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Old May 26th, 2020 #41
Alex Him
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Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk meets with Ambassador of Austria to Russia



16 January 2020 - 18:22







On 16 January 2020, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), met with H.E. Johannes Aigner, Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to the Russian Federation.

They were joined at the meeting, which took place at the DECR premises, by Archpriest Sergy Zvonarev, secretary for far abroad countries.

Metropolitan Hilarion warmly greeted the guest. Discussed were the religious situation in Ukraine, inter-Orthodox relations and relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, as well as issues of practical cooperation.

Metropolitan Hilarion wished Ambassador Aigner success in his diplomatic mission and presented him with a memorable gift.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5577780.html






DECR chairman holds meeting with head of the Order of Malta’s Mission to Russia



16 January 2020 - 18:53







On 16th January 2020, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, met with the newly appointed head of the Mission of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and Malta to the Russian Federation, Aimone of Savoy-Aosta.

They were joined in the meeting by Ms Giovanna Parravicini, counsel of the Order of Malta’s Mission, and Archpriest Sergy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for far abroad countries.

Metropolitan Hilarion warmly welcomed the diplomat to the Synodal institution responsible for international ties of the Russian Church.

The participants in the meeting noted a high level of cooperation between the Order and the Russian Church.

Mr. Aosta told the DECR chairman about the activities of the Order of Malta in Russia, in particular, about its charity projects in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The participants in the meeting also discussed joint exhibition projects, as well as prospects of cooperation in rendering aid to the Syrian children affected by the war.

To conclude the meeting, Metropolitan Hilarion presented the diplomat with a memorable gift.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5577784.html






Choir of Bulgarian Church’s Metropolis of Stara Zagora takes part in Moscow Christmas Festival



18 January 2020 - 12:24







On 17 January 2020, the cathedral choir of the Metropolis of Stara Zagora, Bulgarian Patriarchate, gave a performance at the Moscow House of Music as part of the 10th Moscow Christmas Festival of church music. It was conducted by Metropolitan Cyprian of Stara Zagora, Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

The choir sang hymns of Bulgarian and Russian church composers, such as “Do not cry for me, Mother”, “O praise the name of the Lord”, “It is meet and right…”, “Glory to God in the highest”, “Crucifixus”, etc. The performance was a great success. There were numerous calls for repeats.

In the first part of the concert, a recital of church music was given by the choir of the St. Petersburg representation of the Optina Hermitage’s Church of the Presentation of Our Lady.

Before the concert, Metropolitan Cyprian and his choir visited the Moscow Kremlin Cathedral of the Assumption to venerate the relics of the outstanding son of the Bulgarian land, St. Cyprian, Metropolitan of Kiev, the Miracle-worker of Moscow.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5578805.html






The Day of the Baptism of the Lord at the Damascus representation of the Russian Orthodox Church



19 January 2020 - 19:47







On 18-19 January 2020, the celebrations commemorating the Baptism of the Lord were held at the Damascus representation of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The festive divine services were celebrated by Hegumen Arseny (Sokolov), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russian to the Patriarchate of Great Antioch and All the East. They were attended by Russia’s ambassador to the Syrian Arab Republic A. Yefimov, the embassy senior counsellor A. Bagdatyev, staff members of the diplomatic mission, Russian students studying in Syria and Lebanon and the faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church residing in Damascus and its neighbourhoods.

On January 18, after the Great Blessing of Water, Mr. A. Yefimov presented Hegumen Arseny with the Medal of the of the Syrian Arab Republic “Сomradeship-in-Arms” awarded him by Syrian Defence Minister Ali Ayyoub.

On the eve of Theophany, Father Arseny visited the Russian military units deployed in Damascus and outside it to bless water and greet the military on the feast.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5578811.html






Metropolitan Hilarion: We hope that heads of Orthodox Churches will meet


22 January 2020 - 16:27



Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, will make a visit this week to Israel where the tragedy of the Holocaust will be commemorated on January 23 on the highest international level. Obviously, the church diplomacy has a great deal of important tasks to do in the Middle East. The hierarch speaks in an interview to RIA Novosti about the aims of the visit to Jerusalem, prospects for holding a meeting between Primates of Orthodox Churches in the world in the capital city of neighboring Jordan and on the stand taken by representatives of the Greek episcopate in the situation of crisis in the world Orthodoxy.







– Your Eminence, with what aims and plans are you going to Israel?

– The primary aim of my visit is participation in commemorative events for the victims of the Holocaust. These events will be attended by delegations of many states. The Russian delegation is headed by President Vladimir Putin.

I also plan to pay a visit to His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem.

– Is it connected with Patriarch Theophilos’s initiative to hold in Amman a meeting of heads of the Orthodox Churches of the world? How do you assess it – can it bring interchurch relations out of the crisis provoked by the Patriarch of Constantinople’s recognition of the Ukrainian schismatics?

– During his visit to Moscow last November, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem made a proposal to hold in the end of February a fraternal meeting of Primates of Local Orthodox Churches to discuss ‘the preservation of our unity in the Eucharistic communion’. The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church gave a positive assessment of this initiative aimed to overcome divisions and to restore unity in the Orthodox Church.

We are ready to support any proposal for and any format of a common discussion on the way of coming out of the crisis because each meeting on the high level gives a chance to make at least some steps in this direction.

– But how realistic is the prospect of such a meeting in the light of the present crisis in relations between some Churches?

– To our knowledge, the Patriarch of Jerusalem’s proposal has been positively assessed by a number of Local Churches.

We hope that this meeting will take place even if not all the Primates take part in it.

– Recently, the head of the Church of Greece, Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens made a liturgical mention of the leader of the Ukrainian Schismatics, Epifaniy Dumenko, during his visit to the diocese of Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus, a well-known opponent of the legalization of the schismatics by Constantinople. Metropolitan Seraphim concelebrated with him. Has he changed his attitude?

– In the Orthodox world, Metropolitan Seraphim is known for his erudition, profound views and consistent positions. In connection with the recent actions of Constantinople in Ukraine, Metropolitan Seraphim has made several public statements expressing their rejection. His signature stands under the joint letter of four hierarchs of the Church of Greece issued on 29 November 2019 and addressed to Primates of Local Orthodox Churches.

– How far is this letter important and in what statements?

– This letter contains a call to convene a Pan-Orthodox Council on the issue of the Ukrainian schism, which would answer the question “To whom and how was autocephaly given in Ukraine considering the full disregard for the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church and that with ‘the restoration of schismatics in their present dignity’”.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5579437.html






Metropolitan Hilarion meets with His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem



22 January 2020 - 19:23







On 22 January 2020, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), currently in Israel with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, visited the premises of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and met with His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine.

They were joined at the meeting by Archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov), head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem; Hegumen Feofan (Lukianov), head of the DECR protocol section; Hieromonk Dometian (Markarian), deputy head of the Mission; Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations; and hieromonk Afanasy (Bukin), treasure of the Mission. Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina attended the meeting on the part of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos told the guests about the celebration of the feast of Theophany in the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, the situation in the Holy Land and in the entire Middle East region.

A wide range of issues of mutual interest was touched on at the meeting, at the end of which His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos and Metropolitan Hilarion exchanged memorable gifts.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585331.html






Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk celebrates Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre



23 January 2020 - 14:27







On 23 January 2020, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), currently in the Holy Land with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, celebrated together with Archbishop Aristobulos of Madavia the Divine Liturgy at the Edicule in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Concelebrating with the archpastors were Archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov), head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem; Hegumen Feofan (Lukianov), head of the DECR protocol section; Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations; Hieromonk Dometian (Markarian), deputy head of the Mission; hieromonk Afanasy (Bukin), treasure of the Mission, and clerics of the Patriarchates of Jerusalem, Moscow and Romania.

The Liturgy was celebrated in the Greek, Church Slavonic and Romanian languages.

Attending the service were Mr. Beglov, the governor of St. Petersburg; Mr. Makarov, chair of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly, and other officials from the city on the bank of the Neva River.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585350.html






Moscow Patriarchate’s community in Cancún, Mexico, celebrates its first anniversary on the feast of Theophany



23 January 2020 - 16:53







A year ago the Orthodox citizens of the city of Cancún, Mexico, appealed to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, asking for his blessing, as they intended to establish a parish of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Moscow Patriarchate’s Administration for Institutions Abroad instructed the acting administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, to render assistance in organizing regular divine services for the community members and to explore a possibility for opening a parish in Cancún.

Throughout 2019, with the blessing of Bishop Matthew, Rev. Kirill Chacon, rector of the Church of the Protecting Veil of the Mother of God in Mexico, visited the community of the faithful in Cancún, where at a local Catholic church, with the kind permission of Bishop Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cárdenas of Cancún-Chetumal, he celebrated the Divine Liturgy and administered Sacraments and rites.

On 19th January 2020, the feast of the Holy Theophany, with the blessing of Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Rev. Mark Rashkov, chancellor of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA, visited Cancún and in concelebration of Rev. Kirill Chacon celebrated the Divine Liturgy and performed the rite of the Great Blessing of Water.

After the divine service Father Mark greeted all the worshippers with the feast of Theophany and conveyed to them blessings and warm wishes from Bishop Matthew of Sourozh. Acting on the instruction of the archpastor, Fr. Mark presented Rev. Kirill with a medal in commemoration of the centenary of the restoration of the Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church and thanked him for taking pastoral care of the Russian Church’s believers in Mexico.

That same day later Priests Mark and Kirill met with Msgr. Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cárdenas, Bishop of Cancún-Chetumal, expressing their appreciation for providing on a gratis basis a church building to the Orthodox community for celebrating divine services.

Fr. Mark conveyed to the Bishop of Cancún-Chetumal Christmas greetings from Bishop Matthew of Sourozh and presented him with the ‘Eleousa’ Icon of the Mother of God.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585388.html
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Old June 24th, 2020 #42
Alex Him
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Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk attends the Memorial Candle opening ceremony in Jerusalem



23 January 2020 - 16:56







On 23 January 2020, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), currently in Israel with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, attended the opening ceremony of the Memorial Candle monument to the defenders and residents of the besieged Leningrad. The monument is erected in Jerusalem’s Sacher Park with support of the authorities of St. Petersburg and Jerusalem.

Attending the opening ceremony were Russian President Vladimir Putin, President of Israel Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, St. Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon, members of the Russian delegation, and many representatives of the Russian and Israeli public circles.

President Putin delivered a speech and expressed gratitude to those who have brought the monument to life for preserving the memory of the victims.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585384.html






Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem attends meeting of President Putin with Naama Issachar’s mother



23 January 2020 - 17:55







On 23 January 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin, currently in Israel, met with the mother of Naama Issachar sentenced on drug possession and smuggling charges. Taking part in the meeting were His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos II of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine; Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, and Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations.

After the meeting President Putin told the journalists: It has become clear to that Naama’s family is good and decent and I am aware of the prime minister’s position. This will be taken into account when the solution will be taken.

At his meeting with President Putin on 20 November 2019 attended by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos appealed for pardon for the sentenced citizen of Israel.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585363.html






Patriarch Kirill meets with Germany’s ambassador to Russia



23 January 2020 - 20:17






On 23 January 2020, His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, met with Germany’s Ambassador to Russia, H. E. Dr Géza Andreas von Geyr, at the patriarchal and synodal residence at the St. Daniel Monastery.

Participating in the meeting were also Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, secretary for the far abroad, Department for External Church Relations, and Mr. Jan Kantorchik, head of the culture department, Embassy of Germany.





Welcoming the guests, His Holiness pointed to the good relations established between the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations and the German embassy in Russia. “The Russian Church also has a whole history of relations with Christians in your country”, he continued making a special mention of the contacts with the Evangelical Church and the Catholic Church in Germany. “It is not accidental because the history of Russian-German relations as a whole is different in many ways from that of Russia’s relations with many other countries. There have been in it a great deal of important events but we know that the history of relations between our two countries was also darkened by wars”, he stated.

“In my time I took an active part in communication with Christians in your country and I remember how we used to hold various seminars and to meet on various occasions, first of all, in order to evaluate the modern history of relations between our two countries, which was dramatic in the 20th century”, His Holiness said, “In this dialogue, we have agreed that the role played the Evangelical Church in Germany in relations with the Russian Orthodox Church in post-war time was very positive from the point of view of reconciliation between our two nations”.





His Holiness reminded the guests that these contacts began in the 50th when the memory of the war was still fresh and said, “I have a very warm memory of the visits made to our Church by high-ranking representatives of the Evangelical Church in Germany. They were aware of what was the country they came to, of what were the feelings of those who experienced the terrible tragedy of war, and at the same time they courageously and open-heartedly addressed people in our churches, speaking before a tremendous number of Orthodox believers”. As His Holiness noted, the guests were amazed by people’s response. “Sharing with us, they said they did not expect such a friendly and open response, such a kind attitude to representatives of Germany. This response testified that our people draw a clear line between the insane policy pursued by the fascist regime and the true attitude of the German people to Russia”.

“Today we are living in a completely different epoch, but the past should be remembered, also about how our nations came out of the hard consequences of World War II”, His Holiness stated.





Noting that today “with existing excellent conditions for dialogue, for developing bilateral relations” active cooperation is maintained in political, economic and cultural areas, His Holiness also pointed to the importance of inter-church relations between Germany and Russia.

On his part, the German ambassador thanked Patriarch Kirill for the warm welcome. He expressed solidarity with His Holiness’ idea that in a reflection on strategic issues of the future cooperation between Russia and Germany, it is necessary to be aware of the historical depth of mutual relations between the two countries.





Speaking about his own experience of still a short stay as Germany’s diplomatic representative in Russia, Dr Géza Andreas von Geyr said, “Aware of all the complexity of our common history, I especially appreciate the great sympathy shown to us, Germans”.

The ambassador also noted that contacts between the Russian Orthodox Church and Christians in Germany have a great importance for the development of relations between the two nations, “since Churches are an important part of society”, and expressed his readiness to promote the development of these relations.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585394.html






Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk attends Fifth World Holocaust Forum



24 January 2020 - 09:39







On 23 January 2020, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, attended the Fifth World Holocaust Forum, which took place at the Yad Vashem remembrance center in Jerusalem. The forum was held under the motto “Remembering the Holocaust, Fighting Antisemitism”.

The event timed for the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz by the Red Army troops was organized by the State of Israel, the European Jewish Congress and the World Holocaust Remembrance Foundation.

A message of greeting was sent to the forum by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

Among the participants in the forum were heads and high-ranking representatives of 47 states. Among the speakers were Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, USA Vice-President Michael Pence, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Prince Charles of Wales, Germany’s President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The participants were also addressed by Viatcheslav Moshe Kantor, president of the World Holocaust Remembrance Foundation; Rabbi Israel Meir Lau; and Avner Shalev, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate.

The participants saw video records of the Holocaust history, the liberation of camp prisoners and today’s manifestations of antisemitism. The international orchestra conducted by Vladimir Spivakov played several musical compositions.

The forum concluded with the ceremony of laying wreaths at the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising memorial.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585412.html






DECR representative attends an event timed to International Holocaust Remembrance Day



28 January 2020 - 13:35







27 January 2020, a memorial ceremony took place at the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center in Moscow dated for the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.

The event was attended by representatives of religious communities, state bodies and public organizations.

The gathering was addressed by Russia’s Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar; President of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Russia A. Boroda; US Ambassador to Russia John Sullivan; Germany’s Ambassador to Russia Géza Andreas von Geyr; Israel’s Charge d’Affairees Yacov Livne; and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center Viktor Vekselberg.

Present at the ceremony were Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna; Chairman of the Central Muslim Board in Russia Mufti Talgat Tajuddin; Russia’a Chief Rabbi Adolf Shayevich (KEROOR); head of the Moscow city department for inter-religious relation V. Suchkov; deputy head of the Moscow city department for interreligious relations A. Ignatenko, and others.

From the Department for External Church Relations (DECR), there was DECR secretary for interreligious relation and executive secretary of the Interreligious Council in Russia Rev. Dimitry Safonov.

To mark the commemorative date, the Jewish Museum and Tolerance Center opened an exhibition “(Not) the Time for Love. Stories of Sweethearts Who Survived the Holocaust”. The project is based on diaries, remembrances and biographic novels published in the last two decades by former prisoners of concentration camps, Jewish partisans and underground fighters, their children, grandchildren and invited biographers.

There was also a presentation of a book on the museums and memorials devoted to the memory of the Holocaust published by 27 January 2020 marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585424.html






Round Table on World War Two in Humanitarian Dimension: Experience of the Past and Modernity takes place at Federation Council



28 January 2020 - 17:27







On 28th January 2020, a round table meeting on World War Two in Humanitarian Dimension: Experience of the Past and Modernity was held at the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation within the framework of the 28th International Christmas Educational Readings.

The meeting was organized by the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Federation Council, and the International Committee of the Red Cross for the Russian Federation, Belarus and Moldova.

Acting as moderates of the round table discussion were Archbishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alania, DECR vice-chairman; Mr. Alexei Kondratyev, member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Federation Council; and Ms. Marie Dubeau, deputy head of the Regional Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross for the Russian Federation, Belarus and Moldova.

Archbishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alania greeted all those present on behalf of Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations and head of the Christmas Educational Readings’ section on Tradition. Dialogue. External Relations.

As Archbishop Leonid emphasized in his address, throughout its history the Church has strived to be with its people under any circumstances, especially at the moments of ordeal.

“It is in this light that in the contemporary history the Church has been developing its contacts with peace-making and charitable organizations,” the hierarch said, “It involves rendering humanitarian aid to the people living in troubled regions, for instance, in Syria, as well as interceding for the captives, as was the case in Ukraine. Thanks to the concerted efforts of Russia’s traditional religious communities, a school in Syria for 1200 pupils has been restored, and the country received tons of humanitarian cargo at various times. And in Ukraine, thanks to the intercessions of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, the captive Ukrainians who had been involved in the hostilities in the south-eastern part of the country returned to their homes.”

Archbishop Leonid expressed his hope that the round table meeting would provide an opportunity “to reflect on the experience of the past and the present, and help gain a better understanding of the value of human life and the necessity to seek ways of peaceful co-existence between countries and peoples.”

Representing the Russian Orthodox Church at the meeting were also Archpriest Sergy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for far abroad countries; Archpriest Mikhail Potokin, chairman of the Commission for Social Ministry under the Moscow Diocesan Council; and the DECR staff members, Hieromonk Kirill (Peregudin) and Mr. Nikita Astapov.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585430.html






Metropolitan Hilarion chairs session of the Chinese Patriarchal Metochion Board of Trustees



29 January 2020 - 14:14







On 28 January 2020, a session of the Board of Trustees of the Chinese Patriarchal Metochion at the church of St. Nicholas in Golutvino district of Moscow took place at the parish house of the church of “Joy to All Who Sorrow” icon of the Mother of God, Bolshaya Ordynka str. Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), chairs the newly appointed Boards of Trustees with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. The Rev. Alexy Yusupov, secretary of the Chinese Patriarchal Metochion, and Hieromonk Kirill (Peregudov) a DECR staff member, were among those who attended the session.

Metropolitan Hilarion addressed them, saying: ‘Our common task is to contribute to the development of the Chinese metochion, as a real centre of interaction with the Chinese diaspora, first of all with people who live in the territory of Russia on a permanent or temporary basis, but also with the Orthodox believers residing in China. We should help the metochion go in full swing and become a real centre of attraction for scholars and specialist on China with knowledge of Orthodoxy. ‘Archpriest Igor Zuev, rector of the Chinese Patriarchal Metochion, told the audience about projects being implemented at the Metochion and demanding support in the near future. Presenting proposals were all members of the Board of Trustees that is to be enlarged.


***


Established by the Holy Synod, the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission had worked in China since 1713. In 1908 the Holy Synod resolved to arrange the Moscow Metochion of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in China; the solution was implemented in 1913.

In 1922 the metochion church was sealed up and no divine services were celebrated. In 1978 a part of the building was pulled down and in 1990 the area became a waste ground.

In 2007, the Holy Synod in its action on the 50th anniversary of the Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church decided to continue efforts being made in dialogue with the Chinese side to normalize the situation of the Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church and to open its metochion in Moscow.

On 7 February 2011, Patriarch Kirill decreed that a Chinese Patriarchal Metochion be established at the St. Nicholas church at Golutvino district of the capital city. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the consecration of the church building returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. The consecration was performed by Patriarch Alexy II on 4 March 1995.

The Chinese Patriarchal Metochion (www.orthodoxchine.ru) was established for religious education of the Chinese believers as a centre of educational and publishing activities where the Chinese believers can get the Orthodox literature and knowledge about Orthodoxy in their mother tongue.

At present Divine liturgies are celebrated in Chinese every Sunday; and liturgies in the Church Slavonic and Chinese – every Saturday and on the days of great feasts. The Russian-Chinese cultural centre called ‘The Firebird’ holds talks about Russian history and culture for the Chinese and the Chinese language courses for the Russians. Dogmatic theology and liturgy lesions in Chinese are given. Sightseeing tours of Moscow, Moscow region and the Golden Ring of Russia are arranged for the Chinese; mission trips to the dioceses are undertaken to celebrate the liturgy in Chinese there. It has become a tradition to celebrate the Chinese New Year by the Russian and Chinese parishioners together.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585434.html






First round of consultations between Russian Orthodox Church and Coptic Church held in Netherlands



29 January 2020 - 14:53







On 20-24 January 2020, with a blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Coptic Patriarch Tawadros II, the first round of bilateral theological consultations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church took place at the administrative center of the Coptic Church Diocese of Netherlands and Belgium in Lievelde, Netherlands.

The decision to begin these consultations was made by the third meeting of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church, which took place on May 27-31, 2019, in Cairo. The meetings are held to promote the work of the Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Oriental Churches, which actively worked in the period from 1985 to 1993. Consequently, there were special meetings the Joint Commission’s working group, with the latest held on November 24-25, 2014 in Athens. It is underscored that the consultations, which have begun between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church represent joint theological studies and are not aimed at concluding any bilateral theological agreements since such tasks can be posed only in the format of the pan-Orthodox – pre-Chalcedon dialogue. One of the important tasks of the consultations is also to consider together the most important challenges facing the both Churches today, including in the sphere of bioethics.

Participating in the meeting from the Moscow Patriarchate side were Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov), secretary for inter-Christian relations, Department for External Church Relations (DECR), Rev. Pavel Lizgunov, pro-rector for training, Moscow Theological Academy, and Deacon Sergiy Panteleyev, head of the Oriental studies office, MTA.

The Coptic Church was represented by Metropolitan Serapion of Los Angeles (co-chairman of the Commission for Dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Coptic Church) rector of the Ss Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria Seminary in Los Angeles; Bishop Kyrillos; Rev. Paul Abdelsaed and Kyrillos Ibrahim; and Hieromonk Daud el-Anthony, representative of the Coptic Church in Russia. The participants were greeted by Metropolitan Arsenius, administrator of the Coptic Church diocese of Netherlands and Belgium, and Rev. Hildo Bos, secretary of the Russian Orthodox Church’s diocese of Hague.

The starting point of the consultations is a study of final documents of the Joint Commission, including those of non-official meetings held prior to its establishment in the period from1964-1971. The meeting will also consider the theological problems of current importance for the dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Oriental Churches, including issues concerning Christology, ecclesiology, soteriology, sacraments, canon law, veneration of icons and relics of saints, and the monastic tradition and its contribution to the theological thought.

After the meeting, Metropolitan Arsenius made a presentation of the Coptic diocese in Netherlands devoted to its history and today’s life. This diocese has functioned since the early 20th century, carrying out for many years an active ministry in the secular society of Western Europe. It includes over ten parishes and church centers uniting both the Coptic diaspora in Netherlands and representatives of other ethnic groups living in this country.

The second round of consultations is to be held in autumn 2020 in Russia.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585438.html






Patriarch Kirill meets with rector and students of Kiev Theological Schools



29 January 2020 - 20:35







On 29 January, 2020, His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, met with the rector, professors and students of Kiev Theological Academy and Seminary (KTAS) who are making a pilgrimage to Russia in the period from January 27 to February 2, 2020. The meeting took place at the Red Hall of the Cathedral Church of Christ the Saviour.





The trip is made as part of the program organized by the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR) with the participation of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute of Post-Graduate Studies.





Participating in the meeting were Metropolitan Hilarion, DECR chairman and rector of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Institute; Bishop Silvestre of Belogorodka, rector of the KTAS; Archpriest Alexander Ageikin, rector of the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Moscow; Archimandrite Leontiy (Tupkalo), conductor of the KTAS academic choir; Archpriest Sergiy Veigo, associate professor and assistant to the KTAS rector for representation work; and Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations.





Patriarch Kirill addressed the gathering, touching in particular on the problem of the church schism in Ukraine.

After that, His Holiness answered questions asked by the guests from Ukraine. One of the KTAS students noted the special attention His Holiness gives to the younger generation and asked about the most important thing to be considered by theological graduates’ in deciding their course of life.





