Byzantine, Texas

Faith & Humor: Notes From Muscovy

2012-02-12T11:43:00.000-06:00

(Russian Life) - A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

Faith & Humor caused a sensation when it was published in Russia. As Kucherskaya writes in her introduction, “At one convent, the book was burned at the stake. Meanwhile, at a Seminary in another small town, it was added to the curriculum that helps future priests understand problems within the Church.”

Author Maya Kucherskaya artfully mixes fact and fiction, myth and history to offer a compelling, loving picture of a world of faith that is often impenetrable to outsiders. Yet Faith & Humor is not simply a book about the Orthodox Church, or about Russia rediscovering its faith after 70 years of state-sponsored atheism. Certainly there are elements of that here, and certainly Faith & Humor is an enlightening window into the “mysterious Russian soul.” But at its core, Kucherskaya’s book is a light, funny, insightful work of fiction about people who ardently believe something and who carry this belief out into the real world.

Maya Kucherskaya is a literary critic, novelist, biographer and teacher. A graduate of Moscow State University, she received a PhD from UCLA and is the author of more than 100 articles on literature and culture. She has served several times as a judge on Russia’s most prestigious literary award, the Booker, and her first novel (recently rewritten and published as The Rain God) received the Student Booker prize. Faith & Humor won the 2006 Bunin Prize.

Translator Alexei Bayer lives in New York, where he writes in English and in Russian, his native tongue, and translates into both languages. His translations have appeared in Chtenia and Words Without Borders, as well as in such collections as The Wall in My Head, a book dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, and Life Stories, a bilingual literary anthology to benefit hospice care in Russia. His writing has appeared in Chtenia, New England Review and KR Online.

Chicago area celebrates "These Things We Believe In"

2012-02-12T11:27:00.002-06:00

WESTCHESTER, IL (OCA-DOMW) - Over the years, the annual "Celebration of Books" sponsored by the Metropolis of Chicago at Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church here has become a much anticipated lenten event for Chicago-area faithful.

This year’s celebration will be held March 11-18 at the church, located at 2501 South Wolf Road, Westchester, IL.

Thousands of Orthodox Christian books and resources will be available for purchase daily between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

Three evening lectures on this year’s theme -- "These Things We Believe In" -- will be offered in conjunction with this year’s Celebration. The speakers represent Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, South Canaan, PA and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA.

*** Sunday, March 11. 6:30 p.m. Vespers, 8:00 p.m. presentation by Dr. Christopher Veniamin.

A graduate of the School of Theology in the University of Thessalonica, Dr. Christopher Veniamin undertook doctoral studies at Pembroke College, Oxford, under the aegis of the Most Rev. Dr. Kallistos T. Ware, Metropolitan of Diokleia. He has been a resident faculty member of Saint Tikhon's Seminary since the Fall of 1994, teaching courses in Patristic Theology. In October 2005, he was promoted to the rank of full Professor of Patristics. Most recently, he edited and translated the homilies of Saint Gregory Palamas, for which he also wrote the introduction and detailed notes. Forthcoming publications include a reworked version of his doctoral dissertation and a study on Saint Augustine and the Patristic Tradition.

*** Tuesday, March 13. 6:30 p.m. Compline, 8:00 p.m. presentation by Dr. Demetrios Katos.

Dr. Demetrios Katos holds a Bachelors Degree from New York University, a Master of Divinity Degree from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, and a Masters of Arts degree and Ph.D. from the Catholic University of America. He serves as Dean of Hellenic College, Brookline, MA, and Associate Professor of Religious Studies. He is a lecturer in the Department of Theology at Boston College, where he teaches courses in Eastern Orthodox theology. He is a board member of the Stephen and Catherine Pappas Patristics Institute of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and has served as Vice-President of the Orthodox Theological Society in America. His book, "Palladius of Helenopolis: The Origenist Advocate" (Oxford University Press) is the first monograph devoted to the life, work, and thought of a little-known Christian bishop and author, Palladius of Helenopolis.

*** Thursday, March 15. 6:30 p.m. Compline, 8:00 p.m. presentation by Dr. Harry Boosalis.

A native of Minneapolis, MN, Dr. Harry received his doctoral degree in Greece under the direction of Prof. Georgios Mantzaridis. His dissertation provides a systematic presentation of the teaching of Saint Silouan of Mount Athos on Orthodox spiritual life, highlighting its relevance for today. A member of the faculty of Saint Tikhon’s Seminary since 1992, he is responsible for organizing, developing, and imlementing a new curriculum for the entire sequence of dogmatic courses in the Master of Divinity degree program. He serves the Seminary as the Chairman of the Department of Theology and Spirituality and is a member of the Academic Affairs Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, the Curriculum Committee and the Faculty Development Committee. Author of four books published by Saint Tikhon’s Seminary Press, he most recent work is titled "Holy Tradition: The Ecclesial Experience of the Life in Christ."

For additional information please call 708-562-2744.

University of Pennsylvania sign up to experience monasticism

2012-02-12T11:21:00.000-06:00

PHILADELPHIA (Times Union) — Looking for a wild-and-crazy time at college? Don't sign up for Justin McDaniel's religious studies class.

The associate professor's course on monastic life and asceticism gives students at the University of Pennsylvania a firsthand experience of what it's like to be a monk.

At various periods during the semester, students must forego technology, coffee, physical human contact and certain foods. They'll also have to wake up at 5 a.m. — without an alarm clock.

That's just a sample of the restrictions McDaniel imposes in an effort to help students become more observant, aware and disciplined. Each constraint represents an actual taboo observed by a monastic religious order.

"I've found in the past that students take this extremely seriously," said McDaniel, who has taught the class twice before. "I've had very few people who try to get away with things, and you can always tell when they are."

The discipline starts with a dress code for class: White shirts for the men, black shirts for women, and they must sit on opposite sides of the class. No makeup, jewelry or hair products. Laptops are prohibited; notes can be taken only with paper and pen. And don't even think of checking your cellphone for texts or email.

The course, which focuses primarily on Catholic and Buddhist monastic traditions, stems in part from McDaniel's own history. An expert on Asian religions, he spent a portion of his post-undergraduate life nearly 20 years ago as a Buddhist monk in Thailand and Laos and says he's both a practicing Buddhist and a practicing Catholic.

Restrictions outside class are introduced gradually: Students sacrifice caffeine and alcohol during one week, then swear off vegetables that grow underground in another. The latter rule stems from an extremely non-violent sect that eschews such produce because uprooting the food could kill insects, McDaniel said.

The real test is a full month of restrictions that begins in mid-March. Students can only eat food in its natural form; nothing processed. They can't eat when it's dark, nor speak to anyone while they eat. They must be celibate, foregoing even hugs, handshakes and extended eye contact. No technology except for electric light. They can read for other classes, but news from the outside world is forbidden.

So why would anyone sign up? It could be because McDaniel requires no term papers or exams. But sophomore Madelyn Keyser, 20, of Castro Valley, Calif., said that's misleading.

"In reality, it's much harder because your grade is based entirely on your participation and your integrity," said Keyser.

As a nursing major at the Ivy League school in Philadelphia, Keyser said she hopes the class will help her become more observant and a better listener to her patients.

Students also have to write in a journal every 30 minutes during their waking hours. And required course research cannot be done online — students must consult books and librarians, or have conversations with religious leaders.

Freshman Rachel Eisenberg said she enrolled because it's important "to figure out yourself before you can really help other people."

"It would give me a chance to really listen to myself and focus on my needs and feelings," said Eisenberg, 18, of Miami.

Keyser and Eisenberg are among 17 students in the class, a group carefully chosen from among nearly 100 applicants. McDaniel said he winnowed the list by contacting each student to make sure they understood what they were in for.

The numbers thinned quickly. One cited an inability to be without Facebook, McDaniel said, while another said she couldn't go a day without talking to her mother on the phone.

There are some exceptions to the rules, such as if another class requires students to watch a film. But any other infractions require confessions and acknowledgement in their journals.

In one recent class, three students were disciplined for the minor slip of having the labels of their T-shirts exposed, violating the dress code designed to enforce conformity. As a punishment, McDaniel made them compile a list of the countries where every one of their shirts was made.

McDaniel stresses he's not advocating for a total lifestyle change. He uses technology as much as the next person and is now married with children.

But if someone is forced to just listen for a month, he is more aware of how he speaks, McDaniel said. If someone can't talk while she's eating and has to count each chew, she'll think more about her food, he said.

"It's not about individual restrictions," said McDaniel. "It's about building hyperawareness of yourself and others."

Diocese of the Midwest to start Diaconal Vocations Program

2012-02-12T11:02:00.001-06:00

CHICAGO, IL (OCA-DOMW) - "Spirituality" will be the focus of the first in a new cycle of courses in Chicago in the Diocese of the Midwest's Catechist and Diaconal Vocations Program.

Taught by Priest Elijah Mueller, Director of Catechist and Diaconal Vocations for the diocese, the first class session will be held on Saturday, February 25, at Saint Makarios Mission, Hyde Park. Classes will meet on the second Saturday or Sunday of every month, while locations may vary.

According to Father Elijah, the course will survey five major aspects of Orthodox Christian spirituality, including
prayer and the inner life in Orthodox Christian Tradition,
the understanding of the human being from a theological perspective,
the use of Scripture and Liturgy in understanding the human person's approach to God,
traditional images and ideas used to understand progress and regress in spiritual life, and
the manner in which one engages in ascesis.
Individuals who complete the full cycle of courses will receive a Diocesan Catechist Certificate. Completion of the program also fulfills a requirement for eligible persons to petition for ordination to the diaconate.

The all-inclusive fee for the course is $400.00. Payable to the Diocese of the Midwest, the fee may be paid at any point in the semester or in "installments."

For further information and/or to register for the class, contact Father Elijah directly at 312-714-9775 or frelijah@uchicago.edu.

Frederica Mathewes-Green: The Real Meaning of Sex

2012-02-12T10:36:00.001-06:00

H/T: Orthocath

(Vimeo) - What's the real meaning of sex? Is it about power? Is it about love? Frederica Mathewes-Green, Eastern Orthodox author and speaker, discusses the real meaning of sex, a conversation that has become more and more important in modern society.

Theological Presuppositions of the Orthodox Iconographer

2012-02-12T10:26:00.000-06:00

From the blog Lessons from a Monastery, a worthwhile read.

The Theological Presuppositions of the Orthodox Iconographer: With a Foundation in the Canons of the Stoglav Council (Moscow, 1551)

Why I chose this topic:

For years I have been interested in the theology of icons, and in particular the role the iconographer has in conveying the Orthodox faith and life in Christ through holy icons. Learning of  professor Demetrios Tselingidis doctoral work on the theology of icons, Εικονολογικές Μελέτες (Studies in Iconology) Ι was eager to study with him. Thankfully he was willing to take me on as yet one more Master’s student.

When compared to the “old countries” the art of iconography is still relatively new in North America. Thus, I was inspired to work on a theme that has particular significance for the new generation of North American iconographers in the Church today. With the help of my advisor, and with a basis in the local Russian council the Stoglav Sobor (Moscow, 1551), I have compiled a basic manual for contemporary iconographers, though by no means limited to our times only. The presuppositions of the iconographer outlined in this work will be applicable for as long as someone wishes to paint theology, the faith of our Church, which has and will remain unchanged...

Complete post here.

ROCOR Eastern American Diocese gets web facelift

2012-02-11T19:39:00.000-06:00

The new website is quite good looking. Still no RSS, but it's certainly a welcome improvement.

Romanians process to site of future cathedral

2012-02-10T15:14:00.000-06:00

(Holy Cross Monastery) - The Romanian Orthodox Church demonstrated their faith with a "tour de force" procession to the site of their future Cathedral of the Nation's Salvation with the relics of their national patron saint, St. Andrew the Apostle. More photos available here.

Florovsky Society Patristic Series Symposium streaming

2012-02-10T10:28:00.000-06:00

Watch the second annual symposium online here.

(Florovsky Society) - Princeton University & Princeton Theological Seminary
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:30 p.m. to Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 4:00 p.m.

Inspired by Fr. Georges Florovsky's well known essay, "Le corps du Christ vivant: Une interprétation orthodoxe de l’Église," as well as Florovsky's many other writings on this topic, we will examine the doctrine of the Church in some of the same authorities upon which Florovsky relied: St. Irenaeus of Lyon, St. John Chrysostom, St. Augustine, St. Maximus the Confessor, and others. We will also look at Fr. Florovsky's own writings on the Church, as well as those of the great Romanian theologian, Fr. Dumitru Staniloae. This symposium is organized by the Fr. Georges Florovsky Orthodox Christian Theological Society at Princeton University and the School of Christian Vocation and Mission at Princeton Theological Seminary.

So you think you want to be a priest’s wife…..

2012-02-09T14:29:00.004-06:00

From the blog The Orthodox Clergy Wife by Presbytera Anonyma, a solid list for the priest-wife-to-be. I wish I had this before we started seminary (I say "we" as this whole enterprise is a joint venture). A brave woman, my wife, as this list illustrates.

Before you head off on your husband-search to seminary or to a choir concert featuring eager young men in black singing liturgical music, make your way through the following checklist:

v Do you love being at church? A lot? Not just on Sundays?

v Have you established a prayer rule and regular confession? Now is the time to do this, before husband and children come along to complicate your routine. Also, you will likely have to find a new confessor once you move to a new parish, and make it a priority to go regularly, possibly traveling some distance. Be ready for your prayer rule to change, too. Every seminary does things a little differently. Don't be surprised when your husband starts changing things around so what is done at home matches what he does in chapel.

v Can you wait patiently for services to start, or for your husband to finish chatting with parishioners after the service? Are you ready to train your children with the same patience? PK’s (priests’ kids) say that the thing they rememember more than anything else about growing up is always –waiting- at church!

v Can you handle living in somebody else’s house indefinitely? While many churches now offer a housing allowance, a lot still own a parish house where the priest and his family will be expected to reside, often right next door to the church where parishioners can observe your gardening skills or lack thereof, or drop in when you least expect it. I've heard from some people this was a painless process and for others a very stressful one.

v Do you find yourself content to be second banana? Can you stand happily beside someone else who is in the spotlight, whether it is your husband or whether it is already-established lay leaders in the parish you move to?

v Are you ready to deal with expectations about the way you and your children dress, the amount of money you spend on your pets, or the kind of recreational activities your family chooses? I know parishes that have tried to dictate the number of children a priest could have.

v Are you prepared to work part- or even full-time, at least temporarily, to make ends meet in a parish that can’t or won’t provide their priest a living wage? Do you have a marketable skill that will help you find work that you will enjoy? I have some rather strong feelings about this that I will avoid commenting on right now (the word of the day today is screed). It is enough to say that one parish decided to pay their priest just enough so he didn't qualify for food stamps any longer. He couldn't feed his family any longer, but the parish wasn't "embarrassed" now that their priest wasn't on the government dole.

v Do you have interests to pursue outside the church? These can give you a much-needed break and change of perspective.

v Have you thought about the ways in which you will contribute to the life of the parish—and the ways you won’t? Can you be firm but polite about your decisions? Do you know what your gifts are and aren’t? If you aren’t sure, are you willing to give something a try when asked, but turn it over to someone else if you find you are not the right woman for the job?

v Will you remind your husband that you and the children are also parishioners, and ensure that he gets a weekly day off; that the phone will not be answered during family dinner; and that barring emergencies, milestones in your children’s lives will take precedence? My last pastor was a saint in this regard. Matins, Vespers, Vigils, or Liturgies every day but Monday. As a result I didn't call him on Monday unless my arm had just been chopped off or my children were in a Dickensian moribund way.

v Can you gather your strength to move your household away from your familiar surroundings at short notice if the bishop decides to reassign your husband to a new parish? We're a big family with lots of children in school. This is a concern the wife and I talk about often.

v Do you have a network of family and friends to whom you can turn, even if only long distance, to confide in? Can you keep a balance of friendliness to parishioners without favoritism or making any of them ‘special’ above others?

v Are you any good at all at holding your tongue? You will be offered opportunities to do so almost daily. It is not only what you say, but what parishioners THINK you said.

If these all sound a little daunting, they are. Clergy wives face challenges that their parishioners scarcely ever think about.

The good news is, a lot can be learned as you go along—in fact can hardly be learned any other way. What is mainly needed is open eyes and a good attitude. Seminaries are now making a point of helping seminarians’ wives to look ahead and prepare for life in the parish. Seminary is also where you will meet other women who will be undergoing similar experiences, and with them you can help build supportive relationships for the future.

Still think you might want to be a priest’s wife? One thing left to do: start praying. And never stop.

Help get an Orthodox radio call-in show off the ground!

