Tag: Christianity

In my younger and more vulnerable years, my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since. 

We were having an argument, the subject of which is immaterial (another way of saying I lost.) Rhetorically cornered, I retreated to that last refuge of the scoundrel, the appeal to my own independence.

“I’m an adult,” I insisted. “I can take care of myself.” 

To which my dad replied: “A dog can take care of itself, you’re only an adult when you can take care of others.” 

This rhetorical defeat came to mind as I watched “The Wild Robot,” DreamWorks animation’s delightful new film about the sweet spot of the soul, nestled somewhere in between animal and machine. 

The film takes place in the near future, in a world where ecological disaster has sent humanity running to high-teched dome cities safe from the outside world. One particularly arresting image shows the spans of the Golden Gate Bridge just barely poking out from the risen tide. 

Yet “The Wild Robot” is not a lecture on the perils of climate change because actually, the natural world we see has adapted pretty swimmingly to the changed earth. If anything, this future is an ego check on the vanity of assuming we could stop nature if we wanted. 

When a shipment of robot workers destined for a domed city gets swept off a cargo ship, the lone “survivor” washes ashore on an uncharted isle somewhere north of the border. This Robotson Crusoe is ROZZUM Unit 7134, “Roz” for short. Roz (Lupita Nyong’o) resorts to her programming and sets out to help the local population with their needs, which happens to be the local wildlife. Even after she deciphers their language, the animals remain wary of this metal monster who has all the pep and tact of a Walmart greeter. 

As the more patient species try to explain to Roz, the natural world is naturally suspicious of altruism. It’s called The Wild for a reason, and a place red in tooth and claw doesn’t know how to respond to a creature who wants to help. Fink (Pedro Pascal), the fox who advises her in between exploiting her naivety, explains it simply: just as Roz has programming to help others, the animals have their own “programming” to hunt and kill and survive. 

But each bumps up against the limits of their programming when Roz accidentally kills a mother goose while fleeing a bear. Matters are further complicated when the remaining egg hatches and the gosling imprints on the robot. A more maternal possum (Catherine O’Hara) finally finds a task for the flailing Roz: raise the chick to adulthood, including teaching it how to fly.

“I don’t know how to be a mother,” Roz insists. 

“None of us do,” says the possum as she balances nine young on her back, “but we make do.” 

The mission that follows challenges both Roz and Fink’s “programming.” The robot, for example, has to learn the difference between predetermined benevolence and actual love. How charitable are you if you have no choice but to be nice? Love is a gift, not an order.

While by no means a religious work, there are shades of Christ’s mission in Roz’s personal journey. The animals, once baffled at the concept of sacrifice, soon embrace Roz’s philosophy, and an island that once looked like the Hunger Games can only be described as edenic. There is even a scene ripped straight from Isaiah 11, when the predator learns to lay down with its prey. Christ is the new Adam, redeeming mankind for its folly and showing us a way back to the garden. Roz brings a flake of that to her little island, making her Eve in both the biblical and Wall-E sense. 

I’ll confess a certain weakness for “robot gains sentience” stories. Outside the theater I remain quite skeptical of artificial intelligence, which to my limited experience can barely count stop signs, let alone achieve sapient thought. I believe this for moral as well as self-preservational purposes; Hollywood is a creative business which spends approximately 82% of its time devising creative ways to downsize creative staff and their paltry sums. Not only does AI not work, it mustn’t. 

Yet I remain a sucker for any robot, cyborg, software, or upstart smartphone who desires a soul, because so often the story of humanity is us trying to lose ours by any means necessary. Who am I to judge a series of 1s and 0s that wishes to contemplate a painting? Too many studios have tasked that same AI with replacing that painter with lesser efforts. I’m not going to reject any attempts at solidarity from the reluctant scabs. 

