Orthodox Churches

Visits of Christian Churches for the Christmas Feast

The Franciscan Brotherhood visited the Patriarchate on the occasion of Christmas under its Hegoumen Fr. Francesco Patton at 9.15 a.m. on Tuesday December 27, 2017/ January 9, 2018.

Christmas Eve in Jerusalem

The celebration of Christmas Eve began on Saturday morning December 24, 2017/ January 6, 2018, according to the Church Order and the Status Quo of the Patriarchate.

Metropolitan Rastislav of Czech Lands and Slovakia in interview with Basilica.ro

Basilica.ro: What are the most important problems that the Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church experienced during the communist regime? How did you manage to overcome them?

HB Met. Rastislav: Our local Church has not experienced such persecutions on a large scale, as was the case, for example, of the Russian Orthodox Church in Soviet Russia. Of course, there was total control over the clergy, but this cannot be called open hostility. In the late 1950s, the Uniate parishes in Slovakia were forcibly attached to the Orthodox Church, which were like delay-action mines for future generations.

Percentage of Russians condemning abortion has tripled in 20 years

The proportion of Russian citizens who consider abortion unacceptable has tripled over the course of the past 20 years, from 12% to 35%. The number that condemns adultery and same-sex relationships has also significantly increased, according to data from a recent Levada Center sociological survey. According to experts, the change in public opinion attests to the strengthening of traditional family values, Pravoslavie.ru reports.

Day of Sts. Cyril and Methodius to to become offical holiday in Serbia

Minister of Culture and Mass Communications Vladan Bukosavlevic says he is certain that Serbia will celebrate the day of Sts. Cyril and Methodius this year as an official state holiday, thereby, he emphasized, “filling the cultural gap” between Serbia and other Slavic nations.

“We are currently the only Slavic country where the day of Sts. Cyril and Methodius isn’t a state holiday. All the other countries celebrate it as a state holiday, and it’s a non-working day,” Bukosavlevic stated at a press conference yesterday.

2,000 candles being lit today in Moscow in honor of abortion victims

Activists of the All-Russian “For Life!” public movement will light 2,000 candles today in memory of children who have lost their lives to the terror of abortion. According to official statistics, 2,000 abortions are performed daily in the Russian Federation. Despite the demographic crisis and conservative majority, Russian retains its ultra-liberal legislation on abortion, outpacing countries like France and Germany, reports the movement’s website.