[OCA] Alaska Church lands officially returned to Diocese

 SOURCE:  Website of the OCA

On Wednesday, September 28, 2011, the long standing issue of Alaskan Church land ownership was settled as His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah and His Grace, Bishop Benjamin of San Francisco and the West, Locum Tenens of the Orthodox Church in America’s Diocese of Alaska, signed 18 quitclaim deeds, thereby officially turning over the land to the Diocese of Alaska.

Witnessing the signing were Archpriest Eric G. Tosi, OCA Secretary; Thaddeus Wojcik, OCA General Counsel; and Judge Ray Lanier, a member of the OCA Metropolitan Council from the Diocese of the South.



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH IN ALASKA

By way of background, Alaska was sold to the US in 1867 for $7.2 million.  According to the Treaty of Cession, ownership of the land and buildings was to be retained by the Orthodox Christians who worshiped therein.  Legal title, however, was deeded to the resident Orthodox Bishop, to be held in trust for them.  In 1870, when the Church’s headquarters were moved to San Francisco, the deeds went south as well.  In 1904, the Archbishop’s see once again was moved to New York City, where the title remained.

In a 1923 letter written in response to an appeal by Archpriest Andrew P. Kashevarov, the founder of the Alaska Territorial (now State) Historical Library and Museum, Judge James Wickersham of Juneau suggested that it would be prudent for the local bishop to hold the titles, rather than the head of the Church in New York.

In 1971, the US Congress passed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement, which recognized Alaska native land ownership, paid nearly $1 billion for about 80% of Alaska, and allowed the indigenous population to retain about 20% of the total area of the state, which they use and occupy.  Alaskan Orthodox people gained title to their homes and villages, but not to their churches and cemeteries.

In 2009, the Diocese of Alaska requested the OCA to return title to Alaskan Church lands to the Diocese.

At the Metropolitan Council’s spring 2010 session, Archpriest Michael Oleksa, a member of the Metropolitan Council from the Diocese of Alaska, raised Wickersham’s suggestion and proposed that title to all Alaska Church lands be returned.  Citing that it was the legal and fiduciary responsibility of the Council to know exactly what lands and funds were involved in such a move, Judge Lanier insisted that a complete listing of the holdings and their potential value be presented before any final decision be made.  Subsequently, Judge Lanier spent an exhausting week in Anchorage, studying the records compiled by Ms. Grayce Oakley, the Diocese of Alaska’s lands secretary, who had spent over four years compiling, cataloging and becoming thoroughly familiar with all the deeds and their histories.  Ms. Oakley’s work enabled the Church to act with proper diligence and care.

After two years of research and legal clarification, the Metropolitan Council voted unanimously to return the titles.  Judge Lanier, Mr. Wojcik, and Alaskan attorney Jim Gorsky worked on the legal documents.

The move will ensure the preservation of this heritage for Orthodox Alaska and future generations.
A photo gallery may be viewed here.

Patriarch Kirill to visit Western Ukraine

Today at 15:02 | SOURCE:  Interfax-Ukraine

Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Chernivtsi (Northern Bukovina)

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill will arrive in Chernivtsi region in Ukraine on Saturday, according to a posting on the Web site of the Moscow Patriarchy.

The patriarch is to visit the eparchy administration and keep a night vigil at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Chernivtsi.

On Oct. 2, Patriarch Kirill will consecrate the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Bancheny, and participate in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for an asylum for disabled children run by the monastery.

He will return to Moscow on the same day.

Photo of the Day

“Forever I will sing the goodness of the Lord.” 25th Anniversary celebrations at
Holy Archangel Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Genk, Belgium

For sull story and more photos see SOURCE

Orthodox archbishop: we're internally divided on question of 'primacy'

Castel Gandolfo, Italy, Sep 30, 2011 / 12:51 am (SOURCE:  CNA).- A leading Russian Orthodox official says the Eastern Orthodox churches have yet to resolve the question of authority among themselves, a condition for future progress on the issue of the papacy.

“I would say that there are certain divergences, and there are different positions, of the Orthodox churches on the question of the primacy,” said Metropolitan Archbishop Hilarion Alfeyev of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, in a Vatican Radio interview following his Sept. 29 meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at Castel Gandolfo.

“As we discuss the primacy of the Bishop of Rome, within the framework of the next commission, we do not only discuss the primacy of Rome; but we have to touch the issue of the primacy in general,” noted the Orthodox metropolitan, apparently referring to future proceedings of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue Between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.

“And here, of course, we have different traditions – not only between the Catholics and the Orthodox, because we never had such a centralized system as the Catholics have – but we also have some difference among the Orthodox, as to what should be the role of the 'first hierarch' in the Orthodox Church.” The Patriarch of Constantinople occupies that role, but his prerogatives are not fully defined.

Patriarch Kirill and Ecumenical Patriarch BARTHOLOMEW I during last year's visit to Moscow

Metropolitan Hilarion was scheduled to participate in the last session of the Catholic-Orthodox commission, held in 2007 to discuss the question of papal primacy. But an internal dispute between Constantinople and Moscow, over an Orthodox group in Estonia, prompted the Russian representative to walk out. The two churches also dispute the status of the Orthodox Church in America.

On Thursday, the metropolitan made an apparent reference to these types of difficulties between the Patriarchs of Moscow and Constantinople, saying that “if a particular Orthodox church will want to impose its own vision of this primacy on other churches, then of course we will encounter difficulties. And this is what is happening at the moment.”

Meanwhile, the world's local self-governing Orthodox churches are also attempting to organize a historic Pan-Orthodox Council, comparable to the Church councils held in the Byzantine empire during the first millennium. The new gathering has been in preparation for 50 years, as the Orthodox world seeks to determine how the Patriarch of Constantinople should exercise his authority.

“We believe that his role should be the primacy of honor, and also he is afforded some coordinating role: for example, he can convene the Pan-Orthodox Council,” said Archbishop Hilarion. “Of course, previously – in the history of the ecumenical councils – it was not the Patriarch of Constantinople, neither was it the Pope of Rome, but it was the (Byzantine) Emperor, who convened the councils.”

“So we have this model (of primacy), which is emerging in the Orthodox tradition. But generally, for centuries we had a very decentalized administration. Each autocephalous church is fully independent from other churches in its self-governance. And therefore we do not have a very clear picture as to what should be the role of the primate in the Orthodox tradition.”

“Without having this clear and unified vision, we cannot easily discuss the issue of how we see the role of the 'Primus Inter Pares' ('first among equals,' an Orthodox concept of the papacy) in the universal Church,” Metropolitan Hilarion admitted.

