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Simeon (Jakovljević) of Brno and Olomouc

2013-04-16T04:50:21Z

Petermav:

His Eminence, Archbishop '''Simeon (Jakovljević)''', (Czech: Arcibiskup Simeon, in the world, Radivoj Jakovljević; born Feb 12, 1926, Prague), is a [[bishop]] of the Orthodox [[Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia]]. On [[April 9]], 2000, he was appointed the bishop of Brno and Olomouc. On [[February 12]], 2006, his 80th birthday, he was raised to the honor of archbishop. On [[April 12]], 2013, after the resignation of Metropolitan [[Christopher (Pulec) of Prague|Christopher]] he was chosen to serve as [[locum tenens]] of the metropolitan [[see]], until the election of a new [[primate]] can be held.

==Biography==
His Eminence was born on February 12, 1926 in Prague to a Serbian father and a Czech mother. He completed high school in Prague and then, in 1945, began to study theology in Charles University in Prague.

From 1949 through 1953, he studied in the [[St. Petersburg Theological Academy|Leningrad Theological Academy]]. From 1954 through 1959, he was an assistant in the department of theology in the Preshove University. He taught [[Old Testament]] in the Orthodox theological department in Preshove.

On [[September 7]], 1958, he was married. On [[November 1]], 1958, he was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[diaconate]] and on [[December 25]], to the [[priest]]hood.

From 1959 through 1998, Fr. Radivoj served as the priest of the [[parish]] of St. Vladimir the Great, in Mariánské Lázně.

In 1992, he received his doctorate of theology. On [[September 12]], 1996, his wife reposed in the Lord, leaving him a widower.

On [[June 1]], 1998, he received monastic [[tonsure]], taking the name Simeon.

==Episcopacy==
On [[June 21]], 1998, [[Hieromonk]] Simeon was consecrated bishop of Mariánské Lázně, [[vicar]] of the Archdiocese of Prague. Two years later, on [[April 9]], 2000, he was appointed the bishop of the [[Diocese of Brno and Olomouc]]. Six years later, on his 80th birthday, he was raised to the rank of archbishop.

On [[April 12]], 2013, after the resignation of Met. [[Christopher (Pulets) of Prague|Christopher]], Archbishop Simeon was appointed locum tenens to govern the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia until the election of a new [[primate]].

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Mariánské Lázně<br>Vicar|
years=1998 - 2000|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=[[Christopher (Pulets) of Prague|Christopher]]|
title=Bishop of Olomouc and Brno|
years=2000 - Present|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=[[Christopher (Pulets) of Prague|Christopher]]|
title=Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia<br>locum tenens|
years=2013 - Present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==External link==
* [http://www.pravmir.ru/mitropolit-cheshskij-xristofor-otreksya-ot-prestola/|Metropolitan Christopher Czech abdicated], April 12, 2013 In Russian

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Olomouc and Brno]]

George the Confessor

2013-04-06T07:55:56Z

Petermav: /* Life */

Saint '''George the Confessor''', Bishop of Mitylene, lived during the iconoclastic period. His memory is celebrated on April 7.

==Life==

The righteous George was born into a faithful family. From a young age, he was distinguished by his piety, humility and charity. These virtues were recognised by the faithful, and he was ordained and eventually elected to the episcopacy and appointed as [[Bishop]] of Mitylene.

As a bishop he was well regarded by the faithful for his virtuous life, his charity and his enlightening teaching. He dedicated himself to supporting his flock and winning back those who had been led astray by the iconoclasts. His efforts were crowned with success, and when he gave up his spirit in 821, his flock mourned him deeply.

During the reign of Patriarch Methodius, the translation of many relics of saints who died in exile was undertaken. These saints included [[Theophylactus of Nicomedia]], [[Theodore the Studite]] and [[Nicephorus I of Constantinople]].

The place of Saint George’s burial was at “Tria Kyparissia” (Three Cypresses, or Sari Baba) near the chapel of Saint [[John the Forerunner]]. Between 846 and 847, the holy relics of the saint were translated in Mitylene with honours befitting the humble and saintly hierarch.

The memory of Saint George the Confessor is honoured again on February 1 together with his brothers, Saints Symeon the New Stylite and David the Monk.

George the Confessor

2013-04-06T07:55:03Z

Petermav: Added links

Saint '''George the Confessor''', Bishop of Mitylene, lived during the iconoclastic period. His memory is celebrated on April 7.

==Life==

The righteous George was born into a faithful family. From a young age, he was distinguished by his piety, humility and charity. These virtues were recognised by the faithful, and he was ordained and eventually elected to the episcopacy and appointed as [[Bishop]] of Mitylene.

As a bishop he was well regarded by the faithful for his virtuous life, his charity and his enlightening teaching. He dedicated himself to supporting his flock and winning back those who had been led astray by the iconoclasts. His efforts were crowned with success, and when he gave up his spirit in 821, his flock mourned him deeply.

During the reign of Patriarch Methodius, the translation of many relics of saints who died in exile was undertaken. These saints included [[Theophylactus of Nicomedia], [[Theodore the Studite]] and [[Nicephorus I of Constantinople]].

The place of Saint George’s burial was at “Tria Kyparissia” (Three Cypresses, or Sari Baba) near the chapel of Saint [[John the Forerunner]]. Between 846 and 847, the holy relics of the saint were translated in Mitylene with honours befitting the humble and saintly hierarch.

The memory of Saint George the Confessor is honoured again on February 1 together with his brothers, Saints Symeon the New Stylite and David the Monk.

George the Confessor

2013-04-06T07:50:45Z

Petermav: Created page with "Saint '''George the Confessor''', Bishop of Mitylene, lived during the iconoclastic period. His memory is celebrated on April 7. Life The righteous George was born into a ..."

Saint '''George the Confessor''', Bishop of Mitylene, lived during the iconoclastic period. His memory is celebrated on April 7.

Life

The righteous George was born into a faithful family. From a young age, he was distinguished by his piety, humility and charity. These virtues were recognised by the faithful, and he was ordained and eventually elected to the episcopacy and appointed as Bishop of Mitylene.

As a bishop he was well regarded by the faithful for his virtuous life, his charity and his enlightening teaching. He dedicated himself to supporting his flock and winning back those who had been led astray by the iconoclasts. His efforts were crowned with success, and when he gave up his spirit in 821, his flock mourned him deeply.

During the reign of Patriarch Methodius, the translation of many relics of saints who died in exile was undertaken. These saints included Theophylact of Nicomedeia, Theodore the Studite and Nicephoros of Constantinople.

The place of Saint George’s burial was at “Tria Kyparissia” (Three Cypresses, or Sari Baba) near the chapel of Saint John the Baptist. Between 846 and 847, the holy relics of the saint were translated in Mitylene with honours befitting the humble and saintly hierarch.

The memory of Saint George the Confessor is honoured again on February 1 together with his brothers, Saints Symeon the New Stylite and David the Monk.

Kalliopius

2013-04-06T06:55:40Z

Petermav: Created page with "The Holy Glorious Martyr Kalliopius was martyred for his faith under Diocletian. His memory is celebrated April 7. ==Life== Saint Kalliopius was born in Perge of Pamphy..."

The Holy Glorious Martyr Kalliopius was martyred for his faith under Diocletian. His memory is celebrated [[April 7]].

==Life==

Saint Kalliopius was born in Perge of Pamphylia and lived during the reign of the Emperor Diocletian. Orphaned as a young boy, he was raised by his virtuous mother Theokleia, who nurtured him with the life-giving Words of the Saviour. When the persecutions arose he was not afraid but on the contrary, provided comfort and support for those who were weak in their faith, encouraging them until the end, to receive the crown of glory.

When the Eparch Maximus arrived in the region and began his cruel persecution of Christians, Kalliopius presented himself on his own accord with his characteristic bravery and boldness to the eparch, warning him that he would give account to God for the crimes he committed against the people. Enraged, the eparch commanded that Kalliopius be tortured and cast into prison.

A few days later, he was brought before the eparch where despite the tortures he again confessed his faith in Jesus Christ. He was condemned to death by crucifixion on [[April 7]] which coincided with [[Holy Friday]], and thus received the incorruptible crown.

According to tradition, his mother gave up her soul after embracing his holy relics.

Gerasimos of Byzantium

2013-04-06T06:33:13Z

Petermav: /* Life */

Our Righteous Father '''Gerasimos of Byzantium''' lived in the eighteenth century. His memory is celebrated [[April 7]]

==Life==
Gerasimos, the teacher, was born in Constantinople to a faithful family.

Little is known of his early life. He had a reputation as a wise man who was well regarded by the educated. He travelled to the island of Patmos where he became a disciple of Saint Makarius at the famous seminary of Patmos. He became the rector of the seminary after the blessed repose of Saint Makarius.

Having distanced himself from the cares of the world he received the monastic tonsure at the Royal and Patriarchal Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Patmos, where he was later [[ordination|ordained]] [[deacon]] and [[priest]].
He lived a righteous life and was regarded as an excellent teacher for the students of seminary.
When he fell ill, he left for Smyrna for treatment. When this failed, he travelled to Crete were he reposed in 1770 and was buried in the Holy Trinity Monastery.

When the monks from his monastery in Patmos learned of his repose, they travelled by boat to Crete where they asked that his holy relics be returned to his monastery. The monks of Holy Trinity Monastery refused this request, however during a vigil, the holy right hand of the saint was miraculously cut off while the Cherubic Hymn was being chanted and so this treasured relic was returned to Patmos where it remains to this day and is a source of many healings.

The holy relics of saint Gerasimos was kept under the Holy Altar of the main church of the monastery together with the relics of Saint Akakios until 1821 when the Ottoman Turks set fire to the monastery, destroying this source of Grace.

Gerasimos of Byzantium

2013-04-06T06:32:13Z

Petermav: Created page with "Our Righteous Father '''Gerasimos of Byzantium''' lived in the eighteenth century. His memory is celebrated April 7 ==Life== Gerasimos, the teacher, was born in Constan..."

Our Righteous Father '''Gerasimos of Byzantium''' lived in the eighteenth century. His memory is celebrated [[April 7]]

==Life==
Gerasimos, the teacher, was born in Constantinople to a faithful family.

Little is known of his early life. He had a reputation as a wise man who was well regarded by the educated. He travelled to the island of Patmos where he became a disciple of Saint Makarius at the famous seminary of Patmos. He became the rector of the seminary after the blessed repose of Saint Makarius.

Having distanced himself from the cares of the world he received the monastic tonsure at the Royal and Patriarchal [[Holy Monastery of St. John the Theologian|Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Patmos]], where he was later [[ordination|ordained]] [[deacon]] and [[priest]].
He lived a righteous life and was regarded as an excellent teacher for the students of seminary.
When he fell ill, he left for Smyrna for treatment. When this failed, he travelled to Crete were he reposed in 1770 and was buried in the Holy Trinity Monastery.

When the monks from his monastery in Patmos learned of his repose, they travelled by boat to Crete where they asked that his holy relics be returned to his monastery. The monks of Holy Trinity Monastery refused this request, however during a vigil, the holy right hand of the saint was miraculously cut off while the Cherubic Hymn was being chanted and so this treasured relic was returned to Patmos where it remains to this day and is a source of many healings.

The holy relics of saint Gerasimos was kept under the Holy Altar of the main church of the monastery together with the relics of Saint Akakios until 1821 when the Ottoman Turks set fire to the monastery, destroying this source of Grace.

Prayer book

2013-04-06T06:00:07Z

Petermav: /* Prayer books currently available in English */

A '''prayer book''' in the [[Orthodox Church]] is a book of [[prayer]]s, usually designed for private devotional use by [[laity]].

== History ==
Before the advent of printing, prayer books were written by hand and were often richly decorated with initials and miniature illustrations telling stories in the lives of [[Christ]] or the [[saint]]s, or stories from the [[Bible]]. Because of the cost involved, such prayer books were usually only used by [[clergy]], [[monk|monastics]], or the wealthy.

With the advent of printing, prayer books became accessible to the average laymen and have been an important aspect of Orthodox [[piety]] ever since.

== Prayer books currently available in English ==
*The ''Prayer Book'' of [http://www.jordanville.org/ Holy Trinity Monastery], Jordanville, NY: generally considered the standard Russian-style prayer book in English, it uses the ''Psalter According to the Seventy'' produced by [[Holy Transfiguration Monastery (Brookline, Massachusetts)|Holy Transfiguration Monastery]] and King James Version "Victorian English" for all prayers. Contents include full Morning and Evening Prayers, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, excerpts from Matins and Vespers, multiple troparia and kontakia, akathists and supplicatory canons to Jesus Christ and the Most Holy Theotokos, canons of the Guardian Angel and of Repentance, communion prayers, instructional materials and more. There is also a reprint of the original 1960 Jordanville ''Prayer Book'', translated by the late Archimandrite [[Lazarus (Moore)]], available. ISBN 088465074X ISBN 978-0884-65074-4

*''A Prayer Book for Orthodox Christians'' (published by [http://www.thehtm.org/ Holy Transfiguration Monastery], Brookline, MA) is a hardbound old English prayer book following Greek usage. (It should be noted some of the liturgical services included – such as the Divine Liturgy and Matins – have slight differences from the style employed by the Greek Archdiocese of America, in that the prayer book follows an older ''typikon'' that is closer to Athonite usage.) The translation used is in harmony with HTM’s highly acclaimed ''Psalter'' and ''Great Horologion''. Along with morning prayers commonly found in Greek ''proseuchetarion'', the Prayers at Mealtime, the services of Small Compline, Vespers, Matins, and the Divine Liturgy, together with the principle hymns of the feasts of the year, and the complete Service of Pascha are included. Also included are the Akathists to our Sweet Lord Jesus Christ and the Most Holy Theotokos, a supplicatory canon to our Lord Jesus Christ, both the Small and Great Supplicatory Canons to the Most Holy Theotokos, a supplicatory canon to the Guardian Angel, and the Communion Prayers as well. ISBN 0943405017 ISBN 978-0943405018

*''An Orthodox Prayer Book'', Second Edition, by Archimandrite Ephrem (Lash), published by Nigel Lynn Publishing on behalf of the [http://www.thyateira.org.uk Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain;]bilingual Greek/modern English edition following the settings of Greek morning prayers, evening prayers and small [[Compline]] as found in the ''Synekdemos''. This translation is harmonious with the Oxford University Press edition of the ''Divine Liturgy'' (published with the blessing of the [[Ecumenical Patriarch]]) and with the wide range of liturgical material published on Fr Ephrem's [http://anastasis.org.uk web-site]. Copies are available at the office of the Archdiocese of Thyateira.

*''The Old Orthodox Prayer Book'', or as it is commonly referred to, "The [[Old Believers|Old Believer]] Prayer Book": This prayer book has a lot of useful instructional material, and a lot of services that are set up such that they can be done as reader services (such as a [[Moleben]]). It also has the [[Church Slavonic|Slavonic]] text and the English text on facing pages. The disadvantage to it is the Slavonic text is not the standard text used by the Church (being the Old Rite) and so it differs in wording and often in structure. Nevertheless, it is quite useful. This prayer book was produced for use by the Old Rite community in Erie, Pennsylvania (ROCOR).

*[[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)|St. Tikhon's]] ''Orthodox Prayer book'' (Slavonic/English Edition): This prayer book, sometimes called the "SVIT prayer book" after its original publisher, is a bilingual edition comparable to the Jordanville ''Prayer Book'', except it uses an obsolete English translation from the first edition produced in 1959.

*[http://www.antiochian.org/orthodox-prayers ''The Pocket Prayer Book for Orthodox Christians''], published by the [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|Antiochian Archdiocese]], is a popular, but more abbreviated version of the Prayer Book, though it contains some prayers not typically included in other prayer books.

*[http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/liturgical_texts/daily_prayers.asp ''Daily Prayer for Orthodox Christians''], by Fr. N. Michael Vaporis, originally published in 1986 and recently reprinted by Holy Cross Orthodox Press (a publishing arm of the [http://www.goarch.org Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]), is a bilingual Greek/modern English prayer book containing selections from ''The Synekdemos'', including Morning and Evening Prayers, Small Compline, the Service of Preparation for Holy Communion and Thanksgiving Following Holy Communion. Found online [http://www.gulforthodoxchurch.org/E/services/Daily%20Prayers%20for%20Orthodox%20Christians.pdf here].

*''A Prayer Book: An Anthology of Orthodox Prayers'', by Fr. Peter A. Chamberas, is a bilingual Greek and modern English prayer book published by [http://www.alexanderpress.com Alexander Press] containing Morning, Afternoon, Evening and Midnight prayers, plus 50 pages of prayers for various needs.

*''My Prayer Book'', published in 2003 by the Attendants of Hieromonk Spyridon of [http://orthodoxwiki.org/New_Skete_(Athos) New Skete], Mount Athos, Greece, is a modern English translation of common Greek Orthodox prayers found in many ''Proseuchetarion''. The text is available online [http://www.phys.uoa.gr/~nektar/orthodoxy/prayers/prayer_book_english.htm here].

*''Orthodox Prayer Book'', published by [http://www.oca.org/DIRlisting.asp?SID=9&KEY=oca-we-boupvm Holy Protection Monastery] in Lake George, Colorado, is a modern English prayer book containing the common morning and evening prayers used in the Russian tradition, plus prayers for loved ones and various needs, Canons to Our Guardian Angel and for Repentance, Paraklesis to the Theotokos, and prayers before and after Holy Communion.

*''Orthodox Christian Prayerbook'', published by the [http://www.ocpm-scoba.org/ Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry], is an adaptation of the Book of Hours, or ''Horologion'', for use by the laity. It contains Vespers, Small Compline, the Midnight Office, Daily Matins and First Hour, Third Hour, Sixth Hour and Typica, and the Ninth Hour arranged for use without clergy. The translation used is a modern English revision of the texts used by the [http://www.antiochian.org/ Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America].

*''Orthodox Prayers for Everyday'' is another adaptation of the Hours for use by the laity throughout the day. Complied and translated by Maureen Girard and published by [http://www.reginaorthodoxpress.com/index.html Regina Orthodox Press], it also contains the Paschal Hours, Morning Prayers, Prayers Before Sleep, and Prayers Before Holy Communion. The translation used is a unique mix of old and modern English.

*''A Manual of Eastern Orthodox Prayers'', published by [http://www.svspress.com/ St. Vladmir's Seminary Press], is for use by the laity. It contains Morning and Evening Prayers, Prayers for Different Occasions, Anthems and Hymns of the Greater Feasts and Saints' Days, the Slavonic and Greek Order of Confession, Prayers Before and After Holy Communion, and a Church calendar.

*''Come To Me'', published by Christ the Saviour Seminary Press in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, is a publication of the [[American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese]]. It contains Morning and Evening Prayers, Prayers for Different Occasions, the diocesan text of the Divine Liturgy, the full text of Troparion/Kontakion and Prokeimenon of each Sunday, Special Hymns, the Order for Confession, and Prayers Before and After Holy Communion. The book also contains a number of instructional and catechetical articles on Confession and Communion, Reading the Bible, living an Orthodox life, as well as meditations on Holy Communion.

