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Last Updated: 19 February 2013

23.04.2007, [19:39] // Orthodox // risu.org.ua

Kyiv – Monks from the St. Anne Skete on Mt. Athos, Greece, arrived in Kyiv, where they visited the Kyivan Monastery of the Caves and were received by Metropolitan Volodymr (Sabodan), head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP). Among other things, they discussed the issue of the schism in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. religare.ru posted the story on 19 April 2007.

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20.04.2007, [11:18] // UOC-KP // risu.org.ua

Kyiv – On 15 April 2007, the Sobor [Assembly] of Bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) was held. It adopted a Historical-Canonical Declaration, including an assessment of the UOC-KP’s relations with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate (UOC-MP).

Hierarchs of the church spoke at the sobor, and representatives of the intelligentsia were present, as well.

At the end of the session, the sobor unanimously voted to adopt the declaration with approved amendments. Also, the bishops decided to call a 2nd All-Ukrainian Forum for a National Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

In his interview for “Economic News,” Archimandrite Yevstratii (Zoria), press secretary of the UOC-KP, reported that the declaration, consisting of 96 pages, provides a detailed description of the main problems in relations between the UOC-KP and the UOC-MP and remarks concerning historical violations of Orthodox dogmas and canons by the UOC-MP.

According to Archimandrite Yevstratii, this is the first time that the UOC-KP has adopted a document of such importance. “Taking into consideration that the UOC-MP is afraid to conduct a dialogue with us directly and openly, which has been suggested many times both by us and by Ukrainian President [Viktor Yushchenko], the UOC-KP does not see any other way but to conduct it by correspondence,” he said.

Contrary to the practice that theological disagreements should be conducted inside the church, this time the UOC-KP’s hierarchs consider that the statements of the declaration should be released for the faithful. “We shall release our position for all the faithful, including the UOC-MP,” said Archimandrite Yevtratii. For this reason, the text of the declaration will be translated into the Russian language.

According to eizvestia.com, a public theological dialogue among hierarchs of the Orthodox churches in Ukraine can hardly be possible.

“Their hierarchal sobor and the adopted documents are nothing more than the internal affairs of their church,” said Vasyl Anisimov, press secretary of the UOC-MP. According to him, “some declaration does not bother much the UOC-MP, whose canonical status, unlike the [UOC-KP’s], can hardly be doubted by the autonomous Orthodox churches and the Pope of Rome.”

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Last Updated: 19 February 2013

2007-04-23 - orthodox.cn - English Translation by Nina Tkachuk Dimas

Orthodox believers in China celebrated the great holiday Christ's radiant resurrection. In Beijing, in the old building of the Red Fangzi, on the territory of the Embassy of the Russian Federation to the P.R.C. (Peoples' Republic of China) in the most numerous parish in China — there was a solemn Paschal procession and divine liturgy. Over 300 people participated in the procession. The divine service was served by Hieromonk Venedikt (Limonov), who came to Beijing from the Vladivostok diocese (from the city of Ussurisk).

The divine services of Passion Week took place in the Red Fangzi beginning from April 4th. On Holy Wednesday, Hieromonk Venedikt performed the sacrament of Holy Unction (Soborovanie) (over 40 people were annointed).

On Great Thursday, on the day the Mystical Supper is remembered, the Divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great was served. The matins of Great Friday with the reading of the 12 gospels took place on Thursday evening. On the Great Friday — on the day of the crucifixion and death of the Savior - vespers with the rite of bringing out Christ¡'s shroud and Matins of great Saturday with the rank of burial.

On the holiday of Annunciation — Saturday, April 7th — over 80 people received communion at Divine Liturgy. After Liturgy, Father Venedikt blessed Kulichi (Paschal breads), Paschal cheese dessert and Paschal eggs. Parishioners tried their best to decorate the the breads they prepared and to color eggs, observing Russian traditions under conditions of living in China .

The Red Fangzi was adorned for Pascha: new candlesticks appeared; a spotlight illumined a 3 meter high image of Christ's resurrection; the image, in a wooden case with a glass cover, was placed behind the altar.