The beauty of “The Wild Robot” is it splits the difference perfectly. Here a robot can indeed become “a real boy” and achieve sentience, but only by developing an immaterial soul and some sense of spirituality. Roz’s love for her adopted son transcends her programming and her material frame, surviving even when her operating system is damaged. 

Roz isn’t human; she is metal and silicone and strands of wire. But what is a human but cells interlinked and cushioned with fat? In this imaginary world, she becomes human the same way we all do: by loving. Any animal or machine can take care of itself. It takes a soul, a heart, an adult, a parent, a human, all of the above, to learn to love something more than oneself. 

Minsk, November 5, 2024

Photo: church.by   

This year month marks the 35th anniversary of Belarusian ExarchateToday, the Belarusian Church includes 15 dioceses, more than 1,700 parishes, 7 spiritual educational institutions, 36 monasteries, 15 brotherhoods, and 9 sisterhoods. There are about 1,900 active Orthodox churches, with about 150 more under construction.

“>35th anniversary of the formation of the Belarusian Exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate.

The Exarchate was founded during the Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church held in Moscow under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen of Moscow and All Russia on October 9 to 11, 1989. Previously, there was only one diocese covering the whole country, with 369 active churches and one monastery. Today, the Belarusian Church includes 15 dioceses, more than 1,700 parishes, 7 spiritual educational institutions, 36 monasteries, 15 brotherhoods, and 9 sisterhoods. There are about 1,900 active Orthodox churches, with about 150 more under construction.

This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the formation of the Metropolis of Minsk. Both anniversaries were festively celebrated at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Minsk on Sunday, November 3, the feast of the Synaxis of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Belarusian Land, reports the Belarusian Church.

The service was led by His Eminence Metropolitan Benjamin of Minsk with His Eminence Metropolitan Matthew of Pskov of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Grace Bishop Ambrose of Borisov of the Belarusian Church, and a host of clerics.

On the evening before, a reliquary with the relics of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk and St. Euphrosyne of Moscow were brought to the cathedral. The celebration marks the end of the Moscow: Meeting of the relics of two St. Euphrosynes (+VIDEO)A joyous occurred this weekend, as the relics of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk of Moscow were brought together with the relics of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk from Belarus at Moscow’s Sretensky Monastery.

“>joint pilgrimage of the relics of the two saints through more than 35 regions of Russia and Belarus.

At the end of the service, Met. Benjamin addressed the faithful, noting that the anniversaries are being celebrated in every church and monasteries throughout the Exarchate. And referring to the relics of the two St. Euphrosynes, the Belarusian primate noted that they were venerated by hundreds of thousands faithful.

Watch the Divine Liturgy:

​

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Paterna, Spain, November 5, 2024

Photo: obispadoortodoxo.es   

A new church of the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Spain and Portugal was consecrated over the weekend.

On Sunday, November 3, His Grace Bishop Timotei of Spain and Portugal consecrated the Church of the Holy Hierarch Andrei Șaguna in Paterna in eastern Spain. The building was purchased last year with support from the Romanian government’s Department for Romanians Abroad, the diocese reports.

The service was attended by priests from throughout Spain.

In his sermon, the hierarch stated:

In the Gospel, God addresses us, speaks to us, although we are unworthy. He is the One through Whom we do everything, not just in material life, but especially in spiritual life. The rich man in the Gospel forgot about God, delighting only in worldly things and despising others and any spiritual wealth. He did nothing to become rich in God, to gain mercy and love. The Savior Christ’s commandment is to love even our enemies. People can love even those who harm them when they remain in communion with God. When they strive to listen to and fulfill God’s will, Who is merciful and loves mankind.

Photo: obispadoortodoxo.es     

During the Divine Liturgy, Bp. Timotei offered prayers for those affected by floods in southeastern Spain who are still suffering, as well as for the repose of the souls of those who have passed to the Lord.

The parish priest thanked His Grace for his presence and service, offering him an icon of St. Andrei Șaguna as a gift. He also expressed his gratitude to the other serving priests and to the faithful for their devotion and involvement in parish life.