*''Prayer Book in Accordance with the Tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church'', published by [http://www.allsaintsofalaska.ca/index.php/the-orthodox-prayer-book All Saints of Alaska Orthodox Church], an OCA parish in Victoria, British Columbia, contains modified morning and evening prayers derived from the Russian tradition, along with various troparia and kontakia, preparation prayers for Holy Communion and Confession, akathists to Our Lord and the Theotokos, occassional prayers, and third/sixth hours and typika service for when one is absent from the Divine Liturgy. It also contains almost a hundred pages of quotes from the Holy Fathers on prayer. The translation is a mix of old and contemporary English.

*''Orthodox Daily Prayers'', second edition, by [http://stspress.com/ St. Tikhon's Seminary Press] is a revised version of their original prayer book published in 1982. It contains Morning Prayers and Prayers Before Sleep, prayers during the day, commemoration of the living and the dead, small compline, canons to our Guardian Angel, the Theotokos, of repentance, and of preparation for Holy Communion, as well as prayers before and after Communion. All arrangements follow the traditional Russian usage, and the translation used is the "Revised Liturgical English" used in most recent liturgical publications of St. Tikhon's Press. In 2012, a hardcover reprint of the original 1982 edition of Orthodox Daily Prayers was released by STS.

* The ''Prayer Book'', third edition, of the [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the USA]] is a bilingual Ukrainian/modern English prayerbook comparable in scope to Holy Trinity Monastery's edition; contains morning, daytime and evening prayers, prayers and preparations for Confession and Holy Communion, the services of Great Vespers and Matins, the Divine Liturgy with prayers following communion, hymns from the Great Feasts, plus supplementary material for litia, molebens, and more. Hardbound with three sewn-in ribbons, it is available at [http://www.uocofusa.org/new_store.html St. Andrew Bookstore], South Bound Brook, New Jersey.

* ''Divine Liturgy - Prayers - Catechism'', third edition, published by the St. Sava Seminary Fund, is a bilingual Serbian / old English prayer book published with the blessing of Bishop [[Longin (Krco) of America and Canada]] of the New Gracanica Metropolitanate. With over 690 pages, this hardcover publication with marker ribbon contains the text of the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom with extensive commentary, festal troparia, kontakia and antiphons, short morning and evening prayers, prayers for various needs, lengthy catechetical material, and more.

* [http://orthodoxgoods.com/hoursofprayer.html ''The Hours of Prayer - A Book of Devotion''], prepared by Priestmonk Leonty and the Orthodox Brotherhood of the Virgin Mary of the [[American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese]], is a modern English translation of the hours for private use by the laity. Along with the midnight office, matins, vespers, compline, 1st / 3rd / 9th hours and the Paschal hours, included are troparia and kontakia of Sundays, weekdays, feasts, Triodian and Pentecostarion, as well as the Typica service, morning and evening prayers, akathists to Our Savior and the Mother of God, and prayers before and after communion.

*''Orthodox Prayerbook: A Collection of Prayers in the OCA Tradition'', second revised edition, prepared and published by [http://www.saintherman.net/ St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church] in Langley, British Columbia, is a modern English prayer book containing Russian-style morning and evening prayers, weekly and festal troparia and kontakia, a supplicatory service to the Theotokos, prayers before and after communion, five akathist hymns and more. The first edition is available online [http://www.ecuad.ca/sites/www.ecuad.ca/files/users/1754/work/50363/prayer-book-2010.pdf here].

*''A Manual of the Hours of the Orthodox Church'', by Archimandrite Cherubim of the Monastery of the Paraclete in Attica, Greece, is an abbreviated form of the hours (vespers, compline, midnight service, matins, 1st/3rd /6th/9th hours) for convenient daily use by the laity. This spiralbound pocket prayer book was translated into modern English by [http://holymyrrhbearers.com/ Holy Myrrhbearers Monastery] in Otego, New York, a convent of the [http://holymyrrhbearers.com/ Orthodox Church in America].

*''A Manual of Occasional Prayers'', prepared and published by [http://holymyrrhbearers.com/ Holy Myrrhbearers Monastery] in Otego, New York, is a pocket prayer book containing modern English translations of morning and evening prayers (following the Russian tradition), prayers for the living and departed, prayers for the sick, the suffering, those traveling, prayers of thanksgiving and many more occasional prayers for special needs.

* ''An Orthodox Prayer Book'', edited by Fr. Michael Monos and published by [http://www.newromepress.com/ Newrome Press], is based on the ''Prayer Book'' published by New Skete on Mount Athos (see above), with emendations and additions, as well as the ''Prayer Book'' of Archimandrite Ephrem Lash (also see above). Available in both hard and softcover editions, the modern English text includes Morning Prayers, the Service of Vespers, Small Compline, the Salutations to the Theotokos, Small Paraklesis, Prayers Before Meals, the Paschal Hours, the Lesser Hours, the Midnight Office, the Service of Preparation for Holy Communion, the Prayers of Thanksgiving After Holy Communion, the Prayer of the Heart, Occasional Prayers, the Fasting Periods of the Church and a Paschalion through 2026.

* [http://www.andrewespress.com/ambrose.html ''The Saint Ambrose Prayer Book: A Devotion Manual for Orthodox Christians of the Western Rite''], edited by Fr. John G. Winfrey, is a [[Western Rite]] Orthodox revision of the St. Augustine Prayer Book, commonly used within traditional Episcopalian/Anglican communities. Prepared for use by the [[Antiochian Western Rite Vicariate]], it contains many private devotions such as morning/mid-day/evening prayers, preparations for confession and communion, prayers for the sick and dead, stations of the cross, litanies, novenas, devotions to the saints, as well as the ordinary and canon of the Liturgies of St. Gregory and St. Tikhon. With 456 pages, it has a faux leather cover with two colored ribbons and gilt edges.

* The ''Book of Prayers: A selection for Orthodox Christians'' was first published by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Ausralia in 1993. It is a bilingual edition, providing the Greek and English in parallel. It uses contemporary though formal and dignified English. It is available in hard cover and contains Morning Prayers, Evening Prayers, Prayers at Meals, Communion Prayers, The Typika and Occasional Prayers. ISBN 0646127667

== Sources ==

*[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/prayerbks.aspx A Listing of Suggested Prayer Books. Orthodoxinfo.com]

== External links==
*[http://www.saintjonah.org/services/library.htm Practical Tips on how to Build a Liturgical Library]
*[http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/prayerbook/main.htm The Old (Fr. Lazarus Moore) Jordanville Prayer Book, Online]
*[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/pr_prayer.aspx Prayer, Orthodoxinfo.com]
*[http://www.phys.uoa.gr/~nektar/orthodoxy/prayers/prayer_book_english.htm Prayer Book] by the Cell Attendants of Priestmonk Spyridon of New Skete, Mount Athos
*[http://www.gulforthodoxchurch.org/E/services/Daily%20Prayers%20for%20Orthodox%20Christians.pdf Daily Prayers for Orthodox Christians] by Fr. N. Michael Vaporis
*[http://www.synodinresistance.org/Publications_el/4b6002Proseyxhtari.pdf Small Prayer Book] (Greek)
*[http://www.aleksandrslibrary.com/uploads/8/0/0/6/800691/my_orthodox_prayer_book.pdf My Orthodox Prayer Book], prepared by the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, Archdiocese of Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa
*[http://www.orthodoxprayer.org/Articles_files/Sveshnikov-Morning%20&%20Eve%20prayer.pdf Morning and Evening Prayer Rules in the Russian Orthodox Tradition], by Fr. Sergei Sveshnikov
*[http://www.ecuad.ca/sites/www.ecuad.ca/files/users/1754/work/50363/prayer-book-2010.pdf Orthodox Prayerbook: A Collection of Prayers in the OCA Tradition] (first edition), compiled by St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church, Langley, B.C., Canada
*[http://www.gometropolis.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Prayer-Book.pdf Greek / English Prayer Book] of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto, Canada (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
*[http://www.denver.goarch.org/metropolis/clergy_laity_assembly/materials/Daily%20Prayers_Color.pdf Daily Prayers] of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Denver, CO (Ecumenical Patriarchate)
*[http://www.shqiptarortodoks.com/tekste/liturgjike/Noli_1949.pdf The Eastern Orthodox Prayer Book], compiled by Bishop Fan Stylian Noli of the Albanian Orthodox Church in America (1949)

[[Category:Liturgics]]
[[Category:Texts]]

Talk:April 6

2013-04-06T05:51:17Z

Petermav: Created page with "The names of the Martyrs of Samothrace are George, Manuel, Theodore, George and Michael. They gave their lives for the Lord in 1835. The first four were natives of Samothrac..."

The names of the Martyrs of Samothrace are George, Manuel, Theodore, George and Michael. They gave their lives for the Lord in 1835. The first four were natives of Samothrace, while Saint Michael was a native of Cyprus.

Can these details be added? (At least the names)

Gregory the Byzantine

2013-04-06T05:44:22Z

Petermav:

Saint '''Gregory the Byzantine''', also known as Saint Gregory the Athonite, was a native of [[Constantinople]]. He pursued the ascetic life on [[Mount Athos]] in the [[Great Lavra]]. He was the spiritual guide of [[Gregory Palamas]]. He reposed in 1310. His memory is commemorated [[April 6]].

Gregory the Byzantine

2013-04-06T05:43:41Z

Petermav: Created page with "Saint '''Gregory the Byzantine''', also known as Saint Gregory the Athonite, was a native of Constantinople. He pursued the ascetic life on Mount Athos in the [[Great..."

Saint '''Gregory the Byzantine''', also known as Saint Gregory the Athonite, was a native of [[Constantinople]]. He pursued the ascetic life on [[Mount Athos]] in the [[Great Lavra|Monastery of the Great Lavra]]. He was the spiritual guide of [[Gregory Palamas]]. He reposed in 1310. His memory is commemorated [[April 6]].

Eutychius of Constantinople

2013-04-06T05:19:25Z

Petermav: Some additions

[[Image:0406eutychiusconstantinop.jpg|right|frame|Saint Eutychios, Patriarch of Constantinople]]
Our father among the saints '''Eutychius of Constantinople''' (d. 582) was [[patriarch]] of the city of Constantinople and staunchly defended the Church against heretics. He is commemorated by the Church on [[April 6]].

==Life==
Saint Eutychius, Patriarch of [[Constantinople]], was born in the province of Phrygia under the upbringing of well-known and pious parents. His father Alexander was a soldier, and his mother Synesia was the daughter of the priest Hesychius of Augustopolis. He received his basic education from his grandfather and was then sent as a twelve year old to Constantinople where he studied the sciences. It was during his studies that Eutychius realized how much more expansive God's wisdom was in comparison to any science. After he realized this, he joined an Amesean [[monastery]] to live his life unto the Lord.

The saint received approval from Patriarch St. [[Mennas of Constantinople|Menas]] to be his successor as Patriarch of Constantinople as Menas grew ill. The [[Apostle Peter]] also insisted that Eutychius became patriarch in a vision before emperor [[Justinian the Great]]. In 552, he was chosen as patriarch of Constantinople.

In his first years as patriarch of Constantinople, Eutychius called together the [[Fifth Ecumenical Council]], in which [[heresy|heresies]] were [[anathema]]tized. He had much more trouble battling the heresy of [[Aphthartodocetism]], the belief that [[Jesus Christ]] was imperishable and was not able to suffer while dying on the Cross, since Emperor Justinian was allegedly fooled by the teaching. The emperor grew angry with Eutychius and sent him into exile to an Amasean monastery in the year 565.

While living the [[asceticism|ascetic]] life in exile, he continued to serve the Lord diligently and worked miraculous bodily healings and spiritual cleansings. The saint ensured that stored grain was never used up by praying to the Lord after Persians invaded and brought Amasea to ruins. Saint Eutychius also was granted the gift of prophecy, predicting the successors of Emperor Justinian.

After remaining in exile for twelve years, Eutychios returned to his rightful position in 577. On [[April 6]], 582, he called his clergy together as he reposed in peace.

==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] ([[Tone]] 3) [http://oca.org/FStropars.asp?SID=13&ID=101008]
:You lived like an angel on earth,
:O Eutychius vessel of grace;
:Your words and deeds confirmed the divine gift bestowed on you.
:By your intercessions
:Preserve the Church from all necessity.

[[Kontakion]] - (one 8)
:Praising Eutychius in faith and godliness
:Let us the faithful bless him in love
:As a great shepherd, wise teacher, minister and expeller of heresies;
:For he prays to the Lord for us all.

==External link==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=101008 St Eutychius the Patriarch of Constantinople]- [[OCA]] Website

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Mennas of Constantinople|Mennas]]|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]|
years=552-565|
after=[[John Scholasticus|John III]]}}
{{succession|
before=John III|
title=Patriarch of Constantinople|
years=577-582|
after=[[John IV of Constantinople|John IV]]}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:Patriarchs of Constantinople]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:6th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Monastics]]
[[Category:6th-century saints]]

[[ro:Eutihie de Constantinopol]]

Damaskinos (Papandreou) of Andrianople

2013-04-02T23:31:36Z

Petermav: Correction of Expression

His Eminence the Most Reverend '''Damaskinos (Papandreou) of Andrianople''', was a [[Metropolitan]] of the Throne of the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]].

==Life==
Metropolitan Damaskinos was born in 1936. His education included studies at the [[Theological School of Halki]], the University of Marburg in Germany, and with the Faculty of Theology at the University of Athens. At the University of Athens, he defended his doctoral thesis in 1966.

Metr. Damaskinos participated in the international monastic, ecumenical community of Taizé (Saône-et-Loire) in France, representing the [[Orthodox Church]] until he was placed in charge of the Orthodox Center of Chambésy in 1969. On [[December 6]], 1970, he was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] to the episcopacy. In 1982, he was appointed to lead the [[diocese]] of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Switzerland as Metropolitan of Andrianople with his [[see]] in Geneva. He was given the additional responsibility of director of the patriarchal secretariat in charge of the preparations for a future, pan-Orthodox council, a project that was launched at the beginning of the 1960s and under which several preparatory, pan-Orthodox meetings have been organized.

He has authored numerous studies on ecumenism and for many years he has been deeply involved in inter-confessional and inter-religious dialogues with the [[Oriental Orthodox|non-Chalcedonian]] Churches, [[Islam]], and [[Judaism]]. In 1999, he was elected president of the International Academy of Religious Sciences. He recently suffered a cerebral hemorrhage that has forced him to considerably reduce his activities. Metr. Damaskinos was a Corresponding Member of the Academy of Athens since 1991.

Died on the night of [[November 5]], 2011 in Geneva of a stroke.

==Writing==
* [http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/misc/damaskinos_celibacy.htm The Orthodox Churches and Priestly Celibacy]

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Andrianople|
years=1982-2011|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.ec-patr.org/hierarchs/show.php?lang=en&id=16 His Eminence, Metropolitan Damaskinos of Andrianople]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/constantinople/bios/bio_damaskinos_papandreou_metr_adrianoupolis.htm Metropolitan Damaskinos (Papandreou) of Adrianoupolis]
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/hierarchs/constantinople/current.html#damaskinos_adrianoupolis His Eminence Damaskinos Metropolitan of Adrianoupolis]

==External link==
*[http://www.academyofathens.gr/ecportal.asp?id=199&nt=18&lang=2 Academy of Athens]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Andrianople]]
[[Category: Theological School of Halki Graduates]]

Presbyter

2013-04-02T04:02:11Z

Petermav: Added Greek words.

{{Template:Clergy}}
'''''Presbyter''''' is, in the [[Bible]], a synonym for ''[[bishop]]'' (Gr: επίσκοπος - ''episkopos''), referring to a leader in local Church congregations. In modern usage, it is distinct from ''bishop'' and synonymous with '''''priest'''''. Its literal meaning in Greek (Gr: πρεσβύτερος - ''presbyteros'') is "elder."

==Ordination==
Through the sacrament of [[ordination|holy orders]], an ordination of a deacon to the priesthood is performed by the bishop. But this requires the consent of the whole people of God, so at a point in the service, the [[congregation]] acclaim the ordination by shouting [[Axios]]! (''He is worthy!'')

==Duties==
A priest ministers to the people of God in the stead of the bishop. This includes:
*Celebrating the Divine Liturgy;
*Celebrating baptisms, marriages, funerals and any sacraments of the Church.

Usually, a priest will
*Be assigned as [[proistamenos|rector of a parish]], a position that will include pastoral ministry, preaching and administration;
*Hear confessions. In some jurisdictions, this is allowable immediately; in others, being a confessor is something a bishop invites a priest to undertake.

It should be noted that a priest's conduct does not inhibit the grace of God acting through them. Christ is the one who gives grace, merely using his ministers as 'conduits' to the people.

===Restrictions===
Since the presbyters are assigned by the bishop and belong to the specific congregations they have no authority or services to perform apart from their bishop and their own particular parish community. On the [[altar table]] of each parish, there is the cloth called the [[antimension]] signed by the bishop, which is the permission to the community to gather and to act as the Church. Without the antimension, the priest and his people cannot function legitimately.

== History ==
The earliest organization of the [[Christian]] churches in Palestine was similar to that of [[Judaism|Jewish]] [[synagogue]]s, who were governed by a council of elders (''presbyteroi''). In [[Acts of the Apostles|Acts]] 11:30 and 15:22, we see this collegiate system of government in Jerusalem, and in Acts 14:23, the [[Apostle Paul]] ordains elders in the churches he founded. Initially, these '''presbyters''' were apparently identical with the '''overseers''' (''episkopoi'', i.e., [[bishop]]s), as such passages as Acts 20:17 and [[Book of Titus|Titus]] 1:5,7 indicate, and the terms were interchangeable.

Shortly after the [[New Testament]] period, with the death of the [[Apostles]], there was a differentiation in the usage of the synonymous terms, giving rise to the appearance of two distinct offices, '''[[bishop]]''' and '''presbyter'''. The bishop was understood mainly as the president of the council of presbyters, and so the bishop came to be distinguished both in honor and in prerogative from the presbyters, who were seen as deriving their authority by means of delegation from the bishop. The distinction between presbyter and bishop is made fairly soon after the Apostolic period, as is seen in the 2nd century writings of St. [[Ignatius of Antioch]], who uses the terms consistently and clearly to refer to two different offices (along with ''[[deacon]]'').

Initially, each local congregation in the Church had its own bishop. Eventually, as the Church grew, individual congregations no longer were served directly by a bishop. The bishop in a large city would appoint a presbyter to pastor the flock in each congregation, acting as his delegate.

==Married and Monastic priests==
Orthodox priests are divided into two distinct groups, [[Marriage|married]] [[clergy]], and [[monastic]] clergy. In the Orthodox Church a married man may be ordained to the priesthood. His marriage, however, must be the first for both him and his wife. He may not remarry and continue in his ministry even if his wife should die.

If a single man is ordained, he must remain celibate to retain his service. This is often done alongside the candidate taking monastic vows, becoming a [[hieromonk]] or priest-monk.

== Contemporary usage ==
The [[Orthodox Church]] often refers to presbyters in English as ''priests'' (''priest'' is etymologically derived from the Greek ''presbyteros'' via the Latin ''presbyter''). This usage is seen by some Protestant Christians as stripping the [[laity]] of its rightful priestly status, while those who use the term defend its usage by saying that, while they do believe in the ''priesthood'' of all believers, they do not believe in the ''eldership'' of all believers.

Presbyters are often referred to as ''Father'' (Fr.), though that is not an official title. Rather, it is a term of affection used by Christians for their [[ordination|ordained]] elders. In this context, a priest's first name is generally used after the word ''Father''.

