The ordinations of the new Metropolites
3. July 2008 - 13:29
His Beatitude the Archbishop of Athens and all Greece Hieronymus will participate to the ordinations of the new Metropolites on the 27th, 28th and 30th of June 2008. The ordinations of the elected Metropolites will take place as follows:
Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church completed its work on the Feast of All Saints
3. July 2008 - 13:24
On 29 June 2008, the day when the Russian Orthodox Church commemorates All Saints who shone forth in the Land of Russia, the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church completed its work taking part in which were one hundred and eighty-three archpastors from twenty countries. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia officiated at the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of Al Belarus, read out the Message of the Blessed Bishops' Council to the clergy, monastics and all faithful children of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Saint Lazar the Great Martyr of Kosovo
27. June 2008 - 13:51
Prince Lazar was born in 1329 in Prilepac to the aristocrat
family Hrebeljanović. His father Pribac was a Logotet-secretary doing very
confidential work for King Dušan the Powerful in the royal palace. Young Lazar
was raised in the palace, and was respected by the King who entrusted him with
the rule of two parts of his kingdom: Srem and Mačva. Lazar married Milica the daughter
of an important aristocrat named Vratko also known as Yug Bogdan - a very wise
and honorable man from the Nemanjic family. Lazar had three sons: Stevan, Vuk
and Lazar and five daughters: Jelena, Mara, Despa, Vukosava and Mileva.
King Dušan the Powerful died unexpectantly in 1355 at the age of 48. This led
to a weakening of Serbia's
central government. Many dukes used this opportunity to secede from the Kingdom
with the land that had been entrusted to them. The young son of Dušan Uroš took
over the throne and soon was killed. Vukašin Mrnjavčević proclaimed himself the
King of Serbia. At this time, Turks were advancing toward the Kingdom
of Serbia. In a battle on the river
Marica in 1371, Vukašin was killed leaving behind him a weakened, poor and torn
Serbia. Serbia
was in desperate need of a gifted statesman, rich in virtue and deserving of
God's Grace: a man similar to St. Sava and his father St. Stefan Nemanja who
had founded the Serbian state. The Church recognized just such a man in Prince
Lazar. His talent for leadership, wisdom and experience lifted him above those
who would seize the throne by force and sought their own glory and importance.
Envoy says Orthodox-Catholic unity unlikely
9. June 2008 - 13:26A complete holy communion between Orthodox believers and Catholics is very unlikely, Russian Orthodox Church Representative to European International Organizations, Archbishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria, said in an interview with the newspaper Soyuznoye Veche of the Russia-Belarus Union Parliamentary Assembly.
"I think we should not expect the complete unity of Orthodox and Catholic rites. The division occurred almost 1,000 years ago and it can hardly be repaired," he said.
Ukrainian customs officers detained "pilgrims' wear" from Gucci, Prada and Armani
24. June 2008 - 15:45
Ukrainian customs officers seized a large consignment of expensive clothes and accessories of the world leading brands reported as humanitarian aid, in particular, "pilgrims' wear". The name of charity fund which attempted to smuggle infringing goods into Ukraine has not been disclosed yet, Zerkalo Nedeli weekly reports on its site referring to its sources in the Ukrainian customs.
