessons in the rain. I, as a parent, would not have bought the pony if I didn't believe she'd ever care for him or enjoy his company. But such is owning an animal that you own the delights and the obligations.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGVmBXvbn4KdOBIg-2yjqvCfUO7mGCHpOCKtZnyK0aRZ4naLuMiA516tMRLw7zTRuOxYPW_36Owg34sa9BvPi1NBwMBRoXNjgEKJCEtx3MVx0X9yx4ErocA4yvSAwfWxuz0NzN65eRFX_ZtndZx8dlAgeVO30jWhQfQOBTIlPKqp4GEldxKryECLr8iXS/s3000/94921667_original.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2186" data-original-width="3000" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEGVmBXvbn4KdOBIg-2yjqvCfUO7mGCHpOCKtZnyK0aRZ4naLuMiA516tMRLw7zTRuOxYPW_36Owg34sa9BvPi1NBwMBRoXNjgEKJCEtx3MVx0X9yx4ErocA4yvSAwfWxuz0NzN65eRFX_ZtndZx8dlAgeVO30jWhQfQOBTIlPKqp4GEldxKryECLr8iXS/w320-h233/94921667_original.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In the same way Christ was clear, in speaking of the life of the Christian, that he is obliged to keep His commandments. In fact, it is a visible sign of our love for Him. A child raised completely ignorant of what those promises made at his baptism were is thus imperiled. Imagine a young Congolese boy who has no understanding of English nor of American sports being teleported across the globe without pads into a game in the NFL. How would he fare? Poorly and painfully we might expect. In the same way, when we baptize children who have parents and family with no church participation, with godparents chosen for familiarity over piety, and a situation where all concerned are not only ignorant of the Christian way but are often hostile to it, we are transporting him into that football game and should expect the bruising ramifications of our actions.<p></p><p>I am reminded of a baptism I did where after having a discussion with the parents about godparents and their role that I received confirmation of their ability to be sponsors and their desire to be such. Imagine my chagrin when it was time to recite the creed and neither one seemed to have ever hear it before and one of them pronounced Pontius Pilate (ˈpɒnʃəs pɪˈlɑːtiːz) so that one might assume the governor was a devotee of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilates">Contrology exercise routines</a>.</p><p>The question many have is: "Is it better to baptize a child of a non-Orthodox background as if he were going to be in an Orthodox family because baptisms are good and there's a chance he might one day find his way to the church?"</p><p>If we immerse a child in the waters of Jordan and then know he will immediately jump out of those waters (or more precisely be cast out by the circumstances of his heterodox environment), have we thrown a fish out of water a la Nemo and just hoped he'll find his way back? We have all seen a fish struggling to breathe in a boar or pier. We have all probably taken a goldfish home when we were children. Did any of us just let the fish die because we had no plan to put it in a fishbowl, to feed it, or keep it away from the family cat?</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueHnhX2sNgsWqf1nA8vpV7T260ZaFY-RoloLFfYcnFBBxSl4xqnvYwUMTWKSotjKhx4DJYA9s-DUELlNp_JRDn9lBkvj2-TgP9fMdSjUI7-ff-TbyFkpdiPKbFypfaEsMOVC8K6bWdNPGb_Uz_AWyCEbBHrs3V1U4xl39E6GHkGgGRfsf8EZoIxhf-dxa/s660/nemo.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="373" data-original-width="660" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhueHnhX2sNgsWqf1nA8vpV7T260ZaFY-RoloLFfYcnFBBxSl4xqnvYwUMTWKSotjKhx4DJYA9s-DUELlNp_JRDn9lBkvj2-TgP9fMdSjUI7-ff-TbyFkpdiPKbFypfaEsMOVC8K6bWdNPGb_Uz_AWyCEbBHrs3V1U4xl39E6GHkGgGRfsf8EZoIxhf-dxa/w400-h226/nemo.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div>Optimally, a baptism is an opportunity for the parents, godparents, et al. to be called to account for their behavior. It's a chance for them to reflect on THEIR baptismal promise and find conversion. In fact, I think for proponents of these irregular baptisms, that is what they imagine will happen. Sadly, it often has the opposite effect.<div><br /></div><div>Imagine two friends go off to college. One friend works hard, studies incessantly, and comes out of the experience in some debt, but equipped for her next phase in life. Her friend picks one of those novel majors akin to underwater basket weaving and walks across the stage having spent more time in fraternity houses than classrooms. For her college was "stupid," her friend "wasted her time" in school not partying enough, and she is looking for ways to continue her profligate lifestyle into her twenties and beyond. Who values college more? Who will recommend it more? Who will be a better example of what college can do for a young person?