2012-02-08T20:06:00.000-06:00

(AFR) - Introducing Ancient Faith Radio’s new flagship national program—Ancient Faith Today with Kevin Allen.

What is Ancient Faith Today?

Ancient Faith Today is what Ancient Faith Radio and Orthodox Internet radio have been missing—a live interactive conversation program. Now that void has been filled! Ancient Faith Today will stream live, with call-ins from around the world, twice a month on Sunday nights at 8:00 pm Eastern/5:00 pm Pacific on Ancient Faith Radio’s Talk Station.

Topics cover all of life through the lens of Scripture and the teaching and canonical tradition of the Holy Orthodox Church. Ancient Faith Today’s host Kevin Allen talks with knowledgeable guests about social issues, global events, politics as they affect matters of faith (from a non-partisan perspective), war and peace, aging, death and life, church affairs, interfaith affairs, current events, journeys to faith and Orthodoxy, theology and apologetics, cults, atheism, the paranormal, the New Age movement, and Eastern religion. More than just talk radio, Ancient Faith Today is Orthodox Christianity’s platform for illumining and informative conversation about subjects that matter, with people who care. There is no other live (streaming) call-in show with an Orthodox Christian perspective on television, radio, or Internet radio!

Kevin Allen was the host of Ancient Faith Radio’s popular award-winning program, “The Illumined Heart.” Kevin draws upon his unique faith background and inquisitive nature to host this fascinating, engaging, and spiritually constructive program with guests you should know!

When will it start?

The plan is to begin on Sunday, April 22, 2012. Kevin’s first topic will be “An Orthodox Perspective on Same-Sex Attraction” and his guest will be Dr. Philip Mamalakis (and an associate). Each program will be recorded and archived for free download at your convenience.

What do you need to get started?

From the beginning, Ancient Faith Radio has been committed to broadcast excellence and Ancient Faith Today with Kevin Allen will be no exception. Equipment will be installed at both the Ancient Faith Radio studios and the studio in Kevin’s home, which will allow for studio-quality audio and live interaction with the callers and guests. The good news is that the technology has come a long way from the early days of satellite connections and expensive ISDN lines. The not so bad news is that it will still cost between $15,000 and $20,000 up front to get the program rolling. The on going budgetary costs are only $25,000 a year with about a third of that covered by advertising.

How can I help?

We need one-time donations of any amount to provide the seed money to get us started. I’m happy to say that we already have a commitment of $5,000 for the equipment that will go into Kevin’s studio! So we are well on our way!

It is important that this project not take funding away from the normal operations of Ancient Faith Radio. These need to be above and beyond one time donations that will provide the seed money to launch this important project.

As you probably know, all gifts are tax deductible and can be made to:

Ancient Faith Radio
PO Box 748
Chesterton, IN 46304

Please write in the memo portion of your check “Ancient Faith Today” so we know where to apply it. You can also give on line at ancientfaith.com/support.

Thank you for being excited with us about this initiative.

We can’t wait to get started!

Orthodox & Catholics in Lithuania discuss religion in schools

2012-02-08T13:09:00.000-06:00

(mospat.ru) - On February 7, 2012, the 2nd talks between representatives the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church in Lithuania were held at the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations in Moscow. The first meeting for such talks took place in January 2011 in Kaunas and was devoted to the theme ‘Christians in face of the challenge to the institution of family’.

The theme of the 2nd talks was ‘Current problems in teaching religion in the secular school’.

From the Russian Orthodox Church, key reports were made by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the department for external church relations, and G. Demidov, head of the Basic Orthodox Culture section of the department for religious education and catechism. The Roman Catholic Church in Lithuania was represented by Archbishop Sigitas Tamkjavichus of Kaunas, president of the Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference, and Bishop Jonas Ivanauskas, Vicar General of Kaunas.

In his report, Metropolitan Hilarion underscored the importance of joint discussions on the pressing problems of the society today and possible ways of inter-church cooperation in this area. Thus, the theme of teaching religion in the secular school is one of the most pressing for both Churches as it directly concerns the problem of preservation of Christian identity in Europe today. The Orthodox hierarch was convinced that in a few years’ time when passions raised by the debate on this issue subsided in Russia, the society would come to appreciate the positive pedagogic effect of religious education in the task of preserving national identity and improving the moral climate in Russian society.

Mr. Demidov, in his report, spoke about the cooperation maintained by church and state educational structures in teaching the Basic Orthodox Culture in school.

Archbishop Sigitas Tamkjavichus spoke about the practice of teaching religious disciplines in Lithuanian secular schools. He stressed that the religious and moral education of children is an inalienable constitutional right of Lithuanian citizens. Therefore, the traditional religious organizations are given the right to teach religion in general education schools and this teaching is financed by the state.

The participants in the talks stated that the implementation of the rights of schoolchildren in general education public schools to receive knowledge about religion does not contradict the principle of the secular nature of education. A study of both children’s own religious tradition and basics of other religions constitutes a necessary element of moral and spiritual education of the personality and helps to consolidate inter-confessional peace and accord in society.

The participants pointed out the importance of continued bilateral dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church in Lithuania and regular meetings on specific issues.
The meeting summed up their discussion in a communique.

A more complete treatment here.

Upcoming performance by St. Vlad's Chorale

2012-02-08T12:43:00.000-06:00

(SVOTS) - Join us for an exquisite evening of liturgical music sung in the traditional styles of Orthodox Christian churches worldwide. In a multi-media program that interweaves luminous icons, sacred texts, and a rich a cappella sound, the St. Vladimir's Seminary Chorale will perform ORIENT: Sacred Song and Image at the famous St. Malachy's,"The Actors' Chapel," in the heart of Manhattan, at 239 West 49th Street, New York City. This stirring concert will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The concert program will include pieces from the broader Orthodox tradition sung in their original languages— Greek, Georgian, Estonian, Slavonic—as well as choral music by Orthodox composers written for the concert hall. Two visual projections—one of images of Orthodox icons and the other of translations of musical texts—will run simultaneously as the chorale sings. Icons, music, and text will expound one another, just as they do within the Orthodox liturgy. The concert will combine the best elements of a professional choral performance with the depth and authenticity of the Orthodox liturgical experience, resulting in a truly beautiful multimedia artistic performance, and a full, authentic vision of the Orthodox Christian faith.

The chorale will be directed by Hierodeacon Herman, Lecturer in Liturgical Music and Chapel Choir Director at the seminary, and Matushka Robin Freeman, who created the concert format and conducted in its premiere at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music in 2010.

Spread the word to your friends, family, and church family! Download a PDF or a JPEG of the concert flier.

Tickets are $25, and may be purchased online here. Your printed registration form will serve as your admission ticket.

Limited seating will be available at the door (cash only) the evening of the concert.

Surprise! "Plan B" vending machine might be a bad idea

2012-02-08T10:20:00.001-06:00

(YDR) - Students at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania can get the "morning-after" pill by sliding $25 into a vending machine, an idea that has drawn the attention of federal authorities and raised questions about how accessible emergency contraception should be.

The student health center at Shippensburg, a secluded public institution of 8,300 students tucked between mountain ridges in the Cumberland Valley, provides the Plan B One Step emergency contraceptive in the vending machine along with condoms, decongestants and pregnancy tests. Stay classy, people.

"I think it's great that the school is giving us this option," junior Chelsea Wehking said Tuesday. "I've heard some kids say they'd be too embarrassed" to go into town - Shippensburg, permanent population about 6,000 - and buy Plan B. Federal law makes the pill available without a prescription to anyone 17 or older, and the school checked records and found that all current students are that age or older, a spokesman said.

It doesn't appear that any other vending machine in the U.S. dispenses the contraceptive, which can prevent pregnancy if taken soon after sexual intercourse. The machine has been in place for about two years, and its existence wasn't widely known until recent news reports.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is contacting state authorities and the university to gather facts, agency spokeswoman Stephanie Yao said Tuesday. Consumers have long been able to insert a few coins for the likes of aspirin, ibuprofen, antacids and other common over-the-counter remedies. But some experts see a worrisome trend in making drugs like Plan B, which is kept behind the pharmacy counter, available in a vending machine. Alexandra Stern, a professor of the history of medicine at the University of Michigan, said she wasn't questioning a woman's right to have access to Plan B, but whether making it so easily available is a good idea. Not a risk-free option (see here).

"Perhaps it is personalized medicine taken too far," she said. "It's part of the general trend that drugs are available for consumers without interface with a pharmacist or doctors. This trend has serious pitfalls."

Taking Plan B within 72 hours of rape, condom failure or just forgetting regular contraception can cut the chances of pregnancy by up to 89 percent. It works best if taken within 24 hours. Some religious conservatives consider the emergency contraceptive tantamount to an abortion drug. The idea for a vending machine started at Shippensburg after a survey about health center services several years ago.

Eighty-five percent of the respondents supported making Plan B available, school spokesman Peter Gigliotti said. The student government endorsed the idea. Argumentum ad populum - a proven way to make important decisions. The machine is in the school's Etter Health Center, which only students and university employees can access, Gigliotti said in a statement.

In addition, "no one can walk in off the street and go into the health center," he said; students must check in at a lobby desk before being allowed in.

Matthew Kanzler, a senior at Shippensburg, said a lot of students at the school weren't even aware of the vending machine until recently. Most students do support the idea, he said - but not all. "It's a way for students to get the help or care they need," he said, adding that students appreciate the on-campus health care because the school, about 130 miles from either Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, is so isolated.

In December, the Obama administration's top health official overruled her own drug regulators and stopped the Plan B pill from moving onto drugstore shelves next to condoms and other items. It remains available behind pharmacy counters.

Denise Bradley, a spokeswoman for Teva Pharmaceuticals, which makes Plan B, said in a statement that it sells the product only to "licensed pharmacies or other licensed healthcare clinics, which are required to follow federal guidelines for the distribution of pharmaceutical products."

On whether the machine might violate the law, "I don't have a definite yes or no," said Ron Ruman, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of State, which oversees the state pharmacy board. If a person younger than 17 used the machine, it "potentially could be a violation," he said.

The drug isn't covered or subsidized by the school. Its price at the vending machine is set by the school's cost to the pharmaceutical company and is less than at off-campus pharmacies. Deanne Hall, a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, noted that the ease of access to such a machine could be positive for many women, but wondered whether self-treatment might deter sexual assault victims from seeking medical attention.

"This does open up a different door," she said. Rob Maher, a professor at the Duquesne University School of Pharmacy in Pittsburgh, said he had never heard of a vending machine dispensing Plan B, but noted that there have been vending machines in doctor's offices, and even a specialized machine designed to fill prescriptions.

Still, he questioned whether the machine would make it possible for a young person to buy the drug without discussing their risk factors with a health care professional. "That's the big risk with a vending machine like this," he said.

Carol Tobias, president of the anti-abortion group National Right to Life, said other services would be more appropriate. "It would be a much more productive use of funds if universities would partner with local pregnancy resource centers where students can get real help if they need it," Tobias said.

Said Anna Franzonello, counsel to Americans United For Life: "Students at Shippensburg University deserve better than to have their administration represent the potent drug with life-ending potential as no more harmful than any other vending machine item."

From Mary to Asher...

2012-02-07T16:02:00.002-06:00

Hat Tip to the blog Standing on my Head. A Lutheran-Episcopalian "Liturgical Naming Rite for a Transgender Church Member" (original post available here).

Here is the rite we used at Baptism of our Lord Sunday when a transgender member of House for All Sinners and Saints was undergoing a name change.  This is largely taken from a rite shared with me by Episcopal priest, Michele Morgan.

One really lovely thing about this day was that Asher made a little shrine to his previously female self, Mary.  It included the whole name lovingly written out, several photos and a candle.

(Prayers of the People)

Presider: Holy One of Blessing, in baptism you bring us to new life in Jesus Christ and you name us Beloved. We give you thanks for the renewal of that life and love in Mary Christine Callahan, who now takes on a new name. Strengthen and uphold him as he grows in power, and authority, and meaning of this name: we pray in the Name above names, Jesus, your Son, whom with you and the Holy Spirit, the Triune God, we adore. Amen

Lindsey: A reading from the letter of Paul to the Galatians.

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all are one in Christ Jesus. This tendentious reading of the text of course has no basis in what Paul is stating.

The word of the Lord

Thanks be to God

(Laying on of hands)

Let us pray:

We pray for your servant Asher, with thanks for the journey and awakening that have brought him to this moment, for his place amongst your people, and for his gifts and calling to serve you.

O God, in renaming your servants Abraham, Sarah, Jacob, Peter,and Paul, you gave them new lives and new tasks, new love and new hope. We now hold before you our companion. Bless him with a new measure of grace as he takes this new name. Write him again in your heart and on your palm. And grant that we all be worthy to call ourselves Christians, for the sake of your Christ whose name is Love, and in whom, with you and the Spirit, we pray. Amen

The Giving of the name

Pr. Nadia: By what name shall you be known?

Kate: The name shall be Asher 

Asher: My name is Asher

The community may respond by repeating

Your name shall be Asher

Pr. Nadia: Bear this name in the Name of Christ. Share it in the name of Mercy. Offer it in the name of Justice. Note the use of the word "Justice" here. A pointed political statement.

Christ is among us making peace right here right now.  The peace of Christ be with you all. And also with you.

Anglicans - Oriental Orthodox formalize relations

2012-02-07T14:52:00.000-06:00

(Christian Today) - The Church of England and Oriental Orthodox Churches have formalised their ecumenical relationship.

The two Churches have formally established the Church of England-Oriental Orthodox Regional Forum (AOORF), which has existed in an informal capacity for some years.

For the first time, the role of the forum has been clarified in a document that sets out its aims and objectives.

The forum brings together representatives from both Churches to encourage unity through common prayer, worship, witness and education.

It also gives space for them to consider documents from international dialogues and their significance, and discuss current pastoral, social and political issues, with the possibility of making responses.

The forum is Co Chaired by the Anglican Bishop in Europe, the Rt Rev Dr Geoffrey Rowell, and the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, Bishop Angaelos.

Bishop Rowell said he was "delighted" that the informal channel of communication between Anglicans and Oriental Orthodox in England was now "put on a firmer footing".

"With the increased numbers of Christians from the Oriental Orthodox Churches living in this country it is important that Anglicans build closer relationships with these churches.

"The appointment of Bishop Angaelos as an official ecumenical representative at the General Synod is a sign of this and is greatly to be welcomed.”

Bishop Angaelos said: "At a time of increased challenge to the basic principles of morality and hope, concrete and visible unity in the life and witness of the Church is needed as a real support for our faithful and the wider community, and an affirmation of the viability and applicability of the Christian message.

"I feel that working together through AOORF provides a very real opportunity for our role to be even more prophetic in the United Kingdom as individual Churches, and the wider Church."

Holy Martyr Alexander of Munich, Pray to God for Us!

2012-02-07T14:49:00.001-06:00

(ria.ru) - The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia has canonized Russian national Alexander Schmorell, a native of Orenburg, who was executed by the Nazi regime in 1943 for organizing an anti-fascist student group called the White Rose, the Church Bulletin publication reported.

The ceremony to glorify St. Alexander of Munich, who was 25 yeas old when he died, ended in Germany this past weekend. He became the first new martyr glorified after canonical communion between the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) was restored in 2007 following 80 years of separation.

ROCOR separated from ROC in 1927 because its members deemed that ROC leadership’s loyalty to the
Bolshevik state was inappropriate.

The canonization took place in Munich’s Cathedral of Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia and was led by Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany.

A procession with crosses and icons was held on Saturday in Munich to mark the canonization, the head of an Orenburg charity said. The procession was followed by a memorial service at Schmorell’s grave.

Schmorell, born in 1917, was the son of a German who moved to Russia in the 19th century. His mother was the daughter of an Orthodox Christian priest. In 1921 the family decided to return to Germany and moved to Munich, where Schmorell became a parishioner of a Russian Orthodox church.

After returning from the front in 1942 following years of service in the German army as a military doctor, Schmorell organized, together with his colleagues Hans and Sophie Scholl and Christophe Probst, the White Rose movement and started distributing anti-Hitler leaflets. They were guillotined the following year.

UAOC - UOC-KP continue dialogue

2012-02-07T10:53:00.000-06:00

(RISU) - On 9 February, in the building of the Patriarchate of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, in Kyiv, a regular session of the Hierarchical Council of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) will be held. All the bishops of the Church are expected to attend. So reported the web site of UAOC.

Vicar of Kyiv of UAOC, Bishop Volodymyr (Cherpak) of Vyshhorod and Podillia noted in a commentary to RISU that the bishops are to hear the report of the Committee which conducted official negotiations with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate regarding the possible unification. After the report, the hierarchs are to pass a decision.

