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Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
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Kyiv – The Hierarchal Sobor [Assembly] of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC) has called Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko), head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP), to resign. The sobor released an address to bishops, clergy, and faithful of the UOC-KP on 2 March 2007.
In the address, the sobor accuses Patriarch Filaret of “desecrating the idea of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian church.” The UAOC bishops call the patriarch “the symbol of schism” and call him “to voluntarily leave the position of the head of the UOC-KP and, by doing so, to expedite unification processes in Ukrainian Orthodoxy and the recognition of the autocephaly of the Ukrainian church by the world’s national Orthodox churches.”
According to the hierarchs of the UAOC, the canonical sanctions against Patriarch Filaret have been recognized by all national Orthodox churches and the UAOC cannot ignore the position of world Orthodoxy. That is why a decision has been made to avoid eucharistic and prayerful communion with Patriarch Filaret.
Source and previous related RISU news: press service of the UAOC
http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/news/article;14523
http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/news/article;14513
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05.03.2007, [13:32] // UGCC // RISU.org.ua
Argentina – From 28 February to 5 March 2007 in Buenos Aires, the session of the Permanent Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) met. The meeting was dedicated mostly to preparations for the Patriarchal Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, to take place in Philadelphia, USA, from 26 September to 5 October 2007.
According to Patriarch Lubomyr (Husar), head of the UGCC, the task of the synod is to have a deep vision of the problems of the whole church and its life in full. “Later, we will be able to submit data for the consideration of the synod, to outline the situation in individual parishes, so that all bishops can be well informed about events in the church. This is vitally important as, in this way, the synod can function as a living body and be well-briefed to find solutions to major problems,” explained Patriarch Lubomyr.
Source:
http://www.risu.org.ua/eng/news/article;14524/
http://www.ugcc.org.ua/ukr/press-releases/article;4877/
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Second stage in preparations for the 3d European Ecumenical Assembly
FINAL DOCUMENT
Moscow - 20070228 - Christians of various denominations from different countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States and Baltic region met on February 27-28, 2007, at the Moscow Patriarchate’s Pilgrims Center in Moscow, to discuss the theme “Europe Today: God, Man and Society: Human Rights and Moral Dimension. In attendance were representatives of Christian Churches and communities in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine.
The meeting, initiated by the Russian Orthodox Church, was held in the framework of the second, regional, stage of preparations for the 3d Ecumenical Assembly to culminate on September 4-9, 2007 in Sibiu, Romania.
On February 27, the key speakers on the main theme were Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, Archbishop Edmund Ratz, head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and other states, and Rev. Ilmar Tolstovs, Roman Catholic Church in Latvia. Each of the presentations was followed by discussion, in which the shared positions of the participants on a number of issues were identified.
The session on February 28, was devoted to prospects for inter-Christian relations in the CIS and Baltic countries and preparations for the final stage in the preparations for the 3d European Ecumenical Assembly. The meeting was addressed by representatives of the key organizers of the 3d Ecumenical Assembly including the Ven. Colin Williams, secretary general of the Conference of European Churches, and Rev. Ladislav Nemet, who represented the Council of Episcopal Conferences in Europe (Roman Catholic Church).
Addressing their brothers and sisters in the CIS and Baltic countries as well as all members of the 3d Ecumenical Assembly, the participants ask them to pay attention to a number of ideas and proposals expressed in Moscow.
1. “The LORD is my light and my salvation”, the Psalmist exclaims in Ps. 27:1. Reflecting God’s light, we, according to the word of the Lord Jesus Christ, should be the light of the world (Mt. 5:14). “The light of Christ illumines all” – this words of the Orthodox liturgy, which have become the motto of the 3d European Ecumenical Assembly, call us to be witnesses to the Gospel’s truth in today’s society, in which many have rejected faith but in which there is a considerable number of people searching for the meaning of life in their spiritual thirst and finding it in the Christian faith. Our task as people who call themselves the followers of Christ is to bring people to God, the Fountain of living waters (Jer. 2:13).
2. The Assembly, as a representative gathering of Christians from all over Europe, should become a place for considering processes which make a real impact on the spiritual state of European nations. It is Europe as compared to other parts of the world that has proved to be the most vulnerable to the spiritually destructive influences of utilitarian materialism, consumerism, aggressive secularism, lack of faith and moral relativism.
3. In this situation, a great responsibility is placed on European Christians. It will depend on us whether Europe will remain faithful to its ages-old Christian heritage, whether it will retain its face or will perish in history under the influence of powerful external forces. We should find an answer to many acute questions that society raises before people of faith.
4. Many of modern challenges seem to be fundamentally new. However, they prove as a rule to be only a modified form of the old dispute between belief and non-belief. The age-old discussion on the place of religion in the life of society, the right of believers to determine freely the traditions, principles and rules of their life in society also continues.
