International

Patriarch Daniil’s first liturgy honours Bulgaria’s patron Saint John of Rila

The first Divine Liturgy celebrated by the newly enthroned Patriarch Daniil of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was dedicated to the remembrance of the saint who protects Christians in the neighbouring country: St. John of Rila, the founder of Bulgarian monasticism. Patriarch Daniil served at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia on Monday, the day the…

Jul 3, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Daniel of Vidin is the new Patriarch of Bulgaria

On Sunday, the Patriarchal Electoral Church Council (PECC) of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church elected Metropolitan Daniel of Vidin as the new Patriarch of Bulgaria. The enthronement takes place on Sunday at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Sofia. A total of 138 votes were recorded, of which 69 went to Metropolitan Daniel of Vidin, 66 to Metropolitan…

Jun 30, 2024Andrei Ursulean

Tokyo Romanian priest to inaugurate Japan’s first Orthodox cemetery

Established in January in Yamanashi by the “Great Martyr George” Romanian Parish in Tokyo, the first Orthodox cemetery in Japan will be inaugurated on Saturday, May 25, when a blessing service will be officiated. The announcement was made on the Facebook page of the Romanian parish in Tokyo, a community under the care of Father Daniel…

May 23, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Ephrem of Tripoli prayerfully remember Romanian theologians Dumitru Staniloae and Andrei Scrima at Cernica Monastery

On Thursday, Antiochian Metropolitan Ephrem of Tripoli, Al-Koura, and Dependencies commemorated Fathers Dumitru Stăniloae and Andrei Scrima at Cernica Monastery. The memorial service was attended by His Grace Bishop Qais Sadiq, Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop of the Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, who cares for the Arab community in Bucharest, Rev. Professor Porphyrios Georgi…

May 17, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarch: Orthodox spirituality does not recognize the utopianism of a Resurrection without Crucifixion, nor the pessimism of the Cross without the Resurrection

“Orthodox spirituality does not recognize the utopianism of a Resurrection without Crucifixion, nor the pessimism of the Cross without the Resurrection,” noted His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in his patriarchal encyclical for Holy Pascha. Full text: Patriarchal Encyclical for Holy Pascha of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew †Bartholomew By God’s Mercy, Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical…

May 4, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch of Jerusalem, the City of Peace, proclaims Resurrection, calls for an end to hostilities in the Holy Land

Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem sent an Easter message on Wednesday proclaiming the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and calling for an end to all hostilities in the region – “primarily to Gaza, the entire Holy Land and the Middle East”. “Today, the Church of Christ proclaims the gospel of unspeakable joy to the…

May 3, 2024Ștefana Totorcea

Holy Sepulchre: Up to 4,200 people permitted for Holy Fire ceremony

Representatives of the Common Technical Bureau of the Holy Sepulchre Church in Jerusalem announced the utmost number of pilgrims permitted to attend the Holy Fire Ceremony on Holy Saturday. Theodosios Mitropoulos, the architect of the Church of the Resurrection, and Nagib Naser, the architect of the Franciscan Brotherhood, confirmed to the Tourist Police station that…

Apr 25, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Young Finns increasingly converting to Orthodoxy, says Finnish abbot

In an interview with Yle.fi, the young abbot of New Valaam Monastery, Archimandrite Mikael Nummela, said that young people between 18 and 30 increasingly convert to Orthodoxy in Finland. The abbot leads weekly discussions with young individuals who are contemplating the vocation of monasticism or converting to Orthodoxy. In recent decades, New Valaam has had…

Apr 16, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Bulgarian Orthodox Church to elect new Patriarch on June 30

As decreed by the Holy Synod on March 19, a Patriarchal Electoral Church Council will convene on June 30 to elect a new Patriarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The decision follows the repose of Patriarch Neophyte on March 13. On June 2, all dioceses must conduct elections for delegates to the electoral council. On…

Mar 28, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Assistant Bishop Nichifor leads Romanian pilgrims to Cyprus holy places

A group of Romanian pilgrims led by His Grace Nichifor of Botoșani, the assistant bishop to the archdiocese of Iași, visited the places where Sts Paul and Barnabas preached the Gospel to Cypriots. The pilgrimage, organised by St Parascheva pilgrimage centre of the Iasi Archdiocese, took place from March 14 to 18. It included sites…

Mar 22, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

Faithful and hierarchs from Bulgaria and other Orthodox nations paid their last homage to Patriarch Neophyte

Bulgarians paid their last homage to Patriarch Neophyte on Saturday, after the head of their national Church reposed into the Lord on Wednesday. In addition to many faithful who came to say goodbye at the “St Alexander Nevsky” Patriarchal Cathedral in Sofia, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, as well as the hierarchs of the Bulgarian…

Mar 18, 2024Ștefana Totorcea