Orthodox Churches

The feast of the Gathering of the Apostles in Tiberias

On Sunday, the 30^th of June/13^th of July 2014, the feast of the Gathering of the Twelve Holy Apostles was celebrated at the Holy Monastery dedicated to them, near the Western shore of the Tiberian sea, at the centre of the present-day big Israeli city of Tiberias.

At the church of the Monastery, which preserves many of the building components of the ancient church which is linked to the Lord’s miracle, namely His appearance before His disciples after the Resurrection, when He instructed them to throw their nets on the right side of the boat (John 21, 6) and then eat from the fish and bread that lay on the coal (John 21, 9), which constitutes the evangelical excerpt of the 10^thEothinon Gospel of Sundays – His Beatitude Theophilos, Patriarch of Jerusalem, led the Matins and Divine Liturgy. Co-officiating were the Most Reverend Kyriakos, Metropolitan of Nazareth and Hieromonks from nearby Monasteries of the Patriarchate. Cantors from neighbouring communities sang, while Greek pilgrims and Russian-speaking and Arab-speaking faithful participated in piety.

Celebration at Caraiman Monastery

 On 20 July 2014, the parish churches and monasteries form all over the country celebrated their saint patron, Saint Elijah the Tishbite – “Lumina” newspaper informs. One of the places of worship which celebrated their dedication day was the chapel of the Monastery of the “Exaltation of the Holy Cross” – Caraiman, in Busteni resort.

Patriarchate of Jerusalem condemn proclamations against Christians in Iraq

The Patriarchate of Jerusalem is alarmed upon hearing the horrifying statement issued by the Islamic State group, telling Christian communities in the Iraqi city of Mosul that they must convert to Islam, pay a jiziya tax, or give up all their possessions and leave the city, otherwise face imminent execution.

The inhumane statement is contrary to the peaceful symbiosis of Christians and Muslims in Iraq and in the entire Middle East region throughout the centuries and completely goes against the principles and values of these monotheistic religions.

The “Mother Church” of Jerusalem strongly and unequivocally condemns the appalling statement of the Islamic State group and appeals with utmost urgency to the international community to immediately intervene in order to avoid such actions and to protect the Christian population of Iraq, which has been living for many centuries in peace with their Muslim compatriots.

Construction of Orthodox chapel of St. Olaf begins in Stiklestad

 On 16 July 2014, the foundation of the Orthodox chapel of St. Olaf, King of Norway, was laid in Stiklestad (100 km from Trondheim). The chapel is being built at the site of the death of “Norway’s Eternal King”. St. Olaf, the heavenly patron of Norway, died in 1030.

Primate of Orthodox Church in America leads celebrations at Patriarchal cathedral in New York to mark 700th anniversary of the birth of St. Sergius of Radonezh

On 20 July 2014, a solemn Divine Service was celebrated at St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York. Thus the Patriarchal parishes in the USA concluded the celebrations marking the 700th anniversary of the birth of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Upon the blessing and at the invitation of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada officiated at the Divine Liturgy. Concelebrating with His Beatitude were Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad; Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA; and the assembly of clergymen of the Moscow Patriarchate, the Russian Church Abroad, and the Orthodox Church in America.