Priests are often styled as ''the Reverend'' (Rev.) and therefore referred to as ''the Reverend Father'' (Rev. Fr.). Higher in bestowed honor and responsibility, [[Archpriest]]s and [[Protopresbyter]]s are styled as ''the Very Reverend'' (V. Rev.), while [[Archimandrite]]s can be styled as ''the Very Reverend'' (V. Rev.) or as ''the Right Reverend'' (Rt. Rev.). It is also appropriate and traditional to refer to a clergyman as "the Priest ''Name''" or "Archpriest ''Name''". This latter practice is especially prominent in Churches with Slavic roots, such as the [[Church of Russia]] or the [[Orthodox Church in America]].

The [[presbytera|wife of a priest]] will also have a special title, usually in the language of the jurisdiction of her husband.

== Sources ==
*Liddell & Scott, ''An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon'', pp. 301, 668
*''The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary'', p. 2297
*''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd ed.)'', p. 1322

==External links==
*[http://www.saintelias.com/ca/etiquette/index.php Church etiquette (Ukrainian tradition)] (including how to greet a priest or bishop)
*[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/clergy_etiquette.aspx Clergy Etiquette]
*[[w:Priest|Priest]] on Wikipedia

==Further reading==
* Christos S. Voulgaris (Prof. of New Testament Studies, Dean of the School of Theology of the Univ. of Athens). ''[http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/priesthood_voulgaris.htm The Sacrament of Priesthood in the Holy Scriptures].''

[[Category:Clergy]]

[[fr:Prêtre]]
[[mk:Презвитер]]
[[ro:Preot]]

Ambrose (Khelaia) the Confessor

2013-04-02T02:31:41Z

Petermav: /* Life */

[[Image:Ambrosius I Georgia.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Catholicos-Patriarch Ambrose of Georgia]]
Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Ambrose (Khelaia) the Confessor''', (Georgian: (ამბროსი აღმსარებელი, Ambrosi Aghmsarebeli), was the [[Catholicos]]-[[Patriarch]] of All Georgia of the restored [[Church of Georgia]]. He was Catholicos-Patriarch from 1921 to 1927. He is commemorated of [[March 16]].

==Life==
Besarion Khelaia was born on [[September 7]], 1861 in Martvili, Georgia. He received his primary education at the theological school in Samegrelo, before entering the Tiblisi Theological Seminary. After his graduation in 1885, Besarion married, and then was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[Holy Orders]] later that year. Fr. Besarion served as [[priest]] in Abkhazia for eight years in Sukhumi, New Athos, and Lykhy. In addition to his priestly duties, Fr. Besarion taught the Georgian language and participated in a number of philanthropic organizations. He also published a series of articles under the pseudonym of Amber denouncing the policy of Russification in Abkhazia.

In 1896, Fr. Besarion's wife died. In 1897, he enrolled in the [[Kazan Theological Academy]]. During his time at the academy, Fr. Besarion was interested in both the literary-cultural life of Kazan and in Georgian national independence. His research in the primary sources about the history of Georgia produced several essays including one entitled "The Struggle Between Christianity and Islam in Georgia". One professor recommended that he continue on that theme and present his research for a master's degree.

Fr. Besarion graduated from the Kazan academy in 1901 and, before returning to Georgia, received his [[tonsure]] as a [[monk]], with the name Ambrose. In Georgia, Fr. Ambrose was raised to the dignity of [[archimandrite]] and appointed [[abbot]] of Chelishi Monastery in Racha province where he joined with other Georgians in fighting for restoration of [[autocephaly]] of the Church of Georgia. At Chelishi, Archim. Ambrose, with the blessing of Bishop Leonid of Imereti, restored the deteriorating [[monastery]] and [[seminary]], and attracted gifted young people to study at the seminary.

In 1904, Archim. Ambrose was transferred to the Synodal office in Tbilisi and was named abbot of the Monastery of the Transfiguration.The Georgian hierarchy continued to press for restoration of autocephaly without success, pointing out to Tsar [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]] the deterioration in church life and organization that had occurred under the exarchate. The 1905 council of Georgian [[clergy]] in Tbilisi, in which Archim. Ambrose participated, was broken up by police. This incident resulted in his exile to the Troitsky Monastery at Ryazan.

In 1908, Archim. Ambrose was accused of conspiring in the murder of the Exarch of Georgia, Abp. Nikon (Sofiisky) and was deprived of the right to serve in the Church. This time, he was exiled to the Holy Trinity Monastery in Ryazan where for a year he was held under strict guard until he was acquitted and reinstated with his rights. But, he was still kept in Russia.

As Russia was overtaken by the chaos of the 1917 revolutions, Archim. Ambrose returned to Georgia in 1917 and rejoined the struggle for restoration of autocephaly of the Georgian Church. On [[March 12]], 1917, a Georgian [[synod]] proclaimed autocephaly, and elected Bishop [[Kirion II (Sadzaglishvili) of Georgia|Kirion]] Catholicos-Patriarch, actions that the [[Apostolic Governing Synod|Holy Synod]] of the [[Church of Russia]] refused to recognize. Thus, communion was broken between the two [[church]]es. With autocephaly, Archim. Ambrose was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] Metropolitan of Chqondidi. He was later transferred to Tskum-Abkhazeti.

In March 1921, Bolsheviks forces overthrew the short-lived Democratic Republic of Georgia, outlawed the Church, closed the churches and monasteries, and began the persecution of the clergy. Amidst the chaos, Catholicos-Patriarch Leonid died from cholera.

Elected on [[September 7]], 1921, Metr. Ambrose was enthroned Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia on [[October 14]], 1921. On [[February 7]], 1922, Catholicos-Patriarch Ambrose sent a memorandum to the Conference of Genoa describing the conditions under which Georgia was living since the Soviet invasion, and protested in the name of the people of Georgia who had been deprived of their rights, against the occupation of Georgia by the Soviets, and demanded the intervention of civilized humanity to oppose the atrocities of the Bolshevik regime.

Such a memorandum was unprecedented for the Bolshevik regime and the response by them was immediate. In February 1923, Patr. Ambrose and his council were arrested and imprisoned. In a public show trial, Patr. Ambrose and his fellow clergy were accused of hiding historic treasures of the Church in order to keep them from passing into the hands of the Soviet state. In his defense at the end of the trial, Patr. Ambrose stated, ''My soul belongs to God, my heart to my country; you, my executioners, do what you will with my body."

While expecting execution, the Bolsheviks did not dare to execute him and sentenced Patr. Ambrose to eight years imprisonment. His property was also confiscated. During the time of his imprisonment from 1923, Metr. Kalistrate was locum tenens. The public outcry over the extent of the Red Terror in Georgia caused the Bolsheviks to moderate their pressure on Georgian society. In March 1926, the Bolsheviks put forward an amnesty for the 1924 insurrection and suspension of religious persecutions. Later in 1926, Ambrose and a few Georgian clergy were released from prison. However, the strains of the years showed, and Patr. Ambrose soon reposed in Tbilisi on [[March 29]], 1927.

==Glorification==
At an expanded council of the [[Holy Synod]] of the Church of Georgia in 1995, the life of Ambrose (Khelaia), Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia was discussed and in recognition of his great achievements he was [[glorification|glorified]] in behalf of the Georgian Church and nation as St. Ambrose the Confessor.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Chqondidi|
years= 1917-1917|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Metropolitan of Abkhazeti|
years= 1917-1921|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=[[Leonid (Okropiridze) of Georgia|Leonid (Okropiridze)]]|
title=[[List of Catholicoses of Georgia|Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia]]|
years=1921-1927|
after=[[Christophorus III (Tsitskishvili) of Georgia|Christophorus III (Tsitskishvili)]]}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[[Wikipedia:Ambrose_of_Georgia]]
*[http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/7227.htm Saint Ambrosi the Confessor, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia (†1927)]
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=205336 OCA: St Ambrose the Confessor]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-century bishops]]
[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Georgian Saints]]
[[Category: Modern Saints]]
[[Category: Bishops of Chqondidi]]
[[Category: Bishops of Abkhazeti]]
[[Category: Catholicos-Patriarchs of Georgia ]]
[[Category: Kazan Theological Academy Graduate]]
[[Category:20th-century saints]]

Joseph (Bosakov) of America and Australia

2013-03-31T09:30:11Z

Petermav: I've tried to correct the English expression.

Metropolitan Joseph (Bosakov) was the diocesan prelate of the Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada, and Australia.
He was born Ivan Blagoev, on December 6, 1942 in the village of Slavovitsa, Pazardzhik, Bulgaria.

== Biography ==
From 1956 to 1961 - he was enrolled as a student of Sofia Seminary. In 1970 he graduated from the Sofia Ecclesiastical Academy.

On April 12, 1970 he entered Troyan Monastery and was tonsured as a monk by Metropolitan Lovchanski Maxim (Patriarch of Bulgaria) with the name Joseph in honor of the righteous [[Joseph of Arimathea | Joseph of Arimathea ]]. On May 3 of that year he was ordained deacon by Metropolitan Lovchanski Maxim. On December 27of the same year he was ordained to the rank of a priest.

From July 1971 he served as protosyngellos of the Diocese of Sofia.

From 10 October 1971, at the direction of the Holy Synod he passed specialization in Moscow Theological Academy.

On July 21, 1973, after defending his doctoral thesis, with the blessing of the Patriarch of the Bulgarian Maxim he was elevated by Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Pimen to the rank of a archimadrite.

On his return to Bulgaria was again appointed as protosyngellos of the Diocese of Sofia.

He was consecrated to the rank of bishop on December 7, 1980 and appointed second vicar of Velichskogo of the Diocese of Sofia.

On March 24, 1981 he was appointed superior at Troyan Monastery.

On April 1, 1983 he was appointed head of Akronskoy Diocese and on April 17, 1986 approved as its Metropolitan.

On December 19, 1989 the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church merged the New York and Akronskoy Diocese Bulgarian Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia. Since then Metropolitan Joseph served as its ruling bishop as Metropolitan with seat in New York.

He published in the Bulgarian church periodical series a number of articles on Church Public Affairs.

On February 15, 2013 at the meeting of the Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church he was appointed Chairman of the Central Commission. The main purpose of this synod was to determine the three candidates for the patriarchal throne.

At the end of February 2013, he filed a petition for retirement. Metropolitan Joseph notified that he has prepared a candidate for a place and wants to return to live permanently in Bulgaria.

Hymn of Kassiani

2013-03-26T22:36:22Z

Petermav: /* Hymn of Kassiani text */

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

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

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

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

[[Category:Liturgics]]

[[ro:Cântarea Casianei]]

Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow

2013-03-06T23:33:54Z

Petermav: /* Criticism */ removed repetitive clause

[[Image:alexeyII.jpg|frame|right|Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow and All Russia]]
His Holiness [[Patriarch]] '''Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow''' [[February 23]], 1929 - [[December 5]], 2008[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7766625.stm]) was the Patriarch of Moscow and the head of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] from 1990 until his death.

==Life and ministry==
He entered Leningrad Theological [[Seminary]] in 1947, and graduated in 1949. He then entered the Leningrad Theological Academy (now [http://www.spbda.ru/english/index.php Saint Petersburg Theological Seminary]), and graduated in 1953.<ref name="official bio">[http://www.mospat.ru/index.php?mid=99&lng=1 Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Biographical Note], Biography, on the Moscow Patriarchate's official website.</ref><ref name="encbrit">''Encyclopedia Britannica Online'', s.v. Alexis II, http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9005644/Alexis-II 1/19/2008</ref>

On April 15, 1950, he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] by Metropolitan Gregory (Chukov) of Leningrad, and on April 17, 1950, he was ordained a [[priest]] and appointed [[rector]] of the [[Theophany]] church in city of [[w:Johvi|Johvi]], Estonia, in the Tallinn Diocese. On July 15, 1957, Fr. Alexei was appointed Rector of the Cathedral of the [[Dormition]] in Tallinn and [[Dean]] of the [[W:Tartu|Tartu]] district. He was elevated to the rank of Archpriest on August 17, 1958, and on March 30, 1959, he was appointed Dean of the united Tartu-[[W:Viljandi|Viljandi]] deanery of the Tallinn diocese. On March 3, 1961, he was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] in the Trinity Cathedral of [[Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra]].<ref name="official bio" />

On August 14, 1961, he was chosen to be the [[Bishop]] of Tallinn and Estonia. On June 23, 1964, he was promoted to [[archbishop]]; and, on February 25, 1968, at the age of 39, to [[metropolitan]].<ref name="encbrit" />

From 1986 until his election as Patriarch, he was Metropolitan of Novgorod and Leningrad. After the death of [[Pimen I (Izvekov) of Moscow|Patriarch Pimen]] in 1990, Alexei was chosen to become the new Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. He was chosen on the basis of his administrative experience, and was considered "intelligent, energetic, hardworking, systematic, perceptive, and businesslike."<ref>Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', 2nd ed. (Oxford: Westview Press, 2003), p. 85.</ref> He also "had a reputation as a conciliator, 'a person who could find common ground with various groups in the episcopate.' "<ref name="nd86">Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', 2nd ed. (Oxford: Westview Press, 2003), p. 86.</ref> Archbishishop Chrysostom (Martyshkin) remarked, "With his peaceful and tolerant disposition Patriarch Aleksi will be able to unite us all."<ref>''Zhurnal Moskovskoi Patriarkhii'', No. 10 (October), 1990, p.16, quoted in Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', 2nd ed. (Oxford: Westview Press, 2003), p. 284.</ref> Patriarch Alexei II was "the first patriarch in Soviet history to be chosen without government pressure; candidates were nominated from the floor, and the election was conducted by secret ballot."<ref name="encbrit" />

Upon taking on the role of Patriarch, Patriarch Alexei became a vocal advocate of the rights of the church, calling for the Soviet government to allow religious education in the state schools and for a "freedom of conscience" law.<ref name="encbrit" /> During the attempted coup in August 1991, he denounced the arrest of Mikhail Gorbachev, and anathematized the plotters.<ref name="encbrit" /> He publicly questioned the junta's legitimacy, called for restraint by the military, and demanded that Gorbachev be allowed to address the people.<ref>Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', 2nd ed. (Oxford: Westview Press, 2003), p. 96.</ref> He issued a second appeal against violence and fratricide, which was amplified over loudspeakers to the troops outside the Russian "White House" half an hour before they attacked.<ref name="nd86" /> Ultimately, the coup failed, which eventually resulted in the break-up of the Soviet Union.<ref>Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', 2nd ed. (Oxford: Westview Press, 2003), p. 97.</ref>

Under his leadership, the [[New Martyrs]] and [[Confessor]]s of Russia who suffered under Communism were [[glorification|glorified]], beginning with [[Elizabeth the New Martyr|the Grand Duchess Elizabeth]], Metropolitan [[Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky) of Kiev and Gallich|Vladimir of Kiev]], and Metropolitan Benjamin of Petrograd in 1992.<ref name="ware">[[Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia|Timothy Ware]], ''The Orthodox Church'', new ed., (London: Penguin Books, 1997), p. 164.</ref> In 2000, the All-Russian Council glorified Tsar [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]] and his family, as well as many other New Martyrs.<ref>Sophia Kishkovsky, [http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/16/europe/16russ.php?page=2 Russian Orthodox Church is set to mend a bitter schism], ''International Herald Tribune'', May 16, 2007; [http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/0008f.html#31 Second day of bishops' council: Nicholas' canonization approved], Communications Service, Department of External Church Relations, Moscow Patriarchate, 14 August 2000.</ref> More names continue to be added to list of New Martyrs, after the Synodal Canonization Commission completes its investigation of each case.<ref>Maxim Massalitin, [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/enarticles/040106180408 The New Martyrs Unify Us: Interview with Archpriest Georgy Mitrofanov, participant of the All-Diaspora Pastoral Conference in Nyack (December 8-12, 2003)], Pravoslavie.ru, December 13, 2003.</ref>

Despite his age during his patriarchate, Patriarch Alexei II led an active political life. He was frequently seen on Russian television, conducting church services, and meeting with various government officials.

He died on [[December 5]], 2008.

==Name==
His name (secular 'Алексей, clerical Алексий) is transliterated from the Cyrillic alphabet into English in various forms, including Alexius, Aleksi, Alexis, Alexei, Alexey, and Alexy. When he became a monk, his name was not changed; this departure from custom was common in the Russian Church in Soviet times.

==Criticism==
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union there have been accusations that Patriarch Alexei had ties to the KGB, which resulted from documents which allegedly came from the KGB's archives in Estonia, and which refer to Patriarch Alexei with the code name "Drozdov."<ref>See for example, ''The Wall Street Journal'', [http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB118469533202469128-lMyQjAxMDE3ODE0NzYxOTc1Wj.html 'Cold War Lingers At Russian Church In New Jersey'] December 28, 2007.</ref> It should be noted that it was very unusual for any person to be referenced in KGB documents prior to 1980 without a similar code name, regardless of an affiliation with the KGB. Patriarch Alexei has always denied that he was a KGB agent,<ref>"Official spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchy Father Vsevolod Chaplin labeled such reports as 'absolutely unsubstantiated' in a Wednesday interview with Interfax. 'There is no data indicating that Patriarch Alexy II was an associate of the special services, and no classified documents bear his signature,' he said. 'I do not think that direct dialogue between the current patriarch and KGB took place,' Father Vsevolod continued. However, 'all bishops communicated with representatives of the council for religious matters in the Soviet government, which was inevitable, since any issue, even the most insignificant one, had to be resolved through this body. It is quite another matter that the council forwarded all its materials to the KGB,' he said." [http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/0009b.html Moscow Patriarchate Rejects Times Report of Alexy II'S Collaboration with KGB, Sept 20, 2000 (Interfax)]. "Chaplin, the church spokesman, said in March, 'Nobody has ever seen a single real document that would confirm the patriarch used his contacts with Soviet authorities to make harm to the church or to any people in the church.' " [http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/0205e.html Russia's Well-Connected Patriarch, ''Washington Post'' Foreign Service, 23 May 2002]; "Father Chaplin said: 'In recent times many anonymous photocopies of all sorts of pieces of paper have been circulated. In none of them is there the slightest evidence that the individuals we are talking about knew that these documents were being drawn up, or gave their consent. So I don't think any reasonably authoritative clerical or secular commission could see these papers as proof of anything.' " Russian Patriarch 'was KGB spy', ''The Guardian'' (London), February 12, 1999.</ref> and the authenticity of the documents in question have been disputed on the basis that they use anachronistic fonts which did not exist at the time the document ostensibly originated from, and that the Estonian government fabricated the documents in order to discredit the Russian Orthodox Church.<ref>Alexey Chumakov [https://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa-iub.exe?A2=ind0010A&L=ORTHODOX&P=R3102 Agent Drozdov?], December 28, 2007.</ref>

Professor Nathaniel Davis pointed out: "If the bishops wished to defend their people and survive in office, they had to collaborate to some degree with the KGB, with the commissioners of the Council for Religious Affairs, and with other party and governmental authorities."<ref>Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', (Oxford: Westview Press, 1995), p. 96. Davis quotes one bishop as saying: "Yes, we—I, at least, and I say this first about myself—I worked together with the KGB. I cooperated, I made signed statements, I had regular meetings, I made reports. I was given a pseudonym—a code name as they say there... I knowingly cooperated with them—but in such a way that I undeviatingly tried to maintain the position of my Church, and, yes, also to act as a patriot, insofar as I understood, in collaboration with these organs. I was never a stool pigeon, nor an informer."</ref>