St. Andrei Şaguna was Metropolitan of Transylvania from 1864 to 1873. He helped many students from poor families and established the foundation that bears his name. During his tenure as Metropolitan, about 800 schools were established and 25 textbooks were written. He also established educational courses in all of his parishes. He is remembered for his significant role in the cultural and national edification of the Romanian people. He was Transylvania Metropolitan Andrei Saguna canonised in SibiuMetropolitan Andrei Saguna, former metropolitan of Transylvania between 1864 and 1873, was canonised at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Sibiu on Saturday, in a ceremony attended by about 10,000 people

“>canonized in 2011.

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Vinnitsa, Vinnitsa Province, Ukraine, November 5, 2024

tulchin-eparchia.org.ua     

His Eminence Metropolitan Jonathan, formerly of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s Tulchin Diocese, has filed a cassation appeal to the Ukrainian Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the five-year sentence against him.

The Supreme Court has requested the materials of the criminal proceedings from the Vinnitsa City Court for consideration of the appeal, reports the Union of Orthodox Journalists, with reference to Glavcom.

As is the case with the state’s persecution of a number of hierarchs and clerics of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Met. Jonathan, 75, was brought up on trumped-up charges of supporting the war in Ukraine and inciting religious enmity. He was initially found guilty Ukrainian hierarch sentenced to 5 years in prisonA hierarch of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church has been sentenced to 5 years imprisonment and the confiscation of property for various supposed crimes against the state.

“>last August, and his conviction was upheld by an appeals court Court upholds 5-year sentence against elderly Ukrainian Orthodox hierarchA court of appeal in the Ukrainian city of Vinnitsa ruled yesterday, June 18, to uphold the verdict against the elderly and ailing Metropolitan Jonathan of Tulchin of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.”>in June.

The elderly hierarch, known as a composer of Church music, is also in poor health, which has only been exacerbated by the state’s persecution campaign against him. In November 2022, a month after the searches of his home and diocesan administration, after having been UOC Metropolitan remains calm despite state suspicion and investigationThe whole matter is an attempt to undermine the canonical UOC and create unrest among its clergy and faithful, Met. John said after his home was searched.

“>officially notified of state suspicion against him, he had to Prayer request: persecuted Ukrainian bishop undergoes heart surgeryHis Eminence Metropolitan Jonathan of Tulchin and Bratslav, a hierarch of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church who has been subjected to searches and serious accusations by the Ukrainian Security Services (SBU) lately, underwent an emergency open-heart surgery today.”>undergo heart surgery. In March of this year, he Ukrainian hierarch recovers from stroke, discharged from hospitalMet. Jonathan, 75, has been in poor health lately, which is exacerbated by the state’s persecution campaign against him.”>suffered a stroke and was hospitalized for 10 days.

A few days after the Vinnitsa appeals court upheld his conviction, the Metropolitan was Convicted Ukrainian hierarch was released from UkraineThe hierarch of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church who was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for allegedly supporting the Russian war in Ukraine and inciting religious enmity has been released and left Ukraine.

“>released from Ukraine, and arrived in Moscow (via Belarus) for treatment. According to Russian Orthodox resources, Met. Jonathan was released from Ukraine thanks to the intervention of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.

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Photo: pravmir.ru     

One of the most interesting ironies that I have encountered in my research is the presence of self-identified atheists who pray. In 2017, over 1 in 5 atheists in the United States prayed to some extent, according to a World Values Survey data. Nearly 1 in 20 prayed at least once a week. Many of these “atheists,” I suppose, were stuck somewhere between disbelief and faith, wishing to arrive at the latter. But how, exactly, does one get there?

