NEW YORK - As is well known, on September 11, 2001 our city and nation suffered a terrorist attack of unparalleled proportions.  In addition to the tragic and horrific loss of almost 3,000 innocent victims, a number of whom were members of our own community, the world witnessed the unimaginable collapse of the Twin Towers.  When the second Tower fell, it landed on and erased all traces of the Greek Orthodox Christian Church of St. Nicholas, the only house of worship destroyed that day. Opened in 1916 by a group of Greek immigrants, the church not only served the spiritual needs of its parishioners but was also a sacred space in which people of all ethnic and religious backgrounds working in the surrounding area would often stop, light a candle and spend a few moments in prayer and reflection.
Following the events of 9/11, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the St.Nicholas parish fully cooperated and worked closely with the relevant authorities.Former Governor George Pataki pledged without reservation his support for rebuilding in the belief that it was a necessary part of the healing of New York City and of our nation. Early on, as plans were being formulated for the reconstruction of the area, the Church agreed to relocate and rebuild its house of worship at a new locale to facilitate the envisioned design for the overall site.  In 2004, the authorities proposed that the new edifice be built at 130 Liberty Street, a parcel on the same block as the original site, and an agreement was reached between the Archdiocese and the Port Authority.  Four successive LMDC/Port Authority administrations honored this mutual agreement which entailed extensive on-going work and planning on the part of all parties.  All site plans for the area which the LMDC/Port Authority released to the public show St. Nicholas at this new locale.  Regrettably, the latest Port Authority administration in 2009 unexpectedly and arbitrarily reneged on this agreement and as a result, the Archdiocese and St. Nicholas parish are suddenly offered no viable option. LMDC/Port Authority has refused to meet with us. In the meantime the LMDC/Port Authority has excavated the original site without our consent, rendering it unusable, in flagrant violation of our legal rights.
The Archdiocese and parish leadership remain firmly committed to the rebuilding of the church honoring the long standing agreement with LMDC/Port Authority.  Confident that we have acted in good faith and trusting in Almighty God, we expect that justice will prevail and that we will be successful in this sacred endeavor.

Thursday, August 19, 2010 - The Clergy of Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, Illinois, regret to inform the brothers and sisters of our God-protected community that His Eminence Metropolitan +CHRISTOPHER, our beloved Archpastor and spiritual father, has reposed in the Lord on August 18, 2010 at 7:45 pm, following a short and serious illness at the age of 82.
Born in Galveston, Texas, and baptized Velimir Kovacevich, the future Metropolitan Christopher was the ninth of twelve children of Serbian immigrant parents. After graduation from high school, he attended Nashotah House and graduated from St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Seminary in Libertyville, Illinois. After marriage, he was ordained to the Diaconate and Priesthood. Continuing his education, he earned a B.A. (Philosophy), Master of Letters (History) at the University of Pittsburgh; the Master of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, and completed courses and examinations for the doctorate at the Chicago Theological Seminary.
Father Velimir ministered to parishes in Pennsylvania and in Chicago, also serving as chaplain to four universities. He assisted his parishes to become bilingual in their worship and education programs, and at the same time he was active in the defense of unity and canonical order in his church during a period of schism. As a priest, he served as spiritual father, counselor, youth worker, administrator, educator, and, above all, in priestly ministry at the Holy Altar. Widowed in 1970, he is the father of four, as well as the grandfather of nine.
Elevated to the episcopate in 1978 by the Assembly of Bishops in Belgrade and tonsured with the monastic name of Christopher, he became the first American-born bishop to serve a diocese of his church in North America. As Bishop of Eastern America and Canada, he soon developed a diocesan-wide program in religious education. Active also in ecumenism, he has served on the joint commission of Orthodox and Roman Catholic bishops and on the Orthodox-Lutheran dialogue, and has represented his church at high levels in both the National and World Councils of Churches. In 1991, he was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan, thereby becoming Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the U.S. and Canada.
May the Lord our God grant blessed repose and eternal rest to His Eminence Metropolitan Christopher.
Funeral arrangements:
MONDAY, AUGUST 23, 2010
- Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, 10:00 AM, Monday, August 23, 2010, at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, 5701 N. Redwood Drive, Chicago, IL 60631.
- Funeral Matins, 7:00 PM, Monday, August 23, 2010, at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, 5701 N. Redwood Drive, Chicago, IL 60631.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2010
-  Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and Requiem Service, 9:00 AM, Tuesday, August 24, 2010, at St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Monastery 32377 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, IL 60048, followed by burial at grave on south side of church.
A memorial lunch will be served at Holy Resurrection Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, 5701 N. Redwood Drive, Chicago, IL 60631, following interment.