The phrase “first among equals” signifies the typical Orthodox view of the Pope as having a primacy of honor but not jurisdiction. In his 2010 book “Light of the World,” Pope Benedict said the “first among equals” view of the Pope was “not exactly the formula that we believe as Catholics,” due to the Pope's “specific functions and tasks.”

Until Orthodoxy clarifies its own systems of authority, Archbishop Hilarion said, hopes for progress on the question of the papacy between Catholics and Orthodox are “probably not too high.”

“But still, there is hope, because if there is willingness to accommodate different positions and to produce a paper – or several papers, maybe – which would clearly state the differences, which would outline the way forward, then we can progress.”

The Moscow Patriarchate's ecumenical representative also expressed hesitation about a possible meeting between the Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow, which has never occurred in the centuries since Moscow's elevation to patriarchal status in 1589.

There are hopes that such a meeting could take place in 2013, on the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity's legalization by the Emperor Constantine. But Archbishop Hilarion said Catholics and Russian Orthodox believers should not jump to conclusions about when a meeting may occur between the Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow.

“We believe that such a meeting will take place at some time in the future. We are not yet ready to discuss the date, or the place, or the protocol of such a meeting – because what matters for us, primarily, is the content of this meeting.”

“As soon as we agree on the content, on the points on which we still disagree or have divergent opinions, then I believe we can have this meeting. But it requires a very careful preparation, and we should not be hurrying up, and we should not be pressed to have this meeting at a particular point of time.”

Despite his cautious attitude toward this meeting and other ecumenical matters, Metropolitan Hilarion spoke warmly of Pope Benedict XVI himself. During his recent trip to Germany, the Pope met with representatives of the Orthodox churches in the country, and spoke of a “common engagement” among Christians to ensure that “the human person is given the respect which is his due.”

“His Holiness is a man of faith and whenever I meet with him I’m encouraged by his spirit, his courage and his dedication to the life of the Church worldwide,” Metropolitan Hilarion said after his meeting with the Pope on Thursday.

“Of course I’m very impressed by his knowledge of the Orthodox tradition and the attention he pays to the dialogue between the Catholics and the Orthodox … I believe that this attitude of the Primate of the Roman Catholic Church will greatly help us in our way towards better mutual understanding.”

Metropolitan Hilarion meets with Pope Benedixt XVI

SOURCE: Vatican Radio

Pope Benedict on Thursday met at Castel Gandolfo with the head of the Russian Orthodox Church’s department for external relations, Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev. The Orthodox archbishop, a noted theologian, Church historian and composer, spent the past two days meeting with Vatican officials to discuss the ongoing dialogue between the two Churches.

Since he took over in this key post, Metropolitan Hilarion has met twice before with the Pope in September 2009 and again when he organised a concert in honour of the pontiff in May 2010. Though there was no official communiqué following the private encounter, their talks were part of the ongoing improvement in relations between the Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches, as Metropolitan Hilarion himself told Philippa Hitchen at the end of his two day visit to the Vatican…

“His Holiness is a man of faith and whenever I meet with him I’m encouraged by his spirit, his courage and his dedication to the life of the Church worldwide. Of course I’m very impressed by his knowledge of the Orthodox tradition and the attention he pays to the dialogue between the Catholics and the Orthodox...I believe that this attitude of the Primate of the Roman Catholic Church will greatly help us in our way towards better mutual understanding

We do not have a very clear picture of what should be the role of the primate within the Orthodox tradition and without this clear and unified vision we cannot easily discuss how we see the role of ‘primus inter pares’ within the universal Church...

We believe that such a meeting (between Pope Benedict and Patriarch Kirill) will take place some time in the future but we are not yet ready to discuss the date or the place or the protocol, because what matters for us primarily is the content of this meeting….. It requires a very careful preparation and we should not be hurrying up or be pressed to have this meeting at a particular point in time."


Listen to an interview with Metropolitan Hilarion here.

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates Divine Liturgy at Catacombs of St. Priscilla in Rome

On September 28, 2011, the commemoration day of the Holy Protomartyr Nicetas, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Catacombs of St. Priscilla in Rome. The service was organized with the support of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
Addressing the worshippers after the service, Metropolitan Hilarion said in particular,

‘We have celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Roman catacombs which remind us of the life of the early Christian Church in this city called eternal. It was sanctified with the feet of Sts Peter and Paul and became the capital of the Christian Church as early as the 1st century. During the Divine Liturgy today, we recalled how the first Christians prayed in these catacombs at a time when the Church was still small and persecuted, when to be a Christian meant to perform the feat of confession and to be ready to assume suffering and death every day.

‘Many thousands of Christians were buried in these catacombs, and celebrating the liturgy here we feel their presence and their prayer. At the same time, we feel the link between the past centuries and the present century because the Church which exists today is the same Church which existed almost two thousand years ago; and the Holy Spirit Who worked at that time, works today too, and the Divine Liturgy celebrated today is the same liturgy which was celebrated at that time. And the Body and Blood of Christ of which we partake today are the same Body and Blood which our Saviour Himself offered to His disciples during the Last Supper.

‘As St. Paul, who ended his days in this sacred city, has reminded us today, As we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith (cf. Gal. 6:10), that is, to those who share the Christian faith. Having prayed in these underground walls, let us leave with the thought that the Lord gives us an opportunity to do good, especially to those who are of the household of faith, and to all people around us’.

SOURCE:  DECR Communication Service

Video: Проповідь вл. Венедикта на свято Воздвиження Хреста

Проповідь вл. Венедикта Алексійчука, єпископа-помічника Львівської архиєпархії УГКЦ, на свято Воздвиження чесного Хреста. церква св. Йосафата, Львів, 27 вересня 2011 р.

Sermon by Benedict, Bishop Coadjutor of Lviv, in the Church of St. Josaphat on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Life-Giving Cross, September 27, 2011





More photos here

A little humour...good guys wear black!

(Thank you Josephus Flavius at Byzantine, TX)

Photo of the Day

First wedding since 1999 in the city of Djakovica, in the newly consecrated Serbian monastery
of the Ascension of the Most Holy Mother of God

See story here.