<p></p><p>So, if we transfer that dichotomy to a church setting we find a similar divide. One family attends church regularly, prays as a family, and celebrates the feasts as a family. The other does none of those things. Both of them attend a baptism. The former considers the event to be one of the high points of their lives. The latter asks for the third time "how long is this thing again." The family who elevates God in their lives elevates the sacrament as a means of connection to God and His grace. The other finds the event silly and wonders if this is going to hold up brunch so that they'll miss the limitless mimosas deal they have going on at the reception restaurant. One comes out finding even more heavenly treasure from the Body of Christ and the other wonders why there's no free wifi. </p><p>The American Church has no idea what to do here. Jurisdiction to jurisdiction, parish to parish, we take each situation as a unique one and act in contradictory ways just miles apart from one another. And without an official approach we struggle to reinvent the wheel daily. It doesn't have to be that way and yet it is. I wonder if the answer will come from far distant patriarchates or from our own hierarchs. I suspect things will percolate for years until we fumble into a rough consensus on the matter.</p><hr /><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://orthochristian.com/158372.html">Orthochristian</a>) - <b><span style="color: #990000;">The children of gay couples should be baptized when they’re older and have expressed a desire to receive the Sacrament, believes the Archbishop of Athens.</span></b></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">The issue has been a hot topic in the Orthodox world since Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America baptized the children of a celebrity gay couple in the summer of 2022. One of the men praised the Archbishop for serving what he called “the first openly gay baptism in the Greek Orthodox Church,” though it became a scandal in Greece where the Baptism was celebrated. The Greek Synod even sent letters of protest to Abp. Elpidophoros and Pat. Bartholomew.</span></b></p><p>The issue resurfaced earlier this month when the abbots and representatives of the 20 monasteries of Mt. Athos expressed their concern about the public spectacle surrounding the Baptism that gave the impression that the Church approves of gay marriage. They also unanimously voted not to accord Abp. Elpidophoros the typical hierarchical greeting in Karyes during his recent visit to Mt. Athos.</p><p>Following his pilgrimage, Abp. Elpidophoros visited Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens yesterday. Answering a journalist’s question about the Baptism of children of gay couples, the Greek primate said it should be delayed, reports Romfea:<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p><i><b><span style="color: #990000;">We must return again to tradition. If Baptism takes place at an early age for children, it’s because the Church had the sense that the child would grow up in an environment of Christian principles. </span></b>Therefore, no catechism was needed, because it was done within his environment. Now that things are changing, we’re not against children. We love children and care more about them than anyone else. <b><span style="color: #990000;">The Church will wait for these children to reach a certain age and when they grow up and wish to be baptized, they will be baptized.</span></b></i></p><p>Responding to the same question, Abp. Elpidophoros said: “I have nothing to add—His Beatitude said it all.”</p><p>Another Greek hierarch, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia, was quick to point out that this is the personal opinion of Abp. Ieronymos, as the Greek Church has yet to formulate its view:</p><p><i>The proposal of Abp. Ieronymos of Athens regarding the non-Baptism of infants adopted by same-sex couples is his personal opinion, which does not reflect the position of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece, which is awaiting the recommendation of the Synodal Committee on Canonical and Dogmatic Issues, as decided in the meeting of January 23, 2024.</i></p><p><b><span style="color: #990000;">“The Archbishop of America’s agreement on the issue is contradicted by his actual action of baptizing infants adopted by a same-sex couple in Glyfada,” Met. Chrysostomos added.</span></b></p><p>It would be a peculiar canonical penalty against the children to not baptize them because of the sins of their parents, the Metropolitan argued.</p></blockquote><p></p></div>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-2534462821235439952024-01-31T12:52:00.000-06:002024-01-31T12:52:51.134-06:00Alexandria, Crete, & Constantinople on same-sex relationships<p></p><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://orthodoxtimes.com/patriarch-of-alexandria-on-mariage-of-same-sex-couples-church-is-a-haven-of-love-not-a-court/">Orthodox Times</a>) - On Sunday, January 28, Pope and Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Missionary Spiritual Center of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa in Rodia, Crete.</p><p>After concluding the Divine Liturgy, the Patriarch was asked about the impending legislation regarding civil marriage and adoption by same-sex couples, set to be submitted to the Greek Parliament. In response, he reflected on the inclusive message of Christ, emphasizing, “I came into the world to save every man, sinner, tax collector, Pharisee, prostitutes, poor people.”