Tag: Christianity

Sofia, December 18, 2024

Photo: dnes.dir.bg     

The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church is unanimously against the proposal to rename the square outside the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia.

In September, three members of the Municipal Council of Sofia submitted a report calling for a new name. As the most representative public space of the capital city, it should be named in honor of St. John of Rila, the patron and most beloved saints of the Bulgarian people, the councilors argue.

Moreover, the great saint’s relics were kept in Sofia for a time, and processions in his honor began precisely from the area today known as St. Alexander Nevsky Square. Finally, the Sofia representatives note that St. Alexander, a 13th-century Russian saint, has no connection to Bulgaria.

The cathedral was consecrated in the name of St. Alexander Nevsky to honor the Russian soldiers who died during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 that resulted in Bulgaria’s liberation from Ottoman rule. The Bulgarian Church celebrated the 100th anniversary of the church’s consecration just last month.

In its statement adopted at its session on December 10, the Synod argues that the square is historically inseparable from both the nation’s history and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s activities over the past century. The hierarchs point to examples across the European Union where cathedral squares retain names connected to their churches, citing specific cases in Brussels, Rome, Venice, and Milan. The Synod emphasizes that in these cities, as in Sofia, squares were named after their cathedrals were built, reflecting the spiritual significance of the churches they accompany.

Read the full statement:

The Holy Synod, at its meeting on December 10, 2024, protocol No. 14, in full composition, unanimously declares its negative position regarding the renaming of the square in front of the St. Alexander Nevsky Patriarchal Cathedral.

The square in front of the cathedral is an inseparable part of our homeland’s history and is inextricably linked to all events connected with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church-Bulgarian Patriarchate over the last 100 years, which makes it not just a municipal square, but an invariable historical site directly connected to the St. Alexander Nevsky Patriarchal Cathedral.

The names of squares in capitals and major cities of European Union member states correspond with the names of cathedrals built by believing Christians over the centuries, and have invariably preserved their names to this day, regardless of political circumstances. We will mention just a few examples: the square in front of the St. Michael and St. Gudula Cathedral in Brussels bears the name of St. Gudula, St. Peter’s Square in Rome, St. Mark’s Square in Venice, Piazza del Duomo in Milan. Moreover, in many cities not only the squares but all surrounding streets bear the name of the cathedral, as is the case in Vienna, Copenhagen, Budapest, Munich, Thessaloniki, and Barcelona.

In all these cities, as well as in our beloved capital city Sofia, the squares were named after the church was built, because the square is significant not in itself, but due to the enormous spiritual significance of the church that rises above it.

Therefore, the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church-Bulgarian Patriarchate unanimously opposes the renaming of the square in front of the St. Alexander Nevsky Patriarchal Cathedral in the capital city of Sofia.

Photo: dnes.dir.bg     

In an interview with bnr.bg published on December 13, His Holiness Patriarch Daniil expressed a stronger opinion, saying those who think of renaming the square “don’t know what they’re talking about.”

“I’m convinced this comes from non-Church circles,” the Bulgarian primate added.

The entire nation donated funds to build the cathedral, His Holiness said. It was constructed over the course of three decades (1881–1912), during times of political difficulties with varying societal moods.

“And I ask: ‘We, their descendants, do we honor the will and efforts of those who donated to this church? Do we even think about this? What kind of people are we? Shall we call ourselves rootless vagrants?!’”

Further, Pat. Daniil recalls that the cathedral itself was briefly renamed, due to political circumstances, in honor of Sts. Cyril and Methodius from 1916 to 1920, “but even then the people realized their mistake and restored the name of the church to the saint for whom the foundation stone was laid.”

Major events in 20th-century Bulgarian history, including the funeral of Tsar Boris III in 1943, and the restoration of the Patriarchate in 1953, took place at the cathedral, Pat. Daniil notes. “The entire nation would gather there for all occasions in our national life, whether to pray in sorrow, to give thanks to God, or to glorify Him. Throughout all this time, the church has served to bring people together, to support people in their needs. And I ask, who comes up with such thoughts now? How has the name of the church hindered it from fulfilling its function throughout all this time?”

In conclusion, the Bulgarian Patriarch explains that the motivation for renaming the square probably comes from the push to ban everything connected with Russia, but “Is this what the church is for?! Should the church be used for this,” he asks.

“Let it not be so!”

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Zakynthos, Greece, December 18, 2024

Photo: ekklisiaonline.gr     

The Greek island of Zakynthos festively celebrated its patron, St. Dionysios, with reverence and splendor, including a procession with his relics through the city streets.

The celebrations began with the Holy Vigil at 3:00 AM, followed by Matins and the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at 7:30, reports Ekklisia Online.

Following the Liturgy, the procession of St. Dionysios’ holy relics took place through the city, accompanied by hundreds of faithful who came to venerate their patron. The procession was accompanied by philharmonic bands and schools, as well as representatives of the security forces and local public figures.

The report does not name the participating bishops, though photos show at least seven hierarchs, including Bishop Emilianos of MeloaEmilianos of Meloa, Bishop

“>His Grace Bishop Emilianos of Meloa.  

Bp. Emilianos of Meloa is on the far right. Photo: ekklisiaonline.gr     

The procession concluded with the return of the holy relics to the church where they are kept. Another procession will be held inside the church on Thursday morning, after which St. Dionysios’ relics will be returned to their reliquary.

