Tag: Christianity

We continue our discussion with Mitred Archpriest Valentin Asmus, rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in Krasnoye Selo, and Doctor of Theology.

“The Body of Christ, Always Being Broken”We discuss how believers lived during the Soviet era with Mitred Archpriest Valentin Asmus, rector of the Church of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in Krasnoye Selo, and Doctor of Theology.

“>Part 1

Archpriest Valentin Asmus —Father Valentin, one of your scholarly interests is Byzantinology. One often finds oneself involuntarily comparing the Byzantine and Russian empires. Questions arise, and I would like to ask you some of them. Our Orthodox faith came from Byzantium, and this was the greatest divine gift to the Russian people. How did Orthodoxy influence the spiritual and historical development of our people and the formation of the Russian state?

—“Byzantium” is a false name, invented its enemies destroyed it. In Byzantium itself, this name was known as the former name of the capital—The Fall of Constantinople, Queen of CitiesOn May 29, the Orthodox Church remembers the Fall of Constantinople, the Queen of Cities, in 1453. Named after Saint Constantine the Great, Constantinople was the capital of the Byzantine Empire (330-1453). Although Byzantium’s vast power spanned 11 centuries, its story is often held hidden.

“>Constantinople. Since literature cultivated the archaic, historians often used this term to refer to the City, just as the empire’s enemies (the Arabs, the Turks) were sometimes called “Persians,” a term for the ancient adversaries of the Greeks. The name Byzantium is commonly accepted, but we should not forget its inadequacy.

The influence of Byzantium on the Slavs, Romanians, Georgians, Armenians, and even the West is immeasurable. It is much easier to list what we did not inherit than what became “flesh and blood” for us. We did not inherit the Greek language. Some cultural historians lament that if Greek had become what Latin was in the Germanic West, we would have had direct access not only to antiquity but also to the immeasurable riches of Byzantium itself. Indeed, until the seventeenth century, when we had schools of the Western type, we had no theology, and there was not even the possibility to translate the Greek Church Fathers; instead, nearly exclusively South Slavic translations were in use. Even in the Nicene Creed, there were translation errors: “there is no end” (of the kingdom).

The Russian chronicle refers to the Byzantines as Greeks. This not only ignores their self-designation but also a significant misunderstanding of them. From the very beginning of Christianity, the Byzantines renounced the name of Hellenes. In the New Testament, “Greek” is not so much an ethnonym but a term for the pagan religion (John 12:20; Acts 11:20; 19:10; 17:20, etc.). How did those who renounced the name of Hellenes refer to themselves? They called themselves by the name of their state—Romans. Even when the Roman Empire was pagan and persecuted Christians, the holy apostles Peter and Paul spoke positively of it (1 Peter 2:13–17; Romans 13:1–7; 1 Timothy 2:1–2).

The Russian theologian, Protopresbyter John Meyendorff, wrote that no one converted as many people to Christianity as Emperor Constantine the Great. In Byzantium, three principles were united. The Christian faith sanctified and spiritualized the Roman state and Greco-Roman culture. The cultural brilliance and spiritual radiance of Byzantium enlightened and illuminated the surrounding nations. When the old, weakened Byzantium could no longer directly guide the peoples, a community of nations and states spiritually nourished by it formed around it, which the Russian-English scholar Dmitry Obolensky aptly called the Byzantine Commonwealth—a fellowship of nations. Byzantium remained the ideal-symbolic head of this fellowship.

Due to the upheavals of the last centuries, the name and concept of “empire” has lost its value. The British Empire, the French Empire, the Japanese Empire, and the Siamese Empire all appeared… To destroy the legitimate Austrian Empire, the Prussian-Berlin Empire arose. All of this distorted the concept of “empire” that lived in Byzantium and which even some of its contemporaries did not fully understand. Once, Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich¹ declared: “We have the Church, but no Tsar.” He was referring to the Church of Constantinople, one of whose metropolias was Russia, and the Byzantine Emperor, who until then had been commemorated in Russian churches alongside the Patriarch of Constantinople.

In response to this challenge, Patriarch Antony IV said: “There is nothing good in what you say, that we have the Church but no Tsar; it is impossible for Christians to have the Church but not a Tsar, for the Kingdom and the Church are united and have communion, and it is impossible for them to be separated from each other… listen to the supreme Apostle Peter… ‘Fear God, honor the King’… He did not say ‘kings’ so that someone might think that he was speaking about the so-called kings of separate nations, but ‘the King’, showing that only one universal King exists… for if other Christians have arrogated to themselves the title of king, this is unnatural and unlawful, and is rather in the order of tyranny and violence, for which fathers, councils, or canons speak of them? But of the natural king, whose laws, decrees, and commands are respected throughout the entire world and who alone is commemorated by Christians everywhere, and not any other.”