“It is that case when I will not be able to answer in one word”, His Holiness said, “For some, one thing is important while for another a different one. One is scientifically inclined, while another sings beautifully in a church choir. One will be a theologian, while another a Protodeacon. It very much depends on individuality, which is the most important thing”.





“And if we move to the philosophical level of reasoning, the most important things, from my point of view, are two factors”, he continued, “the first is the state of a person’s intellect while the second is the state of a person’s heart. One can be a very smart and well-educated man, but if his system of values is broken, if he is prone to influences and temptations, it will never amount to anything”.





But if, he said, a man has a good heart but intellectually is not sufficiently developed, then “his contribution to the life of the Church will also be limited; he may do much for his personal salvation but will hardly be successful in preaching the Gospel to modern man or in his work with the youth, and so on”.





“Therefore, my answer it this: depending on one’s talents and abilities, everyone should choose for oneself a certain existential dominant. But if we try to average all this and say how a modern Orthodox priest should act in this coordination system, I would say this: without a sincere faith and sincere devotion the service of a priest will never be successful”, His Holiness underscored.





After the talk, Bishop Silvestre, on behalf of the Ukrainian pilgrims, thanked the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church for the meeting.





Patriarch Kirill gave each pilgrim a copy of the book “The Holy Council. Towards the Pan-Russian Church Council of 1917-1918 and Restoration of Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church” and a collection of his sermons entitled “Only Life. Dialogue with Youth” and an icon of the Nativity of Christ.





The students presented His Holiness with the KTAS’s editions including issues of the students’ “Academy Chronicler”, an educational aid for the second-grade seminarians “Dogmatic Theology” edited by Bishop Solvestre and the Biographical Dictionary of the Kiev Theological Academy in three volumes.





On December 27, the delegation attended the opening of the 28th International Christmas Educational Readings.





The KTAS representatives have already visited the St. Sergius Laura of the Holy Trinity, the Khotkov and Sretensky Patriarchal Monasteries and familiarized themselves with the education system and traditions of the Moscow Theological Academy and the Sretensky Seminary.





On January 30-31, the guests from Ukraine will go to Nizhniy Novgorod and visit the Nizhniy Novgorod Seminary.





In the morning of February 1, the anniversary of the enthronement of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, they will take part in the Patriarchal divine service at the Church of Christ the Saviour in Moscow and in the evening will visit the Patriarchal Convent of the Conception.





On February 2, the pilgrims will participate in the Divine Liturgy at the church of Our Lady the Joy to All the Afflicted-in-Bolshaya Ordynka.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585448.html






Representative of Russian Orthodox Church attends Holocaust Remembrance Day events in New York



30 January 2020 - 12:33







Annually in the end of January, the UN marks the Holocaust Remembrance Day. On January 27, the Red Army troops liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau, one of the most terrible Nazi death camps, also known by its Polish name Oswiecim.

On January 25, a memorial service and a forum “We Should Never Forget” took place at the Park East synagogue with the participation of the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the president of the Appeal of Conscience Foundation, Rabbi Arthur Schneier.

The event was attended by the Russian Federation permanent representative to UNO and the UN Security Council V. Nebenzia, Russian consul general in New York S. Ovsyannikov, military attaches from the countries which liberated concentration camp prisoners, and high-ranking representatives of the US Congress and other governmental and pubic organizations.

With a blessing of the head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, and the temporary administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, Bishop Mathew of Chersonaise, the commemorative event was attended by Rev. Mark Rashkov, head of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA office, who read out a massage from Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to the participants in the Holocaust Remembrance Day event.

In the course of an exchange of opinions among the attendees, a concern was expressed for the growth of antisemitism throughout the world and appeals were made to oppose together the manifestations of hate and intolerance and to preserve the memory of millions of the Holocaust victims.

In his talks with political, public and religious leaders, Rev. Mark Rashkov spoke about the efforts made by Patriarch Kirill and the Russian Orthodox Church to draw the attention of the world community to the present worldwide problem of antisemitism and religious intolerance, doing it in mass media, on various international platforms and forums and as part of the Interreligious Council in Russia.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585458.html
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His Holiness Patriarch Kirill chairs plenary session of the Inter-Council Presence



30 January 2020 - 12:38






On 30 January 2020, a plenary session of the Inter-Council Presence of the Russian Orthodox Church opened in the Hall of Church Councils at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.



































The session began with the prayer singing by Protopresbyter Vladimir Divakov, the Patriarch’s secretary for Moscow. The prayer was said by the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.



































The Presidium consists of Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, Patriarchal vicar for Moscow diocese; Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and All Moldova; Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan, head of the metropolitan area in the Republic of Kazakhstan; Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, head of the metropolitan area in Central Asia; Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga; Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, and Metropolitan Dionisy of Voskresensk, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate and the first Patriarchal vicar for Moscow.



































His Holiness Patriarch Kirill addressed members of the Inter-Council Presence with introductory remarks and read out the agenda.



































Discussed at the plenary session will be draft projects “Regulation on canonical and disciplinary punishment of clerics’ and ‘On secular work activities of clerics.’



































The Inter-Council Presence is an advisory body acting in the periods between the Local and Bishops’ Councils. Its task consists in preparing the decisions on the major issues of the internal life and external activities of the Russian Orthodox Church. Pertaining to the competence of the Inter-Council Presence are issues of theology, church governance, church law, liturgics, pastoral work, mission, religious education, diakonia, Church-society and Church-state relations, and relations of the Church with other confessions and religions.
































The agenda of the Inter-Council Presence is made by the Local or Bishops’ Council, the Holy Synod, and the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585462.html
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DECR Chaiman meets with Montenegro Ambassador to Russia



30 January 2020 - 13:57







On 29 January 2020, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), met with Montenegro Ambassador to Russia H. E. Ramiz Basic, who is completing his tenure as head of the Montenegro diplomatic mission in Moscow.

Metropolitan Hilarion welcomed the high-ranking diplomat to the synodal department responsible for the external relations of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The DECR chairman expressed deep concern for the church situation in Montenegro caused by the adoption of a law “On Freedom of Faith and Beliefs and the Legal Status of Religious Communities”. The archpastor informed the ambassador about the stand taken on it by the Supreme Authority of the Russian Church expressed in “The Statement on the Situation in Montenegro” adopted by the Holy Synod on 9 July 2019, and in the Patriarchal and Synodal message “On the Situation in Montenegro” adopted by the Holy Synod on December 30, 2019.

In his turn, the head of the Montenegro diplomatic mission set forth his vision of the situation from the pointed of view of the Montenegro authorities.

Participating in the meeting were also Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for the far abroad countries, and Ms. Borjanka Simisevic, a counsellor of the Montenegro embassy in Moscow.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5585442.html






Reception marking the anniversary of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill’s enthronement takes place at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour



31 January 2020 - 21:15







On 31st January 2020, a reception marking the 11th anniversary of enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia took place in the Refectory Chambers of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow.

Prior to the reception the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church received greetings from the Russian senior officials, heads of non-governmental organizations, and public and cultural figures.

Extending their congratulations to His Holiness were also representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches: Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis of the Orthodox Church of Antioch, Bishop Antonije of Moravica of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Archimandrite Stefan (Dispirakis) of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky) of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk of the Orthodox Church in America, and many other clergymen.

Among those who delivered speeches at the festal reception were Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, Patriarchal Vicar for the Moscow diocese; Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; and Grand Mufti Talgat Tajuddin, chairman of the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed all those present, saying in particular: “I would like to cordially thank all of you for your kind words. I thank those who have attended this reception today and shared with me recollections of the 11 years of my ministry at the Patriarchal See of Moscow.”

“By appealing to the human spirit the Church attends to the most important matter. We perform this ministry with complete humility, with respect for everything that is happening in our society and in our state. However, at the same time we are aware of our special responsibility before God for the state of mind, for the state of spirit of our people. And if our spirit is strong, if external circumstances are incapable of destroying our internal spiritual identity, then we can accomplish a lot,” His Holiness said.

“Therefore, my only real dream is that we all may work together in order to strengthen spiritual foundations of our life and that our homeland may thrive,” Patriarch Kirill added.

Invited to the reception were members of the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church; representatives of the Security Council of the Russian Federation and the Presidential Administration; heads and members of the Russian Government and the Federation Council; deputies of the State Duma; representatives of the judicial authorities and of the authorities of Moscow and the Moscow Region; heads of republics and governors; heads of government-owned corporations; heads of church institutions; clergy of Moscow and the Moscow Region; representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches; spiritual leaders of the traditional religions of Russia; representatives of international organizations; ambassadors and staff members of diplomatic missions; representatives of non-governmental and charitable organizations and of the World Russian People’s Council; as well as scholars, education workers, medical professionals, cultural figures, sportspersons, entrepreneurs, representatives of the armed forces and of the mass media and publishing houses.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5588038.html






Divine Liturgy celebrated at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on the 11th anniversary of enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill



1 February 2020 - 14:11






On 1st February 2020, the 11th anniversary of his enthronement, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia officiated at the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow. The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church was vested in his enthronement robes.






Concelebrating with His Holiness was an assembly of hierarchs and clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches: Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis of the Orthodox Church of Antioch, Bishop Antonije of Moravica of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Archimandrite Feoktist (Dimitrov) of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Archimandrite Seraphim (Shemyatovsky) of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk of the Orthodox Church in America; and Archpriest Kakhaber Gogotishvili of the Georgian Orthodox Church.















































Among those praying in the church were Archimandrite Stephan (Dispirakis), representative of the Patriarch of Jerusalem to the Patriarch of Moscow; Mr. Vladimir Legoyda, chairman of the Synodal Department for Church’s Relations with Society and Mass Media and acting head of the Patriarchal Press Service; hegumenesses of convents and clerics of Moscow and the Moscow Region; staff members of the Synodal and other church bodies, representatives of parish councils, faculty and students of the church educational institutions.












































During the Litany of Fervent Supplication prayers were lifted up for the unity of the Orthodox Church and for the protection of the Church from divisions and schisms. Special prayers were said for His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Russian Church under his guidance.












































The Primate of the Russian Church lifted up the prayer for peace in Ukraine.












































After the Divine Liturgy His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry read out a message of greetings from the members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, addressed to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, and presented His Holiness with a mantle and a bouquet of flowers.















































The Primate of the Russian Church delivered a Primatial homily and presented church awards.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5588044.html
__________________
Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
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Reception at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour marks 11th anniversary of enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill



1 February 2020 - 20:47







On 1st February 2020, after the Divine Liturgy celebrated at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, and an assembly of hierarchs and clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church, a reception took place in the Cathedral’s Refectory Chambers on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of His Holiness’ enthronement.

Among those delivering speeches of greetings were Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and Moldova; Mr. Igor Schegolev, Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Central Federal District; Mr. Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the Committee on International Affairs of the State Duma of the Russian Federation; and Mr. Alexander Beglov, Governor of St. Petersburg.

Metropolitan Niphon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, greeted His Holiness on behalf of representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches.

“Sharing with your Church the moments of hardship and joy, we, representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches to your Throne, living under your Primatial omophorion, congratulate Your Holiness on this glorious day – the day of your enthronement – and wish you spiritual and bodily strength in your lofty ministry for the good of the Russian Church and Russia,” Vladyka Niphon said, in particular.

The Primate of the Russian Church thanked all the concelebrants and guests of the reception.

In his address at the conclusion of the meeting His Holiness suggested that a mention of God should be included in the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

“I think that through joint efforts and prayers we will help ensure that such a lofty idea as faith in God, which shapes personal, public and political morality, is present in our Constitution,” His Holiness said, calling for the start of discussion on the issue.

Patriarch Kirill also thanked Archbishop Celestino Migliore, who is completing his service in Russia, for his work as Apostolic Nuncio to the Russian Federation.

Greeting the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church were members of the Holy Synod, heads of metropolias, abbots of Stavropegic monasteries, representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, Synodal institutions, and clergy.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5588073.html






11th anniversary of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill’s enthronement celebrated in Serbia



3 February 2020 - 18:25







On 2nd February 2020, the celebrations marking the 11th anniversary of enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia took place at the Church of the Holy Trinity – the metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade. His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia officiated at the Divine Liturgy. Concelebrating with him was the rector of the metochion, Archpriest Vitaly Tarasyev, and the Serbian clergy.

After the Liturgy Fr. Vitaly greeted His Holiness Patriarch Irinej, saying in particular: “We are grateful to the Lord, as in Your Holiness we can see the fulfillment of St Paul’s words about the glad tidings, by embracing which believers, according to the Apostle, can attain salvation. You show an example of faith and strength to withstand and continue following the path of Christ. The same developments, regretfully, are taking place in the land of the Holy Prince Vladimir of Kiev in Ukraine and in the lands of St. Sava, and our major task is to remain faithful to the Gospel, to preserve the church doctrine and the unity of the Orthodox Church.”

Addressing the worshippers who gathered in the church to celebrate the 11th anniversary of enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia emphasized that Patriarch Kirill “by the Divine Providence was elected the head of the Russian Church at a time when the Church needs prominent and holy figures.”

The Primate of the Serbian Church expressed his deep gratitude to Patriarch Kirill and Russian President Vladimir Putin for their assistance in the restoration of the Cathedral of St. Sava in Belgrade. His Holiness noted the importance of brotherly relations between the Russian and the Serbian Orthodox Churches, emphasizing that the peoples of Russia and Serbia are bound up by the one Orthodox faith.

The divine service was followed by a reception marking the 11th anniversary of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill’s accession to the Moscow Patriarchal Throne.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5588079.html






A group of pilgrims of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church visit Montenegro, Albania and Serbia



5 February 2020 - 10:54







From January 24 to 30, 2020, with a blessing of His Beatitude Onufriy, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, a delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church diocese of Khmelnitskiy led by Bishop Victor of Baryshevka, vicar of the Metropolis of Kiev, made a pilgrimage to Montenegro, Albania and Serbia.

The delegation included clergy and laity from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s parishes, which had been affected by captures of churches in raids. The group was accompanied by Archpriest Nikolay Danilevich, deputy head of the UOC department for external church relations. The group also included Mr. V. Telizhenko, director of the UOC pilgrimage center.

On January 27, the pilgrims attended celebrations in Montenegro devoted to the commemoration day of St. Sava of Serbia. The Liturgy was celebrated at the Savina Glavica Convent near Budva by Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral assisted by Bishop Victor of Baryshevka and local clergy and Ukrainian clergy from the pilgrims group.

Metropolitan Amfilohije delivered a sermon in which he mentioned the suffering of the Orthodox peoples of Montenegro and Ukraine. He expressed support for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in its present hardships caused, among other things, but the anti-church actions of Patriarchate of Constantinople in Ukraine.

In his response, Bishop Victor noted that the Orthodox people in Montenegro were going through trials similar to hardships that continued to be experienced by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He underscored the need for continued prayer and mutual effective support between Orthodox nations.

After the liturgy. the Ukrainian pilgrims visited the St. Michael Monastery on the Miholjska Prevlaka peninsula, where they were received by the abbot of the monastery, Hegumen Benedict.

In the evening, the pilgrim took part in the many-thousands procession with the cross in Budva devoted to the commemoration day of St. Sava of Serbia.

Processions with the cross and prayer vigils are also used by Orthodox Christians in Montenegro today to express their disagreement with the parliament’s adoption of a law whereby all the churches built before 1918 should be transferred to the ownership of the state. In this connection, processions with the cross, prayer vigils have taken place in this country with its population of 630 000 people, with about 250 000 people having already participated in them.

After the procession, a solemn Svetosavska Akademija took place in Budva. Metropolitan Anfilohije and Budva Mayor Bato Carevic greeted the gathering. During the grand concert, Serbian church and folk songs were sung. Short films about Montenegro famous monasteries were screened. After the solemn Akademija, Metropolitan Amfilohije and Bishop Victor distributed gifts to children.

On January 29, the pilgrims met with the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania. Present at the meeting were Metropolitan Nathanael of Amantias and Bishop Astios. Bishop Victor conveyed to His Beatitude best regards from Metropolitan Onufriy and told him about the visits made by the pilgrims in Serbia and Montenegro. He also spoke about the current church situation of Ukraine. During the meeting, a short film was shown to the pilgrims about the revival of Orthodoxy in Albania and development of the Albanian Orthodox Church.

On January 30, the pilgrims met with the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Irenaeus, after vespers at the St. Michael Cathedral in Belgrade. Welcoming the Ukrainian pilgrims, His Holiness highlighted the stand taken by the Serbian Orthodox Church with regard to the church crisis in Ukraine: “We condemn the interference of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the internal affairs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Together with other Orthodox Churches we support the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and will do everything that depends on us to improve this situation as far as possible”, he said.

Bishop Victor thanked Patriarch Irenaeus and conveyed him best regards from Metropolitan Onufriy of Kiev and All Ukraine, saying that His Beatitude always prays for the Serbian Orthodox Church and its Primate. “We are confident that our power lies in Christ alone. It is the power by which each Orthodox Christian lives. If we give a helping hand to one another and support in prayer and any other thing, then the Lord, too, will help us overcome all kinds of difficulties and trials which are there today in Ukraine and in Montenegro and other Local Orthodox Churches”, he said.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5588100.html






Bishop Ioann of Pakrac and Slavonia has given an interview to the Republic of Srpska television on the latest events in Montenegro



5 February 2020 - 19:22







After dealing in detail with the close historic relationship of the modern Montenegro state ideology with Ustashism, the hierarch criticised the policy of today’s Montenegro authorities and a discriminatory law they have adopted on freedom of faith calling it “a totalitarian law that actually gives itself and the state a right to evaluate what belongs to the state and what can remain in the Church”.

Bishop Ioann said how in 1991 he came to Montenegro to become a novice, first in the Savina Monastery and a year later in the Cetinje Monastery. Describing the situation in Montenegro, he recalled that at that time monks “lived in fear and terror”. Recounting the strong atheistic sentiments prevailing in those years, he shared his remembrances of colonies of snakes that used to fill churches, and how “on his way to Ostrog to venerate St. Basil, he saw a ruined church with Josip Broz Tito’s slogans on it”. The archpastor remembers how the people “in 1991 stoned the Cetinje Monastery in which the Liturgy was being celebrated and the stones were falling on the Body and Blood of Christ”.

All the more magnificent has been the spiritual revival that has happened in these 30 years. Now the people “pray to God, defending their Church, and hundreds of thousands of people walk in many kilometres-long prayer marches every day. In Montenegro, he said, the Orthodox people’s conciliar awareness has awakened and the movement in protest against the discriminatory law “is not organized either by Metropolitan Amfilohije or Bishop Ioann and even less by anybody from Serbia or the Montenegro political opposition”.

Answering a question from a reporter about the recent celebration of the 800th anniversary of the autocephaly of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the archpastor said, “What is happening in Montenegro is precisely the true glorification of the 800th anniversary of the autocephaly of the Serbian Church. What can be a better proof of the independence than these people whose self-awareness is so high that they take to streets in order to defend their Church by prayer?”

“The Church of God has won”, Bishop Ioann said speaking about the further development of the situation, pointing out that the courageous position of the Serbian Orthodox Church has proved to be dear to the sincere faithful of various national self-determination and various religious confessions: “In columns marching through Montenegro, there are also those who say they are Serbs and those who say they are Montenegrins. Among the marchers are also serious representatives of the Islamic communities because they see the marches as sincere and pure and see that people have come out to defend what belongs to them from of old”.


***


On the night from December 26 to 27, 2019, the Montenegro Skupština adopted a discriminatory Law on Freedom of Faith that provides for the nationalization of the most part of the property of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Since December 2019, unprecedentedly large processions with the cross, prayer services and rallies have been held against the authorities’ encroachment on the shrines of the fathers. On 2 February 2020, some 60 thousand believers took part in a prayer vigil in Podgorica and 40 thousands in Niksica. His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church issued a statement on the situation in Montenegro expressing support to His Holiness Patriarch Irenaeus of Serbia and to the archpastors of the Patriarchate of Serbia in Montenegro.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5590900.html






Working Group for Bilateral Relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Church holds its first session in India



10 February 2020 - 12:17







On February 3-7, 2020, the first session of the Working Group for Coordinating Bilateral Relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Church took place in Kottayam, state of Kerala, India.

An agreement on establishing the Working Group was reached by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, during the official visit of the Primate of the Malankara Church to Russia on August 31 – September 5, 2019.

On October 29, 2019, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church approved the list of members of the Working Group. In November 2019 the Synod of the Malankara Church took the same decision.

The Moscow Patriarchate is represented in the Working Group by Archbishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alania, vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations – co-chairman; Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations; Deacon Dimitry Serov, executive secretary of the Student Exchange Commission; and Mr. Ruslan Akhmatkhanov, staff member of the DECR. Representing the Malankara Church in the Working Group are Metropolitan Zachariah Mar Nicholovos, president of the Department of Ecumenical Relations – co-chairman; Rev. Abraham Thomas, secretary of the Department of Ecumenical Relations; Rev. Aswin Zefrin Fernandis, protocol secretary to the Malankara Catholicos; and Mr. Jacob Mathew, member of the Malankara Church Council.

On February 3, the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church led by Archbishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alania was received by the Catholicos of the Malankara Church, Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, who shared with the delegation his warm recollections of the visit to Russia in September last year. The Primate of the Malankara Church conveyed his good wishes to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Vladyka Leonid thanked His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Paulose II for the hospitality and conveyed to him greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.

Discussed at the meeting were various issues concerning the bilateral relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Church.

As was noted during the sessions of the Working Group, the dialogue between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Malankara Church, which dates back to the 19th century, is undergoing an active revival these days. The history of the bilateral relations knew such prominent figures as Metropolitan Nestor (Anisimov), Archimandrite Andronik (Yelpidinsky), Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) of Leningrad and Novgorod, and Metropolitan Paulos Mar Gregorios (Varghese), Principal of the Kottayam Seminary. The 20th century was marked by the Primatial visits of Catholicos Basilios Marthoma Mathews I to Russia and of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen to India. A substantial contribution to the development of bilateral relations was made by the current Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, who visited India in capacity as the DECR chairman. For decades the two Churches have been maintaining active cooperation in the academic sphere.

The Working Group members outlined major areas of work, namely, cooperation in the academic, humanitarian, information and cultural spheres and exploration of traditions of the Russian monasticism and church social ministry.

A joint communiqué was adopted at the conclusion of the meeting.

The results of the Group’s work will be reported to the Holy Synods of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Church.

While in India, the Moscow Patriarchate’s delegation attended the 103rd Annual Orthodox Convention – the congress of clergy and laity of the Malankara Church. Archbishop Leonid greeted the several-thousand-strong audience.

The Working Group’s members visited a convent in Ranni-Perunad which was founded in 1980 and at the moment numbers twenty-six sisters. Functioning at the convent is a school for girls.

During their visit to India the Russian Orthodox Church’s representatives venerated the particle of relics of the Holy Apostle Thomas kept in the town of Parumala, visited the largest hospital of the Malankara Church – St. Gregorios International Cancer Care Centre in Parumala, and learned more about the social ministry of the Malankara Church.

The delegation from Russia visited the famous Kottayam Seminary, major educational institution of the Malankara Church. The guests were shown around the seminary’s museum. Kept there are the panagia, sacred vessels and altar crosses that had been granted as gifts by Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov). The delegation members presented the seminary’s library with books by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk – the English editions of Orthodox Christianity and The Mystery of Faith.

The Working Group will hold its next session in the territory of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2021.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5590927.html






DECR secretary for interreligious relations meets with deputy head of Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader



11 February 2020 - 16:27







On 11 February 2020, a solemn reception was given at the residence of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Russian Federation on the occasion of the National Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Rev. Dimitry Safonov, secretary for interreligious relations of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), attended the reception with the blessing of the DECR chairman, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk.

Rev. Safonov had a talk with Hojjat al-Islam Mohsen Qomi, deputy head of the Iranian Supreme Leader’s Office on international affairs. They were joined at the meeting by Hojjat al-Islam Akbari Jiddi, representative of the Supreme Leader of Iran to Russia. Discussed were issues of mutual interest and cooperation. Special attention was paid to the upcoming 25th anniversary of the Joint Russian-Iranian Commission for Orthodoxy-Islam dialogue. It was set up in 1997 and its 12th session is planned to be held in Russia this year.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5591673.html






Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk meets with Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity



12 February 2020 - 10:27







On 11 February 2020, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), arrived in Rome with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to take part in the events commemorating the 4th anniversary of the historical meeting of Pope Francis with Patriarch Kirill in Havana.

Metropolitan Hilarion was met at Leonardo da Vinci airport by H.E. Aleksandr Avdeyev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Holy See; Hieromonk Amvrosy (Matsegora), executive secretary of the Administration of the Moscow Patriarchate parishes in Italy; and Rev. Jaromir Zadrapa, a staff member of the PCPCU.

