News

Turkey planning to open Islamic studies center on island of Halki

The Turkish government made an announcement on August 2 that is likely to increase tensions between the state and its Orthodox Christians.

While the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s seminary on the island of Halki has remained closed since 1971, Turkey has announced that it intends to open an Islamic studies center on the same island. Moreover, building plans have the Global Center for Islamic Studies situated right in front of the Orthodox seminary building, reports Sedmitza.

Human rights group created to protect Orthodox Communities in Eastern Europe

A new advocacy group aiming to protect the interests of Orthodox Christians throughout Eastern Europe has been created.

The NGO “Public Rights Protection,” a co-founder of the new “Eastern European Rights Protection Group,” reports that it includes representatives of human rights and public organizations from Balkan nations.

73 years on, Hiroshima remembers

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan opened the “Ten Days for Peace, 2018” on the 6th of August – 73 years after the USA dropped the first ever atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima.

This ten-day period opened with an Ecumenical prayer and marks a period dedicated to a “Concern with the Problem of Peace”. Like every year, the City of Hiroshima will mark the event with the tolling of the Peace Bell. At the monument commemorating the victims, the mayor will add the names of survivors who have passed away since 6 August of last year.

Summer Youth Academy at the Catholicosate of Cilicia

On Monday, July 30th, 2018, around 20 youth coming from the USA and Canada gathered at the Catholicosate of Cilicia to start the Summer Youth Academy, entitled “Thinking Through the Armenian Church: the Anchor of Identity and Compass for Action.” The aim of the Academy, which will run from July 30th to August 11, is to introduce the participant youth to the Bible, Armenian Christianity, and the Church, as well as address contemporary moral and ethical issues. Present at the opening ceremony were lecturers of the Summer Youth Academy V. Rev. Boghos Tinkjian, V. Rev. Zareh Sarkissian, Prof. Teny Pirri-Simonian and Dr. John J. Pirri.

Jubilation after Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church’s 27-year-old schism is healed

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is the largest of the Oriental Orthodox Christian Churches, one of Christianity’s oldest and has been in Africa since 330 AD, so there was joy and celebrations when on 27 July it declared an end to a 27-year-old schism that had torn it apart.

The rapprochement took place thousands of kilometres from the north east African country with a ceremony of pomp, jubilation and ululation at Washington D.C.’s Debre Mihret St. Michael’s Cathedral.

70 years of the World Council of Churches

In 2018 we celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the World Council of Churches and the fellowship that is its heart and soul. This is an opportunity to mark the achievements of the past 70 years in working for Christian unity and action, and to look to the challenges ahead as a fellowship of churches responding to God’s call for unity, mission, justice and peace.

Let's celebrate throughout the year!

The WCC, its member churches and partners are planning a variety of events to move us forward on our ongoing Pilgrimage of Justice and Peace, and at the same time honour and learn from these 70 years of ecumenical endeavour.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the WCC Central Committee meeting in Geneva in June, a joint consultation on sustainable development with the ACT Alliance in Uppsala, exactly 50 years after the WCC Assembly there: the anniversary year of 2018 will offer many opportunities to focus firmly on envisioning our common future: united in faith, eager for witness, and fearless in the quest for justice and peace.