Christian world

Emergency Appeal: IOCC Responds to Worst Australian Wildfires

The worst wildfires in Australia's history have caused 181 confirmed deaths and left hundreds of people homeless. More than 900 houses were destroyed and some 7,000 people have requested assistance from humanitarian agencies. International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is issuing an emergency appeal and has released initial funds to assess the situation and assist the Orthodox churches in Australia to mobilize a response.

Christians in Turkey

Turkey is overwhelmingly Muslim but hosts several ancient Christian communities -- dwindling remnants of sizeable populations that prospered for centuries in the Muslim-led but multi-ethnic, multi-faith Ottoman Empire.

They include Syriac Christians, Greek Orthodox, Armenians and Catholics. Modern Turkey was founded as a secular republic by Kemal Mustafa Ataturk on the empire's ashes in 1923.

The Serbian Orthodox Church gave the mobile incubator to the Health Center in Gračanica

On the behalf of the Holy Synod of Bishops and thanks to the church community of Ascension of the Most Holy Theotokos in Zurich the mobile incubator was presented to the Health Center in Gracanica.

On November 28, 2008 the transfer of this valuable appliance was performed at the University in Pristina situated at Kosovska Mitrovica. His Grace Bishop Philaret of Milesevo, a member of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church, gave to His Grace Bishop Dr. Artemije of Raska-Prizren this appliance, which was , then, presented to professor dr Stojan Sekulic, general director of the Health Center in Gracanica. The device was given to the Clinic of Gynecology-Obstetrics and is meant for transport of early-born infants. Dr Sasa Cvetkovic , the manager of this clinic, assumed the device.

Prayer service for the health of HIV/AIDS infected to be held in Moscow

A prayer service for the health of people living with HIV/AIDS and their relatives will be conducted in the Moscow Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Khoroshevo on November 30 on the eve of World AIDS Awareness Day. If someone cannot attend the service, the names for prayer (people baptized in the Russian Church) can be sent by e-mail to molebenhiv@mail.ru, the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations (DECR) has told Interfax-Religion on Friday.

The Russian Orthodox Church has known of cases in which AIDS has been miraculously healed.

Serbian Basketball Stars Visit Children In Kosovo and Metohija

Retired NBA All-Star, Vlade Divac, is surrounded by young fans as he signs autographs and distributes athletic gear during a visit to a primary school in Kosovo and Metohija. Divac was accompanied by former NBA player Dragan Tarlac and International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) Executive Director & CEO Constantine M. Triantafilou as they toured IOCC development projects throughout Kosovo. (photo credit: IOCC Serbia)

September 12, 2008 - Belgrade, Serbia (IOCC) - His Grace Bishop Teodosije of Lipljan hosted Serb basketball stars Vlade Divac and Dragan Tarlac on a two-day visit to Kosovo and Metohija September 8-9, 2008. The delegation visited children as they began the new school year and provided shirts, hats and basketballs donated by Adidas through the Peja Stojakovic Children's Foundation. The trip to Kosovo and Metohija was organized by International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) in cooperation with His Grace Bishop Teodosije and included the participation of IOCC Executive Director & CEO Constantine M. Triantafilou.

The delegation made stops in Serb enclaves in Kosovo

Visit of His All Holiness to Kiev

During its regular session, held on June 23-25, 2008, The Holy and Sacred Synod reviewed the invitations of His Beatitude Alexy, Patriarch of Moscow, requesting a Patriarchal Delegation to attend the festivities of the 1020th anniversary of the Christianization of the Kievan Rus and of His Excellency Viktor Yushchenko, President of Ukraine, to His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to personally lead the aforementioned festivities.