Patriarch Alexei has, however, acknowledged that compromises were made with the Soviet government by bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate, and publicly repented of these compromises.<ref>[http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/patalexei.htm Has the MP Repented?], December 28, 2007.</ref>

:''"Defending one thing, it was necessary to give somewhere else. Were there any other organizations, or any other people among those who had to carry responsibility not only for themselves but for thousands of other fates, who in those years in the Soviet Union were not compelled to act likewise? Before those people, however, to whom the compromises, silence, forced passivity or expressions of loyalty permitted by the leaders of the church in those years caused pain, before these people, and not only before God, I ask forgiveness, understanding and prayers."''<ref>From an interview of Patriarch Alexei II, given to "Izvestia" No 137, June 10, 1991, entitled "Patriarch Alexei II:—I Take upon Myself Responsibility for All that Happened", English translation from Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', (Oxford: Westview Press, 1995), p. 89. See also [http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/roca_history.aspx History of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad], by St. [[John Maximovitch|John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco]], December 31, 2007.</ref>

According to Nathaniel Davis, when asked by the Russian press about claims that he was a "compliant" bishop, "Aleksi defended his record, noting that while he was bishop of Tallinn in 1961, he resisted the communist authorities' efforts to make the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the city a planetarium (which, in truth, they did do elsewhere in the Baltic states) and to convert the Pyukhtitsa Dormition nunnery to a rest home for miners."<ref>Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', (Oxford: Westview Press, 1995) ,p. 89f.</ref> Official records show that the Tallinn diocese had a lower number of forced church closings than was typical in the rest of the USSR during Patriarch Alexei's tenure as bishop there.<ref>Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', (Oxford: Westview Press, 1995), fn. 115, p. 272.</ref> Metropolitan [[Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia|Kallistos]] (Timothy Ware) notes, "Opinions differ over the past collaboration or otherwise between the Communist authorities, but on the whole he is thought to have shown firmness and independence in his dealings as a diocesan bishop with the Soviet State."<ref name="ware" />

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[John (Alekseyev) of Tallinn|John (Alekseyev)]]|
title=Metropolitan of Tallinn and Estonia|
years=1961-1986|
after=[[Cornelius (Yacobs) of Tallinn|Cornelius (Yacobs)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Anthony (Melnikov) of Leningrad|Anthony (Melnikov)]]|
title=Metropolitan of Novgorod and Leningrad|
years=1986-1990|
after=[[John (Snychev) of St. Petersburg|John (Snychev)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Pimen I (Izvekov) of Moscow|Pimen (Izvekov)]]|
title=[[List of primates of Russia|Patriarch of Moscow]]|
years=1990-2008|
after=[[Kyrill I (Gundyayev) of Moscow]]}}
{{end box}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mospat.ru/index.php?mid=99&lng=1 Biography on the official site of the Moscow Patriarchate]
*[http://orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/russia/current.htm#aleksii_patr Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute
*[[w:Patriarch Alexius II|''Patriarch Alexius II'' at Wikipedia]]

==Notes==
<div class="small">
<references />
</div>

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Tallinn]]
[[Category:Bishops of Novgorod]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Moscow]]
[[Category:St. Petersburg Academy Graduates]]

[[es:Alexei II (Ridiger) de Moscú]]
[[fr:Alexis II (Ridiger) de Moscou]]
[[pt:Aleixo II (Ridiger) de Moscou]]

Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow

2013-03-06T23:28:26Z

Petermav: /* Life and ministry */ corrected expression

[[Image:alexeyII.jpg|frame|right|Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow and All Russia]]
His Holiness [[Patriarch]] '''Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow''' [[February 23]], 1929 - [[December 5]], 2008[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7766625.stm]) was the Patriarch of Moscow and the head of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]] from 1990 until his death.

==Life and ministry==
He entered Leningrad Theological [[Seminary]] in 1947, and graduated in 1949. He then entered the Leningrad Theological Academy (now [http://www.spbda.ru/english/index.php Saint Petersburg Theological Seminary]), and graduated in 1953.<ref name="official bio">[http://www.mospat.ru/index.php?mid=99&lng=1 Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Biographical Note], Biography, on the Moscow Patriarchate's official website.</ref><ref name="encbrit">''Encyclopedia Britannica Online'', s.v. Alexis II, http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9005644/Alexis-II 1/19/2008</ref>

On April 15, 1950, he was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] by Metropolitan Gregory (Chukov) of Leningrad, and on April 17, 1950, he was ordained a [[priest]] and appointed [[rector]] of the [[Theophany]] church in city of [[w:Johvi|Johvi]], Estonia, in the Tallinn Diocese. On July 15, 1957, Fr. Alexei was appointed Rector of the Cathedral of the [[Dormition]] in Tallinn and [[Dean]] of the [[W:Tartu|Tartu]] district. He was elevated to the rank of Archpriest on August 17, 1958, and on March 30, 1959, he was appointed Dean of the united Tartu-[[W:Viljandi|Viljandi]] deanery of the Tallinn diocese. On March 3, 1961, he was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] in the Trinity Cathedral of [[Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra]].<ref name="official bio" />

On August 14, 1961, he was chosen to be the [[Bishop]] of Tallinn and Estonia. On June 23, 1964, he was promoted to [[archbishop]]; and, on February 25, 1968, at the age of 39, to [[metropolitan]].<ref name="encbrit" />

From 1986 until his election as Patriarch, he was Metropolitan of Novgorod and Leningrad. After the death of [[Pimen I (Izvekov) of Moscow|Patriarch Pimen]] in 1990, Alexei was chosen to become the new Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. He was chosen on the basis of his administrative experience, and was considered "intelligent, energetic, hardworking, systematic, perceptive, and businesslike."<ref>Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', 2nd ed. (Oxford: Westview Press, 2003), p. 85.</ref> He also "had a reputation as a conciliator, 'a person who could find common ground with various groups in the episcopate.' "<ref name="nd86">Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', 2nd ed. (Oxford: Westview Press, 2003), p. 86.</ref> Archbishishop Chrysostom (Martyshkin) remarked, "With his peaceful and tolerant disposition Patriarch Aleksi will be able to unite us all."<ref>''Zhurnal Moskovskoi Patriarkhii'', No. 10 (October), 1990, p.16, quoted in Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', 2nd ed. (Oxford: Westview Press, 2003), p. 284.</ref> Patriarch Alexei II was "the first patriarch in Soviet history to be chosen without government pressure; candidates were nominated from the floor, and the election was conducted by secret ballot."<ref name="encbrit" />

Upon taking on the role of Patriarch, Patriarch Alexei became a vocal advocate of the rights of the church, calling for the Soviet government to allow religious education in the state schools and for a "freedom of conscience" law.<ref name="encbrit" /> During the attempted coup in August 1991, he denounced the arrest of Mikhail Gorbachev, and anathematized the plotters.<ref name="encbrit" /> He publicly questioned the junta's legitimacy, called for restraint by the military, and demanded that Gorbachev be allowed to address the people.<ref>Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', 2nd ed. (Oxford: Westview Press, 2003), p. 96.</ref> He issued a second appeal against violence and fratricide, which was amplified over loudspeakers to the troops outside the Russian "White House" half an hour before they attacked.<ref name="nd86" /> Ultimately, the coup failed, which eventually resulted in the break-up of the Soviet Union.<ref>Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', 2nd ed. (Oxford: Westview Press, 2003), p. 97.</ref>

Under his leadership, the [[New Martyrs]] and [[Confessor]]s of Russia who suffered under Communism were [[glorification|glorified]], beginning with [[Elizabeth the New Martyr|the Grand Duchess Elizabeth]], Metropolitan [[Vladimir (Bogoyavlensky) of Kiev and Gallich|Vladimir of Kiev]], and Metropolitan Benjamin of Petrograd in 1992.<ref name="ware">[[Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia|Timothy Ware]], ''The Orthodox Church'', new ed., (London: Penguin Books, 1997), p. 164.</ref> In 2000, the All-Russian Council glorified Tsar [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]] and his family, as well as many other New Martyrs.<ref>Sophia Kishkovsky, [http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/16/europe/16russ.php?page=2 Russian Orthodox Church is set to mend a bitter schism], ''International Herald Tribune'', May 16, 2007; [http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/0008f.html#31 Second day of bishops' council: Nicholas' canonization approved], Communications Service, Department of External Church Relations, Moscow Patriarchate, 14 August 2000.</ref> More names continue to be added to list of New Martyrs, after the Synodal Canonization Commission completes its investigation of each case.<ref>Maxim Massalitin, [http://www.pravoslavie.ru/enarticles/040106180408 The New Martyrs Unify Us: Interview with Archpriest Georgy Mitrofanov, participant of the All-Diaspora Pastoral Conference in Nyack (December 8-12, 2003)], Pravoslavie.ru, December 13, 2003.</ref>

Despite his age during his patriarchate, Patriarch Alexei II led an active political life. He was frequently seen on Russian television, conducting church services, and meeting with various government officials.

He died on [[December 5]], 2008.

==Name==
His name (secular 'Алексей, clerical Алексий) is transliterated from the Cyrillic alphabet into English in various forms, including Alexius, Aleksi, Alexis, Alexei, Alexey, and Alexy. When he became a monk, his name was not changed; this departure from custom was common in the Russian Church in Soviet times.

==Criticism==
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union there have been accusations that Patriarch Alexei had ties to the KGB, which resulted from documents which allegedly came from the KGB's archives in Estonia, and which refer to Patriarch Alexei with the code name "Drozdov."<ref>See for example, ''The Wall Street Journal'', [http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB118469533202469128-lMyQjAxMDE3ODE0NzYxOTc1Wj.html 'Cold War Lingers At Russian Church In New Jersey'] December 28, 2007.</ref> It should be noted that it was very unusual for any person to be referenced in KGB documents prior to 1980 without a similar code name, regardless of an affiliation with the KGB. Patriarch Alexei has always denied that he was a KGB agent,<ref>"Official spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchy Father Vsevolod Chaplin labeled such reports as 'absolutely unsubstantiated' in a Wednesday interview with Interfax. 'There is no data indicating that Patriarch Alexy II was an associate of the special services, and no classified documents bear his signature,' he said. 'I do not think that direct dialogue between the current patriarch and KGB took place,' Father Vsevolod continued. However, 'all bishops communicated with representatives of the council for religious matters in the Soviet government, which was inevitable, since any issue, even the most insignificant one, had to be resolved through this body. It is quite another matter that the council forwarded all its materials to the KGB,' he said." [http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/0009b.html Moscow Patriarchate Rejects Times Report of Alexy II'S Collaboration with KGB, Sept 20, 2000 (Interfax)]. "Chaplin, the church spokesman, said in March, 'Nobody has ever seen a single real document that would confirm the patriarch used his contacts with Soviet authorities to make harm to the church or to any people in the church.' " [http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/0205e.html Russia's Well-Connected Patriarch, ''Washington Post'' Foreign Service, 23 May 2002]; "Father Chaplin said: 'In recent times many anonymous photocopies of all sorts of pieces of paper have been circulated. In none of them is there the slightest evidence that the individuals we are talking about knew that these documents were being drawn up, or gave their consent. So I don't think any reasonably authoritative clerical or secular commission could see these papers as proof of anything.' " Russian Patriarch 'was KGB spy', ''The Guardian'' (London), February 12, 1999.</ref> and the authenticity of the documents in question have been disputed on the basis on the basis that they use anachronistic fonts which did not exist at the time the document ostensibly originated from, and that the Estonian government fabricated the documents in order to discredit the Russian Orthodox Church.<ref>Alexey Chumakov [https://listserv.indiana.edu/cgi-bin/wa-iub.exe?A2=ind0010A&L=ORTHODOX&P=R3102 Agent Drozdov?], December 28, 2007.</ref>

Professor Nathaniel Davis pointed out: "If the bishops wished to defend their people and survive in office, they had to collaborate to some degree with the KGB, with the commissioners of the Council for Religious Affairs, and with other party and governmental authorities."<ref>Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', (Oxford: Westview Press, 1995), p. 96. Davis quotes one bishop as saying: "Yes, we—I, at least, and I say this first about myself—I worked together with the KGB. I cooperated, I made signed statements, I had regular meetings, I made reports. I was given a pseudonym—a code name as they say there... I knowingly cooperated with them—but in such a way that I undeviatingly tried to maintain the position of my Church, and, yes, also to act as a patriot, insofar as I understood, in collaboration with these organs. I was never a stool pigeon, nor an informer."</ref>

Patriarch Alexei has, however, acknowledged that compromises were made with the Soviet government by bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate, and publicly repented of these compromises.<ref>[http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/patalexei.htm Has the MP Repented?], December 28, 2007.</ref>

:''"Defending one thing, it was necessary to give somewhere else. Were there any other organizations, or any other people among those who had to carry responsibility not only for themselves but for thousands of other fates, who in those years in the Soviet Union were not compelled to act likewise? Before those people, however, to whom the compromises, silence, forced passivity or expressions of loyalty permitted by the leaders of the church in those years caused pain, before these people, and not only before God, I ask forgiveness, understanding and prayers."''<ref>From an interview of Patriarch Alexei II, given to "Izvestia" No 137, June 10, 1991, entitled "Patriarch Alexei II:—I Take upon Myself Responsibility for All that Happened", English translation from Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', (Oxford: Westview Press, 1995), p. 89. See also [http://orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/roca_history.aspx History of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad], by St. [[John Maximovitch|John (Maximovitch) of Shanghai and San Francisco]], December 31, 2007.</ref>

According to Nathaniel Davis, when asked by the Russian press about claims that he was a "compliant" bishop, "Aleksi defended his record, noting that while he was bishop of Tallinn in 1961, he resisted the communist authorities' efforts to make the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the city a planetarium (which, in truth, they did do elsewhere in the Baltic states) and to convert the Pyukhtitsa Dormition nunnery to a rest home for miners."<ref>Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', (Oxford: Westview Press, 1995) ,p. 89f.</ref> Official records show that the Tallinn diocese had a lower number of forced church closings than was typical in the rest of the USSR during Patriarch Alexei's tenure as bishop there.<ref>Nathaniel Davis, ''A Long Walk to Church: A Contemporary History of Russian Orthodoxy'', (Oxford: Westview Press, 1995), fn. 115, p. 272.</ref> Metropolitan [[Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia|Kallistos]] (Timothy Ware) notes, "Opinions differ over the past collaboration or otherwise between the Communist authorities, but on the whole he is thought to have shown firmness and independence in his dealings as a diocesan bishop with the Soviet State."<ref name="ware" />

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[John (Alekseyev) of Tallinn|John (Alekseyev)]]|
title=Metropolitan of Tallinn and Estonia|
years=1961-1986|
after=[[Cornelius (Yacobs) of Tallinn|Cornelius (Yacobs)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Anthony (Melnikov) of Leningrad|Anthony (Melnikov)]]|
title=Metropolitan of Novgorod and Leningrad|
years=1986-1990|
after=[[John (Snychev) of St. Petersburg|John (Snychev)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Pimen I (Izvekov) of Moscow|Pimen (Izvekov)]]|
title=[[List of primates of Russia|Patriarch of Moscow]]|
years=1990-2008|
after=[[Kyrill I (Gundyayev) of Moscow]]}}
{{end box}}

==External links==
*[http://www.mospat.ru/index.php?mid=99&lng=1 Biography on the official site of the Moscow Patriarchate]
*[http://orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/russia/current.htm#aleksii_patr Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute
*[[w:Patriarch Alexius II|''Patriarch Alexius II'' at Wikipedia]]

==Notes==
<div class="small">
<references />
</div>

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Tallinn]]
[[Category:Bishops of Novgorod]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Moscow]]
[[Category:St. Petersburg Academy Graduates]]

[[es:Alexei II (Ridiger) de Moscú]]
[[fr:Alexis II (Ridiger) de Moscou]]
[[pt:Aleixo II (Ridiger) de Moscou]]

Alexei I (Simansky) of Moscow

2013-03-06T23:24:59Z

Petermav:

[[Image:Patriarch-Alexei I.jpg|frame|Patriarch Alexei I]]

'''Patriarch Alexei I''' (Russian: Патриарх Алексий I, secular name '''Sergey Vladimirovich Simansky''', Сергей Владимирович Симанский; [[October 27]], 1877 – [[April 17]], 1970), was the 14th [[List of primates of Russia|Patriarch of Moscow]] and all of Russia, head of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] between 1945 and 1970.

Born in Moscow to a noble family, his father was a Russian Royal House Chamberlain. In 1899 graduated from Moscow Imperial University with a law degree; was conscripted by the army and served in a grenadier regiment. In 1902 enrolled at Moscow Theological Academy and by 1906 became [[archimandrite]] and rector of Tula seminary.

After the [[w:October_Revolution|Bolshevik Revolution]] he was arrested several times and in 1922 exiled to Kazakhstan. In 1926 he returned to Leningrad and was appointed [[Archbishop]] of Khutyn, that is, the vicar of the Novgorodian [[diocese]]. He ran the diocese for much of the next seven years while [[Metropolitan]] [[Arsenius (Stadnitsky) of Novgorod|Arsenius (Stadnitsky)]] was in prison or exile. In 1933 Alexei was briefly Archbishop of [[Novgorod]] (for several months) and then [[Metropolitan]] of Leningrad.

On [[September 4]], 1943, Alexei I together with a delegation of senior Russian Orthodox clerics met with Joseph Stalin in the Kremlin where a historic decision was made regarding the fate of the Church in the state ruled by the militantly atheist Communist party. In the midst of World War II, Stalin decided to allow the Russian Orthodox Church to function after two decades of severe persecution. The Patriarchate of Moscow was re-established and many churches throughout the Soviet Union were re-opened. Stalin tried to appeal to patriotic feelings of the Russian people, especially the peasantry who formed the backbone of the Red Army, many of whom grew up in still deeply religious families.

On [[February 2]], 1945 Alexei I was elected Patriarch of Moscow and all of Russia. In 1946 Alexei I presided over the controversial "re-unification" of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church with the Russian Orthodox Church which was seen by many as a takeover forced by the Stalinist government. After 1958, Russian Christians led by patriarch Alexei I had to endure a new wave of persecution, mostly carried out through closing down of churches by new Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev.

Supporters praise Alexei I for working hard to ensure the survival of the Christianity in Russia, advocating peace and inter-church unity, while opponents often accused him of complicity with the Soviet authorities.

Alexei died of a myocardial infarction at the age of 92 in 1970 and was buried in the Trinity-St Sergius Monastery ([[Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra]]).

