kathweb (Österreich):

17.06.2011 23:17   Source: Седмица. Ru

Während der NATO-Luftangriffe wurde in Tripolis, der Hauptstadt Libyens,  die orthodoxe Kirche des Hl. GrossMartyrers GEORG geschaendet und gepluendert

In der Nacht vom Donnerstag auf Freitag, am 17. Juni 2011, haben unbekannte Uebeltaeter die orthodoxe Kirche des Hl. GrossMartyrers GEORG des Orthodoxen Patriarchats von Alexandria aufgebrochen, geschaendet und gepluendert. informierten Аmen und Romfea.

Nachdem die Verbrecher die Tueren des Hauptportals aufgebrochen hatten, schaendeten die die Reliquiare und pluenderten die Hl.Reliquien. Weiters geraubt wurden das Altar-Evangelium, die eucharistischen Gefaesse und die silbernen Lampaden vor den Ikonen, ebenso wie die Opferstoecke.

Die Polizei hat bisher noch keine Schuldigen gefunden.

"... I am not convinced ..."   ODER   ... entlarvte Lügen

Im letzten Monat konnten wir 2 Haltungen zur "Wahrnehmung internationaler Verantwortung" oder "mörderischer Interventionspolitik" vergleichen, in die sich Deutschland in den  letzten Jahrzehnten verwickeln liess - und erst in der letzten Woche wieder 3 Menschen opferte.

Joschka Fischer (ex-Grünen-Vorsitzender und jetzt amerikanischer Honorarprofessor ohne Doktorat) stellte sein neuestes Buch vor, in dem er mit viel Stolz auf sein "... I am not convinced ..." verweist, dass er angeblich so mutig dem Kriegshetzer Rumsfeld entgegengeschleudert hat, bevor er die "Staatsbürger in Uniform" der deutschen Bundeswehr zur "Verteidigung Deutschlands am Hindukusch" der amerikanischen Weltherrschaftspolitik zur Verfügung stellte. Dieses widersprüchliche Verhalten begründet er dreisterweise damit, dass er so beweisen konnte, dass Er stark genug war, die "pazifistische" Grüne Partei zu einem "bündnisfähigen Partner" zu machen ...

Jürgen Todenhöfer (Bundestagsabgeordneter der CDU, stellvertretender Vorstandsvorsitzender des Burda-Konzerns) liefert in einem Essay in SPIEGEL 6 / 7.2.2011 die Argumente, die man sich von der Partei der Überzeugungsethik ("Schwerter zu Pflugscharen") erhofft hätte.

Bündnis-Reflexe wären vielleicht noch kurz nach dem 11. September zu verstehen, weil sogar Brandts Friedenspartei und Genschers Gewaltverzichtspartei uneingeschränkte Solidarität beweisen wollten. Aber damals war der Grüne an den Schalthebeln der Macht...

Und heute ?
Hoffnung auf einen Abzug der Amerikaner bis 2014.
...und das bei ZUNEHMEND MÖRDERISCHEN Aktionen beider Kriegsparteien in dem geschundenen wehrlosen Land !
Noch vier Jahre ("un-convinced") Krieg - so lange wie der 1. Weltkrieg gedauert hat ?

Was will die NATO in Afghanistan ?
Die Organisation der Zeit des Kalten Krieges, die es versäumt hat sich ehrlicherweise rechtzeitig aufzulösen, hat es vielleicht notwendig ihre Nützlichkeit als  Kriegs-Instrument unsinniger Weltbeherrschungs-Interessen zu beweisen.
Aber die deutsche Bundeswehr ?
Grundgesetzwidriger Umbau zur Interventionsarmee ?
Weshalb ?

Internationaler Terrorismus wurde durch die Intervention in Afghanistan erst richtig international !
Da musste sogar General Petraeus, der Oberkommandierende der Nato in Afghanistan feststellen dass er gegen einen nationalen Widerstand kämpft.
Inzwischen sehen wir, wie immer mehr neue Herkunftsländer entstehen:  Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Jemen ...
Gewalt erzeugt Gewalt...

Verteidigung unserer Zivilisation soll durch anonym tötende Mörder-Drohnen bewirkt werden. Jeden Tag 3 ohne Gerichtsurteil getötete (=ermordete) Zivilisten durch unseren "humanitären Einsatz".
Foltergefängnisse  und  Morddrohungen wegen "Geheimnisverrat" sind das Beweise unserer Zivilisation ?

Verteidigung gegen Terrorismus ?
3500 Menschenleben können möglicherweise "Al Qaida" zugeschrieben werden;
Hunderttausende getötete Zivilisten durch die Intervention unserer Verbündeten im Irak
Taliban kontrollieren auch in Afghanistan schon wieder die Hälfte des Landes - und werden mit absoluter Sicherheit wieder an der Regierung beteiligt werden müssen. Sogar die "New York Times" berichtet von Mädchenschulen in dem schon heute von Ihnen kontrollierten Gebiet. 

Wiederaufbau-Entwicklungshilfe ?
5 % der Kosten des Krieges werden unter "Entwicklungshilfe" verbucht. Deutschland hat erst unlängst erlebt, wie selbst diese Gelder nicht in der Region ankommen. 45% hungern immer noch in diesem "Protektorat der NATO" das die UNO immer noch als das ärmste Land Asiens sieht.
77% immer noch ohne Zugang zu sauberem Trinkwasser - und das nach Jahren unserer "Hilfe" !

Rechtfertigt das das organisierte Töten ???

Anmerkung der Internet Herausgeber:
Dieser Terror-Mord-"Einsatz" der Luftwaffen mehrerer NATO-Staaten gegen einen bündnisfreien Kleinstaat  -mitten in Europa-  wurde mit dem Geld der deutschen Steuerzahler finanziert.  

Russische Orthodoxie gemeinsame Home page Bischofskonzil Oktober 2004 Besuch Metropolit LAVR (New York) in Moskau

KOSOVO Occupation

NICHT "NUR" GOTTLOS ... :  GEGEN DIESE EU-Verfassung !!!

In English:
Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad:
Cooperation of Responsible Leaders of Christianity in Western and Eastern Europe is Absolutely Necessary and Is Awaited by Millions of People

BRD: B.BARTHOLOMAIOS  /  EU: B.TICHON  /  BEL: B.ATHENAGORAS  /  USA: M.HERMAN  /  RUSA: EB.LAURUS  /  FIN: EB.LEO
 RUSEU: M.ANTHONY  /

NICHT "NUR" GOTTLOS ... : ... GEGEN DIESE EU-Verfassung !!!      
 NICHT "NUR" GOTTLOS ... :    GEGEN DIESE EU-Verfassung !!!
- weil sie einen Versuch darstellt  "unsere Wurzeln abzuschneiden" !!! 

Was bitte, brauchen die Menschen dringender:

die liebe EU-Verfassung   oder   den lieben Gott ?     Beides probiert, kein Vergleich !

Es wäre natürlich beides zusammen erhältlich:  
Die EU-Verfassung und ein einleitender Satz, oder gar mehrere, in denen Gott vorkommt, das Christentum, sonstige Religionen, der Humanismus, die Menschenrechte usw. - das gehört ja alles zusammen.

Aber nein, das darf nicht sein.
Egoismus, Zynismus, Verachtung aller höheren und höchsten Dinge - sie haben sich in den komplizierten Verhandlungen zum Verfassungstext unverhüllt gezeigt, und nichts deutlicher als in dem geringen oder gar keinem Interesse, das die verhandelnden Personen und Mächte gezeigt haben, als es um den Gottesbezug in der Verfassung ging.

So wurde die EU-Verfassung ein doppelter Pfusch: 
zweitens ein Kompromiss-Kauderwelsch, unverständlich für den normalen Bürger -
erstens ein (angeblich) historisches Dokument, in welchem Gott nicht vorkommen darf.

Also der liebe Gott hält das ja leicht aus, dass er in vergänglichem Papierwerk nicht vorkommt.
Im Übrigem ist es eine Schande und eine Entlarvung.

Da gibt es im EU-Parlament eine deutliche Mehrheit von Abgeordneten der europäischen Volksparteien (EVP), die sich doch zum Christentum, zur christlichen Soziallehre usw. (angeblich) bekennen.
Da gibt es quer durch alle europäischen Gruppierungen und Institutionen vermutlich eine große Zahl von religiös Gesinnten.

Keinen hat der fehlende Gottesbezug ernsthaft aufgeregt. Alle sind voll verstrickt und gefangen im ständigen Hin und Her ihrer sonstigen Interessen.
Gesiegt hat eine kleine, aber mächtige Zahl von praktizierenden Atheisten und Antiklerikalen, die eisern entschlossen waren:
alles, aber Gott darf nicht herein.

Da war es wieder einmal der Papst, der klare Worte gesprochen hat. Es ist schon so: Er ist der einzige mannhafte Politiker, den wir haben. Er sagte:
"Man schneidet nicht die Wurzeln ab, aus denen man geboren wurde."
Dazu der orthodoxe Patriarch Bartholomaios:
"Niemand, der sich mit Europa befasst, kann die christlichen Wurzeln Europas leugnen."

Oh doch, man kann. Und so schaut dann dieses Europa auch aus.

Gewiss kommt es auf das Herz an und nicht auf das Verfassungspapier.
Aber ebenso gewiss ist: Diese EU-Verfassung trägt das Kainsmal eines Europa ohne Gott.

Wenn der Papst fordert, Europa dürfe sich nicht die Wurzeln abschneiden - meint er nicht nur einen historischen Tatbestand: ein Europa, das seine christlichen Wurzeln verleugnet - er meint auch etwas sehr Aktuelles und sehr Persönliches:

Jeder Einzelne von uns, der sein Leben nur noch auf wirtschaftliche Interessen, auf Egoismus, Fit and Fun reduziert - lebt falsch.
Ohne Wurzeln gibt es kein Glück.

e-mail: guenther.nenning@kronenzeitung.at

 

NICHT "NUR" GOTTLOS ... :    GEGEN DIESE EU-Verfassung 
- weil sie -gegen jede Erfahrung der europäischen Völker-  zur Konfliktlösung auf Militarismus setzt !!! 

Der Ständige Ausschuss der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Christlicher Kirchen in Bayern (AcK i.B.) hat sich bei seiner Sitzung am 12. und 13. März 2004 in Nürnberg mit dem Entwurf für die künftige Verfassung der Europäischen Union beschäftigt.

Mit Verwunderung haben wir wahrgenommen, dass der Verfassungsentwurf eine Reihe von Aussagen zu einer europäischen Sicherheitspolitik enthält, die bisher in der Öffentlichkeit nicht diskutiert worden sind.

Im Ergebnis laufen sie darauf hinaus, dass

1. eine Verpflichtung zur militärischen Aufrüstung der EU festgeschrieben wird,
2. die Bereitschaft zu weltweiten Militäreinsätzen zur Pflicht erhoben wird,
3. die Entscheidung über den Einsatz der künftigen EU-Soldaten den Europäischen Parlament entzogen und allein dem Ministerrat übertragen werden soll,
4. die Prävention als Grund für militärischen Eingreifen angegeben wird.

Wir haben den Eindruck, dass hier eine Verteidigungs- und Sicherheitspolitik formuliert wird, die den bisherigen Weg verlässt und Europa zu einer militärischen Weltmacht mit enormem Interventionspotential machen will.

Der Ständige Ausschuss der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Christlicher Kirchen in Bayern protestiert gegen diese Bestrebungen und fordert dazu auf, dass in allen unseren Mitgliedskirchen und in der Öffentlichkeit der Verfassungsentwurf in diesen Teilen zur Kenntnis genommen und abgelehnt wird.

Der Verfassungsentwurf widerspricht den Bemühungen vieler Christinnen und Christen um eine friedliche Welt und dem Friedensauftrag der Bundesrepublik Deutschland.

Europa hat ein halbes Jahrhundert Erfahrung darin, seine Konflikte ohne den Einsatz von militärischer Gewalt zu lösen, und war darin so erfolgreich wie nie zuvor in der Geschichte. Auf diesem Weg sollte Europa weiterschreiten.


Nürnberg, 13. März 2004

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Christlicher Kirchen in Bayern, Marsstrasse 19, 80335 MÜNCHEN
e-mail: ackbayern@yahoo.de , www.ack-bayern.de , Tel.: 089-54828397, Fax: 089-54828399 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________

OrthodoxCatholicDialogueZENIT04G01   1 July 2004 in Dave Parry's files
For more information from ZENIT run http://www.zenit.org/ and see at end of
this message.
 

Christian Unity Will Give Credibility to Evangelization,
Say Pope and Patriarch
Joint Declaration at Conclusion of Patriarch Bartholomew I's Visit to Rome

VATICAN CITY, JULY 1, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Christians must recover their lost
unity to witness to the Gospel "in a more credible way," John Paul II and
Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I say in a joint declaration.

The declaration, published today by the Vatican press office, culminated the
visit of Orthodoxy's "first among equals" to Rome, on the occasion of the
solemnity of the Apostles Sts. Peter and Paul, feast of the Rome Diocese.

"In the face of a world suffering all kinds of divisions and imbalances,
today's meeting is an effort to recall in a concrete way and with force the
importance that Christians and Churches live among themselves in peace and
harmony, to witness concordantly the message of the Gospel in a more
credible and convincing way," the declaration says.

"Many are the challenges to be addressed together to contribute to the good
of society: to heal with love the wound of terrorism, to infuse a hope of
peace, to contribute to cure so many painful conflicts; to restore to the
European continent the awareness of its Christian roots," the two religious
leaders continue.

In the statement, Orthodox and Catholics in effect commit themselves "to
construct a real dialogue with Islam, because from indifference and
reciprocal ignorance only diffidence and even hatred can ensue."

The text reaffirms the need to "nourish the awareness of the sacredness of
human life" and to "operate so that science will not deny the divine spark
that every man receives with the gift of life."

The Pope and ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople point out that the unity
of Christians is also necessary "to collaborate so that this earth of ours
is not disfigured and creation is able to preserve the beauty that God has
given it."

But "above all" John Paul II and Bartholomew I indicate, it is necessary
that Orthodox and Catholics be united "to proclaim with renewed commitment
the evangelical message, showing contemporary man how much the Gospel can
help him to find himself and to build a more humane world."

As a key step to advance on the path toward full unity between Orthodox and
Catholics, separated by an almost 1,000-year schism, both the Bishop of Rome
and the Patriarch of Constantinople decided to relaunch the work of the
Mixed International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic
Church and the Orthodox Church. The commission, established in 1979, is
perceived as having lost its rhythm of work in recent years.

The Holy Father and the patriarch acknowledge that "problems and
misunderstandings" from the past continue, as well as "fears" that have
arisen recently given the changes that have taken place after the fall of
the Communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe.

Given these situations, the two Christian leaders repeated the advice that
St. Paul gave to the Corinthians: "May everything be done among you in
charity."

"The long practice of the 'dialogue of charity' comes to our aid precisely
in these circumstances, so that the difficulties may be addressed with
serenity and not slow down and darken the path undertaken toward full
communion in Christ," the joint declaration concludes.

Bartholomew I's visit served to celebrate with John Paul II the 40th
anniversary of the historic embrace in Jerusalem between Patriarch
Athenagoras I of Constantinople, and Pope Paul VI.

Later, on Dec. 7, 1965, the day before the closing of the Second Vatican
Council, Paul VI and Athenagoras I made a joint declaration deploring and
lifting the mutual "anathemas" that gave rise to the 1054 schism between the
Churches of the East and West.

Pope Accepts Invitation to Orthodox See
Bartholomew I Extends Offer for Visit to Istanbul

VATICAN CITY, JULY 1, 2004 (Zenit.org).- At the end of his visit to Rome,
Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople invited John Paul II to visit the
see of the ecumenical patriarchate, in Turkey.

The invitation was made today during a farewell luncheon, after the
patriarch's four-day stay in Rome as the guest of the Pope.

The Holy Father was pleased to accept the invitation to visit the see of the
patriarchate, which is in Fanar, in Istanbul, Vatican Radio reported.

Earlier, the two religious leaders signed a joint declaration in which they
reaffirm their commitment to work toward the full unity of Christians in
order to proclaim the Gospel in a "more credible and convincing" way. They
also relaunched the work of the International Mixed Commission for
Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.

This morning, the Greek-Orthodox community of Rome attended the inauguration
of the liturgical use of the Church of St. Theodore on the Palatine, at
which Bartholomew I presided. The restored church was given to the Orthodox
as a gift by John Paul II during the Jubilee year 2000.

The ecumenical patriarch, the "first among equals" of Orthodoxy, was
accompanied by Metropolitan Gennadios of Italy. In his address during the
sacred liturgy, the patriarch said that on the path toward full unity
between Catholics and Orthodox "still have a long way to go," Vatican Radio
reported.

"Let us go forward despite so many difficulties through the dialogue of
charity and truth," he added.

The celebration was attended by a papal delegation which included, among
others, Cardinal Walter Kasper, president of the Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity; Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's vicar for
Rome; and Archbishop Leonardo Sandri, substitute for general affairs of the
Vatican Secretariat of State.

On Wednesday, Patriarch Bartholomew I met with the members of the lay Commun
ity of Sant'Egidio, in the Basilica of St. Bartholomew, on the island of the
Tiber in Rome, a church that in the year 2000 John Paul II dedicated to the
memory of the 20th-century martyrs.

"The martyrdom of the last century -- the century with the greatest number
of martyrs for the faith in human history -- has become a significant
meeting place and space for unity in prayer among Christians," a subsequent
press statement explained, issued by the Sant'Egidio Community.
ZE04070106
 

Joint Statement of Pope and Ecumenical Patriarch
"We Have Continued the 'Dialogue of Charity'"

VATICAN CITY, JULY 1, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the Joint
Declaration signed by John Paul II and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of
Constantinople and published today.

* * *

"Be watchful, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all
that you do be done in love" (1 Corinthians 16:13-14).

1. In the spirit of faith in Christ and of the reciprocal charity that
unites us, we thank God for the gift of this our new meeting, which takes
place on the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, evidencing our firm
resolve to continue on the path toward full communion between us in Christ.

2. Many are the positive steps that have characterized this common path,
especially beginning with the historical event that we recall today: the
embrace between Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I in Jerusalem, on
the Mount of Olives, on January 5-6 of 1964. Today, we, their Successors,
meet again together to commemorate worthily before God, in fidelity to the
memory and the original intentions, that blessed meeting, now part of the
history of the Church.

