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Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
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On 05 August, Thursday
- 17:10 Arrival of His Beatitude Patriarch Gregorios III( Laham)
GUARULHOS, KLM 1000. Airport Reception. (Chancellor Fr Antoine Dib, accompanying His Beatitude, had arrived on 4 August.)
- 19:00, Reception at the Church.
- Cocktail in the Church Hall.
- Going to the Hotel
06 August, Friday, Feast of the Transfiguration
- 10:30 Going to Boa Esperança by car to visit H. Em. Spiridon, Melkite Greek Catholic Bishop Emeritus of Our Lady of Paradise.
- 16:45 Meeting the community at the entrance to the city
17:00 Motorcade to the residence of Bishop Spiridon
- 19:30 Gathering of the faithful to welcome His Beatitude at his entry to the church
- 20:00 Celebration of the Liturgy presided over by His Beatitude and celebrated by Bishop Spiridon and dinner at Boa Esperança.
07th August, Saturday
- 08:30 Return to São Paulo, by car
- Going to GUARULHOS 14:30 - 16:50 Travel to Fortaleza, by air
- 20:10 Arrival at Fortaleza Pinto Martins Airport - Reception and local programming.
On 08 August, Sunday, Fortaleza
- 08:00 - Breakfast with the parish council of the Melkite parish of Our Lady of Lebanon
- 18:00 - Solemn Mass followed by reception in the said parish
On August 9, Monday
- 10:00 - Visit to the Archbishop of Fortaleza, Dom José Antonio
- 14:00 - Departure to Brasilia
- 14:35 Travel to Brasilia by air
- 17:12 Arrival and local programming
- 20:30 Dinner
August 10, Tuesday
- 09:15 Back to São Paulo by air
- 10:57 Arrival at Congonhas
- 12:30 Lunch
- 15:30 Travel to Taubaté, by car
- 17:30 Reception by the Melkite community and Pastor Fr. Dimitrios Bertani
- 18:00 Celebration of the Divine Liturgy at the Chapel of Sant'Ana, with dedication of the altar
-Dinner
August 11, Wednesday
- 08:28 Trip to Juiz de Fora by air taxi
- 09:30 - Reception at the airport, with the presence of the local Archbishop of the Latins D. Gil, the mayor, the Commander of Military Police, civilian police, army, judiciary and faithful.
- 10:30 - A moment of prayer at the Cathedral of St. Anthony
- 11:00 - Meeting of prayer with the pastor and the faithful of St. George Parish
Lunch at the Constantine Hotel
- 15:00 - Divine Liturgy at St. George Parish
- 18:00 Visit to the work of the Little Monks of the Paternoster
Solemn reception of the Patriarch and his entourage, including the Melkite Eparch of Brazil and other bishops and visit to the cloister and other dependencies of the house
- 21:00 - Dinner at the Syrian and Lebanese Club with all the religious, civil and military authorities and the faithful
August 12, Thursday, Travel to Rio de Janeiro by car
- 13:00 - Arrival, meeting with the Council and visit to the Archbishop of Rio, Dom Orani Tempesta
- 18:00 - Divine Liturgy in the Parish of St. Basil and Our Lady of Perpetual Help. (Approx. 30 min before, there will be a procession with the Patriarch.)
August 13, Friday, Rio and to São Paulo by air (Congonhas)
- 08:30 Visit to Christ the Redeemer
- 18:00 Blessing of the Icons and Divine Liturgy
August 14, Saturday, Our Lady of Paradise
- 12:00 Divine Liturgy, visit of the Mansion and lunch
August 15, Sunday, Dormition of the Virgin Mary, Feast of Our Church.
- 11:00 Holy and Divine Liturgy.