And if by God’s allowance the place ruled by the king is surrounded by pagans, even to this day the king receives such an ordination from the Church, with the same rite and prayers, is anointed with holy oil, and is ordained as the king and autocrat of the Romans, that is, of all Christians.”

Here, the self-awareness of Byzantium is briefly expressed—a consciousness of the great responsibility of universal service. This service was not to the state, nor to a people or peoples, but to God, to Christ’s truth and righteousness.

This is the people’s religious upbringing. This is the Christian mission to non-Christians. To fully accept this teaching, one must spiritually mature and develop culturally in every aspect. Mere willpower for succession is entirely insufficient. When The text of the film “The fall of an empire—the Lesson of Byzantium”In response to numerous requests from our readers, the editors of Pravoslavie.ru present an English translation of the text of the film, “The Fall of an Empire—the Lesson of Byzantium.”

“>Byzantium fell, Russia could only enter into its inheritance. The responsibility for the fate of universal Orthodoxy became an unalterable task for Russia, but various means for the successful execution of this task were tragically lacking. The famous Prince Kurbsky had serious theological interests. Desiring to study the dogmatic works of Saint John of DamascusSaint John of Damascus was born about the year 680 at Damascus, Syria into a Christian family. His father, Sergius Mansur, was a treasurer at the court of the Caliph.”>St. John of Damascus, in his distant exile he studied Latin to read St. Damascene in a Latin translation. Had he stayed in the kingdom of Ivan IV Vasilievich, alas, he would have scarcely found a shorter path to Damascene. The appearance of the complete Slavic Bible (for the first time in history) in 1499 in Novgorod was made possible because the holy hierarch Saint Gennadius invited Catholic monks who, not knowing Greek, translated the missing books from their Latin Vulgate. What more can be said, when even direct heirs of Byzantium, such as St. Maximus the GreekLife in prison was difficult for the Venerable one, but amid his sufferings, he also experienced God’s great mercy and kindness: An angel appeared to him and said, “Persevere, O Elder! Through these trials you will avoid eternal suffering.””>St. Maximus the Greek and the Likhuda brothers, had to study at Western universities because there were no other options? The creation of an Orthodox higher education system was an urgent, though by no means the only, task for post-Byzantine Russia.

— All our sovereign rulers have earned much praise and gratitude from posterity. The first tsars of the Romanov dynasty inherited a country ravaged by the Time of Troubles, with historical lands torn away, and turned it into a great and beautiful empire with the help of the hardworking people. However, our own television, which broadcasts series about Russian emperors and empresses, often distorts our national history. How should we view this?

— I out of principle do not watch films about tsars and White Guard officers.

— I would like to continue on this topic a little. It seems that in these pseudo-biographical TV adaptations, the name of Empress Catherine the Great, who did so much for the Russian state, has suffered the most.

— We can talk for a long time about the indisputable achievements of the reign of the Great Catherine, her glorious victories and other accomplishments, and the great benefactions she bestowed upon the Russian people. But I would also like to mention one controversial action of her reign—the secularization of church lands. In our time, any conscientious person with an internal imperative for justice cannot have objections to the Church’s right to own land. But in the eighteenth century, estates were inseparable from serfs. And these serfs, giving the Church the dubious reputation of being the main serf-holder in Russia, represented a serious problem in the eyes of the state. The ruthless exploitation of serfs often led to uprisings, which were a significant issue during the reign of Catherine II. And when there were no uprisings the serfs complained, and their complaints flooded the state institutions. The conversion of “Church” peasants to the category of “economic” (state-owned) solved the problem, as their status was considered desirable.

    

A phrase circulates that by carrying out the secularization, Catherine “distributed estates with all the peasants to her favorites.” This is slander. Even if she had wanted to distribute nearly a million (over 900,000) former church peasants, it would not have been easy. But such squandering of state property was not in the customs of the empress. She could have awarded estates with state peasants only to her associates of the caliber of Suvorov and Potemkin, regardless of the nature of their personal relationships. And when there were personal motives for granting estates, she would purchase them with her own money (landowners could sell their estates, and they were traded on the market) or acquire something else, such as good city houses. Secularization, being a blessing for the peasants, was also a blessing for the monasteries themselves. They returned to wise governance, the tradition of eldership was revived, the Philokalia was studied, and the nineteenth-century flourishing of monasticism in was secured.

—Father Valentin, I would like to ask you as a philologist. In recent years, there has been a wave of obscene cursing among our people. It has affected not only, as they say now, the marginalized, but also educated people, workers of culture; these words can be heard from the television screens, and, tragically, even children of primary school age are caught up in this foul language. Father, what do you think, where has this great surge of profanity come from? How can reasonable people refuse it, and perhaps try to explain to the foul-mouthed why this is not just bad, but dangerous for their lives?