“The members of the committee will report on the executed work and submit their proposals. Our bishops already discussed the question of unification but the committee did not report to the council yet. So, whether the negotiations with the Kyivan Patriarchate are to stop or not will depend on the result of the report of the committee at the council,” he said.

According to Bishop Volodymyr, the committee, which is to report to the council next Thursday, was headed by Metropolitan Andrii (Abramchuk) of Ivano-Frankivsk.

Let us remind that on 14 September, Patriarch of UOC-KP Filaret agreed it with Metropolitan Mefodii of UAOC to start a dialogue on unification of the two Churches. The unification process failed. UOC-KP accused UAOC of setting an unacceptable condition, namely, resignation of Patriarch Filaret. The clergy of UAOC, on the other hand, would like the unification to include also the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate.

"Blessed is the Man..." from St. Tikhon's

2012-02-07T08:56:00.002-06:00

The struggles of the Church of Japan

2012-02-06T15:28:00.000-06:00

St. Nicholas of Japan
Moscow, February 6 (Interfax) - The Japanese Autonomous Orthodox Church faces problems in its mission: people in the "land of the rising sun" do not hurry to baptize.

"We have newly converted believers, who have been baptized. But the majority of the baptized are children of mixed Japanese-Russian marriages. Totally, there are about 20-30 new Orthodox believers a year in Japan," Metropolitan Daniel of Tokio and All Japan said in his interviewee with the Izvestia daily.

According to his data, there are about 30 thousand of Orthodox believers in the country (there were about 90 thousand of them in first half of the 20th century), 60 small churches and chapels are open, about 30 priests work in them.

"After the October Revolution, Orthodox Japanese were left to themselves and it did not help spread the Eastern Christianity. And in recent years, Japanese have mostly lived with their immediate needs. They often forget that there is something more important," the Metropolitan said.

According to him, very few Japanese want to become monks.

"They want to have a family. It is not in Japan tradition - to be alone. When Patriarch Kirill was here, he told me it would be nice to have more monks here. But where can I get them? So we have two administrators for three dioceses and I have to double-job. That's why I even can't find a successor," Metropolitan Daniel said.

If someone from Russia becomes a successor, then the Japanese Church will "lose it autonomy," so "we need a Japanese," he believes.

The Japanese Autonomous Church was founded by St. Nikolay (Kasatkin) who came to Japan from Russia on 1861 on the decision of the Holy Synod. He founded and headed the Russian Orthodox mission in Japan in 1870. He translated the Holy Scripture and liturgical books into Japanese and built the Resurrection Cathedral in Tokyo.

The Russian Orthodox Church canonized Archbishop Nikolay in 1970. The Moscow Patriarchate granted autonomy to the Japanese Orthodox Church the same year.

Army office censors chaplaincy letter

2012-02-03T16:38:00.000-06:00

(National Review) - In Catholic Churches across the country, parishioners were read letters from the pulpit this weekend from bishops in their diocese about the mandate from the Department of Health and Human Services giving Catholics a year before they’ll be required to start violating their consciences on insurance coverage for contraception, sterilization, and abortifacient drugs. But not in the Army.

A statement released this afternoon — which happens to be the 67th anniversary of the sinking of the USS Dorchester, on which four chaplains lost their lives – from the Archdiocese for Military Services explains:

On Thursday, January 26, Archbishop Broglio emailed a pastoral letter to Catholic military chaplains with instructions that it be read from the pulpit at Sunday Masses the following weekend in all military chapels. The letter calls on Catholics to resist the policy initiative, recently affirmed by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, for federally mandated health insurance covering sterilization, abortifacients and contraception, because it represents a violation of the freedom of religion recognized by the U.S. Constitution.

The Army’s Office of the Chief of Chaplains subsequently sent an email to senior chaplains advising them that the Archbishop’s letter was not coordinated with that office and asked that it not be read from the pulpit. The Chief’s office directed that the letter was to be mentioned in the Mass announcements and distributed in printed form in the back of the chapel.

Archbishop Broglio and the Archdiocese stand firm in the belief, based on legal precedent, that such a directive from the Army constituted a violation of his Constitutionally-protected right of free speech and the free exercise of religion, as well as those same rights of all military chaplains and their congregants.

Following a discussion between Archbishop Broglio and the Secretary of the Army, The Honorable John McHugh, it was agreed that it was a mistake to stop the reading of the Archbishop’s letter. Additionally, the line: “We cannot — we will not — comply with this unjust law” was removed by Archbishop Broglio at the suggestion of Secretary McHugh over the concern that it could potentially be misunderstood as a call to civil disobedience.

The AMS did not receive any objections to the reading of Archbishop Broglio’s statement from the other branches of service.

So not only were chaplains told not to read the letter, but an Obama administration official edited a pastoral letter . . . with church buy-in?

Didn’t people flee across an ocean-sized pond to be free of this kind of thing?

Please don't Rock the Vote

2012-02-03T15:50:00.001-06:00

Journey into Orthodox Alaska

2012-02-03T10:42:00.001-06:00

HT: Byzantine in the Bible Belt

Assembly of Bishops issues short objection to HHS decision

2012-02-02T19:55:00.002-06:00

(AOB) - The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, which is comprised of the 65 canonical Orthodox bishops in the United States, Canada and Mexico, join their voices with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and all those who adamantly protest the recent decision by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (see here), and call upon all the Orthodox Christian faithful to contact their elected representatives today to voice their concern in the face of this threat to the sanctity of the Church’s conscience.

In this ruling by HHS, religious hospitals, educational institutions, and other organizations will be required to pay for the full cost of contraceptives (including some abortion-inducing drugs) and sterilizations for their employees, regardless of the religious convictions of the employers.

The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees the free exercise of religion. This freedom is transgressed when a religious institution is required to pay for “contraceptive services” including abortion-inducing drugs and sterilization services that directly violate their religious convictions. Providing such services should not be regarded as mandated medical care. We, the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops, call upon HHS Secretary Sebelius and the Obama Administration to rescind this unjust ruling and to respect the religious freedom guaranteed all Americans by the First Amendment.

The Assembly of Bishops - A dead body warmed over?

2012-02-01T21:41:00.001-06:00

(AOI) - At an October 1970 meeting of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the Americas (SCOBA), which was called to discuss the burning question of an independent American Church, the presiding conference chair Archbishop Iakovos got fed up and quit. Official letters raising the subject of independence had been sent to the “mother Churches” in Constantinople, Bucharest, Belgrade, Athens and other Orthodox “centers” pointing for the need to do something about the chaotic “situation of Orthodoxy in America.” Only three replies came back. To the Greek Orthodox Iakovos, this was proof that no one took SCOBA seriously and, for that matter, the American Orthodox.

The archbishop resigned from SCOBA in disgust, saying that he had no desire to be the head of a “dead body.” According to a contemporary account, the official minutes of the meeting were forged to cover up what would turn out to be a temporary resignation.

It would take another 40 years for SCOBA to be officially dismantled and replaced with the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, also known as the Assembly of Bishops. Its founding articles constitute the body for “the promotion and accomplishment of Church unity in North and Central America.” It is also charged with providing a “common witness by the Church to all those outside her.” But given its sterling record of non-accomplishment on that “common witness” so far, is there good reason to expect that the Assembly won’t become the sort of “dead body” that Abp. Iakovos feared SCOBA had become?

Nothing could reveal this more clearly than the Assembly’s non-reaction to the Jan. 20 mandate by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius that orders most employers and insurers to provide contraceptives, sterilization, and abortifacient drugs (the “morning after pill”) free of charge. In sharp contrast to the somnolent Assembly, the response from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) was swift and unequivocal...

Complete article here.

Old Believers forum hosted in Rubtsovo, Russia

2012-02-01T20:28:00.002-06:00

(ROCOR) - A round-table for Old-Rite parish rectors was hosted at Moscow’s 20th International Nativity Readings event, held at the Patriarchal Center for Old Russian Liturgical Tradition at Pokrov Church in Rubtsovo in January, 2012.

Fifteen clergymen participated in this forum. The Secretary of the Committee on Old Rite Parishes and Cooperation with the Old Rite, Fr Ioann Miroliubov, led the round-table. The focus of the group was the draft by-laws for Old-Rite parishes within the Moscow Patriarchate. This draft, however, was incomplete and was therefore was not adopted. The only point that may be included in this new draft relates to the right of Old-Rite communities to elect their own candidates for priesthood (in addition to matters pertaining to the use of old editions of service books used under the first five Patriarchs). The main achievement of this round-table was the decision to organize an Old-Rite conference on the 100th anniversary of the first such event.

Remaining unresolved was the question of establishing an episcopal cathedra responsible for ministering to the Old-Rite parishes within the Moscow Patriarchate.

"Benelux" Assembly meets

2012-02-01T20:25:00.001-06:00

(ROCOR) - On January 28, 2012, the third meeting of the Orthodox Bishops’ Conference of Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourt) convened in Brussels.

Participating in the event were: His Eminence Metropolitan Panteleimon (Constantinople Patriarchate), Chairman; His Eminence Archbishop Simon of Brussels and Belgium (Moscow Patriarchate), Vice Chairman; His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Koman, Exarch of Russian Orthodox Churches of the Constantinople Patriarchate in Western Europe; His Grace Bishop Luka of France and Western Europe (Serbian Patriarchate); His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph of Western and Southern Europe (Romanian Patriarchate), Treasurer; His Eminence Archbishop Michael of Geneva and Western Europe (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia); His Grace Bishop Maximos of Evmenia (Belgian Diocese of the Constantinople Patriarchate), and His Grace Bishop Athenagoras (Belgian Diocese of the Constantinople Patriarchate), Secretary.

Matters pertaining to the developing process of the official recognition of Orthodox Christianity in Netherlands were discussed at the meeting.

With the aim of uniting pastoral efforts of various jurisdictions and a more visible confession of the faith before the world, the participants of the forum decided to create several committees within the framework of the Bishops’ Conference. Each of these (Pastoral Stewardship, Youth, Liturgical Publishing, Informational, and Inter-Christian and Interfaith Dialog), will each be headed by a bishop with the participation of competent clergymen and laypersons.

The participants supported the proposal by Archbishop Simon to publish the lives of saints of the undivided Church who lived in the territory of what is now referred to as Benelux.

The fraternal and constructive meeting concluded with common prayer and dinner.

The Orthodox Bishops’ Conference of the countries of Benelux was created in accordance with a decision made at the IV All-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference in Chambesy, Switzerland, in June 2009. The first meeting of the conference was held in June 2010, and the second was held in April 2011. A total of twelve Orthodox bishops serve in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

Catholic - Oriental Orthodox Joint Commission meets

2012-02-01T19:40:00.000-06:00

Addis Ababa, January 17 to 21, 2012 (British Orthodox) - The ninth meeting of the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from January 17 to 21, 2012. The meeting was hosted by His Holiness Abuna Paulos I, Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. It was chaired jointly by His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and by His Eminence Metropolitan Bishoy of Damiette, General Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

Joining delegates from the Catholic Church were representatives of the following Oriental Orthodox Churches: the Antiochian Syrian Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church (Catholicosate of All Armenians), the Armenian Apostolic Church (Holy See of Cilicia), the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. No representative of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church was able to attend. A horribly oppressed Church.

The two delegations met separately on the morning of January 17. In the afternoon, the Catholic members attended a prayer service with the local Catholic hierarchy, clergy, religious and faithful, at the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady. They were greeted with an address by Abune Berhaneyesus D. Souraphiel, CM, Metropolitan Archbishop of Addis Ababa and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ethiopia. Cardinal Koch was also invited to speak to the assembly. That same evening, all the members of the commission accepted a gracious invitation from His Excellency Archbishop George Panikulam, Apostolic Nuncio in Ethiopia, to attend a friendship dinner at the Apostolic Nunciature in honor of His Holiness Patriarch Paulos, who also attended the meal.

The Joint Commission held plenary sessions on January 18, 19, and 21. Each day began with Morning Prayer. At the beginning of the meeting Metropolitan Bishoy congratulated one of the Catholic members, Rev. Fr. Paul Rouhana, on his recent election as General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches.

The meeting was formally opened on the morning of January 18 by His Holiness Patriarch Paulos. In his address to the members, the Patriarch said, “It is with great pleasure and gratitude we welcome you, the Co-chairs, co-secretaries and members of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches. And let our spiritual greetings reach to our most venerable brothers, the Heads of our churches, through you.

The history of the church tells us that division between the ancient Oriental Orthodox Churches and the Catholic Church can be traced back to the years after the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD, whose Christological teaching was not accepted by the Oriental Orthodox Churches. Henceforth, no dialogue or even trial was made to bring these churches into their original unified status before 451 AD and no attempt and activity resulted in settling an irreversible solution to the division. Obviously the 20th century has brought about new horizons in which relations began to be developed through the Pro Oriente Foundation in Vienna. This process of relations led to the establishment of an official dialogue between the Catholic and Oriental Orthodox Churches in 2003, under the title “International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.”

In accordance with the formally prescribed setups of the commission in Rome, we could say the Joint Commission has developed a few articles related to fundamental aspects of ecclesiology. The issue of communion and communication among our ancient churches in the first five centuries, currently undertaken by the commission since January 2010, is perhaps expected to establish good historical understanding of our churches. We think such technical and scholarly selection of items for discussion will bring many more outstanding results beyond the initially expected purpose of the Joint Commission. Therefore, this theological and spiritual contemplation will not only unveil the historical and theological facts that exist in common but also will show us the direction for the future.

The ninth meeting of the Joint Commission in Addis Ababa is expected to bring much more progress in your theological examinations of enormous ecclesiastical issues. And we hope that the agendas chosen to be discussed here will be exhausted with utmost attention. To this end we would like to encourage your skilful monitoring of agendas in the Joint commission. As we all know, this is the season of Epiphany, the celebration of the baptism of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church celebrates this liturgical, highly spiritual, and unifying feast colorfully and with magnificent numbers of believers. The theological meaning of this feast is highly significant which reflects the mystery of baptism, making all of us children of God, which is on the other hand inspiring.

As I officially open the Ninth meeting of the Catholic-Oriental Orthodox International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue, I wish all success and the grace of God to be with you. May it be a blessed and fruitful meeting to the Glory our Lord, Our God and Savior Jesus Christ. I pray to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that His Divine guidance be in your midst during this meeting. May Almighty God Bless us all, bless our world and give us His everlasting Peace! Amen.”

The papers presented at this meeting included “Martyrdom as an Element of Communion and Communication” by Metropolitan Bishoy, “Martyrdom: An Element of Christian Communio,” by Bishop Paul-Werner Scheele, “Exercise of Ecclesial Communion in the New Testament” by Rev. Fr. Matthew Vellanickal, “The Exercise of Communion as Reflected in the New Testament Writings” by Dr. Kuriakose Theophilose Metropolitan, “Prayer and Liturgy in Religious Life as a Means of Communion and Communication” by Rev. Fr. Columba Stewart, OSB, and “Prayer and Liturgy in the Religious Life: Their Significance for Communion and Communication,” by Rev. Fr. Daniel Seife Michael Feleke.

In these studies, the members noted that, even in the New Testament, there were various expressions of the koinonia of the apostolic churches in their diversity. The understanding of martyrdom was essential to the early Christian experience both in terms of witness to the faith and sacrificial self-offering. The veneration of martyrs emerged early as a point of unity among the churches. Both personal and liturgical prayer of early Christians was rooted in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. The Eucharistic liturgy particularly manifested a common structure and also a variety of traditions that were mutually enriching.

With these studies, the members continued their examination of the ways in which the Catholic and Oriental Orthodox Churches expressed their communion with one another in the period before their division in the middle of the fifth century. Over the course of the next year, a drafting committee will meet to examine the papers presented in the present phase of the dialogue with the intention of producing a draft text to be examined at the 2013 meeting of the Commission. At that meeting, the members will also examine the themes, “The Saints as an Element in the Communion and Communication in the Early Church,” and “The Process of Recognition/Canonization of Saints in History and Today.”

His Holiness the Ethiopian Patriarch invited the members to attend the celebration of Timkat, the Ethiopian Orthodox liturgical commemoration of Epiphany, on January 20. This joyful festival took place outdoors at Jan Meda at the side of a large pool of water and was attended by hundreds of thousands of faithful. Both Metropolitan Bishoy and Cardinal Koch were invited to address the gathering. On that same evening, the Patriarch invited the members to dinner in his residence. On January 21 the Joint Commission met with students and staff from Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary in Addis Ababa.

