Patriarch of Alexandria with the priests of the Metropolis of Johannesburg

On the occasion of the pastoral visit of His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa to Johannesburg, The Holy Metropolis of Johannesburg and Pretoria organized and anniversary function in his honour for the completion of a successful decade as Patriarch, in the hall of the Cypriot Brotherhood on the evening of 20 January 2015.

Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid arrives in Russia

 On February 8, 2015, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Archbishop Jovan (Vraniskovski) of Ohrid arrived in Russia for medical treatment. 

At Sheremetjevo airport, Archbishop Jovan was met by Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, and A. Khoshev, DECR secretariat for inter-Orthodox relations.

Patriarch of Alexandria visits Soweto

Patriarch of Alexandria visits Soweto
Patriarch of Alexandria visits Soweto
Patriarch of Alexandria visits Soweto
Patriarch of Alexandria visits Soweto

Within the framework of his Pastoral visit to South Africa, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa visited on 20th January 2015, just before noon, in the district of Soweto in Johannesburg, the Jabuvu East Primary School, at which for twenty years,  there has been a Greek language learning programme, under the guidance of the teacher, Mrs. Ava Papatheophilou.

Patriarch of Jerusalem officiates on Mount Sarantarion

Patriarch of Jerusalem officiates on Mount Sarantarion
Patriarch of Jerusalem officiates on Mount Sarantarion
Patriarch of Jerusalem officiates on Mount Sarantarion
Patriarch of Jerusalem officiates on Mount Sarantarion

On Sunday, the 19th of January/1st of February 2015, the Patriarch of Jerusalem officiated at the Holy Monastery of Mount Sarantarion.

Mount Sarantarion, overlooking the west of the ancient town of Jericho, is the Mount where the Lord came, guided by the Holy Spirit, after His baptismal in the Jordan, to pray and fast for forty days. There, He was tempted by the devil and overcame the temptation to turn stones into bread, to throw Himself from the temple, and to worship the devil in exchange for every power in the world. To these temptations, the Lord answered, respectively: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”; “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”; and “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only”.
On this site where Christ conquered temptation, the Patriarchate maintains a Monastery that is carved into the rock.

Fellowship of Orthodox Intellectuals in Albania

Three Hierarchs – the Great Ecumenical Teachers of our Church

On Thursday afternoon, January 29th, the Cultural Center in the Complex of the “Resurrection of Christ” Cathedral in Tirana exhibited a special liveliness. Hundreds of the capital’s Orthodox intellectuals gathered in an activity of Fellowship, that aims at a deeper recognition of the Orthodox Faith. This time, the meeting was dedicated to the Three Great Hierarchs, the excellent Orthodox teachers, St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil the Great and St. Gregory the Theologian, whom are celebrated together on the 30th of January. This feast is always filled with activities that have been inspired by their extraordinary acts.