3. The embrace of our respective Predecessors of venerated memory in
Jerusalem expressed visibly a hope present in the heart of everyone, as the
Statement referred: "With our eyes turned to Christ, archetype and author,
with the Father, of unity and peace, they pray to God that this meeting be
the sign and prelude of things to come for the glory of God and the
illumination of his faithful people. After so many centuries of silence,
they have now met with the desire to fulfill the will of the Lord and to
proclaim the ancient truth of his Gospel entrusted to the Church."1


4. Unity and Peace! The hope lit by that historical meeting has illuminated
the path of these last decades. Aware that the Christian world has been
suffering for centuries the tragedy of separation, our Predecessors and we
ourselves have with perseverance continued the "dialogue of charity," with
our gaze turned to that luminous and blessed day in which it will be
possible to commune at the same chalice of the holy Body and the precious
Blood of the Lord.2 The many ecclesial events, which have characterized the
last forty years, have given foundation and consistency to the commitment of
fraternal charity: a charity that, bearing lessons of the past, will be
ready to pardon, incline to believe more readily in the good than in the
evil, that will attempt first of all to conform itself to the Divine
Redeemer, and to allow itself to be drawn and transformed by Him.3

5. I thank the Lord for the exemplary gestures of reciprocal charity, of
participation and sharing, which he has given us to fulfill, among which it
is proper to recall the visit of the Pope to Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitrios
in 1979, when, in the See of Fanar, the creation of the "International Mixed
Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the
Orthodox Church in their ensemble" was announced, a further step to support
the "dialogue of charity," the "dialogue of truth"; the visit of Patriarch
Dimitrios to Rome in 1987; our meeting in Rome, on the feast of Sts. Peter
and Paul in 1995, when we prayed in St. Peter's, though separating painfully
during the celebration of the Eucharistic Liturgy, because it was not yet
possible to drink from the same chalice of the Lord. Then, more recently,
the meeting in Assisi for the "Day of Prayer for Peace in the World" and the
Joint Declaration for the Safeguarding of Creation, signed in 2002.

6. Despite our firm resolve to continue on the path toward full communion,
it would have been unrealistic not to expect obstacles of various kinds:
doctrinal first of all, but also deriving from the conditioning of a
difficult history. Moreover, new problems arose from the profound changes
that took place in the European sociopolitical realm, which were not free
from consequences in relations between the Christian Churches. With the
return to freedom of Christians in Central and Eastern Europe, old fears
were reawakened, making dialogue difficult. St. Paul's exhortation to the
Corinthians, "May everything be done among you in charity," must still,
however, resound within and among us.

7. The "International Mixed Commission for Theological Dialogue between the
Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church in their ensemble," begun with so
much hope, has marked the steps in the last years. It can still remain as an
ideal instrument to study the ecclesiological and historical problems, which
are at the base of our difficulties, and find possible solutions. It is our
duty to continue in the decided commitment to reactivate the works as soon
as possible. In recognition of the reciprocal initiatives in this connection
of the Sees of Rome and of Constantinople, we turn to the Lord so that he
will sustain our resolve and convince all of how indispensable it is to
continue the "dialogue of truth."

8. Our meeting today in Rome also enables us to address fraternally some
problems and misunderstandings that have arisen recently. The long practice
of the "dialogue of charity" comes to our aid precisely in these
circumstances, so that the difficulties may be addressed with serenity and
not slow down and darken the path undertaken toward full communion in
Christ.

9. In the face of a world suffering all kinds of divisions and imbalances,
today's meeting is an effort to recall in a concrete way and with force the
importance that Christians and Churches live among themselves in peace and
harmony, to witness concordantly the message of the Gospel in a more
credible and convincing way.

10. In the particular context of Europe, on the way toward higher forms of
integration and enlargement towards the East of the Continent, let us thank
the Lord for this positive development and express the hope that in this new
situation collaboration between Catholics and Orthodox will grow. So many
are the challenges to be addressed together to contribute to the good of
society: to heal with love the wound of terrorism, to infuse a hope of
peace, to contribute to cure so many painful conflicts; to restore to the
European continent the awareness of its Christian roots; to construct a real
dialogue with Islam, because from indifference and reciprocal ignorance only
diffidence and even hatred can ensue; to nourish the awareness of the
sacredness of human life; to operate so that science will not deny the
divine spark that every man receives with the gift of life; to collaborate
so that this earth of ours is not disfigured and creation is able to
preserve the beauty God has given it; but above all, to proclaim with
renewed commitment the evangelical message, showing contemporary man how
much the Gospel can help him to find himself and to build a more humane
world.

11. Let us pray that the Lord give peace to the Church and the world and
that he vivify with the wisdom of his Spirit our path toward full communion,
"ut unum in Cristo simus."

* * *
REFERENCES ON NEXT PAGE:-

1 Joint Statement of Pope Paul VI and of Patriarch Athenagoras I, Agapis
Volumes, Vatican, Fanar, 1971, n. 50, p. 120.

2 See Allocution of Patriarch Athenagoras I to Pope Paul VI , (January 5,
1964), ibid., n. 48, p. 109.

3 See Allocution of Pope Paul VI to Patriarch Athenagoras I, (January 6,
1964), ibid., n. 49, p. 117.

[Translation by ZENIT]
ZE04070103

 John Paul II's Homily on Solemnity of Peter and Paul
"If We Want the Unity of Christ's Disciples ."
 

VATICAN CITY, JULY 1, 2004 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the homily
John Paul II delivered on Tuesday, during Mass in St. Peter's Square, on the
solemnity of the Apostles Peter and Paul. On hand was Orthodox Ecumenical
Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople.

* * *

1. "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).
Questioned by the Lord, Peter, also in the name of the other apostles, makes
his profession of faith.

In it is affirmed the sure foundation of our path toward full communion. If,
in fact, we want the unity of Christ's disciples, we must start afresh from
Christ. As with Peter, so are we asked to confess that He is the
cornerstone, Head of the Church. In the encyclical letter "Ut Unum Sint" I
wrote: "To believe in Christ means to desire unity; to desire unity means to
desire the Church; to desire the Church means to desire the communion of
grace that corresponds to the Father's plan from all eternity" (No. 9).

2. "Ut unum sint!" From here arises our commitment to communion, in response
to Christ's ardent desire. It is not about a vague relationship of good
neighborliness, but about the indissoluble bond of theological faith by
which we are destined not to separation but to communion.

That which in the course of history has severed our bond of unity in Christ,
we now live with sorrow. In this perspective, our meeting today is not just
a gesture of courtesy, but a response to the Lord's command. Christ is the
Head of the Church and we want, together, to continue to do all that is
humanly possible to overcome what still divides us and impedes us from
communing in the same Body and Blood of the Lord.

3. With these sentiments I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to you,
Holiness, for your presence and for the reflections you proposed to us. I am
also happy to celebrate with you the memory of Saints Peter and Paul, which
this year falls on the 40th anniversary of the blessed meeting, which
occurred in Jerusalem on January 5-6, 1964, between Pope Paul VI and
Patriarch Athenagoras I.

Holiness, I wish to thank you from my heart for having accepted my
invitation to make visible and reaffirm today, with this meeting of ours,
the spirit that animated those two singular pilgrims, who directed their
steps toward one another, and decided to embrace for the first time,
precisely in the place where the Church was born.

4. That meeting cannot be only a memory. It is a challenge for us! It
indicates a path of reciprocal rediscovery and reconciliation. A path that
is certainly not easy, or free of obstacles. In the moving gesture of our
predecessors in Jerusalem, we can find the strength to overcome every
misunderstanding and difficulty, to consecrate ourselves tirelessly to this
commitment to unity.

The Church of Rome has journeyed with a firm will and great sincerity on the
path of full reconciliation through initiatives which have revealed
themselves, every now and again, possible and useful. Today I wish to
express the hope that all Christians will intensify, each on his own part,
the efforts so that the day will hasten in which the Lord's desire will be
fully realized: "That they may be one" (John 17:11,21). May our conscience
not reproach us for having omitted the steps, neglected the opportunities,
and not tried all the paths!

5. We know it well: the unity we seek is first of all a gift of God. We are
aware, however, that the hastening of the hour of its full realization
depends also on us, on our prayer, on our conversion to Christ.


Holiness, as for myself, I must confess that in the search for unity I have
always let myself be guided, as by a sure compass, by the teaching of the
Second Vatican Council. The encyclical letter "Ut Unum Sint," made public a
few days before the memorable visit of Your Holiness to Rome in 1995,
reaffirmed precisely what the Council had enunciated in the decree on
ecumenism, "Unitatis Redintegratio," of which this year is celebrated the
40th anniversary of its promulgation.

On other occasions I have been able to stress, in solemn circumstances, and
I request it also today, that the commitment assumed by the Catholic Church
with the Second Vatican Council is irrevocable. We cannot give it up!

6. The rite of the imposition of the pallium on the new metropolitans
contributes to complete the solemnity and joy of today's celebration, to
make it richer in spiritual and ecclesial content.

Dear brothers, the pallium, which you will receive today in the presence of
the ecumenical patriarch, our brother in Christ, is a sign of the communion
that unites you in a special way to the apostolic testimony of Peter and
Paul. It links you to the Bishop of Rome, Successor of Peter, called to
carry out a peculiar ecclesial service in favor of the metropolitan Churches
spread in several countries. I am pleased to accompany you with affection
and prayer.

7. "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!" How many times these
words, which constitute Peter's profession of faith, come up in my daily
prayer! In the beautiful icon given by Patriarch Athenagoras I to Pope Paul
VI on January 5, 1964, the two Holy Apostles, Peter the leader and Andrew
the "Protoclito," embrace in an eloquent language of love, beneath the
glorious Christ. Andrew was the first to place himself in the following of
the Lord, Peter was called to confirm his brothers in the faith.

His embrace under Christ's gaze is an invitation to continue on the path
undertaken toward the goal of unity that together we are trying to achieve.

May no difficulty stop us. Rather, let us go forward in hope, supported by
the intercession of the apostles and by the maternal protection of Mary,
Mother of Christ, Son of the living God.

[Translation by ZENIT]
ZE04070122

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Kosovo-Decani:   Latest News Message.List

________________________________________________________________________________

HOLY MOUNT ATHOS HILANDAR MONASTERY ON FIRE !!!

_________________________________________________________________

ANNÄHERUNG
der
RUSSISCHEN ORTHODOXEN KIRCHE AUSSER LANDES
und der
RUSSISCHEN ORTHODOXEN KIRCHE - MOSKAUER PATRIARCHAT

 
www.pravoslavie.ru                                                                                            www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws

The decision of
the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church
on the Relations with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, 6 October 2004

Having heard and discussed the report of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia, the report of Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, and the report of Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun on the successfully developing dialogue with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, the Bishops' Council thanked the All-Gracious Lord for the considerable improvement of relations with our brothers and unanimously resolved:

1. That the steps in the direction of overcoming divisions, which have existed in the body of the Russian Orthodox Church for decades, be considered exceptionally important;

2. That satisfaction be expressed with the visits of the official delegations of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to the Russian Orthodox Church, including the delegation headed by the first hierarch His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, as well as with the successful common work of the Commission of the Moscow Patriarchate on Dialogue with the Russian Church Outside of Russia and the Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on Discussions with the Moscow Patriarchate;

3. That the contents of the documents prepared by the Commissions and presented to the Council for consideration be approved;

4. That after the completion of the Commissions' work and bilateral agreement of the prepared documents the Holy Synod be charged with a canonical act by which the Eucharistic communion and unity be restored on the basis of the adopted decisions.

...MORE...

 

Osterbotschaft 2004
S.Hl. des Patriarchen ALEKSIJ II  von Moskau und der ganzen Rus´

 

Latest News:
His Eminence Metropolitan LAURUS is scheduled to arrive in Russia on 2004 May 14.
In addition to official meetings, His Eminence will make pilgrimages to venerate holy sites in the fatherland.

===> to official site of  the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Outside of Russia
 

STATEMENT BY THE DELEGATION ACCOMPANYING HIS EMINENCE METROPOLITAN LAURUS ON HIS TRIP TO RUSSIA Moscow: May 28, 2004

At Diveevo and in Nizhny Novgorod (photoreport) In St. Petersburg (photoreport) In Kursk (photoreport) In Sofrino (photoreport) In Alapaevsk (photo-report) In Ekaterinburg (photo-report) Official Meetings (photo-report)

The Delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia Spends Several Days in the Capital City of Moscow May 17-18, 2004

Official Meetings (photo-report) At the Kremlin (photo-report) In Sretensky Monastery (photo-report) In Orehovo-Borisovo (photo-report) In Marfo-Mariinsky Convent (photo-report) In Donskoy Monastery (photo-report)

 

On the Visit to Russia of the Official Delegation
of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
May 18. 2004

Sergiev Posad: Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra Greets the Delegation of the Russian Church Abroad Led by His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus: May 16, 2004

Moscow: Celebration in Butovo: May 15 2004

Press Statement by the Delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia Headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus May 14 2004

Delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia Headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus Departs for Russia

The Official Visit of His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus Continues Arrival (photo-report) Celebration in Butovo (photo-report) In Sergiev Posad (photo-report)

Meeting of the Delegation of ROCOR with Students and Teachers of the Moscow Theological Academy: www.bogoslov.ru Metropolitan Laurus: Both Parts of the Russian Church are Prepared for Frank and Constructive Dialog: Interfax Interview with Metropolitan Laurus: Pavel Korobov, Kommersant

PILGRIMAGE OF THE DELEGATION OF THE RUSSIAN CHURCH ABROAD TO THE HOLY SITES OF NIZHNY NOVGOROD, ST. PETERSBURG AND THE KURSK DIOCESE RUSSIA: May 27, 2004

DELEGATION OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OUTSIDE OF RUSSIA VISITS THE SITES OF MARTYRDOM OF THE ROYAL NEW MARTYRS IN EKATERINBURG AND ALAPAEVSK EKATERINBURG: May 21, 2004

http://www.mospat.ru/text/e_news/id/6909.html

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia has received Metropolitan Laurus, Chairman of the Bishops' Synod of the Russian Church Outside Russia, on May 14, 2004, at his working residence at Chisty Pereulok. Metropolitan Laurus has arrived in Moscow for his first official visit at the invitation of the Russian Orthodox Church.

 

At their meeting, which was held in a warm atmosphere of mutual understanding, the Patriarch and the Metropolitan were joined by Metropolitan Clement of Kaluga and Borovsk, Chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate, Archbishop Innocent and Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western American Diocese of the Russian Church Outside Russia.
 

reference to 'DECR Communication Service'
Official Site of the Russian Orthodox Church
http://www.mospat.ru

 

 

Москва 14 мая 2004 г.
http://www.pravoslavie.ru/cgi-bin/news.cgi?item=2r040514142241

Митрополит Лавр

В Россию впервые в истории с официальным визитом сегодня прибыл первоиерарх Русской Православной Церкви Заграницей (РПЦЗ) митрополит Восточно-Американский и Нью-Йоркский Лавр. Он приехал по приглашению Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Алексия, переданному в Нью-Йорке лично Владимиром Путиным. Цель визита - знакомство с жизнью церкви в отечестве и встреча с предстоятелем Русской Православной Церкви и членами Священного Синода.
Митрополит Лавр (мирское имя - Василий Шкурла) родился 1 января 1928 года на территории нынешней Словакии, по национальности карпаторосс. В 1946 году переехал в США, где затем в русском Свято-Троицком монастыре в Джорданвилле принял монашеский постриг. В 1967 году он был рукоположен в сан епископа Манхэттенского. 25 октября 2001 года Архиерейским Синодом РПЦЗ избран первоиерархом с титулом митрополита Восточно-Американского и Нью-Йоркского.

reference to 'DECR Communication Service'
Official Site of the Russian Orthodox Church
http://www.mospat.ru

 

14.05.04   PATRIARCH ALEXY II: MAIN OBSTACLES TO CHURCH RAPPROCHEMENT ARE GONE   Alexy II is optimistic about the future. "I think we are witnessing considerable progress in our rapprochement with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia," he said. continue reference to 'DECR Communication Service' Official Site of the Russian Orthodox Church http://www.mospat.ru

/ 01.06.2004 / President of Russia met with His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and with the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Outside of Russia Metropolitan Laurus
 

 01.06.2004 / His Holiness Patriarch Alexy met with His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus and the delegation of the Russian Church Outside of Russia
 

/ 19.05.2004 / On the Visit to Russia of the Official Delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia / 18.05.2004 / His Holiness Alexy II Lays a Foundation Stone of a Church on the Place of Mass Executions in Butovo Above abstracts copied from: 'Department of External Church Relations  -   Communication Service' Official Site of the Russian Orthodox Church http://www.mospat.ru

 

Eine Delegation der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche ausser Landes bestehend aus Erzbischof MARK von Berlin und Deutschland, Erzbischof HILARION von Sydney, Australien und Neuseeland, Bischof KYRILL von San Franzisko und West-Amerika, Erzpriester NIKOLAI ARTEMOFF, Sekretär der deutschen Diözese und Erzpriester PETER HOLODNY, Schatzmeister des Heiligen Synods der Bischöfe der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche ausser Landes, traf auf Einladung der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche – Moskauer Patriarchat am 17. November 2003 in Moskau ein.

Am 18. November 2003 empfing Seine Heiligkeit Patriarch ALEXY II von Moskau und Ganz Russland die Bischöfe der Delegation an seinem Dienstsitz in Chisty Pereulok. Die Probleme der Einheit der Kirche wurden in warmer und herzlicher Atmosphäre diskutiert.

Am 19. November 2003 führte Seine Heiligkeit Patriarch ALEXY II den Vorsitz bei den Gesprächen in der Residenz des Patriarchen im Hl. DANIELs-Kloster zwischen der vollzähligen Delegation der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche ausser Landes und den ständigen Mitgliedern des Heiligen Synods der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche Metropolit PHILARET von Minsk und Slutsk, Patriarchal-Exarch von Ganz Belarus (Weissrussland), Metropolit JUVENALY von Krutitsy und Kolomna und Metropolit KYRILL von Smolensk und Kaliningrad, dem Vorsitzenden der Abteilung für Aussenbeziehungen der Kirche.
Ebenfalls an diesem Gespräch nahmen Archimandrit TICHON, der Abt des Sretensky-Klosters in Moskau und Erzpriester NIKOLAY BALASHOV, Sekretär für Inter-Orthodoxe Beziehungen teil.
Beide Seiten brachten ihren Willen zum Ausdruck die Einheit im Gebet und in der Eucharistie einzurichten. Es wurde entschieden Kommissionen einzurichten, die die Lösung der Probleme, die sich in vielen Jahren angehäuft haben, erleichtern sollen. Die Teilnehmer brachten ihren Willen zum Ausdruck den Weg zu gehen, der zur Einheit der Kirche führt, im Geist echter Buße und Umkehr auf der Basis der gemeinsamen kanonischen Tradition und in Berücksichtigung der kirchlichen und administrativen Realitäten, die sich im 20. Jahrhundert herausgebildet haben.
So eine Annäherung, von ganzem Herzen von den Gläubigen der Russischen Kirche sowohl in der Heimat als auch in der Diaspora erwartet, wird der wichtigste Beitrag zur spirituellen Überwindung der tragischen Konsequenzen der Revolution und des Bürgerkriegs in Russland sein, die lange Jahrzehnte Konfrontation und Missverständnisse gebracht hatten.

Die Fragen, die bei diesem Treffen diskutiert wurden, werden bei den Sitzungen des Heiligen Synods und des Rates der Bischöfe der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche und der Synode der Bischöfe und des Rates der Bischöfe der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche ausser Landes beraten werden.

Ein Besuch des Vorstehers des Synods der Bischöfe der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche ausser Landes Metropolit LAURUS Anfang 2004 in Moskau wird zum wichtigsten Meilenstein auf dem Weg zur Einheit werden. Es wird erwartet, dass während des Besuches eine Übereinkunft unterzeichnet wird, durch welche die Grundlagen der kanonischen, seelsorgerischen und kirchlich-praktischen Einheit der Russischen Kirche festgelegt werden.

Während der Gespräche, die in warmer und herzlicher Atmosphäre geprägt von gegenseitigem Verständnis, Respekt und Freimütigkeit gehalten wurden, wurde der Wunsch ausgedrückt, dass die Annäherung nicht durch neue Hindernisse in Form von Zumutungen und Handlungen, die Beschädigung des Prozesses der Annäherung begründen könnten, behindert werden möge.

Während ihres Besuches in Moskau besuchte die Delegation der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche ausser Landes die Hl.Dreieinheits-Hl.Sergius-Kloster-Lawra und die Christus-Erlöser-Kathedrale. Die Delegation wird bis 22. November 2003 in Moskau bleiben.

 

Veröffentlichungen beider Seiten:

 

RUSSISCHE ORTHODOXE KIRCHE AUSSER LANDES:
in englisch: Metropolit LAURUS, Synod der Bischöfe, New York, USA
in russisch: Metropolit LAURUS, Synod der Bischöfe, New York, USA
in englisch: Stellungnahme von Erzbischof MARK
in deutsch: Stellungnahme von Erzbischof MARK

DER BOTE der deutschen Diözese der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche im Ausland
DER BOTE der deutschen Diözese der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche im Ausland: Einladung



RUSSISCHE ORTHODOXE KIRCHE - MOSKAUER PATRIARCHAT
“WE HAVE A JOINT DESIRE TO OVERCOME THE DIVISION CAUSED BY THE TRAGIC EVENTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY”
Summary of the first results of the visit of the official delegation of the Russian Church Outside of Russia


MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION OF THE RUSSIAN CHURCH OUTSIDE OF RUSSIA
PRAYED AT THE PATRIARCHAL DIVINE SERVICE IN THE CATHEDRAL OF THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL IN THE KREMLIN


"RAPPROCHEMENT DEMANDS TIME AND PATIENCE"
His Holiness Patriarch Alexy on the Prospects of Relations between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia


METROPOLITAN KIRILL: "I BELIEVE IN THE UNITY OF THE RUSSIAN CHURCH AND IN THE UNITY OF THE RUSSIAN PEOPLE"
Chairman of the DECR MP made comments on the results of the conversations between the Authorities of the Moscow Patriarchate with the delegation of the Russian Church Outside of Russia

 

 

mit Dank an obige Quellen:

PHOTOS aus MOSKAU

mehr Photos, Botschaften und Berichte

 

hier: un-autorisierte Übersetzung des englischen Textes aus der Veröffentlichung
auf der
Homepage des Synods der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche Ausser Landes, New York, USA



Erzbischof MARK:

Erklärung von Erzbischof Mark in der Sitzung des Synods der Bischöfe,
11./24. Oktober 2003

Ich halte es für wichtig, eine Erklärung zu den möglichen Perspektiven und Zielen unseres ekklesialen Weges zu geben, so wie ich es sehe

In unserem Verständnis, gab es niemals Zweifel, dass wir Teil der einen Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche sind. Wir haben auch immer das Moskauer Patriarchat als einen anderen Teil der selben Russischen Kirche anerkannt. Aus diesem Grund haben wir auch in der Praxis immer ihre Mysterien (=Sakramente, Anm.d. Übersetzers) anerkannt.

In unseren "Regulations" hat unsere Authorität einen temporären (=zeitlich begrenzten, Anm.d. Übersetzers) Charakter. Wann sich das Regime in Russland Ändert und die Kirche mehr Handlungsfreiheit bekommt, sind wir aufgerufen an dem Prozess der Wiedergeburt des Glaubens teilzunehmen und daher verpflichtet die Einheit der Russischen Kirche zu suchen.

Ohne Zweifel hatten wir die volle Authorität das Moskauer Patriarchat noch vor 10 - 15 Jahren mit grosser Kritik zu sehen. Aber inzwischen sind grundlegende Änderungen erfolgt (auch Änderungen in Qualität und Quantität im Episkopat). In aller Klarheit hat der Prozess der Erholung begonnen und dauert an. Es gibt keinen Grund uns von der Mitwirkung an diesem Prozess auszuschliessen oder, noch schlimmer, uns in Opposition zu diesem Prozess zu stellen.

Wir sind keine politische Organisation, sondern der Leib Christi - und deshalb müssen wir einander auch behandeln als Teile eines Leibes, in den Worten des Apostels: "Dass keine Spaltung im Leib sei, sondern die Glieder einträchtig füreinander Sorge tragen. Leidet ein Glied, so leiden alle andern Glieder mit; erfährt ein Glied Ehre, so freuen sich alle andern Glieder mit." (1Kor12:25-26)

Da wir uns als einen Teil der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche sehen, sollten wir auf der Basis des kanonischen Rechtes der Russischen Kirche selbst (Ukase Nr. 362 und andere) das Moskauer Patriarchat als einen der sich selbst regierenden Teile der selben Russischen Kirche anerkennen und es einem zukünftigen All-Russischen Konzil überlassen, die mögliche Existenz noch anderer Teile dieses einen Leibes unserer Kirche zu beurteilen.

In der Suche nach Einheit, dürfen wir nicht sprechen über "Unterordnung", "Vereinigung", "Wiedervereinigung", "Verschlucken", etc. sondern nur von der gegenseitigen Anerkennung in aller Bescheidenheit des Status als Teil der einen Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche. Der Weg der Suche nach der Einheit selbst ist nur als konziliare Aufgabe denkbar, in dem alle Teile der einen Kirche ihre Herkunft von der einen Quelle erkennen und dabei sowohl unseren eigenen zurückgelegten Weg durch die schrecklichen Ereignisse des zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts als auch die Wege aller anderen Teile der Russischen Kirche berücksichtigen, einzigartige Umstände, Umstände bisher ungehört in der Geschichte der Kirche.

Gleichzeitig nehmen wir alles auf diesem Weg erreichte Positive dankbar an und lehnen alles ab, das sich Negativ und un-kirchlich im Leben unserer Kirche entwickelt hat, alles, das der Kirche fremd ist und ihr von aussen aufgezwungen wurde. Wir sind unter den gegenwärtigen Umständen aufgerufen uns um ein Ziel zu bemühen: zur Einheit in den Mysterien, in Übereinstimmung mit dem Geist, der Lehre und der Tradition unserer Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche, während wir die Eigenarten unserer ekklesialen Erfahrungen auf unseren Wegen und auf Basis der gegenwärtigen organisch gewachsenen Strukturen bewahren. Unser Ziel kann nicht die Auslöschung der Erfahrung irgendeines Teils der Russischen Kirche sein; es liegt in der koordinierten Erfahrung des missionarischen Dienstes der Kirche Christi, sowohl in unserer historischen Heimat und im Ausland, zum Wohl der Gläubigen in der Kirche, die in den Ländern der ganzen Welt eine gemeinsame Herde der Russischen Kirche bilden.

Die Basis unseres Lebens, sein Eckstein, ist Christus Selbst.
In Ihm allein können wir unsere Einheit finden,
im Ringen des Glaubens, der Hoffnung und der Liebe.


Erzbischof Mark von Berlin und Deutschland

München
9./22. Oktober 2003

---

 

LONDON / GREAT BRITAIN, 4 August 2003,


REPOSE
of
METROPOLITAN ANTHONY of SOUROZH


more...



DES EWIGEN GEDENKEN !
WETCHNAYA PAMYAT !
ETERNAL MEMORY !

---

 

25. Mai 2004:  KONSTANTINOPEL - BONN - KASTORIA - FRANKFURT

Wahl von
Archimandrit Bartholomaios Kessidis
zum
Vikarbischof
der Griechisch-Orthodoxen Metropolie von Deutschland

AXIOS !    AXIOS !   AXIOS !
 

Die Griechisch-Orthodoxe Metropolie von Deutschland gibt bekannt,  daß die heilige Synode des Ökumenischen Patriarchates den bisherigen Archimandriten Bartholomaios Kessidis, Pfarrer unserer Kirchengemeinde des hl. Propheten Elias in Frankfurt am Main, am Dienstag, dem 25. Mai, zum Vikarbischof unserer Metropolie von Deutschland gewählt und ihm den Titel der historischen Diözese von Arianz verliehen hat.

Der designierte Bischof Bartholomaios von Arianz, mit weltlichem Namen Ioannis Kessidis, kam am 12. August 1968 in Kastoria in Makedonien, Griechenland, als drittes Kind von Georgios und Ekaterini Kessidis zur Welt. Grundschule und Gymnasium absolvierte er in seiner Heimatstadt. An der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Rheinischen Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Bonn studierte er Chemie und an der theologischen Fakultät der Aristoteles-Universität in Thessaloniki Theologie.

Am 4. März 1995 wurde er von Metropolit Augoustinos von Deutschland zum Diakon geweiht und am 10. Juni desselben Jahres zum Erzdiakon ernannt. Die Priesterweihe empfing er ebenfalls von Metropolit Augoustinos am 8. September 1996 und wurde noch am selben Tag in den Rang eines Archimandriten erhoben.

Als Erzdiakon diente er bis zu seiner Priesterweihe. Als Priester blieb er bis heute Pfarrer der Gemeinde des hl. Propheten Elias in Frankfurt am Main.

Er war Mitglied dreier Kommissionen der Griechisch-Orthodoxen Metropolie von Deutschland: der Kommission für Publikationen, der Redaktion der Zeitschrift ³Orthodoxe Gegenwart³ und des Jahreskalenders der Metropolie und der Subkommission für besondere ökonomische Angelegenheiten der Metropolie.

Er nahm teil an der großen Kleriker- und Laiensynode des Ökumenischen Patriarchats in Konstantinopel (Istanbul) im November 2000. Er hat den Metropoliten Augoustinos von Deutschland bei zahlreichen öffentlichen Veranstaltungen im Bundesland Hessen vertreten.
Seine Bischofsweihe wird am Donnerstag, den 10. Juni 2004, in der Metropolitankathedrale Agia Trias zu Bonn stattfinden.

Bonn am 26. Mai 2004
Griechisch-Orthodoxe Metropolie von Deutschland zum neuen Vikar-Bischof  

---

 

SOFIA / BULGARIA, 6 July 2003,


CONSECRATION OF ARCHIMANDRITE
T I C H O N
to
BISHOP OF TIVERIOPOL

as AUXILIARY BISHOP to METROPOLITAN SIMEON of WESTERN- and CENTRAL EUROPE
BULGARIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH


DOSTOYN !
DOSTOYN !
DOSTOYN !

 

BRUXELLES-BRUSSEL, 22 June 2003,


CONSECRATION OF ARCHIMANDRITE
A T H E N A G O R A S
to
BISHOP OF SINOPE
as AUXILIARY BISHOP to METROPOLITAN PANTALEIMON of BELGIUM
OECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE of CONSTANTINOPLE



AXIOS !
AXIOS !
AXIOS !
Specialist in relations to European Union and speaking many languages including fluent greek, 44 year old son of Archpriest Father IGNACE PECKSTADT, father of Orthodoxy in northern Belgium becomes one of the few non-greek-born bishops of Oecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

---

 

Moscow, 17 March 2003,
St.-Daniel's monastery

STATEMENT BY PATRIARCH ALEXY II OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA AND THE HOLY SYNOD OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
ON THE SITUATION AROUND IRAQ

For the last several months the world has lived in a situation of growing tension around Iraq. The USA with the support of Great Britain and some other countries are planning to launch large-scale military actions against this country, trying to justify them by the danger of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
The Russian Orthodox Church, just as all people of good will, is concerned for the proliferation and the use of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Many religious leaders have repeatedly stressed that the observance of international norms in these areas is one of the essential conditions for peace on the planet.
Insisting on a peaceful diplomatic way of settling this problem in Iraq, our Church has repeatedly called to lift up the economic sanctions from this country as they have already led to the suffering of civilians, especially sick people and children. In the context of efforts made by the world public to strengthen peace in the Middle East, we have established a dialogue with the religious, public and political leaders in Iraq. In the course of the dialogue we stressed the necessity of taking such measures by Iraqi government that will remove all doubts of the international community regarding the war potential of this country. The decision to resume the work of international inspectors was accepted with satisfaction by the majority of people on our planet because that meant the choice for a peaceful way of settling the existing problems. Today there are no reasons for stopping the mission of international inspectors and commencing military operations. Nations cannot be deprived of a chance to establish peace.
The war in Iraq will inevitably lead to the death and suffering of a tremendous number of innocent people, as always in such a case civilians like children, women, old people will be injured, there will be thousands of refugees. It is absolutely obvious that military operations in this oil production region can turn out to be a global ecological catastrophe. All this may blow up the situation in the Middle East, creating a threat to peace and stability in the whole world.
Today the Russian Orthodox Church addresses appeal to the governments of those countries on which the decision to begin or not to begin war depends to do all that is possible to avoid an armed conflict. For the actions that are taken without considering the opinion of the international community, the opinion of a majority of people on the Earth, destroy the existing system of international law and inter-governmental institutions. The first blow on its foundations was already struck by the bombing of Yugoslavia, which was initiated without the sanction of the United Nations and which led to destruction and death of thousands of people in the very center of Europe. Now another action is being prepared, which can turn the existing world order into ashes. The violation of legal norms sows chaos and arbitrariness, for lawlessness always generates more lawlessness. "They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind" (Hos. 8:7), Holy Scripture says.
Our Church supports the efforts of the governments, spiritual and public leaders in various countries who have come out against the military operations and rejects the attempts to justify this war.

We call upon the nations of the world to stop military preparations against Iraq, to prevent bloodshed of innocent people. We plead the God "to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Lk. 1:79) and to protect the biblical earth of Iraq against the fire of war.

Moscow, 17 March 2003,
St.-Daniel's monastery

copied from TODAY'S NEWS from http://www.3saints.com

 

Was der Papst Bush sagen wird
DT Nr.405 vom 15.05.2004

 „tragisch“, die Welt „steht am Abgrund“, „schlimmer als der 11. September“ –, so dürften es keine protokollarischen Freundlichkeiten sein, die Johannes Paul II. und George W. Bush austauschen werden. Der amerikanische Präsident befindet sich in der Defensive. Der Irak-Krieg ist genauso verlaufen, wie es ihm der Papst vorausgesagt hat: Kriege lösen heute keine Probleme mehr (schon gar nicht an der Schnittstelle zwischen dem Westen und der islamischen Welt) und machen alles nur noch schlimmer, als es war. Das Desaster ist gewaltig, das die Vereinigten Staaten angerichtet haben. Und Johannes Paul II. wird seinen Gast wohl auch an das Kernübel erinnern, das mehr Gift produziert, als die Welt zu verarbeiten mag: den ungelösten palästinensisch-israelischen Konflikt.

 

 

 

STATEMENT OF CARDINAL PIO LAGHI,
SPECIAL ENVOY OF JOHN PAUL II
TO PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH

Washington D.C., United States of America
Wednesday, 5 March 2003

 

I was privileged to have been sent by the Holy Father as his Special Envoy to President George Bush. I assured him of the Holy Father’s great esteem and affection for the American people and the United States of America.

The purpose of my visit was to deliver a personal message of the Holy Father to the President regarding the Iraqi crisis, to expound upon the Holy See's position and to report on the various initiatives undertaken by the Holy See to contribute to disarmament and peace in the Middle East.

Out of respect for the President and because of the importance of this moment, I am not in a position to discuss the substance of our conversation, nor am I able to release the text of the personal letter of the Holy Father to the President.

The Holy See is urging those in positions of civil authority to take fully into account all aspects of this crisis. In that regard, the Holy See’s position has been two-fold. First, the Iraqi government is obliged to fulfill completely and fully its international obligations regarding human rights and disarmament under the UN resolutions with respect for international norms. Second, these obligations and their fulfillment must continue to be pursued within the framework of the United Nations.

The Holy See maintains that there are still peaceful avenues within the context of the vast patrimony of international law and institutions which exist for that purpose. A decision regarding the use of military force can only be taken within the framework of the United Nations, but always taking into account the grave consequences of such an armed conflict: the suffering of the people of Iraq and those involved in the military operation, a further instability in the region and a new gulf between Islam and Christianity.

I want to emphasize that there is great unity on this grave matter on the part of the Holy See, the Bishops in the United States, and the Church throughout the world.

I told the President that today, on Ash Wednesday, Catholics around the world are following the Pope’s request to pray and fast for peace this day. The Holy Father himself continues to pray and hope that all leaders who face difficult decisions will be inspired in their search for peace.