</p><p>Expressing a desire for everyone’s happiness regardless of their chosen path, he refrained from criticism or personal opinion, urging consideration for the well-being of the children involved. Emphasizing the Church as a haven of love rather than a court, he concluded, “If they have chosen this path, the Church will continue to love and await them.”</p></blockquote><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">And also...</span></b></p><p></p><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://orthochristian.com/158214.html">Orthochristian</a>) - The Greek government is moving ahead with its plans to legalize gay marriage and adoption. Stefanos Kasselakis, the openly gay banker and head of the radical left Syriza party, pledged the votes of his party members earlier this month.</p><p>A number of hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Greece have spoken out individually against the initiative, and the Holy Synod adopted a statement in December, preceded a few days by a statement from the Sacred Community of Mt. Athos.<span></span></p><a name='more'></a><p></p><p>Yesterday, the Eparchial Synod of Crete issued its own statement. Though Crete is part of Greece, the Church there falls under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and is administered separately from the Greek Holy Synod.</p><p>The statement emphasizes that the Church preaches the timeless Divine truth that marriage is between a man and a woman, and warns that gay marriage is detrimental for the children of such “marriages.”</p><p>The Synod’s statement reads in full:</p><p><i>The Holy Eparchial Synod of the Church of Crete, according to the Holy Gospel, the Holy Tradition, and the Sacred Canons, which define the teaching of the Orthodox Church regarding the discussed issue of the so-called “marriage” between persons of the same sex, declares the following: Marriage for the Orthodox Church is a sacred Mystery, as a psychosomatic union between a man and a woman, aimed at their sanctification and is related to the relationship of Christ and the Church.</i></p><p><i>This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church (Eph. 5:32).</i></p><p><i>The components of the institution of the family are directly connected with the distinct patterns of the father and the mother, as confirmed by the Divine commandment: Honor thy father and mother (Ex. 20:12), and thus, the child is in reference to them.</i></p><p><i>Any neutral determination of these relationships dissolves the natural institution of the family, bringing out novel social institutions in the name of a unilateral and minority “entitlement.”</i></p><p><i>The call for equality in marriage of heterosexual and homosexual couples and by extension the same right to adoption disregards the fundamental rights of children to be raised and formed in a family environment that does not cause confusion regarding parental identity.</i></p><p><i>The argument that the establishment of civil marriage for same-sex couples and the consequent de jure establishment of the right to adoption is imposed either by international treaties and constitutional charters, or by union law, or by the current constitution of Greece is not valid.</i></p><p><i>Therefore, it is up to each state, according to its cultural and social identity and its culture of values, to freely legislate or not on this issue.</i></p><p><i>And this is observed in the countries of the European Union, where there is no homogeneous regulation, but within the framework of multiculturalism, there are intense differences.</i></p><p><i>It is quite puzzling, however, why many supporters of same-sex “marriage” invoke Western European values and European institutions when in most other cases they denounce them.</i></p><p><i>The Orthodox Church expresses its timeless truth, which is not shaped by current conditions. It respects the person and the choices of each individual and rejects no one.</i></p><p><i>This does not mean, however, that every entitlement and every social phenomenon must be esteemed and established as an institution.</i></p><p><i>The only competent legislating authorities are the government and parliament of the Greeks. However, the Church, like every citizen, has the constitutional right to freely express their position.</i></p></blockquote><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>And also...</b></span></p><p></p><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://orthochristian.com/158350.html">Orthochristian</a>) - The Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople weighed in today on the gay marriage and adoption controversy currently raging in Greece.</p><p>Constantinople has dozens of dioceses in Greece, including those on the island of Crete, whose Eparchial Synod also issued a statement last week. The hierarchs of the Church of Greece also unanimously voted against gay marriage and adoption on Tuesday.