Every area of study (history, science, linguistics, etc.) has its own epistemic methods—or means of attaining knowledge—that are not necessarily applicable to other areas. I would be at fault for misapplying epistemic methods if I were, say, a mathematician demanding mathematical proofs for archaeological truth claims. Proponents of “scientism”—that is, those who are so impressed with modern scientific achievements that they have come to believe that the methods of natural science can be used to study everything that exists—are particularly vulnerable to this charge. If science cannot prove that God is real, they argue, then we must conclude that He is not. They remind me somewhat of a character from the 2002 film “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”. So confident is Gus Portokalos in the efficacy of Windex (a glass-cleaning spray) that he uses it to remedy a variety of problems—maladies ranging from a bruised elbow to psoriasis—that it was not intended to fix. Similarly, the confidence many have in science’s explanatory power has become so strong that they unwittingly apply it to areas that are beyond its domain. Just as one ought to be wary about using a cleaning product to treat physical ailments, he should not insist that science be used to solve the question of whether God exists.

But how does one test this claim—this “God hypothesis”—if not in a scientific matter? A contemporary elder of the Orthodox Church offers guidance that I am very fond of quoting:

Those who wish to investigate whether God exists must employ the appropriate methodology, which is none other than the purification of the heart from egotistical passions and impurities. If people manage to cleanse their hearts and still fail to see God, then they are justified by concluding that indeed God is a lie. (Kyriacos Markides, 2001, The Mountain of Silence: A Search for Orthodox Spirituality, New York: Image).

Similarly, theologian Alexei Osipov has this to say:

How can we attain the knowledge of God? It begins with a selfless search for the truth, for the meaning of life and moral purity, and by forcing oneself towards goodness. Without such a beginning, the “experiment” of knowing God cannot be successful (The Search for Truth on the Path of Reason, 2009, Pokrov Press)

“It is remarkable but true,” writes Met. Tikhon Shevkunov, “that

If one secludes himself in prayer and limits himself in food, sleep, and interaction with people, while not allowing any idle thoughts to enter the mind, nor any passionate feelings to enter the heart, then very quickly one discovers a truth: besides oneself and other people in this world there is also Someone Else (Everyday Saints and Other Stories, 2012, Pokrov Publications).

While logical proofs hold value, particularly for those inclined to intellectual pursuits, logic can only bring you to the threshold of faith. To go beyond and arrive at true, experiential knowledge of God, one must (as the quotes above suggest) embark upon a spiritual journey.

It is essential to note that it is not necessary to first accept Christian concepts of purity or goodness or regard egotism as evil in order to test the God hypothesis. It is enough to abstain from certain thoughts and actions that one might otherwise consider unproblematic throughout his study. (Sometimes, one has to fast from certain foods before undergoing a medical test, not because those foods are judged to be bad in themselves, but simply because they hinder that particular test.)

Accordingly, the researcher should avoid drugs during his investigation. He should abstain from pornography. He should avoid eating to the point of satiety and abstain from certain foods like meat and dairy products, ideally using the Orthodox fasting calendar as his guide. He should be kind to those who have mistreated him and apologize to those whom he has wronged. He should volunteer with a local church in feeding the hungry. In addition to these and other practices, such as reading Christian apologetic literature with an open mind, he should pray as often as he can, but not insincerely as if he already believes in God’s existence. One could object, of course, that there is something logically circular about praying to a God whose very existence is the subject of your investigation. But this is no more absurd than calling into a dark room, “Is anyone there?”, not knowing for sure whether anyone is.

In closing, I offer an example of a petition that one might offer daily and/or nightly.

O God, if you exist, assure me that you do.

If I have been misled about you or those who follow you, correct my misconceptions.

If I am lost, reveal the path I must follow.

If I am spiritually sick, heal me.

If I am proud—and if pride is evil—humble me.

If I love myself too much, grant that I may think less of myself and more of others.

If I have an unhealthy attachment to the things of this world, free me from them.

If I have wronged you or others, grant me a spirit of contrition.

If I grow impatient with my quest, grant me endurance.

Amen.