The tenth meeting of the International Joint Commission will take place in Rome in January 2013. The members will arrive on Tuesday January 22, have separate meetings on the morning of January 23, plenaries on the afternoon of January 23, as well as the full days of January 24, 25, and 26, and plan to depart on Monday, January 28.

The members concluded with joyful thanks to God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, for what has been accomplished at this meeting.

Complete article here.

None of us is beyond God's love

2012-02-01T19:24:00.000-06:00

From Met. Hilarion's homily on Zacchaeus Sunday:

... The tax collector Zacchaeus was not a great man. He was short and his profession was disdained. However, when the Lord saw his faith and that he was not shy to climb a tree, though those around him laughed at him because they were taller and could see the passing-by prophet, the Lord did not shun him and addressed to him His saving word and came to his house. This is how the Lord visits people who, with pure and open heart, come to meet Him. For the Lord, there are no rich or poor, short or tall, well-off or unsuccessful people. For Him all are equal. And even when in our country there were estates, nobility and base estate, both worshipped together in church because for the Church and God all are equal.

God sometimes opens His grace in a special way to those who, by earthly measures, are so despicable that people do not even notice them and pass them by. But the Lord never passes by a person. He always looks at his heart because for the Savior each human being is precious.

Let us think today about bringing God’s presence we feel in church to our home, to our working place, to our family and our colleagues. Let us think of making our life a continuation of the Liturgy and our home a continuation of church. And then the Lord will always and everywhere be with us and will help us in our family and professional life, in our relations with our superiors and subordinates and with our relatives with whom it is so difficult to find a common language.

The Lord will come Himself and put everything in its place if only our heart is open to Him. Let us ask the Lord to give us the open heart, to be always with us and help us wherever we are, in our homeland or in a journey, in church or at home, in office or at rest. Amen.

Complete article here.

Antiochian Village hosts Assembly Youth committee

2012-02-01T18:50:00.000-06:00

I can attest to the woeful lack of coordination between jurisdictions on youth activities. Parish events, SOYO/GOYA/ACRY/etc. activities, summer camps, winter retreats, can occur just miles away from your parish under the aegis of a different jurisdiction and you will have no idea it is going on. It's a waste of resources; needless repetition, missed opportunities for getting the saving message of Christ to often poorly catechized children, overlapping summer camp dates. A strong central resource that informs priests, parents, and youth is essential.

(Antiochian.org) - The Committee for Youth of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America held its semi-annual meeting on January 24th and 25th, 2012. The meeting convened at the Antiochian Village Heritage and Learning Center, Bolivar, PA, in conjunction with the Committee for Youth’s Consultants Meeting and was followed by the annual Camp and Youth Worker Conference (January 25-28, 2012).

The Committee for Youth consists of Bishop Thomas (Chairman of the Committee for Youth), Metropolitan Alexios, Bishop Irineu, Father Joseph Purpura (facilitator), Deacon Mark O’Dell, (secretary), and Constantin Ursache (liaison to the secretariat). Twenty-two other diocesan and national youth leaders work as consultants to the Committee for Youth. The Consultants to the Committee for Youth built upon their work started at the Antiochian Village in the Spring of 2011 and expanded on at the Diakonia Center in Salem, South Carolina October 19-24, 2011. The Consultants, along with numerous youth workers from across North America, made a number of recommendations to the Bishops of the Committee and the Committee acted upon those recommendations during their Committee Meeting.

The Committee is charged with the formidable task of identifying and cataloguing all national and diocesan youth programs and services to better meet the needs of our youth. By developing models for cooperative youth activities and programs, the Committee hopes to maximize participation by our youth in the full life of the Church. One of the primary goals is to establish a comparative matrix so our youth workers can better facilitate cooperative efforts and better reach out to all the youth in our Orthodox Christian communities.

The Committee sees these efforts of creating one Orthodox Christian presence in the lives of our youth as a pathway to transforming our youth to lead their lives in service and witness to Christ. An overview of the work accomplished at the Antiochian Village meeting will be included in a soon-to-be-issued media release which will report to the Church-at-large on the work of the Assembly during the past year.

Assembly of Bishops Regional Planning group meets

2012-02-01T18:27:00.001-06:00

(AOB) - The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops' Committee on Canonical Regional Planning met in-person on Friday, January 27, 2012, at the headquarters of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in Chicago, Illinois, hosted by Archbishop Nicolae, Chairman of the Committee. Committee members present in addition to His Eminence were Archbishop Justinian, Russian Orthodox Church in the USA; Metropolitan Jonah, Orthodox Church in America; and Bishop Demetrios representing Metropolitan Iakovos, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese. Consultants to the Committee who participated in the all-day meeting were: Fr Nicholas Apostola, Fr Joseph Abud, Jerry Dimitriou, Demetrios Moschos, Steve Radokovich, Alexei Krindatch, and Protodeacon Peter Danilchick. Also present by invitation were Fr Mark Arey and Hieromonk Savvaty, interpreter to Archbishop Justinian.

The Committee reviewed and recommended changes to the existing Terms of Reference for Canonical Regional Planning, reviewed the extensive statistical and demographic work performed by Alexei Krindatch, and discussed other ecclesiastical and planning issues. Three separate subcommittees were established, each headed by a hierarch and containing two or three consultants, respectively, to: (1) develop a draft global vision and principles for a united church administration, (2) list the present canonical and liturgical issues impacting the common life of the church, and (3) document the various ecclesiastical and governance structures of the member churches in the USA. These efforts will be undertaken in cooperation with other Assembly Committees, such as Canonical Affairs, Clergy Affairs, Liturgy, etc., with initial results to be reviewed by the entire Committee for Canonical Regional Planning in early April.

Notes from the Alaskan OCMC mission trip

2012-01-30T09:15:00.000-06:00

(OCN - The Sounding) - Breaking through the clouds to see the snow-capped mountains of Juneau, Alaska started this Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC) mission trip. There was a team of 9 Orthodox Christian volunteers to help the communities of Juneau and Hoonah, Alaska (both churches are St. Nicholas), along with repairing the Hoonah church building. We ranged in age from 19 to 84, and traveled from Florida, Alabama, Indiana and Illinois.

One team member was on her 11th OCMC mission trip in 12 years. Another member was on her third OCMC trip in three years. For the rest of us, it was our first OCMC trip.

We began our four-day orientation at St. Nicholas in Juneau and then would travel to Hoonah. The orientation was for individual and team preparation, along with culture training about Orthodoxy in Alaska and the indigenous people. The parish priest for both St. Nicholas churches is Fr. Simeon.

As part of the orientation and the team building, we had to prepare a three-minute presentation about ourselves and our orthodoxy. I was unexpectedly nervous and emotional thinking about what I would say. The other team members expressed similar concerns. The Holy Spirit was moving us all to continue to inwardly evaluate ourselves and our mission.

As we presented our stories, there were tears and laughs. Despite the common thread of Orthodoxy, the lifetime of patterns weaved by each of us look so different. Some were filled with straight lines, others in circles and others were zig zags. Nevertheless, here we all sat together with one common goal.

We were blessed to meet Richard and Nora Dauenhauer. They have jointly written eight books, four of which are about the Tlinget, one of the five major groupings of Alaska’s indigenous people, also called Alaska Natives...

Complete article here.

Diocese of the Midwest opening first maternity center

2012-01-30T07:48:00.001-06:00

CHICAGO, IL (OCA-DMW) - Plans are moving forward toward the establishment of an Orthodox-sponsored maternity home -- the first in the Midwest -- in the Chicago area.

"Orthodox Christians for Life-Chicago, a pan-Orthodox organization established in 2001, has long dreamed of putting its faith into action by establishing an Orthodox-sponsored outreach to women in crisis pregnancies in the Midwest," according to Helen O'Sullivan, an OCLife-Chicago spokesperson. "Establishing this outreach has increasingly become the focus of the organization and, as a result, a committee was formed to explore the possibilities and to see this project come to life.

"At present, there are only a handful of such homes across the country, and while in the Chicago metropolitan area there are a variety of crisis pregnancy centers, there is only one maternity home, under the auspices of an order of Roman Catholic nuns," Helen said. "Members of Chicago's pro-life community have indicated that there is a dire need for a second maternity home -- one where a cross-section of women would be comfortable to seek support. OCLife-Chicago’s goal is to establish that second maternity home to provide women in crisis pregnancies with housing and other practical, emotional, and spiritual support, with a focus on Christ-centered healing."

OCLife-Chicago has been "doing its homework" in researching their efforts.

"One of our members visited Chicago's only maternity home, as well as the only Orthodox Christian maternity home in the US -- California's Martha and Mary House," Helen added. "The latter will serve as a model for our efforts." [Visit the Martha and Mary House web site at www.marthaandmaryhouse.org for additional information.]

His Grace, Bishop Matthias of Chicago and the Midwest, has offered his enthusiastic support for the effort, while OCLife-Chicago has been working closely with His Grace, Bishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago.

"OCLIfe-Chicago will undertake the process of establishing the home, writing its bylaws and regulations, acquiring 501c3 non-profit status, and overseeing day-to-day operations and ongoing fundraising," Helen concluded. "We anticipate a positive response from parishes across the Chicagoland area -- and beyond -- to our initial fundraising effort, which will begin on March 11, 2012."

For additional information and ongoing updates, visit OCLife-Chicago's web site at www.oclife-chicago.org.

A baptism

2012-01-29T17:29:00.003-06:00

Meanwhile, in Russia...

2012-01-29T17:25:00.000-06:00

An Orthodox approach to Psychotherapy & Addiction

2012-01-28T09:19:00.001-06:00

Kazakh official painted in cathedral fresco

2012-01-28T09:10:00.002-06:00

H/T: A Reader's Guide

Moscow, January 27 (Interfax) - An Orthodox bishop has argued that no Church laws were broken by depicting a Kazakhstan senator in one of the frescoes in a new cathedral, while the lawmaker himself has described the painting as a "sacrilege" and has said he asked for it to be erased.

Sergey Kulagin, a former governor of Kazakhstan's Kustanay Region who was recently appointed senator, has his face painted in a fresco showing a crowd welcoming Jesus Christ into Jerusalem in the new cathedral of Rudny, a city in the Kustanay Region, as a commission from two companies whose business underlies the city's economy.

He is shown as one of the people in the crowd.

"The fresco involves no departure from canon law. Furthermore, a painter paints an icon with Episcopal blessing and making use of his skills, experience and surrounding examples," Anatoly, bishop of Kustanay and Rudny, said in a statement sent to Interfax-Religion.

There have been depictions of Jesus and apostles as "Chinese, Japanese, Russians and others, but the compliance of such an icon with canon law has never been questioned," he said.

"The Savior lived among the righteous and sinful, the healthy and sick, the rich and poor, the possessed and wise, and all that has been reflected in frescoes - an icon of Christ the Savior then becomes part of a fresco. Today we can see icons showing Red Army soldiers shooting innocent people, and even demons trying to tempt the Savior, but it is martyrs and not torturers whom we venerate," the bishop said.

Moreover, "any depiction in light and color, in space and time, in a simple or complicated composition needs the consecration and blessing of a bishop," he said.

Kulagin himself claimed that he had not been consulted about the painting.

"Let me tell you how it was," he told the Kazakhstan version of Moscow-based daily Komsomolskaya Pravda.

"On January 14, we were opening the cathedral, and I noticed there was a picture there that looked like me. Then I said to my guys, What are you doing? Erase it immediately! The only problem is I haven't made sure the job is done completely. I think it's all rectifiable, though, they'll get it done," he said.

Those who had commissioned the picture did him "a disservice," Kulagin said.

The paining is "a sacrilege," he said, "It's wrong, it isn't even my style of doing things. I haven't tried to find out yet whose idea it was."

Kazakh newspaper Vremya said earlier that putting Kulagin into the fresco had been requested by the ENRC-Komek fund and the Sokolovsko-Sarbaiskoye Mining Production Association, a major iron ore producer and part of the ENRC holding company.

"The depiction of the regional ruler raises a multitude of questions. There are trite questions what on earth he is doing here anyway, but a hair-splitting viewer wonders why Kulagin is standing stone-still among the welcoming crowd as though he has been pushed far into the background," an article in Vremya said.

"One involuntarily gets the impression he is somehow feeling ill at ease."

The author of the article asked Professor of the Moscow Theological Academy Protodeacon Andrey Kurayev, a well-known Russian Orthodox theologian, for comments.

"I first visited that church before the frescoes were finished," Father Andrey said in his blog. "And I still remember the lamentations of the priests that the builders of the church [the company on which the city's economy is based and the local administration] didn't pay the slightest attention to the wishes of the Church."

There had been a practice of including portraits of construction sponsors, such as princes and emperors, in church frescoes but they had their pictures put "down below, on the western wall, in the narthex, near the entrance," the theologian said.

Kulagin's picture "is right up under the dome," Father Andrey said. "After the words 'Lift up your hearts,' the worshiper raises their eyes - and sees the Big Brother."

Assembly of Bishops Secretariat meets

2012-01-27T09:16:00.002-06:00

(AOB) - The Secretariat of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America held its annual "face-to-face" meeting, January 24th and 25th, 2012. The hosts for this year's "face-to-face" meeting were Father Josiah Trenham and the congregation of St Andrew Church in Riverside, CA. An overview of the work accomplished at the Riverside meeting will be included in a soon-to-be issued media release which will report to the Church-at-large on the work of the Assembly during the past year.

The Secretariat, which also meets monthly via teleconference, consists of Bishop Basil (Secretary of the Assembly of Bishops), Archbishop Antony, Bishop Andonios, Bishop Maxim, Father Mark Arey, Father Nicholas Ceko, Father Josiah Trenham, Hierodeacon Benedict (Armitage), Protodeacon Peter Danilchick, and Messrs. Alexei Krindatch, Alex Machaskee, Eric Namee and Constantin Ursache.

Pan-Orthodox Symposium to discuss a Local Church

2012-01-27T08:48:00.000-06:00

(OCA) - The Huffington Ecumenical Institute, in collaboration with the Henry Luce Foundation, will host its annual symposium, “Pan-Orthodoxy in North America: Towards a Local Church,” at Loyola Marymount University here March 16-17, 2012.

A variety of presentations by Orthodox Christian and Catholic experts will explore the “complex mosaic of historical circumstances, struggles for self-identity, and intriguing people” that make up Orthodox Christianity in North America.

The symposium will be held at University Hall 1000, Ahmanson Auditorium, Loyola Marymount University. Friday’s program begins at 9:00 a.m., while Saturday’s program opens at 9:30 a.m. Each days’ presentations will conclude at 5:00 p.m. Lunch and refreshments will be provided each day.

While there is no charge to attend the symposium, advanced registration is strictly required. To register and/or to obtain additional informaton, visit http://bellarmine.lmu.edu/ecumenical/pan-orthodoxy.

Questions may be directed to Katherine Lash at hei@lmu.edu; 310-338-1917.

A solid article on Orthodox at the March for Life

2012-01-27T08:37:00.001-06:00

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 25, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) – At a religious event often dominated by massive presence of Roman Catholics, members of the Eastern Orthodox Church played a more visible role in this year’s March for Life than ever before. For the first time, the opening prayer in front of the Supreme Court was offered by His Eminence Jonah (Paffhausen), Metropolitan of All America and Canada for the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), as well as Roman Catholic prelates Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan.

“We are of one heart and one purpose,” he said as he chanted a litany of life before hundreds of thousands of marchers.

The Metropolitan was joined by several of his brother bishops, including Bp. Melchizedek of Pittsburgh, Bp. Matthias of Chicago, and Bp. Michael of New York. At least 15 priests were in his company alone. Several individual representatives of the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, and Antiochian Orthodox Churches also participated.

Fr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor of St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary in Syosset, New York, estimated more than 100 Orthodox Christians came with his group. St. Tikhon’s Seminary in Pennsylvania also brought students to participate in the church’s public ministry.

“The nation should respect life from conception until the moment the person naturally takes his last breath,” Met. Jonah told LifeSiteNews.com. The Orthodox Christian Church, the world’s second largest Christian denomination, dogmatically teaches that life begins at conception and that abortion is a grave sin.

He said throughout the year the faithful should remind women who have had an abortion “that forgiveness and healing are available to them. They should support ministries that care for pregnant women by, for instance, founding crisis pregnancy centers. That is the kind of ministry that will bring an end to abortion in this nation,” he said.

He instructed parishes of the OCA to insert prayers for the end of abortion into one of the church’s litanies on January 22, which the OCA proclaimed “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.”

Fr. Chad Hatfield told LifeSiteNews.com said he had only one disappointment. “I hope next year we have a greater participation from other Orthodox jurisdictions,” he said, particularly other bishops.

