International

Ecumenical Patriarch’s message for Indiction: Care for environment is an essential expression of church life

Sunday, September 1 marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the first day of the ecclesiastical year as the Day of the Protection of the Environment. This day of prayer was instituted in the Orthodox Church by Patriarch Demetrios I of Constantinople to raise public awareness in order to solve ecological problems. On this…

Aug 30, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Greek Synod proposes Elder Gervasios of Patras to the Ecumenical Patriarchate for canonization

The Orthodox Church could soon know the joy of a new saint among the hosts of millions who have already been revealed as holy God-pleasers. Meeting in Athens on Tuesday, the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church announced that it would submit a packet of documents proposing the canonization of Elder Gervasios (Paraskevopoulos) of…

Aug 30, 2019Sorin Ioniţe

Ship owner, philanthropist Martinos selected as new civil governor of Mt. Athos

Well-known shipowner and philanthropist Athanasios Martinos has been selected by the Mitsotakis government as the next civil governor of the semi-autonomous Orthodox monastic community of Mt. Athos, Orthodoxia News Agency reports. The choice of Martinos was, reportedly, viewed in a positive light by the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, His All Holiness Bartholomew I, as well…

Aug 28, 2019Sorin Ioniţe

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s Statement on the Global Wildfires

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s Statement on the Global Wildfires In recent weeks, our planet has witnessed extreme heatwaves and expansive wildfires throughout the world—from the rain forests of the Amazon and desert regions of Africa, normally snow-covered regions such as the Arctic and Alaska to far away countries from Spain to Siberia. Month after month, we…

Aug 26, 2019Sorin Ioniţe

Saint Antipas of Calapodesti’s soul icon to be officially celebrated every year in Finland

The feast of the Tenderness or Sweet-Kissing icon of the Mother of God at Valaam Monastery will be celebrated every year in Finland on January 11, one day after the feast of Saint Antipas of Calapodesti, who brought the icon to the monastery in 1865. The new feast day was established following the decision of…

Aug 26, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

How many Orthodox bishops are in the world?

There are 941 canonical Orthodox bishops in the world, The Society for Orthodox Christian History in the Americas reports. The figures were published by Matthew Namee who wrote that compared to the time of the First Ecumenical Council, there were a reported 1,800 bishops in the world — about 1,000 in the East and 800…

Aug 26, 2019basilica.ro

Patriarch of Alexandria arrived in Cyprus

Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria arrived on August 23, 2019, in Cyprus, Romfea reports. Bishop Christoforos of Karpasia welcomed the Patriarch of Alexandria in the airport on behalf of the Archbishop of Cyprus. The bishop accompanied the Patriarch to the seat of the Archdiocese of Cyprus, where Archbishop Chrysostomos held a private meeting with the Patriarch…

Aug 23, 2019Mihail Mere-Albe

Rwanda & Burundi Metropolitan Innocentios enthralled by humility, patience and love of large crowd of pilgrims at Nicula Monastery

His Eminence Metropolitan Innocentios Byakatonda of Rwanda and Burundi has left Romania after a seven-day visit to the Metropolis of Cluj where he celebrated a festive Divine Liturgy at Nicula Monastery which gathered over 20,000 pilgrims for the Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos. Before returning home on Monday, Aug. 19, the Rwandan Orthodox…

Aug 23, 2019Aurelian Iftimiu

Patriarch Bartholomew at the 10th World Assembly of Religions for Peace

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew attended the 10th World Assembly of Religions for Peace in Lindau (Germany) from 20-23 August 2019 where he delivered the keynote address.  Religions for Peace, in partnership with the Foundation Peace Dialogue of the World Religions and Civil Society, is the world’s most representative, multi-religious gathering of religious communities. Every 5-7 years,…

Aug 22, 2019Gheorghe Anghel

Greek Orthodox Archbishop Makarios leads anti-abortion rally in Sydney

Greek Orthodox Archbishop Makarios addressed a 10,000-strong crowd that braved the Sydney winds on Tuesday at the ‘Stand For Life’ protest at Martin Place in opposition to the proposed bill to decriminalise abortion, currently before New South Wales Parliament. Earlier in the day, a pro-choice rally had taken place. Organised in part by a number…

Aug 22, 2019Sorin Ioniţe

Albania’s forgotten Orthodox churches are being restored

Albania’s old Orthodox churches, forgotten and abandoned for many decades because of the religious persecution by the atheist state, are being restored by both the Albanian Orthodox Church and the Institute of Cultural Monuments in Albania. The interest of Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania, in this direction is continuous, substantial and effective.…

Aug 21, 2019Gheorghe Anghel