In the evening Metropolitan Hilarion met with Cardinal Kurt Koch, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, at Domus Sanctae Marthae hotel in Vatican. They discussed the current status of relations between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Roman Catholic Church and paid special attention to fostering the Orthodox-Catholic dialogue being held by the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5591677.html






DECR Vice-chairman meets with Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s chargé d’affaires ad interim



12 February 2020 - 17:11







On 10 February 2020, Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), met with Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan’s chargé d’affaires ad interim, Mr. Amjad Al-Momani. Participating in the meeting were also Mr. Rateb Allaham, staff member of the embassy, and Ms. Yu. A. Tsyganok, DECR staff member.

They discussed matters of mutual concern, in particular, prospects for the development of pilgrimage to the place of the Baptism of the Lord on the Jordan River and other holy places and sights in Jordan.

In conclusion of the talk, both sides expressed readiness to continue developing relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and Jordan’s diplomatic mission in Moscow.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594049.html






Joint Working Group for Cooperation between Russian Orthodox Church and Holy See in Rome



12 February 2020 - 18:42







On 12 February 2020, the Joint Working Group for Cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Holy See met at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity in Rome.

From the Russian Orthodox Church there were Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR); Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), DECR vice-chairman; Archpriest Leonid Kalinin, chairman of the Russian Orthodox Church experts council for church art, architecture and restoration; Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations: Rev. Alexander Aleshin, deputy head of the synodal department for church charity and social service; Hieromonk Ioann (Kopeikin), executive director of the Poznanie Foundation; Hieromonk Ambrose (Matsegora), executive secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate parishes administration in Italy; Rev. Alexiy Dikarev, DECR; A. Puzakov, artistic director of the Moscow Synodal Choir; P. Baranov, head of the Zaryadie Park museum-exhibition project; and I. A. Nikolayev, an interpreter.

The Holy See was represented by Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; Bishop Carlos Azevedo, delegate of the Pontifical Council for Culture; Msgr Marcos Pavan, director of the Sistine Chapel Choir; Rev. Andrea Chucci, Pontifical Academy for Life; Rev, Alexander Sapunko, Congregation for Eastern Churches; Rev. Jaromir Zadrapa, Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; P. Gumeniuk, Papal Foundation “Aid to the Church in Need”; Ms. N. Govercar, Dicastery for Communications; Ms. G. Gambino, Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life; and G. Paravicini, an interpreter.

The meeting summed up the work of the Joint Working Group for the past period. Metropolitan Hilarion underscored the great importance of broadening the terms of reference of the Joint Working Group by including social problems in it, which will make it possible to broaden considerably the area of cooperation between the two Churches. The group also discussed and outlined for implementation a number of new projects to be carried out in cultural and social spheres in 2020-2021, including projects for humanitarian aid to people in Syria who suffered during the war.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594053.html
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Conference in Rome devoted to 4th anniversary of meeting between Pope Francis of Rome and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia



13 February 2020 - 10:41







On 12 February 2020, a conference took place on “Saints – A Sign and Seed of Unity” at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas in Rome, devoted to the fourth anniversary of the meeting between Pope Francis of Rome and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

The event was presided over by Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity, and Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR).

Taking part in the conference was also a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, which came together with Metropolitan Hilarion, staff members of various dicasteries of the Roman Catholic Church, as well as professors and students of the St. Thomas Aquinas University and Italian public figures.

Cardinal Kurt Koch welcomed the gathering on behalf of Pope Francis, pointing to the relevance of conferences held annually at the anniversary of the Havana meeting to discuss subjects concerning the most important points of the Declaration signed by the Primates of the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church. Thus in 2017, there was a discussion at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland on the general importance of the Havana meeting. In 2018, there was a discussion in Vienna on the situation of Christians in the Middle East, and in 2019 in Moscow on “Death and Dying in a Technological Society: Between Bio-medicine and Spirituality”. Cardinal Koch pointed to the relevance of the subject chosen for this year and stressed that the phenomenon of holiness and the example of saints is the foundation for building church unity

Then Metropolitan Hilarion greeted the participants and guests of the conference. In his address, he emphasized, “The first meeting of the Primates of the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church to be held in history defined the prospect for developing bilateral relations for many years ahead. Due to the fundamental significance of the Havana meeting, it was agreed to mark this event annually by a joint conference on one of the pressing topics mentioned in the Joint Declaration which was signed to sum up the negotiations between the Pope and the Patriarch”.

His Eminence recalled the history of such conferences and said, “This year, our meeting is held in Rome, a city in which the relics of the holy first hierarchal apostles Peter and Paul and of many other apostles, martyrs and people of God rest, where great Christian shrines abide attracting thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. The place of the conference has defined its theme: “Saints – Sign and Seed of Unity”. The theme of holiness and saints occupies an important place in the Joint Declaration of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill”.

“Significant is also the reference made in the Joint Declaration to the rebirth of Christianity in Russia and other Eastern European countries”, His Eminence continued, “In the terrible years of theomachy, thousands of Orthodox people followed Christ’s path to the Cross, and in our days they are ranked among the saints as new martyrs and confessors of the Russian Church. At the same time, the faithful of other Churches also took the path of suffering, in particular those of the Roman Catholic Church”.

Metropolitan Hilarion reminded the conference that in May-July 2017, an unprecedented event happened in the life of the two Churches – the bringing in of a part of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker to Moscow and St. Petersburg from Bari. “The relics of the man of God brought from Myrra in Lycia to Bari in 1087 have never left the basilica, in which they rest, in the past 930 years. Thanks to the agreement reached between the Pope and the Patriarch, it became possible to bring a part of the relics of St. Nicholas to Russia”, he stressed.

Metropolitan Hilarion spoke next about the life and feats of St. Seraphim of Sarov and the charitable work carried out by Catholic Fyodor Petrovich Haass who was called “holy doctor”.

Among the speakers were also Rev. Alexiy Andreyev, lecturer at the St. Tikhon Orthodox University of the Humanities, whose theme was “The Understanding of Holiness in the Russian Orthodox Church” and Rev. Marco Pupnik, who spoke on “Holiness and Communion”.

The second part of the conference was devoted to the living witness of contemporary devotees. Papers were read by Archpriest Kirill Kaleda (“Holy Martyrs Vladimir Ambartsumov and Archpriest Gleb Kaleda”) and Sister Gabriella Masturdzo (“Blessed Maria Gabriella Sagheddu”).

After the conference, Metropolitan Hilarion’s film “St. Peter” was premiered with Italian translation at the university’s assembly hall.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594057.html






Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk meets with Pope Francis



13 February 2020 - 16:47







On 13th February 2020, at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, met with Pope Francis.

The DECR chairman conveyed to the Pope of Rome greetings from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. Pope Francis also conveyed his warm brotherly regards to the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Discussed at the meeting held in the atmosphere of mutual understanding and goodwill were topical issues pertaining to the relationships between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Roman Catholic Church. Metropolitan Hilarion told about the Conference on “The Saints – Signs and Seeds of Unity” that had taken place the day before at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas, marking the 4th anniversary of the historic meeting in Havana between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill. The head of the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian hierarch noted the uttermost importance for the bilateral relations of the bringing of the particle of the holy relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from Bari to Russia in May-July 2017, in compliance with the agreement reached during the meeting in Havana. Metropolitan Hilarion presented to His Holiness a book-album telling about the journey of the miracle-working relics to Russia. The book was published in the Italian language by the Poznaniye Foundation in 2018.

The participants in the meeting expressed their satisfaction at the fruitful development of cooperation between the two Churches within the framework of the Joint Working Group established for that purpose. For instance, in recent years the Summer Institutes project has shown considerable promise, providing an opportunity to clergymen and students from the Roman Catholic Church and the Moscow Patriarchate to undertake educational visits to Moscow and Rome respectively and learn more about the traditions and present-day life of the two Churches.

Metropolitan Hilarion informed the Pope about the results of the latest session of the Joint Working Group held at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity on 12th February. By including social issues in its agenda the Working Group broadened the scope of cooperation between the two Churches, which is of great importance for the implementation of joint projects in rendering humanitarian aid to the population of Syria affected by the war in the country.

The DECR chairman devoted particular attention to the project of rendering medical aid to the Syrian children injured during the hostilities in Syria, and thanked the Kirche in Not Catholic Charitable Foundation for taking part in this project.

Acting as interpreters during the meeting were Rev. Alexy Dikarev, DECR staff member, and Subdeacon Ivan Nikolayev.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Metropolitan Hilarion presented to His Holiness members of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church who had arrived in Rome on the occasion of the 4th anniversary of the Havana meeting: Archimandrite Philaret (Bulekov), DECR vice-chairman; Archpriest Leonid Kalinin, chairman of the Expert Council for Church Art, Architecture and Restoration, member of the Patriarchal Council for Culture; Rev. Alexander Aleshin, vice-chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Ministry; Archpriest Kirill Kaleda, rector of the Church of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church in Butovo, Moscow; Hieromonk Ioann (Kopeykin), executive director of the Poznaniye Foundation; Hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov), DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations; and Senior Subdeacon Vyacheslav Li.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594061.html






Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk completes his visit to Rome



14 February 2020 - 09:44







On 13th February 2020, after his meeting with Pope Francis, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, visited Libreria Romani book store in Rome, where the Italian edition of his books – Volumes 2 and 6 of the series Jesus Christ. His Life and Teaching – was presented.

Volume 2, entitled “Sermon on the Mount,” is dedicated entirely to the moral teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, while Volume 6, entitled “Death and Resurrection,” tells about the last days of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ, His sufferings, death and resurrection.

Presenting the books was Archbishop Antonio Menini, representative of the Vatican’s Secretariat of Sate, former Apostolic Nuncio to the Russian Federation.

Among those who attended the event were Prof. Adriano Roccucci, specialist in the contemporary church history; Ms. Giovanna Paravicini, cultural attaché of the Vatican’s representation to Russia; Mr. Peter Humeniuk, head of the Department for Relations with Russia of the Kirche in Not International Catholic Charitable Foundation; Rev. Hyacinthe Destivelle, staff member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity; Archpriest Kirill Kaleda, rector of the Church of the Russian New Martyrs and Confessors in Butovo, Moscow; and Rev. Alexander Aleshin, vice-chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Ministry.

Speaking of his books about Jesus Christ, Metropolitan Hilarion noted that they offer an Orthodox response to more than two centuries of development of the New Testament studies in the West.

The DECR chairman wished to the Italian readers “to discover Christ not only as a teacher of morality, but as God and Saviour.”

After the presentation Metropolitan Hilarion and those accompanying him departed for Moscow. At the Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport the DECR chairman was seen off by Mr. Alexander Avdeyev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia to the Holy See, and Rev. Jaromir Zadrapa, staff member of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

During his working visit to Rome Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk met with Pope Francis and Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity. Together with Cardinal Koch the Russian hierarch chaired the session of the Working Group for Cultural and Social Cooperation between the Roman Catholic Church and the Russian Orthodox Church. The DECR chairman also took part in the conference that marked the 4th anniversary of the historic meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill in Havana on 12th February 2016.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594071.html






Pilgrims from Lebanon visit Damascus



16 February 2020 - 18:45







On 15 February 2020, the feast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple was celebrated at the Damascus representation of the Russian Orthodox Church. Numerous Orthodox pilgrims came to Damascus from Lebanon for the celebration. They were led by the rector of the Moscow Patriarchate Beirut Representation, Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev).

The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Hegumen Arseny (Sokolov), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Great Antioch and All the East. He was assisted by Archimandrite Philip.

After the Reading of the Gospel, Archimandrite Philip delivered a sermon.

After the liturgy, Hegumen Arseny read out a message from His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, on the occasion of the Orthodox Youth Day and welcomed the guests. In memory of the joint celebration, he presented Archimandrite Philip with an icon of the Most Holy Mother of God produced in Syria.

Among the worshippers at the liturgy, there were Russian ambassador of Syria, A. V. Yefmov, and parishioners of the representation – the faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church who reside in Damascus.

After the service, a festive teaparty took place at the representation’s reception hall. It was arranged by the representation manager of the household, Ms Z. I. Kolpakova. After that, the pilgrims from Lebanon, accompanied by Hegumen Arseny, visited the places in the old part of Damascus associated with the early Christian history – the so-called Via Recta (Acts 9:11) and the House of Ananias, the baptizer of St. Paul, and then the Mariamite Cathedral of the Orthodox Church of Antioch.

In the evening of the same day, the pilgrims led by Archimandrite Philip returned to Lebanon.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594079.html






Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk meets with Japan’s ambassador



17 February 2020 - 10:53







On 16 February 2020, after the Divine Liturgy at the Orthodox Theological Seminary of St. Nicholas of Ugresh, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), met with Japan’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Russian Federation, H.E. Toyohisa Kozuki. The head of the Japanese diplomatic mission and his wife came to the seminary for the annual convocation and an international conference on church history under the theme “Spiritual Heritage of St. Nicholas of Japan Equal-to-the-Apostles”.

Participating in the meeting were also the first secretary of the Japanese embassy in Russia Mr. Zumpey Tsuruta, the rector of the seminary Hegumen Ioann (Rubin) and D. I. Petrovksy, DECR.

They discussed practical matters of cooperation, in particular, preparations for a visit of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and Russia to Japan to take place in autumn 2020.

H. E. Toyohisa Kozuki conveyed gratitude from Emperor Naruhito to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill for his congratulatory message on the occasion of His Majesty’s ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594083.html






Metropolitan Hilarion presides over annual grand meeting at St. Nicholas Seminary in Ugresha, Moscow Region, and opens a conference dedicated to St. Nicholas of Japan



17 February 2020 - 12:54







On 16th February 2020, St. Nicholas Theological Seminary in Ugresha, Moscow Region, held a grand meeting on the occasion of the commemoration day of St. Nicholas the Enlightener of Japan, Equal-to-the-Apostles. Timed to the feast day was also an International Church and Historical Conference on Spiritual Heritage of St. Nicholas of Japan.

The rector of the seminary, Hegumen Ioann (Rubin), addressed the participants in the grand meeting and the conference with an opening speech.

It was followed by a presentation of Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, rector of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Postgraduate Studies.

Having noted that the conferences dedicated to St. Nicholas of Japan were annually held at St. Nicholas Seminary for several years, Metropolitan Hilarion said: “Today’s conference is of special importance, as it marks the memorable dates celebrated in 2020: the 150th anniversary of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Japan, the 50th anniversary of glorification of Archbishop Nicholas (Kasatkin) of Japan, and the 50th anniversary of autonomy of the Japanese Orthodox Church within the Moscow Patriarchate.” As Metropolitan Hilarion reminded all those present, the grand meeting opens a series of events marking this year’s jubilees. Their culmination will be a visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to Japan at the invitation of Metropolitan Daniel of Tokyo and All Japan. In September 2020 the Primate of the Russian Church will visit Tokyo and Nagasaki to lead the jubilee celebrations.

“St. Nicholas Seminary in Ugresha has a wonderful heavenly patron – St. Nicholas of Japan, who is held dear by the people of both Russia and Japan, and who brought Orthodoxy to the Land of the Rising Sun,” the DECR chairman added, “St. Nicholas, Equal-to-the-Apostles, in his life showed an example of cordial love for God and for his neighbours, as well as strength in enduring ordeals, rare diligence in science, remarkable patience, despite all his natural vehemence, and many more things which St. Paul, Leader of the Apostles, described in one phrase, ‘I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some’ (1 Cor 9:22). St. Nicholas of blessed memory fulfilled this apostolic rule completely, having become the enlightener, equal-to-the-apostles, of the people, who differ from us in many things, and whom the saint loved wholeheartedly and devoted all his life to.”

Among the speakers at the conference was also H.E. Toyohisa Kozuki, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Russian Federation, who emphasized that St. Nicholas became a bridge connecting Russia and Japan.

During the meeting Metropolitan Hilarion presented church awards to the faculty, benefactors and students of the seminary.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594087.html






Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk arrives in Belgrade



17 February 2020 - 15:45







On 17 February 2020, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), arrived in Serbia at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia and with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

Metropolitan Hilarion was met at the airport by Bishop Irinej of Bačka, and Bishop David of Kruševac, Archpriest Vitaly Tarasjev, rector of the metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade, and Deacon Miroslav Nikolić from the diocese of Bačka.

The hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church is accompanied by Mr. Andrei Khoshev of the DECR secretariat for inter-Orthodox relations, and sub-deacon Vyacheslav Li.

During his visit Metropolitan Hilarion will visit the Cathedral of St. Sava in Belgrade where a presentation of his book ‘What Do Orthodox Christians Believe’ is due to take place, and deliver a lecture ‘Orthodox Divine Service as a School of Theology and Contemplation of God’ at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology, University of Belgrade.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594097.html






Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk visits St. Sava Cathedral in Belgrade



18 February 2020 - 13:10







On 17 February 2020, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), currently on a two-day visit to Belgrade at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia and with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, visited the Cathedral of St. Sava on the Vračar plateau. He was met at the entrance with the bread and salt hospitality by clerics and parishioners.

Accompanied by the sacristan of the cathedral, Bishop Stefan of Remesiana, vicar bishop of His Holiness Patriarch of Serbia; Mr. Nikolai Mukhin, national artist of Russia; and Ms. Manana Popova, vice-president of the Moscow international fund for UNESCO, Metropolitan Hilarion took the left to the vault of the cathedral and had a look at the progress in work for its adornment being done by a team of Russian workers in mosaics led by artist Mukhin.

After that, the hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church proceeded to the crypt where his book ‘What Do Orthodox Christians Believe’ translated into Serbian was presented.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594093.html






Metropolitan Hilarion meets with Patriarch Irenaeus and hierarchs of Serbian Orthodox Church



19 February 2020 - 10:11







On 18 February 2020, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), met with His Holiness Irenaeus, Patriarch of Serbia, at the Patriarchate of Serbia in Belgrade. They were joined in their talk by hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church including Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb and Ljubljana, as well as members of the Holy Synod, Bishops Irenej of Bac, Jovan of Sumadija and David of Krusevac.

The DECR chairman conveyed to the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church warm greetings and best wishes from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. During the talk, which took place in an atmosphere of fraternal love and mutual understanding, the sides discussed in detail the church situation in Ukraine and Montenegro and the crisis in the inter-Orthodox relations, underscoring a special importance of a conciliar way of overcoming schisms and solving pressing problems in relations between Local Orthodox Churches, as well as a number of other matters of mutual concern.

The DECR chairman presented Patriarch Irenaeus with a pectoral icon, a gift from Patriarch Kirill, and the hierarchs who took part in the meeting with tokens of the meeting.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594103.html
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ROCOR Synod of Bishops holds regular session



19 February 2020 - 11:41







On February 18, 2020, a regular session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia took place under the chairmanship of the ROCOR First Hierarch, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York.

Taking part in the meeting were Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany, Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe, and Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan. Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America was unable to participate due to diocesan matters.

The Synod members heard a brief report from Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany on the activities of the ROCOR Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, and considered an appeal from the Union of Descendants of the Russians of Gallipoli, seeking special prayers for the White Army soldiers on the centenary of their exodus from Russia. The Synod of Bishops blessed the prayerful commemoration on Saturday, November 21, this year.

In view of the need to appoint a new ROCOR’s representative to the Church and Public Council for Commemoration of Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church under the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the Synod designated Archpriest Nikolai Artemoff, secretary of the German diocese, as new representative.

Having discussed the issues raised in a report of Archpriest Andre Papkov, president of the Synodal Liturgical Music Committee, the Synod decided to rename the school of church singing headed by him into the Metropolitan Laurus Synodal School of Church Singing. Noting the success of the recent conference held at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God in London, England, the Synod blessed the establishment of a special committee under the auspices of the Liturgical Music Committee with the view of coordinating events in Western Europe. The committee will work under the guidance of Bishop Irenei of London and Western Europe.

Acting on a request from Archbishop Peter of Chicago and Mid-America, the Synod of Bishops granted to the St John the Theologian Skete, formerly a metochion of the Holy Cross Monastery in West Virginia, the status of an independent monastery.

The Synod of Bishops also deliberated on a number of disciplinary matters within the Church, and considered appeals from the ruling bishops for ecclesiastical awards to their clergymen and laity.

The meeting concluded with the singing of “It is Truly Meet,” website of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia reports.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594452.html






Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk delivers a lecture at the University of Belgrade



20 February 2020 - 13:24







On 18 February 2020, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), who is in Belgrade on a two-day visit with a blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and invitation of Patriarch Irenaeus of Serbia, visited the department of Orthodox theology of the University of Belgrade to deliver a lecture on “Orthodox Liturgy as a School of Theology and Theonoesis”.

The dean of the faculty, Rev. Dr Zoran Rankovic, addressed the high guest with a speech of greetings.

The lecture was attended by a great number of professors and students of the University of Belgrade, of which Metropolitan Hilarion is an honorary doctor. Among the attendees were Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, Metropolitan Porfirije of Zagreb and Ljubljana, Bishops Irenaeus of Bac and John of Shumadia, and Mr. D. Kruglov, cultural attache, Russian embassy in Belgrade.

In his lecture, Metropolitan Hilarion noted in particular that the liturgy brings the faithful into mysterious communion with the Lord and imparts them the grace-giving gifts of the Holy Spirit. His Eminence also stressed that the Orthodox liturgy is a synthesis of arts as everything in it is intertwined and everything has its meaning. The church architecture and frescoes, icon-painting, liturgical texts and church music – all this is merged into a one service of God. Precisely for this reason the Orthodox liturgy does not allow of arbitrary interventions and interpretations.

‘I wish that we all could love and study our Orthodox liturgy and cherish this treasure given by our forefathers, that we could love our churches and adorn them and hand down our love of the Orthodox liturgy to the generations of the faithful to come – the generations of our children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren’, he said.

After the lecture, Metropolitan Hilarion answered questions from the audience.

His Eminence presented the theological department with his book “Liturgy. Historical and Theological Commentaries to the Liturgies of John Chrysostom and Basil the Great”. “In this book, I spoke about the history of the Liturgy, considered its text and tried to give a theological interpretation to each word,” he said and expressed hope that this study would be in demand to Serbian readers as well.

After the lecture, Metropolitan Hilarion had a brief meeting with the dean and professors of the faculty.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5597044.html






Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk meets with Russia’s Ambassador to Egypt



20 February 2020 - 17:11







On 20th February 2020, at the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute of Postgraduate Studies, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, met with H.E. Mr. Georgy Borisenko, newly appointed Ambassador of Russia to Egypt.

They were joined at the meeting by Archpriest Sergy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for far abroad countries, and Mr. Sergei Monakhov, staff member of the DECR Secretariat for Inter-Orthodox Relations.

Metropolitan Hilarion warmly greeted the high-ranking Russian diplomat and told him about the current state of inter-Orthodox relations, as well as about the cooperation between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Coptic Church. The participants in the meeting also discussed various issues of mutual interest.

To conclude the meeting, the DECR chairman wished Mr. Borisenko every success at his new post and presented him with a memorable gift.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5597048.html






Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk: We hope that the meeting in Amman will make the beginning of other similar meetings that our Orthodox family needs so much now



21 February 2020 - 13:13







Heads and representatives of Local Orthodox Churches are to meet next week in Amman on the initiative of Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem. In an exclusive interview to RIA Novosti, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, tells who will discuss what and when and what will be the aims of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church to be led by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.



– Your Eminence, when exactly will the pan-Orthodox conference take place in Amman and how is it to be called correctly?

– According to the letter from Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, the main event will take place on February 26. The delegations are expected to arrive on February 25 and leave on February 27. It is more correct to refer to it not as a pan-Orthodox conference, but rather a fraternal meeting of Primates and representatives of Local Churches.

– What are the aims of this meeting, with what tasks and hopes will Patriarch Kirill go there?

– The aim of this gathering as outlined by Patriarch Theophilos is to discuss the preservation of church unity. Regrettably, as of today, there is the fact of existing divisions and serious disagreements among the Local Churches. There is a danger of a deep schism in the Orthodox Church. These divisions can be overcome only through an honest and fraternal dialogue and joint efforts of all the universally recognized autocephalous Churches. We hope that the forthcoming meeting will become an important stage in this direction.

– Which Churches have already agreed to attend this meeting and which have refused to attend and why?

– The Russian Church is not the initiator nor the organizer of this event and therefore it has no exact information about the number and composition of its participants.

As far as we can judge from the information available to us, it is expected that the meeting will be attended by several autocephalous Churches. Meanwhile, a refusal to attend was publicly stated, along with Patriarch Bartholomew, by the Primates of the Churches of Greece, Cyprus and Albania, who maintain the Patriarch of Constantinople alone can convene such events.

– Will Metropolitan Onufriy, the Primate of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, go to Amman?

– The composition of our delegation will be announced later.

– What do you know about the interference of some politicians who dissuaded primates from attending the meeting? What is the role of the USA in this story?

– The political interference in the process of creating the so-called “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” was obvious from the very beginning. We are fully aware that the ensuing recognition of the schismatics by the Churches of Greece and Alexandria happened not without participation of external forces.

We know that pressure was also made on some Primates concerning the issue of the meeting in Amman. Anyway, it is difficult to interpret in any other way the refusal of the Archbishop of Athens to attend this meeting, which he announced to journalists immediately after the meeting with the American ambassador. I will remind you that he also announced the recognition of the “OCU” after repeated meeting with the same diplomat.

