Beginning of the new Academic year at the Patriarchal Academy "St Athanasios the Great"

On 22nd September 2008, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, together with His Grace Bishop Gabriel of Mareotis, Patriarchal Vicar of Alexandria and His Grace Bishop Spyridon of Kanopos, Hegoumen of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of St Savvas the Sanctified in Alexandria, the Sanctification Blessing (Agiasmos) for the beginning of the new Academic year at the Patriarchal Academy "St Athanasios the Great" and addressed paternal advice and blessings to its African students.

Source: www.greekorthodox-alexandria.org

Serbian “students-in-residence” strengthen ties with St. Vladimir’s

Seventeen seminary students from Belgrade, Serbia spent one week on the seminary campus as "performers in residence," cultivating important religious, cultural, and academic ties with the seminarians and faculty at St Vladimir's, from September 12-19, 2008.

Highlights of their visit included a public concert performance in the John G. Rangos Family Building, featuring multi-part Russian Orthodox liturgical hymns and traditional Byzantine chant following the typikon of Mount Athos; and their choral participation in the Vigil of the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross, celebrated by His Grace Maxim (Vasiljevic), Bishop of the Western Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America.

Minister awards for exellence in student achievement 2008

The Annual Minister's Awards for excellence in student achievement, organized by the NSW Community Languages Schools Board were held at University of New South Wales in Kensington, on Friday night the 5th September 2008. The NSW Community Languages Schools Board and the Department of Education, each year for the past 5 years, awarded students in recognition for their language achievement at their community languages school. There are currently 49 languages being taught across 487 NSW languages schools and there are over 30,000 students studying each year.

Bulgarian PM opens Orthodox church in Turkey

Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergei Stanishev and Turkish Culture & Tourism Minister Ertugrul Gunay opened Sunday the Sveti Constantine and Elena Church, restored by the Bulgarian government in Turkey.

Following the opening ceremony, Bulgarian premier attended a mass at the church in the northwestern city of Edirne. Stanishev said the opening of the church was the sign of good neighborly relations between Turkey and Bulgaria."This is a good example for the countries in our region, the Caucasus and also for other countries in the world," Stanishev said. "This is the second church in Edirne. I would like to thank everyone who is involved. It has ben restored by the Bulgarian government for half a million euros. But we could not achieve it without support from Turkish authorities," he said.

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom had ruled in favor of the Ecumenical Patriarchate

In September 9th, 2008, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom threw its weight behind the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights that had ruled in favor of the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, specifically as to its historic Orphanage on the island of Pringkipos . In the official Press Release of the Commission, Commission Chair Felice Gaer stated:

"This is a landmark decision for the rights of all religious minorities in Turkey, not least because it recognizes the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as a legal entity. The Commission calls on the U.S. government to urge the government of Turkey to demonstrate its commitment to observe the rule of law for all citizens of Turkey by implementing this important ruling."

(Full Press Release http://www.uscirf.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2262&Itemid=1 )

The XVI International Ecumenical Conference on Orthodox Spirituality Opens

The XVI International Ecumenical Conference on Orthodox Spirituality opened in September 18th, 2008, in the Bose monastery in Northern Italy. Organized by the Monastery in cooperation with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Patriarchate of Moscow, the Conference is focusing Spiritual Paternity in the Orthodox Tradition, as one of the essential topics of spiritual life where Eastern and Western Christian traditions meet. The Secretary of the Vatican's Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity, Bishop Brian Farrell is attending the conference.

Source: Radio Vatican