Paschal messages of OCA hierarchs

(OCA) - To the Venerable Pastors, God-loving Monastics and Devout Faithful of the Orthodox Church in America

“We celebrate the death of death and the overthrow of hell, the beginning of another life which is eternal; and in exultation, we sing the praises of its source. He alone is blessed and most glorious, the God of our Fathers.” —(Paschal Canon, Ode 7)

Dearly Beloved in the Lord:

The central mystery of the Christian Faith is the glorious Resurrection of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ, through which mankind is offered the gift of another life, which is eternal. This miracle of divine and everlasting life was wrought for us in a most remarkable way, for our Lord accomplished it by voluntarily suffering His Passion, being nailed to the Cross and descending into the tomb and into hell.

To the world, suffering is understood as something to be avoided at all costs. The Cross is perceived as foolishness, while the reality of death is ignored as often as possible. But Christ takes the very things the world fears and uses them, not only to reveal His glory and His power, but to share that power and glory with us. He voluntarily endures suffering to free us from our suffering. He ascends the Cross to bring joy to a world that is so often shrouded in war, destruction and hatred. And He willingly endures death so that He might trample it down and reveal that, in the risen Lord, it has no power over us.

Throughout our beautiful Paschal services, we sing of the great paradox of eternal life, revealed and accomplished through death: of mortality, clothed in the robe of immortality; of the Sun of Righteousness shining forth from the tomb; of death being trampled down by death. Christ, Who is Life itself, dies for us, so that we who are dead might live. We no longer fear those things that the world fears, for they no longer have power over us. As Saint John Chrysostom reminds us in his magnificent Paschal homily, “Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free. He who was prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into hell, He made hell captive.”

Let us, therefore, rejoice in the Risen Lord and be strengthened to face our own struggles with courage and hope, knowing that the Lord is ever with us. As we celebrate the bright and joyous day of His Resurrection, let us exclaim with the Apostle Paul, “O death, where is thy sting? O hell, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). And let us all partake of the Banquet of Immortality, the Feast of Faith, with joy and thanksgiving.

With love in the Risen Lord,


+TIKHON
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada

And also...

(OCA-DOW) - Today, Hell cries out groaning:
“My power has been trampled down.
The Shepherd is crucified and Adam is raised.
I have been deprived of those whom I ruled.
Those whom I swallowed in my strength I have given up.
He Who was crucified has emptied the tombs.
The power of death has been vanquished.”
Glory to Your Cross and Resurrection, O Lord!

- Lord I Call Stichera, Vespers of the Feast



HOLY PASCHA 2013

To the Reverend Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese of the West

Dearly beloved:

Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen!

What a glorious paradox we witness in the celebration of Resurrection. Hell was caught completely unaware of this paradox. It swallowed, in seeming victory, the crucified Shepherd, but instead of victory began to choke and suffocate in the attempt to contain Him. The demons struck the Shepherd down, but the sheep have been raised. Hell held man captive but its rule was overthrown and the captives are freed. The crucified, broken, bloody Victim has turned out to be the Victor.

How wonderful that you and I are not just witnesses to this paradox, but participants. Hell indeed groaned just before it was shattered. We are the sheep that have been raised. We are the captives that have been freed. We are those who benefit from and share in the Victory. Christ is risen and we have been given a new life. We have been given the power to be new creatures in the presence not only of the Creator, but of the Redeemer, lifted up from the valley of death and corruption which is life without the risen Christ. How much He loves us!

May the risen Son of God shine brightly in the heart of each one of you, my diocesan family! May we return the love of the risen Savior by living resurrected lives ourselves! And I say to you all again:

Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen!

Yours in the risen Christ,

†Benjamin
Archbishop of San Francisco and the Diocese of the West

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Aleut language Orthodox Catechism available online

(OCA) - It is with joy that the parish of All Saints of North America, Hamilton, ON, Canada, recently announced its latest electronic publication: an 1826 Orthodox Christian Catechism in the Unangan-Aleut and Russian languages.

“As far as we know, this is the first-ever written text in the Unangan-Aleut language translated by Saint Innocent Veniaminov and Aleut chief Ivan Pan’kov in 1826,” explained Father Geoffrey Korz, rector of All Saints of North America Orthodox Church. “This was some two years after Saint Innocent’s arrival in Unalaska in the summer of 1824. It is my understanding that it is a beautiful text in its original version, very touching in its simplicity while explaining eternal truths.

“Although never published, the 1826 manuscript is a fascinating text linguistically,” Father Geoffrey continued. “It provides the foundation for studying Saint Innocent’s initial grasp of the Unangan-Aleut language and how this blossomed into his other Alaskan works of the 1830s and 1840s.”

The Alaskan Orthodox Texts Project was saddened to learn of the repose of Archpriest Paul Merculief a few days before the release of the Catechism. Father Paul had been instrumental in assisting the project since its inception in May 2005 until very recently. His knowledge and guidance, but most of all, his warmth and love for Christ, the Orthodox faith and the Unangan-Aleut language, will be sorely missed.

The Catechism may be downloaded from here (PDF), while the current library of 63 Alaskan Orthodox texts may be accessed at www.asna.ca/alaska.

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Holy Chrism in the Russian Church

H/T: Ad Orientem

You might also enjoy (as I did) the Road to Emmaus (Journal #50 - Spring) article entitled The Seal of the Gift of the Holy Spirit: Preparing Chrism at the Ecumenical Patriarchate by Mother Nectaria McLees.

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Paschal Message of Abp. Demetrios of New York

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Days into kidnapping of Aleppo bishops "An eerie silence"

(ACN) - Fears are growing for two Syrian archbishops, with still no news about them a week on from their abduction.

Adding urgency is the fact that one of the two prelates, Syrian Orthodox Archbishop Yohanna Ibrahim, faces a “life-threatening problem” if prevented from taking medicine for high blood pressure and diabetes.

He did not have any medication with him when he and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Boulos Yagizi were kidnapped on Monday, April 22nd.

Their driver, Deacon Fatha’ Allah Kabboud, was killed.

The incident took place some 4 miles west of Aleppo, the city to which they were returning after traveling to the Turkish border to negotiate the release of two priests, Fathers Michael Kayyal and Maher Mahfouz, kidnapped on February 9th.

Since the two archbishops’ abduction, there have been conflicting reports, with one (subsequently withdrawn) even claiming that they had been released.

But in an interview with Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), an official spokesman for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo said that no contact had been made with either the prelates or the kidnappers.

He said this lack of information was unprecedented at a time when abductions of Christians in the region had risen dramatically.

Speaking from Syria Monday, April 29th, the spokesman, who asked not to be named for safety reasons, said, “We still do not know where the two archbishops are or who has taken them.”

“There are many Christians being kidnapped now and this is the first time where we have absolutely no clue about what has happened, where nobody has taken responsibility for the abduction.”

“This is of course very worrying, especially as we are now on day eight since [the kidnapping] happened.”

Referring to Archbishop Ibrahim’s poor health, he said, “It is a life-threatening problem if he does not receive his medicine.”

The diocesan spokesman said that Church leaders were combating pressure from the distressed and frightened Christian community who, he said, were calling for demonstrations to appeal for the archbishops’ release, a move which he said could antagonize the kidnappers.

Saying that services and prayer vigils were taking place including one broadcast on Syrian TV, he added, “The Christians are worried and want to express their anger about what has happened.”

“But every step should be carefully studied; we have to think about what the response will be from the kidnappers.”

He went on to appeal for continuing international pressure for the archbishops’ release.

Stressing the prelates’ high status, he said he was hopeful that diplomatic intervention would prove effective.