– Are common celebrations and meetings with state officials planned in Amman?

– As it follows from the invitation letters of His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, they do not plan common divine services in Amman. It is expected that the participants will meet with King Abdullah ibn-Hussein of Jordan.

– Are more such meetings possible and how often and where?

– We hope that the meeting in Amman will make the beginning of other similar meetings that our Orthodox family needs so much now.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5594899.html






First Russian Orthodox church is consecrated in Philippines



23 February 2020 - 14:48







On 22 February 2020, Metropolitan Pavel of Manila and Hanoi, administrator of the Diocese of the Philippines and Vietnam performed the Office of the Great Blessing of the church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Makalangot on the island of Mindanao, the Republic of the Philippines, and celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the newly consecrated church. After the service Metropolitan Pavel addressed those gathered. He wholeheartedly greeted them on the remarkable day, thanked them for prayers and participation in the construction of the church. He called the consecration an event for the entire Orthodoxy, for the true Orthodox Church.

Metropolitan Pavel presented the church with an icon of the Resurrection of Christ brought from Russia.

That same day a diocesan meeting of the clerics and laymen of the diocese took place at the church of St. Seraphim of Sarov under the chairmanship of Metropolitan Pavel, who presented a report on the activity of the Diocese of the Philippines and Vietnam.

At present it consists of 33 parishes and 11 premises for prayer. There are 5 deaneries in the Diocese. During 2019, 125 baptisms were performed, including baptism of 13 infants; 18 marriages and 6 burial services. The Liturgy is celebrated in six parishes every week. The administrator visited the diocese in August and October, celebrated 5 Divine liturgies and 8 prayer services.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5597096.html






Bishop of Ukrainian Orthodox Church meets with Patriarch Neofit of Bulgaria



25 February 2020 - 10:57







On 24 February 2020, Metropolitan Varsonofy of Vinnitsa and Bar, currently on a visit to Bulgaria with the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, met with His Holiness Patriarch Neofit of Bulgaria.

Metropolitan Varsonofy congratulated Patriarch Neofit on the 7th anniversary of his ascension to the ancient Patriarchal Throne, conveyed greetings from Metropolitan Onufry, wished His Holiness good health and abundant God’s aid in his primatial ministry for the good of the Holy Orthodox Church, and presented him with the patriarchal cross and pectoral icon.

Attending the meeting were Bishop Gerasim of Melnik, chief secretary of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church; Bishop Polikarp of Belogradchik, vicar of the Metropolis of Sofia; Archimandrite Vasily (Savov), protosingel of the Metropolis of Sofia; Rev. oikonomos Nikolai Georgiev, head of the public relations department; and Archimandrite Vassian (Zmeyev), representative of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Bulgaria.

Metropolitan Varsonofy told Patriarch Neofit about the difficult religious situation in Ukraine, the interference of the authorities to the church affairs, forcible detainer of churches, and various other problems.

His Holiness Patriarch Neofit wished the faithful of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to keep their firm faith with patience and, with God’s aid, to withstand pressure brought on them and their canonical Church.

Metropolitan Varsonofy thanked His Holiness Patriarch Neofit, bishops and clerics of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church for hospitality and warm reception, website of the Patriarchal metochion in Sofia reports.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5597067.html






Metropolitan Hilarion: Absence of particular Churches from Amman will not make the meeting less significant



26 February 2020 - 09:10







In anticipation of the meeting of heads and representatives of Local Orthodox Churches in the capital city of Jordan, Metropolitan Hilarion, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, told Interfax-Religion portal about what and in what format is to be discussed by this forum.



– Your Eminence, what do you expect from the meeting in Amman?

– We expect a fraternal discussion of Primates and representatives of Local Orthodox Churches on problems of concern for the Orthodox world today. There are many such problems and attempts to present them as if they are being solved or have already been solved can only be misleading.

For instance, the Patriarchate of Constantinople has stated that it has already “solved” the problem of the Ukrainian schism. But it is impossible to heal a schism simply through legalizing the actions of schismatics – without their repentance and re-consecration of those who name themselves hierarchs actually without being in any holy order.

In the Orthodox Church, only those can be considered bishops who were consecrated by two or three bishops who have the right to do it. The present hierarchy of the OCU are persons who have no canonical consecration. One of them, for instance, was ordained by two persons, a suspended bishop of the Russian Church and an imposter who pretended to be sometimes Orthodox, sometimes Uniate bishop, sometimes an Anglican pastor, but who had actually nothing except for the ordination as deacon. The persons ordained in this way are popularly called “samosvyaty” [self-ordained clergy]. And Patriarch Bartholomew, without any examination and on the basis of forged document palmed off on him by schismatics, accepted them in communion without repentance and re-consecration and “restored” them in the rank they have never had in fact.

There were many other breaches made in the process of granting “autocephaly to Ukraine”, as they put it in the Patriarchate of Constantinople. And the main breach is that autocephaly was given to a group of schismatics contrary to the will of the canonical Ukrainian Church which unites twelve thousand parishes, over two hundred fifty monasteries and millions of the faithful. She did not ask for autocephaly but there were attempts to impose it on her. When she rejected it, the tomos was given to an alternative group.

– Will His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy attend the meeting?

– Yes.

– Are you not afraid that the absence of a number of Local Churches from Amman will make the meeting not authoritative enough?

– We are ready to discuss inter-Orthodox problems in any format, bilateral, trilateral, multi-lateral. The Patriarch of Jerusalem has invited all the universally recognized Local Churches to attend. Some have agreed while others have refused to come. The Council of Crete convened by the Patriarch of Constantinople in 2016 was not attended by all either. And the point here is not a pan-Orthodox council, nor what has come to be called “Synaxis”, an official meeting of the Primates of Churches. It is a fraternal meeting of those who wished to participate and discuss accumulated problems. Someone has to help Orthodox Churches to find a way out of the crisis. Today, the initiative to organize a discussion has been assumed by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and we are grateful to him for that.

– Was the refusal of the Patriarchate of Antioch to attend the meeting unexpected for you? How do you explain it?

– The Patriarchate of Antioch, in its time, refused to attend the Council of Crete because of an unsolved conflict with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem over the church presence in Qatar. The same reason is mentioned in the communique of the Patriarchate of Antioch on its refusal to attend the Amman meeting. As far as we know, in the recent days, negotiations have been held between Antioch and Jerusalem over this topic. However, they have apparently failed to achieve a full agreement.

– And how do you explain the refusal of the Churches of Bulgaria and Georgia?

– Again, the both Churches have refused in their time to attend the Council of Crete, and each had its own reason for it. The Patriarch of Georgia, for one, explained his refusal by stating that problems should be solved in pan-Orthodox dialogue, that is, with the participation of all the Churches.

The absence of particular Churches from Amman will not make the meeting less significant. In their time, when four Churches announced their refusal to attend the Council of Crete, Patriarch Bartholomew still held it, and the decisions of that council are considered in the Churches who attended it to be obligatory. In Amman, no decisions are supposed to be made. This meeting is not for decision-making but for a fraternal discussion of urgent problems and possible ways of coming out of the crisis.

Let us hope that the Amman meeting will start a process of discussion on common Orthodox problems to be joined with time by other Churches.

– What problems, along with the Ukrainian one, will be discussed?

– I suppose that the Serbian Church will wish to discuss the situation in Montenegro where the authorities have introduced a discriminatory law that allows of taking property from the canonical Church and hand it over to other structures. Perhaps, there will also be a discussion of the church situation in Northern Macedonia.

Besides, there are problems that should be considered on the pan-Orthodox level but they were removed from the Council of Crete agenda even before it was convened. In particular, it is the question of who and in what situation has the right to grant autocephaly. During the pre-council process, the Churches agreed in principle that in future autocephaly can be given only with a consent of all the universally recognized Local Churches. However, Constantinople first managed to make this item disappear from the agenda and now it states that these agreements were invalid and appropriates the sole right to invade in others’ bounds, to reshape the boundaries of Churches, to grant autocephaly to whoever they fancy, including schismatics lacking canonical ordinations.

We have encountered an unprecedented situation generated by the actions of one of the Primates. He has thought himself “the first without equals”, who has a right to act unilaterally, without the consent of other Churches. In this situation, the Primates and representatives of Local Churches have something to discuss and think about.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5597679.html
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Old June 29th, 2020 #48
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His Holiness Patriarch Kirill takes part in the meeting of Primates and delegations of Local Orthodox Churches in Amman



26 February 2020 - 23:45







On 26 February 2020, Primates and delegations of Local Orthodox Churches met in the capital of Jordan, Amman. During his visit to Moscow, on 21 November 2019, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem put forward an initiative to hold a meeting for discussing the situation in the inter-church relations and the preservation of Orthodox unity.

Participating in the meeting were His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, His Beatitude Metropolitan Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, as well as delegations of the Romanian Orthodox Church led by Metropolitan Nifon of Targoviste, and of the Polish Orthodox Church led by His Eminence Archbishop Abel of Lublin and Chelm.

The official delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church consisted of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine; Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR); Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR deputy chairman; Archimandrite Aleksandr (Yelisov) head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem; and Mr. Vladimir Legoida, chairman of the Synodal Department for Church’s Relations with Society and Mass Media.

The meeting began with common prayer in several languages.

The Primate of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem greeted the participants and said: We know that unity is a God’s gift and we are aware of our responsibility for the preservation of unity left to us by the apostles.

We have gathered here in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our dialogue is based on Christian love which is the only way to reconciliation. Answers to all our questions must be found in dialogue and fraternal love.

Patriarch Theophilos underscored that the meeting in Amman is not a Council, but an informal fraternal gathering with a view to initiate a dialogue on the problems in the Orthodox world at a difficult time. He added: We hope that this gathering will lay the basis for the search of decisions. We should fight the divisions and direct our efforts to the preservation of unity and dialogue.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia began his address with thanks to His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos for gathering the meeting and underscored: ‘It is a courageous and right step, and I am confident that it will go down in history. At a time so difficult for Orthodoxy, the apostolic see which was the first to emerge is again fulfilling its historic mission as one of the key centre of world Orthodoxy.’

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church expressed his cordial gratitude to His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Hussein al-Hashimi for his generous help in organizing this meeting.

‘Great credit should also be given to the Primates and representatives of the holy Local Churches who have come for this meeting, for the very consent to attend it has taken a certain courage in some cases. However, the concern for the preservation of the unity of the Holy Church has impelled us to reject all other considerations and, responding to the call of His Beatitude, to come here.

‘Today, the Orthodox Church has found itself in face of a threat of a schism unprecedented for nearly a thousand years. The boundaries of canonical territories are being unilaterally reconsidered. The centuries-old church documents are being revoked. The schism in Ukraine is not overcome but rather aggravated. The Uniatism is holding up its head. There is a visible beginning of dangerous processes in the canonical territory of the Serbian Patriarchate – in North Macedonia and in Montenegro.

‘I see the cause of this crisis in the loss of a common understanding of the order of the Church and the nature of primacy in it. A thousand years ago, in 1054, the Church encountered a similar challenge and we can feel the consequences to this day,’ His Holiness said.

Patriarch Kirill is confident that to oppose this threat we need to begin a pan-Orthodox discussion on the accumulated acute problems and enumerated them in the order of importance:

First. The problem of understanding primacy in the Church; attempts to justify the claims to universal leadership through specially created theological argumentation; the absence of a system of conciliar control over the actions of the primatial see, the need for consensus in decision-making on the pan-Orthodox scale.

Second. The threat to the institute of autocephaly in the Church; the lack of a common Orthodox mechanism, indisputable for all, of granting autocephaly; attempts to introduce inequality among “senior” and “minor” autocephalous Churches.

Third. Attempts to challenge the canonical boundaries of autocephalous Churches, to review and revoke the once adopted documents of historic importance defining these boundaries.






Fourth .The claims of the first among equals in the family of Local Orthodox Churches to a right to receive appeals from any Church, the threats to use these appeals as an instrument of interference in the internal life of other Local Churches, which, I believe, demand comprehension and discussion.

Fifth. The development of an abnormal situation in which the primatial hierarch, contrary to the basic principles of canon law, acts as a judge in a matter in which he is one of the sides and presents himself as the last instance in considering the matter, and

Sixth. The problem of creating the so called ‘stavropegic structures’ in the territories of other Local Churches without their consent or against their will.’

His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia mentioned a task to fight for the unity of all Orthodox Churches. The only solution is the Council, to say all necessary words and solve the problems in the spirit of Orthodoxy.

He added that the Serbian Church is for the preservation of canonical principles and Christian heritage. “May God help us and bring unity to our Church, because a schism is a tragedy for the Church,’ he said.

Metropolitan Nifon talked about the importance of pan-Orthodox discussion of the current situation and the solution of problems in accordance to the holy canons. He suggested to hold a conference prior to a possible Council of the Primates or a pan-Orthodox meeting and thoroughly discuss the agenda and hope that such a meeting will bring about the real unity in the Orthodox world.

Archbishop Abel of Lublin and Chelm said that the Polish Orthodox Church is deeply concerned about the dramatic situation in the Orthodox world and is praying for the solution to the problem. He noted that the lack of unity among the Orthodox Churches stands in the way of their witness before the non-Orthodox world.

Rastislav, Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, thanked Patriarch Theophilos for the invitation to dialogue and said that it is possible to find a solution fully corr3sponding to the Holy Scriptures and church order only if we meet and talk.

His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine told the participants about the events happening in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

He reminded that that UOC was formed in 1990 by the charter of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia granting it independence in administration. He said that the process of bettering ecclesiastical life and ministry have led to de facto autocephaly as we have our Holy Synod, the Bishops’ Council and the independent church court. We elect and consecrate bishops, open new dioceses. We have our own theological schools, and various Synodal departments, for instance, of social ministry and external relations.

Metropolitan Onufry also told the participants about the situation with schism in Ukrainian Orthodoxy and noted it aggravated due to the so called process of unification initiated by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in 2018-19. He spoke in detail about actions of the Ecumenical Patriarch and added that they depart from church canons. The crisis can be solved when a remedy of these transgressions is found. He underscored that sayings about the autocephalous status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will be a strong remedy for healing the schism. ‘I would like to be honest before God and my conscience and say: I am confident that it will be not so. Some schismatics may return to the canonical Church, but not all of them. Autocephaly does not guarantee the absolute unity. There are schisms in the autocephalous Churches,’ he emphasized and continued to say:

‘The conciliar church administration is needed that will be in demand and effective for salutary ministry of the Holy Catholic Apostolic Orthodox Church in a new world space. We will be able to solve this problem when we renounce our ambitions and act in the spirit of humility and fraternal love.’

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill expressed his wish for this gathering to be the first of such and asked His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem to initiate holding of the next fraternal meeting in the Holy Land.

That same day the participants met with His Majesty Abdullah II, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

In the evening the Primates of Local Orthodox Churches and heads of delegations agreed a press release.

The delegations are of the same opinion on the necessity to hold a new meeting for the sake of strengthening fraternal relations by prayers and dialogue before the end of this year. They hope that Patriarch Bartholomew will join the dialogue with his brother Primates.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5598235.html






Dialogue and unity



27 February 2020 - 01:47






Press release on the results of the fraternal meeting of the Orthodox Primates and delegates (26 February 2020 – Amman, Jordan).







On February 26, 2020, a meeting of Primates and representatives of Local Orthodox Churches was held in Amman, Jordan, with the primary view of unity and reconciliation within the Holy Orthodoxy. The participants noted their understanding of the anguish of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem for the imminent danger of schism within our Orthodox Communion.














Participating in the meeting were delegations of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem led by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, the Russian Orthodox Church led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the Serbian Orthodox Church led by His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, the Romanian Orthodox Church led by His Eminence Metropolitan Nifon of Targoviste, the Polish Orthodox Church led by His Eminence Archbishop Abel of Lublin and Chelm, and the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia led by His Beatitude Metropolitan Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.














The participants expressed their gratitude to His Majesty King Abdullah II, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Hashemite Custodian of the Christian and Muslim Holy Places in the Holy Land and to the people of Jordan for facilitating the hosting of this gathering in their capital city, Amman, noting His Majesty’s outstanding work in promoting interfaith dialogue internationally.














The participants also thanked the Patriarchate of Jerusalem and His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos for all the relentless efforts aimed at paving the way for dialogue and bringing brothers together in the precious spirit of unity, noting that the light that emanates from Jerusalem stands as a witness to that Holy City which continuously proclaims its multi-faith and multicultural tapestry rejoicing in its existence as the warm home for the three Abrahamic faiths, Christianity, Judaism and Islam.














The delegations declared that this gathering was to strengthen the fraternal bonds between brothers and their Churches, to promote the bonds of peace in Christ among them, to advocate for the unity of the Orthodox Churches, and to renew dialogue in the prayerful hope of bringing reconciliation where there has been discord.














In the atmosphere of fraternal love, those gathered for the meeting agreed that decisions concerning issues of Orthodox-wide importance, including the granting of autocephaly to particular Churches, should be finalized in a spirit of pan-Orthodox dialogue and unity, and with pan-Orthodox consensus.














Concerning the current ecclesiastical situation in the Ukraine the participants also recognised that a pan-Orthodox dialogue is necessary for healing and reconciliation.














In the matter concerning North Macedonia, the delegations stated that this matter is to be solved through dialogue within the Serbian Orthodox Church and with pan-Orthodox support.














Regarding Montenegro, the participating delegations urged the relevant authorities to respect and uphold the fundamental right of ownership of property including that of the Church.














The delegations agreed that they should gather as brothers, preferably before the end of this year, to strengthen the bonds of fellowship through prayer and dialogue. The participants hope that His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew with his known seniority of honour (πρεσβεια τιμής) will join this dialogue along with his brother Primates.











The delegations embraced the call of their brother Patriarch Theophilos III to hold a prayer for the world, for an end to war, sickness and suffering, and for the Christians as well as for the unity of the Orthodox Church. This prayer is to be held in the Mother Church, the Church of the Resurrection (Holy Sepulchre) in Jerusalem, before the Holy Tomb of Christ, from which He rose and proclaims peace to the world.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5598024.html






Patriarch Kirill completes his visit to Jordan



27 February 2020 - 16:15







From 25 to 27 February 2020, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia were on a visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

During his stay in Amman, His Holiness took part in the gathering of Primates and delegations of Local Orthodox Churches held on February 26 in Amman on the initiative of His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem. On that day, the participants in the gathering met with King Abdullah bin Al-Hussein of Jordan.

In the morning of February 27, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church departed for Moscow. At the International Queen Alia Airport, His Holiness was seen off by Prince Ghazi bin Muhammed, Chief Adviser of the King for religious and humanitarian affairs, as well as hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, Jordanian diplomats, representatives of the Russian embassy in Jordan, and the head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, Archimandrite Alexander (Yelisov).

During his visit to Jordan, Patriarch Kirill was accompanied by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), Mr. B. Legoida, head of the synodal department for the Church’s relations with society and mass media, and Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5599105.html
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Old June 30th, 2020 #49
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Communique of joint meeting of Interreligious Council in Russia and Christian Inter-Confessional Consultative Committee



28 February 2020 - 12:57







We, participants in the joint meeting of the Interreligious Council in Russia and the Christian Inter-Confession Consultative Committee representing Christian, Islamic, Jewish and Buddhist communities in Russia, have gathered in Moscow on the invitation of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

1. We are pleased to note the participation of the Russian society, including believers of our religions, in the discussion on the Constitution of the Russian Federation and introduction of amendments to it. We consider it as a testimony to the civic maturity and responsibility for the destinies of the Motherland.

2. Asserting peace in a multinational and multi-confessional country, we support the proposal to mention God in the text of the renewed Constitution as we see it as fixing the value of religious beliefs of the peoples of our country tied historically and culturally with the religions that we represent and as spiritual succession to our ancestors.

3. We believe those constitutional amendments to be important which fix the conception of marriage as a union of man and woman, which are aimed to protect traditional family values, including rights of parents to provide for an education and training of their children that correspond to their religious and philosophical beliefs, to protect the history and culture of our country and the status of the Russian language, to support our compatriots, and to preserve the memory of the defenders of our Motherland.

4. We remind you that the support of the family, as follows from the stance of the Interreligious Council in Russia and the Christian Inter-Confessional Consultative Committee, is an indispensable condition for making our country prosperous, morally strong and spiritually rich.

5. We welcome those amendments to the Constitutions that will create additional conditions for ensuring the socio-economic welfare of the people of Russia and the unity of the Russian Federation.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5598914.html






His Holiness Patriarch Kirill chairs session of the Supreme Church Council



28 February 2020 - 17:33






On 28 February 2020, session of the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church took place at the Supreme Church Council’s Hall of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour under chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.





His Holiness greeted all members of the Council and delivered an opening speech:





“The current year has begun with return of the theme of family to the focus of the state, mass media and public agenda. It was with great attention that we were listening to the annual address of our President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin to the Federal Assembly. He called the saving and growth of the people of Russia the most important national task.





‘Our new government led by Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin pays attention to the problems of families, including those with many children. No doubt, a new law on these families, about which the Church has spoken for a long time, will be adopted and implemented in the near future. Attention of the state to the family is very important for the atmosphere in society. A large happy family should become a social norm. Material support is important but nothing can replace morals in the family.





‘The investors know that in order to get something one must invest, but any investment is risky. Those who reject family life want to get without any investment. If you do not invest love and faithfulness you will not be happy. Family relations are the strongest. Nothing, even close friendship, will give you more than your belonging to the family. Addressing young people I say: think that maybe only your wife and children will support you in need, trouble and sorrow.





‘Family is a little church, without which a large Church cannot be. Our pastoral task is to help families with problems, to share their troubles and treat them with love. Not only kind words are important, but charity to the poor and single-parent families. It is necessary to pay close attention to this important issue at the parish, diocesan and church-wide level.





‘The struggle for family values never stops, and all believers must defend and uphold little churches by deeds and personal example manifesting the fullness of life in love and care for those close to them.’





The participants considered the implementation of the decisions of the Supreme Church Council and the Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.





Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations and Rector of the Church Post-Graduate School, presented ‘Regulations on the interdepartmental task force on teaching theology in the institution of higher education’.





Metropolitan Merkury of Rostov and Novocherkassk presented topics of the International Christmas educational readings 2021.





Mr. Roman Silantiev, head of the Human Rights centre of the World Russian People’s Council, told the participants about publication of the textbook on the basics of destructology.

The Supreme Church Council consists of:

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations;
Metropolitan Dionisy of Voskresensk, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate;
Metropolitan Clement of Kaluga and Borovsk, chairman of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church;
Metropolitan Ioann of Belgorod and Stary Oskol, chairman of the Synodal Department for Mission;
Metropolitan Merkury of Rostov and Novocherkassk, chairman of the Synodal Department for Religious Education and Catechization;
Metropolitan Kirill of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk, chairman of the Synodal Department for Relations with the Cossacks;
Metropolitan Ignaty of Vologda and Kirillov, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Finance and Economic Administration;
Metropolitan Mitrofan of Murmansk and Monchegorsk, chairman of the Patriarchal Commission for Physical Culture and Sport;
Metropolitan Tikhon of Pskov and Porkhov, chairman of the Patriarchal Council for Culture;
Metropolitan Antony of Korsun and Western Europe, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administration for Institutions Abroad;
Archbishop Feognost of Kashira, chairman of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism;
Bishop Irinarkh of Krasnogorsk, head of the Synodal Department for Prison Ministry;
Bishop Panteleimon of Orekhovo-Zuevo, chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Charity and Social Ministry;
Bishop Foma of Pavlovsky Posad, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administrative Secretariat;
Bishop Serafim of Istra, chairman of the Synodal Department for Youth Affairs;
Bishop Stefan of Klin, chairman of the Synodal Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies;
Archpriest Maxim Kozlov, chairman of the Holy Synod’s Education Committee;
Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov, chairman of the Patriarchal Commission for Family and Protection of Motherhood; and
Mr. Vladimir Legoida, chairman of the Synodal Department for Church’s Relations with Society and Mass Media.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5601490.html






Metropolitan Hilarion: consultations in “Amman format” will continue



1 March 2020 - 12:12







In his interview to RIA Novosti news agency, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, who had participated in the meeting of Primates and representatives of the Local Churches in Amman on February 26, dedicated to the problems of inter-Orthodox unity, commented on the results of the meeting.



– Vladyka, what problems did the participants in the meeting regard as the most pressing for the Orthodox world today?

– Some of these problems were enumerated in the Press Release adopted as the result of the meeting. The document notes that the gathering “was to strengthen the fraternal bonds between brothers and their Churches, to promote the bonds of peace in Christ among them, to advocate for the unity of the Orthodox Churches, and to renew dialogue in the prayerful hope of bringing reconciliation where there has been discord.”

