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Apostle Junia

2013-05-17T12:17:52Z

ASDamick:

The holy, glorious, all-laudable '''Apostle Junia''' of the [[Apostles#The_Seventy|Seventy]] is commemorated by the Church on [[May 17]] with [[Apostle Andronicus]], and on [[January 4]] with the Seventy. The Seventy Apostles were chosen and sent forth to preach by [[Christ]] ([[Gospel of Luke |Luke]] 10:1).

Ss. Junia and Andronicus were relatives of the holy [[Apostle Paul]]. St Paul mentions them an [[Epistle]]: ''Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and fellow prisoners, who are of note among the Apostles, who also were in Christ, before me'' ([[Romans]] 16:7). The service in honor of these saints states that they suffered martyrdom for Christ.

Junia is the subject of debate within the academic world concerning the implications of a female apostle leading within the early Church, that it might suggest the ordination of women. In Orthodox tradition, however, the title of ''apostle'' does not necessarily confer the kind of position that the Twelve had from Christ. Rather, especially when used in reference to the Seventy, it designates someone who served as a missionary for the Church, especially in its first generation. ''Apostle'' (from Greek ''apostolos'') literally refers to one who is "sent out," and its origin is in military usage. Subsequent centuries' saints who significantly spread the Orthodox faith are often referred to as ''equal to the Apostles'', and this title is given without reference to gender.

==Source==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=101406 St Junia] – [[OCA]] webwite

[[Category:Biblical Saints|Junia]]
[[Category:Seventy Apostles|Junia]]
[[Category:Martyrs|Junia]]
[[Category:Saints|Junia]]
[[Category:Ante-Nicene Saints|Junia]]
[[Category:1st-century saints]]

[[ro:Apostolul Iunia]]

Hymn of Kassiani

2013-04-30T21:46:20Z

ASDamick:

The '''Hymn of Kassiani''', also known as the ''Hymn of the Fallen Woman'', is a [[Penitential Hymns|Penitential Hymn]] that is based on the Gospel reading for Holy Wednesday morning ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 26:6-16), which speaks of a sinful woman who anoints Jesus' feet with costly ointment (distinguished from a similar incident with a different woman, St. [[Mary of Bethany]]). This hymn is chanted only once a year and considered a musical high-point of the [[Holy Week]], at the [[Matins]] and Presanctified Liturgy of [[Holy Week|Holy Wednesday]], in the Plagal Fourth Tone.

==History==
One story, related by Saint [[Theodora (9th century empress)|Theodora]] in The Great Synaxaristes of the Orthodox Church holds that Abbess Kassiani spent the afternoon in the garden composing this hymn. As she finished writing that verse which says, "I shall kiss Thine immaculate feet, and wipe them again with the tresses of my head," she was informed that Emperor Theophilos had arrived at the convent. She did not wish to see him, and in her haste to conceal herself, left behind the scroll and pen. Theophilos, having entered the garden, found her half-completed poem, and added the phrase, "those feet at whose sound Eve hid herself for fear when she heard Thee walking in Paradise in the afternoon." After he departed, Kassiani came out from hiding. When she took up her composition, she beheld the phrase written in his handwriting. She retained it and went on to complete the poem.

== Hymn of Kassiani text ==
<blockquote>
O Lord God, the woman who had fallen into many sins,
having perceived Thy divinity
received the rank of ointment-bearer,
offering Thee spices before Thy burial
wailing and crying:
"Woe is me, for the love of adultery and sin
hath given me a dark and lightless night;
accept the fountains of my tears
O Thou Who drawest the waters of the sea by the clouds
incline Thou to the sigh of my heart
O Thou Who didst bend the heavens
by Thine inapprehensible condescension;
I will kiss Thy pure feet
and I will wipe them with my tresses.
I will kiss Thy feet Whose tread
when it fell on the ears of Eve in Paradise
dismayed her so that she did hide herself because of fear.
Who then shall examine the multitude of my sin
and the depth of Thy judgment?
Wherefore, O my Saviour
and the Deliverer of my soul
turn not away from Thy handmaiden
O Thou of boundless mercy".
</blockquote>

== See also ==
* [[Kassiani the Hymnographer]]

[[Category:Liturgics]]

[[ro:Cântarea Casianei]]

Template:September 7

2013-04-30T21:45:54Z

ASDamick:

<div style="float:right;margin-left:1em">
[[Image:Nativity Theotokos.jpg|100px|The Nativity of the Theotokos]]
</div>[[Forefeast]] of the [[Nativity of the Theotokos]]; [[Martyr]] Sozon of Cilicia; [[Saint]] John, [[Archbishop]] and [[Wonder-worker]] of Novgorod; Martyr Eupsychius of Caesarea in Cappadocia; [[Apostles]] [[Apostle Evodus|Evodus]] (Euodias) and [[Apostle Onesiphorus|Onesiphorus]] of the Seventy; Saint Luke, [[Abbot]] near Constantinople; Saint [[Cloud]] (Clodoald), Abbot-founder of Nogent-sur-Seine near Paris; [[New-Martyr]] [[Priest]] John Maslovsky; [[Venerable]] Serapion of Spaso-Eleazar [[Monastery]], Pskov; Martyr Macarius, [[Archimandrite]] of Kanev and Pereyaslavl; Saint [[Kassiani the Hymnographer]]; New-Martyr Athanasios; Saint Tilbert, [[Bishop]] of Hexham; Saint Alcmund, Bishop of Hexham; Saint Kinemark, [[disciple]] of St. Dyfrig of Llandaff; repose of Elder Macarius of Optina
<noinclude>[[Category: Calendar day templates|September 07]]</noinclude>

Apostle John

2013-03-30T00:41:11Z

ASDamick:

[[Image:John the Theologian.jpg|right|frame|St. John the Theologian, Apostle and Evangelist]]
[[Image:JohnTheologian.JPG|right|thumb|180px|Old icon of the Theologian, [[w:Nisyros|Nisyros]] ([[w:Paros|Paros island]])]]
[[Image:Patmos.JPG|right|thumb|Inside the Cave of the Apocalypse - showing the rock with the "trinitarian" split]]

The holy, glorious and all-laudable '''Apostle and Evangelist John''' (also '''John the Theologian''' or '''John the Divine''') was one of the original twelve [[Apostles]], and wrote the [[Gospel of John|Gospel]] bearing his name; three canonical letters: [[I John]], [[II John]], and [[III John]]; and the [[Book of Revelation]]. His primary [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[May 8]], that of the twelve apostles on [[June 30]], and his repose on [[September 26]]. His symbol is the eagle.

St. John was the son of [[Salome]] the [[myrrh-bearer]] and [[Zebedee]], a fisherman. His brother was St. [[Apostle James (son of Zebedee)|James]], another apostle.

In his own Gospel account, he refers to himself as "the disciple whom [[Jesus]] loved" rather than use his name. He was the youngest of the twelve apostles, and especially close to the Lord. This closeness is often portrayed in [[icon]]s of the [[Last Supper icon|mystical supper]], where St. John leans on Jesus.

He was present for the [[Transfiguration]] of Christ with [[Apostle Peter|Peter]] and his brother [[Apostle James (son of Zebedee)|James]].

St. John was exiled to the island of Patmos by Emperor Domitian around 90-95 A.D., and it was there that he received and wrote the Book of Revelation.

"Account of the [[miracle]] that occurred at his grave:
When over 100 years old, St. John took seven [[disciple]]s outside of Ephesus and had them dig a grave in the shape of a cross. St. John then went into the grave, and the disciples buried him there, alive. Later on, when his grave was opened, St. John's body was not there. 'On May 8 of each year, dust rises up from his grave, by which the sick are healed of various diseases.' " [http://web.archive.org/web/20051223042937/http://www.neepeople.com/journeymanjames/st-john-the-theologian.html]

== See also ==
*[[Patmos]]
*[[Rock of Kynops (Patmos)|Rock of Kynops]]
*[[Baptistry of John (Patmos)|Baptistry of John]]

==Hymns==
There is an [[akathist]] hymn dedicated to him.

[[Troparion]] ([[Tone]] 2) [http://oca.org/FStropars.asp?ID=102731]
:Beloved apostle of Christ our God,
:hasten to deliver a defenseless people.
:He who allowed you to recline on His breast,
:receives you as you bow before Him.
:Implore Him, John the Theologian,
:to disperse the persistent threat from the heathens,
:entreating for us peace and great mercy.

[[Kontakion]] (Tone 2)

:Who shall declare declare your greatness,
:O virgin disciple,
:for you pour forth wonders and are a source of healings,
:and pray for our souls as Theologian and friend of Christ.

==External links==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=101327 Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian] ([[OCA]])
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=102731 Repose of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian] (OCA)
*[http://goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=44 John the Apostle, Evangelist, and Theologian] ([[GOARCH]])
*[http://goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=218 The Falling Asleep of St. John the Evangelist and Theologian] (GOARCH)
*[http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/9_16.html#1 The Commemoration of St. John The Evangelist] ([[Coptic]])
*[http://www.copticchurch.net/synaxarium/5_4.html#1 The Departure of St. John the Evangelist and Theologian] (Coptic)
*[http://explorepatmos.com/patmos/Monasteries/Cave_of_the_Apocalypse/ Cave of the Apocalypse]
*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/j/pdg04.htm St. John the Theologian Icon and Story]

[[Category:Biblical Saints|John]]
[[Category:Saints|John]]
[[Category:1st-century saints]]

[[ar:يوحنا]]
[[el:Ευαγγελιστής Ιωάννης]]
[[fr:Jean le Théologien]]
[[mk:Свети Јован Богослов]]
[[ro:Apostolul Ioan]]
[[ru:Иоанн Богослов]]

Augustinos (Kantiotes) of Florina

2013-03-21T18:50:49Z

ASDamick: /* Life */ non-encyclopedic

[[Image:Augustin Kandiotis-1.jpg|right|thumb|Metropolitan Augustinos (Kantiotes).]]
[[Image:Augustin Kandiotis.jpg|right|thumb|Metropolitan Augustinos (Kantiotes).]]
His Eminence Metropolitan '''Augustinos Kantiotes''' (Greek: Αυγουστίνος Καντιώτης), April 20, 1907 – August 28, 2010,<ref>Zougla.gr News. ''[http://www.zougla.gr/page.ashx?pid=2&aid=168006&cid=4 Εκοιμήθη ο Αυγουστίνος Καντιώτης].'' Σάββατο, 28 Αυγούστου 2010, 11:49.</ref> was [[bishop]] of the Holy [[Metropolis of Florina, Prespai, and Eordaia]] in northern Greece, renowned as a defender of traditional [[Orthodoxy]] both in Greece and abroad, and a prolific writer of spiritual literature, publishing 82 books, several of which have appeared in English and in other languages.

==Life==
Andrew Kantiotis was born on [[April 20]], 1907 on the island of Paros, on the Cyclades island group in the Aegean Sea . He graduated from the Theological School of Athens in 1929.

In 1935, Andrew was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]], taking the name Augustine, and in the same year he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] by Metr. Ierotheos (Paraskevopoulos) (1934-1961) of [[Metropolis of Aitolia and Akarnania|Akarnania]].

In 1941, Dcn. Augustine transferred to the [[Metropolis of Ioannina]] where he served as preacher under Metropolitan [[Spyridon (Vlachos) of Athens|Spyridon]], who later became Archbishop of Athens. During the years of Axis Powers' occupation of Greece in World War II, Fr. Augustine served variously. In 1942, he was transferred to the Metropolis of Edessa where he was ordained a [[presbyter]] by the Metr. Panteleimon of Edessa and Pella. At the end of the year, he was transferred to the Metropolis of Thessalonica and served stints to Kilkis, Veria, Edessa and Florina. In 1943, Fr. Augustine transferred again to the Metropolis of Kozani where he established a food-kitchen that prepared and distributed 8000 servings each day.

Following the war, he served as [[Chancellor]] of the [[Metropolis of Aitolia and Akarnania|Metropolis of Aitolia]], as a [[priest]] for the military (1947-50), and as a preacher in Athens (1951-67). He issued dozens of periodicals, founded boarding schools, was the founder of "The Cross" ("O Stavros") theological [[Brotherhoods|brotherhood]], and was most noted as a fiery preacher throughout Greece.

In 1951, Fr. Augustine transferred from the Metropolis of Karystia to the Archdiocese of Athens. He served the [[archdiocese]] as preacher, first, under Archbishop Spyridon and for the next 17 years under five different archbishops.

Following his election by the [[Holy Synod]], Fr. Augustine was [[enthronement|enthroned]] on [[June 25]], 1967, as the Metropolitan of the [[Metropolis of Florina, Prespai, and Eordaia]].

On [[June 25]], 1967, he was [[enthronement|enthroned]] as the Metropolitan of Florina. During his years as metropolitan of Florina, Metr. Augustine re-established the magazine "The Orthodox Herald", served for five terms on the Holy Synod, ordained about one hundred priests, established an ecclesiastical high-school in Florina, and built many churches, boarding houses, and old-age homes.

Feeling his advancing years, Metr. Augustine on [[December 9]], 1999 submitted his resignation from the [[cathedra]] after serving the Metropolis for 33 years. He formally retired on [[January 15]], 2000, but continued visiting parishes delivering brief sermons, blessings congregations, and distributing antidoron.

Following a stroke on [[August 3]], 2010, Metr. Augustine reposed in the Lord on [[August 28]], 2010 about 5am, aged 103.

==References==
<div><references/></div>

==Books in English translation==
* ''On The [[Divine Liturgy]]: Orthodox Homilies''. 2 Volumes. Transl. and forward by Asterios Gerostergios. Massachusetts: [http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ibmgs/ Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies], 1986. Complete set ISBN 0-914744-71-2.
:Originally appeared in the Greek under the title: ''Εις την Θειαν Λειτουργιαν, Πατρικαι Ομιλιαι'', published by the Orthodox Missionary Brotherhood, "Ο Σταυρος" ("The Cross"), Athens, 1977.
* ''Follow Me.'' Transl. & Fwd by Asterios Gerostergios. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 1989. 428pp.
* ''Sparks from the [[Apostles]].'' Transl. & Fwd by Rev. Dr. Asterios Gerostergios. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 1992. 230pp.
* ''Drops from the Living Water.'' Transl. & Fwd by Rev. Dr. Asterios Gerostergios. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 1992. 216pp.
* ''A Letter of Consolation to the Bereaved.'' Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 1993. 21 pp.
* ''Orthodox House of Worship.'' Transl. & Fwd by Rev. Dr. Asterios Gerostergios. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 1994. 232 pp.
* ''Miracles.'' Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 2000. 268 pp.
* ''A Panoramic View of Holy Scripture: Orthodox Homilies Introducing all the Books of the [[Old Testament]].'' Transl. & Fwd by Rev. Dr. Asterios Gerostergios. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 2001. Vol.1. 303pp.
* ''A Panoramic View of Holy Scripture: Orthodox Homilies Introducing all the Books of the [[New Testament]].'' Transl. & Fwd by Rev. Dr. Asterios Gerostergios. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 2001. Vol.2: 184pp.
* ''Fragrant Flowers: Orthodox Homilies on the Lives of the Saints.'' Transl. & Fwd by Rev. Dr. Asterios Gerostergios. Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies, 2006. 221pp.
'''Articles'''
* ''[http://www.augoustinos-kantiotis.gr/?p=13944 WHAT IS PAPISM?]'' 1956.
* ''[http://www.augoustinos-kantiotis.gr/?p=14035 OPEN EPISTLE TO THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH].'' Christian Spark. Issue no. 438, March-April 1985.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Florina, Prespai and Eordaia|
years=1967-2000|
after=[[Theoklitos (Passalis) of Florina|Theoklitos (Passalis)]]}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[[w:Augoustinos Kantiotes|Augoustinos Kantiotes]] at Wikipedia.
*[http://www.impantokratoros.gr/bischop_augustinos_kandiotis.print.en.aspx Bishop Augostinos Kandiotis of Florina, Greece]
*[http://www.apostlepaulbookstore.org.au/orthodox_christian_book_store_augustine_kantiotis Elder Augustine Kantiotis]. Apostle Paul Bookstore, Rockdale, NSW.
*Archimandrite Laurentios Gratseas. ''[http://www.augoustinos-kantiotis.gr/?cat=64 SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF BISHOP AUGOUSTINOS N. KANTIOTES, FORMER METROPOLITAN OF FLORINA,PRESPAS AND EORDAIA].'' 2010.
'''Greek sources'''
*[http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%91%CF%85%CE%B3%CE%BF%CF%85%CF%83%CF%84%CE%AF%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%9A%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%84%CE%B9%CF%8E%CF%84%CE%B7%CF%82 Αυγουστίνος Καντιώτης]. Βικιπαίδεια.
*Zougla.gr News. ''[http://www.zougla.gr/page.ashx?pid=2&aid=168006&cid=4 Εκοιμήθη ο Αυγουστίνος Καντιώτης].'' Σάββατο, 28 Αυγούστου 2010, 11:49.

==External link==
* [http://www.ecclesia.gr/greek/dioceses/Florina/Florina.html Holy Metropolis of Florina, Prespai and Eordaia] (''Greek'')

[[Category:Monastics|Augustinos (Kantiotes)]]
[[Category:Bishops|Augustinos (Kantiotes)]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops|Augustinos (Kantiotes)]]
[[Category:Bishops of Florina|Augustinos (Kantiotes)]]
[[Category:University of Athens Theology School Graduates|Augustinos (Kantiotes)]]
[[Category:Modern Writers|Augustinos (Kantiotes)]]

Marriage

2013-03-20T18:48:47Z

ASDamick: /* Divorce */

{{incomplete}}
{{spirituality}}
'''Marriage''' (also '''matrimony''') is one of the [[holy mysteries]] or sacraments in the Orthodox Church, as well as many other [[Christian]] traditions. It serves to unite a woman and a man in eternal union before God with the purpose of following Christ and His [[Gospel]] and raising up a faithful, holy family through their holy union. It is referred to extensively in both the [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s. Christ declared the essential indissolvibility of marriage in the [[Gospels|Gospel]].

==Holy Matrimony==
Married life, no less than monastic life, is a special vocation, requiring a particular gift or [[charisma]] from the [[Holy Spirit]], a gift bestowed in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony. The same Trinitarian mystery of unity in diversity applies to the doctrine of marriage as it does to the Church. The family created by this sacrament is a small church.

The Orthodox Church teaches that man is made in the image of the [[Trinity]], and he is not intended by God to live alone, but in a family, except in special cases. And just as God blessed the first family, commanding [[Adam and Eve]] to be fruitful and multiply, so the Church now gives its blessing to the union of man and woman. The mystery of marriage, in the Church, gives a man and a woman the possibility to become one spirit and one flesh in a way which no human love can provide by itself. The Holy Spirit is given so that what has begun on earth is fulfilled and continues most perfectly in the Kingdom of God.

==Marriage service==
[[Image:Wedding canan.gif|right|thumb|550pxl|Wedding at Cana]]
For the Orthodox Christian, the marriage service (wedding) is the Church's formal recognition of the couple's unity, a created image of God's love which is eternal, unique, indivisible and unending. The early Church simply witnessed the couple's expression of mutual love in the Church, and their union was blessed by their mutual partaking of the Holy [[Eucharist]].

When a marriage service developed in the Church, it was patterned after the service for [[baptism]] and [[chrismation]]. The couple is addressed in a way similar to that of the individual in baptism. They confess their faith and their love of God. They are led into the Church in procession. They are prayed over and blessed. They listen to God's Word.

The service contains no vows or oaths. It is, in essence, the "baptizing and confirming" of human love in God by Christ in the Holy Spirit. It is the [[Theosis|deification]] of human love in the divine perfection and unity of the eternal Kingdom of God as revealed and given to man in the Church. There is no "legalism" in the Orthodox sacrament of marriage. It is not a juridical contract, it is a spiritual bond.

The marriage service is divided into two parts, in earlier times held separately, but now celebrated together.
===Office of Betrothal===
At the Betrothal service, the chief ceremony is the blessing and exchange of rings. The rings are blessed by the [[priest]] in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. The couple then exchange the rings, taking the bride's ring and placing it on the groom's finger and vice-versa. Then they exchange them again, symbolizing that each spouse will constantly be complementing and enriching the other by the union. This is also an outward symbol that the two are joined in marriage of their own free will and consent. It is celebrated in the [[Narthex|vestibule]] of the church building before their procession into the [[nave]] of the church.

===Office of crowning===
The second part of the service is the ceremony of coronation, in which the heads of the bridegroom and bride are crowned by the priest. In the Russian tradition, the crowns are gold or silver, while the Greek tradition uses crowns of leaves and flowers.

The crowns are crowns of joy, but also crowns of martyrdom, since marriage involves a self-sacrifice on both sides.

At the end of the service the newly married couple drink from the same cup of wine. This common cup is a symbol of the fact that after this they will share a common life with one another. This also recalls the miracle at the marriage feast of Cana in Galilee.
{{Services}}
==Mixed marriage ==
The mystery of marriage can only be available to those who belong to the Church, i.e., to communicants. Dispensation may be sought from one's diocesan bishop in cases on mixed marriages between an Orthodox Christian and a Christian of a non-Orthodox but Trinitarian church (e.g., Roman Catholic, Lutheran, etc.) but the wedding must take place in the Orthodox church.

==Widows and widowers==
The Orthodox Christian tradition encourages widows and widowers to remain faithful to their spouses who are dead to this world but alive in Christ.

==Divorce==
Orthodoxy regards the marriage bond as indissoluble, and it condemns the breakdown of marriage as a sin and an evil. The Orthodox Church does permit remarriage after divorce in some cases, as an exception, a necessary concession to human sin. While condemning sin, the Church desires to help the sinners and to allow them another chance, with an act of ''[[oikonomia]]'' . When a marriage has ceased to be a reality, the Orthodox Church faces the reality with ''[[philanthropia]]'' (loving kindness).

==Second marriage==
The Orthodox Church teaches that a second union can never be the same as the first. In the service for a second marriage, some of the joyful ceremonies are omitted and replaced by penitential prayers.

==Family Life==
* [http://www.beliefnet.com/story/161/story_16180_1.html Raising Children With Christ, Compassion, and Commitment] by Fr. [[Peter Gillquist|Peter E. Gillquist]] (''Again Magazine'' and ''Beliefnet'')

==Further reading==
*''On Marriage and Family Life'' by St. [[John Chrysostom]]. (Crestwood, New York: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 1997.) ISBN 9780913836866
*''Marriage: An Orthodox Perspective'' by Fr. [[John Meyendorff]]. (Crestwood, New York: St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, 2000.) ISBN 9780913836057
*''Preserve Them, O Lord'' by Fr. John Mack. (Ben Lomond, California: Conciliar Press, 1996.) ISBN 1888212012
*''Preparing for Marriage'' (Marriage in the Orthodox Church, v. 1) by Dr. Peter M. Kalellis. (Westfield, New Jersey: Ecumenical Publications, 1984.)
*''Holy Matrimony'' (Marriage in the Orthodox Church, v. 2) by Dr. Peter M. Kalellis. (Westfield, New Jersey: Ecumenical Publications, 1984.)
*''After the Honeymoon: How to Maintain a Happy Marriage'' by Dr. Peter M. Kalellis. (Pittsburgh: Syndesmos, 1999.)
*''Attending to Your Marriage: A Resource for Christian Couples'' by Fr. Charles Joanides. (Minneapolis: Light and Life Publishing Company, 2006.) ISBN 1880971992

==External links==
*[http://www.geocities.com/canonical_orthodox_2000/betrothal-crowning.html Full text of the Rite of Betrothal and Crowning]
*[http://www.holyghost-oca.org/orthodoxy/practices/wedding.htm The Right of Betrothal and Crowning] - Holy Ghost Orthodox Church, Ambridge, Pennsylvania
*[http://goarch.org/en/chapel/liturgical_texts/betrothal.asp The Service of Betrothal] and [http://goarch.org/en/chapel/liturgical_texts/wedding.asp The Service of the Crowning (The Service of Marriage)] ([[GOARCH]])
*[http://www.oca.org/OCchapter.asp?SID=2&ID=56 Marriage (sacramental)] - ''The Orthodox Faith'' by Fr. [[Thomas Hopko]], Dean Emeritus of St. Vladimir's Seminary, Crestwood, NY.
*[http://www.oca.org/OCchapter.asp?SID=2&ID=202 Marriage (Christian life)] - ''The Orthodox Faith''
*[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/marriage.aspx Marriage: The Great Sacrament] by Archimandrite [[Aimilianos (Vafeidis)|Aimilianos]] of [[Simonopetra Monastery (Athos)|Simonopetra]], [[Mount Athos]]
*[http://www.oca.org/DOCencyclical.asp?SID=12&ID=4 Encyclical Letter of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America on Marriage]
[[Category:Bioethics]]
[[Category:Ethics]]
[[Category:Liturgics]]
[[Category:Sacraments]]

[[el:Γάμος]]
[[fr:Mariage]]
[[mk:Брак]]
[[ro:Căsătorie]]

OrthodoxWiki:Administrators

2013-02-01T13:13:41Z

ASDamick: /* Eliminating directory articles */

This is a general discussion page for OrthodoxWiki '''Administrators''' to work out various administrative issues, notes, and to-do lists. Our host and first-among-sysops is [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]].

*For the sake of grabbing attention with new notices, it's probably best to put '''new subjects at the top''' of this page after the "Useful Admin links."
*'''If you are not an administrator''' and would like to leave a note for the admins to see, please put it on the [[OrthodoxWiki talk:Administrators|Talk page]].
* For a who's who, see [[:Category:Sysops]] and [[Special:Listusers/sysop]].

==Useful Admin links==
*[http://groups.yahoo.com/group/orthodoxwiki/ OrthodoxWiki Yahoo Group] - Low-volume closed discussion for OrthodoxWiki sysops. If you qualify, please sign up!
*[[OrthodoxWiki:Protected page guidelines]]
*[[Special:Protectedpages]] - lists protected pages
*[[OrthodoxWiki:Copyright problems]]
*[[Special:Listadmins]]
*[[Special:Listusers]]

==OrthodoxSource==
In case you haven't been over to [[osource:Main page|OrthodoxSource]] lately, we can now login there with our OW logins. A category structure needs to be worked on, as well as some basic documents to get things up and running well there, based primarily on existing category structures here on OrthodoxWiki. Obviously, not everything will map the same, but we don't want to reinvent the wheel any more than need be. —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] ('''[[User:ASDamick/Wiki-philosophy|THINK!]]''') 02:51, June 19, 2008 (UTC)

==Category Sitemap==
In case anyone's interested in the category structure, I put up a [[User:Magda/Category Sitemap|sitemap]] of the categories on the English-language wiki. I find it exceedingly helpful, when trying to interwiki between languages, to have a common category structure. I think some of what we currently have could be improved (like the Orthodoxy by country, which includes "Western Europe" and "Asia" as well as countries in those regions). I would rather provoke discussion (this means you, Fr. Andrew) on the topic before making any sudden moves. And, no, I have no idea ''why'' I went through the whole thing, but there are a whole lot of categories. —[[User:Magda|magda]] ([[User_talk:Magda|talk]]) 19:16, June 4, 2008 (UTC)

==New disciplinary policy==
All sysops should read and familiarize themselves with the new official [[OrthodoxWiki:Disciplinary policy|disciplinary policy]] as approved by [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] on May 29, 2008. Comments and adjustments are of course welcome. Relevant templates for enforcement: [[Template:Warning]], [[Template:Warning2]] and [[Template:Banned]]. —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] ('''[[User:ASDamick/Wiki-philosophy|THINK!]]''') 20:43, May 29, 2008 (UTC)

==Eliminating directory articles==
I'm of the opinion that we ought to eliminate all the directory articles. Here's my rationale:

*The function is fulfilled far better by sites like [http://www.orthodoxyinamerica.org OrthodoxyInAmerica.org] and other regional and jurisdictional sites.
*Keeping them up to date and fully accurate is almost impossible.
*Keeping them representative of Mainstream Chalcedonian Orthodoxy ''only'' is a continual problem.
*They're somewhat irrelevant to the role of OrthodoxWiki as an encyclopedia.

What do you think? —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] 08:16, August 28, 2007 (PDT)
:I agree. Keeping the listings up-to-date will continue to be a large workload especially with the addition of personal information such as the resident priest, that can change frequently. Having discovered the OrthodoxyinAmerica site really makes keeping a directory in Orthodoxwiki redundant. [[User:Wsk|Wsk]] 18:45, August 28, 2007 (PDT)

: Just adding another comment to "bump" this again to attention. Let's axe the directory articles! It's too much work to keep them going, and there's no way we'll ever be as accurate or useful as existing sites. I'd like it if other admins would comment on this. —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] ('''[[User:ASDamick/Wiki-philosophy|THINK!]]''') 11:40, March 20, 2008 (PDT)

:: Judging by the ''accessed count'' at the bottom of those pages, it looks like they are being used, do you find much out of date info on them? - [[User:Andrew|Andrew]] 12:39, March 20, 2008 (PDT)

:::I may very well be a large contributor to the ''accessed count''. Fr. Andrew, thanks for the "bump," as I don't believe I'd seen this thread before, which raises excellent points. My only preference for having a directory on OrthodoxWiki is that I can *fix* things when they're wrong, like broken links. That desire can easily be focused on submitting corrections to the jurisdictional sites and/or orthodoxyinamerica.org. Also, I'm not sure what happened to the ROCOR directory. That being said, I have begun coming across regional organizations (included in the "external links" sections) which are not necessarily pan-Orthodox; would there be an appropriate place to include those links? —[[User:Magda|magda]] ([[User_talk:Magda|talk]]) 14:46, March 20, 2008 (PDT)

::::Where other ''active'' sites exist that already have the information that we have (i.e. name, basic location, link to website), then it would be unnecessary to duplicate this; perhaps a link to that website would suffice. That said, I know that in my antipodean (well...) part of the world, we don't have anything of the sort, so I would be very much against this for the Australasian articles. — by [[User:Pistevo|Pιsτévο]] ''[[User talk:Pistevo|talk]]'' ''[[User talk:Pistevo/dev/null|complaints]]'' at 17:04, March 20, 2008 (PDT)

:::: Magda, a [[List of parish directories]] article might do the trick, consisting mainly of a series of external links.

:::: Pistevo, y'all gotta get on the ball down there! :) Seriously, though, I have no problem with OrthodoxWiki hosting something until such time as an external site might be created. I'd even be willing to host it in my own webspace if someone else would be willing to maintain the file and send it to me for FTPing. —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] ('''[[User:ASDamick/Wiki-philosophy|THINK!]]''') 04:39, April 1, 2008 (PDT)

If no one voices an objection, I'm going to start deleting the Parish Directory articles for the US within a day or two, for the reasons noted above. (I also have TOP SECRET information that SOMEONE is working on an external directory for Australia.) So, speak now, or forever hold your keys... or something. —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] ('''[[User:ASDamick/Wiki-philosophy|THINK!]]''') 10:43, April 2, 2008 (PDT)

Hmm... I agree that strictly this isn't in line with OWiki's mission... BUT I also see Magda's point that these are both pan-Orthodox and easily updatable, unlike any other directory I'm aware of , and I note that these have been popular "articles" over the years. Maybe we can wait a little bit on this? I dunno. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 18:20, April 2, 2008 (PDT)

: Having waited a couple months without any major objections being raised, I'm beginning deletion. —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] ('''[[User:ASDamick/Wiki-philosophy|THINK!]]''') 14:00, June 14, 2008 (UTC)

:: Reminder: With the deletion of each parish listing article, we will need to delete the title of the removed articles from the Churches Category pages. Currently, the titles for the deleted articles still appear in the Churches Categories but which lead to blank pages![[User:Wsk|Wsk]] 18:09, June 14, 2008 (UTC)

::: I'm not sure I understand what you mean. Could you link to what you're referring to? —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] ('''[[User:ASDamick/Wiki-philosophy|THINK!]]''') 18:56, June 14, 2008 (UTC)

::Click on the Category 'Churches' on the main page. All the lists are still listed on Category [[Churches]] page.[[User:Wsk|Wsk]] 20:21, June 14, 2008 (UTC)

:::There are lists of other parish directories in [[:Category:Churches]], but not the USA directories, that I see. I haven't come across any category page which gives links to articles which no longer exist. Try refreshing the page or clearing your browser cache, perhaps. —[[User:Magda|magda]] ([[User_talk:Magda|talk]]) 20:29, June 14, 2008 (UTC

:: Thanks. I notice that it is all cleared, now. Earlier when I noted a list was deleted and I clicked on the Category 'Churches', I still could get the listed page, but with a note that none existed as if one were starting a new page. I may have just caught the deletion process in 'midstream'. Sorry for my 'alarm'. [[User:Wsk|Wsk]] 20:40, June 14, 2008 (UTC)

Fellow sysops, I'm proposing adding the parish directories of Australia to be deleted, because these are currently available on http://orthodoxyinaustralia.com/ (providing more information in any event). The situation is worse with these articles as they generally don't get updated. Good idea? -- — by [[User:Pistevo|Pιsτévο]] ''[[User talk:Pistevo|talk]]'' ''[[User talk:Pistevo/dev/null|complaints]]'' at 02:58, January 21, 2013 (HST) -- URL edited 1/Feb/2013

: Hi! I think you have good precedent here, especially if the pages are not being updated. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 21:38, January 31, 2013 (HST)

: Yep. —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] ('''[[User:ASDamick/Wiki-philosophy|THINK!]]''') 03:13, February 1, 2013 (HST)

==Wikimedia Commons==
I just ran across the storehouse of [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Orthodox_Church images and other files related to Orthodoxy] on the [http://commons.wikimedia.org Wikimedia Commons].

How do you think we can integrate these or best draw attention to these as a source for articles? I think, as a rule, we should prefer images with open licenses to those from our other benefactors.

[[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

==Year-end inventory==
Please see [[OrthodoxWiki:Inventory]]. Thanks.

==New Features==
As of Nov. 21, 2005 I've enabled the option to show the # of users watching each page. (Check down below, near the metadata stuff.) I've also added a feature that allows bureaucrats (i.e. me) to rename users without hacking through the database directly. This should help with the occasional request for account renaming. [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

:Nov 28 update - Added [[Special:Editcount]]

==Awards, Recognizing civic virtue on the wiki==
I've been admiring Wikipedia's use of [[w:WikipediaBarnstars|barnstars]] to award people who contribute their time and talent to the wiki. We should keep this in mind as we continue to grow, and figure out how to adopt something like this for our local practice.

A few links of interest here:
* [[w:Wikipedia:Barnstars]]
* http://www.usemod.com/cgi-bin/mb.pl?BarnStar - pre-dating Wikipedia
* http://www.thebarnjournal.org/stories/story018/index2.html - Images, some ideas for alternative barnstars

Don't forget the mention of barnraising on the [[OrthodoxWiki:Community Portal]].

==Appointing Sysops==
I just wanted to share some thoughts about how I've gone about appointing sysops. Basically, I'm looking for a few things:
*Some degree of sanity as well as a healthy dose of balance and humility in content submitted and dealings with other people online.
*A demonstrated commitment to OrthodoxWiki and a desire (or at least a willingness) to take on some of the administrative burden for keeping this site in good order. This generally means a good record of broad interest in the wiki.
*Finally, some ecclesiastical standing (as a cleric, seminarian, presbytera, recognized Orthodox personality, etc.) is desirable but not required. This is so because it is helpful to have those who are, in one way or another, "authorities" in the Church moderating things, and, of course, public recognition helps establish the credibility and status of OrthodoxWiki.

''"If anyone aspires to the office of sysop, he desires a noble task"'' (cf.1 Tim 3:1) - If I've overlooked you or if you have someone to nominate for sysop duties please leave a note on my [[User_talk:FrJohn|user talk]] page. Of course, I reserve all rights in terms of appointments and terminations.

So far, I've been pretty liberal in knighting sysops -- at this point we can use all the help we can get, and it seems to me to be a good thing to empower a robust band of trustworthy members to help manage the site. [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]] 21:58, 27 Feb 2005 (CST)

[[Category:OrthodoxWiki]]

[[el:OrthodoxWiki:Διαχειριστές]]

Gregory of Nyssa

2013-01-10T15:56:26Z

ASDamick: /* Life */

[[image:Gregorynyssa.jpg|right|thumb|St. Gregory of Nyssa, one of the [[Cappadocian Fathers]].]]Our father among the saints '''Gregory of Nyssa''' (''ca.'' A.D. 335 – after 384) was [[bishop]] of Nyssa and a prominent [[theologian]] of the fourth century. He was the younger brother of [[Basil the Great]] and friend of [[Gregory the Theologian]]. He is commemorated on [[January 10]].

==Life==
Gregory was raised in a very pious (and large) Christian family of ten children; his grandmother [[Macrina the Elder]], his mother [[Emily]], his father [[Basil the Elder]], his sisters [[Macrina the Younger]] and [[Theosebia]], and his brothers [[Basil the Great]] and [[Peter of Sebaste]] have all been recognized as saints. He received a good education and taught rhetoric at one point. In 372, his brother Basil [[ordination|ordained]] him the [[bishop]] of Nyssa in Cappadocia (in present-day Turkey).

