(UK, News of the World) — It appears that increasing numbers of people are turning to the occult for guidance. A recent poll showed 60 per cent of Brits had visited a medium or mystic and 71 per cent believe they can predict the future. With readings now offered in department stores and high-profile celebs seeking guidance from psychics, it seems they are taking over the role of counsellors, offering support on everything from relationships to careers.

It’s a trend celebrity psychic Jayne Wallace has seen growing. “We are the new therapists,” she says. “People have always believed in the paranormal, but now it’s become more acceptable to admit it. Consulting a psychic doesn’t have the same stigma as seeing a counsellor and we can give people a peek into the future. A reading shows people new opportunities.”

Read the whole story here: www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/fabulous/features/812168/Psychics-the-new-therapists.html

(Express.co.uk, March,2010, by Adam Helliker) — As he approaches his fifth wedding anniversary next month, Prince Charles is feeling the need for a male-only spiritual recharge: he is contemplating a solo sojourn to a monastery in northern Greece.

The religious enclave of Mount Athos, where no woman has set foot since the 11th century (and even female animals are banned), was a favourite retreat for Charles during his testing times with his first wife Diana. But since his marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles he has not felt the need to return, until now.

On previous visits to the remote religious community, the Prince has joined in prayer and meditation with monks during the mornings, spending his afternoons painting watercolours of the imposing monasteries dotted among the lush scenery.

Normally visitors to the self-governing republic have to share a dormitory, as well as the frugal lifestyle embraced by the monks, but in the only concession to his royal status, Charles is allocated a small whitewashed “cell”. He sleeps on a steel-framed bed with a foam mattress (possibly not the best choice for a man with an ever-aching back who is in his 62nd year).

There are nearly 2,000 monks housed in the republic’s monasteries, all of whom have devoted their lives to shunning sexual desire through prayer and following the Greek Orthodox faith. Every meal is taken in silence.

Charles was first introduced to Mount Athos by his father, who was born in Corfu and had to switch to Anglicanism from Greek Orthodoxy to marry the Queen. Philip’s mother, Alice, was deeply religious and became a nun in her later life. When she died in 1969 she left no possessions, having given everything away, and was buried, as she had requested, on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.

Speaking about Charles’s last visit, one of the monks said: “Your Prince is always welcome here. It is a place where he seems to have found a lot of serenity in his life. He is treated just like a fellow monk and lives just as we do, from the food we eat to the hours we keep.”

A senior royal source adds that, increasingly as he gets older, Charles “is seeking answers to spiritual and philosophical questions. Nourishing the spirit is very important to him these days. He is a man beset by many pressures, so he relishes the prospect of spending time alone, with the time to concentrate on spiritual matters.”

Clarence House has always adhered to the line that the Prince’s visits are considered “private” and gives no details of whether, and when, he would go but if he does travel to Mount Athos this year, it’s likely to be in May.

Read the full article: www.express.co.uk/posts/view/162065/Charles-to-make-spiritual-return

Journey To Orthodoxy announces the launch of a new, content rich website for inquirers, newcomers and those looking into the Orthodox faith.

The launch of a new website at www.journeytoorthodoxy.com, fills a void in online material for inquirers and those struggling to find and enter the Orthodox Church.

“A lot of thought, research and time went into making it easy to use and filling this site with rich content, especially for the newcomer to our Orthodox faith,” said Fr. John A. Peck, designer and president of Journey To Orthodoxy.
This website is rich with content, notably a multitude of conversion stories by converts to the Orthodox faith from a multitude of traditions.

“For the inquirer, the journey home to the Orthodox faith can seem a lonely journey at first, but they will soon know that the path to Orthodoxy is a well worn road, and that there are many before them who can help,” Peck said.

“We’re hoping that it will quickly become into the ‘go-to’ site for inquirers and catechumens,” said Fr. Hans Jacobse, a partner in the creation of JTO. “We are confident that people will find the Journey To Orthodoxy website to be inspiring, and navigating the site a good experience, and the articles rich and rewarding to read.”

Parishes can benefit from the Journey To Orthodoxy site as well. There are graphic links for JTO which webmasters can use, and the entire experience points towards contacting the local Orthodox Christian parish.

“The JTO site will be valuable to clergy and parishes as well, so we have included a Webmaster Resources page, and a Parish Finder Map which we plan to keep continuously updated,” Peck said.

For clergyman from heterodox traditions, there is a special section on clergy conversions, to inspire and to assuage the anxiety that comes with leaving one’s faith tradition for the Orthodox faith.

The site will also include interviews, and eventually contain a list of local contacts in every state for those desiring an immediate local contact for further direction and discussion. Those interested in qualifying as local contacts should contact Fr. Peck.

Contact
Fr. John A. Peck
email: frjohn@journeytoorthodoxy.com
website: http://journeytoorthodoxy.com

Source: http://www.aoiusa.org/blog/2010/05/journey-to-orthodoxy-launches-of-new-website/
http://journeytoorthodoxy.com/#axzz0nubUENme

“Behold now, what is so good or so joyous as for brethren to dwell together in unity?” — PSALM 132

By Peter Marudas

(Baltimore, The National Herald) — In late May, a meeting of potentially enormous significance for the Orthodox Church in America will occur in New York City when all Orthodox Bishops in good standing in North and Central America convene for a first-ever Episcopal Assembly. This unprecedented gathering has received little attention in most Orthodox circles and virtually none in the wider religious and secular media.