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Archbishop of Khutyn<br>vicar Diocese of Novgorod|
years=1926-1933|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=[[Arsenius (Stadnitsky) of Novgorod|Arsenius (Stadnitsky)]]|
title=[[List of bishops of the Diocese of Novgorod|Archbishop of Novgorod]]|
years=1933-1933 (two months)|
after=Benedict (Plotnikov)}}
{{succession|
before=[[Seraphim (Chichagov) of Leningrad|Seraphim (Chichagov)]]|
title=[[Eparchy of St. Petersburg|Metropolitan of Leningrad]]|
years=1933-1945|
after=[[Grigory (Chukov) of Leningrad|Grigory (Chukov)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Sergius (Stragorodsky) of Moscow|Sergius (Stragorsky)]]|
title=[[List of primates of Russia|Patriarch of Moscow]]|
years=1945-1970|
after=[[Pimen (Izvekov) of Moscow|Pimen (Izvekov)]]}}
{{end box}}

==Source==
[[w:Patriarch Alexius I|Wikipedia: Patriarch Alexius I]]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Moscow]]
[[Category:Bishops of Novgorod]]
[[Category:Bishops of Khutyn]]
[[Category: Moscow Academy and Seminary Graduates|Alexei I]]

Diocese of Eastern American and New York (ROCOR)

2013-03-06T22:58:06Z

Petermav: /* Bishop of Erie */

'''Diocese of Eastern American and New York''' is a [[diocese]] of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]] that is the [[see]] of its First Hierarch. it was established in 1985 during the term of [[Metropolitan]] Philaret (Voznesensky) as First Hierarch.

==Bishops of Eastern America and New York==
===Metropolitans of Eastern America and New York===
*[[Hilarion (Kapral) of New York|Hilarion (Kapral)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR May 18, 2008 - present
*[[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus (Skurla)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR October 27, 2001 - March 16, 2008
*[[Vitaly (Ustinov) of New York|Vitaly (Ustinov)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR January 22, 1986 - August 10, 2001
*[[Philaret (Voznesensky) of New York|Philaret (Voznesensky)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR May 31, 1964 - November 21, 1985

===Ruling Bishops===
*Laurus (Skurla) Archbishop of Syracuse July 18, 1976 - October 25, 2001
*Averky (Taushev) Archbishop of Syracuse and Holy Trinity May 25, 1953 - April 13, 1976

*[[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitsky)]] Archbishop of Washington 1960 - September 4, 1976

*Vitaly (Maximemnko) Archbishop of North America and Canada/Archbishop of Eastern America and Jersey City 1959 - March 21, 1960
*[[Apollinary (Koshevoy) of San Francisco|Apollinary (Koshevoy)]] Archbishop of North America and Canada 1929 - June 19, 1933

==Vicars==
===Bishop of Mayfield===
*[[George (Schaefer) of Mayfield |George (Schaefer)]] December 7, 2008 - Present

===Bishop of Erie===
*[[Daniel (Alexandrow) of Erie|Daniel (Alexandrow) of Erie]] August 14, 1988 - April 26, 2010.

===Bishops of Manhattan===
*[[Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan|Jerome (Shaw)]] December 10, 2008 - Present
*[[Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Montreal |Gabriel (Chemodakov)]] July 7, 1996 - May 14, 2008
*Hilarion (Kapral) 1984 - 1995
*[[Gregory (Grabbe) of Washington and Florida|Gregory (Grabbe)]] 1979 - 1981
*Laurus (Skurla) August 13, 1967 - June 18, 1976
*[[James (Toombs) of Manhattan|James (Toombs)]] July 12, 1951 - 1959

===Bishop of Boston===
*[[Mitrophan (Znosko-Borovsky) of Boston|Mitrophan (Znosko-Borovsky)]] November 24, 1992 - February 15, 2002

===Archbishop of Rockland===
*[[John (Legky) of Rockland|John (Legky)]] 1994-1995
*[[Andrei (Rymarenko) of Rockland|Andrei (Rymarenko)]] 1968 - July 12, 1978

===Bishop/Archbishop of Washington===
*[[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitzky)]] 1967 - September 17, 1976
*[[Gregory (Grabbe) of Washington|Gregory (Grabbe)]] 1981 - 1985

===Bishop/Archbishop of Florida===
*[[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitzky)]] June 27, 1948 - September 17, 1967

===Bishop of Detroit===
*[[Vitaly (Maximenko) of Jersey City|Vitaly (Maximemnko)]] May 6, 1934 - 1959

==Sources==
*[http://www.eadiocese.org/History/hierarchs.en.htm ROCOR: Eastern American and New York Diocese]
*[http://www.rocorstudies.org/church-people/lives-of-bishops/2011/12/07/archbishop-james-roy-c-toombs-of-manhattan-head-of-the-american-orthodox-mission-vicar-of-the-diocese-of-eastern-america-and-jersey-city/ ROCOR Studies: Bishops]
*[http://krotov.info/spravki/history_bio/20_bio/karlovch.html Архиереи Русской Православной Церкви Заграницей]

[[Category: Dioceses|Eastern]]
[[Category: ROCOR Dioceses|Eastern]]

Diocese of Eastern American and New York (ROCOR)

2013-03-06T22:56:45Z

Petermav: /* Bishop of Erie */

'''Diocese of Eastern American and New York''' is a [[diocese]] of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]] that is the [[see]] of its First Hierarch. it was established in 1985 during the term of [[Metropolitan]] Philaret (Voznesensky) as First Hierarch.

==Bishops of Eastern America and New York==
===Metropolitans of Eastern America and New York===
*[[Hilarion (Kapral) of New York|Hilarion (Kapral)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR May 18, 2008 - present
*[[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus (Skurla)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR October 27, 2001 - March 16, 2008
*[[Vitaly (Ustinov) of New York|Vitaly (Ustinov)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR January 22, 1986 - August 10, 2001
*[[Philaret (Voznesensky) of New York|Philaret (Voznesensky)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR May 31, 1964 - November 21, 1985

===Ruling Bishops===
*Laurus (Skurla) Archbishop of Syracuse July 18, 1976 - October 25, 2001
*Averky (Taushev) Archbishop of Syracuse and Holy Trinity May 25, 1953 - April 13, 1976

*[[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitsky)]] Archbishop of Washington 1960 - September 4, 1976

*Vitaly (Maximemnko) Archbishop of North America and Canada/Archbishop of Eastern America and Jersey City 1959 - March 21, 1960
*[[Apollinary (Koshevoy) of San Francisco|Apollinary (Koshevoy)]] Archbishop of North America and Canada 1929 - June 19, 1933

==Vicars==
===Bishop of Mayfield===
*[[George (Schaefer) of Mayfield |George (Schaefer)]] December 7, 2008 - Present

===Bishop of Erie===
*[[Daniel (Alexandrow of Erie)|Daniel (Alexandrow) of Erie]] August 14, 1988 - April 26, 2010.

===Bishops of Manhattan===
*[[Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan|Jerome (Shaw)]] December 10, 2008 - Present
*[[Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Montreal |Gabriel (Chemodakov)]] July 7, 1996 - May 14, 2008
*Hilarion (Kapral) 1984 - 1995
*[[Gregory (Grabbe) of Washington and Florida|Gregory (Grabbe)]] 1979 - 1981
*Laurus (Skurla) August 13, 1967 - June 18, 1976
*[[James (Toombs) of Manhattan|James (Toombs)]] July 12, 1951 - 1959

===Bishop of Boston===
*[[Mitrophan (Znosko-Borovsky) of Boston|Mitrophan (Znosko-Borovsky)]] November 24, 1992 - February 15, 2002

===Archbishop of Rockland===
*[[John (Legky) of Rockland|John (Legky)]] 1994-1995
*[[Andrei (Rymarenko) of Rockland|Andrei (Rymarenko)]] 1968 - July 12, 1978

===Bishop/Archbishop of Washington===
*[[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitzky)]] 1967 - September 17, 1976
*[[Gregory (Grabbe) of Washington|Gregory (Grabbe)]] 1981 - 1985

===Bishop/Archbishop of Florida===
*[[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitzky)]] June 27, 1948 - September 17, 1967

===Bishop of Detroit===
*[[Vitaly (Maximenko) of Jersey City|Vitaly (Maximemnko)]] May 6, 1934 - 1959

==Sources==
*[http://www.eadiocese.org/History/hierarchs.en.htm ROCOR: Eastern American and New York Diocese]
*[http://www.rocorstudies.org/church-people/lives-of-bishops/2011/12/07/archbishop-james-roy-c-toombs-of-manhattan-head-of-the-american-orthodox-mission-vicar-of-the-diocese-of-eastern-america-and-jersey-city/ ROCOR Studies: Bishops]
*[http://krotov.info/spravki/history_bio/20_bio/karlovch.html Архиереи Русской Православной Церкви Заграницей]

[[Category: Dioceses|Eastern]]
[[Category: ROCOR Dioceses|Eastern]]

Diocese of Eastern American and New York (ROCOR)

2013-03-06T22:54:49Z

Petermav: /* Bishop of Erie */ added link

'''Diocese of Eastern American and New York''' is a [[diocese]] of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]] that is the [[see]] of its First Hierarch. it was established in 1985 during the term of [[Metropolitan]] Philaret (Voznesensky) as First Hierarch.

==Bishops of Eastern America and New York==
===Metropolitans of Eastern America and New York===
*[[Hilarion (Kapral) of New York|Hilarion (Kapral)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR May 18, 2008 - present
*[[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus (Skurla)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR October 27, 2001 - March 16, 2008
*[[Vitaly (Ustinov) of New York|Vitaly (Ustinov)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR January 22, 1986 - August 10, 2001
*[[Philaret (Voznesensky) of New York|Philaret (Voznesensky)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR May 31, 1964 - November 21, 1985

===Ruling Bishops===
*Laurus (Skurla) Archbishop of Syracuse July 18, 1976 - October 25, 2001
*Averky (Taushev) Archbishop of Syracuse and Holy Trinity May 25, 1953 - April 13, 1976

*[[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitsky)]] Archbishop of Washington 1960 - September 4, 1976

*Vitaly (Maximemnko) Archbishop of North America and Canada/Archbishop of Eastern America and Jersey City 1959 - March 21, 1960
*[[Apollinary (Koshevoy) of San Francisco|Apollinary (Koshevoy)]] Archbishop of North America and Canada 1929 - June 19, 1933

==Vicars==
===Bishop of Mayfield===
*[[George (Schaefer) of Mayfield |George (Schaefer)]] December 7, 2008 - Present

===Bishop of Erie===
*[[Daniel (Alexandrow)|Daniel (Alexandrow) of Erie]] August 14, 1988 - April 26, 2010.

===Bishops of Manhattan===
*[[Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan|Jerome (Shaw)]] December 10, 2008 - Present
*[[Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Montreal |Gabriel (Chemodakov)]] July 7, 1996 - May 14, 2008
*Hilarion (Kapral) 1984 - 1995
*[[Gregory (Grabbe) of Washington and Florida|Gregory (Grabbe)]] 1979 - 1981
*Laurus (Skurla) August 13, 1967 - June 18, 1976
*[[James (Toombs) of Manhattan|James (Toombs)]] July 12, 1951 - 1959

===Bishop of Boston===
*[[Mitrophan (Znosko-Borovsky) of Boston|Mitrophan (Znosko-Borovsky)]] November 24, 1992 - February 15, 2002

===Archbishop of Rockland===
*[[John (Legky) of Rockland|John (Legky)]] 1994-1995
*[[Andrei (Rymarenko) of Rockland|Andrei (Rymarenko)]] 1968 - July 12, 1978

===Bishop/Archbishop of Washington===
*[[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitzky)]] 1967 - September 17, 1976
*[[Gregory (Grabbe) of Washington|Gregory (Grabbe)]] 1981 - 1985

===Bishop/Archbishop of Florida===
*[[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitzky)]] June 27, 1948 - September 17, 1967

===Bishop of Detroit===
*[[Vitaly (Maximenko) of Jersey City|Vitaly (Maximemnko)]] May 6, 1934 - 1959

==Sources==
*[http://www.eadiocese.org/History/hierarchs.en.htm ROCOR: Eastern American and New York Diocese]
*[http://www.rocorstudies.org/church-people/lives-of-bishops/2011/12/07/archbishop-james-roy-c-toombs-of-manhattan-head-of-the-american-orthodox-mission-vicar-of-the-diocese-of-eastern-america-and-jersey-city/ ROCOR Studies: Bishops]
*[http://krotov.info/spravki/history_bio/20_bio/karlovch.html Архиереи Русской Православной Церкви Заграницей]

[[Category: Dioceses|Eastern]]
[[Category: ROCOR Dioceses|Eastern]]

James (Toombs) of Manhattan

2013-03-05T23:42:10Z

Petermav: /* Conversion to Canonical Orthodoxy and Episcopacy */

His Grace, the Most Reverend [[Archbishop]] '''James (Toombs) of Manhattan''' ([[August 30]], 1887 – [[November 1]], 1970) chartered the Orthodox American Church of which he was hierarch from 1959-1970. He had earlier served as head of the American Orthodox Mission and vicar of the Eastern American [[diocese]] of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] (ROCOR) from 1951-1959. Archbishop James is believed to have served the first [[Pascha|Paschal]] Liturgy in America entirely in English.
{{orthodoxyinamerica}}
==Life==
===Early Life===
Archbishop James was born Roy C. Toombs, the ninth of ten children, on August 30, 1887 in Winfield, Kansas to American Civil War veteran Anson Toombs and Canadian immigrant Hannah Elizabeth Nichols. His parents were Baptist, though Roy never showed much interest in religion during his youth. Roy was a farm boy, but in his time Winfield had become the rail hub of the Kansas Flint Hills with a bustling population of 5,000 people by 1900. Fascinated by trains, young Roy was well known to hop freights and visit different parts of the country.

Roy's first wife was Mary E. Toombs. They married in 1910, and by the next year produced a son named Farrell. The family relocated first to Missouri but by 1920 were situated in Chicago's seventh ward. He was co-owner of Toombs-Daley brokerage house on LaSalle Street, and an investment banker in Downers Grove. In 1927, he was made president of the International Life Insurance Company of St. Louis, Missouri. However, by August of the next year, Roy was embroiled in scandal when $3,500,000 in securities was found to have been sent from International Life Insurance Company to Toombs in interlocking $1,000,000 loans, along with irregularities in the Toombs-Daley brokerage firm and the bank in Downers Grove exposed in bankruptcy court. Though released after his initial arrest, Roy was arrested a second time and extradited to Missouri where in 1929 he was sentenced to pay a $3,000 fine and serve three years in the Missouri State Penitentiary. He was also convicted of mail fraud by a Federal Court and by 1931 was an inmate of the Federal Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas. It's unknown whether the federal and state sentences were serves concurrently or if Roy was granted an early release from state prison. This affair followed his as late as 1936 when we was sued for $600,000 in connection with the International Life Insurance Company affair.

Around this time, there is evidence of inquiry by Roy Toombs into the Episcopalian Church and instruction under a Jesuit priest for conversion to the Roman Catholicism. The banking profession of that era was predominantly made up of Episcopalians and Freemasons, and it is theorized that Roy's interest in the Episcopalian faith may have taken place in the early 1920s during his stint in Chicago. The latter is suggest to have possibly taken place during his time served in jail.

===Initial Involvement in "Independent Orthodoxy"===
In 1942 Roy Toombs registered for the draft, listing his profession as "priest of the Holy Orthodox Church in America," an [[Independent_Orthodox_churches|independent Orthodox church]] led by George Winslow Plummer out of New York City. For the duration of the Second World War, Toombs is said to have worked intelligence for the US Government. Around this time, articles by Toombs appear in Plummer's Rosicrucian periodical "Mercury". HOCiA claimed succession from the [[American Orthodox Catholic Church]] of [[Aftimios Ofiesh]] through [[Ignatius (Nichols) of Washington]]. Plummer consecrated Theodotus S. DeWitow (Stanislaus Witowski) in 1936, who in turn consecrated Toombs on January 30, 1944, at which point Archbishop James became primate of the HOCiA. By this time Toombs had remarried to a woman named Maryangela, who'd founded the Better Human Resources Movement based on analysis of the Hawthorne Studies her stepson Farrell helped conduct.

Archbishop James moved to New York City and incorporated his mission into the Cathedral of Our Saviour at 226 West 69th Street, Manhattan, by 1947. He affiliated himself with [[Episcopi vagantes|''episcopus vagans'']] John Chrysostom More-Moreno (consecrated in 1933 by [[Bishop]] [[Sophronios (Beshara) of Los Angeles]]) and founded the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church in 1951, with John and Gregory R.P. Adair as his priests. Around this time, Toombs had somehow met and come under the mentorship of Archbishop [[Vitaly (Maximenko) of Jersey City]]. It is believed that after the events of the [[ROCOR_and_OCA#1946-1970:_Open_Hostility|Cleveland Sobor]], Toombs was pivotal through his old war contacts in swaying the opinion of the Federal Government away from acknowledging the complaints of the [[Orthodox Church in America|North American Metropolia]] against the relocation of [[Metropolitan]] [[Anastasy (Gribanovsky) of Kishinev]] and ROCOR's Synod of Bishops to the United States from Europe in 1949. During this time, Farrell was ordained a priest by his father under the name Thomas.

===Conversion to Canonical Orthodoxy and Episcopacy===
Archbishop Vitaly's mentoring culminating in the question of the EOCC's canonicity, which prompted Toombs and his second wife Maryangela to be tonsured monastics at [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Monastery]] in Jordanville, New York in early July of 1951. A few days later James (Toombs) was consecrated on the [[feast day|Feast]] of the Holy [[Apostles]] [[Apostle Peter|Peter]] and [[Apostle Paul|Paul]] on July 21 as the Bishop of Manhattan in the Diocese of Eastern America and Jersey City at the [[New Kursk-Root Hermitage (Mahopac, New York)|New Kursk-Root Hermitage]] in Mahopac, New York. Concelebrating with Metropolitan Anastasy were Archbishop Vitaly, Archbishop [[John (Maximovitch) the Wonderworker|John (Maximovich) of Paris]], Bishop [[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitzky) of Florida]], and Bishop [[Seraphim (Ivanov) of Chicago|Seraphim (Ivanov) of Holy Trinity]]. James was installed at the first Bishop of Manhattan and was tasked with heading a completely autonomous American Orthodox Mission within ROCOR, insofar that he was allowed by the Synod to stay short-haired and clean-shaven to adequately perform his duty. In 1953, Bishop James single-handedly changed the practice of receiving [[Roman Catholic|Roman Catholics]] into the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] when he delivered a report stating that the American Orthodox Mission received all [[convert|converts]] by [[baptism]], where prior to the Russian Revolution, Catholic converts were accepted simply through [[confession]]. The change garnered no opposition.

Upon his entry into ROCOR, Gregory and John Adair engaged Bishop James in a lawsuit over the Cathedral of Our Saviour on West 69th Street. Fearing that he would take the church with him, the Adair Brothers claimed rather that it was property of the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church. There is speculation that a canon lawyer from the North American Metropolia came to the EOCC's aid and helped them win rights to the church in 1952, which was later sold for a great sum to make way for Lincoln Center. For the remainder of his life, Bishop James would serve in the Chapel of the Holy Apostles, built into his apartment.

Though not part of the Synod of Bishops, during his tenure in ROCOR, Bishop James was very active. He was a concelebrant at the consecration of Bishop [[Averky (Taushev) of Syracuse]] on the [[Pentecost#After Pentecost|Feast of the Holy Spirit]] in 1953 alongside Metropolitan Anastasy and others, attended Hierarchical Council meetings and celebrations at Holy Trinity Monastery and New Kurk-Root Hermitage, and in so doing, meeting most of the Synod of Bishops. Bishop James's attained a flock, but the language barrier between American and Émigré made much of anything outside the Mission difficult. Those who wished to study at [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Seminary]] in Jordanville could only be instructed by Archpriest [[Andrei (Rymarenko) of Rockland|Adrian Rymarenko]], with Archimandrite [[Lazarus (Moore)]] helping translate seminary materials. Bishop James's former wife Maryangela couldn't join the Russian-speaking [[Holy Dormition Convent (Nanuet, New York)|Holy Dormition Convent]] "Novo-Diveevo" in Nanuet, New York, and so was allowed to live separately on the second floor of his apartment.