Atlanta, GA - The Order of Saint Andrew, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate introduced a resolution to the hierarchs, clergy, and participants at the 40th Clergy Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America held in Atlanta, GA, July 4-8, 2010. The resolution was passed by unanimous vote, and reads:

WHEREAS, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople has been suffering as a result of the oppressive policies and actions of the Turkish government and its agencies; and

WHEREAS, by reason of such policies and actions, the worldwide ministry of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is hindered, and as a result our own rights as Orthodox Christians in America are violated,

NOW, THEREFORE, we, the officers and delegates of the 40th Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, an Eparchy of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, hereby unanimously

RESOLVE and call upon the Government and Congress of the United States of America, as well as upon the Governors and Legislatures of all 50 States to:

Demand that the Turkish government comply with its obligations to provide religious freedom to its minorities and further respect its commitments pursuant to the Turkish Constitution, the Treaty of Lausanne and the several human rights conventions it has signed and ratified; and we

FURTHER RESOLVE, that the Government of the United States of America intensify its efforts and strongly urge the government of the Republic of Turkey to:

(a) Refrain from interfering with the governance of the Ecumenical Patriarchate;

(b) Recognize and acknowledge that the Ecumenical Patriarchate exists and functions as a legal entity and maintains its own legal personality;

(c) Acknowledge the Ecumenical status of His All Holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew;

(d) Take all necessary steps to allow the prompt and orderly re-opening of the Theological School of Halki;

(e) Immediately refrain from any further seizures of Church-owned properties and return or otherwise provide fair compensation for all properties previously confiscated since the establishment of the Republic of Turkey and to

(f) Implement and respect the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights with respect to minority property rights in Turkey.

Marie and her daughter, Lovely, make a 4-hour, round trip journey each day from their home in the Delmas 10 area of Port-au-Prince to reach Foyer d’Amour ("House of Love"), a school for the developmentally disabled operated by the Orthodox Church that Marie calls, "a gift from God." It is one of only five such schools in a country of 10 million, and International Orthodox Christian Charities [IOCC] is equipping it with everything it needs – from teacher’s salaries to basic school supplies – to stay open.
As Haitians pass the six-month mark since the earthquake that devastated their country, such support is crucial for children, allowing them to continue their education and regain some normalcy.
On January 12, when the earthquake struck, Foyer d’Amour’s teachers and parents streamed in all night to check on the school. "So many schools had been destroyed, but Foyer d’Amour was special," says Roseline, a teacher who has been with the school for 10 years. "Here we not only teach students skills they need to survive in society, but we provide a safe place that they do not have anywhere else."
The school was severely damaged by the quake, so teachers built a temporary facility across the street. One hundred of the school’s 150 students returned when the school reopened in April. The school completely waived the tuition fees and is committed to accepting any student who can benefit from its curriculum.
"My home was destroyed in the earthquake and I live in a tent in my old neighborhood, but Foyer d’Amour gives me motivation and hope," says Rose, a teacher who instructs students in sewing. Students learn other occupational skills like cooking, and they can join a music band that plays for dignitaries and special events.
"We were so afraid that the teachers would leave to find jobs to support their families, and they are so important to the work we do here. We were even afraid the school would have to close," says Matushka Rose May Legouté, the Director of Foyer d’Amour. "We do not know what we would have been able to do without this support from IOCC."
In addition to operating funds, IOCC is providing the school with equipment for its temporary classrooms and installing proper sanitary facilities. Along with Foyer d’Amour, IOCC is also helping two other schools operated by the Orthodox Church in Haiti: Notre Dame des Petits, a school for 300 children that was completely destroyed and is now operating in makeshift wood-and-tarp shelters and St. John Chrysostom, located in a rural village whose population has doubled since the earthquake.
IOCC’s overall aid to Haiti recently topped $3 million and includes the delivery of medicines and hospital supplies, water purification and sanitation equipment, wheelchairs and crutches, tents and shelter materials, hygiene kits, fuel, food, blankets and mattresses.
Marie and Lovely continue to make their long journey every day, except now Marie has been hired by Foyer d’Amour. She checks on students who miss school or who need medical attention, and she started a support network for parents. Perhaps she can devote energy to a new job and worry a little less about Lovely, knowing that the school that has so helped her daughter will stay open.
You can help the victims of disasters around the world, like the Haiti Earthquake, by making a financial gift to the IOCC International Emergency Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief as well as long-term support through the provision of emergency aid, recovery assistance and other support to help those in need. To make a gift, please visit www.iocc.org, call toll free at 877-803-IOCC (4622), or mail a check or money order payable to IOCC, PO Box 630225, Baltimore, MD. 21263-0225.
IOCC, founded in 1992 as the official humanitarian aid agency of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), has implemented over $330 million in relief and development programs in 33 countries around the world.