The spokesman said, “So far, the international community has done very well in putting pressure. We do not want that pressure to subside. Government, civil society, churches and NGOs: different levels of help might help.”

He called on Christians “and all people of goodwill” to pray for the archbishops’ release.

“What is so sad about this is that both men were among those working hardest for peace and yet in this time of conflict they are among those paying the highest price.”

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Flowery Sunday in Bulgaria

(Novinite) - Bulgarian Orthodox Christians celebrate Palm Sunday - Tsventisa-Vrabnitsa, to mark the triumphal arrival of Christ into Jerusalem.

The Bulgarian tradition is to carry flowers and willow branches, rather than palm leaves, and the day is also regarded as the holiday of the fields, meadows and forests. It is one of the most important holy days, falling one week before Easter, and marking the beginning of the Passion of Christ.

Saturday marked Lazarovden (Lazar's Day), when Christ raised the faithful Lazarus from the dead. Lazarovden ceremonies, called Lazarouvane, are among the best-loved Bulgarian traditions. The Saturday before Easter is a festival devoted to young girls, pastures, fields and woods.

In Bulgaria's village communities, Lazarovden was quite an event in the life of every young girl, for then she could demonstrate to the townspeople that she had already grown to be a "fully accomplished maiden". The girls would gather in groups of about ten at the house of the prettiest one and start from there with their songs to make a round of the village.

The songs sung on St Lazar's Day praise the beauty of the maiden and her lover, the industry of the farmer, the purity of maternal love and express wishes for happiness and prosperity.

Lazarovden is the name day for all Bulgarians of that name, or its derivatives, while Tsvetnitsa is devoted to all who have names associated with flowers and plants.

Traditionally, the Bulgarian Patriarch a solemn mass in Sofia's Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

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Greek Church fights "organ theft"

Where there is money to be made from the body parts of people, there will be people who ignore morality for the sake of money. We've seen it all over the world not only as regards organ harvesting, but also surrogate mothers, children born so that they can supply material for ailing older siblings, and the poor selling their organs on the black market. We run the risk of making ourselves a commodity with few safeguards to protect ourselves.

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(Greek Reporter) - Senior clerics and church organizations are leading a campaign in opposition to a law, due to come into force on June 1, that will ease restrictions on organ donations.

The chief focus of objections has been a legal provision regarding so-called “presumed consent” that would allow the donation of organs without the consent of a potential donor’s relatives or co-habitors.

A group of church groups and clerics are reportedly considering appealing to the Council of State to revoke the law despite the watering down of the “presumed consent” provision, which now requires the approval of the next of kin.

Several Bishoprics have joined the campaign, including that of Piraeus, the seat of the Bishop Serapheim, which had issued a statement in January claiming that the new law puts Greeks at risk of having their organs plundered against their will. “We are all at risk of being killed before we die,” the statement had read.

Church organizations have held seminars warning Orthodox believers that the bill constitutes “organ theft.” The Orthodox Church has not been as outspoken about the bill in public though several clerics have challenged the concept of “brain death,” with some describing it as an “ideological construct for the promotion of organ transplants,” media reports said.

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Pascha for soldiers in Afghanistan

(St. George's Orthodox Military Association) - For all of you who have been asking about a Orthodox Chaplain in Afghanistan for Sunday Divine Liturgy and for PASCHA here you go:

"I will begin holding services weekly at Bagram Air Base at Enduring Freedom Chapel -- in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. So please let everyone know on Saint George's Military Association that Fr. George (Hill) is back in the stan and will be celebrating my 4th, yes 4th, Paschal Liturgy there in the stan. They can have weekly Divine Liturgy at BAF."

So, as of today there is an Orthodox Chaplain at Bagram in Afghanistan! If you make arrangements now with your command you will be able to attend Pascha at Bagram! Don't delay and spread the word -- we here at Saint George Orthodox Military Association know how much our Orthodox Chaplains want to serve the Orthodox and all those who are interested in Orthodox Christianity but many Orthodox seem to take a vacation from Holy Orthodoxy while they are away from family . . . be different and make this year different!

This is the time to change YOUR LIFE! Wouldn't it be great to be able to say that you "survived Pascha at Bagram!"

We hope and pray the Lord shows all of you Orthodox in the military and all you dependents and all you folks interested in joining Holy Orthodoxy -- how many people are praying for you! You are all loved in Christ as our dear brethren +

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Assembly of Bishops writes to Sec. of State about unrest

(AOB) - The Honorable John Kerry
United States Secretary of State

Dear Secretary Kerry,

We, the Members of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, kindly bring to your attention the urgent and very serious plight of the Greek Orthodox and Syriac Orthodox Archbishops of Aleppo, Paul Yazigi and Yohanna Ibrahim, who were abducted this past week by "a terrorist group" in the village of Kfar Dael as they were carrying out humanitarian work.

Since the outbreak of the civil war in Syria, religious minorities have not only come under increasing attacks by Islamic fundamentalist rebels, but also have been caught in the crossfire of the opposing factions. As you well know, on April 22, 2013, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released a report entitled Protecting and Promoting Religious Freedom in Syria. Religious minorities, including the Christian population, have been targeted for extinction in an attempt to create an Islamic State in Syria and to impose Sharia Law as the law of the land. To that end, Christian clerics have been kidnapped and murdered, even as they tried to bring aid and comfort to their people in this war torn country, while others are still missing, taken captive by rebel forces.

We fervently beseech you to immediately call for and actively work towards the immediate release of Archbishops Paul Yazigi and Yohanna Ibrahim, especially as Orthodox Christians around the globe are preparing to celebrate the Resurrection of OurLord and Savior Jesus Christ on May 5th. We would further hope that the United States government, which has always been a champion of civil rights and religious freedom and defends the dignity and safety of every individual, would exert pressure on all parties in Syria to stop the killing of innocent people and restore freedom of religion and respect for all religious minorities.

We are indebted to you and others within the administration for your tireless efforts. As Orthodox Christians, the most appropriate way to express this appreciation is to continue to pray for all our civil authorities. May the Lord bless and keep you: The Lord make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you: The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. (OT Book of Numbers 6:24-26).

Archbishop Demetrios, Chairman of the Assembly of Bishops
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Metropolitan Philip, 1st Vice Chairman of the Assembly of Bishops
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of New York and all North America

Archbishop Justinian, 2nd Vice Chairman of the Assembly of Bishops
Russian Orthodox Church in the USA

Bishop Basil, Secretary of the Assembly of Bishops
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America

Metropolitan Antony, Treasurer of the Assembly of Bishops
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA Eastern Eparchy

Metropolitan Iakovos
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago

Metropolitan Methodios
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston

Metropolitan Isaiah
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver

Metropolitan Alexios
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta

Metropolitan Nicholas
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Detroit

Metropolitan Savas
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Pittsburgh

Metropolitan Gerasimos
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco

Metropolitan Evangelos
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey

Bishop Andonios
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Bishop Demetrios
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago

Bishop Sevastianos
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Metropolitan Athenagoras
Holy Metropolis of Mexico

Metropolitan Nikitas
Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox Institute in Berkley, CA

Bishop Gregory
American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the USA

Bishop Daniel
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA Western Eparchy

Bishop Ilia
Albanian Orthodox Diocese

Archbishop Joseph
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of Los Angeles and the West

Bishop Antoun
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of Miami and the Southeast

Bishop Thomas
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of Charleston, Oakland and the Mid-Atlantic

Bishop Alexander
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of Ottawa, Eastern Canada & Upstate New York

Bishop John
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of Worcester and New England

Bishop Anthony
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest

Bishop Nicholas
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, Bishop of Brooklyn and Assistant to the Metropolitan

Metropolitan Hilarion
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Eastern America and New York Diocese

Archbishop Alypy
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Chicago and Mid-America Diocese

Archbishop Kyrill
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, San Francisco and Western America Diocese

Bishop Peter
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Administrator of Chicago and Mid-America
Diocese

Bishop Theodosy
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Vicar - San Francisco and Western America Diocese

Bishop George
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Vicar - Eastern America Diocese

Bishop Jerome
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

Bishop John
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Bishop-in-Charge of Old Ritualist Parishes

Bishop Longin
Serbian Orthodox Church, Chicago and Mid-America Diocese

Bishop Mitrophan
Serbian Orthodox Church, Eastern American Diocese

Bishop Maxim
Serbian Orthodox Church, Western American Diocese

Archbishop Nicolae
Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas

Bishop Ioan Casian
Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas

Metropolitan Joseph
Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church of the USA, Canada, and Australia

Bishop Daniil
Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church of the USA, Canada, and Australia

Metropolitan Dimitri
Georgian Orthodox Church, Dioceses of Batumi & Lazeti and America

Metropolitan Tikhon
Orthodox Church in America, Archdiocese of Washington, D.C.