Gregory and Basil both spent much effort defending the Faith against the attacks of the [[Arianism|Arians]]. He was twice deposed from his see because of false accusations made by heretics. He was finally restored in 378.

The next year, 379, his brother [[Basil the Great]] died. As the two were extremely close, Gregory was very grieved at his loss. To honor his brother, Gregory wrote his funeral oration and then completed Basil's ''Hexaemeron'' ("Six Days"), a series of nine sermons, delivered during [[Great Lent]], which described and elaborated upon the [[Genesis]] account of the world's creation in six days. The following year, Gregory's sister [[Macrina the Younger|Macrina]] also died, and Gregory wrote a [[hagiography]] detailing her life.

About this time Gregory attended the Council of Antioch, a local [[synod]], in which he zealously defended Orthodoxy. The council was called to refute a [[heresy]] which denied the perpetual virginity of the [[Theotokos]]. The council also forbade worship of her as God or part of the Godhead. Gregory was simultaneously continuing to fight Arianism. He also attended the [[Second Ecumenical Council]] in Constantinople, which added the final section concerning the [[Holy Spirit]] to the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]].

For the rest of his life, Gregory continued to attend church councils, discuss doctrinal matters, and combat various heresies.
He reached old age and finally reposed in the Lord near the end of the fourth century.

Gregory's influence on Church doctrine has remained important, and while influenced by the work of [[Origen]] (who was eventually condemned by the Church centuries after his death), his writings are prominent among the early Church Fathers.

==Gregory's Theology==
===Triadology===
Gregory is remembered above all for two major contributions to theology. The first is his doctrine of the [[Holy Trinity|Trinity]], a development of the theology of Basil and their mutual friend Gregory Nazianzus. Following Basil's lead, Gregory argues that the three Persons of the Trinity can be understood along the model of three members of a single class: thus, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three in the same way that Peter, Paul, and Timothy are three men. So why do we not say there are three Gods? Gregory answers that, normally, we can distinguish between different members of the same class by the fact that they have different shapes, sizes, and colours. Even if they are identical, they still occupy different points in space. But none of this is true of incorporeal beings like God. Even lesser spiritual beings can still be distinguished by their varying degrees of goodness, but this does not apply to God either. In fact, the only way to tell the three Persons apart is by their mutual relations — thus, the only difference between the Father and the Son is that the former is the Father of the latter, and the latter is the Son of the former. As Gregory puts it, it is impossible to think of one member of the Trinity without thinking of the others too: they are like a chain of three links, pulling each other along.

===Infinity===
Gregory's second main contribution is his spiritual theology. He is the first Christian [[theologian]] to argue for the infinity of God. [[Origen]], often called a major influence on Gregory, had explicitly argued that God is limited, an essential notion in Platonism, since to be limited is to be clearly defined and knowable. Gregory, however, argues that if God is limited he must be limited by something greater than himself; he is therefore without boundaries. The idea had already been developed by neoplatonic philosophers, especially Plotinus, another important influence on Gregory, but he is the first Christian to defend it, apart from some hints in the work of [[Irenaeus of Lyons|Irenaeus]].

Accordingly, Gregory argues that since God is infinite he cannot be comprehended. In contrast, Origen had spoken of the spiritual journey as a progression of increasing illumination, as the mystic studies [[Holy Scripture|Scripture]] and comes to learn more about God.

===Stages===
Gregory speaks of three stages of spiritual progression: initial darkness or ignorance, then spiritual illumination, and finally a darkness of the mind in contemplation of the God who cannot be comprehended. (See [[apophatic theology]].)

Like earlier authors, including the Jewish [[Philo of Alexandria]], he uses the story of [[Moses]] as an allegory for the spiritual life. Moses first meets God in the [[Burning Bush|burning bush]], a [[theophany]] of light and illumination, but then he meets him again in the cloud, where he realizes that God cannot be seen by the eyes. Ascending [[Mount Sinai]], he finally comes to the "divine darkness", and realizes that God cannot be known by the mind either.

It is only through not-knowing and not-seeing that God can, paradoxically, be known and seen. This notion would be extremely influential in both Western and Eastern spirituality, via the mystical writings of Pseudo-[[Dionysius the Areopagite]]. Thus he is a major figure in the history of apophatic theology and spirituality.

===Epektasis===
Related to this is Gregory's idea of epektasis or constant progress. Platonic philosophy said that stability is perfection and change is for the worse; in contrast, Gregory described the ideal of human perfection as constant progress in virtue and godliness. In Gregory’s theology, God himself has always been perfect and has never changed, and never will. Humanity fell from grace in the [[Garden of Eden]], but rather than return to an unchanging state, humanity's goal is to become more and more perfect, more like God, even though humanity will never understand, much less attain, God's transcendence. This idea has had a profound influence on the Eastern Orthodox teaching regarding [[theosis]] or "divinization".

Gregory also taught that while it cannot be known whether or not all humans will be saved, as [[Origen]] speculated, faithful Christians may hope and pray for the salvation of all, even after death. He thus presents a hopeful alternative to those theologies, such as that of [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]], which state that at least some, of necessity, will be eternally condemned to [[hell]].

===Quotes===
"When we lay bare the hidden meaning of the history, scripture is seen to teach that the birth which distresses the tyrant is the beginning of the virtuous life. I am speaking of the kind of birth in which free will serves as the midwife, delivering the child amid great pain. For no one causes grief to his antagonist unless he exhibits in himself those marks which give proof of his victory over the other." -- ''The Life of Moses''

"A greedy appetite for food is terminated by satiety and the pleasure of drinking ends when our thirst is quenched. And so it is with the other things... But the possession of virtue, once it is solidly achieved, cannot be measured by time nor limited by satiety. Rather, to those who are its disciples it always appears as something ever new and fresh."

"The soul has followed Moses and the cloud, both of these serving as guides for those who would advance in virtue; Moses here represents the commandments of the Law; and the cloud that leads the way, its spiritual meaning. The soul has been purified by crossing the Sea; it has removed from itself and destroyed the enemy army. It has tasted of the waters of Marah, that is, of life deprived of all sinful pleasure; and this at first had seemed bitter and unpleasant to the taste but offered a sensation of sweetness to those who accepted the wood. Next it enjoyed the beauty of the palm trees of the gospel and the springs; it filled itself with the living water, that is, the rock. It took within itself the bread of heaven. It overwhelmed the foreign host—a victory due to the extended arms of the Lawgiver, which thus foreshadowed the mystery of the Cross. Only then can the soul go on to the contemplation of transcendent Being."

==Writings==

===Dogmatic Treatises===
*Against Eunomius
*Answer to Eunomius’ Second Book
*On the Holy Spirit
*On the Holy Trinity, and of the Godhead of the Holy Spirit
*On “Not Three Gods.”
*On the Faith

===Ascetic and Moral Treatises===
*On Virginity
*On Infants’ Early Deaths
*On Pilgrimages

===Philosophical Works===
*On the Making of Man
*On the Soul and the Resurrection
*The Life of Moses

===Apologetic Works===
*The Great Catechism

===Oratorical Works===
*Funeral Oration on Meletius
*On the Baptism of Christ

===Letters===
*To Eusebius
*To the City of Sebasteia
*To Ablabius
*To Cynegius
*A Testimonial
*To Stagirius
*To a Friend
*To a Student of the Classics
*An Invitation
*To Libanius
*Second Letter to Libanius
*On His work against Eunomius
*To the Church at [[Nicomedia]]
*To the Bishop of Melitene
*To Adelphius the Lawyer
*To Amphilochius
*To Eustathia, Ambrosia, and Basilissa
*To Flavian

==Sources and external links==
* [[Wikipedia:Gregory of Nyssa]] (Source of theology section.)
* [http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100140 Gregory of Nyssa Hagiography] ([[Orthodox Church in America|OCA]]
* [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/macrina.html#life Gregory’s Life of Macrina]
* [http://www.bhsu.edu/artssciences/asfaculty/dsalomon/nyssa/home.html Gregory of Nyssa homepage: Numerous writings of Gregory]
* [http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-05/TOC.htm Christian Classics Library:More of Gregory’s writings]
* [http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=379 [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|GOARCH’s]] Gregory of Nyssa]
* [http://www.comeandseeicons.com/g/sgp05.htm Icon and Troparion of St. Gregory of Nyssa]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:4th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Church Fathers]]
[[Category:Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:4th-century saints]]

[[ar:غريغوريوس النصصي]]
[[fr:Grégoire de Nysse]]
[[ro:Grigorie de Nyssa]]

Gregory of Nyssa

2013-01-10T15:54:56Z

ASDamick:

[[image:Gregorynyssa.jpg|right|thumb|St. Gregory of Nyssa, one of the [[Cappadocian Fathers]].]]Our father among the saints '''Gregory of Nyssa''' (''ca.'' A.D. 335 – after 384) was [[bishop]] of Nyssa and a prominent [[theologian]] of the fourth century. He was the younger brother of [[Basil the Great]] and friend of [[Gregory the Theologian]]. He is commemorated on [[January 10]].

==Life==
Gregory was raised in a very pious (and large) Christian family of ten children; his grandmother [[Macrina the Elder]], his mother [[Emily]], his father [[Basil the Elder]], his sisters [[Macrina the Younger]] and [[Theosebia]], and his brothers [[Basil the Great]] and [[Peter of Sebaste]] have all been recognized as saints. He received a good education and taught rhetoric at one point. In 372, his brother Basil [[ordination|ordained]] him the [[bishop]] of Nyssa in Cappadocia (in present-day Turkey).

Gregory and Basil both spent much effort defending the Faith against the attacks of the [[Arianism|Arians]]. He was twice deposed as leader of his See because of false accusations made by the heretics. His position as bishop was finally restored in 378.

The next year, 379, his brother [[Basil the Great]] died. As the two were extremely close, Gregory was very grieved at his loss. To honor his brother, Gregory wrote his funeral oration and then completed Basil's ''Hexaemeron'', a series of nine sermons, delivered during [[Great Lent]], which described and elaborated upon the [[Genesis]] account of the world's creation in six days (Hexaemeron means "six days"). The following year, Gregory's sister [[Macrina the Younger|Macrina]] also died, and Gregory wrote a [[hagiography]] detailing her life.

About this time Gregory attended the Council of Antioch, a local [[synod]], in which he zealously defended Orthodoxy. The council was called to rebut a [[heresy]] which denied the perpetual virginity of the [[Theotokos]], on one hand, and other the other hand forbid worship of her as God or part of the Godhead. Gregory was simultaneously continuing to fight Arianism. Next, he attended the [[Second Ecumenical Council]] in Constantinople, which added the final section concerning the [[Holy Spirit]] to the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]].

For the rest of his life, Gregory continued to attend church councils, discuss doctrinal matters, and combat various heresies.
He reached old age and finally reposed in the Lord near the end of the fourth century.

Gregory's influence on Church doctrine has remained important, and while influenced by the work of [[Origen]] (who was eventually condemned by the Church centuries after his death), his writings are prominent among the early Church Fathers.

==Gregory's Theology==
===Triadology===
Gregory is remembered above all for two major contributions to theology. The first is his doctrine of the [[Holy Trinity|Trinity]], a development of the theology of Basil and their mutual friend Gregory Nazianzus. Following Basil's lead, Gregory argues that the three Persons of the Trinity can be understood along the model of three members of a single class: thus, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three in the same way that Peter, Paul, and Timothy are three men. So why do we not say there are three Gods? Gregory answers that, normally, we can distinguish between different members of the same class by the fact that they have different shapes, sizes, and colours. Even if they are identical, they still occupy different points in space. But none of this is true of incorporeal beings like God. Even lesser spiritual beings can still be distinguished by their varying degrees of goodness, but this does not apply to God either. In fact, the only way to tell the three Persons apart is by their mutual relations — thus, the only difference between the Father and the Son is that the former is the Father of the latter, and the latter is the Son of the former. As Gregory puts it, it is impossible to think of one member of the Trinity without thinking of the others too: they are like a chain of three links, pulling each other along.

===Infinity===
Gregory's second main contribution is his spiritual theology. He is the first Christian [[theologian]] to argue for the infinity of God. [[Origen]], often called a major influence on Gregory, had explicitly argued that God is limited, an essential notion in Platonism, since to be limited is to be clearly defined and knowable. Gregory, however, argues that if God is limited he must be limited by something greater than himself; he is therefore without boundaries. The idea had already been developed by neoplatonic philosophers, especially Plotinus, another important influence on Gregory, but he is the first Christian to defend it, apart from some hints in the work of [[Irenaeus of Lyons|Irenaeus]].

Accordingly, Gregory argues that since God is infinite he cannot be comprehended. In contrast, Origen had spoken of the spiritual journey as a progression of increasing illumination, as the mystic studies [[Holy Scripture|Scripture]] and comes to learn more about God.

===Stages===
Gregory speaks of three stages of spiritual progression: initial darkness or ignorance, then spiritual illumination, and finally a darkness of the mind in contemplation of the God who cannot be comprehended. (See [[apophatic theology]].)

Like earlier authors, including the Jewish [[Philo of Alexandria]], he uses the story of [[Moses]] as an allegory for the spiritual life. Moses first meets God in the [[Burning Bush|burning bush]], a [[theophany]] of light and illumination, but then he meets him again in the cloud, where he realizes that God cannot be seen by the eyes. Ascending [[Mount Sinai]], he finally comes to the "divine darkness", and realizes that God cannot be known by the mind either.

It is only through not-knowing and not-seeing that God can, paradoxically, be known and seen. This notion would be extremely influential in both Western and Eastern spirituality, via the mystical writings of Pseudo-[[Dionysius the Areopagite]]. Thus he is a major figure in the history of apophatic theology and spirituality.

===Epektasis===
Related to this is Gregory's idea of epektasis or constant progress. Platonic philosophy said that stability is perfection and change is for the worse; in contrast, Gregory described the ideal of human perfection as constant progress in virtue and godliness. In Gregory’s theology, God himself has always been perfect and has never changed, and never will. Humanity fell from grace in the [[Garden of Eden]], but rather than return to an unchanging state, humanity's goal is to become more and more perfect, more like God, even though humanity will never understand, much less attain, God's transcendence. This idea has had a profound influence on the Eastern Orthodox teaching regarding [[theosis]] or "divinization".

Gregory also taught that while it cannot be known whether or not all humans will be saved, as [[Origen]] speculated, faithful Christians may hope and pray for the salvation of all, even after death. He thus presents a hopeful alternative to those theologies, such as that of [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]], which state that at least some, of necessity, will be eternally condemned to [[hell]].

===Quotes===
"When we lay bare the hidden meaning of the history, scripture is seen to teach that the birth which distresses the tyrant is the beginning of the virtuous life. I am speaking of the kind of birth in which free will serves as the midwife, delivering the child amid great pain. For no one causes grief to his antagonist unless he exhibits in himself those marks which give proof of his victory over the other." -- ''The Life of Moses''

"A greedy appetite for food is terminated by satiety and the pleasure of drinking ends when our thirst is quenched. And so it is with the other things... But the possession of virtue, once it is solidly achieved, cannot be measured by time nor limited by satiety. Rather, to those who are its disciples it always appears as something ever new and fresh."

"The soul has followed Moses and the cloud, both of these serving as guides for those who would advance in virtue; Moses here represents the commandments of the Law; and the cloud that leads the way, its spiritual meaning. The soul has been purified by crossing the Sea; it has removed from itself and destroyed the enemy army. It has tasted of the waters of Marah, that is, of life deprived of all sinful pleasure; and this at first had seemed bitter and unpleasant to the taste but offered a sensation of sweetness to those who accepted the wood. Next it enjoyed the beauty of the palm trees of the gospel and the springs; it filled itself with the living water, that is, the rock. It took within itself the bread of heaven. It overwhelmed the foreign host—a victory due to the extended arms of the Lawgiver, which thus foreshadowed the mystery of the Cross. Only then can the soul go on to the contemplation of transcendent Being."

==Writings==

===Dogmatic Treatises===
*Against Eunomius
*Answer to Eunomius’ Second Book
*On the Holy Spirit
*On the Holy Trinity, and of the Godhead of the Holy Spirit
*On “Not Three Gods.”
*On the Faith

===Ascetic and Moral Treatises===
*On Virginity
*On Infants’ Early Deaths
*On Pilgrimages

===Philosophical Works===
*On the Making of Man
*On the Soul and the Resurrection
*The Life of Moses

===Apologetic Works===
*The Great Catechism

===Oratorical Works===
*Funeral Oration on Meletius
*On the Baptism of Christ

===Letters===
*To Eusebius
*To the City of Sebasteia
*To Ablabius
*To Cynegius
*A Testimonial
*To Stagirius
*To a Friend
*To a Student of the Classics
*An Invitation
*To Libanius
*Second Letter to Libanius
*On His work against Eunomius
*To the Church at [[Nicomedia]]
*To the Bishop of Melitene
*To Adelphius the Lawyer
*To Amphilochius
*To Eustathia, Ambrosia, and Basilissa
*To Flavian

==Sources and external links==
* [[Wikipedia:Gregory of Nyssa]] (Source of theology section.)
* [http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100140 Gregory of Nyssa Hagiography] ([[Orthodox Church in America|OCA]]
* [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/macrina.html#life Gregory’s Life of Macrina]
* [http://www.bhsu.edu/artssciences/asfaculty/dsalomon/nyssa/home.html Gregory of Nyssa homepage: Numerous writings of Gregory]
* [http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-05/TOC.htm Christian Classics Library:More of Gregory’s writings]
* [http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=379 [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America|GOARCH’s]] Gregory of Nyssa]
* [http://www.comeandseeicons.com/g/sgp05.htm Icon and Troparion of St. Gregory of Nyssa]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:4th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Church Fathers]]
[[Category:Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:4th-century saints]]

[[ar:غريغوريوس النصصي]]
[[fr:Grégoire de Nysse]]
[[ro:Grigorie de Nyssa]]

Church of Antioch

2012-12-17T15:39:18Z

ASDamick:

{{church|
name=Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East[[Image:Antioch logo.gif|center|Church of Antioch]]|
founder= [[Apostle]]s [[Apostle Peter|Peter]] and [[Apostle Paul|Paul]]|
independence=Traditional|
recognition= Traditional |
primate=[[John X (Yazigi) of Antioch|John X (Yazigi)]]|
hq=Damascus, Syria|
territory=Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, parts of Turkey|
possessions=United States, Canada, Central America, South America, Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, Great Britain, Western Europe|
language=Arabic, Greek, English|
music=[[Byzantine Chant]]|
calendar=[[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]]|
population=2 million|
website=[http://www.antiochpat.org Church of Antioch]
}}
The '''Church of Antioch''' is one of the five [[patriarchate]]s (i.e., the [[Pentarchy]]) that constituted the [[One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church|one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church]] before the [[Great Schism|schism]] between Rome and Antioch in 1098 and between Rome and the other patriarchates at around the same general period. Today it is one of the [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] Orthodox churches. In English translations of official documents, the Church of Antioch refers to itself as the '''Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East'''. The literal translation into English of the Arabic name is "Roman" (in Arabic, ''[[Rüm]]'') Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East." However, the literal name "Rüm" does not actually mean Roman but Greek. The Arabs and the Turks refer to the Christians who belong to the Greek Orthodox Church (both Arabs and Greeks) as Rüm because the Byzantine Greek-speaking Orthodox have historically referred to themselves as Romioi.The Arabic word "Rum" derives from the Greek word "Romioi". This is one of the reasons why the Church of Antioch refers to itself as '''Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East'''. The other reason is because it belongs to the family of the Greek Orthodox Churches which are: the [[Church of Constantinople]] (patriarchate), the '''Church of Antioch''' (patriarchate), the [[Church of Jerusalem]] (patriarchate), the [[Church of Alexandria]] (patriarchate), the [[Church of Cyprus]], the [[Church of Sinai]], the [[Church of Greece]], and the [[Church of Albania]].

[[Image:Balamand.jpg|left|thumb|250px|[[Our Lady of Balamand Monastery (Tripoli, Lebanon)|Our Lady of Balamand Monastery]]]]
The Church of Antioch is the continuation of the Christian community founded in Antioch by the [[Apostles]] [[Apostle Peter|Peter]] (who served as its first bishop) and [[Apostle Paul|Paul]], who are its [[patron saint]]s. In terms of hierarchical order of precedence, it currently ranks third among the world's Orthodox churches, behind [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]] and [[Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]].

The seat of the patriarchate was formerly Antioch (Antakya), in what is now Turkey. Now it is in Damascus, Syria, located on the "street called Straight." The current Patriarch of Antioch is His Beatitude, [[John X (Yazigi) of Antioch|[John X (Yazigi)]], who was elected on December 17, 2012.


==History==
===Early years===
The early history of the Church of Antioch is detailed in the [[Acts of the Apostles]], where in Acts 11:26 the [[Apostle Luke]] records that it was in that city that the disciples of Christ were first called [[Christian]]s. Due to the importance of Antioch as a major center in the ancient [[Roman Empire]], many of the missionary efforts of the [[apostles]] were launched from that city. In the early centuries of the Church's history, it was natural that the Church sojourning in Antioch would come to be traditionally regarded as one of the centers of world Christianity. The territory that came to be associated with the [[bishop]] of Antioch was that of the Roman Diocese of the East (a [[diocese]] was originally an imperial governmental division before it became an ecclesiastical one).

===The Antiochian school===
During the pre-Nicene period and that of the [[Ecumenical Councils]], Christian theology centered in Antioch tended to emphasize the literal, historical facts of the life of [[Jesus Christ]] over philosophical or allegorical [[hermeneutics|interpretations]] of [[Holy Scripture]], contrasted with the more mystical and figurative theology coming from [[Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]]. Antiochian theology, though stressing the "earthier" side of interpretation, nevertheless did not neglect the importance of insight into the deeper, spiritual meaning of the Scriptures. These two viewpoints came to be known respectively as the [[Antiochian school]] and the [[Alexandrian school]], represented by major catechetical institutions at both places.

Major figures associated with the origin of the Antiochian school include [[Lucian of Antioch]] and [[Paul of Samosata]], but its real formation was found with writers such as [[Diodore of Tarsus]], [[John Chrysostom]], [[Theodore of Mopsuestia]], [[Nestorius]], and [[Theodoret of Cyrrhus]]. At times, this difference in emphasis caused conflicts within the Church as the tension between the two approaches came to a head, especially regarding the doctrinal disputes over [[Arianism]] and [[Nestorianism]]. Saints such as [[John Chrysostom]] are somewhat regarded as synthesizers of the Antiochian and Alexandrian approaches to theology, and the Antiochian school of theology, whose more deviant proponents produced [[Arianism]] and [[Nestorianism]], also enabled the Orthodox fight against the Alexandrian school's deviances, namely [[Apollinarianism]] and [[Eutychianism]].

===Schism over Chalcedon===
[[Image:Hama church.jpg|left|thumb|200px|The Church of the Entrance of the Theotokos in Hama, Syria]]
Disputes over the [[Christology]] of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council]] at Chalcedon—the [[Monophysitism|Monophysite]] controversy— in 451 led to a [[schism]] within the Church of Antioch, which at that same council was elevated to the status of a [[patriarchate]]. The larger group at the time repudiated the council and became the [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)|Syriac Orthodox Church]] (also called the "Jacobites" for [[Jacob Baradeus]], an early bishop of theirs who did extensive missionary work in the region). They currently constitute part of the [[Oriental Orthodox]] communion and maintain a [[Christology]] somewhat different in language from that of [[Chalcedon]].

The remainder of the Church of Antioch, primarily local Greeks or Hellenized sections of the indigenous population, remained in communion with Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, and Jerusalem. This is the current ''Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East'' which is considered by the other bishops of the Orthodox Church to be the sole legitimate heir to the [[see]] of Antioch.

The [[schism]] greatly weakened the Antiochian church, and in 637 when Antioch fell to the [[Islam|Muslim]] Arabs, the "Greek" church was perceived by the invaders as allied to the Romano-Byzantine enemies of the Arabs. During the subsequent period, Antiochian Orthodox Christians underwent a lengthy period of persecution, and there were multiple periods of either vacancy or non-residence on the Antiochian patriarchal throne during the 7th and 8th centuries. In 969, the Roman Empire regained control of Antioch, and the church there prospered again until 1085, when the Seljuk Turks took the city. During this period of more than a hundred years, the traditional West Syrian [[liturgy]] of the church was gradually replaced by that of the tradition of the Great Church, [[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|Hagia Sophia]] in Constantinople. This process was completed sometime in the 12th century.

===Crusader and Muslim conquests===
In 1098, Crusaders took the city and set up a Latin Patriarchate of Antioch to adorn its Latin Kingdom of Syria, while a Greek patriarchate continued in exile in Constantinople. After nearly two centuries of Crusader rule, the Egyptian Mamelukes seized Antioch in 1268, and the Orthodox patriarch, [[Theodosius IV of Antioch|Theodosius IV]], was able to return to the region. By this point, Antioch itself had been reduced to a smaller town, and so in the 14th century [[Ignatius II of Antioch|Ignatius II]] transferred the seat of the patriarchate to Damascus, where it remains to this day, though the patriarch retains the Antiochian title.

The Ottoman Turks conquered the city in 1517, under whose control it remained until the breakup of the [[Ottoman empire|Ottoman Empire]] at the end of World War I. During this period, in 1724, the Church of Antioch was again weakened by schism, as a major portion of its faithful came into submission to the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. The resultant [[Uniate]] body is known as the [[Melkite Greek Catholic Church]], which in the current day maintains close ties with the Orthodox and is currently holding ongoing talks about healing the schism and returning the Melkites to Orthodoxy.

Fearing for the preservation of the Orthodoxy of the Antiochian see, parishioners and bishops requested the [[ecumenical Patriarch]]ate to send them a Greek patriarch. The Greek presence on the Antiochian see lasted from 1724 to 1898 until [[Meletius II (Doumani) of Antioch|Malathius I (Doumani)]] the Damascene, an Arab patriarch, was appointed. A renewal movement, involving Orthodox youth in particular, has been under way since the 1940s.

===The Antiochian church today===
[[Image:John Yazigi.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[John X (Yazigi) of Antioch|Patriarch John X (Yazigi) of Antioch]]]]
The [[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)|St. John of Damascus Patriarchal Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)]] was established by the patriarchate in 1970, and in 1988 it was fully incorporated into the University of Balamand. The Institute functions as the primary [[seminary]] for theological schooling for the patriarchate's [[clergy]] and [[laity|lay]] leaders.

The [[Holy Synod]] of Antioch includes the [[patriarch]] and all the ruling [[bishop]]s. Meetings are held each year in Spring and Autumn at the patriarchate to consider church-wide issues, and to elect the patriarch and other bishops as needed. The patriarch and holy synod govern the Church of Antioch to preserve the true faith, to maintain ecclesiastical order, and to carry out the commandments of Christ. In addition to the synod itself, a general conciliar body meets twice a year to see to the financial, educational, judicial, and administrative matters of the patriarchate. It is composed of members of the synod and of lay representatives. When a new patriarch is to be elected, this body selects three candidates from whom the holy synod chooses the new patriarch.

The most recent [[patriarch]] was His Beatitude Patriarch [[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch]] and all the East, elected in 1979. Patriarch Ignatius was particularly active in strengthening ties with other Christian communions, but particularly with those whose roots are in Antioch. His Beatitude and the [[holy synod]] of Antioch were enthusiastic for the Church of Antioch to participate in general talks between representatives of all the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches.

At Anba Bishoy in Egypt and at Chambesy in Switzerland, plenary talks were held resulting in [http://www.antiochian.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&id=106&sectionid=24&Itemid=63 agreements] in 1989, 1990 and 1993. All official representatives of the Eastern Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox there present reached agreement in these dialogues that the Christological differences between the two communions are more a matter of emphasis than of substance. Although elements in a number of the Eastern Orthodox Churches have criticized the apparent consensus reached by the representatives at Anba Bishoy and Chambesy, the patriarch and holy synod of the Antiochian Orthodox Church welcomed the agreements as positive moves towards a sharing in the Love of God, and a rejection of the hatred of insubstantial division.

As recommended in the Agreement of 1990, the Antiochian (Eastern) Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius IV formally met with the Syriac (Oriental) Orthodox Patriarch, Ignatius Zakka I, on [[July 22]], 1991. At that formal meeting, the two patriarchs signed a [http://www.antiochian.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&id=106&sectionid=24&Itemid=63 pastoral agreement] which called for "complete and mutual respect between the two churches." It also prohibited the passing of faithful from one church to the other, envisaged joint meetings of the two holy synods when appropriate, and provided for future guidelines for intercommunion of the faithful and [[Eucharist]]ic [[concelebration]] by the [[clergy]] of the two churches. The Church of Antioch expects these guidelines to be issued when the faithful of both churches are ready, but not before.

Patriarch Ignatius also oversaw participation in a bilateral commission with the [[Melkite Greek Catholic Church]], which is exploring ways of healing the 18th century schism between the Melkite Catholics and the Antiochian Orthodox. In an unprecedented event, [[Melkite]] Patriarch Maximos V addressed a meeting of the Orthodox holy synod in October 1996.

The members of the holy synod of Antioch continue to explore greater communication and more friendly meetings with their Syriac, Melkite, and Maronite brothers and sisters, who all share a common heritage.

With the onset of the civil war in Syria in 2010, the situation of Christians in Syria has worsened. Several churches have attacked and destroyed, and many Christians have been expelled by rebels and become refugees.

===Expansion abroad===
[[Image:Antiochian bishops.jpg|right|thumb|300px|'''New Antiochian bishops with the patriarch''' Left to Right: Bp. [[Mark (Maymon) of Toledo]], Patr. [[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch]], Bp. [[Thomas (Joseph) of Oakland]], Bp. [[Alexander (Mufarrij) of Ottawa]]]]
Extensive 20th and 21st century Arab immigration to the New World has further increased the size, vigor and influence of the Church of Antioch, and the majority of Antiochian faithful now reside outside the Middle East and include numerous non-Arabic converts to the Orthodox Christian faith. As a result, besides its Middle Eastern territories in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, Iran, the Arabian Peninsular, and parts of Turkey, the Church of Antioch also includes missionary dioceses in Central, North, and South America, in Europe, and in Australia and the Pacific. The archdiocese with the largest population is [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|North America]]. It is also the only one with internal [[diocese]]s. The archdiocese with the largest area is [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand|Australia and New Zealand]]. Estimates of the membership of the patriarchate range from 750,000 to over 1,000,000 in Syria alone.

==Antiochian saints==
Over the centuries, the Church of Antioch has been associated with many [[saint]]s on the Church's calendar. These include the following:
[[Image:Antiochian saints.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Synaxis]] of the Great [[Saint]]s of the Holy Church of Antioch]]
[[Image:Column of Simeon.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Column of St. [[Symeon the Stylite]], Syria]]

*[[Andrew of Crete]]
*[[Apostle Luke]]
*[[Apostles]] [[Apostle Peter|Peter]] and [[Apostle Paul|Paul]]
*[[Babylas of Antioch]]
*[[Bacchus and Sergius]]
*[[Christopher the Great-martyr]]
*[[Daniel the Stylite]]
*[[Dorotheos of Gaza]]
*[[Ephrem the Syrian]]
*[[Eustathius of Antioch]]
*[[George the Trophy-bearer]]
*[[Habeeb Kheshy]] (as-yet [[canonization|uncanonized]])
*[[Habib]]
*[[Ignatius of Antioch]]
*[[Isaac the Syrian]]
*[[Jacob of Hamatoura]]
*[[John Chrysostom]]
*[[John of Damascus]]
*[[Joseph of Damascus]]
*[[Julian of Homs]]
*[[Lucian of Antioch]]
*[[Meletius of Antioch]]
*[[Raphael of Brooklyn]]
*[[Roman the Melodist]]
*[[Symeon the Stylite]]
*[[Thekla the Protomartyr]]

==Structure==
The Antiochian Patriarchate consists of nineteen [[archdiocese]]s, each ruled by a Metropolitan Archbishop. Of these, only the Archdiocese of North America has constituent [[diocese]]s.

''Only those dioceses with OrthodoxWiki articles are listed.''

*[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand|Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and All Oceania]]
*[[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|Archdiocese of North America]]
:*[[Diocese of New York and Washington, DC (Antiochian)]]
:*[[Diocese of Los Angeles and the West (Antiochian)]]
:*[[Diocese of Charleston, Oakland, and the Mid-Atlantic (Antiochian)]]
:*[[Diocese of Eagle River and the Northwest (Antiochian)]]
:*[[Diocese of Miami and the Southeast (Antiochian)]]
:*[[Diocese of Ottawa, Eastern Canada and Upstate New York (Antiochian)]]
:*[[Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest (Antiochian)]]
:*[[Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America (Antiochian)]]
:*[[Diocese of Worcester and New England (Antiochian)]]
*[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Santiago and All Chile|Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Santiago and All Chile]]
*[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe|Archdiocese of Europe]]
*[[Metropolis of Damascus]]: Patriarchal diocese
*[[Archdiocese of Aleppo|Metropolis of Beroea (Aleppo) and Alexandretta]]: Paul Yazigi (2000–present)
*[[Archdiocese of Beirut|Metropolis of Beirut and Exarchate of Phoenicia]]: [[Elias (Audi) of Beirut|Elias Audi]] (1980–present)
*[[Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran, Jabal al Arab and Golan|Metropolis of Bosra, Hauran and Jabal al-Druze]]: Sawa Esber (1999–present)
*[[Metropolis of Emesa]] (Homs): George Abu Zaham (1999–present)
*[[Metropolis of Epiphania]] (Hama) and Exarchate of North Syria: Elias Saliba (1984–present)
*[[Metropolis of Latakia]] and Exarchate of Theodorias: John Mansur (1979–present)
*[[Metropolis of Baghdad]], Kuwait and All Mesopotamia: Constantinos Papastefanou (1969–present)
*[[Metropolis of Akkar]]: Basilios Nassur (2008–present)
*[[Archdiocese of Byblos and Botris (Mount Lebanon)|Metropolis of Mount Lebanon, Byblos and Botrys]]: George Khodr (1970–present)
*[[Metropolis of Seleucia (Zahle) and Heliopolis (Baalbek)]]: Spyridon Khoury (1966–present)
*[[Archdiocese of Tripoli and Al-koura|Metropolis of Tripoli and Al-Koura]]: [[Ephraim Kyriakos]] (2009–present)
*[[Metropolis of Tyre and Sidon]]: Elias Kfoury (1995–present)
*[[Metropolis of Tarsos and Adana]]: vacanct
*[[Metropolis of Amida]]:(Diyarbakır) vacant
*[[Metropolis of Theodosioupolis]](Erzurum): vacant
{{churches}}

==External links==
* [http://www.antiochpat.org/ Patriarchate of Antioch] (Official Website)(Arabic and English)
* [http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=15&IndexView=toc Eastern Christian Churches: The Patriarchate of Antioch], a scholarly text by Ronald Roberson, CSP, a Roman Catholic priest and Eastern Christianity scholar
*[http://www.cc.uoa.gr/theology/html/english/pubs/doctrsec/scouteris/27/27.pdf The Spiritual Tradition of the Antioch Patriarchate], by Prof. [[Constantine Scouteris]]
*[http://www.antiochcentre.net/ 'Antioch']: A Centre for Antiochian Orthodox Christian Studies and Research (Oxford, UK)
*[http://www.antiochian.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=22&Itemid=57 Photos of patriarchal sites]

===Archdioceses and dioceses===
====The Middle East====
*[http://akkarorthodox.com/new/ Archdiocese of Akkar] (Official Website)
*[http://www.alepporthodox.org/ Archdiocese of Aleppo] (Official Website)
*[http://www.gulforthodoxchurch.org/ Archdiocese of Baghdad] (Official Website)
*[http://www.quartos.org.lb/ Archdiocese of Beirut] (Official Website)
*[http://www.orthodoxhauran.org/joomla/ Archdiocese of Bosra] (Official Website)
*[http://www.lattakiaorth.org/ Archdiocese of Lattakia] (Official Website)
*[http://www.ortmtlb.org.lb/ Archdiocese of Mount Lebanon] (Official Website)
*[http://www.archorthotripoli.org/ Archdiocese of Tripoli] (Official Website)

====North and South America====
*[http://www.antiochian.org/ Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America] (English)
*[http://www.catedralortodoxa.com.br/ Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Brazil] (Portuguese)
*[http://www.iglesiaortodoxa.org.mx/ Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbean] (Spanish)
*[http://www.chileortodoxo.cl/ Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Chile] (Spanish)
*[http://www.acoantioquena.com Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and all Argentina] (Spanish and English)

====Europe====
*[http://www.antiocheurope.org/ Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe] (Arabic, English, French, German, Italian)
*[http://www.rum-orthodox.de/ Antiochian Orthodox Church in Germany] (German)
*[http://www.antiochian-orthodox.co.uk/ Antiochian Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom and Ireland] (English)

====Oceania====
*[http://www.antiochianarch.org.au/ Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines]

===Monasteries===
*[http://www.balamandmonastery.org.lb/ Balamand Monastery of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos (Tripoli, Lebanon)]
*[http://www.hamatoura.com/ Hamatoura The Holy Mountain of The Theotokos (Amyoun El-Koura,Wadi Kadeesha-North Lebanon)]
*[http://www.stgeorgesyria.org/ St. George Al-Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery (Homs, Syria)]
*[http://www.balamandmonastery.org.lb/MonastSaydnaya.htm Holy Patriarchal Convent of Our Lady of Saydnaya (Syria)]

[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[Category:Jurisdictions|Antioch]]

[[es:Iglesia Ortodoxa de Antioquía]]
[[fr:Église d'Antioche]]
[[ro:Biserica Ortodoxă a Antiohiei]]
[[ru:Антиохийская православная церковь]]

Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe

2012-12-17T14:16:04Z

ASDamick:

{{diocese|
name=Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe|
jurisdiction=[[Church of Antioch|Antioch]]|
type=Archdiocese|
founded=2000|
bishop=''vacant''|
see=Paris|
hq=Paris, France|
territory=Europe|
language=Arabic, French, English, German|
music=[[Byzantine Chant]]|
calendar=[[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]]|
population=''unknown''|
website=[http://www.antiocheurope.org antiocheurope.org]
}}
The '''Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe''', headquartered in Paris, France, is a [[diocese]] of the [[Church of Antioch]] in Western and Central Europe. Its [[bishop]] was [[John X (Yazigi) of Antioch|John (Yazigi)]], elected [[June 17]], 2008, until his election as Patriarch of Antioch on December 17, 2012. He was enthroned on [[September 21]], 2008, in St Stephen's Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Paris, by [[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch|Ignatius IV]], [[Patriarch]] of [[Antioch]].