When Bishop Bosco Puthur was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Syro-Malabar Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly last December, there was hope the 77-year-old might finally be able to bring peace to the troubled community, split for years over liturgy, money and power.

Instead, the conflict shows no signs of abating, with the latest flashpoint coming Nov. 3 when clergy and laity joined in burning a new circular letter from Puthur outside churches where people had gathered for Sunday Mass.

The protests came after Puthur had appointed three priests to key positions in the archdiocese who are seen by dissidents as tainted by association with real estate scandals under the former head of the Syro-Malabar Church, Cardinal George Alencherry.

The protests also followed the issue of a circular letter by Puthur which, among other things, insists that newly ordained priests must celebrate Mass in a controversial new manner decreed by the Church’s synod, and bars priests and laity from criticizing authorities or documents.

Father Kuriakose Mundadan, secretary of the presbyteral council in the archdiocese, told Crux that he believes Puthur is acting “as a dictator.”

“He is blockading basic freedom of expression of the priests and the laity,” Mundadan said. “By silencing the people of God, Bishop Bosco Puthur is going against basic Christian and gospel values.”

Tensions in Ernakulam-Angamaly reach back at least to 2017, when complaints surfaced that Alencherry had sold certain properties belonging to the archdiocese without consulting the presbyteral council, which resulted in a $10 million loss. The controversy lead the Vatican to curtail Alencherry’s administrative powers and to appoint an apostolic administrator in June 2018.

Divisions deepened in 2021, when the synod of the Syro-Malabar Church based in Kerala decided to adopt a uniform mode of celebrating the liturgy, which priests face the people during the Liturgy of the Word and then the altar during the Liturgy of the Eucharist, turning around again to address the congregation after communion.

While virtually all of the Church’s dioceses have adopted the new system, clergy and laity in the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, by far the largest Syro-Malabar jurisdiction, have rejected it, arguing that facing the people throughout the Mass is a legitimate liturgical variation and one more consistent with the reforms of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65).

Last December Pope Francis released a video message to the archdiocese demanding obedience to the bishops and implementation of the new liturgy, but it did little to end the protests, with dissidents claiming the pope had been misinformed and misled.

Recently, a delegation of twelve priests went to the archbishop’s residence to meet Puthur in person to discuss the disputed appointments, but were blocked by police who had locked a gate to the entrance to the structure. After the priests refused to leave, the Assistant Police Commissioner agreed to mediate a meeting with Puthur in order to resolve the situation.

According to sources present in the meeting, the priests told Puthur that clergy and laity would not cooperate with him on anything until the three disputed priests are removed from their new positions.

At least in part, Puthur’s Oct. 30 circular letter likely was a response to the incident.

In it, Puthur said ordinations of deacons to the priesthood would take place Nov. 4, and the newly ordained priests will be permitted to say Mass only in the form approved by synod. He also decreed that the synodal Mass must be celebrated during at least one scheduled Sunday Mass in every parish.

Puthur also barred parish councils and other groups from taking any decisions contrary to the instructions of the bishop, and instructed priests and laity to refrain from “backbiting” with regard to church authorities. Priests were instructed not to criticize church leaders, and priests and religious were prohibited from belonging to any organizations which are not official recognized by the church.

Puthusn also warned of unspecified “canonical sanctions” for violations of his provisions.

Mundadan claimed that Puthur was “trying to protect his tainted priests whom he has selected as his close collaborators” by issuing the circular letter.

“The priests and the laity will raise their voices against Bishop Bosco and the synodal bishops who have violated canon laws and the procedures for taking a common decision in the Church,” he said.

Mundadan also charged that by seeking to prevent priests and laity from speaking out in protest of Church decisions, Puthur had violated the Indian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech in article 19.

Mundadan is not the only cleric objecting. Father Sebastian Thalian, convener of the Archdiocesan Protection Council, called on Puthur to withdraw the circular letter, while Father James Pereppadan, who has served as the archdiocese’s judicial vicar for 16 years, as well as the director of its Safe Environment Committee, resigned in protest.

