Orthodox Churches

Metropolitan Hilarion Celebrates Liturgy in St. Alexander Nevsky Diocesan Cathedral

On Monday, April 17, the second day of the feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Christ – Pascha, the clergy and faithful of St. Alexander Nevsky Diocesan Cathedral in Howell, NJ, welcomed His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America & New York.

The Divine Liturgy on this bright and joyous day was led by the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, co-served by Bishop Irinej of Eastern America (Serbian Orthodox Church) and Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan (vicar of the Eastern American Diocese), and local clergy:

Metropolitan Hilarion Leads Divine Services for Pascha in Synodal Cathedral

On Saturday the 15th and Sunday the 16th of April, the feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Christ - Pascha, Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern American & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, led the festal divine services in the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City.

His Eminence was co-served by Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, Bishop Irinej of Eastern America (Serbian Orthodox Church), and cathedral clergy.

More than 4 million Russians took part in Paschal service

More than 4.3 million people in the various regions of Russia took part in the Paschal services this year. Security was provided by more than 90,000 people, reports RIA-Novosti, with reference to the site of the Russian Ministry of the Interior. “On the night of April 15 to 16, 2017, on the territory of more than 7,000 settlements of the Russian Federation were held more than 11,000 services, festal Liturgies, and processions devoted to the celebration of the Orthodox feast of the Bright Resurrection of Christ… in which more than 4.3 million people participated,” reads the message.

Pilgrims baptism in th river Jordan

On Holy and Great Tuesday morning, 29th March/11th April 2017, the pilgrims’ baptism took place as a seal of their pilgrimage theory, at the bank of the river Jordan, at the place where our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized by St. John the Baptist. Pilgrims were from Greece and other Orthodox countries. The service was led by the Patriarchal Commissioner Most Reverend Metropolitan Isychios of Kapitolias, with the participation of approximately 700 pilgrims.

Theodoros II: Paschal encyclical 2017

THEODOROS II
BY THE GRACE OF GOD POPE AND PATRIARCH OF ALEXANDRIA AND ALL AFRICA
TO THE PLENITUDE OF OUR APOSTOLIC AND PATRIARCHAL THRONE
GRACE AND MERCY FROM OUR RISEN LORD AND GOD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST 

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

My dear brothers and sisters,

With these words, with this hopeful promise, the Son of God completed His salvific mission on earth. He who left heavens and came to earth to offer us salvation. He who became poor for us. He who ascended the Cross and suffered for us. He who was buried for us. He who was resurrected for us, and the death, which He endured, became the harbinger of deathlessness.

Holy Fire to be delivered to America for first time

The Holy Fire, which descends every year on the eve of the Orthodox feast of Pascha in Jerusalem, will be delivered to the various corners of the Earth, with the support of the Russian St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation, including, for the first time this year, to the United States of America. “It is planned to deliver this sacred blessing for the first time to the US, and we’ve already received permission to transport the lampadas with the Holy Fire on board a plane,” the foundation’s press service reported to Interfax-Religion today. The Holy Fire is being brought to the US by the initiative of parishioners of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

Romanian Orthodox hierarchs in North America to be installed in new dioceses

A delegation of the Romanian Patriarchate led by Metropolitan Nifon of Târgoviște will visit North America from April 28 to May 7 for the installation of two Romanian hierarchs, reports the press service of the Romanian Orthodox Church. On October 28, 2016, the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church established two new diocesan structures: the Diocese of Canada, with His Grace Ioan Casian at the head, and the Metropolis of the Americas, with His Eminence Archbishop Nicolae (Condrea) at the head.