Panorthodox Synod : THE ORTHODOX ARCHBISHOP OF CYPRUS: "WE HAVE IN MIND TO VISIT THE POPE"'

Panorthodox Synod : THE ORTHODOX ARCHBISHOP OF CYPRUS: "WE HAVE IN MIN...: By Andrea Gagliarducci   in ACI Stampa / EWTN Vatican Bureau , 2023-07-16  photo  Archbishop Georgios III | Church of Cyprus

Panorthodox Synod : UOC ARCHIMANDRITE FROM KYIV-PECHERSK LAVRA JOINS OCU

Panorthodox Synod : UOC ARCHIMANDRITE FROM KYIV-PECHERSK LAVRA JOINS O...:                               Archimandrite Avraamiy (Latysh), a member of the Spiritual Cathedral of the Holy Dormition Kyiv-Peche... A lawsuit filed by Metropolitan Pavlo,former head of the Lavra (Monastery),was earlier in the day dismissed by the Kyiv Commercial Court.It contested the right of the National Reserve authority (Government of Ukraine),to evict the Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Moscow Patriarchate from the Lavra.

Panorthodox Synod :Metropolitan Epifaniy of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine Presides at Ecumenical Patriarchate Divine Liturgy

Panorthodox Synod : BARTHOLOMEW TO EPIFANIY: I HOPE POPE FRANCIS IS CL...:   Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew warmly welcomed Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kyiv and All Ukraine today, January 27, 2023, at the Phanar.The better Pope Francis knows you,the more he can use his influence to help you.As a world leader,he can raise your profile and support your cause,the cause of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,more effectively in the global community.

Primate of Church of Cyprus Enters Repose at his Official Residence

On 7 November 2022,His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II of New Justiniana and All Cyprus departed this life at 6:40 am local time from his official residence at the Archbshopric headquarters,having struggled with cancer since 2018.He had received treatment in Florida at least twice.The Archbishopric's flags were accordingly lowered to half mast.He was 81.Born in Paphos,Cyprus as Herodotos Demetriou,he attended primary school there until,at the age of 12,he entered the novitiate at Saint Neophytos Holy Monastery in Paphos,where he graduated from high school in 1963.He was ordained to the diaconate the same year.In 1968,he began theological studies at the University of Athens,graduating in 1972 and being elected igoumenos (abbot) of St.Neophytos Monastery the same year.In 1978,he was elected Bishop of Paphos.* When the primate of All Cyprus,Archbishop Chrysostomos I,developed dementia and had to resign,the future Chrysostomos II served as locum tenens until he himself was elected to the primatial see on 5 November 2006.He was enthroned on 12 November at St.Nicholas Cathedral in Nicosia. During his reign,Chrysostomos II reinstated several ancient bishoprics,thus ensuring that the Holy Synod of Cyprus would have enough hierarchs to elect a new primate on its own.He also increased the participation of the laity in the election of a new primate.His passing was lamented by the World Council of Churches,which recalled his readiness to host ecumenical dialogues in Cyprus and receive the participants. In 2020,Archbishop Chrysostomos recognised the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,and this recognition was ratified by a majority vote of the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus.He felt that,as a matter of loyalty to the Ecumenical Patriarchate,this was a necessity. In 2022,he condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine as being senseless and unchristian.His funeral will take place on Saturday 12 November at 12 pm local time at the Cathedral Church of Apostle Barnabas,with interment to follow in the crypt.His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew held a trisagion memorial service for the Archbishop at the Phanar in Istanbul and plans to attend the funeral.The Holy Synod of Cyprus will meet on the following Monday to begin the election process.* President Nicos Anastasiades of Cyprus expressed sorrow for the Archbishop's passing.May his memory be eternal.*

Panorthodox Synod : OCU APPLIES FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE CONFERENCE OF EUROPEAN CHURCHES

Panorthodox Synod : OCU APPLIES FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE CONFERENCE OF EU...: ...

