Orthodox Churches

Russian Church to open a center for studying Orthodox culture in Shanghai

 The Shanghai Foreign Languages University and the Patriarchal Council for Culture signed an agreement to set up a center for studying Orthodox culture at the university in Shanghai. The document was signed by the University rector professor Cao Demin and executive secretary of the Patriarchal Council for Culture Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov), the Moscow Patriarchate website reports.

The Center will help to get acquainted with traditional Russian culture, organize scientific work, publish books, especially the Chinese-Russian Bible vocabulary and Orthodox terms vocabulary, launch exchange programs for students and aspirants, carry out seminars and conferences, lectures for students and aspirants in China and in Russia.

The Feast of the Holy Spirit and the Final Day of Patriarch Theodore's visit to Tunis

On Monday, the Day of the Holy Spirit, 9th June 2014, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, officiated at the Holy Church of the Ascension of the Lord, of the Russian Orthodox community in Tunis, together with Metropolitans Alexios of Carthage and Nikodimos of Memphis. During the Divine Liturgy, members of the Russian Community and the Greek Community were present, as well as the Ambassadors of Russia Mr. Alexandre Cheine and of Greece Mrs. Anna Korka. At the end of the Divine Liturgy and the address given by Fr. Dimitri Netsvetaev, His Beatitude replied Theologically, speaking of the Feast of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit-filled journey of contemporary Christians, which with the events of the times is made far more difficult, particularly in the ares of North Africa, where Christians are in the minority.

Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA Discusses Priorities for the Region

​As part of the ongoing work of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, a meeting of the Assembly’s committee chairmen was held on Tuesday, June 10, 2014 in New York. Eleven of the Assembly’s fourteen committees were represented. Bishop Maxim, the Coordinator for Committees, convened the meeting. 

Feast-day of Saint John Kronstadt to be celebrated as a town holiday

In 2014, the 185th anniversary of birth of Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt is celebrated, and the town of Kronstadt is celebrating the 310th anniversary since its foundation. In honor of the festive dates the administration of Kronstadt decided to make the day of canonization of the Kronstadt pastor an all-town event, reports the St. Petersburg Metropolia’s website.

Monday of the Holy Spirit in Jerusalem

Monday the 27^th of May/9^th of June 2014 saw the celebrations for the descent of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Holy Trinity, on the holy disciples and apostles gathered in the Cenacle on the Hill of the Holy Sion, as attested by the Church.

Vespers was first held in the chapel within the cemetery of Sion, built on the ruins of a Byzantine Church, led by His Eminence, Archbishop Dorotheos of Avila, with concelebrant Hagiotaphite Hieromonks and Hierodeacons. Also in attendance were several pilgrims.

Feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem

On Sunday the 26^th of May/8^th of June 2014, the feast of Pentecost was observed at the Patriarchate in commemoration of the miraculous descent of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, on His holy disciples and apostles on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection. Blessed with the Holy Spirit, they spoke of the Lord’s wonders in other tongues, according to the Acts of the Apostles (2, 1-11), and attracted to the Lord three thousand souls on that day, marking the beginning of the appearance and exodus of the Church of Christ to the world.