OrthodoxWiki - User contributions [en]

User:Matrona

2006-05-23T14:25:46Z

Matrona:

If your church does not accept Chalcedon, you are not Orthodox.

[[Category:User Pages]]

Olga Michael

2005-11-09T03:47:16Z

Matrona:

[[Matushka]] '''Olga Michael''' ([[February 3]], 1916 - [[November 8]], 1979), also known as Olinka, was a priest's wife from Kwethluk village, on the Kuskokwim River in Alaska.

== Life ==

Matushka Olga was a Native Alaskan of Yup'ik origin. Her husband was the village postmaster and manager of the general store, and later archpriest, Fr. Nikolai Michael. Serving her community not only as a priest's wife, but also as a midwife, Matushka Olga gave birth to and raised several children, many of whom she gave birth to without the aid of a midwife of her own.

Matushka Olga was known for her empathy and caring for those who had suffered abuse of all kinds, especially sexual abuse. While her family was poor, she was generous to those who were poorer, often giving away her children's clothes to the needy. She was also known for her ability to tell when a woman was pregnant, even before the woman herself had missed her period.

When Matushka Olga reposed, many people from miles around wanted to come to her funeral, but since it was November, the winter weather made it impossible. But a wind from the south brought warm weather, thawing the ice and snow to make the trek to Kwethluk possible. When the mourners exited the church to take her body to the graveyard, a flock of birds followed. The ones who dug her grave found that the ground, too, had thawed. The evening after her funeral, the normal harsh winter weather returned.

== Potential Glorification ==

Olga receives veneration in the region in which she lived her earthly life, and personal veneration from many Orthodox women touched by her life story. It is said that she has appeared in the dreams of the faithful, sometimes alongside the [[Theotokos|Mother of God]]. As of yet, she has not been formally glorified by any jurisdiction.

== External Links ==

[http://oholy.net/BlsdOlgaHome.html Blessed Olga of Alaska: Northern Light of God's Holy Church] includes icon-style egg-tempera paintings of Matushka Olga suitable for personal veneration

Holy Resurrection Cathedral (Tokyo, Japan)

2005-11-08T04:54:24Z

Matrona:

[[Image:Nicolai-do_orig1891.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Holy Resurrection Cathedral as completed in 1891]]
The '''Holy Resurrection Cathedral''', commonly called '''Nikolai-do''', in Tokyo, Japan is the main [[cathedral]] of the [[Church of Japan|Japanese Orthodox Church]]. It is located on Surugadai knoll in Kanda, on property purchased in 1872 by the future Archbishop Nicholas (Kasatkin), now St. [[Nicholas of Japan]], for his mission headquarters to preach [[Orthodox Christianity]] to the Japanese people. Construction of the cathedral began in 1884, to plans prepared by Michael A. Shchurupov, a Moscow architect. It took seven years for the Japanese artisans to complete the edifice, which followed the classic Byzantine church design. The cathedral was consecrated on [[March 8]], 1891.
[[Image:Nikolai-do-earthquake_1923.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Cathedral ruins after the Great Kanto earthquake of September 1923]]

The original cathedral was seriously damaged in the Great Kanto Earthquake of September 1923. The earthquake caused the main bell tower to fall onto the central dome, collapsing it, and thus causing major damage to the building. Fire further damaged and destroyed the iconostasis and the interior of the building. Rebuilding the cathedral became a major task for the then ruling bishop, Archbishop [[Sergius (Tikhomirov) of Japan|Sergii (Tikhomirov)]], who succeeded St. Nicholas after he died in 1912. Since Russia could no longer be looked to as a source of funding, Archbishop Sergii had to look for funding within Japan. A significant amount of funds was raised by numerous concerts by the cathedral choir, led by [[Victor Pokrovsky|Victor A. Pokrovsky]]. The re-built cathedral was re-consecrated on [[December 15]], 1929, with a shorter bell tower, a modified dome that was more in keeping with Archbishop Nicholas' original desires, and a less ornate interior. The re-built cathedral was designed by the Japanese architect, Shinito Okada.
[[Image:Nicolai-do-1930s.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The Cathedral as re-built in 1929]]

Holy Resurrection Cathedral is known more popularly as '''Nikolai-do''' (Nicorai-do, as pronounced in Japanese), meaning ''' The Temple (or House) of Nicholas''', which reflects his popularity in Japan. In the world before the 1960s Nikolai-do was a prominent building that overlooked the Imperial palace, but now it is hidden among the many tall buildings erected since the 1960s.
[[Image:Nicolai-do_21Oct02.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Holy Resurrection Cathedral today]]

[[Category:Churches]]

User talk:Matrona

2005-11-07T00:05:16Z

Matrona: /* Antiochian (EO) - Syrian (OO) Agreement regarding Divine Liturgy */

Thank you for your contributions and welcome to OrthodoxWiki! [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

{{welcome}} --[[User:ASDamick|Rdr. Andrew]] 07:52, 8 Mar 2005 (CST)

== And above all these things put on LOVE, which is the bond of perfectness ==

Peace and Grace,

''"Unity in necessary things, liberty in doubtful things, love in all things" (In necessariis unitas (in essentials unity), in dubiis libertas, in omnibus autem caritas)'' --St. Augustine

I invite you to watch this video starting at minute 26 (rare clips of the late Ecumenical Patriarchs Athenagoras and Demetrius, champions of Church unity)

'''rtsp://realserver.goarch.org/en/gotelecom/lightstillbright.rm'''

I also invite you to carefully read [http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/Article_by_Fr._John_S._Romanides this paper] by a much respected '''Greek Orthodox''' scholar.

''So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE'' (I Corinthians 13:13).

God Bless.
(no reply needed)

----

:First of all, you need to sign your posts on these talk pages. It's not like I can't figure out who you are, Arbible, so I don't know what you're playing at. There's an easy button you can push that signs your name and a timestamp, it's the second button from the right on your screen over every text box.

:Second of all, I may not be the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree, but I can figure out the difference between one of something, and two of something. Christ, who is one Person, has two Natures and two Wills. If believing that makes me unpopular or gets me "banished from the empire", so be it: I've already been vindicated! So, when I see the infallible Ecumenical Councils dragged through the mud, Orthodox saints disparaged for standing up against heresy, and the teachings of heretics uplifted, the ''least'' I can do is register a protest.

:Third of all, I should inform you that throwing a litany of martyrs at me is not going to change my mind. I think that kind of emotionalism is extremely crass, and it is certainly no substitute for the Holy Spirit. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 11:18, 3 November 2005 (CST)

----

::Peace and Grace,

::This is your opinion, which I do fully respect. But let me also respectfully disagree with it. You will find some answers in these notes: [http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/Additional/Miscellaneous_Notes_%28Coptic_Interpretations_of_the_Fourth_Ecumenical_Council%29] and at [http://www.geocities.com/mfignatius/others/byzantine.html].

::If there is anything in common to acknowledge here, this would be the severe limitations of our natural languages (modern and ancient alike), especially when dealing with theological/Christological matters. See some interesting debates from the ''Summa Theologica'' at [http://www.newadvent.org/summa/401801.htm],[http://www.newadvent.org/summa/401803.htm]. If our natural languages were 100% efficient and effective to deal with such matters, you wouldn't have seen all these ongoing, centuries-long debates about the same topic. And at Chalcedon we all know that matters of language were overshadowed and complicated by Imperial politics and Church rivalries. LOVE definitely didn't prevail there, especially if you consider the bloody persecution of the Copts (not just their hierarchs) and other non-Chalcedonian Orthodox Christians that followed.

::We also have many martyrs who died for their Orthodox faith. This remains precious in God's eyes, even though we are now discovering that we were and are all sharing a common faith (perhaps not yet from your point of view). The Coptic Orthodox Church is also a Church supported with innumerable miracles and apparitions to this present day. But we know that "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed". We are also perhaps the most persecuted of all Churches throughout the history of Christendom, but, as the Bible says, this is a privilege from God, a sign of His tremendous and very special love to us, and something to rejoice in (James 1:2).

::Perhaps it would be better if we (Copts) start our own '''CoptopediA''' (www.coptopedia.org?). The technology is cheap and readily available http://www.siteground.com/script_sales.htm?id=285 , though running such a project is not a trivial task and requires immense commitment. But what I enjoy most in this virtual place (OrthodoxWiki) are the prayerful feelings and spirit of brotherhood and unity (or at least sincere aspiration for it) that we do have in common, as Father John and Deacon Andrew have beautifully expressed it at [http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/Talk:Anti-Orthodox].

::Thank you for the tip regarding signatures. I simply didn't know about it. No hidden motives (agape love that should be the foundation of all dealings between mankind "is not easily provoked, ''thinketh no evil''"). Signing with my nickname won't add a lot. After all these are just nicknames with empty profile pages. --Arbible

::Regarding natural languange limitations, let me also add that Incarnation is a real mystery, as the Bible declares, "And without controversy great is the ''mystery'' of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh" (I Timothy 3:16). Trying to describe and "encapsulate" our infinite God within the confines of a finite language will be always shaded with some sort of "imperfection". Let's also not forget that even our brains are limited and finite. --Arbible

----

:::I do not know why you attribute the differences between the non-Chalcedonian belief and the Apostolic, Orthodox-Catholic Faith to "differences in language". Although I am not a scholar of languages, I have not yet encountered '''any''' human language that failed to account for a distinction between "one" of something and "two" of something. Nor have I encountered a language that was unable to be used to clearly express any form of agreement or disagreement.

:::Also, while much about nature of God remains an ineffable mystery, that does not give anyone license to ignore or discount what God has chosen to reveal about the Incarnation by way of the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ecumenical Councils, including Chalcedon and Constantinople III. If you disagree with what those councils said, it's fine by me, I don't make it my business to force my beliefs on others. But as long as you fail to accept those councils, DON'T claim your belief is the same as mine. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 15:54, November 6, 2005 (CST)

----

::::Dcn Peter Theodore has beautifully expressed it, "''So as for the Tome. I believe it says A, B and C and that C is error. Yet I need not say that the Tome is explicitly heretical, I may, as I do, suggest that it is ambiguous and badly written in places. EO theologians such as Father John Romanides of blessed memory have said the same. Now if Constantine believes it says A, B and D then he may quite happily confess it as Orthodox. And I might talk to him and agree that if it did say A, B and D then it would be free from error. So I then discover that Constantine and I, who both believe A, B and D, find no substantial difference in our own faith. We disagree however in whether the Tome teaches C or D. It is the same with Chalcedon. Our bishops have agreed in Synod that both our Church and the Eastern Orthodox do indeed teach A, B and D while we may still disagree as to whether any historical events or synods taught C, D or indeed E.''"

::::St. Cyril explained centuries ago that the Coptic Church believes in "one incarnated nature of God the Word" — that is, one union of two natures — one fully human nature and one fully divine nature.

::::I believe it's better now to stop this discussion. --[[User:Arbible|Arbible]] 16:06, November 6, 2005 (CST)

----

:::::''You'' post that awful quote on my talk page, and then say it's better to "stop the discussion"? I don't know what else to say, except that you've proven my point. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 16:33, November 6, 2005 (CST)

:::::"Cyril... having excellently articulated the wise proclamation of Orthodoxy, showed himself to be fickle and is to be censured for teaching contrary doctrine: after previously proposing that we should speak of one nature of God the Word, he destroyed the dogma that he had formulated and is caught professing '''two Natures of Christ'''" --Timothy Ailouros

:::::"The formulae used by the Holy Fathers concerning two Natures united in Christ should be set aside, even if they be Cyril's." --Severus of Antioch --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 17:19, November 6, 2005 (CST)

== On the lack of LOVE ==

Today, Byzantine Orthodox are rising against each other and even calling the Ecumenical Patriarch a "Turkish Citizen" (technically true, but... ;) - see [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/25131 in Ukraine], [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/25582 Cyprus], and [http://www.geocities.com/mfignatius/others/byzantine06.html America].

Galatians 5: 14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.

== Archiving ==

I thought you might be interested in [[:Wikipedia:Wikipedia:How to archive a talk page|archiving your talk page]] at some point. I have found that link useful myself. {{User:Magda/sig}} 16:51, November 6, 2005 (CST)

== What if only an ordinary man without a trace of sin died on the cross? The soteriological necessity ==

Though I mentioned I won't be engaging in this discussion with you any longer, I felt compelled to reiterate what I wrote elsewhere on this Wiki:

St. Cyril of Alexandria called the Blessed Holy Virgin Mary the Theotokos, Mother of God, not mother of the human nature of Christ. From the soteriological viewpoint, if only an ordinary man without a trace of sin (and not the Incarnate Logos) died on the cross, then this would not be enough as an atonement for the (infinite) sin of mankind against the infinite God.

Copts believe in two natures "human" and "divine" that are united in one hypostasis "without mingling, without confusion, and without alteration" (from the declaration of faith at the end of the Coptic divine liturgy). These two natures "did not separate for a moment or the twinkling of an eye" (also from the declaration of faith at the end of the Coptic divine liturgy). In fact, at the time Christ died on the cross, His human soul left his human body, but His divine nature remained united to His human soul and human body.

P.S. Please discard/trash/archive as you see fit after reading (or without reading it if you so wish).

:Sorry, but I think you're out to lunch on this one. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 17:49, November 6, 2005 (CST)

== Antiochian (EO) - Syrian (OO) Agreement regarding Divine Liturgy ==

''"In localities where there is only one priest, from either Church, he will celebrate services for the faithful of both Churches, including the Divine Liturgy, pastoral duties, and holy matrimony. He will keep an independent record for each Church and transmit that of the sister Church to its authorities. ''

''"If a bishop from one Church and a priest from the sister Church happen to concelebrate a service, the first will preside even when it is the priest's parish."''

Signed: '''Patriarch Ignatios IV (Eastern Orthodox)
Damascus 12.11.1991 [http://www.orthodoxunity.org/state13.html]'''

That's the decision of our hierarchs (both sides).

P.S. Please discard/trash/archive as you see fit after reading (or without reading it if you so wish).

:I don't know how it is with y'all non-chal folks, but in the Orthodox Church, the One (and only) Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church founded by Christ and maintained in unbroken apostolic succession ever since, circumstances requiring economy do not govern the Church as a whole. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 17:49, November 6, 2005 (CST)

::This shouldn't be taken out of its context as an outcome of the successful EO-OO dialogue and the 1990 Chambesy agreement signed by EO hierarchs (read the title of HH Ignatius IV's statement and the rest of it at [http://www.orthodoxunity.org/state13.html]). EO are not allowing this sort of provisions yet with the Roman Catholic Church, so it is not just an ''oeconomia'' issue. --[[User:Arbible|Arbible]] 17:59, November 6, 2005 (CST)

::: First of all, ''yes'', it is an issue of economy. Second of all, my patience with your behavior has been exhausted, so kindly cease posting on my talk page. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 18:05, November 6, 2005 (CST)

Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem)

2005-11-06T23:55:42Z

Matrona: /* The yearly miracle of the Holy Light */ Editing based on Patriarch Diodoros I's account of his practices

[[Image:Holy Sepulchre exterior.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Exterior of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre]]
The '''Church of the Holy Sepulchre''', called '''Church of the Resurrection''' (''Anastasis'') by Eastern Christians, is a Christian church now within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. The ground the church rests on is venerated by many Christians as [[Golgotha]], the Hill of Calvary where the [[New Testament]] records that Jesus Christ was crucified. It also contains the place where Jesus was buried (the sepulchre). The church has been an important [[pilgrimage]] destination since the 4th century, and the portions of it administered by the Orthodox are in the care of the [[Church of Jerusalem]].

==History==
The initial building was founded by [[Constantine the Great]] in 335, after he had removed a pagan temple on the site that was possibly the Temple of Aphrodite built by Hadrian. Constantine had sent his mother St. [[Helen]] to find the site; during excavations she is said to have discovered the [[True Cross]]. The church was built around the excavated hill of the Crucifixion, and was actually three connected churches built over the three different holy sites, including a great basilica (the ''Martyrium'' visited by the nun Egeria in the 380s), an enclosed colonnaded atrium (the ''Triportico'') built around the traditional Rock of Calvary, and a rotunda, called the ''Anastasis'' ("Resurrection"), which contained the remains of the cave that St. Helen and St. [[Macarius of Jerusalem|Macarius, Patriarch of Jerusalem]], had identified with the burial site of Jesus. The surrounding rock was cut away, and the Tomb was encased in a structure called the ''Edicule'' (from the Latin ''aediculum'', small building) in the center of the rotunda. The dome of the rotunda was completed by the end of the 4th century.

This building was damaged by fire in 614 when the Persians under Khosrau II invaded Jerusalem and captured the Cross. In 630, Emperor Heraclius, who had captured the Cross from the Persians, marched triumphantly into Jerusalem and restored the True Cross to the rebuilt Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

[[Image:Holy Sepulchre iconostasis.jpg|left|thumb|300px|The iconostasis in the Orthodox [[catholikon]]]]
Under the Muslims it remained a Christian church, unlike many other churches, which suffered destruction or conversion into mosques. The early Muslim rulers protected the city's Christian sites, prohibiting their destruction and their use as living quarters, but after a riot in 966, where the doors and roof were burnt, the original building was completely destroyed on [[October 18]], 1009, by the "mad" Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who hacked out the church's foundations down to bedrock. The east and west walls and the roof of the Edicule were destroyed or damaged (contemporary accounts vary), but the north and south walls were likely protected by rubble from further damage.

However, a series of small chapels was erected on the site by [[Constantine IX Monomachos]] in 1048 under stringent conditions imposed by the caliphate. The rebuilt sites were taken by the knights of the [[First Crusade]] on [[July 15]], 1099. Crusader chief Godfrey of Bouillon, who became the first "king of Jerusalem," decided not to use the title "king" during his lifetime, and declared himself ''Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri'', "Protector (or Defender) of the Holy Sepulchre." The chronicler William of Tyre reports on the reconstruction. The Crusaders began to renovate the church in a Romanesque style and added a bell tower. These renovations which unified the holy sites were completed during the reign of Queen Melisende 50 years later in 1149. The church was also the site of the kingdom's scriptorium.

