Iveron Icon of Hawai St. Nicholas Church in Elkins Park

On September 20^th2018, the Orthodox faithful of Greater Philadelphia were, once again, blessed by the visit of the miraculous myrrh-streaming Iveron Icon of  The Most Holy Mother of God.

That morning, Fr. Milorad Orlic accompanied Deacon Dimitri Kernitsky, the Icon’s escort, to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Neonatal Intensive care Unit, to visit a newborn who has been struggling for his life. Placing the child on the Icon, Father Milorad and Deacon Dimitri prayed a moleban for the child’s health,  anointing him with myrrh from the icon upon conclusion of the moleban.

Patriarchs visiting Studenica Monastery

His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All East and His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, arrived in the Studenica Monastery in the afternoon of 15 October 2018.

After the visit to the Zhicha Monastery, Patriarchs John and Irinej with their entourages were solemnly welcomed at the monastery of Studenica. Locals of this mountainous area along with their priests and monastic brotherhood arranged a beautiful welcome. Along with singing of hymns devoted to the Most Holy Mother of God, the gathering venerated the relics of Saints Symeon, Anastasia and Simon.

Statement by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church

Statement by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church concerning the encroachment of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the canonical territory of the Russian Church

With profound pain the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church has taken the report of the Patriarchate of Constantinople published on October 11, 2018, about the following decisions of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Constantinople:  confirming the intention ‘to grant autocephaly to the Ukrainian Church; opening a ‘stauropegion’ of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in Kiev; ‘restoring in the rank of bishop or priest’ the leaders of the Ukrainian schism and their followers and ‘returning their faithful to church communion’; ‘recalling the 1686 patent of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the transfer of the Metropolis of Kiev to the Moscow Patriarchate as its part.

Patriarchs John and Irinej visited Zicha Monastery

His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All East and His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, visited the Zicha monastery on 15 October 2018.

On the memory day of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite, the monastery of Zica (dedicated to the Ascension of the Lord) had a great honor and joy to welcome Patriarch John X of Antioch and All East and Serbian Patriarch Irinej. A great gathering of people, clergy and monastics along with His Grace Bishop Diocesan Bishop Justin of Zica welcomed the high Church dignitaries on this historical day. They also witnessed  to a traditional Serbian hospitality.

Serbian Patriarch: I am delighted to be in Montenegro together with the Patriarch of Antioch

His Holiness the Serbian Patriarch Irinej said in an interview given for to the Montenegrin media in the Cetinje monastery that he was delighted to be in Montenegro together with the Patriarch Jovan X of Antioch and All East.

“I used to live here before 1969/1970 as a principal of the Ostrog monastery, when I had an opportunity to visit almost the entire of Montenegro, from which my mother comes, and consequently I have close ties with Montenegro. I am glad that the present Montenegro in relation to the then Montenegro concerning the Church life is something that is normal for a democratic country, that it has a living Church, that it has priesthood, monasticism.

I am delighted to be here together with the Patriarch of Antioch, Patriarch of the ancient Christian Apostolic Church, who brings us his blessings and His desire that unanimity, peace and love should prevail among our peoples, what is normal, because we are one nation, although we are geographically divided, but that does not mean that we are spiritually divided. We should support each other and be a people that the Lord Christ and our history expect and want us to be,” concluded His Holiness.

Patriarchs John and Irinej arrive in Podgorica, Montenegro

His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All East, who is in an official (irenic) visit to the Serbian Patriarch and the Serbian Orthodox Church, arrived to the capital city of Montenegro,  Podgorica, together with His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch, on 15 October 2018.

The Primates of the Patriarchate of Antioch and the Serbian Patriarchate were welcomed at the Podgorica airport by His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral and His Grace Bishop Joanikije of Budimlje-Niksic.