Tag: Christianity

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — After experiencing progressive improvement the past few days, Pope Francis experienced “an isolated crisis of bronchospasm” which led to coughing and “vomiting with inhalation,” which worsened his respiratory condition, the Vatican said.

The pope had spent the morning “alternating respiratory physiotherapy with prayer in the chapel” in his suite of rooms on the 10th floor of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, according to the Vatican bulletin Feb. 28. He had also received the Eucharist.

However, around 2 p.m. local time, the pope experienced “an isolated crisis of bronchospasm” followed by “an episode of vomiting,” according to the Vatican’s evening medical bulletin.

Medical staff promptly aspirated the pope’s airways to remove any obstruction “and began noninvasive mechanical ventilation, with a good response on gas exchange,” that is, with his blood’s oxygen levels returning to the levels he had before the crisis.

The Vatican said, “The Holy Father remained alert and oriented at all times, cooperating with the therapeutic procedures.”

His prognosis remains guarded, which means, a Vatican source said, that the pope is still not out of danger.

The source said the mechanical ventilation entails pumping a greater amount of oxygen mixed with air delivered through a mask covering the pope’s nose and mouth. It offers a greater flow of oxygen than the “ventimask” that he had been using since Feb. 27 and the nasal cannula, which he had been using previously when he needed it.

Doctors will need another 24 to 48 hours to see if his condition worsens from having inhaled vomit, the source said. Usually, people who experience this have “worse consequences,” but the pope overcame the crisis.

The source said the pope is in good spirits, vigilant and reacts normally to his surroundings. The source added the pope has received “an incredible amount” of cards, letters, drawings and flowers from children and well-wishers.

The pope had experienced an asthmatic breathing crisis Feb. 22, in which the pope could not breathe, the source said. The crisis Feb. 28 was a coughing fit, which led to vomiting. Inhaling vomit can lead to irritation, infection or inflammation of lung tissue.

While Pope Francis’ condition had continued to improve, the Vatican announced Feb. 28 that he would not lead his traditional Ash Wednesday services in Rome March 5.

Instead, the Vatican said, the Ash Wednesday procession from the Rome Church of St. Anselm to the Basilica of Santa Sabina for Mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the major penitentiary or head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, a church court dealing with matters of conscience.

The Vatican announcement Feb. 28 came after a brief morning bulletin that said the pope had had a peaceful night and was resting.

A source later said the pope got out of bed, had breakfast, was reading newspapers and was continuing to receive his treatment and doing his respiratory physiotherapy. Pope Francis, 88, has been undergoing treatment for double pneumonia in Rome’s Gemelli hospital since Feb. 14.

As of Feb. 26, the evening bulletins had no longer been describing the pope’s condition as “critical” as they had each day since Feb. 22 when he had the “asthmatic respiratory crisis.” He began receiving high-flow oxygen through a nasal cannula after that incident and, as of Feb. 27, after the pope’s breathing had improved enough, he was alternating between using the high-flow oxygen and using a “ventimask,” which offers a steady and controlled lower-flow of oxygen.

The Vatican also announced that Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and an Argentine like the pope, would lead the rosary in St. Peter’s Square Feb. 28. Cardinals have been leading a nightly rosary to pray for the pope since Feb. 24.

As of Feb. 28, the Vatican had not said what would happen with the midday recitation of the Angelus prayer March 2.

The previous two Sundays the Vatican released the text the pope had prepared for the Angelus, but the pope was not able to not send an audio message or go to the window of his hospital room to greet people gathered in the hospital courtyard to pray for him.

Rostuše, North Macedonia, February 19, 2025

Met. Mark serving at Bigorsky Monastery. Photo: bigorski.org.mk     

His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia’s eldest hierarch, wrapped up his pilgrimage to the holy sites of the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric on Monday.

ROCOR’s Metropolitan Mark on pilgrimage to Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid ArchbishopricHis Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Berlin and Germany, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia’s eldest hierarch, is currently leading a pilgrimage to the holy sites of the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric.

“>Last week, he visited the MOC primate, His Beatitude Archbishop Stefan of Ohrid, and various historical churches and monasteries, including the famous Lesnovo Monastery.

