Tag: Christianity

Christians should not see the Nicene Creed simply as a list of things they believe, but they should look at it with awe because it recounts the greatness of God’s love and gift of salvation, said members of the International Theological Commission.

“Nicaea presents the reality of the work of redemption: In Christ, God saves us by entering into history. He does not send an angel or a human hero, but comes himself into human history, being born of a woman, Mary, into the people of Israel and dying in a specific historical period, ‘under Pontius Pilate,’” the scholars said.

Members of the commission, who are appointed by the pope and advise the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, released the document, “Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior: 1700th Anniversary of the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea (325-2025).”

The document was approved by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the dicastery and president of the commission, and its publication was authorized by Pope Francis.

The document was released April 3 in French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. An English translation is being prepared.

The Council of Nicaea met in 325 in what is now Iznik, Turkey. It was the first of the “ecumenical” councils that gathered bishops from all Christian communities.

“Its profession of faith and canonical decisions were promulgated as normative for the whole church,” the theological commission members said. “The unprecedented communion and unity aroused in the church by the Jesus Christ event are made visible and effective in a new way by a structure of universal scope, and the proclamation of the good news of Christ in all its immensity also receives an instrument of unprecedented authority and scope.”

While the wording of the Creed was refined at the Council of Constantinople in 381, the commission said, its basic affirmations were defined at Nicaea and continue to form the essential profession of faith for all Christians.

In reciting what technically is the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, “we confess that the transcendent Truth is written in history and acts in history,” the document said. “That is why Jesus’ message cannot be disassociated from his person: he is ‘the way, the truth and the life’ for everyone and not just one teacher of wisdom among others.”

Celebrating the 1,700th anniversary of the council should give new energy to evangelization efforts, the document said.

To use the Creed as the starting point for proclaiming Jesus as savior, it said, means first “to be amazed” by the immensity of Christ’s love and obedience “so that all may be amazed” and “to revive the fire of our love for the Lord Jesus, so that all may burn with love for him.”

“Proclaiming Jesus as our salvation from the faith expressed at Nicaea does not lead to ignoring the reality of humanity,” it said. “It does not distract from the sufferings and shocks that torment the world and today seem to undermine all hope.”

“Rather,” it said, “it confronts these difficulties by confessing the only redemption possible, purchased by the one who has known in the very depths of his being the violence of sin and rejection, the loneliness of abandonment and death and who, from the abyss of evil, has risen to carry us, in his victory, to the glory of the resurrection.”

What is more, the theologians said, “the faith of Nicaea, in its beauty and grandeur, is the common faith of all Christians. All are united in the profession of the Symbol of Nicaea-Constantinople, even if not all give an identical status to this council and its decisions.”

Still, they said, celebrating the anniversary together is “an invaluable opportunity to emphasize that what we have in common is much stronger, quantitatively and qualitatively, than what divides us: all together, we believe in the triune God; in Christ true man and true God; in salvation in Jesus Christ, according to the Scriptures read in the Church and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit; together, we believe in the Church, baptism, the resurrection of the dead and eternal life.”

The Creed also should inspire hope among individuals as they recognize in various lines how God created them, loves them, saves them and will bring them to him at the end of time, the document said.

“Moreover,” it said, “hope in ‘the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come’ attests to the immense value of the individual person, who is not destined to disappear into nothingness or into the whole but is called to an eternal relationship with that God who chose each person before the foundation of the world.”

The International Theological Commission also asked people to consider their affirmation that the church is “one, holy, catholic and apostolic.”

Christians profess and believe, the commission said, that “the Church is one beyond its visible divisions, holy beyond the sins of its members and the errors committed by its institutional structures,” as well as universal and apostolic in a way that goes beyond cultural and national tensions that have plagued it at different times in its history.