However, his episcopacy was not without controversy. Bishop James's past connections with the esoteric masonic Christianity of George Winslow Plummer, reminiscent of the Theosophy movement which raged in Pre-Revolutionary Russia, and association with wayward and wandering bishops led to rumors of occultist practices taking place within the Mission. Another sore point came with the inconvenient living arrangement of the formerly-married bishop and nun. Furthermore, to many of the Russian émigré mindset, English-language translations of services were seen as very taboo, compounded by the seeming isolationism of the American Orthodox Mission. [[Protopresbyter]] [[Gregory (Grabbe) of Washington|George Grabbe]] led the opposition against Bishop James, drawing several members of the Synod of Bishops to his side. By 1955, Bishop James expressed his desire to Metropolitan Anastasy to continue missionary work as hierarch of an independent American Church.

===The Orthodox American Church, Death, and Legacy===
In 1959 Archbishop James dissociated himself with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and founded the Orthodox American Church (formally, The Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic American Church), incorporating concepts of the Better Human Relations Movement. For the next decade Archbishop James continued his two-fold mission of bringing Americans to Orthodox Christianity and translating every text of the Church into English. He was known to be a very kind, patient, and loving pastor, and accepted the responsibility of being father confessor to a number of Orthodox bishops in New York.

One of Archbishop James's successes is the second and current primate of the OAC, Metropolitan John Schneyder, who joined the mission in 1952, was baptized and christmated in 1953, studied at Holy Trinity Seminary under Archpriest Adrian Rymarenko from 1953-55, and under Archpriest Damian Krehel at [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary]] from 1955-57. In November of 1961, Archbishop James ordained him a deacon, and in July of 1962 a priest. On April 25th, 1970, before his death, Archbishop James consecrated Fr. John to the episcopacy.

Once the weakness of his advanced age set in, Maryangela took care of Archbishop James until his repose on November 1, 1970. Though no representatives of ROCOR attended his funeral, Metropolitan [[Andrei (Petkov) of New York]] of the [[Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Diocese of the USA, Canada and Australia]] did. To this day, the Orthodox American Church considers itself an autonomous mission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.

<br>
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=George Winslow Plummer|
title=Primate of the Holy Orthodox Church in America|
years=1944-1947|
after=Theodotus S. DeWitow}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=Primate of the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church|
years=1947-1951|
after=John Chrysostom More-Moreno}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=Bishop of Manhattan<br>(ROCOR)|
years=1951-1959|
after=[[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus (Škurla)]]}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=Head of the American Orthodox Misson<br>(ROCOR)|
years=1951-1959|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=Primate of the Orthodox American Church|
years=1959-1970|
after=[[John Schneyder]]}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://orthodoxamericanchurch.com/about_history.htm '''About Us: History'''] from Orthodox American Church
*[http://orthodoxamericanchurch.com/about_bio_mjs.htm '''About Us: Bio: Metropolitan John Schneyder'''] from Orthodox American Church
*[http://www.rocorstudies.org/church-people/lives-of-bishops/2011/12/07/archbishop-james-roy-c-toombs-of-manhattan-head-of-the-american-orthodox-mission-vicar-of-the-diocese-of-eastern-america-and-jersey-city/ '''Archbishop James (Roy C. Toombs) of Manhattan, Head of the American Orthodox Mission, Vicar of the Diocese of Eastern America and Jersey City'''] by Michael Woerl, October 2010 from ROCOR Studies
*[http://www3.telus.net/oldfolk/farrell.htm '''Farrell''']
*[http://abbeysanluigi.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/aecyearbook.pdf '''Yearbook of American Churches''']

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of New York]]
[[Category:Bishops of Manhattan]]
[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity]]
[[Category:Missionaries]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy in America]]

Diocese of Eastern American and New York (ROCOR)

2013-03-05T23:08:37Z

Petermav: /* Bishop of Erie */

'''Diocese of Eastern American and New York''' is a [[diocese]] of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]] that is the [[see]] of its First Hierarch. it was established in 1985 during the term of [[Metropolitan]] Philaret (Voznesensky) as First Hierarch.

==Bishops of Eastern America and New York==
===Metropolitans of Eastern America and New York===
*[[Hilarion (Kapral) of New York|Hilarion (Kapral)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR May 18, 2008 - present
*[[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus (Skurla)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR October 27, 2001 - March 16, 2008
*[[Vitaly (Ustinov) of New York|Vitaly (Ustinov)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR January 22, 1986 - August 10, 2001
*[[Philaret (Voznesensky) of New York|Philaret (Voznesensky)]] First Hierarch of ROCOR May 31, 1964 - November 21, 1985

===Ruling Bishops===
*Laurus (Skurla) Archbishop of Syracuse July 18, 1976 - October 25, 2001
*Averky (Taushev) Archbishop of Syracuse and Holy Trinity May 25, 1953 - April 13, 1976

*[[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitsky)]] Archbishop of Washington 1960 - September 4, 1976

*Vitaly (Maximemnko) Archbishop of North America and Canada/Archbishop of Eastern America and Jersey City 1959 - March 21, 1960
*[[Apollinary (Koshevoy) of San Francisco|Apollinary (Koshevoy)]] Archbishop of North America and Canada 1929 - June 19, 1933

==Vicars==
===Bishop of Mayfield===
*[[George (Schaefer) of Mayfield |George (Schaefer)]] December 7, 2008 - Present

===Bishop of Erie===
*Daniel (Alexandrov) August 14, 1988 - April 26, 2010.

===Bishops of Manhattan===
*[[Jerome (Shaw) of Manhattan|Jerome (Shaw)]] December 10, 2008 - Present
*[[Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Montreal |Gabriel (Chemodakov)]] July 7, 1996 - May 14, 2008
*Hilarion (Kapral) 1984 - 1995
*[[Gregory (Grabbe) of Washington and Florida|Gregory (Grabbe)]] 1979 - 1981
*Laurus (Skurla) August 13, 1967 - June 18, 1976
*[[James (Toombs) of Manhattan|James (Toombs)]] July 12, 1951 - 1959

===Bishop of Boston===
*[[Mitrophan (Znosko-Borovsky) of Boston|Mitrophan (Znosko-Borovsky)]] November 24, 1992 - February 15, 2002

===Archbishop of Rockland===
*[[John (Legky) of Rockland|John (Legky)]] 1994-1995
*[[Andrei (Rymarenko) of Rockland|Andrei (Rymarenko)]] 1968 - July 12, 1978

===Bishop/Archbishop of Washington===
*[[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitzky)]] 1967 - September 17, 1976
*[[Gregory (Grabbe) of Washington|Gregory (Grabbe)]] 1981 - 1985

===Bishop/Archbishop of Florida===
*[[Nikon (Rklitski) of Florida|Nikon (Rklitzky)]] June 27, 1948 - September 17, 1967

===Bishop of Detroit===
*[[Vitaly (Maximenko) of Jersey City|Vitaly (Maximemnko)]] May 6, 1934 - 1959

==Sources==
*[http://www.eadiocese.org/History/hierarchs.en.htm ROCOR: Eastern American and New York Diocese]
*[http://www.rocorstudies.org/church-people/lives-of-bishops/2011/12/07/archbishop-james-roy-c-toombs-of-manhattan-head-of-the-american-orthodox-mission-vicar-of-the-diocese-of-eastern-america-and-jersey-city/ ROCOR Studies: Bishops]
*[http://krotov.info/spravki/history_bio/20_bio/karlovch.html Архиереи Русской Православной Церкви Заграницей]

[[Category: Dioceses|Eastern]]
[[Category: ROCOR Dioceses|Eastern]]

East Syrian Rite

2013-02-22T03:55:44Z

Petermav:

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The '''East Syrian Rite''' is also known as the '''Chaldean Rite''', '''Assyrian Rite''', or '''Persian Rite''' although it originated in [[County of Edessa|Edessa]].

==History and origin ==
This rite is used by the [[Assyrian Church of the East]] and certain [[Eastern Catholic]] Churches - in Syria, Mesopotamia, Persia, and Malabar - who have separated from them. The Syrian and Mesopotamian Catholics are now commonly called [[Chaldean Catholic Church|Chaldean]]s, (or [[Chaldean Assyrians|Assyro-Chaldeans]]); the term Chaldean, which in Syriac generally meant magician or astrologer, denoted in Latin and other European languages Syrian nationality and the Syriac or [[Aramaic]] language (especially that form of the latter which is found in certain chapters of Daniel), until the Latin missionaries at Mosul in the seventeenth century adopted it to distinguish the Catholics of the East Syrian Rite from those of the West Syrian Rite, whom they call "Syrians", and from the Nestorians. The latter call themselves "Syrians" (Surayi), and even "Christians" only, though they do not repudiate the name "Nestorayi", and distinguish themselves from the rest of Christendom as the "Church of the East" or "Easterns", as opposed to "Westerns", by which they denote Latin Catholics, Orthodox, Monophysites, and Protestants.

In recent times they have been called, chiefly by the Anglicans, the "Assyrian Church", a name which can be defended on archaeological grounds. Brightman, in his "Liturgies Eastern and Western", includes Chaldean and Malabar Catholics and Nestorians under "Persian Rite", and Bishop Arthur Maclean of Moray and Ross (Anglican) who is the best living authority on the existing Nestorians, calls them "East Syrians", which is perhaps the most satisfactory term. The catalogue of liturgies in the British Museum has adopted the usual Catholic nomenclature, calling the rite of the East Syrian Catholics and Nestorians the "Chaldean Rite", that of the South Indian Catholics and schismatics the "Malabar Rite', and that of the West Syrian Monophysites and Catholics the "Syrian Rite", a convenient arrangement in view of the fact that most printed liturgies of these rites are Eastern Rite Catholic.

The language of all three forms of the East Syrian Rite is [[Aramaic|Syriac]], a modern form of which is still spoken by the Nestorians and some of the Catholics. The origin of the rite is unknown. The tradition - resting on the legend of Abgar and of his correspondence with Christ, which has been shown to be apocryphal- is to the effect that [[Apostle Thomas|St. Thomas the Apostle]], on his way to India, established Christianity in Mesopotamia, Assyria, and Persia, and left [[Thaddeus of Edessa|Adaeus]] (or Thaddeus), "one of the Seventy", and [[Maris]] in charge. To these the normal liturgy is attributed, but it is said to have been revised by the Patriarch Yeshuyab III in about 650. Some, however, consider this liturgy to be a development of the Antiochene.

After the [[Third Ecumenical Council|Council of Ephesus]] (431), the Church of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, which had hitherto been governed by a [[Catholicos|catholicos]] under Antioch, refused to accept the condemnation of Nestorius, cut itself and the Church to the East of it off from the Catholic Church. In 498 the catholicos assumed the title of "Patriarch of the East", and for many centuries this most successful missionary church continued to spread throughout Persia, Tartary, Mongolia, China, India, developing on lines of its own, very little influenced by the rest of Christendom.

At the end of the fourteenth century the conquests of Tamerlane all but destroyed this flourishing Church at one blow, reduced it to a few small communities in Persia, Turkey in Asia, Cyprus, South India, and the Island of [[Socotra]]. The Cypriote Nestorians united themselves to Rome in 1445; in the sixteenth century there was a schism in the patriarchate between the rival lines of [[Mar Shimun]] and [[Mar Elia]]; the Christianity of Socotra, such as it was, died out about the seventeenth century; the Malabarese Church divided into Catholics and Schismatics in 1599, the latter deserting Nestorianism for Monophysitism and adopting the [[West Syrian Rite]] about fifty years later; in 1681 the Chaldean Unia, which had been struggling into existence since 1552, was finally established, and in 1778 received a great accession of strength in the adhesion of the whole Mar Elia patriarchate, and all that was left of the original Nestorian Church consisted of the inhabitants of a district between the Lakes of Van and Urmi and Tigris, and outlying colony in Palestine. These have been further reduced by a great massacre by the Kurds in 1843, and the secession of a large number to the Russian Church within the last few years.

In the late nineteenth century there was an attempt to form an "Independent Catholic Chaldean Church", on the model of the "Old Catholics". This resulted in separating a few from the Eastern Rite Catholics.

==The Eucharistic service==
Qurbana, "the Offering"; udasha, "the Hallowing"

There are three Anaphorae; that of Apostles (Sts. Adaeus and Maris), that of Nestorius, and that of Theodore (of Mopsuestia) the Interpreter. The first is the normal form, and from it the Malabar revision was derived. The second is used by the Chaldeans and Nestorians on the [[Epiphany (Christian)|Epiphany]] and the feasts of [[John the Forerunner|St. John the Baptist]] and of the [[Greek Doctor]]s, both of which occur in Epiphany-tide on the Wednesday of the Fast of the Ninevites, and on Maundy Thursday. The third is used by the same (except when the second is ordered) from [[Advent Sunday]] to [[Palm Sunday]]. The same pro-anaphoral part serves for all three.
Three other Anaphorae are mentioned by Ebedyeshu (metropolitan of Nisibis, 1298) in his catalogue, those of Barsuma, Narses, and [[Diodore of Tarsus]]; but they are not known now, unless Dr. Wright is correct in calling the fragment in Brit. Mus. Add. 14669, "Diodore of Tarsus".

The Eucharistic Liturgy is preceded by a preparation, or "Office of the Prothesis", which includes the solemn kneading and baking of the loaves. These among the Nestorians are leavened, the flour being mixed with a little oil and the holy leaven (''malka''), which, according to the legend, "was given and handed down to us by our holy fathers Mar Addai and Mar Mari and Mar Tuma", and of which and of the holy oil a very strange story is told. The real leavening, however, is done by means of fermented dough (khmira) from the preparation of the last Eucharistic Liturgy. The Chaldean Catholics now use unleavened bread.

The Liturgy itself is introduced by the first verse of the Gloria in Excelsis and the Lord's prayer, with "farcings" (giyura), consisting of a form of the Sanctus. Then follow:

The [[Introit Psalm]] (variable), called ''Marmitha'', with a preliminary prayer, varying for Sundays and greater feasts and for "Memorials" and ferias. In the Malabar Rite, Pss. xiv, cl, and cxvi are said in alternate verses by priests and deacons.
The "Antiphon of the Sanctuary" (Unitha d' qanki), variable, with a similarly varying prayer.
The Lakhumara, an antiphon beginning "To Thee, Lord", which occurs in other services also preceded by a similarly varying prayer.
The [[Trisagion]]. Incense is used before this. In the Eastern Rite at low Mass the elements are put on the altar before the incensing.

There are four or five Lections: (a) the Law and (b) the Prophecy, from the Old Testament, (c) the Lection from the Acts, (d) the Epistle, always from St. Paul, (e) the Gospel. Some days have all five lections, some four, some only three. All have an Epistle and a Gospel, but, generally, when there is a Lection from Law there is none from the Acts, and vice versa. Sometimes there is none from either Law or Acts. The first three are called ''Qiryani'' (Lections), the third ''Shlikha'' (Apostle). Before the Epistle and Gospel, hymns called ''Turgama'' (interpretation) are, or should be, said; that before the Epistle is invariable, that of the Gospel varies with the day. They answer to the Greek prokeimena. The Turgama of the Epistle is preceded by proper psalm verses called ''Shuraya'' (beginning), and that of the Gospel by other proper psalm verses called ''Zumara'' (song). The latter includes Alleluia between the verses.
The Deacon's Litany, or Eklene, called ''Karazutha'' (proclamation), resembles the "Great Synapte" of the Greeks. During it the proper "Antiphon [Unitha] of the Gospel" is sung by the people.

The [[Offertory]]. The deacons proclaim the expulsion of the unbaptized, and set the "hearers" to watch the doors. The priest places the bread and wine on the altar, with words (in the Nestorian, but not in the Chaldean Catholic Rite) which seem as if they were already consecrated. He sets aside a "memorial of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Christ" (Chaldean; usual Malabar Rite, "Mother of God"; but according to Raulin's Latin of the Malabar Rite, "Mother of God Himself and of the Lord Jesus Christ"), and of the patron of the Church (in the Malabar Rite, "of St.Thomas"). Then follows the proper "Antiphon of the Mysteries" (Unitha d' razi), answering to the offertory.

The Creed. This is a variant of the [[Nicene Creed]]. It is possible that the order or words "and was incarnate by the Holy Ghost and was made man, and was conceived and born of the Virgin Mary", may enshrine a Nestorian idea, but the Chaldean Catholics do not seem to have noticed it, their only alteration being the addition of the Filioque. The Malabar Book has an exact translation of Latin. In Neale's translation of the Malabar Rite the Karazutha, the Offertory, and the Expulsion of the Unbaptized come before the Lections and the Creed follows immediately on the Gospel, but in the Propaganda edition of 1774 the Offertory follows the Creed, which follows the Gospel.

The first Lavabo, followed by a Kushapa ("beseeching", i.e., prayer said in kneeling) and a form of the "Orate fratres", with its response. Then the variations of the three Anaphora begin.
The Kiss of Peace, preceded by a G'hantha, i.e., a prayer said with bowed head.
The prayer of Memorial (Dukhrana) of the Living and the Dead, and the Diptychs; the latter is now obsolete among the Nestorians.
The Anaphora. As in all liturgies this begins with a form of a Sursum corda, but the East Syrian form is more elaborate than any other, especially in the Anaphora of Theodore. Then follows the Preface of the usual type ending with the Sanctus.
The Post-Sanctus (to use the Hispanico-Gallican term. This is an amplification (similar in idea and often in phraseology to those in all liturgies except the Roman) of the idea of the Sanctus into a recital of the work of Redemption, extending to some length and ending, in the Anaphorae of Nestorius and Theodore, with the recital of the Institution. In the Anaphora of the Apostles the recital of the Institution is wanting, though it has been supplied in the Anglican edition of the Nestorian book. Hammond (Liturgies Eastern and Western, p. lix) and most other writers hold that the Words of Institution belong to this Liturgy and should be supplied somewhere; Hammond (loc.cit) suggests many arguments for their former presence. The reason of their absence is uncertain. While some hold that this essential passage dropped out in times of ignorance, others say it never was there at all, being unnecessary, since the consecration was held to be effected by the subsequent Epiklesis alone. Another theory, evidently of Western origin and not quite consistent with the general Eastern theory of consecration by an Epiklesis following Christ's words, is that, being the formula of consecration, it was held too sacred to be written down. It does not seem to be quite certain whether Nestorian priests did or did not insert the Words of Institution in old times, but it seems that many of them do not do so now.
The Prayer of the Great Oblation with a second memorial of the Living and the Dead, a Kushapa.
The G'hantha of the Epiklesis, or Invocation of Holy Spirit. The Epiklesis itself is called Nithi Mar (May He come, O Lord) from its opening words. The Liturgy of the Apostles is so vague as to the purpose of the Invocation that, when the words of Institution are not said, it would be difficult to imagine this formula to be sufficient on any hypothesis, Eastern or Western. The Anaphorae of Nestorius and Theodore, besides having the Words of Institution, have definite Invocations, evidently copied from Antiochean or Byzantine forms. The older Chaldean and the Malabar Catholic books have inserted the Words of Institution with an Elevation, after the Epiklesis. But the 1901 Mosul edition puts the Words of Institution first.
Here follow a Prayer for Peace, a second Lavabo and a censing.
The Fraction, Consignation, Conjunction, and Commixture. The Host is broken in two , and the sign of the Cross is made in the Chalice with one half, after which the other with the half that has been dipped in the chalice. The two halves are then reunited on the Paten. Then a cleft is made in the Host "qua parte intincta est in Sanguine" (Renaudot's tr.), and a particle is put in the chalice, after some intricate arranging on the paten.