The church was an inspiration for churches in Europe like Santa Gerusalemme in Bologna and the "Round Church" of Cambridge, England.

The Franciscan monks renovated it further in 1555, as it had been neglected despite increased numbers of pilgrims. A fire severely damaged the structure again in 1808, causing the dome of the Rotunda to collapse and smashing the Edicule's exterior decoration. The Rotunda and the Edicule's exterior were rebuilt in 1809. The fire did not reach the interior of the Edicule, and the marble decoration of the Tomb dates mainly to the 1555 restoration. The current dome dates from 1870. Extensive modern renovations began in 1959, including a redecoration of the dome from 1994 to 1997.

Several Christian communions cooperate (sometimes acrimoniously) in the administration and maintenance of the church and its grounds, under a fiat of ''status quo'' that was issued by the Sublime Porte in 1852, to end the violent local bickering. The three, first appointed when Crusaders held Jerusalem, are the [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]], the [[Church of Armenia|Armenian Apostolic]] and [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] churches. These remain the primary custodians of the church. In the 19th century, the [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Orthodox]], the [[Church of Ethiopia|Ethiopian Orthodox]] and the [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)|Syrian Orthodox]] acquired lesser responsibilities, which include shrines and other structures within and around the building. An agreement regulates times and places of worship for each communion. For centuries, two neutral neighbour Muslim families appointed by Saladin, the Nuseibeh and Joudeh families, were the custodians of the key to the single door.

When a fire broke out in 1840, dozens of pilgrims were trampled to death. On June 20, 1999, all the Christian communions who share control agreed in a decision to install a new exit door in the church.

==Current configuration of the Holy Sepulchre==
[[Image:Tomb of Christ.jpg|right|thumb|350px|The Tomb of [[Jesus Christ]]]]
In the center of the Holy Sepulchre Church, underneath the largest dome (recently renovated), lays the Holy Sepulchre itself. This temple is used by all the [[Orthodox Church|Greeks]], [[Roman Catholic Church|Latins]] and [[Oriental Orthodox|Non-Chalcedonions]]. It is a red granite edifice, with a large number of giant candlesticks in the front of it. The Armenians, the Latins and the Greeks all serve Liturgy or Mass daily inside the Holy Sepulchre. It is used for the Holy Saturday [[ceremony of the Holy Fire]], which is celebrated by the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. To its rear, within an ironwork cage-like structure, lies the altar used by the Coptic Orthodox. Past that, inside a rear, very rough hewned chapel, the [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)|Syriac Orthodox]] celebrate their [[liturgy|liturgies]] on Sundays. To the right of the sepulchre is the Roman Catholic area, which consists of a large square chapel and another private chapel for the Franciscan monks. Immediately in the front of the Sepulchre is what would be the main area of the church for the congregation, which has been walled off and used by the Orthodox. It features a large [[iconostasis]], and two thrones for the superior and the [[Patriarch]]. Past that, there is the entrance area, which features the stone of annointing which Jesus' dead body is believed to have been prepared for burial upon. Up the stairs to the right of that area, is the most lavishly decorated part of the church, the chapel where Jesus is believed to have been crucified. This area is run by the Orthodox, while the Roman Catholics have an altar to the side. Additionally, there is a subterranean chapel which is run by the Armenians, which commemorates the finding of the [[True Cross]].

In the 19th century, a number of scholars disputed the identification of the church with the actual site of Jesus's crucifixion and burial. They reasoned that the Church was inside the city walls, while early accounts (''e.g.'', [[Epistle to the Hebrews|Hebrews]] 13:12) described these events as outside the city walls. On the morning after his arrival in Jerusalem, Charles George Gordon selected a rock-cut tomb in a cultivated area outside the walls as a more likely site for the burial of Jesus. This site is usually referred to as the Garden Tomb to distinguish it from the Holy Sepulchre.

However, the city walls had been expanded by Herod Agrippa in 41-44 and only then enclosed the site of the Holy Sepulchre. To quote the Israeli scholar Dan Bahat, former City Archaeologist of Jerusalem:
:"We may not be absolutely certain that the site of the Holy Sepulchre Church is the site of Jesus' burial, but we have no other site that can lay a claim nearly as weighty, and we really have no reason to reject the authenticity of the site." (1986)

==The yearly miracle of the Holy Light==

Each year on Pascha, an awe-inspiring event takes place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. At noon of the Holy Saturday, the [[Church of Jerusalem|Patriarch of Jerusalem]] with his escort - archpriests, priests and deacons and the Armenian Patriarch enter the Holy Sepulchre. After finishing prayers, a miraculous light appears--the Patriarch of Jerusalem lights two candles from it, then exits the sepulchre and lights the candles of the non-Chalcedonian patriarchs outside. Others' candles light spontaneously. For the first several minutes from the fire's appearance, it does not burn to the touch and many pilgrims immerse their faces and hands in the flame without being harmed.

Known as the Holy Light, or Holy Fire, this miracle has been occuring in this same place since at least the fourth century, if not earlier. In 1579, when the Orthodox patriarch had been shut out of the sepulchre by the Turkish authorities and an non-Chalcedonian patriarch, the holy fire split open a column outside the church to reach the Orthodox patriarch and believers. The split column is still part of the church. Several other incidents (including two 11th century Roman Catholic priests who received God's punishment for attempting to obtain the Holy Fire for themselves) attest to the miracle's antiquity and authenticity.

[http://www.holyfire.org/eng/index.htm Holyfire.org (eng)]

==References==
*Bahat, Dan (1986). "Does the Holy Sepulchre church mark the burial of Jesus?", ''Biblical Archaeology Review'' '''12'''(3) (May/June) 26-45.
*Biddle, Martin (1999). ''The Tomb of Christ''. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing. (ISBN 0-7509-1926-4)

==External links==
*[http://www.trekker.co.il/english/israel-sep.htm Church of the Holy Sepulchre]: Photos
*[http://www.historychannel.com/classroom/unesco/jerusalem/about_sepulchre.html History Channel site]: Church of the Holy Sepulchre
*[http://home.infionline.net/~ddisse/egeria.html Egeria's description in the 380s]
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/1631/cohs_history.html James E. Lancaster, "A brief history of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre"]
*[http://www.holylandphotos.org/browse.asp?s=1,2,6,19,321 Photos of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre]
*[http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/Holy_Land/Holy_Sepulchre_Church/index.shtml Holy Sepulchre Church Photos] - from Orthodoxphotos.com

[[Category:Churches]]

User talk:Matrona

2005-11-06T23:49:53Z

Matrona: /* What if only an ordinary man without a trace of sin died on the cross? The soteriological necessity */

User talk:Matrona

2005-11-06T23:19:12Z

Matrona: /* And above all these things put on LOVE, which is the bond of perfectness */

User talk:Matrona

2005-11-06T22:34:14Z

Matrona: indent

User talk:Matrona

2005-11-06T22:33:44Z

Matrona: /* And above all these things put on LOVE, which is the bond of perfectness */

User talk:Matrona

2005-11-06T21:54:32Z

Matrona: /* And above all these things put on LOVE, which is the bond of perfectness */

Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem)

2005-11-06T20:29:05Z

Matrona: rv to last version by Matrona, plus a link

[[Image:Holy Sepulchre exterior.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Exterior of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre]]
The '''Church of the Holy Sepulchre''', called '''Church of the Resurrection''' (''Anastasis'') by Eastern Christians, is a Christian church now within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. The ground the church rests on is venerated by many Christians as [[Golgotha]], the Hill of Calvary where the [[New Testament]] records that Jesus Christ was crucified. It also contains the place where Jesus was buried (the sepulchre). The church has been an important [[pilgrimage]] destination since the 4th century, and the portions of it administered by the Orthodox are in the care of the [[Church of Jerusalem]].

==History==
The initial building was founded by [[Constantine the Great]] in 335, after he had removed a pagan temple on the site that was possibly the Temple of Aphrodite built by Hadrian. Constantine had sent his mother St. [[Helen]] to find the site; during excavations she is said to have discovered the [[True Cross]]. The church was built around the excavated hill of the Crucifixion, and was actually three connected churches built over the three different holy sites, including a great basilica (the ''Martyrium'' visited by the nun Egeria in the 380s), an enclosed colonnaded atrium (the ''Triportico'') built around the traditional Rock of Calvary, and a rotunda, called the ''Anastasis'' ("Resurrection"), which contained the remains of the cave that St. Helen and St. [[Macarius of Jerusalem|Macarius, Patriarch of Jerusalem]], had identified with the burial site of Jesus. The surrounding rock was cut away, and the Tomb was encased in a structure called the ''Edicule'' (from the Latin ''aediculum'', small building) in the center of the rotunda. The dome of the rotunda was completed by the end of the 4th century.

This building was damaged by fire in 614 when the Persians under Khosrau II invaded Jerusalem and captured the Cross. In 630, Emperor Heraclius, who had captured the Cross from the Persians, marched triumphantly into Jerusalem and restored the True Cross to the rebuilt Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

[[Image:Holy Sepulchre iconostasis.jpg|left|thumb|300px|The iconostasis in the Orthodox [[catholikon]]]]
Under the Muslims it remained a Christian church, unlike many other churches, which suffered destruction or conversion into mosques. The early Muslim rulers protected the city's Christian sites, prohibiting their destruction and their use as living quarters, but after a riot in 966, where the doors and roof were burnt, the original building was completely destroyed on [[October 18]], 1009, by the "mad" Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who hacked out the church's foundations down to bedrock. The east and west walls and the roof of the Edicule were destroyed or damaged (contemporary accounts vary), but the north and south walls were likely protected by rubble from further damage.

However, a series of small chapels was erected on the site by [[Constantine IX Monomachos]] in 1048 under stringent conditions imposed by the caliphate. The rebuilt sites were taken by the knights of the [[First Crusade]] on [[July 15]], 1099. Crusader chief Godfrey of Bouillon, who became the first "king of Jerusalem," decided not to use the title "king" during his lifetime, and declared himself ''Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri'', "Protector (or Defender) of the Holy Sepulchre." The chronicler William of Tyre reports on the reconstruction. The Crusaders began to renovate the church in a Romanesque style and added a bell tower. These renovations which unified the holy sites were completed during the reign of Queen Melisende 50 years later in 1149. The church was also the site of the kingdom's scriptorium.

The church was an inspiration for churches in Europe like Santa Gerusalemme in Bologna and the "Round Church" of Cambridge, England.

The Franciscan monks renovated it further in 1555, as it had been neglected despite increased numbers of pilgrims. A fire severely damaged the structure again in 1808, causing the dome of the Rotunda to collapse and smashing the Edicule's exterior decoration. The Rotunda and the Edicule's exterior were rebuilt in 1809. The fire did not reach the interior of the Edicule, and the marble decoration of the Tomb dates mainly to the 1555 restoration. The current dome dates from 1870. Extensive modern renovations began in 1959, including a redecoration of the dome from 1994 to 1997.

Several Christian communions cooperate (sometimes acrimoniously) in the administration and maintenance of the church and its grounds, under a fiat of ''status quo'' that was issued by the Sublime Porte in 1852, to end the violent local bickering. The three, first appointed when Crusaders held Jerusalem, are the [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]], the [[Church of Armenia|Armenian Apostolic]] and [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] churches. These remain the primary custodians of the church. In the 19th century, the [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Orthodox]], the [[Church of Ethiopia|Ethiopian Orthodox]] and the [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)|Syrian Orthodox]] acquired lesser responsibilities, which include shrines and other structures within and around the building. An agreement regulates times and places of worship for each communion. For centuries, two neutral neighbour Muslim families appointed by Saladin, the Nuseibeh and Joudeh families, were the custodians of the key to the single door.

When a fire broke out in 1840, dozens of pilgrims were trampled to death. On June 20, 1999, all the Christian communions who share control agreed in a decision to install a new exit door in the church.

==Current configuration of the Holy Sepulchre==
[[Image:Tomb of Christ.jpg|right|thumb|350px|The Tomb of [[Jesus Christ]]]]
In the center of the Holy Sepulchre Church, underneath the largest dome (recently renovated), lays the Holy Sepulchre itself. This temple is used by all the [[Orthodox Church|Greeks]], [[Roman Catholic Church|Latins]] and [[Oriental Orthodox|Non-Chalcedonions]]. It is a red granite edifice, with a large number of giant candlesticks in the front of it. The Armenians, the Latins and the Greeks all serve Liturgy or Mass daily inside the Holy Sepulchre. It is used for the Holy Saturday [[ceremony of the Holy Fire]], which is celebrated by the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. To its rear, within an ironwork cage-like structure, lies the altar used by the Coptic Orthodox. Past that, inside a rear, very rough hewned chapel, the [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)|Syriac Orthodox]] celebrate their [[liturgy|liturgies]] on Sundays. To the right of the sepulchre is the Roman Catholic area, which consists of a large square chapel and another private chapel for the Franciscan monks. Immediately in the front of the Sepulchre is what would be the main area of the church for the congregation, which has been walled off and used by the Orthodox. It features a large [[iconostasis]], and two thrones for the superior and the [[Patriarch]]. Past that, there is the entrance area, which features the stone of annointing which Jesus' dead body is believed to have been prepared for burial upon. Up the stairs to the right of that area, is the most lavishly decorated part of the church, the chapel where Jesus is believed to have been crucified. This area is run by the Orthodox, while the Roman Catholics have an altar to the side. Additionally, there is a subterranean chapel which is run by the Armenians, which commemorates the finding of the [[True Cross]].

In the 19th century, a number of scholars disputed the identification of the church with the actual site of Jesus's crucifixion and burial. They reasoned that the Church was inside the city walls, while early accounts (''e.g.'', [[Epistle to the Hebrews|Hebrews]] 13:12) described these events as outside the city walls. On the morning after his arrival in Jerusalem, Charles George Gordon selected a rock-cut tomb in a cultivated area outside the walls as a more likely site for the burial of Jesus. This site is usually referred to as the Garden Tomb to distinguish it from the Holy Sepulchre.

However, the city walls had been expanded by Herod Agrippa in 41-44 and only then enclosed the site of the Holy Sepulchre. To quote the Israeli scholar Dan Bahat, former City Archaeologist of Jerusalem:
:"We may not be absolutely certain that the site of the Holy Sepulchre Church is the site of Jesus' burial, but we have no other site that can lay a claim nearly as weighty, and we really have no reason to reject the authenticity of the site." (1986)

==The yearly miracle of the Holy Light==

Each year on Pascha, an awe-inspiring event takes place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The [[Church of Jerusalem|Patriarch of Jerusalem]] enters the Sepulchre and prays. After he is finished, a miraculous light appears--the Patriarch lights two candles from it, then exits the sepulchre and lights the candles of the non-Chalcedonian patriarchs outside. Others' candles light spontaneously. For the first several minutes from the fire's appearance, it does not burn to the touch and many pilgrims immerse their faces and hands in the flame without being harmed.

Known as the Holy Light, or Holy Fire, this miracle has been occuring in this same place since at least the fourth century, if not earlier. In 1579, when the Orthodox patriarch had been shut out of the sepulchre by the Turkish authorities and an non-Chalcedonian patriarch, the holy fire split open a column outside the church to reach the Orthodox patriarch and believers. The split column is still part of the church. Several other incidents (including two 11th century Roman Catholic priests who received God's punishment for attempting to obtain the Holy Fire for themselves) attest to the miracle's antiquity and authenticity.

[http://www.holyfire.org/eng/index.htm Holyfire.org (eng)]

==References==
*Bahat, Dan (1986). "Does the Holy Sepulchre church mark the burial of Jesus?", ''Biblical Archaeology Review'' '''12'''(3) (May/June) 26-45.
*Biddle, Martin (1999). ''The Tomb of Christ''. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing. (ISBN 0-7509-1926-4)

==External links==
*[http://www.trekker.co.il/english/israel-sep.htm Church of the Holy Sepulchre]: Photos
*[http://www.historychannel.com/classroom/unesco/jerusalem/about_sepulchre.html History Channel site]: Church of the Holy Sepulchre
*[http://home.infionline.net/~ddisse/egeria.html Egeria's description in the 380s]
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/1631/cohs_history.html James E. Lancaster, "A brief history of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre"]
*[http://www.holylandphotos.org/browse.asp?s=1,2,6,19,321 Photos of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre]
*[http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/Holy_Land/Holy_Sepulchre_Church/index.shtml Holy Sepulchre Church Photos] - from Orthodoxphotos.com

[[Category:Churches]]

Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem)

2005-11-06T19:14:22Z

Matrona: /* The yearly miracle of the Holy Light */

[[Image:Holy Sepulchre exterior.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Exterior of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre]]
The '''Church of the Holy Sepulchre''', called '''Church of the Resurrection''' (''Anastasis'') by Eastern Christians, is a Christian church now within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. The ground the church rests on is venerated by many Christians as [[Golgotha]], the Hill of Calvary where the [[New Testament]] records that Jesus Christ was crucified. It also contains the place where Jesus was buried (the sepulchre). The church has been an important [[pilgrimage]] destination since the 4th century, and the portions of it administered by the Orthodox are in the care of the [[Church of Jerusalem]].

==History==
The initial building was founded by [[Constantine the Great]] in 335, after he had removed a pagan temple on the site that was possibly the Temple of Aphrodite built by Hadrian. Constantine had sent his mother St. [[Helen]] to find the site; during excavations she is said to have discovered the [[True Cross]]. The church was built around the excavated hill of the Crucifixion, and was actually three connected churches built over the three different holy sites, including a great basilica (the ''Martyrium'' visited by the nun Egeria in the 380s), an enclosed colonnaded atrium (the ''Triportico'') built around the traditional Rock of Calvary, and a rotunda, called the ''Anastasis'' ("Resurrection"), which contained the remains of the cave that St. Helen and St. [[Macarius of Jerusalem|Macarius, Patriarch of Jerusalem]], had identified with the burial site of Jesus. The surrounding rock was cut away, and the Tomb was encased in a structure called the ''Edicule'' (from the Latin ''aediculum'', small building) in the center of the rotunda. The dome of the rotunda was completed by the end of the 4th century.