Greek Church fortunate to remain Sacrosanct

SOURCE:  Presseurop.eu

As the country struggles with the crisis and its consequences, the assets of the Orthodox Church have yet to be affected by the government’s stringent austerity measures. Le Monde reports on a taboo that protects the Church’s close links with the state and the clergy’s influence on public policy.
Alain Salles

The Church and the Greek monasteries will not pay the new highly unpopular property tax which was hastily drummed up on Sunday, 11 September, by the Greek government in a bid to meet the fiscal targets set by bail-out fund donors. In response to the outcry generated by this news, however, a spokesman for the Ministry of Finance declared that “the Church will be taxed on the property it operates commercially," although houses of worship and charities will remain exempt. But the trouble is that the boundaries between these different types of assets are sometimes blurred and the books of the Orthodox Church are far from transparent.

The wealth of the Church is still a taboo subject in Greece. “Its income is taxable, but there are two big problems,” warns Polikarpos Karamouzis, Professor of the Sociology of Religion at the Aegean University in Rhodes. “There is no economic system that could chart its true revenues, and no one knows the extent of its properties, because there is no central land registry."

This suits both the Church and the State, “since politicians do not have to take on the Orthodox authorities," says Stefanos Manos, an independent member of the Greek parliament and one of the few politicians to request a separation of church and state. "The Church of Greece is a national church”, explains Polikarpos Karamouzis. “This means there is a political connection between the church and the state that has given the church its privileges. The Church’s spiritual role is closely tied to its political role, which keeps alive some confusion among the faithful and citizens, and that is what is being exploited by vote-hungry politicians."

Clergy paid by the state

A Greek Orthodox Priest tries to stop a rioter from throwing a
Molotov cocktail at Greek Police.

The priests are shapers of public opinion that politicians prefer not to offend. In a text distributed to all parishes in December 2010, the Holy Synod of thirteen bishops denounced the "troika" – the representatives of the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission and European Central Bank – as a "foreign occupation” force.

The Orthodox Church is one of the pillars of the Greek nation – a country where the Constitution was written "in the name of the Holy Trinity, a trinity consubstantial (i.e. one essence, one nature) and indivisible," and one where priests come to schools on the first day of a new academic year to bless the pupils. They also bless new parliaments too. Catechism is taught in public schools, and people of all ages make the sign of the cross when they pass by churches.

In March 2010, George Papandreou’s Socialist government decided to levy a tax on churches of up to 20 percent on commercial income and between five and ten percent for reported donations. The 10,000 priests and bishops are paid by the state, at a budgetary outlay of 220 million euros a year.

Former finance minister, George Papaconstantinou, had planned to cut back on the state’s participation in the clergy’s salaries, but as soon as the news filtered out the government’s willpower evaporated. Current finance minister Evangélos Venizélos, who is very close to the Orthodox community, has no such ambitions.

Church's wealth "a myth"?

The controversy stirred by the exemption from this new tax pushed the church to venture forth from the quiet of its cloisters, and on Friday, Sept. 16 it published the amount of tax it pays. Its directorate for Economic Services affirmed that in 2010 it paid 2.5 million euros in taxes on rental income and revenues. It also revealed that it owns thirty properties in Athens (six of which are unoccupied) and fourteen in Thessaloniki.

In response to increasingly common attacks on the issue of Church property, the Archbishop of Athens, Hieronymus, the highest authority of the Orthodox Church in Greece, has responded by insisting that the wealth of the Church is "a myth". He further argues that in the wake of numerous confiscations of its property, the Church now has only four percent of the assets it held before the Greek revolution of 1821.

Newspapers have published a number of stories on the fortunes of the Orthodox Church. According to Kathimerini (centre-right), its assets amounted to 700 million euros in 2008, while Stefanos Manos, a former Minister of Economy, has estimated them at over one billion euros. In the context of these figures, which have not been officially confirmed, the 2.5 million euros paid by the Church does seem small.

At the same time, these estimates only take into account one part of the ecclesiastical assets, which is directly managed by the central services of the Church. They do not include property owned by parishes, some of which are very rich. Nor do they take into account property directly owned by the 80 Greek bishops who enjoy substantial autonomy, or, the assets of 450 monasteries, whether dependent on the Church of Greece or not (like those of Mount Athos, which have a separate status). For completeness, we should also mention the property owned in Greece by the Orthodox patriarchates of Constantinople, Jerusalem and Alexandria.

Greece's second largest landowner

With 130,000 hectares, the Church is the second largest landowner in the country (after the Greek state). As Vassilis Meichanetsidis of the Communications Service of the Archdiocese of Athens points out, much of "this is forest land, on terrain that is unsuitable for building," but Church holdings also include buildings in uptown Athens and in the wealthy seaside suburbs south of the capital.

The church owns a 1.5 percent stake in the National Bank of Greece and has a representative on the board, the Metropolitan of Ioannina, Theoklitos, who according to the financial magazine Forbes received 24,000 euros in attendance fees in 2008.

Even bare terrain can bring in business. The monks of the rich monastery of Penteli, north of Athens, are looking to investors for one billion euros to exploit some of their mountain by turning it into a photovoltaic park to capture solar energy. This is the new official strategy of the Church: to rent out its property for the benefit of its charities. In 2010 the Church spent over 100 million euros on charitable activities, which have increased in the crisis. "In Athens we provide 10,000 to 12,000 meals every day," explains Vassilis Meichanetsidis.

But the philanthropic outreach of the Orthodox Church is relatively new and has taken some blows. In 2010, it was forced to shut down and change the name of its Solidarity charity due to very poor management.

PRESENTATION: The Jesus Prayer, Unceasing Prayer and Meditation

The Jesus Prayer, Unceasing Prayer and Meditation

Presenter: Fr. Lucien COUTU, C.S.C.
Founder of the Emmaus Centre for Eastern Christian Spirituality in Montreal and author of “Meditation and Prayer of the Heart.”

Fr. Coutu has been presenting workshops on the Jesus Prayer for 30 years.

Sessions: There will be three sessions held with Fr. Coutu.
Each session will begin with a talk (1 hr), followed by a
meditation (½ hr) and will end with a Q&A (½ hr).

Cost: Adults: $30 Seniors & Students: $15

Session I:   Friday, October 21, 7:00-9:00 pm

Session II:  Saturday October 22, 10:00 am -12:00 noon

Session III: Saturday October 22, 1:30-3:30 pm

Location: St Demetrius Catholic Church
135 La Rose Ave,
Toronto

Tickets: At the Door or St. Demetrius Church Office

More Information:   call Natalie at (647)-201-2150

Directions:  http://bit.ly/StDemetrius

2011 Golf Tournament - St. Elias Church, Brampton

2011 Golf Tournament, a set on Flickr.

Mayfield Golf Course was the site of the First Annual Golf Tournament hosted by St. Elias the Prophet Ukrainian Catholic Church parish. For a starter, it was a resounding success. The sun shone down on the golfers after several days of rain. It seemed as if God smiled on us!!

