Orthodox Churches

An Appeal for Unity From the Long-suffering Polish Orthodox Church

His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland and the entire episcopate of the Polish Orthodox Church have shown themselves to be among the most ardent supporters of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine and the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church as the autocephaly crisis led by the Patriarchate of Constantinople continues to unfold.

In May 2018, the Synod of the Polish Church stressed the need for repentance from the Ukrainian schismatics before admitting them back into the Church and for a pan-Orthodox discussion on the provision of autocephaly; in late September 2018, Met. Sawa personally renewed the call for Pat. Bartholomew to convene a pan-Orthodox council to resolve the Ukrainian crisis; on November 16, 2018, the Bishops’ Council of the Polish Church forbade its clergy from having liturgical or prayerful communion with the Ukrainian schismatics; Met. Sawa wrote a personal letter of support to Met. Onuphry in mid-December 2018 following the scandalous “unification council,” which, in the eyes of Constantinople, removed Met. Onuphry as the canonical Metropolitan of Kiev; in January 2019, Met. Sawa specifically rejected Pat. Bartholomew's request that he recognize the new Ukrainian structure and commemorate its primate, “Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko, at the Divine Liturgy; and in October 2019, the Polish Bishops’ Council declared that admitting schismatics into the Church violates Eucharistic unity.

Pakistan’s Christians and other faiths hold Christmas event

Cardinal Joseph Coutts of Karachi invited members of Christian Churches and other faiths at an event at St. Patrick's Cathedral to celebrate harmony, peace and solidarity in the spirit of Christmas.

Cardinal Joseph Coutts, the Archbishop of the southern port city of Karachi, invited Christians and representatives of other religions to the pre-Christmas celebration at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on December 12. “We should not only gather to celebrate but we have to be united in each other’s difficult times,” Cardinal Coutts the participants.

Archieratical Vespers in memory of Saint Theophano the Empress in Phanar

The Archieratical Vespers Service was solemnly celebrated on Tuesday, December 15, 2020, at the Patriarchal Church of Saint George in Phanar, in memory of Saint Theophano the Empress, whose relic is permanently placed in the right aisle of the church.

Metropolitan Meliton of Philadelphia presided over the Archieratical Vespers.

Polish Orthodox Church Rejects Gender Ideology of Istanbul Convention

The Polish Orthodox Church issued a statement yesterday on the “Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence,” commonly known as the Istanbul Convention, noting that while it has praiseworthy elements, it also unfortunately departs from the Biblical conception of mankind, and thus the Church cannot support it.

Metropolitan of Niphon of Pelusium reposed in the Lord

His Eminence Metropolitan of Niphon of Pelusium, 61, reposed in the Lord at his home in Port Said, Egypt, yesterday, December 8.

The hierarch of the Patriarchate of Alexandria died of a heart attack, after serving as a hierarch for 11 years, reports Romfea.

Russian Church Launches 14th Mercy Bus to Help the Homeless

 Thanks to the efforts of the Russian Orthodox Church, the homeless in Ufa will have the opportunity to receive free health care, hot food, and clothing.