This building was damaged by fire in 614 when the Persians under Khosrau II invaded Jerusalem and captured the Cross. In 630, Emperor Heraclius, who had captured the Cross from the Persians, marched triumphantly into Jerusalem and restored the True Cross to the rebuilt Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

[[Image:Holy Sepulchre iconostasis.jpg|left|thumb|300px|The iconostasis in the Orthodox [[catholikon]]]]
Under the Muslims it remained a Christian church, unlike many other churches, which suffered destruction or conversion into mosques. The early Muslim rulers protected the city's Christian sites, prohibiting their destruction and their use as living quarters, but after a riot in 966, where the doors and roof were burnt, the original building was completely destroyed on [[October 18]], 1009, by the "mad" Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who hacked out the church's foundations down to bedrock. The east and west walls and the roof of the Edicule were destroyed or damaged (contemporary accounts vary), but the north and south walls were likely protected by rubble from further damage.

However, a series of small chapels was erected on the site by [[Constantine IX Monomachos]] in 1048 under stringent conditions imposed by the caliphate. The rebuilt sites were taken by the knights of the [[First Crusade]] on [[July 15]], 1099. Crusader chief Godfrey of Bouillon, who became the first "king of Jerusalem," decided not to use the title "king" during his lifetime, and declared himself ''Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri'', "Protector (or Defender) of the Holy Sepulchre." The chronicler William of Tyre reports on the reconstruction. The Crusaders began to renovate the church in a Romanesque style and added a bell tower. These renovations which unified the holy sites were completed during the reign of Queen Melisende 50 years later in 1149. The church was also the site of the kingdom's scriptorium.

The church was an inspiration for churches in Europe like Santa Gerusalemme in Bologna and the "Round Church" of Cambridge, England.

The Franciscan monks renovated it further in 1555, as it had been neglected despite increased numbers of pilgrims. A fire severely damaged the structure again in 1808, causing the dome of the Rotunda to collapse and smashing the Edicule's exterior decoration. The Rotunda and the Edicule's exterior were rebuilt in 1809. The fire did not reach the interior of the Edicule, and the marble decoration of the Tomb dates mainly to the 1555 restoration. The current dome dates from 1870. Extensive modern renovations began in 1959, including a redecoration of the dome from 1994 to 1997.

Several Christian communions cooperate (sometimes acrimoniously) in the administration and maintenance of the church and its grounds, under a fiat of ''status quo'' that was issued by the Sublime Porte in 1852, to end the violent local bickering. The three, first appointed when Crusaders held Jerusalem, are the [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]], the [[Church of Armenia|Armenian Apostolic]] and [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] churches. These remain the primary custodians of the church. In the 19th century, the [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Orthodox]], the [[Church of Ethiopia|Ethiopian Orthodox]] and the [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)|Syrian Orthodox]] acquired lesser responsibilities, which include shrines and other structures within and around the building. An agreement regulates times and places of worship for each communion. For centuries, two neutral neighbour Muslim families appointed by Saladin, the Nuseibeh and Joudeh families, were the custodians of the key to the single door.

When a fire broke out in 1840, dozens of pilgrims were trampled to death. On June 20, 1999, all the Christian communions who share control agreed in a decision to install a new exit door in the church.

==Current configuration of the Holy Sepulchre==
[[Image:Tomb of Christ.jpg|right|thumb|350px|The Tomb of [[Jesus Christ]]]]
In the center of the Holy Sepulchre Church, underneath the largest dome (recently renovated), lays the Holy Sepulchre itself. This temple is used by all the [[Orthodox Church|Greeks]], [[Roman Catholic Church|Latins]] and [[Oriental Orthodox|Non-Chalcedonions]]. It is a red granite edifice, with a large number of giant candlesticks in the front of it. The Armenians, the Latins and the Greeks all serve Liturgy or Mass daily inside the Holy Sepulchre. It is used for the Holy Saturday [[ceremony of the Holy Fire]], which is celebrated by the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. To its rear, within an ironwork cage-like structure, lies the altar used by the Coptic Orthodox. Past that, inside a rear, very rough hewned chapel, the [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)|Syriac Orthodox]] celebrate their [[liturgy|liturgies]] on Sundays. To the right of the sepulchre is the Roman Catholic area, which consists of a large square chapel and another private chapel for the Franciscan monks. Immediately in the front of the Sepulchre is what would be the main area of the church for the congregation, which has been walled off and used by the Orthodox. It features a large [[iconostasis]], and two thrones for the superior and the [[Patriarch]]. Past that, there is the entrance area, which features the stone of annointing which Jesus' dead body is believed to have been prepared for burial upon. Up the stairs to the right of that area, is the most lavishly decorated part of the church, the chapel where Jesus is believed to have been crucified. This area is run by the Orthodox, while the Roman Catholics have an altar to the side. Additionally, there is a subterranean chapel which is run by the Armenians, which commemorates the finding of the [[True Cross]].

In the 19th century, a number of scholars disputed the identification of the church with the actual site of Jesus's crucifixion and burial. They reasoned that the Church was inside the city walls, while early accounts (''e.g.'', [[Epistle to the Hebrews|Hebrews]] 13:12) described these events as outside the city walls. On the morning after his arrival in Jerusalem, Charles George Gordon selected a rock-cut tomb in a cultivated area outside the walls as a more likely site for the burial of Jesus. This site is usually referred to as the Garden Tomb to distinguish it from the Holy Sepulchre.

However, the city walls had been expanded by Herod Agrippa in 41-44 and only then enclosed the site of the Holy Sepulchre. To quote the Israeli scholar Dan Bahat, former City Archaeologist of Jerusalem:
:"We may not be absolutely certain that the site of the Holy Sepulchre Church is the site of Jesus' burial, but we have no other site that can lay a claim nearly as weighty, and we really have no reason to reject the authenticity of the site." (1986)

==The yearly miracle of the Holy Light==

Each year on Pascha, an awe-inspiring event takes place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Patriarch of Jerusalem enters the Sepulchre and prays. After he is finished, a miraculous light appears--the Patriarch lights two candles from it, then exits the sepulchre and lights the candles of the non-Chalcedonian patriarchs outside. Others' candles light spontaneously. For the first several minutes from the fire's appearance, it does not burn to the touch and many pilgrims immerse their faces and hands in the flame without being harmed.

Known as the Holy Light, or Holy Fire, this miracle has been occuring in this same place since at least the fourth century, if not earlier. In 1579, when the Orthodox patriarch had been shut out of the sepulchre by the Turkish authorities and an non-Chalcedonian patriarch, the holy fire split open a column outside the church to reach the Orthodox patriarch and believers. The split column is still part of the church. Several other incidents (including two 11th century Roman Catholic priests who received God's punishment for attempting to obtain the Holy Fire for themselves) attest to the miracle's antiquity and authenticity.

[http://www.holyfire.org/eng/index.htm Holyfire.org (eng)]

==References==
*Bahat, Dan (1986). "Does the Holy Sepulchre church mark the burial of Jesus?", ''Biblical Archaeology Review'' '''12'''(3) (May/June) 26-45.
*Biddle, Martin (1999). ''The Tomb of Christ''. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing. (ISBN 0-7509-1926-4)

==External links==
*[http://www.trekker.co.il/english/israel-sep.htm Church of the Holy Sepulchre]: Photos
*[http://www.historychannel.com/classroom/unesco/jerusalem/about_sepulchre.html History Channel site]: Church of the Holy Sepulchre
*[http://home.infionline.net/~ddisse/egeria.html Egeria's description in the 380s]
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/1631/cohs_history.html James E. Lancaster, "A brief history of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre"]
*[http://www.holylandphotos.org/browse.asp?s=1,2,6,19,321 Photos of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre]
*[http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/Holy_Land/Holy_Sepulchre_Church/index.shtml Holy Sepulchre Church Photos] - from Orthodoxphotos.com

[[Category:Churches]]

Irenaios I (Skopelitis) of Jerusalem

2005-11-06T19:08:35Z

Matrona: /* Life */

[[Image:Irenaios Skopeliti.jpg|right|Patriarch Irenaios I of Jerusalem]]
Fr. '''Irenaios (Skopelitis)''' is the former [[patriarch]] of the [[Church of Jerusalem]] (2001-2005).

==Life==
Born '''Emmanouil Skopelitis''' in April 1939, Irenaios was elected [[primate]] of the [[Church of Jerusalem]] on [[August 13]], 2001 in the [[Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem)|Church of the Holy Sepulchre]].

He was enthroned on [[September 15]], 2001, as the 140th ''Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and All Palestine, Syria, beyond the Jordan River, Cana of Galilee and Holy Zion'' in the presence of senior church and secular dignitaries, including Archbishop Christodoulos of the [[Church of Greece]] and Metropolitan Nicholas of the [[Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia]].

He was born on the Island of Samos in Greece and came to Jerusalem in 1953 and served for many years as [[exarch]] of the Holy Sepulchre in Athens.

Only a few years into Irenaios's patriarchate, he became embroiled in bitter controversy. Several parcels of church-owned land in the Old City of Jerusalem were sold to Israeli developers. As most of the Orthodox Christians in the region are Palestinian, and the land was in a Arab-populated area that most Palestinians hoped would become as a part of a future Palestinian capital, this caused a great deal of outrage among Church members. On [[May 5]], 2005, most of the [[Holy Synod]] of Jerusalem announced in a letter they had broken off contact with Patriarch Irenaios, and regard him as dismissed as Patriarch of Jerusalem.

The decision reached by the Holy Synod of the [[Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre]] was made final on [[May 6]], 2005 by a two-thirds vote of that body. Irenaios thus officially ceased to be patriarch at that point.

On [[May 24]], 2005, a special Pan-Orthodox [[synod]] was convened in Constantinople to review the decisions of the Holy Synod of Jerusalem. The Pan-Orthodox Synod under the presidency of Ecumenical Patriarch [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople]] voted overwhelmingly to confirm the decision of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher and to strike Irenaios's name from the [[diptychs]], and on [[May 30]], Jerusalem's Holy Synod chose Metropolitan [[Cornelius (Rodousakis) of Petra]] to serve as ''[[locum tenens]]'' pending the election of a replacement for Irenaios.

On [[June 16]], 2005, Irenaios was [[laicization|laicized]] by Jerusalem's Holy Synod, so he is now known simply as the [[monk]] Irenaios.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Archbishop of Hierapolis|
years=1981-2001|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=[[Diodoros I (Karivalis) of Jerusalem|Diodoros I]]|
title=[[Church of Jerusalem|Patriarch of Jerusalem]]|
years=2001-2005|
after=[[Theophilus III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem|Theophilus III]]}}
{{end box}}

==Source==
*[[Wikipedia:Patriarch Irenaios]]

==External links==
* [http://www.monastery.org/patriarchate.html Biography of Patriarch Irenaios and other facts about Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4517223.stm BBC News report of Patriarch Irenaios's dismissal]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Monastics]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Jerusalem]]

Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem)

2005-11-06T19:02:10Z

Matrona: /* The yearly miracle of the Holy Light */

[[Image:Holy Sepulchre exterior.jpg|right|thumb|400px|Exterior of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre]]
The '''Church of the Holy Sepulchre''', called '''Church of the Resurrection''' (''Anastasis'') by Eastern Christians, is a Christian church now within the walled Old City of Jerusalem. The ground the church rests on is venerated by many Christians as [[Golgotha]], the Hill of Calvary where the [[New Testament]] records that Jesus Christ was crucified. It also contains the place where Jesus was buried (the sepulchre). The church has been an important [[pilgrimage]] destination since the 4th century, and the portions of it administered by the Orthodox are in the care of the [[Church of Jerusalem]].

==History==
The initial building was founded by [[Constantine the Great]] in 335, after he had removed a pagan temple on the site that was possibly the Temple of Aphrodite built by Hadrian. Constantine had sent his mother St. [[Helen]] to find the site; during excavations she is said to have discovered the [[True Cross]]. The church was built around the excavated hill of the Crucifixion, and was actually three connected churches built over the three different holy sites, including a great basilica (the ''Martyrium'' visited by the nun Egeria in the 380s), an enclosed colonnaded atrium (the ''Triportico'') built around the traditional Rock of Calvary, and a rotunda, called the ''Anastasis'' ("Resurrection"), which contained the remains of the cave that St. Helen and St. [[Macarius of Jerusalem|Macarius, Patriarch of Jerusalem]], had identified with the burial site of Jesus. The surrounding rock was cut away, and the Tomb was encased in a structure called the ''Edicule'' (from the Latin ''aediculum'', small building) in the center of the rotunda. The dome of the rotunda was completed by the end of the 4th century.

This building was damaged by fire in 614 when the Persians under Khosrau II invaded Jerusalem and captured the Cross. In 630, Emperor Heraclius, who had captured the Cross from the Persians, marched triumphantly into Jerusalem and restored the True Cross to the rebuilt Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

[[Image:Holy Sepulchre iconostasis.jpg|left|thumb|300px|The iconostasis in the Orthodox [[catholikon]]]]
Under the Muslims it remained a Christian church, unlike many other churches, which suffered destruction or conversion into mosques. The early Muslim rulers protected the city's Christian sites, prohibiting their destruction and their use as living quarters, but after a riot in 966, where the doors and roof were burnt, the original building was completely destroyed on [[October 18]], 1009, by the "mad" Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who hacked out the church's foundations down to bedrock. The east and west walls and the roof of the Edicule were destroyed or damaged (contemporary accounts vary), but the north and south walls were likely protected by rubble from further damage.

However, a series of small chapels was erected on the site by [[Constantine IX Monomachos]] in 1048 under stringent conditions imposed by the caliphate. The rebuilt sites were taken by the knights of the [[First Crusade]] on [[July 15]], 1099. Crusader chief Godfrey of Bouillon, who became the first "king of Jerusalem," decided not to use the title "king" during his lifetime, and declared himself ''Advocatus Sancti Sepulchri'', "Protector (or Defender) of the Holy Sepulchre." The chronicler William of Tyre reports on the reconstruction. The Crusaders began to renovate the church in a Romanesque style and added a bell tower. These renovations which unified the holy sites were completed during the reign of Queen Melisende 50 years later in 1149. The church was also the site of the kingdom's scriptorium.

The church was an inspiration for churches in Europe like Santa Gerusalemme in Bologna and the "Round Church" of Cambridge, England.

The Franciscan monks renovated it further in 1555, as it had been neglected despite increased numbers of pilgrims. A fire severely damaged the structure again in 1808, causing the dome of the Rotunda to collapse and smashing the Edicule's exterior decoration. The Rotunda and the Edicule's exterior were rebuilt in 1809. The fire did not reach the interior of the Edicule, and the marble decoration of the Tomb dates mainly to the 1555 restoration. The current dome dates from 1870. Extensive modern renovations began in 1959, including a redecoration of the dome from 1994 to 1997.

Several Christian communions cooperate (sometimes acrimoniously) in the administration and maintenance of the church and its grounds, under a fiat of ''status quo'' that was issued by the Sublime Porte in 1852, to end the violent local bickering. The three, first appointed when Crusaders held Jerusalem, are the [[Orthodox Church|Orthodox]], the [[Church of Armenia|Armenian Apostolic]] and [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] churches. These remain the primary custodians of the church. In the 19th century, the [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Coptic Orthodox]], the [[Church of Ethiopia|Ethiopian Orthodox]] and the [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)|Syrian Orthodox]] acquired lesser responsibilities, which include shrines and other structures within and around the building. An agreement regulates times and places of worship for each communion. For centuries, two neutral neighbour Muslim families appointed by Saladin, the Nuseibeh and Joudeh families, were the custodians of the key to the single door.

When a fire broke out in 1840, dozens of pilgrims were trampled to death. On June 20, 1999, all the Christian communions who share control agreed in a decision to install a new exit door in the church.

==Current configuration of the Holy Sepulchre==
[[Image:Tomb of Christ.jpg|right|thumb|350px|The Tomb of [[Jesus Christ]]]]
In the center of the Holy Sepulchre Church, underneath the largest dome (recently renovated), lays the Holy Sepulchre itself. This temple is used by all the [[Orthodox Church|Greeks]], [[Roman Catholic Church|Latins]] and [[Oriental Orthodox|Non-Chalcedonions]]. It is a red granite edifice, with a large number of giant candlesticks in the front of it. The Armenians, the Latins and the Greeks all serve Liturgy or Mass daily inside the Holy Sepulchre. It is used for the Holy Saturday [[ceremony of the Holy Fire]], which is celebrated by the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. To its rear, within an ironwork cage-like structure, lies the altar used by the Coptic Orthodox. Past that, inside a rear, very rough hewned chapel, the [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)|Syriac Orthodox]] celebrate their [[liturgy|liturgies]] on Sundays. To the right of the sepulchre is the Roman Catholic area, which consists of a large square chapel and another private chapel for the Franciscan monks. Immediately in the front of the Sepulchre is what would be the main area of the church for the congregation, which has been walled off and used by the Orthodox. It features a large [[iconostasis]], and two thrones for the superior and the [[Patriarch]]. Past that, there is the entrance area, which features the stone of annointing which Jesus' dead body is believed to have been prepared for burial upon. Up the stairs to the right of that area, is the most lavishly decorated part of the church, the chapel where Jesus is believed to have been crucified. This area is run by the Orthodox, while the Roman Catholics have an altar to the side. Additionally, there is a subterranean chapel which is run by the Armenians, which commemorates the finding of the [[True Cross]].

In the 19th century, a number of scholars disputed the identification of the church with the actual site of Jesus's crucifixion and burial. They reasoned that the Church was inside the city walls, while early accounts (''e.g.'', [[Epistle to the Hebrews|Hebrews]] 13:12) described these events as outside the city walls. On the morning after his arrival in Jerusalem, Charles George Gordon selected a rock-cut tomb in a cultivated area outside the walls as a more likely site for the burial of Jesus. This site is usually referred to as the Garden Tomb to distinguish it from the Holy Sepulchre.