One goal of the council was to establish a common date for Easter to express the unity of the church, the document said. Unfortunately, since the reform of the calendar in the late 1500s, Easter on the Julian calendar used by some Orthodox churches coincides only occasionally with Easter on the Gregorian calendar used throughout the West and by many Eastern Christians.

The different dates for celebrating “the most important feast” on the Christian calendar “creates pastoral discomfort within communities, to the point of dividing families, and causing scandal among non-Christians, thus damaging the witness given to the Gospel,” the document said.

In 2025, however, the calendars coincide, which the theologians said should give more energy to the dialogue aimed at finding agreement.

In late January, Pope Francis affirmed again the Catholic position, officially taken by St. Paul VI in the 1960s: if Eastern Christians agree on a way to determine a common date for Easter, the Catholic Church will accept it.

Toronto, April 2, 2025

Photo: liturgija.mk     

A prayer service and humanitarian event was held over the weekend at the Macedonian Orthodox cathedral Toronto in memory of the more than 200 people who were either killed or injured in a nightclub fire in North Macedonia last month.

A fire broke out at the Pulse nightclub in Kočani early on the morning of Sunday, March 16, where fans, many of them teenagers, were packed in watch the hip hop band DNK. The blaze left 59 dead and more than 160 injured. The primate of the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishop, His Beatitude Archbishop Stefan of Skopje, made a Macedonian Church primate urges peace and unity amid protests over deadly nightclub fireThe Archbishop urges the faithful to maintain peace and dignity while mourning, as they pray for the souls of the deceased and recovery of the injured.

“>plea for prayer and unity as protests erupted over the tragedy.

And on Saturday, March 29, Macedonian Orthodox clergy and faithful from Canada and America gathered at the St. Clement of Ohrid Cathedral in Toronto to offer material support to those who are suffering, reports liturgija.mk.

The event began with a memorial parastas for the repose of the deceased and a moleben for the recovery of the injured. After the prayer service, Protopresbyter Siniša Ristovski, Archiepiscopal Deputy and Dean of the Macedonian Diocese of America and Canadia, emphasized the importance of unity among the Macedonian people in the diaspora, who have always empathized with the severe misfortunes that have occurred in their homeland.

Then a charity dinner was held in the packed church hall. “Humanitarian Macedonians donated financial resources with the hope of bringing comfort and hope to those who are suffering.”

Photo: liturgija.mk     

For this humanitarian event, iconographer Georgi Danevski created an icon of the Lord Jesus Christ that was auctioned to support victims. Kočani native Michael Georgiev purchased it for approximately $14,800 (20,000 CAD), demonstrating his commitment to humanitarian causes. The event raised about $37,000 (50,000 CAD) altogether from the Macedonian Orthodox community, with individual church donations still expected. The campaign aims to collect roughly $74,000 USD (100,000 CAD) in total over the coming weeks.

The evening was the joint effort of the priests, parish councils, and women’s groups of six different Macedonian Orthodox churches in Canada.

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A representative of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal said it is not considering the removal of artwork by Father Marko Rupnik days after the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France announced it would cover mosaics created by the disgraced priest.

In a statement sent to OSV News April 3, Patrícia Duarte, the shrine’s spokesperson, said that the shrine “categorically repudiates the acts” allegedly committed by Father Rupnik “and has already expressed its solidarity with the victims.”

“As for the mosaic panel from the Centro Aletti, which is located in the Basilica of the Most Holy Trinity, we are not considering its removal,” Duarte said.

However, the spokeswoman told OSV News that since being made aware of the allegations against Father Rupnik, the shrine had “suspended the use of the image, the entirety of the work, and its details in our promotional materials.”

Dedicated in 2007, the Basilica of the Holy Trinity is located on the grounds of the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, the site of the famed apparitions of Mary to three shepherd children.

Father Rupnik and the Centro Aletti, the artistic community he founded, were hired by the basilica to create a mosaic behind the main altar. According to the website of the Diocese of Leiria-Fatima, the priest was commissioned in 2013 to create icons featuring two of the visionaries: Sts. Francisco and Jacinta Marto.