The Syro-Malabar Church is the second largest Eastern Rite Catholic church in the world, after the Greek Catholic Church in Ukraine, with an estimated five million members across 35 dioceses. Its largest single jurisdiction is Ernakulam-Angamaly, with roughly 500,000 Catholics.

Remembering the cardinals and bishops who died in the past year, Pope Francis prayed that after their loving service to the Catholic Church “they may exult in eternal communion with the saints.”

At the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica, the pope presided over a memorial Mass Nov. 4 for the seven cardinals and 116 bishops who passed away between Nov. 1, 2023, and Oct. 21 this year.

The booklet for the Mass listed the names of all of them, including nine bishops from the United States: retired Auxiliary Bishop Raymond E. Goedert of Chicago; Bishop Mario E. Dorsonville of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana; Bishop Peter M. Muhich of Rapid City, South Dakota; retired Washington Auxiliary Bishop Francisco González Valer; retired Detroit Auxiliary Bishop Thomas J. Gumbleton; retired Bishop George W. Coleman of Fall River, Massachusetts; retired Bishop Daniel P. Reilly of Worcester, Massachusetts; retired Bishop Edward J. Slattery of Tulsa, Oklahoma; and retired Ukrainian Bishop Basil H. Losten of Stamford, Connecticut.

The Lord is a “compassionate and merciful judge,” Pope Francis said in his homily, and “with this assurance, we pray for the cardinals and bishops who died in the last 12 months.”

“Elect members of the people of God, they were baptized into the death of Christ in order to rise with him. They were shepherds and models for the Lord’s flock,” he said, and having celebrated the Eucharist, breaking “the bread of life on earth, may they now enjoy a seat at his table.”

The deceased cardinals and bishops “loved the church — each in his own way, but they all loved the church,” the pope said. “Let us pray that they may exult in eternal communion with the saints” and “with firm hope, let us look forward to rejoicing with them in heaven.”

The Gospel reading at the Mass was St. Luke’s account of the “good thief” asking Jesus on the cross to “remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

At the end of his homily, Pope Francis had everyone at the Mass repeat with him the thief’s prayer three times: “Jesus, remember me.”

The unnamed thief, crucified alongside Jesus, “transformed his dire pain into a prayer,” which effectively was, “Carry me in your heart, Jesus,” the pope said. “His words did not reflect anguish and defeat, but hope.”

“This criminal, who died as a disciple of the last hour, desired only one thing: to find a welcoming heart,” he said. “That is all that mattered to him as he found himself defenseless in the face of death. The Lord heard the sinner’s prayer, even at the end, as he always does.”

His brief encounter with Jesus on the cross was transformed into an eternity at peace with him, which should prompt people to reflect on how they meet Christ, the pope said.

“How do I encounter Jesus? Or better yet, how do I let Jesus meet me? Do I let him meet me or do I close myself off in my selfishness, in my pain, in my self-sufficiency?” Pope Francis asked. “Do I feel like a sinner and let the Lord meet me, or do I feel righteous and say, ‘I don’t need you’ and just move on?”

Tagaytay, Luzon, Philippines, November 1, 2024

Photo: exarchate.asia     

On October 30, 2024, staff members of the Department of Charity and Social Service of the Philippine-Vietnamese Diocese organized the distribution of humanitarian aid to victims of Typhoon Trami, which struck Luzon Island and caused severe damage to residential buildings, claimed dozens of lives, and left several districts without water and electricity.

The aid was distributed to local families by Fr. David Grabbs and volunteers at Christ the Savior Church in the city of Tagaytay, reports the Patriarchal Exarchate of Southeast Asia.

The aid included rice and other food products, as well as canvas fabric for necessary temporary repairs to homes.