However, the city walls had been expanded by Herod Agrippa in 41-44 and only then enclosed the site of the Holy Sepulchre. To quote the Israeli scholar Dan Bahat, former City Archaeologist of Jerusalem:
:"We may not be absolutely certain that the site of the Holy Sepulchre Church is the site of Jesus' burial, but we have no other site that can lay a claim nearly as weighty, and we really have no reason to reject the authenticity of the site." (1986)

==The yearly miracle of the Holy Light==

Each year on Pascha, an awe-inspiring event takes place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Patriarch of Jerusalem enters the Sepulchre and prays. After he is finished, a miraculous light appears--the Patriarch lights two candles from it, then exits the sepulchre and lights the candles of the non-Chalcedonian patriarchs outside. Others' candles will light spontaneously. For the first several minutes from the fire's appearance, it does not burn to the touch and many pilgrims immerse their faces and hands in the flame without being harmed.

Known as the Holy Light, or Holy Fire, this miracle has been occuring in this same place since at least the fourth century, if not earlier. In 1579, when the Orthodox patriarch had been shut out of the sepulchre by the Turkish authorities and an non-Chalcedonian patriarch, the holy fire split open a column outside the church to reach the Orthodox patriarch and believers. The split column is still part of the church. Several other incidents (including two 11th century Roman Catholic priests who received God's punishment for attempting to obtain the Holy Fire for themselves) attest to the miracle's antiquity and authenticity.

[http://www.holyfire.org/eng/index.htm Holyfire.org (eng)]

==References==
*Bahat, Dan (1986). "Does the Holy Sepulchre church mark the burial of Jesus?", ''Biblical Archaeology Review'' '''12'''(3) (May/June) 26-45.
*Biddle, Martin (1999). ''The Tomb of Christ''. Phoenix Mill: Sutton Publishing. (ISBN 0-7509-1926-4)

==External links==
*[http://www.trekker.co.il/english/israel-sep.htm Church of the Holy Sepulchre]: Photos
*[http://www.historychannel.com/classroom/unesco/jerusalem/about_sepulchre.html History Channel site]: Church of the Holy Sepulchre
*[http://home.infionline.net/~ddisse/egeria.html Egeria's description in the 380s]
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Oracle/1631/cohs_history.html James E. Lancaster, "A brief history of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre"]
*[http://www.holylandphotos.org/browse.asp?s=1,2,6,19,321 Photos of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre]
*[http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/Holy_Land/Holy_Sepulchre_Church/index.shtml Holy Sepulchre Church Photos] - from Orthodoxphotos.com

[[Category:Churches]]

Talk:Irenaios I (Skopelitis) of Jerusalem

2005-11-05T16:14:15Z

Matrona: "Where Are They Now?"

His name is 'Skopelitis', not 'Skopeliti'

: Fixed. —[[User:ASDamick|{{User:ASDamick/sig}}]] 14:37, 4 Sep 2005 (EDT)

== "Where Are They Now?" ==

Out of curiosity, does anybody know where the monk Irenaios went to live after leaving the patriarchate? --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 10:14, 5 November 2005 (CST)

Template talk:Oriental

2005-11-03T22:27:15Z

Matrona: /* Tome of Leo link, etc. */

Can we put something in the files marked with this template that shows how the non-Chalcedonian opinions expressed are "at variance" with the Orthodox understanding? --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 10:25, 3 November 2005 (CST)

: Certainly! Noting the opposition is always useful and good, ISTM, so long as it is done as neutrally and factually as possible. I haven't been reviewing the articles in question, as I haven't had time between ordination and seminary assignments lately, so please forgive me for that. But all are welcome to work on these articles. The texts of [[:Category:Contributed Articles|contributed articles]] needs to remain as submitted, but there's no reason extra sections noting disagreements can't be added. {{User:ASDamick/sig}} 13:25, 3 November 2005 (CST)

== Tome of Leo link, etc. ==

I removed the link to Leo's Tome, as simply reading it won't give a detailed discussion of the particular difficulties that may be covered in each article. Additionally, I'd prefer to keep this template as compact as possible.

Perhaps we could include an article critiquing OO Christology from the POV of Chalcedonian Christology, which could be linked from this template marker. Further, each article which includes this template should ideally include a section charting the Chalcedonian POV.

See further comments at [[Talk:Oriental Orthodox]].{{User:ASDamick/sig}} 14:42, 3 November 2005 (CST)

:Yeah, I wasn't talking about anything like what Arbible did. What I was thinking of, was a paragraph or link appended to each article (not part of the template) explaining how the article's contents depart from Orthodox Christology. For instance, a non-Chal POV article relating to monotheletism ought to have a link explaining what monotheletism is and why Orthodox reject it as heresy. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 14:58, 3 November 2005 (CST)

::Actually monothelism is also considered a heresy by non-Chalcedonians, as it includes an element of Dyophysitism. But before discussing the Will of Christ, we should define/agree on what 'will' is/means. A good article to read that touches on these issues can be found at http://www.geocities.com/mfignatius/others/byzantine03.html - You will find that we are not in disagreement with the Eastern Orthodox Christology. The Eastern Orthodox confess one hypostasis, that is one concrete reality in Christ. They acknowledge that it is the one hypostasis of the Logos incarnate who wills and acts.

:::This isn't an appropriate place to debate Christology, Arbible. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 16:27, 3 November 2005 (CST)

Template talk:Oriental

2005-11-03T20:58:27Z

Matrona: /* Tome of Leo link, etc. */

User talk:Matrona

2005-11-03T17:18:43Z

Matrona: /* And above all these things put on LOVE, which is the bond of perfectness */

Template talk:Oriental

2005-11-03T16:25:56Z

Matrona:

Template talk:Oriental

2005-11-03T16:25:31Z

Matrona:

Can we put something in the files marked with this template that shows how the non-Chalcedonian opinions expressed are "at variance" with the Orthodox understanding?

Oriental Orthodox

2005-11-02T22:47:46Z

Matrona: links

The term '''''Oriental Orthodox''''' refers to the churches of Eastern Christian traditions that keep the faith of only the first three [[Ecumenical Council]]s of the [[Orthodox Church]]—the councils of [[First Ecumenical Council|Nicea I]], [[Second Ecumenical Council|Constantinople I]] and [[Third Ecumenical Council|Ephesus]]. The Oriental Orthodox churches rejected the [[dogma|dogmatic definition]]s of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]].

Thus, despite potentially confusing nomenclature, Oriental Orthodox churches are distinct from the churches that collectively are referred to as ''[[Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodoxy]]''.

The Oriental Orthodox churches came to a [[schism|parting of the ways]] with the remainder of [[Christianity]] in the 5th century. The separation resulted in part from the Oriental Orthodox churches' refusal to accept the [[Christology|Christological]] [[dogma]]s promulgated by the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]], which held that [[Jesus Christ]] has two [[physis|nature]]s — one divine and one human, although these were inseparable and only act as one [[hypostasis]]. To the [[hierarch]]s who would lead the Oriental Orthodox, this was tantamount to accepting [[Nestorianism]]. In response, they advocated a formula that stressed unity of the [[Incarnation]] over all other considerations. The Oriental Orthodox churches are therefore often called "[[Monophysite]]" churches, although they reject this label, which is associated with [[Eutychianism|Eutychian Monophysitism]], preferring the term ''non-Chalcedonian'' or ''Miaphysite'' churches. Oriental Orthodox Christians anathematize the Monophysite teachings of [[Eutyches]]. They are sometimes also known as ''anti-Chalcedonians''.

In the 20th century, a number of dialogues have occurred between the Oriental Orthodox and the Chalcedonian Orthodox which suggest that both communions now share a common [[Christology]] with differing terminology. As yet, [[full communion]] has not been restored. There have also been some agreed Christological statements issued in conjuction with the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and the Eastern Orthodox (Chalcedonian) family (Ecumenical Patriarchate and official representatives of other Eastern Orthodox Churches) [http://www.monachos.net/mb/messages/4225/ORIENT3-20256.doc].

==Oriental Orthodox Communion==
The Oriental Orthodox Communion is a group of churches within Oriental Orthodoxy which are in [[full communion]] with each other. The communion includes:
* The [[Church of Armenia]] (Armenian Apostolic Church)
* The [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)]] (Syrian Orthodox)
* The [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)]]
** The [[British Orthodox Church]], canonically part of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria since 1994
* The [[Church of Ethiopia]] (Tewahedo Church)
* The [[Church of Eritrea]] (Tewahedo Church)
* The [[Church of India]] (Malankara, Indian Orthodox, Orthodox Syrian Church of the East)

==Assyrian Church of the East==
The [[Assyrian Church of the East]] ([[Nestorianism|Nestorian]] Church) is sometimes considered an Oriental Orthodox Church, although it is not in communion with Oriental Orthodox churches and they have a [[Nestorianism|Nestorian]] or Nestorian-like [[Christology]] that differs from the declaration of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]] in an opposite way from the Monophysites. By the time of the Monophysite controversy, the Assyrians had already separated from the Orthodox Church with the [[Third Ecumenical Council|Council of Ephesus]].

==External links==
* [http://www.armenianchurch.org The Armenian Apostolic Church]
* [http://www.prounione.urbe.it/dia-int/oo-rc_syrindia/doc/i_oo-rc_syrindia_1984.html Common declaration of Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Mar Ignatius Zakka I Iwas]
* [http://www.coptic.org The Coptic Church in the Diaspora]
* [http://www.eotc.faithweb.com/orth.html The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church]
* [http://St-Takla.org/ Saint Takla Haymanot Coptic Orthodox Church (Alexandria, Egypt)]
* [http://www.socdigest.org Shroro - Orthodox Christian Digest]
* [http://www.orthodoxunity.org Website on the unity between Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Churches]
* [http://aggreen.net/autocephaly/oriental.html Oriental Orthodox Churches]
* [http://www.socdigest.org/ Shroro - The Syriac Orthodox Christian Digest]
* [http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Natofchr.pdf ''The Nature of Christ''] (PDF) by Pope [[Shenouda III (Gayyid) of Alexandria]]
* [http://www.orthodoxunity.org/statements.html Eastern-Oriental Orthodox Unity - Official Satements]
* A case against reunion is made by this article: [http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/ea_mono.aspx Opposition to Union with the Oriental Churches and the Unresolved Theological Differences Between the Two]

[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
[[Category:Oriental Orthodox]]

Talk:Ordination

2005-11-02T17:34:50Z

Matrona: /* Women's ordination */

==Trullo, bishops and monks==
The article as it currently stands states that the Quinisext Council ("Council in Trullo") mandates that bishops be tonsured monks. Which canon is this found in?

Canon 12 reads that bishops simply should no longer live with their wives, but makes no mention of tonsuring such men.[http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/NPNF2-14/Npnf2-14-136.htm#P6201_1388746] —[[User:ASDamick|{{User:ASDamick/sig}}]] 18:59, 5 Aug 2005 (EDT)

Julio provided that information to me. I will research it further, but I think the part about them not living with their wives has something to do with widowers. Priests may be married, but monks and nuns may not. However widows may become monks or nuns. All bishops must be monks.--[[User:MariaCrabtree|Arlie]] 19:04, 5 Aug 2005 (EDT)

: Yes, I've heard that assertion many times, but the people I know who have researched the subject in the canons all tell me that there is no such stipulation. The only stipulation regarding episcopal celibacy is that they may no longer live with their wives once they become bishops. (There's no mention of widowers in the above cited canon.)

: It's certainly the case that bishops are often chosen from among the monastics and that many episcopal candidates are tonsured before becoming bishops, but there is also a long history of celibate, non-monastic priests becoming bishops and never having been tonsured. In the modern era, bishops of the Russian tradition (and those influenced by it) are more likely to have been tonsured, though of course the vast majority of them have never received monastic formation. (That is, they are mostly formally monks.) In the Byzantine tradition, however, it is extremely common to find bishops who have never been tonsured as monks.

: So, the upshot is that I'd like to see the canon. I just now searched through all of the canons of the Quinisext Council, and I don't see tonsure for bishops mandated anywhere. Until we can find an actual canonical citation from Trullo, I think it's best not to put such a statement of fact in the article. —[[User:ASDamick|{{User:ASDamick/sig}}]] 19:12, 5 Aug 2005 (EDT)

::Thats perfectly fine to remove that until we find the exact canon. Then in the article we can site the canon and its interpretation. Also, I think it would be good to explain the difference between consecration and ordination. I believe you only use consecrate bishops, but not sure as to what the significance is. Thanks again. --[[User:MariaCrabtree|Arlie]] 19:19, 5 Aug 2005 (EDT)

: "Consecrate" is usually the term, though "ordination" is sometimes used, as well. Liturgically, the making of a bishop is not actually an ordination. Rather, it is an elevation, which reflects the early understanding of a bishop as the president of the presbytery, and the ancient vesting of a bishop was essentially just the addition of the omophorion, as one can see in icons of ancient bishops. (The sakkos is a later addition.) The making of a bishop is a type of ''cheirotonia'', though not really the same sort as for priests and deacons (no Dance of Isaiah around the altar, for instance).

: The Greek terms for the two types of ordination are ''cheirotonia'' (for bishops, priests and deacons), and ''cheirothesia'' for the minor orders. Thus, to speak of "ordaining" a subdeacon but not a reader is placing the distinction on different lines than in the canons, and it also confuses the rite for making a subdeacon with the major orders. —[[User:ASDamick|{{User:ASDamick/sig}}]] 19:31, 5 Aug 2005 (EDT)

== Women's ordination ==

This section needs serious work; I can see it's clearly biased towards an unorthodox (=un-Orthodox) teaching. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 20:08, 1 November 2005 (CST)

:Yep, there are serious issues here. It's also a long topic of discussion, so I'm moving things to a separate page. [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

::Sounds good, but instead of calling it "Ordination of women," perhaps a more proper title would be "Role of women in the Orthodox Church" or something to that effect. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 11:34, 2 November 2005 (CST)

Talk:Ordination

2005-11-02T02:08:50Z

Matrona: Women's ordination

Ordination

2005-11-02T02:03:28Z

Matrona: /* Women's ordination */ fixing a few serious factual errors

{{spirituality}}
'''Ordination''' is the [[Holy Mysteries|sacrament]] (or Holy Mystery) of [[holy orders]]. The Greek word used for ordination are '''''cheirotonia''''' and '''''cheirothesia''''', both of which mean "the laying on of hands." Members of the [[major orders]] of the [[clergy]]—[[bishop]], [[priest]], and [[deacon]]—are ordained during the [[Divine Liturgy]] by the bishop, who is usually assisted by several priests. According to Orthodox teaching, the process of ordination begins with the local [[congregation]]; but the bishop alone, who acts in the name of the universal Church, can complete the action.

Those who are placed into the [[minor orders]] ([[subdeacon]], [[reader]], and in some traditions, [[cantor]]) are done so by '''''cheirothesia''''', which also means "laying on of hands," but has come to be a technically distinct term from '''''cheirotonia''''', which is used only for the major orders. According to the ''DEC'', ''cheirothesia'' is not regarded as part of the Holy Mystery of ordination (p. 117).

''Cheirotonia'' and ''cheirothesia'' formerly were used almost interchangeably, but came to acquire distinct meanings. Bishops are also referred to as being "consecrated" rather than "ordained," but such a distinction was not present in the early Church (''ODCC'', p. 1189)

==[[Minor orders]]==
===[[Cantor]]===

===[[Reader]]===

In preparation for the tonsuring, the candidate shall have a cassock by the day of the tonsuring. On the eve of his tonsuring, the candidate shall attend Vespers, and, after having a light supper, begin his Eucharistic Fast. During that time, he shall interact as little as possible with anyone and spend that time praying and preparing himself for the tonsuring. Married candidates shall refrain from marital relations during this time. He shall have his confession heard either after Vespers or during Matins on the day of the tonsuring.

On the day of the tonsuring, following the Great Doxology, but before the Troparion before the Divine Liturgy, the candidate is led by the Bishop’s Assistant to the center of the solea in front of the Bishop. He makes three (3) prostrations toward the Holy Altar. Then, he turns and makes one (1) prostration toward the Bishop and stops on his knees. The Bishop lays his hand on the candidate head.

=== [[Subdeacon|Subdiaconate]] ===
Subdeacons are ordained during the Divine Liturgy immediately before "Blessed is the Kingdom", once the Great Censing has been completed. According to the canons, no one should marry after becoming a subdeacon, but the practice has almost universally changed to allow subdeacons to marry after being made subdeacons.

==[[Major orders]]==
=== [[Deacon|Diaconate]] ===

=== [[Priest]]hood ===
During the service of ordination to the priesthood, a priest leads the candidate, then kneels and rests his head on the altar. The bishop puts his stole and right hand over the candidate's head as the candidate receives the [[Holy Spirit]]. The entire congregation witnesses the ordination and proclaims its consent by shouting in unison "Axios!" (Greek word meaning 'worthy'). The bishop bestows sacred [[vestments]] on the new priest, who receives [[Eucharist|communion]] and recites a special [[prayer]]. Through ordination, men who have been chosen from within the Church are set apart by the Church for special service to the Church. Much of the time, a candidate for ordination will pursue preparatory studies at a [[seminaries|seminary]].

=== [[Bishop|Episcopacy]] ===
Candidates for the episcopacy are consecrated by three bishops (or at the very least two) to be bishops. A bishop's non-liturgical [[vestments]] include the [[kamilavka]] and [[epanokameloukion]] (veil) (which are joined together as the [[klobuk]] in the Russian tradition), along with the [[mantiya]], all of which are [[monastic]] garments.

== Women's ordination ==

Women have always had a distinct position in the Church that does not require Holy Orders.