At 11:30 p.m., the Paschal midnight service began in the Red Fangzi — a solemn procession with banners, lamps, gospel, icons — and the singing of Paschal stikhira "Your resurrection, O Christ our Savior" passed near the wall of Red Fangzi to the devotional cross in the Embassy park. At the end the believers stopped before the closed central doors of the Red Fangzi, as if before the entrance to the Lord¡'s grave. In the night sky of Beijing the priest exclaimed: "Christ is Risen!". And joyous voices replied: "Truly, He is Risen!"

During the Liturgy the gospel was read in Church Slavonic, Russian, French, English, German and Chinese, since Orthodox citizens of various countries participated in the Liturgy ( Russia, France, the Ukraine, Greece, Serbia, Poland, and the USA ). More than 80 received communion during the Liturgy. Before Pascha - on April 3rd, with the blessings of ALEXY, the Most Holy Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, a devotional cross was placed in the park of the Embassy of the Russian Federation to the PRC, on the very spot of China's first Orthodox church, which later became the temple of All Holy Martyrs of the Russian Spiritual Mission. A memorial plaque depicted the temple and briefly described its history. On Holy Wednesday, the devotional cross was blessed by Hieromonk Venedikt.

For complete story and photo coverage click here. 

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Last Updated: 19 February 2013

2007-04-23 - Jordanville, NY – Holy Trinity Seminary, Jordanville, NY announces the 16th session of the Summer School of Liturgical Music, to be conducted this year from July 8 – July 21. This is a three year program of intense study of Russian Orthodox Church music, history, Typicon, vocal training and choir conduction, Slavonic, music theory and Liturgical Performance Practice.

The fee for two weeks of concentrated training (room, board, and tuition) is $ 900.00. If a parish sponsors the student, there is a $ 50.00 discount, i.e. the total fee is $ 850.00.

Contact Information:
Director: Archpriest Andre Papkov
Website: http://sslm.hts.edu
E-Mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Telephone: 847-299-2585

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Last Updated: 19 February 2013

Kirkuk, Apr. 23, 2007 (AsiaNews via CWNews.com) - An Iraqi Catholic leader has issued an urgent appeal for help, warning that the country's embattled Christian population is in grave danger, the AsiaNews service reports.

“In Iraq Christians are dying; the Church is disappearing under continued persecution, threats, and violence carried out by extremists who are leaving us no choice: conversion or exile." That was the grim report from Archbishop Louis Sako of Kirkuk.

The Chaldean Catholic prelate-- whose archdiocese in a Kurdish are had previously been spared from religious violence-- reports that attacks on Christians by militant Muslims have now spread throughout the country, including zones that were thought to be safe havens for Christians. The message of the attacks, he said, is that "we can hit anywhere; nowhere is safe."

While Islamic groups are intent on driving the Christian minority out of Iraq, Archbishop Sako observed that Christians belong to an ancient community that helped to form the civilization. He said, "We have to remind the world of the importance of the Christian presence in Iraq, for the good of Iraq."

[For a more detailed story see the AsiaNews web site.]

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VATICAN CITY, APR 21, 2007 (VIS) - Shortly after 3 p.m. today, Benedict XVI departed from Rome's Ciampino airport bound for the northern Italian town of Vigevano, on the first stage of his two-day pastoral visit to the dioceses of Vigevano and Pavia.

At 4.40 p.m., after a brief stopover in the airport of Milan, the Pope's helicopter landed in Vigevano's "Dante Merlo" stadium from where he travelled by popemobile to the town center. Along the route, he passed in front of the convent of cloistered nuns of the Sisters Adorers of the Blessed Sacrament who came out to greet him. At 5.15, he arrived at the bishop's residence where he was welcomed by the local religious and civil authorities.

The Pope appeared at the balcony of the episcopal residence, overlooking Piazza Sant'Ambrogio, to greet the thousands of people gathered there, including many young people and groups of sick. "I thank you," he said, "for your cordial and enthusiastic welcome. As I descended from the helicopter, I could almost hear the echo of the bells of all the churches in the diocese which rang out at midday today to wish me a choral welcome."

"Here in Vigevano, the only diocese in Lombardy not visited by my venerated predecessor John Paul II, I have chosen to begin my pastoral pilgrimage within Italy. Thus it is as if I am resuming the path he followed, to continue to proclaim to the men and women of Italy the announcement, ancient yet ever new, that resounds with particular vitality in this time of Easter: Christ is risen! Christ is alive! Christ is with us today and forever."