MESSAGE

We glorify the name of the Triune God for gathering us at this first Episcopal Assembly of this region in New York City on May 26-28, 2010 in response to the decisions of the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference held at the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Switzerland, from June 6-12, 2009, at the invitation of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

At the Episcopal Assembly of North and Central America

New York, New York
May 27, 2010

Your Eminence Archbishop Demetrios,
Your Eminences and Your Graces,
Dear Brothers and con-celebrants in the Lord,

We have gathered here these days bathed in the Light and Grace of the All-Holy Spirit to discuss the future of our Holy Orthodox Church in North America. Whether this comes to be seen as an historic meeting will depend on us, and what we decide. And while we may have been convened in a new way, that fact is that the project of organizing the Church on this continent is not new. As we continue our deliberations it would be helpful to pause and reflect on all of the efforts over the last century that have enabled us to come to this moment. We stand in a line of very eminent and holy people who grappled with the very same issues we will attempt, over the course of days and years, to reconcile and resolve. If we are able to discuss these issues in ways that have eluded others in the past, it will be in no small measure due to the real vision and sacrifice of all of those men and women who planted Christ’s Church here; who watered and nurtured Her; who ensured that She would take root and grow.

NEW YORK – The first Episcopal Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Hierarchs in North and Central America was convened today by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America at the Helmsley Park Lane Hotel in New York City.

B A R T H O L O M E W


By the Grace of God, 
Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome 
and Ecumenical Patriarch,

To all the Faithful of the Church:


Grace, mercy, and peace from Christ the Savior Risen in Glory

Beloved brothers and sisters, dear children in the Lord, Christ is Risen!
Once again, the sacred day of Pascha has dawned in full delight and splendor, dispersing joy, comfort, gladness and assurance of life to all faithful, despite the heavy atmosphere that prevails in our world on account of the multidimensional crisis with all its familiar painful consequences for our daily life.



Christ has risen from the tomb as divinely human; and humanity has risen with Him! The tyranny of death belongs to the past. The hopelessness of hades' captivity has irrevocably gone. The only powerful Giver of life, having through His Incarnation voluntarily assumed all of the misfortune of our nature and all that it entails, namely death, has already "brought death to hades by the lightning of divinity,"[1] granting us life -- and "life in abundance." (John 10.10)



This abundance of life, which was granted to us by the Risen Lord, is ceaselessly slandered and assaulted by the devil -- indeed, these actions are the source of his very name -- although he is now weakened, completely powerless, and entirely ridiculous. The devil slanders Life by means of the hubris that still prevails in the world against God, humanity and the creation. The devil assaults Life by means of the sinful tendency that exists within us like "old rust," using this to entrap us either into tangible sin or delusional belief. Hubris is the offspring of that "rust", while both comprise the sinister couple responsible for disrupting relationships within ourselves, with others, as well as with God and the whole creation. Accordingly, it is imperative that we purify ourselves of this rust with great attentiveness and carefulness in order that the profuse life-giving light of the Risen Christ may shine in our mind, soul and body, so that it may in turn dispel the darkness of hubris and pour the "abundance" of life to all the world.



This cannot be achieved by philosophy, science, technology, art, or any ideology; it can only be achieved through faith in what God has condescended for us human beings through His Passion, Crucifixion and Burial, descending to the depths of hades and rising from the dead as the divine-human Jesus Christ. It is also expressed in the sacramental life of the Church as well as through laborious and systematic spiritual struggle. The Church, as the Body of Christ, unceasingly and to the ages experiences the miracle of the Resurrection; through its sacred Mysteries, its Theology and its practical teachings, it offers us the possibility of participating in that miracle, of sharing in the victory over death, of becoming children shaped by the light of the Resurrection and truly "partakers of divine nature." (2 Peter 1.4), just as in the life of every Saint in the past and present. The thorny weeds of passions growing within the depths of our heart, polluted by the rust of "the old self" (Eph. 4.22) must definitely be transformed as soon as possible in Christ, through Christ and for the sake of Christ and His living images that surround us -- namely, our fellow human beings -- into a bouquet of virtues, holiness, and righteousness. Hence, the sacred hymnographer chants in timely manner: "Let us put on the robe of righteousness, which is whiter than snow, and let us rejoice today in the day of the Pascha; for Christ, the sun of righteousness that rises from the dead, has showered upon us the light of incorruption."[2] The white garment of righteousness was given to us symbolically on the day of our Baptism; and we are invited to cleanse it continually through constant repentance, control of desires, patience in life's pain, and relentless effort to fulfill the commandments of God, and especially the supreme commandment of love. In this way, we are able to participate in the cross-bearing self-emptying of Christ, in order that the Paschal gladness, radiant light, and joyful salvation may enter our life and world.