Advocates for changing this position argue that the essential icon image of Christ is his humanness, not his maleness. God became man to show that both men and women could be saved and return to the divine image within them. Challengers also point out that Christ did not ordain his apostles. This was done at Pentecost by the Holy Spirit. Women were present at the time, and the Holy Spirit continues to descend on male and females alike. The Orthodox Church recognizes a number of women saints as '''Equal-to-the-Apostles''', including the "apostle to the apostles," Mary Magdalene.

The role of women has been limited in other ways also. Despite extensive participation by women in the first century as deacons, apostles, evangelists, and teachers, in the second century the church offically adopted policies that forbade women from preaching and teaching. However, they served as deaconesses from the first to the twelfth century, reading prayers for the sick. The Orthodox service book still contains the service for ordination of women to the diaconate.

==References==
*''Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity (DEC)'', p. 117
*''Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (ODCC), 3rd ed.'', pp. 1188-89

== External Links ==
*[http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/liturgical_texts/ordination-priesthood-en.asp The Holy Sacrament of Ordination to the Priesthood]
*[http://oca.org/QA.asp?ID=156&SID=3 Requirements that lead to Priesthood]
*[http://www.3saints.com/ordination.html Sacrament of Ordination]

[[Category:Church Life]]
[[Category:Sacraments]]

Template:January 31

2005-11-01T17:03:18Z

Matrona: Melangell

<div style="float:right;margin-left:1em">
[[Image:Rublev Trinity.jpg|100px|The Holy Trinity]]
</div>Holy [[Wonder-worker]]s and [[Unmercenary|Unmercenaries]] Cyrus and John, [[martyr]]s; Martyrs Athanasia and her daughters Theoctiste, Theodotia, and Eudoxia, at Canopus in Egypt (see also [[January 30]]); [[Saint]] Nikita of the [[Kiev Caves]], [[Bishop]] of Novgorod; Martyrs Victorinus, Victor, Nicephorus, Claudius, Diodorus, Serapion, and Papias of Egypt; Martyr Tryphaenes at Cyzicus; Saint Pachomius, [[Abbot]] of Keno [[Monastery]]; [[New-Martyr]] Elias Ardunis of [[Mount Athos]]; Saint Arsenius of Paros; Saint Maedoc, Bishop of Ferns; [[Venerable]] Melangell of Wales. '''Other events:''' repose of Elder Codratus of [[Karakalou Monastery (Athos)|Karakalou Monastery]], Mount Athos

Church of Armenia

2005-11-01T00:02:57Z

Matrona: redundant terminology

The '''Church of Armenia''', sometimes called the '''Armenian Apostolic Church''' or the '''Armenian Orthodox Church''' was originally an Orthodox church. It [[schism|separated]] from the [[Orthodox Church]] in AD 506, after the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]]. It is one of the [[Oriental Orthodox]] Churches.

[[liturgy|Liturgically]], the Church has much in common with the [[Roman Catholic Church]]. For example, their bishops wear vestments almost identical to those of Western bishops. The Armenian Apostolic Church should not, however, be confused with the [[Armenian Catholic Church]], which is church in [[Uniate|union]] with the Roman Catholic Church. They also typically do not use a full [[iconostasis]], but rather a curtain.

==History==
===Christianity in Armenia===
Tradition tells us that the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew first brought Christianity to the land of the Armenians in the first century. However, it would not be for about 200 more years that Armenia would become the first country to adopt [[Christianity]] as a state religion, in AD 301, when St. [[Gregory the Illuminator]], a missionary from Caesarea, converted the king of Armenia, Trdat IV, to Christianity. In time, St. Gregory was sent back to Caesarea to be elevated to the [[bishops|episcopate]] and returned to Armenia as the first '''Catholicos''' (or "universal" bishop of an area). Gregory’s son, Aristakes, attended the First [[Ecumenical Council]] at [[First Ecumenical Council|Nicea]] in AD 325.

In addition to the obvious spiritual benefits which resulted from the "baptism" of Armenia, this conversion aided in unifying various ethnic groups into a cohesive Armenian identity. The Armenian Church was instrumental in the early missions to neighboring [[Church of Georgia|Georgia]] and [[Church of Albania|Albania]].

===The Council of Chalcedon===
Together with the other churches that have come to be called [[Oriental Orthodox]] churches, the Church of Armenia [[schism|split]] with Orthodoxy in the 5th Century, rejecting the [[dogma]]s of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]] regarding [[Christ]]'s two natures. They are sometimes called [[Monophysitism|Monophysites]], however this is a term that they reject, preferring to be called "Non-Chalcedonian," since they ''do'' claim that Christ did indeed have two natures.

===The Armenian Genocide===
{{stub}}
==Leadership==
The hierarch of the Armenian Church is the '''Catholicos of Armenia'''. The current Catholicos is Garegin II, who resides in the city of Echmiadzin, west of Yerevan. However, a minority of the church has recognized instead the Catholicos of Cilicia, who resides in Antilyas in Lebanon, as a result of a dispute that emerged while Armenia was under Communist rule.

==Armenian Christianity Outside of Armenia==
Today there are large Armenian Orthodox congreations in many middle-eastern countries outside Armenia. Of particular importance is the Armenian Apostolic Church of Iran, where Armenians are the largest Christian ethnic minority. The Armenian Church also is one of the churches (together with the [[Orthodox Church]], the [[Roman Catholic Church]], the [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)|Copts]], [[Church of Ethiopia|Ethiopians]] and [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)|Syrians]]) which cooperates in the use and administration of the [[Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem)]].

In America, the Armenian Church maintains St. Vartan Cathedral in New York City, and St. Nersess Seminary in New Rochelle, NY. The latter cooperates very closely with [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York)]].

==Resources==

*''[http://www.stvartanbookstore.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5169&HS=1 Frequently Asked Questions About the Armenian Church]'' by Fr. Krikor Maksoudian
* ''[http://www.stvartanbookstore.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=5166&HS=1 Feasts and Saints of the Armenian Chuch]'' by Patriarch Torkom Koushagian

==Sources==
* Portions of this article have been taken, with modifications, from [[Wikipedia:Armenian Apostolic Church]]
* [http://www.armenianchurch.org The Armenian Apostolic Church in America]

==External Links==
* [http://www.armenianchurch.net The Armenian Apostolic Church in America]
* [http://www.stnersess.edu St. Nersess Armenian Seminary]
* [http://www.stvartanbookstore.com St. Vartan Bookstore]
* [http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg.aspx?eccpageID=5&IndexView=toc Eastern Christian Churches: Armenian Apostolic Church] by Ronald Roberson, a Roman Catholic priest and scholar
* [http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Armenian_Apostolic_Church Armeniapedia - Armenian Apostolic Church]

[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
[[Category:Oriental Orthodox]]

Evangelical Orthodox Church

2005-10-31T22:57:41Z

Matrona: template orthodoxyinamerica

{{orthodoxyinamerica}}
The '''Evangelical Orthodox Church''' (also known as the ''EOC'') is a non-canonical group with roots in evangelical Protestantism which incorporates elements of Orthodoxy as well as Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism in its worship and doctrine.

The greater part of the church, under the leadership of then-bishop [[Peter Gillquist]], was received by [[chrismation]] into communion with the [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|Antiochian Archdiocese]] in 1987, becoming the Antiochian Evangelical Orthodox Mission (AEOM), a distinctive group of parishes which has since been regularized into normal status within the archdiocese. Many of the former leaders of the EOC have become active and well-known leaders in the archdiocese, especially in missions work.

A handful of bishops refrained from joining with Antioch, and continue to exist under the EOC name, though a few parishes have also subsequently joined the [[OCA]]. This group continues to serve as a bridge to Orthodoxy, occasionally seeing entire communities brought into the Church at once, as happened with St. John the Forerunner (formerly Holy Trinity) parish in Indianapolis and its outlying missions in 2002.

{{stub}}

==External links==
* [http://www.stathanasius.com/main/history.html Parish history] of St. Athanasius Orthodox Church of Santa Barbara, CA.
* [http://ogreatmystery.com/eoc/ Information about the EOC] at OGreatMystery.com, an independent website administered by former EOC members. Includes articles by former EOC members reflecting on their time in the EOC.

==Additional Resources==
* Gillquist, Rev. Peter E. ''Becoming Orthodox: A Journey to the Ancient Christian Faith''. Ben Lomond, CA: Conciliar Press, 1989. (ISBN 0962271330)

[[Category:Jurisdictions]]

Orthodox Christian Education Commission

2005-10-31T22:56:22Z

Matrona: template orthodoxyinamerica

{{orthodoxyinamerica}}
'''Orthodox Christian Education Commission''' is an agency of the [[SCOBA]]. It was founded in 1957 by a group of Orthodox theologians and educators as a forum to exchange ideas and to search for solutions to common educational problems. It currently aims to develop and publish educational material for and offers support services to Orthodox Christian Churches in North America.

The OCEC is governed by a Board of Trustees made up of jurisdictional representatives. Under the Presidency of [[Metropolitan]] Philip Saliba of the [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese]], the Commission seeks to encourage cooperation among member [[jurisdictions]]. The daily operations of the Commission are conducted by an Executive Board, composed of a Chairman (the Vice President of the Commission) and the various heads of the departments

[[Category:Organizations]]

Oriental Orthodox

2005-10-31T10:46:48Z

Matrona: Christ is not divided.

The term '''''Oriental Orthodox''''' refers to the churches of Eastern Christian traditions that keep the faith of only the first three [[Ecumenical Council]]s of the Orthodox [[Church]]—the councils of [[First Ecumenical Council|Nicea I]], [[Second Ecumenical Council|Constantinople I]] and [[Third Ecumenical Council|Ephesus]]. The Oriental Orthodox churches rejected the [[dogma|dogmatic definition]]s of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]].

Thus, despite potentially confusing nomenclature, Oriental Orthodox churches are distinct from the churches that collectively are referred to as ''Eastern Orthodoxy''.

The Oriental Orthodox churches came to a [[schism|parting of the ways]] with the remainder of [[Christianity]] in the 5th century. The separation resulted in part from the Oriental Orthodox churches' refusal to accept the [[Christology|Christological]] [[dogma]]s promulgated by the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]], which held that [[Jesus Christ]] has two [[physis|nature]]s — one divine and one human, although these were inseparable and only act as one [[hypostasis]]. To the [[hierarch]]s who would lead the Oriental Orthodox, this was tantamount to accepting [[Nestorianism]]. In response, they advocated a formula that stressed unity of the [[Incarnation]] over all other considerations. The Oriental Orthodox churches are therefore often called "[[Monophysite]]" churches, although they reject this label, which is associated with [[Eutychianism|Eutychian Monophysitism]], preferring the term ''non-Chalcedonian'' or ''Miaphysite'' churches. Oriental Orthodox Christians anathematize the Monophysite teachings of [[Eutyches]]. They are sometimes also known as ''anti-Chalcedonians''.

In the 20th century, a number of dialogues have occurred between the Oriental Orthodox and the Chalcedonian Orthodox which suggest that both communions now share a common [[Christology]] with differing terminology. As yet, [[full communion]] has not been restored. There have also been some agreed Christological statements issued in conjuction with the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and the Eastern Orthodox (Chalcedonian) family (Ecumenical Patriarchate and official representatives of other Eastern Orthodox Churches) [http://www.monachos.net/mb/messages/4225/ORIENT3-20256.doc].

==Oriental Orthodox Communion==
The Oriental Orthodox Communion is a group of churches within Oriental Orthodoxy which are in [[full communion]] with each other. The communion includes:
* The [[Church of Armenia]] (Armenian Apostolic Church)
* The [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)]] (Syrian Orthodox)
* The [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)]]
** The [[British Orthodox Church]], canonically part of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria since 1994
* The [[Church of Ethiopia]] (Tewahedo Church)
* The [[Church of Eritrea]] (Tewahedo Church)
* The [[Church of India]] (Malankara, Indian Orthodox, Orthodox Syrian Church of the East)

==Assyrian Church of the East==
The [[Assyrian Church of the East]] ([[Nestorianism|Nestorian]] Church) is sometimes considered an Oriental Orthodox Church, although it is not in communion with Oriental Orthodox churches and they have a [[Nestorianism|Nestorian]] or Nestorian-like [[Christology]] that differs from the declaration of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]] in an opposite way from the Monophysites. By the time of the Monophysite controversy, the Assyrians had already separated from the Orthodox Church with the [[Third Ecumenical Council|Council of Ephesus]].

==External links==
* [http://www.armenianchurch.org The Armenian Apostolic Church]
* [http://www.prounione.urbe.it/dia-int/oo-rc_syrindia/doc/i_oo-rc_syrindia_1984.html Common declaration of Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Mar Ignatius Zakka I Iwas]
* [http://www.coptic.org The Coptic Church in the Diaspora]
* [http://www.eotc.faithweb.com/orth.html The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church]
* [http://St-Takla.org/ Saint Takla Haymanot Coptic Orthodox Church (Alexandria, Egypt)]
* [http://www.socdigest.org Shroro - Orthodox Christian Digest]
* [http://www.orthodoxunity.org Website on the unity between Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Churches]
* [http://aggreen.net/autocephaly/oriental.html Oriental Orthodox Churches]
* [http://www.socdigest.org/ Shroro - The Syriac Orthodox Christian Digest]
* [http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Natofchr.pdf ''The Nature of Christ''] (PDF) by Pope [[Shenouda III (Gayyid) of Alexandria]]
* [http://www.orthodoxunity.org/statements.html Eastern-Oriental Orthodox Unity - Official Satements]
* A case against reunion is made by this article: [http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/ea_mono.aspx Opposition to Union with the Oriental Churches and the Unresolved Theological Differences Between the Two]

[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
[[Category:Oriental Orthodox]]

Oriental Orthodox

2005-10-31T10:41:07Z

Matrona: /* Assyrian Church of the East */

The term '''''Oriental Orthodox''''' refers to the churches of Eastern Christian traditions that keep the faith of only the first three [[Ecumenical Council]]s of the undivided [[Church]]—the councils of [[First Ecumenical Council|Nicea I]], [[Second Ecumenical Council|Constantinople I]] and [[Third Ecumenical Council|Ephesus]]. The Oriental Orthodox churches rejected the [[dogma|dogmatic definition]]s of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]].

Thus, despite potentially confusing nomenclature, Oriental Orthodox churches are distinct from the churches that collectively are referred to as ''Eastern Orthodoxy''.

The Oriental Orthodox churches came to a [[schism|parting of the ways]] with the remainder of [[Christianity]] in the 5th century. The separation resulted in part from the Oriental Orthodox churches' refusal to accept the [[Christology|Christological]] [[dogma]]s promulgated by the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]], which held that [[Jesus Christ]] has two [[physis|nature]]s — one divine and one human, although these were inseparable and only act as one [[hypostasis]]. To the [[hierarch]]s who would lead the Oriental Orthodox, this was tantamount to accepting [[Nestorianism]]. In response, they advocated a formula that stressed unity of the [[Incarnation]] over all other considerations. The Oriental Orthodox churches are therefore often called "[[Monophysite]]" churches, although they reject this label, which is associated with [[Eutychianism|Eutychian Monophysitism]], preferring the term ''non-Chalcedonian'' or ''Miaphysite'' churches. Oriental Orthodox Christians anathematize the Monophysite teachings of [[Eutyches]]. They are sometimes also known as ''anti-Chalcedonians''.

In the 20th century, a number of dialogues have occurred between the Oriental Orthodox and the Chalcedonian Orthodox which suggest that both communions now share a common [[Christology]] with differing terminology. As yet, [[full communion]] has not been restored. There have also been some agreed Christological statements issued in conjuction with the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and the Eastern Orthodox (Chalcedonian) family (Ecumenical Patriarchate and official representatives of other Eastern Orthodox Churches) [http://www.monachos.net/mb/messages/4225/ORIENT3-20256.doc].

==Oriental Orthodox Communion==
The Oriental Orthodox Communion is a group of churches within Oriental Orthodoxy which are in [[full communion]] with each other. The communion includes:
* The [[Church of Armenia]] (Armenian Apostolic Church)
* The [[Church of Antioch (Jacobite)]] (Syrian Orthodox)
* The [[Church of Alexandria (Coptic)]]
** The [[British Orthodox Church]], canonically part of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria since 1994
* The [[Church of Ethiopia]] (Tewahedo Church)
* The [[Church of Eritrea]] (Tewahedo Church)
* The [[Church of India]] (Malankara, Indian Orthodox, Orthodox Syrian Church of the East)

==Assyrian Church of the East==
The [[Assyrian Church of the East]] ([[Nestorianism|Nestorian]] Church) is sometimes considered an Oriental Orthodox Church, although it is not in communion with Oriental Orthodox churches and they have a [[Nestorianism|Nestorian]] or Nestorian-like [[Christology]] that differs from the declaration of the [[Fourth Ecumenical Council|Council of Chalcedon]] in an opposite way from the Monophysites. By the time of the Monophysite controversy, the Assyrians had already separated from the Orthodox Church with the [[Third Ecumenical Council|Council of Ephesus]].

==External links==
* [http://www.armenianchurch.org The Armenian Apostolic Church]
* [http://www.prounione.urbe.it/dia-int/oo-rc_syrindia/doc/i_oo-rc_syrindia_1984.html Common declaration of Pope John Paul II and Patriarch Mar Ignatius Zakka I Iwas]
* [http://www.coptic.org The Coptic Church in the Diaspora]
* [http://www.eotc.faithweb.com/orth.html The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church]
* [http://St-Takla.org/ Saint Takla Haymanot Coptic Orthodox Church (Alexandria, Egypt)]
* [http://www.socdigest.org Shroro - Orthodox Christian Digest]
* [http://www.orthodoxunity.org Website on the unity between Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Churches]
* [http://aggreen.net/autocephaly/oriental.html Oriental Orthodox Churches]
* [http://www.socdigest.org/ Shroro - The Syriac Orthodox Christian Digest]
* [http://www.copticchurch.org/Texts/Spirituals/Natofchr.pdf ''The Nature of Christ''] (PDF) by Pope [[Shenouda III (Gayyid) of Alexandria]]
* [http://www.orthodoxunity.org/statements.html Eastern-Oriental Orthodox Unity - Official Satements]
* A case against reunion is made by this article: [http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/ea_mono.aspx Opposition to Union with the Oriental Churches and the Unresolved Theological Differences Between the Two]

[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
[[Category:Oriental Orthodox]]

User talk:ASDamick

2005-10-31T10:31:18Z

Matrona: /* Axios! */

* [[/Archive 1|Archive 1]]

----
Reader Andrew, Thanks for correcting\editting my errors. I'm glad for the outstanding editting. In chasing down the Archbishop John (Shahovskoy) identity I found in my copy of the OCA book noted in my update. Orthodox America 1794 - 1976 has an excellent chronology of events in the history from 1794, specifically of the movements of the bishops. If you haven't seen it your might find it useful for identifying the hierarchs and the timing of their offices.

