Orthodox Churches

300th Birth Anniversary of Cosmas of Aetalia is marked in Greece

In the year of the 300th anniversary of the birth, and 235th anniversary of the martyrdom of St. Cosmas of Aetalia, Equal-to-the-Apostles, academic conferences, exhibitions, concerts of spiritual music, and other events are taking place in Greece and some other countries.

On March 9 in the Aetolian town of Thermo a new postal stamp was launched. The stamp was issued by "the postal service of Greece" on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the saint's birth. The hall where the event was held was full, reports AgionOros.Ru.

President of Republic of Srpska received high award in Moscow

On March 11, 2014, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia led the 14^th annual ceremony of awarding the Patriarch Alexy II Prize of the Unity of Orthodox Nations International Public Foundation granted for “outstanding work to consolidate the unity of Orthodox nations and to promote Christian values in the life of society”.

The 2013 winners of the prize are Mr. Milorad Dodik, President of the Republika Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina), the Day of the Baptism of Rus’, an international public organization, Ukraine, and the Fellowship of Orthodox Youth in Poland.

Sunday of Orthodoxy 2014

The grace of truth has shone out; the things prefigured in shadows in times of old have now been openly fulfilled in words…in writings, in thoughts, in sacrifices, in churches, and in icons. (From the Vespers of the Sunday of Orthodoxy) To the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of Parish Councils, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Members of Philanthropic Organizations, the Youth and Youth Workers, and the entire Orthodox Christian Family in North and Central America.

Nuns kidnapped in Syria's Maaloula set free

Thirteen Lebanese and Syrian nuns who were kidnapped by rebels from the historic Christian town of Maaloula in December have been released and are now returning back to Syria after traveling through Lebanon.

The nuns arrived in the village of Jdeidet Yabus on the Syrian side of the border with Lebanon late on Sunday.

Communiqué of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches

By the grace of God, the proceedings of the Synaxis of the Primates of the Orthodox Autocephalous Churches concluded today, on the Sunday of Orthodoxy.

The Synaxis took place at the Phanar from 6-9 March, 2014, at the invitation and under the presidency of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, and was attended by all the most venerable Primates in person, with the exception of His Beatitude Patriarch John of Antioch, who, due to illness, was represented by Hierarchs of his Church.

Pan-Orthodox gathering in Instanbul

A solemn, festal part of the gathering began with the Vigil service and akathist to Most Holy Mother of God which was celebrated by Patriarch Theodor of Alexandria and with the participation of the primates of the Orthodox Churches, at the church of Holy Archangels on Bosphorus, in the Istanbul’s quarter of Mega Revma, full of believers from Istanbul and Greece.

The working is about to be finished with today’s morning session. The message of the Orthodox patriarchs and other primates of Orthodox Churches to the church and whole public will be solemnly announced during the Holy Liturgy on Sunday of Orthodoxy at the Cathedral church of Saint George on the Phanar.