The eight foursomes that participated enjoyed great golf with the low score being 10 under par. That team consisted of Robert Boyko, Pierre Dasilva, Peter Sereda and Steve Woloshyn. The Longest Drive was won by Andrew Nahirniak, the Closest to the Pin by Fred Wolfe and the Putting Contest was won by Fr. Roman Galadza!!

The volunteers who assisted the Golf Committee did a marvelous job of selling the passports and raffle tickets as well as assisting with the distribution of prizes. A big "Thank you"  goes out to our generous benefactors who sponsored the holes and donated prizes for our prize table.

The Golf Committee of Lu Bobyk, Wally Nahirniak and Slawko Nazarowicz would like to thank all the participants, volunteers and benefactors for making this a huge success. We would especially like to thank the staff at Mayfield Golf Course for their friendly service and great food. We look forward to working with them in future tournaments.

All the proceeds from this tournament will go towards the needs of the parish and theParish Home, which is nearing the end of construction.

Lu Bobyk

"Orthodox optimism and Protestant disappointment" in Germany

09/25/2011 "Ratzinger’s Ecumenism between light and shadows"

SOURCE:  Vatican Insider

Yesterday, the Prime Minister of the German Evangelical Church, Nikolaus Schneider, in a speech to the Pope, specifically asked for Catholics and Protestants, at least those married to each other, to be able to take Communion together when attending Mass on Sunday.

On the one hand, if the chance of seeing the Leader of the German Lutherans’ wish come true remains slim, at least in the near future, on the other hand, the dialogue is much more promising with the Orthodox Church. Pope Benedict XVI confirmed it again when he met today with the German Orthodox Community in Freiburg.

The Pontiff proposed an even more ambitious goal: having Catholic and Orthodox priests say Mass side by side.

“Orthodoxy, theologically, is the closest to us,” said the President of the Orthodox Bishops’ Conference of Germany, Metropolitan Augoustinos. He then added, “We hope that the day in which we will be able to celebrate the Holy Communion together is near.”

Naturally, there are still challenges to overcome, first and foremost the issue of “leadership”, in other words, the role of the Bishop of Rome – the Pope – respect to the rest of the Eastern Churches Leaders. While some Orthodox are ready to recognize him “primus inter pares”, without effective power over the other Churches, for Catholics “Leadership” plays a much more practical decision-making role – as it is in the Catholic Church now, where the Bishop of Rome holds absolute and effective authority over the entire community and other Bishops.

But theologians of both parties are hard at work and they have already made ​​progress on the so-called Ravenna document, which sets the guidelines for the next steps to be taken.

Above all, Catholics and Orthodox are united in the fight against secularism and against what they deem the ethical and spiritual degenerations of the contemporary world. Faced with a “trend” pushing to free “public life from God” the Pope today said that “Christian Churches in Germany...on the basis of the faith in God and Father of all humanity walk united.”

The Church of the East and the West are united in the desire to “remain absolutely faithful to the dignity of every person” and to oppose “any manipulative and selective action against human life” as well as to defend “the value of marriage and family”.

Thus, while relations with the Orthodox Church are developing optimistically, in many Protestant circles, the day after the historic visit to the monastery where Luther lived before sparking the Protestant Reformation, there is a hint of disappointment.

In Germany people expected an “Ecumenical gift”, a meaningful gesture of reconciliation, in short an announcement that would have pushed forward the dialogue that in the last few years stalled at the theological level and that sees the two communities diverge more and more on ethical matters and on the role of women.

The Pope made ​​it very clear in his speech that the relationship among Christians is not the same as the relationship between two countries wishing to sign a treaty and that make “concessions” to each other to “grease the wheels” of diplomacy.

The “expectations” both from the Catholic and the Protestant side had to be toned down, they were too high and “Only in this light,” explained the Vatican spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, “it is possible to understand the disappointment from the evangelical side.”

However, this should not overshadow the very important step forward made yesterday, “For the Pope,” Lombardi said, “being in the place where Luther lived and prayed is a significant gesture. He wanted to be there and he wanted to meet there the leaders of the Churches of the Reformation, because Luther’s question about God – “How may I have a merciful God?” – is the main point of the entire journey.”

Of course, stating that the Pope “rehabilitated Luther”, like the Leader of the German Evangelical Church declared, is probably “a little excessive”. However, the Pope has certainly highlighted the importance of the “deep faith” that drove the father of the Protestant Reformation.

Thus, even here there is reason for optimism. Lombardi in fact says, “I do not agree with the disappointment; I feel more like sharing Schneider’ positive view.”

 --------------------  +   +   +   -----------------------

For the complete text of the Pope's Address to the Orthodox and Oriental Churches see "We are all the Early Church" as it appeared in L'Osservatore Romano

SOURCE:  Офіційний сайт Київської Митрополії Української Православної Церкви

September 25, 2011 in the Shevchenko district of Kyiv, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the grounds of the temple in honor of the Holy Trinity which was destroyed by the Bolsheviks in 1931.

The temple was located at the intersection of Shota Rustaveli and Zhilyanskry.

With the blessing of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine, prayers were led by the Secretary of the Metropolis, Dean of Kyiv, professor Archpriest Vitaly Kosovo.

 

Patriarch Kirill's visit to Moldova to be cut short at doctors' recommendation

Chisinau/Moscow - Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill will cut his visit to Moldova by two days at his doctors' recommendation, Secretary of the Moldovan Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church Archpriest Vadim Cheibas told Interfax.

The Patriarchy has confirmed this information.

The duration of the patriarch's visit to Moldova will be shortened "at the strong recommendation of the doctors who insist on relaxing the working schedule of the Holy Patriarch," a source from the Patriarchy told Interfax on Wednesday.

"Nevertheless, the patriarch is firmly intent on visiting all of the dioceses in Moldova within a fairly short period of time and on talking to the Moldovan clergy and flock in all parts of the country," he said.

Read more from SOURCE: http://www.kyivpost.com/news/russia/detail/113713/#ixzz1ZFArxKvb

Humour from reverendfun.com

VIDEO: Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Optina Hermitage...Оптина пустынь...Optina Pustyn)

'Religiously neutral'BBC banishes BC/AD

SOURCE:  National Post

LONDON . The BBC, Britain's state-funded broadcaster, is facing a backlash from leading presenters over the advice they should use "religiously neutral" terms instead of BC or AD because non-Christians could be offended.