Some churches refused to participate on the grounds that the March for Life is a political event. But one Orthodox Christian at the march told LifeSiteNews, “It is not political; it is a religious testament to our faith. We say the same things to Republicans as we do to Democrats.”

The Eastern Church has been active in the pro-life movement for decades. Archpriest John Kowalczyk, the co-founder of the Orthodox Presence at the March for Life, said in a statement, “For over 25 years, Orthodox Christians from throughout the country have gathered in the nation’s capital to show their dismay for the millions of children who have been aborted since the infamous decision of Roe v. Wade. This March for Life Movement has united many Christians of all denominations on the principle, of what Saint Gregory of Nyssa says, ‘Life begins at conception.’”

Metropolitan Jonah said he believes pro-life activism and defending the culture of life will increasingly become vehicles for practical cooperation with fellow Christians. In the process, it is bringing the little-known church into national exposure. Fr. Kowalczyk said, “The Orthodox presence in this March has inspired other Christians to view Orthodoxy not simply as an ethnic identity, but a Church with a moral teaching.”

Orthodox faithful began Monday’s events by gathering for two prayer services. Eastern Orthodox Christians held a Divine Liturgy and prayer service at St. Nicholas Cathedral on Massachusetts Ave. A Western Rite Orthodox Mass was held at St. Gregory the Great Orthodox Church in metropolitan Washington.

Members of the Orthodox Church took part in pro-life events far outside the nation’s capital, as well. At the West Coast March for Life, Fr. Aris Metrakos, protopresbyter of San Francisco’s Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, gave the invocation. “Abortion-on-demand has shredded the moral fabric of our society by encouraging promiscuity, obliterating the notion of personal responsibility and accountability, and making selfishness a legal right,” he said. “It makes a mockery of men’s honor and the medical profession’s nobility, while exposing the duplicity and opportunism of the majority of the political class.”

Eastern Orthodox Scouting manuals now free online

2012-01-26T13:04:00.002-06:00

Wonderful news. These books used to be somewhat hard to order and pay for. A good reminder for me to get started on these with my son.

(EOCS) - The EOCS has been hard at work updating the award booklets & course requirements for the Chi-Ro, St. George, and Alpha-Omega Awards.

They are now available online FREE to download here.

It''ll Get Worse

2012-01-26T12:57:00.000-06:00

(Salvo Magazine) - Many brainwashed Christian kids aren’t getting a clear picture of what their lives will be like as openly conservative religious adults. They don’t fully realize that their objections and concerns will be shouted down and that they’ll be ridiculed and bullied in the public square—called hater and bigot and anti-science no matter what they say or do. So let’s show them what their parents’ lives are like now, so they know what the future has in store for them if they remain Christians.

::: THE PLEDGE :::

No one deserves to be respected for having a Christian point of view or any other perspective that doesn’t fully embrace the gay ideology and abortion rights. To this end, I pledge to squash any religious ideas in children by giving them a taste of the public shaming and vitriol they will receive as God-fearing adults. I’ll shout down anyone who tries to stand up for traditional morals at school and at work—and I’ll encourage my friends, family, and neighbors to do the same. I’ll provide hopelessness to religiously minded youth by letting them know at a young age that “It’ll Get Worse.”

Chicago area churches hold Prayer Vigil for Life

2012-01-25T08:40:00.001-06:00

(UOC-USA) - Monday, January 23, 2012 marks the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that removed many state and federal restrictions on abortion.

Every year, thousands gather in the District of Columbia, the nation’s capitol in Washington, DC for the annual March for Life. It’s been deemed the largest and longest-running peaceful human rights demonstration for the unborn, with more than 100,000 in attendance.

As marchers gathered in Washington, D.C., for the March for Life, pro-life marches and commemorations around the country have already taken place in solidarity with the main event. Many were held on Saturday and a few Sunday, while others took place the week before.

The Orthodox Christian Clergy Association of Greater Chicago sponsored and hosted the 4th Annual Prayer Vigil for Life on Sunday, January 22, 2012 at Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church in Westchester, IL with His Grace Bishop Demetrios, a chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago delivering a key-note address, titled “Executing Death”.

Clergy and parishioners of almost very Orthodox parish in Chicago Metropolitan area attended the Prayer Vigil. Representing the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA were His Grace Bishop Daniel, the Ruling Hierarch of the Western Eparchy of the UOC of the USA, accompanied by Archimadrite Pankratiy of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, IL; Rev. Fr. Vasyl Sendeha and Deacon John Charest of Sts Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Palos Park, IL, and Subdeacon Vasyl Pasakas of St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary.

The prayers were unspeakably beautiful, in large part due to the parish Chorus, who lead the chanting of a number of Psalms and singing responses in all of the languages of the various Orthodox jurisdiction of Chicago metropolitan area. His Grace Bishop Daniel delivered a prayer during the Vigil, stating: “...Seeking to fulfill Your teaching o Lord, we as Your followers, turn to You in fervent prayer on this “Sanctity of Life Sunday”. O God, Who knows each of us from our mother’s womb, protect the fragile lives of our unborn little brothers and sisters, granting blessed repose to those whose tiny lives were terminated, as well as repentance and forgiveness to those who have participated in their termination… O Life-Giving Christ, the Prince of peace, through the intercession of our Holy Mother, the Birth-Giver of God and all he Saints, grant us and all people the will to treat life as sacred. By protecting the Sanctity of Life, may we ever more glorify You, its Source – together with your eternal Father and Your all-Holy Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.”

Following the Vigil, His Grace Bishop Demetrios reflected upon the historical and moral complications of pregnancy and abortion as well as Capital Punishment and the evil that such actions take against the creation of God. “The founders of our nation understood that religion and morality are essential to the survival of a freedom-loving society. John Adams expressed this conviction, stating: "We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."

During the coffee hour, sponsored by the Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox parish community, Bishop Daniel reflected that "...Orthodox Christians must not shrink from the obligation to assert the values and principles we hold essential to the common good, beginning with the right to life of every human being…"

In conclusion, the representatives of Orthodox Christian Clergy Association of Greater Chicago shared long-awaited news with those in attendance about the opening of Martha and Mary Hospitality House in Chicago Metropolitan area, helping young women through pregnancy and offering a child for adoption.

2012 Missions and Evangelism Conference podcast available

2012-01-25T08:25:00.003-06:00

It had to be that the year I move away from Texas for studies is the year they hold this conference in my hometown. Thankfully, AFR has supplied us with a comprehensive podcast of the event.

(AFR) - This year, the Missions and Evangelism Department of the Antiochian Archdiocese teamed with North Texas Orthodox Missions for a joint conference held in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. The speakers were Fr. Joseph Huneycutt, Fr. Evan Armatas, and Fr. Peter Gillquist. The dates were January 20-21, 2012. The conference was dedicated to the memory of His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri.

Podcasts available here.

"the babe leaped in her womb" - St. Tikhon's at March for Life

2012-01-24T10:18:00.000-06:00

St. Tikhon's Monastery went to the March for Life.

Intl. Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations

2012-01-23T11:25:00.000-06:00

(ROC) - On 21 January 2012, in the Hall of Church Councils of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia officiated at the ceremony of awarding the prize ‘For the Outstanding Activity in Strengthening Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations and for Consolidation and Promotion of Christian Values in the Life of Society” named after His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II.

The prizes of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations (IFUOCN) are awarded annually to the heads of states, governments and parliaments, Primates of the Orthodox Churches, and major public figures for their contribution to the strengthening of economic and political ties among the states formed in the context of Eastern Christian tradition and for the consolidation of noble standards of Christian morals in the life of Orthodox community.

The IFUOCN-2011 prize-winners are His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa; Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority; and Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic.

Attending the ceremony were Metropolitan Varsonofiy of Saransk and Mordovia, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR); Metropolitan Athanasios of Kyrenaika, representative of the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Archbishop Nifon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Archbishop Arseniy of Istra; Bishop Sergiy of Solnechnogorsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administrative Secretariat; Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Finance and Economics Management; archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, chairman of the Synodal Department for Church-State Relations; archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR deputy chairman; archpriest Mikhail Ryazantsev, sacristan of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour; members of the delegation of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria; Mikhail Bogdanov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Mufti Albir Krganov, first deputy chairman of the Central Spiritual Boards of Muslims of Russia; ambassador of the Arab and Balkan states accredited in Russia; members of the delegation of the Palestinian National Administration; and many guests.

A documentary film about the history of the IFUOCN was shown before the ceremony. The IFUOCN president, Prof. Valery Alexeyev gave an opening speech and asked His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, president of the IFUOCN Board of Trustees, to open the awarding ceremony.

The Primate of the Russian Church welcomed the prize-winners and the guests and, together with Prof. Alexeyev presented diplomas and badges to the prize-winners-2011.

His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II noted the importance of awarding the ancient and glorious Church of Alexandria in the person of her Pope and Patriarch and expressed his confidence that this award reflects “our relations of cordial love in Christ, cooperation and unanimity to the glory of our God.”

His beatitude added that that the prize was recognition of the contribution of the Church of Alexandria to the shaping of Christian theology and of her missionary efforts undertaken for the spreading of Good News on the blessed African continent.

The President of the Palestinian National Administration Mahmoud Abbas underscored in his address that he highly appreciated the life and spiritual heritage of the late Patriarch Alexy II. He expressed his joy over receiving the prize from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill whom he considers a worthy successor of Patriarch Alexy II.

Mahmoud Abbas said that the prize would be an incentive for continuing his efforts directed to the spreading of the culture of peace and dialogue among civilizations, religions and nations and to the support of the values of tolerance. He is convinced that the adherence to these values is particularly important in the period of the current structural transformations in the Arab world.

“We feel a particular and great responsibility for Palestine’s preserving its civilization role in the region and in the world, as Palestine is the land of Divine Messages. We continue our efforts focused on the achievement of peace with justice and establishment of the independent State of Palestine, living near Israel, within the borders of 1967,” he said.

In conclusion of his speech, Mahmoud Abbas thanked the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church and the IFUOCN leaders for the award and said that he would give prize money to Palestinian students who study in Russia.

Novak Djokovic, who could not attend the ceremony, said in his video address that an international award given to him in Russia is great privilege to him. “The Russian Orthodox Church gives a worthy example to the entire Orthodox world. There had been hard times in her history, she was persecuted, but no one managed to break it. At present it flourishes. This is an example for us, the Serbs, and we cherish hope that hard time for us will soon be over,” he said. He thanked His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the IFUOCN on behalf of himself and the Serbian people for high award.

H. E. Jelica Kurjak, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Serbia to Russia, read out greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Irenej of Serbia to the participants in the ceremony.

The awarding ceremony was concluded by a concert.

To re-sanctify the whole of creation

2012-01-23T11:11:00.001-06:00

(WYTV) - Each year, the Orthodox church commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by holding a special Blessing of Water service.

Local Orthodox churches gathered in Hermitage on Sunday to bless the Shenango River in celebration of the Epiphany holiday.

The service dates back to the 6th century, and consists of Scripture readings, hymns and prayers. Orthodox believers throughout the world take part in the celebration.

"The idea is that through Christ's baptism all creation is blessed. That He came not just to save man, to save fallen man, to save sinners, but to re sanctify the whole creation. To give it a new genesis--a new descent of the Holy Spirit.", explained Father Calinic Berger, a priest at the Romanian Orthodox Church.

This is the first time that the Blessing of Water was celebrated for the Shenango River.

A Seminarian's Prayer

2012-01-23T11:03:00.000-06:00

A prayer from the blog Opuscula Theologica:

Most blessed Lord Jesus Christ, send the grace of Thy Holy Spirit upon me, to strengthen me that I may learn well the things I am about to study, and by them become a better person for Thy glory, for the welfare of my family, and for the benefit of Thy Holy Church. Let this knowledge not make me boastful, but rather sanctify my mind by Thy deifying grace. Through my studies, teach me to acquire humility, a peaceful mind and a prayerful heart. This I ask of Thee through the prayers of Thy most Pure Mother, our Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary; of our holy and godbearing Fathers; of Saint Tatiana of Rome and Saint Sergius of Radonezh, and of all the saints who from the ages have been pleasing unto Thee. Amen.

Timkat in Ethiopia

2012-01-21T16:13:00.000-06:00

CELEBRATE: Young Ethiopian Orthodox Christians participated Friday in the annual festival of Timkat in Lalibela, Ethiopia, marking the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. (Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images)

Not a wizards' duel despite all signs to the contrary

2012-01-20T16:00:00.000-06:00

Romanian, right, and Serbian Orthodox Church priests perform, marking the Orthodox Epiphany on the river Nera, between the two countries of Serbia, left bank, and Romania, near the village of Vracev Gaj, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeast of Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012. AP / Darko Vojinovic

The post-Mubarak oppression of Copts continues to grow

2012-01-20T15:33:00.000-06:00

(AINA) - A Muslim mob attacked Copts today in the Upper Egyptian village of Rahmaniya-Kebly, Nag Hammadi, Qena province, destroying and torching their homes, straw huts and shops, while chanting Allahu Akbar. No one was reported killed or injured (video). According to reports, security forces were present but did not intervene and the fire brigade arrived 90 minutes late.

An eye-witness said that a straw hut belonging to a Copt was torched to clear the area for a mosque. There are more than 300 mosques in the village and one church.

According to Coptic residents, the reason behind the violence was the parliamentary elections. The Salafists wanted to prevent Copts, who number more than 50% of the inhabitants (20,000), from voting because they intended to vote for two moderate Muslims and not the Salafi candidates. "No Copt from Rahmaniya-Kebly was able to vote today, so the Salafists will win the elections," said a witness. Copts were forcefully prevented from voting.

US-based WAY TV, which covered live today's Rahmaniya attacks, called commander Osama, head of security at Rahmaniya, who said "everything was OK" -- despite live pictures on TV of the burning homes. Joseph Nasralla of WAY TV spoke to security and made them aware that the videos of the fires were being broadcast in the U.S. and Middle East, which caused the immediate dispatch of security vehicles. By late evening the violence had stopped.

In another incident today, a large number of Salafis and members of the Muslim Brotherhood entered the Abu Makka church, in Bahteem, Shubra-el-Khayma, Qaliubia province, and informed the congregation that the church has no licence and no one should pray in it. One Muslim said the 1300 square meter church would be suitable for a mosque and a hospital.

Bishop Marcus of Shubra el Khayma was scheduled to inaugurate the incomplete church and celebrate the Epiphany mass in the evening. According to Coptic witnesses the Bishop cancelled the festivities, which angered the congregation, who were not informed of the reason. A witness said the Muslim promised to be back tomorrow.

Oriental Orthodox Conference meets in New Jersey

2012-01-20T14:28:00.001-06:00

(Syrian Orthodox) - On Tuesday, January 17, members of the Standing Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Churches met at the Archdiocesan offices in Teaneck, NJ for their biannual meeting. His Eminence Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim welcomed the participant hierarchs and clergy on behalf of Eastern Archdiocese. His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church, chaired the meeting the meeting was also attended by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Titus Eldho, of the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church and His Eminence Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, the Ecumenical Director of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church, as well as, clergy representing the Coptic and the Ethiopian Orthodox Churches.

The meeting began with a short morning prayer. Discussion topics included plans being made for a youth retreat to be hosted by the Syrian Orthodox Church and possible daylong regional meetings of Oriental Orthodox clergy.

Participants also spoke about their respective Christian education programs and reviewed the Oriental Orthodox Concelebration of the Divine Liturgy held last November at the Coptic Orthodox Church of Archangel Michael and St. Mena in Staten Island, NY. Next year’s concelebration will be hosted by St. Leon Armenian Church of Fair Lawn, NJ.

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, the Eastern Diocese’s Ecumenical Director, and Archbishop Karim spoke about the participation of Oriental Orthodox churches in the Christian Churches Together organization and presented updates on the ongoing dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church. Turning to developments overseas, participants discussed the situation of Copts in Egypt and Christians in Syria.

The Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan gave a presentation on the new website of the Standing Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. Click here to visit the website for news and information about the organization.

In addition to Archbishop Karim, Very Rev. Fr. Shamoun Asmar, Rev. Fr. Aziz Hadodo and Rev. Fr. Joseph Chamoun were also present.

The meeting continued over lunch prepared by the Ladies Auxiliary of St. Mark’s Cathedral.

Theophany across the OCA

2012-01-20T14:01:00.000-06:00

(OCA) - With unseasonably warm weather dominating much of the North American continent this January, many parishes’ celebration of the Great Feast of Theophany went “outdoors” this year.