***

​The relics of St. Dionysios. Photo: archaeology.wiki     

Venerable Dionysius of AeginaSaint Dionysius of Zakynthos, the Bishop of Aegina was born in 1547 on the island of Zakynthos.

“>St. Dionysios of Zakynthos, the Bishop of Aegina was born in 1547 on the island of Zakynthos. Though born into a noble family, he was determined to flee the world and set his mind upon heavenly things. He entered the monastery of Strophada, and after the prescribed time, he was clothed in the angelic schema by the abbot. Though young in years, he surpassed many of his elders in virtue, and was found worthy of ordination to the holy priesthood.

Although he protested his unworthiness, St. Dionysios was consecrated Bishop of Aegina. In that office he never ceased to teach and admonish his flock, and many were drawn to him in order to profit from his wisdom. He feared the praise of men, lest he should fall into the sin of vainglory, so he resigned his See and returned to Zakynthos.

In 1579 the Diocese of Zakynthos was widowed (when a bishop dies, his diocese is described as “widowed”), and Dionysios agreed to care for it until a new bishop could be elected. Then he fled from the worldly life which gave him no peace, and went to the Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos Anaphonitria, twenty miles from the main village.

A certain stranger murdered the saint’s brother Constantine, an illustrious nobleman. Fearing his victim’s relatives, the stranger, by chance or by God’s will, sought refuge in the monastery where St. Dionysios was the abbot. When the saint asked the fugitive why he was so frightened, he confessed his sin and revealed the name of the man he had murdered, asking to be protected from the family’s vengeance. St. Dionysios wept for his only brother, as was natural. Then he comforted the murderer and hid him, showing him great compassion and love.

Soon the saint’s relatives came to the monastery with a group of armed men and told him what had happened. He pretended to know nothing about it. After weeping with them and trying to console them, he sent them off in the wrong direction. Then he told the murderer that he was the brother of the man he had killed. He admonished him as a father, and brought him to repentance. After forgiving him, St. Dionysios brought him down to the shore and helped him to escape to another place in order to save his life. Because of the saint’s Christ-like virtue, he was granted the gift of working miracles.

Having passed his life in holiness, St. Dionysios reached a great age, then departed to the Lord on December 17, 1624. Not only are the saint’s relics incorrupt, but he is also one of Greece’s “walking saints” (St. Gerasimus and St. Spyridon are the others). He is said to leave his reliquary and walk about performing miracles for those who seek his aid. In fact, the soles of his slippers wear out and must be replaced with a new pair from time to time. The old slippers are cut up, and the pieces are distributed to pilgims. On August 24, we celebrate the Transfer of his Holy Relics. Through the prayers of St. Dionysios, may Christ our God have mercy upon us and save us.

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On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis is set to open the Holy Doors at St. Peter’s Basilica to inaugurate the Jubilee Year of 2025, which Catholics throughout the world will celebrate and which will be dedicated to the theme of hope.

Here in Los Angeles, we will begin our local observance of this year of hope with the ritual opening of the holy doors at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on December 29, the Feast of the Holy Family.

In the year ahead we are planning several special celebrations, including a “24 Hours for the Lord” day when churches throughout the archdiocese will be open all day and night for Eucharistic adoration and confession.

We are also planning a six-mile procession through the streets of Los Angeles to bear witness to our hope in Jesus. There are more details about this holy year at our website: hope.lacatholics.org.

It is an ancient tradition for the popes to proclaim a jubilee every 25 years, and I am excited.

This Jubilee will be an occasion for many graces for all of us to go deeper in our friendship with Jesus and renew our commitment to live our faith with joy and confidence. 

Jesus is our hope, as we remember in this holy season of Christmas.

God is with us! This is the beautiful truth that we celebrate in this season. 

In God’s plan of love, he entered into our history, he came to share in our human experience. As we hear in our Christmas liturgies, at a certain time in history and in a certain place, the living God came to dwell among us, the Son of God became the Son of Mary so that we might be made the sons and daughters of God.

This is why for Catholics, hope is not just a feeling of optimism or some kind of wishful thinking. Our hope is true.

We hope in the promises of Jesus, who was born for us and died for us, and having risen from the dead now walks with us, as our friend and our leader.

“For this we toil and struggle,” St. Paul wrote, “because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all, especially of those who believe.”

Hope is hard sometimes.

As Pope Francis observes in his decree for the Jubilee, we are easily tempted to be “discouraged, pessimistic, and cynical about the future.”

We can look around at the world and see plenty of signs that things aren’t the way God intends them to be. There is injustice and inequality. There is war and poverty, the displacement and migration of millions of peoples, the violence and crime, the neglect of our natural environment.

The saints teach us that the suffering of others is a call to our conscience, and a call to solidarity and action. We are children of our Father in heaven, all of us brothers and sisters, and we have a duty by our common humanity to take care of one another.

So, this Jubilee Year calls us to renew the hope that is in our own hearts. But we are also called to proclaim the hope that we have in Jesus and to share that hope with our neighbors, and especially with those who are without hope.

God loves us with a love beyond telling and the apostles taught us that there is nothing in the world, no hardship or distress, not even persecution, that can separate us from the love of God.

Pope Francis writes: “Thus, we will be able to say even now: I am loved, therefore I exist; and I will live forever in the love that does not disappoint, the love from which nothing can ever separate me.”