As is emphasized in the Press Release, “decisions concerning issues of Orthodox-wide importance, including the granting of autocephaly to particular Churches, should be finalized in a spirit of pan-Orthodox dialogue and unity, and with pan-Orthodox consensus.” The Patriarchate of Constantinople claims today that it has the sole right to establish new autocephalous Churches, tearing away ecclesiastical territories from the already existing Churches. However, according to the agreements reached earlier at the inter-Orthodox level, the granting of autocephaly is only possible with the consent of the Mother Church (that is, the Church, to which the Church aspiring to autocephaly belongs at the moment) and providing that all universally recognized Orthodox Churches give consent to this. Constantinople declares such agreements void. As the meeting in Amman pointed out, pan-Orthodox consensus is needed for the establishment of an autocephalous Church.

It is in this context that we should consider what the Press Release says further: “Concerning the current ecclesiastical situation in the Ukraine the participants also recognised that a pan-Orthodox dialogue is necessary for healing and reconciliation.” There is a schism in Ukraine, and Constantinople claims to have healed it. However, the actions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople have only deepened the existing confrontation. In order to put an end to the schism, to return the schismatics to the bosom of the Church, a dialogue is necessary with the participation of all Local Churches, rather than Constantinople’s unilateral actions. This understanding was reflected in the Press Release.

With regard to the intention of the Patriarchate of Constantinople to grant autocephaly to the unrecognized church of North Macedonia, the document reads as follows: “In the matter concerning North Macedonia, the delegations stated that this matter is to be solved through dialogue within the Serbian Orthodox Church and with pan-Orthodox support.” In other words, the resolution of this issue is the prerogative of the Serbian Church which includes the Macedonian Church. At the same time, a mechanism of pan-Orthodox consultations can be set in motion. Constantinople’s unilateral actions without the consent of other Churches can only bring about a situation, similar to that in Ukraine.

– What resolution to the problem of the church schism in Ukraine was proposed at the meeting?

– As His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine brilliantly said in his address, the only way to return to the Church from schism is through repentance.

Metropolitan Onufry reminded all those gathered for the meeting that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is a part of the Moscow Patriarchate, has the status, closest to autocephaly: “Over time the external and internal circumstances, in which the holy Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Ukrainian people lived, stimulated the process of perfecting the existing independence of church life and ministry. Today we have de facto a real autocephaly as we have our Holy Synod, the Bishops’ Council and the independent ecclesiastical court. We independently elect and consecrate bishops, open new dioceses. We have our own theological schools and various Synodal departments, for instance, of social ministry and external relations.”

The head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church dwelt on the history of schisms in the Ukrainian Orthodoxy, having underscored that by interfering in the Ukrainian affairs Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople violated a lot of church canons, and as the result, the schism was not healed, but deepened.

Many in the Orthodox world believe that resolution to the Ukrainian schism problem lies in the granting of autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church. They say that it will settle all the issues. As Metropolitan Onufry emphasizes, it is not true:

“Some people are saying that autocephalous status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will be a strong remedy for healing the schism. I would like to be honest before God and my conscience and state: I am confident that the autocephalous status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will not heal the schism. Some schismatics may return to the canonical Church, but not all of them. Autocephaly does not guarantee the absolute unity. There are schisms within the autocephalous Churches as well.”

The meeting in Amman was a clear confirmation of support which the Local Orthodox Churches render to the canonical Orthodoxy in Ukraine. Furthermore, the address by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry helped destroy the myth about the Moscow Patriarchate keeping hold of the Ukrainian Church against its will. This myth was being aggressively thrust on the Greek press and Greek society by Constantinople’s propagandists for a long time.

– Could you please comment on the position of the Amman gathering concerning the situation in Montenegro?

– In Montenegro the governmental authorities adopted a discriminatory law which opens a possibility for tearing away property from the canonical Church and transferring it to schsimatics. Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, who had arrived in Amman as a member of the Serbian Church’s delegation, highlighted the consequences of this decision which had already caused mass protests and thousands-strong demonstrations all over the country. The participants in the meeting called upon the leadership of Montenegro “to respect and uphold the fundamental right of ownership of property including that of the Church.”

– What is the position on the issues raised in Amman of the Local Churches that did not participate in the meeting, for instance, of the Church of Antioch, of the Georgian and Bulgarian Churches?

– The Church of Antioch fully supports the Russian Church in major issues of the inter-Orthodox agenda, including the Ukrainian issue. However, the Church of Antioch has a conflict with the Church of Jerusalem, which resulted in the severance of Eucharistic communion between them. Despite the recent weeks’ attempts, the final agreement was not reached. For this reason the Church of Antioch did not take part in the Amman meeting.

We often hear rebukes coming from the Greek milieu that our reaction to Constantinople’s actions was too harsh. We should not have severed communion, they say. But let us consider the following: the Patriarchate of Antioch broke off communion with the Patriarchate of Jerusalem because of one parish in Qatar. And the Ukrainian Church has over 12 thousand parishes, over 250 monasteries, over 100 hierarchs, and millions of faithful. And all this the Patriarch of Constantinople tries to tear away from the one Russian Church. More is to say, the Patriarch of Constantinople “restored to the rank” those who had never had lawful ordination. How else could we react?

For many decades in Greece there has existed the Old Calendar schism that includes “hierarchs,” as well as “priests,” parishes, monasteries, and faithful. Why doesn’t the Patriarch of Constantinople, in cooperation with the Church of Greece, concern himself with healing this schism? There are different Orthodox jurisdictions in America. Why doesn’t Constantinople, in cooperation with other Local Orthodox Churches, concern itself with creating an autocephalous Church in America? Should there be a desire to solve real problems, there are many of them beyond Ukraine. The major goal of Constantinople’s incursion into Ukraine was to weaken the one Russian Church. For the same purpose in the 1920s Constantinople supported the Renovationists, and in 1996 split the Church in Estonia.

All Constantinople’s talks about the healing of the Ukrainian schism are just a disguise. An in the majority of the Local Orthodox Churches people realize this, including in those Churches which for various reasons did not take part in the meeting in Amman. They also realize that in its actions Constantinople relies on the support of the Unites States, taking advantage of the political confrontation between the USA and Russia.

It is not fortuitous that in his letter to Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem, published on the day of the Amman meeting, Patriarch Bartholomew states that the aim of this gathering is “to serve the obstinate refusal of a certain Local Church to indentify its position with and conform it to what has been customary in Orthodoxy since the earliest times, in which it is helped, if not urged, by the state Russian Federation.” It seems that the Patriarch of Constantinople believes that today the observance of the centuries-old principles of Orthodoxy is been ensured by the United States, and not the Russian Federation. Otherwise it is difficult to explain the fact that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as well as U.S. Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback and U.S. Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt, who earlier had been Ambassador to Ukraine, in the most outright way possible promote Constantinople’s project of creating an Orthodox structure in Ukraine, separate from the Russian Church.

On the matters discussed at the Amman meeting we are in contact with many Churches, including those that did not participate in it. Consultations with them will be continued in the bilateral format; yet, there is hope that at the next stages of discussion initiated in Amman they will join it.

– Going back to the topic of the schism in Ukraine: why, in your opinion, did the Council in Crete held in 2016 fail to prevent the escalation of tension in church sphere in Ukraine and the creation of a pseudo-church out of schismatic structures?

– We are often being told that the Council in Crete was our missed opportunity to raise the issues which concern us. However, it is not true. The procedure rules and agenda of the Crete Council had been agreed upon in advance, and no pressing issues, such as the healing of the Ukrainian schism, were supposed to be discussed at it. Moreover, such rather burning issue as who and how will grant autocephaly in future had been removed from the agenda of the Council beforehand, although the general agreement on this matter had been reached and it had only remained to finalize details.

We had known in advance that the Council in Crete would not have made any decisions, but intended to attend it anyway – not so much out of desire to resolve certain issues, but rather out of respect for the Patriarch of Constantinople who had convened it. Everything was ready for the trip – hotel rooms and charter flights were booked, texts prepared. However, when one by one the Local Churches refused to participate, we were faced with a question of legitimacy of decisions to be taken. For we always insisted that decisions are legitimate only with full consensus of all universally recognized Orthodox Churches. And what if there is no such consensus?

In that situation Patriarch Kirill sent a letter to Patriarch Bartholomew, suggesting that a pre-Council preparatory meeting should be held with the view of resolving the arisen problems. It was met with flat refusal. We had no choice but, with profound regret, to take decision not to participate in the Council.

At the same time we did not refuse to discuss the Ukrainian problem either in the bilateral or multilateral format. It was with the view of discussing this problem that Patriarch Kirill visited Istanbul in August 2018. Yet, the discussion led to nothing. Patriarch Bartholomew, completely misinformed by those around him, was convinced that as soon as the tomos of autocephaly was signed the majority of canonical bishops would have joined the newly created church. Warnings that it was not going to happen fell on deaf ears.

And today the Patriarch of Constantinople reaps the fruits of what he has sown. His name is no longer commemorated in the Russian Church, and for millions of Orthodox believers in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and the Baltic and Central Asian countries, as well as for the faithful of our diaspora, large in number, he has become persona non grata. In the Local Orthodox Churches, his decisions are subjected to severe criticism. He only gains support when managing to set in motion the American diplomacy.

– Can we say that on February 26, in Jordan, a new “Amman format” of inter-Orthodox consultations was born? Will there be a follow-up?

– An important result of the meeting in Amman was a decision to continue inter-Orthodox consultations. The participants in the meeting expressed their hope that the next consultation would take place in the near future, preferably until the end of this year, and that Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople would take part in it. His current self-isolation, his unwillingness to initiate inter-Orthodox consultations or participate in those initiated by others only result in the deepening of confrontation between him and the other Churches. Despite his canonical crimes, unlawful incursion into the territory of the Ukrainian Church, and legalization of the ungraced schismatic community, his participation in the dialogue is possible and important. He must hear the voice of the Local Churches. Otherwise his unilateral actions will lead to the consequences irreparable for the world Orthodoxy.

In 1054 the Pope of Rome and the Patriarch of Constantinople failed to reach an agreement concerning church jurisdiction over south Italy and some other issues. The severance of Eucharistic communion occurred, and the Churches in the East and the West went along different paths. Today the similar schism has arisen within the Orthodox Church. For a thousand years the Pope’s claims to universal supremacy met with resistance of the Orthodox Churches. Today within the Orthodoxy there has appeared a hotbed of claims not only to universal supremacy, but also to a kind of infallibility.

A well known proverb Roma locuta causa finita (“Rome has spoken, the matter is settled”) points to the role of the Pope in the Catholic Church. Yet, now in the Orthodox Church an opinion is being promoted that since a decision is taken in Istanbul, it means that a matter is settled. The decision was taken in Istanbul to grant “autocephaly to Ukraine” and now everyone is required not to discuss, but to recognize this decision. “You must admit that Ukraine’s autocephaly is a fait accompli,” our interlocutors from Constantinople are saying to us. Yet, we have never had an infallible earthly head of the Church whose decisions would be binding whether there is or there is no pan-Orthodox consent. And Constantinople’s claims to infallibility provoke justified rejection in the Local Churches, as evidenced by the Amman meeting.

In order to find a way out of this situation, one meeting does not suffice. For this reason the participants in the Amman gathering agreed to continue consultations, invited to which will be Primates and representatives of all universally recognized Local Churches.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5600236.html






Primate of Ukrainian Orthodox Church visits Montenegro



2 March 2020 - 21:55






From February 27 to 29, 2020, His Beatitude Onufriy, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, was on a visit to the Metropolis of Montenegro and the Littoral. The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church came to Montenegro to take part in the celebrations held on the commemoration day of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Flowing and to give a prayerful support to the Orthodox faithful in Montenegro at a time of hardships.

His Beatitude was accompanied by Metropolitan Pavel of Vyshgorod and Chernobyl, head of the Synodal Commission for the Monasteries of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church; Metropolitan Anthony of Borispol and Brovary, UOC chancellor; Metropolitan Clement of Nezhin and Priluki, head of the OC information and education department; And Bishop Victor of Baryshev, head of the UOC representation to European and international organizations.

In the evening of February 27, Metropolitan Onufriy, assisted by Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral, celebrated vespers at the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Podgorica. After the service, there was a procession with the cross. After the procession, a festive concert took place at the cathedral square.

Metropolitan Onufriy addressed himself to the Montenegrin faithful with words of greeting, saying, “We have brought over here from Amman a blessing of Patriarch Theophilos, Patriarch Kirill and other Primates of Orthodox Churches. I have also brought a blessing of the holy Prince Vladimir, our baptizer and illuminator, and a blessing of the Venerable Fathers of the Kiev Caves, who rest in holy relics in caves and intercede for the Ukrainian people and for all those who love Christ and want to be with Him.

“We are Slavs bred in the holy Orthodox faith, which has formed both our spiritual mode and our culture. Today we are speaking much about what should unite us in order to defeat the evil of the world, but it is possible to unite only around Christ. Those who are with Christ cannot be defeated by any evil”.

On February 28, the delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church led by Metropolitan Onufriy venerated the shrines of the Tsetin Monastery – the incorruptible relics of St. Peter of Tsetin and the right hand of St. John the holy Forerunner and Baptizer of the Lord.

Metropolitan Amfilohije awarded His Beatitude Onufriy the Order of St. Peter II Njegoš “in recognition of his services for the defence of the Orthodox faith”.

On the same day, Metropolitan Onufriy together with Metropolitan Amfilohije gave at Podgorica a press conference for Montenegrin and Ukrainian mass media.

In the course of the briefing, Metropolitan Onufriy emphasized that in recent times the developments in the Orthodox Churches in Ukraine and Montenegro have been in the centre of attention throughout the Orthodox world.

“We perfectly understand the present situation of your Holy Church because our Church, too, experienced and partly continues to experience something similar. In church history, there were both times of peaceful development and times of martyrdom and confession. However, the Lord has always been with His people and has never left His Church. We are confident that the Lord will not abandon His Church now either and help her in her trials in both Montenegro and Ukraine”.

His Beatitude thanked the Serbian Orthodox Church for its support for the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, saying, “In spite of the trials experienced by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in recent years, it has not only held out, not only remained the largest Church in Ukraine, but it has become even stronger. Today our Church numbers 53 dioceses, nearly 12300 parishes, 250 monasteries. Serving in the fold of the Ukrainian Church are over 100 hierarchs, 12400 clergy 4600 monastics who take pastoral care of multimillion Ukrainian flock.

“It has often happened that politicians yield to the temptation to interfere in church life and use the Church in their interests. Politicians want to rule the Church but the Church should not yield to these attempts. The Church cannot change to please human demands. We are aware that the Church is uncomfortable for a sinful man who is accustomed to live according to his passions. However, it is not the Church that should change and play the way of the sinful human nature, but it is man himself who should change and try to become better, purer and seek to become like Christ”.

The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church also addressed the Orthodox Montenegrins, “Dear Eminences, brothers and sisters, all the faithful of the Holy land of Montenegro! We are pleasantly surprised by your numerous processions with the cross, as they have encompassed your land to strengthen your spirituality and protect your shrines. We are pleased by your vigil in the faith, your unity in the Orthodox faith. For us, Orthodox Ukrainians, your example is inspiring. We are with you today not only to share the joy of the feast but also to reassert the truth of the biblical words, ‘A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle’ (Pr. 18:19).

In the evening, Metropolitan Onufriy and his delegation, joined by Metropolitan Amfilohije, visited the Ostrog monastery in Montenegro to venerate the relics of St. Basil of Ostrog.

On February 29, Metropolitan Onufriy led the celebrations devoted to the commemoration day of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Flowing and the 800th anniversary of the Diocese of Zeta, now the Metropolis of Montenegro and the Littoral.

During the service, a prayer was lifted up for peace in Ukraine and Montenegro.

After the Cherubic Hymn, Metropolitan Onufriy administered a hierarchal consecration.

After the liturgy, there was a procession with the cross along Podgorica streets.

Before the procession, Metropolitan Onufriy addressed the faithful in the cathedral square. He said in particular, “Today we are lifting up our heartfelt prayers for the cessation of disorders in Montenegro and also for peace in Ukraine. We are ardently praying to God, to His Most Holy Mother and to all the saints that the evil hearts may be softened and peace and well-being may come as soon as possible to our sister Churches.

“Sharing with you the joy of the great feast, I wish that, through the intercession of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Flowing the Lord may open His eyes day and night (cf. 3 Kings 8:29) towards your God-loving people. May, through the intercession of these great mem of God, your country be filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God (Phil. 1:11).




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5602319.html






DECR secretary for far-abroad countries attends meeting with young political leaders in Germany



3 March 2020 - 10:20







On March 2, 2020, a meeting took place with representatives of the Federal Board of the Junge Union, a youth organization in Germany, who have come to Russia to be acquainted with its political system and social order. The meeting was held at the Moscow representation of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

The German delegation included Timan Kuban, federal chair of Junge Union; Cornelius Golemblewski, Gunge Union/Thuringia; Stefanie Franzl, Junge Union/Saxony; and Sebastian Sommer, Junge Union/Hessen.

Participating in the meeting were representatives of Russian public organizations and movements. The meeting was opened by Dr. Thomas Kunze, head of the Moscow representation of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Archpriest Sergiy Zvonarev, secretary for the far-abroad countries, Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), greeted the participants on behalf of the DECR chairman, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk. He shared the high appraisal given by the organizers of the meeting to the level of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Foundation’s Moscow representation.

He also spoke about the participation of the Russian Church in the St. Petersburg Dialogue, a forum of the Russian and German public, as a member of its working group on “Churches in Europe”. Special attention was given to the project for Youth Theological Meetings, which has existed for seven years now and which enables theological students in Russia and Germany to familiarize themselves with the theological education systems in the two countries and to establish and develop academic contacts.

German participants asked Russian experts many questions concerning various aspects of the social development in Russia.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5602328.html
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Metropolitan Hilarion: the discussion on Ukraine is not over



4 March 2020 - 19:11







On 29 February 2020, during the Church and the World talk show at Russia-24 news channel, broadcast by Saturdays and Sundays, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), answered questions from channel presenter Ekaterina Gracheva.



E.Gracheva:

Hello! It is the Church and the World program. We are talking with the DECR chairman, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, about the major events in our country and in the world. How do you do, Your Eminence!



Metropolitan Hilarion:

How do you do, Ekaterina. How do you do, dear brothers and sisters.



E.Gracheva:

Your Eminence, I know that just before our recording, there was a major meeting of the Interreligious Council in Russia and the Inter-Christian Committee. It was initiated by Patriarch Kirill, and the aim was to discuss amendments to the Constitution and proposals for introducing them. What exactly did you discuss?



Metropolitan Hilarion:

First, I would like to say something about these two organizations. The ICR is an organization that unites the traditional religions, namely, Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism. The ICCC is an organization that unites the Christian confessions in our country and the neighbouring countries. Therefore, for the first time these two organizations met and did it on the initiative of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill precisely for the aim of discussing amendments to the Constitution.

What the religious leaders were speaking about? It was in the first place the fact that constitutions in many countries mention God or the faith in God and that the traditional confessions in our country are united by the idea of God as the Creator. Then it was also mentioned that it is necessary to fix constitutionally the idea of marriage as the union of man and woman. It is what was absent from the agenda in 1993 when our Constitution was created because at that time nobody posed the question of what marriage is. Nowadays this question is posed, and not so much in our country as abroad. But since we have a law whereby the marriages concluded abroad are recognized in the Russian Federation and among these marriages there can now be a same-sex union as well, a constitutionally fixed notion of marriage is needed as precisely the union of man and woman.

I remember that not so long ago a new Constitution was adopted in Hungary, and these two amendments have been made to it, namely, the mention of God and the mention of marriage as the union of man and woman. However, it has provoked a deep discontent of the European authorities in Brussels, and a landing party of European commissars was sent to Hungary to dissuade the prime minister of Hungary from adopting these amendments. Nevertheless, these amendments were adopted as reflecting a consensus of the basic population of Hungary.

I think, the amendments proposed now by the traditional confessions and Christian denominations reflect as well the consensus of a majority of the population of our country.



E. Gracheva:

Well, Brussels is no example for us to follow but, within our country, who does comprise the largest opposition to the amendments to the Constitution put forward by the Church? From whom does this resistance come?



Metropolitan Hilarion:

So far, we have not encounters any resistance. Perhaps, it will emerge within the next few days, but so far everybody we have contacted, including even representatives of the Communist Party, have supported the idea to include a mention of God in the Constitution.



E.Gracheva:

Is there an idea to introduce an amendment to the Family Code of the Russian Federation? Look at the stormy discussion that has broken out over, for instance, the term “civil marriage”; one representative of the Church has even called it “prostitution gratis”, and it was followed by a very loud discussion. Does the Church wish to fix the notion of “civil marriage”?



Metropolitan Hilarion:

As far as the civil marriage is concerned, if it is understood as a registered union of man and woman, which was not blessed by the Church, then such a union is recognized by our Church as the Russian Orthodox Church’s “Basic Social Concept” states. As for the words you have mentioned, they have really provoked a great storm; there was a discussion in both the internet and mass media including printed ones. It even seemed to me proper to apologize for those words, though I did not do it. But as it was made by an official representative of the Church, it seemed to me proper to apologize to those women who were insulted by those words.

I think all the traditional confessions in our country are united by the concern to preserve in society the idea of marriage as a union of man and woman and the idea of marriage as a union that presupposes marital fidelity. As far as church rules are concerned, from the Church’s point of view, a valid marriage is a marriage blessed by the Church. But as far as our official documents are concerned, along with wedded marriages there are marriages which cannot be wedded in the Church for a very simple reason that only one half of this marriage belongs to the Orthodox Church. That is to say, if, for instance, it is a marriage between a Muslim man and an Orthodox woman, or between an Orthodox Christian and an atheist, then such a marriage cannot be blessed by the Church.

At the same time, we also remember the words of St. Paul who says that an unbelieving husband is blessed by a believing wife. And we understand as well that there are cases when a priest has to show pastoral condensation considering the existential situation of spouses.



E.Gracheva:

But if a couple is not registered, you would not permit them to take communion, would you?



Metropolitan Hilarion:

We have a rule whereby spouses should first register their marriage and then we will marry them.



E.Gracheva:

You have recently come back from Amman where this week there has been a meeting of heads of Local Orthodox Churches. And, notably, the Patriarch of Constantinople, who was expected, was not seen at it as he did not come and, more then that, he condemned this meeting. What did provoke his criticism? And generally, is it possible to speak of some pan-Orthodox unity after that?



Metropolitan Hilarion:

The inter-Orthodox meeting in Amman took place on the initiative of the Patriarch of Jerusalem. For you to understand his role in the Orthodox Church I will remind you that Christianity was born precisely in that land which we call the Holy Land, and essentially the Church of Jerusalem was the very first Christian Church. It was from Jerusalem that Christianity began spreading to other lands.

In the 4th century when Christianity became in fact the established religion of the Roman Empire and the city of Constantinople founded by Emperor Constantine became the official capital city of the empire, the Churches’ order was established to exist to this day. In this order, the first place was occupied by Rome, the second one by Constantinople, while Jerusalem found itself only in the fifth place because at that time it was just a center of pilgrimage, not some large capital city with state structures or bodies.

That was how it took shape since that period, and after Rome and Constantinople broke off their communion in the 11th century, the Patriarch of Constantinople found himself to be the first in the family of Orthodox Churches, while the Patriarch of Jerusalem shifted from the fifth to the fourth place. But historically, I will repeat, it was the Church of Jerusalem that was the first, that is, it is called the Mother of all Churches.

Due to the fact that now the Patriarch of Constantinople, after all he did in Ukraine, has kept himself aloof from the settlement of the problem that has arisen, the Patriarch of Jerusalem has taken an initiative to bring together all those who wished to respond to his invitation. Five Churches out of the fourteen generally recognized ones responded to his invitation, so, including the Church of Jerusalem, there were six Churches. And at the same time, four Churches were represented by delegations led by their Primates, and two Churches were represented by delegations without Primates.

Various issues were discussed including the situation in Ukraine. There was a strong speech by His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy who explained why the Ukrainian Church refused to recognize the so-called “autocephaly” granted by the Patriarchate of Constantinople and who spoke generally about the developments in Ukraine.

Metropolitan Anfilohije of Montenegro from the Serbian Orthodox Church spoke about the present developments in Montenegro, where the authorities have adopted a discriminatory law that can be used to tear away property from the canonical Church and hand it over to the schismatics. We discussed the situation in Northern Macedonia where the Patriarch of Constantinople could soon make decisions similar to those he did with regard to Ukraine.

As a result, it was agreed that it was necessary to continue inter-Orthodox consultations, that another meeting should be held before the year is out, that this meeting should be open for all the universally recognized Orthodox Churches and that among others Patriarch Bartholomew should be invited to it.



E.Gracheva:

Why did the rest ignore this trip?



Metropolitan Hilarion:

For various reasons. The Greek Churches, such as that of Greece and Alexandria, ignored this meeting for the same reason as the Patriarch of Constantinople condemned it and out of solidarity with the Patriarch of Constantinople. There is a pan-Greek solidarity, which in many cases makes Greek Churches act synchronously. In this case it was actualized and was not a surprise for us.