We address this from the Phanar, where we experience the suffering of Holy Friday and the light of the Resurrection, as we express to you the affection of the Mother Church, wholeheartedly wishing for all the saving gift and Paschal blessing of the Lord of Life, who rose from the dead.
Holy Pascha 2010
Fervent supplicant for all before the Lord
+ Bartholomew of Constantinople

New York, NY - A delegation of members from the Imvrian Association of Athens and the Imvrian Association of Makedonia-Thraki visited the United States Feb. 21-28 on a mission for religious freedom and in support of human rights for the Greek Orthodox minority of the islands of Imbros and Tenedos, which are under the direct spiritual supervision of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.
These islands, located in the northeast Aegean Sea near the Straits of the Dardanelles, were ceded to the new Turkish Republic under the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923, despite their predominant Greek Orthodox population.
However, under the treaty, the native island population was to enjoy a special self-administrative status and was to have the protections afforded to minorities. The treaty provisions providing for self-administration were never implemented and the religious and other protections of minorities were largely ignored.
The delegation consisted of Mr. Paris Asanakis and Mr. Kiryakos Bakalis of the Imbrian Association in Athens and Mr. Pavlos Stamatidis and Mrs. Sapfo Dikaou-Takidou of the Imvrian Association of Makedonia-Thraki. In New York, the delegation visited and paid its respects to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America, Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, among others. The delegation also visited local Greek press offices, where Mr. Asanakis and Mr. Stamatidis, presidents of their respective associations, were interviewed, along with Archon Nikiforos Mathews, vice president of the Pan-Imbrian Benevolent Society of New York.
The purpose of the delegation's mission was to increase awareness in the United States, including with government officials, of the religious freedom, property and other human rights issues faced by the remaining Greek Orthodox minority of Imbros and Tenedos. In addition to its visits in New York, the delegation also met with representatives of governmental agencies in Washington, D.C.
One of the highlights of the mission was a lecture co-sponsored by the Hellenic Lawyers Association and the Pan-Imbrian Benevolent Society of New York, which was conducted by Mr. Asanakis. In his lecture, Mr. Asanakis pointed out that not only were the Treaty of Lausanne provisions protecting the Greek Orthodox minority on the islands ignored, but a systematic plan to dissolve it was implemented by the Turkish State in 1964.
He noted that the plan included, among other measures, the expropriation of 90% of the arable land, closure of the Greek schools and the establishment of an open agricultural prison, whose inmates were left free to wander and terrorize the Greek Orthodox minority. He also pointed out that over 300 churches and country churches on the islands were destroyed, desecrated or vandalized.
After an analysis of the parallel efforts of the global Imbrian associations to take advantage of Turkey's course towards EU accession, including participation in the civil society dialogue in Europe and Turkey and support of legal recourse to Turkish courts and the European Court of Human Rights, he concluded: "With the Imbrians' ever-increasing tendency to visit their island of origin from which they were once forced to flee, to restore their homes, to revive their ancient feasts and rituals, and to reunite with the few people who stayed behind, the Imbrian issue has ceased to be mere history. It already has a present and we will struggle with all our strength to make sure it will have a future."
In attendance at the lecture were His Excellency Anastasis Mitsialis, the Ambassador of Greece to the United Nations, Mr. Christopher Stratakis, legal counsel to the Order of Saint Andrew and Mr. Stelios Banagos, President of the Pan-Imbrian Society of New York. The delegation's trip was coordinated by members of the Pan-Imbrian Benevolent Society of New York and would have been impossible to achieve or do without the assistance or guidance of the Order of Saint Andrew.

The Hierarchs of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas

To all the Clergy and the Laity of the Holy Orthodox Churches in the Americas
 
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We, the Hierarchs of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, greet you on the Feast of the Sunday of Orthodoxy with words of the Holy Apostle Paul that were selected by the Primates of the worldwide Orthodox Church to close their Message proclaimed on October 12, 2008. Indeed, we glory in our God whose love for us exceeds every thought or imagining that could enter our minds or hearts. As the Apostle Paul says in another place: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him (I Cor. 2:9).