Guidance from the broadcaster's ethics specialists said the phrases Common Era and Before Common Era should be considered as replacements for Before Christ and Anno Domini.

"As the BBC is committed to impartiality, it is appropriate that we use terms that do not offend or alienate non-Christians," it said. "In line with modern practice, BCE/CE (Before Common Era/Common Era) are used as a religiously neutral alternative to BC/AD."

James Naughtie, a presenter of BBC Radio 4's influential Today program, told The Daily Telegraph, "Nobody has suggested this to me, and if they do, they will get a pithy answer, which may be too pithy to share with readers of the Telegraph."

His fellow Today presenter, John Humphrys, said he did not see "a problem" with using BC and AD, since the terms were "clearly understood" by most audiences.

During his Sunday morning political program on BBC One, Andrew Marr said he would also continue to use the traditional date descriptions.

"I say AD and BC because that's what I understand," he told viewers. "I don't know what the Common Era is. Why is it the Common Era in 20 AD and it wasn't the Common Era in 20 BC?"

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, who presented a BBC documentary on the Romans, described the plan as "puerile, spineless and absurd."

He said, "If the BBC doesn't want to date events from the birth of Christ, then it should abandon the Western dating system. Perhaps it should use the Buddhist calendar, which says that it is the 2,555th year since the nirvana of Lord Buddha. Perhaps it should have a version of the old Roman calendar, and declare that this is the fourth year of the fourth consulship of Silvio Berlusconi. It could say that this year was 13,400,000 or whatever since the Big Bang, or maybe the BBC should switch to the Mayan calendar and announce that 2011 is the year 1 BC - before the catastrophe that is meant to engulf the planet.

"We don't call it 2011 because it is 2011 years since the Chinese emperor Ai was succeeded by the Chinese emperor Ping (though it is); nor because it is 2011 years since Ovid wrote the Ars Amatoria. It is 2011 years since the (presumed) birth of Christ. I object to this change because it reflects a pathetic, hand-wringing, lefty embarrassment about thousands of years of cultural dominance by the West."

The beginning of the Common Era is dated from the same point as the Gregorian Christian calendar, but removes any reference to the birth of Jesus.

Critics said because the secular terminology still uses the birth of Christ as its reference point, switching to the term Common Era would make little difference.

However, the terms have been gaining acceptance within the BBC, with programs including University Challenge, presented by Jeremy Paxman, and Radio 4's In Our Time, hosted by Melvyn Bragg, among those to have used the phrases.

The BBC denied it was official policy for producers to adopt the "neutral" terms.

A spokesman for the corporation said individual programs were free to choose which terms were used.

A producer at CBC's The Current said the program was using the traditional BC/AD.

Humour from reverendfun.com

Will the theme to “2001: A Space Odyssey” soon be all that’s left of Zoroastrianism?

(There are lessons to be learned here by our own Christian communities)

Their faithful fear the day is coming when all that remains in the public’s memory of Zoroastrianism will be composer Richard Strauss’ 1896 tone poem “Also Sprach Zarathustra” — also known as the opening theme to Stanley Kubrick’s classic movie “2001: A Space Odyssey.”

According to their own estimates, only 11,000 Zoroastrians remain in the U.S. They are following one of the oldest known religions, founded perhaps 1,000 years before Christ’s birth. Its philosophy is based on the teachings of prophet Zarathustra and was the predominant religion in Persia until it the invasion of Macedonia’s Alexander the Great in 334 BC.

It teaches that the god Ahura Mazda is creator of all good and no evil originates from him.

“We were once at least 40, 50 million — can you imagine?” mused Illinois psychologist Kersey Antia, senior priest at one of the few Zoroastrian temples left. “At one point, we had reached the pinnacle of glory of the Persian Empire and had a beautiful religious philosophy that governed the Persian kings.

“Where are we now? Completely wiped out,” Antia recently told Laurie Goodstein of the New York Times. “It pains me to say, in 100 years we won’t have many Zoroastrians.”

“There is a palpable panic among Zoroastrians today — not only in the United States, but also around the world — that they are fighting the extinction of their faith, a monotheistic religion that most scholars say is at least 3,000 years old,” writes Goodstein:

While Zoroastrians once dominated an area stretching from what is now Rome and Greece to India and Russia, their global population has dwindled to 190,000 at most, and perhaps as few as 124,000, according to a survey in 2004 by Fezana Journal, published quarterly by the Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America. “Survival has become a community obsession,” said Dina McIntyre, an Indian-American lawyer in Chesapeake, Va., who has written and lectured widely on her religion.

An effort to create a global organizing body fell apart two years ago after some priests accused the organizers of embracing “fake converts” and diluting traditions, noted Goodstein:

“They feel that the religion is not universal and is ethnic in nature, and that it should be kept within the tribe,” said Jehan Bagli, a retired chemist in Toronto who is a priest, or mobed, and president of the North American Mobed Council, which includes about 100 priests. “This is a tendency that to me sometimes appears suicidal. And they are prepared to make that sacrifice.”

In South Africa, the last Zoroastrian priest recently died, and there is no one left to officiate at ceremonies, said Rohinton Rivetna, a Zoroastrian leader in Chicago who, with his wife, Roshan, was a principal mover behind the failed effort to organize a global body. But they have not given up.

Why is the religion vanishing? Zoroastrians believe in free will, so in matters of religion they do not believe in compulsion. They do not proselytize, so there is little growth from newcomers, notes Goodstein:

They can pray at home instead of going to a temple. While there are priests, there is no hierarchy to set policy. Some Zoroastrian priests refuse to accept converts or to perform initiation ceremonies for children of intermarried couples, especially when the father is not Zoroastrian. The North American Mobed Council is so divided on the issue of accepting intermarried spouses and children that it has been unable to take a position.

And so, numbers dwindle ever more year after year.

SOURCE: http://blog.beliefnet.com/news/#ixzz1ZA7wWUxi

“Today we are standing in this church not as owners but neither as guests”

SOURCE:  UGCC Information Department

"Today we are standing in this cathedral not as owners but neither as guests. We are the bearers and heirs of the Baptism of Volodymyr, and as a Church we are direct successors of the ancient Kyivan Metropoly. Yes, the Ukrainian Church suffers in her body from the wounds of disunity caused by the interference of external forces and by our own faults. Though disunited, we are not estranged from one another” – said His Excellency Bohdan (Dzyurakh), Secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, in St. Sofia’s Cathedral during the celebrations of its millennium.

