Orthodox Churches

The Feast of Our Father Among the Saints Modestos Patriarch of Jerusalem

On Monday, December 18/31, 2018, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of our Father among the Saints Modestos Patriarch of Jerusalem at his Holy Chapel on Abu Tor hill, opposite the hill of Holy Sion, in New South Jerusalem.

On this feast the Church commemorates St. Modestos, as the father who comforted the Church of Jerusalem with many renovations and charity works, initially as an Archimandrite of the Holy Monastery of St. Theodosios the Cenobiarch and later on as a Patriarch succeeding the Patriarch of Jerusalem Zacharias, after the destructions of the Persian raid in 614 A.D.

The Feast of the Forefathers at Beit Sahour

On the Sunday of the Feast of the Forefathers, December 17/30, 2018, the Patriarchate celebrated the commemoration of the Forefathers at the Holy Church dedicated to them which is also the patron Church of Beit Sahour, near Bethlehem.

On this feast the Church honours the commemoration of the Forefathers of Christ who lived before the Law and by the Law, of whom He was a descendant, and became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and Virgin Mary as He was born in the flesh by her.

“It is Not Too Late to Stop”

A Sorrowful Reply to Patriarch Bartholomew Concerning His Anti-Canonical Actions in Ukraine

In reply to a letter of His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, in which he informed of the “reinstatement” of the Ukrainian schismatics in their “rank,” of the “annulment” of the document which is three hundred years old and indicates the transfer of the Kievan Metropolia to the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate, of the organization in Kiev of a “local council” of the non-canonical groups admitted to communion, and of the intention to grant “autocephaly” in the next few days to the institution established at this gathering, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia expressed his deep pain, astonishment and indignation over the anti-canonical actions of the Patriarchate of Constantinople:

Georgian church has grown from 30 to 2,000 churches under Patriarch Ilia

December 25 marked 41 years since the enthronement of His Holiness Ilia II as the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia in 1977 at the age off 44, under whose guidance, the Georgian Church has grown immensely.

The festive service in honor of His Holiness’ anniversary was held at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in the ancient Georgian capital of Mtskheta, reports Kavkaz Online.

Patriarchal Exarchates established in Western Europe and South-East Asia

At its session in the Patriarchal and Synodal Residence in St. Daniel Monastery in Moscow on December 28, 2008, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church considered the church affairs in Western European countries (Minutes No. 105) and countries in South-East Asia (Minutes No. 106).

Two wounded in small explosion outside Athens church

A small explosive device went off this morning outside the Church of St. Dionysios in the Kolonaki neighborhood of Athens shortly before the Divine Liturgy was scheduled to begin, leaving two injured.

The device was made of two boxes of flammable liquid, wires and a clock, reports the Greek state-run amna.gr.