Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church to take place on 27-29 January 2009

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church at its session on 10 December 2008 took decision on the dates of the Bishops' Council and the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church to elect Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

The Holy Synod resolved that The Bishops' Council will be held on 25-26 January 2009, and the Local Council on 27-29 January 2009.

Session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow

On December 10, a session of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church chaired by the Patriarchal Locum Tenens Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad opens at the Patriarchal residence at St. Daniel's Monastery.

Taking part in the session are Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine; Metropolitan Vladimir of St Petersburg and Ladoga; Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna; Metropolitan Clement of Kaluga and Borovsk, Chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Vladimir of Kishinev and All Moldova; Metropolitan Valentin of Orenburg and Buzuluk; Archbishop Alexander of Kostroma and Galich; Archbishop Tikhon pf Novosibirsk and Berdsk; Bishop Feofilakt of Bryansk and Sevsk; Bishop Stefan of Tura and Mozyr.

Message by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew at the Funeral Service of the late Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow

"As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race ..." (2 Tim. 4.6-7)

Like a sharp arrow, the heart of the Orthodox Church worldwide was pierced in recent days by the announcement of the unexpected repose of the venerable Primate of our sister Autocephalous Church in Russia, our beloved brother and concelebrant Alexei. Therefore, we open our occasional farewell address with the timely words of the heavenly Apostle Paul to Timothy inasmuch as we are absolutely convinced of the unbroken continuity in the martyric confession, perpetual expression and dynamic faith that are manifest from time to time in virtuous individuals, who follow St. Paul's example in their life. Of course, there is never an absolute identification between St. Paul and these individuals. Nevertheless, we are able to draw this intimation because, in all places, indomitable fighters boldly bear the cross of the same "good fight," continuing in this way the same ministry and mission through the centuries.

Symposium on ‘’ Pastoral practice and religious education in Archbishopric’’

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Pavle of Serbia, on Thursday, December 11, 2008 His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral served , with the concelebration of His Grace Bishop Atanasije of Hvosno, Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the chapel of Saint John The Theologian at the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the University of Belgrade

First Catholic-Orthodox Forum - Trento, Italy, 11-14 december 2008

The First Catholic-Orthodox Forum, organised by the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) with the support of the Archdiocese of Trent and its Archbishop Mgr Luigi Bressan, is set to begin in Trent (Italy) on the afternoon of Thursday 11 December.

Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and CCEE President said, "It is also to honour the memory of His Holiness Alexis II that together with the Russian Orthodox Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria that we have decided to go ahead with this Catholic-Orthodox Forum in Trent".

Spiritual growth in the parish of St George Great Martyr in Elizabeth, NJ

With the Archpastoral Blessing of His Grace Bishop Dr. MITROPHAN of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Eastern America, on Sunday November 2nd, for the first time in its 47-year-long history, the parish of St George Great Martyr in Elizabeth, NJ greeted a number of holy relics for our spiritual growth as well as the healing of both the body and the soul: