Orthodox Churches

The Power of Memory – Chornobyl Thirty Years Later

The Power of Memory – Chornobyl Thirty Years Later

Thirty years ago, in the early morning of April 26, 1986, even as the Orthodox Church was about to embark on its holiest of weeks leading to the joy of Easter, the Chornobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine exploded, creating the worst nuclear disaster that the world had seen up to that time.

The consequences of the disaster were felt far and wide: in the extension of contaminating radioactive particles into Russia, Belarus, as well as countries to the North and West; in human desertion and ecological destruction of vast surrounding areas; in long-lasting and permanent damage to health and loss of human life estimated at one million premature deaths.

DECR chairman meets with Vuk Jeremic, President of the Serbian Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD)

On April 26, 2016, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), met with Mr. VukJeremic, former Serbia’s Foreign Minister and now President of the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD), at the parish house of the church of Our Lady the Joy to All the Afflicted-in-BolshayaOrdynka.

Thousands celebrate Orthodox Palm Sunday in Romania

Holding palm fronds and flowers, thousands of Romanians took part in processions and services as they celebrated Orthodox Palm Sunday.

Lazarus Saturday on the Mount of Olives

On Saturday of Lazarus, the 10^th/23^rd of April 2016, the Patriarchate observed the Raising of Lazarus by our Lord Jesus Christ.

The event was commemorated on Friday, on the Mount of Olives, on the site of the Ascension of Christ, as well as outdoors, in the shade of a special tent, after the Altar had been sanctified by Vespers, led by Archbishop Demetrios of Lydda, having as concelebrants Hagiotaphite Hieromonks. Novices from the Patriarchal School sang in Greek under the Head Cantor of the Church of the Resurrection, Archimandrite Aristovoulos, whilst St James Choir sang under Mr Rimon Kamar in Arabic. Local Arabic-speaking faithful and pilgrims from Orthodox countries participated.

Saturday of Lazarus at the monasterz of Martha and Maria, Bethany

The rise of Lazarus was commemorated magnificently at the Convent of Martha and Maria, sisters of Lazarus, in Bethany, with a divine Liturgy led by His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, having as concelebrants: their Eminences the Archbishops of Constantina, Tabor and Sebaste, and the Most Reverend Joachim, Metropolitan of Zambia.

On the Day of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem the Primate of the Russian Church celebrates the liturgy at the Church of Christ the Savior

On April 24, 2016, the Day of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral Church of Christ the Savior in Moscow.