Bp. Parthenius, abbot of Bigorsky (left), Met. Mark (right). Photo: bigorski.org.mk     

On Sunday, February 16, the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, the Metropolitan led a pilgrimage group to the 11th-century St. John the Baptist-Bigorsky Monastery, one of the MOC’s most well-known sites today. Met. Mark had long desired to visit Bigorsky, having heard much about it from his friend, the famous Macedonian philologist Blaže Koneski, the monastery reports.

“With spiritual joy, the hierarch presided over [Saturday night’s] vigil, and this morning, in the monastic spirit of silence and prayer, he officiated the Divine Eucharist, concelebrating with our beloved Elder, Bishop Parthenius of Antania, and the brotherhood of clergy,” the report states.

Photo: bigorski.org.mk     

Following the Liturgy, Met. Mark spoke to the faithful about obedience as the foundation of the Christian life, emphasizing the example of St. Simeon the God-Receiver.

“This spiritual encounter was truly a blessing for our monastery, filled with love, communion, and repentant joy, all of which prepare us for the holy ascetic journey of the Fast—the path of returning to the house of our Heavenly Father.”

Photo: mpc-spe.mk     

The next day, the ROCOR hierarch paid another visit to Abp. Stefan, this time bringing the group of German pilgrims with him.

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Sasha. Artist: Maria Vishnyak Icons should first of all attune you to prayer. If you’re just standing in front of an icon, thinking how well it was painted (or, sadly, how poorly it was painted), that’s wrong. We must stand prayerfully in front of icons and not just stand there; and if you are able to pray, then you can evaluate the artistic skill and reflect on how it was painted. And it is not at all difficult to stand prayerfully in front of many icons created by the hand of Alexander Sokolov.

Anyone who thinks about what modern icons should be like and who studies icon painting should definitely visit the exhibition of Alexander Sokolov’s works, which is being held at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. It is called “Seeing Love” and is dedicated to the memory of the icon-painter: this February marks the tenth anniversary of his death. The exhibition is not a must because you want to paint in this style later or other things. It’s not about that, but about the iconographer’s attitude to what he does: Alexander’s attitude was vivid, real and profound.

The exhibition begins with Alexander Sokolov’s portrait at work, 1988–1989, painted by the artist Maria Vishnyak, the iconographer’s wife. I probably should write, “the iconographer’s widow”, but I can’t; we still see them side by side, together, as two bright inseparable parts of one whole. Maria is a portrait painter, and even in her student days she conveyed the character of an iconographer—contemplative and deep.

The First Spring. Artist: Maria Vishnyak     

At the exhibition, works by Maria Vishnyak are side by side with Alexander Sokolov’s, just as they walked side by side, together, through life. This arrangement of the works conveys a true sense of unity, this “togetherness”: Maria’s singing and joyful landscapes and flowers as admiration of this world, and Alexander Sokolov’s icons as the reality of the Heavenly realm.

The Church of the Protection on the Nerl River. Artist: Maria Vishnyak     

Alexander Sokolov was an iconographer who reflects theologically and thinks. It was simply impossible for him to copy one or another image thoughtlessly without comprehending and understanding it in any way.

Alexander perceived icon painting as a path, as an ascetic labor, as work on the improvement of his soul. He walked this path, and eventually painted profound works for the Church and for the faithful…

The artist Maria Vishnyak by the portrait of her husband Alexander Sokolov     

The exhibition once again reminds us of the great iconographer’s scale. The overall impression is immersion in the artist’s work and awareness that we must all be genuinely devoted to the Church and to creative work as was Sokolov. Even his sketches look like real works of art; in them you can already see how Alexander Sokolov was able to find images, emphasizing the most important things. For example, the icon of the Savior from the waist up (engraving on gesso, 2014), the icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (engraving on gesso, 2014), etc.

There are sketches, icons and icon frames by Alexander, as well as his stone carving experiments at the exhibition. But many of his works are in churches and private collections in Russia and abroad, and so naturally it is impossible to see his monumental projects at the exhibition. But thanks to large-scale photographs of his works, viewers can see Alexander Sokolov’s works quite fully.

For example, while still a young iconographer, Alexander Sokolov painted the Icon of the Mother of God, “The Inexhaustible Cup”, in 1993, now in the Vysotsky Monastery in Serpukhov near Moscow, which became famous for its miracles. Alexander took this fact very sensibly and soberly, without taking credit for it at all:

“For a person who participates in the Church sacraments, miracles are common. After all, we believe in the miracle that bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ, we believe that we ourselves partake of Eternal Life through Communion, and this is much more than healing from some physical illness,” the iconographer used to say.