—One should not think that “serious cursing” is only an achievement of our own time. Before the revolution, it was much worse. No, it wasn’t as widespread back then. But among experts and masters of this vernacular, it took monstrous, more sophisticated forms, which allows us to consider this cursing to be one of the mystical causes of the revolution. The revolution, in turn, reduced our life to the level of some “Ellochka the cannibal,”² and it led to a radical primitivization of foul language, removing its most dreadful layers (there is no evil without some good!). If people know that such things are punished by revolutions, maybe they will sin less.

— Now I would like to ask about our contemporary Russian everyday speech. We have lost the skill of speaking it, and indeed, as you said, we have reached a point in our communication where we are on the level of the aforementioned heroine of the 1920s novel. How possible is it to revive our living Great Russian language? Perhaps the roots of this problem lie in the family, after all?

— Unfortunately, not everything depends on the family. But the family must do everything it can. We need to teach children to read. Our contemporaries have unlearned how to read. Reading classical literature is a powerful means of cleansing the language. We must fight not only with profanity but also with Sovietisms— “vuz”³ (university), “redkollegiya” (editorial board), “zadeystvovat” (to engage), and much more. We must exclude illiterate, grammatically meaningless phrases like “imeet mesto byt” (it has a place of existing). We need to take advantage of our time, when censorship no longer obstructs access to the fullness of Russian literature and to Church Slavonic books, and the Academy of Sciences even publishes a dictionary of the new Church Slavonic language.

— Father, what would you like to wish our readers in these holy days?

— I congratulate everyone with these festive days, wish them joy in the Lord, that they might delve deeply into the mystery of faith, and pay heed to every word of the Divine services.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit!

Blessed feast of Theophan the Recluse

“>St. Theophan the Recluse!

Photo: pravoslavnaya-biblioteka.ru St. Theophan lived in Russia in the nineteenth century and was a conductor of ancient Orthodox traditions and teachings, which he translated into Russian. He was also known as a great interpreter of Holy Scripture. St. Theophan went into reclusion to study God’s teachings, to live in them and learn in them. His works are an invaluable gift for us all. Priests usually advise those coming to the Church to read St. Theophan and St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov). St. Theophan had a special gift for revealing the mysteries of the faith in a very simple and profound way. In his writings, he answers any, even very difficult questions, for example, about aliens. St. Theophan wasn’t afraid of questions and could give them comprehensive answers, based on Holy Scripture.

Today, many people say that the dignity of a Christian is to not think and to be stupid. But this is the opposite of what the Lord Himself taught and what the Apostles said. Stupidity is a sign of an atheist, who is stupid by definition. He’s stupid because his logic doesn’t work, his thinking process doesn’t work, and he often just tries to shut his opponent up. A Christian must be wise, he must develop his mind. There are different ways to develop it. There’s the piggy bank method that’s very popular right now—we toss absolutely everything into our mind. We can read a book or watch a film, because everyone’s read the book or watched the film. But just gathering information doesn’t develop the mind. There was a great pagan philosopher Heraclitus, one of the founders of Ionian philosophy in ancient Greece. He said: “Much knowledge doesn’t teach the mind, and if it did, it would have taught Pythagoras.” He really despised Pythagoras because Pythagoras believed in the transmigration of souls, and Heraclitus didn’t consider him worthy of the title of man.

Just formally stuffing your head with information doesn’t increase your intelligence. To be intelligent, you also have to learn to use this information. There’s the concept of a “mental hernia” that, in the worst-case scenario, leads to insanity, and in the best-case scenario, to complete stupefaction. A man clogs his head with all kinds of garbage, and nothing good comes out of it. Even if there’s necessary information, it isn’t systematized, and it becomes impossible to retrieve it. And this is natural, because there’s no culture of reason. The mind has to be developed, and that requires a foundation of reason—certain walls and a roof of reason. Just as a house is uninhabitable without walls and a roof, so it is with reason.

How can we learn to develop our mind in a Christian way?

First of all, we need repentance. Paradoxical though it may seem, it’s namely repentance that is the primary condition for the proper functioning of the mind. What does repentance mean? A change of mind. We have to admit that our viewpoint isn’t the most important, objectively true one. There exists an absolutely objective truth—God’s point of view. This truth is as unshakable as a rock upon which we can build our reason. The cornerstone for our reason should be God and His word. We give up our reason in the name of God in order to build a coherent edifice of thought, of our intellect. Repentance forces a man to sort out the piles of debris in his head and look at everything from a different vantage point—from that of the source of eternal life. The first condition for the proper functioning of the mind is that, “No thought of mine can be correct if it contradicts the revelation of God.”

