Orthodox Church

Russian Orthodox Church Leaders Defend Marriage

Pat. Kirill
AOI | Feb. 5, 2010

Russian Orthodox Church leaders called on Christians on Thursday to be firm in defending traditional marriage and lamented the family crisis in the country.

According to some estimates, over half of the marriages in Russia end in divorce. Women in the 140-million-strong country undergo some 1.5 million abortions annually.“We, Christians of different denominations, should profess the inviolability of the evangelic norms on the holy matrimony between man and woman,” Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia said in a welcome message to participants of an inter-Christian forum for former Soviet republics held in Moscow. [Read more…]

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Thanks to Fathers Reardon and Hodges on Opposing Rowan Williams Honors

St George Slays DragonOrthodox Forum | by Cathy Tatusko | Jan. 28, 2010

I write in support of two Orthodox priests, Fr. Patrick Reardon and Fr. Mark Hodges, for their principled and public stance on the decision by St. Vladimir’s Seminary to invite Rowan Williams to deliver the Schmemann lecture and to confer upon him an honorary Doctorate of Divinity. As Fathers Reardon and Hodges so accurately and forcefully state, these actions are scandalous not only to many of the faithful Orthodox Christians in this country whose priests have been schooled and formed at this seminary, but also to the many Anglicans and other Protestants who may have been contemplating a move to the Orthodox Church to escape the immoral practices within their own communion with respect to homosexuality. [Read more…]

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Archbishop Rowan Williams to deliver annual Schmemann Lecture at St. Vladimir’s Seminary

OCA | Dec. 12, 2009

CRESTWOOD, NY [SVS] — On Saturday afternoon, January 30, 2010, the Most Rev. and Rt. Honorable Rowan Williams, archbishop of Canterbury and senior bishop of the worldwide Anglican communion, will deliver the annual Father Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture at Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. The archbishop will speak on the topic “Theology and the Contemplative Calling: The Image of Humanity in the Philokalia.”

Saint Vladimir’s Seminary will also confer upon the archbishop a Doctorate of Divinity honoris causa, in recognition of his contribution to the academic study of Eastern Orthodox theology and spirituality. The Very Rev. Dr. John Behr, dean of St. Vladimir’s, was examined for his own doctoral degree at Oxford University by the archbishop, then a professor of theology there. [Read more…]

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Time to Exit Eli’s Road

Fr. Basil Biberdorf, a priest in the Orthodox Church in America, has launched “The Orthodox Leader”, a new site designed to address and challenge the evil and corruption that has been tolerated and enabled in Christ’s Church. God bless Fr. Basil for stepping into the public arena to openly challenge the complacent leadership and standing up for truth and righteousness.

The Orthodox Leader | by Fr. Basil Biberdorf | Nov. 30, 2009

We have a problem in Orthodox North America. Worse than matters of theft and malfeasance, we have sexual sin among some of the clergy – fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and, dare I say it, pedophilia – that is all too often being passed over by hierarchs and church administrators. Some priests, deacons, and bishops who should be serving, caring, and interceding for their flocks are instead “making themselves vile,” and, in some cases, ravaging the flock for their own base appetites. It is clear that these offenders will stand, like Hophni and Phineas, before God. But what of our leaders? What of those who should be restraining these men? Are they taking firm action, or are they taking the path of Eli?

[Read more…]

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Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom

Christ Resurrection - Christ is Risen
Christ Resurrection - Christ is Risen!
The Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom is read at the end of Orthros (Matins) at Pascha, the feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, universally throughout the Orthodox Church. It was composed sometime during his ministry in the late 4th or early 5th century.

“If anyone is devout and a lover of God, let him enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival. If anyone is a wise servant, let him, rejoicing, enter into the joy of his Lord. If anyone has wearied himself in fasting, let him now receive his recompense.”