</p><p>And yesterday, the Synod of Constantinople reiterated the Church’s stance against gay marriage. Its communiqué reads:</p><p><i>The Holy and Sacred Synod, convening under the presidency of His All-Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch in its regular session today, Wednesday, January 24, 2024, reminds the pious flock of the All-Holy Ecumenical Throne, in the discussion regarding the establishment of marriage between individuals of the same sex and regarding adoption in Greece, of the binding decision of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church (Crete, June 2016), that “The Church does not allow for her members to contract same-sex unions or any other form of cohabitation apart from marriage,” as “the union of man and woman in Christ,” which “constitutes ‘a small church; or an icon of the Church” (“The Sacrament of Marriage and Its Impediments,” 1.10 and 4).</i></p><p><i>It is noted at the same time that members of the Church who enter into such forms of cohabitation must be treated with pastoral responsibility and love in Christ.</i></p><p>Meanwhile, government representatives in Greece have made it clear that they intend to legalize gay marriage and adoption regardless of the voice of the Church.</p></blockquote><p></p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-53174333984385009032024-01-18T15:34:00.003-06:002024-01-18T15:34:28.688-06:00A worthy apology<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="334" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/kOsCPhItY8c?si=N-_fqec3ai9QHvre" title="YouTube video player" width="600"></iframe>
<p>Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos issued an apology for his participation in the Hindu celebration discussed <a href="https://byztex.blogspot.com/2024/01/you-cannot-drink-cup-of-lord-and-cup-of.html">here</a>. As I said elsewhere online, I was quite surprised to see such a heartfelt and unreserved apology. It wasn't couched in words akin to "I'm sorry you feel that way," it was done publicly, and it was also quite clear. I struggle to think of any other hierarch apologizing for anything in the last few years; to this day no one has apologized for the craven response to COVID, for example. </p><p>Also, let me say that some have taken exception to me singling out the Greek Archdiocese in some way. As if I let the Russian Church do whatever it wants, but hold the GOA to a different standard. To that, let me say two things. First, this blog is replete with articles on the topic of ecumenism by all sides. Second, the Russian Church - when it was helmed by Met. Hilarion of the DECR on such topics - had a much more sustainable model. Find areas where people of different faiths agree on things (human rights, peaceful resolution to conflict, the family, etc.) and work together, but do not do so in such a way that we pretend unity or equivalency are at hand. That sort of cooperation I can recommend.</p>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73042886598650075.post-14373569546943543602024-01-15T15:20:00.004-06:002024-01-15T15:20:33.907-06:00You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.<p><span style="font-family: courier;">“Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations’? Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” says the Lord.</span></p><p style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: courier;">- Jeremiah 7:8-10</span></p><p>There was a time when people really believed in God, but also demons and malign forces in general. A time when people feared the power of such fiendish beings and fought against them whenever possible. We see such a time in the Bible and in much of the life of the Church when it called out demons for what they were, destroyed statues and false gods, and spoke out against their lies for what they were.</p><p>Sadly, the time we live in now has turned religion into a form of currency. You're religious? I'm religious! Let's celebrate. And yet we know that the Hindu deities are demons. The church is clear there. A cleric should never walk into one of their blasphemous temples much less rejoice in the building of a new one.</p><p>Pluralism means we must respect the religions of others to the borders of permitting them to exist whether we deem them worthy or not. In the United States we could not level a synagogue or mosque and make room for a cathedral for example. What pluralism (in an Orthodox context) does not mean, is celebrating a new temple to the demons when we should lament the souls of those wayward people.</p><p>Who sees this picture and thinks "Orthodoxy is <i>the</i> way." Photo ops, as much as we try to say they are not, are signs of support and affirmation. That's why people print these things and put them on their walls. Please, for the love (not to mention mercy) of God, please stop.</p><hr /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvBLYQ-_hBiqfXCWqnZDn4MYUqbCh3C4PubjRTykJky1adru7Xddo2lCUb7nS1ohThNWfHKPhX36Y1zTfEsQDrCww1mOBKNV-t-u3qK3-6haS7x09UvWmzbh2uSr00_sIXPwxki1dYMMc8KgFluozsv4eLVQb_qILIZRJfAIsJ8zT91k71HOVMSzEYnkB/s700/428245.p.