International

New abbot of Optina Monastery appointed

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church appointed a new abbot for Optina Monastery at its session in Ekaterinburg on Saturday, reports orthochristian.com. Former abbot Archimandrite Benedict Penkov reposed in the Lord on January 22 at the age of 79, having served nearly 20 years as the abbot of the great Optina Pustyn Monastery. At…

Jul 18, 2018Sorin Ioniţe

Construction begins on Japan’s first Orthodox Monastery in honor of St. Nicholas of Japan

The holy Equal-to-the-Apostles St. Nicholas of Japan brought the holy Orthodox faith to Japan as a missionary in 1861. Now work on the nation’s first Orthodox monastery to be consecrated in his honor is underway, reports the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism of the Russian Orthodox Church, cited by Orthochristian. At its July 16, 2005 session,…

Jul 17, 2018Gheorghe Anghel

Patriarch Ilia of Georgia baptizes 600+ children in 54th mass ceremony

His Holiness Patriarch-Catholicos Ilia II of Georgia, the most beloved and trusted man in the nation, has celebrated his 54th mass Baptism ceremony at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, the site of the Georgian Orthodox Church reports. More than 600 children became the patriarch’s Godchildren this time around at the mass ceremony celebrated on the feast of…

Jul 17, 2018Gheorghe Anghel

Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago throws First Pitch at White Sox Game

Greek Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago tossed out the ceremonial first pitch at White Sox vs St Louis Cardinals Game that took place Wednesday, July 11, in Chicago, Illinois, reports The National Herald. Metropolitan Nathanael told the National Herald that he was invited by the local White Sox team since ceremonial first pitches are one of…

Jul 16, 2018Aurelian Iftimiu

World Council of Churches calls for release of archbishops of Aleppo

The Central Committee of the World Council of Churches (WCC) has expressed its concern at the “alarming and rapidly deteriorating situation of Christians in the Middle East.” WCC full statement: The World Council of Churches Central Committee, during its meeting on 15-21 June, issued a statement reiterating its grave concern regarding the alarming and rapidly deteriorating…

Jul 14, 2018Iulian Dumitraşcu

Ordination of Metropolitan Myron of New Zealand at the Phanar

The Very Rev. Archimandrite Myron Ktistakes was ordained Wednesday, July 11, 2018, to the Episcopate during the Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at St George Church at the Phanar. Concelebrants for the Divine Liturgy included Archbishop of Crete Eirinaios of Crete, Metropolitan Joseph of Proikonissos, Metropolitan Kyrillos of Rhodes, Metropolitan Amphilochios…

Jul 13, 2018Aurelian Iftimiu

Thousands of people venerate Saint Paisios of mount Athos at his tomb

Thousands of people queued from early in the morning on Wednesday to pray at the tomb of Saint Paisios in northern Greece, Greek Reporter reports. On Thursday, July 12, the Orthodox Church celebrated the memory of Elder Paisios, whose canonization was made on January 13, 2015 with a decision by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In the Sanctuary where the…

Jul 13, 2018Florin Nicolaie

Serbian Patriarch Irinej: ‘Family as a Holy Union is Increasingly Threatened and Ruined under Various Impacts of the Modern World’

Serbian Patriarch Irinej Sunday presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Holy Trinity Church of the Russian Orthodox Church’s representation speaking about family as a holy union and about the threats brought about by the modern world to the institution of family. On July 8, Orthodox Christians of the Slavic world celebrate Sts Peter and…

Jul 11, 2018Aurelian Iftimiu

In pictures: Ecumenical Patriarch opens new Synodal Hall at Halki Monastery

His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew inaugurated Tuesday the new Synodal Hall at the Holy Trinity Monastery of Halki before the official opening of the July working session of the Holy Synod. Prior to the works of the Holy Synod, Patriarch Bartholomew officiated the blessing service of the Synodal Hall organized at Halki Monastery through the…

Jul 11, 2018Aurelian Iftimiu

Ecumenical Patriarchate elects Metropolitan of Ancyra for first time since 1922

The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected three new metropolitans at its session Tuesday, including the election of a Metropolitan of Ancyra for the first time since 1922. The Metropolis of Ancyra was a metropolitan see of Galatia Prima. It survived the Seljuk Turkish conquest at the end of the 11th century, and remained…

Jul 11, 2018Aurelian Iftimiu

Orthodox Church consecrated at base of Mount Kilimanjaro

A new Orthodox church named in honor of the Three Holy Hierarchs—Sts. Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom, and Basil the Great, was consecrated on Sunday at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, reports Romfea. The service of consecration for the remote church was celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Nairobi, with the assistance…

Jul 11, 2018Aurelian Iftimiu