Trami hit the Philippines in late October and claimed more than 120 lives, then reached the coast of Vietnam, where more than two months’ worth of rainfall fell in just 24 hours. Many residents remain trapped in their homes as water levels remain high. According to rescue workers, while the city has experienced floods before, never of this magnitude. In total, approximately 25,000 people were evacuated from various districts in the Philippines due to the storm.

The diocese also Church helping those in need in PhilippinesThe area benefiting from the Church’s social service is constantly expanding, according to the diocesan report.

“>regularly feeds poor people in Tagaytay and other Filipino cities.

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Slobodskoy, Kirov Province, Russia, November 1, 2024

Photo: вятская-епархия.рф     

The glorification of a New Martyr of the Russian Orthodox Church from Vyatka was celebrated on Wednesday, October 30.

At its session Another New Martyr canonized by Russian Orthodox ChurchThe Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate resolved to canonize another saint among the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church.

“>in late July, the Holy Synod of the Russian Church resolved to canonize Hieromartyr Alexei Lopatin, who was martyred by the godless authorities in 1918.

He was also included in the Synaxis of the Saints of Vyatka, which was celebrated on Wednesday. The service at the Cathedral of St. Catherine in Slobodskoy, Kirov Province, including the glorification of St. Alexei, was led by His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Vyatka, reports Patriarchia.ru.

Before Communion, Archpriest Andrei Lebedev offered a homily about the day’s festivities. He recounted how St. Alexei served until his martyrdom in 1918, when he was executed for defending the Church during persecutions. He explained how the nuns of Piksur Мonastery later documented St. Alexei’s life story, leading to his canonization. Finally, he urged the congregation to celebrate with Paschal joy and bring their families back to the Church, remembering those who preserved the faith in difficult times.

Photo: вятская-епархия.рф     

At the end of the service, Met. Mark addressed the faithful with an archpastoral word:

Dear brothers and sisters, our Synaxis of Saints of the Vyatka Land has been joined by another ascetic of piety: By the decision of the Holy Synod, for the height of his pious life and steadfastness in confessing the faith during the years of persecution, the new martyr St. Alexei Lopatin has been numbered among the saints. And as we have heard in the prayers, the New Martyrs and Confessors are the adornment of our land. Indeed, this is so because, by showing steadfastness in faith, demonstrating the height of pious life and through fulfillment of Christ’s commandments and life in Christ, they became heirs of eternal life with God, not only here on Earth did they come into the joy of communion with God, but also in the Heavenly Kingdom. Looking upon their way of life, imitating their way of life, we too will have hope through their prayers to become heirs of eternal life with God.

***

Photo: sr.isa.ru Archpriest Alexei Lopatin was born in 1868 in Kukarka, Vyatka Governorate, and graduated from the Vyatka Theological Seminary.

From 1890 until October 1916, Fr. Alexei served in the Holy Transfiguration Church in the village of Verkhovino. From 1906, he served as the dean of the 4th deanery district of the Orlov district and was a law teacher in several schools.

The pastor repeatedly participated as a deputy in the Vyatka Diocesan congresses and was a member of the preparatory commission for conducting diocesan congresses. In addition, Fr. Alexei was a member of the Vyatka Brotherhood of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Orthodox Missionary Society, the Orlov Guardianship of Public Sobriety, and so on. For his work, the pastor was awarded various Church honors. In October 1916, Fr. Alexei was appointed rector of the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in Slobodskoy and elevated to the rank of archpriest, and in February 1917, he became the dean of local city churches.

In January 1918, Bishop Nikander of Vyatka and Slobodskoy sent Fr. Alexei the “Appeal of the Holy Council to the Orthodox People Regarding the Decree of the People’s Commissars on Freedom of Conscience” adopted by the Council of the Orthodox Russian Church of 1917-1918, calling for unity in defense of Orthodox holy sites and relics.

