Christian world

Visit of the I.A.O. delegation to Cairo

Interparlimentary Association on Orthodoxy- Febraury-March 2014

The I.A.O. delegation consisted by Mr. Anastasios Nerantzis, Member oΕthe Hellenic Parliament, I.A.O. Secretary General, Mr. Sergei Popov, Member of the Russian State Duma, President of the I.A.O. General Assembly, Mr. Joseph Iskander, Member of the Parliament of Sudan, Member of the I.A.O. International Secretariat, Mr. Fuad Kokaly, Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Member of the I.A.O. Committee on Human Rights, and the I.A.O. advisors, Mr. Kostas Mygdalis and Mr. Valery Alexeev, realized a visit to Cairo (28 February – 2 March 2014).

Consecration of the Church of Pope Kyrillos VI

On Sunday, March 2, 2014, H.H. Pope Tawadros II, along with 22 venerable metropolitans and bishops, consecrated the altar of the Church of Pope Kyrillos VI in St. Mina Monastary in Maryout.  The other church altars were consecrated in the name of St. Mina and St. Antonious.

Pope Tawadros also ordained 5 monks to the priesthood. 

In attendance on this joyous and historic occasion were 22 venerable fathers. They are:  H.E. Metropolitan Pachomius, H.G. Bishop Metaos, H.G. Bishop Isaiah, H.G. Bishop Serapion, H.G. Bishop Bicenty, H.G. Bishop Morcos (Shubra Al Khaimah), H.G. Bishop Demetrius, H.G. Bishop Thomas, H.G. Bishop Yuannis, H.G. Bishop Cosmas, H.G. Bishop Armia, H.G. Bishop Kyrillos Ava Mina, H.G. Bishop Theodosius, H.G. Bishop Marteros, H.G. Bishop Salib, H.G. Bishop Daniel (Paula), H.G. Bishop Mina (Khatatba), H.G. Bishop Mina (Canada), H.G. Bishop Epiphanius , H.G. Bishop Julius, H.G. Bishop John (Giza).

Source: Patriarchate of Alexandria

Villagers in Turkey Urge Renovations for Armenian Church Used as Barn

An historical structure in the western Armenian province of Van, in modern day Turkey, which once was an Armenian church, has been converted into a hayloft after serving as a school for some time.

Villagers fill the former church in the Korlu village of the Çatak district, 18 miles from Van, with hay, grass, cowpat and wood, but they have personally appealed to authorities to renovate it.

The Orthodox Monastery of Saints Ninian and Cuthbert to become the first Orthodox Monastery in the Hebrides

Mull Historical Society describes Kilninian, built in 1755, as ‘one of the oldest (churches), and until very recently, still used for worship. Possibly standing on the site of an earlier medieval church, it first appears in the records of 1561, where it is stated that the parsonage of ‘Keilnoening’ had formerly belonged to the Abbot of Iona.’

The more recent history of the church includes the few years when Fr Stephen and his small community tried to found a Catholic monastery around Kilninian. When they changed their plans and moved instead to mainland Scotland, they very generously donated the church to the Orthodox Church, under condition that Kilninian would still be used as the home of a monastic community.

Lavrov: Ideas calling for revision of moral values are dangerous

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Russia is concerned about the intensification in some countries of activities by ultra-liberal activists who preach permissiveness and a revision of moral values, adding that such actions are destructive to modern society.

"Supporters of ultra-liberal ideas, who promote permissiveness and hedonism and demand a revision of moral values, which are common for all religions, have recently become very aggressive in some countries," Lavrov said at the meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday.

Lavrov reiterated that "such actions are destructive to society and are extremely bad for the education of the younger generation." "Children should be protected from information that harms their mental health and belittles their dignity," he said.

Reports of first church in Saudi Arabia are false

The Coptic Orthodox Church has issued a statement refuting reports that the Coptic Pope has met Saudi Arabian officials over the creation of the first church in the country.
There are an estimated 1.5 million Christians in the strictly Muslim country but they are not allowed to worship publicly.

The MidEast Christian News agency reported that a meeting had taken place between Pope Tawadros II and Saudi Ambassador Ahmed Kattan about the possibility of setting up a church.