A former Jesuit, Father Rupnik, 70, was briefly excommunicated by the church in 2020 for absolving an Italian novice with whom he had sex. The excommunication was lifted after he repented.

The Jesuits disclosed in December 2022 that it had suspended the Slovenian artist after allegations of abuse had surfaced. However, the Jesuits said the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith dismissed the claims because the allegations surpassed the statute of limitations.

In June 2023, Father Rupnik was expelled from the Jesuits for refusing to obey restrictions imposed upon him related to the sexual, spiritual and psychological abuse of some two dozen women and at least one man over the course of 30 years. He was incardinated into the Diocese of Koper in his native Slovenia in August 2023.

The alleged victims of Father Rupnik have called for the removal of the priest’s artwork, saying it is a painful reminder of the abuse they suffered. One of his victims, Sister Samuelle, said she was abused while they were installing a mosaic.

Hundreds of Father Rupnik’s mosaics are displayed in churches, basilicas and shrines around the world, including the Vatican. Since the revelations of abuse against the priest, several of those shrines, including the St. John Paul II National Shrine in Washington and the Holy Family Chapel at the Knights of Columbus’ headquarters in New Haven, Connecticut, as well as the basilica in Lourdes, have opted to cover the mosaics out of respect for his victims.

Although the basilica at Fatima is not considering the removal of the artwork, its suspension of using Father Rupnik’s artwork in promotional materials falls in line with a request made in June 2024 by Boston Cardinal Seán P. O’Malley, as president of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, calling on the dicasteries of the Roman Curia to exercise “pastoral prudence” in displaying Father Rupnik’s artwork.

Cardinal O’Malley also said that while the presumption of innocence should be respected, Vatican offices should “exercise wise pastoral prudence and compassion toward those harmed by clerical sexual abuse.”

“Pope Francis has urged us to be sensitive to and walk in solidarity with those harmed by all forms of abuse. I ask you to bear this in mind when choosing images to accompany the publication of messages, articles, and reflections through the various communication channels available to us,” the cardinal said.

Cleveland, April 2, 2025

Photo: ​wkyc.com     

Restoration work continues at the Orthodox Church in America’s St. Theodosius Cathedral in Cleveland nearly a year after a Campaign launched to fund restorations at fire-damaged Cleveland cathedralA massive fire broke out at the church on May 28, especially damaging the central dome, which has since had to be completely dismantled.

“>devastating fire severely damaged the roof, and especially the central dome.

However, the work is proving to be much more expensive than initially anticipated.

“I don’t think we’re going to have enough,” Parish Council President Denise Pozderac told WKYC 3 in Cleveland. Bids on restoring just the interior—plaster, frescoes, etc.—are as much as $4–5 million, she said. And that’s not even counting the replacement of the roof and central dome.

There was much more damage to the roofing systema than initially thought, Pozderac said.

​

For now, the church is covered by a temporary roof and the faithful are meeting in the church hall next door.

Restoration efforts so far have been covered by insurance and help from the community.

“For us, it’s our home. It’s not just a church, just a building,” Pozderac said. The hope is for the cathedral to reopen by April 2026.

“For whatever reason this happened, and I look at it as a challenge to do the right thing, to give the glory to God, and to do my best as Parish Council President to hold the community together.”

Between tithe.ly and GoFundMe campaigns, the cathedral has raised just over $142,000 of the $1 million goal.

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The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has condemned an attack on Catholic pilgrims visiting churches near the city of Jabalpur along with the beating of senior diocesan officials there.

Allegedly injured in the assault was the vicar general and procurator of Jabalpur, who reportedly rushed to safeguard the pilgrims in the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India.

“Reports indicate that this is not an isolated incident but part of a disturbing pattern and strategy to create communal polarization and hostility towards religious minorities,” CBCI said in an April 1 press statement.