Back to seminary

2012-01-20T00:30:00.000-06:00

Seminary is back in full swing. Much has changed and yet much is the same with many of the same professors though the courses are of course different. I'm particularly happy to have Canon Law - being nicknamed Mr. Akribeia by fellow seminarians there might be some unhealthy reason behind that.

The snow has started falling, which, for a Texan, is a strange new world. The kids have something called "ski club," the family dog is none too happy about frosty morning walks, and sweatshirt or jacket is a requirement more than a fashion statement. We're settling into our new parish family. Today the children bloated themselves on Jordan water.

So I again ask for your prayers as my short Winter Break shore leave has ended and I embark on another semester of study. My wife certainly needs prayers as time spent in classes is time spent away from the family. So if you would, prayers for my beloved Svetlana as she balances home and our brood.

Christ is Baptized in the Jordan!

Abp. Seraphim sex abuse case to go to trial

2012-01-19T23:16:00.000-06:00

(Winnipeg Free Press) - A high-ranking former orthodox archbishop has been ordered to stand trial on historical Manitoba sex-abuse charges. Former is the wrong word. To my knowledge he has not been laicized or retired.

Seraphim Storheim appeared in a Winnipeg courtroom Wednesday for the conclusion of a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is sufficient evidence for the case to proceed. A court-ordered ban prevents specific details from being published.

Provincial court Judge Rocky Pollack ruled the Crown had met the standard of proof required to move the case along. The case will return to court in March for the setting of a trial date.

Storheim has pleaded not guilty to sexually abusing two teenaged boys while he was a priest in Winnipeg 30 years ago. He remains free on bail with several conditions, including having no contact with children.

Storheim was the highest-ranking Canadian cleric in the Orthodox Church in America until church officials suspended him last November, days after Winnipeg police laid charges against him following a lengthy investigation into allegations that only recently emerged. None of the charges has been proven and he is presumed innocent.

A U.S.-based victims' group spoke out following Storheim's arrest, angry that a parish was using a church website to raise defence funds for Storheim. A Vancouver parish of the Russian Orthodox Church in America posted three messages of support for Storheim, including one with an address where funds for his defence could be sent.

Last December, the Orthodox Church distanced itself from the Vancouver parish with a statement that said in part: "The Archdiocese of Canada for the Orthodox Church in America is not in any way associated with any legal fund or other defensive effort being set up to aid Archbishop Seraphim."

Christ the Saviour Seminary to host inquirers event

2012-01-19T19:34:00.001-06:00

(ACROD) - Are you looking for something different to do with your Spring Break? Come and experience the life of Christ the Saviour Seminary in Johnstown, Pennsylvania!

As you stay at the Seminary, you will fully participate in the daily life of the students, both spiritual and academic. You will attend daily services, sit-in on classes, have fellowship with the seminarians and faculty, and have personal “down time” for prayer, reflection, reading, etc. Worship will also take place at our celebrated Christ the Saviour Cathedral. Since Western Pennsylvania has several well-known Orthodox sites such as Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Ellwood City and Antiochian Village in nearby Ligonier, other visits and excursions may be planned as well.

The Seminary is open for any Spring Break schedule (February 12 - March 31), and men aged 18 and over are invited. There is no cost; meals and activities are fully provided. Guests are limited to stay for one week, and are responsible for transportation to the Seminary. Contact Seminarian Bill George at wgeorge@acrod.org or (814) 539-0116. Accommodations are limited so make reservations early.

At your baptism in the Jordan, O Lord...

2012-01-19T14:16:00.000-06:00

A FAITHFUL FALL: A man plunged backward into cold water to celebrate Orthodox Epiphany in Minsk, Belarus, Wednesday. (Viktor Drachev/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images)

(MSNBC) - An Orthodox priest walks near a bathing hole made for Epiphany celebrations in a pond in Moscow's Kolomenskoe Park Jan. 19, 2012.

Orthodox priest conducts a service at the ice hole of a lake on the eve of Russian Orthodox Epiphany in Minsk, Belarus, late Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. Orthodox Church believers celebrate Epiphany on Jan. 19. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

OCA to again be a major presence at March for Life

2012-01-19T13:15:00.001-06:00

(OCA) - Orthodox Christians everywhere — especially those within driving distance of the US capital — are encouraged to bear witness to their faith at the annual March for Life Monday, January 23, 2012.

As in years past, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, will speak at the pre-March program and offer prayers for the victims of abortion at the conclusion of the March. He will also attend the annual Rose Dinner.

Other members of the Orthodox Church in America’s Holy Synod of Bishops who will participate in the March are His Grace, Bishop Melchisedek; His Grace, Bishop Michael; and His Grace, Bishop Matthias. Archpriest John Jillions, OCA Chancellor; Archpriest John Kowalczyk, a pro-life activist and co-founder of the Orthodox Presence at the March for Life; numerous other clergy; and students and faculty members of Saint Tikhon’s and Saint Vladimir’s seminaries also plan to be in attendance. The seminarians will carry the icon of the Visitation of the Theotokos to Elizabeth, borne by Orthodox faithful annually during the March.

On Sunday, January 22, March participants are invited to attend Vespers at Saint Nicholas Cathedral. The Divine Liturgy will be celebrated the following morning at 9:00 a.m.

The March will begin at noon. Orthodox Christian faithful are asked to gather under the “Orthodox Christians for Life” banner on the National Mall, west of Eighth Street near the Smithsonian Castle, to the left of the main stage. Metropolitan Jonah will deliver the opening invocation. Representatives of other traditions, including members of the US Catholic Conference of Bishops, also will be present.

After the rally, marchers will proceed up Constitution Avenue to the US Supreme Court, where a Memorial will be celebrated for the victims of abortion.

“For over 25 years, Orthodox Christians from throughout the country have gathered in the nation’s capital to show their dismay for the millions of children who have been aborted since the infamous decision of Roe v. Wade,” Father Kowalczyk said. “This March for Life Movement has united many Christians of all denominations on the principle, of what Saint Gregory of Nyssa says, ‘Life begins at conception.’

“The Orthodox presence in this March has inspired other Christians to view Orthodoxy not simly as an ethnic identity, but a Church with a moral teaching,” Father Kowalczyk continued. “And we are willing to take this sacred teaching to the “public market places of society.

“We are excited once again to have the Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, who will be present with Metropolitan Jonah, who will be speaking at the rally,” Father Kowalczyk concluded.

Sanctity of Life prayers and petitions for parish use on Sunday, January 22, may be found here.

ROCOR in danger of losing NYC headquarters

2012-01-19T12:52:00.001-06:00

New York, January 19 (Interfax) - The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad strive to preserve ownership of its headquarters on Park Avenue in New York City.

ROCOR is facing a financial crisis that can result in losing the building.

As was noted in a statement posted on the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad website, in order for the Synod of Bishops to continue to own the complex it needs significant financing for urgently-needed capital renovation, continued financial support to cover maintenance costs, and a significant increase in annual revenue to fill a severe administrative budget gap.

"The need for a thriving, efficient administrative center, wherever it is located, has grown since ROCOR now participates in the life of the entire Orthodox Christian World," the statement reads.

The document informs that ROCOR Synod has been running $450-$500 thousand annual deficits in recent years.

"The Synod Chancery is aware of the need of the Cathedral worshipers in New York to continue their liturgical life should selling the buildings be the only viable option," the statement says.

ROCOR states that "the urgency of the situation leaves little time to find a resolution."

Ruthenian Greek Catholics in the US get new metropolitan

2012-01-19T12:03:00.001-06:00

(VIS) - Appointed Bishop William C. Skurla of Passaic, U.S.A., as metropolitan archbishop of Pittsburgh of the Byzantines (Catholics 58,763, priests 64, permanent deacons 17, religious 88), U.S.A.

Metropolitan Archbishop-elect William will be enthroned in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, April 18, 2012.

CrossRoad Summer Institute open to high school students

2012-01-18T14:22:00.001-06:00

CrossRoad Program

Brookline, MA (Antiochian.org) - Hellenic College Holy Cross, the oldest and largest Christian Orthodox institution for higher learning in North America, invites Orthodox Christian students from the United States and Canada to take part in a summer vocation exploration program that integrates faith, learning, and service. In its ninth year, the CrossRoad summer institute has proven to be a successful program preparing teens for leadership in the Church and in their communities.

One of the vibrant programs of HCHC’s Office of Vocation & Ministry (OVM), CrossRoad offers participants access to HCHC’s distinguished faculty instruction and enthusiastic graduate students who serve as staff. Since the program is on HCHC campus, participants experience the beautiful campus that is within minutes of Boston.

In addition to participating in theology classes, CrossRoad students attend Vespers each evening at neighboring parishes in the Boston area and engage in community service. Described by many as a “life-changing experience,” CrossRoad provides a strong foundation for the future leaders of the Church, evidenced through the way CrossRoad alumni reflect on what they learned during the 10-day period.

CrossRoad alumna Katya Soot of Albany, OR, said, “Two and a half years ago, I attended Crossroad, and yet it feels like yesterday. Time and distance have no power over the love and knowledge that Crossroad fostered for all of us in just ten days. To this day, what I learned and the people I met at Crossroad continue to influence my life, and I know this is something that will last forever.”

Alumnus Michael Takes of Clayton, MO, added, “CrossRoad was an amazing experience that helped me learn about my faith and prepared me for living an Orthodox life in college”

This year’s sessions are June 23-July 3 and July 10-20, 2012. Application Priority Deadline is March 1, 2012. Applications may be downloaded from the CrossRoad website.

About CrossRoad

CrossRoad draws its name in part from the metaphorical crossroad at which high school seniors and graduates find themselves as they prepare to embark on their life journey towards further studies and careers. CrossRoad’s 350 alumni hail from 39 states, Canada, and the Bahamas. To accommodate the overwhelming interest, CrossRoad runs two sessions annually.

For summer 2012 each accepted applicant will receive a full scholarship and is only responsible for travel costs to/from Boston. CrossRoad is funded by the OVM through the generosity of the Lilly Endowment Inc., the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Endowment Fund, Old Neighborhood Foods, the Virginia H. Farah Foundation, and benefactors from the greater Orthodox community. Applications may be downloaded from the CrossRoad website at crossroad.hchc.edu or received by mail by calling the office at 617-850-1310. Visit the website to see a short video of the CrossRoad experience. Applicants must currently be in their junior or senior year of high school. Application Priority Deadline is March 1, 2012. The Office of Vocation & Ministry (OVM) at Hellenic College is now accepting applications from high school juniors and seniors for its CrossRoad summer institute.

When the crassness of some dictates the policy for all

2012-01-18T11:03:00.002-06:00

DRAPER, Utah (KFOR) — Amid some controversy, Draper's new high school has a mascot and school colors.

Future students within Corner Canyon High School's boundaries were mailed ballots and selected navy, silver and white for their school colors. The Charger was selected as the mascot.

With 23 percent of the votes, future students had selected the Cougar as the school's mascot, but Canyons School District said that board members expressed concern over the use of Cougar because it's used as a derogatory term for some women.

They also said that the Cougar is also a mascot for three other Utah schools, plus Brigham Young University, whose school colors are also blue and white. Corner Canyon High School is the first in Utah to use the Charger as its mascot.

The new school is scheduled to open in 2013.

Rila Monastery in matchsticks

2012-01-18T10:11:00.000-06:00

(My Modern Met) - Think you have the time, dedication and patience to create an artwork like this? First, try and comprehend these numbers. 6 million matches. 16 years of life. Bulgarian artist Plamen Ignatov used that many matches and spent that much time to create this impressive miniature model of the Rila Monastery. Made of wood, matches and gems, it's now on display at the Museum of Archaeological in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is regarded as one of Bulgaria's most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments and is a key tourist attraction for both Bulgaria and Southern Europe. It has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Talk about dedication to your craft.

More great pictures available here.

Life-term prisoners take monatic vows

2012-01-18T09:42:00.001-06:00

What a wonderful story. There is also some great work being done in the prisons of the US by our seminaries and parishes.

(pravoslavie.ru) - Twelve convicts of the Vinnitsa prison sentenced for life decided to take monastic vows, the Segodnya Ukrainian paper reports.

Today, 12 novices and two monks live in the monastery on the territory of the prison.

After 20 years in prison, life prisoners can ask for mercy, but perhaps, monks will have more chances to be released.

The morning of one monk - life imprisoned Andrey Chistyakov starts with 40 kneels and prayer. "For ten years I read works of the holy fathers for six-eight hours a day. I could have never had so much time as I have here in prison, even in the monastery," the prisoner said.

The Penitentiary Service of Ukraine says there have never been cases when life prisoners massively took monastic vows before.

A Mormon visits an Orthodox church

2012-01-18T09:16:00.001-06:00

(Mormon Matters) - Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how the familiar Mormon claim that we are the “one true Church” is as much a statement about other churches as it is about our own. And I’ve been thinking about how ignorant and uninformed I feel about other churches because I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve visited one.

So recently I decided to start visiting other churches a lot more often in hopes that I can develop some personal, first-hand knowledge about them. And it seemed fitting to start by paying my first visit to the church that claims to be the oldest “one true” Christian church: the Orthodox Christian church.

Like Mormons, Orthodox Christians explain: “We’re neither Protestant nor Roman Catholic.” An Orthodox website explains where they see themselves in relation to the various Christian denominations...

Complete article here.

Almost all bishops in Bulgarian Synod spied for Communists

2012-01-17T09:41:00.000-06:00

(Sofia Echo) - Bulgaria's commission charged with announcing the names of people who collaborated with the country's former communist-era secret services announced on January 17 2012 that 11 out of 15 members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church's governing body, the Holy Synod, had worked for State Security.

The commission also identified senior Roman Catholic clergy and Muslim leaders who had been communist secret service agents or who had collaborated.

Not among the Bulgarian Orthodox Church names was that of Patriarch Maxim, the church's spiritual leader, who has headed the church for more than 40 years.

But the names identified as former collaborators include some who spoke out publicly against the church being scrutinised by the Dossier Commission - including Varna Metropolitan Kiril, recently also caught up in controversy about the expensive hybrid car that he had been using.

The other top clergy identified by the commission were metropolitans Galaktikon of Stara Zagora, Dometian of Vidin, Ignatii of Pleven, Yoanikii of Sliven, Grigorii of Veliko Turnovo, Yosif of the United States, Canada and Australia, Kaliniki of Vratsa, Nataniel Nevrokopski, Simeon of Western and Central Europe and Neofit of Rousse.

Galaktikon was agent Misho; Domitian, agent Dobrev; Ignatii, agent Penev; Yoanikii, agent Kirilevich; Grigorii, agent Vanyo; Yosif, agent Nikolov; Kalinik, agent Rilski; Kiril was a secret collaborator with the code name Kovachev and was an agent code-named Vladislav; Nataniel was a collaborator code-named Blagoev; Simeon of Western and Central Europe was a collaborator, as Toris, and an agent, code-named Hristov; Neofit's code name as an agent was Simeonov.

The process of check-ups among top clergy of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was continuing, the commission said. The commission is checking clergy of senior rank including metropolitans and heads of monasteries and theological seminaries.

The Dossier Commission said that Georgi Yovchev, bishop of the Roman Catholic eparchy of Sofia and Plovdiv from July 31 1988, was agent Petar.

Among Muslims, chief mufti Moustafa Alish Hadji was named as agent Andrei. Other senior Muslim clerics were Iskren Dobrouzhaliev, as agent Dobromir, Hasuf Halil Hasuf, a regional mufti and an agent code-named Hristo, Hedim Gendjev, collaborator, Osman Ismailov, collaborator, Ridvan Kaduov, an agent and Shefket Murad Hadji, an agent.

Diocese of Mexico celebrates 40 years

2012-01-16T17:15:00.002-06:00

(OCA) - Faithful arrived early at the Cathedral of the Ascension here on Sunday, January 8, 2012, as His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah presided at the Divine Liturgy and celebrated the Great Blessing of Water marking the diocese’s 40th anniversary.

Concelebrating with Metropolitan Jonah were Bishop Alejo of Mexico; diocesan clergy from as far as Monterrey and Guadalajara; priests from the US who offer assistance to the diocese, including Archpriest Ernesto Rios of Port St. Lucie, FL and Priest Antonio Perdomo of McAllen, TX; a priest of the Patriarchate of Moscow; and Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak. Services were celebrated almost exclusively in the Spanish language.

Metropolitan Jonah is visiting some of the diocesan missions through Thursday, January 12, offering an opportunity to strengthen their ties with the Church and plant seeds for ongoing missionary efforts.