This is our hope! And this is the hope that we are called to bring to our world.

This Jubilee coincides with the final year of the Eucharistic renewal in our country.

The Eucharistic renewal has opened our hearts and strengthened our awareness that Jesus is with us always, and that we are always in his presence. 

We are never more aware of this than when we are at Mass. As we lift up our hearts, we know that we are praying in the company of the angels and saints, we know that heaven and earth meet on that altar and that the One who loves us and gives us hope comes into our midst. 

Pray for me and I will pray for you.

And let us ask Mary, the Mother of Hope, to help us to grow in our hope in the promises of her Son, and help us to share his hope with everyone.

Malye Yasyrki, Where There Was a Secret Convent in the Soviet Era. Part 1n the Soviet era the church in Malye Yasyrki was a spiritual center where people came for prayer and spiritual guidance not only from all over the Voronezh region, but also from across the USSR.

“>Part 1

The relic of the church is the Pochaev Icon above the royal doors     

—How did the authorities turn a blind eye to such a “hotbed of religious opium”?

—When a new wave of persecutions broke out in the 1960s, the authorities decided to close down one of the churches in the area, and their choice fell on Malye Yasyrki. But the sisters and the parishioners stood up for the church. Nun Akulina (Opevalova) and several parishioners plucked up the courage and travelled to Moscow. When Mother Akulina returned, the local authorities received an order from Moscow not to touch the church. However, after some time, they decided at least to take down the bells. Imagine: people gathered around the church, there was a tense hush, a tractor was driven up, they tied ropes to a bell, pulled—and then loud female crying resounded from heaven! Everyone was terrified. After a while, the atheists calmed down, saying that it had only seemed to them. They tried again—and again the crying was heard. When the crying rang out for the third time, everyone fled in horror. The church in Yasyrki was spared after that, but the church in Yacheyka was closed. However, they nevertheless hit the bell tower, after which it began to tilt and is now in an emergency condition—we have to prop it up with poles to prevent it from falling.   

—As a rule, many relics are kept in churches that were not closed during the Soviet era. Are there any specially venerated icons in Malye Yasyrki?

—Yes. However, when Fr. Vasily passed away, the church was closed for a short time. Then it was reopened, but there had been periods when no services were celebrated in it because of the lack of a priest. And during these periods, the church was robbed. Many icons from Mt. Athos that had been kept in it were stolen. Unfortunately, they were never found. There are only three Athonite icons left: the “It Is Truly Meet”, “Quick to Hear” ones, as well as the Pochaev Icon above the royal doors, which is lowered on ropes—it was brought from the Pochaev Lavra by Fr. Vasily. It’s even surprising that they weren’t stolen.

​The patronal Feast     

—How long have you been serving at the Church of the Archangel Michael in Malye Yasyrki?

—In 2017 I was sent to this church to understand if it was possible to do something. We started looking, estimating and checking. When everything was washed clean, we did not get discouraged, but we faced the question: where should we start? Everything was leaking. When it starts raining, our old parishioners run with basins and buckets to catch the rain water. I said, “You’ll save the floors, but you won’t save the ceiling and the paintings.” We began to serve and repair the church on our own, as best we could. The refectory has already been reroofed. We mow the area around the church and tidy it. At the same time, we are restoring the inscriptions on the graves around the church, working in archives and looking for information. There are seventeen schemanuns buried around our church along with other nuns, and we have not explored everything yet. The Archangel Michael Orthodox Fund helped us restore the well by the church, where water used to be drawn for services and where the Blessing of the Waters used to be performed. The log wellhouse has become dilapidated, and the water has become undrinkable—it is polluted. We wanted to restore the well to its original state, but specialists arrived, assessed the situation and said that it was impossible. In the end we drilled a new well and reconstructed the chapel above the original well on our own with funds donated by people from across Russia through the Archangel Michael Fund.

The tombstone of Schema-Hieromonk Tikhon (Zolotukhin)     

—Do you have many helpers? Do locals help you? As far as I know, you do lots of things on your own: level the ground on a tractor, rebuild the chapel above the well…

—There are those who help me, thank God, but there are not many of them. There are only seven local residents left in Malye Yasyrki, and three of them are paralyzed. Our current parishioners come mostly from neighboring villages and even from afar. Although the church stands almost in the forest and the road is over a mile away, their number is growing. We serve on Sundays and the great feasts—I live mainly at the monastery near the town of Borisoglebsk about forty-four miles away from Malye Yasyrki, because there is still nowhere to stay overnight in the village. Thank God, people from the surrounding villages have the desire to save the church. But how can those who receive a tiny pension or salary help? I explained to them: “If you can’t help financially, help with your work. Water the flowers, clean up for the feast and do any other possible work.” Before Pascha we all plastered the church fence together, washed and repaired the church and its territory. Unfortunately, we still have to do everything with our own hands.

Fr. Anthony building a chapel above the well by the church —How did you learn everything required for repairing the church?

—When I lived in the world, I learned many professions as a self-taught person. I studied to be a tractor driver and a driver, and I mastered the specialties of crane operator, excavator operator, welder, bricklayer and many others myself. I enjoy learning something new. Later all this came in handy for me in the restoring the church.

—What is the state of the church building in Malye Yasyrki?