The Church of Antioch did not come to this conference for the reason that it is in conflict with the Church of Jerusalem, which convened the conference. The conflict emerged because the Church of Jerusalem founded a parish in Qatar but Qatar, from the point of view of the Church of Antioch, is her canonical territory. That is to say, it was because of a single parish that a breakoff of communion happened between the two Churches. And now imagine our situation when Constantinople tried to tear over 12 thousand parishes away from us.



E.Gracheva:

I am listening to all this, and for any viewer who hears it, it resembles a TV serial, political at that, like “House of Cards”. There is a “House of Cards”, but what we see is like a “House of Churches”. To stop this, somebody has to be the first to stop. Can the Russian Orthodox Church be the side that will be the first to stop?



Metropolitan Hilarion:

The point is that we have done nothing; we have nothing to stop. The actions, which have produced all this division, were committed by one man – the Patriarch of Constantinople. We have torn nothing away from anybody; we do not encroach upon anything; we are just preserving our Church in the historical boundaries in which it has taken shape. We follow the will of our flock, our episcopate, and our flock in both Russia and Ukraine and in other parts of the Russian Church, have a firm wish to preserve this unity – a unity that is over one thousand years old.

Therefore, the question here is not who will stop but how all this will continue and in what else the Patriarch of Constantinople may end in his claims now not only to universal power, but also to infallibility. You know, there is a saying Roma locuta, causa finita – “Rome has spoken, the discussion is over”, but now we are told that whatever decision the Patriarch of Constantinople makes, everybody should just obey, that is to say, “Istanbul has spoken, the discussion is over”. But the discussion over Ukraine is not over. Istanbul has spoken by issuing a tomos but people have rejected it: the episcopate, the clergy have rejected it, and it means that the discussion is not over; it means, the story will continue.

As for the serial, you know that there are serials coming out today about the fall of Constantinople. Quite recently a serial of this kind has come out; coming out are also serials about Popes of Rome. I think that someday our story will also come out as a serial, but we wish that this serial could have a happy end, that is to say, that everything could end happily for us all.



E.Gracheva:

Thank you very much Your Eminence, for this talk.



Metropolitan Hilarion:

Thank you, Yekaterina.



In the second part of the program, Metropolitan Hilarion answered questions from TV viewers who had sent them to the Church and the World program website.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5602284.html






Representative of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to Patriarch of Antioch visits Damascus mission of International Committee of the Red Cross



5 March 2020 - 16:25







March 5, 2020 – At the instruction of the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Great Antioch and All the East, Hegumen Arseny (Sokolov) visited the Syrian representation of the International Committee of the Red Cross based in Damascus to meet with its head, Mr. Alexander Shpoerry.

During their talk, Father Arseny informed Mr. Shpoerry that, with a blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the Damascus representation of the Russian Orthodox Church planned to organize and equip a center for prosthetics and medical rehabilitation of children who were severely wounded in the course of military actions in Syria.

Mr. Philip Shpoerry, in his turn, informed the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church about the work carried out by the International Committee of the Red Cross in Syria together with the Syrian Red Crescent and expressed the readiness of the Syrian representation of the ICRC to help with equipping the future center.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5603431.html






Feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy celebrated at the Russian Orthodox Church’s Representation in Damascus News



8 March 2020 - 16:49







At the Russian Orthodox Church’s Representation in Damascus, Hegumen Arseniy (Sokolov), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of the Great Antioch and All the East, conducted divine services on the first week of Lent and on March 8, 2020, Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, celebrated the Divine Liturgy.

Praying in the church were Russian students currently studying in Syria, as well as Russian benefactress Ms. V.A. Lantseva, who is undertaking a humanitarian trip to Syria, and a small of group of parishioners – the children of the Russian Orthodox Church residing in Damascus and its suburbs.

After the Liturgy Fr. Arseniy greeted all those present with the Feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy marking the end of the first week of Lent.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5604917.html






Clerics from Indonesia and Thailand receive short-term liturgical training in Singapore



8 March 2020 - 19:25







On 8th March 2020, Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, the conciliar celebration of the Divine Liturgy marked the end of liturgical training for Orthodox clergymen from Indonesia and Thailand. Concelebrating with Metropolitan Sergy of Singapore, Patriarchal Exarch of Southeast Asia, at the Church of the Holy Dormition in Singapore were Hieromonk Pitirim (Dondenko), secretary of the exarchate; clerics of the Dormition Church; and clergymen from Indonesia and Thailand.

During the first week of Lent, at the Dormition Church in Singapore, the clergymen together celebrated daily Lenten divine services, read out the Great Canon of Repentance by St. Andrew of Crete and celebrated the Liturgy of Presanctified Gifts, gaining deeper insight into the Russian liturgical tradition.

There are plans to organize such short-term liturgical trainings at a regular basis.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5604921.html






Head of Syrian branch of Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society visits Damascus Representation of Russian Orthodox Church



9 March 2020 - 15:52







On 8 March 2020, the 1st Sunday of the Great Lent, the head of the Syrian branch of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society (IOPS), Dr Adnan Mtannios Bashour visited the Damascus representation of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Dr Bashour informed the representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Antioch, Hegumen Arseny (Sokolov) about the work carried out by the IOPS in Syria and shared the society’s plans for developing and intensifying this work.

As a token of Dr Bashour’s visit to the representation, Father Arseny presented him with a copy of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia’s book in “Freedom and Responsibility: In a Search for Harmony” in its Arabic version.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5604925.html






Patriarch Kirill presides over the first 2020 meeting of the Russian Orthodox Church Holy Synod



11 March 2020 - 12:04






On 11 March 2020, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia presided over the first session of the Holy Synod to be held in 2020. The meeting took place at the patriarchal and synodal residence in the St. Daniel Monastery.











Before the beginning of the session, His Holiness greeted the Holy Synod members and addressed himself to them with introductory remarks:














“Today we have a rather extensive agenda. It will include many important items, including difficult ones on the cadres. However, I would like to say in advance some words about the situation that has developed in Moscow in connection with the emergence of the coronavirus. By God’s grace, there is no epidemic or pandemic but only some isolated cases. But as the disease is very insidious, its development should be stopped at the stage when the process is still controllable.














“In Moscow and Sankt-Petersburg, quite well considered measures are taken to stop the spread of the disease; but the question always arises: how will the Church behave in a particular situation? We will consider this problem and I will note that we have clear precedents. We used to go through many epidemics. I remember the cholera epidemic, which so much disturbed both the population and the public and the authorities. The Church has a certain experience of work in such a situation, but as I have already said, there is no epidemic whatsoever. There are isolated cases, but it would be useful to consider our Church’s response to this development.














“I would also like to say that since the previous session there have been important activities in the sphere of external church work. I would like to dwell on the meeting of heads and representatives of Local Orthodox Churches in Jordan. It was the first attempt at a conciliar discussion of the problem that has arisen in the universal Orthodoxy due to the developments in Ukraine. I will present certain information about this event and then we could discuss this topic.














“There will also be issues important enough for our internal agenda, so I call upon everybody to engage in active co-work”.











Along with the permanent members of the Holy Synod, the Summer Session (March-August) was attended by summoned hierarchs including Metropolitan Maximillian of Irkutsk and Angarsk, Archbishop Tikhon of Podolsk, Bishop Anthony of Akhtuba and Yenotayevsk, Bishop Ignatiy of Uvarovo and Kirsanov, and Bishop Yevgeniy of Nizhniy Tagil and Nevyansk.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5606492.html
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Working group on cooperation between Russian Orthodox Church and Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland meets in Helsinki



11 March 2020 - 16:47







On 9 March 2020, the Working Group for cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, established by the Holy Synod decision of 6 October 2017, met in Helsinki.

From the Russian Orthodox Church the working group included Bishop Siluan of Petergof, rector of Sankt-Petersburg Theological Academy and Seminary- co-chair of the group; Hieromonk Stephan (Igumnov), secretary for inter-Christian relations, Department for External Church Relations (DECR), Moscow Patriarchate; Archpriest Vladimir Khulap, pro-rector for training, Sankt-Petersburg Academy and Seminary; Archpriest Dimitriy Yerevich, head of the Chair of Bible Studies, Sankt-Petersburg Academy; and Ms Yelena Speranskaya, lecturer, Moscow Theological Academy.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland was represented by Bishop Dr Seppo Hakkinen – co-chair of the group; Rev. Kimmo Kaatijanen, director of the ELCF international department, Rev. Dr Uha Merilainen; Rev. Tomi Karttunen, secretary of the ELCE international department; and Rev. Timo Rosquist, secretary of the Diocese of Mikkeli.

The main subject of the meeting was preparations for the 16th session of the renewed Sinappi theological dialogue between the two Churches planned to take place from May 14 to 17, 2020, in Turku, Finland.

In anticipation of the dialogue, the working group exchanged information about the present situation in their Churches.

Bishop Soluan spoke about the present state of inter-Orthodox relationships giving special attention to the meeting of Primates and delegations of Local Orthodox Churches held on 26 February 2020 in Amman, Jordan. He also informed the Finnish side about changes that took place in the Russian Orthodox Church and its initiatives concerning important public issues.

Hieromonk Stephan spoke about the inter-Christian cooperation of the Russian Orthodox Church, the development of its dialogue with other Christian confessions and joint humanitarian aid projects.

After that, a discussion was held on the program of the 16th Sinnapi Theological Dialogue.

The meeting also discussed the working group’s terms of reference as responsible for coordination of all aspects of cooperation between the two Churches. In recent years, projects have been implemented for an exchange of experience in chaplains’ ministry in prisons in contact with respective departments of the Russian Orthodox Church. It was considered important to renew the students’ exchange, which historically has played a considerable role in the bilateral relations. It also deemed important to develop joint projects in the sphere of social service, pilgrimage and youth work.

The next meeting of the Working Group will take place in autumn 2020 in Sankt-Petersburg.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5606509.html






Patriarchal Exarch for South-East Asia meets with Indonesia’s minister of religious affairs



12 March 2020 - 11:40







On 11 March 2020, Metropolitan Sergiy of Singapore and South-East Asia, Patriarchal Exarch for South-East Asia, met with the Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs, Mr. Fahrul Razi.

Metropolitan Sergiy extended congratulation to Mr. Razi on this appointment in October 2019 as minister of religious affairs in the largest Muslim country in the world. His Eminence told the minister about the historical presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in Indonesia since the early 20th century and about the present state of Orthodoxy in the country.

During the meeting, which took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere, the sides exchanged opinions on a wide range of issues concerning the development of Russian-Indonesian cooperation in humanitarian and religious spheres and the organization of pastoral care for the Orthodox faithful in Indonesia.

Participating in the talk from the Russian side were also Russian Ambassador to Indonesia Ms. L. Vorobyeva, Counsellor O. Kopylov, the Exarchate secretary Hieromonk Pitirim (Dondenko), and Russian attaché D. Tetyushkin.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5606513.html






DECR chairman meets with Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to the Russian Federation



13 March 2020 - 13:21







On 13 March 2010, Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR), met with H.E. Sadasivan Premjith, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Singapore to the Russian Federation.

They were joined at the meeting by the Deputy Ambassador of Singapore and the Rev. Sergy Zvonarev, DECR secretary for far abroad countries.

Metropolitan Hilarion warmly greeted the guests at the Synodal institution in charge of international contacts of the Russian Orthodox Church. At the request of the high guest Metropolitan Hilarion told him about the life of the Russian Orthodox Church, its place and role in society, its ministry on the canonical territory and in the far abroad countries, the social doctrine of the Church, and about challenges to it in the modern world.

Discussed during the talk were the ministry of the Moscow Patriarchate in the Southeast Asia with the Patriarchal Exarchate there, and a construction in Singapore of the Russian cultural centre and the church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, this having a considerable importance in the spiritual support of the compatriots and the development of dialogue and accord among religions and cultures.

The DECR chairman and the Ambassador of Singapore also discussed topical problems, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Metropolitan Hilarion explained the Statement of the Holy Synod of the Russian Church of March 11, 2020, made in connection with the spreading of this infection.

Ambassador Premjith thanked Metropolitan Hilarion for the talk. Metropolitan Hilarion wished the high guests success in his work in Moscow and assured him in the willingness to develop constructive cooperation with the Embassy of Singapore.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5609226.html






Representative of Russian Orthodox Church visits Theological Academy of Syrian Orthodox Church



14 March 2020 - 15:13







On 13 March 2010, Hegumen Arseny (Sokolov), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, visited the Theological seminary of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Saiddnaya, Syria.

A teacher of the Syriac language, Benjamin Aboud told the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church about the educational institution and gave him a tour of the library.

At present, students from different regions of Syria and Iraq are studying at the seminary. A postgraduate student from Russia, Pavel Kuzminykh, is doing work experience in the Syriac by the assignment of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Commission for Student Exchange.

Rev. Arseny presented the library with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill’s book ‘Freedom and Responsibility: A Search for Harmony’ translated into the Arabic language.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5609230.html






Representative of Department for External Church Relations attends Chiara Lubich memorial evening



16 March 2020 - 19:10







On March 14, 2020, the Rudomino Library for Foreign Literature held a memorial evening devoted to the centenary birthday of Chiara Lubich (1920-2008), the founder of the Focolare Movement.

Participating in the event were Mr. Guido De Sanctis, minister of the Italian Embassy in Russia; Mr. Alessandro Salacone, representative of the Community of Saint’Egidio in Moscow; Archpriest Vladimir Fedorov, associate professor at St. Petersburg Theological Academy; Hieromonk Ioann Guayta, a cleric of the Ss Cosmas and Damian church in Moscow; Father Alexy Dikarev, Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations; Mr. A. Yudin, associate professor, State University of the Humanities religious research center, and many others.

Participants shared their memories of the outstanding religious worker of the 20th century, who initiated the first movement of lay people in the Catholic Church, and spoke about the influence the Focolare Movement made on their life. They were also shown a film about Chiara Lubich and the work of the movement she founded.

Father Alexy Dikarev read out a message of greeting to the organizers and participants of the memorial evening from Metropolitan Hilarion, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, which reads in particular:

“I cordially greet all the participants in the memorial evening devoted to the centenary birthday of the founder of the Focolare Movement, Chiara Lubich.

The centenary birthday of the outstanding daughter of the Roman Catholic Church marked this year throughout the world is a remarkable opportunity to pay tribute to the fragile but spiritually strong woman whose service has gonet beyond the boundaries of the Catholic Church.

In 1943, in the midst of World War II, which brought innumerable miseries and sufferings to nations, an ordinary girl from Trento felt a call to a special mission to devote herself to the cause of peace, mutual understanding and unity between people of different faiths, beliefs and ethnic backgrounds. Amidst death and destruction caused by hatred, Chiara Lubich came to perceive with a special force the meaning of the word said by the Lord at the Last Supper: “May all be one” (Jn. 17:21). These words became the motto of all her further activity.

Chiara Lubich is a brilliant example of a Christian who felt the call of God and who followed it to the end. She dedicated all her life to her service like a good worker from the Lord’s parable, who multiplied his gifts (Mt. 25:14-30). Suffice it to say that the Focolare Movement communities are present in 180 countries and the number of the followers of the movement amount to over two million people.

Chiara Lubich made a great contribution to the inter-Christian dialogue and in the dialogue with other religions: ideals of peace and unity lived up by the movement participants attract people of various Christian Churches, people of other religions and even non-religious people.

In today’s world torn by wars, conflicts and contradictions, the living witness of Chiara Lubich and her followers is still relevant. May the personality and legacy of the outstanding worker be a source of inspiration for new generations of Christians, a guarantee of the achievement of a lasting peace and the building of ‘a civilization of love’ so much needed by humanity.

I invoke God’s blessing on all of you!”




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5612321.html






Cleric of Russian Orthodox Church celebrates Liturgy in Namibian capital city



17 March 2020 - 17:53







On March 14, 2020, the Saturday of the 2nd Week of the Great Lent, the rector of the St. Sergius of Radonezh church in Johannesburg, South Africa, Archpriest Daniel Lugovoy, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Namibian capital city of Windhoek.

The facility for the service, a chapel, was granted by the St. Charles Lwanda Major Seminary of the Catholic Church. Before the liturgy, the chapel was decorated with Orthodox icons and flowers.

During the service, which was celebrated in Church Slavonic, Greek and English, the choir of the Orthodox community in Windhoek sang for the first time. After the Divine Liturgy, the Office for the Dead was said.

After the liturgy, there was a tea party, during which participants in the service discussed the development of the Russian-speaking community in Windhoek, Patriarhia.ru reports with reference to the website of the St. Sergius church.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5612331.html






Instructions to rectors of parishes and monasteries’ town churches, abbots and abbesses of the monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church over the threat of spreading coronavirus infection



17 March 2020 - 16:15







The document has been approved by the Holy Synod decision of 17 March 2020 (Minutes No. 30)



It is for the pastoral care of people and in response to a request from the sanitary authorities and in preserving the firm faith in the work of God’s beneficial providence and in the Divine omnipotence that the regulations are set up below taking into account the canonical and liturgical Tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Until the epidemiological situation is improved and appropriate instructions are received from the diocesan administration concerning to the full or partial cancellation of the present instructions, the parishes, Patriarchal, hierarchal and monastery representations as well as stauropegial and diocesan monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church should fulfil the following.

Concerning the offering of the Holy Mysteries of Christ

1. Noting that the Bloodless Sacrifice cannot in any way be cancelled; for where there is no Eucharist there is no church life, and that the Holy Body and Blood of Christ are offered for the good health of both soul and body (see, for instance, the 7th and 9th prayers of St. John Chrysostom from his Order Preparation for Holy Communion) and taking into account the Orthodox Church’s historical practice adopted in the situation of an epidemic1 the Holy Mysteries of Christ should be offered and the spoon should be wiped after each partaker with a handkerchief impregnated with spirits (with regular refreshing the impregnation) and then dipped in water to be utilized later according to the practice of washing the kerchiefs.

2. To offer “zapivka” only individually, separately to each partaker in a disposable ware.

3. In distributing antidoron, to use disposable hygienic gloves.

4. In offering communion to laity, the kerchiefs should be used only to safeguard the Holy Mysteries from possible falling down and to dry the spoon, but to dry the lips of each partaker separately tissues should be used and then burnt. The kerchiefs should be boiled and washed with due reverence after each liturgical usage.

5. Partakers should refrain from kissing the Cup.

Concerning the administration of the sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation

6. It is necessary to observe strictly the practice of changing and blessing the water for each separate case. In this connection, the sacrament of Baptism should be administered only individually with an interim disinfection (wiping) the font (baptistery) with a disinfectant liquid (a list of recommended liquids is attached).

7. For Anointment and Chrismation, a wadding stick should be used (instead of a brush) and a tissue (instead of a sponge) and then be burnt.
Concerning the administration of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick

8. In administering “a common extreme unction”, that is the Anointing of the Sick, in churches, it is necessary to use a disposable brush for each parishioner separately (such as a wadding stick) and then to burn it.

Other instructions for celebrations, pastoral practice and parish life

9. Instead of offering the cross for kissing after the Divine Liturgy and other services, it is recommended to place the cross on the heads of parishioners.

10. Coming back to the statute practice, which has been subjected to a change in the past years, the anointment at the All-Night Vigil should be administered only in cases when the lity and the blessing ofoil are celebrated. In the cases when the anointment is administered, a disposable brush (such as a wadding stick) should be used for each parishioner separately to be utilized later. In other cases, the Gospel or the festive icon (the Cross) should be kissed after the polyeleos with offering the minister’s benediction and with the wiping of the Gospel and the icon (the Cross) after each kiss with the use of a disinfectant solution.

11. The clergy are recommended to refrain from offering the hand for kissing.

12. To distribute prosphoras as well as blessed bread at the All-Night Vigil, disposable hygienic gloves should be used.

13. More attention should be given to the cleanness of the church plates and liturgical vessels, which should be wiped after each liturgical usage and thoroughly washed by boiling water.

14. The work of Sunday schools and parish clubs should be suspended until a special instruction.

15. Parish special services, monasteries and their town churches, if possible, should help elderly parishioners in the risk group with home delivery of food and essential goods.
General instructions

16. Rectors, abbots and abbesses should prescribe the staff of parishes, monastery town churches and monasteries to observe strictly the general hygienic measures including the disinfection of hands during daytime at least once in every 2 hours.

17. To ensure the frequent ventilation of churches as well as parish and monastery facilities open to public by establishing an obligatory ventilation schedule.

18. To use a disinfectant solution to cleanse on a regular basis door handles and surfaces of church furniture in common use (including the places for writing prayer petitions, candle boxes, etc.).

19. To use a disinfectant solution to cleanse on a regular basis icons kept in churches and kissed by parishioners.

20. Clergy, church workers and staff members of parishes, monasteries and their town churches should treat their own state of health with responsibility and attention. In case of ailing, they should immediately inform the rector (abbot, abbess) about it and seek medical advice.

21. Rectors, abbots and abbesses, before the beginning of a working day, should organize the measurement of the temperature of their clergy, church workers and personnel interacting with a great number of parishioners (for instance, with the help of a contactless thermometer).

22. It is necessary to explain to parishioners that the fulfilment of the prescriptions and restrictions introduced here should be perceived as the observance of the words of Holy Scriptures: “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Mt. 4:7), and to explain to parishioners that in case of a VRI or other infectious diseases, they should refrain from coming to church for the sake of love of the neighbours and concern for them.
Attachment

The following chemicals are recommended for sanitation:

Chemicals made on the basis of tertiary amides, such as Eveline-4d
3 hydrogen peroxide
70 isopropyl alcohol, such as Septolit antiseptic
75 ethyl alcoholChlorinated chemicals for cleaning




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5608615.html
__________________
Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
(c) Alan Alexander Miln
 
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Divine services resumed at Holy Trinity Church in Pyongyang



19 March 2020 - 16:47






On 15th March 2020, Second Sunday of Lent, divine services were resumed at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Pyongyang after a break caused by the anti-epidemic quarantine.

The Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Priest Vladimir Jang. Among those praying in the church were Mr. Alexander Matsegora, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and the Orthodox compatriots. Many of the worshippers took the Holy Communion.

After the service Rev. Vladimir Jang read out a message of Metropolitan Sergy of Singapore and Southeast Asia, Patriarchal Exarch of Southeast Asia, to the hierarchs, clergy, monastics and God-loving flock of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia concerning the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. Metropolitan Sergy called upon all the Orthodox faithful to lift up fervent prayers that the affliction that had befallen humankind may be overcome as soon as possible, and to perform special prayer services for the soonest recovery of the infirm and for the stop of the disease’s spread.

As part of the measures against the conronavirus epidemic, the authorities of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea introduced certain restrictions on mass events in the country, which affected the celebration of divine services and attendance at the Holy Trinity Church. The measures have been effective, and gradually the restrictions are being lifted. However, during the Liturgy all the necessary precautionary and sanitary measures were taken.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5612335.html






Ukrainian Orthodox Church Holy Synod meets at Kiev Laura of the Caves



19 March 2020 - 19:26







On 18 March 2020, the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church met at the Kiev Pechersk Monastery of the Dormition. The session was chaired by His Beatitude Onufriy, Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine.

Metropolitan Onufriy informed the meeting about his trip to Amman, Jordan, to attend the meeting of Primates and representatives of Local Orthodox Churches, which took place on 25 February 2020. The Synod noted the importance of that meeting as a first step towards a settlement of the crisis in the world Orthodoxy. It was stated that as of today the main problem for Orthodoxy lies in the mistaken erroneous ecclesiology held by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which has led to its uncanonical actions in Ukraine. It was also noted that the solution of the Ukrainian church problem is an urgent need for the world Orthodoxy.

The Synod took notice of the information given by the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church about his visit to Montenegro from February 27 to 29, 2020. His Beatitude took part in the celebrations held on the commemoration day of St. Simeon the Myrrh-Flowing and the 800th anniversary of the foundation of today’s Metropolis of Montenegro. He led a divine service and processions with the cross in which over 100 thousand people participated. The Synod thanked His Holiness Patriarch Irenaeus of Serbia and Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral for the invitation and warm welcome, pointing out to the importance of con-celebration, fellowship and mutual support.

The meeting also decided to celebrate this year the 400th anniversary of the rebirth of the Orthodox hierarchy in Ukraine and the 75th anniversary of the Victory and planned various festive events for the occasions.

Of special importance are the decisions of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Holy Synod on the particulars of church life in the situation of the outbreak of Covid-19 coronavirus. In particular, the need was underscored to preserve calm and not yield to panic. The clergy, monastics and laity were called to fervent prayer. The Synod adopted the text of a prayer and petitions to be said at the litany to be lifted up during the Divine Liturgy in the quarantine period.

The Synod stated that today churches are open and divine services are celebrated in them. It was also deemed advisable to pray during the quarantine time with the sprinkling of holy water and tolling of bells. Besides, the Synod stressed the need to be attentive to the decisions and recommendations of the Ukrainian Healthcare Ministry and state bodies concerning anti-epidemic measures and restrictions. In case of a need for additional restrictions, diocesan bishops are instructed to co-ordinate their decisions with the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

The Synod also adopted a Message in View of the Spread of the Covid-19 Coronavirus.