Archbishop Nathaniel
Orthodox Church in America, Romanian Orthodox Episcopate

Archbishop Nikon
Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of New England and Albanian Archdiocese

Archbishop Benjamin
Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of San Francisco and the West

Bishop Melchisedek
Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania

Bishop Michael
Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of New York and New Jersey

Bishop Alexander
Orthodox Church in America, Bulgarian Diocese

Bishop Irineu
Orthodox Church in America, Romanian Orthodox Episcopate

Bishop Mark
Orthodox Church in America

Metropolitan Sotirios
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto

Bishop Christoforos
Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto

Metropolitan Yurij
Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada

Bishop Ilarion
Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada

Bishop Andriy
Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Canada

Archbishop Gabriel
Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

Bishop Iov
Russian Orthodox Church

Bishop Georgije
Serbian Orthodox Church

Bishop Irénée
Orthodox Church in America, Archdiocese of Ottawa and Canada

Bishop Pankratij
Holy Metropolis of Mexico

Metropolitan Antonio
Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Mexico, Venezuela, Central America & the Caribbean

Bishop Ignatius
Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Mexico, Venezuela, Central America & the Caribbean

Archbishop Alejo
Exarchate of Mexico Orthodox Church in America

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Martinique to hold first Divine Liturgy on Pascha

(Pravoslavie) - On April 20, 2013, the Saturday of the Akathist, Bishop Nestor of Korsun served a Divine Liturgy in the house Church of the Paris Theological Seminary. At the Liturgy Bishop Nestor ordained into the priesthood Jean Denis Rano, a Frenchman from Martinique Island.

Representatives of the Orthodox community on Martinique and also the priest’s relatives were present at the Liturgy. In near future, the newly ordained Priest will be sent to serve in the first parish of the diocese of Korsun on Martinique. The first service in the Orthodox Church of Martinique will be celebrated on Easter.

After the Liturgy, Bishop Nestor shared a meal with teachers and students of the seminary and blessed the frescoes in the refectory that had been completed last week.

Before the service the seminary's rector and students sang the Akathist to the Most Holy Mother of God in the wooden Church. This was the first service in this Church and works on its adornment are continuing, reports the website of the diocese of Korsun.

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Palm Sunday in Ottowa

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"One earth steals another."

Mystagogy on "What Happened to Lazarus After He Rose From the Dead?"

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Lazarus was a close friend of Christ, from Bethany, about three kilometers east of Jerusalem. He lived there with his sisters Mary and Martha, and they often gave hospitality to Jesus (Luke 10:38-40; John 12:1-3).

John the Evangelist informs us (John 11) how one day Jesus was notified of the death of Lazarus. Four days later He arrived in Bethany, not only to bring comfort to Lazarus' grieving sisters, but to show the power of God and perform His greatest miracle by raising him from the dead, in anticipation of His own resurrection.

The resurrection of Lazarus brought short-lived great admiration and fame to Jesus, as evidenced by his triumphant entry to Jerusalem, but it also provoked great anger among the teachers of the Law. Now they wanted both Jesus and Lazarus dead. Lazarus escaped, but Jesus did not. But what happened to Lazarus?

According to St. Epiphanios of Cyprus (367-403), Lazarus was thirty years old when he rose from the dead, and then went on to live another 30 years following his resurrection. Another tradition says that Lazarus fled the anger of the Jews and took refuge at Kition in Cyprus around 33 A.D.

While in Cyprus Lazarus met the apostles Paul and Barnabas, as they were travelling from Salamis to Paphos, and they ordained him the first Bishop of Kition. He shepherded the Church of Kition with great care and love for eighteen years until the end of his life.

There are traditions which say he was sullen and never smiled after his resurrection, and this was due to what he saw while his soul was in Hades for four days. Some say he never once laughed, except one time when he saw a man steal a clay vessel, and he uttered the following saying: "One earth steals another".

Other Traditions About Lazarus

Another tradition connects him with Aliki in Larnaca (today's Kition). In Aliki at that time was a large vineyard. As the Saint was walking by he saw an old woman filling her basket with grapes. Tired and thirsty, the Saint asked the old woman for a few grapes. However, she looked at him with disdain and said:

"Go to hell, man. Can you not see that the vine is dried up like salt, and you are asking me for grapes?"

"If you see it dried up like salt, then let it become salt," responded Lazarus...

Complete article here.

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Bp. Vasilije, accused of sexual abuse, retired to monastery

BELGRADE (in Serbia) – Bishop of Zvornik and Tuzla, Vasilije Kacavenda, who has been retired by Serbian Orthodox Church, will leave his lavish palace in Bijeljina and move into a cell of the male monastery Vasilije Ostroski in the center of Bijeljina or monastery Sisatovac on Fruska Gora, reports news magazine “Kurir”.

Recently, after the affair of sexual abuse of minors in which the bishop was allegedly involved and after news magazine “Kurir” has published part of the video on which, allegedly, bishop is kissing and enjoying a passionate moment with a boy, on Tuesday Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church has stepped in and silently punished the bishop by retiring him and sending him to monastery.

How will Kacavenda, after being used to hedonism and luxury feel to live in a modest monastery, without friends, going outs, modern technology and luxury – many wonder.

The bishop has, in his palace in Bijeljina, enjoyed the most modern equipment for home, fireplace, hot tub, gold, antiques, servants and luxuries, of which an ordinary person can only dream of. The furniture in his home is made mostly of ivory, the salon is full of sculptures and artifacts, and his guests were served food in silver plates.

It has been estimated that his “golden salon” is worth at least EUR 300,000 ($390,000), and gilded mirror in it as much as EUR 20,000 ($26,000). The total value of the bishop’s house in Bijeljina, as “Kurir” learned, is estimated to more than a EUR 1,000,000 ($1,300,000).

Beauty in Kacavenda’s palace is seen only in movies. He loves music, especially jazz, and that is why he has one of the biggest collection of jazz records in the world, according to Kurir’s source.

All this will now be a past for the bishop, as in the monastery he is going to, strict rules are applied. The monks at the monastery get up early in the morning, sometimes as early as 4 AM, they go to matins, spend hours praying to God, and then work in the monastery courtyard, garden or vineyard, if there is any. After the evening prayer, in the summer and before the night, the monks go to their modest cells and there they continue prayer until they fall asleep. Punished enough?

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The missionary effort in Tanzania

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Coptic Pope of Alexandria and Pope of Rome to meet in May

VATICAN CITY (Daily Star) - The Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria Tawadros II will meet Pope Francis next month in the Vatican -- the first visit by a Coptic Orthodox leader in 40 years and the latest signs of growing ties between the new pope and the Orthodox world.