—Unfortunately, it is in a very deplorable state. If you look at its photos and videos, it will seem to you that everything is fine. But on site an understanding person will see how sad the situation is. The sanctuary has detached itself from the main part of the church so much that you can put your hand through it. In winter snow fell through this crack into the sanctuary—now we have filled it with improvised materials. It is cold, damp, and draughty in the church. Our singers in the choir freeze and catch colds. There is no heating here—only electric radiators. There used to be a boiler room here, but it has long since gone. Timber is rotten in many places so we have to replace the log crowns and the cladding. The crosses are about to collapse. The bell tower is tilting. We conducted a survey, and it turned out that the bell tower above the quadrangle must be fully reconstructed: the roof and the rotten walls should be dismantled and rebuilt. The Archangel Michael Fund has raised funds for timber and is now collecting money for metal for reroofing. I humbly ask everyone to take part in the fundraising for us to carry out the work before the bell tower collapses. When I was tackling the restoration, none of my acquaintances believed that I would succeed. But I believe that the Lord, the Archangel Michael, and the Mother of God will help us. We will pray, and everything will be sorted out. There will be people who will help us financially, and we will slowly save the church from destruction. That’s how it all happens.

The priest/builder —You became a priest in 1995 and over this time you have already restored six churches. How have you managed to do it?

—The problems were more or less the same as in Malye Yasyrki. People who came responded, and everything worked out. Someone was baptized here, someone else’s parents and relatives lived here… They told their friends about the church, and they were inspired and also helped. In the early 2000s, it was easier financially, and people from across the former Soviet Union responded to our requests: someone sent a penny, someone else came to help us, and so on… Donations came even from abroad: from Israel, Italy, Belgium, etc. And now we have the same principle: donors send us as much as they can. Some even send 100 rubles. Thus, some amount is gradually accumulated, and we can buy something. So we are slowly restoring the church with people’s help.

—Does it feel that village life begins to change when an active church appears?

—Of course! Young people change. When I arrived in one of the villages, I found children aged twelve and thirteen walking around drunk! I was shocked. I had to talk to them, explaining what awaited them in the future. They heeded my advice and began to attend church. And then the picture became absolutely different before my very eyes. Some are already married and have children. They are grateful for that conversation. In any village where church services begin, life changes: prayer works wonders—people are transformed.

—Do inhabitants of Malye Yasyrki and the surrounding area preserve their former love for the church and the traditions?

—In 2017, when I first came here and people heard that there would be a service in Malye Yasyrki, the church was packed. People were even standing outside, and I heard confessions for five and a half hours! Now in Malye Yasyrki I give unction to the remaining elderly residents, give them Communion at home, and young people travel to services from other villages and from far afield. Many come for the first time just out of interest and then do not forget our church. We now have between twenty and twenty-five parishioners at Sunday services. Most worshippers gather on the feast of the Pochaev Icon. Unfortunately, there are fewer of them from year to year—those who remember the old life in Malye Yasyrki, when a real pilgrimage was made on this day, are dying out. Last year we had one schemanun and one nun from the old community, while earlier up to seventy people would come from it. Under Fr. Vasily on this feast the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God would be lowered from the royal doors, as is customary in Pochaev. And there were many pilgrims: they rode on horse carts and walked to the feast from afar as in the olden days.

—How do you see the future of the church in Malye Yasyrki?

—The nuns I found alive in 2017 said that there was a prophecy that monastic life would be revived here. Now there are people who would like to live at the church of the Archangel Michael and lead a spiritual life. But unfortunately, there is nowhere to settle here at the moment; everything is dilapidated and leaking. And we have a dream and a plan to revive the community. All the conditions for this are available in Malye Yasyrki. But first of all we need to save the church.

​The church community, headed by Igumen Anthony

It is the season of season’s greetings and celebrations across the spectrum of our society. There will be those offended by “Merry Christmas” and those offended by “Happy Holidays.” Call me a peacemaker, but I have long ago solved that dilemma. In the interest of compromise and inclusivity, I wish everyone a “Happy Christmas.”

Being someone who has to constantly remind myself not to fixate on the superficial nature of being upset by what anyone may call this time of year, there does seem to be a plethora of holiday happenings in and around Southern California, where the “Happy Holidays” sentiment reigns supreme and neither merry nor happy Christmas is rarely part of the equation. 

Griffith Park is having its annual LA Zoo Lights, a kind of drive-through secular holiday extravaganza with an animal theme, but not a donkey or sheepdog to be found. Descanso Gardens in La Crescenta has its perennial Enchanted Forest of Light, with trees and bushes lit up in colors that the druids would have used if they had access to the Department of Water and Power. Marina Del Rey will have its Holiday Boat Parade, where boat owners will cruise around the harbor with boats both large and small transformed into floating “floats,” I guess.

It would be enough to make someone grumpy, but only if one forgot the true meaning of Advent. 

Our parish school seems to be doing a good job of scheduling Christmas events where Christmas is the theme. First, it is hosting a Christmas faire. Kids will be caroling, there will be food, games, and maybe even a visitor from the North Pole. 

Later in Advent, the school presents its Christmas program of songs and stories of that first Noel. Parents and grandparents will all have their phones out, getting the best angle on shepherds, angels, maybe even a camel or donkey. 

Our grandson has been practicing his songs for that program every night in the shower. He is still young enough to sing like nobody else is listening, and belts out “Go Tell It on the Mountain” like he is auditioning for “American Idol.”