And no other person’s thought can be correct if it contradicts Divine revelation. This is also very important because many people say that we should respect the opinions of others. But a Christian asks, “Why? From the point of view of common sense, explain to me why I should respect the viewpoint of others. It’s not based on anything. The viewpoint of other people and the people themselves are completely different things. For example, an alcoholic friend comes to see me, and he tries to enter the church but he can’t because he thinks the door is next to where the actual door is. So what, I should respect his point of view? I won’t respect it! First, I’ll help him pull himself together, dumping a bucket of cold water on his head, then I’ll lead him into the church, sit him down, and when he comes to his senses, then we’ll talk. If we don’t respect the viewpoint of others, that doesn’t mean we don’t respect them. A lie isn’t worthy of respect; it doesn’t deserve it, and the man who respects it commits a very grave sin.

God says: Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Is. 5:20). It’s truly God’s curse.

The second condition for the proper functioning of the mind is: “Don’t trust the opinion of others if it contradicts that of God.” It doesn’t matter how many of these people there are, even if it’s the whole planet—the quantity of zeroes won’t change the quality. We arrive at the conclusion that we have a foundation—the absolute truth, not dependent upon anything. It’s the revelation of God, understood according to the teaching of the Orthodox Church according to the teaching of the saints who always and everywhere had the same view on all questions. Scripture and Tradition should be realized in the realities of our lives. Then we use the knowledge that we received in school, college, from acquaintances—we must test all of it against the standard of truth.

But knowledge in and of itself isn’t capable of building a house, as the Apostle Paul said: Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth (1 Cor. 8:1). Therefore, a prerequisite for the proper assimilation of knowledge is love for God and neighbor. Without it, our mind can’t be properly ordered. All knowledge should be hierarchical. It’s impossible to develop both the soul and the body at the same time, because there’s a single energy of our being, which is manifested in both spirituality and physicality. If we invest too much in the body, our soul will suffer. Therefore, we have to put everything in its proper place. There’s a place for the body, which works well when submitting to the mind. There’s a place for the soul, and there’s a place for the spirit. According to the Holy Fathers, the mind or spirit should be subject to God, our feelings and will should be subject to the soul, and our body should be subject to the will and senses.

This is the proper order, and we have to properly allocate both our strength and our knowledge. First, we develop spiritual knowledge, second, soul knowledge, and third, bodily knowledge. Spiritual knowledge presupposes a proper relationship with God, the search for a path to Him. Soul knowledge makes it possible to know what’s happening in my soul and in the soul of those around me. We must gather knowledge about the people around us so as not to offend them, to relate to them carefully, to avoid touching their pain points, to help them, to support them—this is a Christian’s direct duty flowing from the second commandment. The third thing we have to develop is bodily knowledge. We should develop science, culture, and art on the condition that they don’t interfere with the soul. This is the correct system for building knowledge.

May God save you!

South Bound Brook, New Jersey, January 23, 2025

Photo: uocofusa.org     

Metropolitan Anthony of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and Diaspora (Patriarchate of Constantinople), 77, has been discharged after a few days in the hospital.

The UOC-USA reported on Metropolitan Anthony of UOC-USA hospitalized againHe was previously hospitalized last January and again in July in connection with an ongoing heart issue.

“>Sunday that its primate was hospitalized again for treatment for ongoing heart issues.

On Tuesday, the UOC-USA’s Archbishop Daniel of Pamphylion announced that Met. Anthony was discharged from the hospital.

“Let us, in turn, continue to uphold him in our prayers as he embarks on the journey of recovery. May the Lord grant him strength, health, and the renewal of spirit needed to return fully to his beloved ministry among us,” the Archbishop writes.

Met. Anthony was previously hospitalized Metropolitan Anthony (UOC-USA) released from hospital on anniversary of his enthronementMetropolitan Antony, the Prime Hierarch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and Diaspora (Patriarchate of Constantinople) was released from the hospital on Friday, January 26, on the anniversary of his enthronement as UOC-USA primate.

“>last January and again Metropolitan Anthony (UOC-USA) hospitalized for second time this yearThe UOC-USA published a brief message from Archbishop Daniel of Pamphylion about Met. Anthony’s current hospitalization yesterday.”>in July in connection with an ongoing heart issue.

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A Montana bill that could compel Catholic priests to break the seal of confession is being criticized by Catholics who say it could eliminate key religious liberty protections.

The proposed bill would “eliminate clergy exemption in mandatory reporting of child abuse and neglect.” It states that clergy and others in the mandatory reporting group such as medical practitioners and social workers “may not refuse to make a report as required … on the grounds of a physician-patient or similar privilege.”

While clergy are often mandatory reporters outside of the confessional, long-standing legal precedent in the U.S. recognizes the religious freedom of confessors and penitents to be exempt from those rules.

