Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Visits the Russian Orthodox Church

May 28, 2010

On Saturday, May 22, 2010, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived at the Vnukovo Airport in Moscow, Russia, where he was greeted by His Beatitude Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow and All Russia, together with other members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as clergy and faithful.

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Metropolitan PHILIP Addresses Historic Episcopal Assembly on First Day

May 27, 2010

Summary: +Philip criticizes America’s exclusion from Chambesy proceedings, questions dissolution of SCOBA, rejects term “diaspora”, calls for Central America to be part of the South American episcopal assembly, and proposes no canonical bishop be excluded from Executive Committee.

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Episcopal Assembly Tackles Pastoral Issues Between Jurisdictions

May 26, 2010

by Stan Shinn

In today’s Episcopal Assembly of all American canonical Orthodox bishops, Archbishop Demetrios challenged the fifty-plus bishops present to resolve several pastoral matters. Aside from making a clear call to move beyond phyletism (which Archbishop Demetrios calls ‘jurisdictionalism’), Archbishop Demetrios calls for a resolution of pastoral matters which include disparity in […]

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Archbishop Demetrios Convenes First Episcopal Assembly of Orthodox Hierarchs

May 26, 2010

The first Episcopal Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Hierarchs in North and Central America was convened today by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America at the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel in New York City. This Assembly is the result of the decision of the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference, which met in Chambésy Switzerland in June of 2009, after the extraordinary Synaxis of all the Heads of the Autocephalous Churches convened by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. This Assembly, one of twelve that will be convened around the world in regions where there is no single Orthodox presence, will consist of the active canonical bishops who reside in the region designated as North and Central America.

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Russian World Traveler, Record-Holder Stops Exploring, Becomes Priest

May 25, 2010

Famous Russian traveler Fyodor Konyukhov has given up exploration and world records to become an Orthodox priest, Ukraine’s UNIAN reported on Saturday. An extensive traveler, Konyukhov has reached the North Pole three times, the South Pole, the Pole of Inaccessibility, and climbed to the top of Mt. Everest. He has set world records by crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a rowboat in 46 days, as well as crossing Greenland on a dogsled in 22 hours. He has also made several round the world trips alone on yachts.

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OCA Issues Statement on the Episcopal Assembly

May 25, 2010

Metropolitan Jonah issued the following statement: “The Orthodox Church in America has been and is now committed to Orthodox unity and mission in North America. In preparation for the Episcopal Assembly, special prayers have been offered in parishes of the Orthodox Church in America. May the gifts of the Holy Spirit showered on the Church of Christ at Holy Pentecost be fully manifested in the Episcopal Assembly and then multiplied for the glory of God in common mission and witness.”

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Metropolitan Hilarion Leads Worship at Shroud of Turin

May 24, 2010

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, who is on a visit to Italy with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, officiated at martins at the Shroud in the cathedral of Turin, on 17 May 2010.
Read more at: goo.gl/DQJq

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Meeting of Pope, Russian Patriarch Increasingly Possible

May 24, 2010

While a meeting between Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and Pope Benedict XVI has not been scheduled, the head of ecumenical relations for the Russian church hinted that the possibility of such a meeting is greater than ever. Metropolitian Hilarion of Volokolamsk, president of the Moscow Patriarchate’s office for external relations, told reporters at the Vatican May 19 that a meeting “is a desire, it is a hope and we must work for it.”

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Kondraticks Reach Settlement with OCA

May 21, 2010

On May 1, 2010, the Metropolitan Council and Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America approved settlement of lawsuits between the Church and its former Chancellor, Robert Kondratick, and his wife Elizabeth. According to the terms of the settlement, the OCA will pay $250,000.00 to the Kondraticks in exchange for mutual releases of liability. The settlement does not constitute an admission of liability by any party.

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More People Turning to the Occult For Help

May 21, 2010

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.

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