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Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
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Crestwood, NY - On 23 January 2010, a delegation from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological seminary (New York, USA) took part in the All-Night Vigil at the Church of the “Joy to All Afflicted” Icon of the Mother of God in Bolshaya Ordynka Str., Moscow. Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external church relations and rector of the church, officiated at the Divine Service.
After the All-Night Vigil Archbishop Hilarion extended cordial greetings from the ambo to archpriest John Behr and archpriest Chad Hatfield, dean and chancellor of St. Vladimir’s Seminary respectively.
His Eminence remarked that distinguished representatives of the Orthodox Church in America were in Moscow on the occasion of awarding St. Vladimir’s Seminary the prize of the Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations. The ceremony took place at the Hall of Church Councils in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour on January 21. The Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are among the prizewinners; His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia delivered the prizes.
Archbishop Hilarion underscored that for several decades St. Vladimir’s Orthodox seminary had been a major scholarly and missionary centre in North America. The theological school teaches students from different countries, Russia included. His Eminence told those present that he had visited St. Vladimir’s seminary more than once, meeting with the faculty and lecturing the students.
The eminent guests presented the DECR chairman with the icon of St. Raphael of Brooklyn, canonized by the Orthodox Church in America, to commemorate their communion in prayer. St. Raphael was vicar and assistant to St. Tikhon during his ministry on the North American continent.
During the dinner that followed, Archbishop Hilarion, the dean and the chancellor of St. Vladimir’s seminary discussed cooperation of the Russian Orthodox Church with the Orthodox Church in America, and between St. Vladimir’s seminary and the Ss Cyril and Methodius Post-Graduate and Doctoral Programme of the Russian Orthodox Church.
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WASHINGTON, DC - Byzantine Catholic faithful from across the United States joined in the annual 400,000 strong March for Life on Friday, January 22nd to protest the 1973 Supreme Court decision allowing the murder of children in the womb via abortion. We pray that the merciful Lord will touch the hearts of our political leaders with respect for life from conception to natural death.
Here are a few photos:
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ByzanTEENs for Life and the seminarians from SS Cyril & Methodius Seminary in Pittsburgh. In the foreground (gray hair, light blue scarf and purple hat) is His Grace, Bishop JOHN of Parma. |
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Lviv (Jan 20, 2009) - On January 21, 2010, at 5 p.m. in the chapel of Ukrainian Catholic University, Sventsitskoho Str. 17, an interdenominational prayer will take place. The event will be conducted as part of the worldwide Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which takes place from January 18 to 25.
Representatives of different churches and Christian communities of Lviv will take part in the prayer. The program of the meeting includes a joint prayer, informal conversation with coffee and sweets, and a performance of a pantomime.
The world has celebrated the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity for already 42 years. The World Council of Churches along with the Pontifical Council for the assistance of Christian unity initiated the event. “Such annual ecumenical meetings help us understand and comprehend what has already been done for the unity of Christians, helps us realize the still existing problems, and confirms the necessity of joint prayer not only in its theological value, but also in its practical sense,” said doctor Ihor Shaban, the head of the Commission of the UGCC for the assistance of unity between Christians.
Organizers: The Institute of Ecumenical Studies of the Ukrainian Catholic University and the Commission of the UGCC for the assistance of unity between Christians.
Informed in the institute of ecumenical Studies of the UGCC
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Lviv - On January 20, 2010, the Vatican informed that:
• The Holy Father Benedict XVI accepted the decision of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church to proclaim the Stryj Eparchy “hindered.” The decision was accepted according to the canon 233 § 1 CCEO, on the basis of the state of health of Reverend Bishop Julian (Gbur);
• The Holy Father, accepting the proposition of the same synod, named Reverend Bishop Taras (Sen'kiv), titular bishop of Sichena, and until now the auxiliary bishop of the Stryj Eparchy, by the Apostolic Administrator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis (at the disposition of the Holy See).
To better understand the report of the Apostolic Capital we include an explanation. The Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, which took place in Lviv-Bryukhovychi on November 29 to December 5, 2009, decided to appeal to the Pope of Rome with a request to proclaim the Stryj Eparchy “hindered” considering the state of health of the Administrative Bishop Rev. Bishop Julian (Gbur). The synod offered Rev. Bishop Taras (Sen'kiv), auxiliary bishop, to accept the administration of this eparchy, which was confirmed by the Holy Father, and he was named the Apostolic Administrator ad nutum Sanctae Sedis. This appointment becomes legal on the date of the proclamation – January 20, 2010 – and means that the control of the administration of the Stryj Eparchy was transferred to the apostolic administrator. Reverend Bishop Julian (Gbur) preserves only the title of eparch of the Stryj Eparchy.
Bishop Julian, who in December of this year turned 68, led the Stryj Eparchy of the UGCC from the moment of its creation by the Synod of Bishops in 2000, reports radio “Vatican.” He was engaged in the creation of organizational structures and the development of pastoral activity. On May 22, 2008, it was informed that Bishop Taras (Sen'kiv) was elected auxiliary bishop of this eparchy. On July 20 of this year he obtained the hierarchical ordination.
The Stryj Eparchy is located in the western part of the Lviv region, and includes five administrative districts. Pastoral activity is carried out in over 330 parishes, divided into 16 deaneries.
Information Department of the UGCC
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Moscow - On 21 January 2010, Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk received Archbishop Antonio Mennini, Apostolic Nuncio to the Russian Federation, at the latter’s request.
Discussed at the meeting that took place at the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external church relations, were topical issues of bilateral relations between the Russian Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches.
Taking part in the talk was the Very Revd. Igor Vyzhanov, DECR secretary for inter-Christian relations.
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Peć, Serbia - On 22 January 2010, the Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church elected a new Primate. Bishop Irinej of Niš has become the Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch.
The elections were held in compliance with the procedure stipulated in the Statute of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The members of the Council chose three candidates by secret ballot, and then the Patriarch was elected by lot.
Bishop Irinej of Niš (secular name Miroslav Gavrilović), now the Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church, was born on 28 October 1930 in the city of Čačak. He received theological education at the Prizren theological seminary, at the theological department of Belgrade University, and at the post-graduate courses of the theological department of the University of Athens. His education having been completed, he became the head of a monastic school at the Ostrog monastery, and later was appointed rector of the Prizren theological seminary.
He was tonsured by His Holiness Patriarch Herman of Serbia at the Racovica monastery in 1959 and ordained hierodeacon the same year. On 14 July 1974 he was elected Bishop of Moravicí, a vicar of His Holiness Patriarch of Serbia. Bishop of Niš from 1975.
He paid his last visit to Russia in January 2008.