17th anniversary of the enthronement of Patriarch Bartholomew I

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I (Vartholomeos) on Sunday addressed an event in the northern Greek city of Drama marking the 17th anniversary of his enthronement, where the "Primus inter pares" of the world's Orthodox Church leaders expressed bitterness over continuing problems facing the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey. Bartholomew again touched on the difficulties faced by the ancient Patriarchate in exercising its duties and in the preservation of the millennia-old Christian Orthodox heritage in the neighbouring country, an EU hopeful.

An Interview with His Grace, Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria

Chancellor, Archpriest Chad Hatfield, Dean Emeritus, Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko, and Dean, Archpriest John Behr, attended the world premiere of the English setting of "The Passion According to Saint Matthew," a musical composition by His Grace Hilarion (Alfeyev), Bishop of Vienna and Austria, on October 25, 2008 in Toronto. Bishop Hilarion's musical settings, which include as well "The All-Night Vigil" and "The Divine Liturgy," have received high acclaim from both ecclesial and secular reviewers.

The Russian Orthodox Church to bring one of its relics to France

The Russian Orthodox Church intends to participate in festive events during the Year of Russia in France planned in 2010. "The Russian Orthodox Church will also participate in this campaign and bring one of its relics to France, so that Orthodox believers and members of other Christian confessions could pray before it," Alexy II told journalists after his meeting with the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris, Andre Vingt-Trois in St. Daniel Monastery of Moscow.

Renowned missionary compared opponents of the sermon among rockers to Pharisees

Renowned missionary Hegumen Sergy (Rybko) compared those who oppose missionary activity among unformal youth to Pharisees and urged them to follow the will of Russian Church hierarchs. In his interview to Interfax-Religion Fr. Sergy reminded that "Pharisees often blamed Christ for turning his sermon not to a certain elite, but to everyone without distinction - to gentiles, publicans, whores and leading them to repentance."

Rare First Temple period seal found in Jerusalem

A rare Hebrew seal from the First Temple period, discovered in archaeological excavations in the Western Wall plaza, west of the Temple Mount, will be presented to the public today. An image of a warrior shooting an arrow is depicted on the seal, which belonged to a Hebrew person by the name of Hagab. The owner of the seal probably held a military position, possibly that of army commander of the Kingdom of Judah .

Commemoration of the 2.000th Anniversary of the Birth of St. Paul

2000 St.PaulAlhambra, CA - On Tuesday, November 28th, His Grace, Bishop Maxim and the St. Steven's Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of the Western American Diocese hosted this very special Pan-Orthodox Gathering in Commemoration of the 2,000th Anniversary of the Birth of St. Paul.

The days events began with the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at 10am. The hierarchs, clergy and faithful from around the South California area attended and participated in this special event. We were honored to have as the Homilist and Guest Speaker the Very Rev. Fr. Paul Nadim Tarazi, ThD.