GIOVANNI PAOLO II ANGELUS  II Domenica di Quaresima, 16 marzo 2003   Carissimi Fratelli e Sorelle! 1. Si sono conclusi ieri qui, nel Palazzo Apostolico, gli Esercizi Spirituali. Sono state giornate di intenso raccoglimento e ascolto della Parola di Dio. Le meditazioni proposte avevano per tema la verità centrale della fede cristiana: "Dio è Amore". Nel silenzio della preghiera abbiamo potuto contemplare a lungo questa Buona Novella, di cui il mondo ha sempre bisogno. Di fronte all’umanità segnata da gravi squilibri e tanta violenza non dobbiamo perdere la fiducia: su questo mondo si riflette, fedele e misericordioso, l'Amore di Dio, che rifulge in pienezza sul volto di Cristo. 2. Solo Cristo può rinnovare i cuori e ridare speranza ai popoli. L'odierna liturgia, presentando il misterioso evento della Trasfigurazione, ci fa sperimentare la potenza della sua luce, che vince le tenebre del dubbio e del male. In questa prospettiva di fede, desidero rinnovare un pressante appello a moltiplicare l'impegno della preghiera e della penitenza, per invocare da Cristo il dono della sua pace. Senza conversione del cuore non c'è pace. I prossimi giorni saranno decisivi per gli esiti della crisi irakena. Preghiamo, perciò, il Signore perché ispiri a tutte le Parti in causa coraggio e lungimiranza. Certo, i Responsabili politici di Baghdad hanno l'urgente dovere di collaborare pienamente con la comunità internazionale, per eliminare ogni motivo d'intervento armato. A loro è rivolto il mio pressante appello: le sorti dei loro concittadini abbiano sempre la priorità! Ma vorrei pure ricordare ai Paesi membri delle Nazioni Unite, ed in particolare a quelli che compongono il Consiglio di Sicurezza, che l’uso della forza rappresenta l'ultimo ricorso, dopo aver esaurito ogni altra soluzione pacifica, secondo i ben noti principi della stessa Carta dell’ONU. Ecco perché - di fronte alle tremende conseguenze che un'operazione militare internazionale avrebbe per le popolazioni dell’Iraq e per l'equilibrio dell’intera regione del Medio Oriente, già tanto provata, nonché per gli estremismi che potrebbero derivarne - dico a tutti: c’è ancora tempo per negoziare; c'è ancora spazio per la pace; non è mai troppo tardi per comprendersi e per continuare a trattare. Riflettere sui propri doveri, impegnarsi in fattivi negoziati non significa umiliarsi, ma lavorare con responsabilità per la pace. Inoltre, noi cristiani, siamo convinti che la pace autentica e duratura non è solo il frutto di pur necessari accordi politici e intese fra individui e popoli, ma è dono di Dio a quanti si sottomettono a Lui e accettano con umiltà e gratitudine la luce del suo Amore. 3. Proseguiamo fiduciosi, cari Fratelli e Sorelle, nell'itinerario quaresimale. Maria Santissima ci ottenga che questa Quaresima non venga ricordata come un triste tempo di guerra, ma come un periodo di coraggioso impegno per la conversione e la pace. Affidiamo questa intenzione alla speciale intercessione di San Giuseppe, del quale mercoledì prossimo celebreremo la solennità. Dopo l’Angelus Saludo cordialmente a los peregrinos de lengua española, de modo particular a los fieles de las parroquias de Nuestra Señora de Araceli, San Mateo y del Centro San José, de la diócesis de Córdoba. Que esta fiesta de la Transfiguración del Señor os aliente a continuar el camino cuaresmal, annunciando a todos la conversión, la justicia y la paz. ¡Qué Dios os bendiga! Saluto i pellegrini di lingua italiana, in particolare gli adolescenti del decanato di Rho (diocesi di Milano), che si preparano alla loro professione di fede. Saluto inoltre i fedeli provenienti da Caltanissetta, San Cataldo, Mazzarino, Civitavecchia e Tarquinia, come pure il gruppo di San Biagio di Mantova, che da dieci anni realizza il Presepe Vivente. Il pellegrinaggio ai luoghi santi di Roma rafforzi in ciascuno l’adesione al Vangelo e lo spirito missionario. A tutti auguro una buona domenica. Parole che il Santo Padre ha aggiunto rivolgendosi ai fedeli e ai pellegrini convenuti in Piazza San Pietro: Io appartengo a quella generazione che ha vissuto la seconda Guerra Mondiale ed è sopravvissuta. Ho il dovere di dire a tutti i giovani, a quelli più giovani di me, che non hanno avuto quest’esperienza: "Mai più la guerra!", come disse Paolo VI nella sua prima visita alle Nazioni Unite. Dobbiamo fare tutto il possibile! Sappiamo bene che non è possibile la pace ad ogni costo. Ma sappiamo tutti quanto è grande questa responsabilità. E quindi preghiera e penitenza!

 

Halifax Orthodox churches fasting for peace
http://www.CTV.caA Halifax religious leader is encouraging his parishioners to enhance the power of their prayers for peace by participating in a special fast.
ATV's Anne Drewa reports that Father Maximus is one of several Orthodox Christian leaders in the Halifax area promoting peace in Iraq. Nadia McIntosh was one of dozens attending a service he conducted Sunday.
"I just hate to see the suffering and death that may come with it. It's not something I look forward to," McIntosh told ATV in reference to a possible invasion of Iraq.
Greek, Lebanese, Egyptian and Russian Orthodox churches are participating in the fast which will begin at midnight and end at sundown on Monday.
Drewa reports a message of peace is also being delivered by other religious leaders in Halifax. She said peace has been the focus at St. Mary's Basilica during Lent.
Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton was in the Maritime city on Sunday and he was also thinking about Iraq. He has been a vocal opponent of any Canadian involvement in a possible U.S-led invasion.
Layton said he had spoken to members of the military who said they'd rather not go to war if it could be averted through diplomatic means.
"I don't think you'll find very many people in the Canadian military that will be coming out and advocating the policy of pre-emptive action by one nation against another," he said.
"In fact, if anything, our peacekeepers and front-line forces for years have taken exactly the opposite view."

Over the course of the weekend, thousands of Canadians took to the streets to rally for peace. The biggest demonstration was in Montreal where up to 200,000 streamed through the downtown core on Saturday.

An estimated 30,000 people protested against a possible invasion of Iraq in Vancouver. A rally was held outside the city's art gallery which featured speakers such as environmentalist David Suzuki.

About 4,000 protesters marched through Toronto under sunny skies after gathering in front of the U.S. Consulate. A similar scene unfolded in Ottawa and other communities across the country.

TODAY'S NEWS from http://www.3saints.com

 

Military Intervention in Iraq Would Be a Crime, Says Vatican Official
VATICAN CITY, MARCH 17, 2003 (Zenit.org).-
The president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace said that a military intervention in Iraq would be a "crime against peace."

Archbishop Renato Martino quoted Jesus' words on Vatican Radio: "If a son asks you for bread, you do not give him a stone," and added: "To a people who for 12 years have been begging for bread, preparations are being made to drop 3,000 bombs on them!"
"It is a crime against peace that cries out vengeance before God," the archbishop said. "Let us pray so that the Pharaoh's heart will not be hardened and the biblical plagues of a terrible war will not fall on humanity."
"But, what will the Church do now? And the Pope?" he was asked on a Vatican Radio program.
"He will insist even more on the need and urgency for peace," said the archbishop, who for 16 years was the Vatican permanent observer to the United Nations. "As always, he will be the Good Samaritan who will kneel to dress the sores of a wounded and weakened people."



Iraqi Bishop Begs "Mercy for the Children"
BAGHDAD, Iraq, MARCH 17, 2003 (Zenit.org).-
As the Iraqi population braces for a possible war, a Catholic bishop made a dramatic appeal for "mercy for the children" and for all the civilians here.
Auxiliary Bishop Shlemon Warduni of the Patriarchate of the Chaldeans in Baghdad said: "We tell people to love one another, as God loves us. War, however, sows discord, hatred, poverty, and in this way the whole of culture regresses."
"This is why we ask everyone to cooperate through faith. This peace comes only from God," he told Vatican Radio today. "We ask everyone to have mercy on Iraqi children, to have mercy on Iraqi young people, on our elderly, our women, who are desperate."

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For reprint permission, please contact infoenglish@zenit.org.
Visit web page at http://www.zenit.org/

 

Church of Greece offers prayer for peace in Iraq
Athens, 20/03/2003 (ANA) -
The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece on Wednesday offered up a prayer for peace in Iraq after its regular meeting headed by Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos. Talking to reporters, Christodoulos said that these were crucial times and that there were always solutions but war was definitely not among them. He noted, however, that the Church of Greece was ready to offer humanitarian aid to the victims of war.
During the prayer, the head of the Greek Church referred to the consequences of war and said that the top priority for the Church was human life. Iraq's infrastructure and economy could be reconstructed after the war but the human lives that would be lost were irreplaceable, he stressed.


Ecumenical Patriarchate Urges Peaceful Resolution to Iraq Crisis
Constantinople - March 19, 2003
In these very critical days through which humanity proceeds, the Ecumenical Patriarchate repeats again its wish and prayer for peace and for the avoidance of war even in this last moment. It makes a plea to whoever is able to contribute to this end to exhaust all of their means so that humanity will not mourn new victims and horrible holocausts. With this opportunity, the Ecumenical Patriarchate reminds everyone that the basic prerequisite of peace is the respect for the sanctity of the human person and his freedom and dignity. From this respect are born all other prerequisites for the peaceful co-existence of all human beings on Earth in the love of one God and Father, who is not a God of war and battle but of reconciliation and peace.
May peace and good will be established permanently on Earth for the glory of God and the prosperity of all human beings, whom God loves equally.
At the Patriarchate, March 19, 2003
From the Chief Secretariat of the Holy and Sacred Synod

 

29.01.2003
Komission der Orthodoxen Kirchen in Deutschland:
Mahnwort der Orthodoxen Bischöfe in Deutschland zur Kriegsgefahr im Nahen Osten:

Liebe Brüder und Schwestern,

vor vier Jahren haben wir vor und während des NATO-Einsatzes in Jugoslawien in eindringlichen Worten vor dem Einsatz militärischer Gewalt gewarnt, die nicht zu einer wirklichen Lösung des Konfliktes beitragen, sondern diesen im Gegenteil noch verschärfen und für unzählige unschuldige Menschen Leid, Elend, Verstümmelung und Tod bedeuten würde.
Die Ereignisse haben uns recht gegeben: Um ein - vermeintliches oder wirkliches Unrecht - zu bekämpfen, wurde neues Unrecht zugelassen, ja durch den Krieg erst ermöglicht.
Nun scheint es so, als würde ein neuer Krieg unabsehbaren Ausmaßes unseren Planeten bedrohen, nämlich der Angriff auf den Irak.
Sicher ist nicht zu übersehen, dass das Regime im Irak seinen Teil Schuld an der Entwicklung trägt. Trotzdem sind wir mit der überwiegenden Mehrheit der christlichen Kirchen in aller Welt, auch in diesem Land, der Meinung, dass ein mit modernsten Waffen, wie sie insbesondere den USA zur Verfügung stehen, gegen den Irak geführter Krieg gerade die treffen wird, die die Eskalation des Konfliktes nicht zu verantworten haben, vor allem Frauen und Kinder.
Vergessen werden sollte in diesem Zusammenhang auch nicht, dass im Irak eine Zahl orthodoxer und orientalisch-orthodoxer Christen lebt und ihren Glauben praktizieren kann. Für sie dürfte ein solcher Krieg im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes existenzbedrohend werden.
Dem schon seit Jahren unter einer humanitären Katastrophe großen Ausmaßes leidenden irakischen Volk würde im Falle eines Krieges weiteres unermessliches Leiden und Sterben und eine politisch nicht zu kalkulierende Zukunft bevorstehen. Die Folgen können nicht nur für den Irak, sondern die gesamte krisenerschütterte Region des Vorderen Orients verheerend sein; es steht zu befürchten, dass auch diesmal die Kriegsfolgen gar nicht absehbare negative Entwicklungen begünstigen, darunter auch eine Eskalation des Terrors, den man bekämpfen will.
In diesem Sinne hat der Papst und Patriarch von Alexandreia Petros VII. jüngst dem Präsidenten der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika, Georg W. Bush, geschrieben: "Der Mittlere Osten ist ein sensitives Gebiet, das jetzt schon viel leidet. Ein solcher Krieg würde als Angriff auf den Islam gesehen. Solch ein Eindruck, auch wenn er falsch ist, hätte weitreichende und andauernde Konsequenzen für die Religionen, die Gläubigen und ihren Ruf. Religionen haben ihrem Wesen nach nichts mit Politik, mit Terrorismus und Krieg zu tun".
Diesen Worten können wir uns nur anschließen: Ein Krieg kann nicht gerechtfertigt werden, solange es auch nur die geringste Möglichkeit zu einer anderen Lösung der strittigen Fragen gibt. Dazu gehört auch, dass die UN-Waffeninspekteure ihre Arbeit vollständig abschließen können. Jede Form eines Präventivschlages, der erfolgt, bevor jede, auch die geringste und aussichtslos erscheinende Chance zu einer friedlichen Lösung vergeblich genutzt worden ist, aber muss verurteilt werden.
In unserer Sicht sind jedoch bei weitem nicht alle Möglichkeiten ausgenutzt worden. Insbesondere gilt dies für internationale humanitäre Aktionen, die das Los der irakischen Bevölkerung bessern und - so darf man hoffen - diplomatischen Versuchen der Verständigung mit der irakischen Regierung neue Impulse geben würden. Ein Krieg würde aber jeden Ansatz hierzu zunichte machen.
So schließen wir uns allen an, die zum Frieden mahnen, und fordern jene, die dies noch nicht getan haben, auf, ein Zeichen des Friedens zu setzen und alles in ihrer Macht stehende zu tun, dass der Menschheit ein neuer Krieg erspart bleibt, dessen Folgen für uns alle schrecklich sein können.
Unsere Gläubigen und ihre Hirten rufen wir als Orthodoxe Kirche in Deutschland, die - wie alle Orthodoxen - in jedem Gottesdienst um den "Frieden von oben" beten, inständig dazu auf, Gott den Allmächtigen zu bitten, dass Friede in der ganzen Welt herrsche und Er die Führer aller Nationen und alle Völker erleuchte, mitzubauen an einer Welt, in der die Menschen keine Gewalt mehr gegen ihre Brüder und Schwestern anwenden, einer Welt, die das gottgegebene Leben liebt und in Gerechtigkeit und Solidarität zusammenwächst.

Dortmund, 29. Januar 2003

Für das ökumenische Patriarchat:
+ Augoustinos, Metropolit von Deutschland, Exarch von Zentraleuropa

Für die Russische Orthodoxe Kirche:
+ Longin, Erzbischof von Klin, Ständiger Vertreter der Russischen Orthodoxen Kirche in Deutschland

Für die Serbische Orthodoxe Kirche:
+ Konstantin, Bischof für Mitteleuropa

Für die Rumänische Orthodoxe Kirche:
+ Serafim, Metropolit von Deutschland und Zentraleuropa

Für die Bulgarische Orthodoxe Kirche:
+ Simeon, Metropolit von West- und Mitteleuropa

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Church Leaders United Against War in Iraq
Statement adopted in Berlin, Germany, February 5, 2003,
following a consultation of church leaders from the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East

As European church leaders, in consultation with councils of churches in the USA and the Middle East, we remain extremely concerned with the continued calls for military action against Iraq by the US and some European governments. As people of faith, our love of neighbour compels us to oppose war and to seek peaceful resolution of conflicts. As churches we pray for peace and freedom, justice and safety for the people of Iraq and in the Middle East as a whole. Such prayer obliges us to be instruments of peace.

We deplore the fact that the most powerful nations of this world again regard war as an acceptable instrument of foreign policy. This creates an international culture of fear, threat and insecurity.

We cannot accept the stated objectives of a war against Iraq, as laid out by these governments, in particular the US. Pre-emptive military strike and war as a means to change the regime of a sovereign state are immoral and in violation of the UN Charter. We appeal to the Security Council to uphold the principles of the UN Charter which strictly limit the legitimate use of military force and to refrain from creating negative precedence and lowering the threshold for using violent means to solve international conflicts.

We believe that military force is an inappropriate means to achieve disarmament of any Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. We insist that the carefully designed mechanisms of the UN weapons inspections be given the time needed to complete their work.

All UN member states have to comply with binding UN resolutions and resolve conflicts by peaceful means. Iraq can be no exception. We call on the Government of Iraq to destroy any weapons of mass destruction and related research and production facilities. Iraq must cooperate fully with UN weapons inspectors, and guarantee full respect of the civil and political, economic, social and cultural human rights for all its citizens. The people in Iraq must be given hope that there are alternatives to both dictatorship and war.

A war would have unacceptable humanitarian consequences, including large-scale displacement of people, the breakdown of state functions, the possibility of civil war and major unrest in the whole region. The plight of Iraqi children and the unnecessary deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqis over the past 12 years of sanctions regime weighs heavily on our hearts. In the present situation, we strongly affirm long-standing humanitarian principles of unconditional access to people in need.

We further caution against the potential social, cultural, and religious as well as diplomatic long-term consequences of such a war. Further fuelling the fires of violence that are already consuming the region will only exacerbate intense hatred strengthening extremist ideologies and breeding further global instability and insecurity. As church leaders in Europe we have a moral and pastoral responsibility to challenge xenophobia in our own countries as well as allay the fears of many in the Muslim world that the so-called Western Christianity is against their culture, religion and values. We should seek co-operation for peace, justice and human dignity.

All governments, in particular the members of the Security Council have the responsibility to consider the whole complexity of this issue. All peaceful and diplomatic means to compel Iraq to comply with UN Security Council resolutions have not been exhausted.

For us it is a spiritual obligation, grounded in God’s love for all humanity, to speak out against war in Iraq. Through this message we send a strong sign of solidarity and support, to churches in Iraq, the Middle East and in the USA. We pray that God will guide those responsible to take decisions based on careful reflections, moral principles and high legal standards. We invite all churches to join us in this act of witness and to pray for and encourage participation of all people in the struggle for a peaceful resolution of this conflict.


Participants from Europe:
Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser, general secretary of the World Council of Churches
Rev. Dr Keith Clements, general secretary of the Council of European Churches
Präses Manfred Kock, president of the Council of the Evangelischen Kirche in Deutschland (EKD)
Bishop Dr Walter Klaiber, head of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Christlicher Kirchen in Deutschland (ACK) and Evangelical-Methodist Church (Germany)
Rev. Dr Jean-Arnold de Clermont, president of the Protestant Federation of France
Bishop Mag. Herwig Sturm, Evangelical Church of the Augsburg and Helvetic Confessions in Austria
Rev. Thomas Wipf, president of the Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches
Bishop Jonas Jonson, Bishop of the Church of Sweden, and Rev. Kjell Jonasson, Church of Sweden
Rev. Canon Dr Trond Bakkevig, Church of Norway
Archbishop Jukka Parma, Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Bishop Karsten Nissen, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark
Dr Alison Elliot, Church of Scotland and Churches Together in Scotland (ACTS)
Rev. Arie W. van der Plas, Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and Uniting Protestant Churches in the Netherlands
Archbishop Feofan, Russian Orthodox Church, Archbishop of Berlin and Germany
Bishop Athanasius of Achaja, Church of Greece
Mr. Thor-Arne Präis, director of Action by Churches Together (ACT) International, Geneva

Participant from the Middle East Council of Churches:
Rev. Dr Nuhad Daoud Tomeh, representing the General Secretariat of the Middle East Council of Churches

Participants from the National Council of Churches USA:
Dr Bob Edgar, general secretary, National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
James Winkler, general secretary, General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church, USA
Rev. Dr Rebecca Larson, executive director, Division for Church and Society, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, USA

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DECLARATION DE LA CONCERTATION D'EGLISES CHRETIENNES EN BELGIQUE

 

Avec les délégués de la Concertation d'Eglises Chrétiennes en Belgique, nous nous adressons d’un même cœur aux membres des communautés locales, alors que la tension grandit encore à propos de l’Irak.