==History==
The first bishop of the Patriarchate of Antioch in Europe came in 1982. He was His Grace Gabriel (Saliby)<ref>[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/antioch/current/bios/bio_gabriel_saliby_metr_western_europe.htm Metropolitan Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe]</ref>, titular bishop of Palmyra and Vicar Bishop of the Patriarch. Under his leadership, the Vicariate grew in Austria, Britain, France, Germany and Switzerland. In its Autumn meeting of 2000, the Holy Synod of Antioch elevated the Vicariate to the status of Archdiocese and [[Sayedna]] Gabriel to Metropolitan.

Following the death of Sayedna Gabriel in October 2007, the archdiocese remained widowed until the following year. In the June 2008 Holy Synod, meeting at Balamand Monastery, Lebannon, it was resolved "Elected Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe (the former name of the Archdiocese - now simply "Europe") on June 17th is His Eminence JOHN (Yazigi), 53, former Titular Bishop of al-Hosn."

During the episcopacy of Metropolitan John, the archdiocese was renamed as the ''Archdiocese of Europe''.

==Organization==
*[[Antiochian Orthodox Deanery of the United Kingdom and Ireland|Deanery of the United Kingdom and Ireland]]

==Bishops==
Reverse chronological order

*His Eminence [[John (Yazigi) of Europe|Metropolitan John (Yazigi)]], elected [[June 17]], 2008, enthroned [[September 21]], 2008

*His Eminence [[Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe|Metropolitan Gabriel (Saliby)]], Autumn 2000 until his death on [[October 21]] 2007 ''(Served since 1982 as Vicar Bishop in Western and Central Europe before creation of Archdiocese)''

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.antiocheurope.org/ Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe website]
*[http://www.antiochian-orthodox.co.uk/index.html Antiochian Orthodox Deanery of the United Kingdom and Ireland]
*[http://www.rum-orthodox.de/ Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch in Germany] (German)
{{incomplete}}

[[Category:Jurisdictions|Western Europe]]
[[Category:Antiochian Dioceses|Western and Central Europe]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy in Western Europe]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy in France]]

[[es:Arquidiócesis Ortodoxa Antioqueña de Europa central y occidental]]
[[fr:Métropole orthodoxe antiochienne d'Europe occidentale et centrale]]

Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe

2012-12-17T14:08:51Z

ASDamick: /* Life */

Metropolitan '''Gabriel (Saliby)''' was the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe|Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe]] in the [[Church of Antioch|Patriarchate of Antioch]] from 1980 to 2007. He was succeeded as Metropolitan in 2008 by [[John (Yazigi) of Western Europe|Metr. John (Yazigi)]].

==Life==
Metr. Gabriel was born in Lebanon in 1923 and received his theological education in Russia. On [[August 5]], 1966, he was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] assistant [[bishop]] to Metr. Elias of Beirut. Bishop Gabriel was a fluent speaker of a number of languages including Arabic, English, French, Spanish, German and Russian.

In 1980, the Church of Antioch established a [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe|Vicariate of Western Europe]] to which Bp. Gabriel was appointed to lead. In 1982, he moved to Paris, France as the bishop of the new [[diocese]]. Under his leadership the vicariate grew to comprise 23 [[parish]]es that included two parishes in France, ten in Great Britain, nine in Germany, and one each in Switzerland and Austria. In addition a [[monasticism|monastic]] community of eighteen nuns was established in the south of France.

In 1998, Bp. Gabriel was awarded the "Legion of Honour" by the nation of French in recognition of his contribution to French society. In the Autumn of 2000 the [[Holy Synod]] of Antioch elevated the Vicariate for Western Europe to the status of a metropolitan [[see]]. Paralleling the change in the status to a Metropolis, Bp. Gabriel was elevated to the dignity of [[Archbishop]].

Metr. Gabriel reposed on [[October 20]], 2007. His funeral took place at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Paris. Burial was at Montparnassie Cemetery.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=Metropolitan of Western Europe (Antiochian)|
years=1980-2007|
after=[[John X (Yazigi) of Antioch|John (Yazigi)]]}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/antioch/current/bios/bio_gabriel_saliby_metr_western_europe.htm ORI: Metropolitan Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe]
*[http://www.antiochian-orthodox.co.uk/Archive/metropolitan-gabriel-repose.pdf Metropolitan Gabriel - Memory Eternal!]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]

John X (Yazigi) of Antioch

2012-12-17T14:08:05Z

ASDamick:

[[Image:John Yazigi.jpg|right|frame|250px|Patriarch John X]]

His Beatitude Patriarch '''John X (Yazigi) of Antioch and All the East''' is the primate of the [[Church of Antioch]]. Prior to his election as patriarch on December 17, 2012, he led the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe]] headquartered in Paris, France. Before his election and enthronement as [[Metropolitan]], he had been [[titular bishop]] of Pyrgou (al-Hosn), Syria. He was also formerly the dean of the [[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)]], the patriarchal [[seminary]] attached to the University of Balamand.

His Beatitude has a Degree in Theology from the Balamand seminary (1978), a Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Byzantine Music Conservatory in Thessalonica (1981), and a Ph.D. in Theology with a specialization in Liturgics from the University of Thessalonica (1983). While at the Balamand, he served as Professor of Liturgics (1981-2008), as well as in the abbacy of St. George Al-Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery (1993-2005) and the [[Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand]] (2001-2005).

His Beatitude is also the author of numerous books and articles on Orthodox theology and liturgics.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=[[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)|Dean of Balamand Seminary]]|
years=1989-1992, 2001-2005|
after=[[Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo|Paul (Yazigi)]]}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Titular Bishop of al-Hosn|
years=1995-2008|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe|Gabriel (Saliby)]]|
title=[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe|Metropolitan of Europe]] (Antiochian)|
years=2008-2012|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch|Ignatius IV (Hazim)]]|
title=[[Church of Antioch|Patriarch of Antioch]]|
years=2012-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Biographical Timeline==
*1955 Born Lattakia, Syria.
*1978 Graduated from University of Balamand, Lebanon, with Bachelor of Theology degree.
*1979 [[ordination|Ordained]] [[deacon]] by Metropolitan John (Mansour) of Lattakia.
*1981-2008 Professor of Liturgics, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1981 Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Conservatory of Byzantine Music, [[Thessalonica]], Greece.
*1983 Ordained [[priest]] by Met John of Lattakia.
*1983 Doctoral Degree in Liturgics from University of Thessalonica, Greece. Thesis: "Service of Holy Baptism: An Historical, Theological, and Liturgical Study" (in Greek).
*1988-1991 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1993-2005 [[Abbot]] of St. George Al Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery, Syria.
*1995 [[consecration of a bishop|Consecrated]] [[Bishop]].
*1995-2008 Bishop of Pyrgou (Al-Hosn), Syria.
*2001-2005 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*2001-2005 Abbot of the Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery, Lebanon.
*2008-2012 Metropolitan of Europe (formerly "of Western and Central Europe") and member of the Holy Synod of Antioch.
*2012-present Patriarch of Antioch and all the East.

==External links==
*[http://www.antiocheurope.org/en/page/details/21/Biography Brief Biography from Archdiocese of Europe website]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/b_yuhanna.htm Balamand seminary biography]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/antioch/current.htm#yuhanna_yazigi_bishop_elhosn Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute

===Writings===
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/bishpjohn/meanchurch.htm The Meaning of the Church from a Middle Eastern Point of View]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/repentance.pdf The Mystery of Repentance]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Antioch]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology Graduates]]

[[fr:Jean (Yazigi) d'Europe occidentale et centrale]]

Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe

2012-12-17T14:06:12Z

ASDamick: moved Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe to Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe

#REDIRECT [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe]]

Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe

2012-12-17T14:06:12Z

ASDamick: moved Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe to Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe

{{diocese|
name=Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe|
jurisdiction=[[Church of Antioch|Antioch]]|
type=Archdiocese|
founded=2000|
bishop=[[John (Yazigi) of Europe|Metr. John (Yazigi)]]|
see=Paris|
hq=Paris, France|
territory=Europe|
language=Arabic, French, English, German|
music=[[Byzantine Chant]]|
calendar=[[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]]|
population=''unknown''|
website=[http://www.antiocheurope.org antiocheurope.org]
}}
The '''Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe''', headquartered in Paris, France, is a [[diocese]] of the [[Church of Antioch]] in Western and Central Europe. Its [[bishop]] is [[John (Yazigi) of Western Europe|His Eminence John, Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe]], elected [[June 17]], 2008. He was enthroned on [[September 21]], 2008, in St Stephen's Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Paris, by [[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch|His Beatitude Ignatius IV]], [[Patriarch]] of [[Antioch]].

==History==
The first bishop of the Patriarchate of Antioch in Europe came in 1982. He was His Grace Gabriel (Saliby)<ref>[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/antioch/current/bios/bio_gabriel_saliby_metr_western_europe.htm Metropolitan Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe]</ref>, titular bishop of Palmyra and Vicar Bishop of the Patriarch. Under his leadership, the Vicariate grew in Austria, Britain, France, Germany and Switzerland. In its Autumn meeting of 2000, the Holy Synod of Antioch elevated the Vicariate to the status of Archdiocese and [[Sayedna]] Gabriel to Metropolitan.

Following the death of Sayedna Gabriel in October 2007, the archdiocese remained widowed until the following year. In the June 2008 Holy Synod, meeting at Balamand Monastery, Lebannon, it was resolved "Elected Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe (the former name of the Archdiocese - now simply "Europe") on June 17th is His Eminence JOHN (Yazigi), 53, former Titular Bishop of al-Hosn."

==Organization==
*[[Antiochian Orthodox Deanery of the United Kingdom and Ireland|Deanery of the United Kingdom and Ireland]]

==Bishops==
Reverse chronological order
*His Eminence [[John (Yazigi) of Europe|Metropolitan John (Yazigi)]], elected [[June 17]], 2008, enthroned [[September 21]], 2008

*His Eminence [[Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe|Metropolitan Gabriel (Saliby)]], Autumn 2000 until his death on [[October 21]] 2007 ''(Served since 1982 as Vicar Bishop in Western and Central Europe before creation of Archdiocese)''

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.antiocheurope.org/ Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Europe website]
*[http://www.antiochian-orthodox.co.uk/index.html Antiochian Orthodox Deanery of the United Kingdom and Ireland]
*[http://www.rum-orthodox.de/ Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch in Germany] (German)
{{incomplete}}

[[Category:Jurisdictions|Western Europe]]
[[Category:Antiochian Dioceses|Western and Central Europe]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy in Western Europe]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy in France]]

[[es:Arquidiócesis Ortodoxa Antioqueña de Europa central y occidental]]
[[fr:Métropole orthodoxe antiochienne d'Europe occidentale et centrale]]

John X (Yazigi) of Antioch

2012-12-17T14:05:54Z

ASDamick: /* External links */

[[Image:John Yazigi.jpg|right|frame|250px|Patriarch John X]]

His Beatitude Patriarch '''John X (Yazigi) of Antioch and All the East''' is the primate of the [[Church of Antioch]]. Prior to his election as patriarch on December 17, 2012, he led the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe]] headquartered in Paris, France. Before his election and enthronement as [[Metropolitan]], he had been [[titular bishop]] of Pyrgou (al-Hosn), Syria. He was also formerly the dean of the [[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)]], the patriarchal [[seminary]] attached to the University of Balamand.

His Beatitude has a Degree in Theology from the Balamand seminary (1978), a Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Byzantine Music Conservatory in Thessalonica (1981), and a Ph.D. in Theology with a specialization in Liturgics from the University of Thessalonica (1983). While at the Balamand, he served as Professor of Liturgics (1981-2008), as well as in the abbacy of St. George Al-Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery (1993-2005) and the [[Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand]] (2001-2005).

His Beatitude is also the author of numerous books and articles on Orthodox theology and liturgics.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=[[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)|Dean of Balamand Seminary]]|
years=1989-1992, 2001-2005|
after=[[Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo|Paul (Yazigi)]]}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Titular Bishop of al-Hosn|
years=1995-2008|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe|Gabriel (Saliby)]]|
title=[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe|Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe]] (Antiochian)|
years=2008-2012|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch|Ignatius IV (Hazim)]]|
title=[[Church of Antioch|Patriarch of Antioch]]|
years=2012-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Biography==
*1955 Born Lattakia, Syria.
*1978 Graduated from University of Balamand, Lebanon, with Bachelor of Theology degree.
*1979 [[ordination|Ordained]] [[deacon]] by Metropolitan John (Mansour) of Lattakia.
*1981-2008 Professor of Liturgics, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1981 Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Conservatory of Byzantine Music, [[Thessalonica]], Greece.
*1983 Ordained [[priest]] by Met John of Lattakia.
*1983 Doctoral Degree in Liturgics from University of Thessalonica, Greece. Thesis: "Service of Holy Baptism: An Historical, Theological, and Liturgical Study" (in Greek).
*1988-1991 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1993-2005 [[Abbot]] of St. George Al Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery, Syria.
*1995 [[consecration of a bishop|Consecrated]] [[Bishop]].
*1995-2008 Bishop of Pyrgou (Al-Hosn), Syria.
*2001-2005 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*2001-2005 Abbot of the Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery, Lebanon.
*2008-2012 Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe (Antiochian) and member of the Holy Synod of Antioch.
*2012-present Patriarch of Antioch and all the East.

==External links==
*[http://www.antiocheurope.org/en/page/details/21/Biography Brief Biography from Archdiocese of Europe website]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/b_yuhanna.htm Balamand seminary biography]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/antioch/current.htm#yuhanna_yazigi_bishop_elhosn Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute

===Writings===
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/bishpjohn/meanchurch.htm The Meaning of the Church from a Middle Eastern Point of View]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/repentance.pdf The Mystery of Repentance]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Antioch]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology Graduates]]

[[fr:Jean (Yazigi) d'Europe occidentale et centrale]]

John X (Yazigi) of Antioch

2012-12-17T13:31:14Z

ASDamick:

[[Image:John Yazigi.jpg|right|frame|250px|Patriarch John X]]

His Beatitude Patriarch '''John X (Yazigi) of Antioch and All the East''' is the primate of the [[Church of Antioch]]. Prior to his election as patriarch on December 17, 2012, he led the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe]] headquartered in Paris, France. Before his election and enthronement as [[Metropolitan]], he had been [[titular bishop]] of Pyrgou (al-Hosn), Syria. He was also formerly the dean of the [[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)]], the patriarchal [[seminary]] attached to the University of Balamand.

His Beatitude has a Degree in Theology from the Balamand seminary (1978), a Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Byzantine Music Conservatory in Thessalonica (1981), and a Ph.D. in Theology with a specialization in Liturgics from the University of Thessalonica (1983). While at the Balamand, he served as Professor of Liturgics (1981-2008), as well as in the abbacy of St. George Al-Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery (1993-2005) and the [[Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand]] (2001-2005).

His Beatitude is also the author of numerous books and articles on Orthodox theology and liturgics.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=[[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)|Dean of Balamand Seminary]]|
years=1989-1992, 2001-2005|
after=[[Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo|Paul (Yazigi)]]}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Titular Bishop of al-Hosn|
years=1995-2008|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe|Gabriel (Saliby)]]|
title=[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe|Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe]] (Antiochian)|
years=2008-2012|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch|Ignatius IV (Hazim)]]|
title=[[Church of Antioch|Patriarch of Antioch]]|
years=2012-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Biography==
*1955 Born Lattakia, Syria.
*1978 Graduated from University of Balamand, Lebanon, with Bachelor of Theology degree.
*1979 [[ordination|Ordained]] [[deacon]] by Metropolitan John (Mansour) of Lattakia.
*1981-2008 Professor of Liturgics, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1981 Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Conservatory of Byzantine Music, [[Thessalonica]], Greece.
*1983 Ordained [[priest]] by Met John of Lattakia.
*1983 Doctoral Degree in Liturgics from University of Thessalonica, Greece. Thesis: "Service of Holy Baptism: An Historical, Theological, and Liturgical Study" (in Greek).
*1988-1991 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1993-2005 [[Abbot]] of St. George Al Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery, Syria.
*1995 [[consecration of a bishop|Consecrated]] [[Bishop]].
*1995-2008 Bishop of Pyrgou (Al-Hosn), Syria.
*2001-2005 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*2001-2005 Abbot of the Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery, Lebanon.
*2008-2012 Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe (Antiochian) and member of the Holy Synod of Antioch.
*2012-present Patriarch of Antioch and all the East.

==External links==
*[http://www.antiocheurope.org/Metropolitan.html Brief Biography from Archdiocese website]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/b_yuhanna.htm Balamand seminary biography]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/antioch/current.htm#yuhanna_yazigi_bishop_elhosn Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute

===Writings===
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/bishpjohn/meanchurch.htm The Meaning of the Church from a Middle Eastern Point of View]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/repentance.pdf The Mystery of Repentance]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Antioch]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology Graduates]]

[[fr:Jean (Yazigi) d'Europe occidentale et centrale]]

John X (Yazigi) of Antioch

2012-12-17T13:27:01Z

ASDamick: Undo revision 113349 by ASDamick (talk)

[[Image:John Yazigi.jpg|right|frame|Patriarch John X]]

His Beatitude Patriarch '''John X (Yazigi) of Antioch and All the East''' is the primate of the [[Church of Antioch]]. Prior to his election as patriarch on December 17, 2012, he led the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe]] headquartered in Paris, France. Before his election and enthronement as [[Metropolitan]], he had been [[titular bishop]] of Pyrgou (al-Hosn), Syria. He was also formerly the dean of the [[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)]], the patriarchal [[seminary]] attached to the University of Balamand.

His Beatitude has a Degree in Theology from the Balamand seminary (1978), a Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Byzantine Music Conservatory in Thessalonica (1981), and a Ph.D. in Theology with a specialization in Liturgics from the University of Thessalonica (1983). While at the Balamand, he served as Professor of Liturgics (1981-2008), as well as in the abbacy of St. George Al-Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery (1993-2005) and the [[Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand]] (2001-2005).

His Beatitude is also the author of numerous books and articles on Orthodox theology and liturgics.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=[[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)|Dean of Balamand Seminary]]|
years=1989-1992, 2001-2005|
after=[[Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo|Paul (Yazigi)]]}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Titular Bishop of al-Hosn|
years=1995-2008|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe|Gabriel (Saliby)]]|
title=[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe|Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe]] (Antiochian)|
years=2008-2012|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch|Ignatius IV (Hazim)]]|
title=[[Church of Antioch|Patriarch of Antioch]]|
years=2012-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Biography==
*1955 Born Lattakia, Syria.
*1978 Graduated from University of Balamand, Lebanon, with Bachelor of Theology degree.
*1979 [[ordination|Ordained]] [[deacon]] by Metropolitan John (Mansour) of Lattakia.
*1981-2008 Professor of Liturgics, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1981 Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Conservatory of Byzantine Music, [[Thessalonica]], Greece.
*1983 Ordained [[priest]] by Met John of Lattakia.
*1983 Doctoral Degree in Liturgics from University of Thessalonica, Greece. Thesis: "Service of Holy Baptism: An Historical, Theological, and Liturgical Study" (in Greek).
*1988-1991 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1993-2005 [[Abbot]] of St. George Al Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery, Syria.
*1995 [[consecration of a bishop|Consecrated]] [[Bishop]].
*1995-2008 Bishop of Pyrgou (Al-Hosn), Syria.
*2001-2005 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*2001-2005 Abbot of the Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery, Lebanon.
*2008-2012 Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe (Antiochian) and member of the Holy Synod of Antioch.
*2012-present Patriarch of Antioch and all the East.

==External links==
*[http://www.antiocheurope.org/Metropolitan.html Brief Biography from Archdiocese website]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/b_yuhanna.htm Balamand seminary biography]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/antioch/current.htm#yuhanna_yazigi_bishop_elhosn Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute

===Writings===
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/bishpjohn/meanchurch.htm The Meaning of the Church from a Middle Eastern Point of View]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/repentance.pdf The Mystery of Repentance]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Antioch]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology Graduates]]

[[fr:Jean (Yazigi) d'Europe occidentale et centrale]]

John X (Yazigi) of Antioch

2012-12-17T13:26:01Z

ASDamick:

[[Image:john-yazigi2.jpg|right|frame|Patriarch John X]]

His Beatitude Patriarch '''John X (Yazigi) of Antioch and All the East''' is the primate of the [[Church of Antioch]]. Prior to his election as patriarch on December 17, 2012, he led the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe]] headquartered in Paris, France. Before his election and enthronement as [[Metropolitan]], he had been [[titular bishop]] of Pyrgou (al-Hosn), Syria. He was also formerly the dean of the [[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)]], the patriarchal [[seminary]] attached to the University of Balamand.

His Beatitude has a Degree in Theology from the Balamand seminary (1978), a Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Byzantine Music Conservatory in Thessalonica (1981), and a Ph.D. in Theology with a specialization in Liturgics from the University of Thessalonica (1983). While at the Balamand, he served as Professor of Liturgics (1981-2008), as well as in the abbacy of St. George Al-Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery (1993-2005) and the [[Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand]] (2001-2005).

His Beatitude is also the author of numerous books and articles on Orthodox theology and liturgics.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=[[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)|Dean of Balamand Seminary]]|
years=1989-1992, 2001-2005|
after=[[Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo|Paul (Yazigi)]]}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Titular Bishop of al-Hosn|
years=1995-2008|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe|Gabriel (Saliby)]]|
title=[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe|Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe]] (Antiochian)|
years=2008-2012|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch|Ignatius IV (Hazim)]]|
title=[[Church of Antioch|Patriarch of Antioch]]|
years=2012-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Biography==
*1955 Born Lattakia, Syria.
*1978 Graduated from University of Balamand, Lebanon, with Bachelor of Theology degree.
*1979 [[ordination|Ordained]] [[deacon]] by Metropolitan John (Mansour) of Lattakia.
*1981-2008 Professor of Liturgics, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1981 Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Conservatory of Byzantine Music, [[Thessalonica]], Greece.
*1983 Ordained [[priest]] by Met John of Lattakia.
*1983 Doctoral Degree in Liturgics from University of Thessalonica, Greece. Thesis: "Service of Holy Baptism: An Historical, Theological, and Liturgical Study" (in Greek).
*1988-1991 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1993-2005 [[Abbot]] of St. George Al Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery, Syria.
*1995 [[consecration of a bishop|Consecrated]] [[Bishop]].
*1995-2008 Bishop of Pyrgou (Al-Hosn), Syria.
*2001-2005 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*2001-2005 Abbot of the Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery, Lebanon.
*2008-2012 Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe (Antiochian) and member of the Holy Synod of Antioch.
*2012-present Patriarch of Antioch and all the East.

==External links==
*[http://www.antiocheurope.org/Metropolitan.html Brief Biography from Archdiocese website]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/b_yuhanna.htm Balamand seminary biography]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/antioch/current.htm#yuhanna_yazigi_bishop_elhosn Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute

===Writings===
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/bishpjohn/meanchurch.htm The Meaning of the Church from a Middle Eastern Point of View]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/repentance.pdf The Mystery of Repentance]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Antioch]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology Graduates]]

[[fr:Jean (Yazigi) d'Europe occidentale et centrale]]

John X (Yazigi) of Antioch

2012-12-17T12:35:57Z

ASDamick:

Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch

2012-12-17T12:35:13Z

ASDamick:

[[Image:Ignatius Hazim.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Patr. Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch]]
His Beatitude Patriarch '''Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch and all the East''' (b. 1921) was the [[primate]] of the [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] [[Church of Antioch|Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch]] until his repose on [[December 5]], 2012.

==Life==
Ignatius was born in 1921 in the village of Mhardey (Mhardeh) near Hama in Syria. He is the son of a pious Arab Orthodox family and from an early age was attracted to service within the Church. While studying in Beirut, Lebanon, for a literature degree, he entered the service of the local Orthodox [[diocese]], first by becoming an [[acolyte]], then a [[deacon]]. In 1945 he went to Paris where he graduated from the [[St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute (Paris, France)|St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute]]. From his time in France onwards he has been moved not only by a desire to pass on the deposit of the faith, but also to take Orthodoxy out of its unhistorical ghetto by discovering in its [[Holy Tradition]] living answers to the problems of modern life. On his return to the Middle East, he founded the [[Balamand Orthodox Theological Seminary (Tripoli, Lebanon)|Balamand Orthodox Theological Seminary]] in Lebanon which he then served for many years as dean. As dean he sought to provide the Patriarchate with responsible leaders who had received a good spiritual and intellectual training and who were witnesses to an awakened and deeply personal faith.

While his native language is Arabic, he also speaks fluent English and French. He was one of the founders of the active Orthodox Youth Movement of Lebanon and Syria in 1942, through which he helped to organise and lead a renewal of Church life in the Patriarchate of Antioch. The movement worked at the heart of the Church helping ordinary believers to rediscover the personal and communal meaning of the Eucharist through a practice of frequent [[Communion]] which had become extremely rare. Following on from this in 1953 he helped to found [[Syndesmos]], the world fellowship of Orthodox Youth and Theological Schools.

He was consecrated to the episcopacy in 1961 and elected [[Metropolitan]] of Lattakia in Syria in 1970. His style as metropolitan broke with the former tradition of episcopal grandeur and he inaugurated an authentic practice of frequent [[Eucharist|communion]]. On [[July 2]], 1979, under the name of Ignatius IV, he became the Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, the third ranking hierarch of the Orthodox Church after the Patriarchs of Constantinople and Alexandria. After his election as Patriarch he said:

:I know that I will be judged if I do not carry the Church and each one of you in my heart. It is not possible for me to address you as if I were different from you. No difference separates us. I am an integral part of you; I am in you and I ask you to be in me. For the Lord comes, and the Spirit descends on the brothers gathered, united in communion, as they manifest a diversity of charisms in the unity of the Spirit.

As patriarch he has sought to give a new dynamism to the [[Holy Synod]] and seen it name [[bishop]]s who are close to the people and who are motivated to develop the Church's ecclesial and spiritual life, detached from political factions.

His Beatitude Patriarch Ignatius IV of Antioch fell asleep in the Lord on the morning of December 5, 2012, following a stroke on the day before. He was 92 years old.

== Link ==
* [http://www.orthodoxia.be/Z-Nouvelles_2012/Deces_Ignace_Antioche.html Décès du Patriarche Ignace d'Antioche]

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Lattakia|
years=1971-1979|
after=[[John (Mansour) of Lattakia|John (Mansour)]]|}}
{{succession|
before=[[Elias IV (Muawad) of Antioch|Elias IV (Muawad)]]|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Antioch|Patriarch of Antioch]]|
years=1979-2012|
after=[[John X (Yazigi) of Antioch|John X (Yazigi)]]|}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Antioch]]

[[ar:اغناطيوس الرابع هزيم]]
[[es:Ignacio IV (Hazim) de Antioquía]]
[[fr:Ignace IV (Hazim) d'Antioche]]
[[ro:Ignatie IV (Hazim) al Antiohiei]]

John X (Yazigi) of Antioch

2012-12-17T12:31:03Z

ASDamick:

[[Image:John Yazigi.jpg|right|frame|Patriarch John X]]

His Beatitude Patriarch '''John X (Yazigi) of Antioch''' is the primate of the [[Church of Antioch]]. Prior to his election as patriarch on December 17, 2012, he led the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe]] headquartered in Paris, France. Before his election and enthronement as [[Metropolitan]], he had been [[titular bishop]] of Pyrgou (al-Hosn), Syria. He was also formerly the dean of the [[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)]], the patriarchal [[seminary]] attached to the University of Balamand.

His Beatitude has a Degree in Theology from the Balamand seminary (1978), a Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Byzantine Music Conservatory in Thessalonica (1981), and a Ph.D. in Theology with a specialization in Liturgics from the University of Thessalonica (1983). While at the Balamand, he served as Professor of Liturgics (1981-2008), as well as in the abbacy of St. George Al-Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery (1993-2005) and the [[Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand]] (2001-2005).

His Beatitude is also the author of numerous books and articles on Orthodox theology and liturgics.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=[[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)|Dean of Balamand Seminary]]|
years=1989-1992, 2001-2005|
after=[[Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo|Paul (Yazigi)]]}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Titular Bishop of al-Hosn|
years=1995-2008|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe|Gabriel (Saliby)]]|
title=[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe|Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe]] (Antiochian)|
years=2008-2012|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch|Ignatius IV (Hazim)]]|
title=[[Church of Antioch|Patriarch of Antioch]]|
years=2012-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Biography==
*1955 Born Lattakia, Syria.
*1978 Graduated from University of Balamand, Lebanon, with Bachelor of Theology degree.
*1979 [[ordination|Ordained]] [[deacon]] by Metropolitan John (Mansour) of Lattakia.
*1981-2008 Professor of Liturgics, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1981 Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Conservatory of Byzantine Music, [[Thessalonica]], Greece.
*1983 Ordained [[priest]] by Met John of Lattakia.
*1983 Doctoral Degree in Liturgics from University of Thessalonica, Greece. Thesis: "Service of Holy Baptism: An Historical, Theological, and Liturgical Study" (in Greek).
*1988-1991 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1993-2005 [[Abbot]] of St. George Al Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery, Syria.
*1995 [[consecration of a bishop|Consecrated]] [[Bishop]].
*1995-2008 Bishop of Pyrgou (Al-Hosn), Syria.
*2001-2005 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*2001-2005 Abbot of the Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery, Lebanon.
*2008-2012 Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe (Antiochian) and member of the Holy Synod of Antioch.
*2012-present Patriarch of Antioch and all the East.

==External links==
*[http://www.antiocheurope.org/Metropolitan.html Brief Biography from Archdiocese website]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/b_yuhanna.htm Balamand seminary biography]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/antioch/current.htm#yuhanna_yazigi_bishop_elhosn Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute

===Writings===
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/bishpjohn/meanchurch.htm The Meaning of the Church from a Middle Eastern Point of View]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/repentance.pdf The Mystery of Repentance]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Antioch]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology Graduates]]

[[fr:Jean (Yazigi) d'Europe occidentale et centrale]]

John X (Yazigi) of Antioch

2012-12-17T12:30:33Z

ASDamick: updating

[[Image:John Yazigi.jpg|right|frame|Patriarch John X]]

His Beatitude Patriarch '''John X (Yazigi) of Antioch''' is the primate of the [[Church of Antioch]]. Prior to his election as patriarch on December 17, 2012, he led the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe]] headquartered in Paris, France. Before his election and enthronement as [[Metropolitan]], he had been [[titular bishop]] of Pyrgou (al-Hosn), Syria. He was also formerly the dean of the [[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)]], the patriarchal [[seminary]] attached to the University of Balamand.

His Beatitude has a Degree in Theology from the Balamand seminary (1978), a Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Byzantine Music Conservatory in Thessalonica (1981), and a Ph.D. in Theology with a specialization in Liturgics from the University of Thessalonica (1983). While at the Balamand, he served as Professor of Liturgics (1981-2008), as well as in the abbacy of St. George Al-Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery (1993-2005) and the [[Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand]] (2001-2005).

His Beatitude is also the author of numerous books and articles on Orthodox theology and liturgics.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=[[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)|Dean of Balamand Seminary]]|
years=1989-1992, 2001-2005|
after=[[Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo|Paul (Yazigi)]]}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Titular Bishop of al-Hosn|
years=1995-2008|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe|Gabriel (Saliby)]]|
title=[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe|Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe]] (Antiochian)|
years=2008-2012|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch|Ignatius IV (Hazim)]]|
title=[[Church of Antioch|Patriarch of Antioch]] (Antiochian)|
years=2012-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Biography==
*1955 Born Lattakia, Syria.
*1978 Graduated from University of Balamand, Lebanon, with Bachelor of Theology degree.
*1979 [[ordination|Ordained]] [[deacon]] by Metropolitan John (Mansour) of Lattakia.
*1981-2008 Professor of Liturgics, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1981 Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Conservatory of Byzantine Music, [[Thessalonica]], Greece.
*1983 Ordained [[priest]] by Met John of Lattakia.
*1983 Doctoral Degree in Liturgics from University of Thessalonica, Greece. Thesis: "Service of Holy Baptism: An Historical, Theological, and Liturgical Study" (in Greek).
*1988-1991 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1993-2005 [[Abbot]] of St. George Al Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery, Syria.
*1995 [[consecration of a bishop|Consecrated]] [[Bishop]].
*1995-2008 Bishop of Pyrgou (Al-Hosn), Syria.
*2001-2005 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*2001-2005 Abbot of the Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery, Lebanon.
*2008-2012 Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe (Antiochian) and member of the Holy Synod of Antioch.
*2012-present Patriarch of Antioch and all the East.

==External links==
*[http://www.antiocheurope.org/Metropolitan.html Brief Biography from Archdiocese website]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/b_yuhanna.htm Balamand seminary biography]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/antioch/current.htm#yuhanna_yazigi_bishop_elhosn Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute

===Writings===
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/bishpjohn/meanchurch.htm The Meaning of the Church from a Middle Eastern Point of View]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/repentance.pdf The Mystery of Repentance]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Antioch]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology Graduates]]

[[fr:Jean (Yazigi) d'Europe occidentale et centrale]]

John (Yazigi) of Western Europe

2012-12-17T12:27:12Z

ASDamick: moved John (Yazigi) of Western Europe to John X (Yazigi) of Antioch

#REDIRECT [[John X (Yazigi) of Antioch]]

John X (Yazigi) of Antioch

2012-12-17T12:27:12Z

ASDamick: moved John (Yazigi) of Western Europe to John X (Yazigi) of Antioch

[[Image:John Yazigi.jpg|right|frame|Metropolitan John]]

His Eminence Metropolitan '''John (Yazigi)''' heads the [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe]] headquartered in Paris, France. Before his election and enthronement as [[Metropolitan]], he had been [[titular bishop]] of Pyrgou (al-Hosn), Syria. He was also formerly the dean of the [[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)]], the patriarchal [[seminary]] attached to the University of Balamand.

His Eminence has a Degree in Theology from the Balamand seminary (1978), a Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Byzantine Music Conservatory in Thessalonica (1981), and a PhD. in Theology with a specialization in Liturgics from the University of Thessalonica (1983). While at the Balamand, he served as Professor of Liturgics (1981-2008), as well as in the abbacy of St. George Al-Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery (1993-2005) and the [[Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand]] (2001-2005).

His Eminence is also the author of numerous books and articles on Orthodox theology and liturgics.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=[[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)|Dean of Balamand Seminary]]|
years=1989-1992, 2001-2005|
after=[[Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo|Paul (Yazigi)]]}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Titular Bishop of al-Hosn|
years=1995-2008|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe|Gabriel (Saliby)]]|
title=[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe|Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe]] (Antiochian)|
years=2008-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Biography==
*1955 Born Lattakia, Syria.
*1978 Graduated from University of Balamand, Lebanon, with Bachelor of Theology degree.
*1979 [[ordination|Ordained]] [[deacon]] by Metropolitan John (Mansour) of Lattakia.
*1981-2008 Professor of Liturgics, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1981 Diploma in Byzantine Music from the Conservatory of Byzantine Music, [[Thessalonica]], Greece.
*1983 Ordained [[priest]] by Met John of Lattakia.
*1983 Doctoral Degree in Liturgics from University of Thessalonica, Greece. Thesis: "Service of Holy Baptism: An Historical, Theological, and Liturgical Study" (in Greek).
*1988-1991 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*1993-2005 [[Abbot]] of St. George Al Humayrah Patriarchal Monastery, Syria.
*1995 [[consecration of a bishop|Consecrated]] [[Bishop]].
*1995-2008 Bishop of Pyrgou (Al-Hosn), Syria.
*2001-2005 Dean, Institute of Theology, Balamand.
*2001-2005 Abbot of the Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery, Lebanon.
*2008-present Metropolitan of Western and Central Europe (Antiochian) and member of the Holy Synod of Antioch.