The bishops urged the federal ministers “to intervene to ensure … stringent action” against the culprits.

The CBCI described the assault on 52 pilgrims of Mandla parish as “deeply distressing.” The pilgrims traveled over 60 miles to Jabalpur, making a jubilee pilgrimage to churches in the city, when their bus was attacked on March 31 reportedly by Hindu fundamentalists.

The entire group, including parish priest Father John Quodros, was taken to the police station by the attackers, who were alleging that the Catholics were undertaking a criminal act of religious conversion.

One social media user uploaded a video of the assault showing Vicar General Father David George being hit on the head by a leader of the Hindu group.

The CBCI statement decried the assault on the pilgrims and the senior priests as “a shocking attack on religious freedom and human dignity.”

“The trouble started in front of our Holy Trinity Church when the pilgrims were boarding the bus” after Mass, Franciscan Missionaries of Mary Congregation Sister Taurina Vaz told CNA on April 2.

“When some people started questioning them, a policeman, sensing trouble, told the Catholics to rush away. Then I saw a young man taking a photo of the bus, and it seems it was forwarded to the mob that had gathered on the way for the assault,” Sister Taurina said.

The Hindu outfit Bajrang Dal reportedly stopped the bus near the parish church at Ranjhi, six miles away, and forced off all the pilgrims — mostly women and children — and heckled them, alleging that the group had been brought to be converted.

George in his complaint to the Jabalpur police chief pointed out that the key of the bus was snatched from the driver and the pilgrims were taken to the police station.

“As we heard the news, we rushed from the bishop’s house to the police station and tried to explain that the whole group were Catholics on pilgrimage to churches. But they were shouting ‘conversion’ and anti-Christian slogans and assaulted us. The policemen tried to shield us,” George told CNA.

Though hundreds of Christians of Jabalpur staged a protest on April 1 against the attack, police have not arrested anyone in connection with the attacks.

“I am going with [Jabalpur Bishop Valan Arasu] to meet the police chief to demand action against the culprits. They cannot just let the culprits get away,” George said.

Asked about the pilgrims and the parish priest, George said “they are safely back in Mandla.”

Jerusalem, April 2, 2025

Photo: ​Jerusalem Patriarchate     

The primates of the Jerusalem and Serbian Patriarchates served together at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem this morning.

His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije Patriarchs of Jerusalem and Serbia meet in the Holy LandHis Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia arrived in the Holy Land yesterday morning for a pilgrimage to the many holy sites there.

“>arrived in Jerusalem on March 31 for a pilgrimage throughout the Holy Land. With his entourage, he has already visited a number of sacred sites, including the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem, Holy Cross Monastery in Jerusalem, and the Monastery of St. Sabbas the Sanctified outside Jerusalem.

Photo: ​Jerusalem Patriarchate   

And this morning, Pat. Porfirije joined His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem in the celebration of the Presanctified Liturgy at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built on the site where our Lord was crucified, buried, and resurrected, reports the Jerusalem Patriarchate.

The primates were joined by other hierarchs and clerics from both Churches. The service was celebrated at the chapel erected specifically on the site of Golgotha.

Several videos were posted on the Church’s social media accounts:

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Kiev, April 3, 2025

Photo: ​ivint.org   

Since its establishment by the United Nations in 2007, World Autism Awareness Day has been observed annually on April 2.

For this day, the Liturgical Commission of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church composed a moleben for children suffering from the affliction of autism and for their prayers, reports the Church’s Information-Education Department.

The service entreats the intercessions of “Do Good As Long As Your Hands Are Warm”Whenever people came to Mother Alipia (Avdeeva; c. 1910-1988) of the Goloseevsky Hermitage [named after the Goloseevsky district in Kiev.—Trans.], a renowned twentieth-century holy eldress, and sought her help, she would tell them first to go to the grave of Hieromonk Alexei (Shepelev). “Go to the cemetery! A saint lies there,” the blessed nun used to say.