Icon of the Mother of God, “The Inexhaustible Cup”. Iconographer: Alexander Sokolov     

What beautiful and spiritual icons of the Most Holy Theotokos he painted! They combine sorrow—for Her Son, for people and for everyone—and love. It is the love that Alexander Sokolov was able to see in his icons. Among the icons of the Mother of God displayed at the exhibition are the Kazan (2014), Lyubyatov (2013), and Vladimir (2013) icons.

The Lyubyatov Icon of the Mother of God. Iconographer: Alexander Sokolov     

Of special note is a large printed version of the icon of the holy Royal Martyrs, painted by Alexander Sokolov in 2000, which is kept on Valaam. The iconographer painted their icons more than once, and in this particular version the Tsar and Tsarevich Alexei are depicted in military uniforms. It is considered more correct to depict the Sovereign in ancient Russian royal garments, but in this case the uniform does not look exactly military: it is perceived as an ascetic garment, a symbol of self-denial, the renunciation of his own life. Such an image of St. Nicholas II, as on the icon painted by Alexander Sokolov, is very consistent with the letter in which Princess Olga Nikolaevna cites her father’s words, calling on everybody not to avenge him, but only to pray for all… The ascetic nature of the garments of the Sovereign and the Tsarevich, the robes of the Tsarina and the Grand Duchesses, in which there is red—the color of martyrdom and royalty—all this works to create a deep iconic image.

The icon of the Royal Martyrs. Iconographer: Alexander Sokolov     

As already mentioned, the monumental projects of the iconographer—the frescoes of churches—are displayed as well. For instance, the expressive murals of the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Mytishchi near Moscow.

Paintings in the apse of the church in Mytishchi. Iconographer: Alexander Sokolov     

There are also some works that can no longer be seen in their original form—the frescoes at the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God, “The Life-Giving Spring”, in Tsaritsyno in the south of Moscow, which were lost, or simply destroyed (how deplorable it is to write about it). There were some Old Testament scenes that are not so often found in church paintings of modern days, which were theologically interpreted by the iconographer. For example, among the images on the theme of the story of Abel and Cain there is a scene in which Adam and Eve mourn Abel’s death—for the first time in the history of mankind, parents mourn their the death of their child…

Cain and Abel. From the lost murals of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God, “The Life-Giving Spring”, in Tsaritsyno     

In order to change the effect of sin in the world there will be another Mourning later, when the Mother will press Herself to the image of Her Son. Alexander Sokolov follows an ancient tradition that has existed since the time of early Christian art, when through showing Old Testament events viewers can see events of the New Testament…

Monumental compositions, large icons, small and tiny ones—you want to examine each of them closely, and, regardless of size, each icon is a profound image.

After visiting the exhibition a very calm feeling remains in you, which is the opposite of both indifference and excessive emotion. This is the calm of spiritual tension; because when an iconographer really works, the result is always a “window into the Heavenly realm”, and this can be said about all of Alexander Sokolov’s icons.

The exhibition at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior will last until February 26, 2025.

    

Great LentGreat Lent

“>Lent is the season given to Orthodox Christians for sincere Spiritual FastingLet the mind fast, not permitting empty and bad thoughts; let the heart fast, refraining from sinful feelings; let our will fast, directing all our desires and intentions to the one thing needful…”>prayer, repentance, temporary abstinence from food and worldly blessings on the threshold of the most important feast of Holy Pascha. Fasting allows the faithful to purify their minds and bodies, getting rid of excesses, unnecessary desires and material needs. “Through Fasting, We Realize Our Belonging to the Body of Christ”Many people, especially young people, have several objections to fasting: What benefit does it bring? Why do I have to fast and what is the meaning of this present Fast?”>Fasting is a time of renunciation from evil thoughts and deeds, resentment and anger. This period is given to us to turn to God, to remember Him, forgetting about the bustle of this world.

Lent originated as the commemoration of the Savior’s forty-day fasting in the wilderness: for forty days Jesus Being… tempted of the devil. And in those days He did eat nothing: and when they were ended, He afterward hungere (Lk. 4:2). Fasting came to the early Christians from the Old Testament. At that time it meant total abstinence from food (from several hours to several days) and represented “a sacrifice in which a person sacrificed himself.”