[[User:Wsk|Wsk]]

== OCA.org Images ==

Hi dear Reader,

I just wanted to make sure that we're getting permission from Fr. Matusiak for the images we post from OCA.org. Thanks! [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

== Category changes - July 05, 2005 ==

Rdr. Andrew,

I had put [[Divine Liturgy]] and [[Daily Cycle]] in that category as a way to remind me of a category that probably needs to be made, something like Orthodox Church Life. Contrast this to Orthodox Home Life. I just wanted to tell you and hopefully get some feedback. Did you or have you read the [[Category talk:Church Life|discussion]] at the [[:Category:Church Life]] page (as of July 05, 2005)? I think [[User:Epte|Rdr. Patrick]] has a good idea and I think it would help with the Introduction to Orthodox Christianity series. --[[User:Joe Rodgers|{{User:Joe Rodgers/sig}}]] 10:44, 5 Jul 2005 (EDT)

==Date: 2005-07-05-05; Time: 160746 CDT==

Rdr. ANDREW,

Thank you for the welcome; and thank you that there is an Orthodoxwiki.

Yours in CHRIST JESUS,

(s)The Evangelist DIONYSIOS

The.Evangelist.Dionysios at gmail.com

P. S.: My Patron Saint is DIONYSIOS of Zakynthos

== Church Calendar work ==

Covet your thoughts about this topic. Discussion over on [[User_talk:Magda#Church_Calendar_work|Magda's talk page]] for now. --[[User:Joe Rodgers|{{User:Joe Rodgers/sig}}]] 00:35, 7 Jul 2005 (EDT)

== Quotes ==

Rdr. Andrew, how do you suggest (and the other sysops) starting to list quotes? For instance, on the [[baptism]] article I wanted to start listing some excerpts from the writings of the early [[Church Fathers]], but I didn't want to "clog" the page. You know, commentary, so to speak. I had thought about possibly creating an article like baptism/quotes, but that didn't seem right. I do think it would be nice to have things like quotes from Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius and the like on various topics. I would probably copy it right from one of the church fathers sites and then try to hyperlink the quote somehow. --[[User:Joe Rodgers|{{User:Joe Rodgers/sig}}]] 02:38, 7 Jul 2005 (EDT)

== Pope Shenouda III page you have deleted ==

We have permission to use this material under the terms of your license. God Bless. --arbible (Coptic Orthodox Servant) http://www.zeitun-eg.org http://www.stmina-monastery.org http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/

It might be that this forum is biased towards the Greek orthodox Church, who despite their official Church position (Ecumenical Patriarchate), still "hate" us like heretics. They are welcome though as a minority Church in Egypt (300,000 vs. >15 million Copts worldwide, incl. >9 millions inside Egypt). The Coptic Church Network of Sites Online (incl. St Takla) have one common goal, to serve our Lord, and one Pope, Abba Shenouda III. God Bless.

Please, some love: http://www.metroplit-bishoy.org/Byzantine.htm
In your Church, the Blessed Holy Virgin Mary has never appeared like in ours. It's called the Christian religion, not the Greek religion.

=== Re: Pope Shenouda III page you have deleted ===
Please forgive me for the tough/angry language I have used in the above reply. I shouldn't have written this way. May the Lord bless your service for His name's glory.

== Copyright Template ==

FYI, the "history" link <strike>goes</strike> went [http://www2.orthodoxwiki.org/Shenouda_III_%28Gayyid%29_of_Alexandria%26action%3Dhistory here] instead of [http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Shenouda_III_%28Gayyid%29_of_Alexandria&action=history here] (where it should <strike>go</strike> have gone). I am unsure of how to correct that link. Also, the <nowiki>{{PAGENAME}}</nowiki> template doesn't pick up on sections like "Template:" or "OrthodoxWiki". —[[User:Magda|magda]] 14:43, 7 Jul 2005 (EDT)

The link still seems wonky, though I can't figure out why, or how it's reading an extra space in there. [http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Shenouda_III_%28Gayyid%29_of_Alexandria&oldid=7039 This] is what I'm looking at now. —[[User:Magda|magda]] 14:54, 7 Jul 2005 (EDT)

Nice work! —[[User:Magda|magda]] 15:06, 7 Jul 2005 (EDT)

== Orthodoxy in Australasia image ==
i don't mind its insertion at all! a very good image, quite appropriate, better than what i could have done. thank you! obviously, any edits and updates that you (or anyone reading this) know of would be much appreciated. [[User:Pistevo|oea]] 09:26, 17 Jul 2005 (EDT)

== Category in Templates ==

Thank you for the name day greeting, Rdr. Andrew. I can't remember where you commented that one could include a template in a category and any page using that template would also be in that category, but it does not seem to hold true for [[:Template:Cleanup]] and [[:Category:Articles needing cleanup]]. I figured I would call that to your attention so you could play around with it. —[[User:Magda|magda]] 08:53, 22 Jul 2005 (EDT)

:This is really weird. Check out [[Gospels]]. It has the template, but isn't included in the category. (It's the only one, based on what links to the template.) Thank you for letting me know that the others work, though. Could it have something to do with the fact that the Gospels page hasn't been edited since April 6? The category was added to the template afterwards, and each of the other pages has been edited since that time. [[User:Magda|{{User:Magda/sig}}]] 09:03, 19 Aug 2005 (EDT)

== Apostle Question ==

Hi Rdr. Andrew,

This question is from Jim N. via email. I tried to forward it to you but Chrysostom.org is "unroutable"!
--------------------------------
From: Jim N.
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 9:16 AM
To: FrJohn
Subject: OrthodoxWiki e-mail

Hi Father John,

Father Bless!

I have a question about one of the listings in the Seventy Apostles. Apphia is the name and as I was doing research I noticed the the Prologue of Ohrid does not call Apphia an 'apostle' but a 'martyr'. Apphia is also Philemon's wife, which I thought might make things murky calling 'her' and Apostle. What should I do?

Jim N.
-----------------------------------------------------

::To Rdr. Andrew and Jim -- Not to make more work you guys, but it might be worth creating categories for both the Twelve and the Seventy. At least that makes sense to me! Thanks, [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

== Ordination ==

In the template:spirituality shouldn't "Ordination" be replaced with Holy Orders? I was just wondering because just ordination leaves out the monastic vows that are included in Holy Orders and also the minor orders which men are only tonsured. --[[User:MariaCrabtree|Arlie]] 16:37, 8 Aug 2005 (EDT)

== Image Uploads ==

How do I add the tags? I'm sorry I didn't realize this before. How do I make sure something I post is not copyrighted or is in public domain. I'm confused on how to determine this. Thanks. Oh and is there a way to see a list of all the pics I uploaded so I can make sure this edit is done on all images? --[[User:MariaCrabtree|Arlie]] 16:54, 8 Aug 2005 (EDT)

==Archimandrite==

Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Early on I noticed my error, but lapsed back!! Good thing I saw your note befpre I posted an artical on Bp. Joasaph - did it again, almost! Also, thanks for catching my 'titling' error of a few days ago. [[User:Wsk|Wsk]] 14:29, 9 Aug 2005 (EDT)

== [[Mary of Egypt]] ==

Is it appropriate to have her in the [[:Category:Desert Fathers|Desert Fathers]] category? If you could write a sentence or two on the category page to illuminate which saints are generally considered desert fathers and mothers, I think that would be useful. [[User:Magda|{{User:Magda/sig}}]] 15:35, 11 Aug 2005 (EDT)

==Cult/Occult==

Readr Andrew; I have an item that you and Fr. John may be interested in. This morning I was using the free broadband services of Panera Bread and called up Orthodoxwiki. I got a notice says the site was blocked , referencing a "SonicWall Content Filter Service" with a note that comments on the block should be made to <support@icoacorp.com> and that a response would take 48 hours! It then noted the reason for the blockage as "Cult/Occult". I don't think we are either!![[User:Wsk|Wsk]] 18:00, 12 Aug 2005 (EDT)

== Moving/Redirect of [[Gospel]] ==

I noticed you had deleted [[Gospel]] which redirected to [[Gospels]]. However, there were [http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Special:Whatlinkshere&target=Gospel several pages] which linked to the former. Did you think "Gospel" should be a separate article? If not, I propose that we restore the redirect; alternately, we could go fix those links, but it might be useful to have the redirect for ease in creating future articles. [[User:Magda|{{User:Magda/sig}}]] 09:14, 19 Aug 2005 (EDT)

== RE: Saints and calendar dates ==
Dear Father, I think the difference is always 13 days. For example, St. [[Menas]] feast day is November 24 according to Coptic calendar = November 11 your calendar (http://www.stmina-monastery.org/inotherchurches.htm#greek ). Thanks+

I think we need a page about Coptic months and calendar; something like http://www.andrewfanous.com/CopticCalendar.htm
Thanks+

Two helpful Wikipedia links:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Months_of_the_Coptic_calendar
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coptic_calendar

== Jerusalem Patriarch ==
rats, you just beat me :P. (for the record, your edit was better than mine was) [[User:Pistevo|oea]] 09:03, 22 Aug 2005 (EDT)
:no chance. that's the only news article out there. i even checked wikipedia...i thought the article looked very familiar, then i realised why :D. the photo from that article seems to be the only one of him out there. i think that if we just wait for a couple of days, it'll show.
:however, i did wonder if, perhaps, the greek 'Theophilos' should be used (instead of 'Theophilus') - the article uses that, as does the greek alphabet. [[User:Pistevo|oea]] 09:19, 22 Aug 2005 (EDT)
::*sigh*, the difference of just a couple of hours. being almost midnight in this part of the world, i'll let you sort out whatever else there is. wouldn't hold my breath on the surname thing, though. also, could you check the [[List of Patriarchs]] article and for the title of Jerusalem? i've seen it being a lot longer and grandiose (syria and holy zion come to mind as parts of it). cheers, [[User:Pistevo|oea]] 09:46, 22 Aug 2005 (EDT)

== Theodoros ==

Greetings!

You may also want to add links to the following new article I created:

http://www2.orthodoxwiki.org/Theodoros_II_%28Choreftakis%29_of_Alexandria

I sadly don't have the time to properly link the text around...

B/Rgrds
Dimitris

== Welcome back! ==

Welcome back Rdr. Andrew! [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

Thanks for the spell checking! [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

== Defunct source pages ==

Any suggestions on what to do about defunct source pages? I had been using the saints and feasts from saintgeorge.org, but the information from these pages is no longer accessible on the site (that I can find, anyhow). For instance, [[Job the Long-suffering]] links to [http://saintgeorge.org/news_and_events/church_calendar/saint_of_the_day/05may/may_06_the_prophet_job.php this page] which no longer exists. There is a [http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:XTHMjW-IFIYJ:www.saintgeorge.org/news_and_events/church_calendar/saint_of_the_day/05may/may_06_the_prophet_job.php+%22saintgeorge.org/news_and_events/church_calendar/saint_of_the_day/05may/may_06_the_prophet_job.php%22&hl=en&client=firefox-a google cache] of the page, but I don't know how long that will exist. It seems silly to have a broken link, but if we remove the link, we're not citing the source. [[User:Magda|{{User:Magda/sig}}]] 11:58, 14 Sep 2005 (EDT)

== [[Metochion]] ==

"an ecclesiastical embassy" —give an example?
"the church is then considered to belong to that church" —come again?
I think that giving a specific example would greatly improve the article. Is ''dependency'' [http://www.stirene.org/Resources/dependencies.htm] a synonym for ''metochion''? [[User:Magda|{{User:Magda/sig}}]] 10:18, 16 Sep 2005 (EDT)

== Featured Article ==

Dear Reader Andrew, do you have any articles in mind for grooming to featured status? I feel negligent that the featured article hasn't changed since [http://www2.orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Template:Featured&action=history July 22], but I can't think of what would be a good article to feature which hasn't already been featured. Should we cycle through them again until we have new articles worth featuring? [[User:Magda|{{User:Magda/sig}}]] 18:38, 26 Sep 2005 (EDT)

== Logo Submission ==

Greetings dear Reader! I love the image of the Theotokos, but in the logo submission guidelines I asked that icons not be used. The reason for this is that the image is likely at some point to make its way beyond the screen and on to printed or promotional media. Better not to use an icon in this case, I think. I'm glad you're working on different ideas though! Keep it up, [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

::Much better! I like those. Thanks, [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

== Dimitry Pospielovsky ==
[[Dimitry Pospielovsky]] (Дмитрий По

Talk:The Orthodox Christology of St. Severus of Antioch

2005-10-30T20:41:33Z

Matrona:

== St. Who? ==

Shouldn't this be qualified as a Coptic POV article? If non-Chalcedonian articles are going to be welcome here, shouldn't it be made clear that their non-Chalcedonian views are not shared by the Orthodox Church? --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 14:37, 29 October 2005 (CDT)

: I'm thinking that perhaps it might be useful to create a '''<nowiki>{{non-chalcedonian}}</nowiki>''' template which could get put at the top of such articles so that they're clearly labelled from the get-go. {{User:ASDamick/sig}} 14:29, 30 October 2005 (CST)

::That sounds good to me, although I'd like it if a note was placed in the title of the article, too. I've seen some with the annotation "(Coptic POV)". Also, for this article in particular, it would be great if "St." was removed, or put in parentheses. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 14:41, 30 October 2005 (CST)

Talk:The Orthodox Christology of St. Severus of Antioch

2005-10-29T19:37:33Z

Matrona: /* St. Who? */

Talk:The Orthodox Christology of St. Severus of Antioch

2005-10-29T19:37:05Z

Matrona: St. Who?

Talk:Anti-Orthodox

2005-10-22T01:09:50Z

Matrona: /* Non-Chalcedonian Polemics */

I think it's worth leaving in the fact that Clendenin knows what he's talking about more than most of the other writers linked here. -FrJohn

: Agreed. I'm gonna "scholarize" the lingo a bit, then. --[[User:ASDamick|Rdr. Andrew]]

:: Great! [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]]

Can anyone find a page in which to insert a link to ''this'' article? At the moment it exists in isolation... --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 11:19, 14 Oct 2005 (EDT)

== Non-Chalcedonian Polemics ==
I am concerned seeing the Coptic Orthodox Church listed as Anti-Orthodox under this category.

:I am removing this section/sub-heading, as there are no links or other information. Any links or other information which may come up might better be structured under [[Oriental Orthodox]], or another page relating to the differences between Chalcedonian and Non-Chalcedonian congregations (for instance, [[Christology]] or [[Council of Chalcedon]]). Arbible, it might be a good idea to think of this inclusion as an honest mistake, i.e., give the benefit of a doubt, rather than a signal of "fighting." [[User:Magda|{{User:Magda/sig}}]] 11:40, 21 Oct 2005 (EDT)

:: Thank you v much - God Bless+++

:I most certainly did NOT list the Coptic religion as "anti-Orthodox". I merely provided a category where information on and links to non-Chalcedonian polemics could be added. I would appreciate it if the category was added back. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 13:30, 21 Oct 2005 (EDT)

I think we can both pray for persecuted Christians around the world '''and''' focus on Christology. There clearly is much to discuss, and no '''official''' proclamations regarding the Christological questions between the Chalcedonians and Non-Chalcedonians have yet been promulgated. So it's not a dead question by any means.

In any event, while I do think that putting Non-Chalcedonian polemics against Chalcedonians into this article is probably not the best thing to do (if only because it's a large enough issue to warrant separate treatment), it is worthy of mention that [[OrthodoxWiki:Style Manual#Neutrality and the OrthodoxWiki Bias|according to official policy]], ''Orthodox'' is defined on OrthodoxWiki as a term biased in favor of Mainstream Chalcedonian Orthodoxy. While Non-Chalcedonian material is welcome here, it is as "guests" that such material is welcome and not as "standard." —[[User:ASDamick|{{User:ASDamick/sig}}]] 18:25, 21 Oct 2005 (EDT)

::Thank you. I respect your policy. God Bless+

:::Thanks for understanding. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 21:09, 21 Oct 2005 (EDT)

Nicholas II of Russia

2005-10-21T22:09:43Z

Matrona:

[[Image:TsStNich.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Icon of Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II of Russia (Courtesy Ivanovo Monastery)]]

The holy and right-believing Emperor Saint '''Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov''' was the last reigning Emperor (commonly called "Tsar") of Russia at the time of the Bolshevik Revolution. Together with his wife, [[Alexandra Romanov|Alexandra Fyodoronova]], formerly Alexandra of Hesse-Darmstad, and their children Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia and Alexey, they are recognized as [[Passion-bearer]]s by the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]].
==Life & Death==
In February 1917, during the February Revolution, Nicholas reluctantly abdicated the throne, hoping that doing so might save the nation some violence. After the Bolshevik (October) revolution, he and his family were exiled to Siberia, where they were detained under house-arrest. After several months, the family was lined up in the basement and shot. The bodies were buried in an unmarked grave.

In 1991, in Yekaterinburg, Sibera, their bodies were exhumed. DNA testing confirmed that they were indeed the Romanovs.

In 1998, with Boris Yeltsin in attendance, most of the Royal Family was finally laid to rest with proper ceremony.

