The parish of the Holy Prophet Elijah in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania gathered with great activity to observe the Twenty-Ninth Sunday after Pentecost on December 16, 2018. The day was permeated by the joyous anticipation that characterizes the season of the Nativity Fast, as the Orthodox faithful of this parish (like those elsewhere) prepare to welcome the…

December 25 marked 41 years since the enthronement of His Holiness Ilia II as the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia in 1977 at the age off 44, under whose guidance, the Georgian Church has grown immensely. The festive service in honor of His Holiness’ anniversary was held at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in the ancient Georgian capital of…

Greek President Prokopios Pavlopoulos contacted the members of the Hellenic Community in Anchorage, Alaska, in the United States and wished them Happy New Year. The communication was made through the priest of the Community Vassilios Gialopsos when the members of the Community had gathered in the Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration of the Savior for…

Two men aged 42 and 22 years old have been arrested by Western Achaia police on charges of stealing valuables from a church and were due to go before a Patras public prosecutor on Sunday. The two men are accused of stealing gold votive offerings from an icon at Aghios Nikolaos Church in Spata on…

Despite the ongoing persecution and propaganda against the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church that is only increasing since December 15’s “unification council,” its dioceses are remaining faithful to it. A number of them have already openly expressed their support for the Church’s canonical status as a self-governing autonomous body and for their primate His Beatitude Metropolitan…

Archbishop Demetrios released the following encyclical for the feast of Saint Basil and the New Year 2019: I can do all things in Christ Who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13) January 1, 2019 Feast of Saint Basil and New Year To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents…

At its session in the Patriarchal and Synodal Residence in St. Daniel Monastery in Moscow on December 28, 2018, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church considered the church affairs in Western European countries (Minutes No. 105) and countries in South-East Asia (Minutes No. 106). It was decided to form a Patriarchal Exarchate in…

On December 30, 2018, at its session the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church discussed the grave consequences of the anti-canonical and criminal invasion of the Patriarchate of Constantinople in the canonical territory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Minutes No. 98). The Holy Synod has resolved to attest to its agreement with the assessment…

Montenegrin authorities have refused to extend the residency permits for more than 50 monastics and clergymen of the Serbian Orthodox Church, although they have been in the country with temporary permits for the past two years, reports the Belgrade newspaper Politika. News of the decision comes in the wake of President Milo Đukanović’s declaration that…