signed by His Holiness Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Ahamad al-Tayyib
Archons make Religious Freedom Mission to Vienna, Austria, current seat of European Union Presidency
With the blessings of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America, a delegation of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, in a continuation of the Archons’ Religious Freedom Mission, visited Vienna, Austria, the current seat of the European Union Presidency; and Budapest, Hungary, from November 3 to November 10, 2018. The Order’s delegation was comprised of National Commander Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Secretary Hon. B. Theodore Bozonelis and Spiritual Advisor Fr. Alexander Karloutsos, who were all accompanied by their wives, Dr. Maria A. Limberakis, A. Helen Bozonelis and Presbytera Xanthi Karloutsos.
Joining and leading the delegation were His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France and His Eminence Metropolitan Arsenios of Austria and Exarch of Hungary and Central Europe. They planned and coordinated an intensive schedule that included 14 separate meetings with religious leaders, heads of state, and diplomats. The delegation focused on the message of advocating religious freedom for the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey and Orthodox Christians worldwide, human rights, and the right of self-determination for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the grant of autocephalous status by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. In this regard, it was most propitious that Metropolitan Emmanuel led the delegation, as he chairs the Patriarchal Committee on Autocephaly for the Orthodox Church in Ukraine, having represented His All-Holiness in Moscow, Kiev and at the 14 Autocephalous Orthodox Christian Churches. (more…)
Off-Camera Press Briefing in the Pentagon Briefing Room
Acting Secretary Of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan
ACTING SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PATRICK SHANAHAN: So, I think this is technically my first month in this acting role. I think we’re going to do this on the record, right? Isn’t that what we want to do? (more…)
Ecumenical Patriarch: “The Church of Constantinople always meets the demands of the times and has a vision for the future”
Addressing pilgrims from Greece and Cyprus shortly after today’s Divine Liturgy at the Phanar, His All-Holiness spoke on the occasion of today’s 70th anniversary of the enthronement of Athenagoras as Ecumenical Patriarch, about the work and the multi-dimensional ministry of the Mother Church.
The timeless ministry of the Mother Church of Constantinople was discussed by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who celebrated the Divine Liturgy today, Sunday, January 27, at the Phanar, in memory of St. John Chrysostom, one of the three holy hierarchs and ecumenical teachers of the Church, whose holy relics can be found in the most venerable Patriarchal Church.
In accord with tradition, the Ecumenical Patriarch celebrated from the parathronion, while the holy icon of St. John Chrysostom was placed on the Patriarchal throne. The Metropolitans Chrystomos of Myra; Stefanos of Kallioupolis and Madytos; Athenagoras of Kydonia; Maximos of Ioannina; Elias the Bishop of Tartu; Kyrillos of Abydos; official Archons, faithful from the city and a crowd of pilgrims from abroad were present. (more…)
The Guardian : Ukraine-Russia tensions reach Greece’s holy Mount Athos
n the chilly pre-dawn gloom one recent morning, Father Makarios hurried to his chapel, one of dozens of churches and cathedrals across Mount Athos, to perform morning liturgy. A two-hour marathon of biblical recitations and sonorous chanting, it would be just one of many services that day.
After the liturgy, Makarios, a 68-year-old Greek monk who has lived on Athos for 51 years, changed from his white prayer robes into his habitual black attire and doled out spiritual advice to a group of Belarusian businessmen who had made a pilgrimage to see him, over an austere breakfast of coffee and nuts. (more…)