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvBLYQ-_hBiqfXCWqnZDn4MYUqbCh3C4PubjRTykJky1adru7Xddo2lCUb7nS1ohThNWfHKPhX36Y1zTfEsQDrCww1mOBKNV-t-u3qK3-6haS7x09UvWmzbh2uSr00_sIXPwxki1dYMMc8KgFluozsv4eLVQb_qILIZRJfAIsJ8zT91k71HOVMSzEYnkB/s16000/428245.p.jpg" width="600" /></a></div><br /><p></p><blockquote><p>(<a href="https://orthochristian.com/158195.html">orthochristian.com</a>) - On October 4, 2023, a hierarch of the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America participated in the “Interfaith Harmony Day” held at a large Hindu temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey.</p><div><br /></div><div>The event, which gathered representatives from Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Mormonism, Judaism, and Buddhism, was part of the celebrations that culminated in the consecration of the temple on October 8.</div><div><br /></div><div>The site of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, the overarching organization that includes the new temple, states that, “The gathering was a testament to the core principles of Akshardham, where unity emerges from diversity, and the common threads that bind humanity together are celebrated with reverence and appreciation.”</div><div><br /></div><div>The same sentiment was expressed in a letter from Archbishop Elpidophoros, head of GOARCH, which was read by His Grace Bishop Athenagoras Nazianzos, Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, who personally attended the event.</div><div><br /></div><div>Citing the holy Apostle Paul, Abp. Elpidophoros wrote: “In the boundless tapestry of creation, we are called to recognize and celebrate the diverse ways in which humanity seeks to connect with the divine. As Orthodox Christians, we are continually reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words, for from Him and through Him and for Him are all things.”</div><div><br /></div><div>The Archbishop also offered his blessing to all the Hindu community’s endeavors.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Read the full address presented by Bp. Athenagoras:</div><div><br /></div><div><i>Distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, brothers and sisters, with profound joy and a heart filled with gratitude, I extend my warmest congratulations on the momentous occasion of the grand opening of the BAPS Akshardham Mahamandir in Robbinsville, New Jersey.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>In the boundless tapestry of creation, we are called to recognize and celebrate the diverse ways in which humanity seeks to connect with the divine. As Orthodox Christians, we are continually reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words, for from Him and through Him and for Him are all things.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>Indeed, the beauty of faith and worship is a reflection of the divine’s infinite wisdom and love. This Hindu temple represents a sacred space where individuals gather in devotion, seeking spiritual fulfillment and understanding through prayer and worship and dialogue. As His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew reminds us, we must have faith in dialogue itself. Any encounter and every dialogue require risk at both the individual and the community level. All dialogues are personal, since they involve the interaction of unique, irreplaceable persons, Christian or not, whose personhood is intricately connected to their individual social, cultural, and religious specificities.</i><span><a name='more'></a></span></div><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/pu8M9-EJmCE?si=p42Yl0M70MvugwIb&start=2504" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe> </div></blockquote><blockquote><div><div>In this spirit, we celebrate the unity and oneness that underline our shared human journey towards a world of peace and reconciliation. May the opening of this beautiful shrine be a beacon of joy, understanding, harmony within the Hindu community and beyond. May this unique peace of Indian art stand as a testament to our common humanity and may its sacred hall be a place where hearts are uplifted and souls find solace.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the spirit of love and fellowship, I offer my congratulations and blessings for the success and flourishing of this sacred endeavor. May the grace of the Almighty guide and bless the members of this beautiful community, the hands of those who built this place, this temple, and the many visitors who search for consolation in their spiritual quests.</div><div><br /></div><div>Prayerfully yours, Abp. Elpidophoros, the leader of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Thank you.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><div>The same day, in a separate ceremony, “His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj” consecrated several statutes, so-called “divine murtis,” that are believed to be the embodiment of Hindu gods. Bp. Athenagoras did not participate in this ceremony.</div><div><br /></div><div>In July, a Hindu temple opened in Rossford, Ohio, in what was formerly the St. George Cathedral of the Orthodox Church in America’s Bulgarian Diocese of Toledo.</div></div></blockquote><div><div></div></div>Byzantine, TXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17845681957622343484noreply@blogger.com9