Friday, June 16, 2023

Puccini: “O mio babbino caro” / Fleming · Marin · Berliner Philharmoniker

O mio babbino caro/O my dear papa-Lauretta is pleading with her father,Gianni Schicchi,to let her marry her true love.Renee Fleming is an American soprano.Conductor Ion Marin was born in Romania,but fled Communist Romania for Austria,becoming an Austrian citizen.

Ecumencial Patriarch Bartholomew Departs for Estonia

On 16 June 2023,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew flew to Tallinn,capital of the Baltic State of Estonia.He had been invited by the leadership of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) to deiver the keynote address during their General Assembly in Tallinn.Patiarch Bartholomew will speak on the theme "What are our Ecumenical tasks in future Europe?" on Sunday 18 June. The Patriarchal entourage consists of His Eminence Metropolitan Maximos of Switzerland;His Grace Bishop Raphael of Ilion:and Grand Ecclesiarch Aetios,Director of the Private Patriarchal Office.During Patriarch Bartholomew's absence,His Emeinence Metropolitan Apostolos of Derkoi will serve as Deputy Patriarch in Constantinople.* The General Assembly began on 15 June and concludes on 20 June.The CEC consists of 114 member churches of Orthodox,Protestant and Anglican traditions.Orthodx members include:Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania;Armenian Apostolic Church;Church of Cyprus;Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia;Orthodox Church of Estonia (autonomous within the Ecumenical Patriarchate);Orthodox Church of Finland (autonomous within the Ecumenical Patriarchate);Church of Greece;Romanian Orthodox Church;Russian Orthodox Church (suspended its membership in 2009);Serbian Orthodox Church.