As I Googled along in my quest for Christmas fare beyond my own parish, I came upon not a midnight clear, but a German Christmas at St. Francis De Sales Church in Sherman Oaks. (No, I am not being paid by St. Francis De Sales for this promotion, but if they want to send me an honorarium, Father Wakefield knows how to find me.)

I must confess I was quite ignorant about what German Christmas meant, other than including one of Germany’s great exports, Johannes Sebastian Bach. Back to Google, I learned how German immigrants helped shape and form how we celebrate Christmas in Southern California and throughout the country.

It is important to know that Christmas in America did not get off to a roaring start. Our early Puritan founders did not celebrate Christmas at all. It was considered nothing more than a bacchanal of “popish” and pagan origin. They backed this sentiment up with the power of the State when, in 1659, “the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony made it a criminal offense to publicly celebrate the holiday.”

But like so many things in America, immigrants brought their traditions with them and over time became American ones as well. There are more Americans with German ancestry than any other group, except for the British. Germans came in great waves to these shores, and Christmas in America came with them.  

Everything from taking a perfectly healthy tree, cutting it down, and dragging it into our living rooms, gift-giving, and Advent calendars and Advent wreaths all came from German Christmas traditions. They also brought something called Fire Tong Punch, which consists of mulled wine, high alcohol content, and open flames — which sounds more like it belongs to the third act of a Wagnerian opera rather than on someone’s Christmas dinner table.

Even if you do not want to listen to a 6-year-old belt out “Go Tell It on the Mountain,” or attend any of these events, thanks to some of those great traditions brought to us by German immigrants, keeping Christmas Christmas is just an Advent wreath away.

In the first long fast in the Church year, in order to spend it with benefit for your spirit, soul and body, it is important to remember the very essence of fasting, its essential components and main fruits.

​Artist: Alexander Alyoshin     

The essence of fasting

In essence, St. Seraphim on Fasting and Guarding the MindHoly people did not begin a strict fast suddenly; they gradually, little-by-little made themselves capable of being satisfied with the poorest foods.

“>fasting is a special time established by the Church for Christians to work hard on our salvation for Christ’s sake.

The time of fasting differs from the rest of the Church year in intensity and a greater amount of ascetic work.

The content of the fast

Working on self-improvement during a fasting period involves intensified threefold spiritual, mental and bodily work, since man is threefold and consists of the spirit, the soul and the body.¹

Spiritual labor includes, firstly, thorough studying Divine Revelation, through which God addresses man; secondly, attentive prayer, through which Christians respond to God by getting into spiritual contact with Him; thirdly, regular, systematic participation in the sacraments of confession and Communion, which by the grace of God unite every Christian with Christ; fourthly, exercising in sobriety, or spiritual discernment, through which the Christian learns to distinguish thoughts that come into his mind by their source and consequences, rejecting evil ones and accepting good ones; fifthly, charitable acts, which show love for God and your neighbor in practice.

Through all these ways and means the believer becomes open to receiving or acquiring the grace of God that sanctifies him and is poured out through the spirit on his soul and body, making him a temple of the Holy Spirit, giving him strength to resist sin and follow the righteous path of serving God and his neighbor.²

Mental labor presupposes, on the one hand, the saturation and filling of the mind with kind and pious thoughts, the will—with good desires, emotions—with pure and holy feelings; on the other hand, the abstinence of the mind from false and vain ideas, the will—from sinful and worldly desires, and the emotions—from bad and evil feelings and impressions.

The bodily labor is expressed in subordination of the body to the soul and the spirit, which, in turn, obey God and fulfill His will. For this purpose the body gets weaker, thinner and lighter through abstaining from animal products, sometimes through hunger, avoiding sensual pleasures (the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes (cf. 1 Jn. 2:16)), physical ascetic exercises (bows, prostrations), physical labor, and patient endurance of illness and suffering.

Thanks to all these mental and bodily ways and means the Christian is freed from the power of this world, from addictions and attachments to a futile earthly existence for the sake of the love of God, according to the Gospel words:

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world (1 Jn. 2:15–16).

Thus, during the fast the faithful make efforts to heal themselves in the image and likeness of God, restoring the original hierarchy of the whole human being: his spirit, soul and body—united, ordered, filled with and sanctified by the grace of God.³

The hierarchy of the fast

In fasting, as at all other times, the spiritual must be put first, the mental second, and the bodily third. Fasting is, first of all, spiritual labor, then mental efforts, and only then is it bodily abstinence.

It is unacceptable to reduce fasting exclusively to bodily abstinence, ignoring its spiritual and mental components, preferring bodily abstinence to mental and spiritual work. The lower, bodily component of fasting should always be subordinate to the higher ones—the mental and the spiritual.

If the spiritual and the mental components of fasting are always unchangeable and obligatory for all believers, then the bodily one is relative and variable, since it depends on the age, physical health and capabilities of the human body.

Young and adult healthy people can keep physical fast in full, strictly and according to the Typicon. For other categories of the faithful the Church provides various forms of relaxation of the bodily fast, which depend on the age and medical condition of every individual. For example, people suffering from serious illness, when there is a real threat to their health, are fully exempt from abstaining from non-fasting food. Instead, they patiently endure suffering and sorrows.