==Canonization==
Nicholas and his family were canonized by the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] in 1981 but this was a hotly debated decision. Both within and outside of Russia there were those who claimed that Nicholas' reign was weak and prone to extravagence and indifference to the plight of Russia's needy. On the other hand, there was widespread popular devotion to Tsar Nicholas among those who claimed that he was called of God to lead his people at a difficult time in history and did so to the best of his abilities. The religious devotion and piety of the family is well documented and not seriously contested.

In 2000, after some 8 years of study, the council of Bishops of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] voted unanimously to recognize Nicholas, Alexandra and their five children as saints.

==Troparion==
Most noble and sublime was your life and death, O Sovereigns;<br>
wise Nicholas and blest Alexandra, we praise you,<br>
acclaiming your piety, meekness, faith, and humility,<br>
whereby ye attained to crowns of glory in Christ our God,<br>
with your five renowned and godly children of blest fame.<br>
Martyrs decked in purple, intercede for us.

==External Links==
* [http://www.serfes.org/royal/index.htm The Royal Martyrs of Russia]
* [http://www.tzar.orthodoxy.ru/ Russian site on the Tsar-Martyr]
* [http://www.roca.org/OA/14/14c.htm God's Anointed Sufferer: Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II]
* [http://www.orthodox.net/russiannm/nicholas-ii-tsar-martyr-and-his-family.html Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II and his Family]

[[Category:Emperors and Kings]]
[[Category:Russian Saints]]
[[Category:Saints]]

Talk:Anti-Orthodox

2005-10-21T17:30:59Z

Matrona: /* Non-Chalcedonian Polemics */

I think it's worth leaving in the fact that Clendenin knows what he's talking about more than most of the other writers linked here. -FrJohn

: Agreed. I'm gonna "scholarize" the lingo a bit, then. --[[User:ASDamick|Rdr. Andrew]]

:: Great! [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]]

Can anyone find a page in which to insert a link to ''this'' article? At the moment it exists in isolation... --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 11:19, 14 Oct 2005 (EDT)

== Non-Chalcedonian Polemics ==

I gather these have been resolved by official Eastern Orthodox Chuch hierarchy over a decade ago. I am offended seeing the Coptic Orthodox Church listed as Anti-Orthodox under this category. For your information, we are a Church of martyrs up to this day:
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=85&art_id=qw1129782066324B221 (Coptic nun stabbed in chest)

http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level.php?cat=Religion&loid=8.0.220123440&par=0 (Muslim mobs (>5,000) are right now surrounding the church and the situation is out of control)

http://www.copts.net/detail.asp?id=795 (Reuters - latest 21/10/05)

http://www.copts.net/detail.asp?id=796 (BREAKING NEWS: 10,000 LAY VIOLENT SIEGE TO COPTIC CHURCH - 21/10/05)

I think we should now concentrate on praying for the persecuted Church around the world rather than on our Christological "differences"!

:I am removing this section/sub-heading, as there are no links or other information. Any links or other information which may come up might better be structured under [[Oriental Orthodox]], or another page relating to the differences between Chalcedonian and Non-Chalcedonian congregations (for instance, [[Christology]] or [[Council of Chalcedon]]). Arbible, it might be a good idea to think of this inclusion as an honest mistake, i.e., give the benefit of a doubt, rather than a signal of "fighting." [[User:Magda|{{User:Magda/sig}}]] 11:40, 21 Oct 2005 (EDT)

:: Thank you v much - God Bless+++

:I most certainly did NOT list the Coptic religion as "anti-Orthodox". I merely provided a category where information on and links to non-Chalcedonian polemics could be added. I would appreciate it if the category was added back. --[[User:Matrona|Matrona]] 13:30, 21 Oct 2005 (EDT)

Anti-Orthodox

2005-10-21T13:07:38Z

Matrona:

''This entry is for links to modern polemical material and Orthodox responses. Historical material, or detailed treatment of a range of critiques should be filed under the particular body in question. See,e.g. [[Non-Orthodox]] for more information.''

==Protestant Polemics==
The difficulty with most of these sites is not that they are criticizing Orthodox Christianity as it is but basing their critiques on misconceptions of Orthodox doctrine and practice. Sometimes elements of Orthodox teaching can be recognized, but the way they are put together is often quite bizarre. Irenaeus of Lyons wrote about how heretics took elements of the faith and rearranged them, so that what once was a mosaic of a king becomes an image of a dog (or something else).

One significant exception is Daniel Clendenin, whom many Orthodox Christians respect for being much more thorough in his research. In that, he is relatively unique among modern critics of Orthodoxy.
His ultimate reason for rejecting Orthodoxy is spelled out in terms of his commitment to Protestant distinctives, a viewpoint which draws the lines clearly, rather than proceeding from the position that we all share the same basic assumptions and that one's interlocutor is drawing dishonest conclusions based on them.

===Links===
*[http://people.biola.edu/faculty/alang/EO/Summary.pdf Eastern Orthodox Teachings in Comparison with The Doctrinal Position of Biola University] (PDF) - May, 1998 (A summary is available [http://www.samford.edu/groups/global/ewcmreport/articles/ew08304.html here])
**[http://www.ctlibrary.com/1450 Higher Education: Universities Question Orthodox Conversions] - from ''Christianity Today'']
**[http://www.samford.edu/groups/global/ewcmreport/articles/ew08306.html Gerald Bray Responds to the Biola Statement and Don Fairbairn]
*[http://www.namb.net/evangelism/iev/PDF/BB_E_Orthodox_Manual.pdf Witnessing to people of Eastern Orthodox Background: Turning Barriers of Belief into Bridges to Personal Faith] by Matt Spann, 2001 (from the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Church).
*[http://www.credenda.org Credenda Agenda] - This site was recently redesigned and the links below may soon disappear. Perhpas these volumes are still being edited for inclusion in the redesigned site?
**[http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/cont4-4.htm Is Orthodoxy Orthodox?] (''vol. 4:4'')
**[http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/cont6-5.htm Tradition Betrayed: Eastern Orthodoxy Examined in the Light of the Apostolic Faith] (''vol. 6:5'')
**[http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/cont8-5.htm Mother Kirk: Protesting Catholics and the Authority of the Church] (''vol. 8:5'')

::[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/credenda_response.htm Patrick Barnes responds to The Credenda Agenda 6:5], and [http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/vol6/eastern.htm their reply].

*http://exorthodoxforchrist.com/profile.htm

*[http://www.equip.org/free/DE177.htm Searching for the True Apostolic Church: What Evangelicals Should Know about Eastern Orthodoxy] by Paul Negrut ([http://www.equip.org/ The Christian Research Institute], Statement DE-177)
**[http://students.cua.edu/16kalvesmaki/CRJ.htm A Response from Joel Kalvesmaki]

===Articles===
*[http://uecb.by.ru/eng/archive/orthodox1.htm "Why I'm Not Orthodox"] by Daniel Clendenin (originally published in [http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/1997/jan6/7t1032.html ''Christianity Today''])
**[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/clendenin.aspx Responses from Patrick Barnes and Deacon (now Priest) John Whiteford]
**[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/clendenin_response.aspx A Letter in Reply] by Anastasia Theodoridis
**A more strident response from Rdr. Peter Jackson: [http://www.roca.org/oa/149/149p.htm Part I] and [http://www.roca.org/oa/150/150f.htm Part II]

* [http://lausanne.gospelcom.net/LOP/lop19.htm Christian Witness to Nominal Christians among the Orthodox] - Report of the Consultation on World Evangelization, Mini-Consultation on Reaching Nominal Christians Among Orthodox held at Pattaya, Thailand, from 16-27 June 1980. Sponsored by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization.
* [http://www.christianweek.org/stories/vol19/no05/record.html For Those Who Embrace Orthodoxy] - ''Christian Week'' 19:5 (May 27, 2005)

==Roman Catholic Polemics==
*[http://www.catholic.com/library/eastern_orthodoxy.asp (Roman) Catholic Answers: Eastern Orthodoxy] - A poorly-researched profile of Orthodoxy from (Roman) Catholic Answers.
*[http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ464.HTM Orthodoxy and Catholicism: A Comparison] - Dave Armstrong
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atrium/8410/ Apologia: A Catholic Page for Protestants and Eastern Orthodox] - unknown author
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13535a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia article on the so-called "Eastern Schism"] - unknown author
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12043b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia on "Photius of Constantinople"] - unknown author, brazen character assassination of St. [[Photios the Great]]

==Non-Chalcedonian Polemics==

==Other Polemics==

[[Category:Inter-Christian]]
[[Category:Links]]
[[Category:Non-Orthodox]]

List of American bishops

2005-10-19T05:32:37Z

Matrona: /* Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America */

{{orthodoxyinamerica}}
'''American Orthodox [[bishop]]s''' are men serving as bishops in some capacity, whether with [[diocese]]s or exercising authority of some kind in the United States and Canada. The dates following their names indicate the years during which they served as bishops in America.

==[[Church of Antioch]]==
*[[Raphael of Brooklyn|Raphael (Hawaweeny) of Brooklyn]], 1904-1915
*[[Germanos (Shehadi) of Zahle]]

===[[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|Antiochian Archdiocese]]===
*[[Alexander (Mufarrij) of Ottawa]], 2004-present
*[[Antony (Bashir) of New York]], 1935-1966
*[[Antoun (Khouri) of Miami]], 1981-present
*[[Basil (Essey) of Wichita]], 1992-present
*[[Demetri (Khoury) of Jableh]], 1995-2003 (retired)
*[[Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) of Los Angeles]], 1995-present
*[[Mark (Maymon) of Toledo]], 2004-present
*[[Michael (Shaheen) of Toledo]], 1958-1992
*[[Philip (Saliba) of New York]], 1966-present
*[[Samuel (David) of Toledo]], 1935-1958
*[[Thomas (Joseph) of Oakland]], 2004-present
*[[Victor (Abo-Assaley) of New York]], 1924-1935

==[[Church of Russia]], 1794-1924==
*[[Tikhon of Moscow|Tikhon (Belavin) of the Aleutians]]
*[[Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov) of the Aleutians]], 1888-1891
*[[Innocent of Alaska|Innocent (Veniaminov) of Kamchatka, the Kurile and Aleutian Islands]]
*[[John (Mitropolsky) of the Aleutians]], 1870-1877
*[[Nestor (Zass) of the Aleutians]], 1878-1882
*[[Nicholas (Ziorov) of the Aleutians]], 1891-1898
*[[Paul (Popov) of Novoarkhangelsk]], 1867-1870
*[[Peter (Ekaterinovsky) of Novoarkhangelsk]], 1859-1867
*[[Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of New York]]
*[[Raphael of Brooklyn|Raphael (Hawaweeny) of Brooklyn]], 1904-1915

===[[Russian Exarchate of North America]], 1933-1970===
*[[Benjamin (Fedchenkov) of the Aleutians]], 1933-1947
*[[Boris (Vik) of the Aleutians]], 1955-1962
*Germogen, 1954
*[[John (Wendland) of New York and the Aleutians]], 1962-1967
*[[Jonathan (Kopolovitch) of New York and the Aleutians]], 1967-1970
*[[Makary (Ilyinsky) of New York]], 1947-1953

===[[Russian Orthodox Church in the USA]], 1970-present===

==[[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]]==
*[[Alexios (Panagiotopoulos) of Atlanta]]
*[[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America]]
*[[Evangelos (Kourounis) of New Jersey]]
*[[Gerasimos (Michaleas) of San Francisco]]
*[[Iakovos (Coucouzis) of America]]
*[[Iakovos (Krinis) of Chicago]]
*[[Isaiah (Chronopoulos) of Denver]]
*[[Maximos (Aghiorgoussis) of Pittsburgh]]
*[[Methodios (Tournas) of Boston]]
*[[Nicholas (Pissare) of Detroit]]
*[[Spyridon (Papageorge) of America]]

==[[OCA|Metropolia/Orthodox Church in America]]==
*[[Aftimios Ofiesh|Aftimios (Ofiesh) of Brooklyn]]
*[[Arseny (Chagovtsov) of Winnipeg]]
*[[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York]]
*[[Ireney (Bekish) of New York]]
*[[John (Shahovskoy) of San Francisco]]
*[[Leonty (Turkevich) of New York]]
*[[Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of New York]]
*[[Theophilus (Pashkovsky) of San Francisco]]

===[[American Orthodox Catholic Church]]===
*[[Aftimios Ofiesh|Aftimios (Ofiesh) of Brooklyn]]

[[Category:Bishops]]

List of American bishops

2005-10-19T05:26:58Z

Matrona: /* Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America */

{{orthodoxyinamerica}}
'''American Orthodox [[bishop]]s''' are men serving as bishops in some capacity, whether with [[diocese]]s or exercising authority of some kind in the United States and Canada. The dates following their names indicate the years during which they served as bishops in America.

==[[Church of Antioch]]==
*[[Raphael of Brooklyn|Raphael (Hawaweeny) of Brooklyn]], 1904-1915
*[[Germanos (Shehadi) of Zahle]]

===[[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|Antiochian Archdiocese]]===
*[[Alexander (Mufarrij) of Ottawa]], 2004-present
*[[Antony (Bashir) of New York]], 1935-1966
*[[Antoun (Khouri) of Miami]], 1981-present
*[[Basil (Essey) of Wichita]], 1992-present
*[[Demetri (Khoury) of Jableh]], 1995-2003 (retired)
*[[Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) of Los Angeles]], 1995-present
*[[Mark (Maymon) of Toledo]], 2004-present
*[[Michael (Shaheen) of Toledo]], 1958-1992
*[[Philip (Saliba) of New York]], 1966-present
*[[Samuel (David) of Toledo]], 1935-1958
*[[Thomas (Joseph) of Oakland]], 2004-present
*[[Victor (Abo-Assaley) of New York]], 1924-1935

==[[Church of Russia]], 1794-1924==
*[[Tikhon of Moscow|Tikhon (Belavin) of the Aleutians]]
*[[Vladimir (Sokolovsky-Avtonomov) of the Aleutians]], 1888-1891
*[[Innocent of Alaska|Innocent (Veniaminov) of Kamchatka, the Kurile and Aleutian Islands]]
*[[John (Mitropolsky) of the Aleutians]], 1870-1877
*[[Nestor (Zass) of the Aleutians]], 1878-1882
*[[Nicholas (Ziorov) of the Aleutians]], 1891-1898
*[[Paul (Popov) of Novoarkhangelsk]], 1867-1870
*[[Peter (Ekaterinovsky) of Novoarkhangelsk]], 1859-1867
*[[Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of New York]]
*[[Raphael of Brooklyn|Raphael (Hawaweeny) of Brooklyn]], 1904-1915

===[[Russian Exarchate of North America]], 1933-1970===
*[[Benjamin (Fedchenkov) of the Aleutians]], 1933-1947
*[[Boris (Vik) of the Aleutians]], 1955-1962
*Germogen, 1954
*[[John (Wendland) of New York and the Aleutians]], 1962-1967
*[[Jonathan (Kopolovitch) of New York and the Aleutians]], 1967-1970
*[[Makary (Ilyinsky) of New York]], 1947-1953

===[[Russian Orthodox Church in the USA]], 1970-present===

==[[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]]==
*[[Demetrios (Trakatellis) of America]]
*[[Spyridon (Papageorge) of America]]
*[[Iakovos (Coucouzis) of America]]

==[[OCA|Metropolia/Orthodox Church in America]]==
*[[Aftimios Ofiesh|Aftimios (Ofiesh) of Brooklyn]]
*[[Arseny (Chagovtsov) of Winnipeg]]
*[[Herman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York]]
*[[Ireney (Bekish) of New York]]
*[[John (Shahovskoy) of San Francisco]]
*[[Leonty (Turkevich) of New York]]
*[[Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of New York]]
*[[Theophilus (Pashkovsky) of San Francisco]]

===[[American Orthodox Catholic Church]]===
*[[Aftimios Ofiesh|Aftimios (Ofiesh) of Brooklyn]]

[[Category:Bishops]]

Protection of the Mother of God

2005-10-18T21:04:49Z

Matrona: correcting mistakes in grammar and fact

The '''Protection of the Mother of God''' is one of the most beloved feast days on the Orthodox calendar, commemorated on [[October 1]]. It is also known as [[Virgin Mary]]'s Cerement. In most Slavic languages the word "cerement" has a dual meaning of "veil" and "protection."

The feast day celebrates the appearance of the Mother of God at Blachernae (Vlaherna) in the tenth century. At the end of St. Andrei (Andrew of Constantinople) [[Fool-for-Christ|Yurodivyi]]'s life (d. around 936; [[feast day]]: [[October 2]]), a group of people saw the Mother of God, St. [[John the Baptist]], and several other saints during a vigil in the Church of Blachernae, nearby the city gates.

The Theotokos approached the center of the church, knelt down and remained in prayer for a long time. Her face was drowned in tears. Then she took her veil (cerement) off and spread it over the people as a sign of protection. During the time, the people in the city were threatened by a barbarian invasion. After the appearance of the Mother of God, the danger was averted and the city was spared from bloodshed and suffering.

The Protection is commemorated most fervently in Slavic churches – probably because St. Andrei was a Slav. The first celebration of the Theotokos's cerement in the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] dates back from the 12th century and today is celebrated throughout the Orthodox Church.

==Sources and external links==
* [http://www.mgr.org/TheVeil.html The Miracle of the Virgin Mary at the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople in 911 A.D.]
* [http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arbible/message/24863 News item: Bulgarian Orthodox Church Celebrates Virgin Mary's Cerement Today (1 October 2005)]
* [http://www.oca.org/FSlivesAllSaintsPrint.asp?SID=4&M=10&D=1 The Protection of our Most Holy Lady the Mother of God and Ever-Virgin Mary] ([[OCA]])
* [http://www.angelfire.com/nv2/carthusian/Akathist/protection.html The Most Holy Theotokos of All Protection]
* [http://www.patriarchate.org/ecumenical_patriarchate/chapter_4/html/blachernae.html The Church of Panagia of Blachernae]

Protection of the Mother of God

2005-10-18T13:17:30Z

Matrona:

The '''Protection of the Mother of God''' is one of the most beloved feast days on the Orthodox calendar, commemorated on [[October 1]]. It celebrates the appearance of the Mother of God at Blachernae in the tenth century.