Communion. The veil is thrown open, the deacon exhorts the communicants to draw near, the priests breaks up the Host for distribution. Then follows the Lord's Prayer, with Introduction and Embolism, and the Sancta Sanctis, and then the 'Antiphon of the Bema" (Communion) is sung. The Communion is in both species separately, the priest giving the Host and the deacon the Chalice. Then follows a variable antiphon of thanksgiving, a post-communion, and a post-communition, and a dismissal. Afterwards the Mkaprana, an unconsecrated portion of the holy loaf, is distributed to the communicants, but not, as in the case of the Greek antidoron, and as the name of the latter implies, to non-communicants. The Chaldean Catholics are communicated with the Host dipped in the Chalice. They reserve what is left of the Holy Gifts, while the Nestorian priests consume all before leaving the church.
Properly, and according to their own canons, the Nestorians ought to say Mass on every Sunday and Friday, on every festival, and daily during the first, middle, and last week of Lent and the octave of Easter. In practice it is only said on Sundays and greater festivals, at the best, and in many churches not so often, a sort of "dry Mass" being used instead. The Chaldean Catholic priests say Mass daily, and where there are many priests there will be many Masses in the same Church in one day, which is contrary to the Nestorian canons. The Anglican editions of the liturgies omit the names of heretics and call the Anaphorae of Nestorius and Theodore the "Second Hallowing" and "Third Hallowing". Otherwise there are no alterations except the addition of Words of Institution to the first Anaphorae. The recent Catholic edition has made the same alterations and substituted "Mother of God" for "Mother of Christ". In each edition the added Words of Institution follow the form of the rite of the edition. The prayers of the Mass, like those of the Orthodox Eastern Church, are generally long and diffuse. Frequently they end with a sort of doxology called Qanuna which is said aloud, the rest being recited in a low tone. The Qanuna in form and usage resembles the Greek ekphonesis.

The vestments used by the priest at Mass are the ''Sudhra'', a girded alb with three crosses in red or black on the shoulder, the ''Urara'' (orarion) or stole worn crossed by priests, but not by bishops (as in the West), and the ''Ma'apra'', a sort of linen cope. The deacon wears the Sudhra, with an urara over the left shoulder.

==Divine Office ==
The nucleus of this is, as it is usual, the recitation of the [[Psalter]]. There are only three regular hours of service (Evening, Midnight, and Morning) with a rarely used compline. In practice only Morning and Evening are commonly used, but these are extremely well attended daily by laity as well as clergy. When Nestorian monasteries existed (which is no longer the case) seven hours of prayer were the custom in them, and three hulali of the Psalter were recited at each. This would mean a daily recitation of the whole Psalter. The present arrangement provides for seven hulali at each ferial night service, ten on Sundays, three on "Memorials", and the whole Psalter on feasts of Our Lord.

At the evening service there is a selection of from four to seven psalms, varying with the day of the week, and also a Shuraya, or short psalm, with generally a portion of Ps. cxviii, varying with the day of the fortnight.

At the morning service the invariable psalms are cix, xc, ciii (1-6), cxii, xcii, cxlviii, cl, cxvi. On ferias and "Memorials" Ps. cxlvi is said after Ps. cxlviii, and on ferias Ps. 1, 1-18, comes at the end of the psalms. The rest of the services consist of prayers, antiphons, litanies, and verses (giyura) inserted, like the Greek stichera, but more extensively, between verses of psalms. On Sundays the Gloria in Excelsis and Benedicte are said instead of Ps. cxlvi.

Both morning and evening services end with several prayers, a blessing, (Khuthama, "Sealing" ), the kiss of peace, and the Creed. The variables, besides the psalms, are those of the feast or day, which are very few, and those of the day of the fortnight. These fortnights consist of weeks called "Before" (Qdham) and "After" (Wathar), according to which of the two choirs begins the service. Hence the book of the Divine Office is called Qdham u wathar, or at full length Kthawa daqdham wadhwathar, the "Book of Before and After".

==Liturgical Calendar ==
Their Calendar is very peculiar. The year is divided into periods of about seven weeks each, called Shawu'i; these are Advent (called Subara, "Annunciation"), Ephiphany, Lent, Easter, the Apostles, Summer, "Elias and the Cross", "Moses", and the "Dedication" (Qudash idta). "Moses" and the "Dedication" have only four weeks each. The Sundays are generally named after the Shawu'a in which they occur, "Fourth Sunday of Epiphany", "Second Sunday of the Annunciation ", etc., though sometimes the name changes in the middle of a Shawu'a. Most of the "Memorials" (dukhrani), or saints' days, which have special lections, occur on the Fridays between Christmas and Lent, and are therefore movable feasts, but some, such as Christmas, Ephiphany, the Assumption, and about thirty smaller days without proper lections are on fixed days. There are four shorter fasting periods besides the Great Fast (Lent); these are:
the Fast of Mar Zaya, the three days after the second Sunday of the Nativity;
the Fast of the Virgins, after the first Sunday of the Epiphany;
the Rogation of the Nineties, seventy days before Easter;
the Fast of Mart Mariam (Our Lady), from the first to the fourteenth of August.
The Fast of the Ninevites commemorates the repentance of Nineveh at the preaching of Jonas, and is carefully kept. Those of Mar Zaya and the Virgins are nearly obsolete. As compared with the Latin and Greek Calendars, that of the Chaldeans, whether Catholic or Nestorian, is very meagre. The Malabar Rite has largely adopted the Roman Calendar, and several Roman days have been added to that of the Chaldean Catholics. The Chaldean Easter coincides with that of the Roman Catholic Church.

==Other sacraments and occasional services ==
The other Sacraments in use among the Nestorians are [[Baptism]], with which is always associated an [[Oil of catechumens|anointing]], which as in other eastern rites answers to Confirmation, [[Holy Orders]] and [[Matrimony]], but not [[Penance]] or Unction of the sick. The latter appears to be unknown to the Nestorians, though Assemani ("Bibliotheca Orientalis", pt. Ii, p. cclxxii) considers it might be shown from their books that its omission was a modern error. The Chaldean Catholics now have a form not unlike the Byzantine and West Syrian. The nearest approach to Penance among the Nestorians is a form, counted as a sacrament, for the reconciliation of apostates and excommunicated persons, prayers from which are occasionally used in cases of other penitents. Assemani's arguments (ibid., cclxxxvi-viii) for a belief in Penance as a Sacrament among the ancient Nestorians or for the practice of auricular confession among the Malabar Nestorians are not conclusive. The Chaldeans have a similar form to that of the Latin Rite. The Nestorians omit Matrimony from the list, and according to Ebedyeshu make up the number of the mysteries to seven by including the Holy Leaven and the Sign of the Cross, but they are now rather vague about the definition or numeration.

The only other rite of any interest is the consecration of churches. Oil, but not chrism, plays a considerable part in these rites, being used in Baptism, possibly in Confirmation, in the reconciliation of apostates, etc., in the consecration of churches, and the making of bread for the Eucharist. It is not used in ordination or for the sick. There are two sorts of oil; the one is ordinary olive oil, blessed or not blessed for the occasion, the other is the oil of the Holy Horn. The last, which, though really only plain oil, represents the chrism (or myron) of other rites, is believed to have been handed down from the Apostles with the Holy Leaven. The legend is that the Baptist caught the water which fell from the body of Christ at His baptism and preserved it. He gave it to St. John the Evangelist, who added to it some of the water which fell from the pierced side. At the Last Supper Jesus gave two loaves to St. John, bidding him keep one for the Holy Leaven. With this St. John mingled some of the Blood from the side of Christ. After Pentecost the Apostles mixed oil with the sacred water, and each took a horn of it, and the loaf they ground to pieces and mixed it with flour and salt to be the Holy Leaven. The Holy Horn is constantly renewed by the addition of oil blessed by a bishop on Maundy Thursday.

The baptismal service is modeled on the Eucharistic. The Mass of the Catechumens is almost identical, with of course appropriate Collects, psalms, Litanies, and Lections. After the introductory Gloria, Lord's Prayer, Marmitha (in this case Psalm 88) and its Collect, follow the imposition of hands and the signing with oil, after which follow an Antiphon of the Sanctuary and Ps. xliv, cix, cxxxi, with giyuri, Litanies, and Collects, then the lakhumara, Trisagion, and Lections (Epistle and Gospel ), and the Karazutha, after whch the priest says the prayer of the imposition of hands, and the unbaptized are dismissed. An antiphon answering to that "of the mysteries" follows, and then the Creed is said. The bringing forward of the Holy Horn and the blessing of the oil take the place of the Offertory. The Anaphora is paralleled by Sursum corda, Preface, and Sanctus, a Nithi Mar, or Epiklesis, upon the oil, a commixture of the new oil with that of the Holy Horn, and the Lord's Prayer. Then the font is blessed and signed with the holy oil, and in the place of the Communion comes the Baptism itself. The children are signed with the oil on the breast and then anointed all over, and are dipped thrice in the font. The formula is: "N., be thou baptized in the name of the Father, in the name of the Son, in the name of the Holy Ghost. Amen." Then follows the post-baptismal thanksgiving. Confirmation follows immediately. There are two prayers of Confirmation and a signing between the eyes with the formula: "N., is baptized and perfected in the name, etc." It is not quite clear whether oil should be used with this signing or not. Then any oil that remains over is poured into the Holy Horn, held over the font, and the water in the font is loosed from its former consecration with rather curious ceremonies. The Chaldean Catholics have added the renunciations, profession of faith, and answers of the sponsors from the Roman Ritual, and anoint with chrism.

The marriage service (''Burakha'', 'Blessing") has nothing very distinctive about it, and resembles closely the Byzantine, and to some extent the Jewish rite.

The orders of the Nestorians are those of reader ([[Qaruya]]), subdeacon ([[Hiupathiaqna]]), deacon ([[Shamasha]]), priest ([[Qashisha]]), archdeacon ([[Arkidhyaquna]]) and bishop ([[Apisqupa]]). The degree of archdeacon, though has an ordination service of its own, is only counted as a degree of the presbyterate, and is by some held to be the same as that of chorepiscopus (Kurapisqupa), which never involved episcopal ordination among the Nestorians. When a priest is engaged in sacerdotal functions, he is called Kahna (i.e., lereus; sacerdos) and a bishop is similarly Rab kahni (Chief of the Priests archiereus, pontifex). Quashisha and Apisqupa only denote the degree. Kahnutha, priesthood, is used of the three degrees of deacon, priest, and bishop. The ordination formula is: "N. has been set apart, consecrated, and perfected to the work of the diaconate [or of the presbyterate] to the Levitical and stephanite Office [or for the office of the Aaronic priesthood], in the Name, etc., In the case of a bishop it is : "to the great work of the episcopate of the city of ..." A similar formula is used for archdeacons and metropolitans.

The Consecration of churches (Siamidha or Qudash Madhbkha) consists largely of unctions. The altar is anointed all over, and there are four consecration crosses on the four interior walls of the sanctuary, and these and the lintel of the door and various other places are anointed. The oil is not that of the Holy Horn, but fresh olive oil consecrated by the bishop.

==Sources and references==
*''This article incorporates text from the public-domain ''Catholic Encyclopedia'' of 1913.''

===Manuscripts and editions===
The authorities for this rite are chiefly in manuscript, the printed editions being very few as of 1912. Few of the manuscripts, except some lectionaries in the British Museum, were written before the fifteenth century, and most, whether Chaldean or Nestorian, are of the seventeenth and eighteenth. The books in use are:

*[[Takhsa]], a priest's book, containing the Eucharistic service ([[Qurbana]] or [[Qudasha]]) in its three forms, with the administration of other sacraments, and various occasional prayers and blessings. It is nearly the [[Euchologion]] of the Greeks (see [[Rite of Constantinople]]).
*[[Kthawa dhaqdham wadhwathar]] or [[Qdhamuwathar]], "Before and After", contains the Ordinary of the Divine Office except the [[Psalter]], arranged for two weeks.
*[[Dawidha]] (David), the Psalter, divided into [[hulali]], which answer more or less to the [[kathismata]] of the Greeks. It includes the collects of the hulali.
*[[Qiryana]], [[Shlika w'Iwangaliyuna]], lections, epistles, and gospels, sometimes together, sometimes in separate books.
*[[Turgama]], explanatory hymns sung before the Epistle and Gospel.
*[[Khudra]], containing the variables for Sundays, Lent and the [[Fast of the Ninevites]], and other holy days.
*[[Kashkul]], a selection from the Khudra for weekdays.
*[[Geza]], containing variables for festivals except Sundays.
*[[Abukhalima]], a collectary, so called from its compiler, [[Elias III]], Abu Khalim ibn alKhaditha, Metropolitan of [[Nisibis]], and patriarch (1175-99).
*[[Ba'utha d'Ninwayi]], rhythmical prayers attributed to [[Saint Ephraem]], used during the Fast of the Ninevites.
*[[Takhsa d'amadha]], the office baptism.
*[[Burakha]], the marriage service.
*[[Kathnita]], the burial service for priests.
*[[Anidha]], the burial service for lay people.
*[[Takhsa d'siamidha]], the ordination services.
*[[Takhsa d'khusaya]], the "Office of Pardon", or reconciliation of penitents.
These last six are excerpts from the Takhsa.
Of the above the following have been printed in Syriac:

For the Nestorians:
*The Takhsa, in two parts, by [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]'s [[Assyrian Mission]] (Urmi, 1890-92) The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge has published an English translation of the first part of the Takhsa, both parts "unmodified except by the omission of the heretical names" (Brightman);
*Dhaqdham wadhwathar, by the same (Urmi, 1894); Dawidha, by the same (Urmi, 1891).

For the Chaldean Catholics:
*''Missale Chaldaicum'', containing the [[Liturgy of the Apostles]] in Syriac and [[Epistle]]s and Gospels in Syriac with an Arabic translation, in Carshuni (Propaganda Press [[fol.]], Rome, 1767). A new and revised edition, containing the three liturgies and the lections, epistles, and gospels was published by the Dominicans at Mosul in 1901. The Order of the Church Services of Common Days, etc., from Kthawa dhaqdham wadhwathar (octavo, Mosul, 1866). *"[[Breviarium Chaldaicum in usum Nationis Chaldaicae a Josepho Guriel secundo editum]]" (16mo, Propaganda Press, Rome, 1865).
* "Breviarium Chaldaicum", etc., [8vo, Paris (printed at Leipzig, 1886].

For the Malabar Catholics:
*"Ordo Chaldaicus Missae Beatorum Apostolorum, juxta ritum Ecclesiae Malabaricae" (fol., Propaganda Press, Rome, 1774).
*"Ordo Chaldaicus Rituum et Lectionum", etc., (fol., Rome, 1775).
*"Ordo Chaldaicus ministerii Sacramentorum Sanctorum", etc., (fol., Rome, 1775).
These three, which together form a Takhsa and Lectionary, are commonly found bound together. The Propaganda reprinted the third part in 1845.
*"Ordo Baptismi adultorum juxta ritum Ecclesiae Malabaricae Chaldaeorum" (octavo, Propaganda Press, Rome, 1859), a Syriac translation of the Roman Order.

The Malabar Rite was revised in a Roman direction by [[Aleixo de Menezes]], [[Archbishop of Goa]], and the revision was authorized by the controversial [[Synod of Diamper]] in 1599. So effectively was the original Malabar Rite abolished by the Synod in favour of this revision, and by the schismatics (when in 1649, being cut off from their own patriarch by the Spaniards and Portuguese, they put themselves under the [[Jacobite patriarch]]) in favour of the [[West Syrian Liturgy]], that no copy is known to exist, but it is evident from the revised form that it could not have differed materially from the existing [[Nestorian Rite]]\.

==See also==
*[[West Syrian Rite]]

==Source==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=East_Syrian_Rite&oldid=191985239|''East Syrian Rite'' at Wikipedia]

Michael (Filimon) of Australia and New Zealand

2013-02-19T23:19:35Z

Petermav: /* Life */ Correted grammar.

His Grace '''Michael (Filimon)''', also '''Mihail (Filimon)''', [[vicar]] of the Archdiocese of Bucharest, is the ruling hierarch of the [[Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of Australia and New Zealand]]. Bp. Michael is the first [[bishop]] of the episcopate that was formed in 2008.

==Life==
Maricel Michael Filimon was born on [[January 25]], 1964 into the Orthodox family of John and Ileana Filimon in the County of Galati in Eastern Romania. After completing his basic education through high school, Maricel Michael entered the [[monastery]] of Cemica of the Archdiocese of Bucharest in October 1984. On [[January 7]], 1986, Maricel Michael was [[tonsure]]d and given the name Michael. During the summer of 1986, he transferred to the Monastery of Curtea de Arges. While at the monastery, Michael was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] on [[April 18]],1987 and the [[priest]] on [[September 11]], 1988.

In 1987, Fr. Michael was accepted by the graduate theological institute in Sibiu, Transylvania, graduating in 1991. On [[November 8]], 1991, Fr. Michael was elevated to protosyngelos. Also in the autumn 1991, Fr. Michael began doctoral studies under the guidance of Fr. Professor Ioan Ica. During this period, Fr. Michael also was appointed Professor of [[Old Testament|Old]] and [[New Testament]]s at the theological [[seminary]] in Pitesti. In February 1993, he was accepted for postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Philology of the Aristotle University of Thessalonica. Then, on [[June 9]], 1993, he was accepted by the Faculty of Theology where he developed his thesis on "Orthodox Catholic Church's Catechetical Ministry in Romania in the Twentieth Century".

Fr. Michael was elevated to the dignity of [[archimandrite]] on [[January 22]], 1995. On [[October 1]], 1999, Fr. Michael was appointed lecturer at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Pitesti. Then, on [[April 23]], 2003, Archimandrite Michael joined the monastic community of the [[Holy Ascension Romanian Orthodox Monastery (Detroit, Michigan)|Holy Ascension Monastery]] in Detroit, Michigan in the United States of America.

On [[July 8]], 2003, Fr. Michael was elected as the new [[abbot]] of the monastery. His election was confirmed and blessed by Abp. [[Nathaniel (Popp) of Detroit|Nathaniel (Popp)]] of the [[Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (OCA)|Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America]] on [[July 24]], 2003. It was during the leadership of Abbot Michael that the monastery acquired property from the [[St. Andrew House Center for Orthodox Christian Studies|St. Andrew Center for Christian Studies]] in 2005 for the monastery brotherhood.

On [[January 1]], 2008, Archim. Michael was called by Patriarch [[Daniel (Ciobotea) of Romania|Daniel of Romania]] to return to Bucharest to be an Administrative Assistant to the Archdiocese of Bucharest. This was at the time the Romanian Orthodox Patriarchate established for the Romanian community of Australia an eparchy of the territory of Australia and New Zealand. The Eparchy of Australia and New Zealand was formally founded with the election on [[March 5]], 2008 of Archimandrite Michael (Filimon) as the first ruling bishop.

