IOCC Responds To Tremor In Central Serbia

International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is working with Philanthropy, the charitable fund of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and local organizations to assess the needs following a moderate 5.3 earthquake that struck central Serbia on November 3 claiming at least two lives and injuring more than fifty people.

The temblor was centered near the city of Kraljevo where it destroyed or damaged buildings and left parts of the city without utility services, according to Interior Ministry of Serbia. The area is 30 miles from institutions where IOCC is implementing projects to assist disabled children and adults. There have been no reports of damage to the facilities, although the residents were shaken by the tremor.

Appeal to help the victims of the recent Earthquake in Serbia

After the ravaging earthquake in Serbia the Serbian Orthodox Bishop of Central Europe, His Grace Konstantin (Djokic), has issued an urgent appeal to help the victims. The appeal is strongly supported by Their Royal Highnesses Prince Karl Wladimir and Princess Brigitte of Yugoslavia: Germany-based members of the Serbian and Yougoslav Royal House of Karadjordjevic.

A year since the death of Patriarch Pavle

His Grace Vicar Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno served today, after the Holy Liturgy, the first annual memorial service for Serbian Patriarch Pavle of blessed repose in the Rakovica monastery.

Patriarch Irinej visits the threatened in Kraljevo

His Holiness Irinej, Serbian Patriarch visited the Diocese of Zica, and in Kraljevo, along with Bishop Hrizostom of Zica, the church of Holy Trinity, damaged in a recent earthquake. His Holiness Serbian Patriarch in an evangelic spirit promised the threatened people the help of the Church and the believers.

Patriarch was welcomed in front of the church of St. Trinity, built in 1824, by bishops Hrizostom of Zica and fr. Jovan Djerem, head of the church. During the visit to Diocese of Zica and Kraljevo, His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Backa walked along the city streets, met with Mayor Ljubisa Simovic, visited a hospital, and at the end of the visit he was in the monastery of Zica, because that church from XIII century was also damages in the recent earthquake.

Metropolitan Amfilohije served Divine Liturgy in Greek military camp of the KFOR in Urosevac

Upon the invitation of the colonel Iorgos Hadjiteophanos, the commander of the Greek forces of the KFOR in Kosovo, Locum Tenens of the Diocese of Raska-Prizren and Kosovo-Metohia, Metropolitan Amfilohije, visited on November 3, 2010 a  military base of the Greek KFOR " Rigas Feraios" near Urosevac and served the Divine Liturgy in a side chapel of St. Christopher. /photo gallery/

Head of the Synodal Department suggests to get back to discussion over bases of Russian political system

Head of the synodal Department for Church and Society Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin suggests filling the "gap in legitimacy" in Russian state system that has formed in result of the October revolution.

"Bolsheviks who seized power in 1917 made it impossible to hold a constituent assembly that had to choose a form of governance for the country. This gap in legitimacy still questions the succession of our state system, accord with people's will and the choice that was made without it," Father Vsevolod said at a round table held during the Orthodox Russia exhibition forum in Moscow.