Having considered reports from diocesan bishops, the Synod approved the appointment of abbots and abbesses of several monasteries and convents.

The Synod included in the Assembly of New Martyrs of Berdyansk the saints who carried out their service in the Diocese of Berdyansk and approved the Assembly’s Troparion, Kotakion and Prayer. In addition, the holy martyrs, Fathers Vasiliy Vakhnin, Feodor Roamnovsky and Iosif Chekhranov were ranked as locally venerated saints of the Diocese Kamenka and the troparion, kontakon and prayer to these men of God and their iconic images were approved.

The Synod also made several cadre and other decisions. In particular, three clerics of the diocese of Kiev were elected as vicar bishops of the Metropolis of Kiev – Archimandrite Kirill (Bilan) as Bishop of Byshev, Archimandrite Lavr (Berezovsly) as Bishop of Irpin, Archimandrite Mark (Andryuk) as Bishop of Borodyanka. Archimandrite Afanasiy (German) was elected as Bishop of Kamen-Kashira, vicar of the diocese of Volyn.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5612342.html






His Holiness Patriarch Kirill approves texts of prayerful supplications in view of the spreading coronavirus infection



21 March 2020 - 20:30







His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia approved texts of prayerful supplications in view of the threat of the spreading coronavirus infection.

With the blessing of His Holiness, the prayers will be lifted up during the Divine Liturgy at all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church. Tomorrow, on March 22, Third Sunday of Lent, these supplications will be read out for the first time during the Patriarchal divine service.

Earlier, at its session on March 11, the Holy Synod adopted the Statement Concerning the Spread of Coronavirus Infection.

“In times of epidemics the Russian Orthodox Church always bore its ministry of witness, never refusing spiritual care and full participation in her Sacraments to anybody,” the Statement reads, “We call for restraint, sober-mindedness and prayerful tranquility, and note that a believer should not get into a panic or be gripped by fears caused by the spread of unchecked information about the infection. At the same time, it is inadmissible to take the coronavirus lightly, neglect medical advice and ignore preventive measures, thus putting at risk of infection oneself and those around.”

The Holy Synod called upon the hierarchs, pastors, monastics and laity of the Russian Orthodox Church to lift up “fervent prayer for overcoming the disease and granting strength to the doctors combating it.”

On March 17, the Holy Synod approved the instructions to rectors of parishes and metochions, abbots and abbesses of the monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church in view of the risk of the spreading coronavirus infection.

***

Prayer read during the Spread of Devastating Pestilence

O Lord our God, enter not into judgement with Thy servants, and compass us about with protection from the devastating pestilence stirred up against us. O kind-hearted Lord Who art inclined toward benevolence, have compassion on us, Thy humble and unworthy servants, who fall down before Thee with broken hearts and hope in Thy mercy.

For Thine it is to show mercy and to save us, O our God, and unto Thee do we send up glory: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Petitions offered up at the Augmented Litany of Divine Liturgy, during the Spread of Devastating Pestilence

Again we pray Thee, O Lord our God, that Thou mightest mercifully protect us from the devastating pestilence stirred up against us, and deliver Thy faithful people from spiritual and physical death; grant unto the sick healing and health, and unto all of us Thy divine protection and help; we pray Thee, O kind-hearted Lord, quickly hearken and have mercy.

Again we pray, that Thou mightest pacify the troubles of men and every fearful thing, compass Thy faithful about with firm hope, and instill in our hearts quietude; we pray Thee, O Lord, hearken and have mercy.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5612346.html






Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s clergymen deliver coronavirus tests to medical workers in all regions of Ukraine



5 April 2020 - 11:52







Clergymen of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church delivered high-precision PCR-based tests for diagnosing coronavirus infection in human body (DialPlexQ™ 2019-nCoV) to medical workers in all regions of Ukraine. The test kits had been purchased in South Korea by Mr. Vadym Novynskyi’s International Charitable Foundation in Honour of the Protection of the Holy Virgin, the Foundation reports on its Facebook page.

In the regions of Nikolayev, Kherson, Donetsk, Dnepropetrovsk, Zaporozhye and Kharkov, hierarchs also provided local hospitals with additional personal protective equipment for medical professionals. Earlier, the Foundation had sent thousands of hazmat suits and respirators to these regions.

The Kherson region was the first one to receive the PCR-based test kits. Delivered there were 40 systems for 4000 tests, 1060 goggles and 550 medical face masks.

Earlier, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine, and Mr. Vadym Novynskyi had delivered to the Olexander Clinical Hospital in Kiev and the Children’s Regional Hospital in Chernovtsy ventilators, one to each hospital, reusable protective suits, 100 to each hospital, and goggles, 100 to each facility.

The distribution of the medical and protective equipment purchased by Mr. Novynskyi’s Foundation was organised in the regions by the Ministry of Healthcare of Ukraine and the Headquarters for Combating Coronavirus Epidemic under the Office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Patriarchia.ru reports, citing Orthodox Life website.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5619580.html






Clergy of St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York drive through all the city districts in car procession with the cross



7 April 2020 - 17:16







On 6 April 2020, with a blessing of the acting administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and Canada, Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, the clergy of the St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York drove in a car procession with the cross through all the New York districts carrying an icon of St. Tikhon with a particle of his holy relics. The procession began after All-Night Vigil celebrated on the eve of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God and the 95th anniversary of the demise of the holy confessor St. Nicholas, Patriarch of All Russia.

The clergy and laity of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA were called to pray during the procession and read the acathistos to St. Tikhon – the Heavenly Patron of America, the builder of the St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York.

In every district of the city – Manhattan, Brooklyne, Staten-Island, Brighton, Queens and Bronx, stops were made and prayers were lifted up during the spread of the harmful pandemic and for the healing of the sick.

The clergy also visited the St. John of Kronstadt House of Diligence and a prayer service was said at the Chapel of Our Lady the Inexhaustible Chalice by the leaders and residents of this house.

The procession with the cross concluded at midnight at the St. Nicholas Cathedral with a praise to St. Tikhon, the website of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA reports.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5619584.html






His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia hold telephone conversation



11 April 2020 - 19:02







On 11th April 2020, the Lazarus Saturday, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia had a phone conversation.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church warmly greeted his brother with the Day of his Krsna Slava. The Patriarchs exchanged information about the spread of the coronavirus infection in the countries under the canonical jurisdiction of the Russian and the Serbian Orthodox Churches, as well as about the measures taken by the two Churches with the view of preventing further deterioration of the epidemiological situation. Under the current rather hazardous circumstances, both Churches are aware of their great responsibility for the spiritual, as well as physical health of their peoples, and therefore, are taking similar decisions, including calling upon the faithful to temporarily refrain from attending public divine services and to intensify their home prayers. As for the admission to churches, the two Patriarchates are following recommendations of the sanitary agencies. The Supreme Authorities of the two Churches encourage TV and Internet broadcasting of church services, which allows worshippers to join the Church in her prayer at this time of compulsory lockdown.

The head of the Serbian Patriarchate told about the progress in the interior decoration works at the Cathedral of St. Sava in Belgrade, which had slowed down due to the spread of the epidemic.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and His Holiness Patriarch Irinej agreed to continue consultations in the spirit of fraternal love and mutual support, and wished each other spiritual joy in celebrating the Radiant Resurrection of Christ at this difficult time.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5622412.html






Paschal worship services celebrated at Russian Orthodox Church’s Damascus representation



19 April 2020 - 15:41







In the morning of April 19, 2020, the feast of the Bright Resurrection of Christ, Paschal Matins and festive Divine Liturgy were celebrated at the Damascus representation of the Russian Orthodox Church by Hegumen Arseniy (Sokolov), representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russian to the Patriarch of Great Antioch and All the East. After the Reading of the Gospel, the Paschal Message of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill was read out.

After the liturgy, Father Arseniy greeted the faithful on the bright Resurrection of Christ and blessed paschal festive food.

On the same day, Hegumen Arseniy visited the Russian embassy in Damascus at the invitation of Russian Ambassador A. V. Yefremov and blessed paschal cakes baked by the embassy cooks and extended paschal greetings to the staff of the Russian diplomatic mission.

Due to the quarantine, the paschal worship services are celebrated in Syria behind closed doors.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5625215.html
__________________
Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
(c) Alan Alexander Miln
 
Old July 2nd, 2020 #53
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Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk comments on the situation with the arrest of Bishop Joanikije of Budimlye-Niksic and seven clergymen in Montenegro



14 May 2020 - 15:58







In his comment to RIA Novosti news agency, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, expressed the position of the Russian Orthodox Church concerning the arrest in Montenegro of Bishop Joanikije of Budimlye-Niksic and seven clergymen from the cathedral in the city of Niksic. The archpastor noted:

The Russian Orthodox Church is deeply alarmed by the news of the arrest of Bishop Joanikije of Budimlye-Niksic and seven clergymen from the cathedral in Niksic by the Montenegrin police for up to three days, as well as by the incoming information about degrading treatment of Orthodox clergy. His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Episcopal Council in Montenegro issued an appeal for the soonest release of the detainees. We express our full support for this appeal, as well as for an appeal for constructive dialogue between the authorities of Montenegro and the supreme authority of the Orthodox Church in this country. It is only such dialogue that can help re-establish civil peace and accord in society, undermined by a series of manifestations of unfriendly attitude towards the Serbian Orthodox Church. Suffice it to remind that in the end of last year the Parliament of Montenegro adopted an undoubtedly discriminatory law “On the Freedom of Religion or Beliefs and Legal Status of Religious Communities.” A proper assessment of this document was immediately given by the Russian Orthodox Church in the Patriarchal and Synodal Message Concerning the Situation in Montenegro.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5638736.html






Montenegro authorities prosecute Orthodox Church according to Ukrainian scenario



25 May 2020 - 15:31







The article by Archbishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alania, vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, published by IA REGNUM.



On 18 May 2020, President of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic stated that the formation of an autocephalous Church of Montenegro is opposed by those who stand out at the same time against ‘the independent and sovereign state of Montenegro’. ‘We have resumed the state. The time has come to resume the Church as well. We have proposed a decision that would imply the existence of an Orthodox Church of all the believers. If the Serbian Orthodox Church rejects this decision, it will be a Church for ethnic Serbs in Montenegro. But then we will create a Church for ethnic Montenegrins. We will try to see to it that such a church receives autocephaly and recognition’, he said.

It should be noted that Mr. Djukanovic does not realize that the state power has no right to establish an autocephalous Church on its own. The factors that give grounds for establishing a new autocephaly may be the political independence of a territory on which an autocephalous Church is to be formed, its geographical remoteness, the region’s difference from the principal territory of the kyriachal Church, but these factors in themselves are insufficient for autocephalization. The essential condition for establishing an autocephaly is the striving for it by the church people, clergy and episcopate of the respective church region, comprising at that a considerable majority on all these levels. The decision to grant autocephaly is made by the supreme power of the kyriarchal Church (in case of Montenegro, the Serbian Orthodox Church).

There have been disputes held around the right to autocephaly, which often lead to disorders and even divisions, up to a rapture of canonical communion. In addition to the decision of an Ecumenical Council (which has not been convened for over 1200 years), it is only the will of the kyriachal Church that can be a lawful factor for establishing a new autocephaly. It sometimes happened so that autocephaly was declared by a state power body or a local episcopate who went beyond the control of the conciliar episcopate of the autocephalous Church and its primate. The lawlessness of such actions is evident from the canonical perspective, although in those cases when it was caused by really ripe needs of church life arousing in the wake of an arbitrary action of division, it was successfully healed by the later lawful granting of autocephaly by the Mother Church.

Today, the Montenegro authorities seek to discriminate the rights of the largest group of believers in their country – the faithful of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The parliament of that country adopted a bill ‘On freedom of conscience and religious organizations’ whereby the facilities and lands of religious communities shall be returned to state ownership if they did not belong to these communities before 1 December 1918. It means that the most of religious facilities, which belong to the Serbian Church in Montenegro, have to go to the state. The aim of this law is to weaken the Serbian Orthodox Church in the territory of Montenegro and support the schismatic stricture – ‘The Orthodox Church of Montenegro’. As of today, this religious community is very small but positioning itself as the only ‘church’ of the Montenegrin people.

The current authorities of Montenegro do not conceal that they are active supporters of eurointegration and isolation from Serbia and for this reason they seek to discredit the common historical spiritual and cultural heritage of the Serbian and Montenegrin peoples. That is why they pursue the aim to weaken as much as possible the influence of the Serbian Church in the territory of Montenegro and later on, possibly, to gain the recognition of their ‘pocket’ church structure by the Patriarchate of Constantinople. There is an unfolding information bullying to hurt the Serbian Orthodox Church’s Metropolis of Montenegro and the Littoral the faithful of which are accused of ‘Serbian chauvinism’ and resistance to the independence of the state of Montenegro.

All this very much reminds of the scenario according to which the former Ukrainian president Poroshenko and his team used to support and legitimize the Ukrainian schismatics. With external political support, the former Ukrainian leaders managed to pre-engage the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which recognized the merger of schismatic groups as an ‘Orthodox Church of Ukraine’, thus bringing trouble in the world Orthodoxy. In Ukraine itself there began a real persecution against the faithful of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church through aggressive nationalists, supporters and even ‘clergy’ of the OCU with the indifference and non-interference of local authorities. At the same time, an information campaign unfolded against our Church. The faithful of Ukraine, despite the pressure, threats and direct violence, have remained faithful to canonical Orthodoxy. We see the same faithfulness in Montenegro as well.

The Russian Orthodox Church has given its sister Serbian Church all possible support. In the Patriarch and Synodal message adopted in December 2019, there is a call to the Montenegrin authorities to ‘come to their senses and instead of mythical ‘great-Serbia chauvinists’ to see in the Orthodox faithful their own grandfathers, fathers and mothers, brothers, sisters and children. It is impossible and senseless to declare the canonical Church, which united a majority of the citizens of their country, a conductor of foreign hostile influence’.

In February 2020, during the meeting of Primates and delegations of the Churches of Russia, Serbia, Romania, Poland, Czech Lands and Slovakia, a problem was also raised concerning the situation of the Orthodox faithful in Montenegro. In their communique, the participants in the meeting noted that the authorities of Montenegro should ‘respect and defend the fundamental right to property, including that of the Church’.

On May 12, after the procession with the cross held on the commemoration day of St. Basil of Ostrog, Bishop Joanikije of Budamlja and Niksic and seven priests of the cathedral in Niksic were detained by the Montenegrin police. Thousands of believers from all parts of Montenegro took to streets in protest against the authorities’ behavior, which expressed their hostile attitude to Serbian Orthodoxy. On May 14, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, in his commentaries to RIA Novosti new agency, expressed concern for the destiny of the clergy and called for their immediate release. On the night of May 16, the detainees were released.

It is absolutely clear today that the interference in the life of the Church by secular authorities pursuing their political interests is fraught with unpredictable consequences since it brings divisions and generates discord in society with regard to such a delicate matter as a religious one. We should clearly realize that western political technologies and current politicians have seriously put their hands at the religious theme, making it an instrument for achieving their goals in Eastern Europe and the Balkans.

In the mid-20th century, with the help of the Russian Orthodox Church the longstanding Greek-Bulgarian schism was overcome. I am confident that today’s schisms too, initiated by shortsighted statesmen and morally unscrupulous hierarchs and false-hierarches, with God’s help will sooner or later be cancelled. Today, we all should clearly realize where distinction lies between truth and falsehood and pray for our brother and sisters who suffer from the gross interference of secular authorities and remain faithful to the spirit of church canons and their centuries-old religious and historical tradition.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5641535.html






Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk: Any attempt to change the present status of Hagia Sophia will violate the interreligious balances established in Turkey



9 June 2020 - 11:52







Apprehensions for the preservation of the ancient church of Hagia Sophia built in Constantinople (now Istanbul) in the first half of the 6th century have been raised by the recent events when on 29 May 2020 Muslim leaders read the Quran in it.

On June 6, commenting on the current situation at a request of the host of ‘Tserkov i mir’ [The Church and the World] programme, Ms. Ye. Gracheva, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, reminded the audience that the compound of Hagia Sophia has been a museum since 1934 by the decision of Kemal Ataturk and since 1985 it has been included in the UNESCO world heritage list.

“For millions of people around the world, especially for Orthodox Christians, this church is a symbol of Byzantium and a symbol of Orthodoxy’, the archpastor said, ‘It was built in the 6th century by Emperor Justinian precisely as an Orthodox church of the Eastern Roman Empire. We, Russian people, hold this church dear also because it was precisely in it that Prince Vladimir’s ambassadors felt during the liturgy that they did not know ‘whether they were on earth or in Heaven’ and decided to tell about it to Prince Vladimir. As a result of this mission Prince Vladimir made the historic decision to baptize Rus’.

‘Any attempt to change the present status of Hagia Sophia as a museum will violate the fragile inter-confessional and interreligious balances which have been established by now’, was the DECR chairman’s conviction.

In this connection, His Eminence expressed hope that ‘this church will remain a museum and that access to it will be open to all those who wish to come to it and that such developments will not provoke interreligious tension’.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5650071.html






Head of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs meets with Primate of Serbian Orthodox Church



19 June 2020 - 10:12







On 18 June 2020, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey V. Lavrov met with His Holiness Patriarch Irenaeus of Serbia.
Among the participants in the meeting were Vicar Bishop Stefan of Remesiana, General Secretary (head of the presidential administration) Nikola Selakovic, and personal secretary to the Patriarch Dejan Nakic.

In the beginning of the talk, the head of the Russian foreign affairs department stressed addressing the Primate of the Serbian Church, ‘We always seek to support the clergy of Orthodox Churches in their efforts to make their own contribution to peace in various regions of the world, including the Balkans’.

Among the topics touched upon during the talk were the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and the status of the canonical Church in Montenegro. As is known, in late last October, the Montenegro parliament adopted a law ‘On Freedom of Faith and Beliefs and Legal Status of Religious Communities’ that provoked mass protests as it substantially infringes upon the rights of the faithful of the Serbian Orthodox Church and creates prerequisites for the requisition of historic churches and monasteries from the communities. The Supreme Authority of the Russian Church stated its position on this bill in the Patriarchal and Synodal Message ‘On the Situation in Montenegro’, adopted by the Holy Synod on 30 December 2019.

His Holiness Patriarch Irenaeus made a special mention of the preparations for celebrations to be held on the occasion of the Grand Consecration of the St. Sava Cathedral at Vracar in Belgrade. A great contribution to the adornment of its interior by unique mosaics was made by the Russian state with the participation of the Russian Orthodox Church. During the meeting, it was noted in particular that about 85% of the mosaics was already in place and it is planned to complete this work in two months’ time.

After the meeting, His Holiness Patriarch Irenaeus of Serbia and Sergey V. Lavrov communicated with journalists.

As Mr. Lavrov noted, in the Balkans today, just as in other regions of the world, the situation is uneasy and there is a great deal of risks of its further aggravation. ‘The echoes of these crises resound ever more loudly in the European continent’, he stated, ‘In the course of these conflicts, quite radical attitudes appear, including extremist attacks against Christians, especially Orthodox. The situation is aggravated by quite an aggressive promotion of neoliberal values by our western partners who seek to impose that on all the rest’.

According to Mr. Lavrov, in this situation, every responsible state should stand up for its history, culture, traditions which have been bequeathed by its ancestors. ‘Russia, together with Serbia and quite a number of other like-mined peoples, is pursuing this policy’, he said, ‘In this situation, we are acting in one direction with Orthodox Churches, including the Russian Orthodox Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church, which have traditionally defended not only age-old values of their own, but have always acted as peacemakers’.

The Russian minister mentioned that this position is not liked by all; it is especially rejected by those who seek to establish their own ‘unique’ orders for the whole globe. ‘That is why the Orthodox Churches in all countries in which they are located are subjected to severe attacks’, Mr. Lavrov said, ‘These attacks should be opposed by the power of spirit that has always distinguished Orthodox people’.

He noted that ‘Russia will always defend the interests of Orthodox Churches, come out against attempts at state interference in their internal affairs, act hand by hand with Orthodox Churches and their hierarchs in promoting the ideals of peace-making for appeasing numerous conflicts in our common space’.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5653917.html
__________________
Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
(c) Alan Alexander Miln
 
Old July 2nd, 2020 #54
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Memory of Russian and American saints honoured at Moscow representation of Orthodox Church in America



21 June 2020 - 15:31







On 21 June 2020, the Day of All Saints Who Shone Forth in the Russian Land and the Community of American Saints, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the Great Martyr Catherine Church-in-the-Fields, the Moscow representation of the Orthodox Church in America.

As the year 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in America, the OCA Moscow representation, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada, celebrated with special solemnity the memory of ascetics who contributed to the assertion of Orthodoxy in the American continent.

After the Sunday Divine Liturgy, a prayer was said at the church’s icons of Russian and American saints.

Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk, representative of Metropolitan Tikhon to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, noted that it was through the efforts of Russian ascetic devotees that Orthodoxy began its historical journey in America and now many of them are glorified as both Russian and American saints.


***


The first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the territory of America (N 58°14′, W 141°) on 20 July 1741, the commemoration day of St. Elijah, on board the Peter ship under the command of Vitus Bering. It was celebrated by Hieromonk Hilarion (Trusov) and Father Ignatiy Kozyrevskiy.

A few decades later, Russian merchant Grigoriy Shelikhov visited the Valamo monastery and proposed that its abbot send missionaries to Russian America. On 24 September 1794, having covered 7 327 miles for 293 days (the longest missionary journey in the history of Orthodoxy) a group of Valamo monks reached Kodiak Island in Alaska. The mission led by Archimandrite Joasaph included Hieromonks Juvenaly, Makary and Afanasy, Hierodeacons Nektary and Stephan, and monks Herman and Joasaph.

Protomartyr Juvenaly was killed by aborigines off Iliaman Lake in 1799 and became the first Orthodox Christian who shed his blood for Christ in the New World. In 1816, Saint Peter the Aleut was put to death by Spanish missionaries in California for his refusal to embrace Catholicism. Saint Herman of Alaska, the last surviving member of the mission, passed away in the Lord in 1837.

In the 19th century the Orthodox Mission among aboriginal peoples in Alaska continued. The most prominent workers in the Vineyard of Christ were Saint Innocent (Veniaminov) and Righteous Jacob Netsvetov who translated Holy Scriptures and liturgical books into languages of the people of Alaska. Father Jacob Netsvetov died in 1864 in Sitka having devoted all his life to the service of the Church. Father John Veniaminov, after becoming a widower, took monastic vows with the name of Innocent, was consecrated as bishop and passed way in 1879 in the rank of Metropolitan of Moscow and Kolomna.

In the end of the 19th century, an event took place that played a tremendous role in the history of Orthodoxy in North America. On 25 March 1891, in Minneapolis, Bishop Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov) of Aleutian Islands and Alaska accepted Righteous Alexis Tovt and his 361 parishioners into the Orthodox Church. It was a beginning of the return of many Greek Catholics to Orthodoxy.

Saint Tikhon (Belavin) came to America in September 1898 in the rank of Bishop of Aleutian Islands and Alaska. Being the only Orthodox bishop in North America, he travelled a lot through the continent taking spiritual care of the flock scattered on the vast territory. Aware that the Church in America cannot remain for good a part of the Russian Church, the saint focused his efforts on organizing the diocesan and parochial structure which could help strengthen and spread Orthodoxy. Saint Tikhon came back to Russia in 1907 and 10 years later was elected as Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

Saint Raphael of Brooklyn was the first Orthodox bishop to be consecrated in North America. He was consecrated by Bishop Tikhon and Bishop Innocent (Pustynsky) at the St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York on 13 March 1904. As the bishop of Brooklyn, Saint Raphael remained a faithful assistant to Saint Tikhon and his successors at the see of North America. He passed away on 27 February 1915.

In the 20th century, after the October Revolution, thousands of Orthodox people in Russia suffered martyrdom for refusal to reject Christ. Among them were Holy Martyrs Ioann Kochurov and Alexander Khtovitsky, who had served in North America before their return to Russia. Saint John became the first priest to martyr in Russia; it happened on 31 October 1917 at Tsarskoe Selo; Holy Martyr Alexander Khotovitsky, who had served in America till 1914, was executed by shooting in 1937.

Among especially loved devotees of the Russian Diaspora of the last century is Saint John (Maksimovich), Archbishop of West America and San Francisco, who died in 1966.





The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5653911.html






Parishioners of the Russian Orthodox Church representation in Beirut attend festive Divine Liturgy in the city of Zahle



23 June 2020 - 10:48







On 21 June 2020, the Day of All the Saints Who Shone Forth in the Russian Land, the community of the Beirut representation of the Russian Orthodox Church, led by their rector, Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev), made a pilgrimage to the city of Zahle at the invitation of Metropolitan Anthony of Zahle and Baalbek. On that day, there were celebrations there on the occasion of Metropolitan Anthony’s 50th birthday.

