News

Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II holds discussion the situation of Christians in the Middle East with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper

His Holiness Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II met with Canadian Prime Minister Mr. Stephen Harper. His Holiness discussed with PM Harper the current situation of Christians in the Middle East.

His Holiness was accompanied by a delegation including their Eminences Mor Athanasius Elia Bahi, Patriarchal Vicar in Canada, and Mor Timotheos Matta Al-Khoury, Patriarchal Secretary.

Consultation opens in Helsinki

On the first day of the Orthodox ecclesiastical year, 63 Orthodox and Evangelical leaders are gathered at Sofia Cultural Centre just outside Helsinki, Finland, to consider “The Gospel as Good News”. Gathered from around the world the participants were welcomed by His Eminence Metropolitan Ambrosius on behalf of the local Orthodox Community.  Bishop Tapio Luoma, of the Diocese of Espoo (Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland) then gave a warm welcome on behalf of the majority Lutheran community in Finland, whilst Rev. Timo Keskitalo brought greetings from the Evangelical Alliance of Finland and the local Lausanne movement.

On this first evening participants were challenged in their understandings of the Gospel and its centrality in mission and the whole life of discipleship by Fr. Michael Oleksa (centre of picture above) from Alaska.  He ended his presentation by saying, “If there has been conflict, even hostility between “missions” anywhere, this situation undermines the success of any of them. Sin is division, a rupture of communion, a break in loving relationships. Salvation then is unity, a restoration of communion, a return to loving relationships.”

The consultation continues until Friday.

Source: Lausanne-Orthodox Initiative

Archbishop Abune Phillip of Ethiopia Enters Eternal Rest

Addis Ababa: His Grace Abune Phillip – Archbishop of Ilbabur and Gambela diocese of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church passed away on 31 August 2015. Th funeral was later held at the Hily Trinity Cathedral in the Capital City of Addis Ababa.

Memory Eternal

Christian-Muslim Conference on human rights in Athens

Religious leaders from Christian and Muslim communities in the Middle East will gather in Athens in September to discuss plans to better support the citizenship rights of Christian, other religious and ethnic groups in Iraq and Syria.

At the invitation of the Secretary General of the Intergovernmental organization of Republic of Austria, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kingdom of Spain, the Dialogue Center KAICIID  based in Vienna and headed by Mr. Faisal Bin Abdulrahman Bin Muaammar, His Grace Bishop Jovan of Slavonia and Mr. Aleksandar Prascevic, officer of the Holy Synod of Bishops in the Department for interreligious affairs, will represent the Serbian Orthodox Church in the work of the interreligious forum which, in cooperation with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Greece, is held from 2 - 3 September 2015 in Athens on the theme: Supporting civil rights and peaceful coexistence of Christians and Muslims in the Middle East – challenges, practice and open issues.

Croatia: Orthodox Church In Karlovac Desecrated

President of the Coalition of Refugee Associations Miodrag Linta fiercely condemned on Thursday the desecration of the Serbian Orthodox Church of Saint Nicholas in Karlovac, Croatia, which was targeted by a break-in by an unidentified individual, and he also noted that this is a clear message that Orthodox Bishop Gerasim of Gornji Karlovac and the remaining Serbs do not belong in Karlovac.

Linta said that this is the fourth break-in into the facility owned by the Serbian Orthodox Church.

New DC bible museum to display Israeli artifacts

The new Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, will display a collection of biblical artifacts discovered in Israel after reaching an agreement with the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).

The artifacts—stone and alabaster vessels, figurines, glassware, jewelry, and more—come from different eras, including from the First and Second Temple periods as well as the Canaanite period, according to Micky Saban, head of the IAA’s National Treasures Department.