The origin of what today is the Diocese of Mexico of the Orthodox Church in America were planted in the early 20th century, curiously through the Mexican National Catholic Church, distinct from the nation’s Roman Catholic Church. It was during the Revolution that antagonisms against the Roman Catholic Church were aroused by its historic association with the Spanish colonialists. Some of the first laws of the new Mexican Republic were antireligious. In 1917, all Church properties were nationalized, many churches were closed, monasteries were abolished and the communities dispersed, and clergymen were required to obtain licenses to function. Several attempts were made to establish a “national church.” In 1926, a Roman Catholic priest, with government support, was made head of the Independent Old Catholic Church of North America, and the Mexican National Catholic Church was founded.

The community thrived under the patronage of the government and at once extended its jurisdiction to Mexican communities in Texas. The National Church continued as an Old Catholic community until Father José Cortes y Olmos was appointed its bishop in 1961. He and his clergy became gradually convinced, through study and reflection, that the Old Catholic ecclesiological principles did not conform to the criteria of the One, True, Catholic Church. They came to identify with Orthodox Holy Tradition, and adopted the designation “Orthodox,” adopting the name “Iglesia Ortodoxa Catolica en Mexicao” (Orthodox Church in Mexico).

In 1965, Bishop José and his clergy contacted the then-rector of Saint Seraphim Church in Dallas, TX, Father Dmitri Royster, who had been instrumental in converting many Mexicans to Orthodoxy and was translating Orthodox liturgical services into Spanish. After Father Dimitri’s consecration to the episcopacy in 1969 and the granting of autocephaly the following year, Bishop Dmitri presented the case of the Orthodox Church in Mexico to the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church in America. After a number of exchanges and visits, the Holy Synod sent Bishop Dmitri to visit Mexico officially and to report on his findings. This report was studied by the OCA’s Department of Canonical Affairs, which recommended acceptance of the Mexican communities into the Orthodox Church.

In 1971, Bishop José petitioned for the acceptance of his community into the Orthodox Church in America. He and other priests of his community were received in their Roman Catholic rank of priest, while an estimated ten to twenty thousand faithful were also received into the Orthodox Christian faith. Father José studied at Saint Vladimir’s Seminary prior to his consecration as Bishop of Mexico City, which took place at Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in New York City on April 22, 1972. Despite countless obstacles, what had become the Exarchate of Mexico continued to grow through the establishment of additional missions and conversions.

On January 28, 1983, Bishop José fell asleep in the Lord after a relatively short bout with cancer. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius, presided at the funeral service in Mexico City on February 1, 1983.

Archbishop Dmitri continued to oversee the life of the Exarchate until 2005, when a successor to Bishop José was found. On May 28 of that year, in services celebrated at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery in South Canaan, PA, Archimandrite Alejo (Pacheco-Vera) was consecrated as an auxiliary to Bishop Dmitri. On October 16, 2008, he was elected as the ruling bishop of the Exarchate. His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, presided at his installation at Mexico City’s Ascension Cathedral on January 18, 2009. The Exarchate subsequently was granted full diocesan status.

A photo gallery of Sunday’s celebration may be found here, and an archival photo gallery may be found here.

Visit the diocese’s web site at http://ocamexico.org.

Additional background information on the Diocese of Mexico may be found here and here.

Administrator or Russian patriarchal parishes visits Mexico

2012-01-16T17:10:00.000-06:00

(ROC-USA) - On Sunday, January 15, at the invitation of the Bishop of Mexico City and throughout Mexico, Alexis (Orthodox Church in America), Archbishop of Justinian took part in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of Ascension Cathedral in Mexico City, the OCA. Archpastors Divine Liturgy concelebrated by the cathedral clergy, the clergy of the Patriarchal Parishes in the U.S. and the Western American Diocese of ROCOR. Services were held in Spanish and Slavonic languages. Praying the Liturgy of the Russian Diaspora in Mexico.

Orthodox prepare for March for Life

2012-01-14T22:06:00.000-06:00

WASHINGTON, DC (ACROD) - The 38th Annual March for Life, in protest against the legalization of the sin of abortion will take place on Monday January 23, 2012 on the National Mall in Washington, DC

Our Diocese has been in the forefront of the Orthodox Christian Right to Life Movement, with diocesan priest, the Rev. Dr. Edward Pehanich, being a co-founder of Orthodox Christians for life. His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas, was one of the first Orthodox Bishops to participate in the Annual March for Life.

Over the years, Diocesan faithful from the Johnstown/Pittsburgh and Eastern Seaboard regions have chartered buses, and organized car and van-pools to make their presence known, quietly marching in prayer and in singing of hymns with their fellow Orthodox brothers and sisters of other dioceses. This year, plans are being made in various regions of the diocese to continue this sad, but necessary tradition.
All diocesan faithful who are able to make the trip are urged to do so.

Holy Resurrection Church in Potomac, MD, as it has for many years, is again ready to greet those Diocesan faithful coming to the DC Area for the March For Life. The parish, will host a light luncheon of soup and sandwiches in the parish fellowship hall to help warm everyone up before going to the National Mall. If you and/or your parish group would like to stop, please let Fr. Peter Zarynow of Holy Resurrection Parish know by Wednesday 18 January, so that they can begin to prepare. You can contact Fr. Peter by email (frzarynow@gmail.com) or phone (301-299-5120).

Those who are coming are urged to check the weather forecast before coming to properly prepare for the elements. So far the Washington DC area has not had much of winter, with highs in the upper 40's most days, however, the preliminary forecast indicates a downward temperature trend in the week to come.

No surgery for you. You're retarded...

2012-01-14T21:48:00.001-06:00

From a blog about Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, a story of a doctor's refusal to let parents help their daughter because she is mentally retarded. The post is worth a read as it brings up an important discussion on the difference between "quality of life" and the "sanctity of life." Discuss.

I am going to try and tell you what happened to us on January 10, 2012, in the conference room in the Nephrology department at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

We arrived for our regular Nephrology visit with Amelia’s doctor who has seen her for the last three years. She examines Amelia and sends us for labs. I ask about the transplant and she says we have about six months to a year until she needs one. She tells us she reserved the conference room and when we get back from labs, we can meet with the transplant team and he can tell us about the transplant process.

After the labs, Amelia falls asleep in her stroller and we are called back to a large room with a screen and about sixteen chairs. Joe and I get comfortable and leave a space between us to fit the stroller. After about five minutes, a doctor and a social worker enter the room. They sit across from us but also leave a space between the two of them.

The doctor begins to talk and I listen intently on what he is saying. He has a Peruvian accent and is small, with brown hair, a mustache and is about sixty five years old. He gets about four sentences out ( I think it is an introduction) and places two sheets of paper on the table. I can’t take my eyes off the paper. I am afraid to look over at Joe because I suddenly know where the conversation is headed. In the middle of both papers, he highlighted in pink two phrases. Paper number one has the words, “Mentally Retarded” in cotton candy pink right under Hepatitis C. Paper number two has the phrase, “Brain Damage” in the same pink right under HIV. I remind myself to focus and look back at the doctor. I am still smiling.

He says about three more sentences when something sparks in my brain. First it is hazy, foggy, like I am swimming under water. I actually shake my head a little to clear it. And then my brain focuses on what he just said.

I put my hand up. “Stop talking for a minute. Did you just say that Amelia shouldn’t have the transplant done because she is mentally retarded. I am confused. Did you really just say that?”

The tears. Oh, the damn tears. Where did they come from? Niagara Falls. All at once. There was no warning. I couldn’t stop them. There were no tissues in conference room so I use my sleeve and my hands and I keep wiping telling myself to stop it...

Complete post here.

Slow down

2012-01-12T14:34:00.001-06:00

Apologies for pared down posting. I'm in meetings like the below this week.

UK Anglican-Oriental Orthodox forum held

2012-01-12T10:14:00.001-06:00

(BOC) - The half yearly meeting of the Anglican-Oriental Orthodox Regional Forum took place at the Coptic Orthodox Church Centre at Stevenage on 10 January under the co-chairmanship of His Grace Bishop Angaelos and The Right Rev’d Dr. Geoffrey Rowell, Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe. Among other bishops attending were Their Eminences Metropolitan Seraphim (British Orthodox Church) and Archbishop Mar Athanasios (Syrian Orthodox Church) representing the Oriental Orthodox Churches and The Right Rev’d Andrew Proud, Bishop Suffragan of Reading representing the Anglican Church.

As usual the meeting was conducted in a positive spirit of fellowship and practical ways of ensuring closer co-operation between the two traditions explored. Bishop Proud, having previously served as Area Bishop for Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa, offered some insightful reflections on Orthodoxy and the Ethiopian Church, which were much appreciated by all present. In return Bishop Angaelos updated the forum on recent events in Egypt and Archbishop Athanasios did the same for Syria and Iraq.

A new Orthodox book club

2012-01-12T09:58:00.002-06:00

From the blog Adventures of an Orthodox Mom...

I mentioned on Facebook last week, that I was thinking about starting a book club (or a Book of the Month Club) here on Adventures of an Orthodox Mom.  I haven't ironed out all the details yet but right now I'm thinking it would be great if we can have get through one book per month.  I'll assign a set amount of chapters and then we can meet here on a certain day and time to discuss each assignment.  Skype has a way of creating just chat rooms, so no webcams are involved, that might be another option for our discussions. 

There are so many incredible Orthodox books that I really want the focus to be on them, but I love the classics too and wouldn't mind throwing some of them in the mix too.  I'm also excited that several Orthodox titles are now available in e-format! 

Everyone is welcome to join in, this isn't just for Orthodox moms.  If you're interested in learning more about the lives of our saints, holy elders and faith, feel free to sign up!  I just ask that everyone be respectful of others opinions. 

So...any takers?  I'd love to hear any book recommendations you might have too!  I've never hosted an online book club, so any suggestions on how to better organize this will be appreciated (cough, cough, Mimi)!

Tossing of the Holy Cross in Hong Kong

2012-01-08T09:15:00.001-06:00

Česnica in Bosnia

2012-01-08T08:57:00.000-06:00

(MSNBC) - Bosnian Serb children break the traditional Christmas bread to mark Orthodox Christmas Day festivities in Banja Luka, near Sarajevo, Bosnia, Jan. 7. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7, according to the Julian calendar.

On Old Calendar Christmas in Illinois

2012-01-08T08:51:00.000-06:00

LANSING (NWI) - Generations of Serbian Orthodox Christians observed Christmas Eve on Friday evening under the ornately painted and gilded dome of St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church.

Serbians are among the few Orthodox Christians who still follow the Julian or old calendar, which puts Christmas on Jan. 7. You mean over 150 million?

Religious services to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ date back centuries and are a family tradition, said Dejan Grujic, of South Chicago, whose wife, three young daughters and parents sat together.

"We belong to this church and we all live close so we come to this service," Grujic said. "It keeps the kids grounded in their faith."

That theme of traditions passed down from generation to generation came alive during a re-enactment of the Nativity by children from the church's Sunday school classes.

Children from preschool to preteens walked down the straw-strewn center aisle dressed in costumes as classmates told the story of the Holy Family's journey to Bethlehem, the birth of the Christ child, the shepherds, angels, wise men and the star.

"And so it was that very first Christmas. We wish you peace, love and joy. Our hope is that you keep a little Christmas in your heart all year through," the children said together. "Hristos Se Rodi! Christ is Born!"

A small program distributed during the presentation featured artwork by Sunday school classes.

During his homily, the Rev. Milos Vesin said, "These children are not just children. They are examples to each and every one of us. ... These little ones are pure examples of love, honesty and truthfulness."

Children love unconditionally, he said. "Later they learn from us, something that is not innate. The newborn child from Bethlehem, let Him be our example, our role model."

Angels heralded both Christ's birth and his Resurrection, the priest said.

"The angels said to the shepherds, ‘We bring you a great joy.' At Easter, we will hear much the same thing. The angels tell the disciples, 'Christ is risen in order to bring joy,'" Vesin said.

The joy of Christmas and Easter are the same, he said.

"If we find God's way, then the joy of Christmas and Easter will be with us always."

After the service, participants walked outside to light the Yule log, which Grujic said "celebrates the coming of Jesus."

Celebrating the Nativity at Optina Monastery

2012-01-07T22:50:00.002-06:00

Arab Orthodox leader stabbed by "Santa Claus"

2012-01-07T18:35:00.000-06:00

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli police say a man dressed as Santa Claus fatally stabbed an Arab Christian man in the back during a procession to mark Orthodox Christmas in the city of Jaffa.

Gabriel Cadis, the head of Jaffa's Orthodox Church Association, was stabbed Friday night and died hours later at a hospital. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said six members of an Arab Christian family were in custody Saturday as police investigate.

Witnesses told police the attacker was wearing a red-and-white Santa suit.

Israeli media reported that Cadis had a long-standing dispute with other Arab Christians in Jaffa.

Celebrating Theophany at St. Vladimir's Seminary

2012-01-06T15:43:00.000-06:00

(SVOTS) - Today, our campus community celebrated the Epiphany of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, one of the oldest Christian feasts. We are pleased to share images from our celebration on this great feast with you, and we invite you to post your own Epiphany photos on our St. Vladimir's Seminary Facebook Page. We would enjoy seeing how your community celebrated the day!

The Christmas Eve burning of badnjak in Serbia

2012-01-06T15:36:00.003-06:00

For more on this Serbian custom, see here and here.

A man burns dried oak branches - the Yule log symbol for the Orthodox Christmas Eve in front of St. Sava temple, in Belgrade, Serbia, on Friday, Jan. 6, 2012. The Serbs celebrate Christmas according to the Julian Calender, on Jan. 7. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

The "Rebirth of Orthodoxy" exhibition in Moscow

2012-01-06T14:14:00.001-06:00

File sharing a religion in Sweden

2012-01-06T14:13:00.000-06:00

(BBC) - A "church" whose central tenet is the right to file-share has been formally recognised by the Swedish government.

The Church of Kopimism claims that "kopyacting" - sharing information through copying - is akin to a religious service.

The "spiritual leader" of the church said recognition was a "large step".

But others were less enthusiastic and said the church would do little to halt the global crackdown on piracy.

Holy information

The Swedish government agency Kammarkollegiet finally registered the Church of Kopimism as a religious organisation shortly before Christmas, the group said.

"We had to apply three times," said Gustav Nipe, chairman of the organisation.

The church, which holds CTRL+C and CTRL+V (shortcuts for copy and paste) as sacred symbols, does not directly promote illegal file sharing, focusing instead on the open distribution of knowledge to all.

It was founded by 19-year-old philosophy student and leader Isak Gerson. He hopes that file-sharing will now be given religious protection.

"For the Church of Kopimism, information is holy and copying is a sacrament. Information holds a value, in itself and in what it contains and the value multiplies through copying. Therefore copying is central for the organisation and its members," he said in a statement.

"Being recognised by the state of Sweden is a large step for all of Kopimi. Hopefully this is one step towards the day when we can live out our faith without fear of persecution," he added.

The church's website has been unavailable since it broke the news of its religious status. A message urged those interested in joining to "come back in a couple of days when the storm has settled".

Despite the new-found interest in the organisation, experts said religious status for file-sharing would have little effect on the global crackdown on piracy.

"It is quite divorced from reality and is reflective of Swedish social norms rather than the Swedish legislative system," said music analyst Mark Mulligan.

"It doesn't mean that illegal file-sharing will become legal, any more than if 'Jedi' was recognised as a religion everyone would be walking around with light sabres.

"In some ways these guys are looking outdated. File-sharing as a means to pirate content is becoming yesterday's technology," he added.

Piracy crackdown

The establishment of the church comes amid a backdrop of governmental zero-tolerance towards piracy.

The crackdown on piracy has moved focus away from individual pirates and more towards the ecosystem that supports piracy.

In the US, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) aims to stop online ad networks and payment processors from doing business with foreign websites accused of enabling or facilitating copyright infringement.

It could also stop search engines from linking to the allegedly infringing sites. Domain name registrars could be forced to take down the websites, and internet service providers forced to block access to the sites accused of infringing.

The government is pushing ahead with the controversial legislation despite continued opposition.

Celebrating Theophany in Bulgaria

2012-01-06T13:56:00.000-06:00

(MSNBC) - A boy holds a wooden cross as men perform the traditional Horo dance in the icy winter waters of the Tundzha river on Jan. 6, 2012.

Prisoner finds monastic life too hard, opts for prison

2012-01-05T14:00:00.001-06:00

(The Telegraph) - David Catalano this week fled the halfway house in Sicily for the second time in six weeks, complaining that the regime run by the bearded Capuchins was too austere.

The 31-year-old inmate first ran away from the Santa Maria degli Angeli halfway house, near the town of Enna in central Sicily, at the end of November.

He turned himself into a police station, was re-arrested, and sent back.

But the criminal, who was serving a sentence for theft and had been sent to the institution under a form of house arrest, made a fresh break on Monday evening.