During the Sunday Liturgy at the St. Nicholas cathedral in Zahle, His Eminence Anthony was assisted by the rector of the Beirut representation of the Russian Orthodox Church Archimandrite Philip (Vasiltsev) and the diocesan clergy.

The service was held in Arabic and Church Slavonic; the diocesan choir and the choir of the ROC Beirut representation conducted by Ms. Ye. Baranova sang.

Following the Prayer after Communion, Metropolitan Anthony addressed himself to the parishioners and members of the Russian Orthodox Church community with an archpastoral homily.

Then Archimandrite Philip read out a congratulatory message from the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk to Metropolitan Anthony on the occasion of his 50th birthday. The message reads:

‘Your Eminence, Dear Vladyka!

Kindly accept my cordial congratulations on your 50th birthday.

From your youth you have fully devoted your life to the service of the Church. After receiving an excellent theological education, you have chosen the narrow monastic path of withdrawal from the world and subjection to the will of God. With great diligence you served as abbot of the Bkeftin Monastery of the Dormition gaining a considerable spiritual and pastoral experience.

Our Lord the Chief Pastor Jesus Christ, looking on your work and humble heart, has called you to the lofty archpastoral ministry. In the person of Your Eminence the faithful of the Metropolis of Zahle have acquired an authoritative spiritual father and wise pastor. During my visit last autumn to your cathedral city at the invitation of its outstanding native the Most Reverend Metropolitan Niphon, I could personally see that you are a model for your flock in speech, in love, in spirit, in faith and in purity (cf. 1 Tim. 4:12).

With zeal and care you are carrying out the educational work among Lebanese youth calling young hearts to active participation in church life.

On the occasion of your significant celebration, dear Vladyka, kindly accept from me the wishes of peace, beneficial strengthening of your physical and mental resources, inspiration and God’s help in your archpastoral work’.

Archimandrite Philip also conveyed to Metropolitan Anthony a congratulatory message from Russian Ambassador in Lebanon A. S. Zasypkin and presented him with a bouquet of roses.

After the liturgy, the fellowship continued at the parish hall of the Metropolis of Zahle.

On the same day, the pilgrims returned to Beirut.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5653907.html






Patriarchal Exarch for Western Europe meets with Catholic Bishop of Monaco



25 June 2020 - 20:11







On June 25, 2020, the head of the Moscow Patriarchate office for the institutions abroad and Patriarchal Exarch for Western Europe Metropolitan Anthony of Chersonesus and Western Europe made a brief working visit to the Principality of Monaco where he met with the head of the local diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, Archbishop Dominique-Marie David.

Participating in their talk, which took place at the Archbishop’s Palace, were Archpriest Vadim Zakrevsky, rector of the Parish of the Royal Passion-Bearers in Monaco, and lay members of the parish council.

Metropolitan Anthony conveyed to Archbishop David best regards from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and extended warm congratulations on his enthronement to the see of Monegasque hierarchs, which took place a few months earlier.

The Patriarchal Exarch also spoke about the history and today’s situation of the Russian parish in Monaco established with a blessing of His Holiness over two years ago.

In his turn, Archbishop David greeted the guests and expressed joy over the presence of a Russian Orthodox community in Monaco.

Then they discussed various matters of mutual concern and exchanged tokens of the meeting.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5656841.html






Archimandrite Symeon (Cossec) consecrated as Bishop of Domodedovo, vicar of the Archdiocese of Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition



27 June 2020 - 19:18







On June 27, 2020, Metropolitan John of Dubna, head of the Archdiocese of Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Paris. Concelebrating with him were Metropolitan Antony of Chersonesus and Western Europe, Patriarchal Exarch for Western Europe, Archbishop Nestor of Madrid and Lisbon, and Bishop Mark of Neamţ, Assistant Bishop to the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western Europe.

During the divine service Metropolitan John officiated at the consecration of Archimandrite Symeon (Cossec), father superior of the Monastery of St. Silouan in Saint-Mars-de-Locquenay, France, as Bishop of Domodedovo, vicar of the Archdiocese of Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition.

Among concelebrants of the Liturgy were also Archimandrite Elisée (Germain), elected and nominated as Bishop of Reutov; Protopresbyter Anatole Rakovitch; Protopresbyter Jean Gueit, Archpriest Eugene Chapyuk, Priest Maxim Politov, and clergy of the Archdiocese.

The decision concerning the election of two vicar bishops for the Archdiocese was taken at its general assembly on January 24, 2020, and approved by the resolution of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of March 11, 2020 (Minutes No. 12). The rite of nomination took place in the evening of June 26.

As the website of the diocese of Chersonesus reports, after the service Metropolitan John expressed his best wishes to Bishop Symeon of Domodedovo in his lofty ministry. The newly elected hierarch gave his first archpastoral blessing to the faithful and received congratulations.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5656901.html






Metropolitan John of Dubna officiates at consecration of Archimandrite Elisée (Germain) as Bishop of Reutov, vicar of the Archdiocese of Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition



28 June 2020 - 18:49







On June 28, 2020, 3rd Sunday after Pentecost, Metropolitan John of Dubna, head of the Archdiocese of Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Rue Daru in Paris. Concelebrating with Metropolitan John were Metropolitan Antony of Chersonesus and Western Europe, Archbishop Nestor of Madrid and Lisbon, and Bishop Symeon of Domodedovo, vicar of the Archdiocese of Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition.

During the Liturgy Archimandrite Elisée (Germain), rector of the French-speaking community of the Holy Trinity at the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky, was consecrated Bishop of Reutov, vicar of the Archdiocese of Western European Parishes of Russian Tradition.

The decision concerning the election of two vicar hierarchs for the Archdiocese was taken at its general assembly on January 24, 2020, and approved by the resolution of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of March 11, 2020 (Minutes No. 12). The rite of nomination of Archimandrite Symeon (Cossec) as Bishop of Domodedovo and Archimandrite Elisée (Germain) as Bishop of Reutov took place in the evening of June 26. The episcopal consecration of Archimandrite Symeon was performed on Saturday, June 27.

Among those concelebrating the Sunday Liturgy were also Protopresbyter Anatole Rakovitch, Protopresbyter Jean Gueit, Archpriest Eugene Chapyuk, Archpriest Nicolas Crnokrak, Priest Maxim Politov, and clergy of the Archdiocese.

After the Liturgy Metropolitan John of Dubna expressed his best wishes to Bishop Elisée of Reutov in his lofty episcopal ministry. Vladyka Elisée gave his first archpastoral blessing to numerous parishioners, website of the diocese of Chersonesus reports.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5656907.html
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Old July 2nd, 2020 #55
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On June 14, 2020, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill honored the great consecration of the Patriarchal Cathedral in honor of the Resurrection of Christ - the main church of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, located in the Patriot Military and Patriotic Park of Culture and Rest in Kubinka, Moscow Region, and the Divine Liturgy in the newly dedicated church.































































































































__________________
Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
(c) Alan Alexander Miln
 
Old July 2nd, 2020 #56
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The main church of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation - Part II












































































































































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Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
(c) Alan Alexander Miln
 
Old July 3rd, 2020 #57
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Celebration of Ss Peter and Paul feast day in Damascus



30 June 2020 - 12:49







On 29 June 2020, the feast of Ss Peter and Paul, founders and patrons of the Church of Antioch, was celebrated at the Mariamite Patriarchal Cathedral in Damascus.

His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East officiated at Matins and the Divine Liturgy in concelebration with an assembly of bishops and priests, including Hegumen Arseny (Sokolov) representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia to the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East.

After dismissal His Beatitude congratulated bishops, clerics and laypersons with the feast, exceptionally important to the Orthodox Church of Antioch.

The Primate addressed the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church and thanked him for participation in the celebration, saying in particular: “Your participation today is a visible sign of unity between the Orthodox Church of Antioch and the Russian Orthodox Church.’ His Beatitude asked Fr. Arseny to convey his sincere gratitude to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia for the decades-long constant aid rendered to the Orthodox Church of Antioch which finds itself in the dire humanitarian and economic situation because of the war in Syria.

After the Liturgy, an assembly of clerics and monks of the diocese of Damascus was held at the reception hall of the Patriarchate of Antioch under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Patriarch John X. Hegumen Arseny attended as a guest of honour. An event meal followed.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5657954.html






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Patriarchal service on the feast of the Holy Trinity in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery (June 7, 2020)
























__________________
Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
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Old July 4th, 2020 #58
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Patriarchal service on the feast of the Resurrection of Christ in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow (On the night of April 18-19, 2020)






























































































































































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Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
(c) Alan Alexander Miln
 
Old July 8th, 2020 #59
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Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk: Transformation of Hagia Sophia into mosque in situation of today would be inadmissible violation of freedom of faith



6 July 2020 - 10:07







On June 4, 2020, in the Tserkov i Mir talk-show broadcast by Russia-24 TV channel, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, answered questions from presenter Ekaterina Gracheva.



E. Gracheva:

Good day, Ekaterina Gracheva is with you. It is the Church and the World program. We are talking with Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. Good day, Your Eminence.



Metropolitan Hilarion:

Good day, Ekaterina. Good day, dear brothers and sisters.



E. Gracheva:

The vote on amending the Constitution has been completed this week: 78% those polled have spoken for introducing amendments to the Constitution. It might be said that it is even more than what had been forecast by opinion polls. I know that you voted too. Generally, how active the clergy were in this voting and does the ROC have data on the clergy’s turnout?



Metropolitan Hilarion:

We have not collected specially the data on the turnout of the clergy but we do know that most of the hierarchs and clergy took part in the voting. Certainly, the strong showing reached is due, first of all, to the fact that people had scrutinized these amendments; they were published in good time; they were manifold, and I think many of the voters paid attention to some particular amendments.

For instance, believers give a very special importance to the fact that the Constitution now mentions the faith in God, and this Constitution item unites all the traditional confessions of the Russian Federation. You are aware that when the formation of these constitutional amendments was yet in process, the Interreligious Council in Russia assembled under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, which included representatives of Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism, as well as the Inter-Christian Consultative Committee, which includes representatives of Christian confessions in our country. It was a joint meeting at which the two organizations agreed to request the inclusion of this amendment to the Constitution. The meeting also discussed and unanimously resolved that it was necessary to include in the Constitution an article about marriage as union between man and woman.

Even if there were only these two amendments, the faithful of the country would still vote for them, and they constitute a vast majority of our population. There were also many other amendments including those which guarantee the indexation of pensions, and these are very important amendments of course, which is why they have received such a broad support.



E. Gracheva:

President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is going on July 15 to say namas in Hagia Sophia, the first to be performed in nearly 100 years. This week, there has been a voting that should have repealed the decision of the cabinet of ministers made in 1934 to recognize this monument of history and architecture as a museum. In other words, if it is a yes vote, it is now a mosque and namaz can really be held in it. As was stated during the voting, the decision will be announced within two weeks. Do you have any information, may be from your own sources, about what this decision most likely be and is it necessary to wait for some joint response to it from the Orthodox Churches of the world?



Metropolitan Hilarion:

Judging from the propaganda carried on in Turkey, the point was to decide to transform Hagia Sophia into a mosque. If such a decision is finally made, it will cause a great grief among Orthodox Christians throughout the world because Hagia Sophia is a common Christian shrine.

Certainly, we cannot revise what happened in the past when Constantinople fell under an onslaught of Turkish troops and became Istanbul and Hagia Sophia was transformed into a mosque. It is a fact of the past. However, it should not be forgotten that for almost one thousand years before it was precisely a Christian, Orthodox church. It was built as such by Emperor Justinian; it was the main church of the whole Byzantine Empire. It was in it that the envoys of Prince Vladinir were present at the worship service and when they came back home they said, ‘We did not know where we were – on earth or in the Heaven, for there is no such beauty anywhere’. After this church was transformed into a mosque, from the Christian point of view it was desecrated: in particular, the mosaics with sacred images were battered. And the mosaics, which are there in the church today, have miraculously survived because they were covered with plaster and uncovered only in the modern time.

What will be the fate of these mosaics? How will this edifice function if it is turned once again into a mosque? And why do Turkish leaders disrespect the feelings of millions of Christians, millions of Orthodox believers? We cannot but ask all these questions now. It seems to me that the decision made by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1934 was a decision aimed to reconcile all so that the building could function precisely as a museum open to everyone. This is why it will be a great regret and grief for us if such decision will be finally made and the church will be transformed into a mosque.



E. Gracheva:

But it is clear: obviously, it is a certain ‘slap in the face’ to the successors of Byzantium by the Turkish secular authorities. What will be the reaction of the Russian Orthodox Church? Has the ROC prepared a response?



Metropolitan Hilarion:

We have already stated our position and we will not disavow it: one cannot return to the Middle Ages now. We are living in a multi-polar, multi-confessional world and it is proper to respect the feelings of believers. It is clear that Turkey at present is a country with the prevailing Muslim population, but I know Istanbul very well and there is no lack of mosques. Right next to Hagia Sophia stands the acting Blue Mosque and one can come to it.

We do not understand why Hagia Sophia needs to be transformed into a mosque precisely now. That is to say, it is clear that it is provoked by the internal political situation in Turkey, that the Turkish president, in this case, takes the side of those who call to transform a church into a mosque. But we believe that this act represents today an inadmissible violation of freedom of faith, and this certainly is not an internal affair of Turkey alone, as many Turkish officials maintain now. It is a monument of common Christian significance, global significance; it is a world monument of culture, and we are profoundly grieved by what is now happening around this Christian church.



E. Gracheva:

And in Montenegro, the developments around the Serbian Orthodox Church, are they an internal affair, because thousands-strong rallies have continued there? We have talked about it on several occasions and even appealed from our program to Jukanovic personally. Why do Montenegrin authorities fail to react to the developments around the canonical Church?



Metropolitan Hilarion:

The Montenegrin authorities have decided to create their own ‘pocket’ church, which would be located within the boundaries of the Montenegrin state and would reinforce the independence of Montenegro by its existence. Exactly the same concept was presented by former Ukrainian president Poroshenko, who for some reason believed that an independent state should have an independent church. However, for instance, there is the Roman Catholic Church whose head lives in the Vatican while this Church has its dioceses and structures all over the world. And for some reason nobody says that this Church should be separated from Rome. Even in China, a compromise has been now reached between the Vatican and the Chinese authorities that the election of bishops will be approved in Rome, and nobody says that it is interference in one’s internal affairs.

In Montenegro, the posing the problem in itself is false, mistaken and dangerous. It has already made the Montenegrin society explode, and the processions with the cross, which were held throughout the spring and are held now in summer despite the quarantine measures, show that the Montenegrin society is discontent with this decision. From the very beginning, this decision was discriminatory because a law was adopted for the actual nationalization of the church property, with an opportunity for the state to hand this church property over to any structure including the uncanonical church of Montenegro, which is extremely small, has no authority whatsoever, but can apparently be used by the Montenegrin authorities to create a national church.

The attempts to arrange dialogue between the Serbian Orthodox Church in Montenegro and the Montenegrin authorities has been unsuccessful so far. The Montenegrin authorities do not want to hear the reasoning of the faithful, and this explosive situation does not benefit either the Montenegrin state or the people of Montenegro. Therefore, we very much hope that the president of Montenegro will reject this pernicious tactics and will not repeat the mistake made by former Ukrainian president Poroshenko and will give to the canonical Montenegrin Orthodox Church, which is part of the Serbian Orthodox Church, an opportunity for a normal activity and development.



E. Gracheva:

Now that we have begun speaking about Ukrainian schismatics: the non-recognized Ukrainian church and its self-proclaimed Patriarch Philaret now demand that Constantinople give them a new tomos. Last year, we devoted many of our programs to the developments in Ukraine and that very tomos on which the life of this new structure would have depended. But now it turns out that, generally speaking, nothing depends of this tomos. As Philaret himself has admitted, the tomos received last year actually ‘does not make the Ukrainian church independent but rather subjects it to Constantinople’. First, is there a chance for them to receive a certain new tomos? And generally speaking, do not the developments invalidate this very tomos in itself? If they receive a second, a third one, will the life of this church change?



Metropolitan Hilarion:

All this speaks of the fact that the Ukrainian schismatics have decisively entangle themselves in an adventure they met with through the help of the-then Ukrainian president Poroshenko, who managed to secure a tomos from Patriarch Bartholomew. But this tomos does create a certain inferior half-autocephalous church, with building it on the basis of schismatics who have no canonical ordination. Accordingly, all that is happening in this community now is a natural consequence of what has happened. Uncanonical schismatic communities everywhere have this tendency for splitting. First there may be one group, later there will be two of them, still later three, etc.

For over a quarter of century Philaret struggled for the so-called autocephalous church, and when it came to the granting of tomos, he was simply pushed aside. Allegedly, something was promised to him orally but was not fulfilled later. This structure has come to be headed by another man; Philaret was hurt and declared his former structure as existing, that is, there is now a schism in a schism.

But from history we know of many situations when schisms were created and later began dividing. Once there was in Greece an old-calendar schism and now there are already eight or nine groups of schismatics. So, there is nothing surprising in it.

I think, for the Patriarchate of Constantinople this story is now closed, but for the Orthodox Church in the world it is not, because under the pressure of Constantinople this schismatic structure has been recognized by some hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and the Greek Orthodox Church, while other Orthodox Church do not recognize this structure. That is to say, the schism, which has appeared in Ukraine for purely political reasons and because of Patriarch Bartholomew’s actions, is now growing into a common Orthodox schism and we all will have to deal with this problem until it is resolved.



E. Gracheva:

Thank you very much, Your Eminence, for answering our questions.



Metropolitan Hilarion:

Тhank you, Ekaterina.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5659524.html






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Patriarchal service on the feast of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior (April 12, 2020)



































































































__________________
Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
(c) Alan Alexander Miln
 
Old July 9th, 2020 #60
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Statement of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia



6 July 2020 - 10:45







The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church expressed his deep concern over the calls voiced by a number of the Turkish politicians for the change in the current status of Hagia Sophia, one of the greatest masterpieces of Christian culture.



I am deeply concerned over the calls of certain Turkish politicians to reconsider the museum status of Hagia Sophia, one of the greatest monuments of Christian culture.

Built in the 6th century in honour of Christ the Saviour, this church is of great importance to the whole Orthodoxy. And it is especially dear to the Russian Church. Prince Vladimir’s envoys stepped across the threshold of this church and were captivated by its heavenly beauty. Having heard their story, St. Vladimir received baptism and baptised Rus’, which followed him into a new spiritual and historical dimension – Christian civilisation.

Many generations conveyed to us admiration for achievements of this civilisation, with us now being its part. And Hagia Sophia has always been one of its devoutly venerated symbols. The image of this church has become deeply ingrained in our culture and history, having given strength and inspiration to our architects of the past in Kiev, Novgorod, Polotsk – in all the major centres of the spiritual formation of Early Rus’..

There were different, sometimes rather difficult periods in the history of relations between Rus’ and Constantinople.. Yet, with bitterness and indignation the Russian people responded in the past and respond now to any attempt to degrade or trample upon the millennium-old spiritual heritage of the Church of Constantinople. A threat to Hagia Sophia is a threat to the entire Christian civilisation and, therefore, to our spirituality and history. To this day Hagia Sophia remains a great Christian shrine for every Russian Orthodox believer.

It is a duty of every civilised state to maintain balance: to reconcile the society, and not aggravate discords in it; to help unite people, and not divide them.

Today the relationships between Turkey and Russia are developing dynamically. At the same time, one should take into account that Russia is a country with the majority of population professing Orthodoxy, and so, what may happen to Hagia Sophia will inflict great pain on the Russian people.

I hope for the prudence of Turkey’s state leadership. Preservation of the current neutral status of Hagia Sophia, one of the greatest masterpieces of Christian culture and a church–symbol for millions of Christians all over the world, will facilitate further development of the relations between the peoples of Russia and Turkey and help strengthen interfaith peace and accord.

+KIRILL, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5659218.html






Interparliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy issues statement in view of the discussion of a possible change in the status of Hagia Sophia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site



6 July 2020 - 20:11







The document published on 1st July 2020, expresses, in particular, concern that “any change in the museum’s status serves no prospect of cooperation; in fact, it moves exactly to the opposite direction of the citizens’ problems around the world, and will nullify every effort of inter-religious contribution towards their resolution and obviously will traumatize inter-confessional peace.”

The Interparliamentary Assembly of Orthodoxy (I.A.O.) realizes that the sudden and unprovoked debate over the change of the operation status of the historical World Heritage Monument Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey, causes feelings of wonder and resentment to all humans of good will, every believer, who through their activities and prayer try to safeguard and strengthen the understanding among the great world religions.

At present, believers all over the world are struggling to emerge from this tough and destructive fight with COVID-19, to redesign the future, to substantiate our partnerships and redefine the relational context in which we live and make decisions, strengthening all our social institutions, based on the principles of mutual understanding and mutual support.

It is no coincidence that UNESCO recognized the Monument, located in the center of Istanbul, as part of the World Heritage. Emperor Justinian built it about one thousand five hundred years ago, in 537, and following the decision of the founder of the modern Turkish State, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, in 1935, it was turned into a museum and a place of attraction for all visitors to Istanbul.

Any change in the museum’s status serves no prospect of cooperation; in fact, it moves exactly to the opposite direction of the citizens’ problems around the world, and will nullify every effort of inter-religious contribution towards their resolution and obviously will traumatize inter-confessional peace.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5660573.html






His Holiness Patriarch of Serbia visits Russian Orthodox Church metochion in Belgrade



7 July 2020 - 09:35







On 5 July 2020, His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia officiated at the Divine liturgy at the Church of the Holy Trinity, a metochion of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belgrade and congratulated parishioners on the upcoming feast of Ss Peter and Fevronia of Murom celebrated on July 8. In Russia, the commemoration day of these saints, patrons of Christian marriage, is also known as the Day of Family, Love and Faithfulness.

Concelebrating with His Holiness were Archpriest Vitaly Tarasjev, rector of the metochion, Archpriest Miladin Bogdanović from the diocese of Šabac of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and Protodeacon Stevan Rapajić, secretary of the church court of the Archdiocese of Belgrade and Karlovci.

Attending the service were also Ms. Mileta Radojević, director of the Serbian administration for cooperation with churches and religious communities, and Prince Philip Karađorđdević with his wife.

On behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia Archpriest Tarasjev thanked His Holiness Patriarch Irinej for officiating at the Divine liturgy

and wished him peace, good health and God’s aid in his primatial ministry.

Fr Tarasjev spoke about the commemoration day of Ss Peter and Fevronia, explaining that it has been celebrated as the Day of Family, Love and Faithfulness by the Church and the state in Russia since 2008.

The Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church thanked the rector of the metochion for his words and also underscored that marriage is a sacred union through which God’s grace comes to human beings. His Holiness added that history of both Russian and Serbian people has known many sacred marriages and noted that now nowadays family is being attacked as no other human or social institution.

His Holiness Patriarch Irinej underscored the importance of keeping family as a home church and as a blessed by God union of man and wife at present when spiritual, moral and cultural values are being undermined.

The service was followed by a festive reception.




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5660577.html






State Duma issues an appeal concerning a possible decision of Turkey’s authorities to change museum status of Hagia Sophia



8 July 2020 - 10:33







On 7th July 2020, the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation issued an appeal to the deputies of the Grand National Assembly (Parliament) of Turkey with regard to a possible decision of the country’s authorities to change the museum status of Hagia Sophia. The day before, on 6th July, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia made a statement on the situation concerning Hagia Sophia.

As the Duma’s appeal states, the Russian citizens take this issue to heart. “The museum status, which the church complex received in 1935 by the decision of the first President of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, enabled to ensure access to the church for as many people as possible, to show personal respect for the spiritual heritage and cultural traditions of our ancestors,” the Russian deputies emphasised.

Built in the 6th century, Hagia Sophia is a great Christian shrine, an outstanding monument of Byzantine architecture, a world masterpiece, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the most visited sights of Istanbul by Russian tourists.

Deputies of the State Duma noted with deep appreciation friendly nature of Russia-Turkey relations, which are of particular importance to the peoples of the two countries “at this difficult time of escalating geopolitical and other conflicts aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” and expressed their conviction that “all possible steps should be taken to prevent the damage that could be caused by a hasty change in the status of the world famous museum.”

They also “urged their colleagues from the Grand National Assembly of Turkey to comprehensively review the situation and when taking a decision on the status of Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, to demonstrate wisdom and not revise the decision of the founder of the Republic of Turkey Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who transferred the cathedral into a museum in 1935, and that had made Hagia Sophia a symbol of peace and interreligious harmony for many years.”




The source of information - http://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/5660581.html






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Patriarchal service on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord in the Alexander Nevsky Monastery (May 28, 2020)

























Patriarchal service on Easter Day in Alexander Nevsky Monastery (May 27, 2020)


















__________________
Where should they dig the Very Deep Pit?
Piglet said that the best place would be somewhere where a Heffalump was, just before he fell into it, only about a foot farther on.
(c) Alan Alexander Miln
 
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