In the modern world the pattern of observing Lent has changed. Today believers seem to have forgotten about the true mission of this period, and only a few actually spend this time with benefit for their souls and bodies. Many people tend to think that fasting is only about abstaining from food. For example, some, while abstaining from meat, can spend hours browsing social media in search of entertaining content. Others tend to believe that this period is a wonderful opportunity to get your body in good shape and lose weight, arranging a so–called detox for your body, combining the useful with the agreeable, as it were. “But he’s fasting! He doesn’t eat meat and doesn’t drink milk…” And it’s hard to argue with that. But is it really fasting?

Nowadays, there are countless news portals and blogs offering various tips on how to “live through” Lent. There is a great variety of such “fasting” dishes that allow you to fast without infringing on your usual eating habits: sausage without meat, milk without milk, even fasting desserts and cakes. The internet is full of millions of variations of cooking fasting desserts that resemble the tastes of the “non-fasting” originals so much that you can’t tell the difference. It may seem to be a real “salvation” for those observing Lent!

Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man (Mt. 15:11). This is such a simple but meaningful phrase that points to the true mission of any fast. What good does it do us if we limit ourselves, keep the gastronomic fast and do not eat meat, but “eat” our neighbor? It stereotypically seems to us that fasting is strictness and the absence of animal products in our diet. In other words, “we don’t eat meat, but no one forbade us to judge.” But, on the contrary, at this time we must direct all our efforts to get closer to the Lord, help our neighbor, not to judge, not to be rude, but to learn to love. “What you have done to men, you have done to Me” (cf. Mt. 25:40), the Lord tells us.

    

Just love,
Just don’t judge,
Just don’t be sad,
And just forgive everyone!

(A poem by Archpriest Andrei Logvinov)

Lent is a “preparatory course” of earthly life that teaches us the skills of patience and humility before meeting the Risen Christ. This is an opportunity to show Him our love in the form of such a small “sacrifice”.

Warsaw, February 18, 2025

Photo: orthodox.pl     

The Polish Orthodox Church hosted the World Day of Orthodox Youth again this year in Warsaw. The event, which drew young Orthodox faithful from throughout the world, was held February 14–16.

The main festivities began on February 15 with the Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Meeting of the Lord celebrated by the Polish primate, His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa, reports the Polish Orthodox Church.

The outdoor and artistic portion took place in the Mokotów Sports and Recreation Center hall. There, His Eminence Archbishop Grzegorz of Bielsk addressed the participants, emphasizing the need to return to conciliar problem-solving and the great value of international cooperation. He also spoke about how this year is the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council, during which the Nicene Creed was composed.

The youth also heard from Mother Miriam (Jurczuk), a Polish nun living in Jerusalem. She spoke about the history of pilgrimage, which relates to the 40-year wandering of the Jews and the journeys of the Holy Forefathers. She noted that while Orthodoxy does not require pilgrimage to holy places, they can definitely help strengthen our faith.

Photo: orthodox.pl     

There was also a presentation from Athanasios Katigas, a Greek taxi driver and author of Tears of Repentance: True Experiences in a Greek Taxi Cab. He spoke about his personal experiences, his journey from a life of comfort and entertainment to repentance and contrition, to tears brought about by a short sermon from a priest.

“The authenticity of the story was emphasized by the author’s voice breaking several times when speaking about the feelings associated with his conversion,” the report states.

The Orthodox youth also enjoyed songs and dances from various national traditions.

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When the recent Los Angeles fires forced the local Capuchin Franciscan friars to evacuate, they sought shelter at the Pasadena Convention Center along with hundreds of others.

There, they noticed that people were hungry — and decided to do something about it.

“It became very apparent that there was a need for food,” Capuchin Franciscan Father Christopher Iwancio, who runs the friars’ “Capuchin Family Kitchen” food truck, told OSV News. “I looked at one of our brothers … and said, ‘Hey, do you think we can get the truck going for these folks?’”

That question sparked a major effort led by the friars that hundreds of people joined, whether through volunteering or donations. In mid-January, the friars began serving not only evacuees at the convention center but also first responders stationed at the nearby Rose Bowl stadium.

Later on, they worked with World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit that provides food to those impacted by natural disasters and humanitarian crises, to set up an official food site at the friars’ residence at St. Francis High School in La Cañada Flintridge.