==External links==
*[http://www.antiocheurope.org/Metropolitan.html Brief Biography from Archdiocese website]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/b_yuhanna.htm Balamand seminary biography]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/antioch/current.htm#yuhanna_yazigi_bishop_elhosn Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute

===Writings===
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/bishpjohn/meanchurch.htm The Meaning of the Church from a Middle Eastern Point of View]
*[http://www.balamand.edu.lb/theology/repentance.pdf The Mystery of Repentance]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology Graduates]]

[[fr:Jean (Yazigi) d'Europe occidentale et centrale]]

Kursk Root icon

2012-11-28T17:29:46Z

ASDamick: /* Glorified icon */

[[Image:Kursk Root Icon of the Theotokos.jpg|right|frame|The Kursk Root Icon of the [[Theotokos|Mother of God]] of the Sign]]

The '''Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God of the Sign''' dates from the 13th century, and is one of the most ancient icons of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Church]]. The [[icon]] is commemorated on [[September 8]] and on [[November 27]].

==Kursk Root Icon==
During the Tatar invasion in the thirteenth century, the city of Kursk was ravaged by the Horde of Batu and fell into desolation. After this, the residents of the city of Rylsk often journeyed to the site of Kursk to hunt wild beasts.

===Icon===
The icon itself depicts the Theotokos "of the Sign" with the Christ child before her. Her arms are outstretched. Above her is the "Lord of Hosts," and on either side and below are nine [[prophet]]s who wrote about the [[Nativity|birth]] of Christ (clockwise, starting in the top right): King [[Solomon]], Prophets [[Prophet Daniel|Daniel]], [[Jeremiah]], [[Elijah]], [[Habakkuk]], Judge [[Gideon]], Prophets [[Isaiah]], [[Moses]], and King [[David]]. The wooden icon is covered with an intricately worked cover of blue and gold.

===First miracle===
On September 8, 1259, a hunter noticed the icon lying on a root face downwards to the ground. The hunter lifted it and saw that the image of the icon was similar to the [[Novgorod]] "Znamenie" Icon of the Mother of God. Just as the hunter lifted up the holy icon from the earth, a strong spring of pure water surged up at that place where the icon rested.

===Chapel===
With the help of friends the hunter rebuilt an old small [[chapel]] and placed the newly-found icon in it. When news of this spread, many came from Rylsk to this old chapel to venerate the icon and pray about their sorrows and needs. There the Mother of God healed all who came to her icon.

Soon after, the icon was transferred to Rylsk and put it in a new [[church]] in honor of the [[Nativity of the Theotokos]]. But the icon did not long remain there. It disappeared and returned to the place of its first appearance. The inhabitants of Rylsk repeatedly took it and carried it back to their city, but the icon incomprehensibly returned to its former place that is now on the grounds of the [[Kursk Root Hermitage]]. It was realized, that the Theotokos preferred the place of appearance of her icon.

===Miracles===
This icon, and the help granted by the Mother of God, is linked with important events in Russian history: with the war of liberation of the Russian nation during the Polish-Lithuanian incursion in 1612, and the 1812 Fatherland war.

Several copies of the icon were made, which have also been associated with miracles.

==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] (Tone 4)
:Having obtained thee as an unassailable rampart and wellspring of miracles,
:O Most Pure Mother of God, thy servants quell the assaults of enemies.
:Wherefore, we pray to thee:
:Grant peace to our land, and to our souls great mercy.

[[Kontakion]] (Tone 6)
:Come you faithful,
:Let us radiantly celebrate the wondrous appearance of the most precious Image of the Mother of God,
:And drawing grace there from, let us cry out with compunction:
:Rejoice, O Mother of God, Blessed Mary, Mother of God!

==See also==
*[[Icons of the Theotokos]]

==External links==
*[http://eadiocese.org/News/kurskicon.en.htm Visitation Schedule of the Kursk Icon to the Eastern American Diocese] including history, sermon, akathist, troparion, and kontakion (official site, [[ROCOR]])
*[http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/icon_kursk_e.htm The Wonderworking Kursk Icon of Our Lady of the Sign]
*[http://www.orthodoxengland.btinternet.co.uk/kursk.htm The Wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of Our Lady of the Sign]
*[http://replay.waybackmachine.org/20041217070917/http://www.holyvirginmaryrocor.org/kursk-icon.html ''Archive of'' The Wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of Our Lady of the Sign] (from ''Orthodox Life'')
*[http://www.icon.lt/list/kursk.htm Explanation of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God]

[[Category:About Icons]]
[[Category:Icons of the Theotokos]]
[[Category:Theotokonymia]]

Tikhon (Mollard) of Washington

2012-11-14T02:51:32Z

ASDamick:

His Beatitude, the Most Blessed '''Tikhon (Mollard) of Washington''' was elected [[primate]] of the [[Orthodox Church in America]] (OCA) at the 17th [[All-American Council]]. His title is "Archbishop of [[Diocese of Washington (OCA)|Washington]], Metropolitan of All America and Canada, [[Locum tenens]] of the [[Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania (OCA)|Diocese of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania]]".
==Life==
Bishop Tikhon was born Marc R. Mollard in Boston, Massachusetts on [[July 15]], 1966, the oldest of three children born to Francois and Elizabeth Mollard. After brief periods living in Connecticut, France, and Missouri, he and his family settled in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he graduated from Wyomissing High School in 1984. In 1988 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Sociology from Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, after which he moved to Chicago, where he attended services at Ss. Peter and Paul Church ([[OCA]]).

In 1989 he was received into the Orthodox Church from [[Anglican Communion|Episcopalianism]], and, in the fall of the same year, he began studies at [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's Seminary]] in South Canaan, Pennsylvania. One year later he entered the [[monasticism|monastic]] community at [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's Monastery]] as a [[novice]].

After receiving his Master of Divinity degree from St. Tikhon's in 1993, he was appointed as an instructor in [[Old Testament]] Studies there. He continues to serve as senior lecturer in Old Testament, teaching master's level courses in the [[prophet]]s and the [[Psalms]] and Wisdom Literature. He is also an instructor in the seminary's extension studies program, offering courses in the lives of the Old Testament [[saint]]s, the liturgical use of the Old Testament, and the Old Testament in [[patristics|patristic]] literature.

In 1995 he was [[tonsure]]d to the lesser schema by His Eminence [[Archbishop]] [[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Herman]] and given the name Tikhon, in honor of St. [[Tikhon of Moscow|Patriarch Tikhon]], Enlightener of North America. Later that year he was [[ordination|ordaine]]d to the Holy [[deacon|Diaconate]] and Holy [[Priest]]hood at St. Tikhon's Monastery. In 1998 he was elevated to the rank of [[igumen]] and in 2000 to the rank of [[archimandrite]].

Archimandrite Tikhon collaborated with Igumen [[Alexander Golitzin|Alexander (Golitzin)]] in the publication of "The Living Witness of the Holy Mountain," published by St. Tikhon Seminary Press, by illustrating this classic book about [[Mount Athos]].

In December 2002, he was appointed by [[Metropolitan]] Herman to serve as deputy abbot of St. Tikhon's Monastery. Archimandrite Tikhon was consecrated to the episcopacy at the monastery on Saturday, [[February 14]], 2004 by his Beatitude Herman, becoming Bishop of South Canaan.

On [[October 29]], 2005, Bishop Tikhon was officially installed as the ruling [[hierarch]] of the Diocese of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania during [[Divine Liturgy]] at the Saint Stephen Cathedral.

==External link==
*[http://oca.org/News.asp?ID=867&SID=19 Bishop Tikhon installed as ruling hierarch of the Diocese of Philadelphia and Eastern Pennsylvania] - OCA Web site.
*[http://oca.org/news/headline-news/archbishop-tikhon-elected-metropolitan-of-all-american-and-canada Archbishop Tikhon elected Metropolitan of All America and Canada] - OCA Web site.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=Bishop of South Canaan|
years=2004-2005|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Herman (Swaiko)]]|
title=Bishop of Philadelphia (OCA)|
years=2005-present |
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington and New York|Jonah (Paffhausen)]]|
title=[[Diocese of Washington (OCA)|Archbishop of Washington]], [[OCA|Metropolitan of All America and Canada (OCA)]]|
years=2012-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Washington]]
[[Category:Bishops of Philadelphia]]
[[Category:Bishops of South Canaan]]
[[Category:21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Monastics]]
[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity|Mollard]]
[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity from Protestantism|Mollard]]
[[Category:St. Tikhon's Seminary Graduates]]

Dionysius of Zakynthos

2012-08-24T11:40:37Z

ASDamick:

[[Image:Dionysioszakynthos.jpg|thumb|200px|St. Dionysius of Zakynthos]]
[[Image:DionysiosZakynthos.jpg|thumb|200px|St. Dionysios's relics]]
Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Dionysius of Zakynthos''' was born in 1547 on the island of Zakynthos in the Ionian Sea. Before becoming a monk his name was ''Draganigos Sigouros''. He was educated by [[priest]]s and became fluent in Greek, Italian, and Latin. He excelled in theology, became a monk in 1568, received his first degree of [[ordination]] as a priest in 1570 as ''Daniel''; he later became [[hieromonk]] of Zakynthos and Strofades. In 1577 he was raised to [[Archbishop]] of Aegina and Poros and after a year abdicated from this dignity and settled in Zakynthos as an abbot of a monastery. In [[December 17]], 1622 he fell asleep in the Lord. He had asked to be buried in this monastery and his grave is still to be found in the chapel of St George; a dependent of the monastery.

It has been found that his body remains intact and emits a mixed fragrance of flowers and frankincense. Therefore he is [[veneration|venerated]], and his sainthood has been proclaimed by the [[Patriarch of Constantinople]]. His [[feast day]] is celebrated on December 17, and on [[August 24]], the Church celebrates the transfer of his holy [[relics]].

=="The Saint of Forgiveness"==
St. Dionysius was remarkable in his forgiveness and love for his fellow man.

A man came to St. Dionysius's cell and begged the saint to hide him from his pursuers. When St. Dionysius asked him why he was being pursued, the man told him that he had killed a man. The murderer did not know that he had killed the saint's own beloved brother Constantine. St. Dionysius was very grieved but hid the man and did not surrender him to the law. Instead he instructed him and brought him to repentance. According to local tradition, the murderer later repented and became a monk himself at that same monastery.

St. Dionysius is an example to us all for his forgiveness of even the most grievous sins against us.

=="The Wonderworker"==
Dionysios grants his people many blessings; and many [[miracle]]s are reported in connection with his ministry.

For example, when the Greek Orthodox Church of St. [[Nicholas_of_Myra|Nicholas]] was destroyed on [[September 11]], 2001, during the World Trade Center attack, only two things were recovered intact: a [[cross]] and a paper [[icon]] of Dionysios.

=="The Walking Saint"==
Dionysius rests in the church which bears his name in Zakynthos, where opening his tomb is often found impossible. It appears as though this occurs when Dionysius is out performing miracles. Afterwards, when the tomb can be opened, seaweed is found at his feet and his slippers are found to be worn thin. In fact, his slippers need continual replacement because they receive so much wear. He is often seen alive and walking.

===The ''other'' "Walking Saints" of the Ionian Islands===
* St. [[Spyridon of Trimythous|Spyridon of Trimythous the Wonderworker]] from Corfu
* St. [[Gerasimos of Cephalonia|Gerasimos]] from Cephalonia

=="Housing of the Relic"==
In 1717, the monks, of the monastery of Strofades, moved the Saints relic and placed it inside the metochi <ref> A building that belongs to a religious institution. </ref> of Kalliteros in order to protect him from various destructive invasions by pirates in the area. At a later date, a church was built in his honour in the Ammos area and shortly converted into a monastery. Later, in 1764, the church of the monastery was rebuilt and in 1854 a steeple added to the church. In 1893, all this was destroyed by a major earthquake and a temporary church constructed to house the Saint until in 1925 there took place a foundation ceremony to rebuild an earthquake-resistant church; fully completed by 1948.<ref> The Church was designed by [[Anastasios Orlandos]]. </ref> In 1953, when the next major earthquake hit the island, the church remained untouched and was used as a refugee for the homeless. Three years later, a new monastery was built to replace the ruins and has since been called "The Holy Monastery of Strofades and Saint Dionysios".

=="The Larnaka"==
Among the works of art inside the church of the ''Holy Monastery of Strofades and Saint Dionysios'', stands the silver-sculptured "Larnaka" (grave) of the Saint. It was designed by a priest named Nikolaos Kantounis and depicts the dormition of Dionysios who is surrounded by many priests. It was made in 1829 by George Diamantis Bafas and is placed in a separate room to the church to the right of the Sacred Gate.

During the invasion of the pirates in 1717, both hands of the Saint were cut off by the pirates, however, due to a miracle did not manage to destroy his Holy Body. All of his relics are still kept in the larnaka.

==Notes==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints/342 Dionysios of Zakynthos] ([[GOARCH]])
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=103564 Venerable Dionysius of Aegina] ([[OCA]])

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:16th-17th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Greek Saints]]
[[Category:Wonderworkers]]

[[el:Άγιος Διονύσιος Ζακύνθου]]

Template:August 4

2012-08-24T11:38:59Z

ASDamick:

<div style="float:right;margin-left:1em">
[[Image:Pantokrator of Sinai.jpg|100px|Our Lord Jesus Christ]]
</div>Holy Seven Youths (the "Seven Sleepers") of Ephesus: Maximilian, Jamblicus, Martinian, John, Dionysius, Exacustodian and Constantine; [[Martyr]] Eudokia of Persia; Martyr Eleutherius of Constantinople; New [[Hieromartyr]] [[Cosmas of Aetolia]], [[Equal-to-the-Apostles]] (see also [[August 24]]); Martyr Thathuil; Martyr Ia and 9,000 with her; [[Saint]] Sithney, [[Hermit]] of Sithney, Cornwall; Saint Molua, [[Abbot]] of Killaloe; '''Other events:''' repose of Metr. [[Anthony (Bloom) of Sourozh|Anthony (Bloom)]]
<noinclude>[[Category:Calendar day templates|August 04]]</noinclude>

Template:August 24

2012-08-24T11:38:00Z

ASDamick:

<div style="float:right;margin-left:1em">
[[Image:StCosmas Aitolos.jpg|100px|Cosmas of Aetolia]]
 [[Image:Dionysioszakynthos.jpg|100px|Dionysius of Zakynthos]]
</div>[[Hieromartyr]] Eutychius, [[disciple]] of St. [[John the Theologian]]; [[Saint]] Arsenius, [[Abbot]] of Komel (Vologda); Saint George Limniotes the [[Confessor]] of Mount Olympus; [[Martyr]] Tation (Tatio) at Claudiopolis; [[Virgin-Martyr]] Cyra (or Syra) of Persia; New Hieromartyr [[Cosmas of Aetolia]], [[Equal-to-the-Apostles]] (see also [[August 4]]); Saint [[Dionysius of Zakynthos]], [[Wonder-worker]] and [[Archbishop]] of Aegina; Saint Martyrius, Archbishop of Novgorod; [[Venerable]] Gerasimos of Kephallenia; Saint Bregwine, [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]; Saint Ouen, [[Bishop]] of Rouen; [[icon]] of the Most Holy [[Theotokos]] "Petrovskaya" ("Of Saint Peter of Moscow"); translation of the [[relics]] of Saint [[Peter of Moscow|Peter]], [[Metropolitan]] of Kiev (or of Moscow); commemoration of the appearance of the Theotokos to [[Sergius of Radonezh|St. Sergius of Radonezh]]
<noinclude>[[Category:Calendar day templates|August 24]]</noinclude>

Reader

2012-08-13T23:18:37Z

ASDamick: /* External links */

[[image:Readermike.jpg|thumb|right|A Reader in cassock.]]A '''reader''', also called a '''lector''' (in Greek, αναγνώστης, anagnostis or anagnostes; in Slavonic, Чтецъ, chtets) is the second-highest of the [[minor orders]] of the [[Orthodox Church]]. It is a clerical order to which a man is [[tonsure]]d and [[ordain]]ed, setting him apart as blessed by the [[bishop]] to read in services and in the [[Divine Liturgy]].

==Purpose==
In the past, low literacy rates meant that a Reader reading in church was the main way that people would hear Scripture read.

Some have argued that in societies with high literacy rates, the office of Reader is superfluous. Others, however, counter that in such societies where high literacy has caused information without meaning, the value of a dedicated Reader to prayers, psalms and epistles with parishioners is even more vital[http://www.asna.ca/resources/readers-guide.pdf].

==History==
In the Pre-Nikonian Russian Church, there existed an additional junior grade of reader called ''psalomshchik'' (in Slavonic, Ѱаломщикъ), whose sole function was to read the long [[Kathisma]] Psalms, thus permitting the reader and chanter to save their voices. This office survives in those churches that utilise the Pre-Nikonian Russian ritual: [[Old Believers]] (both [[popovtsy|priested]] and [[priestless]]), those parishes under [[ROCOR]] or the [[Moscow Patriarchate]]. The title of ''psalomshchik'' survives in the later reformed Nikonian Russian rite as an alternative, slightly archaic and quaint name for [[chanter]].

This order is higher than the [[doorkeeper]] (now largely obsolete) and lower than the [[subdeacon]]. The office of a reader subsumes that of a ''[[taper-bearer]]'', and the service of ordaining a reader mentions both functions.

[[Byzantine]] [[icon]]s often show readers and church singers wearing a stikhar-like garment (more loose and flowing than the modern stikhar) and a pointed hat with the brim pulled out to the sides (see [http://saints.oca.org/IconDirectory/LG/GreatLent/sundayorthodoxy.jpg here], lower left corner). This distinctive garb is now obsolete.

==Ordination==
Immediately before ordination as a reader, the candidate is [[tonsure]]d as a sign of his submission and obedience upon entry into the clerical state. This is a separate act, making a layperson into a clergyman, and occurs immediately prior to his ordination as a reader. The ordination itself is, like that of the subdiaconate, through ''[[Cheirothesia]]'' - literally, "to place hands" - as opposed to Cheirotonia - "to stretch out the hands" - which is practised at the ordination of bishops, priests and deacons.

After being tonsured, the reader is [[vestment|vested]] in a short [[phelonion]], which he wears while reading the Epistle for the first time. This short phelon is then removed (and never worn thereafter) and replaced with a [[sticharion]], which the reader generally wears thereafter whenever he performs his liturgical duties.

A reader is usually tonsured by the bishop, though in some traditions, an [[archpriest]] or [[archimandrite]] may do the tonsure with the bishop's blessing if he is not available. In monastic communities, the ruling [[archimandrite]] may tonsure those monks over which he rules.

===Terminology===
It is through ordination - not the tonsure - that one is made a reader or subdeacon; this is highlighted by the fact that the tonsure is performed only once and is not repeated before the ordination of a subdeacon. The confusion has arisen by the common reference to a man being "tonsured a reader" which, while widespread, is not technically correct.

===Vestments===
All degrees of clergy, beginning with Reader, wear the sticharion. The sticharion is a long-sleeved tunic that reaches all the way to the ground. It reminds the wearer that the grace of the Holy Spirit covers him as with a garment of salvation and joy. A reader can be distinguished from an acolyte because the reader will wear an undercassock under his sticharion, and (generally) because a reader's sticharion will be joined together by buttons on the side of the garment, where an acolyte's will be sewn up the sides.

==Duties==
An ordained reader has the following duties:

* Read Old Testament readings during services,
* Read the epistle during the Divine Liturgy and other services,
* Chant psalms,
* Chant the verses for prokeimenons, the alleluia, the antiphons,
* Sing other appointed hymns during the divine services.
* Care for the parish's liturgical books.

In addition to this, the reader will usually:
* Construct the services according to the typicon.
* Sing in the choir.

As a member of minor clergy, a reader - according to his abilities - might be entrusted with the duties of:
* Cantor
* Catechist
* Other leadership roles in the community.

==Allowances and Expectations==
===Exclusivity===
In contemporary practice, any layperson may receive the priest's blessing to read on a particular occasion, particularly in the absence of an ordained reader. A layperson so blessed, even permanently, may not take on any of the prerogatives of an ordained reader, i.e. may not wear a cassock or sticharion within or outside of services.

===Garments===
Readers are permitted to wear a [[cassock]], although many do so only when attending services; this is done as a sign of his suppression of his own tastes, will and desires, and his canonical obedience to God, his bishop and the liturgical and canonical norms of the Church. Even in those jurisdictions which favour them, readers will generally not wear a clergy shirt.

While reading in church, the reader will generally wear a [[sticharion]]; and in some places, will do so when receiving communion. What a reader wears while conducting his duties can vary, however, and many bishops and priests will allow a reader to perform his function dressed only in a [[cassock]] or, if a [[monk]], outer cassock (riassa/exoraso). Often, a bishop will decree what vesting practice he wishes to be followed within his own [[diocese]]; for an example, see [http://www.holy-trinity.org/liturgics/tikhon.lit1.html here], section VIII.

===Expectations===
In addition to living the Christian life, the newly-ordained Reader is, on the day of his ordination, instructed to read Scriptures daily. As a member of the first step of the priesthood, he must also pray daily.

In addition to this, it is expected that the Reader will have memorised commonly-used liturgical prayers, will be familiar with [[Tone]]s, [[Troparion|Troparia]] and [[Kontakion|Kontakia]], as well as the books to construct services - the [[Horologion]], the [[Apostolos|Epistle Book]], the [[Menaion]], the [[Triodion]] and the [[Pentecostarion]].

The ordination service specifies that the Reader should prepare himself for a higher degree by living a holy life, thus implying that, while a Reader should still be living a Christian life, he is not immediately expected to be held to the standard of higher clergy, but to work towards this.

==External links==
*[http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/readers.htm Instructions . . . For the Church Reader]
*Some material retrieved from [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reader_%28liturgy%29&oldid=417044762 Wikipedia article on 'Reader'], 4/Mar/2011 revision.
*[http://www.asna.ca/resources/readers-guide.pdf A Guide for Readers in the Orthodox Church], by Fr Geoffrey Korz.

{{Clergy/wide}}

[[Category:Clergy]]

[[el:Αναγνώστης]]
[[mk:Чтец]]
[[ro:Anagnost]]

Xenia of St. Petersburg

2012-06-27T19:35:17Z

ASDamick:

[[Image:Xenia of St Petersburg.jpg|frame|right|Xenia of St. Petersburg]]
Our venerable Mother, the Blessed '''Xenia of St. Petersburg''', (Russian: Святая блаженная Ксения Петербургская [Xenia Grigoryevna Petrova]) is an 18th century Russian [[fool-for-Christ]]. In grief over the death of her husband distributed all her possessions and took up a life as a holy fool. Her life was centered on God, and she sought protection and comfort only in Him while wandering among the poor of St. Petersburg. She is commemorated on [[January 24]].

==Life==
Little is known of her early life. Neither the dates of her birth nor of her death are known. Her birth is believed to have been about 1731 and her death about 1803.

The wife of Colonel Andrei Feodorovich Petrov, who served as a court chorister, Xenia fell into great grief upon the death of her husband when she was 26 years old. Appearing to have lost her mind from her grief, Xenia distributed her possessions to the poor, and keeping and dressing only in the clothes of her husband she wandered the streets of St Petersburg among the paupers. She called herself by her husband’s name: Andrei Feodorovich. Her life was centered on God, seeking protection and comfort only in Him. During the nights, she refused refuge and went into the fields where she prayed through the nights.

When relatives of Xenia tried to help her with necessities she replied , “I do not need anything.” The people of St. Petersburg came to love her as she placed the Kingdom of Heaven before earthly possessions. The people considered her presence in their homes as good signs. Her acceptance of services and bread from merchants, however small, brought them great sales as their customers, who loved the saintly Xenia, frequented those who helped her.

Xenia possessed the gift of clairvoyance. She foretold the deaths of the Empress Elizabeth, in 1761, and of the imprisoned John IV Antonovich, the great-great-grandson of Tsar Alexis, in 1764. After her death her grave became a place of [[pilgrimage]]. Portions of the dirt from her grave brought healing for many of the pilgrims.

==Epitaph==
The only record of "vital statistics" that has been left to us concerning Blessed Xenia is the epitaph on her gravestone:

:''In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
:''Here rests the body of the servant of God, Xenia Grigorievna,
:''Wife of the imperial chorister, Colonel Andrei Theodorovich Petrov.
:''Widowed at the age of 26, a [[pilgrim]] for 45 years,
:''She lived a total of 71 years.
:''She was known by the name Andrei Theodorovich.
:''May whoever knew me pray for my soul that his own may be saved. Amen.

== [[Hymn]]s ==
[[Troparion]] (Tone 4)
:Having renounced the vanity of the earthly world,
:Thou didst take up the cross of a homeless life of wandering;
:Thou didst not fear grief, privation, nor the mockery of men,
:And didst know the love of Christ.
:Now taking sweet delight of this love in heaven,
:O Xenia, the blessed and divinely wise,
: Pray for the salvation of our souls.

Troparion (Tone 8)

:In you, O mother was carefully preserved what is according to the image.
:For you took up the Cross and followed Christ.
:By so doing, you taught us to disregard the flesh for it passes away,
:But to care instead for the soul since it is immortal.
:Therefore, O Blessed Xenia, your spirit rejoices with the Angels.

[[Kontakion]] (Tone 7)

:Having loved the poverty of Christ,
:You are now being satisfied at the Immortal Banquet.
:By the humility of the Cross, you received the power of God.
:Having acquired the gift of miraculous help, O Blessed Xenia,
:Beseech Christ God, that by repentance
:We may be delivered from every evil thing.

== Sources ==
*[http://www.stxenia.ca/en/stxenia.html Life of Blessed St. Xenia of Petersburg]
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenia_of_Saint_Petersburg Wikipedia: Xenia of St. Petersburg]
*From the ''Life'' published by Holy Trinity Monastery

==External links==
*[http://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints_view?contentid=402 Xenia of St. Petersburg, Fool-for-Christ] ([[GOARCH]])
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100297 Blessed Xenia of St Petersburg] ([[OCA]])
*[http://www.encspb.ru/en/article.php?kod=2804009453 Encyclopedia of St Petersburg: Xenia the Blessed]
*[http://www.serfes.org/lives/stxeniaofpetersburg.htm Life of St. Blessed Xenia of Petersburg]
*[http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/saints/xenia_petersburg.htm Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg]

[[Category:Fools-for-Christ]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Russian Saints]]

Template:June 15

2012-06-16T15:53:04Z

ASDamick: Without any comment on the holiness of this person, he has only been canonized by OCists and is therefore not on the calendars of the mainstream Orthodox churches

<div style="float:right;margin-left:1em">
[[Image:Pantokrator of Sinai.jpg|100px|Our Lord Jesus Christ]]
</div>[[Prophet]] Amos; [[Saint]] Jonah, [[Metropolitan]] of Moscow; [[Martyr]]s Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia at Lucania; Martyr Doulas of Cilicia; Saint Jerome (Hieronymus) of Stridonium; Saint Doulas the [[Passion-bearer]] of Egypt; [[Great-martyr]] [[Lazar of Serbia|Lazarus (or Lazar)]], prince of Serbia; Saint Orsiesius of Tabenna, [[disciple]] of Saint Pachomius the Great; [[Blessed]] [[Augustine of Hippo|Augustine]], [[Bishop]] of Hippo; Saints Gregory and Cassian, [[Abbot]]s of Avnezhk (Vologda); Saint [[Michael of Kiev|Michael]], first Metropolitan of Kiev; Saint Symeon, [[Archbishop]] of Novgorod; Saint [[Ephraem of Pec|Ephraim the Bulgarian]], [[Patriarch]] of Serbia; Martyr Leonis (Leonida) of Syria; Saint Abraham, Abbot of Auvergne (Gaul); [[Apostles]] [[Apostle Fortunatus|Fortunatus]], [[Apostle Achaicus|Achaicus]], and [[Apostle Stephen the Protomartyr|Stephen]]; Martyr Grace; Saint Joseph, [[monk]] of Bethlehem; Saint Trillo, Abbot of Llandrillo; Martyr Nerses; Saint Edburga, [[nun]] of Winchester; repose of Jonah, [[Fool-for-Christ]] of Peshnosha [[Monastery]]; translation of the [[relics]] of Saint Theodore the Sykeote; translation of the relics of Saint Pachomios the Great
<noinclude>[[Category:Calendar day templates|June 15]]</noinclude>

John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz

2012-05-24T13:45:58Z

ASDamick:

Father '''John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz''' (August 8, 1937 - May 19, 1985) was the first [[parish]] [[priest]] and one of the founders of the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/?page_id=2 Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church] in Santa Cruz, California. Although there is some veneration of him as a [[hieromartyr]], he has not yet been formally [[canonization|canonized]].

He was a fervent preacher of the [[Introduction to Orthodox Christianity|Orthodox Faith]] and "ministered to the unemployed, homeless and drug addicts of the city"<ref name=BLACKWELL>Ken Parry, et. al. (Eds.). ''[http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/tocnode?id=g9780631232032_chunk_g978063123203214_ss1-14 John Karastamatis].'' '''The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity.''' 2001.</ref><ref group="note">"He was the kind who wanted to help everybody," Anastasia Karastamatis said. "They'd come to the door at 2 o'clock in the morning and I'd worry -- saying we didn't know what they'd been drinking, what drugs they were on. It was hard for me. But he'd say, 'They need me; that's what I'm here for.' " 
:* {Joan Connell. SHATTERED PARISH REBUILDS CHURCH TRIES TO PUT SLAYING BEHIND IT. ''San Jose Mercury News.'' August 23, 1986.}</ref> before he was brutally [[Martyr|martyred]] by Satanists in 1985.<ref group="note">According to ''The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity,'' the couple that murdered Fr. John had a history of mental illness. And in the words of District Attorney Art Danner, Anna Bowman was "clearly psychotic."</ref>
[[Image:Ιερομάρτυς Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ.png|left|thumb|The New Hieromartyr John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz (1937-1985). ]]
He has been credited with numerous miracles of healing since his death.<ref name="BLACKWELL"/> His memory is celebrated on [[May 19]] (N.S.), on the eve of the feast of the [[Translation (relics)|translation]] of the holy [[relics]] of Saint [[Nicholas of Myra|Nicholas]] the Wonder-worker, for whom Fr. John had a great reverance, because as a child he often visited the [[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St. Nicholas of Andros]], Greece. This day corresponds to [[May 6]] ([[Julian Calendar|O.S.]]), which is the birthday of Royal [[Passion-bearer]] Tsar [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]], and the [[feast day]] St. [[Job the Long-suffering|Job the Much-suffering]], pointing to the mystical significance of his death.

==In Greece==
Fr. John Karastamatis was born on [[August 8]], 1937 in the Greek village of Apoikia, on the island of [[Metropolis of Syros, Tinos, Andros, Kea, and Milos|Andros]]. The atmosphere of this village was permeated with the age-old Orthodox way of life, which was followed according to the Church calendar and the cycle of feast days. Living from day to day amidst the simple and natural faith of the villagers, the young John was imparted a sense of holiness, which kindled in his idealistic heart the flame of love for God and all that is His. As a boy on the island of Andros, John witnessed many miracles with which [[God]] blessed the pious villagers, and thus he was made aware of the closeness of God to the lives of those who seek Him. The heavenly [[saints]], especially the local ones, also manifested their closeness and the power of their intercessory [[prayer]] by appearing to and helping the people.

John nourished his young soul by learning about the lives of these [[saints]] and [[martyrs]], whose unquenchable desire to be faithful to [[Christ]] in the face of deprivation, torment and physical death inspired him to also be a servant of God. Although he did not attend any theological school, he wanted to put his faith into practice by someday becoming a [[priest]].

==In America==
In 1957, at the age of twenty, John came to the United States. Five years later he [[Marriage|married]] a young Greek woman, Athanasia Matsellis, and soon became the father of two children, Maria and Photios. The cities of the United States were in sharp contrast to the village of his birth, but his acute awareness of the nearness of [[God]] and the other world, given to him in childhood, never left him. He now found himself in the midst of those who not only did not want to be close to God, but who actively fled from Him. Still he hoped in God, knowing that the freedom of [[Christ]] can be found even in the most stifling and evil surroundings.

With the support and encouragement of Fr. George Bogdanos, a Greek priest who recognized in him the integrity and zeal of a true pastor, Fr. John was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[Deacon|deaconate]] in 1971 with the blessing of Archbishop [[Iakovos (Coucouzis) of America|lakovos]], who supported him in this. Since both his love for the Church and the love of the churchgoers for him was so apparent, he was made a [[Presbyter|priest]] only a few weeks later by Bishop [[Meletios (Tripodakis) of Christianoupolis]], San Francisco (1968-79).

He first served the Greek Orthodox community in Anchorage, [[Alaska]], the land of newly-canonized [[Herman of Alaska|St. Herman]], who thus became his guardian [[angel]] for the rest of his life. He was later assigned to the St. George parish in Vancouver, Canada, and then to All Saints parish in Anaheim, Pennsylvania.

He then moved to Santa Cruz, California, which had been named by the Spanish [[Missionary|missionaries]] after the Holy [[Cross]] of the [[Lord]]. There he labored with enthusiasm to provide a haven of [[Orthodox Christianity]] for the faithful in the area, who had long been without a nearby church.

===A Pastor at the Foot of the Holy Cross===
Because the community in Santa Cruz was too small to immediately acquire its own Orthodox church from its founding in 1980, Fr. John began to serve the [[Divine Liturgy]] in the nearby town of [[w:Aptos, California|Aptos]], in the [[chapel]] of a [[w:Poor Clares|Poor Clare]] convent. The [[nuns]] would have their services very early on Sunday morning, leaving the church free for Fr. John and his parishioners to use afterwards. The parishioners were at first hesitant: they would come to Liturgy late, and would all sit at the very back of the [[chapel]], as if they were spectators and not participants. Fr. John knew that he had much work to do. He was sometimes disappointed at the lack of active interest among his flock. His was a burning faith, and lukewarmness had always been foreign to his soul. His task, he knew, was to ignite this fire within each of his parishioners, so that they themselves would struggle for the [[Paradise|kingdom of heaven]], ''the one thing needful'', and not sit in the background and expect their priest to do their work for them. He could not demand too much at once, but had to be a gentle and loving pastor, condescending to the weaknesses of his flock so as not to overwhelm them and cause them to abandon the Orthodox faith altogether. The gap between shepherd and sheep had to be bridged gradually and carefully, and Fr. John had to spark the kinder in the hearts of his flock without scorching them with the consuming fire within him.

Sometimes Fr. John would speak forceful words of rebuke to awaken his people from their spiritual sleep, but mostly he would inspire them by his quiet and unobtrusive example. They began to see how hard he struggled and were moved to help him fulfill his godly dreams. His fervency and zeal, his unequivocal belief in the other world, was something that they did not fully understand, and yet that they inwardly -- and in some cases unconsciously - longed for. Having come to love him deeply, they were grateful that God had sent a harvester to their field.

===Founding of Prophet Elias Church, Santa Cruz===
By giving his parishioners new aspirations, Fr. John instilled in them the desire to start their own [[Parish|church]]. They collected and saved money and eventually found the perfect building for their church in 1982: a former funeral home in Santa Cruz, across from the public library and in the best part of town for [[missionary]] activity. Fr. John did much of the interior work himself, fashioning a beautiful white [[iconostasis]] and a large domed [[apse]] behind and above the [[altar]]. According to his son Photios, ''"My father put his blood, sweat and tears in. You've got all of that there and more...With the help of some parishioners and myself, he literally built the whole inside of the that church."''<ref>Jennifer Squires. [http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/education/ci_14308329 Parole hearing stirs memories of the murder of the Santa Cruz Greek Orthodox Church's first priest]. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' February 1, 2010.</ref>

When completed, the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/ newly-consecrated church] became a refuge from the noisy bustle of the world, an island of holiness in the middle of downtown Santa Cruz. The church was dedicated to the [[Elijah|Prophet Elias]].<ref group="note">Archimandrite [[Meletios (Webber)]] later served as full-time parish priest in this Santa Cruz parish, for nine years. Of Fr. John, Archimandrite Meletios says: "He was not my immediate predecessor; there had been three other priests in between. I knew his presbytera quite well, and his children. He was murdered on the premises of the church, in very unpleasant circumstances, some years before I arrived, but it was still a very dominant factor in the life of parish while I was there—something they couldn't forget." 
:* {Nun Cornelia (Rees). [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/080205103442.htm Interview with Archimandrite Meletios (Webber)]. ''PRAVOSLAVIE.RU.'' 05/02/2008.}</ref>

With their new and beautiful church, the parishioners, comprised of over 75 families, now had a sense of accomplishment. They felt that they had come a long way from the days when they had little choice but to use a chapel which was outside of town. Now they could branch out into other activities.