“>St. Alexei of Goloseevo, who was born mute and later miraculously healed and is venerated in the UOC as the patron of those with autism.

Autistic 12-year-old speaks for first time after venerating miraculous icon of St. Nicholas in UkraineHis teachers consider it a miracle.

“>In 2019, a miracle was recorded on the feast of St. Alexei when children and teachers from the Pearl Rehabilitation Center in Krivoy Rog, which works with children with autism and autism spectrum disorders, visited the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Having venerated a wonderworking icon of St. Nicholas there, a 12-year-old boy who had never spoken in his life uttered his first words.

***

Moleben for Children Suffering from the Affliction of Autism

Priest: Blessed is our God, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.

Reader: Glory to Thee, our God, glory to Thee.

O Heavenly King… Trisagion through Our Father…

For Thine is the Kingdom… Amen. Lord, have mercy. (12 times)

Glory both now. O come, let us worship…

Psalm 58

The Great Litany, with the added petitions:

That the parents of these suffering children may know the depth of Divine Love, bringing to mind the truth of Scripture: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life, let us pray to the Lord.

That the glory and mercy of God may be manifest upon the innocent suffering children of the Church, afflicted with the illness of autism, let us pray to the Lord.

That Christ’s own right hand may wipe away tears from the faces of suffering infants and children, to assuage their pain and the broken hearts of their parents, let us pray to the Lord.

That the mouths of these infants and children suffering from autism may be opened with word and heart to sing the glory of God, let us pray to the Lord.

That He may send down upon His servants [names] the spirit of wisdom and understanding, and implant in their hearts the Divine fear, let us pray to the Lord.

That He may visit His servants, the parents [names], with the grace of the Holy Spirit, and fill them with patience, let us pray to the Lord.

For their relatives and acquaintances who weep and suffer, awaiting Christ’s consolation, and that their prayers and sighs may be received, let us pray to the Lord.

That we and they may be delivered from all tribulation, wrath, and necessity, let us pray to the Lord.

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and keep us, O God, by Thy grace.

Commemorating our Most Holy, Most Pure, Most Blessed and glorious Lady the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another, and all our life unto Christ our God.

Choir: To Thee, O Lord.

Priest: For unto Thee are due all glory, honor, and worship, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.

God is the Lord, Tone 4:

Deacon: God is the Lord, and hath appeared unto us. Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

Verse 1: O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endureth forever.

Choir: God is the Lord, and hath appeared unto us. Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord.

(And for each verse)

Verse 2: Surrounding me they compassed me, and by the name of the Lord I warded them off.

Verse 3: I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.

Verse 4: The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

Troparion, Tone 4:

Choir: O Christ, Who alone art swift to help, show speedily Thy visitation from on high unto Thy suffering servants, fill them with Thy blessing, lead them unto salvation, and raise them up to life eternal in love for Thee, that they may sing and glorify Thee without ceasing, through the prayers of the Theotokos, O only Lover of mankind.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

Troparion, Tone 1:

Angel of the earth and man of Heaven, who labored in the habitations of Kiev, and settled in the Goloseevo wilderness, O Elder Alexei, our venerable father: Through fasting, prayers, and Divine grace being enlightened, thou didst guide thy spiritual children to life eternal. And now, having boldness before the Holy Trinity, thou healest various infirmities of those who come with faith to the shrine of thy relics, granting peace and salvation to our souls.

Both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

O Lady, receive the prayers of thy servants and deliver us from every necessity and sorrow.

Deacon: Let us attend. Wisdom!

Reader: The Prokimenon in the sixth tone:

Save, O Lord, Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance.

Choir: Save, O Lord, Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance.

Reader: Unto Thee, O Lord, will I cry, O my God, be not silent unto me.

Choir: Save, O Lord, Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance.

Reader: Save, O Lord, Thy people,

Choir: And bless Thine inheritance.