La foi en Dieu, le Vivant et l’Unique, l’amour de tous les hommes, femmes et enfants nous engagent à nous opposer à la guerre et à rechercher une solution pacifique des conflits. En tant qu’Eglises, nous prions pour que la population de l’Irak et celle de tout le Moyen-Orient connaissent la paix, la justice et la sécurité et qu’elles-mêmes y coopèrent avec cœur. Une telle prière nous oblige à être des instruments de paix.

Face à la violence accrue qui prévaut en Israël et dans les territoires palestiniens et qui nourrit les sentiments de vengeance et de haine et devant les risques d’une intervention contre l’Irak, nous te demandons, Seigneur : accorde persévérance et courage à ceux et celles qui continuent à œuvrer pour une paix juste dans ces pays du Moyen-orient et inspire aux dirigeants des pays concernés une vision claire des grandes responsabilités qui sont les leurs. Nous te le demandons par Celui qui est le Prince de la Paix, Jésus-Christ, Notre Seigneur. »

Par cette lettre, la Concertation d'Eglises Chrétiennes en Belgique vous invite, avec votre paroisse ou communauté, à prier pour la paix. Que l’Esprit de Dieu puisse guider le cœur des hommes et des responsables politiques vers des engagements de paix et de réconciliation.

Nous invitons toutes les Eglises à être unies dans cet acte de témoignage, à prier et à encourager la participation de tous les fidèles à la lutte pour la résolution pacifique de ces conflits.

 

Chanoine D.VAN LEEUWEN,                                              Cardinal G.DANNEELS,

Eglise anglicane                                                                       Eglise catholique romaine

 

Métropolite PANTELEIMON,                                               Pasteur D.VANESCOTE,

Eglise orthodoxe                                                                     Eglise Protestante Unie de Belgique

 

Bruxelles, le 13 février 2003.

 

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World-trade-center & Pentagon Terror Attack         New First Bishop for Orthodox Church of America         News from Bulgaria        

 

In memory of the victims and as a sign of our hope in the resurrection Father John Romas raises the altar cross of the orthodox church of St.Nicholas found in the debris of the World Trade Center, New York.

"bear one another´s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:2).

"Again we pray for the repose of the souls of the servants of God- Thou, O, Lord, know all their names Thyself-innocently killed by the hands of terrorists, and that they may be pardoned all their sins, both voluntary and involuntary"

"Again we pray to Thou, O, Lord, to hear the prayer of us, sinners, for those who are crying and are in pain in our American land, longing for Thy consolation, and to pardon and to comfort them by the Grace and Power of Thy Holy Spirit"

Orthodox Monastery prays for victims
- and appeals for a revival of Christian Values against a World of Terror and War read full text of appeal

Priest Dies While Helping Victims in New York Tragedy
NEW YORK, SEPT. 13, 2001 (Zenit.org).-
Father Michael F. Judge, OFM, met his death while administering the sacraments to the wounded and dying in the attack on New York's World Trade Center. 
The Irish Franciscan, 68, was chaplain of the New York City Fire Department; in his ministry, he faced many tragic situations. 
Father Michael lived in a monastery near Manhattan's Penn Station, but spent much of his time in the city s hospitals and firehouses. 
Whenever firefighters fell in the line of duty, Father Michael consoled their families and spoke at their funerals. He formed a close friendship with Steven MacDonald, a city police officer who was paralyzed by a teen-age gunman in 1986. 
After the attack on the first of Manhattan's twin towers, Father Michael arrived on the scene with one of the first groups of firefighters. He immediately began to give absolution to the wounded. Minutes later, the tower collapsed, crushing many victims, including the Franciscan. 
According to a statement of the Franciscan Province of the Holy Name in New York, to which Father Michael Judge belonged, "Father Michael died doing what he loved most, next to the people he loved most, the needy. 
"Father Michael's body was taken to St. Peter's Church on Barclay Street, and placed in the sanctuary next to the bodies of his companions, the firefighters."
"May he and all the victims of the disaster rest in peace," the Franciscan statement ends. 

more to the tragedy

an orthodox theologian reflects on clash of cultures, the west, islam and terrorism ...

Metropolitan HERMAN, newly elected First Hierarch of the Orthodox Church of America Enthronement Sept. 7 and 8 th 2002 Event covered on: OCA web site: http://www.oca.org AXIOS !   AXIOS !   AXIOS !

Metropolitan LEO elected Metropolitan of Helsinki and First Hierarch of the Orthodox Church of Finland
AXIOS !   AXIOS !   AXIOS !

Invitation to reunite Russian Orthodox Church by Patriarch ALEKSIJ II of Moscow and AllRussia
Discussion of possible Reunification of Russian Orthodox Church
Metropolitan LAWR elected First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church "outside of Russia"
AXIOS !   AXIOS !   AXIOS !       DOSTOIJN !   DOSTOIJN !   DOSTOIJN !

 

Washington, DC Site Of Enthronement of Metropolitan HERMAN, Newly Elected Primate of the Orthodox Church in America

WASHINGTON, DC -OCA- Over two dozen Orthodox hierarchs from around the world are expected to participate in the enthronement of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Herman, as Primate of the Orthodox Church in America [OCA] on Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8, 2002. "Metropolitan Herman was elected the OCA's presiding hierarch during the 13th All-American Council held in Orlando, FL in late July," according to the Very Rev. John Matusiak, OCA Communications Director. "He succeeds His Beatitude, Metropolitan Theodosius, who retired due to failing health after 25 years of service as the OCA's Primate." The Rite of Enthronement, at which members of the OCA Holy Synod of Bishops will concelebrate together with hierarchs representing many of the world's autocephalous, or self-governing, Orthodox Churches, will be celebrated at the conclusion of the Sunday morning Divine Liturgy at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, 3500 Massachusetts Ave. NW, which begins at 9:30 a.m. On Saturday, September 7, the eve of the Enthronement Liturgy, Metropolitan Herman will preside at the 5:00 p.m. Vigil Service at the cathedral. "On Saturday afternoon, members of the OCA Holy Synod of Bishops will visit the Pentagon, where they will lay a wreath and offer commemorative prayers for the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks," Father Matusiak added. "Memorial prayers also will be offered at the conclusion of Sunday's Enthronement Liturgy."
In addition to the liturgical celebrations surrounding the Enthronement, Metropolitan Herman is slated to receive representatives from Orthodox Churches around the world on Saturday morning. Other events being held in conjunction with Metropolitan Herman's Enthronement include
* a breakfast honoring Metropolitan Herman with the clergy and staff of Saint Nicholas Cathedral, the primatial seat of the OCA, on Friday, September 6, followed by a meeting between Metropolitan Herman and His Excellency Yuri V. Ushakov, Russian Ambassador to the US, at the Embassy of the Russian Federation;
* a luncheon and meeting with Metropolitan Herman and the clergy of the Diocese of Washington, DC later the same day;
* a Saturday morning breakfast hosted by Metropolitan Herman for members of the OCA Holy Synod of Bishops and foreign hierarchs; and
* a meeting between Metropolitan Herman and Roman Catholic Cardinals Keeler and McCarrick and other religious leaders.
Full coverage of the Enthronement weekend will be available on the OCA web site at
OCA web site: http://www.oca.org

 

The Most Reverend Laurus has been elected as First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad.
Axios! Axios! Axios!

Statement of Metropolitan Vitaly asking for retirement

&
Act:
Election of new Metropolitan First Hierarch
ROCOR - Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia 
75 East 93rd Street 
New York, NY 10128 


ACT:   On Wednesday, 11/24 October 2001, the day of the commemoration of the holy Apostle Philip of the Seventy and the Venerable Theophanes the Confessor, having assembled in the city of New York at the Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady of the Sign, in honor of her Kursk-Root Icon, at an open extraordinary session of our Council, praying after the Divine Liturgy, and having served a panikhida for the ever-memorable Metropolitans Anthony, Anastasy and Philaret and a service of supplication to the Mother of God before her miraculous Kursk-Root Icon, and also to the holy hierarchs Tikhon the Patriarch and John of Shanghai of San Francisco, the wonderworker, and having invoked the gracious aid of the Holy Spirit, we, the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, proceeded to the election of a new First Hierarch of the ROCOR, after this cathedra became vacant on the decision of His Eminence, Metropolitan Vitaly, to go into retirement. 
There were eighteen hierarchal electors, of whom six were not present but sent in their votes in writing. 
At the first ballot, the votes of Their Graces were distributed as follows: Archbishop Laurus-12 votes; Archbishop Mark-1 vote; Archbishop Hilarion-1 vote; Bishop Benjamin-1 vote; and three hierarchs abstained. Thus, the Right Reverend Laurus, having received 2/3 of the votes on the first ballot was, in accordance with the Order for the Election of the First Hierarch, elected the fifth First Hierarch of the ROCOR. 
We beseech Almighty God to send down His blessing upon the further ministry of our First Hierarch, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus. Amen. 

[handwritten:] I give thanks, accept and say nought against it. 

+Metropolitan Laurus

[signatures:]  +Archbishop Alypy 
+Archbishop Mark 
+Archbishop Hilarion 
+Bishop Kirill 
+Bishop Ambrose 
+Bishop Evtikhy 
+Bishop Agafangel 
+Bishop Alexander 
+Bishop Gabriel 
+Bishop Michael 
+Bishop Agapit  
 

 

ROCOR - Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia 
75 East 93rd Street 
New York, NY 10128 
In the Name of the Father, the Son &Amp; the Holy Spirit! 
Dear Brethren &Amp; Archpastors! 
In accordance with my declaration at the last session of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, on 27 June/10 July 2001, I now repeat before you all, before the entire Council of Bishops, that I am going into retirement. I ask the holy prayers of all of you archpastors, my brethren. 
I also pray for all of you, and we will now all pray together and ask the Chief Shepherd, our Lord Jesus Christ, to help our Council of Bishops to choose a new first hierarch of our much-suffering Russian Church Outside of Russia. For my part, I call upon you all to unite around our Council's choice and for you all to take care for the restoration of peace and unity among us and our flock. Only in unity do we have strength, and with the help of God we will be able to oppose all the wiles of enemies, visible and invisible. Amen. 
I ask of you, dear brethren, your holy prayers and forgiveness. 

[signature:] +Metropolitan Vitaly 

10/23 October 2001 
Holy Elders of Optina 

 

Patriarch ALEKSIJ II of Moscow and AllRussia: Invitation to reunite Russian Orthodox Church

Fraternal Letter of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexi II and of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church 
To the Members of the Hierarchical Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad
All-honorable Arch-pastors and Pastors, participants in the Council, "Grace be unto you and the peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph. I:2)
On the threshold of the Hierarchical Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, the Holy Synod, the Episcopacy, the Clergy and the entire Pleroma of the Russian Orthodox Church offers up prayers with special zeal to our Lord and Saviour to put an end to the lamentable separation of the children of the Mother-Church, in diaspora, from their brethren of the same Faith with them in Russia.
The tragic twentieth century has passed, during which Russia and her Holy Church endured a time of heavy trial. The great sin of apostasy seduced the hearts of the people. During that spiritual darkening, they destroyed temples, defiled holy things, and grossly flouted the freedom given by God: the tunic of the Church was rent by both internal and external enemies. The Russian Church ascended her own Golgotha, and the Gospel prophecy of the Saviour was fulfilled, when in the temptation of struggling against God "brother (delivered up) brother to death, and the father the child: and the  children (rose up) against their parents, and cause(d) them to be put to death." (Matthew X:21) Nevertheless Orthodox Russia, trusting in God's promises, and going up onto the Cross, believed in her Resurrection. For, according to what the Apostle said, "Neither death, nor life, nor angels nor Principalities nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans VIII:38-39) Through the blood of hundreds of thousands of martyrs and confessors the countenance of the Russian land was cleansed, and our country was able to suffer through to being cured of her tragic illness.
Through the holy prayers of God's Saints newly revealed, the yoke of militant atheism finally collapsed.
Today, entering a new millennium, we may witness with joy that "the gates of Hell" (Matthew XVI: 18) did not prevail against the Church in Russia. Dear brethren in Christ, the events that have transpired during these last years in the life of our Holy Church, in the life of Russian society and government, clearly show that all those historical circumstances that  formed the basis of our separation from you have been annulled. The Church in the homeland now freely accomplishes Her saving service. In spite of the terrible years of persecution, She preserved unharmed Christ's word and is  once again able to proclaim the truth of Holy Orthodoxy with full voice.
The Jubilee Hierarchical Council that took place in August of last year became a clear manifestation of the Church's renascence. The "Bases for a Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church" that was accepted at it afford indispensable clarity to the mutual relations of Church and government. Under conditions of freedom the long-lasting desire of our Church and of the entire much-suffering Orthodox people was fulfilled: there was accomplished the glorification among the choir of the Saints of the New Russian Martyrs and Confessors, among their number the Royal  Passion-bearers. With God's blessing the office of canonization with the participation of representatives of every one of the Local Orthodox Churches in the reborn Temple of Christ the Saviour became truly an All-Orthodox celebration.
Nevertheless, our joy can only be complete when it receives healing of the wound of pernicious schism in the body of the Russian Church. What fills up our heart with sorrow is that we, dear brethren, as Orthodox confessing one Faith, may not commune from one Cup and we continue to languish in the captivity of a separation which has been historically eliminated. Many perceptive souls, especially from among the number of those Russians living beyond the borders of the Homeland, are being drawn by this circumstance to strive to surmount it. Even in the bosom of the Church Abroad Herself the movement towards destruction of the wall of separation is ever gaining strength; Joy was afforded to many members of the Church in Russia through the decision of last year's Hierarchical Council of the Russian Church
Abroad to create a commission on the questions of the unity of the Russian Church. We confirm our readiness to create a commission like it on our side, so that, in brotherly dialogue, the quandaries that still stand in the way of unity can be solved.
The Holy New Martyrs endured innumerable sufferings for the Russian Church, wanting to see Her one and free. In the new millennium whose beginning was marked by disturbing events, the responsibility for the future Russian Church has been laid upon us together with you by the Lord. Brethren, the time has come to lay aside all quarrels about human justice, which should give place to God's justice. Offering mutual repentance, we are called to go to meet each other in order to overcome suspicion and enmity. It is time for all us to understand that our division is a witness now only to human frailty and sinfulness. Let us follow the advice of Saint Tikhon, All-Russian Patriarch, who eighty years ago wrote in one and the same epistle: "It is, in fact, in oneness, agreed-upon action and brotherly love, that there is power." Let us hearken as well to the instructions of St. Gregory the Theologian: "To give way in this or that minor matter in  order to achieve what is most important: that is concord." And may we be fortified in our coming near by the High Priestly prayer of our Lord and Saviour:"As Thou, Father, art in me, and I in Thee, so that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me." (John XVII: 21)

+ ALEKSIJ
Patriarch of Moscow

Members of the Holy Synod

23 September/6 October 2001
Day of The Glorification of St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow

Most of Translation prepared by His Grace Bishop Tikhon of San Francisco and the West
 

 

Letter of the Holy Synod of Bishops to the Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia
OCA - October 18, 2001
His Eminence
The Most Reverend Archbishop LAURUS
Deputy of the First Hierarch
Secretary of the Synod of Bishops
75 East 93rd Street
New York, NY 10128
To His Eminence, the Most Reverend LAURUS, Deputy of the First Hierarch, and the Most Reverend Archpastors of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia:
The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, meeting at Oyster Bay Cove, New York, on October 18, 2001, prayerfully reflected on your approaching meeting, on the message which has been addressed to you by His Holiness Patriarch ALEKSEY II of Moscow and the Holy Synod of the Church of Russia, and on the life and mission of the Holy Orthodox Church in America, in Russia, and around the world.
We have left behind the twentieth century, with its rebellion against God, its wars and violence, its millions of refugees, its technological successes and moral failures. In the midst of the evil and sin and darkness of the last century, the light of Christ shines brightly for us in the countless martyrs and confessors of Russia and other lands. And the light of Christ overcame the darkness - this is the meaning of the collapse of communist totalitarian atheism.
We have entered the twenty-first century, and already see violence and war, drought and famine, the reality and threat of terrorism and terrorist use of biological and chemical warfare. Humanity is living with fear and anxiety. Many millions live in poverty and hunger. In Western civilization as a whole, materialism and the practical atheism which accompanies materialism influence all of popular culture. Sadly, in Russia and other formerly communist nations the Gospel of Christ is also powerfully challenged by materialism, immorality, corruption, and false spiritualities and religions.
One of the legacies of the last century in the Orthodox Church is the legacy of schism and division. As a result, Orthodox Christians are unable to partake together of the one Cup. We join His Holiness Patriarch ALEKSEY II of Moscow, and many of you as well as many of your flock, in grieving at the schisms which separate us. We join in 
the movement of mutual repentance. We believe that God calls us to unity in His truth and in His Church, and that this unity is required if the Orthodox voice calling all to repentance and reconciliation will be fully heard by a wounded, fearful, and suffering humanity.
We are moved by the fact that the letter to you of His Holiness Patriarch ALEKSEY II of Moscow is signed on the Day of the Glorification of St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow. We see in this a sign for you and for us in America. St. Innocent, who at the end of his life was Metropolitan of Moscow, gave most of his life to the missionary vocation of the Russian Orthodox Church. As a true apostle he preached the Gospel of Christ to the Alaskan natives and to the 
indigenous peoples of Siberia. For him, the life in Christ was not limited to the boundaries of his nation and his people. Rather, for him, the life in Christ was most fully lived when it was shared humbly and joyfully with other nations and peoples.
Although the mission of the Orthodox Church in America is directed especially to the peoples of North America, our eucharistic communion with the Church of Russia and the other Orthodox Churches is a bond of peace and unity, giving testimony to the universality of the Orthodox faith. We value both our eucharistic communion with the Russian Orthodox Church and the gift of autocephaly from the Russian Orthodox Church. We see in this eucharistic communion and in our mission to America our faithfulness to the vision and apostolic labors of St. Innocent of Moscow.
Although the center of your spiritual attention as the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad is the witness of the Russian Orthodox Church, there are many in your midst in America who are not Russian but American, and who came to Holy Orthodoxy as converts. You, too, give expression to the inheritance of St. Innocent of Moscow.
Finally, both you and we, together with the Church of Russia, remember with love St. Tikhon, Patriarch and Confessor of Moscow. St. Tikhon, like St. Innocent, ended his life as the first hierarch of the Church of Russia, but began his apostolic and archpastoral ministry in North America. It was St. Tikhon who first proposed the need for an autocephalous Orthodox Church in America, composed of different ethnic groups and nationalities united in one Orthodox Church on this continent.
We are surely called to unity, both in the universal Orthodox Church, and in America - eucharistic unity, unity in the preachhing of the Gospel, unity in mutual repentance and reconciliation. May our calling to unity put us all on the path which will lead us towards an end to schism and alienation.
With brotherly love in Christ,