===Missionary Activity===
Fr. John by no means wanted his Orthodox community to be a closed one, and he rejoiced to discover any fervent young souls which came to him in search of the fulness of [[Introduction to Orthodox Christianity|Christianity]]. Santa Cruz has been a gathering place not only of the darker and meaner elements of society, but also of idealistic young people who have desired something more meaningful than the American values of materialism and competition. By the time Fr. John started his church in Santa Cruz, a small but significant "Orthodox Christian movement" had already begun at [[w:University of California, Santa Cruz|the university there]]. This was primarily the result of the [[missionary]] work of Hieromonk [[Anastassy (Newcomb)]]. Through him, many Santa Cruz university students embraced the Orthodox faith and dedicated their lives to serving [[Christ]].

In 1981, Fr. [[Seraphim Rose]], at the request of the Orthodox students there, gave two [[Homily|lectures]] at [[w:University of California, Santa Cruz|the university]] and further inspired young souls to enter what he called "the saving enclosure of the Church." The fellowship of Orthodox students turned also to Fr. John and his church in order to receive spiritual nourishment and to participate in the divine services, which lifted them above the worldliness of university life. Fr. John always greeted them with a radiant smile and warm love, seeing in their young faces the freshness and enthusiasm that would keep Orthodoxy alive for future generations. After these students graduated, Fr. John brought other young people to the Orthodox faith, giving them all that they needed for their growth in the faith and being to them a loving father who was concerned for their spiritual welfare.

Since the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/ Prophet Elias Church] was in the middle of town, people would often come from off the streets to ask questions and attend the services. Fr. John kept an "open-door policy," making himself and his church available to anyone with a pastoral need. The people of Santa Cruz came to know him as being kind, trusting, full of love and open. He had great compassion for the poor, and was helpful to all who came to him, disregarding their religion or whether or not they were taking advantage of him. It was not uncommon for him to be awakened at odd hours of the night by needy people knocking at his back door. No one would be refused, but would always be given [[alms]] for a meal. In the most outcast and downtrodden of individuals, and perhaps especially in them, Fr. John saw the image of Christ. With deep-felt Christian love, he once wrote these words about the simple people who, although rejected by the world, are faithful to Christ and follow the voice of their hearts:
:''"We see them lonely within the crowd, or following the life of a [[hermit]] as they become symbols of truth and beacon lights of Christianity, praying for peace and brotherly love on earth."''

Fr. John was not at all ethnocentric, and to him, Orthodox Christianity was not just something "for Greeks," but rather was universal. His love for God induced him to earnestly desire to bring forth fruits for Him, as a son strives to please his father, and this made him a zealous [[missionary]] to all peoples. He had services in public parks, where the townspeople would stop to attend something, which, although foreign to them, they found to be divinely beautiful. Hearing Fr. John, with his full and resonant voice, chanting the ancient [[Byzantine Chant|Byzantine melodies]] along with his [[cantor]], would unexpectedly catch a vague and half-remembered glimpse of that sacred realm which their souls knew but their minds had never been exposed to. In such a way was Fr. John able to introduce the riches of Orthodoxy to the spiritually impoverished American people. This was the only "[[ecumenism]]" he believed in, for he was too firmly grounded in the Orthodox faith to be caught up in the false ecumenical movements of his day.

While Fr. John's fervent pastoral work served to [[Conversion|convert]] many non-Greek people, his first job was, of course, to "convert" many of his own people - those who were [[Cradle Orthodox|baptized Orthodox]] but whose commitment to Christ meant, at most, only an external commitment to church attendance and activities. By his own faith he demonstrated to them that Orthodoxy is not merely a ritual, a system of [[Dogma|dogmas]] or a behavior pattern, but is instead a transforming power, which is tapped by conscious spiritual struggle. Through the struggle to conquer the passions which separate us from God, he wrote, "we allow the essence of His rejuvenating powers to flood our hearts with joy for the total freedom we can obtain." Fr. John spared nothing to make this living reality inwardly known to his flock. He preached to them the Loves of his beloved [[Saints]], hoping thereby to make them more conscious of the degree of sanctity that man is able to attain on earth by acquiring the [[grace]] of the [[Holy Spirit]].

Fr. John was by nature an artist and a poet, and had a profound sense of beauty. Like his Master [[Christ]], the source of all divine beauty and truth, he loved the simple, the humble, the quietly noble things of life. This love he expressed both in his [[Homily|sermons]] and in his Greek and English poems, which he transcribed with his own elegant calligraphy. His sense of beauty made him yet more cognizant of the ugliness and madness of our post-Christian era. He would speak of the confusion that is caused when men forget God and pursue their own selfish interests.

===Desecration of the Church===
The good works of Fr. John were too numerous and his outreach too extensive not to evoke malicious actions from the haters of God.<ref group="note">For, as our [[Lord]] has told us, ''"If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you."'' (St. John, 15:20).</ref> The visibility of Fr. John and his church in the middle of Santa Cruz made them more accessible not only to those in need of help, but also to those who wished to destroy all that is holy. A few months before Fr. John's death, the church was desecrated by unknown occultists, who painted "[[666]]" and the five-pointed satanic star on the front entrance.<ref group="note">"The church was desecrated several months ago by vandals who painted a five-pointed star and the number [[666]] - symbols of Satanic worship - on the front entrance. Investigators will try to determine whether the symbols are linked to the priest's death, the chief said." 
:* {''Our Correspondent.'' Santa Cruz - Slain Priest Was 'Severely Beaten'. ''The San Francisco Chronicle.'' May 21, 1985.}</ref>

When the desecration was discovered, Fr. John [[Consecration of a church|reconsecrated the church]]. Later he received anonymous threats, but was undaunted by them. His preaching angered some who began to threaten him by phone and in letters to cease preaching. But Father John became even more passionate about his ministry saying:

:''“As long as my eyes have tears, I will preach [[Christ]] and [[Orthodoxy]].”''

He advised the faithful to guard themselves against the pitfalls of the [[Antichrist]] and not to take the mark. Then the telephone threats on his life become even more intense, however Father John did not fear any of this. He proved himself to be a faithful shepherd of [[Christ]], one who was willing to sacrifice all and even lay down his life for his flock because of his love for them.

===Miracle of the Blossoming White Lilies===
It was through Fr. John that the Most Holy [[Mother of God]] bestowed a [[Miracle|miraculous]] blessing on the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/ Prophet Elias Church]. This occurred after Fr. John brought some bulbs of the "lily of the Panagia" back from his native island of [[Metropolis of Syros, Tinos, Andros, Kea, and Milos|Andros]], where he visited with his family. He went to the [[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St Nicholas]] on the island and asked [[Abbot]] Dorotheos (Themelis) for few dried lilies.

The lily of the [[Panagia]] ("Most Holy") is so named because of the tradition, often depicted in [[icons]], concerning the [[Archangel Gabriel]] presenting the Mother of God with this species of lily at the time of the [[Annunciation]]. In the monastery on Andros which Fr. John visited,<ref group="note">[[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St. Nicholas of Andros, Greece]].</ref> stems from these lilies, being many years old, sometimes bud miraculously at the time of the [[Dormition|Feast of the Dormition]].

Fr. John instructed his son Photios to plant the lily bulbs in pots and to water them only with [[holy water]], which Photios did. After the lilies had grown from the bulbs in May of 1983, Fr. John cut one of the flowers and placed it by the icon of the Mother of God, which leaned against the iconostasis of his church. The flower did not wilt for three or four weeks, although it had been cut and removed from both water and earth. When it finally dropped its petals (the first one having fallen on a radiant day when one of Fr. John's [[Conversion|converts]] from the university was [[Baptism|baptized]]), Fr. John told his wife not to vacuum up any of them, but to save them and place them by the icon where the flower stem was still leaning. Aпd then, within three weeks, some fresh sprouts appeared on the stem!

The stem continued to produce new stems for many months, until the winter of 1983-4. Fr. John interpreted the [[miracle]] as an image of life coming out of [[death]] through the [[Resurrection]]. This miracle strengthened the faith of many to have more reverence towards the Blessed Virgin.

===Martyrdom===
[[Image:MartyrJohnofSantaCruz.jpg|right|thumb|New Martyr Father John Karastamatis (1937-1985), standing at the entrance of the Church, almost the very spot where he met his martyric death.]]
Before his martyric death, three wonderful things had happened:

# One week before his martyrdom the blossoming lilies of the Virgin wilted at once and they never blossomed again.
# The Icon of the Blessed Virgin wept, and traces of her tears can still be seen on her image.
# On three consecutive [[Lord's Day|Sundays]] before his martyrdom, during the [[Divine Liturgy]], the altar boy while giving him the warm water (to prepare the [[Holy Communion]]) saw a strange phenomenon - his father’ face was shining and scattered rays of light - but father John told him strictly not to reveal anything.

On the evening of [[May 17]], 1985 Fr. John telephoned Abbot Dorotheos (Themelis) and asked him about the miracles of the myrrh-streaming icon of the Blessed Virgin (Myrrhovlytissa), because he wanted to preach a sermon on her for the following Sunday. Then on the night of Saturday, [[May 18]], 1985, the eve of the feast of the translation of the holy relics of Saint [[Nicholas of Myra|Nicholas]] the Wonder-worker, Fr. John was in the church building, preparing the [[Homily|sermon]] for the following morning. His wife was in Los Angeles at that time visiting her daughter, who had just given birth to her first child.

Shortly before [[Midnight Office|midnight]],<ref group="note">The midnight hour is the supposed time of the satanic [[w:Black Mass|Black Mass]], [[w:Witching hour|Witching hour]], and [[w:Witches'_Sabbath#Dates|Witches' Sabbath]]. Some authors have hypothosized that the Witches' Sabbath would take place during the night of the Sunday before the time the Christian mass was celebrated.</ref> one or more assailants entered the church. Evidently they had been watching Fr. John, for they came at a time when he was alone, when both his wife and 17 year-old son were gone. They attacked Fr. John in his church office, stabbing him with a knife. During the struggle Fr. John was severely beaten, and then was finally killed by a heavy blow on his head.

His son, who had dined with him earlier that evening, arrived at 1:30 a.m. at the church. Outside the office he discovered the body of his murdered father, and on the walls -- the blood of a [[martyr]].

<blockquote>There, the boy was faced with a terrible sight: his father was found on the floor slaughtered and unrecognizable…he had been hit in the head with a hammer and his whole body was butchered with knifes. As the police had later discovered, because father John didn’t die right away, the criminals took the [[cross]] he was wearing around the neck and hanged him with its chain. The [[blood]] poured from his wounds and flooded the floor of the Holy [[Shrine]]. The Satanists used his blood to write their slogans and the mark [[666]] on the walls of the Church. The blessed father John suffered martyrdom in the very place where he was photographed with the cross in his hand, almost prophesizing of what would follow.<ref name=PANTAKRATOROS>[http://orthodoxword.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/the-new-hieromartyr-john-karastamatis-of-santa-cruz/ The New Hieromartyr John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz]. '' '''Orthodox Word. [[May 19]], 2011.''' '' (''Source: Translation of [http://www.impantokratoros.gr/84A7DC93.el.aspx Greek article]'')</ref></blockquote>

According to the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' article of [[May 21]], 1985:

<blockquote>The spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox community here "put up a terrific struggle" before he was bludgeoned to death in the office of his church here, the police chief said yesterday. John Karastamatis, 47, of Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church, was "beaten badly, severely. . . . The method of death was very traumatic," Chief Jack Bassett said. "Blood was found on the walls." ...Bassett said he believes the priest was slain between 11 p.m. Saturday and 1:40 a.m. Sunday, when his bloody body was found by his 17-year-old son, Foti.<ref name=CHRONICLE>''Our Correspondent.'' Santa Cruz - Slain Priest Was 'Severely Beaten'. ''The San Francisco Chronicle.'' May 21, 1985.</ref></blockquote>

Chief Bassett also noted that ''"Father John was very accessible to many people. He was a very humanistic person"''.<ref name="CHRONICLE"/>

Because Fr. John's face and fingers were so disfigured and mutilated,<ref group="note">The brutality of this murder recalls the martyrdom of Elder [[Philoumenos (Hasapis) of Jacob's Well]] only a few years earlier in 1979, who was tortured and whose fingers were cut into pieces and his thumb hacked off, which were the fingers with which he made the [[sign of the Cross]].</ref> his [[relics]] could not be displayed at the funeral service, therefore his body was covered in the usual gold-[[vestments]] and the coffin was sealed. Several priests attended Fr. John's funeral, coming from the many and various Orthodox churches in the United States.

===Assailants===
The criminals responsible were Edward and Anna Bowman.<ref group="note"> [http://articles.latimes.com/1986-01-09/news/mn-14136_1_greek-orthodox-priest Court Hearing - the State]. ''Los Angeles Times.'' January 09, 1986: 
:"The husband of the secretary to a priest who was beaten to death was booked for investigation of the priest's murder, Santa Cruz authorities said. Cab driver Edward Bowman, 39, was arrested at his home in the death of Father John Karastamatis, a Greek Orthodox priest, Police Chief Jack Bassett said. A local judge ordered the arrest warrant sealed until a court hearing. Karastamatis, 47, was killed last May 19 by repeated blows from a blunt object. He also was stabbed, and his wallet and keys were taken, detectives said. Bowman's wife, Anna, 43, shot and killed herself Dec. 19 after firing at a detective who wanted to question her about the slaying. Bassett said Anna Bowman also would have been arrested if she had not committed suicide. Anna Bowman had worked for Karastamatis as a volunteer secretary. The priest had "taken the Bowmans under his wing," Lt. Mike Dunbaugh said."</ref> Edward Bowman, an ex-Marine, was eligible for the death penalty, but pled guilty to avoid execution.

According to a Greek Orthodox publication (''in translation''), "The police searched for the killers and found three people, a couple and the son of the man from another woman. They were priests and worshipers of Satan. They drank cobra venom while they were arrested and two of them died, and the third lost his mind and could not testify."<ref name="PANTAKRATOROS"/><ref group="note">"Η αστυνομία ερεύνησε για τους φονείς του Αγίου και βρήκαν τρία άτομα ένα ανδρόγυνο και τον γιο του άνδρα από άλλη γυναίκα. Ήταν ιερείς του σατανά και πήραν δηλητήριο κόμπρας, όταν τους συνέλαβαν και οι δύο πέθαναν, και ο τρίτος έχασε τα λογικά του και δεν συνεννοείται." 
:* {[http://www.impantokratoros.gr/84A7DC93.el.aspx Ο νεοφανής Ιερομάρτυς της Ορθοδοξίας Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ]. ''Ο ΟΣΙΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΘΕΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΡΟΥ.'' ΤΕΥΧΟΣ 17, Μάιος-Αύγουστος 2006, Θεσ/νίκη.}</ref>

According to the ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'' article of[[ June 12]], 2001:
<blockquote>Ron Truhitte was the Santa Cruz police detective who was on the case in 1985. Now an inspector for the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, Truhitte said the murder rises above most he’s handled because of its brutality and many twists and turns. ''"It was a real, real murder mystery and if you were to write a book, you could not include as many different dark alleys, leads that led nowhere and suspicions as this case had,"'' Truhitte said. ''"But all the time the ones who did it were right there in front of us."'' It took detectives seven months to arrest Bowman although he and his wife’s names were brought up after the murder.<ref name=DARREL>Darrel W. Cole. Priest’s killer set for parole hearing. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' June 12, 2001.</ref></blockquote>

Bowman was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in 1988, but In 2001 he was up for parole. In response, Metropolitan [[Anthony (Gergiannakis) of San Francisco]] in a letter to [[clergy]] and other churches urged support for the Karastamatis family’s efforts to "ensure that this violent killer never again walks among us."<ref name="DARREL"/> In addition, Detective Truhitte stated that he didn’t believe that Bowman should be released: ''"It has to do with the severity of the crime," Truhitte said. "They didn’t just murder this man, they butchered him."''<ref name="DARREL"/>

In 2010 Bowman was once again eligible for parole. In February 2010 the Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office reported that he was denied parole, with the Parole Board ruling that he will not be eligible again until 2015.<ref>Jennifer Squires. [http://www.orthodoxnews.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=usnews.one&content_id=18416&CFID=72092943&CFTOKEN=53644936&tp_preview=true Man who killed Santa Cruz priest denied parole for five years]. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' February 8, 2010.</ref>

This brutal crime was pre-meditated. Detectives involved in this case believe these criminals were responsible for other crimes, and committed other murders. One theory is they told Father John, in counseling, of their crimes. They became nervous then planned his murder to ensure Father John remained silent. As he lay dying they rifled through Father John’s pockets, searched his office and stole items from the Church. The criminal’s son was in fear for his life as Edward Bowman, while bragging of the brutal murder, threatened to kill him as well if he said anything about the murder. Psychiatrists who examine Bowman agree, he has sociopath tendencies, is a pathological liar and to this day expresses no remorse.<ref>[http://www.ahepa20.org/~chapter243/2010/01/please-help-us-keep-cold-blooded-killer.htm Please help us keep a cold-blooded killer behind bars]. ''Santa Barbara AHEPA Chapter 243.'' January 8, 2010.</ref>

In the absence of a more plausible reason for the crime, it is most likely that the killing, like the church desecration a few months prior to it, was done at the hands of those who hated Fr. John for his holy work, of those who are the enemies of God and rebel against Him because they serve the first rebel, Satan. But whether Fr. John was killed for overtly satanic purposes or for other, irrational reasons, he had without doubt a [[Martyr|martyric]] death, giving his life for [[Christ]] and dying in the very church in which he had diligently served Him.

==Apparitions of Blessed Father John==
The apparitions of blessed father John after his martyric death are many.

* When [[Abbot]] Dorotheos (Themelis) learned about the martyrdom of Father John, he wrote to the [[Presbytera]] asking her to send his priestly [[vestments]] from when they had celebrated together the feast of [[Dorotheos of Gaza|Saint Dorotheos]] at the Monastery in 1981. Some time passed but he received no response from father John’s family. On the eve [[July 4]], at the [[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St. Nicholas]], an Athonite [[All-Night Vigil|vigil]] was celebrated in honor of St. [[Athanasius of Athos|Athanasius of Mt.Athos]], with many [[Pilgrimage|pilgrims]] in attendance who had come from Athens. As the vigil was about to end, the monastery [[bells]] began to beat themselves as for a solemn feast. They stopped for awhile, but the bells started ringing again so harmoniously that everyone was astonished. Seized with fear and awe, the faithful started to pray the [[Paraklesis|paraclesis]] of [[Nicholas of Myra|St. Nicholas]], waiting for a miracle to happen. That afternoon, elder Dorotheos got a call from Mary, the daughter of Father John, who had come specifically to the monastery bearing the [[vestments]] of her father. She brought them into the [[monastery]] and they were received with joy by all the pilgrims there. The bells had been ringing in the monastery that morning exactly at the time when the ship entered the harbor carrying the Martyr's vestments.<ref>Joan Connell. SHATTERED PARISH REBUILDS CHURCH TRIES TO PUT SLAYING BEHIND IT. ''San Jose Mercury News.'' August 23, 1986.</ref>

* On the eve of the feast of St. Nicholas, in 1986, abbot Dorotheos, together with several women, was preparing for the monastery's patronal feast. At one point, they saw blessed father John walking through the monastery gardens and heading towards them. They all were frightened and began to shout: ''“Papa Iani!”'' Then he disappeared from their sight. Immediately after this to their surprise, came the postman with a package from Switzerland containing a wooden carved image (icon) of Father John, from some Russian believers that honored him as a saint. Father John had asked that his [[icon]] may be spread to all Christians so they may learn about his martyrdom and missionary work.

* In addition, in February 1987 while abbot Dorotheos went to Switzerland for surgery, while he was talking to the faithful there about Fr. John and his martyrdom, Fr. John appeared to them, blessed them, and then disappeared from their sight.

==Legacy==
Father John was an exceptional priest and a righteous man, a labourer in Christ's American vineyard who was found worthy of being glorified with a martyr's crown. God raised up an American martyr whose faith ''was'' real and burning, as an example of one who was ready to lose his life for Christ in order to gain it eternally.

:"His life inspired and enlightened and cheered us!" wrote one of his spiritual children. "His death has served to confirm in a most direct way the realities of not only our Orthodox faith, but of the bizarre and truly anti-Christian ways of our times."

Simple, unpolished, and at the same time burning with passionate, self-sacrificing pastoral zeal, Fr. John stood amidst the great "peasant priests" who have kept the spirit of Holy Orthodoxy alive throughout the centuries. While others have at times reduced Orthodoxy to an intellectual or formal exercise, such priests have demonstrated that Orthodoxy is in fact ''life'' - a balm to the wounds of the poor, the suffering, the sinful. To use an old Russian expression, Fr. John was truly a "priest of the people."<ref>[http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4261906/Fr.%20John%20Karastamatis-1.pdf Passion-Bearer John of Santa Cruz: A Victim of the Lost Sheep He Tried to Save]. The Orthodox Word. p.6.</ref><ref group="note">''"The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep."'' (John 10:11).</ref>

''Holy New Martyr Priest John of Santa Cruz, pray to God for us!''

==Canonization==
His [[glorification]] has not yet won universal support however, and illustrates the controversy that can arise over the precise boundaries of categories of sanctity.<ref name="BLACKWELL"/> Nevertheless:

<blockquote>"the Church has always been purified by the [[blood]] of its [[Martyr|martyrs]]. The wheat is thus separated from the chaff, the sheep from the goats. This is a sobering thought,...for many, however, it is also a distressing thought, so threatening that they do not want to consider its implications. It is probably for this reason that many Orthodox Christians reacted to Fr. John's martyrdom with almost total indifference, as if it had not occurred amidst us but was a matter as far removed as the moon. It is more comfortable to view his death as some "freak" crime, a tragedy without purpose or meaning. This makes its somehow "neutral," unrelated to our lives as Orthodox Chrisitians. But nothing in God's world is without meaning and purpose. God has glorified a [[martyr]] on our soil, and it is our responsibility as children of our heavenly Father not to leave this unnoticed and ignored."<ref>[http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4261906/Fr.%20John%20Karastamatis-1.pdf Saints of America: A New Blossom of American Sanctity: New-Martyr Priest John of Santa Cruz]. The Orthodox Word. May 5/18, 1985. p.114.</ref></blockquote>

==Hymns==
'''[[Troparion]] – Tone 1''' 
Having cultivated the fruit of God’s knowledge by thy labors, 
thou hast plucked out the root of godlessness and proclaimed in our land the true faith. 
Anointed with grace thou hast tended the flock entrusted thee, 
and in shedding thy [[blood]] thou waterest the seeds of Christ’s true faith in our land, 
O New Martyr John of Santa Cruz. 
Glory to Him Who hath granted thee strength; 
Glory to Him Who hath crowned thee; 
Glory to Him Who granteth healing for all through thee.

'''Hymn to Passion-Bearer John of Santa Cruz'''<ref>Thomas Collord. [http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4261906/Fr.%20John%20Karastamatis-1.pdf Hymn to Passion-Bearer John of Santa Cruz]. p.37. (.pdf)</ref> 
Thou melodic chanter with the chorus of angels! 
Thou cheerful comforter of the aged! 
Thou compassionate healer of the infirm! 
Thou fearless expounder of the true faith! 
Thou untiring intercessor for the young! 
Thou zealous restorer of family unity! 
Thou Lamp shining in the darkness of our times! 
Thou, Righteous New Martyr John, we beseech, pray to Christ our God, that we may obtain Eternal Life!

===In Greek===
'''Ἀπολυτίκιον'''<ref name=ZOUMIS>[http://kyrigma.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html Ὁ ἅγιος Νεομάρτυς καί Ἱερομάρτυς Ἰωάννης τῆς Σάντα Κρούζ]. Θείον Κήρυγμα: Κηρύγματα καί ὁμιλίες τοῦ πρωτοπρεσβυτέρου Γεωργίου Ρ. Ζουμῆ, Γενικοῦ Ἀρχιερατικοῦ Ἐπιτρόπου τῆς Ιερᾶς Μητροπόλεως Ἐδέσσης, Πέλλης καὶ Ἀλμωπίας. Δευτέρα, 21 Ιουνίου 2010.</ref> 
'''Ἦχος α΄. Τῆς ἐρήμου πολίτης.''' 
Νέου Κόσμου τό φέγγος καί τῆς Ἄνδρου τό βλάστημα, 
Ἱερομαρτύρων τήν δόξαν, Ἰωάννην τιμήσωμεν. 
Σφαγείς γάρ τῷ Ναῷ ὑπέρ Χριστοῦ, ἀρτίως καταυγάζει Σάντα Κρούζ, 
καί συνάγει Ὀρθοδόξους, ἁπανταχόθεν ἀνακράζοντας: 
δόξα τῷ σέ δοξάσαντι Χριστῷ, 
δόξα τῷ σέ στεφανώσαντι, 
δόξα τῷ σέ προστάτην θαυμαστόν, τοῖς ἔθνεσιν δείξαντι.

'''Ἕτερον. Ἦχος πλ. α΄'''<ref name="ZOUMIS"/> 
'''Τόν συνάναρχον Λόγον.''' 
Ἀποστόλων τήν φλόγα ψυχῇ δεξάμενος, 
τόν Νέον Κόσμον φωτίζεις ἐν ἡμετέροις καιροῖς, 
ἀφανίζεις τε σατᾶν τά μηχανήματα, 
ὅτι σ᾿ αὐτόν ὑπέρ Χριστοῦ ἱερούργησας πιστῶς, τῆς Σάντα Κρούζ, Ἰωάννη. 
Τῆς νήσου Ἄνδρου ὁ γόνος, ἡμῶν δέ σκέπη καί καταφύγιον.

==See also==
* [[List of American saints]]

==Notes==
<references group="note" />

==References==
<div><references/></div>

==Sources==
* Ken Parry, David J. Melling, Dimitri Brady, Sidney H. Griffith and John F. Healey (Eds.). ''[http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/tocnode?id=g9780631232032_chunk_g978063123203214_ss1-14 John Karastamatis].'' '''The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity.''' 2001. eISBN 9780631232032
* [http://www.prescottorthodox.org/2010/10/new-hieromartyr-john-karastamatis-of-santa-cruz/ New Martyr John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz]. St. George Greek Orthodox Church, of Prescott. (''Source: '''The Orthodox Word, #122 / 1985''' '')
* [http://orthodoxword.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/the-new-hieromartyr-john-karastamatis-of-santa-cruz/ The New Hieromartyr John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz]. '' '''Orthodox Word. May 19, 2011.''' '' (''Source: Translation of [http://www.impantokratoros.gr/84A7DC93.el.aspx Greek article]'')
* [http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4261906/Fr.%20John%20Karastamatis-1.pdf Saints of America: A New Blossom of American Sanctity: New-Martyr Priest John of Santa Cruz]. (''Various articles compiled; .pdf format; 24 pp.)
* Claude Lopez. [http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/05/miracles-of-saint-john-karastamatis-of.html Miracles of Saint John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz]. ''MYSTAGOGY: The Weblog of John Sanidopoulos.'' October 6/19, 1989.
* Nun Cornelia (Rees). [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/080205103442.htm Interview with Archimandrite Meletios (Webber)]. ''PRAVOSLAVIE.RU.'' 05/02/2008.
* [http://www.ahepa20.org/~chapter243/2010/01/please-help-us-keep-cold-blooded-killer.htm Please help us keep a cold-blooded killer behind bars]. ''Santa Barbara AHEPA Chapter 243.'' January 8, 2010.
* [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=283854374950 Justice for Father John Karastamatis]. ''Facebook (group).''

'''Newspaper Sources'''
* ''Our Correspondent.'' Santa Cruz - Slain Priest Was 'Severely Beaten'. ''The San Francisco Chronicle.'' May 21, 1985.
* [http://articles.latimes.com/1986-01-09/news/mn-14136_1_greek-orthodox-priest Court Hearing - the State]. ''Los Angeles Times.'' January 09, 1986.
* Joan Connell. SHATTERED PARISH REBUILDS CHURCH TRIES TO PUT SLAYING BEHIND IT. ''San Jose Mercury News.'' August 23, 1986.
* Darrel W. Cole. Priest’s killer set for parole hearing. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' June 12, 2001.
* Jennifer Squires. [http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/education/ci_14308329 Parole hearing stirs memories of the murder of the Santa Cruz Greek Orthodox Church's first priest]. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' February 1, 2010.
* Jennifer Squires. [http://www.orthodoxnews.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=usnews.one&content_id=18416&CFID=72092943&CFTOKEN=53644936&tp_preview=true Man who killed Santa Cruz priest denied parole for five years]. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' February 8, 2010.

'''Greek Sources'''
* [http://www.impantokratoros.gr/84A7DC93.el.aspx Ο νεοφανής Ιερομάρτυς της Ορθοδοξίας Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ]. ''Ο ΟΣΙΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΘΕΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΡΟΥ.'' ΤΕΥΧΟΣ 17, Μάιος-Αύγουστος 2006, Θεσ/νίκη.
* [http://kyrigma.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html Ὁ ἅγιος Νεομάρτυς καί Ἱερομάρτυς Ἰωάννης τῆς Σάντα Κρούζ]. Θείον Κήρυγμα: Κηρύγματα καί ὁμιλίες τοῦ πρωτοπρεσβυτέρου Γεωργίου Ρ. Ζουμῆ, Γενικοῦ Ἀρχιερατικοῦ Ἐπιτρόπου τῆς Ιερᾶς Μητροπόλεως Ἐδέσσης, Πέλλης καὶ Ἀλμωπίας. Δευτέρα, 21 Ιουνίου 2010.
* [http://kyrigma.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_6716.html Ἀκουλουθία Αγίου Ιωάννη της Σάντα Κρούζ]. Θείον Κήρυγμα: Κηρύγματα καί ὁμιλίες τοῦ πρωτοπρεσβυτέρου Γεωργίου Ρ. Ζουμῆ, Γενικοῦ Ἀρχιερατικοῦ Ἐπιτρόπου τῆς Ιερᾶς Μητροπόλεως Ἐδέσσης, Πέλλης καὶ Ἀλμωπίας.

[[Category:Priests]]
[[Category:Martyrs]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:American Saints]]
[[Category:Greek Saints]]
[[Category:Modern Saints]]
[[Category:Missionaries]]

[[el:Ιωάννης (Καρασταμάτης) της Σάντα Κρούζ]]

John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz

2012-05-24T13:44:22Z

ASDamick: moved John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz to John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz: parentheses are only used for monastics and bishops

#REDIRECT [[John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz]]

John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz

2012-05-24T13:44:22Z

ASDamick: moved John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz to John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz: parentheses are only used for monastics and bishops

New Hiero[[martyr]] Father '''John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz''' (August 8, 1937 - May 19, 1985) was the first [[parish]] [[priest]] and one of the founders of the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/?page_id=2 Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church] in Santa Cruz, California. He was a fervent preacher of the [[Introduction to Orthodox Christianity|Orthodox Faith]] and "ministered to the unemployed, homeless and drug addicts of the city"<ref name=BLACKWELL>Ken Parry, et. al. (Eds.). ''[http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/tocnode?id=g9780631232032_chunk_g978063123203214_ss1-14 John Karastamatis].'' '''The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity.''' 2001.</ref><ref group="note">"He was the kind who wanted to help everybody," Anastasia Karastamatis said. "They'd come to the door at 2 o'clock in the morning and I'd worry -- saying we didn't know what they'd been drinking, what drugs they were on. It was hard for me. But he'd say, 'They need me; that's what I'm here for.' " 
:* {Joan Connell. SHATTERED PARISH REBUILDS CHURCH TRIES TO PUT SLAYING BEHIND IT. ''San Jose Mercury News.'' August 23, 1986.}</ref> before he was brutally [[Martyr|martyred]] by Satanists in 1985.<ref group="note">According to ''The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity,'' the couple that murdered Fr. John had a history of mental illness. And in the words of District Attorney Art Danner, Anna Bowman was "clearly psychotic."</ref>
[[Image:Ιερομάρτυς Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ.png|left|thumb|The New Hieromartyr John (Karastamatis) of Santa Cruz (1937-1985). ]]
He has been credited with numerous miracles of healing since his death.<ref name="BLACKWELL"/> His memory is celebrated on [[May 19]] (N.S.), on the eve of the feast of the [[Translation (relics)|translation]] of the holy [[relics]] of Saint [[Nicholas of Myra|Nicholas]] the Wonder-worker, for whom Fr. John had a great reverance, because as a child he often visited the [[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St. Nicholas of Andros]], Greece. This day corresponds to [[May 6]] ([[Julian Calendar|O.S.]]), which is the birthday of Royal [[Passion-bearer]] Tsar [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]], and the [[feast day]] St. [[Job the Long-suffering|Job the Much-suffering]], pointing to the mystical significance of his death.

==In Greece==
Fr. John Karastamatis was born on [[August 8]], 1937 in the Greek village of Apoikia, on the island of [[Metropolis of Syros, Tinos, Andros, Kea, and Milos|Andros]]. The atmosphere of this village was permeated with the age-old Orthodox way of life, which was followed according to the Church calendar and the cycle of feast days. Living from day to day amidst the simple and natural faith of the villagers, the young John was imparted a sense of holiness, which kindled in his idealistic heart the flame of love for God and all that is His. As a boy on the island of Andros, John witnessed many miracles with which [[God]] blessed the pious villagers, and thus he was made aware of the closeness of God to the lives of those who seek Him. The heavenly [[saints]], especially the local ones, also manifested their closeness and the power of their intercessory [[prayer]] by appearing to and helping the people.

John nourished his young soul by learning about the lives of these [[saints]] and [[martyrs]], whose unquenchable desire to be faithful to [[Christ]] in the face of deprivation, torment and physical death inspired him to also be a servant of God. Although he did not attend any theological school, he wanted to put his faith into practice by someday becoming a [[priest]].

==In America==
In 1957, at the age of twenty, John came to the United States. Five years later he [[Marriage|married]] a young Greek woman, Athanasia Matsellis, and soon became the father of two children, Maria and Photios. The cities of the United States were in sharp contrast to the village of his birth, but his acute awareness of the nearness of [[God]] and the other world, given to him in childhood, never left him. He now found himself in the midst of those who not only did not want to be close to God, but who actively fled from Him. Still he hoped in God, knowing that the freedom of [[Christ]] can be found even in the most stifling and evil surroundings.

With the support and encouragement of Fr. George Bogdanos, a Greek priest who recognized in him the integrity and zeal of a true pastor, Fr. John was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[Deacon|deaconate]] in 1971 with the blessing of Archbishop [[Iakovos (Coucouzis) of America|lakovos]], who supported him in this. Since both his love for the Church and the love of the churchgoers for him was so apparent, he was made a [[Presbyter|priest]] only a few weeks later by Bishop [[Meletios (Tripodakis) of Christianoupolis]], San Francisco (1968-79).

He first served the Greek Orthodox community in Anchorage, [[Alaska]], the land of newly-canonized [[Herman of Alaska|St. Herman]], who thus became his guardian [[angel]] for the rest of his life. He was later assigned to the St. George parish in Vancouver, Canada, and then to All Saints parish in Anaheim, Pennsylvania.

He then moved to Santa Cruz, California, which had been named by the Spanish [[Missionary|missionaries]] after the Holy [[Cross]] of the [[Lord]]. There he labored with enthusiasm to provide a haven of [[Orthodox Christianity]] for the faithful in the area, who had long been without a nearby church.

===A Pastor at the Foot of the Holy Cross===
Because the community in Santa Cruz was too small to immediately acquire its own Orthodox church from its founding in 1980, Fr. John began to serve the [[Divine Liturgy]] in the nearby town of [[w:Aptos, California|Aptos]], in the [[chapel]] of a [[w:Poor Clares|Poor Clare]] convent. The [[nuns]] would have their services very early on Sunday morning, leaving the church free for Fr. John and his parishioners to use afterwards. The parishioners were at first hesitant: they would come to Liturgy late, and would all sit at the very back of the [[chapel]], as if they were spectators and not participants. Fr. John knew that he had much work to do. He was sometimes disappointed at the lack of active interest among his flock. His was a burning faith, and lukewarmness had always been foreign to his soul. His task, he knew, was to ignite this fire within each of his parishioners, so that they themselves would struggle for the [[Paradise|kingdom of heaven]], ''the one thing needful'', and not sit in the background and expect their priest to do their work for them. He could not demand too much at once, but had to be a gentle and loving pastor, condescending to the weaknesses of his flock so as not to overwhelm them and cause them to abandon the Orthodox faith altogether. The gap between shepherd and sheep had to be bridged gradually and carefully, and Fr. John had to spark the kinder in the hearts of his flock without scorching them with the consuming fire within him.

