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Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to Convene 39th Biennial Clergy-Laity Congress July 13-17 in W
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More than 1500 delegates and participants from throughout the United States will gather in the nation’s capital for the Congress, which will include meetings and activities of the committees, organizations, institutions and national ministries of the Archdiocese. The theme for the Congress is “Gather My People to My Home,” which in the words of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, “recognizes the value of each and every person, created in the image and likeness of God for eternal life and communion with Him. God desires that His house be filled. He invites everyone to participate in the great feast of joy and life, and He has extended the invitation to all to come to His table, to His home.”
Following the services on Sunday morning, the events of the Congress will continue during the week at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, which will also host the biennial convention of the National Philoptochos Society and meetings of the Archdiocesan Presbyters Council, the National Sisterhood of Presvyteres, the Retired Greek Orthodox Clergy of America, the Order of Saint Andrew - Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians. The National Young Adult (YAL) Convention will be held prior to the Congress, July 10-13.
The official opening ceremony will be held Monday morning at 9 am in the Marriott Ballroom. The Congress opening will include the keynote address of His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America and the message of the Ecumenical Patriarch which will be offered by the Patriarchal Representative to the Congress, His Eminence Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain. Master of ceremonies for the event will be Mr. George Tenet, former Director of Central Intelligence. Welcoming remarks will also be offered by Congress Chairman, Mr. Andrew Manatos, and by Mr. Michael Jaharis, Vice President of the Archdiocesan Council, Mrs. Georgia Skeadas, President of the National Philoptochos Society, Mr. Theodore Kassimis, Deputy Foreign Minister of Greece, His Excellency Andreas Kakouris, Ambassador of Cyprus to the United States, and The Honorable John Sarbanes, United States Congressman. Following the opening ceremony and keynote address, the Metropolitans of the Eparchial Synod will conduct special sessions on the theme of the Congress.
Committee meetings and workshops will commence on Monday afternoon and will continue through Wednesday morning. The Congress will feature a full venue of quality educational sessions for many aspects of parish life and ministry. Sessions will focus on effective stewardship, religious education, family, youth ministry, Greek education, parish council service, parish development, missions, and interfaith marriage. The plenary sessions of the Congress will be conducted on Wednesday, July 16, and Thursday, July 17, and will include presentations of committee reports and opportunities for review and discussion by the Congress delegates.
Evening events for the week include the Philoptochos Banquet on Monday, a special Congress Cultural Event on Tuesday, and the Grand Banquet on Thursday. The Grand Banquet will feature a special video tribute highlighting the ministry of Archbishop Michael who led the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America from 1949 until 1958. Tickets for these events will be provided to all registered and paid delegates. Non-delegates may purchase tickets in the Registration Lobby.
The Congress will feature over 80 exhibitors from throughout the United States, Canada, Greece and Cyprus. The exhibit area will also include the Ministry Pavilion which will highlight the ministries and resources offered by the Departments of the Archdiocese. This special area will offer Congress participants the opportunity to review the latest resources and speak with staff of the National Ministries. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios will officially open the Exhibit Hall on Sunday, July 13 at 3:30 pm.
The Clergy-Laity Congress is convened biennially and is concerned with all matters, other than doctrinal or canonical, affecting the life, growth and unity of the Church in America, her institutions, her finances, her administration, educational and philanthropic concerns and her growing role in the religious life of the nation. Resources for the Congress, including the Program Guide, registration information, and articles are available on the Congress web site at www.clergylaity.org. News releases, photos, and daily issues of the Orthodox Observer will be posted on the site during the Congress and will also be made available through the Archdiocese web site at www.goarch.org.
GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10075-0106
Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0215
Web: http://www.goarch.org
Email:
Contact: Stavros Papagermanos
Tel: (212) 570-3556; Fax: 212-774-0237
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“This is a very positive step in the right direction for the protection of a basic human right. Although the ruling affects only the narrow area of property rights, by extension, we see a recognition of the rule of law as it affects the Ecumenical Patriarchate within the state of Turkey. Such recognition would serve all parties.”
GREEK ORTHODOX ARCHDIOCESE OF AMERICA
8-10 East 79th St. New York, NY 10075-0106
Tel: (212) 570-3530 Fax: (212) 774-0215
Web: http://www.goarch.org
Email:
Contact: Stavros H. Papagermanos
Tel.: 212.570.3556 – Fax: 212.774.0237
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04.07, [15:51] // News //
Saskatoon - Hundreds of pilgrims, including: His Grace Archbishop Luigi Ventura, Apostolic Nuncio of Canada; His Grace Lawrence Huculak, Metropolitan for Ukrainian Catholics in Canada; newly consecrated Eparch of Saskatoon, Most Rev. Bryan Bayda, CSsR; Metropolitan Emeritus Michael Bzdel, CSsR; Most Rev. Ken Nowakowski, Eparch of New Westminster; Most Rev. John Pazak, CSsR, Byzantine Slovak Eparchy, Unionville, Ontario; Most Rev. Cornelius Pasichny, OSBM, Bishop Emertius Toronto; Most Rev. Severian Yakymyshyn, OSBM, Bishop Emeritus New Westminister; and Most Rev. Michael Wiwchar, CSsR, Bishop Emeritus of Saskatoon; as well as several priests and nuns converged on the Shrine to the Venerable Nun Martyrs Olympia and Laurentia, on the evening of June 27th, to prayerfully observe their feastday.