Tawadros will visit various Vatican departments and is set to stay in Rome for several days. His arrival is expected for May 10 or 11, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told AFP.

Tawadros' predecessor Shenouda III met with pope Paul VI in 1973 and the two launched a process of dialogue between their two Christian churches.

"The idea is to celebrate the 40th anniversary of that historic meeting," Lombardi said.

The visit will be part of a European tour during which Tawadros will visit different Coptic parishes -- his first foreign trip since his election in November at a time in which the Coptic minority is faced with rising Islamism in Egypt.

The meeting between Tawadros and Francis will be a further step in greater dialogue between Catholics and Orthodox, after the patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew, became the first spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox to attend a papal inauguration of Francis in March.

Another sign of rapprochement is the fact that Tawadros last month attended the inauguration of the new Coptic Catholic patriarch, Ibrahim Sidrak, an unprecedented gesture.

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Of Copts and unicorns - μονοκερωτων

From the blog On Coptic Nationalism, a post entitled Coptic Unicorn: It's Symbolism.

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The very prominent Coptologist, Alin Siciu, has recently shared with us a picture of a unicorn which he got in a detail from a Coptic manuscript in the Pierpont Morgan Library, New York. He dates the manuscript to the 9th century. The beautiful Coptic painting shows a cheerful, hopping unicorn, which one cannot look at without smiling and feeling good. Unicorns are, of course, mystical horse-like animals that are white and with a single, large, pointed, spiralling horn growing from their forehead. They are sometimes depicted with goat’s beard and cloven hooves.

The unicorn (μονοκερωτων) is mentioned in Greek mythology and was described by Aristotle and Strabo. The Greeks were convinced it existed in India. There are a few mentions of the unicorn in the Old Testament. A fabulous book called The Physiologus, which was written in Alexandria in the 2nd century, possibly by Clement of Alexandria, has described the unicorn with other mythical creatures, such as the phoenix, and used them as symbols for Christ: the phoenix which burns itself to death and rises on the third day from the ashes is the type of the Resurrection and the unicorn that only permits itself to be captured in the lap of a pure virgin is a type of the Incarnation. These symbols were taken by the Christian Church, particularly in the West, and used them in art: e.g., the Virgin Mary is often depicted holding the unicorn on her lap...

Complete article here.

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Origen's neologism: Christ "supergladdens" the heart

From the Poulos Blog, a post on a word created by Origen. A portion reposted below with a small editorial adjustment.

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As I transcribe Origen’s first homily on Ps. 76, I continue to find interesting bits. For instance, in the section I transcribed today, Origen coins a new word to describe the gladness that the presence of the Lord brings. Just prior, he has been discussing the line Ps. 76:4 (77:3 by Hebrew numbering), “I remembered God and was gladdened.” (The verse reads differently in the Hebrew apparently, at least judging from our English translations). He discusses presence and absence, and how memory is required only for those absent: you can, after all, see someone who is present before you. This creates a small difficulty: if remembering God gladdens the heart, what does God’s presence do? Origen responds by creating a new word:

If the remembrance of God gladdens the heart, what does his presence do to the one who perceives it? Shall I create a word for it? It supergladdens (ὑπερευφραίνει) the heart...

Complete article here.

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Jordanville hosts Northern Lenten Retreat

(HTS) - From April 1–3, the Eastern American Diocese sponsored a Northern Lenten Retreat at Holy Trinity Monastery. Clergy from both the diocese and the Moscow Patriarchate parishes participated in the retreat. His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion (HTS 1972) and His Grace Bishop George of Mayfield (HTS 1980) came for the conference, and there were over eighty attendees. Seminary classes were canceled on Tuesday and Wednesday so that the seminarians could participate with the clergy in divine services, spiritual talks, and discussions.

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Bp. Iakovos of Miletoupolis responds to sexual allegations

H/T: OBL

(neoskosmos.com) - Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Bishop Iakovos of Miletoupolis defended the Church's reputation when he fronted the Victorian parliamentary inquiry on child sex abuse in the church this week.

The Bishop said the church and the police had a strong relationship and the Church made it its prerogative to inform police of any criminal behaviour.

"The church would never seek to cover up or sweep under the carpet anything serious," he said.

He mentioned the church has a rigorous process for dealing with misconduct complaints, including reporting criminal behaviour to police, but revealed it had never been tested in an allegation of child sex abuse.

The Greek Orthodox Church kept records of its clergymen and complaints against them, Bishop Iakovos said.

It has defrocked two ministers following investigations into complaints but neither related to child sex abuse.

In one case, a priest had been keeping the fees paid for marriage licences.

If a serious complaint was made the church would establish a board to investigate the claim, Bishop Iakovos said.

"If there is any criminal element the authorities are notified, of course," he said.

But Bishop Iakovos did concede that victims might feel embarrassed or ashamed to come forward.

Last week the Salvation Army and the Jehovah's Witnesses told the inquiry they felt it was a victim's responsibility to report abuse to police.

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Collection for family of Fr. Dn. Fathallah Kabud

I have seen the video of this man's body shortly after he was brutally gunned down. It was a bloody and savage scene. Please pray for his eternal memory, the two Syrian bishops, and this man's family.

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(Syrian Orthodox Church) - A special collection is taking place for the family of the driver Fathallah Kabud, an innocent victim who was killed as a result of the kidnapping of the two bishops.

If you would like to contribute to this collection, please do so here.

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Estonian Lutherans, Orthodox sign joint statement

H/T: OBL

(ERR) - The Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church and the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church are signing a joint statement on their shared theological beliefs today.

The document stresses the importance of worship in people's lives, ETV reported.

It is the first such appeal to be made by the two churches, which have held bilateral meetings every year since 2006. In their current talks, the churches are focusing on the issue of bioethics and organ donation.

The Lutheran Church is the largest church in Estonia and also has an autonomous branch abroad that traces its roots back to the Soviet era, when organized religion was prohibited.

The Orthodox Church, in which Estonian is the official language, is associated with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. It is separate from the Estonian Orthodox Church of Moscow Patriarchate, where the official language is Russian.

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They Gather Here No More

H/T: OCL

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Pat. John X & Pat. Mar Ignatius Zakka I Iwas issue statement

(antiochian.org) - The following official joint statement has been released by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, and the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East. (Original PDF here.)

On Monday the 22.04.2013, we were surprised by the news that our brothers Bishop Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo and Alexandretta and Bishop John (Ibrahim) Syriac Orthodox Bishop of Aleppo, have been kidnapped on their way back to Aleppo after accomplishing a humanitarian mission. We deeply regret what happened as we regret all similar acts targeting civilians, regardless of their belonging and therefore we address to the local and international communities the following declaration:

1- The Christians living here are an essential part of their lands. They suffer the pain every person suffers, work as messengers of peace to lift the injustice off every oppressed: They follow the teaching of their Gospel telling them that love is the basis of human relations. The official positions issued by the spiritual leaders of the various churches, are the best expression in this respect and the mission fulfilled by the two kidnapped bishops is but a further proof of this orientation.

2- The Christians in this East are deeply sorrowed by what their countries are going through, namely violence that is spreading and killing the sons of the one country and exposing their lives to various dangers of which kidnapping, that represents one of its the most horrible expressions due to its absurdity, and ist jeopardizing of the lives of the peaceful and unarmed individuals. We call the kidnappers to respect the life of the two kidnapped brothers as well as everyone to put an end to all the acts that create confessional and sectarian schisms among the sons of the one country.