Talking about the problem of disunity of Christians in Ukraine, Bishop Bohdan said: “Today we are asking forgiveness of God and of our brethren for our wrongdoings and sins, and, on our behalf, we forgive all those who did wrong to us, voluntarily or involuntarily. We are imploring God’s blessing for our people, the gift of Divine Wisdom for our spiritual and state leaders but, foremost, we are praying for the gift of unity for all the heirs of the Baptism of Volodymyr for whom this sanctuary is very dear”.

Afterwards, His Excellency Josyf (Milian), Auxiliary Bishop of Kyiv Archeparchy, on behalf of His Beatitude Sviatoslav, presented with letters of gratitude those people who made a special contribution to the celebrations of the millennium of St. Sofia’s Cathedral in Kyiv. The letters of gratitude received: Viacheslav Korniyenko, Nadia Nikitenko, Myroslav Otkovych and Nelia Kukovalska.

The joined choir of the Patriarchal Cathedral and St. Nicholas the Miracle worker Parish performed spiritual songs during the celebrations.

After the official program in St. Sofia’s Cathedral, the celebrations continued in the Metropolitan rooms where the guests could take a look at the exhibition of a national artist of Ukraine Myroslav Otkovych.

VIDEO: The Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross

O Lord, save Your people, and bless Your inheritance

Grant victory unto Orthodox Christians over their adversaries,

and protect Your community by Your cross.

Спаси, Господи, люди Твоя, 

и благослови достояние Твое,

победы православным христианом

на сопротивныя даруя,

и Твое сохраняя Крестом Твоим жительство.

Патриарх Кирилл совершил чин воздвижения Креста - Москва, 26 сентября

In Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic practice, the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-creating Cross commemorates both the finding of the True Cross in 326 and its recovery from the Persians in 628, and is considered to be one of the Great Feasts of the church year. September 14 is always a fast day, even if it falls on Saturday or Sunday, and the eating of meat, dairy products and fish is prohibited. The Feast of the Exaltation has a one-day Forefeast and an eight-day Afterfeast. The Saturday and Sunday before and after September 14 are also commemorated with special Epistle and Gospel readings about the Cross at the Divine Liturgy.

During the All-Night Vigil on the Eve of the Feast, a cross is placed on the Holy Table (altar) where it reposes during the Vigil. The cross is placed on a tray that has been covered with an Aër (liturgical veil) and decorated with fresh basil leaves and flowers, and a candle burns before it. The cross reposes on the "High Place" of the Holy Table, where the Gospel Book normally lies. Those portions of the Vigil which would normally take place before the Icon of the Feast (the chanting of the Polyeleos and the Matins Gospel) instead take place in front of the Holy Table.

One of the high points of the celebration is when, after the Great Doxology, the priest or bishop brings the Cross out of the sanctuary. He sets the cross on a table (tetrapod or analogion) in the center of the temple (nave of the church) as the choir sings of the festal Troparion of the Cross: "Save, O Lord, Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance, granting unto the faithful victory over adversaries, and by the power of Thy Cross, do Thou preserve Thy commonwealth."

In cathedrals and monasteries, a special "Exaltation" is performed by the bishop or abbot, standing in the center of the church. This consists of his taking the cross in his hands and raising it above his head. He makes an exclamation, to which the choir responds, chanting, Kyrie eleison ("Lord, have mercy") 100 times. As they chant, he makes the sign of the cross with it three times, then slowly bows down to the ground, and stands up again raising the cross above his head as before. This process is repeated four more times to the four points of the compass.[3]

Then, whether the special Exaltation has been performed or not, the clergy and the members of the congregation prostrate themselves on the ground as all sing, "Before Thy Cross, we bow down in worship, O Master, and Thy holy Resurrection we glorify" three times (at the words "Thy holy Resurrection" all stand up again). Then all come forward to venerate the cross and receive the priest's blessing (see Veneration of the Cross, below). During the veneration, stichera are chanted by the choir.

The cross will remain in the center of the temple throughout the Afterfeast, and the faithful will venerate it whenever they enter or leave the church. Finally, on the Apodosis of the Feast, the priest and deacon will cense around the cross, there will be a final veneration of the cross, and then they will solemnly bring the cross back into the sanctuary through the Holy Doors. This same pattern of bringing out the cross, veneration, and returning the cross at the end of the celebration is repeated at a number of the lesser Feasts of the Cross mentioned below. (SOURCE:  Wikipedia)

Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Seminary 30th Anniversary

SOURCE:  Holy Spirit Seminary Blog

 

(Holy Spirit Seminary is the Major Seminary of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Canada. Its primary purpose is the preparation of candidates for ordination to the priesthood in the Catholic Church. This preparation for eparchial ministerial leadership embraces and promotes spiritual formation, theological education and practical field training. The seminary is located in Canada's capital city of Ottawa. We welcome you to our site and invite you to learn more about us.)





We wish to invite you to celebrate with us in this special year of milestones for our institutions. The Sheptytsky Institute was founded 25 years ago while Holy Spirit Seminary was established 30 years ago.

As such, please accept our invitation to attend three events that we are planning together in the Ottawa are for Saturday, October 22 and Sunday, October 23, 2011 at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Shrine, 952 Green Valley Crescent, Ottawa (map):

Saturday, October 22
5:00 pm, Great Vespers
6:30 pm, Festive Dinner

Sunday, October 23
9:30 am, Pontifical Divine Liturgy of Thanksgiving

We are pleased that our Ukrainian Catholic Bishops of Canada and other dignitaries will be in attendance to mark these occasions. Please join them celebrating with us.

Tickets are $50.00 (18 and older), $25.00 (17 and under). Call Oksana at the Institute (613-236-1393, ext. 2651) or Marijka at the Seminary (613-727-1255).

Thank you for your prayers and continued support over all these years. We look forward to expressing our gratitude to you in person – we hope you can be with us.

Very Reverend Stephen Wojcichowsky, Director, Sheptytsky Institute
Very Rev. Michael Winn, Rector, Holy Spirit Seminary

Warsaw to have first Polish Orthodox church in 100 years

SOURCE:  TheNews.pl Polskie Radio

Archbishop Sawa of Warsaw, who is head of the Orthodox Church throughout Poland, hopes that construction will begin next year in the southern Urysnow district.

The archbishop's office has revealed that the design will be modelled on the famed Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) in Istanbul, formerly an Eastern Orthodox Cathedral before the Byzantine Empire was overrun in 1453, The cathedral was the turned into a mosque, and had minarets added, and then was later made into a museum.

Nevertheless, the archbishop's secretary, Father Jerzy Doroszkiewicz has emphasized that the structure will be considerably smaller in scale.