Deacon: Wisdom.

Reader: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Romans.

Deacon: Let us attend.

And the deacon or reader reads Romans 5:1-10

Priest: Peace be unto thee.

Reader: And to thy spirit.

Deacon: Wisdom.

Reader: In the fourth tone: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Choir: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Reader: My help cometh from the Lord, Who made Heaven and earth.

Choir: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Reader: Bring my soul out of prison.

Choir: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Deacon: That we may be accounted worthy to hear the Holy Gospel, let us pray to the Lord God.

Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice)

Deacon: Wisdom! Let us attend! Let us hear the Holy Gospel.

Priest: Peace be unto all.

Choir: And to thy spirit.

Priest: The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew. (Matthew 17:14-23)

Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.

Deacon: Let us attend.

And the deacon or priest reads Mt. 17:14-23

Choir: Glory to Thee, O Lord, glory to Thee.

The Augmented Litany:

Deacon: Have mercy upon us, O God, according to Thy great mercy, we pray Thee, hearken and have mercy.

Choir: Lord, have mercy. (Thrice, at each petition)

Deacon: Again we pray for our lord and father, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, and for our lord (commemorates the ruling bishop), and for all our brethren in Christ.

Again we pray for this God-protected land, its authorities and armed forces, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and piety.

O Christ our God, who didst willingly suffer innocently for us, and compassionately helpest those who suffer, bless with Thy goodness these infants and children, who innocently suffer from the illness of autism (names), that Thy glory may be manifest in them; let us all say, O Merciful Lover of mankind, quickly hearken and have mercy.

O Lord, Knower of hearts, enlighten with Thy light the hearts of the parents of these infants and children, bless them with patience, and guide them to every virtue, that they may give thanks for Thy loving-kindness; we pray Thee, O Christ the King, quickly hearken and have mercy.

Priest: Hear us, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea; and be merciful, be merciful, O Master, concerning our sins, and have mercy upon us. For Thou art a merciful God and lovest mankind, and unto Thee do we ascribe glory, to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.

Deacon: Let us pray to the Lord.

Choir: Lord, have mercy.

Priest: O Lord Jesus Christ our God, Who didst deign to serve the salvation of the human race, Who didst endure Thy terrible Passion, and even descended unto the Cross and burial; Who by Thy three-day Resurrection hast renewed human nature! Renew with Thy light the minds and hearts of these infants and children (names), who innocently suffer from the illness of autism, bless them, strengthen, establish and make them wise by Thy grace. O Lord, Who hast named those who serve their neighbors as Thy servants, bless with the virtue of patience the parents who serve these children, adorn them with the wisdom of the Gospel, subdue irritability and the ruin of anger, uproot the beginnings of envy, grant spiritual joy and complete trust in Thy good will, O God! With faith we fall down before Thee, O Good One, and offer the prayers of Thy favored one, our venerable and God-bearing father Alexei of Goloseevo; for in him Thy wondrous providence was made manifest, as by grace his mouth was opened, previously bound by illness, and he proclaimed the joy of Thy Resurrection. Therefore, hoping in Thy compassion and unspeakable mercy, understanding the depth of Thy love and the mystery of wisdom, we offer thanksgiving and glory to Thee, with the Father and Thy Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages.

Choir: Amen.

Deacon: Wisdom.

Priest: Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Choir: More honorable than the Cherubim, and more glorious beyond compare than the Seraphim, without corruption thou gavest birth to God the Word, true Theotokos, thee do we magnify.

Priest: Glory to Thee, O Christ our God and our Hope, glory to Thee.

Choir: Glory, both now. Lord, have mercy (Thrice). Father, bless.

Dismissal:

Priest: May Christ our true God, through the prayers of His Most Pure Mother, by the power of the precious and life-giving Cross, through the prayers of the holy Great-martyr and healer Panteleimon, of our venerable and God-bearing father Alexei of Goloseevo, and of all the saints, have mercy on us and save us, for as much as He is good and loveth mankind.