3- We understand the anxiousness of the Christians because of what happened and call them to patience, to hold on to the teachings of their faith, and to rely on God whose strength lies in our weakness. For defending our land means first of all to hold on to it and to work on making it a land of love and coexistence. We are also aware that all citizens from all confessions suffer the same pain due to such acts, and we pray that the Lord may strengthen them in their difficulties. We support them to raise the voice high in refusing all sorts of violence tearing up our countries and making our hearts bleed.

4- In this painful situation, we can but call the whole world to try putting an end to the Syrian crisis so that Syria becomes again a garden of love, security and coexistence.

Settling accounts should not happen at the expense of the human beings who live here.

5- We also call all the churches in the whole world to stand fast in the face of what is going on and witness to their faith in the power of love in this world. It is necessary to take steps that reflect their refusal to all kinds of violence hitting the human beings living in the East.

6- We take the opportunity to call our partners in citizenship, from all islamic confessions, to stand hand in hand and work on refusing the misuse of man and deal with him as a product, a shield in the battles or a means for monetary or political bribery.

7- Finally we address the kidnappers and tell them that those whom they kidnapped are messengers of peace in this world. Their religious, social and national work witnesses for them. We call them to deal with this painful accident away from any tension that serves only the enemies of this country.

We pray the Lord in these blessed times so that this crisis quickly ends and that the souls of all our brothers and sisters regain their security and peace, so that our country enjoys the prosperity and peace it deserves.

Patriarch John X Yazigi

Patriarch Mar Ignatius Zakka I Iwas

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"the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church"

(First Things) - At an academic conference a while ago, I made an offhand reference to the contemporary persecution of Christians. My remark was greeted with some incredulity, even derision. There are, one scholar responded sarcastically, something like two billion Christians in the world today. “Next you’ll be telling us a billion Chinese are also in need of protection.”

The failure of many opinion leaders in the West to acknowledge what’s happening to Christians around the world results from many factors, including, as I’ve written, a kind of psychological disconnect. Western liberals are not accustomed to seeing Christians as sympathetic victims, but as adversaries to be resisted. The idea that Christians might be suffering from persecution ruins the narrative.

An article from last week’s Washington Post might change some minds. In response to increasing attacks on them since the revolution that brought the Muslim Brotherhood to power, Egypt’s Copts are showing a new assertiveness. Traditionally, Coptic leaders keep a low profile, avoiding confrontation with authorities. Now, however, Copts are adopting a more confrontational approach, vocally protesting the wrongs being done them:

Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, of the Muslim Brotherhood, has vowed to promote equality between Egypt’s Muslim majority and Christian minority. But Christians have been worried by the growing influence in society and government of Muslim conservatives and hard-liners, many of whom espouse rhetoric consigning Christians to second-class status.

A mob attack this month on the Cairo cathedral that serves as the seat of the Coptic pope raised alarm bells among Christians, who make up about 10 percent of the country’s 90 million people. There has been a surge in attacks on Christians and churches in the two years since the ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak. But for Christians, the cathedral violence laid bare their vulnerability. Morsi quickly condemned the violence, saying attacking the cathedral was like attacking him personally. But the Coptic Pope Tawadros II accused him of failing to protect the cathedral in an unprecedented direct criticism.

Copts have no illusions about the possible consequences of their new assertiveness: more persecution. But it seems a price they’re willing to pay. A senior Coptic monk told the AP, “Our church grows stronger with martyrdom. My faith and confidence tell me that so long as our church is in the hands of God, no one can hurt it.”

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Romanian Greek Catholic eparchy expanding into Canada

(Zenit) - The Holy See has extended the jurisdiction of the Romanian Catholic Eparchy of St. George in Canton, Ohio, to include the territory of Canada.

The action was publicized today in Washington by Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

"Eparchy" is the term used in Eastern Rite churches for the equivalent of a diocese in the Roman rite.

The Romanian Eparchy in Canton currently includes the entire United States as its territory and serves 5,675 Catholics.

Bishop John Michael Botean, 57, a native of Canton, heads the eparchy, which includes 15 parishes. The eparchy has 21 active priests.

And also...

(Romanian Catholic-Canton) - Dear Fathers and Mothers,

[Christ is risen!] (Those on the old calendar can ignore the text in brackets.)

By now, most of you will have heard that the Romanian Eparchy of St. George now extends territorially to all of Canada. This announcement, made this morning by the Holy See, now settles the question we have had concerning the establishment of new missions in Canada.

As you know, some time ago the two missions currently in Canada (in Toronto and in Montréal) had already been put under the jurisdiction of our diocese. This was in response to a petition from our Synod and Major Archbishop, acting on behalf of a request initiated by those parishes themselves. Unfortunately, as a result there remained a question regarding whether or not this diocese could establish any other missions or provide other services (such as marriages) in Canada on its own, or would have to work through the Latin bishops, who still exercised jurisdiction over Romanian Greek-Catholics residing outside those parishes. Cardinal Lucian then forwarded another petition to the Holy See in order that this matter may be resolved, and today’s announcement is the result.

I am deeply grateful to the bishops of our Synod for considering this matter favorably, and to His Beatitude, Cardinal Lucian, for his pastoral solicitude in having the uncertainty resulting from the inclusion of Toronto and Montréal in our diocese removed. Above all, I am thankful to the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, and especially to our Holy Father, Pope Francis, for the loving concern for our Church that this action manifests.

While we have no current plans to establish a new mission, a possibility may exist in the Vancouver, British Columbia, area. I hope to look into that as soon as practicable. As you may know, other small Eastern dioceses based in the US also have jurisdiction in Canada, including the Armenian, Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara, and Syriac eparchies. Our eparchy has already been listed as existing in Canada on the website of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. We are still developing the structure we will need for our Church in Canada, through the leadership and activity of Reverend Father Michael Moisin of Boston, who is Dean of the Canadian Deanery.

I hope to pay a courtesy call to His Excellency, Archbishop Pedro López Quintana, Apostolic Nuncio to Canada, and to the bishops’ conference as soon as practicable.

May God bless and protect our Church and faithful in Canada and throughout the world, and make us all faithful witnesses of His mercy.

–

(Most Reverend) John Michael Biotin
Bishop, Romanian Catholic Diocese of Canton

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Logos Bible Software to publish the Rudder!

From the blog On Behalf of All:

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This is some pretty exciting news: Logos Bible Software has listed The Rudder (Pedalion) by St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain on Community Pricing. This means that the “market” gets to determine the final price for the set, simply by bidding on what an individual would personally pay for this collection...

Complete article here.

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News report states bishops released

I have no corroboration for this and, in fact, I have seen statements claiming this report of release is false.

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(Aljazeera) - Two Syrian bishops who were reportedly kidnapped carrying out humanitarian work in the northern province of Aleppo have been released, according to a Christian association.

SANA news agency said the Syriac Orthodox and Greek Orthodox Archbishops of Aleppo, Yohanna Ibrahim and Paul Yazigi, were seized on Monday in the village of Kfar Dael.

A Syriac member of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, Abdulahad Steifo, said the men had been kidnapped on the road to Aleppo from the rebel-held Bab al Hawa crossing with Turkey.

Al Jazeera's Rula Amin, reporting from Beirut, said the kidnapping "has sent a lot of concern to the Christian community in Aleppo and throughout Syria".

"They are afraid of the rising power among Islamist groups; many [Christians] have left the country as battles raged in the last six months. This is just another sign of a deteriorating situation for them."

Several prominent Muslim clerics have been killed in Syria's uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, but the two bishops are the most senior church leaders caught up in the conflict.

Christians make up less than ten per cent of the country's 23 million people and, like other religious minorities, many have been wary of the mainly Sunni Muslim uprising against Assad, whose Alawite sect is an offshoot of the Shia sect.