Normally, the food truck, which relies on donations, delivers a couple hundred meals on any given week to people who are homeless in Southern California. In the aftermath of the fires, in the span of a week and a half, it served around 4,000 meals. It also gave people something else: A message of hope and accompaniment.

“We can’t bring back people’s possessions and homes, we can’t snap our fingers and just make everything reappear,” Father Iwancio said. “But we can provide accompaniment (and let them know) that God is with them and they do not walk alone in their suffering, they do not walk alone in the challenges they face.”

“You’re not just feeding the body, you’re also helping feed the soul,” he added. “You’re there to listen to people, to give comfort as they break down and cry.”

While St. Francis, where six friars reside, was closed for a week, the school was not harmed, he said. The college preparatory school for boys founded by the Capuchin Franciscan friars is located by Eaton Canyon and Altadena, which were hit by the Eaton fire. The flames and smoke were visible from the school balcony; when the friars returned, they did a blessing from the balcony with the Eucharist in the monstrance.

Father Iwancio, who serves as coordinator of the Spirit and Life program and religious studies instructor at St. Francis, estimated that at least 75 students asked to volunteer with them in addition to at least 20 staff and faculty members. Alumni and other families also contributed, including by putting together snack bags that were handed out in addition to meals.

“We were proud of our students who volunteered their time and effort and grateful to the friars who ran the Capuchin Franciscan food truck,” Tracy Traver, principal of St. Francis, told OSV News in an email. “During difficult times, we truly see the good in our community. Our prayers continue to be with all those families affected by the Eaton Fire.”

Father Iwancio said the food truck recently resumed its normal operation of serving people who are homeless.

“But we’ve seen an uptick,” he said. “There are a lot more homeless now because the housing crisis has now just been exacerbated further by these fires.”

As for the friars, they’re expanding their fire relief efforts.

“The food was just round one,” Father Iwancio said. “Once people got settled into where they needed to and the fire containment got a little bit better, we started ferrying supplies to people who needed (them).”

Those supplies include PPE, or personal protection equipment, such as coveralls, booties, respirators and goggles “just so people can get back into homes.” Now, he said, the friars are also beginning to hand out air purifiers.

Father Iwancio revealed that he has helped with relief efforts before, with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, when he lived in Louisiana before becoming a friar. Drawing from that experience, he knows that “the rebuilding and the relief work is not just a couple of weeks, it’s not just a couple months. It’s going to be a couple years.”

The priest called it a community effort to serve people impacted by the fires, and said that even the broader Franciscan network — Franciscan schools and provinces and groups — reached out to them and provided resources.

“In a country that’s so divided and so polarized, when something like this happens, you can see people of different faiths, different walks of life, different political backgrounds, all working together to help people out,” he commented.

“It just shows that we can care for each other … we can help bind up some of the wounds and the brokenness in our world,” he added. “We just got to stop thinking of ourselves and start thinking of others.”

Madrid, February 17, 2025

Photo: ​cerkov-ru.com     

The beautiful frescoes of the Russian Orthodox cathedral in Madrid were festively consecrated on Saturday, February 15.

Photo: cerkov-ru.com     

The Divine Liturgy for the feast of the Meeting of the Lord at the St. Mary Magdalene Cathedral was celebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Nestor of Korsun, His Grace Bishop Ambrose of Bogorodsk, and His Grace Bishop Peter of Kafa of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Western Europe, His Eminence Archbishop Elisey of The Hague and Netherlands of the Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe, and local and visiting clergy, reports the Diocese of Korsun.

Photo: cerkov-ru.com     

During the Liturgy, Met. Nestor offered prayers for peace in Ukraine.

Following the service, the hierarchs consecrated the cathedral’s frescoes.

Photo: cerkov-ru.com     

Russian cathedral in Madrid included in list of city’s most beautiful churchesOf the roughly 100 churches in the city of Madrid, the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. Mary Magdalene has been recognized as one of the most beautiful.

“>In 2021, the cathedral was recognized by the Spanish newspaper El Mundo as one of Madrid’s beautiful churches.

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It’s 39 years since I was received into full communion with the Catholic Church. In some ways it seems like an eon ago. In other ways it seems like yesterday.

It’s almost four decades now, but I still experience, every February, a certain sense of homecoming. On Feb. 22, the Church celebrates the feast of the Chair of St. Peter, Apostle. What a strange theme for a feast day. We celebrate a chair! If you go to Rome and visit St. Peter’s Basilica, you’ll find an actual chair there, on display for your veneration.

