Orthodox Churches

Great Cross of the Apostle Mark to His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

Immediately following the Patriarchal Con-celebration of the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa awarded the highest distinction of the ancient Patriarchate, the Great Cross of the Apostle Mark to His Beatitude Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, in the Throne Room of the Patriarchal Mansion. The two primates had met privately prior to this in His Beatitude's Private Patriarchal Office.

Patriarch Kirill and Patriarch Theodore mourn over people killed in Smolensk air crash

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia expressed his condolences over death of Poland's president, his wife and other members of Polish delegation in an air crash. "We will pray for those people who died and we believe that Katyn will now remember not only innocently killed people (who were buried there - IF), but also those who were going to commemorate them and died in this pilgrimage," Patriarch Kirill said on Saturday at a meeting with Patriarch Theodore II in Alexandria.

His Beatitude the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa Kyr Theodoros II in official visit to the only Serbian Orthodox parish

Members of the Serbian community and the faithful of the only Serbian Orthodox parish in Africa, were blessed with great blessing and spiritual support just before the holy days of Week of Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and the feast of feasts, the Resurrection of Christ. On Friday, March 26th, on the eve of St. Lazarus's Saturday, the Serbian Orthodox parish of St Thomas the Apostle in Johannesburg was visited by His Beatitude Theodoros II , the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa. His Beatitude was accompanied by His Eminence Seraphim, Archbishop of Johannesburg and Pretoria, the Very Reverend Archimandrite Pantelejmon, personal secretary at the Office of His Beatitude in Alexandria, and our dear priest from Johannesburg, the Reverend Father Athinodoros Papaevripaides.

The welcoming ceremony was attended, among many gathered members of our church community in Johannesburg and members of our parish, by President and Vice President of the Church Committee, Mr. Igor Marinkovic and Mr. Predrag Sarovic, and members of the Church Committee, Mr. Zivojin Jovanovic, Mr. Ivo Zecevic and Mrs. Mirjana Mihaljevic. His Excellency the Ambassador of Serbia in South Africa, Mr. Goran Vujicic also attended this ceremony, as well as Father Daniel, the Rector of the Russian Orthodox parish of St. Sergius of Radonez in Johannesburg, Hieromonk Seraphim (Van Niekerk), Deacon Stephen (Hayes) and student of the Orthodox Seminary of Patriarch Petros VII in Johannesburg, the brother Chrysostom, who comes from the African Orthodox family and whose immediate family members serve God as priests and monastic clergy in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Religion, Science, and Environment (RSE) symposium

On a typical news day at CNN, I am mostly behind the scenes in the control rooms working the audio board to bring the sound of the news to your television sets. Last October, 29 2009 I found myself in a unique and unexpected role as a journalist. Patriarch Bartholomew, leader of 300 million Eastern Orthodox Christians, was visiting the United States for his eighth Religion, Science, and Environment (RSE) symposium.

Orthodox Christians Celebrated Holy Fire Ceremony in Jerusalem

Easter Holy Week celebrations are continuing in Jerusalem with a traditional ceremony at the holiest place in Christianity. Orthodox Christians crowded into the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City for the Ceremony of the Holy Fire. Following a 1,200-year-old tradition, priests entered the ancient stone tomb of Jesus as the cavernous church was plunged into darkness. Suddenly, the priests emerged with candles said to be lit by the Holy Spirit.

The crowd cheered as the flame quickly spread to thousands of worshippers holding candles. It symbolizes that Jesus is the light of the world. Worshippers came from countries where the Orthodox churches are strong, including Serbia, Russia, Armenia and Greece.

Patriarch Bartholomew: Proclamation for Pascha 2010

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Beloved brothers and sisters, dear children in the Lord,

Christ is Risen!

Once again, the sacred day of Pascha has dawned in full delight and splendor, dispersing joy, comfort, gladness and assurance of life to all faithful, despite the heavy atmosphere that prevails in our world on account of the multidimensional crisis with all its familiar painful consequences for our daily life.