(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Since the two archbishops’ abduction, there have been conflicting reports, with one (subsequently withdrawn) even claiming that they had been released.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.”
Monday, April 29, 2013
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(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.
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.
(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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(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 +
Sunday, April 28, 2013
(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
(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.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
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