Orthodox Churches

Russian Orthodox Church supports raising drinking age for strong alcohol

The Russian Orthodox Church supports the idea of raising the legal drinking age for strong alcohol to 21, according to Vladimir Legoida, the head of the Synodical Department of the Moscow Patriarchate for Relations with Society and the Media.

Legoida’s statement comes in support of a Ministry of Health draft law that would raise the drinking age for all drinks with 16.5% alcohol or higher. The initiative was also supported by a number of other Ministries.

150,000 march in St. Petersburg cross procession

In the northern Russian capital of St. Petersburg, two cross processions took place yesterday to commemorate the transfer of the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky, with over 150,000 people participating.

Peace Conference by the Conference of European Churches

A three-day conference on Peace in Paris is being organized by the Conference of European Churches (CEC), on September 10-12. The conference is held in the context of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the CEC and the 100th anniversary of the Paris Peace Conference in 1919.

Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, in his capacity as President of the CEC of France, addressed his greeting in the opening of the Conference and made a presentation on the subject.

Increase in pupils at the Achillopouleios School in Cairo

An increase in pupils was recorded by the Achillopouleios School in Cairo, with the first bell welcoming 54 children this year, when 50 Egyptian pupils attended classes last year (both in elementary school and kindergarten).

This means an increase of 7.4%, which indicates that the dynamics of the pupils of the purely Greek elementary school of the Greek Community in Cairo is increasing despite the general shrinking of Egyptian Hellenism.

Durrës Theological Academy, one of the most modern schools in Albania

The St. Vlasius Theological Academy in Durrës is one of the most modern schools in Albania.

Famous Japanese cathedral complex, built by saint, damaged in typhoon

In the great capital of Japan, in the Chiyoda ward, not far from the Imperial Palace, there is a magnificent treasure of Byzantine Revival architecture, built by St. Nicholas of Japan—Holy Resurrection Cathedral, though the locals call it in his honor Nikolai-do.

Recently, the Japanese capital has been battered with very serious storms as a result of Typhoon Faxai, with bursts of over 134 mi/h winds that have cut power to nearly one million households.