The number of Orthodox believers in the capital has been growing in recent years, necessitating need to build a new house of worship.

It is currently estimated that there are about 30,000 to 40,000 Varsovians affiliated to the Orthodox rite. In the whole of Poland, official figures from the Central Statistical Office (GUS) put the numbers at 506,800.

Two Orthodox houses of worship currently exist in the city. An imposing cathedral once stood in the centre of the capital on Saski Square. However, after Poland regained its independence in 1918, it was torn down as a symbol of Russian rule.

Several proposals have been mooted over the last two years, as regards the location of the new house of worship. However, clashes with other projects, or a lack of suitable infrastructure, caused those plans to fall by the wayside.

However, the archbishop's office is confident that the current option – which has not provoked any problems - will bear fruit. The plot, which covers about half a hectare is currently owned by the city. “The land is not ours yet,” Father Doroszkiewicz noted, but he is optimistic “that the decision regarding its transference will be made by the end of the year.”

Elevator Music for the Pope's Mass in Germany?

Do the Germans really dislike their Pope this much? Since the start of his Pontificate, he has asked that a return be made to a more solemn and traditional approach to the mass..particularly when it comes to the music. A rich heritage--forgotten and trampled in Germany...& right in front of the Pontiff.

Elevator music is not uplifting. It is a "slap"--but is it intentional?




Opening of Berlin Papal Mass from Rocco Palmo on Vimeo.

Photo of the Day

Patriarch Filaret & Bishops of the UOC-KP, St. Sophia, Kyiv

Source: Прес-центр Київської Патріархії

VIDEO: Предстоятель Руської Церкви звершив Божественну літургію у Воскресенському Ново-Єрусалимському ставропігійному монастирі

For full video & text, see SOURCE: Прес-служба Патріарха Московського і всієї Русі

Metropolitan Volodymyr on the 1000th anniversary of the Cathedral of St. Sophia

SOURCE:  Official site “Ukrainian Orthodox Church”

The Cathedral of St Sophia the Wisdom of God in Kyiv is the cathedral church of the Kyivan Rus, the heir and successor of which is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This cathedral was built according to a plan of the Baptizer of Rus, the Holy and Equal-to-the Apostles Prince Vladimir and by the labors of our Enlightener, the Holy and Right-Believing Prince Yaroslav the Wise.

St. Sophia Cathedral of Kyiv is one of the greatest shrines of the world’s Orthodoxy, the unique treasure of national culture, art, architecture, majestic monument of history that carved in its existence the milestones and tragedies, upheavals and victories that our Church and our people have experienced.

Indeed, this cathedral is a beautiful fruit of “salvific radiance ” of the baptism of Kyivan Rus, owing to which in our land of God appeared churches and monastries, the candles of monastic asceticism lit, centers of booklore and spirituality began to work.

“Wisdom has built her house” (Prov. 9, 1) – the Holy Rus, the earthly estate of the Blessed Virgin, under whose cover the Lord has preserved our nation and our Church from the time of baptism to the present. A grand symbol of this is the miraculous mosaic icon of the Mother of God “Orante” of St Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. “Orante” have miraculously survived through millennia without losing its pristine beauty in the terrible trials: wars, robberies, fires, strikes disaster, reign of foreigners and atheists. This image is called “The unbreakable wall” and became a symbol of inviolability of the Holy Orthodox Rus.

“Good is the obedience to Your Righteousness “, writes in the “Word on Law and Grace” Kyiv Metropolitan Hilarion, raising his praise of Prince Vladimir. St. Hilarion not only witnessed the construction of the cathedral. In Sofia in 1051 he was installed as metropolitan of the whole Rus: ” Jaroslav installed Hilarion as Metropolitanof Rus at St. Sofia Cathedral, having gathered the bishops” , says the “The Tale of Bygone Years.” Thus, immediately upon the consecration the cathedral became the See of the Metropolitans of Kyiv, the center of common church life, the heart of learned knowledge and Christian wisdom.

Prince Vladimir was also concerned that the “learned knowledge” redistributed throughout the Russian lands. The Chronicle writes that Jaroslav also “loved books, and wrote a lot of stuff kept at St Sophia Church.”

Venerable Nestor the Chronicler in “The Tale of Bygone Years” connects the origin of the idea of Christianization of Rus with the stay of ambassadors of pagan Prince Vladimir at the worship in the temple of St Sophia the Divine Wisdom in Constantinople. The beauty of the church architecture of unequalled creation of Emperor Justinian the Great and the beauty of liturgical action then became an important factor in the choice of faith: “… And we came to the Greeks, and they took us to their place of worship of God, and we did not know if we were on earth or in heaven: for there is not such place on earth or such a beauty … ”

St. Hilarion in his “Word on Law and Grace” testifies of the idea of St. Volodymyr to make Kyiv a new Constantinople. The sacred city of Emperor Constantine the Great which had the Cathedral of St Sophia the Wisdom of God at its core, was the archetype for the new Christian capital of Rus. The idea of the father was embodied by St Yaroslav, who, just like Solomon the Wise, embodied David’s desire to build a grand temple of God in Jerusalem.

St Sophia Cathedral emerged not only as an imitation of the main temple of the capital of Byzantium. As its constructors hoped, it had to excel this church in glory and beauty. Metropolitan Hilarion said: “… a strange and glorious to all countries, which cannot be found all over the earth, from East to West.” Kyiv St Sophia Cathedral of Holy Wisdom was the model for Sophia’s churches, which later appeared in Novgorod, Polotsk, Vologda, Tobolsk, Arkhangelsk.

St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv was not only of all-church, but also of national importance. This is where the grand Kyiv princes received the blessing of reign. The cathedral became a grand tomb. The popular assembly (veche) gathered in the square near the Cathedral.

Unfortunately, breaking the Christian commandment of the Holy Prince Vladimir and St Yaroslav the Wise of the unity of Kyivan Rus and brotherly love for one another by their descendants led to discord and strife that shook the “golden throne” of the Princes of Kiev, and it was only St Sofia’s only Metropolitan’s See that had kept for a long time the Russian land in the jurisdiction of Kyiv as a spiritual center.

Batyy’s invasion (1240), the attacks of the Crimean Tatar Khans Edygeys (1416) and Mengli Giray (1482) caused severe destruction of Sofia. For centuries, the cathedral stood in desolation, dilapidated, open to all winds and disasters. In 1608 it passed to the Uniates, but the desolation only intensified.

