News

Russian Orthodox communities in Portugal to make a walking pilgrimage by the Way of St. James

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

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.

President Putin thanks Israeli authorities for assistance in restoring historical rights of Russia for St. Sergius Metochion

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

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.

Faith and Order Standing Committee meets in Pinang, Malaysia

On June 17, 2012, the Standing Committee of the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches met in Pinang, Malaysia. The Committee consists of 30 persons representing Local Orthodox Churches, the Roman Catholic Church and various Protestant denominations.

In the course of its work to last till June 23 the Standing Committee will sum up the work it has carried out for the last six years and consider the documents on ecclesiology and morality. It will also review the progress made in the work on the draft document on sources of authority in the Church, which had been initiated by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Synodal Biblical and Theological Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her diamond jubilee, the 60th anniversary of ascension to the throne, and together with her celebrates the whole Commonwealth, in which also lives a large number of Orthodox Christian Serbs.

As the spiritual leader of the Serbian Orthodox Christians living in Australia and New Zealand, His Grace Bishop Irinej on behalf of all the faithful congratulated Her Majesty, stressing our joy that Her Majesty is both our Sovereign and Godmother to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Alexander Karadjordjevic of Serbia.