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Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
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CWN - President Barack Obama has issued a statement on the celebration of Orthodox Christmas.
“During this sacred season, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and reflect on the commandment that we love one another as He has loved us,” President Barack Obama said in his January 6 statement, as he extended wishes for a “joyful Christmas to Orthodox Christians.”
The president also spoke of his “commitment to protect the universal and inalienable right of all people to practice their faith and stand in solidarity with communities and congregations that have been persecuted and subjected to violent attacks.”
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Fairfax, Virginia – Eastern Christian Publications announces new and featured books, audio CDs and video DVDs as follows:
New and Featured Books
- Back to the Garden - spiritual reflections on the readings from Genesis during the Great Fast by Father Jack Custer and others.
- Tea with the Theotokos - 60 reflections on Mary, the Mother of God, and her role in salvation history by Marianne Sailus.
- Journey Through the Great Fast - daily meditations from the Sundays before the Great Fast through Pascha from over 40 clergy and lay persons.
- Hearts Afire: Volume II - Spiritual essays on "fulfilling our destiny' by Deacon Ed Kleinguetl.
- Unfinished Business - a book of daily spiritual reflections for use during the Great Fast (Lent) by Marianne Sailus.
- Liturgy of the Word: History of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom - Volume I - this is an English translation of the work of Father Juan Mateos, SJ, heavily edited, corrected and augmented by Father Steven Hawkes-Teeples, SJ.
- The Journey Toward Unity: Volume I - 50 years of agreed statements and documents from the North American Orthodox-Catholic Theological Dialogue.
- The Journey Toward Unity: Volume II - 50 years of agreed statements and documents from the International Orthodox-Catholic Theological Dialogue, and joint declarations of Popes and Patriarchs.
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Once again we focus our attention and recall with affection and devotion the marvelous miracle in which “the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn. 1:14). The God-Man Jesus, sent by our merciful Father with love to all of humanity, came to save us from sin and from ourselves. Jesus came to empower us to live life to the full. It is little wonder, then, that the Story of Christmas is so appealing to young and old and to rich and poor alike.
Well before December 25th, we become preoccupied with Christmas preparations. Beyond all this, one searches for the true Spirit of Christmas in order to lift our individual and collective spirits to reflect again on the celestial chorus: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace to all who enjoy His favor” (Lk. 2:14). We can catch a glimpse of the Spirit of Christmas as we savor the fellowship enjoyed by our families whose members gather from far and wide to be together for our Christmas Eve Holy Supper. And yet, such fellowship is but a shadow of that divine fellowship enjoyed by all mankind as a result of the Birth of the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. “To all who did accept Him He gave power to become Children of God” (Jn. 1:12) indicates a radical change which this divine fellowship entails: God became human so that human beings might become like unto God.
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The Bolshevik revolution of October 1917—which helped usher in over seven decades of Communist rule in Russia—should be commemorated but not celebrated, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church said recently to other church leaders.
“The thing is not to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the tragedy, but to remember this date consciously, accompanying it with deep reflections and sincere prayers, so that mistakes committed a hundred years ago should teach our nations not to make the same mistakes at the current stage of development,” said Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, according to an Interfax report.
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CWN - In an address to judges of ecclesiastical courts, the head of the Maronite Catholic Church deplored the conversion of Lebanese Maronites to other Christian communities or to Islam in order to obtain a divorce.
In Lebanon, divorce is primarily a matter of religious rather than civil law.
Lamenting the breaking of the sacred bond of marriage, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Raï said that such conversions are a “painful plague” rather than a matter of authentic religious freedom or freedom of conscience.
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ugcc.org.ua - This year has not been easy, since it is another year of war. However, it was a year of a dynamic development of our Church. Monasticism reacts quickly to challenges our Church is facing today. It guides our Church in a spiritual way.
The Head and Father of UGCC His Beatitude Sviatoslav said 22 of December during an annual meeting with superiors and provincial superiors of monastic orders of UGCC.
According to Major Archbishop, development of the Church is impossible without spiritual guidance and spiritual growth. “Monasticism is a strength of our Church, lugs with what it breathes. Monks ought to say their word about a development of our Church, especially when it comes to mission challenges”. So, the participants of the meeting were discussing the development of UGCC in Central, South and East Ukraine in terms of evangelization and supporting those who suffer from war. “God will bless us as our monasticism is young and dynamic”. His Beatitude Sviatoslav said.
UGCC Department of Information