Fears for their future if the rebels were to end 40 years of Assad dynastic rule, which ensured religious freedom without political rights, have increased with the growing strength of rebels and a pledge of allegiance to al-Qaeda by the hardline Nusra Front rebels two weeks ago.

Steifo said Ibrahim had gone to collect Yazigi from the rebel-held Bab al-Hawa crossing because he had crossed there several times before and was familiar with the route.

The two men were driving to Aleppo when they were kidnapped, he added.

Asked who was behind their abduction, Steifo said: "All probabilities are open."

Last September, Ibrahim said that hundreds of Christian families had fled Aleppo as rebels and soldiers battled for control of the country's biggest city.

"In its modern history Aleppo has not seen such critical and painful times ... Christians have been attacked and kidnapped in monstrous ways and their relatives have paid big sums for their release," he told Reuters.

In the central city of Homs, which saw the heaviest bloodshed earlier this year, he said several churches and Christian centres had been damaged in the fighting.

"Until a few months ago the idea of escaping had not crossed the minds of the Christians, but after the danger worsened it has become the main topic of conversation."

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Bp. Vasilije of Tuzla and Zvornik and the sex scandal

Bishop posing with Belgrade stripper Dejan Nestorovic

Belgrade (Radio Free Europe) - The Serbian Orthodox Church has approved the resignation of a powerful cleric amid sex-scandal claims that culminated this week with the publication of a graphic video appearing to show him engaged in sexual activity with young men.

Vasilije Kacavenda, the bishop of Tuzla and Zvornik in Bosnia-Herzegovina, retreated from his clerical duties months ago as allegations mounted that he had used his position for years to stage frequent orgies and rape underage boys and girls.

But the April 22 decision by the Holy Synod to accept his resignation appears to be the first acknowledgment of the church’s growing unease with the crush of lurid accusations that seem better suited to Caligula’s court than an Orthodox diocese.

Bojan Jovanovic, a former theological student in Bijeljina, the seat of Kacavenda’s diocese, says he observed numerous orgies organized by the 74-year-old bishop and attended by fellow clerics and prominent businessmen.

Jovanovic says Kacavenda personally appealed to him to supply young children for sexual purposes and frequently called on high-ranking church officials to organize trysts with young theological students.

"They tried on many occasions to put me in a compromising situation myself or to pull me into their circle," Jovanovic says. "[The bishop] also suggested that I should use the school where I was teaching science to bring him children up to the age of 10, but of course I refused. I was also a witness when abbots from other monasteries would bring theology students who would spend the night with the bishop.

"One morning, one of them called me and asked me to unlock the bishop's room so he could get his things. I said, 'What are your things doing in the bishop's room?' He said, 'Come on, it's not like you don't know. Don't pretend to be stupid.'"

Silent Obedience

Such anecdotal claims had swirled for years around Kacavenda, who had already drawn public ire for his lavish, gilt-edged lifestyle and notorious wartime ties to Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic and military chief Ratko Mladic.

Several people had already stepped forward with accusations against the bishop, including a Bosnian Muslim girl who said Kacavenda had forced her to convert to Christianity and then raped her when she was 16.

In 2010, rumors thickened when a photograph emerged showing the bishop posing informally next to a well-known Belgrade stripper, Dejan Nestorovic, who admitted to having a personal relationship with Kacavenda.

But a culture of silent obedience within the church kept hard evidence in short supply, until the Serbian daily “Blic” reported that it had seen pornographic videos that appeared to show Kacavenda engaged in oral sex and other sexual activities with young men in various locations. (Brief, R-rated clips from the video have since been published online by a variety of news sites.)

Kacavenda, now defrocked, may face numerous charges in court. Dusko Tomic, a lawyer in Bijeljina, says he has collected evidence from numerous people claiming to have been sexually abused by the bishop.

These include two priests, as well as the mother and grandparents of Milic Blazanovic, a theology student who as a 16-year-old reportedly rebuffed advances from Kacavenda and later died under mysterious circumstances in an isolated monastery.

'In Big Trouble'

Tomic, reacting to the April 22 ruling, says the decision should send a warning to Kacavenda and other members of the church and government elite that no one is beyond reproach.

“When I read all the information and all the reports from different people that he abused, from people to whom he did much harm, I’m shocked as an Orthodox believer and as a human being that this kind of person is still present in public life," Tomic says. "Kacavenda became a politician. And let’s not forget that he is a general of the Serbian Army. Let’s not forget that he’s a close friend of [Serb Republic President Milorad] Dodik and a lot of influential businessmen and entrepreneurs. All of them are in big trouble now.”

Kacavenda has denied any wrongdoing and on April 22 threatened to sue those who had “smeared and slandered him.” The church, in accepting his resignation, avoided any mention of the scandal, saying only the bishop was stepping down for health reasons.

But his apparent fall from grace is likely to embolden critics of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which has already stifled a series of sex-abuse charges leveled at a second cleric, Bishop Pahomije, who was accused of sexually abusing four minors between 1999 and 2002.

The Belgrade-based church has maintained strict silence on all allegations of sexual misconduct, even as its patriarch, Iriniej, has vocally opposed plans for a gay-pride march in Belgrade, saying such an event would cast a “moral shadow” over his country.

The church’s stance has drawn unfortunate comparisons with the Vatican’s handling of its own sex-abuse scandals. Mirko Djordjevic, a sociologist in Belgrade, says the Orthodox leadership has long thought of itself as untouchable even as rampant evidence of wrongdoing came to light.

"Our church tried to push these things under the carpet. Or, once things could no longer be hidden, the civil courts have waited for the statute of limitations to kick in," Djordevic says. "In the case of Bishop Pahomije, the state is simply waiting for the whole thing to get old, even though the phenomenon of pedophilia in the church and in society is widespread. The trouble is that in our country, except for some notable exceptions, the public is asleep or intimidated and doesn’t have the courage to face these problems.”

Bishop Grigorije of Zahumlje and Herzegovina, a member of the five-member Holy Synod, urges caution in rushing to judgment, saying a church investigation into the matter “cannot take place quickly.”

“My suggestion to believers is not to judge anyone until the truth has come out," Grigorije says. "When we learn what the truth is, then according to our faith – and this is the paradox of our religion – we shouldn’t hate a man but love him and pray for him. But the court will do its job."

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Please pray for the kidnapped bishops

Syrian Bishop Boulos Yazigi, head of the Greek Orthodox church in Aleppo, who was kidnapped together with Bishop Yuhanna Ibrahim, head of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Aleppo.

One idea I have seen well received is praying the Akathist to Almighty God in Time of Trouble (available here). You can track updates on the situation from the Guardian news website here. It is a sad  irony that they were captured while trying to free other captured clergy.

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Syrian hierarchs kidnapped, driver murdered

Metropolitan Paul Yazigi

(OCA) - In a portion of a letter dated April 22, 2013 and signed by His Grace, Bishop Basil, Secretary of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America to all member hierarchs, prayers were requested for two Syrian hierarchs who had been abducted earlier that day.

The text of the letter reads as follows.

“Metropolitan Paul Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo (brother of His Beatitude Patriarch John X of the Great City-of-God Antioch and all the East), and Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim of the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Aleppo, were both abducted this morning, Monday, April 22nd, while they were traveling together on the road between Antioch (Antakya, Turkey) and the north Syrian city of Aleppo. The driver of the vehicle in which they were traveling was killed in the attack. Your prayers are requested.”

And also...

Mar Gregorios Yohanna Ibrahim

BEIRUT (Daily Star) - Two Aleppian bishops were kidnapped by Syrian rebels in the outskirts of the city Monday evening, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.

The driver of Boulos al-Yazigi, the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of Aleppo and Iskandaroun and Yuhanna Ibrahim, the Syrian-Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo, was killed during the attack.

