Orthodox Churches

Patriarchal Metochion of St. Nicholas in Bari is returned to the custody of the Russian Orthodox Church

On 22 January 2012, Archbishop Mark of Yegorievsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Management for Institutions Abroad, celebrated Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Nicholas at the Patriarchal metochion in Bari, Italy, together with Rev. Andrei Boitsov, rector of the metochion.

Archbishop Mark inspected restoration work and suggested that the metochion should be active in receiving pilgrims, arranging exhibition, etc.
On January 23, Archbishop Mark celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the crypt of the Basilica of St. Nicholas where his relics repose.

Patriarch Kirill opens 20th International Christmas Readings

The 20th International Educational Christmas Readings were opened on January 23, 2012, at Gostiny Dvor, Moscow. Its theme is Education and Morality: Concern of the Church, Society and State.

Primate of the Russian Church officiates at the awarding ceremony of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations

On 21 January 2012, in the Hall of Church Councils of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia officiated at the ceremony of awarding the prize ‘For the Outstanding Activity in Strengthening Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations and for Consolidation and Promotion of Christian Values in the Life of Society” named after His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II.

2012: Over 110,000 Theophany bathers in Moscow

On the night of January 18–19, the feast of the Theophany, the yearly mass immersion in the blessed waters of Moscow went by without incident.

Solemn services including the Great Blessing of the waters took place in 111 active Orthodox churches and monasteries in Russia’s capital city, and water was distributed to the faithful. According to agencies participating in security, there were 30,000 more bathers than last year. 2011 saw around 88,000 people immerse themselves in the waters on the feast celebrating the Baptism of the Lord.

Relics of Holy Martyrs Momisici in Australia and Fiji

Particles of the martyrs of Christ of our freedom-loving and Christ-loving kin, were generously donated by the Metropolitanate of Montenegro and the Littoral to the Metropolitanate of Australia-New Zealand. During the consecration of newly-built churches, particles of these relics of the martyrs were built in Holy Tables of Serbian churches of the Dormition of Most Holy Theotokos on the Golden Coast and St. Sava in Darwin, but now they went farther from Australia and the Fifth continent.

Few weeks ago, the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand of the Serbian Orthodox Church gifted particles of the relics also to the Metropolitanate of New Zealand of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,respectively to His Eminence Metropolitan Amfilohije of New Zealand who now used them in consecration of the churches of his misionary parishes in Fiji or. church of St. Paraskeva in Sabeth and in the monastery church of the Dormition of Most Holy Theotokos in Saveni.

Source: Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand

Orthodox Christians in Seychelles celebrate the birth of Christ

The Orthodox faithful in Seychelles celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ on Saturday January 7th in a joyful Divine Liturgy, attended by about 70 believers.