The Patriarch of Serbia, His Holiness Porfirije, this week continued to receive foreign envoys accredited to Serbia, as he met separately at the Patriarchate in Belgrade with the ambassadors of Hungary, Romania, Ukraine and Slovenia. As expected, discussions focused on the situation in the western Balkans, where the Serbian Patriarch reiterated the Patriarchate’s position for…

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias wound up an official visit to Turkey on Thursday, after meeting with Turkish leadership, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in Ankara, as well as with his counterpart. A day earlier, Dendias met with the Ecumenical Patriarch at Greece’s general consulate in Constantinople. During a closely watched press briefing by the…

Today, the fifth Friday of Great Lent, witnesses the chanting of the Akathist Hymn, a profound, devotional poem, which sings the praises of the Theotokos, the Holy Mother and Ever-Virgin Mary. This melodious hymn is one of the most beloved services of the Orthodox Church. It was composed in the imperial city of Constantinople by…

Though the vast majority of Montenegrin residents belong to the Serbian Orthodox Church, there is a small minority of nationalists and schismatics who continually attack the Church. Most recently, a small group attacked St. Peter of Cetinje Seminary in Cetinje, according to an open letter from Archpriest Gojko Perović, the rector of seminary, to the…

Holy Mount Athos will remain closed to pilgrims for Holy Week, Pascha, and Bright Week. The ban on pilgrimages is currently in force until May 10, though the ban could be extended, as has happened several times over the past few months. All monks, government officials, and monastery workers must undergo a coronavirus test at…

Shortly before midnight on Wednesday 1/14 April 2021, the workers of the Armenian clergy of Jerusalem climbed inside their window to the narrow balcony of the facade of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where there is a wooden ladder and placed railings. This was realized by Geronda Sacristan His Eminence Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis…

The National Philoptochos Boards Hosts Virtual Board Meeting of the New Term On Saturday, March 27, 2021, 107 members “Zoomed-In” for the first virtual board meeting of the new term. The meeting went – almost- flawlessly, and the turn-out spoke for itself. The enthusiasm was evident- “together but apart.” Highlights of the meeting His Eminence…

  OCC Frontliners Share Thoughts on Service in Challenging Times Baltimore, Md. – Reflections for Great Lent, the latest publication from International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), is now available. In preparation for Pascha, the booklet offers encouragement along the journey to the Church’s greatest feast. The small booklet, now an annual tradition for IOCC, is…

At St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church in Boca Raton, Florida on March 24, 2021, Archon Dr. Stamatios Kartalopoulos offered a presentation entitled “1821 and Its American Connection,” shedding light on numerous little-known aspects of the Greeks’ struggle to regain their freedom two centuries ago. Dr. Kartalopoulos, an emeritus Chaired professor of the University of Oklahoma,…