News

SVS faculty footprints: March 2009

The faculty of St. Vladimir's Seminary (SVS) serve the Orthodox Christian Church worldwide through their research, teaching, writing, and membership in various church ministries. Their activities throughout the globe-which include everything from presenting retreats at local parishes in the U.S. to witnessing to their faith at ecumenical venues-leave memorable "footprints," as they spread the message of Christ crucified and continue to follow his path.

Footprints far and wide during lenten season

As part of the annual pre-Lenten series at the eminent Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York City, The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, seminary dean, presented the topic "The Apostle Paul and the Mystery of the Cross" (Feb 18). Additionally, he delivered the homily for the Sunday of Orthodoxy at Ss. Peter and Paul Church (AOCANA) Potomac, MD (Mar 8). On March 14 and 20, respectively, he will act as retreat master at St. Mary Church, Brooklyn, NY and at St. Anthony Church in Bergenfield, NJ (both AOCANA) and will focus on the topic "The Tomb and the Womb: The Birth of Christ in Our Hearts."

Bishop Irinej of Backa guests on RTS programme „Yes Maybe No“ about the anti-discrimination Bill

On Thursday, March 12, 2009 , His Grace Bishop Irinej of Backa guested on a programme „Yes Maybe No" on the first channel of the Radio Television of Serbia, along with representatives of the traditional Churches and religiuos communities. A theme of this programme was the anti-discrimination Bill.

The programme can be watched on the Internet, on the homepage of the RTS.

Greek Orthodox leader to visit Bellingham this weekend

A regional leader in the Greek Orthodox Church will make a two-day visit to Bellingham this weekend, to help Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Church celebrate paying off its mortgage. Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco, who oversees the western region of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in the U.S., will perform vesper service at St. Sophia at 5 p.m. Saturday, March 14. He will also perform the arch hieratical liturgy at 10 a.m. Sunday. A luncheon from 11 a.m. to noon will follow the Sunday service.

Byzantine period church exposed in Moshav Nes-Harim

A church that dates to the Byzantine period which is paved with breathtakingly beautiful mosaics and a dedicatory inscription was exposed in an archaeological excavation the Israel Antiquities Authority is conducting near Moshav Nes-Harim, 5 kilometers east of Bet Shemesh (at the site of Horvat A-Diri), in the wake of plans to enlarge the moshav. According to archaeologist Daniel Ein Mor, director of the excavation on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority, "The site was surrounded by a small forest of oak trees and is covered with farming terraces that were cultivated by the residents of Nes-Harim. Prior to the excavation we discerned unusually large quantities of pottery sherds from the Byzantine period and thousands of mosaic tesserae that were scattered across the surface level."

Patriarch Kirill to visit local Orthodox Churches in accordance with the service list of Primates

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill plans to pay a fraternal call on local Orthodox Churches in capacity of newly elected Head of the Church in accordance with an age-long tradition. He expressed his wish Tuesday night at the annual reception held by the Greek Embassy on the occasion of Orthodoxy Sunday. Patriarch mentioned that the order of his visits would be identified in accordance with the diptych, the service list containing the names of primates of Orthodox Churches.

Former captain of Ukrainian football team ordained deacon

Former captain of the Chernomorets Odessa football club has become a deacon of the Russian Orthodox Church. Kirlik's career in football finished last summer, when Chernomorets refused to prolong his contract. Before it, Kirlik had played for Metallist, Kremen, Niva and Arsenal clubs.