Friday, November 29, 2019
Bulgarian Hierarch Concelebrates With Ecumenical Patriarchate in Greece
His Eminence Metropolitan Nikolai of Plovdiv (Church of Bulgaria) presided the Divine Liturgy at the Church of Sts.Athanasios,Akakios and Damaskinos in the Holy Metropolis of Langada, Greece on 27 November 2019.The Metropolis is among the New Lands of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Greece which the Church of Greece administers for practical reasons by agreement with the Patriarchate. Metropolitan Nikolai concelebrated with His Eminence Metropolitan Ioannis of Langada, which is near Thessaloniki; His Eminence Metropolitan Prokopios of Filippoi,Neapolis and Thasos, which is also in Makedonia; and His Grace Bishop Stefan of Adrianopolis,igumenos (abbot) of the Monastery of St.John of Rila in Bulgaria.*
During the Divine Liturgy, the local dyptichs (list of primates of recognised Churches) were read, containing the name of His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kiyv and All Ukraine, signifying recognition of the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine's autocephaly.So this is being interpreted as a first step in the Church of Bulgaria's recognition of Ukrainian autocephaly.Indeed,the Russian Interfax news agency saw it that way.A Bulgarian hierarch was presiding a liturgy in one of the New Lands of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,at which the autocephaly of the OCU is clearly recognised.*
During the Divine Liturgy, the local dyptichs (list of primates of recognised Churches) were read, containing the name of His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kiyv and All Ukraine, signifying recognition of the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine's autocephaly.So this is being interpreted as a first step in the Church of Bulgaria's recognition of Ukrainian autocephaly.Indeed,the Russian Interfax news agency saw it that way.A Bulgarian hierarch was presiding a liturgy in one of the New Lands of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,at which the autocephaly of the OCU is clearly recognised.*
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Ukraine Holodomor Remembrance | U.S. Embassy in Ukraine
Ukraine Holodomor Remembrance | U.S. Embassy in Ukraine: Statement by Morgan Ortagus, State Department Spokesperson November 23, 2019 This November we honor and remember the millions of Ukrainians who perished eighty-six years ago during Holodomor, the catastrophic famine created by the barbaric policies of the Stalin regime. Through the deliberate seizure of Ukrainian land and crops and forced collectivization, the Soviet Union caused ...
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Monday, November 18, 2019
US Ambassador Praises Ecumenical Patriarch, Church of Greece
On 12 November 2019,US Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt addressed the symposium "Religion in the Contemporary World: Challenges and Prospects for Dialogue and Peace" at the Armed Forces Club in Athens.The symposium was sponsered by Foreign Affairs The Hellenic Edition magazine; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; and the Holy Archdiocese of Athens.
Ambassador Pyatt noted that:
In the United States, there is deep respect for the Greek Orthodox Church, which played a key role in our civil rights movement and continues to promote our commonly held values of religious freedom and tolerance.
The United States has also long supported the Ecumenical Patriarch, valuing his firm commitment to interfaith dialogue and respecting his strong voice for the West.
In that spirit of understanding,I have greatly appreciated my visits with the Ecumenical Patriarch and was very pleased to accept His All-Holiness's invitation to visit Mt.Athos last year. I found the monastic community there to be a uniquely spiritual place where Greece's rich Orthodox tradition thrives in stunning monasteries and remote sketes,amid a virtually untouched natural landscape.
In America, we look forward greatly to His All-Holiness's planned visit to the United States in May of 2020, where the new Archbishop of America, our friend Elpidophoros, has been doing great work to deepen the already strong people-to-people ties between our countries.*
It is no surprise that malign actors like Russia, China, and Iran,who have different interests and values, engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom.*
We see the Church of Greece's support of the Ecumenical Patriarch's decision to grant autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine as an example of His All-Holiness's moral courage and leadership.*
Russia is using religion as part of its hybrid warfare strategy, as a tool to achieve political objectives and spread false narratives.By competing with the Ecumenical Patriarch, Russia is trying to use the Church as a wedge to foment instability and undermine democracy.And just as Moscow manipulates energy resources to extract political concessions and high prices, it's now cutting off tourism and sacred practices, like commemoration in prayers, from countries that are not toeing its political line.*
Orthodoxy preserved Hellenism through Ottoman occupation and has been key to keeping Greek society together during the economic crisis.*
Ambassador Pyatt noted that:
In the United States, there is deep respect for the Greek Orthodox Church, which played a key role in our civil rights movement and continues to promote our commonly held values of religious freedom and tolerance.
The United States has also long supported the Ecumenical Patriarch, valuing his firm commitment to interfaith dialogue and respecting his strong voice for the West.