Metropolitan Athenagoras of Mexico visited Haiti this past week bringing comfort to the clergy and Orthodox faithful of the earthquake stricken Island.  His Eminence arrived from Greece where he was visiting for official Church business, aboard a Greek Government plane, with the Assistant Foreign Minister of Greece and the Executive Director of the NGO “Solidarity” of the Church of Greece.  The plane was carrying 50 tons of food, medicine and other aid, a gift from the Greek Government and the Church of Greece, for the people of Haiti.
   
His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras immediately visited the homes and schools of our ministry in Haiti to assess the damage done by the earthquake.  Deeply moved by what he saw, “this is a disaster of immense proportions” noted His Eminence.  All of the buildings where our Church and schools are presently housed were seriously damaged and will need major repairs, or even worse will need to be demolished and rebuilt.  His Eminence further visited the property owned by the Holy Metropolis where the Metropolis has plans to build a complete complex, comprised of a Church, a school, a clinic and housing for our clergy.

Since our property is presently vacant, families whose homes were destroyed and who had no place to live, are presently using our property for temporary living quarters.  About 3000 people live on the Church property, 1000 of whom are children.  Initially they lived out in the open until last week when the Metropolis received a donation of 500 tents, which were given to these families for more humane living conditions.

On Wednesday, along with our two Haitian clergy, Metropolitan Athenagoras performed Divine Liturgy in a small open area of the property.  The Divine Liturgy was attended by many hundreds of our Haitian Orthodox Faithful and by all of the families living on our property.  Upon the completion of the Divine Liturgy His Eminence brought the people the blessings and Patriarchal concern of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and offered words of comfort to our Haitian faithful and all those present, asking them to keep hope alive.  “We will not abandon you, we are here and will remain with you, for as many years as it takes, until you can return to your homes or until new homes can be built.  We will rebuild our Church, we will rebuild our schools and we will do everything possible to help you rebuild your lives and your future” noted Metropolitan Athenagoras.

Following Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Athenagoras and the clergy distributed rice, flour, raisins and other food aid, which was part of the aid given by the Greek Government and the Church of Greece, to the families present. 

On his way to the Ecumenical Patriarchate to meet with His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew and receive his advice and console and blessings for the best way to proceed in bringing spiritual comfort and aid to Haiti and our Haitian Orthodox Community, Metropolitan Athenagoras passed through New York and visited with His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America. Archbishop Demetrios was deeply concerned to hear about Metropolitan Athenagoras’ recent visit to Haiti. Upon assessing the present situation, together they determined a plan of action which Metropolitan Athenagoras will present to Patriarch Bartholomew, so that, with the help of IOCC and the financial aid and assistance provided by the Church of America, positive measures can be pursued in helping  the people of Haiti meet their immediate needs while working towards a long term and more permanent solution in rebuilding the lives and future of our Haitian Orthodox Community.

Metropolitan Athenagoras is to return to Haiti the first weekend of March when he is to meet with the President of Haiti Mr. Rene Preval to discuss with him various options available for a cooperative effort with the Haitian Government, for the benefit of the people of this devastated Island Nation.

Anyone wishing to assist our efforts in bringing comfort and aid to the people of Haiti and our Haitian Orthodox Community may offer a donation either by making an automatic Bank deposit, or by writing a check addressed to “Haiti Christian Orthodox Relief Fund” and sending it to the address indicated.

CHASE BANK
ROUTING NUMBER #071000013  /  SWIFT CODE CHASUS33

For the Account of:
ORTHODOX MISSIONS MEXICO
HAITI CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX RELIEF FUND
708 Hanbury Dr.
Des Plaines, Ill. 60016
ACCOUNT # 867222986

2/12/2010
Istanbul, Turkey

BARTHOLOMEW

By God's Mercy
Archbishop of Constantinople the New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch

To the Plenitude of the Church
Grace and Peace be to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Together with our Prayer, Blessing, and Forgiveness

Beloved brothers and sisters, children in the Lord,

Tomorrow, we enter the period of Holy and Great Lent. In the Lenten vespers of Forgiveness chanted this evening, we shall hear the sacred hymnographer urging us to "begin the time of fasting with joy, submitting ourselves to spiritual struggle" in preparing to welcome the great Passion and joyful Resurrection of our divine-human Lord.