Panorthodox Synod : METROPOLITAN EPIFANIY: ROC PATRIARCH ACTS LIKE PUT...

Panorthodox Synod : METROPOLITAN EPIFANIY: ROC PATRIARCH ACTS LIKE PUT...:              Фото: Митрополит Епіфаній Patriarch Kirill of Moscow is similar to Russian President Vladimir Putin, because the ROC has...

Outdoors co-liturgy by Ecumenical Patriarch, Metropolitan Epiphaniy of Kyiv in Hagia Sofia Kyiv,Ukraine

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Concelebrate with Archbishop of Cyprus

On 8 March 2020,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew will concelebrate the Divine Liturgy for the first Sunday of Lent,the Sunday of Orthodoxy,with His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II of New Justiniana and All Cyprus at the Patriarchal Church of St.George in the Phanar,the Patriarchal compound in Constantinople.It will be the first time they have concelebrated since the Ecumenical Patriarchate bestowed autocephaly on the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,and,indeed,the first time Archbishop Chrysostomos has met with Patriarch Bartholomew at all since that proclamation.*
Patriarch Bartholomew will also celebrate Great Vespers on 7 March at the Church of St.George.*
Analysis:The visit of Archbishop Chrysostomos and his concelebration with Patriarch Bartholomew shows that the Church of Cyprus is intent on maintaining its close ties with the Ecumenical Patriarchate,unlike the Patriarchate of Moscow.*
Archbishop Chrysostomos recently had liver cancer surgery in the US state of Florida.*

Where the OCU Stands Today:Ukrainian Orthodox Church Is One Year Old

Jerusalem Patriarchate Hierarch Visits Ecumenical Patriarchate

On 8 December 2019,His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Qatar (Patriarchate of Jerusalem) concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Patriarchal Church of St.George in the Phanar, the Patriarchal compound in Constantinople.The service included the ordination to the episcopate of His Grace Bishop Irenaios of Evmeneia,Igumenos (Abbot) of the Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of Our Lady of the Angels, Crete.Archbishop Makarios had a special interest in the service, being himself a native of Crete.*
Also concelebrating were the following hierarchs:
Arbishop Irenaios,Eparch of the Church of Crete, which is autonomous within the Ecumenical Patriarchate; Metropolitan Theoliptos of Ikonio, Crete; Metropolitan Andreas of Arkalochori, Crete; Metropolitan Damaskinos of Kydonia and Apokoronos, Crete; Metropolitan Stefanos of Kallioupolis and Madytos (Ecumenical Patriarchate); Metropolitan Antonios of Glyfada (Church of Greece); Metropolitan Maximos of Sylivria (Ecumenical Patriarchate); and Metropolitan Kyrill of Ierapitni and Sitia, Crete.*
The previous evening, after the vespers service,His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew met with a delegation from the Eparchial Synod of Crete, including His Grace Bishop Prodromos of Knossos, Chief Secretary; Metropolitan Amphilochios of Kissamos and Selina; Metropolitan Kyrill of Ierapitni and Sitia; and Mr.Dimitrios Milathianakis, legal counsel of the Church of Crete.
Patriarch Bartholomew's delegation included Metropolitan Dimitrios of the Princes Islands, Turkey, Chairman of the Synodal Committee on Eparchies Abroad and Orthodox Mission; Very Reverend Archimandrite Ioakeim,Chief Secretary of the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Great Church of Christ; and Grand Archdeacon Theodoros, Secretary of the Synodal Committee.
They discussed several matters of mutual​ concern.*
Analysis: The participation of Archbishop Makarios of Qatar indicates that the Jerusalem Patriarchate is not following Moscow's lead in shunning the Ecumenical Patriarchate for granting autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