The NNA reported that Ibrahim, Yazigi and the third man, also a priest, were driving from a village near the Turkish border to Aleppo. As they approached the city, they were met with an armed group that forced them out of the car.

The bishops are believed to alive and efforts are ongoing to secure their release.

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Eritreans join Standing body of Oriental Orthodox in America

Cedar Grove, NJ (SCOOCH) – This Thursday, April 11, the Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches in America welcomed its newest member jurisdiction, the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Archdiocese of North America.

H.E. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian (Armenian), H.E. Archbishop Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim (Syriac), H.E. Archbishop Vicken Aykazian (Armenian), H.E. Mor Titus Yeldho (Malankara-Syriac), and representatives of H.G. Bishop David (Coptic) and H.E. Abune Zekarias (Ethiopian) were on hand at the Coptic Center in Cedar Grove, NJ to welcome an Eritrean Orthodox delegation consisting of H.G. Abune Makarios, Fr. Ghebre-Michael Yohannes, Fr. Athanasius Ghebre-Ab, and Ato Belai Teferi into the organization.

In addition to this historic event, the members of the Standing Conference also discussed the launch of the organization’s official website (scooch.org), the charitable endeavors of the organization, future concelebrations of the liturgy, inter-church relations with external ecclesiastical bodies and an impending youth conference scheduled for June of 2013.

With the inclusion of an official Eritrean Orthodox delegation, the Standing Conference now counts within its ranks representatives of every canonical Oriental Orthodox Church in the world.

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Agni Parthene at the Boston marathon memorial site

H/T: Salt of the Earth

(YouTube) - Students from Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology sing at the informal memorial set up for victims of the Boston Marathon at Boylston Street.

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Egyptian police abet rioting Muslims vs. mourning Christians

Cairo (AINA) - A media representative for Egypt's Catholic bishops echoed concerns that police sided with Islamic extremists who attacked a funeral service en masse at St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Cathedral in Cairo.

"The police must have been aware of the situation. So why were the police not in front of the cathedral?" asked Father Rafik Greiche of the Egyptian Catholic bishops' conference.

He told Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need that the police "only arrived two hours later, and then they protected the attackers." Muslim extremists had previously threatened to disrupt the service, the priest said.

The April 7 funeral was for four Christians killed in a gunfight that followed a dispute in the town of Khusus near Cairo. A Muslim was also killed in that clash.

After the Christians' funeral, mourners left the cathedral and joined sympathetic Muslims in chanting slogans against President Mohammed Morsi and calling for his removal.

At some point violence broke out for unclear reasons. At its worst, 200 people attacked the Christians, some throwing stones and petrol bombs from the roofs of buildings surrounding the cathedral.

Christians took up the defense of the cathedral and threw fire bombs and brick shards at the riot police, some of whom were injured.

The clash lasted until late in the evening. Two were killed and more than 90 hurt. The New York Times is among the media outlets reporting the apparent alliance between the attackers and the riot police.

Coptic Catholic Bishop Kyrillos William Samaan of Assiut has condemned the attack.

"Nobody could have imagined that anybody would attack such an important symbol for all Egyptians as St Mark's Cathedral in Cairo," the bishop said. "It is shocking. But we will never learn the real motives for these attacks."

Fr. Greiche said that other local Muslims have voiced their support and sympathy for the Christian community.

"All of our Muslim friends told us that the events make them feel ashamed," he said.

The priest recently visited Azhar University, a prominent Sunni institution, noting that the sheiks there "assured us that such attacks are not compatible with Islam."

The attack also drew condemnation from Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi, who said he regarded any attack on churches as "a personal attack" against him.

Despite the president's words, some Egyptian Christians told Reuters news service that the violence has prompted them to consider leaving their homeland.

Orthodox Coptic leader Pope Tawadros II said the president has not done everything he could to protect the cathedral.

"We want actions, not words," he said.

Fr. Greiche said the violence comes at a time of improving relations between Egyptian Catholics and other Christians. The Catholic leadership is in "permanent contact" with the Protestant and Orthodox Churches in Egypt.

He said relations with the Coptic Orthodox have "completely transformed" since the election of Pope Tawadros in November 2012.

"Tawadros is very open," he added. The Orthodox Pope attended the enthronement of the new Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac.

"That had never happened before," he said.

Another unprecedented event in Egyptian Christian relations is still in development. Pope Tawadros intends to visit Pope Francis in Rome.

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Eastern Catholic Churches in the diaspora

An interesting tome. I'm sure if you talk to almost any Eastern Catholic in the US you'll hear a story about some inter-Church dilemma they or a friend have experienced. Many of them have to do with a rather unidirectional flow of treatment of Eastern Catholics by Latin clergy. Things like baptizing Eastern Catholic children in Latin parishes without complaint, but refusal to allow Latin children to be baptized in an Eastern Catholic parish or denying Chrismation to a Latin child attending an Eastern Catholic parish or requiring CCD classes for an Eastern Catholic attending a Latin parish.

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(Canon Law Society of America) - Eastern Catholics and Latin Pastors: Issues and Canonical Norms by Lorenzo Lorusso, OP, English Edition by Chorbishop John Faris, 2013, 352 pp., ISBN1-932208-35-6

There are eighteen Eastern Catholic jurisdictions in the United States with approximately 600,000 registered faithful. Pastors and canonists are often confronted with questions when Eastern Catholic faithful approach them for sacraments. Lorusso’s book is a valuable resource regarding membership in a Church sui iuris, marriage, baptism, confirmation (chrismation), and the other sacraments.

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Mount Rubidoux cross site purchased

RIVERSIDE, CA (The Tribune) — A community group seeking to preserve a towering cross atop Riverside's city-owned Mount Rubidoux has purchased a small parcel around the landmark.

The Press-Enterprise reports the group Totally Mt. Rubidoux paid $10,500 in Thursday's auction for the parcel.

The City Council voted to sell the land around the cross to avoid a lawsuit on its constitutionality after Americans United for Separation of Church and State last year threatened a lawsuit.

The group asserted that religious symbol on public land is unconstitutional.

The land was once owned by Mission Inn founder Frank Miller and there has been a cross atop the hill since 1907. Miller's family donated the land to the city in 1955 and it became a public park.

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US Sec. of State John Kerry urges Turkey to re-open Halki

(ekathimerini) - US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Turkey on Sunday to re-open Orthodox clergy schools near Istanbul that authorities have kept closed for more than 40 years.

"It is our hope that the Halki seminary will open," Kerry said during a press conference in Istanbul after two days of talks on the Syrian crisis and the Mideast peace process.

Kerry said he discussed religious freedom in overwhelmingly Muslim Turkey and the possible re-opening of the theological schools in talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

The Halki seminary, where Orthodox clergy used to train, is located on an island off Istanbul and was closed in 1971, after Turkey fell out with Greece over Cyprus.

Kerry also met on Sunday the Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios, the spiritual leader of Orthodox Christians.

Both the United States and the European Union, which Turkey aspires to join, have increased pressure on Ankara to re-open the seminary as well as introducing further rights for religious minorities in the new constitution it is currently drafting.

Ankara says it is also in favour of such a move but cites procedural issues for the delay in implementing it.

Vartholomaios told Kerry that the Turkish government had improved its treatment of the Ecumenical Patriarchate recently.

“Over the last few months and years, there has been progress in the government’s behaviour towards the Patriarchate and more generally towards minorities,” he said.

“Of course, within this framework, we expect solutions to our existing problems, such as the re-opening of the Halki Seminary, which is a great need for our Patriarchate, for its present and future.”