"I don't want to go back with the Capuchins," he told probation officers, according to the Ansa news agency.

The authorities acceded to his request – he was promptly sent to a prison in the nearby town of Nicosia.

The Capuchins are an off-shoot of the Franciscans, from whom they split in the early 16th century.

They advocated a much simpler, more rigorous monastic code based on poverty, prayer and penance, which they claimed was more faithful to the ideals of St Francis of Assisi.

They were not allowed to own property or handle money, and their food was obtained by begging.

They are known for their distinctive brown cowls and take their name from the Italian word for hood – 'cappuccio'.

One of the order's more macabre legacies is a crypt beneath a church in Rome, Santa Maria della Concezione, which contains the skulls and skeletons of more than 4,000 Capuchin monks.

Bones are arranged in bizarre patterns, including as chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, in four subterranean chapels.

Visitors to the ossuary are greeted by a plaque which reads: "What you are now, we used to be. What we are now, you will be."

Bulgarian Church: in-vitro fertilization is a-ok

2012-01-05T13:15:00.002-06:00

H/T: OBL News / Mystagogy

I fall on the other side of this argument, but it is interesting to note the variety of answers Churches and even individual pastors give their flocks. For example, I know two couples who asked different Orthodox clergy (in the same city, but from different jurisdictions) the same question on using in-vitro fertilization. They received completely different answers. Bio-ethics is not an easy topic to deal with. If the "Great Council" is ever convened, many participants have stated that this will be on the docket.

(Sofia Echo) - The Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s governing body, the Holy Synod, does not oppose in vitro fertilisation – in contrast to a December 2011 statement that it did; the misconception was a result of a clerical error in the initial statement.

This is according to Lovech Metropolitan Gavril who, however, underlined that the statement was correct in saying that the church opposed surrogate motherhood.

The initial statement caused outrage among various groups and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, already caught up in a series of other recent controversies, came under fire for taking a stance against in vitro in a country in a demographic crisis with a birthrate that has been falling, overall, for several years.

According to statistics quoted in a recent report by Bulgarian-language mass-circulation daily 24 Chassa, in 2011 about 700 babies were born in Bulgaria as a result of in vitro fertilisation. The previous year the number was 688.

The success rate for conception through in vitro in Bulgaria was about 26 to 30 per cent, according to the report.

Gavril said that like the Orthodox Christian churches of Russia and of Greece, Bulgaria’s Holy Synod accepted in vitro fertilisation on condition that the biological material came from legal spouses and the cells were fertilised for implantation so that there was no destruction of eggs.

"Under these conditions, the church accepts in vitro. This is what the Holy Synod said and there is nothing more that I can say," Gavril said.

And Also...

(Novinite) - The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is not against in vitro fertilization, according to the Lovech Bishop, Gavrail.

Gavrail told the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, Wednesday that there had been a mistake in the opinion of the members of the Synod, which was published at the very last day of 2011.

In it, the Holy Synod opposes in vitro fertilization and surrogacy, viewing them as a "human interference that is counter to God's will in the existential foundations of life."

Now the Lovech Bishop says that the Synod is only against surrogacy, and sees is it as unacceptable, while both the Greek and the Russian Orthodox Churches agree with in vitro fertilization under the condition that biological material is from the lawful husband. Other conditions include implanting all fertilized eggs and no eggs being destroyed.

"This is how the Church accepts in vitro. This is the opinion of the Holy Synod, and I cannot add anything to it," Gavrail said.

He, however, explained why the Church opposes surrogacy.

"There are many things there which are unacceptable. Tomorrow they will start cloning us. Do we have to agree to that as well? Maybe they try this method somewhere already? Our opinion is well explained in our December statement, but there is a mistake about the in vitro fertilization," according to the Bishop.

The Assembly of Bishops wants your money

2012-01-04T21:10:00.001-06:00

I know - before I even finish posting this - that there will be more than a few comments along the lines of: "Send them money?! They haven't done anything yet." Fair enough. Beyond pooling together parish and clergy directories from all the jurisdictions in the Assembly, they have sent out some festal announcements, spoken on a few political matters, and let themselves be interviewed for podcasts. None of this is anything earth shattering or something SCOBA didn't do.

I also know that - shortly after I post this and the comments have come in - Assembly committee members will email me to assure me things are happening in the background. This also happens not infrequently.

Speaking to people online and off, at home or while traveling, I have yet to hear anyone happy with the rate of "progress." Many of those same people also know what politics, history, and with what speed a single bishop (much less a synod) moves will encumber things. My laundry list of things I'd like them to act on is quite long as I'm sure yours is. Here's hoping prayer and patience will yield results in 2012. I would not advise holding your breath.

(AOB) - The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops is a conference comprised of all active bishops of North and Central America, of every jurisdiction. Its purpose is to preserve and contribute to the unity of the Orthodox Church by helping to further her spiritual, theological, ecclesiological, canonical, educational, missionary and philanthropic aims. To accomplish this, the Assembly has among its goals: the promotion and accomplishment of Church unity in North and Central America and the strengthening of the common pastoral ministry to all the Orthodox faithful of this region.

The Assembly has thirteen committees to help further its work. They are: Canonical Affairs, Canonical Regional Planning, Church and Society, Clergy Affairs, Ecumenical Relations, Financial Affairs, Legal Affairs, Liturgy, Military Chaplaincy, Monastic Communities, Pastoral Practice, Theological Education, and Youth.

Please consider supporting the Assembly’s work by making a tax-deductible contribution in care of:

The Most Reverend Archbishop Antony, Treasurer

Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops

P.O. Box 495

South Bound Brook, NJ 08880

You may also contribute online.

Holy water and domestic health

2012-01-03T13:43:00.001-06:00

From the blog Lessons from the Monastery:

The sisters always stress how important it is to have our home blessed regularly with agiasmos (holy water). I remember when we first moved here I was speaking with the Abbess of a nearby monastery about the trouble we were having with our neighbours and to my surprise she asked, “Have you had your house blessed?” And I said we hadn’t. She told me to get it done as soon as possible, especially since the owner’s son had left furniture behind in our apartment when he moved out.

When it comes to anything second-hand Greeks always suggest sprinkling a little agiasmos on it. “You never know who previously owned this or that thing, or what they did while wearing it,” etc., my Nona (godmother) would always tell us.

We save some of holy water from the feast of the Theophany and keep it year round in order to use it. The agiasmos which we receive on the feast of the Theophany can only be drunk after fasting (ie. this Friday morning we can drink it because we’ll fast on Thursday), and before eating antidoron. However, the holy water that is blessed on the first day of every month, for example, can be drunk when we wake up in the morning (ie. after fasting six hours while we sleep).

Something else about agiasmos that I found helpful to learn is that it’s a good idea to sprinkle some in one’s home after a couple has gotten into an argument, or if one feels particularly tempted in the home. The Church offers us so many blessings and so many ways to sanctify our life, we should take advantage of it as much as we can.

The photo on the right is a Romanian custom. The priest melts some of the beeswax from the candles used in the service and puts a cross with the initials IC XC NI KA in each room of the home after the agiasmos service. So as not to tick our landlord off too much, we only had our friend do it in our living room.

To read more about these services of blessing the water, and when and how we partake of agiasmos see here.

Interfaith effort feeds needy in New York City

2012-01-03T13:33:00.000-06:00

(NY Times) - The Local has turned its attention to the services offering free food in Tompkins Square Park once or twice before. Today, we ride alongside Adi Purusha Das, a monk at the Bhakti Center, and Father Joseph Gingrich (a talented chef in his own right), a priest at St. Nicholas of Myra Church, who – under the name Interfaith Community Services – team up with locals and tourists alike to bring home-cooked meals to the park every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Decipher this - another humdinger from Salvo magazine

2012-01-03T13:17:00.002-06:00

(Salvo) - Quoted in the article by Tom Gilson in the new issue of Salvo:

. . . the aforementioned problems are a product of well-intentioned people abiding by their respective common senses and that the only long-run solution to these problems is for people to develop a healthy distrust of moral common sense. This is largely because our social instincts were not designed for the modern world.

Well, in a new little segment in the pages of Salvo, we help you decipher what this Dr. Joshua Greene really means:

A pan-Orthodox Blessing of the Water in Western PA

2012-01-03T12:50:00.000-06:00

I'm planning on going to this with my family. Hopefully I can take a picture or two. I'm glad to see more pan-Orthodox events going on.

The Clergy Association of the Shenango Valley is made up of the clergy serving the Orthodox Churches located in Farrell, Sharon, Hermitage, Mercer and surrounding areas. There are six Orthodox churches and one cemetery chapel in this region, known commonly as “the Valley.”

Helping children in Guatemala

2012-01-03T12:18:00.000-06:00

Three Orthodox Christian nuns take over a run down orphanage in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Hogar Rafael Ayau has been the home to over a thousand children for the past 14 years...but now their facility faces potential closure so they are working to build a new facility outside the city. U.S fundraising efforts are being coordinated by the FHRA - The Friends of the Hogar Rafael Ayau. For more information please visit their website at FriendsoftheHogar.org.

The importance of temperance

2012-01-03T11:29:00.001-06:00

H/T: A Vow of Conversation

One of the characteristics of a genuinely healthy spiritual life is temperance. We know in ordinary speech what sobriety means in comparison to drunkenness. One can get drunk in various ways, and not only through wine. Everything that fascinates us so much that we no longer can remember God or ourselves, nor the basic values of life: this is a form of drunkenness. It has no connection to what I have called inspiration – the inspiration of a scholar, of an artist, to whom God has given the ability to see behind the outward form to that which surrounds it: a certain depth of being, which he can draw out and express in sounds, or lines, or colours so as to make it accessible to the people around it who were blind to it. But when we forget specifically that very meaning revealed by them and create an object of delight out of that which should be an object of contemplation – then we lose our sobriety. In Church life it happens so often and so destructively, when people come to church because of the singing, or because of the emotions that are aroused by the harmony of the mystery of the divine service, when God is no longer in the centre of everything but only the experience that is the fruit of his presence. The essential feature of Orthodox piety, of Orthodox spirituality, is sobriety, which transfers everything of value and its entire meaning from itself to God.

- Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh
Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh: Essential Writings, 132-133.

Holy Supper at St. Tikhon's Seminary

2012-01-02T15:53:00.000-06:00

I was quite fond of these two shots (more available here).

(STOTS) - On the Eve of the Feast of the Holy Nativity the St. Tikhon's Seminary Community came together to partake in the traditional Nativity Holy Supper before beginning the vigil service.

A visit to the Chapel of the Holy Spirit in Beavertown, PA

2012-01-01T22:42:00.001-06:00

Between seminary semesters for me and on Winter break for the kids, our family went over to State College, PA to visit some friends. I made it into town just in time to attend Vespers at the nearby Chapel of the Holy Spirit in Beavertown, PA. It's currently a small, but dedicated community of believers in rural Central PA. On Sunday morning we attended Liturgy and celebrated our Basil's name day (and the celebrant's I should add) with vasilopita. The people were quite friendly, happy to see a new gaggle of children, and hosted a great potluck. So, if you're ever in the area, drop by for a visit.

A quick shot taken before Vespers

Choirs - know your role

2011-12-30T11:35:00.003-06:00

Orthodox presence at March for Life continues

2011-12-29T15:00:00.003-06:00

(OCA) - Orthodox Christians everywhere — especially those within driving distance of the US capital — are encouraged to bear witness to their faith at the annual March for Life Monday, January 23, 2012.

As in years past, His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah, will speak at the pre-March program and offer prayers for the victims of abortion at the conclusion of the March. He will also attend the annual Rose Dinner.

Other members of the Orthodox Church in America’s Holy Synod of Bishops also are expected to attend.

Marchers are asked to gather at noon under the “Orthodox Christians for Life” banner on the National Mall, west of Eighth Street near the Smithsonian Castle. After the rally, marchers will procede up Constitution Avenue to the US Supreme Court, where a Memorial will be celebrated for the victims of abortion.

While additional details concerning the the Orthodox Christian witness at the March will be posted as received, general information on the March may be found at the March For Life’s website.

UGCC and UOC-KP - What fruits?

2011-12-29T12:32:00.001-06:00

(RISU) - Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church are concerned over the statements of Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) that believers of the Kyivan Patriarchate are “the main Orthodox brethren” of the Ukrainian Greek Catholics.

So reported to UNIAN-Religion the head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Ilarion (Alfeiev) of Volokolamsk.

“We cannot remain indifferent to the statements of the new Head of UGCC that the believers of the Kyivan Patriarchate are “the main Orthodox brethren” of the Ukrainian Greek Catholics. The close contacts and even concelebration of Archbishop Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) with representatives of that schismatic structure unrecognized by any Orthodox Church, unfortunately, are an indication of ignoring of the official position of the Moscow Patriarchate and disrespect for the canonical rules of the Orthodox Church,” stressed Metropolitan Ilarion.

“I am deeply convinced that we cannot reach real mutual understanding and reconciliation between our Churches without mutual respect, in particular, in the area of the canonical system,” said Metropolitan Ilarion.

He told the correspondent that the Russian Church receives reports “about acts of proselytism of Greek Catholics among the Orthodox in the territories of the Central and Eastern Ukraine.” “Such phenomena can only strengthen the existing problems in the inter-Church relations while we would like the words about readiness for the dialogue not to conflict with the real actions,” said the metropolitan.

Metropolitan of Volokolamsk said that after the election of Patriarch Sviatoslav, official contacts were actually for the first time established between the Greek Catholics and Orthodox of the Moscow Patriarchate.

“Subsequent statements of Archbishop Sviatoslav about his will to promote settlement of the existing problems between the Moscow Patriarchate and UGCC also inspired us with some optimism,” he said.

Metropolitan Ilarion commented on the recent statement of Patriarch Kirill about the “improvement of the relations between the Orthodox and Greek Catholics in Ukraine.” According to him the patriarch’s words do not mean that all the problems in the relations are already regulated. “The questions of construction of the Orthodox churches in the western Ukraine remain unsettled. Representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church express concern about the mission of Greek Catholics in the eastern Ukraine,” said the metropolitan.

Hermitage of the Holy Cross launches photo site

2011-12-29T12:27:00.005-06:00

Their photo galleries are a favorite of mine and are often my go-to place for festal photos.

(Holy Cross Hermitage) - Due to the increased requests for prints of our monastery photos, we have launched a brand new website—Hermitage Photography. Our Hermitage Photography website will make available hundreds of monastery photos in a wide variety of sizes and formats. Click on the “Create a Card” option to design your own personlized greeting and Christmas cards. Find a favorite photo for yourself or for someone you love and purchase high quality prints.

Assembly of Bishops condemns treatment of Abp. Jovan

2011-12-28T23:10:00.000-06:00

(AOB) - Upon receiving the information that Archbishop Jovan of Ochrid was arrested on December 12, 2011, while entering the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) from the border with Greece, the Hierarchs of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America reaffirm the position taken by the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA) in August 2005, and furthermore restate that the persecution and new imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan by FYROM are an outrage, and ask for his immediate release.

This arrest has a history of several years and began when the schismatic church of FYROM started persecuting the canonical Archbishopric of Ochrid, an autonomous part of the Serbian Orthodox Church.

This imprisonment, as did the previous ones, violates religious freedom in a supposedly free state. That a recognized, canonical Orthodox Christian hierarch can be imprisoned once again under false allegations, and while trying to fulfill his religious responsibilities, is simply absurd.

We join again the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church in demanding the release of Archbishop Jovan. We ask the government of FYROM to correct this injustice and to free Archbishop Jovan without delay. Furthermore, we call upon our governments to intercede and implement appropriate measures to hasten this process.

Another internecine fight at the Church of the Nativity

2011-12-28T09:43:00.002-06:00

(MSNBC) - BETHLEHEM, West Bank — A Christmas cleaning of the Church of the Nativity turned into scuffles on Wednesday between rival Christian clerics zealously guarding denominational turf at the holy site.

Brooms and fists flew inside the church marking the birthplace of Jesus as some 100 priests and monks of the Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic churches brawled.

Palestinian police, bending their heads to squeeze through the church's low "door of humility," rushed in with batons flailing to restore order.

"It was a trivial problem that ... occurs every year," said police Lieutenant-Colonel Khaled al-Tamimi. "Everything is all right and things have returned to normal," he said. "No one was arrested because all those involved were men of God."

Administration of the 6th century Bethlehem church, the oldest in the Holy Land, is shared by Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian clerics.

Any perceived encroachment of jurisdictional boundaries within the church can set off a row, especially during the annual cleaning for Orthodox Christmas celebrations, which will be held next week.