ECRI voices concern regarding the denial of registration of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), which operates as a body of the Council of Europe, in its latest Report, published on 15-th July 2010, voiced serious concern regarding the denial of registration of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric.

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance devotes a significant part of its Report precisely to the issue of the denial of registration of the minority religious groups in R. Macedonia.

Patriarch Kyrill calls for more active missionary work on the internet

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kyrill considers that priesthood should more active do missionary work via blogs and social networks. During the meeting with priesthood of the Diocese of Tver, he noticed with regret that " a level of discussions in the social networks sometimes seems depressed", and at the same time right there "it forms the mood of people, especially the young".

World Council of Churches delegation meets with DECR staff

The delegation of the World Council of Churches met with the Department of External Church Relations staff on July 1, 2010. Participating in the meeting were DECR vice-chairman Hegumen Philip Riabykh, DECR acting secretary for inter-Christian relations Rev. Dimitry Sizonenko, DECR communication service director Rev. George Zavershinsky, DECR translation service director Rev. Arseny Chernikin; as well as Rev. Alexander Vasyutin of the DECR secretariat for inter-Christian relations, and other DECR staff members.

The WCC delegation included WCC deputy general secretary Georgios Lemopoulos (Patriarchate of Constantinople), Bishop Irinej of Australia and New Zealand (Serbian Orthodox Church), WCC commission for interchurch cooperation executive secretary Archpriest Daniil Buda (Patriarchate of Romania), Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi (Anglican Church of Burundi), Metropolitan Bishoi (Coptic Church), Prof. Dr. Dagmar Heller, Ecumenical Institute Bossey, and others.

Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev meets with Rev. Andrew Hamburg, president of the Synod of German Evangelical Luther Church

The Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine, met on 30 June 2010 with the president of the Synod of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ukraine, Rev. Andrew Hamburg. They discussed bilateral relations, the website of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church reports. The Rev. Andrew Hamburg is also deputy chairman of the group ‘Reconciliation in Europe - the Churches' Task in Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and Germany'. The aim of this group is to seek ways of cooperation between Christian Churches in solving social problems in Eastern and Central Europe. At present, the group is preparing an international conference on migration in today's Europe.

Press Conference - Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, World Council of Churches General Secretary in Moscow

World Council of Churches General Secretary Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, who is in Moscow on an official visit, and Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate's department for external church relations, answered questions from the Russian and foreign mass media on June 30, 2010, at the DECR.

Metropolitan Hilarion introduced the Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, noting that it was his first visit to the Russian Orthodox Church after his election as WCC general secretary.

Serbian Orthodox Church is a support to Serbian diaspora

Patriarch IRINEJ made a reception for delegates of the Assembly of the Diaspora and the Serbs in the region and gave them a blessing. In the St. Sava Cathedral,  Patriarch served a pontifical liturgy, attended by the representatives of the diaspora to whom he said not to forget their roots.

In the parish house of the St. Sava Memorial Cathedral in Vracar, Serbian Patriarch IRINEJ talked with representatives of the diaspora and said to them not to forget their origin and roots, and to revive, strengthen and maintain the relationship with the mother country.