According to the bishop’s instructions, this appeal was to be read in the churches of the city of Slobodskoy and the faithful were to be called to defend the holy faith. Fulfilling the bishop’s instructions, Fr. Alexei convened a deanery meeting on January 30 during which he condemned the persecutions of the Church that were then beginning. In conclusion, Fr. Alexei invited the members of the assembly to discuss ways to protect the Church against violence from the local Soviet authorities. The clear and courageous position of the clergy of Slobodskoy was largely due to the firmness of Fr. Alexei.

On Sunday, April 21, 1918, Fr. Alexei delivered a sermon to the parishioners of the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, in which, narrating the life of St. Mary of Egypt, he compared the modern life of the Russian people to the first half of this saint’s life. He said: “We have abandoned the precepts of our ancestors; we have ceased to fulfill our Christian duties.”

On the same day, the Red Guards arrested Fr. Alexei twice and took him to investigative commission. At the request of the parishioners, the pastor was initially released, but at midnight he was arrested again and transferred to the Vyatka Correctional House. Fr. Alexei behaved courageously during interrogations, denying all the charges against him.

At the request of Bp. Nikander, Fr. Alexei was released along with other arrested Vyatka pastors for the Paschal holiday. However, on May 23, 1918, his apartment was searched, followed by a repeated arrest. The Ural Cheka sentenced Fr. Alexei to the highest measure of punishment, and the pastor was shot on August 25, 1918, in the city of Vyatka.

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When the Dodgers recorded the final out of the 2024 World Series on Oct. 30 against the New York Yankees, it was an emotional victory for players, coaches, staff, and fans.

But there were other winners that night, namely Catholic school students.

Thanks to a friendly wager made between Los Angeles Archbishop José H. Gomez and New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan on Oct. 25 before Game 1 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium, more than $20,000 was raised using the site, baseballunites.com, to benefit Catholic school students in both cities’ archdioceses. 

Having their team win the World Series, the LA Archdiocese will receive 60% of the funds raised, which will go toward the Catholic Education Foundation of Los Angeles. But don’t feel too bad for Yankee fans: their archdiocese will still receive 40% of the funds to benefit the New York-based John Cardinal O’Connor School.

The Catholic Education Foundation of Los Angeles provides tuition assistance to needy students attending Catholic schools in the LA Archdiocese. The John Cardinal O’Connor School in New York provides a Christ-centered, language-based curriculum for students in grades 2-8 who have learning disabilities, speech impairments, or learning differences.

Archbishop Gomez and Cardinal Dolan had also wagered regionally beloved treats: New York-style bagels and some sweets from Randy’s Donuts. Dolan is expected to deliver the bagels to Gomez during the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Fall Plenary Assembly on Nov. 11-14 in Baltimore.

“What a great World Series,” Archbishop Gomez said. “Not only because the Dodgers won. Certainly, that was great. But it was also just fun to watch, both teams played such good baseball every night. So, thank you to all the players, and a special thank you to everyone who supported our Baseball Unites campaign to help Catholic schools. I’m looking forward to some New York bagels. Go Blue!”

“Congratulations to the Dodgers on a great season and World Series and to my brother, Archbishop Gomez, and I hope he enjoys his bagels,” Cardinal Dolan said. “Even more, my thanks to all who participated in our Baseball Unites campaign in support of Catholic education and our great schools. That makes us all winners, especially our kids.”

The World Series also featured two prominent players who had ties to the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Jack Flaherty, the Dodgers’ starting pitcher who started Game 1 and the title-clinching Game 5, was a middle-school student at Incarnation School in Glendale. Giancarlo Stanton, the Yankees’ powerful designated hitter, graduated from Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks — where he was better known as Mike — before being selected in the MLB Draft.

The Dodgers’ World Series win was the team’s first full-season championship since 1988. The team won the World Series in the COVID-shortened 60-game 2020 season. Hundreds of thousands of fans lined up in downtown Los Angeles and at Dodger Stadium for a championship parade on Nov. 1.

To learn more, visit baseballunites.com.