Protection of the Mother of God

2005-10-18T13:16:33Z

Matrona:

The Protection of the Mother of God is one of the most beloved feast days on the Orthodox calendar. It commemorates the appearance of the Mother of God at Blachernae in the tenth century.

Anti-Orthodox

2005-10-17T17:48:48Z

Matrona: /* Roman Catholic Polemics */

''This entry is for links to modern polemical material and Orthodox responses. Historical material, or detailed treatment of a range of critiques should be filed under the particular body in question. See,e.g. [[Non-Orthodox]] for more information.''

==Protestant Polemics==
The difficulty with most of these sites is not that they are criticizing Orthodox Christianity as it is but basing their critiques on misconceptions of Orthodox doctrine and practice. Sometimes elements of Orthodox teaching can be recognized, but the way they are put together is often quite bizarre. Irenaeus of Lyons wrote about how heretics took elements of the faith and rearranged them, so that what once was a mosaic of a king becomes an image of a dog (or something else).

One significant exception is Daniel Clendenin, whom many Orthodox Christians respect for being much more thorough in his research. In that, he is relatively unique among modern critics of Orthodoxy.
His ultimate reason for rejecting Orthodoxy is spelled out in terms of his commitment to Protestant distinctives, a viewpoint which draws the lines clearly, rather than proceeding from the position that we all share the same basic assumptions and that one's interlocutor is drawing dishonest conclusions based on them.

===Links===
*[http://people.biola.edu/faculty/alang/EO/Summary.pdf Eastern Orthodox Teachings in Comparison with The Doctrinal Position of Biola University] (PDF) - May, 1998 (A summary is available [http://www.samford.edu/groups/global/ewcmreport/articles/ew08304.html here])
**[http://www.ctlibrary.com/1450 Higher Education: Universities Question Orthodox Conversions] - from ''Christianity Today'']
**[http://www.samford.edu/groups/global/ewcmreport/articles/ew08306.html Gerald Bray Responds to the Biola Statement and Don Fairbairn]
*[http://www.namb.net/evangelism/iev/PDF/BB_E_Orthodox_Manual.pdf Witnessing to people of Eastern Orthodox Background: Turning Barriers of Belief into Bridges to Personal Faith] by Matt Spann, 2001 (from the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Church).
*[http://www.credenda.org Credenda Agenda] - This site was recently redesigned and the links below may soon disappear. Perhpas these volumes are still being edited for inclusion in the redesigned site?
**[http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/cont4-4.htm Is Orthodoxy Orthodox?] (''vol. 4:4'')
**[http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/cont6-5.htm Tradition Betrayed: Eastern Orthodoxy Examined in the Light of the Apostolic Faith] (''vol. 6:5'')
**[http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/cont8-5.htm Mother Kirk: Protesting Catholics and the Authority of the Church] (''vol. 8:5'')

::[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/credenda_response.htm Patrick Barnes responds to The Credenda Agenda 6:5], and [http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/vol6/eastern.htm their reply].

*http://exorthodoxforchrist.com/profile.htm

*[http://www.equip.org/free/DE177.htm Searching for the True Apostolic Church: What Evangelicals Should Know about Eastern Orthodoxy] by Paul Negrut ([http://www.equip.org/ The Christian Research Institute], Statement DE-177)
**[http://students.cua.edu/16kalvesmaki/CRJ.htm A Response from Joel Kalvesmaki]

===Articles===
*[http://uecb.by.ru/eng/archive/orthodox1.htm "Why I'm Not Orthodox"] by Daniel Clendenin (originally published in [http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/1997/jan6/7t1032.html ''Christianity Today''])
**[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/clendenin.aspx Responses from Patrick Barnes and Deacon (now Priest) John Whiteford]
**[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/clendenin_response.aspx A Letter in Reply] by Anastasia Theodoridis
**A more strident response from Rdr. Peter Jackson: [http://www.roca.org/oa/149/149p.htm Part I] and [http://www.roca.org/oa/150/150f.htm Part II]

* [http://lausanne.gospelcom.net/LOP/lop19.htm Christian Witness to Nominal Christians among the Orthodox] - Report of the Consultation on World Evangelization, Mini-Consultation on Reaching Nominal Christians Among Orthodox held at Pattaya, Thailand, from 16-27 June 1980. Sponsored by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization.
* [http://www.christianweek.org/stories/vol19/no05/record.html For Those Who Embrace Orthodoxy] - ''Christian Week'' 19:5 (May 27, 2005)

==Roman Catholic Polemics==
*[http://www.catholic.com/library/eastern_orthodoxy.asp (Roman) Catholic Answers: Eastern Orthodoxy] - A poorly-researched profile of Orthodoxy from (Roman) Catholic Answers.
*[http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ464.HTM Orthodoxy and Catholicism: A Comparison] - Dave Armstrong
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atrium/8410/ Apologia: A Catholic Page for Protestants and Eastern Orthodox] - unknown author
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13535a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia article on the so-called "Eastern Schism"] - unknown author
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12043b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia on "Photius of Constantinople"] - unknown author, brazen character assassination of St. [[Photios the Great]]

==Other Polemics==

[[Category:Inter-Christian]]
[[Category:Links]]
[[Category:Non-Orthodox]]

Template:July 23

2005-10-17T17:26:07Z

Matrona:

<div style="float:right;margin-left:1em">
[[Image:Rublev Trinity.jpg|100px|The Holy Trinity]]
</div>[[Synaxis]] of the [[saint]]s of Smolensk; [[Martyr]]s Trophimus, Theophilus, and 13 others in Lycia; [[Hieromartyr]] Apollinarios and Vitalios, [[Bishop]]s of Ravenna; [[Righteous]] Anna (Hannah), mother of the [[Prophet]] Samuel; New-Martyr Nectarius (Trezvinsky), Bishop of Yaransk; Hieromartyr Apollonios; 250 killed by Bulgarians during the reign of Emperor Nicephorus; eight martyrs of Carthage; Saint Anna of Constantinople; Martyr Phocas, Bishop of Sinope; Prophet Ezekiel (see also [[July 21]]); Righteous Pelagia of Tinos; Saint Anna of Levkadio; translation of the [[relics]] of Saint Herman (Germanus), [[Archbishop]] of Kazan; commemoration of the miraculous appearance of the [[Theotokos]] at Pochaev, which saved the monastery from the assault of the Tatars and Turks (1675); [[Icon]] of the Most Holy Theotokos "[[Mother of God Joy of All Who Sorrow|The Joy of All Who Sorrow (with coins)]];" in Petersburg; Pochaev Icon of the Theotokos

Template:October 24

2005-10-17T17:24:37Z

Matrona:

<div style="float:right;margin-left:1em">
[[Image:Pantokrator of Sinai.jpg|100px|Our Lord Jesus Christ]]
</div>[[Martyr]] Arethas (al-Haarith) and over 4,000 with him, including Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters; Blessed Elesbaan (Caleb), king of Ethiopia; [[Saint]] Athanasius, [[Patriarch]] of Constantinople; Saint Arethas, Sisoes, and Theophilus the Silent, recluses of the [[Monastery of the Kiev Caves|Kiev Caves]]; Saint Senoch, [[Abbot]] of Tours (Gaul); [[New-Martyr]] [[Bishop]] Lawrence of Balakin; Saint John the [[Hermit]] of Pskov; Martyr Sebastian; Saint Maglorios, Abbot of Sark; Saints Mark, Soterikos, and Valentinos; Saints Akakios the [[presbyter]] and Nerdon; [[Icon]] of the Most Holy [[Theotokos]] "[[Mother of God Joy of All Who Sorrow|The Joy of All Who Sorrow]];" repose of Blessed Elder Zosimas (Verkhovsky)

Gennadius Scholarius

2005-10-14T20:40:27Z

Matrona: link

'''Gennadius II Scholarius''' was the first [[Church of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]] following the [[Fall of Constantinople]] in 1453.

{{stub}}

==External Links==
*[[Wikipedia:Gennadius Scholarius|''Gennadius Scholarius'']] at Wikipedia
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06416b.htm Gennadius II] from the online [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] Encyclopedia

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Constantinople]]

Gennadius Scholarius

2005-10-14T15:51:50Z

Matrona:

'''Gennadius II Scholarius''' was the first [[Church of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]] following the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.

{{stub}}

==External Links==
*[[Wikipedia:Gennadius Scholarius|''Gennadius Scholarius'']] at Wikipedia
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06416b.htm Gennadius II] from the online [[Roman Catholic Church|Catholic]] Encyclopedia

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Constantinople]]

Talk:Anti-Orthodox

2005-10-14T15:19:40Z

Matrona:

Anti-Orthodox

2005-10-14T15:18:19Z

Matrona: /* Roman Catholic Polemics */

''This entry is for links to modern polemical material and Orthodox responses. Historical material, or detailed treatment of a range of critiques should be filed under the particular body in question. See,e.g. [[Non-Orthodox]] for more information.''

==Protestant Polemics==
The difficulty with most of these sites is not that they are criticizing Orthodox Christianity as it is but basing their critiques on misconceptions of Orthodox doctrine and practice. Sometimes elements of Orthodox teaching can be recognized, but the way they are put together is often quite bizarre. Irenaeus of Lyons wrote about how heretics took elements of the faith and rearranged them, so that what once was a mosaic of a king becomes an image of a dog (or something else).

One significant exception is Daniel Clendenin, whom many Orthodox Christians respect for being much more thorough in his research. In that, he is relatively unique among modern critics of Orthodoxy.
His ultimate reason for rejecting Orthodoxy is spelled out in terms of his commitment to Protestant distinctives, a viewpoint which draws the lines clearly, rather than proceeding from the position that we all share the same basic assumptions and that one's interlocutor is drawing dishonest conclusions based on them.

===Links===
*[http://people.biola.edu/faculty/alang/EO/Summary.pdf Eastern Orthodox Teachings in Comparison with The Doctrinal Position of Biola University] (PDF) - May, 1998 (A summary is available [http://www.samford.edu/groups/global/ewcmreport/articles/ew08304.html here])
**[http://www.ctlibrary.com/1450 Higher Education: Universities Question Orthodox Conversions] - from ''Christianity Today'']
**[http://www.samford.edu/groups/global/ewcmreport/articles/ew08306.html Gerald Bray Responds to the Biola Statement and Don Fairbairn]
*[http://www.namb.net/evangelism/iev/PDF/BB_E_Orthodox_Manual.pdf Witnessing to people of Eastern Orthodox Background: Turning Barriers of Belief into Bridges to Personal Faith] by Matt Spann, 2001 (from the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Church).
*[http://www.credenda.org Credenda Agenda] - This site was recently redesigned and the links below may soon disappear. Perhpas these volumes are still being edited for inclusion in the redesigned site?
**[http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/cont4-4.htm Is Orthodoxy Orthodox?] (''vol. 4:4'')
**[http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/cont6-5.htm Tradition Betrayed: Eastern Orthodoxy Examined in the Light of the Apostolic Faith] (''vol. 6:5'')
**[http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/cont8-5.htm Mother Kirk: Protesting Catholics and the Authority of the Church] (''vol. 8:5'')

::[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/credenda_response.htm Patrick Barnes responds to The Credenda Agenda 6:5], and [http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/vol6/eastern.htm their reply].

*http://exorthodoxforchrist.com/profile.htm

*[http://www.equip.org/free/DE177.htm Searching for the True Apostolic Church: What Evangelicals Should Know about Eastern Orthodoxy] by Paul Negrut ([http://www.equip.org/ The Christian Research Institute], Statement DE-177)
**[http://students.cua.edu/16kalvesmaki/CRJ.htm A Response from Joel Kalvesmaki]

===Articles===
*[http://uecb.by.ru/eng/archive/orthodox1.htm "Why I'm Not Orthodox"] by Daniel Clendenin (originally published in [http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/1997/jan6/7t1032.html ''Christianity Today''])
**[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/clendenin.aspx Responses from Patrick Barnes and Deacon (now Priest) John Whiteford]
**[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/clendenin_response.aspx A Letter in Reply] by Anastasia Theodoridis
**A more strident response from Rdr. Peter Jackson: [http://www.roca.org/oa/149/149p.htm Part I] and [http://www.roca.org/oa/150/150f.htm Part II]

* [http://lausanne.gospelcom.net/LOP/lop19.htm Christian Witness to Nominal Christians among the Orthodox] - Report of the Consultation on World Evangelization, Mini-Consultation on Reaching Nominal Christians Among Orthodox held at Pattaya, Thailand, from 16-27 June 1980. Sponsored by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization.
* [http://www.christianweek.org/stories/vol19/no05/record.html For Those Who Embrace Orthodoxy] - ''Christian Week'' 19:5 (May 27, 2005)

==Roman Catholic Polemics==
*[http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ464.HTM Orthodoxy and Catholicism: A Comparison] - Dave Armstrong
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atrium/8410/ Apologia: A Catholic Page for Protestants and Eastern Orthodox] - unknown author
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13535a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia article on the so-called "Eastern Schism"] - unknown author
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12043b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia on "Photius of Constantinople"] - unknown author, brazen character assassination of St. [[Photios the Great]]

==Other Polemics==

[[Category:Inter-Christian]]
[[Category:Links]]
[[Category:Non-Orthodox]]

Anti-Orthodox

2005-10-14T15:10:22Z

Matrona: /* Roman Catholic Polemics */

''This entry is for links to modern polemical material and Orthodox responses. Historical material, or detailed treatment of a range of critiques should be filed under the particular body in question. See,e.g. [[Non-Orthodox]] for more information.''

==Protestant Polemics==
The difficulty with most of these sites is not that they are criticizing Orthodox Christianity as it is but basing their critiques on misconceptions of Orthodox doctrine and practice. Sometimes elements of Orthodox teaching can be recognized, but the way they are put together is often quite bizarre. Irenaeus of Lyons wrote about how heretics took elements of the faith and rearranged them, so that what once was a mosaic of a king becomes an image of a dog (or something else).

One significant exception is Daniel Clendenin, whom many Orthodox Christians respect for being much more thorough in his research. In that, he is relatively unique among modern critics of Orthodoxy.
His ultimate reason for rejecting Orthodoxy is spelled out in terms of his commitment to Protestant distinctives, a viewpoint which draws the lines clearly, rather than proceeding from the position that we all share the same basic assumptions and that one's interlocutor is drawing dishonest conclusions based on them.

===Links===
*[http://people.biola.edu/faculty/alang/EO/Summary.pdf Eastern Orthodox Teachings in Comparison with The Doctrinal Position of Biola University] (PDF) - May, 1998 (A summary is available [http://www.samford.edu/groups/global/ewcmreport/articles/ew08304.html here])
**[http://www.ctlibrary.com/1450 Higher Education: Universities Question Orthodox Conversions] - from ''Christianity Today'']
**[http://www.samford.edu/groups/global/ewcmreport/articles/ew08306.html Gerald Bray Responds to the Biola Statement and Don Fairbairn]
*[http://www.namb.net/evangelism/iev/PDF/BB_E_Orthodox_Manual.pdf Witnessing to people of Eastern Orthodox Background: Turning Barriers of Belief into Bridges to Personal Faith] by Matt Spann, 2001 (from the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Church).
*[http://www.credenda.org Credenda Agenda] - This site was recently redesigned and the links below may soon disappear. Perhpas these volumes are still being edited for inclusion in the redesigned site?
**[http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/cont4-4.htm Is Orthodoxy Orthodox?] (''vol. 4:4'')
**[http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/cont6-5.htm Tradition Betrayed: Eastern Orthodoxy Examined in the Light of the Apostolic Faith] (''vol. 6:5'')
**[http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/cont8-5.htm Mother Kirk: Protesting Catholics and the Authority of the Church] (''vol. 8:5'')

::[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/credenda_response.htm Patrick Barnes responds to The Credenda Agenda 6:5], and [http://www.credenda.org/old/issues/vol6/eastern.htm their reply].

*http://exorthodoxforchrist.com/profile.htm

*[http://www.equip.org/free/DE177.htm Searching for the True Apostolic Church: What Evangelicals Should Know about Eastern Orthodoxy] by Paul Negrut ([http://www.equip.org/ The Christian Research Institute], Statement DE-177)
**[http://students.cua.edu/16kalvesmaki/CRJ.htm A Response from Joel Kalvesmaki]

===Articles===
*[http://uecb.by.ru/eng/archive/orthodox1.htm "Why I'm Not Orthodox"] by Daniel Clendenin (originally published in [http://www.ctlibrary.com/ct/1997/jan6/7t1032.html ''Christianity Today''])
**[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/clendenin.aspx Responses from Patrick Barnes and Deacon (now Priest) John Whiteford]
**[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/inquirers/clendenin_response.aspx A Letter in Reply] by Anastasia Theodoridis
**A more strident response from Rdr. Peter Jackson: [http://www.roca.org/oa/149/149p.htm Part I] and [http://www.roca.org/oa/150/150f.htm Part II]

* [http://lausanne.gospelcom.net/LOP/lop19.htm Christian Witness to Nominal Christians among the Orthodox] - Report of the Consultation on World Evangelization, Mini-Consultation on Reaching Nominal Christians Among Orthodox held at Pattaya, Thailand, from 16-27 June 1980. Sponsored by the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization.
* [http://www.christianweek.org/stories/vol19/no05/record.html For Those Who Embrace Orthodoxy] - ''Christian Week'' 19:5 (May 27, 2005)

==Roman Catholic Polemics==
*[http://ic.net/~erasmus/RAZ464.HTM Orthodoxy and Catholicism: A Comparison] - Dave Armstrong
*[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atrium/8410/ Apologia: A Catholic Page for Protestants and Eastern Orthodox] - unknown author
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13535a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia article on the so-called "Eastern Schism"] - unknown author

==Other Polemics==

[[Category:Inter-Christian]]
[[Category:Links]]
[[Category:Non-Orthodox]]