Nevertheless, its implications for the future of Orthodox Christianity in the Americas are both hopeful and controversial. The historic Episcopal Assembly will take place shortly after the Great Feast of Pentecost — the Kairos — when the Holy Spirit inspired the disciples to establish the Church.

Until 18 months ago, the mere contemplation of such a meeting would have been considered unthinkable in view of long-standing and entrenched official opposition to even discussing the question of closer intra-Orthodox relations. In recent years, a few Orthodox hierarchs with some support from clergy and laity openly but unsuccessfully championed unity initiatives. But with the exception of Orthodox Christian Laity, no group has consistently or aggressively pursued Orthodox unity in America. In October, 2008 the unity landscape experienced an earthquake, when His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew convened in Istanbul, a Synaxis (gathering) of the leaders of all Autocephalous (independent) Orthodox Churches; the entire leadership of world Orthodoxy.

Read the full article posted on the OCL website:

goo.gl/MOyR

[The Holland Sentinel, Michigan] — Tim Flinders will graduate from Grand Valley State University next month. Raised Lutheran, he also explored fundamentalist Baptism, Roman Catholicism and even Messianic Judaism before converting to Orthodox Christianity this year.

“Orthodoxy has completely transformed me already,” he said. “I feel like the first time in my life I’m growing spiritually.”

Flinders, 22, like many other young people converting to Eastern Orthodoxy, was looking for authenticity and historical accuracy in his Christian faith.

Read more at: goo.gl/VKtC

On Saturday, April 10, in the cathedral of St. Nicholas in Bialystok a memorial service for the victims of plane crash in Russia (in particular, the archbishop Miron and Polish President Lech Kaczynski) was served. The memorial service (after all-night vigil) was celebrated by archbishop of Bia?ystok and Gdansk Jakub.
During worship in the church present were: deputy of governor Wojciech Dierzgowski, marshal Jaroslaw Dworza?ski, president of Bia?ystok Tadeusz Truskolaski with vice-presidents, flag bearers and representatives of the uniformed services.

“The shock comes stroneger when you know people who died.” - said at the beginning of the worship archbishop Jakub – “among the victims was also the archbishop Miron. With him, I and many others have met on Wednesday, three days ago, in Supra?l. We celebrated together a service on the feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. He said then that he flies to Katy?, together with the president. At the moment, where I heard that the president was killed, I realized that probably archbishop Miron was also killed. (…) He died like everyone else, performing his duties.

The Archbishop added that earthly life is only a stage in human life. Anyone who believed, who was a follower of Christ and tried to live according to the commandments of the gospel, will obtain eternal life. (…) We should remember that the most agreeable and pleasant bouquet of flowers is a bunch of our common prayers.

The memorial service was attended by the family of tragically deceased archbishop Miron.

ATHENS — A Scientific symposium in memory of the late Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America will take place in Greece on March 16th 2010.

Date: Tuesday 16th of March 2010, 19:00 - 20:30 (GTM +2).
Location: Ceremonies Hall of Parnassos Literary Society, 8 St. George Karitsis Square, Athens.

UNDER THE AUSPICES OF HIS BEATITUDE, HIERONYMUS II, THE ARCHBISHOP OF ATHENS AND ALL GREECE. The Scientific Symposium is organised as a cooperation result between Parnassos Literary Society, the Higher Ecclesiastical Academy of Thessaloniki, the Archdiocese of Athens and the Institute for National and Religious Affairs.

For more info, please read: www.prlog.org/10541100-scientific-symposium-commemorating-archbishop-iakovos-to-be-held-in-athens.html

AOI Observer reports this interview: “For many years I was a zealous Muslim, as were my wife and children. I was born in the UK, but during my life I have travelled a lot in Muslim countries. I knew both British and Muslim culture. <…> For the past two years, I was an advisor on Islam to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Two days ago, I called him to tell him I was entering Orthodoxy in the Russian Church.”

Read the full interview here: www.aoiusa.org/blog/2010/02/a-muslim-preacher-converts-to-orthodoxy/

The surviving pages of the world’s oldest Christian Bible have been reunited — digitally. The early work known as the Codex Sinaiticus has been housed in four separate locations across the world for more than 150 years. Starting Monday, it became available for perusal on the Web at www.codexsinaiticus.org. Codex Sinaiticus, which loosely translated means “the book from Sinai,” was discovered at the Orthodox Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai by German Bible scholar Constantine Tischendorf in the mid-19th century.

Read the full article: abcnews.go.com/Technology/International/wireStory?id=8010414

This month we reported on a Russian Priest who provides spiritual care for Hollywood, St. John Chrysostom’s relics coming to New York, various Lenten retreats, and Archbishop Rowan Williams Orthodox seminary visit. Here’s a quick look back at some of the most read stories.

• Russian Priest Provides Spiritual Care for Hollywood
• St. John Chrysostom’s Relics Come to New York
• Elder Zacharias Visits Dallas
• Archbishop Rowan Williams at an Orthodox Seminary
• Texas Women’s Monastery Offers Lenten Retreat