5. Interaction between religious tradition and the secular liberal view of man remains an important problem. The most topical expression of this problem is the discussion around the theme of human rights. In the course of this discussion, the question is asked whether it is inevitable that human rights as well as moral norms – which we believe to be given by God wheras the secular awareness believe them to be purely human therefore changeable inventions - should be set against religious tradition. Meanwhile, the idea of human rights can and must not be divisive but uniting principle in dialogue between religion and secular society. To this end, it is necessary to see to it that human rights are not viewed in isolation from the ethical dimension.
6. Man as the image of God possesses of God-given freedom, and his rights should be respected by both state and society. Christians can and must use human rights mechanisms to defend their faith, their way of life and their system of values, while showing concern for the well-being of every individual living in society. At the same time, for traditional Christian awareness, the idea of individual rights and freedoms is closely bound up with the idea of moral and civic responsibility. It is our conviction that without a solid moral foundation rooted in God’s eternal truth, society will not be able to cope with the spiritual crisis, nor to build an adequate social and economic order, to live a ‘peaceful and serene life’ (Orth. Lit.), to preserve God’s beautiful world suitable for life.
7. We are convinced of the destructive nature of such tendencies in human rights interpretation as corrosion of the traditional notion of family, calls to acknowledge “same sex unions”, attempts to legalize drugs, assertions of moral suitability of abortions and euthanasia, “culture of death”, obtrusive propaganda of inter-ethnic and interreligious enmity, violence, laxity, homosexuality and other sins dangerous for both individual and society.
8. Among socially significant tasks facing Christians in the 21th century is support of family, which is the basic element of society, acquires a special importance. The strong healthy and solid family, in which relations of faithfulness between husband and wife dominate and proper upbringing is given to children, should become an ideal for society.
9. From our point of view, the Christian spiritual and moral message should be present in the world of politics, economy, culture and mass media. We have no less rights than non-believers to make our voice heard in society, so that it may influence on decision-making on the rules of behavior and way of life developing in it.
10. Pointing to the shared positions on this and many other urgent problems raised by society before Christians in Europe, representatives of Christian Churches and communities in the CIS and Baltic countries at their meeting in Moscow state their commitment to the traditional values of Christianity and call their brothers and sisters in the European continent to join this commitment.
11. Aware of the need to develop inter-Christian dialogue and cooperation between the CIS and Baltic countries, the participants announced the resumption of the work of the Christian Inter-confessional Advisory Committee (CIAC) as a body intended for direct communication and cooperation with one another and giving an opportunity for us to present to society our, in many ways consonant, position on problems of concern for our nations, Europe and the world.
www.mospat.ru
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Moscow, Mar. 5, 2007 (CWNews.com) - The chief ecumenical-affairs officer for the Russian Orthodox Church has remarked on a positive trend in relations between Moscow and Rome.
Speaking to the Interfax news service, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk said that “positive changes” in dealings with the Vatican had occurred during the pontificate of Benedict XVI.
One significant source of improvement in relations, the Russian prelate said, came from the fact that Pope Benedict had “removed a Moscow visit from the agenda, as he understood that such a visit would be premature.” Pope John Paul II (bio - news) had frequently expressed his desire to make a visit to Moscow.
Under Pope Benedict, said Metropolitan Kirill, the Holy See has concentrated on “cooperation between the Catholic Church and ours in defending Christian values,” particularly in calling for a moral renewal in Europe. The Russian Orthodox Church can fully endorse those plans, he said, without necessarily resolving other questions on which Moscow and Rome remain at odds.
Differences do remain, Kirill told Interfax, including some “major ones.” He complained that Catholics and Orthodox remain in conflict in the western Ukraine, for example. “Not everything goes easy,” the Russian spokesman concluded.
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VATICAN CITY, MAR 4, 2007 (VIS) - The Transfiguration of Jesus as recounted by St. Luke in today's Gospel provided the theme for the Pope's remarks before praying the Angelus at midday today with faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.
Benedict XVI pointed out how the Evangelist says that "Jesus went up the mountain to pray with the Apostles Peter, James and John and, 'while He was praying,' there befell the dazzling mystery of the Transfiguration." The Holy Father also recalled that in the Gospel narrative Moses and Elijah appeared, talking to Christ "of His departure 'which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.'
"Therefore," the Pope added, "Jesus listens to the Law and the Prophets who speak to Him of His death and resurrection. In His intimate dialogue with the Father, He does not depart from history, He does not avoid the mission for which He came into the world, though He knows that in order to reach glory He will have to pass through the Cross. On the contrary, Christ enters more deeply into this mission, adhering with all of Himself to the will of the Father; and He shows us that true prayer consists in uniting our will to the will of God.
"For Christians," Pope Benedict went on, "prayer does not mean evading reality and the responsibilities reality brings, rather it means a complete assumption of those responsibilities, trusting in the faithful and infinite love of the Lord. For this reason, the confirmation of the Transfiguration is, paradoxically, the Garden of Gethsemane" when, "on the eve of His Passion, Jesus experienced mortal anguish and entrusted Himself to divine will.