Sometimes Fr. John would speak forceful words of rebuke to awaken his people from their spiritual sleep, but mostly he would inspire them by his quiet and unobtrusive example. They began to see how hard he struggled and were moved to help him fulfill his godly dreams. His fervency and zeal, his unequivocal belief in the other world, was something that they did not fully understand, and yet that they inwardly -- and in some cases unconsciously - longed for. Having come to love him deeply, they were grateful that God had sent a harvester to their field.

===Founding of Prophet Elias Church, Santa Cruz===
By giving his parishioners new aspirations, Fr. John instilled in them the desire to start their own [[Parish|church]]. They collected and saved money and eventually found the perfect building for their church in 1982: a former funeral home in Santa Cruz, across from the public library and in the best part of town for [[missionary]] activity. Fr. John did much of the interior work himself, fashioning a beautiful white [[iconostasis]] and a large domed [[apse]] behind and above the [[altar]]. According to his son Photios, ''"My father put his blood, sweat and tears in. You've got all of that there and more...With the help of some parishioners and myself, he literally built the whole inside of the that church."''<ref>Jennifer Squires. [http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/education/ci_14308329 Parole hearing stirs memories of the murder of the Santa Cruz Greek Orthodox Church's first priest]. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' February 1, 2010.</ref>

When completed, the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/ newly-consecrated church] became a refuge from the noisy bustle of the world, an island of holiness in the middle of downtown Santa Cruz. The church was dedicated to the [[Elijah|Prophet Elias]].<ref group="note">Archimandrite [[Meletios (Webber)]] later served as full-time parish priest in this Santa Cruz parish, for nine years. Of Fr. John, Archimandrite Meletios says: "He was not my immediate predecessor; there had been three other priests in between. I knew his presbytera quite well, and his children. He was murdered on the premises of the church, in very unpleasant circumstances, some years before I arrived, but it was still a very dominant factor in the life of parish while I was there—something they couldn't forget." 
:* {Nun Cornelia (Rees). [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/080205103442.htm Interview with Archimandrite Meletios (Webber)]. ''PRAVOSLAVIE.RU.'' 05/02/2008.}</ref>

With their new and beautiful church, the parishioners, comprised of over 75 families, now had a sense of accomplishment. They felt that they had come a long way from the days when they had little choice but to use a chapel which was outside of town. Now they could branch out into other activities.

===Missionary Activity===
Fr. John by no means wanted his Orthodox community to be a closed one, and he rejoiced to discover any fervent young souls which came to him in search of the fulness of [[Introduction to Orthodox Christianity|Christianity]]. Santa Cruz has been a gathering place not only of the darker and meaner elements of society, but also of idealistic young people who have desired something more meaningful than the American values of materialism and competition. By the time Fr. John started his church in Santa Cruz, a small but significant "Orthodox Christian movement" had already begun at [[w:University of California, Santa Cruz|the university there]]. This was primarily the result of the [[missionary]] work of Hieromonk [[Anastassy (Newcomb)]]. Through him, many Santa Cruz university students embraced the Orthodox faith and dedicated their lives to serving [[Christ]].

In 1981, Fr. [[Seraphim Rose]], at the request of the Orthodox students there, gave two [[Homily|lectures]] at [[w:University of California, Santa Cruz|the university]] and further inspired young souls to enter what he called "the saving enclosure of the Church." The fellowship of Orthodox students turned also to Fr. John and his church in order to receive spiritual nourishment and to participate in the divine services, which lifted them above the worldliness of university life. Fr. John always greeted them with a radiant smile and warm love, seeing in their young faces the freshness and enthusiasm that would keep Orthodoxy alive for future generations. After these students graduated, Fr. John brought other young people to the Orthodox faith, giving them all that they needed for their growth in the faith and being to them a loving father who was concerned for their spiritual welfare.

Since the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/ Prophet Elias Church] was in the middle of town, people would often come from off the streets to ask questions and attend the services. Fr. John kept an "open-door policy," making himself and his church available to anyone with a pastoral need. The people of Santa Cruz came to know him as being kind, trusting, full of love and open. He had great compassion for the poor, and was helpful to all who came to him, disregarding their religion or whether or not they were taking advantage of him. It was not uncommon for him to be awakened at odd hours of the night by needy people knocking at his back door. No one would be refused, but would always be given [[alms]] for a meal. In the most outcast and downtrodden of individuals, and perhaps especially in them, Fr. John saw the image of Christ. With deep-felt Christian love, he once wrote these words about the simple people who, although rejected by the world, are faithful to Christ and follow the voice of their hearts:
:''"We see them lonely within the crowd, or following the life of a [[hermit]] as they become symbols of truth and beacon lights of Christianity, praying for peace and brotherly love on earth."''

Fr. John was not at all ethnocentric, and to him, Orthodox Christianity was not just something "for Greeks," but rather was universal. His love for God induced him to earnestly desire to bring forth fruits for Him, as a son strives to please his father, and this made him a zealous [[missionary]] to all peoples. He had services in public parks, where the townspeople would stop to attend something, which, although foreign to them, they found to be divinely beautiful. Hearing Fr. John, with his full and resonant voice, chanting the ancient [[Byzantine Chant|Byzantine melodies]] along with his [[cantor]], would unexpectedly catch a vague and half-remembered glimpse of that sacred realm which their souls knew but their minds had never been exposed to. In such a way was Fr. John able to introduce the riches of Orthodoxy to the spiritually impoverished American people. This was the only "[[ecumenism]]" he believed in, for he was too firmly grounded in the Orthodox faith to be caught up in the false ecumenical movements of his day.

While Fr. John's fervent pastoral work served to [[Conversion|convert]] many non-Greek people, his first job was, of course, to "convert" many of his own people - those who were [[Cradle Orthodox|baptized Orthodox]] but whose commitment to Christ meant, at most, only an external commitment to church attendance and activities. By his own faith he demonstrated to them that Orthodoxy is not merely a ritual, a system of [[Dogma|dogmas]] or a behavior pattern, but is instead a transforming power, which is tapped by conscious spiritual struggle. Through the struggle to conquer the passions which separate us from God, he wrote, "we allow the essence of His rejuvenating powers to flood our hearts with joy for the total freedom we can obtain." Fr. John spared nothing to make this living reality inwardly known to his flock. He preached to them the Loves of his beloved [[Saints]], hoping thereby to make them more conscious of the degree of sanctity that man is able to attain on earth by acquiring the [[grace]] of the [[Holy Spirit]].

Fr. John was by nature an artist and a poet, and had a profound sense of beauty. Like his Master [[Christ]], the source of all divine beauty and truth, he loved the simple, the humble, the quietly noble things of life. This love he expressed both in his [[Homily|sermons]] and in his Greek and English poems, which he transcribed with his own elegant calligraphy. His sense of beauty made him yet more cognizant of the ugliness and madness of our post-Christian era. He would speak of the confusion that is caused when men forget God and pursue their own selfish interests.

===Desecration of the Church===
The good works of Fr. John were too numerous and his outreach too extensive not to evoke malicious actions from the haters of God.<ref group="note">For, as our [[Lord]] has told us, ''"If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you."'' (St. John, 15:20).</ref> The visibility of Fr. John and his church in the middle of Santa Cruz made them more accessible not only to those in need of help, but also to those who wished to destroy all that is holy. A few months before Fr. John's death, the church was desecrated by unknown occultists, who painted "[[666]]" and the five-pointed satanic star on the front entrance.<ref group="note">"The church was desecrated several months ago by vandals who painted a five-pointed star and the number [[666]] - symbols of Satanic worship - on the front entrance. Investigators will try to determine whether the symbols are linked to the priest's death, the chief said." 
:* {''Our Correspondent.'' Santa Cruz - Slain Priest Was 'Severely Beaten'. ''The San Francisco Chronicle.'' May 21, 1985.}</ref>

When the desecration was discovered, Fr. John [[Consecration of a church|reconsecrated the church]]. Later he received anonymous threats, but was undaunted by them. His preaching angered some who began to threaten him by phone and in letters to cease preaching. But Father John became even more passionate about his ministry saying:

:''“As long as my eyes have tears, I will preach [[Christ]] and [[Orthodoxy]].”''

He advised the faithful to guard themselves against the pitfalls of the [[Antichrist]] and not to take the mark. Then the telephone threats on his life become even more intense, however Father John did not fear any of this. He proved himself to be a faithful shepherd of [[Christ]], one who was willing to sacrifice all and even lay down his life for his flock because of his love for them.

===Miracle of the Blossoming White Lilies===
It was through Fr. John that the Most Holy [[Mother of God]] bestowed a [[Miracle|miraculous]] blessing on the [http://propheteliassantacruz.org/ Prophet Elias Church]. This occurred after Fr. John brought some bulbs of the "lily of the Panagia" back from his native island of [[Metropolis of Syros, Tinos, Andros, Kea, and Milos|Andros]], where he visited with his family. He went to the [[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St Nicholas]] on the island and asked [[Abbot]] Dorotheos (Themelis) for few dried lilies.

The lily of the [[Panagia]] ("Most Holy") is so named because of the tradition, often depicted in [[icons]], concerning the [[Archangel Gabriel]] presenting the Mother of God with this species of lily at the time of the [[Annunciation]]. In the monastery on Andros which Fr. John visited,<ref group="note">[[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St. Nicholas of Andros, Greece]].</ref> stems from these lilies, being many years old, sometimes bud miraculously at the time of the [[Dormition|Feast of the Dormition]].

Fr. John instructed his son Photios to plant the lily bulbs in pots and to water them only with [[holy water]], which Photios did. After the lilies had grown from the bulbs in May of 1983, Fr. John cut one of the flowers and placed it by the icon of the Mother of God, which leaned against the iconostasis of his church. The flower did not wilt for three or four weeks, although it had been cut and removed from both water and earth. When it finally dropped its petals (the first one having fallen on a radiant day when one of Fr. John's [[Conversion|converts]] from the university was [[Baptism|baptized]]), Fr. John told his wife not to vacuum up any of them, but to save them and place them by the icon where the flower stem was still leaning. Aпd then, within three weeks, some fresh sprouts appeared on the stem!

The stem continued to produce new stems for many months, until the winter of 1983-4. Fr. John interpreted the [[miracle]] as an image of life coming out of [[death]] through the [[Resurrection]]. This miracle strengthened the faith of many to have more reverence towards the Blessed Virgin.

===Martyrdom===
[[Image:MartyrJohnofSantaCruz.jpg|right|thumb|New Martyr Father John Karastamatis (1937-1985), standing at the entrance of the Church, almost the very spot where he met his martyric death.]]
Before his martyric death, three wonderful things had happened:

# One week before his martyrdom the blossoming lilies of the Virgin wilted at once and they never blossomed again.
# The Icon of the Blessed Virgin wept, and traces of her tears can still be seen on her image.
# On three consecutive [[Lord's Day|Sundays]] before his martyrdom, during the [[Divine Liturgy]], the altar boy while giving him the warm water (to prepare the [[Holy Communion]]) saw a strange phenomenon - his father’ face was shining and scattered rays of light - but father John told him strictly not to reveal anything.

On the evening of [[May 17]], 1985 Fr. John telephoned Abbot Dorotheos (Themelis) and asked him about the miracles of the myrrh-streaming icon of the Blessed Virgin (Myrrhovlytissa), because he wanted to preach a sermon on her for the following Sunday. Then on the night of Saturday, [[May 18]], 1985, the eve of the feast of the translation of the holy relics of Saint [[Nicholas of Myra|Nicholas]] the Wonder-worker, Fr. John was in the church building, preparing the [[Homily|sermon]] for the following morning. His wife was in Los Angeles at that time visiting her daughter, who had just given birth to her first child.

Shortly before [[Midnight Office|midnight]],<ref group="note">The midnight hour is the supposed time of the satanic [[w:Black Mass|Black Mass]], [[w:Witching hour|Witching hour]], and [[w:Witches'_Sabbath#Dates|Witches' Sabbath]]. Some authors have hypothosized that the Witches' Sabbath would take place during the night of the Sunday before the time the Christian mass was celebrated.</ref> one or more assailants entered the church. Evidently they had been watching Fr. John, for they came at a time when he was alone, when both his wife and 17 year-old son were gone. They attacked Fr. John in his church office, stabbing him with a knife. During the struggle Fr. John was severely beaten, and then was finally killed by a heavy blow on his head.

His son, who had dined with him earlier that evening, arrived at 1:30 a.m. at the church. Outside the office he discovered the body of his murdered father, and on the walls -- the blood of a [[martyr]].

<blockquote>There, the boy was faced with a terrible sight: his father was found on the floor slaughtered and unrecognizable…he had been hit in the head with a hammer and his whole body was butchered with knifes. As the police had later discovered, because father John didn’t die right away, the criminals took the [[cross]] he was wearing around the neck and hanged him with its chain. The [[blood]] poured from his wounds and flooded the floor of the Holy [[Shrine]]. The Satanists used his blood to write their slogans and the mark [[666]] on the walls of the Church. The blessed father John suffered martyrdom in the very place where he was photographed with the cross in his hand, almost prophesizing of what would follow.<ref name=PANTAKRATOROS>[http://orthodoxword.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/the-new-hieromartyr-john-karastamatis-of-santa-cruz/ The New Hieromartyr John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz]. '' '''Orthodox Word. [[May 19]], 2011.''' '' (''Source: Translation of [http://www.impantokratoros.gr/84A7DC93.el.aspx Greek article]'')</ref></blockquote>

According to the ''San Francisco Chronicle'' article of [[May 21]], 1985:

<blockquote>The spiritual leader of the Greek Orthodox community here "put up a terrific struggle" before he was bludgeoned to death in the office of his church here, the police chief said yesterday. John Karastamatis, 47, of Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox Church, was "beaten badly, severely. . . . The method of death was very traumatic," Chief Jack Bassett said. "Blood was found on the walls." ...Bassett said he believes the priest was slain between 11 p.m. Saturday and 1:40 a.m. Sunday, when his bloody body was found by his 17-year-old son, Foti.<ref name=CHRONICLE>''Our Correspondent.'' Santa Cruz - Slain Priest Was 'Severely Beaten'. ''The San Francisco Chronicle.'' May 21, 1985.</ref></blockquote>

Chief Bassett also noted that ''"Father John was very accessible to many people. He was a very humanistic person"''.<ref name="CHRONICLE"/>

Because Fr. John's face and fingers were so disfigured and mutilated,<ref group="note">The brutality of this murder recalls the martyrdom of Elder [[Philoumenos (Hasapis) of Jacob's Well]] only a few years earlier in 1979, who was tortured and whose fingers were cut into pieces and his thumb hacked off, which were the fingers with which he made the [[sign of the Cross]].</ref> his [[relics]] could not be displayed at the funeral service, therefore his body was covered in the usual gold-[[vestments]] and the coffin was sealed. Several priests attended Fr. John's funeral, coming from the many and various Orthodox churches in the United States.

===Assailants===
The criminals responsible were Edward and Anna Bowman.<ref group="note"> [http://articles.latimes.com/1986-01-09/news/mn-14136_1_greek-orthodox-priest Court Hearing - the State]. ''Los Angeles Times.'' January 09, 1986: 
:"The husband of the secretary to a priest who was beaten to death was booked for investigation of the priest's murder, Santa Cruz authorities said. Cab driver Edward Bowman, 39, was arrested at his home in the death of Father John Karastamatis, a Greek Orthodox priest, Police Chief Jack Bassett said. A local judge ordered the arrest warrant sealed until a court hearing. Karastamatis, 47, was killed last May 19 by repeated blows from a blunt object. He also was stabbed, and his wallet and keys were taken, detectives said. Bowman's wife, Anna, 43, shot and killed herself Dec. 19 after firing at a detective who wanted to question her about the slaying. Bassett said Anna Bowman also would have been arrested if she had not committed suicide. Anna Bowman had worked for Karastamatis as a volunteer secretary. The priest had "taken the Bowmans under his wing," Lt. Mike Dunbaugh said."</ref> Edward Bowman, an ex-Marine, was eligible for the death penalty, but pled guilty to avoid execution.

According to a Greek Orthodox publication (''in translation''), "The police searched for the killers and found three people, a couple and the son of the man from another woman. They were priests and worshipers of Satan. They drank cobra venom while they were arrested and two of them died, and the third lost his mind and could not testify."<ref name="PANTAKRATOROS"/><ref group="note">"Η αστυνομία ερεύνησε για τους φονείς του Αγίου και βρήκαν τρία άτομα ένα ανδρόγυνο και τον γιο του άνδρα από άλλη γυναίκα. Ήταν ιερείς του σατανά και πήραν δηλητήριο κόμπρας, όταν τους συνέλαβαν και οι δύο πέθαναν, και ο τρίτος έχασε τα λογικά του και δεν συνεννοείται." 
:* {[http://www.impantokratoros.gr/84A7DC93.el.aspx Ο νεοφανής Ιερομάρτυς της Ορθοδοξίας Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ]. ''Ο ΟΣΙΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΘΕΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΡΟΥ.'' ΤΕΥΧΟΣ 17, Μάιος-Αύγουστος 2006, Θεσ/νίκη.}</ref>

According to the ''Santa Cruz Sentinel'' article of[[ June 12]], 2001:
<blockquote>Ron Truhitte was the Santa Cruz police detective who was on the case in 1985. Now an inspector for the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office, Truhitte said the murder rises above most he’s handled because of its brutality and many twists and turns. ''"It was a real, real murder mystery and if you were to write a book, you could not include as many different dark alleys, leads that led nowhere and suspicions as this case had,"'' Truhitte said. ''"But all the time the ones who did it were right there in front of us."'' It took detectives seven months to arrest Bowman although he and his wife’s names were brought up after the murder.<ref name=DARREL>Darrel W. Cole. Priest’s killer set for parole hearing. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' June 12, 2001.</ref></blockquote>

Bowman was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in 1988, but In 2001 he was up for parole. In response, Metropolitan [[Anthony (Gergiannakis) of San Francisco]] in a letter to [[clergy]] and other churches urged support for the Karastamatis family’s efforts to "ensure that this violent killer never again walks among us."<ref name="DARREL"/> In addition, Detective Truhitte stated that he didn’t believe that Bowman should be released: ''"It has to do with the severity of the crime," Truhitte said. "They didn’t just murder this man, they butchered him."''<ref name="DARREL"/>

In 2010 Bowman was once again eligible for parole. In February 2010 the Santa Cruz District Attorney's Office reported that he was denied parole, with the Parole Board ruling that he will not be eligible again until 2015.<ref>Jennifer Squires. [http://www.orthodoxnews.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=usnews.one&content_id=18416&CFID=72092943&CFTOKEN=53644936&tp_preview=true Man who killed Santa Cruz priest denied parole for five years]. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' February 8, 2010.</ref>

This brutal crime was pre-meditated. Detectives involved in this case believe these criminals were responsible for other crimes, and committed other murders. One theory is they told Father John, in counseling, of their crimes. They became nervous then planned his murder to ensure Father John remained silent. As he lay dying they rifled through Father John’s pockets, searched his office and stole items from the Church. The criminal’s son was in fear for his life as Edward Bowman, while bragging of the brutal murder, threatened to kill him as well if he said anything about the murder. Psychiatrists who examine Bowman agree, he has sociopath tendencies, is a pathological liar and to this day expresses no remorse.<ref>[http://www.ahepa20.org/~chapter243/2010/01/please-help-us-keep-cold-blooded-killer.htm Please help us keep a cold-blooded killer behind bars]. ''Santa Barbara AHEPA Chapter 243.'' January 8, 2010.</ref>

In the absence of a more plausible reason for the crime, it is most likely that the killing, like the church desecration a few months prior to it, was done at the hands of those who hated Fr. John for his holy work, of those who are the enemies of God and rebel against Him because they serve the first rebel, Satan. But whether Fr. John was killed for overtly satanic purposes or for other, irrational reasons, he had without doubt a [[Martyr|martyric]] death, giving his life for [[Christ]] and dying in the very church in which he had diligently served Him.

==Apparitions of Blessed Father John==
The apparitions of blessed father John after his martyric death are many.

* When [[Abbot]] Dorotheos (Themelis) learned about the martyrdom of Father John, he wrote to the [[Presbytera]] asking her to send his priestly [[vestments]] from when they had celebrated together the feast of [[Dorotheos of Gaza|Saint Dorotheos]] at the Monastery in 1981. Some time passed but he received no response from father John’s family. On the eve [[July 4]], at the [[St. Nicholas Monastery (Andros, Greece)|Monastery of St. Nicholas]], an Athonite [[All-Night Vigil|vigil]] was celebrated in honor of St. [[Athanasius of Athos|Athanasius of Mt.Athos]], with many [[Pilgrimage|pilgrims]] in attendance who had come from Athens. As the vigil was about to end, the monastery [[bells]] began to beat themselves as for a solemn feast. They stopped for awhile, but the bells started ringing again so harmoniously that everyone was astonished. Seized with fear and awe, the faithful started to pray the [[Paraklesis|paraclesis]] of [[Nicholas of Myra|St. Nicholas]], waiting for a miracle to happen. That afternoon, elder Dorotheos got a call from Mary, the daughter of Father John, who had come specifically to the monastery bearing the [[vestments]] of her father. She brought them into the [[monastery]] and they were received with joy by all the pilgrims there. The bells had been ringing in the monastery that morning exactly at the time when the ship entered the harbor carrying the Martyr's vestments.<ref>Joan Connell. SHATTERED PARISH REBUILDS CHURCH TRIES TO PUT SLAYING BEHIND IT. ''San Jose Mercury News.'' August 23, 1986.</ref>

* On the eve of the feast of St. Nicholas, in 1986, abbot Dorotheos, together with several women, was preparing for the monastery's patronal feast. At one point, they saw blessed father John walking through the monastery gardens and heading towards them. They all were frightened and began to shout: ''“Papa Iani!”'' Then he disappeared from their sight. Immediately after this to their surprise, came the postman with a package from Switzerland containing a wooden carved image (icon) of Father John, from some Russian believers that honored him as a saint. Father John had asked that his [[icon]] may be spread to all Christians so they may learn about his martyrdom and missionary work.

* In addition, in February 1987 while abbot Dorotheos went to Switzerland for surgery, while he was talking to the faithful there about Fr. John and his martyrdom, Fr. John appeared to them, blessed them, and then disappeared from their sight.

==Legacy==
Father John was an exceptional priest and a righteous man, a labourer in Christ's American vineyard who was found worthy of being glorified with a martyr's crown. God raised up an American martyr whose faith ''was'' real and burning, as an example of one who was ready to lose his life for Christ in order to gain it eternally.

:"His life inspired and enlightened and cheered us!" wrote one of his spiritual children. "His death has served to confirm in a most direct way the realities of not only our Orthodox faith, but of the bizarre and truly anti-Christian ways of our times."

Simple, unpolished, and at the same time burning with passionate, self-sacrificing pastoral zeal, Fr. John stood amidst the great "peasant priests" who have kept the spirit of Holy Orthodoxy alive throughout the centuries. While others have at times reduced Orthodoxy to an intellectual or formal exercise, such priests have demonstrated that Orthodoxy is in fact ''life'' - a balm to the wounds of the poor, the suffering, the sinful. To use an old Russian expression, Fr. John was truly a "priest of the people."<ref>[http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4261906/Fr.%20John%20Karastamatis-1.pdf Passion-Bearer John of Santa Cruz: A Victim of the Lost Sheep He Tried to Save]. The Orthodox Word. p.6.</ref><ref group="note">''"The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep."'' (John 10:11).</ref>

''Holy New Martyr Priest John of Santa Cruz, pray to God for us!''

==Canonization==
His [[glorification]] has not yet won universal support however, and illustrates the controversy that can arise over the precise boundaries of categories of sanctity.<ref name="BLACKWELL"/> Nevertheless:

<blockquote>"the Church has always been purified by the [[blood]] of its [[Martyr|martyrs]]. The wheat is thus separated from the chaff, the sheep from the goats. This is a sobering thought,...for many, however, it is also a distressing thought, so threatening that they do not want to consider its implications. It is probably for this reason that many Orthodox Christians reacted to Fr. John's martyrdom with almost total indifference, as if it had not occurred amidst us but was a matter as far removed as the moon. It is more comfortable to view his death as some "freak" crime, a tragedy without purpose or meaning. This makes its somehow "neutral," unrelated to our lives as Orthodox Chrisitians. But nothing in God's world is without meaning and purpose. God has glorified a [[martyr]] on our soil, and it is our responsibility as children of our heavenly Father not to leave this unnoticed and ignored."<ref>[http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4261906/Fr.%20John%20Karastamatis-1.pdf Saints of America: A New Blossom of American Sanctity: New-Martyr Priest John of Santa Cruz]. The Orthodox Word. May 5/18, 1985. p.114.</ref></blockquote>

==Hymns==
'''[[Troparion]] – Tone 1''' 
Having cultivated the fruit of God’s knowledge by thy labors, 
thou hast plucked out the root of godlessness and proclaimed in our land the true faith. 
Anointed with grace thou hast tended the flock entrusted thee, 
and in shedding thy [[blood]] thou waterest the seeds of Christ’s true faith in our land, 
O New Martyr John of Santa Cruz. 
Glory to Him Who hath granted thee strength; 
Glory to Him Who hath crowned thee; 
Glory to Him Who granteth healing for all through thee.

'''Hymn to Passion-Bearer John of Santa Cruz'''<ref>Thomas Collord. [http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4261906/Fr.%20John%20Karastamatis-1.pdf Hymn to Passion-Bearer John of Santa Cruz]. p.37. (.pdf)</ref> 
Thou melodic chanter with the chorus of angels! 
Thou cheerful comforter of the aged! 
Thou compassionate healer of the infirm! 
Thou fearless expounder of the true faith! 
Thou untiring intercessor for the young! 
Thou zealous restorer of family unity! 
Thou Lamp shining in the darkness of our times! 
Thou, Righteous New Martyr John, we beseech, pray to Christ our God, that we may obtain Eternal Life!

===In Greek===
'''Ἀπολυτίκιον'''<ref name=ZOUMIS>[http://kyrigma.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html Ὁ ἅγιος Νεομάρτυς καί Ἱερομάρτυς Ἰωάννης τῆς Σάντα Κρούζ]. Θείον Κήρυγμα: Κηρύγματα καί ὁμιλίες τοῦ πρωτοπρεσβυτέρου Γεωργίου Ρ. Ζουμῆ, Γενικοῦ Ἀρχιερατικοῦ Ἐπιτρόπου τῆς Ιερᾶς Μητροπόλεως Ἐδέσσης, Πέλλης καὶ Ἀλμωπίας. Δευτέρα, 21 Ιουνίου 2010.</ref> 
'''Ἦχος α΄. Τῆς ἐρήμου πολίτης.''' 
Νέου Κόσμου τό φέγγος καί τῆς Ἄνδρου τό βλάστημα, 
Ἱερομαρτύρων τήν δόξαν, Ἰωάννην τιμήσωμεν. 
Σφαγείς γάρ τῷ Ναῷ ὑπέρ Χριστοῦ, ἀρτίως καταυγάζει Σάντα Κρούζ, 
καί συνάγει Ὀρθοδόξους, ἁπανταχόθεν ἀνακράζοντας: 
δόξα τῷ σέ δοξάσαντι Χριστῷ, 
δόξα τῷ σέ στεφανώσαντι, 
δόξα τῷ σέ προστάτην θαυμαστόν, τοῖς ἔθνεσιν δείξαντι.

'''Ἕτερον. Ἦχος πλ. α΄'''<ref name="ZOUMIS"/> 
'''Τόν συνάναρχον Λόγον.''' 
Ἀποστόλων τήν φλόγα ψυχῇ δεξάμενος, 
τόν Νέον Κόσμον φωτίζεις ἐν ἡμετέροις καιροῖς, 
ἀφανίζεις τε σατᾶν τά μηχανήματα, 
ὅτι σ᾿ αὐτόν ὑπέρ Χριστοῦ ἱερούργησας πιστῶς, τῆς Σάντα Κρούζ, Ἰωάννη. 
Τῆς νήσου Ἄνδρου ὁ γόνος, ἡμῶν δέ σκέπη καί καταφύγιον.

==See also==
* [[List of American saints]]

==Notes==
<references group="note" />

==References==
<div><references/></div>

==Sources==
* Ken Parry, David J. Melling, Dimitri Brady, Sidney H. Griffith and John F. Healey (Eds.). ''[http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/tocnode?id=g9780631232032_chunk_g978063123203214_ss1-14 John Karastamatis].'' '''The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity.''' 2001. eISBN 9780631232032
* [http://www.prescottorthodox.org/2010/10/new-hieromartyr-john-karastamatis-of-santa-cruz/ New Martyr John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz]. St. George Greek Orthodox Church, of Prescott. (''Source: '''The Orthodox Word, #122 / 1985''' '')
* [http://orthodoxword.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/the-new-hieromartyr-john-karastamatis-of-santa-cruz/ The New Hieromartyr John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz]. '' '''Orthodox Word. May 19, 2011.''' '' (''Source: Translation of [http://www.impantokratoros.gr/84A7DC93.el.aspx Greek article]'')
* [http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4261906/Fr.%20John%20Karastamatis-1.pdf Saints of America: A New Blossom of American Sanctity: New-Martyr Priest John of Santa Cruz]. (''Various articles compiled; .pdf format; 24 pp.)
* Claude Lopez. [http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/05/miracles-of-saint-john-karastamatis-of.html Miracles of Saint John Karastamatis of Santa Cruz]. ''MYSTAGOGY: The Weblog of John Sanidopoulos.'' October 6/19, 1989.
* Nun Cornelia (Rees). [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/080205103442.htm Interview with Archimandrite Meletios (Webber)]. ''PRAVOSLAVIE.RU.'' 05/02/2008.
* [http://www.ahepa20.org/~chapter243/2010/01/please-help-us-keep-cold-blooded-killer.htm Please help us keep a cold-blooded killer behind bars]. ''Santa Barbara AHEPA Chapter 243.'' January 8, 2010.
* [http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=283854374950 Justice for Father John Karastamatis]. ''Facebook (group).''

'''Newspaper Sources'''
* ''Our Correspondent.'' Santa Cruz - Slain Priest Was 'Severely Beaten'. ''The San Francisco Chronicle.'' May 21, 1985.
* [http://articles.latimes.com/1986-01-09/news/mn-14136_1_greek-orthodox-priest Court Hearing - the State]. ''Los Angeles Times.'' January 09, 1986.
* Joan Connell. SHATTERED PARISH REBUILDS CHURCH TRIES TO PUT SLAYING BEHIND IT. ''San Jose Mercury News.'' August 23, 1986.
* Darrel W. Cole. Priest’s killer set for parole hearing. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' June 12, 2001.
* Jennifer Squires. [http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/education/ci_14308329 Parole hearing stirs memories of the murder of the Santa Cruz Greek Orthodox Church's first priest]. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' February 1, 2010.
* Jennifer Squires. [http://www.orthodoxnews.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=usnews.one&content_id=18416&CFID=72092943&CFTOKEN=53644936&tp_preview=true Man who killed Santa Cruz priest denied parole for five years]. ''Santa Cruz Sentinel.'' February 8, 2010.

'''Greek Sources'''
* [http://www.impantokratoros.gr/84A7DC93.el.aspx Ο νεοφανής Ιερομάρτυς της Ορθοδοξίας Ιωάννης της Σάντα Κρουζ]. ''Ο ΟΣΙΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΘΕΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΡΟΥ.'' ΤΕΥΧΟΣ 17, Μάιος-Αύγουστος 2006, Θεσ/νίκη.
* [http://kyrigma.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html Ὁ ἅγιος Νεομάρτυς καί Ἱερομάρτυς Ἰωάννης τῆς Σάντα Κρούζ]. Θείον Κήρυγμα: Κηρύγματα καί ὁμιλίες τοῦ πρωτοπρεσβυτέρου Γεωργίου Ρ. Ζουμῆ, Γενικοῦ Ἀρχιερατικοῦ Ἐπιτρόπου τῆς Ιερᾶς Μητροπόλεως Ἐδέσσης, Πέλλης καὶ Ἀλμωπίας. Δευτέρα, 21 Ιουνίου 2010.
* [http://kyrigma.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_6716.html Ἀκουλουθία Αγίου Ιωάννη της Σάντα Κρούζ]. Θείον Κήρυγμα: Κηρύγματα καί ὁμιλίες τοῦ πρωτοπρεσβυτέρου Γεωργίου Ρ. Ζουμῆ, Γενικοῦ Ἀρχιερατικοῦ Ἐπιτρόπου τῆς Ιερᾶς Μητροπόλεως Ἐδέσσης, Πέλλης καὶ Ἀλμωπίας.

[[Category:Priests]]
[[Category:Martyrs]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:American Saints]]
[[Category:Greek Saints]]
[[Category:Modern Saints]]
[[Category:Missionaries]]

[[el:Ιωάννης (Καρασταμάτης) της Σάντα Κρούζ]]

Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleutheroupolis

2012-05-24T13:41:28Z

ASDamick: standardizing Anglicization

His Eminence '''Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleutheroupolis''' is the [[Metropolitan]] of the [[Metropolis of Eleutheroupolis]] under the administration of the [[Church of Greece]]. The Metropolis of Eleutheroupolis is a metropolis in the New Lands of Greece, under the [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]]. [http://www.patriarchate.org/patriarchate/jurisdiction/administration/dioceses/new-lands]. Metr. Chrysostomos has been the ruling hierarch of the metropolis since 2004.

==Life==
John Avagianos was born in 1947 in the village of Mesagro on the island of Lesbos in the northern Aegean Sea. John studied at and graduated from the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens. He entered the [[Holy Orders]] when he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] in 1973, receiving the name Chrysostomos. In 1977, Dcn. Chrysostomos was ordained to the [[priest]]hood.

Father Chrysostomos served as a preacher with the Metropolises of [[Metropolis of Florina, Prespai, and Eordaia|Florina]] and [[Metropolis of Mytiline|Mytilene]] before he was assigned to serve the [[Archdiocese of Athens]]. He also served as [[chaplain]], director of the boarding school, and teacher of the Rizario Church School, a higher ecclesiastical school in Athens. <ref>[http://lyk-rizar.att.sch.gr/first.html Rizarios Church School, Athens]</ref>

On [[April 26]], 2004, Fr. Chrysostomos was elected by the [[Holy Synod]] to the [[episcopate]] and was [[consecration|consecrated]] Metropolitan of Eleytheroupolis and Exarch of Pangaeon on [[May 28]], 2004.

==Reference==
<references/>

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleutheroupolis|Evdokimos (Kokkinakis)]]|
title=Metropolitan of Eleutheroupoleos|
years=2004-Present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.orthodox-christianity.org/orthodoxy/churches/greece/greducation/ Directory of Orthodox Internet Resources]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Eleutheroupolis]]
[[Category:21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:University of Athens Theology School Graduates]]

Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleytheroupolis

2012-05-24T13:40:38Z

ASDamick: moved Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleytheroupolis to Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleutheroupolis: standardizing Anglicization

#REDIRECT [[Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleutheroupolis]]

Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleutheroupolis

2012-05-24T13:40:38Z

ASDamick: moved Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleytheroupolis to Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleutheroupolis: standardizing Anglicization

His Eminence '''Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleytheroupolis''' is the [[Metropolitan]] of the [[Metropolis of Eleytheroupolis]] under the administration of the [[Church of Greece]]. The Metropolis of Eleytheroupolis is a metropolis in the New Lands of Greece, under the [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]]. [http://www.patriarchate.org/patriarchate/jurisdiction/administration/dioceses/new-lands]. Metr. Chrysostomos has been the ruling hierarch of the metropolis since 2004.

==Life==
John Avagianos was born in 1947 in the village of Mesagro on the island of Lesbos in the northern Aegean Sea. John studied at and graduated from the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens. He entered the [[Holy Orders]] when he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] in 1973, receiving the name Chrysostomos. In 1977, Dcn. Chrysostomos was ordained to the [[priest]]hood.

Father Chrysostomos served as a preacher with the Metropolises of [[Metropolis of Florina, Prespai, and Eordaia|Florina]] and [[Metropolis of Mytiline|Mytilene]] before he was assigned to serve the [[Archdiocese of Athens]]. He also served as [[chaplain]], director of the boarding school, and teacher of the Rizario Church School, a higher ecclesiastical school in Athens. <ref>[http://lyk-rizar.att.sch.gr/first.html Rizarios Church School, Athens]</ref>

On [[April 26]], 2004, Fr. Chrysostomos was elected by the [[Holy Synod]] to the [[episcopate]] and was [[consecration|consecrated]] Metropolitan of Eleytheroupolis and Exarch of Pangaeon on [[May 28]], 2004.

