Encyclical of Metropolitan Gerasimos for Great Lent 2012
By Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco “Let us keep the Fast not only by refraining from food, but by becoming strangers to all the bodily passions; that we who are enslaved to the tyranny of theflesh may become worthy to partake of the Lamb, the Son of God, slain of His own will for the sake of the world, and spiritually may celebrate the feast of the Savior’s Resurrection from the dead. So shall we be raised high in the glory of the [Read more...]
65 Orthodox Bishops Call On Obama To ‘Recind’ The ‘Unjust’ Contraception Mandate
by Ben Johnson The 65 canonical bishops of the Orthodox Church have asked President Barack Obama and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to repeal the mandate that religious institutions provide birth control, sterilization, and Plan B abortion drugs in their health care coverage. The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America – which represents 12 Orthodox jurisdictions and three million Orthodox Christians in the United States – issued a press release last Thursday calling the HHS ruling a [Read more...]
Appeal for the Welfare of the People of Greece
Feb. 15, 2012 – NEW YORK – His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios, has issued an appeal to help the suffering people of Greece. The National Philoptochos (“Friend of the Poor”) Society has also issued an appeal. The letter of His Eminence is below, followed by the Philoptochos appeal. Please read them, and make an online donation today. Please be as generous as you can, now. To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and members of [Read more...]
Orthodox Bishops Speak Out Against HHS Mandate
Record of Protest Against the Infringement of Religious Liberty by the Department of Health and Human Services The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, which is comprised of the 65 canonical Orthodox bishops in the United States, Canada and Mexico, join their voices with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and all those who adamantly protest the recent decision by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and call upon all the Orthodox Christian faithful to [Read more...]
Obama’s Assault On Religious Liberty
by Chris Banescu A national leader in the application of Christian Biblical principles to business and entrepreneurship, Chris is an attorney, entrepreneurial businessman, and university professor whose business ethics and management articles, podcasts and personal blog can be found on ChrisBanescu.com. He is a regular contributor to OrthodoxyToday.org, manages the conservative Christian site OrthodoxNet.com and the OrthodoxNet Blog. He regularly writes articles and commentaries, and has given talks and conducted seminars on a variety of business, ethics, management, and religious topics. He has [Read more...]
Religious Freedom Under Attack
by Fr. Peter Preble An Orthodox Priest in the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in the Americas, Fr. Peter is pastor of St. Michael Orthodox Christian Church in Southbridge, Massachusetts and host of the Podcast Shepherd of Souls. Fr. Peter is a Stavrofor Monk and Founder of the St. Columba of Iona Orthodox Monastery. He is also is also the Chaplain for the Dudley Fire Department and Deputy Chief Chaplain of the Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains. Fr. Peter also serves as the Orthodox Chaplain [Read more...]
Pope Benedict, President Obama & Religious Freedom
by Terry Mattingly The Orthodox Christian who directs the Washington Journalism Center at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, Terry Mattingly’s writings are syndicated by the Scripps-Howard News Service. Pope Benedict XVI cut to the chase when meeting with the visiting bishops from Washington, D.C., Baltimore and the U.S. armed services. The pope mentioned “religious freedom” in the third sentence of his Jan. 19 remarks at the Vatican and he never let up — returning to this hot topic again and again. [Read more...]
Anti-fascist Alexander Schmorell To Be Glorified By German Orthodox Church
DIOCESE OF BERLIN AND GERMANY: January 23, 2012 In 2007, the Diocese of Berlin and Germany of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia decided to canonize Alexander Schmorell, a member of the anti-fascist student organization “White Rose,” who was executed on July 13, 1943, in Stadelheim Prison in Munich for anti-fascist activities and confessing the Orthodox Christian faith. The act of canonization will be formalized on February 4-5 in Munich, according to the official website of the Orenburg Diocese of the Russian [Read more...]
Orthodox Christian Tradition, Social Justice and the Sanctity of Life
His Eminence Bishop Demetrios of Mokissos was invited by the Orthodox Christian Clergy Association of Greater Chicago to give the keynote address at the 2012 Pan-Orthodox Vespers Service on January 22, 2012. In a deeply felt address, His Grace advocated for the sanctity of all life, even in those of whom we believe we can discern nothing good whatsoever. He reminded those present that Christ demands this of those who wish to bear his name – who call themselves Christians – and that [Read more...]
Orthodox Priest Martyred In Syria
From the Mystagogy blog of John Sanidopoulos. Another Orthodox martyr – this one a young priest in Syria. On January 25, 2012 Greek Orthodox Hieromonk Basilios Nassar was shot by an armed terrorist group in Hama, Syria on the second day of heavy fighting there. Fr. Basilios was at the Metropolis when he was informed by a phone call that a parishioner of his was shot and needed assistance. The Patriarchate of Antioch has reported that the 30-year-old priest was shot while giving [Read more...]
