Yesterday’s feast day of the Theophany, or the Epiphany, was celebrated with open churches and chapels in Greece, as Church-going strictly complied with restrictions and measure stipulated in a Dec. 15 joint ministerial decision — issued by the Greek government to prevent exposure to the Covid-19 virus. Nevertheless, the Holy Synod of the Autocephalous Orthodox…

The Church today commemorates the Synaxis, or assembly, of John the Holy Glorious Prophet, Baptist and Forerunner. Today Christians celebrate the Synaxis in honor of the most sacred Forerunner, as he ministered at the mystery of the Divine Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ.   Apolytikion of Synaxis of John the Forerunner Second Tone The…

Thousands of Orthodox Christian worshippers in Bulgaria on Wednesday ignored warnings issued by health authorities to abstain from mass gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic and kept instead to their centuries-old Epiphany traditions. Young men plunged into the icy waters of rivers and lakes across Bulgaria to retrieve crucifixes tossed by priests in ceremonies commemorating…

CONSTANTINOPLE — With no visiting faithful from Greece or other Christian Orthodox countries, due to the coronavirus pandemic, only two swimmers raced to retrieve the cross in a ceremony commemorating the baptism of Jesus Christ,in Istanbul on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, handed out a…

The Epiphany celebration marking the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River went on as usual in Tarpon Springs, Florida, despite the many restrictions limiting the number of people watching and taking part. Colten Sakadales, a 16-year-old who is a junior at Tarpon Springs High, was this year’s cross dive winner. Amazingly, his brother…

Turkish media says that the only surviving part of the 18th century Ai Dimitri Monastery, the chapel, has collapsed because of frequent excavations by treasure hunters. There had been heavy rains in the area recently, but for several years treasure hunters had dug around the foundation, weakening the structure. Turkey has a rich Christian history,…

His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided from the Throne on the morning of the First Day of the New Year 2021, during the Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord and the memory of Basil the Great, at the Patriarchal Church in the Phanar. Concelebrating were Their Eminences Metropolitans Apostolos Geron…

The water blessing ceremonies, traditionally carried out outdoors on Epiphany Day, were carried out indoors at all churches on Wednesday ensuring the diligent observance of all health safety restriction measures. Moreover, there were no public litanies or processions. The blessed water was given in small bottles both to the faithful who attended the ceremony in…

BY THE GRACE OF GOD BISHOP OF EASTERN AMERICA Most beloved clergy and monastics, sons and daughters, faithful children of the Eastern American Diocese of our Most Holy Serbian Orthodox Church: GOD’S PEACE — CHRIST IS BORN! And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a…