After his greetings, Benedict XVI went to Piazza Ducale where he presided at a Eucharistic concelebration with Lombard bishops and priests of the diocese of Vigevano.

In his homily he recalled the words from the Gospel reading, "cast the net ... and you will find" which Jesus addressed to His disciples on Lake Tiberias after a fruitless fishing expedition that had lasted all night. The empty net, the Pope remarked, must have appeared to the Apostles "as the outcome of their experience with Jesus: they had known Him and accompanied Him, and He had promised them so much, and yet there they were with their nets empty of fish."

Christ came out to meet them, though the disciples did not recognize Him. Nonetheless "they trusted Jesus and the result was a miraculously abundant catch of fish." It was then that John became aware of the presence of the Risen One and exclaimed: "'It is the Lord!' This spontaneous profession of faith," said Pope Benedict, "is also an invitation for us to proclaim that the Risen Christ is the Lord of our lives."

"I have come here among you," the Holy Father continued, "above all to encourage you to be zealous witnesses to Christ. It is faithful adherence to His word that will make your pastoral activities fruitful. When the work in the Lord's vineyard seems in vain, like the Apostles nighttime efforts, it must not be forgotten that Jesus is capable of overturning everything in a moment. This evangelical episode ... reminds us, on the one hand, that we must commit ourselves to pastoral activities as if the outcome depended entirely upon our own efforts; on the other hand, it brings us to understand that the true success of our mission is entirely a gift of Grace. In the mysterious designs of His wisdom, God knows when it is time to intervene."

"What does Christ's invitation to 'cast the net' actually mean?" the Pope asked. "In the first place it means, as it did for the disciples, believing in Him and trusting in His word. Jesus asks you, as He asked them, to follow Him with a sincere and firm faith. Listen, then, to His word and meditate upon it every day. ... Following the fundamental guidelines of the Synod and the instructions of your pastor, remain united and open yourselves to the vast horizons of evangelization. ... Sharing, collaborating and a feeling of joint responsibility, this is the spirit that must constantly animate your community. Australian casinos ensure that they make a profit in the long term. Each online pokie is programmed to pay out only a certain percentage of the amounts deposited by the player. This percentage is called the payout ratio and ranges from 60 to 98 percent, depending on the type of The Orb's Australian pokie casinos The Orb's gambling guide also has a significant influence on determining the payout ratio within the framework of the gambling licenses. The decisive factor for the payout ratio is, among other things, the location or the availability of the pokie machine.

"Such a community requires everyone's contribution" he added. "Individual parishes - like the tiles of a mosaic and in full harmony among themselves - will form a living Church that is an organic part of the People of God." Moreover, "an indispensable contribution to evangelization comes from lay associations, communities and groups."

Benedict XVI also encouraged his listeners "to continue to look after young people, both those who are 'near' and those who are 'far away.' In this context tirelessly promote ... a form of vocational pastoral care that helps the young in their search for a true meaning to give to their lives." The Pope also recalled that the family "is the principal element of social life, and so only by working in support of families can we renew the fabric of the ecclesial community and of civil society itself."

The Pope concluded his homily by mentioning the patron saints of Vigevano: St. Ambrose, St. Charles Borromeo and Blessed Matteo Carreri, and he also referred to other people from the local area whose causes of beatification are currently underway. These include Fr. Francesco Pianzola who "went out to meet the spiritual poverty of his time with a courageous missionary style," and Teresio Olivelli, a layman of Catholic Action "who died at the age of just 29 in the Hersbruck concentration camp, a sacrificial victim of a brutal form of violence which he tenaciously opposed with the ardor of charity."

Finally, the Holy Father commended the community to the Mother of God "that a renewed effusion of the Holy Spirit" may descend upon the diocese. He also reiterated how the "disciples' tiring and fruitless night's fishing is a perennial admonishment for the Church of all times: alone, without Jesus, we can do nothing!"

Following the Mass, the Pope travelled by helicopter to Pavia where he arrived at 8.15 p.m.

PV-ITALY/HOMILY/VIGEVANOVIS 070423 (1010)