The ‘praznyk’, which usually spans the better part of the entire day, had to be scaled down this year due to the ordination of our new Bishop: however, the pilgrims were not to be deterred. Many who had travelled long distances to attend the ordination stayed on to prayerfully honour two of the Church's newest heros; and, implore their intercession before God.
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4.07.2008, [16:19] // Inter-Christian relations //RISU.ORG.UA
Constantinople-Kyiv— Patriarch Bartholomew I will head the delegation of the Universal Patriarchate at the celebration of the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus. The Holy Synod of the Universal Patriarchate accepted the invitation of Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow and Ukraine’s President, Victor Yushchenko, asking the Patriarch of Constantinople to lead the celebratory events.
The Report of the Universal Patriarchate says: “The Holy Synod considered at its session on 23-25 June the invitation of the Most Blessed Patriarch Alexis of Moscow to send the Patriarchal Delegation to Ukraine to participate in the celebration of the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus and the invitation of the highly respected President of Ukraine Victor Yushchenko to the Most Holy Universal Patriarch Bartholomew.
In appreciation of the invitations from the Church, State and people of Ukraine, and in respect for their feelings, [the synod] has decreed that the Mother-Church, who led the Ukrainian people to baptism, should answer the above-mentioned invitations and send the Patriarchal Delegation, headed by His Holiness.
Patriarchate, 30 June, 2008
Secretariat of the Holy Synod»
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08.07.2008, [14:07] // Inter-Christian relations // RISU.ORG.UA
Constantinople—Patriarch Bartholomew considers the “double unity” of Greek Catholics impossible, which envisages simultaneous unity of Greek Catholics with Rome and Constantinople. A publication about the alleged support of Patriarch Bartholomew for this idea first appeared in a German source Каth.net, whose representatives interpreted the patriarch’s words in an interview with another German publication called Cyril and Methodius. The information from Kath.net was used by other media, including RISU.
On 5 July 2008, the Constantinople Patriarchate published the official disclaimer of this information. The statement says:
“Regarding the recent publications saying that His Holiness Universal Patriarch Bartholomew allegedly considers possible the ‘double unity’ of Greek Catholics (Uniates), their full communion with both Rome and Constantinople, The Universal Patriarchate hereby disclaims this as not true and does hereby reinstate its position that full unity in faith is the precondition for the communion in the sacraments.”
Recently, RISU also received the original text of Patriarch Bartholomew’s interview to the Cyril and Methodius magazine. The patriarch noted that with regard to the eastern Catholic Churches the mother Church keeps its door open; if they are willing to return, they can.
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08.07.2008, [14:19] // UOC-MP //RISU.ORG.UA
Moscow, July 4, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church does not question the intention of Patriarch Alexis II of the Moscow Patriarchate to lead the Ukrainian celebrations of the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus.
The Ukrainian presidential secretariat deputy head Yuriy Bohutsky said at a briefing the day before that Patriarch Alexis had not given a final response whether he would arrive in Kyiv and that the Synod was to decide if Alexis II or "a representative delegation" would come to the Ukrainian capital. Meanwhile, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople has already confirmed his intention to visit Kyiv, according to Bohutsky, on the invitation of Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko and Patriarch Alexis II.
The Moscow Patriarchate "is surprised" with such a statement. "Since February, when Viktor Yushchenko invited Patriarch Alexis II to visit Ukraine and participate in the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus, the Russian Orthodox primate has confirmed his intention to see the Ukrainian believers," a secretary for inter-Orthodox relations of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, told the Interfax-Religion on Friday.
He reminded that Metropolitan Vladimir of the Kyivan Patriarchate addressed the same request to the patriarch.
Besides, according to Fr. Nikolai, "Alexis II confirmed his intention to visit Kyiv in July (and it was not even questioned by either party) during his conversation with Yuriy Bohutsky as the Patriarch met with him on Yushchenko's personal request."
"The possibility of inviting personally Patriarch of Constantinople to Kyiv was also discussed at the meeting, therefore Bohutsky knows pretty well that the Russian Church primate did not invite Bartholomew I to Kyiv," the interviewee of the agency noted.
He also did not confirm the information Bohutsky voiced earlier that the patriarchs of Alexandria and Jerusalem were to visit Kiev. According to Fr. Nikolai, primates of the Alexandrian and Jerusalem Churches informed that their representatives would come to Kyiv on Alexis II's invitation.
Besides, the Moscow Patriarchate representative is concerned with Bohutsky's statement that Yushchenko intends to initiate discussions on establishing the Ukrainian Local Orthodox Church.
Fr. Nikolai agrees with the Ukrainian state's representative that steps to church unity should keep "within the rules of canonical Orthodoxy." At the same time the priest doubts if it is canonically valid that a secular state "establishes the one Orthodox Church," and in the opinion of Bohutsky, the Orthodox Church believes that the process "should be approved by hierarchs" of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, "the Kyivan Patriarchate" and the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church.
"However, in compliance with canonical requirements, it is impossible to compare canonical and recognized as such by the entire Orthodox world the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to non-canonical Ukrainian Autocephalous Church and moreover to "the Kiev Patriarchate," headed by a person alienated from the Orthodox Church," the interviewee of the agency noted.