==Reference==
<references/>

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleytheroupolis|Evdokimos (Kokkinakis)]]|
title=Metropolitan of Eleftheroupoleos|
years=2004-Present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.orthodox-christianity.org/orthodoxy/churches/greece/greducation/ Directory of Orthodox Internet Resources]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Eleytheroupolis]]
[[Category: 21st-century bishops]]
[[Category: University of Athens Theology School Graduates]]

Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleutheroupolis

2012-05-24T13:40:25Z

ASDamick: standardizing Anglicization

His Eminence Metropolitan '''Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleutheroupolis''' was the metropolitan of the [[Metropolis of Eleutheroupolis]] under the administration of the [[Church of Greece]]. The Metropolis of Eleutheroupolis is a metropolis in the New Lands of Greece, under the [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]]. [http://www.patriarchate.org/patriarchate/jurisdiction/administration/dioceses/new-lands]. Metr. Evdokimos led the [[Diocese|metropolis]] from 1984 to 2003.

==Life==
Metr. Evdokimos was born in 1923 in St. Thomas, Crete. While he was completing his studies in Theology, Psychology, and Sociology, he entered the [[Holy Orders]] when he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] in 1942. He was ordained a [[priest]] in 1954. After his ordination as a priest, Fr. Evdokimos served various parishes. In 1970, he was assigned to the Kimisis Theotokou Church in Brooklyn, New York, at which he served until his election to the [[episcopate]]. <ref>[http://www.kimisisbrooklyn.ny.goarch.org/about_us Kimisis Theotokou Church: About Our Parish]</ref>

In 1984, Fr. Evdokimos was elected to the episcopate and was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] metropolitan of the Metropolis of Eleytheroupolis. Metr. Evdokimos reposed on [[August 31]], 2003.

==Reference==
<references/>

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Eleutheroupoleos|
years=1984-2003|
after=[[Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleutheroupolis|Chrysostomos (Avagianos]])}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/greece/bios/bio_evdokimos_kokkinakis_metr_eleutheroupolis.htm ORI: Metropolitan Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleutheroupolis]
*[http://www.oki-regensburg.de/verst_03.htm Orthodoxia 2003]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Eleutheroupolis]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]

Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleytheroupolis

2012-05-24T13:39:45Z

ASDamick: moved Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleytheroupolis to Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleutheroupolis: standardizing Anglicization

#REDIRECT [[Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleutheroupolis]]

Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleutheroupolis

2012-05-24T13:39:45Z

ASDamick: moved Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleytheroupolis to Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleutheroupolis: standardizing Anglicization

His Eminence Metropolitan '''Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleytheroupolis''' was the metropolitan of the [[Metropolis of Eleytheroupolis]] under the administration of the [[Church of Greece]]. The Metropolis of Eleytheroupolis is a metropolis in the New Lands of Greece, under the [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]]. [http://www.patriarchate.org/patriarchate/jurisdiction/administration/dioceses/new-lands]. Metr. Evdokimos led the [[Diocese|metropolis]] from 1984 to 2003.

==Life==
Metr. Evdokimos was born in 1923 in St. Thomas, Crete. While he was completing his studies in Theology, Psychology, and Sociology, he entered the [[Holy Orders]] when he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] in 1942. He was ordained a [[priest]] in 1954. After his ordination as a priest, Fr. Evdokimos served various parishes. In 1970, he was assigned to the Kimisis Theotokou Church in Brooklyn, New York, at which he served until his election to the [[episcopate]]. <ref>[http://www.kimisisbrooklyn.ny.goarch.org/about_us Kimisis Theotokou Church: About Our Parish]</ref>

In 1984, Fr. Evdokimos was elected to the episcopate and was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] metropolitan of the Metropolis of Eleytheroupolis. Metr. Evdokimos reposed on [[August 31]], 2003.

==Reference==
<references/>

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Eleftheroupoleos|
years=1984-2003|
after=[[Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleytheroupolis|Chrysostomos (Avagianos]])}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/greece/bios/bio_evdokimos_kokkinakis_metr_eleutheroupolis.htm ORI: Metropolitan Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleutheroupolis]
*[http://www.oki-regensburg.de/verst_03.htm Orthodoxia 2003]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Eleytheroupolis]]
[[Category: 20th-21st-century bishops]]

Metropolis of Eleutheroupolis

2012-05-24T13:39:32Z

ASDamick: standardizing Anglicization

The Holy '''Metropolis of Eleutheroupolis''' is one of the metropolises of the New Lands in Greece that is within the [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Church of Constantinople]] but de facto is administered for practical reasons as part of the [[Church of Greece]] under an agreement between the churches of Athens and Constantinople. The [[Diocese|metropolis]] is located in northern Greece in the eastern part of Greek Macedonia.

==History==
An episcopal [[see]] in the area of the present metropolis existed in the ninth century identified as the Diocese of Alektoropoleos, the evidence of which survives in the present day area of New Peramos near Kavala. The Diocese of Alektoropoleos is first mentioned in the ranking list of the bishops in 901 wherein the diocese is listed as the sixth [[diocese]] under the [[jurisdiction]] of the Metropolis of Philippi.

As the population around the seat of the diocese decreased in the fourteenth century, the seat of the diocese was moved to the present day village of Eleutherai. Another move of the seat occurred about the second half of the eighteenth century, to old Pravi. In 1889, Patriarch [[Dionysius V of Constantinople|Dionysius V]] elevated the Diocese of Eleutheroupoleos to a metropolis with Bishop Dionysios Stavridis as its first Metropolitan. In 1929, the metropolis was renamed "Pravi Eleutheroupoli".<ref>Emiliou D. Mavroudis, The story of Metropolis Eleftheroupoleos, Thessaloniki, 2006)</ref>

==Metropolitans==
*[[Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleytheroupolis|Chrysostomos (Avagianos)]] 2004 - Present
*[[Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleytheroupolis|Evdokimos (Kokkinakis)]] 1984 - 2003
*Ambrose (Nicholas) 1958 - 1984
*Sophronius II (Stamoulis) 1927 - 1958
*Emilianos (Dragoulas) 1924 - 1927
*Constantine (Megkrelis) 1922 - 1924
*German (Sakellaridis) 1909 - 1917
*Petrides (Panaretos 1900 - 1909
*Dionysios II (Stavridis) 1888 - 1900
*Dionysios I 1875 - 1885
*Agathangelos 1872 - 1875
*Neophytos (Papakonstantinou) 1867 - 1872
*Meletius 1864 - 1867
*Anthimos (Gryparis) 1826 - 1863
*Joseph (Zambelis) 1814 - 1826
*Paisios 1808 - 1814
*Timothy 1787 - 1790
*Geradimos 1766 - 1787
*Parthenios c. 1624
*Damianos c. 1615
*Sophronius c.1580
*Nicander 1351
*George 11th century
*Theodore c. 879

==Monasteries==
*Monastery of St. John the Baptist (Prodromos) at Nikisiani For Men

*Monastery of St. Dimitrios at Nikisiani For Women
*Monastery of St. Panteleimon at Chrysokastro For Women
*Monastery of the Virgin Panagia at Chartokopio For Women

==Reference==
<references/>

==Sources==
*[http://www.imelef.gr/ Brief History of I. Mitropoleos Eleftheroupoleos] In Greek
*[http://www.ecclesia.gr/greek/dioceses/Eleftheroupoleos/Eleftheroupoleos.html Eleftheroupoleos] In Greek
*[http://www.ecclesia.gr/English/EnDioceses/Eleytheroupolis.html Holy Metropolis of Eleytheroupolis]
*[http://www.imelef.gr/episk_mitro.htm List of known bishops and Metropolitans of I.M. Eleftheroupoleos] In Greek

[[Category:Dioceses|Eleutheroupolis]]
[[Category:Greek Dioceses|Eleutheroupolis]]

Metropolis of Eleytheroupolis

2012-05-24T13:38:21Z

ASDamick: moved Metropolis of Eleytheroupolis to Metropolis of Eleutheroupolis: standardizing Anglicization

#REDIRECT [[Metropolis of Eleutheroupolis]]

Metropolis of Eleutheroupolis

2012-05-24T13:38:21Z

ASDamick: moved Metropolis of Eleytheroupolis to Metropolis of Eleutheroupolis: standardizing Anglicization

The Holy '''Metropolis of Eleytheroupolis''' is one of the metropolises of the New Lands in Greece that is within the [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Church of Constantinople]] but de facto is administered for practical reasons as part of the [[Church of Greece]] under an agreement between the churches of Athens and Constantinople. The [[Diocese|metropolis]] is located in northern Greece in the eastern part of Greek Macedonia.

==History==
An episcopal [[see]] in the area of the present metropolis existed in the ninth century identified as the Diocese of Alektoropoleos, the evidence of which survives in the present day area of New Peramos near Kavala. The Diocese of Alektoropoleos is first mentioned in the ranking list of the bishops in 901 wherein the diocese is listed as the sixth [[diocese]] under the [[jurisdiction]] of the Metropolis of Philippi.

As the population around the seat of the diocese decreased in the fourteenth century, the seat of the diocese was moved to the present day village of Eleftherai. Another move of the seat occurred about the second half of the eighteenth century, to old Pravi. In 1889, Patriarch [[Dionysius V of Constantinople|Dionysius V]] elevated the Diocese of Eleftheroupoleos to a metropolis with Bishop Dionysios Stavridis as its first Metropolitan. In 1929, the metropolis was renamed "Pravi Eleftheroupoli".<ref>Emiliou D. Mavroudis, The story of Metropolis Eleftheroupoleos, Thessaloniki, 2006)</ref>

==Metropolitans==
*[[Chrysostomos (Avagianos) of Eleytheroupolis|Chrysostomos (Avagianos)]] 2004 - Present
*[[Evdokimos (Kokkinakis) of Eleytheroupolis|Evdokimos (Kokkinakis)]] 1984 - 2003
*Ambrose (Nicholas) 1958 - 1984
*Sophronius II (Stamoulis) 1927 - 1958
*Emilianos (Dragoulas) 1924 - 1927
*Constantine (Megkrelis) 1922 - 1924
*German (Sakellaridis) 1909 - 1917
*Petrides (Panaretos 1900 - 1909
*Dionysios II (Stavridis) 1888 - 1900
*Dionysios I 1875 - 1885
*Agathangelos 1872 - 1875
*Neophytos (Papakonstantinou) 1867 - 1872
*Meletius 1864 - 1867
*Anthimos (Gryparis) 1826 - 1863
*Joseph (Zambelis) 1814 - 1826
*Paisios 1808 - 1814
*Timothy 1787 - 1790
*Geradimos 1766 - 1787
*Parthenios c. 1624
*Damianos c. 1615
*Sophronius c.1580
*Nicander 1351
*George 11th century
*Theodore c. 879

==Monasteries==
*Monastery of St. John the Baptist (Prodromos) at Nikisiani For Men

*Monastery of St. Dimitrios at Nikisiani For Women
*Monastery of St. Panteleimon at Chrysokastro For Women
*Monastery of the Virgin Panagia at Chartokopio For Women

==Reference==
<references/>

==Sources==
*[http://www.imelef.gr/ Brief History of I. Mitropoleos Eleftheroupoleos] In Greek
*[http://www.ecclesia.gr/greek/dioceses/Eleftheroupoleos/Eleftheroupoleos.html Eleftheroupoleos] In Greek
*[http://www.ecclesia.gr/English/EnDioceses/Eleytheroupolis.html Holy Metropolis of Eleytheroupolis]
*[http://www.imelef.gr/episk_mitro.htm List of known bishops and Metropolitans of I.M. Eleftheroupoleos] In Greek

[[Category: Dioceses|Eleytheroupolis]]
[[Category: Greek Dioceses|Eleytheroupolis]]

Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA

2012-05-24T13:01:51Z

ASDamick: simplifying

{{diocese|name=The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA|jurisdiction=[[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]]|type=Archdiocese|founded=1923, 1929, 1996|bishop=[[Constantine (Bahan) of Irinoupolis|Metr. Constantine]]|see=Irinoupolis|hq=South Bound Brook, New Jersey|territory=United States|language=Ukrainian, [[Church Slavonic]], English|music=[[Kievan Chant]] & [[Galician Chant]]|calendar=[[Julian Calendar|Julian]]|population=''unknown''|website=[http://www.uocofusa.org/ UOC-USA]}}

The '''Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA''' ('''UOC of USA''') is a [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] in the United States. It consists of three eparchies ([[diocese]]s), ruled by two diocesan [[bishop]]s, including about 105 [[parish]]es and missions. Its lastest [[primate]] was His Beatitude, [[Metropolitan]] [[Constantine (Bahan) of Irinoupolis]], who served until his death in 2012.
[[Image:UOC of USA (3).jpg|left|thumb|Bishops: Abp. Antony of Hierapolis; Metr. Constantine of Irinoupolis; Abp. Vsevolod of Scopelos]]

==History==
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, large numbers of Ukrainian Orthodox and Ukrainian [[Uniate]] immigrants came to the United States, with many of the latter group converting to Orthodoxy after their immigration. Around 1915, a number of parishes organized themselves into an independent Ukrainian Orthodox jurisdiction in North America, finding guidance in a visiting [[Church of Antioch|Antiochian]] hierarch, Metr. [[Germanos (Shehadi) of Zahle]], whose leadership was sought out particularly by Ukrainians who had been under the [[OCA|Russian Metropolia]], but regarded its hierarch of the time, [[Alexander (Nemolovsky) of Brussels|Alexander (Nemolovsky)]], as being an "anti-Ukrainian" [[Russification|Russifier]], who did not even regard Ukrainians as a separate ethnicity, but rather that "the Ukrainians are not a separate people nor a nation but only one of the Russian political parties."[http://www.archdiocese.ca/moreUOCCformation.pdf]

Eventually, a petition was sent in 1923 to the newly formed [[Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church]] (UAOC), a jurisdiction formed in the aftermath of Ukrainian independence in 1918, but which has never enjoyed canonical recognition in mainstream Orthodoxy.

The UAOC sent Metr. John (Teodorovich) in 1924 to head an American-Canadian diocese, arriving amid questions about the validity of his [[consecration of a bishop|consecration]], given that he had been [[ordination|ordained]] by UAOC bishops, whose consecrations were unrecognized by the mainstream of the Orthodox Church. John had great success in organizing parishes, due to his considerable administrative skill and his insistence on the liturgical use of Ukrainian (rather than [[Church Slavonic]] or English) as well as other Ukrainian cultural identifiers. In the aftermath of Ukrainian independence, nationalist feelings ran strong, and so an emphasis on Ukrainian identity was welcome to those who gathered under John.

Around the same time the [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America]] formed, an organization of former [[Uniate]] parishes who had disputed with the Vatican over the issue of parish property ownership and enforced clerical [[celibacy]]. On [[April 9]], 1929, a meeting of 15 [[clergy]] and 24 [[laity]] was held in Allentown, Pennsylvania, at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church, in which those attending agreed to form a diocese of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians, though unlike those who had affiliated themselves with the UAOC, they wished to be part of a recognized canonical authority.{{orthodoxyinamerica}}

Another meeting took place in New York City two years later, at which Fr. [[Joseph (Zuk) of New Jersey|Joseph (Zuk)]] was nominated to become their bishop. He was ordained in September of 1932 to be the bishop of the new group, becoming an [[auxiliary bishop|auxiliary]] of Archbishop [[Aftimios Ofiesh]], the primate of the [[American Orthodox Catholic Church]] (an early attempt at an autocephalous church in America by the [[OCA|Russian Metropolia]]). Bishop Joseph died only two years later, however, and in 1937, through the leadership of Joseph's successor, [[Bohdan (Spylka) of Evkarpia|Bohdan (Spylka)]], the diocese was received into the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] by Archbishop [[Athenagoras I (Spyrou) of Constantinople|Athenagoras (Spyrou)]] (then head of the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]]), who ordained Bohdan in New York City. Bp. Bohdan at one point had rule over around 45 parishes, also having some initial success in attracting parishes away from the UAOC in America, due to his more moderate views.

During and after World War II, Ukrainian Orthodoxy in America changed radically, as a number of bishops came over from Europe who had been connected either with the UAOC, the [[Belarussian Autocephalous Orthodox Church]] (another unrecognized group), or the autocephalous [[Church of Poland]] (then unrecognized by [[Church of Russia|Moscow]], but recognized by [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]]). These bishops tended to prefer Metr. John's organization over that of Bp. Bohdan, contributing to the swelling of the former's ranks to around 80 parishes, while the latter could claim perhaps only around two dozen (in both cases, however, many of these parishes were little more than missions or house [[chapel]]s).

Serafim Surrency writes:
:Bp Bogdan, with what backing the Greeks could give him, which was mostly moral and very little financial, continued to give some competition to the organization of Theodorovitch, now commonly called the "Ukrainian Metropolia," but it was a losing battle. In addition to the administrative ineptitude of Bp Bogdan, his very moderation in matters Ukrainian seemed to work against him. Bp Bogdan did succeed in attracting some Americans who were interested in Orthodoxy and most in ordination. Bp Bogdan ordained over a dozen native converts to the Orthodox priesthood without requiring any theological education and as might be expected the results were disastrous (an exception was Fr. [[Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas|Dmitry Royster]] who later transferred his allegiance to the Russian Metropolia and was consecrated Bishop in 1969) (p. 113).

In 1942, when persecution of the Church in Ukraine eased under the German occupation, a number of bishops were consecrated for the Ukrainian Orthodox there. One of these bishops, [[Mstyslav (Skrypnyk) of Kiev|Mstyslav (Skrypnyk)]], came to America and joined the jurisdiction of the UAOC, serving in Canada. After some time, however, he came to the United States and joined Bp. Bohdan's group. He desired the unity of the two jurisdictions and worked to convince Metr. John to accept re-consecration as a condition for union.

On [[August 27]], 1949, Metr. John (Teodorovich) was re-consecrated privately, thus ending some of the questions regarding his previous consecration and attracting a number of the parishes of Bp. Bohdan into his flock. Despite becoming the largest Ukrainian Orthodox jurisdiction in the United States at this point, the diocese was still not recognized as canonical by the rest of the Orthodox Church, and the hierarchs who re-consecrated John (Mstyslav (Skrypnyk) and [[Christopher (Contogeorge) of Pentapolis|Christopher (Contogeorge)]], [[exarch]] for the [[Church of Alexandria|Patriarchate of Alexandria]])) were themselves considered dubious by some (ibid., 113).

In 1950, the two rival jurisdictions held [[sobor]]s (in the same cathedral in New York) at which unification was approved by both, and on [[October 13]], a combined unification sobor was held, with both groups signing onto union. A number of clergy and parishes under Bohdan were unconvinced of the sincerity of the UOAC group, however, and convinced him to reject the union. Union was proclaimed, but it was not complete, lacking the support of Bohdan and those who had convinced him to remain separate. Mystyslav essentially returned to the UAOC jurisdiction, along with a number of Bohdan's parishes, while the union was celebrated on [[October 14]] by those who participated.

In 1958, at the twentieth anniversary celebration in Allentown of the consecration of Bohdan, the sobor there raised him to the status of [[metropolitan]] and elected three candidates for consecration to to the episcopacy to assist him (in Canada, Western Europe, and England). Constantinople did not, however, recognize the elevation or choose to consecrate the candidates elected there. After 1957, Bohdan became less and less active, due mainly to advancing age, all the while continuing to lose parishes to the UAOC. He died on [[November 1]], 1965, leaving no successor.

After the death of Bohdan, the Greek episcopacy resident in North America attempted to promote unity between the different Ukrainian factions, but met with failure. Eventually, Fr. [[Andrei (Kuschak) of Evkarpia|Andrei (Kuschak)]] was elected by six parishes of the Constantinopolitan Ukrainians and consecrated to the episcopacy on [[January 28]], 1967, by Abp. [[Iakovos (Coucouzis) of America|Iakovos (Coucouzis)]] and other bishops of the Greek Archdiocese. Bp. Andrei then ruled about a dozen parishes.

Metr. John was succeeded in 1971 by [[Mstyslav (Skrypnyk) of Kiev|Mstyslav (Skrypnyk)]], who served as head of the diocese until 1990, when he was elected as patriarch of the UAOC, being succeeded by Bp. [[Vsevolod (Maidansky) of Scopelos|Vsevolod (Maidansky)]]. (In the same year, the [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada]] was received into the Ecumenical Patriarchate.) Mystyslav died only three years after his election as patriarch, followed by enormous division in Ukraine. Ukrainian Orthodoxy in America, however, generally stayed out of the disputes there.

On [[March 12]], 1995, all the Ukrainian hierarchs outside of Ukraine which had not yet done so were received into the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The following year, in November, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA (formerly under the UAOC) and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America (under Constantinople since 1937) were finally united, with Vsevolod becoming one of the new jurisdiction's diocesan bishops.

The same year as the unity was achieved, a [[tomos]] was issued by a metropolitan of the UAOC establishing a parish in Cleveland, Ohio, and ordaining a local priest with the title of Metropolitan [[Stephan (Petrovich) of Toronto|Stephan (Petrovich)]]. Additionally, in 1998 four parishes of the united jurisdiction (whose priests had been [[suspension|suspended]]) left Constantinople to become part of another unrecognized Ukrainian Orthodox group, the [[Church of Ukraine (Kiev Patriarchate)|Ukrainian Orthodox Church - Kiev Patriarchate]] (UOC-KP).

==Current structure==
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA is divided into three [[eparchy|eparchies]]:
*Central Eparchy (Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Upstate New York, Western Pennsylvania), headed by Metr. Constantine of Irinoupolis (Parma, Ohio)
*Eastern Eparchy (Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Eastern Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia), headed by Abp. Antony of Hierapolis (New York, New York and Washington D.C.)
*Western Eparchy (Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin), headed by Bishop Daniel of Pamphilion (Chicago, Illinois)

In total, there are about 105 parishes, two [[monastery|monasteries]], and one seminary, [[St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary (South Bound Brook, New Jersey)|St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary]] in South Bound Brook, New Jersey. Besides the three hierarchs, the clergy consists of 106 [[priest]]s and 15 [[deacon]]s.[http://uocofusa.org/diodirect/clergy_dir.shtml] 15 of the parishes currently have either no pastor or are served by clergy in their [[deanery]].[http://uocofusa.org/directory/]

==See also==
*[[Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada]]

==Sources==
*Hewlett, Dn. Edward. [http://www.archdiocese.ca/moreUOCCformation.pdf ''The Formation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada'']
*Surrency, Archim. Serafim. ''The Quest for Orthodox Church Unity in America: A History of the Orthodox Church in North America in the Twentieth Century''. New York: Saints Boris and Gleb Press, 1973.
*[http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=42&IndexView=toc Eastern Christian Churches: The Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA and Diaspora], by Ronald Roberson, a Roman Catholic priest and scholar
*[http://uocofusa.org/history/ An Outline of the History of the Metropolia Center of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA] (official website)

==External link==
*[http://www.uocofusa.org/ Official website]

[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
[[Category:Dioceses]]
[[Category:Ecumenical Patriarchate Dioceses]]

[[ro:Biserica Ortodoxă Ucraineană din SUA]]

Benedict IX of Rome

2012-04-18T11:26:29Z

ASDamick:

Pope '''Benedict IX of Rome''' was the [[Pope]] of the [[Church of Rome]] for three different terms, from 1032 to 1044, then during the months of April and May 1045, and finally November 1047 to July 1048. A member of the Theophylactus clan of Rome he is the only man ever to have sold the papacy and is known as a disgrace to the Chair of Peter.

==Life==
Theophylactus of Tusculum was born about 1012, the son of Alberic III, [[w:Counts of Tusculum|Count of Tusculum]]. He was a nephew of Popes [[Benedict VIII of Rome|Benedict VIII]] and John XIX. His father, considering the papacy as a sort of heirloom, obtained the Papal seat for Theophylactus as Benedict IX when he was about twenty years of age, although he has been alleged to have been younger. Although a cleric, he was unqualified for the position by his youth, his bringing up, and his depravity. Leading an extremely dissolute life and with few qualifications for the papacy other his connections with a socially powerful family, his pontifical acts were few. He held two or three councils in Rome and granted a number of privileges to various [[church]]es and monasteries.

His critics were many. Peter Damian, a cardinal and reforming [[monk]], is alleged to have described him as "feasting on immorality". The anti-papal historian [[w:Ferdinand Gregorovius|Ferdinand Gregorovius]] wrote that in Benedict, "a demon from hell in the disguise of a priest... occupied the chair of Peter and profaned the sacred mysteries of religion by his insolent courses." Bishop Benno of Piacenza accused him of "many vile adulteries and murders".<ref>Post multa turpia adulteria et homicidia manibus suis perpetrata, postremo, etc.”Dummler, Ernst Ludwig(1891) (in Latin),Monumenta Germaniae Historica, Libelli de lite, I (Bonizonis episcopi Sutriensis: Liber ad amicum ed.), Hannover: Deutsches Institut für Erforschung des Mittelalters, pp. 584.</ref>

In 1044, one of the factions in the city took advantage of the dissolute life Benedict was leading and drove him from the papal throne amid great disorder and elected [[Bishop]] John of Sabina as Sylvester III <ref>1045 -Ann. Romani, init. Victor, Dialogi, III, init.</ref> However, Benedict succeeded in expelling Sylvester the following year and recovering the papal [[see]].

A month later, Benedict resigned his office so that he might marry, selling his office for a large sum to his godfather the [[priest]] John Gratian who then named himself Gregory VI. Soon regretting his resignation, Benedict returned to Rome and [[Deposition|deposed]] Gregory who continued to be recognized as the true pope. At the same time, Sylvester III also reinstated his claim to the papal throne.

This resulted in the intervention of King [[w:Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor|Henry III]] of the Germans. Benedict, Sylvester, and Gregory were deposed at the [[w:Council of Sutri|Council of Sutri]], in December 1046, and the German Bishop Suidger of Bamberg was crowned Pope Clement II, an action that Benedict did not accept. When Clement II died in October 1047, Benedict again seized the Lateran Palace in Rome in November 1047, but was driven out by German troops in July 1048 and replaced by Bishop Poppo of Brixen, a second German, as Pope Damasus II in November 1048 and who was universally recognized as such.

Following his being deposed Benedict IX refused to appear on charges of simony in 1049 and was [[excommunication|excommunicated]]. The eventual fate of Benedict IX is obscure. He seemed to have given up his claims to the papal throne. The [[abbot]] Luke of the Abbey of Grottaferrata recorded that Benedict turned from his sins and died in penitence at Grottaferrata about the year 1056 where he was buried.

==References==
<references/>

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=John XIX|
title=[[List of Popes of Rome|Pope of Rome]]|
years=1032-1044|
after=Sylvester III}}
{{succession|
before=Sylvester III|
title=Pope of Rome|
years= 1045|
after=Gregory VI}}
{{succession|
before=Clement II|
title=Pope of Rome|
years=1047-1048|
after=Damasus II}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[[Wikipedia: Benedict_IX]]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02429a.htm Pope Benedict IX]
*[http://www.cfpeople.org/Books/Pope/POPEp146.htm Benedict IX]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:11th-century bishops]]
[[Category: Popes of Rome]]

Shenouda III (Gayyid) of Alexandria

2012-03-18T19:03:57Z

ASDamick: added date, changed language to something a bit less fanciful

{{Oriental}}[[Image:HH_Pope_Shenouda_III.jpg|thumb|250px|His Holiness Pope Shenouda III]]
His Holiness '''Pope Shenouda III (Gayyid)''' was the 117th [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Orthodox]] Pope of Alexandria (1971-2012). He died on 17 March 2012.

==A Brief Biography of His Holiness Pope Shenouda III==
His Holiness was born on [[August 3]], 1923 in the city of Assiut in Upper Egypt; he was given the name of Nazir Gayed. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in History in 1947 from the University of Cairo. Mr. Gayed was very active in his church and served as a Sunday School teacher, first at Saint Anthony's Church in Shoubra and then at Saint Mary's Church in Mahmasha. He worked as a high school English and Social Studies teacher in Cairo by day, and attended classes at the Coptic Theological Seminary by night. Upon graduation from the seminary in 1949, he was chosen to teach New Testament Studies. He was appointed in 1953 as a teacher in the Monastic School.

From his youth, His Holiness enjoyed writing very much, especially poems; he is a remarkably literate man as evidenced by the over 100 books that have been written by him. For many years, he was the Editor-in-Chief of the Sunday School Magazine. At the same time, he followed his post-graduate studies at the Seminary of Archeology.

On [[July 18]], 1954, Mr. Gayed was led to the monastic life at [http://www.st-mary-mons.org/ "El-Suryan" Monastery] in the western desert of Egypt; he was given the name of Father Antonyos El-Suryaani. For six years, from 1956 to 1962, he lived a life of solitude in a cave about seven miles away from the monastery, dedicating all his time to meditation, prayer, and asceticism. He was among the candidates nominated for the papal throne in 1956, but [[Cyril_VI_%28Atta%29_of_Alexandria|Pope Cyril VI]] was the one ultimately chosen for the post.

In 1962, he was ordained by the late Pope Cyril VI as Bishop of Ecclesiastical (Religious) Education and was named President of the Coptic Theological Seminary; he was given the name of Bishop Shenouda on September 30, 1962. Continuing from his literary past, Bishop Shenouda published the first issue of "El-Keraza" magazine in Arabic in 1965, and remains the Editor-in-Chief to this day. Bishop Shenouda was suspended in 1966 by Pope Kyrillos VI.[http://www.coptichistory.org/new_page_1494.htm], [http://www.zeitun-eg.net/members_contrib/DrGeorgeHBebawi16Nov06.doc] This was essentially the result of Bishop Shenouda's (and students') enthusiastic 'campaigns for change' that used rather strong words, e.g., supporting people's right to choose their bishops and priests, a principle he later applied when he became pope after the repose of Pope Kyrillos VI. This "conflict" between Pope Kyrillos VI and Anba Shenouda seems to have later been resolved.

On [[November 14]], 1971, His Holiness was enthroned as Pope Shenouda III, the 117th Pope of Alexandria, and successor of the see of St. Mark. Some argue that the choice of Pope Shenouda III as Pope (and Bishop) of the City of Alexandria is not canonical (against Nicea Canon 15 and other Church councils/canons), because His Holiness was already bishop (with another [[episcopate]]) in the 1960s.[http://www.rezgar.com/debat/show.art.asp?t=0&userID=981&aid=80855], [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/35806], [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/35814], [http://www.zeitun-eg.net/members_contrib/FrBishoyKamelBayan.zip], [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/35816], and p.30 onward in [http://web.archive.org/web/20031007020943/http://home.ptd.net/~yanney/The_Transfigured_Cross.pdf] However, there are also modern day examples from other Churches of patriarchs who were previously bishops before their election as patriarchs, e.g., [[Theophilus_III_%28Giannopoulos%29_of_Jerusalem|[1]]], [[Bartholomew_I_%28Archontonis%29_of_Constantinople|[2]]].

==Early Life==
His Holiness Pope Shenouda III was born the youngest of eight children (five sisters and two brothers) on [[August 3]], 1923 in the Upper Egyptian province of Assiut, and was named Nazeer Gayed. His mother passed away shortly after his birth. By the age of sixteen, Nazeer began service in the Sunday School of St. Anthony's Church in Shoubra, Cairo, where he also went to school.

In 1943, Nazeer entered the University of Cairo and completed a Bachelor of Arts in English and History while he spent his summer vacations at the Monastery of St. Mary (Souryan). Although at this time only graduate students were admitted to the evening classes at the Coptic Theological Seminary, Dean Archdeacon Habib Guirguis admitted Nazeer while he was still in his final year of undergraduate study.

After graduation from the University of Cairo in 1947, Nazeer completed his military service and began work as a teacher of English and History. Meanwhile, he completed his Bachelor of Theology and the Dean appointed him as lecturer in the Old and New Testaments. In 1950 Nazeer resigned from his secular employment to take a full-time lecturing position. In 1953, he was appointed a lecturer at the Monastic College in Helwan.

Nazeer and other servants labored for several years to establish a strong Sunday School and youth group at St. Anthony's Church in Shoubra. his service produced hundreds of devoted servants who began establishing youth groups in neighboring parishes.

==Monastic Life==
[[Image:Photo.PopeShenoudaIIIAndBishopsTheophilosTadros.jpg|thumb|HH Pope Shenouda III (Center, with open book)]] The road to monasticism was a natural consequence of the desire from his early years to consecrate his life to Christ. "...I found in monasticism," Pope Shenouda once said, "a life of complete freedom and clarification." he joined the Souryan Monastery in Wadi El-Natroun and, a year later, he was ordained a priest, taking the name Fr. Antonyos (Anthony) El-Souryani. In 1959, [[Cyril_VI_%28Atta%29_of_Alexandria|His Holiness Pope Kyrillos VI]] appointed Fr. Antonyos as his personal secretary.

On [[September 30]], 1962, Pope Kyrillos VI ordained Fr. Antonyos as Bishop Shenouda, the first bishop for Christian Education. He became the President and Dean of the Theological Seminary, and by late 1969 the enrollment of full-time students doubled and the enrollment of part-time students increased 10 times its original number. Under his presidency, women were admitted to the College and several were appointed lecturers. His Grace's efforts were recognized in 1969 when he was elected President of the Association of Middle East Theological Colleges.

==Enthronement as Pope of Alexandria==
On [[March 9]], 1971, His Holiness Pope Kyrillos (Cyril) VI departed in peace. The Holy Synod met on [[March 22]] to plan for the election of the new Patriarch. Among the final three candidates was Bishop Shenouda. On October 31, 1971, the altar ballot was conducted during the divine Liturgy on the Feast of Saint Reweis. At the end of the Liturgy, His Eminence Metropolitan Antonyos, laid his hands on a young boy who was then blindfolded and told to choose one of the three pieces of paper from the box. The ballot box had been taken from the altar and placed on an elevated table. As the congregation prayed the Lord's Prayer and the words "Lord Have Mercy," the boy chose one of the pieces of paper and gave it to Metropolitan Antonyos, who then joyfully declared God's chosen shepherd for His church as His Grace Bishop Shenouda, Bishop of Education.

On [[November 14]], 1971, in Saint Mark's Cathedral in Cairo, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III was enthroned as 117th Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark. His Holiness became the first patriarch of Alexandria since the fifth century to have been Dean of the Theological Seminary. He continues to lecture at the branches of the Seminary in Cairo, Alexandria, and abroad and at the Higher Institute of Coptic Studies. To meet the expanding ministry of Christian education, His Holiness established other branches of the seminary in Egypt, as well as three graduate institues: Biblical Studies, Hymnology, and Coptic Language. On [[November 29]], 1993, he officially opened the Institute of Pastoral Care. For his erudition in theology and scripture, His Holiness has been awarded four honorary Doctoral Degrees in Theology, three from American Universities and one from a German University.

His Holiness' edifying and spiritually uplifting sermons have won international acclaim; in 1978 the Browning Institute awarded him the prize for the best Christian preacher in the world. His Holiness is also the author of more than eighty books on a variety of subjects, and over the past 20 years, he has been the Editor-in-Chief of the Church's official magazine, EL-KERAZA.

==Pastoral Activities==
His Holiness ordained more than seventy bishops, established general bishoprics, including the first Bishopric of Youth, more than four hundred priests, and countless deacons for Cairo, Alexandra and the Churches abroad. This extended the pastoral care to every city, village and family all over the See of St. Mark. His Holiness continually holds meetings and seminars with the clergy to discuss any pastoral problems or needs.

His Holiness also gives special attention to the service of women in the Coptic Orthodox Church. "We felt a great need of the work of women and we wanted women to have a certain order and service in the Church, not only to have girls as Sunday School teachers who give a part of their time whenever they can, but we want girls and women to give their whole life to God and serve the church." His Holiness says.

Despite his many responsibilities, His Holiness usually manages to spend three days a week in the monastery. His love of monasticism has led to a monastic revival in the Coptic Church. He has ordained hundreds of monks and nuns and renovated and reestablished many monasteries and convents. He is the first Pope to establish Coptic monasteries outside of Egypt, which presently number eight.

As a Bishop for Christian Education, His Grace has overseen the education of Sunday School Curriculum, and during his papacy, has continued to hold meetings for Sunday School teachers to establish a Sunday School curriculum for the churches abroad.

==The Exile and Efforts of National Unity ==
During the early years of his enthronement, His Holiness Pope Shenouda had an amicable relationship with the late Egyptian President Anwar El-Sadat. However, during his presidency, violent Islamic fundamentalist groups increased all over Egypt, especially in the Universities. They started to attack the Copts, vandalize their businesses, and burn their churches, which led Pope Shenouda to protest to the government against this repeated violence. In spring 1981, Pope Shenouda refused to hold any public Church celebrations of Easter and didn't receive that year the President's delegates who are regularly sent to greet the Church and Coptic Christians on such occasions (this particular move by Pope Shenouda III was very embarrassing to President Sadat, both nationally and internationally). Sadat reacted by issuing a presidential decree to exile His Holiness to the Monastery of St. Bishoy, imprison eight bishops, twenty-four priest, leading Coptic lay figures, and ban “El-Keraza" magazine and “Watany" newspaper.