Clergy members are already mandatory reporters of child abuse or neglect in Montana, though current Montana law upholds the priest-penitent privilege, requiring that “a member of the clergy or priest may not, without the consent of the person making the confession, be examined as to any confession made to the individual.”

The sacramental seal of confession in the Catholic Church strictly prohibits priests from sharing anything a penitent says during the sacrament of reconciliation. Any priest who “directly violates the sacramental seal” incurs excommunication, according to the Code of Canon Law (Canon 1386).

Montana Rep. Lukas Schubert, R-Kalispell, an outspoken critic of the bill and a Catholic himself, criticized the legislation in an interview with CNA, saying it targeted Catholics.

“I believe that this bill is an attack on the Catholic faith,” Schubert told CNA. “This Democrat bill would attempt to require Catholic priests to break the seal of confession.”

Matthew Brower, the executive director of the Montana Catholic Conference, told CNA that the conference has been following the legislation closely and awaiting a potential hearing.

“Montana’s bishops have a good relationship with our lawmakers and that allows them the ability to effectively engage in our legislative process,” Brower said.

Rep. Mary Ann Dunwell, D-Helena, who is sponsoring the bill, told CNA that the measure is designed “to protect children from sexual and other abuse.”

Asked about claims that the bill goes against Church teaching, Dunwell said: “This is about civil and criminal laws to protect children from child sex abuse. It’s not about canon law. Otherwise, there’d be no separation of church and state.”

Regarding the priest-penitent privilege, the U.S. Supreme Court “recognizes the human need to disclose to a spiritual counselor, in total and absolute confidence, what are believed to be flawed acts or thoughts and to receive priestly consolation and guidance in return,” according to the 1980 Trammel v. United States decision.

The priest-penitent privilege extends to more than just Catholics; several Protestant denominations including the Episcopal Church and the American Lutheran Church also hold requirements for secrecy for confession.

“All Catholics, Christians, and people with common sense must oppose this bill,” Schubert said.

Similar bills have been proposed in recent years. In May 2023 Delaware legislators proposed a bill requiring priests to break the seal of confession in cases of reporting sexual abuse. A similar law was proposed in Vermont around the same time. Both bills failed to advance in their respective legislatures.

Brower said those at the Montana Catholic Conference “look forward to working with our legislators to help clear up any misunderstandings they might have regarding mandatory reporting by clergy and the sacrament of penance.”

“This legislation may be a well-intentioned but simply misguided proposal,” Brower noted.

Tallinn, January 23, 2025

Photo: pnp.ru     

The Riigikogu, Estonia’s Parliament, will consider a collective petition from the Estonian Orthodox Church regarding proposed legislation that would lead to a ban on the Church.

An appeal from parishioners was published online in early December, proposing to stop the consideration of amendments to the Church and Congregations Act and to include organizations and persons who are directly or indirectly related to this issue in the discussion.

To date, the petition has gathered more than 4,000 signatures online and on paper, the Estonian Church reports. Such appeals can be submitted to Parliament once they hit 1,000 signatures. On Monday, the Church reported that the petition was accepted for processing and will be forwarded to the Legal Affairs Committee.

The Estonia: Bill submitted to ban churches tied to the Moscow PatriarchateThe Estonian Ministry of the Interior has seriously ramped up its pressure on the Estonian Orthodox Church as Minister Lauri Läänemets has proposed new legislation to ban religious organizations connected to the Moscow Patriarchate.

“>amendments under consideration are part of an ongoing pressure campaign on the Church since the start of the war in Ukraine. Metropolitan Evgeny forced to leave EstoniaHis Eminence Metropolitan Evgeny of Tallinn and All Estonia was forced to leave the country today after the authorities refused to renew his residence permit.”>Last February, the state expelled His Eminence Metropolitan Evgeny, claiming, without evidence, that he posed a threat to national security. The state is also trying to force the Church to leave the Moscow Patriarchate and join the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which operates a rival jurisdiction in Estonia, though the EOC has Estonian Orthodox Church formally rejects proposal to join Constantinople’s jurisdictionOn September 19, the head of the EAOC proposed at a session of the Estonian Council of Churches to create a Russian vicariate to subsume parishes of the EOC-MP.”>formally rejected this option.

The authors of the petition emphasize that the new version of the Churches and Congregations Act will actually affect not only the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate as a separate legal entity but also each of its parishes. If the amendments to the law are adopted, legal entities of the Estonian Church face forced termination of activities, as it will be impossible to meet the requirements imposed on them within a two-month period.

And since the proposed restrictions affect canonical law, fulfilling the requirements may be impossible for reasons beyond the control of the EOC and its parishes, the petition states. Forcing the canonically unlawful severance of ties with one’s Patriarchate and transition to another Patriarchate constitutes interference in the internal life of religious associations.