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Youth directors responding to tragedies

(OCA) - The national youth directors of several Orthodox jurisdictions have collaborated to offer a resource packet for clergy and lay persons to minister to youth and young adults in light of the recent violence in and around Boston.

The resource packet - it may be downloaded in PDF format here - contains a cover letter from the youth directors, three reflections on the attacks by adults, ten tips for speaking to youth groups and Church school classes about public violence, and a ten suggested steps for equipping youth groups and OCF chapters to respond to these tragedies (reposted below). Also available on-line is the OCA’s study guide, “A Christian Response to Terrorism”, originally compiled after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, provides prayers, scriptural references, and discussion questions to use with youth and young adults.

10 Do’s and Don’t’s of Talking to our Youth about Acts of Public Violence
By Mr. Andrew Boyd

1. Don’t Tell Them Everything is Ok
   
   If you are reading this article, chances are things are not “ok”. We often have an impulse to reassure our Youth, but insisting that “Everything will be ok” apart from being not necessarily true, is usually a way to make us, the adult, feel better. Stock phrases and pious platitudes often shut down conversation and railroad emotions. It’s an easy answer to difficult questions and uncomfortable realities. Instead, direct the attention back on the youth you are ministering to. Ask them how they are feeling, how they are doing, what they are struggling with and focus on listening to them instead of providing stock answers.
2. Don’t Preach Blame
   
   In times of irrational violence we all seek the stability of rationalization, namely in finding someone to blame. Our twenty-four hour cable news cycle will obsess in the endeavor, speculating as to which radical group, which political wing-nuts, which religious zealots, deserve the blame. From a Christian perspective, we all deserve the blame. Our separation from God, our willful disregard of His commandments creates this world of violence and patterns of suffering that we all live with everyday. Instead of dwelling on and giving air to the hate that violent groups and individuals are motivated by, focus instead on the positive response of Christians to such tragedies (aid, prayers, healing) and the opportunity that such tragedies give for all of us to witness our faith by loving our neighbor, even those who hate us.
3. Don’t Do This Ad Hoc
   
   Don’t ambush your youth group or Church School class with an impromptu discussion of a violent tragedy. Instead, give notice that this is your intended topic. Plan your discussion points if possible and plan to include periods in the discussion for your youth to share their thoughts and feelings. Try before hand to articulate your own response to the events and your emotional response to the images and stories from the tragedy.
4. Don’t Have All the Answers
   
   You do not have all the answers and pretending to is dangerous in any situation, but particularly in speaking about violent tragedies. Try to start your discussion with “I think” and “I feel” instead of stock dogmatic phrases like “The Church teaches...”. Try turning questions back to the youth when possible. For example, if a young adult says “What kind of God would allow this?” try responding with a question to the whole group “Why would the God we believe in allow this?” Guiding our youth towards the right answer is often a more effective means of teaching then merely didactic lectures.
5. Don’t Get in Over Your Head
   
   Ask for help if you need it. If you are a lay person, reach out to your priest, if you are a member of the clergy, reach out to a mental health professional or brother clergy. Likewise, if you think that someone in your care needs additional support, do not hesitate to refer them to clergy or to mental health professionals. Humbly helping is sometimes the best way to be a hero.
6. Do Communicate
   
   In the days following a violent tragedy, communicate with your youth as much as possible. Share what IOCC and other Assembly of Bishops organizations are doing to respond. Share what our bishops are saying. Point out where Christians are stepping up to help people. Share what the needs people might have who were directly impacted by the tragedy. Encourage them to help. Let them know that you plan on discussing this with them at upcoming youth events or meeting. After a crisis, these regular communications are a great way to let your youth know that the Church is responding, and that you are there for them (without having to come out and say it).
7. Do Make Space to Listen
   
   Let your youth know that you and other clergy or lay leaders are available to listen to them, and then do it! Listen to them without judgment. Don’t jump down their throats if they express anger or doubt or loss of faith. Feel comfortable being with them in their confusion and uncertainty instead of trying to “fix” their problems. Share your own anxieties and emotions if appropriate to let them know that it’s permissible to have them.
8. Do Pray Together
   
   Apart from encouraging them to attend Church, and to pray privately, pray together as a youth group, OCF chapter, or Church School class. Ask your youth what they would like to pray for, or simply prayer The Jesus Prayer so that Christ might have mercy on us all. Model prayer while you are together so that your youth will do it when they are at home.
9. Do Care for Yourself
   
   Be aware of how these events are affecting you. Make sure you are receiving proper spiritual guidance, and have a trusted person to confide in. Model healthy behaviors for your youth instead of exempting yourself from those same behaviors.
10. Do Preach the Gospel
    
    Lastly, these kinds of crisis, after the dust has settled, can provide great teachable moments to preach the Gospel of the Crucified Christ. We are the only faith that believes in a God who takes on human suffering Himself in order to open up a path towards eternal life and freedom from suffering. This is a powerful message. Our answer to these traumatic events is that Cross, that One who came to suffer “on behalf of all and for all.” That because of His suffering, all suffering now has meaning as a means for us to attain to Life Eternal in His Kingdom.

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Pseudo-Cyril of Alexandria on the Eucharist and the Godhead

From the blog Roger Pearse, a post on how a modern opinion gets conflated with a patristic source.

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A correspondent has written to me with an interesting quotation which is being attributed on the web to Cyril of Alexandria. It may be found here, among other places, and reads:

When we ingest the Eucharist in reality we are ingesting the Godhead ….. because His Body and Blood are diffused through our members we become partakers of the divine nature.

My correspondent notes that this contradicts what Cyril says in Against Nestorius 4:

But out of overmuch reverence, he blushes (it appears) at the measures of emptiness and endures not to see the Son Co-Eternal with God the Father, Him who is in the Form and Equality in everything with Him Who begat Him, come down unto lowliness: he finds fault with the economy and haply leaves not unblamed the Divine Counsel and Plan. For he pretends to investigate the force of the things said by Christ, and as it were taking in the depth of the ideas; then bringing round (as he thinks) my words to a seeming absurdity and ignorance; “Let us see, he says, who it is that mis-interprets. As the Living Father sent Me, for I live (according to him) God the Word, because of the Father, and he that eateth Me he too shall live: which do we eat, the Godhead or the flesh?”

Perceivest thou not therefore at length how thy mind is gone? for the Word of God saying that He is sent, says, he also that eateth Me, he too shall live. But we eat, not consuming the Godhead (away with the folly) but the Very Flesh of the Word Which has been made Life-giving, because it has been made His Who liveth because of the Father...

Complete article here.

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Ukrainian Greek Catholic Patriarch visits Phanar

(RISU) - On 19 April, the Head of the Ukrainian-Greek Catholic Church, Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) and Head of the Department of Foreign Relations of UGCC, Bishop Borys Gudziak set off for a pilgrimage to Constantinople. The trip is organized in the context of the celebration of the 1025th anniversary of Baptism of Rus-Ukraine and will end on 22 April.

During the pilgrimage, the delegation of UGCC will meet with Patriarch Bartholomew I. According to Patriarch Sviatoslav, “it is a courtesy visit to the Mother Church of the Christians of the Kyivan Tradition.”

The delegation will also visit the Cathedral of the Holy Sophia, the Greek-Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity and other shrines. So reported the Information Department of UGCC.

"Before the meeting Patriarch Sviatoslav and Bishop Borys visited the Cathedral of St. George at the Phanar and venerated the relics of the holy hierarchs Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom. After the meeting, there was a quick stop to the Church of the Theotokos of Blachernae, particularly significant today on the Saturday of the Akathist, where Patriarch Sviatoslav led the singing of the first Kontakion of the Akathist Hymn" - Daniel Galadza informs.

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