Choir: Amen.

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New York, April 3, 2025

Photo: archons.org     

The Archons of the Patriarchate of Constantinople have announced that this year’s recipient of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award will be former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The award will be presented on October 18 at the New York Milton Midtown Hotel, the Archons report.

As in past years, the award focuses on how the awardee has served the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Archon National Commander Anthony J. Limberakis explains that Pompeo “has consistently demonstrated a heartfelt and deeply informed concern for the rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and all of the religious minorities in Turkey, as well for the plight of all those around the world who have suffered for exercising their freedom of conscience.”

The announcement recalls Pompeo’s meetings with Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Elpidophoros during his tenure as Secretary of State. According to Limberakis he is “a staunch and steadfast defender of human rights.”

Pompeo also spoke at an Archons conference in 2024, the announcement recalls, at which he praised Pat. Bartholomew for granting autocephaly to the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine.”

During his time as Secretary of State, Pompeo met with and expressed support for “Metropolitan” Epiphany Dumenko and other OCU leaders. Dumenko is himself a Constantinople group gives human rights award to Epiphany as his church continues to persecute Ukrainian faithfulDumenko was solemnly awarded the Athenagoras Human Rights Award, given every year “to a person or organization that has consistently exemplified by action, purpose and dedication, concern for the basic rights and religious freedom of all people,” during the annual banquet of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle.

“>former recipient of the Archons’ human rights award, although his organization openly and violently persecutes the Orthodox Christians of Ukraine.

Pompeo has publicly Secretary Pompeo openly acknowledges U.S pressure on Churches to recognize Ukrainian schismaticsOrthoChristian has written of the U.S’s role in creating and propagandizing the OCU many times, and OCU hierarchs have even openly spoken about it at times. Pro-Constantinople and pro-schismatic hierarchs and media outlets have routinely dismissed such statements and reports as “Russian propaganda.”

“>acknowledged that with his help, the U.S. pressured for international recognition of the schismatic OCU, and OCU “bishops” themselves have Makary Maletich: Patriarch Bartholomew decided to grant autocephaly because he had U.S. supportIn a new interview with the Ukrainian outlet Channel 24, Makary Maletich states that were it not for the support of the U.S. along with Germany, France, and the UK, Pat. Bartholomew would never have dared to give the tomos.”>openly stated that Pat. Bartholomew was able to create the OCU in 2018 only because he had U.S. support.

Several months ago, Pompeo was pranked by famous Russian pranksters Vovan and Lexus. Thinking he was speaking with former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, the former Secretary of State said about the creation of the OCU:

I know, I was in the middle of it. I’m so proud of what happened. By the way, I think it has made a difference in the war. So I give His All-Holiness Bartholomew and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church [meaning the OCU—Ed.] leadership major honor for what they did.

And in his view, the idea that Zelensky and the OCU leadership are persecuting the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is “nutso.”

Other past recipients of the Athenagoras Human Rights Award include Archons to give Patriarch of Alexandria human rights award for helping Constantinople oppose the Russian ChurchArchon National Commander Anthony J. Limberakis explains that Pat. Theodoros was chosen because he supports Constantinople’s self-understanding as the first without equals and stands against the Moscow Patriarchate.

“>Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria, former Governor of New York Greek Orthodox group gives human rights award to pro-choice Gov. CuomoThis award has caused serious repercussions throughout the Orthodox Church, as well as among Catholics, as Gov. Cuomo is a staunch and unabashed promotor of abortion and same-sex marriage—two ”evils of the day” that the Orthodox Church can in no way condone.”>Andrew Cuomo, and President Joe Biden (Vice President at the time).

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Bucharest, April 3, 2025

Photo: romania-insider.com     

The Romanian Patriarchate decries the scandalous usage of Christian symbols in the play Prophet Elijah that recently premiered at the I. L. Caragiale National Theatre in Bucharest.

