The annual cutting of a New Year’s Cake, known as vassilopita in Greek, was held on Wednesday evening at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, which celebrated New Year’s Eve, as based on the Julian calendar. The Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Most Godly Beatitude Theophilos III, presided over the ceremony and then addressed those in attendance. Afterwards,…

A handful of prefectures and regions around Greece were placed this week in a state of a stricter lockdown by public health authorities, due to a surge in the number of confirmed Covid-19 infections, and for at least until Jan. 18. The decision affects the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos, the south-central Viotia prefecture, the…

The Sacred and Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople on Thursday elected the Metropolitan of Spain and Portugal, His Eminence Polykarpos, as the new Metropolitan of Italy and Melitis. His Eminence succeeded Metropolitan Gennadios, who reposed in the Lord last October. The Holy and Sacred Holy Synod was chaired by the Ecumenical Patriarch,…

The Church today commemorates the Leave-taking of the Theophany of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Today is also the feast day of Sava, Archbishop of Serbia – one of the most beloved of all saints of the Serbian nation and co-founder of the Hilandar Monastery on Mount Athos.   Apolytikion of Sabbas (Sava), Archbishop…

Students at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology have several new opportunities to broaden their intellectual and spiritual knowledge this spring semester by learning from distinguished visiting scholars. His Grace Bishop Maxim (Vasiljevic), the Bishop of Los Angeles and the Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, will offer an elective course in…

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s Interview in “Vima” (Greek Newspaper): Full Interview Ecumenical Patriarch opened his heart and spoke about the autocephaly of the Church of Ukraine, the pandemic and its deniers. He declared that he will be vaccinated, doing it as an act of responsibility to his fellow human beings, and urged young people to be…

GREENE, ME – In spite of the pandemic and its ensuing upheaval in our personal lives and around the world, the Mount Athos Foundation of America (MAFA) has succeeded in carrying out its mission of support for the Holy Mountain with great success. The organization shared an update on its efforts in its latest newsletter….

With the blessing of His Grace Bishop Heruvim in the Diocese of Osijek-Polje and Baranjaa aid has been collected for those endangered by the recent earthquakes that hit the Diocese of Gornji Karlovac. Material assistance in the form of food and hygiene supplies was loaded on January 8, 2021 in Osijek and Borovo with the…

On Sunday of Holy Fathers, 10 January 2021, on the feast day of Holy 20.000 martyrs of Nicomedia, His Grace Bishop Jovan of Sumadia, the Administrator of the Diocese of Belgrade-Karlovci, offciated the Holy Hierarchal Liturgy in the monastery of Kalenic, in the chapel of Sant Anastasija of Serbia. His Grace was concelebrated by protopresbyter-staurophor…