Therefore, what is demanded is a joyful disposition in order to embrace fervently the spiritual struggle of this period of contrition in purification and prayerfulness. Fasting, abstinence, frugality, restriction of personal desires, intense prayer, confession, and similar ascetic elements are essential to the period of Great Lent and should not be considered burdensome obligations or unbearable duties that result in despondency or dejection. When doctors recommend diet or exercise as necessary prerequisites for psychosomatic health and vigor, the first advice they offer by way of a mandatory condition of success is a pleasant mental disposition, which includes smiling and positive thinking. The same also applies to the spiritual period of fasting that opens before us. Great Lent should be regarded as an invaluable divine gift. It is a sacred time of divine grace, which seeks to detach us from things material, lowly and corrupt in order to attract us toward things superior, wholesome and spiritual. It is a unique opportunity to remove from the soul every passion, to rid the body of everything superfluous, harmful and mortal. Accordingly, then, it is a time of immense rejoicing and gladness. A genuine feast and exhilaration!

Nevertheless, my beloved children, the fasting expected of us by the Church, as well as the abstinence, frugality, restriction of personal desires and unnecessary pleasures or expenses, literally constitute a prescription for salvation. This is especially true this year, when our world has experienced a global economic crisis, filled with imminent danger of bankruptcy not only for individuals and companies, but also for entire nations throughout the planet, with destructive consequences in skyrocketing unemployment, the creation of entire hosts of people plagued by poverty, depression, social turmoil, increase in crime, and other such tragedies. Great Lent instructs us to journey daily with a little less, without the arrogance of extravagance, waste and display. It encourages us to surrender all forms of greed and ignore the challenges of commercial advertising, which constantly promotes new and false necessities. It incites us to limit ourselves to what is absolutely essential and necessary in an attitude of dignified, deliberate simplicity. We are not to be a consuming or compulsive herd of thoughtless and heartless individuals, but a society of sensitive and caring persons, sharing with and supporting our "neighbor" that is in poverty or recession. Finally, Great Lent informs us about patience and tolerance in moments of smaller or larger deprivation, while simultaneously emphasizing the need to seek God's assistance and mercy, placing our complete trust in His affectionate providence. That is how Christ envisions Great Lent. That is how the Saints lived Great Lent. That is how the Church Fathers undertook the struggle of Great Lent. That is how our faith has traditionally understood Great Lent. That is how the Church of Constantinople, in its wide experience and unceasing vigilance, has always projected and proclaimed Great Lent, and particularly in the current global circumstances.

In sharing these pastoral thoughts and words from the historical and holy Phanar, we extend to all of you our paternal prayer and spiritual blessing for a fruitful journey through the period of Great Lent.

Holy and Great Lent 2010

+ Bartholomew
Fervent supplicant before God

These past two weeks the whole world has been watching the tragedy unfolding in Haiti. The most vulnerable Country in the Western Hemisphere and one of the poorest in the world, has suffered one of the greatest disasters in its history. The earthquake of a 7.0 magnitude which hit Haiti has killed over a hundred thousand Haitians, while millions were injured and are now homeless.

Immediately upon learning of the earthquake, His Alll Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew issued a Patriarchal encyclical conveying his concern and prayers for the well being of our Haitian clergy and faithful, and for all the people of Haiti. In asking for the compassion and immediate response by the faithful, His All Holiness has "assigned His Eminence Metropolitian Athenagoras of Mexico, the responsibilty to coordinate all efforts in the collection of finanical and any and all other assistance for the Haitian disaster."

To read the rest of the release click here download.

1/29/2010, New York, NY - A delegation from the Order of St. Andrew, led by Archon and Ambassador George L. Argyros and National Commander Anthony J. Limberakis, MD, is currently participating in an 'Archon Religious Freedom Mission to the European Union' in pursuit of human and religious rights for the Ecumenical Patriarchate. National Commander Limberakis will be offering updates on important developments and status alerts via the social networking tool "Twitter". All Archons and interested persons who are connected to this network are encouraged to log onto

and become a follower, or visit

and click on the "Twitter" tab below the homepage image to read these updates.

The delegation will be traveling to Madrid, Spain--which currently holds the EU presidency, Brussels, Belgium, and Athens, Greece till February 7, 2010. They are being guided by His Eminence Metropolitan Emanuel of France. Together with Archons Argyros and Limberakis, the delegation also includes Archon Christopher Stratakis, Legal Counselor, Spiritual Advisor Fr. Alex Karloutsos, and Mr. Rob Lapsely, former Assistant Secretary of State for California. Coverage on the religious freedom mission will be available in the coming weeks on

and in the next issue of

.