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.*

Major Events Highlight Ukraine and its New Orthodox Church

A swirl of important events this weekend are highlighting Ukraine and its new autocephalous Church.First, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew arrived in Thessaloniki, Greece on 18 October 2019.The next day at the ancient fifth century Church of the Panagia Acheiropoietos,he concelebrated the Patriarchal Divine Liturgy with His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece,at which the name of His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kiyiv and All Ukraine was inscribed by Archbishop Ieronymos in the Dyptichs of the Church of Greece, the list of Primates of the autocephalous Orthodox Churches.
Metropolitan Epifaniy could not attend as he had to be in New York to receive a high honour for his courageous effort for religious freedom, the 2019 Athenagoras Human Rights Award,from the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,a group of lay leaders pledged to defend the Patriarchate and religious freedom worldwide.*
The Ukrainian World Congress sent a message expressing sincerest thanks to Archbishop Ieronymos for leading the Church of Greece to this momentous juncture, being the first Orthodox Church to recognise the Ukrainian autocephaly.As Patriarch Bartholomew stated later in the day at the blessing of the renovated Chapel of St.Eleftherios in the Heptakyrgion Castle:
The hope of freedom is never imprisoned.*
At the Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Bartholomew said:
We look forward to the visit of Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kiyiv.Our Ukrainian brothers will see that the Greeks, who taught them the
Christian faith,as well as to read and to write, will welcome them with open arms.We want them to feel real love.from our side.
The greatness of our history mainly depends on the future.The Greek Community is able to survive in this world under the condition that we respect our past.*
As for his part, Metropolitan Anthimos noted that:
Thessaloniki is the symbol of the Greek Community since ancient times.This place expresses all of its history by Hellenism.With great pain and effort the archeological service, with the support of the priests and my participation, brought this ancestral place the glory which is the pride of all Macedonia and beyond.Today will remain in history as a very promising one for our spiritual problems, our historical  issues, and our vision of a united and dedicated Greece.*

Bulletin:In Dramatic Session,Church of Greece Reaches Decision on Ukraine

The Synod of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece has recognised the autocephaly,or independence,of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.After discussing the matter on Saturday morning,in light of the fact that His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece formally recommended the course of recognition,and that several study groups of the Standing Synod also found it to be a canonical act,the assembled bishops approved of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's granting of independence to the new Church.*
Several bishops complained about Russian pressure on them to reject the autocephaly.In the end,however,they stood by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and became the first of the 14 autocephalous Orthodox Churches to do so,thus paving the way for others to follow suit.*
The recognition will be spiritually enacted in the form of a Divine Liturgy in Thessaloniki,Greece on 19 October 2019,concelebrated by Archbishop Ieronymos and His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kiyiv and All Ukraine.*
In a telephone call,Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew thanked Archbishop Ieronymos for his support.*
The Church of Greece also recognised the independence of the nation of Ukraine in the extraordinary session of the Synod of the Hierarchy.

Archbishop of Athens Calls Extraordinary Session to Discuss Ukraine

His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece has summoned an extraordinary session of the Synod of the Hierarchy, that is,all of the Church of Greece's bishops, to consider the matter of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine's autocephaly on 12 October 2019.This is being added to the Synod's regular fall session from​ 9-11 October that is discussing such matters as the demographic crisis in Greece and electing new Metropolitans.*
The Standing Synod,a committee of bishops that meets between plenary sessions,has already acknowledged the Ecumenical Patriarch's right to grant autocephaly,and the Archbishop of Athens' right to handle the Ukraine issue as he sees fit.Archbshop Ieronymos then chose to submit the matter  to the Synod of the Hierarchy.*

Bulletin:Church of Greece Moves Toward Recognition of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine

