Orthodox Churches

Historic inauguration of church in Casablanca, Morocco

On Sunday, March 24, the inauguration of the Holy Church of the Annunciation of the Greek community in Casablanca, Morocco, was held, by decision of Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa.

Tonsure of Ryassaphore-monk Ioann at St. Herman Monastery, Platina

On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, March 4/17, 2019, Novice Andrew was tonsured as a ryassaphore monk at the St. Herman Monastery. A family of friends and pilgrims — Deacon Ignatius, Diaconissa Xenia, Lydia, Ioan, and Silouan Strange — came from St. Gabriel’s Orthodox Church (OCA) near Ashland, Oregon, in order to attend the service. The tonsure took place before the Epistle and Gospel reading during the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, which was celebrated by Abbot Damascene, Hieromonk Paisius, and Deacon Ignatius.

Bishop Irinej attends Fordham Founder’s Dinner

New York City’s eminent Fordham University brought together its founders, scholars and biggest benefactors on monday, march 25, 2019 for Fordham’s signature annual fundraising event: the 18th annual Fordham Founder’s Dinner. The gala raised nearly $2.6 million for the Founder’s Undergraduate Scholarship Fund—the second highest amount in Founder’s history.

More than 1,000 alumni and friends of Fordham attended the black-tie affair at the New York Hilton Midtown—a new venue for the dinner and a hotel that has hosted every U.S. president since John F. Kennedy. Among the many Orthodox Christian dignitaries were His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America (Greek Orthodox Archdiocese), and His Grace Bishop Irinej of Eastern America (Serbian Orthodox Church), a member of the Advisory Council of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham. Also present were the Co-Directors of the Orthodox Christian Studies Center, Professors of Theology, Dr. Aristotle Papanikolaou,  Archbishop Demetrios Chair in Orthodox Theology and Culture, and Dr. George Demacopoulos, Fr. John Meyendorff & Patterson Family Chair of Orthodox Christian Studies.

Student Conference at the Spiritual Academy of Kiev

The 10^th Student Conference on the topic “Student education in a Spiritual school” was opened at the Kiev Spiritual Academy on 26 March 2019.

Students from the Russian Orthodox Church and other Local Orthodox Churches participate in the conference. The Serbian Orthodox Church is represented by Mr. Nikolaj Sapsaj, student of the Faculty of Orthodox Theology in Belgrade.

Sunday of Orthodoxy in Monroeville

On Sunday, 17th of March 2019, Orthodox Christians from all jurisdictions of the
Greater Pittsburgh area gathered at St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church in
Monroeville for a Pan-Orthodox Lenten Vesper Service, hosted by the Orthodox Clergy
Brotherhood of Greater Pittsburgh. This was the first of five services comprising this
year’s inaugural Orthodox Clergy Brotherhood Lenten Vesperal Services which will be
held on each of the Sundays of Great and Holy Lent this year.

Delegation of Ecumenical Patriarchate visits Patriarchate of Antioch

Metropolitan Emmanuel of France is in Lebanon since last Wednesday, in a series of meetings with the religious authorities of the country, along with Metropolitan Amphilochios of Adrianople.

Patriarch Ioannis of Antioch welcomed the delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the Monastery of Profitis Ilias, accompanied by the Metropolitan Siluan of Mount Lebanon (Batroun) and the Bishop Constantine of Chrysoupolis.