Orthodox Churches

Chapel of Rebra-Parva Monastery dedicated to St Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia

The chapel of Rebra-Parva Monastery in Bistrița-Năsăud county was dedicated to Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia during a ceremony held last week by Metropolitan Andrei of Cluj.

Saint Porphyrios, who was canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 2013, was included in the local calendar of the Romanian Orthodox Church through synodal resolution in 2017.

Patriarch Daniel performs re-consecration of 200-year old church in Bucharest’s old town

Patriarch Daniel on Sunday performed the re-consecration of a 200-year old church dedicated to Saint Demetrios the myrrh-gusher in Bucharest’s old town.

ROCOR Synod elevates Archbishop Mark of Berlin to Metropolitan

His Eminence Archbishop Mark of Berlin of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia has been elevated to the rank of Metropolitan in honor of his 40 years of episcopal service.

The decision to honor Metropolitan Mark, the longest serving ROCOR hierarch, was made by unanimous decision of the ROCOR Holy Synod, which met in New York from December 6 to 10, reports the Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe.

Bulgarian Church feeds 1,000s daily with social kitchens across the country

As the weather turns colder, there is an increased need for humanitarian and social aid, especially in cities, and the Local Orthodox Churches throughout the world have various programs for assisting those in need.

Though there are no central statistics and data on the Bulgarian Church’s social organizations and activities, the site Dobrotoliubie carried out its own online research, showing that thousands of needy citizens receive assistance daily and weekly from the Church’s various diocesan organizations.

Ukrainian Church canonizes 16th-17th century Abbess Seraphima

The liturgical calendar of the Orthodox Church has been enhanced with the name of a new saint.

Gathered at the Kiev Caves Lavra under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine on December 6, the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church resolved to glorify St. Seraphim the Abbess of the Koretsky-Holy Trinity Convent (+ 1633), reports the Union of Orthodox Journalists.

Ukrainian Church establishes new feast of wonderworking Viliya Icon of Mother of God

The Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church established a new feast at its session in the Kiev Caves Lavra on December 6, in honor of the wonderworking Viliya Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign.”

By decision of the Synod, the miraculous icon will be celebrated annually on the Thursday before Pentecost, as it was on that day 130 years ago that the small copper icon miraculously came out from under the floor of the Ostapchuk family.