The feast of the Chair has ancient origins. Some of the earliest complete Christian calendars date to the sixth century, and they include this celebration. They say that the date marks the first time the Prince of Apostles celebrated Mass with his Roman flock.

Today, we continue the tradition of our Fathers, and we celebrate the office of St. Peter’s successors as well. We celebrate the papacy.

We have good reasons to celebrate. Peter’s Chair is a point of unity for us. It is a haven of safety. We have the guarantee of divinity on the matter. Jesus said to Simon: “And I tell you, you are Peter [Rock], and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:18–19).

In my youth I came to Christian faith as a Protestant, and I experienced so much that was good in Reformed and evangelical churches. I was ordained a Presbyterian minister and served as a pastor of congregations I dearly loved.

But the condition of Protestant Christianity was a mess. There was no unity in essential matters. In fact, there was contention over almost every point of doctrine, practice, and scriptural interpretation. Clergy disputed among themselves over whether baptism was for babies or only for adults — and whether sacraments were merely symbolic or something more. Everyone agreed that the answers were in Scripture, but disagreed on what Scripture was saying. And no one on earth had the authority to settle the disputes.

I could not pretend that this situation was acceptable. In no way did it reflect the condition of the Church as I saw it in the pages of the New Testament.

The branches could not bear fruit apart from the vine (John 15:5–6).

I found consistency, coherence, and stability on the Rock that has demonstrably been foundational in the Church since the first century. I found confirmation of this in the works of Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Cyprian of Carthage, Basil the Great, Jerome of Stridon, Cyril of Alexandria — and the many others I came to know as “Fathers of the Church.” Each of them and all of them recognized that there was one “Papa” on earth, and he was Peter and all those who came to occupy his chair.

That’s reason to celebrate.

Washington, D.C., February 18, 2025

Photo: mospat.ru     

A documentary focusing on the current persecution of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians by Ukrainian authorities was shown in Washington, D.C. last week.

On Thursday, February 13, Christ’s People in Our Time by the famous Serbian director Emir Kusturica, was shown at the Russian embassy in the American capital, reports the Russian Church’s Department for External Church Relations.

The film describes the persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church under His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine, as well as the oppression of the rights of Christians around the world. Hierarchs, clergy, philosophers, and others from countries around the world share their thoughts and perspective on the issue in the film.

Fr. Igor Vyzhanov (left), Fr. Victor Potapov (right). Photo: mospat.ru     

By special invitation, the screening was attended by Archpriest Igor Vyzhanov, Dean of St. Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York, and Archpriest Victor Potapov, Rector of St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Cathedral (ROCOR) in Washington.

The event was also attended by representatives of foreign countries, Russian officials, journalists, and others.

There was also an exhibition about the victory over Nazi invaders in World War II and the crimes of the current regime in Kiev.

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In another sign that Pope Francis’ stay in Rome’s Gemelli hospital will continue for some time, the Vatican announced a substitute presider for the Mass and ordinations as part of the Jubilee of Deacons.

In a brief note to journalists Feb. 18, the Vatican said, “Due to the Holy Father’s health condition,” his appointments had been canceled through Feb. 22.

In addition, the note said, “Pope Francis has delegated Archbishop Rino Fisichella,” pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization and chief organizer of the Holy Year 2025, to celebrate the Mass and ordinations of permanent deacons Feb. 23.

The 88-year-old pope was hospitalized Feb. 14 after more than a week of suffering from bronchitis and difficulty breathing.

A source, who was not authorized to speak on the record, said Feb. 18 that the pope was breathing on his own without the need for supplemental oxygen.

Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, told reporters Feb. 18 that the pope again had rested well overnight, was eating regularly, reading newspapers and doing some work.

The Vatican had said Feb. 17 that test results showed that the pope is suffering from a “polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract, which required a further modification of his therapy.” Polymicrobial means multiple pathogens are involved.

The pope, who underwent surgery in 1957 to remove part of one of his lungs after suffering a severe respiratory infection, has been susceptible to colds and bouts of bronchitis.

In March 2023, he was hospitalized at Gemelli for three days for what doctors said was a respiratory infection. Pope Francis later said it had been “an acute and strong pneumonia.”