The play, which features a group of devotees in 1940s Poland crucifying their leader (who proclaimed himself the Prophet Elijah) in order to bring about the apocalypse, “sparked a wave of intense reactions immediately after the premiere,” reports Romania-Insider.com.

Given the wave of negative reactions, and even calls for a boycott, the theater issued a statement saying the play isn’t blasphemous and isn’t meant to offend the Christian faith. Rather, it is meant, according to director Botond Nagy, make the audience “examine their own beliefs in a new light and understand the true value of this miraculous human connection that is faith.”

According to the theater’s website, the play isn’t recommended for people under 18 because of emotionally disturbing scenes, licentious language, and scenes with sexual connotations.

Footage from the play has circulated online, showing a woman riding on top a cross that is being held up by several men on a rotating platform while another woman dance and writhes in a bra.

The Romanian Church weighed in on the controversy, with a statement from its press service on March 27, denouncing the distortion of the sacred:

Any cultural manifestation is beneficial and educational to the extent that it respects, without distorting, the sense of the sacred. Using religious symbols inappropriately, without valuing their liturgical meaning and spiritual heritage for universal history and culture, cannot represent a Christian valorization of them.

Respecting Christian symbols constitutes both a spiritual and cultural act that is important and necessary in an increasingly secularized world inclined toward an interpretation lacking discernment of spiritual life.

Therefore, we note with sadness the defamatory use of Christian religious symbols during the interpretation of the play Prophet Elijah and hope that in the future, cultural manifestations will continue to respect their sacred dimension, without in any way prejudicing their spiritual value.

Similarly, there have been two scandals at the Greek National Theater during Lent involving the blasphemous use of sacred Christian elements that have drawn criticism from Greek MP destroys blasphemous art display in AthensA Greek Member of Parliament was detained on Monday morning after he destroyed a blasphemous art display at the National Gallery in Athens.

“>politicians, Orthodox protests against blasphemous display in Greek National GalleryThe National Gallery in Athens, Greece, is currently hosting an exhibition entitled The Allure of the Bizarre, which features several blasphemous works.”>bishops, and even Mt. Athos condemns blasphemous art at Greek National GalleryThe holy monasteries of Mt. Athos have joined the chorus of those condemning the blasphemous display at the Greek National Gallery in Athens.”>Mt. Athos.

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Ukraine, April 3, 2025

On March 26, Met. Theodosy of Cherkasy tonsured four nuns, naming them in honor of the Royal Martyrs Olga, Maria, Tatiana, and Anastasia, and other in honor of St. Alipy of the Kiev Caves. Photo: Cherkasy.church.ua     

Nearly three dozen men and women of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church have given their lives to Christ in holy monasticism so far during this Great Lent.

It is often said that the state of a Local Church can be seen in the state of its monasticism. Thus, the vibrancy of the monastic vocation in the Ukrainian Church shows that it remains spiritually strong despite the ongoing war and the severe persecution from local and state authorities.

On March 27, two monks were tonsured at the Kiev Caves Lavra, in honor of St. Barlaam of the Caves and St. Anastasy of the Caves. Photo: lavra.ua     

According to reports gathered by Orthodox Life (see here, here, and here) and reports from the UOC’s Department for Information and Education (see here, here, and here), at least 35 monastics of all levels—riassaphore, stavrophore, and great schema—have taken monastics vows during Lent so far.

This includes 24 nuns and 10 monks across 17 monasteries, convents, cathedrals, and theological academies.

Today, there are more than 300 active monasteries in the UOC, with about 5,000 monks and nuns serving Christ in the angelic habit.

Meanwhile, the schismatic “Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” has, as of 2021 (the last time it published the relevant data), 79 monasteries with 233 monastics (62 of whom are “bishops”), meaning there are an average of 2 monastics in each of its monasteries.

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