Churches remained closed to worshippers on Friday for the feast day of St. Barbara the Great Martyr, while annual litanies and commemorations have been cancelled due to restrictions to prevent exposure to the Covid-19 virus. An Archieratical Divine Liturgy was held on Friday morning at the Cathedral of St. Barbara in the old quarter of…

The Church today venerates the memory of Barbara the Great Martyr. Saint Barbara was from Heliopolis of Phoenicia, modern-day Lebanon, and lived during the reign of Maximian. She achieved the crown of martyrdom in 290 after suffering many torments for not renouncing her faith. In Orthodox hagiography St. Barbara is portrayed with a chalice in…

A miracle occurred in the Philippines earlier this month, as testified to by the local hierarch. On November 13, parishioners of the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Arakan on the island of Mindanao noticed something strange on several icons after the evening service. As the Diocese of the Philippines and Vietnam reports, the parishioners found…

On November 30, 1980, His Eminence Metropolitan Mark (Arndt), then an archimandrite, of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia was consecrated to the episcopacy and appointed Bishop of Munich and Southern Germany. Yesterday marked the 40th anniversary of his episcopal ministry, for which he was congratulated by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and…

On December 1, 2020, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros visited the Christmas “Tree of Hope” In Athens Square, Astoria as a kick off to the Christmas Season. His Eminence remarked “Today we contribute to the spirit of Christmas. As Greeks, as Americans, as Orthodox and as Christians, we are proud to be a member of this…

Vasile Bănescu, the spokesman of the Romanian Patriarchate, commented on the recommendations of the European Commission Christmas services should be replaced with online ceremonies. “The European Commission does not decide and cannot impose anything in the essential sphere of religion; it can only issue recommendations (!) related to encouraging and intensifying protection from the new coronavirus in…

The NSW Government has announced a sweeping set of changes to state COVID-19 restrictions, including an increase to the amount of guests in places of worship. As of next Monday, weddings, funerals and religious services will no longer have an attendee cap, along with hospitality venues, regional agricultural shows and corporate events. From December 7,…

His Grace Bishop-elect of Hexamilion Timothy Bakakos will be ordained a Bishop on Saturday, December 5, 2020, at the Cathedral of the Saints Constantine and Helen in Merrillville, Indiana. His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America will preside over the ordination and concelebrate with members of the Holy Eparchial Synod, including His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago…

On Sunday November 29, 2020 Serbian Orthodox Church in Columbus celebrated its patron Saint Stephan of Dechani. The Holy Hierarchical Liturgy was celebrated by His Grace Bishop Irinej of Eastern America. Assisting the Bishop were Deacon Milos Zdralic and local parish priest Fr. Isak Kisin. Kumovi for this year’s Slava celebration were Nenad and Novka…