"At that moment, His prayer was a pledge for the salvation of us all. In fact, Jesus pleaded with the heavenly Father to 'save Him from death' and, as the author of the Letter to the Hebrews writes, 'He was heard because of His reverent submission.' The proof of this is the Resurrection."
Prayer, then, "is not an accessory, an optional extra, but a question of life or death. Only those who pray, in other words those who entrust themselves to God with filial love, can enter into eternal life, which is God Himself."
After praying the Angelus, the Holy Father thanked everyone who had accompanied him "with prayer" during the week of spiritual exercises. "In this time of Lent," he said, "I encourage everyone to seek silence and contemplation, and to leave space for prayer and meditation upon the Word of God."
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Metropolitan Nicholas of Johnstown
March 1, 2007
On March 9, the Discovery Channel will air a program entitled “The Lost Tomb of Jesus.” The program was produced by Simcha Jacobovici and “Titanic” director James Cameron.
Mr. Cameron, you might remember, was the one who shouted “I’m the King of the World” when he received an Academy Award for his production about the sinking of the White Star liner.
He has produced a movie about a set of artifacts discovered in 1980 near Jerusalem. Archeologist Shimon Gibson, along with Professor Amos Kloner from bar Ilan University, unearthed ten limestone boxes, dating from the First Century, in a cave now known as the Talpiot Tomb. Five of the ten boxes were inscribed with the names of “Jesus son of Joseph,” “Maria,” “Matia,” “Mariamne” and “Judah son of Jesus.”
Mr. Cameron’s show will go on to suggest that another limestone box is missing. This missing box, the program will say, is probably the famous “James ossuary,” which in turn might contain the remains of the saint who we know as St. James, the step-brother of Our Lord, and the first Bishop of Jerusalem. A DNA analysis was performed on the remains from all these limestone boxes. Some scientists have interpreted this analysis and have concluded that the “Mariamne” relics are not related to any others. On this basis, they have further concluded that “Mariamne” must have been married to “Jesus son of Joseph,” and that the “James” relics are related to the rest of the family housed in the limestone boxes.
Furthermore, a statistical study was performed on the chances that the Talpiot Tomb is actually the Jesus Family Tomb. Somehow, a computer has reported that the five names, if renamed “Jesus, Mary, Mary Magdalene, Matthew and Jude,” have a 599 out of 600 chance of being the same group of people in the New Testament.
You will hear all this. And you will also hear Mr. Cameron and Dr. Gibson will breathlessly report that Jesus Christ was actually married to Mary Magdalene. You will hear them further report that “Jude” was a little boy who was sleeping on the lap of Jesus during the Last Supper. And seated beside him was his wife Mary Magdalene. It appears that they are benefiting from some advance work done for them by Dan Brown, of Da Vinci Code infamy.
There are many problems with this argument, and it is embarrassing that an enterprise devoted to science education like the Discovery Channel should stoop to such charlatan yellow journalism. It is one thing for them to keep harping on such a non-factual theme as trans-species evolution, which we have come to expect from academia in general.
But it is another thing entirely to put up with this latest slander on Christ, issued once again during the season of the Great Fast. This year it is the fantasia of the “Jesus Family Tomb.” Last year it was the “Gospel of Judas.” The year before it was the comic book epic, “The Da Vinci Code.” We should come to expect, by now, an annual harangue during Lent from the spirit of Antichrist.
It matters little to Mr. Cameron, Mr. Jacobovici and Dr. Gibson that the names of “Jesus,” “Mary” and “Judah” were some of the most common in the First Century world of Palestine. It matters little that “Mariamne” is a far cry, linguistically, from “Mary Magdalene.” It matters little that DNA analysis of any human remains from the same area and in the same generation is going to normally generate familial relationship. It matters little to them that no apostle or disciple ever called Jesus the “Son of Joseph.”
It matters little to them that Professor Kloner, who oversaw the original archaeological site at Talpiot, has disavowed Cameron’s production: “There is no likelihood that Jesus and His relatives ever had a family tomb,” he told the Jerusalem Post, after he reported his conclusion that there are no links between the tomb at Talpiot and the Jesus of the Gospels.
What does matter to these men, and to the Discovery Channel perhaps, is that there is money to be made from attacking the testimony of the Church. The Da Vinci Code circus netted millions of dollars for the author, the publisher and the movie producer. The profit skyrocketed mainly because “itching ears” wanted to corrode the authority of the Church, the chief witness to the glory of God. You can appreciate the thinking: if one can demote the authority of the Church and her witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then one does not need to feel guilt for his sin.
The same “profit” motives lie behind the production of “The Lost Tomb of Jesus.” Watch it if you want to see the modern rhetoric of the Prince of the Airwaves. But don’t watch it if you want to see anything intelligent, even of an atheistic variety. Even agnostic scientists hold their nose at this wretched offering.
But do not watch it if you already wish to doubt the claims of Christ and His Church. If you do, then your disbelief, not the facts, will make this fantasy of Cameron’s sound true.
+ METROPOLITAN NICHOLAS
Metropolitan Nicholas is the Bishop of the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of Johnstown, PA
www.acrod.org