Thus, the measures being taken will directly affect a significant portion of EOC parishioners and clergy, whose liturgical and parish life will be disrupted due to the inability to continue gathering in their churches with their clergy.

The petition thus makes four specific requests to the Estonian Parliament:

• to return the draft law to the Ministry of Interior and halt its processing

• to initiate a broader discussion of this issue as a matter of major national importance given

• to organize proper public consultations since stakeholders weren;t involved in the draft law’s preparation

• to submit the proposal for legal review to various national and international bodies to assess whether the draft law complies with both constitutional and international legal obligations regarding religious freedom

Estonian Orthodox Church changes name again under state pressureThe Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate held its third Council session on January 10, 2025, in Tallinn. The session addressed concerns raised by the Tartu County Court’s registration department regarding the Church’s statute adopted on August 20.

“>A few days ago, the Estonian Church amended its statutes and changed its legal for the second time in a matter of months to comply with state demands, though authorities have made it clear that they won’t be satisfied until the EOC simply unilaterally leaves the Moscow Patriarchate.

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The 52nd annual March for Life will take place Jan. 24 in Washington. The theme of the 2025 event is “Life: Why We March.”

A concert and rally near the Washington Monument will preface the march from the National Mall to the U.S. Supreme Court, which issued the now-defunct 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion in all 50 states. Since the court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision issued June 24, 2022, the March for Life has typically ended between the nation’s highest court and the U.S. Capitol.

The concert will begin at 11 a.m. ET, followed by the rally at noon and the March at 1 p.m.

Supporters can participate virtually by watching the event on the March for Life’s social media channels, including YouTube, or by using the hashtag #WhyWeMarch. The March for Life’s website is marchforlife.org.

Bethany Hamilton, a professional surfer, author and motivational speaker, is the event’s keynote. Other scheduled speakers include Senate Majority Leader John Thune; Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla.; and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas. Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, had planned to speak but is now unable to attend the event.

“We are overjoyed to welcome these inspiring pro-life leaders at this year’s 52nd March for Life,” Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life Education and Defense Fund, said in a statement announcing the speakers earlier this month. “For the past 52 years, the March for Life has powerfully witnessed to the tragedy of abortion, while calling for stronger protections for women and the unborn. This year’s speakers will address the 2025 theme — ‘Life: Why We March’ which reminds us of the basic truth that every life has inherent human dignity from the start.”

The group is also organizing a series of state-level events throughout the year. More information about those events can be found on its website.

Greece, January 23, 2025

Photo: spzh.eu     

Dozens of authoritative Greek abbots, elders, abbesses and their brotherhoods and sisterhoods have signed a new statement condemning the ongoing persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) under His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and All Ukraine.

The statement highlights the passage of Law 8371/2024 by the Ukrainian Parliament in Ukraine adopts bill 8371 on banning the Orthodox ChurchThe Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine’s Parliament, voted overwhelmingly today to adopt the infamous bill 8371 on the banning of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

“>August 2024 which effectively outlaws the Church followed by approximately millions of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians. The text points to continued seizures of churches and monasteries, arrests and imprisonment of bishops, including a detailed account of the bloody seizure of the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Cherkasy Violent seizure of Orthodox cathedral in Cherkasy leaves dozens injured (+VIDEO)The anti-Orthodox schismatics and nationalists of the “Orthodox Church in Ukraine” (OCU), founded by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, finally managed to violently seize the Archangel Michael Cathedral in Cherkasy after several attempts.”>in October.

The statement compares Ukraine’s actions to those of Hitler and Stalin, despite the country’s “European orientation,” and calls for prayers for peace in Ukraine. It concludes by referencing an earlier statement by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople condemning violence against places of worship, and calls on Christians to respond with patience, forgiveness, and love, as advocated by Met. Onuphry.

Signatories include the abbots and brotherhoods of the Athonite monasteries of Xeropotamou, Dochariou, Karakallou, Philotheou, and Konstamonitou, the abbess and sisterhood of the Holy Trinity-St. Nektarios Convent on the island of Aegina, and dozens of others. There are currently 39 names to the document, though the gathering of signatures is ongoing.

The statement reads in full:

The persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12).

Persecution is a mark of authenticity of Christian life according to the Apostle Paul, while according to the Lord, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 5:10).

In an era dominated by the violence of weapons and as humanity stands on the brink of nuclear holocaust, we join our voices and prayers with those of many Orthodox patriarchs, hierarchs, clergy, and monastics for the severely persecuted Ukrainian Orthodox Church under Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine (UOC).

As is known, after the unlawful seizure of many churches and monasteries and the arrests, persecutions, and imprisonments of bishops by the Ukrainian state in recent years, on August 20, 2024, law 8371/2024 was passed by the Ukrainian Parliament, which outlaws the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under Metropolitan Onuphry, which is followed by the vast majority of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians (approximately 24 million).

