Orthodox Churches

Ecumenical Patriarch bestowed ECOS 2019 award

The ECOS 2019 award was bestowed on Friday to Ecumenical Patriarch of the Constantinople, His All-Holiness Bartholomew I, for his exceptional leadership in environmental protection.

The Ecumenical Patriarch received the prestigious award in honor of his lifetime of environmental advocacy and global influence on environmental protection. ECOS produces what it calls «earth-friendly» products, using zero-waste guidelines, and at facilities powered by renewable energy.

58 indigenous Evenks baptized in Russian Far East

The missionary efforts of the Blagoveschensk Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church among the Evenk people in the Russian Far East have borne considerable fruit lately, as more than 50 people were united to Christ in His Church in two recent mass Baptism celebrations.

The Evenks are a Tungusic people of Northern Asia, recognized as one of the indigenous peoples of the Russian North, with a population of 38,400 according to a 2010 census. Contact with the Russian Empire starting in the 17th century pushed the Evenk people eastward, and they suffered language erosion, traditional decline, and identity loss especially under the Soviet regime. Today, few people can speak the Evenki language, and they face serious issues such as suicide and alcoholism.

Ecumenical Patriarch in Princes Islands

At the celebrating holy Patriarchal skete of Halki island, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew officiated during the Vesper of the Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ the Savior on Monday, August 5. 

There also attended Metropolitan Elder Dimitrios of Princes Islands, Archbishop Nektarios of Anthidon, Commissioner of the Holy Sepulcher in Constantinople, Bishop Kyrillos of Erythres,  the Ambassador of Greece in Vietnam Giannis Raptakis, Giannipanus, Georgia Soultanopoulou, General Consul of Greece in Constantinople and a crowd of faithful.

Albanian Orthodox celebrated the Transfiguration of the Savior

Albanian Orthodox, from one corner of the country to the other, swarmed the Churches during the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Savior, where the custom of grapes was observed.  The fruits were blessed and then offered to the faithful.

At the Cathedral of Tirana, Archbishop Anastasios presided the Holy Service, assisted by Metropolitan Nathaniel of Amadiya (Amadia) and the clergy of the Archdiocese.

Graduation ceremony at the Orthodox College of Africa in the Metropolis of Nairobi

The graduation ceremony at the Orthodox College of Africa, where for nearly twenty years now academic and spiritual work has been carried out on the premises of the Metropolis of Nairobi on the same site as the Orthodox Patriarchal School, was held in an atmosphere of excitement and joy.  This year’s ceremony was very special as exactly 100 students graduated in the presence of Metropolitan Makarios of Nairobi.

New abbot elected for St. John’s Monastery in Essex

The Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Tolleshunt Knights, near Essex, England is the oldest Orthodox monastic community in the country.

It was founded in 1958 by Elder Sophrony (Sakharov), the spiritual child of St. Silouan the Athonite who is himself venerated throughout the Orthodox world. Elder Sophrony served as the monastery’s abbot until his holy repose in 1993. The abbatial post was then taken up by Archimandrite Kyrillos, who served in that capacity until earlier this year, when he retired due to the weakness of his age. He has not been able to serve the Liturgy for more than a year now, though he is now working to instruct the new abbot.

Greek and American volunteers in Kenya

Throughout August, specialist scientists and academics, doctors etc. shall be in Kenya to volunteer their services to Kenyans.  The first group of Americans has already arrived, receiving a warm welcome by Metropolitan Makarios at the Patriarchal School. Then they moved to the Muken area of the Nandi people (a part of the Kalenjin ethnic group found in East Africa), where Metropolitan Makarios laid the foundation stone of a new library and chemistry labs in one of the Orthodox Junior and Primary Schools throughout the Republic of Kenya. The aforementioned volunteers shall help the building.