+THEODOSIUS
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada

And the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America:

+KYRILL
Archbishop of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania

+PETER
Archbishop of New York and New Jersey

+DMITRI
Archbishop of Dallas and the South

+HERMAN
Archbishop of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania

+NATHANIEL
Archbishop of Detroit and the Romanian Episcopate

+JOB
Bishop of Chicago and the Midwest

+TIKHON
Bishop of San Francisco and the West

+SERAPHIM
Bishop of Ottawa and Canada

+NIKOLAI
Bishop of Baltimore
 

Moscow Patriarchate approaches rival Russian Church
RRN - SYNOD CALLS FOR UNIFICATION OF ORTHODOX
Foreign church ignores summons - by Pavel Korobov - Kommersant-Daily, 8 October 2001

On Saturday in Moscow in the patriarchal residence on Chisty Lane was held a session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox church under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow and all-Run. The synod called the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) to liquidate the schism and be united. The Holy Synod awarded the patriarch the order of the Holy Prelate Macarius, first degree, on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of his episcopal ordination. It decided to add to the assembly of new Russian martyrs of the twentieth century names from lists presented by the Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Saransk, Syktyvkarsk, and Yaroslavl dioceses. It elevated the Tyla ecclesiastical school to rank of seminary and blessed opening for new cloisters, two for men, in Vladivostok and Stavropol dioceses, and two for women, in Blagoveshchensk and Tula dioceses, and it settled several personnel questions.
The chief act of the Holy Synod was the sending of a fraternal epistle to members of the bishops' council of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. This council is scheduled for 23 October 2001 and at it a new head of the foreign church will be elected to replace ninety-two-year-old Metropolitan Vitaly, who will retire.
The letter to ROCOR says that "now all the historic causes that conditioned our separation from you have disappeared. The church now performs its saving ministry in the fatherland freely." The social doctrine of the Russian Orthodox church that was adopted last year "introduced needed clarification in the mutual relations of the church with the state." The synod proposed now to take the practical steps and to create a commission on matters of the unity of the Russian church, inasmuch as "it is now time for us all to understand that our division bears witness only to inertia and human sinfulness." At the time that this issue was going to press, the authorized representative for Russian affairs of the ROCOR synod, Bishop Mikhail of Toronto, was serving the liturgy and was unavailable for comment. Deacon Nikolai Savchenko, secretary of the St. Petersburg deanery of ROCOR, commented on the RPTs' synod's call for unification as follows: "The only thing that prevents our unification are the diseases that the Moscow patriarchate caught during the soviet period: ecumenism and sergianism (ROCOR thinks that the caretaker of the patriarchate, Metropolitan Sergius, supported the actions of the atheist soviet regime--KD). It is necessary to repent before the Russian people and they people should see that healing is taking place." The ruling bishop of the Ishimsko-Siberian ROCOR diocese, Bishop Evtikhy, said that the fact of a friendly appeal gives him joy, but "the central phrase of the letter had a demoralizing effect" upon him personally, which spoke of the absence of historical reasons for the division of the two churches. "Probably a majority of members of our council will have a different assessment of history and the contemporary situation in the Russian church and in society," Bishop Evtikhy declared to Kommersant-Daily. "For this reason it is premature to say that now there must be an immediate unification of the churches."

 

"VOICE OF THE PEOPLE"
LIVE DISCUSSION ON RUSSIAN TV ON OVERCOMING THE SCHISM
WELL EXPRESSED VIEWS FROM BOTH SIDES
GOOD REASON FOR HOPE !

Mir religii
26 October 2001
RRN
The prospects for overcoming the schism in the Russian church that appeared after the election of a new first hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia were discussed on 25 October in a live broadcast on TV-6 by participants in the "Voice of the People" talk show, "Blagovest-info" reports. 
Opening the program, announcer Svetlana Sorokina explained that the bishops' council of ROCOR that took place in New York has opened a new epoch in relations between this church and RPTs. The newly elected head of ROCOR, Archbishop Laurus, is known as a proponent of a merger of the churches and an ending of the schism. 
The spiritual director of the Union of Orthodox Citizens, Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin, and an historian from Nizhny Novgorod, Alexander Zhuravsky, described the history of the emergence of the schism in the Russian church, linking it with the declaration of loyalty to the soviet regime signed in the name of the Russian Orthodox church (RPTs) by Metropolitan Sergius and condemned by ROCOR. According to a cleric of the St. Petersburg diocese of ROCOR, Deacon Nikolai Savchenko, the disease that this declaration provoked has still not been obliterated and thus the schism has not been overcome. 
Archpriests Viktor Potapov and Nikolai Artemov of ROCOR answered questions of announcers on the telebridges from Washington and Munich. The rector of the ROCOR cathedral in Washington and the announcer for religious programs of Voice of America [Potapov] suggested that the consequences of sergianism (the course proclaimed by Metropolitan Sergius' declaration) have almost been overcome within RPTs and unification "of the two parts of the Russian church" is a matter of time. 
Archpriest Nikolai Artemov also agreed that there are no barriers in principle for the unification of RPTs and ROCOR and he expressed the hope that existing disputes could be resolved in the process of creating the administrative canonical structure of a united Russian church. 
The secretary of the representation of the ROCOR bishops' council in Podolsk (Moscow province), Deacon Aleksii, reported the disagreement of the majority of Russian ROCOR parishes with the policy of unconditional unification with RPTs. He compared the foreign clerics of ROCOR to "staff officers" and the representatives of this church within Russia to "soldiers in the trenches," whose differing psychology prevents mutual understanding in the matter of unification of the Russian church. 
Talk show participants also mentioned the growth of alternative Orthodoxy in Russia, which can only intensify after unification of RPTs and ROCOR. However according to the secretary of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow patriarchate for inter-Orthodox relations and foreign institutions of RPTs, Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, and the executive editor of "Moskovskii tserkovnii vestnik," Sergei Chapnin, Orthodox societies that are not subordinate to RPTs in Russia are extremely few and comprise, in the main, "seekers after truth" who would be uncomfortable under any jurisdiction. 

Patriarch Still Hopes for Unification
The Moscow Times - Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001 - By Andrei Zolotov Jr. - Staff Writer - AP
Patriarch Alexy II on Monday expressed a mixture of disappointment and understanding toward the New York-based emigre branch of the Russian Orthodox Church, which in recent days elected a new moderate leader but responded sternly to the Moscow Patriarchate's call for unity. 
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia broke away from the Moscow Patriarchate in the 1920s over its cooperation with the Soviet state. Both view themselves as successors to the pre-revolutionary Russian church, and their unification is anticipated by many here and abroad as an end to the tragic Soviet period in church history. 
Last year, ROCOR signaled a change of course and set up a commission to look at unity with Moscow. But the decision caused a rift within ROCOR itself.
In the run up to ROCOR's Council of Bishops on Oct. 23-31 -- where the replacement of the anti-Moscow 91-year-old head, Metropolitan Vitaly, was expected -- the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church issued a "fraternal message" to ROCOR bishops calling on them to put aside past differences.
"The historical reasons that conditioned our division are now removed," the message said. It stressed that the church in Russia was now completely free, that it had canonized the imperial family and hundreds of other 20th-century martyrs, and called for mutual repentance. 
Yet the events in New York were even more dramatic than expected. Metropolitan Vitaly confirmed his retirement and Metropolitan Laurus, 73, who is seen as a moderate, was elected on Oct. 24. But the next day opponents of rapprochement with Moscow "abducted" Metropolitan Vitaly and in the following days he retracted his retirement statement, condemned the council and began setting up an alternative ROCOR hierarchy.
Responding to Patriarch Alexy's appeal, the foreign bishops said they had always desired a united Russian church, but reiterated two old demands: that the Moscow Patriarchate condemn its past cooperation with the Soviet government, including with the KGB, and end its participation in the ecumenical movement, particularly its membership in the World Council of Churches. Contacts with non-Orthodox Christians are seen as heresy by arch-conservative Orthodox.
The "Sovietization" of Russia was a moral and religious, not simply a political, phenomenon, ROCOR bishops wrote in a message printed Monday in the Kommersant newspaper. "We understand that we have no right to judge these [Soviet-era] bishops, especially since we did not have to live in the vise grip of a horrible totalitarian regime," they said. "We only pray that God grants them courage to expose and condemn the sin of such cooperation."
The message said contacts with Moscow were "expedient." But in other statements, ROCOR bishops assured their disturbed flock that they are not talking about unification with the Moscow Patriarchate.
Patriarch Alexy said Monday he had expected a "milder response" than the one that was published, Interfax reported. But he attributed it in part to ROCOR's need to address its internal schism.
The patriarch called ROCOR's demands a "pretext" to prevent unification, and defended the 1927 decision to recognize and cooperate with the Soviet state, saying it was a "courageous step." 
"One had to live here to understand that situation," he said. He also rejected the call to sever ecumenical contacts. "Today, when we face the threat of global terrorism, not a single church, including ROCOR, can go into isolation," the patriarch said. But he said he hoped that "common sense" would prevail and the unification process would go forward.

 

Thursday morning (25 October 2001)
The Orthodox Church of Finland elected LEO, Metropolitan of Helsinki, to First Hierarch
to succeed John(Johannes) the former archbishop who has retired. Following the order established in the Tomos of 1923 (givingthe Finnish Orthodox Church autonomy under the Omophor of the Ecumenical Patriarchate), the election has to be confirmed byConstantinople

Mikael Liljeström

Metropolitan Leo was born 4th of June 1948 and he graduated from the Orthodox Priest Seminary in Kuopio in 1972. After graduating from the Seminary, Metropolitan Leo finished his pedagogical studies at the University of Turku in 1978. He received his Masters Degree in Orthodox Theology from the University of Joensuu in 1995.

After graduating from the seminary, the future metropolitan was ordained a deacon and then a priest in 1973 by Metropolitan John of Helsinki. From the year 1973, he worked as a priest and teacher of religion, first in Eastern part of Finland, and from 1974 until 1979 he continued similar work in the South-Western part of Finland. In 1979 he was elected assistant Bishop of Joensuu in 1979 and his consecration took place in February. Already in October he was elected Metropolitan of the Diocese of Oulu. This diocese covers the area of Northern Finland and Lapland. At the beginning of 1980 he was appointed to this office. H.E. metropolitan Leo held this office until 1996 when he was elected metropolitan of Helsinki.

Metropolitan Leo has had many positions of trust in his carrier. Since 1975, he has been a member of the General Assembly of the Church, which among other works drafts new laws and statutes for the Church and elects bishops. He has been a member of the Administrative council of the Church since 1980. This body runs the everyday practical administration within the whole church in co-operation with the diocesan episcopal offices. From 1979 until 1993 H.E. Metropolitan Leo was the chairman of the Fellowship of SS. Sergius and Herman, which is the home mission organisation of the Church. He has also been the chairman of the committee responsible of developing the domestic ecclesiastical administration during 1996-2001. He has also been a member of the Ecumenical Council of Finland since 1980 and 1987-90 he acted as a vice-president and as a board member of the council.

Metropolitan Leo has represented the Orthodox Church of Finland on various official visits abroad.

Metropolitan Leo has been a member of the editorial councils of many publications and he has published lectures and articles on and different magazines and electronic publications.

Terrorists Demolished More Than 30 Churches And Monasteries 
http://www.realitymacedonia.org.mk/web/news_page.asp?nid=678
Web posted: October 16, 2001 - Source: MIA 
Tetovo, October 16 (MIA) - According to the information [service] of the Tetovo Archpriest department [deanery], more than 30 churches and monasteries are demolished by the Albanian terrorists in Tetovo crisis region, reads the report which has been announced Tuesday by the eparchy administrator Mirko Stankoski. 
The report has been already sent to the Macedonian Government, Ministry of Culture, the OSCE and the EU Monitoring Missions in the country. 
The report especially reads the total destruction of the monastery church "St. Atanasij" in Lesok and robbing of the conachs [monastic cells] in the monastery. The tombstone of the famous Macedonian educator and prior Kiril Pejcinovic - Tetoec and his memorial statue in Tearce has been destroyed. Albanian terrorists have burnt the church "St. Nikola" in the village of Slatina, the church "St. Atanasij" has been destroyed on Lesok - Brezno road, and icons, church and religious books and documents have been robbed and destroyed in the churches "St. Bogorodica" in Lesok, "St. Gjorgjija" in Mala Recica, "St. Atanasij" in Tetovo Kale, "St. Ilija" and "St. Gjorgjij" in Neprosteno, "St. Gorgjij" in Otunje, "St. Kuzman and Damjan" in Jedoarce, "St. Petka" in Varvara, "Uspenie na Bogorodica" and "Sveto Blagovestie" in Jelosnik, "St. Gjorgjija" in Lavce, "St. Nikola" and "St. Bogorodica" in Tetovo. 
The number of the demolished and desecrated Christian temples is not final because some of the churches and monasteries are not accessible due to security reasons. jb/sk/14:31.
 

 

 

Majority of Russians want pope to visit
RRN - Apostolic Administrator Says Alexy II Softening His Opposition 
Zenit.org, 18 October 2001 - Archbishop Tadeusz  Kondrusiewicz, apostolic administrator in European Russia, told the  magazine Inside the Vatican that he is certain John Paul II will  travel to Russia next year. 
The archbishop, whose see is in Moscow, said: "Even the Russian  Orthodox patriarch, Alexy II, does not exclude a meeting with the  Pope, though the patriarch sets some conditions which must be met  beforehand." 
A trip to Russia seems more likely, following John Paul II's pastoral  visits to Ukraine last June and to Kazakhstan and Armenia last month,  according to the English-language magazine. 
Russian polls reveal that nearly 60% of all Russians favor a papal  visit, up 10% since before the Pope's trip to Kazakhstan. 
Archbishop Kondrusiewicz added: "I believe Alexy II's opposition to  the visit is softening more and more. One year ago, we did not  believe the Pope could even go to Ukraine or Kazakhstan. What has  just happened is already a sort of miracle in our times."

 

 

 

Orthodox Patriarchs and Bishops condemn terrorist excesses, violence and appeal to end world wide spiral of hatred.

Patriarch Alexij in the name of the Russian Orthodox Church condemns the perpetrators of this barbarian crime and mourns for the innocent people murdered. "Our special prayer is for those who were wounded, who lost relatives and neighbors, and who are in fear and despair. May the Lord help our American brothers and sisters to comprehend their horrible experience." The patriarch then reminds the experience of the russian people with terrorist wave of bomb attacks against cities in Russia and senseless terror and destruction in Chechnia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Holy Land.  
read also appeal of Metropolitan Kyrill

American Orthodox Bishops hold prayers services for victims and suffering.  
read also Bishop Mercurius pastoral letter and additions in Divine Liturgy

IOCC International Orthodox Christian Charities organizes relief support.

Pope John Paul expressed his sorrow at Tuesday´s events:
"I cannot begin this audience without expressing my profound sorrow at the terrorist attacks which yesterday brought death and destruction to America ...
I add my voice to all the voices raised in these hours to express indignant condemnation, and I strongly reiterate that the ways of violence will never lead to genuine solutions to humanity´s problems.
I ask you, dear brothers and sisters, to join me in prayer for them. Let us beg the Lord that the spiral of hatred and violence will not prevail. May the Blessed Virgin, Mother of Mercy, fill the hearts of all with wise thoughts and peaceful intentions."

Pope prays Americans won't respond with hatred FROSINONE, Italy (CNS) -Sep-17-2001-
Pope John Paul II prayed that Americans would shun the temptation to respond with hatred and violence to massive coordinated terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. "I turn my heartbroken thoughts even now to all the sons and daughters of that great nation,'' the United States, the pope said after a Mass Sept. 16. ``May (the Virgin Mary) help all not to give in to the temptation of hate and violence, but to commit themselves to the service of justice and peace,'' he told some 40,000 people in Frosinone, 40 miles southeast of Rome.
Vatican Warns Against Dangers of Massive Military Operation:
John Paul II (1993): "Military operations, the Pope stated at the time, "never serve the common good of humanity, violence destroys, it does not build; the wounds it causes bleed for a long time and, finally, conflicts worsen the already sad conditions of the poor and are fueled by new forms of poverty."

US Council of Churches calls for interfaith prayer vigils in response to terrorist attacks:
The West Virginia Council of Churches and its member bodies today called for interfaith prayer vigils to be held throughout the state in response to this (Tuesday) morning's attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C.
"We are encouraging all religious communities in the state to join together in prayer for all people," said the Rev. Nathan Wilson, the council's executive director.
"At the same time,

of "AA Service"

According to Orthodox Theologian Olivier Clément

ROME, SEPT. 6, 2002 (ZENIT.org-Avvenire).- Orthodox philosopher and theologian Olivier Clément thinks
Muslim fundamentalism
was, until last September,
an underestimated force.

"Each one can think what he likes, but the Islam of yore is no longer what stands behind al-Qaida," Clément told an interviewer. "There is a very modern, modernized Islam which uses in a very refined way the techniques and methods of modernity to the point of becoming increasingly a sort of totalitarian ideology."

Q: The Sept. 11 anniversary calls for reflection on what has happened; ... to forget it would be like ignoring the risk of new tragedies. Yet, is the transition of Islam from a religion to an ideology a fact?

Clément: For a certain kind of Islam, yes. I speak of the one that has embraced the worst aspects of modernity. Our responsibility as Westerners is to be concerned about the transformation and the problems connected with it, addressing them not only in a defensive way as, for example, [journalist-author] Mrs. Oriana Fallaci suggests, but with a positive approach.

Q: What do you suggest in practice?

Clément: Over the last two centuries, Muslim peoples have shared a difficult destiny. We must rethink the world economy, to allow the Arab and Muslim populations, in general, access to more-just conditions of life. The question of justice is fundamental.