Therefore, according to the Apostle Paul,

Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him… He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks (Rom. 14; 3, 6).

Freedom of fasting

When fasting is reduced exclusively to bodily abstinence, it loses its positive content, turning into a list of prohibitions, into an endless “thou shalt not” and heavy burdens and grievous to be borne (Mt. 23:4). When fasting is observed as a spiritual, mental and bodily feat—that is, it retains its full meaning, then the spiritual and mental “you can” is given top priority, which makes fasting a “spiritual spring”.⁴

Fasting is not about restriction and lack of freedom, as many perceive it, but about the ample opportunity to get to know the Truth and the freedom that stems from this knowledge.

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (Jn. 8:31-32).

True, during the fast the body and the soul restrict themselves, but it is done only in order to give full freedom to the spirit and the fundamental powers of the soul.

The motivation of fasting

In order for fasting to be genuine and salvific, all this spiritual, mental and bodily work must be performed for Christ’s sake. It means that the only motivation of the Christian must be the desire to please the Lord, the striving to fulfill His will and the determination to become absolutely like Him in his way of life.⁵

You should not observe the fast for yourself, for someone or something else, but solely for the sake of the Lord. Otherwise, it is a substitute for fasting, a falsification and distortion, when formally, outwardly, it seems to be observed, but in essence it is not.

Distortions of fasting

Unfortunately, for many people fasting is often distorted into a diet or (not so often, but for some) into a means of “ascetic” self–affirmation and vanity. As a result, it ceases to be a way of saving the Christian’s soul and a path leading to the Heavenly Kingdom, turning into a mere vain earthly pursuit.

True fasting should fulfill the function of moving the Christian away from this world, and not attaching him to worldly vanity. The latter happens when we subordinate fasting to our earthly interests—cleansing the body, losing weight, saving money, the desire to impress others, etc.

In many ways, thanks to fasting Christians fulfill Christ’s call to be in the world, but not of the world (cf. Jn. 15:19). Fasting focuses all the attention of the believer on what the Holy Fathers called Divine contemplation and knowledge of God—in other words, a longing for the Kingdom of God.

The fruits of fasting

When fasting is observed properly, then by the grace of God the passions of On Battling PrideGod is our life, our strength, our Judge!

“>pride, St. John Cassian’s Institutes: On VaingloryHow our seventh combat is against the spirit of vainglory, and what its nature is.”>vainglory, self-justification, Judging: How to War With ItIf we take a look at ourselves and try to see our own inclinations, then we can easily see that we already have a steady habit formed of judging.”>judging and self-will are rooted out from the Christian, and instead of them the virtues of humility, meekness, repentance and obedience take root. Fasting is meant for us to be a time of struggle against sinful habits and of the development and affirmation of pious ones.

These virtues are true, genuine fruits of fasting. If there are no such fruits, it means that fasting has been useless for the person, and some serious mistakes have been made during its observation.

A spiritual self-examination

So, in order for fasting to be saving and fruitful, at its beginning every believer should conduct a spiritual self-examination by answering the following questions:

• What is the essence of fasting?

• What are its main components?

• What are their order and correlation?

• Who and what should we keep the fast for?

• What are the main tasks and the ultimate aim of fasting?

By answering these questions truthfully and honestly, we will be able to work our salvation consciously, soberly, responsibly, properly and fruitfully during the joyful time of fasting.⁶

U.S.A., December 16, 2024

Photo: YouTube     

The award-winning film Sacred Alaska: A Story of Adventure, Faith, and Sacrifice can now be watched on Vimeo.

The movie can be rented, bought, or gifted. A portion of all proceeds goes towards the struggling Diocese of Alaska of the Orthodox Church in America.

The official Sacred Alaska site describes the picture that was named Best Film at ByzanFest 2013:

Sacred Alaska is an award-winning documentary that offers an intimate look into Native Alaskan culture and spirituality. It showcases the profound influence of Orthodoxy, introduced by Russian monks in the late 18th century, on Alaskan society. The film highlights the unique way Alaskans have woven their indigenous beliefs with Orthodox traditions, deeply influencing their worldview. Central to this is the concept of learning to become a “real person.” Through beautiful cinematography and powerful storytelling, Sacred Alaska underscores the profound, sacred bond between the Alaskan people, their faith, and the formidable landscape they call home.

The film, which was previously shown in public screenings around the country, has a running time of 88 minutes. Subtitles are available in Greek, Romanian, and Russian.

Watch the trailer below:

​

Sacred Alaska. An interview With Filmmaker Simon ScionkaWhen they became Orthodox it was real for them. It was not forced, it made sense to them. As a people, they pass it down from generation to generation and continue to do so now.

“>Read an interview with director Simon Scionka.

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Sofia, December 16, 2024

Bp. Kliment of Levski, vicar of the Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia. Photo: bg-patriarshia.bg     

His Holiness Patriarch Daniil and a host of hierarchs of the Bulgarian Orthodox church consecrated a new vicar bishop for the Diocese of USA, Canada, and Australia on Sunday, December 15.

At its session on Vicar bishop approved for Bulgarian Diocese of USA, Canada, AustraliaThis coming weekend, a new vicar bishop for the Bulgarian Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia will be consecrated in Sofia.

“>December 10, the Bulgarian Holy Synod approved the request for a vicar for the elderly Metropolitan Joseph, 82, the ruling hierarch of the diaspora diocese.