If anyone has labored from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If anyone has come at the third hour, with thanksgiving let him keep the feast. If anyone has arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; for he shall suffer no loss. If anyone has delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near without hesitation. If anyone has arrived even at the eleventh hour, let him not fear on account of his delay. For the Master is gracious and receives the last, even as the first; he gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, just as to him who has labored from the first. He has mercy upon the last and cares for the first; to the one he gives, and to the other he is gracious. He both honors the work and praises the intention. [Read more…]

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California Orthodox Bishops Issue Statement on Proposition 8

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese | Oct. 28, 2008

The decision of the California Supreme Court on May 15, 2008, unilaterally redefines the sacred institution of marriage in a manner unprecedented in human history — and alien to our Christian tradition. We, the Orthodox Christian bishops of California, were saddened by this decision which constitutes a direct attack upon the longstanding role and freedom of religion in American life. A majority of the justices declared not only that same-sex couplings must be allowed to exist at those couples’ discretion as “marriages,” but that the state of California is forbidden to refer to these couplings as anything but “marriages.” [Read more…]

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What a Christian Bishop Should Be Like

OCANews.org | Fr. Thomas Hopko | Dec. 11, 2007

A St. Nicholas Day Reflection
The Orthodox Church’s main hymn (troparion/apolytikion) for the feast of St. Nicholas of Myra is the general hymn for all of the Church’s holy bishops. As such, for example, it is sung the day after the feast of St. Nicholas for the celebration of St. Ambrose of Milan. This hymn tells us what a Christian bishop (and, by extension, also a presbyter) ought to be for his people. And so it also tells us how all Christians should be. [Read more…]

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Christ is Risen – Indeed He is Risen – in different languages

Christ is Risen in different languagesAlbanian: Krishti Ungjall! – Vertete Ungjall!
Arabic: Al Maseeh Qam! – Haqqan Qam!
Armenian: Christos harjav i merelotz! – Orhniale harutjun Christosi!
Byelorussian: Khristos Uvoskros! – Zaprowdu Uvoskros!
Chinese: Helisituosi fuhuole! – Queshi fuhuole!
Coptic: Pikhirstof aftonf! – Khen o methni aftonf!
Czech: Kristus vstal zmrtvy’ch! – Skutec ne vstal!
Danish: Kristus er opstanden! – Ja, sandelig opstanden!
Dutch: Christus is opgestaan! – Hij is waarlijk opgestaan!
English: Christ is Risen! – Indeed, He is Risen!
Estonian: Kristus on surnuist ülestõusnud! – Tõesti ülestõusnud!
Finnish: Kristus nousi Kuolleista! – Totisesti Nousi!
French: Christ est Ressuscité! – En Vérité, Il est Ressuscité!
Gaelic: Erid Krist! – G’deya! n erid she!
Irish Gaelic: Tá Críosd ar éirigh! – Go deimhin, tá e ar éirigh!
Scots’ Gaelic: Tha Crìosd air èiridh! – Gu dearbh, tha e air èiridh!
Georgian: Kriste aghsdga! – Cheshmaritad aghsdga!

Greek: Christos Anesti! – Alithos Anesti!
Hebrew: Ha Mashiyach qam! – Ken hoo qam!
Hungarian: Krisztus feltámadt! – Valóban feltámadt!
Italian: Cristo è risorto! – È veramente risorto!
Japanese: Harisutosu Fukkatsu! – Jitsu Ni Fukkatsu!
Latin: Christus resurrexit! – Vere resurrexit!
Norwegian: Kristus er oppstanden!– Han er sannelig opstanden!
Polish: Khristus Zmartvikstau! – Zaiste Zmartvikstau!
Portugese: Christo Ressuscitou! – Em Verdade Ressuscitou!

Romanian: Hristos a Inviat! – Adevarat a Inviat!
Russian: Khristos voskres! – Voistinu voskres!
Serbian: Hristos Vaskrese! – Vaistinu Vaskrese!
Slavonic: Christos Voskrese! – Voistinu Voskrese!
Slovak: Kristus vstal zmr’tvych! – Skutoc ne vstal!
Spanish: Cristo ha resucitado! – Verdaderamente ha resucitado!
Sweedish: Kristus är upstånden! – Ja, Han är sannerligen uppstånden!
Syriac: Meshiha qam! – Bashrira qam!
Ukranian: Kristos Voskres! – Voistinu voskres!
Welsh: Atgyfododd Crist! – Atgyfododd in wir!

Christ is Risen - many languages

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