- 13:00 Formal lunch
- 18:00 Visit of the Russian Catholic community, the Syriac community and dinner
16th of August, Monday,
- 08:00 Visit to Our Lady of Aparecida
Going to Votorantim - FMC Institute, by car, liturgical celebration and lunch
August 17, Tuesday, end of the visit
Sources: the Portuguese language websites of http://www.melquitas.com.br/ and http://sinaxe.wordpress.com/
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“Since the time of the foundation of our eparchy the relationship with the bishops of the UGCC in Kolomyja has been very friendly. We have a joint purpose – to build a unique church in Ukraine. By holding joint events we unite our faithful in one Christian family. Bishop Mykola and I call our priests to hold joint divine services and events that we can lead and conduct together in order to strengthen the unity between people,” stated Bishop Boychuk.
“Going down the road of Christ’s teaching and united rite, we see the fundamental bases of the unity between churches of Volodymyr’s baptism. To witness this unity and Christian love, actions that testify our intentions to fulfil the divine appeal to consent are necessary. The new church, where the priests of two eparchies will celebrate in turn, will become a salutary example. With united prayers for patients, for the church will be next to the oncology hospital, and through other services we will ask for benediction for our nation, for the unity of our church in Ukraine,” stressed Bishop Simkaylo.
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CWNews.com - The Russian Orthodox Church is training 100 young people for “street missionary activity.” The initiative, championed by Patriarch Kirill, is described as an effort to counteract the influence of secular materialism, Western ideology, and “drugs, egotism, and moral relativism” among Russian youth. Skeptical observers see it as part of an overall campaign to boost Patriarch Kirill’s influence in Russian society.
Source(s): these links will take you to other sites, in a new window.
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CWNews.com - A visit by Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill to Ukraine has been marred by angry protests leading to multiple arrests, frustrating the Russian prelate’s efforts to promote Orthodox unity.
Patriarch Kirill, who was in Ukraine for a meeting of the Russian Orthodox synod, faced demonstrators in Kiev who shouted: “Down with the Moscow Pope!” The Orthodox Church in Ukraine split into three competing factions after the country gained its independence from Russia; only one of the factions maintains allegiance with the Moscow patriarchate. Nevertheless the Russian Orthodox Church continues to claim Ukraine as part of its "canonical territory."
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CWNews.com- Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, praised Pope Benedict and blasted Protestant bodies that have accepted women’s ordination and caved in to the secular culture on homosexuality.
Noting that the Pope is criticized by “liberal theologians and liberal mass media in the West,” Patriarch Kirill said that “on many public and moral issues his approach fully coincides with the approach of the Russian Orthodox Church. This gives us an opportunity to advocate Christian values together with the Catholic Church, in particular at international organizations and on the international arena.”
On the other hand, some Protestant bodies have “let sinful elements of the world enter their internal world and justify these elements, if they are offered by secular society … secular philosophical liberal stock phrases are repeated within Protestant churches and take root in religious thinking.”
For example, “the word of God is distorted to please the secular liberal standard” on homosexuality, the patriarch noted. “It is written in black and white that it is a sin.”
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Mary, Icon of Compassion selected as theme
July 14, 2010, Uniontown, Pa. -- The 76th Annual Pilgrimage in Honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help will be held at Mount St. Macrina, Uniontown, Pa., Sept. 3-6, 2010 (Labor Day weekend). This year, the weekend's activities and programs are inspired by the theme of "Mary, Icon of Compassion".
"This year's theme recalls the endless love between God and humanity. Although it would be appropriate in any given year, it struck a chord in the hearts of the Sisters in view of the recent tragedies in the world," said Sister Seraphim Olsafsky, OSBM, Provincial, Sisters of St. Basil the Great.
The weekend will offer pilgrims the opportunity to participate in religious services and an array of activities, including the beautiful Divine Liturgy, Mystery of Reconciliation (Confession), the popular children's procession and the inspiring candlelight procession. There will also be enriching educational opportunities for both adults and children, including special programs for children, teens and young adults. Private pastoral counseling, a session on bereavement, and education and discussion forums are also planned. Pilgrims will also have the opportunity to purchase icons, religious gifts, and cards.
- Russian Orthodox Church welcomes appointment of Cardinal Kasper’s successor
- Final Report of the Synod of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church - June 2010
- Ukraine plays referee between the Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow (Commentary)
- Volyn Media: Patriarch Lubomyr Called to Renew the Original Unity of the Church and Ukraine