With this law, Ukraine, a country with a “European orientation,” returns to the times of Hitler and Stalin and legitimizes persecution and oppression, hatred and slander, the confiscation and sealing of UOC’s holy churches, and attacks and raids, which are even accompanied by bloodshed.

An indicative example is the violent takeover of the UOC Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Cherkasy, which occurred on October 17, 2024:

On the night of October 17, around 3 AM, about 100 people in camouflage uniforms with covered faces invaded the grounds of the UOC Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Cherkasy. The invaders tried to take over the church by force. When a group of UOC faithful led by Ukrainian Hierarch Appeals to Patriarch Bartholomew Following Brutal Church AttackOn October 17, one of the bloodiest takeovers took place in Cherkasy, when the schismatics seized the Archangel Michael Cathedral and violently attacked His Eminence Metropolitan Theodosy, as well as Orthodox clergy and parishioners.

“>Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kaniv tried to defend it, the people in camouflage opened fire on them with an air pistol, threw chemicals, and beat and injured dozens of people, including Metropolitan Theodosy and church priests, while some faithful recorded the events on video, which they posted online. Many of the victims, including Metropolitan Theodosy, were diagnosed with Metropolitan Theodosy diagnosed with burns and concussion after violent seizure of Cherkasy cathedral (+VIDEO)Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kanev was severely injured. During the attack, he was beaten, his klobuk was torn off, and his bishop’s staff was snatched away and used to strike believers.”>concussions, corneal burns, and skin burns. Later, several clergy of the self-styled “autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU),” supported by the state, gathered in the desecrated cathedral and “prayed.” Their “service” was recorded on video and posted online.

Immediately after the bloody seizure of the cathedral, Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy and Kaniv addressed his flock with the following pastoral word: “We did what we could together with you. We tried to protect the cathedral from the robbers. Unfortunately, there’s no way to counter violence. We will try to secure justice in the courts, but knowing how all cases are settled here—exclusively based on political expediency—there is little hope.”

Unfortunately, the persecutions continue unabated…

Here we should mention a related earlier statement by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew who “strongly condemns every act of violence, especially those directed against places of worship, like the recent one against the Holy Church of St. Dionysius in Kolonaki, from which only messages of love, peace, and solidarity emanate.”

Finally, let us also pray extensively to the Prince of Peace, our Lord Jesus Christ, to soften the hardness of hearts of the powerful of the earth, so that every kind of violence may be averted and the much-desired peace may prevail in Ukraine and throughout the world. However, this will happen only if we Christians of the last times have repentance and are distinguished for our patience, forgiveness, and love, according to His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine.

Happy and blessed New Year.

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Washington, D.C., January 23, 2025

Pride Puppy is among the disputed books. Photo: goodreads.com     

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Friday to consider whether Maryland’s largest school district violated religious rights by requiring students to participate in lessons featuring LGBTQ-themed storybooks. Among the challengers is Svitlana Roman, a Ukrainian Orthodox Christian mother, alongside Roman Catholic and Muslim parents who object to their elementary school children being exposed to such material.

The dispute arose after Montgomery County Public Schools introduced books like Pride Puppy, about a dog lost at a Pride parade, Jacob’s Room to Choose, which features transgender school-aged children, My Rainbow, about a transgender child with autism, and others. When parents requested to opt their children out of these lessons, the district initially tried to accommodate them but later banned all opt-outs “for any reason,” reports CBS News.

“Under the Fourth Circuit’s reasoning, parents cannot be heard until after the damage has been done to their children. But there is no unringing that bell—by then, innocence will be lost and beliefs undermined,” the parents argued in their appeal.

The school board maintains that the books “impart critical reading skills through engaging, age-appropriate stories” and follows a careful selection process. They argue that allowing opt-outs raised concerns about student absenteeism and risked stigmatizing students whose families were represented in the books.

The case reached the Supreme Court after lower courts sided with the school district. The 4th Circuit Court found no evidence that families were compelled to change their religious beliefs or conduct. The school board argues that parents who choose public education can’t claim religious freedom violations simply because their children encounter materials they find offensive.

The case, which involves three sets of parents, could be heard either this summer or in the Court’s next term beginning October.

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Albania, January 23, 2025

Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr     

The Orthodox Church of Albania united in prayer for its hospitalized primate His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania yesterday, as it celebrated the feast of his patron, St. Anastasios the Persian.

The Archbishop has been hospitalized, first in Tirana, then in Athens, since Archbishop Anastasios of Albania hospitalized with fluHis Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Albania was admitted preventively to the Hygeia Hospital of Tirana for monitoring, after showing symptoms of seasonal flu.