Q: But, will we not end by accusing the United States of being responsible, directly or indirectly, for all the great injustices of the planet?

Clément: It should not be said, as some of the extreme left do, that the whole fault is that of the Americans. It is simplistic to think this, although there might be some truth in it. Whoever sows winds, gathers tempests.

Sept. 11 has unveiled the tragic force that acts at the world level, is able to use modern techniques, and knows how to create a terrorist aggression. Thus fear spreads around the world.

Q: With what instruments can fear be controlled or overcome in the long term?

Clément: In the first place, by recovering spiritual values. Through a return to morality in public and private conduct of the economy, politics and international relations, man will be able to oppose the terrorist plan. I would dare say that what is lacking is holiness.

Q: A very exacting word which, placed alongside the talk about values, calls on religions, whether they like it or not, to render account ...

Clément: I would like to see an intelligent holiness in action when it comes to interpreting the extreme complexity of the current problems under the social, economic, cultural and religious aspects.

Q: It's no small thing. It is a challenge for all -- Christians and Muslims, believers and nonbelievers. There will be a constant need for an attitude of discernment.

Clément: Above all, a creative capacity will be necessary, an inventive effort. Beware of being paralyzed by fear. We must beware of being flattened, of taking refuge in the past and in certainties that later abandon us. This is also the task of religions: not to divide the world between the good and the evil with a myopic point of view.

The appeals of a man like John Paul II become important; he criticizes the evils of Western civilization and, at the same time, tries to show everyone, including the Muslims, what it has that is positive. And, when he speaks to Islam's representatives, he succeeds in touching their sensitivity.

What is needed in the West is people who can do the same. In reality, they exist. Let's not forget that the meeting-clash with the modern West has ended by disorganizing Islam and its culture.

Q: Do you mean we must ask Islam for forgiveness?

Clément: No. We must condemn al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden. But the paradox is that both are a deformed mirror of aspects of our scientific and technological civilization. They represent a successful effort, in the Muslim world, to be able to seize it and dominate it for ends that are certainly detestable.

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BULGARIA
Planned Visit of Pope John-Paul II

Former King - First Confessing Christian Orthodox Prime Minister of Bulgaria

Visit of Oecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios in Bulgaria

 

VISIT of OECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMAIOS in BULGARIA:

- Scientific conference: 'The Byzantine cultural heritage in the Balkans' Sept. 5 - 8 in Plovdiv
- Joint Church Service with Bulgarian Patriarch Maksim
- Meeting with His Majesty Premier Simeon Sept. 8 in Sofia


SOFIA, 2001 SEPT 08
On Sept. 8, the Feast Day of the Birth of Our MostHoly Mother of God the Patriarchs of Bulgaria and Constantinople served jointly in Divine Liturgy at the 'Sveta Nedelya' cathedral in Sofia. Premier Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha attended the service and as usual read out the Credo and was the first to take holy communion.
After the service Premier Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and the two patriarchs spent a quarter of an hour in the side altar.
Then followed lunch by invitation of His Holyness Bulgarian Patriarch MAKSIM to His Allholyness Oecumenical Patriarch BARTHOLOMAIOS and His Majesty Premier SIMEON Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in the building of the Holy Synod.
In the afternoon Oecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios received Premier Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha in the presidential suite of the 'Hrankov' Palace hotel where he is residing. At the entrance he was welcomed by Metropolitan Emmanuel, representative of the Oecumenical Patriarchate at the European Institutions at Brussels, who led him to the suite of the Oecumenical Patriarch.
It is normal to talk about the schism in the Bulgarian Church, the prime minister said before the meeting. He, however, did not undertake to explain whether the government would launch any concrete measures to overcome it. After the one-hour meeting Premier Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha specified he had been impressed by how much Bartholomew appreciated the Bulgarian Church. Under the aegis of His Holiness, very good possibilities lie ahead for all the Orthodoxy in general, the prime minister said. Over a cup of tea they also talked over travel plans of Patriarch Bartholomew I and a meeting between the premier and the Pope next year.
derived from an article by:
Anelia Basheva, Silvia Nikolova
in Bulgarian Daily Newspaper STANDART

" WE MADE EVERY EFFORT to BRIDGE the SCHISM "
Oecumenical Patriarch BARTHOLOMAIOS I:
"We hope the unity of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to be restored because the schism is detrimental. Every effort has been made to bring the schism within the Bulgarian Church to its end. Mother Church is always willing to give a helping hand to all the churches like yours.
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is the first-born and favourite daughter of the Oecumenical Patriarchate. Our expectations, prayers and wishes are that we soon celebrate its unity. This is our expectation, as well as the expectation of the entire Bulgarian people.
The presence of His Majesty, Bulgaria's Prime-Minister, and his good attitude towards the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and Patriarch Maxim raise our hope that the schism is soon to come to its end."

=======

PLOVDIV, 2001 SEPT 05
The Patriarch of Constantinopel BARTHOLOMAIOS is attending the Scientific Conference 'The Byzantine cultural heritage in the Balkans' which is held from Sept. 5 - 8 in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
His Allholyness was welcomed by Bulgarian Patriarch MAKSIM, Metropolitan ARSENIJ of Plovdiv and the Roman-Catholic Bishop Georgi Yovchev.
In Plovdiv Oecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received a letter of greetings to the conference from Pope John Paul II :
'Today we should recall the Mission of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius which is inseparable from Europe's cultural heritage,' the Pope writes. In the letter he calls for 'another evangelization of Europe', in order that it may return to its Christian roots. The address of Pope John Paul II was interpreted as a token of thawing relations between the Vatican and the eastern Orthodoxy.
In his speech the Oecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew stressed that today too, the Byzantine civilization should be an example of a peaceful co-existence in the Balkans and tolerance between the religions. 'In this way we could spare our troubled peninsula many of its present problems,' he pointed out.
After the opening of the conference Patriarch Bartholomew, Patriarch Maxim and Monsignor Georgi Yovchev prayed in the Plovdiv cathedral of Our Mostholy Mother of God for Bulgaria's well-being.

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PLANNED VISIT of POPE JOHN-PAUL II:

JOHN PAUL II PLANS TO VISIT BULGARIA IN 2002
ROME, AUG. 26, 2001 (Zenit.org).
John Paul II might visit Bulgaria next May, the country´s apostolic nuncio said.
"The Holy Father will probably come in May, but the Vatican has not yet confirmed it officially," said Archbishop Antonio Menini, following a meeting in Sofia, the capital, with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Solomon Passi on Wednesday. The Foreign Minister said that "the new Bulgarian government supports the visit and will make the 
greatest efforts" to receive the Pope.

BULGARIA - ROME 2001 03 15:
METROPOLITAN NEOPHYT of DOROSTOL-CERVEN speeks on position of ORTHODOX CHURCH of BULGARIA to INVITING the POPE to VISIT BULGARIA
On March 15 2001 Metropolitan NEOPHYT of Dorostol-Cerven spoke to bulgarian newspapers of his proposal to the formal position of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to a visit of Pope JOHN PAUL II to Bulgaria. According to Metropolitan NEOPHYT the program for this visit should be prepared by a joint commision of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church "working synchronized with the Bulgarian Government to give a good example of the hospitality of the Bulgarian People and the Bulgarian Church".
When bulgarian statesmen of the past governments visited the Vatican in recent years and pronounced the usual invitations, Pope JOHN PAUL II had always responded positively, but also pointed out that an invitation by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church would be necessary as well. Recently a visit to Sofia by Bishop Dr. JOSEF HOMEYER of Hildesheim (Germany) organized by Monsignore Dr. NIKOLAUS WYRWOLL of the Catholic Institute for Eastern Churches in Regensburg encountered a favorable atmosphere for bilateral talks among the two churches.
For the Roman Catholic Church Bulgaria is linked to the commemoration of later Pope JOHN XXIII who had witnessed Orthodoxy during his years as Nuntius in Sofia. Primarily the Head of the Roman Catholic Church will see it as a pastoral visit to Bulgaria´s catholics organized since 1994 in 3 dioceses. (1 of byzantine and 2 of western Rite)
2 % of the bulgarian christians are catholics (approx. 90 % of western rite / 10 % of byzanine rite). Recently growing over 2 % are considered protestants (over 12 different registered denominations).
96 % of the Christians still are members of Bulgaria´s traditional Orthodox Church.
Alltogether christians today represent over 80 % of the Bulgarians.


PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMAIOS of CONSTANTINOPLE CALLS ON BULGARIANS:
"Be Open for Papal Visit"
"Reconciliation with the Catholic Church does not mean a decline in Orthodox dogmas."
copied from http://www.zenit.org/ SOFIA, Bulgaria, SEPT. 11, 2001 (Zenit.org):
Bulgarians should receive John Paul II "without prejudice" if, as proposed, he visits the country next year, said Bartholomew I, the Orthodox ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople.
"How the Pope is welcomed will depend on the spiritual strength of members of the local Church, but a respectful conduct without prejudice is certainly the best," Bartholomew told Bulgaria's daily, "Troud", late last week.
Apostolic Nuncio Antonio Menini said last month that the Pope might visit Bulgaria next May, but the Vatican has not officially decided on the trip.
"If the faith of Bulgaria's Orthodox community is strong, then we have nothing to be afraid of, whether it is the Pope or anyone else who is not Orthodox," said Patriarch Bartholomew. "Reconciliation with the Catholic Church does not mean a decline in Orthodox dogmas."

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FORMER KING - First confessing CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX PRIME MINISTER of BULGARIA:

2001 July 24
BULGARIA:
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1944:
PRIME MINISTER speaks OATH OF SERVICE on BIBLE and CROSS
and asks the PATRIARCH for BLESSING


The newly elected Prime Minister of Bulgaria SIMEON SAKSKOBURGGOTSKI (Zar SIMEON II. of Bulgaria of the royal house of Saxony-Coburg and Gotha) is probably not only the first King in history who had the courage to humbly accept to work for his country under a republican president but at the same time he re-established christian traditions.
In Bulgaria, one of the oldest christian countries in Europe (more than 1200 years), none of the former prime ministers - no matter if socialist or anti-communist - had the courage to confess his christianity and pledge his oath of service before the cross and his hand on the bible.

Following the oath SIMEON venerated the cross and the bible and asked the Bulgarian Patriarch MAKSIM for blessing before receiving the congratulations of the parlamentarians of his broad multiparty-coalition.
           

After the official state ceremony in the Parliament Building all newly sworn-in members of government went to the Cathedral, where Patriarch MAKSIM held a prayer service to ask God´s blessing for a successfull work to the benefit of the people of Bulgaria.


The Article of Bulgarian Newspaper STANDART gives the following details:

Bulgaria's Simeon, Ex-King Turned Prime Minister
by Anatoly Verbin

SOFIA, July 24 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's ex-King Simeon II, who became the Balkan state's prime minister on Tuesday, says a sense of duty to his motherland has forced him to enter politics at the age of 63.
"This choice is a turning point in my life and I will do all I can for the country and for every Bulgarian," he told parliament before it voted in his government.
"Today we are given a real chance to lead Bulgaria into the 21st century and take the place we deserve in the united Europe.
"This is the meaning of my life and the reason why I take this heavy responsibility."
"I am proud to be a Bulgarian."
The first ex-monarch to regain political power in post- communist eastern Europe, he turned 64 on June 16, one day before his National Movement for Simeon II won a parliamentary election in which he voted for the first time in his life.
A successful businessman in Spain, he entered politics only in April, after the Constitutional Court banned him from running for president.
Simeon Saxe-Coburg, whose huge estates across Bulgaria were confiscated by the communists and returned by the previous government, has consistently denied charges of his opponents that he wants to restore the monarchy.
Following explanations given by the internet publishers:
On Tuesday July 24 2001 SIMEON of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha gave a proof of courage by proposing to the parliament to revive the christian traditions of Bulgaria by demanding to pledge his oath of office on the bible in the presence of the Bulgarian Patriarch Maksim, the spiritual leader of 95 % of Bulgarians, who are of Christian Orthodox faith.
The members of parliament of the broad multiparty coalition that Simeon has gathered around him gave an overwhelming majority for this ceremony. 24 MPs from the former "anti-communist" government, with the former premier Ivan Kostov among them, voted 'against'. 17 MPs from the former ruling party, which clearly lost the elections and 2 MPs from the Socialist 'Coalition For Bulgaria' abstained.
After all the unique proceeding could become reality and -flanked by Orthodox Patriarch Maxim- Simeon swore an oath on the bulgarian constitution.

The tall, bald and bearded ex-monarch, who speaks several European languages fluently, won popularity on promises of a "new morality" in politics and pledges to uproot corruption.

After the ceremony in the parliament building the new cabinet walked to the "Alexander Nevski" cathedral, where Patriarch Maxim himself held a service for the success of the Premier and his ministers. Hundreds of citizens closely followed the ministers to the building of the Council of Ministers. They chanted "Simeon!" and "Many Years !".

ROYAL HISTORY

He will face huge popular expectations after his promise to improve living standards of the impoverished nation of eight million people within 800 days.
But to achieve that, he, and his inexperienced ministers will have to learn how to activate the levers of political power.
The son of King Boris III of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Queen Joanna of the House of Savoy, he is related to many European monarchs, including Britain's Queen Elizabeth. His birth was marked by a 101-gun salute and an amnesty for prisoners and tax evaders. He acceded to the throne at the age of six after his father's sudden death in 1943, ruling through a council of regency. He, his mother and sister Maria-Luisa fled Bulgaria after a rigged referendum abolished the monarchy in 1946.
The family first settled in Egypt. In 1951 the Spanish government granted them asylum. At the age of 18, in Madrid, Simeon issued a proclamation re-affirming his commitment to the monarchy.
He is a graduate of the Valley Forge Military Academy in the United States.
Married to a Spanish aristocrat, Margarita, he gave Bulgarian names to his four sons Kardam, Kyril, Kubrat, Konstantin and daughter Kalina. They have all visited Bulgaria and Kyril is one of President Petar Stoyanov's advisers.
His late mother first returned to Bulgaria with Simeon's sister Maria-Luisa in 1993, receiving a tumultuous welcome as well as Simeon in his later visits.

Anelia Basheva

BULGARIA:
On SUNDAY´S Prime Minister SIMEON
regularly attends
CHURCH SERVICE

The newly elected Prime Minister of Bulgaria SIMEON SAKSKOBURGGOTSKI (Zar SIMEON II. of Bulgaria - from the royal house of Saxony-Coburg and Gotha) is giving another example of christian normality.
It is only natural for him to attend church service on sunday and on church feast days. Now being the prime minister of the country and living in the capital city Sofia he will thereby set standards for society.
When he last sunday attended church service in the cathedral this fact was judged important enough for the most prestigous daily newspaper of Bulgaria to publish an illustrated article.
Though in the St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral there is a representative place for the tsar, where Simeon´s ancestors have attended service, the former tsar now serving as prime minister was humble enough standing among the faithful for the whole service, thereby creating a safety problem for his guards, who now have become regular church goers themselves.
The second surprise for the public became visible, when polite church clergy at the time of the creed thought it necessary to bring the text to the prime minister. As the newspaper writes Simeon allready had pulled the text out of the pocket of his jacket and was most naturally reading it with all the other faithfull.
After he left the church with the serving patriarchal vicar bishop and renowned church poet and author HILARION the crowd and journalists wanted Prime Minister Simeon to adress the people. He did not give the political speach they expected, but only explained that he was now on his way home to have lunch with the family. Then he apologized to the bishop that despite the sunday he will have to work in the afternoon to go through the 150 papers of the candidates for vice ministers and provincial governors to give the country a working government as soon as possible.

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ARCHIVE:
FACTS - DOCUMENTS - ARTICLES
Christian Orthodoxy - worldwide

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(german: To Front Page "Orthodoxe Fraternitaet in Deutschland"

DATA on Orthodox Churches WORLWIDE

Church NEWSLIST grouped by topics

see also: Christliche Verantwortung in der Welt - zu Politik und Krieg

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EUROPE:   Christian Cooperation / Defend Christian Cultural Heritage !
ORTHODOX CHURCHES:   Serbian /
RELATIONS:   State - Church / church - church / Internal Problems /
WITNESSING WORLDWIDE ORTHODOXY:   Europe / Africa / Asia - Far East /

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>>> LIST of LATEST NEWS <<<

Listing of News originally in 4 languages of Christian Orthodox Press *SOP*, *OA* and World Wide Internet translated for you - Links will lead you to our "Detail Page" - If you miss a link / If you want to know more / Wenn Sie Information in Deutsch wollen => e-mail us and we will e-mail you back more
ORTHODOX@MyChurch.com

ORTHODOX@MyChurch.com

BULGARIA PORTUGAL 2001 03 03:
BLESSING OF FIRST ORTHODOX CHURCH BUILDING IN PORTUGAL MARKS SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY IN LISSABON

BULGARIA ROME 2001 03 15:
METROPOLITAN NEOPHYT of DOROSTOL-CERVEN speeks on ORTHODOX CHURCH of BULGARIA INVITING the POPE to VISIT BULGARIA

EUROPE 2000 11 05 :
CARDINAL KöNIG URGES EUROPE TO SHOW MORE UNDERSTANDING IN INTEGRATION OF ITS ORTHODOX PART

EUROPE RUSSIA 2000 12 14 :
PATRIARCH ALEKSIJ POINTS OUT LACK OF CHRISTIAN VALUES IN EU CHARTA

GREECE ROME 2001 03 10:
ORTHODOX CHURCH of GREECE DECIDES to AGREE to INVITATION of the POPE PRONOUNCED by GREEK GOVERNMENT

EUROPE 2001 01 26:
CHURCH ORGANISATIONS KEK and CCEE FINISH PREPARATION of CHARTA OECUMENICA

MOSCOW GENEVA 2001 02 14:
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH in the WEST WILL BE UNITED SOON

MOSCOW CONSTANTINOPLE 2001 02 19:
TALKS to SETTLE PENDING CONFLICTS

CATHOLICS ORTHODOX 2001 01 26:
DEFENDING EUROPEAN RELIGIOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE IN HONORING TOGETHER an ICON of the MOTHER OF GOD

SOFIA 2001 02 02:
PROTESTS AGAINST POLITICIANS SUPPORTING "TWO or MORE BULGARIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHES" AGAINST THE ONLY OFFICIALLY IN ALL ORTHODOXY RECOGNIZED TRADITIONAL BULGARIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH of PATRIARCH MAKSIM

PARIS 2001 02 10:
PARISH of the THREE HOLY HIERARCHS: 70 year Jubilee

PARIS 2001 02 18:
ANNUAL REUNION of the ORTHODOX THEOLOGIC ACADEMIC INSTITUTE ST. SERGE

KOSOVO ATHENS 2001 01 22:
ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS VISITS KOSOVO and MEETS PATRIARCH PAVLE

KOSOVO USA 2001 02 12:
BISHOP ARTEMIJE MEETING WITH NEW US GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES

SLOVAKIA 2001 01 28:
AGREEMENT to SETTLE DISPUTE BETWEEN ORTHODOX and GREEK-CATHOLICS

KIEV 2001 02 02:
ONLY OFFICIALLY IN ALL ORTHODOXY RECOGNIZED UCRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH SENDS MESSAGES TO THE POPE AND THE OECUMENICAL PATRIARCHE TO POSTPONE VISITS
ORTHODOXIE AKTUELL 2001 / 2 (in german):

ATHENS 2001 01 25:
CONDITIONS for VISIT of POPE in GREECE are PROBLEMATIC

AFRICA 2001 02 09:
VISIT of PATRIARCH to ORTHODOX CHURCHES in NIGERIA and CAMERON

HONGKONG SINGAPUR 2001 01 06:
FIRST ORDONATION of ORTHODOX PRIEST (from SINGAPORE) in HONG KONG as part of CHINA

USA 2001 01 19:
ORTHODOX RELIEF ORGANISATION IOCC GRANTS HELP for VICTIMS of EARTHQUAKE in INDIA

 

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DATA on Orthodox Churches worldwide

United in Faith, Prayer and Divine Service World-Orthodoxy consists of local churches as parts of the mystical body of Christ, with Christ as their only Lord and Master. Their "Presiding Bishops" titled as Patriarchs, Archbishops or Metropolitans lead totally independently elected church administrations.
For consultations and coordination they may be called in for Holy Counsels by the Oecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, who will preside as First among Equals.

in similar liturgical tradition but because of differences in interpretation of dogma not afiliated is the family of the "Old Oriental Churches"
(in brackets)

WORLDWIDE: about 177 Mio. + (41 Mio. Old Oriental Churches)

Patriarchate of Constantinople: 5 Mio. (mainly in worldwide diaspora: e.g. 1,5 Mio in USA)

Patriarchate of Alexandria: 15.000

Patriarchate of Antiochia: 500.000 (mainly in worlwide diaspora: e.g. 250.000 in USA)

Patriarchate of Jerusalem: 300.000

Russian Orthodox Church - Patriarchate of Moscow: 120 Mio.