And yesterday, Archimandrite Kliment (Strakhilov), a monk of the Athonite Zografou Monastery, was consecrated at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Alexander Nesky, reports the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Previously, the current Patriarch served as vicar to Met. Joseph from 2010 to 2018.

The Bulgarian primate was joined by 12 hierarchs, including Met. Joseph, clergy from throughout Bulgaria, and spiritual brothers of the new bishop from Zografou. The cathedral was also filled with Orthodox faithful.

Before the start of the Divine Liturgy, Archimandrite Kliment pronounced his episcopal promises and confessed the Orthodox faith by reading the Nicene Creed. The cathedral resounded with cries of “Axios!” during the episcopal consecration during the Liturgy.

Photo: bg-patriarshia.bg     

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Daniel presented the new bishop with a staff and delivered a speech:

We know you as a sincere and deeply believing man and Christian, as a zealous monk, diligent in the monastic obediences that you once chose to bear in the Zografou Holy Monastery in the Garden of the Most Holy Mother of God, Mt. Athos, dear to every Orthodox Bulgarian heart. We also know and respect the life path you have walked in the world, which spontaneously and quite naturally evokes in our minds the apostolic words and call: But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way (1 Cor. 12:31).

Pat. Daniil also wished the new bishop to be a diligent imitator of St. Clement of Ohrid and “just as he in his time imitated his teachers—the Equal-to-the-Apostles the holy Thessalonian brothers Cyril and Methodius, and all of them together—Christ, following the advice of the Apostle to the Nations, who exhorts the brothers in Corinth: Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1).”

Photo: bg-patriarshia.bg     

The newly ordained Bishop Kliment said in his speech that,

the episcopate is a sacred ministry that transcends the limitations of modest spiritual and physical human capabilities, it is a gift of God and an opportunity for the unfolding of Sacramental evangelism for the salvation of people in God’s holy Church… Most Holy Master! Behold, God has provided that I receive through your holy archpastoral hands all three graceful hierarchical degrees of priesthood. You ordained me to the diaconal and priestly ranks, and today also to the episcopal rank. You, Most Holy Master, most fully understand my excitement with which I approach my future Church ministry, since you, in your capacity as Bishop of Dragovita, for almost seven years and until your election as Metropolitan of Vidin, were a vicar bishop of the Metropolitan Joseph of USA, Canada and Australia. I thank you with all my heart.

After the holy service, Met. Joseph addressed the new bishop:

Great is God’s mercy toward the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, toward our Orthodox Bulgarian people, toward yourself and toward all your friends and guests who are here. Of course, this Divine mercy has been manifested throughout our more than millennium-long historical existence… God sent His messengers among the Bulgarian people, who enlightened them in the truth of the saving faith and instilled evangelical virtues in their soul. Since then, through His saints, God has preserved us in faith in every way, so that we might advance in piety and in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

He added that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church needs zealous ministers not only in the homeland but also throughout the world, especially in the Diocese of USA, Canada and Australia.

***

Photo: bg-patriarshia.bg     

Bp. Kliment was born in Sofia in 1974.

He graduated with highest honors from the German High School in Sofia in 1993. In subsequent years, he continued his education at the University of Osnabrück, Germany, simultaneously completing two majors—Macroeconomics and European Studies. He completed his master’s degree at the University of Birmingham, UK. In 2005, he defended his doctorate in Florence at the prestigious European University Institute (EUI) and received his doctorate in Economics. He completed internships at several banks, including the central banks of Germany and Canada.

From 2005, he was a senior assistant in the Economics Faculty of the European College in Bruges, Belgium. From 2007, after winning the competition for European civil servant, he was appointed as an economist in the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs (ECFIN) of the European Commission in Brussels, which position he left to enter as a novice at the Zografou Monastery on Mount Athos in November 2009.

After three years as a novice, on the feast of the Lord’s Entry into Jerusalem, he was tonsured as a monk with the name Kliment, in honor of St. Kliment of Ohrid, with his spiritual elder Archimandrite Ambrose as his sponsor. In October 2021, on the feast of the 26 Zografou Martyrs, he was ordained as a deacon, and the following day as a hieromonk by the then Metropolitan of Vidin, now Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil.

Along with his monastic obediences in the church, monastery kitchen, and the oil press, he translates Orthodox literature (he knows Greek, Russian, and several Western languages), and has published several liturgical books and psaltic collections.

In 2016, he graduated from the Theological Faculties in Sofia and Thessaloniki and participates in scientific conferences. By decision of the Bulgarian Holy Synod, he transferred to serve in the Bulgarian Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia and was appointed as protosingel of the diocese.

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Helsinki, December 17, 2024

The newly enthroned Abp. Leo of Helsinki is in the middle. Photo: ort.fu     

The Finnish Orthodox Church, an autonomous body within the Patriarchate of Constantinople, installed its new primate over the weekend.

The former primate, Archbishop Leo, announced his retirement Archbishop Leo of Finland to retire by the end of the yearThe election of a new primate will be included in the agenda of the Local Council to be held at New Valaam Monastery in late November.

“>in May, and Finnish Church elects new primateThe autonomous Finnish Orthodox Church of the Patriarchate of Constantinople elected a new primate yesterday.”>last month, the Local Council of the Finnish Church elected Metropolitan Ilia of Oulu as its next lead bishop.

