Who would visit a Russian Orthodox church on the shore of the Arctic Ocean, in a land of polar bears and endless snow? The Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic is considered part of Norway, however, under international agreements, there are several Russian settlements here. And it is here that the northernmost Russian Orthodox church is…

The Orthodox Deacon is the third and lowest degree of the major orders of clergy in the Orthodox Church, following the Bishop (1st) and the Presbyter (2nd). The word deacon (in Greek διάκονος) means “servant,” “waiting-man,” “minister,” or even “messenger”: originally, it referred mostly to a person who waited on tables. It is generally assumed…

On February 7, 2020, the 102nd anniversary of the murder of Hieromarty Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky), Metropolitan of Kiev and Galicia, divine services were performed at the Kiev Lavra of the Caves. On that day, His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia officiated at Divine Liturgy, along with…

The 15th-century Holy Dormition Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin is one of the most historic and famous churches of Russia. The scene of the coronation of Russian emperors last underwent complex restoration work in 1974-1976 for its 500th anniversary, and now it is undergoing another round of necessary work. And, as company president Nikolai Tokarev…

The Metropolis of Chalkida, in central Greece, expressed its opposition earlier in the week to meditation and anti-stress seminars aimed at primary school teachers organized by Goldie Hawn. The sessions are set to take place on the Greek island of Skiathos. The Hollywood actress leads the MindUP organization which, as its website states, teaches the…

His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel received the ambassador from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Sufyan S. Qudah during a private audience at the patriarchal residence on February 6, 2020, in Bucharest. Patriarch Daniel expressed his joy to meet the ambassador. He pointed out the considerable number of Romanian Orthodox pilgrims who visit Jordan every year through…

The Clergy Syndesmos of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada celebrated the Feast of its Patron, St. Photios the Great, Patriarch of Constantinople and Equal-to-the-Apostles on February 6, 2020, at the Koimisis tis Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church in Hamilton, Ontario. The celebrations began with the first Clergy Synaxis of the New Year under the chairmanship…

The 24th Phidippides Award was bestowed last night to His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America for his passionate advocacy of Hellenism and Orthodoxy during the 33rd Anniversary Gala Dinner of the Hellenic Public Radio COSMOS FM 91.5. The event was held at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows, NY. The program presented the Greek-American actor Anthoula Katsimatides who…

Avarice (“the love of money”) is the worship of idols, the daughter of unbelief, a lying excuse for illness, a foreboder of old age, a harbinger of drought, and a herald of hunger. The lover of money sneers at the Gospel and is a willful transgressor. He who has attained love scatters his money. But…