“>December 30. He is in critical condition, and doctors have been trying unsuccessfully to bring him out of a coma.

“During this difficult period of trial for our spiritual father, all Orthodox Christians of Albania, his children, continue to pray to God to restore Archbishop Anastasios’ health and give him strength,” the Church of Albania stated, reports the Orthodoxia News Agency.

The statement also expressed “deepest gratitude” for his 33 years of “dedication, service, and love for the Church.”

The Archdiocese of Tirana called the faithful to gather at the Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Tirana for a special Synodal Divine Liturgy marking the Archbishop’s name’s day. In Berat, Orthodox Christians attended an All-Night Vigil at the Metropolitan Church of St. Demetrios, praying for their primate’s swift return to health and his work in Albania.

Watch the services from Tirana:

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The LOGOS University community, where Abp. Anastasios served as founder and visionary, also joined in prayers for his recovery, noting that he had worked “with great patience and above all love” to establish the institution.

Since the Archbishop’s initial hospitalization in Tirana and subsequent transfer to Athens, Orthodox Albanians have launched a sustained prayer campaign, with daily vigils, paraklesis services, and Divine Liturgies being held for the recovery of the hierarch who rebuilt their Church from the ruins of persecution under the atheistic Hoxha regime.

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We crave few things as deeply as self-expression and recognition. We have an irrepressible need to express ourselves, be known, recognized, understood, and seen by others as unique, gifted, and significant. A heart that is unknown, unappreciated in its depth, lacking in meaningful self-expression and recognition, is prone to restlessness, frustration, and bitterness. And, truth be told, self-expression is difficult and full self-expression is impossible.

In the end, for most of us, our lives are always smaller than our needs and our dreams, no matter where we live or what we accomplish. In our daydreams each of us would like to be famous, the renowned writer, the graceful ballerina, the admired athlete, the movie star, the cover girl, the renowned scholar, the Nobel Prize winner, the household name; but in the end, most of us remain just another unknown, living among other unknowns, collecting an occasional autograph.

And so, our lives can seem too small for us. We feel ourselves as extraordinary, forever trapped inside the mundane, even as there is something inside us that still seeks expression, that still seeks recognition, and that feels that something precious inside of us is living and dying in futility. In truth, seen only from the perspective of this world, much of what is precious, unique, and rich, seemingly is living and dying in futility. Only a rare few achieve satisfying self-expression and recognition.

There’s a certain martyrdom in this. Iris Murdoch once said, “Art has its martyrs, not the least of which are those who have preserved their silence.” Lack of self-expression, whether chosen or imposed by circumstances, is a real death; but like all deaths it can be understood and appropriated in very different ways.

If it is accepted unhappily as tragic, it leads to bitterness and a broken spirit. If, however, it is understood and appropriated in faith as an invitation to be a hidden cell inside the Body of Christ and the human family, to anonymously provide sustenance and health to the overall body, it can lead to restfulness, gratitude, and a sense of significance that lays the axe to the roots of our frustration, disappointment, depression, and bitterness.

I say this because much of what gives us life and sustains us in our lives has not been provided by the rich and famous, the high achievers, and those to whom history gives credit. As George Eliot points out, we don’t need to do great things that leave a big mark in human history because “the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life and rest in unvisited tombs.”

Well said. History bears this out. I think, for instance, of Thérèse of Lisieux, who lived out her life in obscurity in a little convent tucked away in rural France, who when she died at age 24, was probably known by fewer than 100 people. In terms of how we assess things in this world she accomplished very little, nothing in terms of outstanding achievement or visible contribution. She entered the convent at age 15 and spent the years until her early death doing menial things in the laundry, kitchen, and garden inside her obscure convent. The only tangible possession she left behind was a diary, a personal journal with bad spelling, which told the story of her family, her upbringing, and what she experienced during her last months in palliative care as she faced death.

But what she did leave behind is something that has made her a figure who is now renowned around the world, both inside and outside of faith circles. Her little private journal, “The Story of a Soul,” has touched millions of lives, despite its bad spelling (which had to be corrected by her sisters after her death).

What gives her little journal its unique power to touch hearts is that it chronicles what was happening inside the privacy of her own soul during all those years when she was hidden away and unknown, as a child and as a nun. What she records in the story of her soul is that she, fully aware of her own uniqueness and preciousness, could unbegrudgingly give that all over in faith because she trusted that her gifts and talents were working silently (and powerfully) inside a mystical (though real, organic) body, the Body of Christ, and of humanity. She understood herself as a cell inside a living body, giving over what was precious and unique inside her for the good of the world.

Anonymity offers us this invitation. There is no greater work of art that one can give to the world.  

Jesus said as much. He told us to do our good deeds in secret and not let our left hand (and our neighbors and the world) know what our right hand is doing.