The installation on Sunday, December 15, in Helsinki’s Holy Dormition Cathedral, was led by Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, reports the Finnish Church.

For the Divine Liturgy, Abp. Ilia and Met. Arsenios were joined by various Constantinople hierarchs, representing the Finnish Church, the Estonian Apostolic Church, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, the Patriarchate’s Western European dioceses, and the “Orthodox Church of Ukraine,” the latter of which is recognized as schismatic by the Orthodox world.

Following the service, on behalf of the Finnish Church, Archpriest Mikko Sidoroff presented the newly enthroned Abp. Ilia with a pectoral cross, an episcopal Panagia, and an engolpion with an icon of Christ.

Photo: ort.fi     

In his address, Met. Arsenios of Austria conveyed the greetings and blessing of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and exhorted:

As a canonical shepherd and protector, you are called to bring genuine light to all, the light of Christ, which enlightens and illuminates every person who comes into the world. You are called to testify to Orthodox ethics, the spirit of dialogue, mutual respect, genuine love and respect for every human person, as your predecessors did worthily.

Abp. Ilia’s predecessor, Abp. Leo, also exhorted him:

Having served my beloved Church for more than fifty years, I have understood its three main pillars upon which our church stands. It must be on the side of people, prudence, and cooperation. And if you demand something from others, demand it first from yourself, whether it concerns the ethical and moral aspect in a person or everything else in human relationships.

And in his address, Abp. Ilia reflected on his appointment to leadership, expressing both fear due to the weight of responsibility and hope because he knows he won’t carry this burden alone. He acknowledges his own unworthiness while emphasizing his trust in God who has led him to this moment, drawing on the Apostle John’s metaphor of the fruitless tree and St. Paul’s detailing of the fruits of the Spirit.

He then addresses contemporary challenges, particularly highlighting the Church’s moral obligation to speak out about suffering children, especially those displaced by war in Ukraine. He emphasizes that the Church cannot be selective in condemning violence and must raise its voice wherever innocent children become victims.

The address concludes with a vision of the Church’s role in modern society, particularly emphasizing environmental responsibility and prophetic witness. The Archbishop stresses that the Orthodox tradition is not a museum piece but a transformative force that must engage with contemporary issues. He acknowledges that while it would be easier to remain silent and hide in liturgical beauty, the Church must boldly challenge those in authority and stand with the oppressed.

Abp. Ilia also announces his intention to draw closer to the [schismatic] OCU, and Constantinople’s new Lithuanian Exarchate, which is largely a home for clergy who were suspended or defrocked by the Moscow Patriarchate.

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The village council chief Beeruram Baghel denied a land dispute and said that villagers want these families to return to the “tribal and Hindu fold” and that they are “planning to expel them from the village if they do not do ghar wapsi,” a common Hindu rite.

“All villagers have also decided that we will not let them celebrate Christmas this year,” reported Newslaundry.

Earlier in Chhattisgarh in the Sukma District, eight village councils passed a joint resolution on November 17 prohibiting any Christians from staying in their villages.

The resolution declared that Christians in these villages would either have to leave or renounce their faith, and if they fail to do either then all their fields, belongings, and property would be looted. Approximately 100 Christians are affected by the order.

The matter was brought to the notice of the head of one of the affected villages, who confirmed the resolution and claimed that the rule of the village council superseded that of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees the right to freedom of religion or belief under Article 25.

The next day, on 18 November, the Christians filed a written complaint at the Gadiras Police Station in Michwar and provided audio evidence of what the village chief had said. However, the police initially refused to file an official report, which would have been required for them to open an investigation. Instead, they asked them to take them to their field. When they arrived there, a mob of at least 1,500 people had looted the Christians’ harvest and proceeded to demand that they renounce their faith or leave the village. The police subsequently left the area without offering further assistance.

Approximately 40 villagers from eight families whose fields were looted have moved away from their land and are now residing in a church building in Michwar.

The eight villages are as follows: Dabba, Doodhiras, Gonderas, Gurli, Jagadlanar, Kundanpal, Kunna, and Michwar.

According to the 2011 census, over 93.25 percent of the state’s population practised Hinduism, above the national average of 80 percent. The Christian population is about 1.9 percent, below the national average of 2.3 percent.

Father Thomas Vadakumkara, the press officer of Jagadalpur Diocese said these things are happening only in the town of Sukhma.

“This is affecting almost Christians in many districts,” he told Crux.

“Basic human rights are routinely being denied to Christians: Burial of the faithful; staying on their own land; and cultivating and harvesting their fields and farms,” he said.

According to United Christian Forum (UCF), a civil society organisation based in Delhi, violence and discrimination against Christians are on the rise in 23 out of the 28 states in India.

The largest number of hate crimes have been recorded in Uttar Pradesh with 182 incidents, followed closely by Chhattisgarh with 139 cases reported.

Archbishop Victor Henry Thakur of Jagadalpur diocese told Crux he has heard about the current incidents from the media.

“However, the persecution of the Christians in Chhattisgarh has not stopped irrespective of the State Government in power. Whether the Congress or the BJP rules, lawlessness continues, the village non-denominational churches are routinely targeted, and persecution of Christians continue,” he said.

“We are a peace-loving people, We are law abiding citizens, and we abide by the Constitution,” the archbishop said.