The Order of St. Andrew the Apostle is comprised of Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate who have been honored for their outstanding service to The Orthodox Church by having a Patriarchal title, or "offikion," bestowed upon them by His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Those upon whom this title of the Mother Church has been conferred are known as "Archons of the Great Church of Christ," and the titles are personally conferred by the Exarch of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in America, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios.

The Order of St. Andrew's fundamental goal and mission is to promote the religious freedom, wellbeing and advancement of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, which is headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Hierarchs of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas

To the Most Reverend Clergy, Venerable Monastics and Devout Faithful of the Holy Orthodox Churches in the Americas.

Dearly Beloved in Christ Jesus:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.

In 1955, the hierarchs leading the various Orthodox Christian Churches in our land came together to recognize and endorse the work of the Boy Scouts of America.  This encounter prefigured the promising possibilities for witnessing our unity in Jesus Christ in this land and culture when we live and work in unity. Then and now, we believe that the Scout affirmation and Law are significant aids to our parishes and families in raising young men and women who “do their duty to God.”  The methods of the Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts USA, and the Camp Fire Boys and Girls programs are tremendous tools and we continue to fully endorse the work of these valued institutions.

We encourage each of our parishes to actively support the celebration of “Scout Sunday” on Sunday, February 7, 2010. We recognize our Orthodox Scouts every February but this year’s celebration is a particular joy to us as the Boy Scouts of America celebrates 100 years of vital service to the youth of our nation. We are grateful for the efforts of the first SCOBA endorsed agency, the Eastern Orthodox Committee on Scouting [EOCS], that has prepared materials for our parishes to assist in their celebration, available at www.eocs.org.  We also call on the reverend pastors and faithful of our parishes to support and recognize their youth engaged in neighborhood units. Integrating a young person’s Scouting experience in the fullness of Church life and the Church’s youth ministry programs is a powerful witness to our conviction that Christ is all and in all(Colossians 3:11).

We prayerfully look forward to commemorating Scout Sunday with you on
February 7.  We ask you to work with the EOCS (www.eocs.org) or with your Church’s Scouting representative to make this day a success for our youth ministry.

With paternal blessings and love in Christ,

†Archbishop DEMETRIOS
Chairman, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

†Metropolitan PHILIP
Vice Chairman, Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese Of North America

†Metropolitan CHRISTOPHER
Secretary, Serbian Orthodox Church in North And South America

†Metropolitan NICHOLAS of Amissos
Treasurer, American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese in the USA

†Archbishop NICOLAE
Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese In the Americas

†Metropolitan JOSEPH
Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Church

†Metropolitan JONAH
Orthodox Church in America

†Metropolitan CONSTANTINE
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA

†Archpriest Alexander Abramov
Acting Representative of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA

†Bishop ILIA of Philomelion
Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America

STANDING CONFERENCE of the CANONICAL ORTHODOX BISHOPS in the AMERICAS
8-10 East 79th Street, New York, NY 10075

NEW YORK – With great sadness, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios received the tragic news of the devastating destruction and the loss of human lives in Haiti following the earthquake in that country yesterday, January 12, 2010.
 
“Our thoughts and prayers are now with the people of Haiti,” said Archbishop Demetrios who immediately issued an encyclical calling upon the faithful of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America to pray for the safety, health and well being of all the people of Haiti and in particular the Greek Orthodox faithful there.

The SCOBA hierarchs have released an encyclical supporting Share the Light Sunday and the ongoing efforts of the Orthodox Christian Network to build an effective, Orthodox Media witness. The encyclical reads in part:

"It is also our responsibility to reach out to those who have left the embrace of the Church, as well as those who have never heard the saving message of Christ. It is precisely this commitment to mission and outreach that compels us, your spiritual shepherds, to support and endorse the outreach work in our communities of ministries like the Orthodox Christian Network (OCN)."

Click here to read the entire encyclical(PDF).

For more information on Share the Light Sunday and how you can help, please click here.

Orthodox Christian Network invites you to listen to our new programming for the Nativity on the Rudder: Orthodox Masterworks, featuring Richard Toensing's "Kontakion for the Nativity," Program Directors Choice, plus a wealth of Christmas hymns and Carols from around the Orthodox world. Click here to visit OCN's streaming Orthodox Chant station!
 