(Another major difference between Sadat and Pope Shenouda III is the attitude of the latter regarding the normalization of the relations between Egypt and Israel and His Holiness' very prominent Arab nationalist zeal. In fact, there is currently (as of 2006) a papal decree issued by Pope Shenouda III that anathematizes any Copt who dares to visit the Christian holy places in Jerusalem and Israel.[http://www.copticpope.org/downloads/audio/kods_trip.zip] According to that decree, such Copts are automatically banned from receiving Holy Communion in the Coptic Orthodox Church, with no route or mechanism being offered to them for repentance and lifting of this ban. Pope Shenouda III has repeatedly declared that Christians must only visit Jerusalem hand in hand with their Muslim brothers after the conflict with Israel is resolved to the satisfaction of all parties. Because of this, many Copts, especially in the diaspora, have accused the pope of mixing religion (ban on receiving Holy Communion if one visits Jerusalem for pilgrimage) with politics (the Arab-Israeli conflict), and consider this papal decree unjustified.)

Despite having to spend forty months away from his flock, His Holiness continued to care for his church. He saw the exile as an opportunity for spiritual retreat and wrote sixteen books during that time.

A month after his decree, Sadat was assassinated by the same fundamentalist groups. After much effort from His Holiness’ children inside and outside the Coptic Orthodox Church, and after three and a half years, the succeeding Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, released Pope Shenouda from exile. Accompanied by many bishops, His Holiness returned to St. Mark’s Cathedral in Cairo, where more than ten thousand people filled the Cathedral to receive the Pope.

His Holiness, after praying the Prayer of thanksgiving, greeted the flock with these words: “I have no residence except in your hearts, which are full of love. I have never been away from your hearts, not even for a twinkle of an eye." He went on to say “I would like to do my best to deepen love, peace and reconciliation between the Church and the State, between the Church and our Muslim citizens. We are like organs in the one body, which is Egypt."

His Holiness works tirelessly to improve relations between the Christians and Muslims in Egypt, in order to establish a peaceful social environment and to dispel sectarian divisions. The Pope and the president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, are in good relations, as well as with the moderate Muslims in Egypt.

==Ecumenical Relations==
[[Image:With%20Pope%20John%20Paul%20II.gif|thumb|With HH the late Pope John Paul II in Cairo (2000)]] His Holiness Pope Shenouda is well known for his deep commitment to Christian unity. In an address he gave at an ecumenical forum during the International Week of Prayer for Christian Unity held at Saint Mark's cathedral in Cairo in 1974, His Holiness declared that: "The whole Christian world is anxious to see the Church unite. Christian people, being fed up with divisions and dispersion, are pushing their Church leaders to do something about Church unity and I am sure that the Holy Spirit is inspiring us." He has emphasized that Christian unity must be founded upon a unity of Faith and not upon a unity of jurisdiction.

Before his enthronement, Bishop Shenouda attended the first unofficial ecumenical consultation between theologians of the Oriental Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches, in Vienna in September 1971. The agreed statement included the words: "We believe that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, is God the Son incarnate; perfect in His divinity and perfect in His humanity. His divinity was not separated from His humanity for a single moment, not for the twinkling of an eye. His humanity is one with His divinity without commixture, without confusion, without division, without separation. We in our common faith in the one Lord Jesus Christ regard His mystery inexhaustible and ineffable and for the human mind never fully comprehensible or expressible." (From the Communique of the first nonofficial ecumenical consultation between theologians of the Oriental Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Churches, in 1971).

[[Image:With_Pope_John_Paul_II-2.jpg|thumb|Another photo with HH the late Pope John Paul II in Cairo (2000)]] In May 1973, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III paid a cordial visit to His Holiness, the late Pope Paul VI in Rome. This was the first meeting between an Alexandrine and Roman Pontiff since the time of the great schism of 451 AD. Both Popes signed a common Declaration, containing, amongst other things, a confession of common Faith in the mystery of the Word Incarnate. In welcoming His Holiness to Rome, the late Pope Paul VI said, "You are indeed the head of a church whose origin goes back to the Evangelist Mark and which had in Saint Athanasius...the invincible defender of our common Nicene faith, that is, faith in the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ."

In response, His Holiness Pope Shenouda said, "We have to declare that between us there are many points of agreement in the principles of faith. As for points of difference, there is no doubt that after fifteen centuries of study, examination, and controversy, we are at much nearer grounds of agreement than our ancestors of the fifth and sixth centuries. We are all more ready and more intense in our desire to reach solutions for differences and attain simpler expressions of our common faith."

Following this historic encounter, a joint Commission was established to explore the road to full intercommunion between the two Apostolic Churches. See [http://www.prounione.urbe.it/dia-int/oo-rc_copt/doc/e_oo-rc_copt_1973.html Pope Paul VI and Pope Shenouda III's Common Declaration]and [http://www.prounione.urbe.it/dia-int/oo-rc_copt/e_oo-rc_copt-info.html other joint meetings/reports].

In June 1989, His Holiness opened the conference of the International Commission for Inter-Orthodox theological Dialogue. A part of the agreed statement said: "When we speak of the one composite (synthetos) hypostasis of our Lord Jesus Christ, we do not say that in Him a divine hypostasis and a human hypostasis came together. It is that the one eternal hypostasis of the Second Person of the Trinity has assumed our created human nature in that act of uniting it with His own uncreated divine nature, to form an inseparably and unconfusedly united real divine-human being, the natures being distinguished from each other contemplation (theoria) only....We agree in condemning the Nestorian and the Eutychian heresies. We neither separate nor divide the human nature in Christ from His divine nature, nor do we think that the former was absorbed in the latter and thus ceased to exist" ([http://www.metroplit-bishoy.org/files/Dialogues/Byzantine/ORIENT1.DOC First Agreed Statement with the Byzantine Family of Orthodoxy in 1989]). See also [http://www.metroplit-bishoy.org/Byzantine.htm Dialogue With the Byzantine Family of Orthodoxy]and [http://www.metroplit-bishoy.org/files/Dialogues/Byzantine/ORIENT4.DOC Latest Agreed Statement (With the Ecumenical Patriarchate)].

Until now, His Holiness initiates and closely monitors theological dialogue with the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Swedish Lutheran, and the World Alliance of Reformed Churches. His Holiness also served as one of the Presidents of the World Council of Churches and the Middle East Council of Churches.

See also [http://www.metroplit-bishoy.org/3Patriarchs.htm Meetings of Oriental Orthodox Churches], [http://www.metroplit-bishoy.org/dialogue.htm Dialogues With Other Churches]and [http://www.coptic.net/public/news/2001-04-06.txt Report About Relations With the Russian Orthodox Church].

==The Coptic Church All Over the World==
[[Image:PopeShenoudaInHonolulu.jpg|thumb|His Holiness Pope Shenouda III (center) pictured with Fr. Nicholas V. Gamvas, Proistamenos and Gregory Malick, Protopsalti during his visit to Honolulu to consecrate St. Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church]] When His Holiness Pope Shenouda III was enthroned, there were only seven Coptic churches outside of Egypt: two each in Canada, the United States of America, Australia, and one in England. Due mainly to the efforts and encouragement of His Holiness, today there are more than 300 churches outside of Egypt, of which more than 100 are in the United States. There are two theological seminaries in the U.S., and a monastery in California. In addition, His Holiness was the first Pope to ordain Bishops for the Dioceses of North America. Bishop Karas was ordained for the Monastery of St. Antony's in California, Bishop Serapion for the Diocese in Los Angeles, Southern California, and Hawaii, and Bishop Youssef for the Southern United States. There are 24 churches in Canada, and the city of Toronto houses a large Coptic Cultural Center. In Australia and New Zealand, there are currently 28 churches, a theological college, two secondary schools, a primary school, two monasteries and a nursing home, plus two churches in Fiji. In Europe, there are currently over 50 churches. There are six churches and a large Coptic cathedral in Great Britain, including a large Coptic Center in Birmingham and another one in Stevenage. There are churches in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. There are nine churches in Germany and a monastery in Frankfurt. There are six churches in France, four in Austria, four churches and a monastery in Italy, two in Holland, two in Switzerland, and one church each in Belgium, Denmark, Greece, and Sweden. In November 1991, the first Coptic Churches were established in South America, with a church in São Paulo, Brazil and in Argentina, and more recently churches have also been established in Bolivia and Mexico. Priests have also been ordained for churches in the Caribbean, including Bermuda, the Virgin Islands, and the West Indies.

As head of the oldest Church in Africa, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III has been very keen to extend the Apostolic mission of St. Mark across all of Africa. There are now 33 Coptic Churches among more than 12 African tribes in nine African countries, including Kenya, Zaire, [[Zimbabwe]], Namibia, and South Africa. Nairobi is also the center of the new Diocese in Kenya.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church (EOTC) has strong historical ties with the Coptic Orthodox Church. The two churches have been linked by very intimate relations since the early centuries of Christianity, as both are children of St. Mark the Apostle. In 1994, upon request of the EOTC, they gained Autocephaly (independence)from the Coptic Church. Both Churches still belong to the See of St. Mark and both confess one Orthodox Doctrine.

Eritrea, upon gaining independence from Ethiopia, received pastoral care from His Holiness Pope Shenouda by his ordination of Eritrean Bishops to form the Holy Synod for the Eritrian Orthodox Church.

==The Papal Visits==
[[Image:PopeShenoudaInUK2004.jpg|thumb|With HG Rowan Williams, [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], in the UK (2004)]]His Holiness has made dozens of pastoral visits outside of Egypt. The most extensive tour took place from August to December 1989, when he made an historic 112 day visit to all the Coptic Churches in Europe, the United States, Canada and Australia. During his trip, His Holiness laid foundation stones of new Churches, consecrated most of the altars in the churches, baptized hundreds of children, ordained hundreds of deacons, delivered many lectures at theological seminaries and universities, opened a theological seminary in New Jersey and in Los Angeles, and conducted numerous spiritual meetings.

In the United States, the mayor of Jersey City hoisted the Coptic Church flag side by side with the American flag at City Hall during the Papal visit. The US House of Representatives invited His Holiness to open a congressional session with prayer. His Holiness also met with former US President George Bush and requested that "he give a big push" to peace in the Middle East. In a previous visit, His Holiness met with former US President Jimmy Carter. Afterwards His Holiness and Carter became good friends.

More recently, Pope Shenouda III underwent spinal surgery at Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, on 22 October 2006.[http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-24-2006/0004458455&EDATE=] Pope Shenouda III has since then fully recovered, and celebrated the 35th anniversary of His Holiness' enthronement as Pope of Alexandria on 14 November 2006 in Egypt, among thousands of faithful who flocked to congratulate His Holiness on this occasion ([http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/35800 videos]).

==Theological disputes and the 2007 Coptic Church crisis==
These have recently come to the attention of the mainstream secular newsmedia in Egypt (see, for example, [http://www.dailystaregypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=5787 this Egyptian newspaper article in English published on 23 February 2007]). More recently a book entitled [http://www.light-n-life.com/shopping/order_product.asp?ProductNum=OZAC100 ''Orthodoxy: A Creed for Today'' (1972)] by the Very Rev. Fr. [[Anthony M. Coniaris]] has been banned by the Holy Synod of the Coptic Church presided by Pope Shenouda III on 26 May 2007, as it discusses the Orthodox concept of [[theosis]], which was considered to be against Pope Shenouda's teachings.[http://www.copticpope.org/keraza351920/page1.jpg] Wikipedia has further details about the subject.[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pope_Shenouda_III_of_Alexandria&oldid=132559251#Theological_disputes] Some learned observers have attributed Pope Shenouda's decades-long theological disputes with different Coptic theologians (like the late Father [[Matta El-Meskeen]]) to personal and ecclesiastico-political motives, rather than to any genuine doctrinal flaws or deviations from Orthodoxy in the writings of these theologians.

See also the 2007 conflict of the Coptic Church with the Catholic and Protestant Churches in Egypt: [[Bishoy_%28Nicola%29_of_Damietta#A_.22controversial.22_figure]].

==Main sources==
* [http://st-takla.org/Pope-1.html H. H. Pope Shenouda III page] at http://St-Takla.org (including sermons, video lectues by Pope Shenouda)
* [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Shenouda_III_of_Alexandria Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia]

==Books by HH Pope Shenouda III (in English)==
*[http://www.copticpope.org Official site] where ''EL-KERAZA Church Magazine'' is available in English
*[http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Natofchr.pdf The Nature of Christ] (PDF)
*[http://www.copticchurch.net/topics/pope/#books Online Books]
*[http://www.coptnet.com/Pope.htm Some of the Books of H.H. Pope Shenouda III]
*[http://www.copticchurch.org/spiritual_books.htm Spiritual Books]

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Cyril VI (Atta) of Alexandria|Cyril VI]]|
title=[[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Pope of Alexandria (Coptic)]]|
years=1971-2012|
after=—|}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Non-Chalcedonian Bishops]]

[[ar:شنودة الثالث (جيد) السكندري]]

Harold of England

2012-03-18T19:02:38Z

ASDamick:

King '''Harold II of England''' (ca. 1022 - [[October 14]], 1066) was the last crowned Anglo-Saxon king of England. He was the son of Earl Godwin of Wessex, succeeded St. [[Edward the Confessor]] to the throne of England, but served as its king for less than a year, dying on the field of battle at Hastings in southern England in 1066, when England was invaded by William the Bastard ("the Conqueror"), Duke of Normandy. He ruled from [[January 5]], 1066 to [[October 14]], the day of his death. Though he has never been formally canonized, he is regarded by some Orthodox Christians as a [[passion-bearer]] or even [[martyr]] and as the last Orthodox king of England.
[[Image:Harold.jpg|right|frame|Harold II Godwinson of England (Bayeux Tapestry)]]

==Life==
===Early years===
Harold's father was Godwin, the powerful Earl of Wessex. Godwin was himself a son to Wulfnoth Cild, Thane of Sussex, and had married twice. His first marriage was to Thyra Sveinsdóttir (994 - 1018), a daughter of Sweyn I who was king of Denmark, Norway, and England. His second wife was Gytha Thorkelsdóttir who was a granddaughter to the legendary Swedish viking Styrbjörn Starke and great-granddaughter to Harold Bluetooth, King of Denmark and Norway, father of Sweyn I. This second marriage resulted in the birth of two sons, Harold and Tostig Godwinson, and a sister, Edith of Wessex (1020 - 1075) who was Queen consort of St. [[Edward the Confessor]].

Created Earl of East Anglia in 1045, Harold accompanied Godwin into exile in 1051 but helped him to regain his position a year later. When Godwin died in 1053, Harold succeeded him as Earl of Wessex (a province at that time covering the southernmost third of England). This made him the second most powerful figure in England after the king.

In 1058 Harold also became Earl of Hereford, and he replaced his late father as the focus of opposition to growing Norman influence in England under the restored Saxon monarchy (1042 - 1066) of [[Edward the Confessor]], who had spent more than a quarter of a century in exile in Normandy.

He gained glory in a series of campaigns (1062 - 1063) against the ruler of Gwynedd, Gruffydd ap Llywelyn, who had conquered all of Wales; this conflict ended with Gruffydd's defeat (and death at the hands of his own troops) in 1063. About 1064, Harold married Edith, daughter of the Earl of Mercia, and former wife of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn. By Harold, Edith had two sons - possibly twins - named Harold and Ulf, both of whom survived into adulthood and probably ended their lives in exile. Harold also had several illegitimate children by his famous mistress (or wife, according to Danish law), Ealdgyth Swan-neck (or "Edith Swan-neck" or "Edith Swanneck").

===1066===
In 1065 Harold supported Northumbrian rebels against his brother Tostig who replaced him with Morcar. This strengthened his acceptability as Edward's successor, but fatally divided his own family, driving Tostig into alliance with King Harald Hardrada ("Hard Reign") of Norway.

Upon Edward the Confessor's death ([[January 5]], 1066), Harold claimed that Edward had promised him the crown on his deathbed, and the Witenagemot (the assembly of the kingdom's leading notables) approved him for coronation as king, which took place the following day, [[January 6]].

However, the country was invaded, by both Harald of Norway and William the Bastard, Duke of Normandy, who claimed that he had been promised the English crown by both Edward (probably in 1052) and Harold, who had been shipwrecked in Ponthieu, Normandy in 1064 or 1065. It was alleged that, on the latter occasion, William forced Harold to swear to support his claim to the throne, only revealing after the event that the box on which he had made his oath contained holy [[relics]]. After Harold's death, Normans were quick to point out that in accepting the crown of England, Harold had perjured himself of this oath.

Invading what is now Yorkshire in September, 1066, Harald Hardrada and Tostig defeated the English earls Edwin of Mercia and Morcar of Northumbria at the Battle of Fulford near York ([[September 20]]), but were in turn defeated and slain by Harold's army five days later at the Battle of Stamford Bridge ([[September 25]]).

Harold now forced his army to march 240 miles to intercept William, who had landed perhaps 7000 men in Sussex, southern England three days later on [[September 28]]. Harold established his army in hastily built earthworks near Hastings. The two armies clashed near Hastings on [[October 14]], where after a hard fight Harold was killed and his forces routed. According to tradition, and as depicted in the Bayeux Tapestry, Harold was killed by an arrow in the eye. Whether he did, indeed, die in this manner (a death associated in the middle ages with perjurers), or was killed by the sword, will never be known. Harold's wife, Edith Swanneck, was called to identify the body, which she did by some private mark (the face being destroyed) known only to herself. Although one Norman account claims that Harold's body was buried in a grave overlooking the Saxon shore, it is more likely that he was buried in his church of Waltham Holy Cross in Essex.

After the Conquest, some of Harold's family fled to Kievan Rus', where his illegitimate daughter Gytha of Wessex married Vladimir Monomakh, Grand Duke of Kievan Rus', and is ancestor to dynasties of Galicia, Smolensk and Yaroslavl, whose scions include Modest Mussorgsky and Peter Kropotkin. Consequently, the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] allegedly recently recognized Harold as a [[martyr]] with [[October 14]] as his [[feast day]].

==Legacy==
A cult of hero worship rose around Harold and by the 12th century legend says that Harold had indeed survived the battle, had spent two years in Winchester after the battle recovering from his wounds, and then traveled to Germany where he spent years wandering as a pilgrim. As an old man he returned to England and lived as a hermit in a cave near Dover. As he lay dying, he confessed that although he went by the name of Christian, he had been born Harold Godwineson. Various versions of this story persisted throughout the Middle Ages, and have little claim to fact.

Literary interest in Harold revived in the 19th century with the play ''Harold'' by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1876) and the novel ''Last of the Saxon Kings'' by Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1848). Rudyard Kipling wrote a story, ''The tree of justice'' (1910), describing how an old man who turns out to be Harold is brought before Henry I of England. E. A. Freeman wrote a serious history in ''History of the Norman Conquest of England'' (1870-1879) in which Harold is seen as a great English hero. By the 21st century Harold's reputation remains tied, as it has always been, with subjective views of the rightness or wrongness of the Norman conquest.

==Saint Harold?==
===The Basis for Sainthood===
The question of Harold's sanctity is a bit complex. History records that he led a moral life and was an honest and dutiful ruler for the English people. There probably is not, however, enough evidence of his personal sanctity based on the general conduct of his life in order for him to be numbered publicly among the saints.

Another question with regard to many western [[saint]]s is the period in which they lived. That is, do they count as Orthodox saints of the old western Church based on living before the [[Great Schism]]? Regarding the British Isles, what is known about the state of the Church there at that time is that subsequent to the Norman Invasion in 1066, church life was radically altered. Native clergy were replaced, liturgical reform enacted, and a strong emphasis on papal church control was propagated. As such, it is probably safe to say that, prior to 1066, the church of the British Isles was Orthodox, and the Normans brought the effects of the Great Schism to British soil. As such, it is probably proper to regard Harold as having been an Orthodox Christian.

The principle question regarding Harold's sanctity is whether he died as a [[passion-bearer]] (one who faces his death in a Christ-like manner) or even a [[martyr]] at Hastings. The defense of England was certainly being undertaken for political and nationalistic reasons—Englishmen had no desire to be ruled over by a foreign king (having experienced it before), so they gladly followed their native monarch in defense of their homeland. Yet did they also die for their faith?

===Papist Invaders versus Orthodox Christian Natives===
Before he set out from Normandy, William had had a difficult time in getting his own Norman barons to follow him in his quest to gain the English crown. Most considered it suicide, if only because of the difficulty in making the crossing over the English Channel in the relatively primitive boats that they used. Thus, William had a problem in terms of gaining military assistance in his campaign. The solution to that problem was presented by one of his advisers, Lanfranc, a Lombard abbot and monastic teacher who had previously helped gain papal approval of William's uncanonical marriage to his wife, Matilda.

Lanfranc's solution (for which he was eventually awarded the position of Archbishop of Canterbury after the Conquest) came in the form of casting the invasion as a crusade to bring the English church into submission to the [[papacy]]. David Howarth, in his ''1066 The Year of the Conquest'', explains:

:The invasion should not be seen as a merely secular conquest; its highest aim should be, or appear to be, the reformation of the English church. It should become a crusade, a holy war to bring back an errant church to Rome. Lanfranc himself, or the Norman church as a body, was willing to bring accusations against the church of England (p. 100).

Whether the English church was indeed errant can be debated. As with much of the Church at the time, corruption was certainly present, but that was by no means unique to England or therefore deserving of military invasion. Indeed, even considering how remote England's church was from Rome, it had for nearly 200 years collected and sent to Rome the offering known as ''Peter's Pence'', and it had always encouraged pilgrimage to Rome by English Christians. As such, the church in England had been remarkably loyal to Rome. Howarth continues:

:Perhaps its principal sin was merely to be different: much of its scholarship and all of its pastoral work were in English instead of Latin, and it was easy for other churchmen to suspect that schisms and heresies were hidden by such a barbarous language. But finally, whatever was said against it, the fact remained that the English then were a devoutly religious people and were satisfied on the whole that their church provided for their spiritual needs (ibid.).

===Norman Conspiracy with the Pope===
Despite the rather shaky grounds on which accusations of English ecclesiastical disloyalty were founded, this was the reason for the invasion which was submitted to the Pope. It was probably something of an afterthought for William's plan, and certainly neither William nor Lanfranc were in a position to judge the English church. Yet the excuse was precisely what the invaders—and the Pope—needed to further their cause, as Howarth says:

:To William, it gave a chance of solving the problem of raising an army: he could promise land and booty to men who took part, but in a holy war the church could promise something more—salvation. To Lanfranc, it gave a chance to offer the Holy See an expansion of power it had been seeking in vain... Lanfranc could therefore ask for papal blessing of William's invasion and offer something in return: William's claim could be submitted to the judgement of the Pope. This would be the first time a pope had been asked to adjudicate a disputed royal succession, and would create a precedent of enormous importance to [Cardinal] Hildebrand... And the present Pope, as it happened, had once been [Lanfranc's] student at [the monastic college of] Bec (p. 101).

Hildebrand had previously been at the head of efforts to disentangle the election of popes from secular politics, thus bolstering the power and solidity of the papacy. (He was eventually elected pope himself, styled Pope Gregory VII, and is a saint in the [[Roman Catholic Church]].) Such an opportunity as Lanfranc's proposal presented to increase the papacy's influence over secular politics could not be missed. Being the most skilful politician at the Vatican, he saw to it that a papal court was held in Rome ("without the slightest reference to the facts," says Howarth on p. 102) at which Harold was entirely unrepresented. As Howarth says:

:It is not recorded whether he was invited to send an advocate, but it is very unlikely. To ride from Rome to Bosham [where Harold was in England] and back again to Rome suggests a month on the road, and nobody was prepared to waste as much time as that. If he had been invited, he and the witan would certainly have answered, quite correctly, that the choice of a King of England had nothing to do with the Pope (p. 102).

The court ruled against Harold, and the Pope

:accepted that William's purpose was to reform the church, he sent his blessing on this holy endeavour, a papal banner to carry into battle, and a ring for William to wear on the expedition which contained a relic of St Peter himself. There was one condition: it was understood that William would hold England as a vassal of the Pope. William had not the least intention in the world of doing anything of the sort; but he accepted the ring and the banner and said nothing. And those, as things turned out, were the most powerful weapons he took to England (ibid.).

===''Harold Rex Interfectus Est'': Harold's Defeat at Hastings===
[[Image:Harold_dies.jpg|right|thumb|300px|''Harold Rex Interfectus Est'' "King Harold is killed" (Bayeux Tapestry)]]
After Harold had returned from his brilliant defeat of Harald of Norway in the north of England, he learned quickly of the Norman invasion. He'd been suspecting it for some time, but it fell hard on the heels of victory at Stamford Bridge that he would have to defend his country in the south, as well.

Upon his return to southern England, he soon received word from William's forces that he had been excommunicated by the Pope and that the Normans carried papal blessing to invade England. All evidence suggests that this news utterly demoralized King Harold. While he had been a powerful commander against the Norsemen, upon hearing news of the alleged [[excommunication]], he declared, "May the Lord now decide between William and me" (Howarth, p. 164), and before going to battle, "the terrible rumour was starting to spread that the King was excommunicated and the same fate hung over any man who fought for him" (ibid., 165).

Records of how the battle actually went suggest that instead of the dynamic fighting force Harold had inspired just days before, the English mainly stood in one place and were slaughtered. Harold had been transformed by his betrayal by the Pope, and his defeat by William (which from a purely military standpoint was by no means assured) marked the end of the ecclesial distinctiveness of the English church and its subsequent capitulation to Rome under Norman rule. Lanfranc himself, as Archbishop of Canterbury, led the Latinization and Normanization of the English church, while William brutalized the English people.

===Harold's Cultus===
Although history's record of Harold's defeat can be interpreted to suggest that King Harold and his men died in defense of the Orthodox Christian faith, aside from the undocumented allegation that the [[Church of Russia]] has glorified him, there is no record of a [[cultus]] developing around Harold. This fact is not necessarily evidence against his place among the saints, especially since the Norman domination of the English church would have utterly squelched the liturgical veneration of the fallen Saxon king.

In our own day, however, some Orthodox Christians—especially those who venerate the saints of the British Isles—have begun to regard Harold as being truly a saint, that he and his men died defending their land from invasion by a foreign faith. Perhaps we may someday see a service written to him and popular veneration grow in the Orthodox Church, especially among English-speaking Orthodox Christians.

==Sources==
* ''1066 The Year of the Conquest'' (1977) by David Howarth (ISBN 0880290145)

*[[Wikipedia:Harold II of England]]
*[[Wikipedia:Lanfranc]]
*[[Wikipedia:Norman Conquest]]
*[[Wikipedia:William I of England]]

==External links==
*[http://www.orthodoxengland.btinternet.co.uk/ocet55.htm Excerpt from: Orthodox Christianity and the English Tradition]
*[http://uk.geocities.com/guildfordian2002/AngloSaxon/FallOrthodoxEngland.htm The Fall of Orthodox England] by Vladimir Moss

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Saints of the British Isles]]
[[Category:Pre-Schism Western Saints]]
[[Category:Rulers]]
[[Category:Featured Articles]]

[[ro:Harold al Angliei]]

Gabriel (disambiguation)

2012-03-10T12:58:39Z

ASDamick:

''' ''Gabriel'' ''' may refer to the following:

==Saints==
* [[Archangel Gabriel]], [[March 26]], [[July 13]], [[November 8]]
* Gabriel of Jerusalem, Abbot (†5th c.), [[January 26]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1905/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ὅσιος Γαβριήλ].'' 26 Ιανουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref>
* Gabriel of Iveron, who took the Holy Icon "[[Panagia Portaitissa|Portaitissa]]" from the sea (†10th c.), [[May 13]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3150/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ὅσιος Γαβριὴλ ὁ Ἴβηρας].'' 13 Μαΐου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=101371 St Euthymius the New, Founder of the Iveron Monastery and His Fellow Georgian Saints of Mt. Athos].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref>
* [[Gabriel of Lesnovo]] (†10th c.), [[January 15]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1758/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ὅσιος Γαβριήλ].'' 15 Ιανουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100200 Venerable Gabriel, Founder of Lesnov Monastery in Bulgaria].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref>
* Gabriel of Pskov (''Saint Vsevelod, Wonder-worker of Pskov'') (†1138), [[February 11]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2098/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Γαβριὴλ ὁ βασιλέας].'' 11 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100503 St Vsevolod (in holy baptism Gabriel) the Wonderworker of Pskov].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref>
* [[Gabriel I of Pec]] (†1655), [[December 13]]<ref>''[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=108071 St Gabriel of Serbia].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref>
* Gabriel II of Constantinople (†1659), [[December 3]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1347/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Γαβριὴλ ὁ Ἱερομάρτυρας Πατριάρχης Κωνσταντινουπόλεως].'' 3 Δεκεμβρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref>
* Gabriel of Constantinople, Hieromartyr (†1676), [[February 2]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1990/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Γαβριὴλ ὁ Ὁσιομάρτυρας].'' 2 Φεβρουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref>
* [[Gabriel of Białystok]] (†1690), [[April 20]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2729/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Γαβριὴλ ὁ Μάρτυρας].'' 20 Απριλίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=101158 Childmartyr Gabriel of Bialystok].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref>
* [[Gavriil (Petrov) of Novgorod and St. Petersburg]], Metropolitan (†1801), [[January 26]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1910/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Γαβριὴλ Μητροπολίτης Νόβγκοροντ καὶ Ἁγίας Πετρούπολης].'' 26 Ιανουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://days.pravoslavie.ru/en/Days/20110126.htm January 26/February 8].'' Orthodox Calendar (Pravoslavie.ru).</ref><ref>''[http://www.pomog.org/index.html?http://www.pomog.org/saintlist.shtml Complete List of Saints].'' Protection of the Mother of God Church.</ref>
* Gabriel the Lesser, of Gareji, Georgia (†1802), [[March 17]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2965/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Γαβριὴλ ὁ Ὁσιομάρτυρας ὁ Μικρός].'' 17 Μαρτίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=205441 Hieromartyr Gabriel the Lesser].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref>
* Gabriel of Imereti, Georgia (†1896) [[January 25]]<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/1895/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Γαβριὴλ ἐκ Γεωργίας].'' 25 Ιανουαρίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref><ref>''[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=205442 St Gabriel, Bishop of Imereti].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.</ref>

==Deceased Bishops==
* [[Gabriel III of Constantinople]] (†1707)
* [[Gabriel (Kremenetsky) of Kiev]] (†1783)
* [[Gabriel IV of Constantinople]] (†1785)
* [[Gabriel (Dozic) of Serbia]] (†1950)
* [[Gabriel (Saliby) of Western Europe]] (†2007)

==Current Bishops==
* [[Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Montreal]]
* [[Gabriel (de Vylder) of Komana]]

==Other==
* [[Gabriel Kostelnik]] (''Hieromartyr Gabriel of Galicia'') (†1948)
* [[Gabriel Bunge]]

----
==References==
<div><references/></div>

 
{{disambig}}

Theophany

2012-02-07T18:02:39Z

ASDamick: /* Celebration of the feast */

[[Image:Theophany.jpg|right|frame|The Baptism of Christ]]
'''Theophany''' (from Greek ''theophania'', meaning "appearance of God") is one of the [[Great Feasts]] of the [[Orthodox Church]], celebrated on [[January 6]]. It is the feast which reveals the Most Holy Trinity to the world through the Baptism of the [[Lord]] (Mt.3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22).

==Baptism of Christ==
This observance commemorates [[Jesus Christ|Christ]]'s [[baptism]] by [[John the Forerunner]] in the River Jordan, and the beginning of Christ's earthly ministry. The Feast of Theophany is the culmination of the Christmas Season, which starts on [[December 25]] and ends on [[January 6]]. In mystic commemoration of this event, the [[Great Blessing of Water]] is performed on this day, and the [[holy water]] so blessed is used by the local [[priest]] to [[Blessing of homes|bless the homes]] of the faithful.

The feast is called ''Theophany'' because at the baptism of Christ the [[Holy Trinity]] appeared clearly to mankind for the first time—the [[God the Father|Father]]'s voice is heard from [[Heaven]], the [[Son of God]] is [[incarnation|incarnate]] and standing physically in the Jordan, and the [[Holy Spirit]] descends on Him in the form of a dove.

This feast is also sometimes referred to as ''Epiphany'' by English-speaking Orthodox Christians, but that name more properly refers to the Western Christian feast falling on that same day and commemorating the visit of the Magi to the child Jesus. The term ''epiphany'' does appear in some of the service texts for this feast, however.

Originally, there was just one Christian feast of the shining forth of God to the world in the human form of Jesus of Nazareth. It included the celebration of [[Nativity|Christ's birth]], the adoration of the wise men, and all of the childhood events of Christ such as [[Circumcision of our Lord|his circumcision]] and [[Presentation|presentation to the temple]] as well as his baptism by John in the Jordan. There seems to be little doubt that this feast, like Pascha and Pentecost, was understood as the fulfillment of a previous Jewish festival, in this case the Feast of Lights. The [[Armenian Apostolic Church]] still keeps January 6 as a feast of both Christ's Nativity and baptism.

==Celebration of the feast==
The services of Theophany are arranged similarly to those of the [[Nativity]]. (Historically the Christmas services were established later.)

The [[Royal Hours]] are read and the [[Divine Liturgy]] of St. [[Basil the Great]] is served with [[Vespers]] on the eve of the feast. The Vigil is made up of Great Compline and [[Matins]]. On the morning of the feast, the Divine Liturgy is served.

The Liturgy of the feast begins with psalms of glorification and praise instead of the three normal [[Antiphons]]. And the baptismal line from [[Galatians]] 3:27 replaces the [[Trisagion|Thrice-Holy]].
:''For as many as been baptized into Christ have put on Christ: Alleluia.''

The [[Gospel]] readings of all the services tell of the Lord's baptism by John in the Jordan River. The [[epistle]] reading of the Divine Liturgy tells of the consequences of the Lord's appearing which is the divine epiphany.

Since the main feature of the feast is the blessing of water. It is prescribed to follow both the Divine Liturgy of the eve of the feast and the Divine Liturgy of the day itself. But most local parishes do it only once when most of the parishioners can be present. The blessing verifies that mankind, and all of creation, were created to be filled with the sanctifying presence of God.

In connection with the feast, it is traditional for the priest to visit all the homes of the faithful for their annual [[house blessing]] using the water that has been blessed at the Theophany services.

== Hymns ==
[[Troparion]] ([[Tone]] 1)
:When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan, worship of the Trinity wast made manifest; for the voice of the Father bore witness to Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truth of His word. O Christ our God, Who hath appeared and enlightened the world, glory to Thee.

[[Kontakion]] (Tone 4)
:On this day Thou hast appeared unto the whole world, and Thy light, O Sovereign Lord, is signed on us who sing Thy praise and chant with knowledge: Thou hast now come, Thou hast appeared, O Thou Light unappproachable.

===Forefeast hymns===
Troparion (Tone 4)
:Be thou ready, Zabulon; prepare thyself, O Nephthalim. River Jordan, stay thy course and skip for gladness to receive the Sovereign Master, Who cometh now to be baptized. O Adam, be thou glad with our first mother, Eve; hide not as ye did of old in Paradise. Seeing you naked, He hath appeared now to clothe you in the first robe again. Christ hath appeared, for He truly willeth to renew all creation.

Kontakion (Tone 4)
:In the running waters of the Jordan River, on this day the Lord of all crieth to John: Be not afraid and hesitate not to baptize Me, for I am come to save Adam, the first-formed man.

===Eve and Afterfeast hymn===
Troparion (Tone 4)
:The River Jordan receded of old by the mantle of Elisha when Elijah ascended into heaven; and the water was separated to this side and that, the wet element turning into a dry path for Him, being truly a symbol of Baptism, by which we cross the path of transient age. Christ appeared in the Jordan to sanctify its waters.

==External links==
*[http://www.oca.org/FSsermons-details.asp?SID=4&ID=5 Discourse On the Day of the Baptism of Christ] Saint [[John Chrysostom]], Archbishop of Constantinople
*[http://oca.org/OCchapter.asp?SID=2&ID=81 Epiphany] ''The Orthodox Faith'' by Fr. [[Thomas Hopko]]
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=100106 Feast of the Theophany of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ] - [[OCA]] website
*[http://www.tenthousandfilms.com/ The Baptism of Christ - Uncovering Bethany beyond the Jordan - 47 min Documentary]
*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/festal/festal.htm#phf05 Icons of Theophany]
*[http://www.geocities.com/kostasrokas/text-18.html βίντεο που παρουσιάζει το Θαύμα στον Ιορδάνη Ποταμό] (in Greek) ''Video that shows a miracle of the Holy Waters at the Jordan River.''

[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[Category:Great Feasts]]
[[Category:Feasts]]

[[mk:Свето Богојавление]]
[[ro:Epifania]]