In that spirit of understanding,I have greatly appreciated my visits with the Ecumenical Patriarch and was very pleased to accept His All-Holiness's invitation to visit Mt.Athos last year. I found the monastic community there to be a uniquely spiritual place where Greece's rich Orthodox tradition thrives in stunning monasteries and remote sketes,amid a virtually untouched natural landscape.
In America, we look forward greatly to His All-Holiness's planned visit to the United States in May of 2020, where the new Archbishop of America, our friend Elpidophoros, has been doing great work to deepen the already strong people-to-people ties between our countries.*
It is no surprise that malign actors like Russia, China, and Iran,who have different interests and values, engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom.*
We see the Church of Greece's support of the Ecumenical Patriarch's decision to grant autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine as an example of His All-Holiness's moral courage and leadership.*
Russia is using religion as part of its hybrid warfare strategy, as a tool to achieve political objectives and spread false narratives.By competing with the Ecumenical Patriarch, Russia is trying to use the Church as a wedge to foment instability and undermine democracy.And just as Moscow manipulates energy resources to extract political concessions and high prices, it's now cutting off tourism and sacred practices, like commemoration in prayers, from countries that are not toeing its political line.*
Orthodoxy preserved Hellenism through Ottoman occupation and has been key to keeping Greek society together during the economic crisis.*
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Friday, November 15, 2019
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Blessing of the Church of St. Katherine in Amsterdam by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on 5 November 2019. The church was donated to the Metropolis of Belgium, Exarchate of the Netherlands and Luxembourg by the Catholic Church. στον Ναό της Αγίας Αικατερίνης από τον Οικουμενικό Πατρ...
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Friday, November 8, 2019
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Monday, November 4, 2019
Sheparding Western Europe: Ecumenical Patriarch to the Benelux - Updated
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is embarking on an extended visit to the Benelux, arriving in Amsterdam on 5 November 2019.It is his first visit to the Metropolis of Belgium,Exarchate of the Netherlands and Luxembourg in 25 years.The journey marks the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the Metropolis by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.*
Leading the Metropolis today is His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras.It consists of 39 parishes in the Benelux Region.Metropolitan Athenagoras is the permanent Representative of all Orthodox to the governments of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.He also is Chairman of the Orthodox Bishops' Conference of Benelux (CEOB), which was created by a decision of the 4th Pan-Orthodox Pre-Conciliar Conference in Chambesy, Geneva, Switzerland in June 2009.Members of CEOB will meet with Patriarch Bartholomew during his visit.*
Patriarch Bartholomew will visit Dutch parishes, including St.Katherine in Amsterdam and St.Nicholas in Rotterdam,as well as attend an Ecological Symposium.*
On 10 November, the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy will be served for the fiftieth anniversary of the Metropolis at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Brussels.After the liturgy,a reception and luncheon will be held.On 11 November,a Gala dinner for the anniversary will take place in Brussels at the Steigenberger Wiltehers,Loui Bar and Restaurant at 7:30 pm.*
The Patriarchal visit to the Benelux will conclude in the Duchy of Luxembourg on 14 November.*
Update:
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in Amsterdam on 5 November.He spoke at the International Water Week ecological symposium and consecrated the Church of St.Katherine.*
Leading the Metropolis today is His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras.It consists of 39 parishes in the Benelux Region.Metropolitan Athenagoras is the permanent Representative of all Orthodox to the governments of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.He also is Chairman of the Orthodox Bishops' Conference of Benelux (CEOB), which was created by a decision of the 4th Pan-Orthodox Pre-Conciliar Conference in Chambesy, Geneva, Switzerland in June 2009.Members of CEOB will meet with Patriarch Bartholomew during his visit.*
Patriarch Bartholomew will visit Dutch parishes, including St.Katherine in Amsterdam and St.Nicholas in Rotterdam,as well as attend an Ecological Symposium.*
On 10 November, the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy will be served for the fiftieth anniversary of the Metropolis at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Archangels Michael and Gabriel in Brussels.After the liturgy,a reception and luncheon will be held.On 11 November,a Gala dinner for the anniversary will take place in Brussels at the Steigenberger Wiltehers,Loui Bar and Restaurant at 7:30 pm.*
The Patriarchal visit to the Benelux will conclude in the Duchy of Luxembourg on 14 November.*
Update:
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in Amsterdam on 5 November.He spoke at the International Water Week ecological symposium and consecrated the Church of St.Katherine.*
Leaders the Patriarch will meet during his visit to the Benelux include King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands;King Phillipe of Belgium; Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg; and the Vice-President of the European Commission Margarita Schinas.*On 14 November, Patriarch Bartholomew will depart Luxembourg for Venice, where he will address a Byzantine studies conference on "Ecumenical Hellenism in Venice".Finally,he will arrive back in Constantinople on 16 November.
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