Russian Orthodox Church - Outside Russia: 1, 5 Mio.

Serbian Orthodox Church: 11 Mio.

Roumanian Orthodox Church: 18 Mio.

Bulgarian Orthodox Church: 7 Mio.

Greek Orthodox Church: 9, 5 Mio.

(Coptic and Ethiopian Church: 37 Mio.)

Orthodox Church of Georgia - Patriarchate of Tbilissi: 2, 5 Mio.

(Armenian Apostolic Church: 2, 5 Mio.)

(Syrian Orthodox Church, also present in India: 1, 6 Mio.)

Orthodox Church of Cyprus: 600.000

and

Orthodox Churches of:
Albania: 500.000
Polonia: 900.000
America: 100.000
Finland: 60.000
Czech. Lands and Slowakia: 80.000
Japan: 30.000
...

Orthodox by country:
Nigeria: 10.000
Cameroun: 21 parishes
...


THE WORLDWIDE ORTHODOXY is GOVERNED by HOLY COUNCILS
(here the Roumanian, Cypriot, Bulgarian and Serbian Church representatives
during the All-Orthodox Council in St.Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, Bulgaria)

 

 

(german: Orthodoxe Zusammenarbeit
(german: SYNDESMOS - Weltbund Orthodoxer Jugend

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N E W S L I S T grouped by T O P I C S

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EUROPE:
Christian Cooperation / Defend Christian Cultural Heritage ! /

 

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LOCAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES:

 

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RELATIONS:
State - Church / church - church / Internal Problems /

 

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WORLD ORTHODOXY:
Europe / Africa - Far East /

 

 

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EUROPE: COOPERATION of CHURCHES

EUROPE 2001 01 26:
CHURCH ORGANISATIONS KEK and CCEE FINISH PREPARATION of CHARTA OECUMENICA

EUROPE 2000 11 05 :
CARDINAL KöNIG URGES EUROPE TO SHOW MORE UNDERSTANDING IN INTEGRATION OF ITS ORTHODOX PART

CATHOLICS ORTHODOX 2001 01 26:
DEFENDING EUROPEAN RELIGIOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE IN HONORING TOGETHER an ICON of the MOTHER OF GOD

SLOVAKIA 2001 01 28:
AGREEMENT to SETTLE DISPUTE BETWEEN ORTHODOX and GREEK-CATHOLICS

 

 

 

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DEFENDING the RELIGIOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE of EUROPE !

CATHOLICS ORTHODOX 2001 01 26:
DEFENDING EUROPEAN RELIGIOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE IN HONORING TOGETHER an ICON of the MOTHER OF GOD

EUROPE RUSSIA 2000 12 14 :
PATRIARCH ALEKSIJ POINTS OUT LACK OF CHRISTIAN VALUES IN EU CHARTA

EUROPE 2000 11 05 :
CARDINAL KöNIG URGES EUROPE TO SHOW MORE UNDERSTANDING IN INTEGRATION OF ITS ORTHODOX PART

 

 

 

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STATE - CHURCH RELATIONS

BULGARIA ROME 2001 03 15:
METROPOLITAN NEOPHYT of DOROSTOL-CERVEN speeks on ORTHODOX CHURCH of BULGARIA INVITING the POPE to VISIT BULGARIA

SOFIA 2001 02 02:
PROTESTS AGAINST POLITICIANS SUPPORTING "TWO or MORE BULGARIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHES" AGAINST THE ONLY OFFICIALLY IN ALL ORTHODOXY RECOGNIZED TRADITIONAL BULGARIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH of PATRIARCH MAKSIM

CATHOLICS ORTHODOX 2001 01 26:
DEFENDING EUROPEAN RELIGIOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE IN HONORING TOGETHER an ICON of the MOTHER OF GOD

KOSOVO ATHENS 2001 01 22:
ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS VISITS KOSOVO and MEETS PATRIARCH PAVLE

KOSOVO USA 2001 02 12:
BISHOP ARTEMIJE MEETING WITH NEW US GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES

KIEV 2001 02 02:
ONLY OFFICIALLY IN ALL ORTHODOXY RECOGNIZED UCRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH SENDS MESSAGES TO THE POPE AND THE OECUMENICAL PATRIARCHE TO POSTPONE VISITS
ORTHODOXIE AKTUELL 2001 / 2 (in german):

ATHENS 2001 01 25:
CONDITIONS for VISIT of POPE in GREECE are PROBLEMATIC

 

 

 

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cHURCH - cHURCH RELATIONS

SLOVAKIA 2001 01 28:
AGREEMENT to SETTLE DISPUTE BETWEEN ORTHODOX and GREEK-CATHOLICS

MOSCOW CONSTANTINOPLE 2001 02 19:
TALKS to SETTLE PENDING CONFLICTS

CATHOLICS ORTHODOX 2001 01 26:
DEFENDING EUROPEAN RELIGIOUS CULTURAL HERITAGE IN HONORING TOGETHER an ICON of the MOTHER OF GOD

KOSOVO ATHENS 2001 01 22:
ARCHBISHOP CHRISTODOULOS VISITS KOSOVO and MEETS PATRIARCH PAVLE

BULGARIA ROME 2001 03 15:
METROPOLITAN NEOPHYT of DOROSTOL-CERVEN speeks on ORTHODOX CHURCH of BULGARIA INVITING the POPE to VISIT BULGARIA

KIEV 2001 02 02:
ONLY OFFICIALLY IN ALL ORTHODOXY RECOGNIZED UCRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH SENDS MESSAGES TO THE POPE AND THE OECUMENICAL PATRIARCHE TO POSTPONE VISITS
ORTHODOXIE AKTUELL 2001 / 2 (in german):
GREECE ROME 2001 03 10:
ORTHODOX CHURCH of GREECE DECIDES to AGREE to INVITATION of the POPE PRONOUNCED by GREEK GOVERNMENT


ATHENS 2001 01 25:
CONDITIONS for VISIT of POPE in GREECE are PROBLEMATIC

 

 

 

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INTERNAL cHURCH PROBLEMS

MOSCOW GENEVA 2001 02 14:
RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH in the WEST WILL BE UNITED SOON

SOFIA 2001 02 02:
PROTESTS AGAINST POLITICIANS SUPPORTING "TWO or MORE BULGARIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHES" AGAINST THE ONLY OFFICIALLY IN ALL ORTHODOXY RECOGNIZED TRADITIONAL BULGARIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH of PATRIARCH MAKSIM

 

 

 

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WORLD ORTHODOXY: EUROPE BULGARIA PORTUGAL 2001 03 03:
BLESSING OF FIRST ORTHODOX CHURCH BUILDING IN PORTUGAL MARKS SUNDAY OF ORTHODOXY IN LISSABON

PARIS 2001 02 10:
PARISH of the THREE HOLY HIERARCHS: 70 year Jubilee

PARIS 2001 02 18:
ANNUAL REUNION of the ORTHODOX THEOLOGIC ACADEMIC INSTITUTE ST. SERGE

 

 

 

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WORLD ORTHODOXY: AFRICA

AFRICA 2001 02 09:
VISIT of PATRIARCH to ORTHODOX CHURCHES in NIGERIA and CAMERON

 

 

 

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WORLD ORTHODOXY: ASIA - FAR EAST

HONGKONG SINGAPUR 2001 01 06:
FIRST ORDONATION of ORTHODOX PRIEST in HONG KONG as part of CHINA

USA 2001 01 19:
ORTHODOX RELIEF ORGANISATION IOCC GRANTS HELP for VICTIMS of EARTHQUAKE in INDIA

 

 

 

 

(german: Archiv: Nachrichten aus 1999 und davor
. - Intra-Orthodoxe Kooperation -

.
SYNDESMOS


SYNDESMOS - Weltbund Orthodoxer Jugend: 50 Jahrjubiläum der Gründungsversammlung

Von 27.03. - 02.04. 1999 trafen sich Organisatoren orthodoxer Jugendbewegungen aus 19 Ländern in Bossey am Genfer See um am Gründungsort des Weltbunds der Orthodoxen Jugend SYNDESMOS über den bisherigen und den zukünftigen Weg dieser "weltweiten Koordination der orthodoxen Jugendbewegungen" nachzudenken. Von den jungen Leuten, die 1949 den Anfang gemacht hatten, und immer noch jugendlich engagiert wirken, waren Dr. Ioannis LAPPAS aus Athen und Velisar GAJIC aus Paris gekommen. Zusammen mit 2 SYNDESMOS-Vorsitzenden, Dr. Dimitri OIKONOMOU und Bischof DIMITRIOS von Xanthos, 4 SYNDESMOS-Generalsekretären, Vladimir MISIJUK, Alexander BELOPOPSKY, Gabriel HABIB und Anu TALVIVAARA, und 2 SYNDESMOS-Stellvertretenden-Vorsitzenden, Manos KOUMBARELIS und Vater JOHN MATUSIAK stellte Dr. LAPPAS namens der Gründer fest, dass SYNDESMOS auch nach 50 Jahren noch nichts vom Schwung der Anfangszeit verloren hat und die besten Chancen hat, in der inzwischen deutlich veränderten Welt neue Dienste für die orthodoxe Jugend und die Einheit der Orthodoxie in aller Welt zu leisten.

SYNDESMOS "Band der Einheit im Geiste" (Eph. 3,4: "Erstrebt die Einheit im Geiste durch das Band des Friedens (=griech. syndesmos)" ist der Weltbund Orthodoxer Jugend, 1953 gegründet umfaßt er heute 118 Mitglieds-Organisationen in 41 Ländern in aller Welt. Ziel von Syndesmos ist Verständigung und Zusammenarbeit zwischen orthodoxen Jugendbewegungen und theologischen Lehranstalten in aller Welt zu unterstützen und ein tieferes Verständnis für den gemeinsamen Glauben fördern.

Vorsitzender: Dr. Dimitri Oikonomou
Generalsekretär: Vladimir Misijuk
Adresse:
SYNDESMOS General-Sekretariat
PO Box 22, P - 15-950 BIALYSTOK, POLEN
+48 85 6534 884 / Fax: +48 85 6543 747
e-mail: syndesmos@bianet.com.pl

im INTERNET:
http://www.syndesmos.org.pl



.

 

- Intra-Orthodoxe Kooperation -


Orthodoxe Theologische Institute - institutionelle Zusammenarbeit im Aufbau

Mit dem Segen Seiner Heiligkeit Patriarch ALEKSIJ II von Moskau und ganz Russland fand vom 20.- 26 Januar 1999 eine von Syndesmos organisierte Internationale Konsultation Orthodoxer Theologischer Lehranstalten in der St.Petersburger Theologischen Akademie statt.
In dieser 7.Konsultation wurde der Versuch unternommen unter den orthodoxen theologischen Lehranstalten, von denen allein 30 Mitglieder von Syndesmos sind, mit dem Aufbau einer weltweit institutionalisierten Zusammenarbeit zu beginnen. Das grosse Interesse daran kam in der bisher höchsten Beteiligung an einer Konsultation zum Ausdruck: 45 Lehranstalten aus 17 Ländern waren durch 75 Repräsentanten vertreten. Dazu kamen weitere 30 Vertreter orthodoxer Jugend- und Bildungsorganisationen.
Zu den Teilnehmern sprachen:
Seine Exzellenz, der Hochgeweihte KONSTANTIN, Bischof von Tikhvin, Rektor von St.Petersburger Akademie und Seminar: "Kirche, Liturgie und Bildung"
Priestermönch HILARION (Alfejev), Moskau: "Christliche Bildung im Osten"
Vater RAUNO Pietarinen, Ilomantsi, Finnland: "Orthodoxe Bildung: Kontinuität von Jugenddiensten und religiöser Bildung im Gemeindeleben"
Dr. Athanassios PAPATHANASSIOU, Athen, Griechenland: "Die Sprache der Kirche - Die Sprache der Welt: Abenteuer der Kommunikation oder Konflikt"
Vater VLADIMIR Fedorov, St.Petersburg: "Orthodoxe Sendung und die Moderne Welt"
Igumen ALEXANDER Fedorov, St.Petersburg: "Christliche Kunst und die Sendung der Kirche"
Vater KIRILL Kopeikin: "Wechselwirkungen zwischen Theologischer und Weltlicher Bildung"

Zahlreiche Initiativen zeigten das Interesse am Aufbau organisierter Zusammenarbeit:
- Herausgabe eines jährlich aktualisierten Verzeichnis Orthodoxer Theologischer Lehranstalten (ca. 100 weltweit)
- Jährliche Biographien der Fakultätsmitglieder aller Orthodoxer Theologischer Lehranstalten mit ihren wissenschaftlichen Veröffentlichungen
- Koordination von Professoren- und Studentenaustausch
- Konsultationen und öffentlichen Konferenzen zu spezifischen Fragen
- Unterstützung von Lokalen und Regionalen Treffen Orthodoxer Theologischer Lehranstalten
- Benennung einer Kontaktperson aus jeder Lehranstalt zum Aufbau der neuen Vereinigung
- Aufstellung eines Kommittees zur Lenkung der Arbeit der neuen Vereinigung
- Benennung eines haupt- oder nebenamtlichen Sekretariatsmitarbeiters bei Syndesmos zur Koordination der Aktivitäten der neuen Vereinigung



.
Orthodoxe Journalisten - Internationaler Verband in Gründung

Eine einwöchige Konferenz orthodoxer Persönlichkeiten aus der Welt der Medien fand vom 16. - 23. Mai in Volos, Griechenland statt und beschloss die Gründung einer INTERNATIONALEN VEREINIGUNG ORTHODOXER JOURNALISTEN. 75 Journalisten und Pressesprecher orthodoxer kirchen aus 23 Ländern tagten auf Einladung von Syndesmos und dem Metropoliten IGNATIOS von Demetrias unter dem Vorsitz von Vater JOHN Matusiak, Stellv.Vorsitzender von Syndesmos und Communications Director der Orthodoxen Kirche in Amerika.
Andrei ZOLOTOV von der Moscow Times, Antoine NIVIERE von der in Paris beheimateten Institution "Service Orthodoxe de Presse", und Liana KANELLI und Dr. Angelos VALIANATOS aus Griechenland hielten die Hauptreferate.
In den Diskussionen wurde immer wieder die Aufmerksamkeit auf die Notwendigkeit einer starken orthodoxen Präsenz im Internet gelenkt.
Zur Gründung der INTERNATIONALEN VEREINIGUNG ORTHODOXER JOURNALISTEN wurde eine Arbeitsgruppe gebildet, die einen Lenkungsausschuss zur Organisation der erforderlichen Aktivitäten bestimmte. Der "Kerngruppe" gehören Andrei ZOLOTOV, Jean TCHEKHAN, Vater APOSTOLOS Forlides, Konstantinos TSILIS und Vater JOHN Matusiak an.
Besuche bei orthodoxen Medien und Radiosendern in Griechenland ergänzten das Programm.

Als Höhepunkt und bestmöglichen Startimpuls für die weitere Arbeit sehen die orthodoxen Journalisten in dem persönlichen Segen den ihnen Seine Allheiligkeit der Oekumenische Patriarch BARTHOLOMäOS nach einer gemeinsamen Verehrung der Gebeine des Hl. NEKTARIOS auf AEGINA gab.

 

SOP - Service Orthodoxe de Presse

ist eine Monatsschrift in französischer Sprache, die ihre Leser regelmässig und umfassend über das Leben der orthodoxen Kirche in Frankreich und in der Welt informiert und die aktuellen Ereignisse reflektiert. SOP stellt sich unter die Auspizien der Versammlung der Orthodoxen Bischöfe Frankreichs und ist ein Dienst der von der Orthodoxen Fraternität in Westeuropa sichergestellt wird.

Abonnements und Dokumentation: sopdoc@micronet.fr

Adresse: 14, rue Victor-Hugo, F - 92 400 COURBEVOIE, FRANCE + 33 (0)1 43 33 52 48 Fax: +33 (0)1 43 33 86 72

SOP im INTERNET: http://www.orthodoxpress.com

 

*OA*
ORTHODOXIE AKTUELL
Informationsdienst der KOKiD (Deutschland)
bestellbar bei: Heinkelstr. 8, D-42285 Wuppertal, Fax 0202-282 52 30
Email: KOKID_OA@compuserve.com
120.- DM / Jahr
Orthodoxie aktuell

 

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