Revival of the shrine began in 1633 when the Holy Hierarch Petro Mohyla returned back the Orthodox Cathedral, restored the walls and domes, revived liturgical life and gave it to the monastery. The main idea of ​​Metropolitan of Kyiv Petro Mohyla was the return to the heritage of the Holy Prince Vladimir. This is where the saint saw the pledge of restoring the foundations of being of the Church and the State. He arranged an aisle in St. Sophia Cathedral in honor of St. Vladimir and renewed the ancient image of Prince in the central nave of the cathedral.

The act of God’s all-merciful providence was finding by the Holy Hierarch Peter Mohyla in 1635 of the honorable relics of the Prince in the ruins of the Church of Tithes. Metropolitan placed the portion of the relics of Saint Vladimir in St. Sophia Cathedral.

St. Peter revived the tradition established by Metropolitan Hilarion of Kyiv and All Rus, of holding the all-church councils at St Sofia. On the day of dedication day of the Cathedral, the Nativity of the Theotokos on 8 (21) September 1640 in St. Sophia’s Cathedral started the Local Council of the Church, which considered and adopted the theological document of extraordinary importance – the Orthodox confession of faith that, as St. Peter said, ” in order to lead to the customs of our ancestors. In whose time the piety shone”. Later the catechism of the Holy Hierarch peter Mohyla was approved by four Eastern patriarchs, which testified to the unity of the Church of Kyiv with Universal Orthodoxy.

St. Peter did his best to revive the glory and all-church importance of St Sofia as the metropolitan’s cathedral church, which he called “the only decoration of our Orthodox people, head and womb of all churches.”

In the nineteenth century the study of the ancient cathedral began. The decisive contribution to the study of the unique landmark was the work of Kyivan Metropolitan Eugene (Bolkhovitinov) “Description of St Sophia Cathedral of Kyiv and the hierarchy of Kyiv”, whose great scientific value has not been lost until now. With the blessing and through the efforts of Metropolitan Filaret (Amfiteatrov) of Kyiv in the cathedral the major restoration works were performed, resulting in discovery of the frescoes of Old Russian period.

The collapse of the Russian empire, revolutionary processes have led to chaos and disorder not only in the public, but also in the church life. St Sophia Cathedral witnessed these violent events, vicissitudes which affected its life. Together with the entire Church, it experienced pains and suffering. During Stalin’s repressions and later hostilities of World War II only a miracle of God’s mercy and professional feat of scientists, archaeologists and all employees of the National Historical and Cultural Reserve “St Sophia” not only saved the church from destruction, but also revealed its origonal beauty and history.With the fall of the God-fighting regime the prayer started to return to the cathedral. In 1990 it was in St. Sophia’s Cathedral that granting of the Tomos of independence and autonomy in governance of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by Patriarch Alexy II of Russia was held. But, unfortunately, split of the Ukrainian Orthodoxy, and the tragic conflict and confrontation around St Sofia in 1990, 1993 and 1995, suspended the process of returning the Cathedral to the Church.

Employees of the National Historical and Cultural Reserve have done and are doing much to preserve the ancient temple complex, and yet the shrine lives its real life only when its walls hear the prayer.

We pray that the liturgical life shine in the Metropolitan St Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv.
Saving St Sophia, which today celebrates its 1000th anniversary is a common cause of the church and the state, a joint ministry of the reserve staff and clergymen. It is with such thoughts and prayers that we enter the second millennium of the Cathedral of Kyivan Metropolitans and a prominent landmark of architecture of world importance – the Cathedral of St Sophia the Wisdom of God.

† Volodymyr
Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine,
Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

This Week in Christian History (September 25)

SOURCE:  Christianity Today

Pope Clement VII

September 25, 1534: Pope Clement VII dies. An unpopular pope, Clement failed to halt Luther's reformation or to implement his own reforms in the Catholic church. Henry VIII asked Clement VII to annul his marriage with Catherine of Aragon. The pope's reluctance led to Henry VIII's break from Catholicism (see issue 48: Thomas Cranmer).

September 25, 1555: The Peace ofAugsburg is signed after the defeat of Emperor Charles V's forces by Protestant princes in Germany (1552). The official recognition of the Lutheran church in Germany, the agreement signified the dissolution of both political unity in Germany and the medieval unity of Christendom.

September 25, 1789: Congress amends The U.S. Constitution to prohibit establishment of a state church or governmental interference with the free exercise of religion.

September 26

Pope Pius II

September 26, 1460: Pope Pius II assembles European leaders, then delivers a three-hour sermon to inspire them to launch a new crusade against the Turks. The speech works, but then another speaker, Cardinal Bessarion, adds a three-hour sermon of his own. After six hours of preaching, the European princes lose all interest in the cause; they never mount the called-for crusade.

September 26, 1897: Charles C. Overton, a Sunday school superintendent at Brighton Chapel, Staten Island, spontaneously promotes the idea of a Christian flag. The Rally Day speaker hadn't shown up, so Overton gave an extemporaneous address on Christian meanings for the elements of the American flag. The red, white, and blue cross flag Overton later helped devise was first sewn around 1907 and continues to be used in some churches.

September 27

September 27, 1540: Pope Paul III officially approves the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), founded in 1534 by Ignatius of Loyola.

Vincent de Paul

September 27, 1660: Vincent de Paul (b. 1581) dies. After giving his life to serving the poor, he founded the first Confraternity of Charity in 1617, the Congregation of the Mission in 1625, and the Daughters of Charity in 1633 (the first non-monastic women's order completely given to care of the sick and poor). Canonized in 1737, he was named patron saint of all charitable works in 1885.

September 28

September 28, 929: King Wenceslas, ruler and patron saint of Czechoslovakia dies. During his brief reign as king before his brother murdered him, Wenceslas sought peace with surrounding nations, reformed the judicial system, and showed particular concern for his country's poor.

September 29

September 29, 1413: Archbishop Arundel condemned Sir John Oldcastle, a follower of John Wycliffe, of heresy. He was given 40 days to recant, during which he escaped and hid in Wales. He remained hidden for a year, until the offer of a large reward prompted someone to betray him. He was then captured and roasted to death.

September 29, 1978: Three weeks after being elected, Pope John Paul I dies while reading a devotional in bed.

October 1

October 1, 1529: The Colloquy of Marburg, which attempted to unify the followers of Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli, begins. It would close in failure October 4. While the Reformers agreed on 14 of the 15 articles, they remained divided over the Lutheran doctrine of the Eucharist (consubstantiation). Thus Switzerland remained Reformed and Germany stayed Lutheran—and dreams of a united European front against Roman Catholicism died (see issue 39: Luther's Later Years).