BARTHOLOMEW
By God’s Grace
Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch

To the Plenitude of the Church
Grace, peace and mercy from the Savior Christ Born in Bethlehem
 
Beloved concelebrants and blessed children in the Lord,
 
Heaven and earth have united
Through the birth of Christ.
Today, God has appeared on earth,
And man has ascended to heaven.
(Christmas Hymn)
 
The distance and separation between God and humanity resulting from sin has been abolished with the assumption of the entire human nature by the Only-Begotten Son and Pre-eternal Word of God. It was God’s good will – that is to say, His initiative and will – that the incarnation of His Son should abolish all such distance uniting heaven and earth, as well as creation with its Creator.

During the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos, the Church chanted: “Today is the beginning of God’s good will and the proclamation of human salvation.” During that feast, through the dedication of the blessed Mary to the temple and her preparation there to become the bearer of the boundless God, the road was paved for the incarnate dispensation of God, which foretold our salvation.

During the feast of the Annunciation, when the divine conception of the Inconceivable occurred through the Holy Spirit within the womb of the Theotokos and divine nature began to coexist with human nature in order that – as St. Athanasius the Great articulated it – “we might become deified,” the Church again chanted: “Today is the beginning of our salvation and the revelation of the pre-eternal mystery; the Son of God becomes the son of the Virgin.” Thus, the “divine good will” welcomed at the Entrance, as well as the salvation commenced and revealed at the Annunciation, are today rendered a tangible reality, as we celebrate the great and holy day of Christmas. Today, “the Word assumes flesh and dwells among us” (John 1.14), while the Angels celebrate the event, chanting: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will among humankind.” (Luke 2.14)

With the Incarnation of the Divine Word, the salvation of the human race has already potentially occurred. For those who believe in Jesus, live in accordance with this faith, fulfilling His commandments and practicing His teaching, are thereby elevated to become the friends and participants of God! They become “partakers of divine nature” (2 Peter 1.14), gods by grace! This takes place exclusively within the Church, where we are reborn in Christ and adopted by the Father through Holy Baptism and through the holy Sacraments, as well as by cultivation of virtue in order to be filled with divine grace and the Holy Spirit, growing “to maturity, to the measure o the full stature of Christ” (Eph. 4.13) until we reach the level of saying, like St. Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me.” (Gal. 2.20) Those who acquire such perfection are not regarded by Christ simply as His friends or brothers, but are recognized by Him as members of His Body. This is why, from the height of the Cross, he would say to His Most Holy Mother about the Evangelist John: “Woman, here is your son,” and to John: “Here is your mother.” (John 19.26-27) Christmas, therefore, opens wide the door of human “christification” and deification by grace; and for this reason, “the entire creation rejoices in celebration and the heavens delight with us” on this day of significance and salvation.” (Hymn of December 28)

With these joyful and hopeful realities before us, from the sacred See of the Ecumenical Patriarchate at the Phanar, we extend to you our fervent festive congratulations and wholehearted Patriarch wishes on this central feast of the Christian calendar. We greet all of our beloved faithful throughout the world, the beloved children of the holy Mother Church – clergy of all levels, monastics and laity, pastors and parishioners, and especially those suffering, experiencing sorrow, need or trial. May the pre-eternal Son of God – who was born in a cave and lay in a manger – who for our sake became Son of Man, render all of us worthy of his self-emptying love and of His sacred, venerable incarnate dispensation.
 
At the Phanar, Christmas 2009
 
Bartholomew of Constantinople
 
Fervent supplicant for all before God

American Bible Society commemorates U.S. visit of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew with exhibition at Museum of Biblical Art
• Museum to Feature Sacred Texts and Icons from the Ancient Orthodox Tradition

NEW YORK, Oct. 29, 2009-- To commemorate the upcoming U.S. visit of the spiritual leader of the Orthodox church, the American Bible Society will highlight an exhibition of sacred texts and icons celebrating the history of the Orthodox tradition that was organized by the Museum of Biblical Art (MOBIA) opening on Oct. 30 and continuing through Jan. 24, 2010.

For more than seven years, the American Bible Society has worked alongside the Orthodox Church, publishing Bible literature consistent with its faith and doctrine, including: The Orthodox Children's Bible Reader, a collection of Bible stories for children with Byzantine
illustrations, which has been published in Greek, English and many other languages. Also, the first ever Military New Testament has been developed for the more than 25,000 active Orthodox personnel serving in the United States armed forces around the world. This New Testament includes: prayers and meditations, icons of Christ and the Virgin Mary, daily devotionals and prayers, and an Orthodox Bible reading guide.