Nicaean Church of Hagia Sophia began functioning as a mosque
25. July 2012 - 9:25
Historic Church of St. Sophia in Nicaea (modern Iznik, Turkey), where in 787, held the Seventh Ecumenical Council, began to function as a mosque, to which has already been assigned aMufti. This is reported by "Romfea."
Hagia Sophia in Nicaea was first converted into a mosque in 1331, after the conquest of Asia Minor in the Byzantine Empire, by the Ottoman Turks. It remained a mosque until the arrival of the troops in the region of the Greek army during the campaign that they made in Asia Minor after the First World War.
President Putin thanks Israeli authorities for assistance in restoring historical rights of Russia for St. Sergius Metochion
29. June 2012 - 10:41
In the course of his visit to the Middle East, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the shrines and places of interest in the Holy Land. During the night of June 26, he visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and in the morning – the ancient Church of the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem located atop the cave in which the Saviour was born.
On 25 June 2012, during his talk with the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Putin spoke of humanitarian cooperation between the two states. After the talks, he told the journalists that he appreciates the assistance of Israel in restoring historical rights of the Russian state to the St. Sergius Metochion, press office of the Russian President reports.
President Putin attends the opening of a Pilgrims House near the Jordan River
29. June 2012 - 9:39
On June 26, 2012, during his visit to Jordan, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the inauguration of a Pilgrims House for Russian pilgrims in the territory of the religious and archaeological preserve ‘The Place of the Baptism of Jesus Christ on the Jordan River’.
Participating in the ceremony from the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem were His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine; Metropolitan Benedict of Philadelphia, patriarchal representative to Jordan; Archbishop Aristarchos of Constantina, general secretary of the Church of Jerusalem’s Holy Synod; and members of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre. The Moscow Patriarchate was represented by Archbishop Mark of Yegoryevsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s office for institutions abroad; Archimandrite Isidore (Minaev), head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem; and Hegumen Feofan (Lukyanov), deputy head of the Mission.
Russian Orthodox communities in Portugal to make a walking pilgrimage by the Way of St. James
3. July 2012 - 9:36
Orthodox communities in Portugal will make this Camino de Santiago walking pilgrimage for the eleventh time. It will involve pilgrims not only from Portugal but also other countries. At present, the pilgrims group include believers from Spain, Russia and Ukraine.
This year, the walking pilgrimage will begin after the Divine Liturgy to be celebrated on July 15 at Portugal’s Valenca do Minho, with the participation of pilgrims groups from Lisbon and Port, Tomsk and Moscow (Russia), Nikolaev (Ukraine) and Soto Grande (Spain).
Largest Ever Dead Sea Scroll Collection to be Unveiled at Texas Seminary
3. July 2012 - 9:25
Visitors at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's exhibition, "Dead Sea Scrolls & the Bible: Ancient Artifacts, Timeless Treasures" in Forth Worth, Texas, will be able to view the largest Dead Scroll fragments to ever be placed on public display starting July 12.
"The chance to view portions of the Dead Sea Scrolls usually requires an overseas trip to a Near East nation, such as Israel or Jordan," said Bruce McCoy, the exhibition director.