In a crucial first step,the Holy Standing Synod of the Church of Greece has recognised that Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's granting of autocephaly,or independence,to the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine,was canonical.His Beatitude Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece will now raise the issue for consideration by the full Holy Synod at its October session.*
The official statement of the Standing Synod reads as follows:
Following the proposal by the Synodic Committees on Dogmatic and Legislative Issues  and Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations,the Holy Standing Synod recognises the Ecumenical Patriarch's canonical right to issue the status of autocephaly as well as the privilege of the Primate of the Church of Greece to further deal with the recognition of the Church of Ukraine. *
The Holy Standing Synod is a preparatory body for the full Holy Synod.*
In a related development,a leading theologian of the Church of Greece,His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia,has recently expressed his approval of the granting of autocephaly to the OCU.*

Eastern Europe Update: Ukraine, Bulgaria,INF Treaty

Since 6 January 2019, when the Tomos of Autocephaly was handed over to the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine, more than 100 parishes have left the Moscow Patriarchate for the​ OCU.This is more than left the MP in the five years since Russia's invasion and annexation of Crimea  and instagtion of the Donbas War in Eastern Ukraine, said His Eminence Archbishop Yevstratiy (Zorya) of Chernihiv Nizhyn at a roundtable discussion.*
The majority of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, including His Holiness Patriarch Neophytos, reportedly backs the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine, but has referred the matter to the Synod's canonical committee for further study.*
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that the United States has suspended adherence to the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia for six months, during which time Russia may revive the agreement by withdrawing its illegal weapons from Europe.NATO agrees that Russia has persistently violated the Treaty by stationing cruise missiles in Europe.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she will continue to talk to Russia about the INF Treaty during the suspension.

Ukraine Update:Tomos Schedule Revealed;Map Shows How Many Parishes Have Left Moscow

In an interview with Ukrainian TV channel Priamyi,His Beatitude Metropolitan Epifaniy of Kiyiv and All Ukraine has laid out the schedule for the Tomos events in Constantinople:
5 January - His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Epifaniy will conduct a prayer service of thanksgiving in the Church of St.George at the Patriarchal compound,the Phanar.Then Patriarch Bartholomew will sign the Tomos of Autocephaly.
6 January - Patriarch Bartholomew and Metropolitan Epifaniy will concelebrate their first Divine Liturgy together as the First Among Equals and the first Primate in the history of the new autocephalous Church.After the solemn liturgy,Patriarch Bartholomew will present the Tomos to Metropolitan Epifaniy.*
A map showing how many parishes have transferred from the Moscow Patriarchate to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has been posted on Google Maps.It currently shows that 25 parishes have changed their allegiance so far-even before the Tomos has been granted.There is a cluster around the Vinnitska Oblast with 10 parishes.The easternmost parish on the map is in Rubanivske,Dnipropetrovska Oblast,Ukraine;while the westernmost parish is in Minai,Zakarpatska Oblast,Ukraine.
The easiest way to find the map is to go to my Twitter page @Businessblogger.If you click on the church icons that are on the map,you can view the details about each parish in the Ukrainian language.*
The Patriarchate of Georgia says it has provisionally approved of the granting of autocephaly to Ukraine,but will not make a final decision until the Tomos is actually presented.

Ukraine:Metropolitan Alexander Leaves Moscow Patriarchate for New Church

On 19 December 2018,old calendar St.Nicholas Day,His Eminence Metropolitan Alexander (Drabinko) of Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky announced he was leaving the Moscow Patriarchate for the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine.The faithful in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral applauded his statement:
Today,for the first time during the liturgy,I commemorated the Ecumenical Patriarch and His Beatitude the Metropolitan of Kiyiv Epifaniy,but unfortunately some of the parishoners and clerics did not accept my admission to the OCU,and therefore left the temple;but I hope they will return.*
Metropolitan Alexander was one of the two Moscow Patriarchate Metropolitans who attended the Unifying Council in Kyiv on 15 December.The other was Metropolitan Simeon of Vinnytsia.On 18 December,the cathedral parish council ruled that Metropolitan Alexander had the right to serve in the cathedral and remain its rector.
The Moscow Patriarchate convened a synod to depose and prohibit from serving Metropolitans Alexander and Simeon.