Fr. Michael (Filimon) was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] during the [[Divine Liturgy|Holy Liturgy]] celebrated by Abp. Niphon of Targoviste, Patriarchal [[exarch]], with other hierarchs of the [[Holy Synod]] of the Romanian Orthodox Church, in the Patriarchal [[Cathedral]] of Bucharest on [[April 20]], 2008. He was enthroned in Melbourne, Australia on [[June 29]], 2008 during the Holy Liturgy in an [[enthronement]] ceremony celebrated by Bp. Laurentiu Streza, Metropolitan of Transylvania, the representative of Patriarch Daniel, assisted by Bp. Ambrozie of Giurgiu and other [[clergy]] of the Orthodox Churches of Australia and New Zealand.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=Bishop of Australia and New Zealand<br>(Romanian)|
years=2008-Present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.basilica.ro/en/news/the_bishop_of_the_romanian_episcopate_of_australia_and_new_zealand_has_been_enthroned_in_melbourne.html The Bishop of the Romanian Episcopate of Australia and New Zealand Has Been Enthroned in Melbourne]
*[http://www.holy-ascension.org/about%20us.html Web cite of the Holy AscensionRomanian Orthodox Monastery]
*[http://www.therecord.com.au/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=389&Itemid=1 Romanians create Eparchy]
*[http://www.roeanz.com.au/mihail-episcopul-australiei-noii-zeelande-p Web cite of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of Australia and New Zealand] In Romanian

==External link==
*[http://www.oca.org/DIRlisting.asp?SID=9&KEY=oca-ro-detham OCA: Ascension of The Lord Monastery]

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

Church of the Holy Martyr Zenaide (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

2013-02-19T23:05:41Z

Petermav: Corrected expression

[[File:Paróquia Santa Mártir Zenaide.jpg|thumb|right|325px|Church of the Holy Martyr Zenaide]]
The '''Church of the Holy Martyr Zenaide''' is located in the neighborhood of Santa Tereza in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The [[parish]] was established under the [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]] before coming under the jurisdiction of the [[Orthodox Church in America]]. The parish is currently under the jurisdiction of the Eparchy of Argentina and South America of the [[Church of Russia]].

==History==
The parish of the Holy Martyr Zenaide traces its origin to 1921 when about fifteen hundred refugees from the Russian Revolution organized a religious community, named in honor of St. George of Cappadocia. The community, however, was served for many years by St. Nicholas Church due to the lack of Russian [[clergy]] and availability of a suitable place to assemble. In 1930, the community petitioned [[Metropolitan]] [[Eulogius (Georgievsky) of Paris|Eulogius (Georgievsky)]] in Paris, requesting that he send a [[priest]] to Brazil for the Russian community. In response Metr. Eulogius sent Hieromonk Mikhei (Ordyntsev), who was in Peru, to serve the community.

At the organizational meeting of the parish council on [[April 28]], 1933, the construction of a church was proposed. However, it was 1934 before the registration of the Russian Orthodox community as a legal entity was completed and a site was found in the Santa Teresa neighborhood to build the church. Construction of the church began on [[August 11]], 1935, with the placing of the foundation stone by [[Archbishop]] Theodosius (Samoilovich) of Sao Paulo and All Brazil of ROCOR and Metropolitan Ilya of Tyre-Sidon of the Antiochian Church.

As construction of the [[church]] began, the wife of the architect, Gleb Konstantinovich Sakharov, died. He offered a significant sum toward the construction of the church with the condition that the church be consecrated in honor of the holy devotion of his wife who was not famous and much less of popular devotion, the Holy [[Martyr]] [[Zenaida and Philonilla of Tarsus in Cilicia|Zenaide]]. On [[August 29]], 1937, the church and its [[altar]] were consecrated by Abp. Theodosius to the memory of St. Martyr Zenaide (commemorated on October 24). The first pastor of the Church of Santa Zenaide was Father Georgy (Gordov), a lawyer from a small town in Crimea before the Bolshevik revolution.

Following the end of World War II, the arrival of Russian emigres from both Europe and Asia added a new flourish to the life of the parish and community. Among the new arrivals was the choir director Boris Evgenievich Kirillov from Harbin, China. In 1956, Fr. Nikolai Padedin became the parish priest. In 1967, Fr. Nikolai was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] Bishop Nicander of Rio de Janeiro, [[vicar]] to Archbishop Theodosius of Sao Paulo. After the repose of Abp. Theodosius in 1968, Bp. Nicander became the Archbishop of the Eparchy of São Paulo.

In 1964, a serious conflict arose within the parish, between the parish council and the parish priest. The parish council and half of the choir and parishioners of the parish withdrew and moved to another church in Niterói. In 1968, the then parish priest Vasily Pavlovsky was prohibited from exercising religious service by the [[Synod]] of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad because he refused to obey the orders of his ecclesiastical superiors. In 1969, he was [[deposition|deposed]] from the priesthood, but continued to perform religious services without authorization. In 1976, Fr. Vasily, supported by many of the parishioners, initiated for recognition by the [[Orthodox Church in America]]. After receiving recognition, Fr. Vasily officially assumed the leadership of the parish. After his repose in 1988, the church services were celebrated by Archpriest Anatoly Topala of the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh of the Moscow Patriarchate in Porto Alegre under Metropolitan Platon (Udovenko) of the Diocese of Argentina and South America. In early 1999, the community expressed in a meeting with Archimandrite Theofan (Ashurkov), Vice President of the Department of Foreign Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, a desire to move to the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia. The transfer was completed later that year and was recorded in the Statute of the parish, approved at a general meeting of parishioners and registered at the Ministry of Justice of Brazil on [[January 27]], 2000 and in Notary Notes in Rio de Janeiro on [[February 10]], 2000.

Between January 2000 and October 2001, the parish priest Abbe Sergy Zyatkov began renovations of the rectory and the church yard with funds from the Moscow Patriarchate and donations from parishioners. On [[October 6]], 2001 the [[Holy Synod]] of the [[Church of Russia]] appointed Pavel Feoktistov as the priest of the Church of Santa Zenaide. In December 2003, major renovations of the church began supported by funds from the Moscow Patriarchate. The renovations included relining of the altar and iconostasis walls with white marble with matching blue Bahia granite accented with a special variety Oak natural wood from Brazil. The icons were restored through donations. In a solemn ceremony on [[February 19]], 2004 the church was rededicated by Metropolitan [[Kyrill (Gundyayev) of Moscow|Kyrill]] of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department of Foreign Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Metropolitan Platon of Argentina and South America, concelebrated with the clergy of the Brazilian deanery. At the base of the altar and on the corporal donated by Patriarch [[Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow|Alexei II of Moscow]] were placed the [[relics]] of the Hieromartyr Sergius Florinsky of Rakvere, one of the New-Martyrs of the twentieth century who suffered during the communist persecution.

==Source==
*[http://pt.orthodoxwiki.org/Igreja_de_Santa_Mártir_Zenaide_(Rio_de_Janeiro) Igreja de Santa Mártir Zenaide (Rio de Janeiro)] In Portuguese

[[Category: Churches]]
[[Category: Churches in Brazil]]

Quinisext Council

2013-02-19T22:57:01Z

Petermav: Greek Spelling

The '''Quinisext Ecumenical Council''' was held in 692 and is regarded as supplementing the [[Fifth Ecumenical Council]] of 553 and the [[Sixth Ecumenical Council]] of 681. This council is often referred to as the '''Council in Trullo'''. The work of the council was mainly legislative, ratifying 102 canons and decisions of the two earlier Ecumenical Councils.

==History==
The Quinisext Council was convened in 692 by [[Justinian II]] in Constantinople. It is often referred to as the Council in Trullo because the sessions were held in the same domed room where the Sixth Council was conducted. Both the Fifth and the Sixth Councils had adjourned without drawing up disciplinary canons. The 692 council was convened with the intention to complete the work of the earlier councils in this respect, and it was from this aspect that it took the name Quinisext, i.e. Fifth-Sixth Council. (Latin:Concilium Quinisextum, [[Koine Greek]]: Πενθέκτη Σύνοδος - Penthekte Synodos).

Two hundred and eleven [[bishop]]s attended the council, all from the Eastern Roman Empire. Basil of Gortyna in Illyria/Crete, however, belonged to the [[Church of Rome]] and claimed that he represented the Roman Church, though no evidence exists of his right to make this claim. In fact, Pope Sergius of Rome refused to sign the canons, citing them as “lacking authority”, when they were sent to him for signature. The Western Church never recognized the 102 disciplinary canons of this council, although later statements by some of the bishops of Rome, notably Popes Constantine and Hadrian I, seem to show an acceptance that could be summed up as expressed by Pope [[John VII of Rome|John VII]]: that ''he accepted all those canons which did not contradict the true faith, good morals, and decrees of Rome''. The Orthodox Churches consider this council as ecumenical and adds its canons to the decrees of the Fifth and Sixth Councils.

Many of the canons were reiterations of previously passed canons. However, most of the new canons exhibited an inimical attitude towards churches not in disciplinary accord with Constantinople, especially the Western Churches. Their customs are anathematized and "every little detail of difference is remembered to be condemned" (Fortescue).

Among the practices of the Western Church thus condemned were the practice of celebrating liturgies on weekdays in [[Lent]] (rather than having pre-sanctified liturgies); of fasting on certain Saturdays during the year; of omitting the "Alleluia" in Lent; of depicting Christ as a lamb; and the discipline of celibacy for all bishops, [[priest]]s and [[deacon]]s. This last merits further elaboration: not content merely to condemn the discipline of celibacy in the case of priests and deacons, the Council declared that anyone who tries to separate a priest or deacon from his wife is to be excommunicated. Likewise any cleric who leaves his wife because he is [[ordination|ordained]] is also to be excommunicated.

==External links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinisext_Council Wikipedia: Quinisext Council]
*[http://www.goarch.org/en/ourfaith/articles/article8070.asp GOARCH: Quinisext Ecumenical Council]
*[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/trullo.html Canons of the Council in Trullo]

[[Category: Councils]]
[[Category: Ecumenical Councils]]
[[Category: Church History]]

[[ro:Sinodul Quinisext]]

Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky) of Simferopol and Crimea

2012-10-18T22:28:16Z

Petermav: /* Glorification */

[[Image:Agios Loukas.jpg|right|thumb|230px| Saint Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky) of Simferopol]]

Saint '''Luke, Bishop of Simferopol and Crimea, the Blessed Surgeon''', was born ''Valentin Felixovich Voino-Yasenetsky'' (''Валентин Феликсович Войно-Ясенецкий, Βαλεντίν Βόϊνο-Γιασενέτσκι''), [[April 14]], 1877 and died [[June 11]], 1961.

Doctor of Medicine, Professor, and State Prize winner, since 1944 he was the Archbishop of Tambov and Michurinsk, and later of Simferopol and the Crimea. While he was serving the church as an [[Archbishop]], he was also practicing as a surgeon and taught and published many books and articles on regional anesthesia and surgery. He is now known to be a world-famous pioneering surgeon.

In November of 1995 he was announced as a [[Saint]] by the [[Ukrainian Orthodox Church]], and was officially glorified by the [[Church of Russia|Patriarchate of Russia]] [[May 25]], 1996. He is commemorated by the church [[June 11]] the anniversary of his falling asleep in the Lord.

==Life==
[[Image:LukeSimferopol2.jpeg|right|thumb|430px|St Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky) of Simferopol]]
Born with the name Valentine Felixovitch Voino-Yassentsky on [[April 27]], 1877 in Kerch (east Crimea), his family members were civil servants to Lithuanian and Polish Kings. The family was impoverished over time but Saint Luke remembers that he received his religious inheritance from his pious father. His first true understanding of the Christian faith came from the [[New Testament]] given to him at his high school graduation by his principal.

===Education===
He had an outstanding secular training. Having exceptional drawing abilities, he graduated the Kiev Academy of Fine Arts.<ref group="note">[http://www.naoma.edu.ua/ National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture].</ref> He decided however against pursuing art in favor of a career where he could help people who suffer, and chose to be a physician.

In 1903 at the age of 26, he graduated from Great Prince St. Vladimir Medical School at the [[w:Kiev University|University of Kiev]], and for a long time worked as a local district physician. An extraordinary medical student, he excelled at anatomy. His superior knowledge of anatomy served him throughout his surgical career.

Out of compassion to the blindness that beggars were experiencing due to [[w:Trachoma|trachoma]], Saint Luke studied ophthalmology at the Kiev ophthalmologic clinic. In a very short time he acquired a significant amount of ophthalmologic training. His knowledge of this subspecialty helped him treat not only his trachoma patients, but many other serious eye conditions as well.

===Marriage===
Another important event in Valentine’s life was the marriage to his wife Anna, a nurse. They had four children. The family was transferred frequently to various regional health care facilities and from the very beginning Valentine never requested funds from his patients, nor would he turn anyone away because of his ethnic background or personal beliefs. When his wife died, God in setting the path for Valentine’s Sainthood provided the family with Sofia Sergeevna who would be the joyful surrogate mother of his children during the harsh times ahead. Valentine never remarried.

===Career===
During his early career he published many scientific treatises and eventually became the head surgeon and professor of surgery at the hospital in [[w:Tashkent|Tashkent]] in March 1917. In October, Lenin took over the government and civil war erupted in Tashkent in January 1919. Lenin’s government disfavored any religious witness. Valentine was under constant threat, especially when treating party members but he refused to operate under any circumstances without the Icon of the [[Mother of God]]. His results were outstanding.

<blockquote>“I ought to tell you that what God did to me as amazing and incomprehensible...My pursuing surgery completely satisfied the goal I always had to serve the poor and the suffering, to dispose all my strength for the comfort of their pains, and to help them in their needs.”</blockquote>

These are some of the introductory comments from the memoirs of Saint Luke, that were kept by his secretary, E.P. Leikfeld. His words are not vainglorious, but a commentary on how God's plan was fulfilled through the life and example of Saint Luke. Living in the Ukraine during the oppressive period of communism, St. Luke stood out among his fellow physicians both as a surgeon and as a Christian. Even the communists coveted his talents for healing the body.

===Ordination and Persecution===
[[Image:Лука (Войно-Ясенецкий).jpg|right|thumb|Bishop Luke, 1923.]]
Despite the dangers from the Lenin regime he fearlessly attended theological discussions arranged by [[Archpriest]] Mikhail Andeev. During this period when [[clergy]]men and pious people would prove their faith in [[blood]], providence led the Archpriest to invite Valentine to the [[priest]]hood. Thus in 1921 at the age of 44 Valentine was [[Ordination|ordained]] a priest. For two years, this exceptional individual was active not only in his pastoral work but in public and scientific activity.

Eventually Fr. Valentine was arrested and put on trial, falsely accused of giving inappropriate surgical care to injured Red Army soldiers. At his trial in his characteristic fearless way he denounced the prosecutors claims by explaining:

<blockquote>“I cut people to save them. You, Mr. Public Prosecutor, why do you cut their heads off?”</blockquote>

Certainly the charges were never proven but since the Party had to be infallible Fr. Valentine was convicted to sixteen years imprisonment.

===Doctor, Scientist, Bishop, Imprisonments===
Noting Fr. Valentine’s spiritual gifts, prior to his departure from Tashkent (arrest and exile to Siberia), in 1923 Bishop Andrey Ufimsky administered [[monasticism|monastic]] [[tonsure]] and facilitated his consecration as [[Bishop]].<ref group="note">When consecrated [[Bishop]], he was given the name [[Apostle Luke|Luke]] after the Apostle who similarly, in addition to being a physician and [[evangelist]], was a talented [[iconographer]].</ref> Almost immediately Saint Luke was sent to the first of his three imprisonments.

Due to his talent as a surgeon there would always be placement at a remote medical facility where the attending colleagues would be astounded that a professor with such impeccable academic credentials would be subservient to the whims of the local civil authorities. Despite the criticisms of lesser surgeons Saint Luke would practice his medical skills. With the grace of God he amazed his colleagues with excellent medical outcomes in ophthalmologic and surgical cases that others deemed incurable.

In 1926, Bishop Luke returned to Tashkent, but in 1930 was again arrested and sentenced to three years of exile.

Upon his release, he once again returned to Tashkent, and spent his time in medical practice. As a physician and professor he trained many students and colleagues in the art of surgery, and as a scientist he found the time to publish many articles. A fruit of this work was the appearance in 1934 of his book ''"[http://medlib.ws/hirurgiya/197-ocherki-gnojjnojj-khirurgii.html Notes on Purulent Surgery]"'',<ref group="note">''“[http://medlib.ws/hirurgiya/197-ocherki-gnojjnojj-khirurgii.html Essays on the Surgery of Pyogenic Infections],”'' or ''“Purulent Surgery Essays,”'' published in 1934.</ref> which laid the foundation for an entire medical specialty. For that work, Bishop Luke was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medical Science in 1936, and his work continues to be used in medicine to this day. This monograph and the subsequent revisions was the “gold standard” reference for his colleagues at the time.

As a capable [[hierarch]] he strengthened the [[parish]]es and supported priests and church councils. As Saint Luke’s surgical and pastoral popularity would increase, the communist authorities would transfer him. When blatant injustices would be committed against Christians and fellow political prisoners he would initiate hunger strikes.

In 1937, Vladyka was arrested, and spent more than two difficult years undergoing tortuous interrogation and humiliation.<ref group="note">On [[December 5]], 1937, after being sleep deprived and interrogated for three weeks he broke down in a state of hallucination and signed a confession that he was a counterrevolutionary.</ref> Nonetheless, resting his hope in the Lord, he courageously endured those trials, not only refusing to agree to false accusations against him, but engaging in active protests – refusing to eat, and sending complaints to the highest authorities against the prosecutors’ illegal actions. He would say to his fellow prisoners,
<blockquote>“They demand that I remove my ryassa. I will never do so. It, my ryassa, will be with me to my very death… I help people as a physician, and I help them as a servant of the Church….”</blockquote>

The people who met him during his ordeals bore witness to his true character. As a physician he was [[Saint titles|Unmercenary]] and never asked for money treating all his patients with immense love. He shared his patients’ pain and anguish for he saw each person as an image of God, unique and unrepeatable.

In 1940, Bishop Luke was sentenced to five years of exile in the Krasnoyarsk area. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War (World War II), Bishop Luke offered the authorities his services as a doctor, and in 1941 was appointed consultant to the hospitals of Krasnoyarsk.

In 1942, Vladyka was elevated to the rank of [[Archbishop]] and appointed to the Krasnoyarsk kathedra, which at the time did not have a single church. Through Archbishop Luke’s efforts, in 1943 a church was opened in a suburb of Krasnoyarsk. He wrote to Patriarch [[Sergius I (Stragorodsky) of Moscow|Sergius]]:
<blockquote>“All of Eastern Siberia, from Krasnoyarsk to the Pacific Ocean, gave no sign of church life…If churches in various parts of the Krasnoyarsk area are not opened in the near future, there is a risk that the people will lapse into religious savagery....”</blockquote>
[[Image:St. Luke Archbishop of Simferopol 2.jpg‎|right|thumb|St. Luke Archbishop of Simferopol]]
In 1944, the archbishop was appointed to the kathedra in Tambov.

In 1946, for outstanding scientific work in the area of medicine, he was awarded the “[[w:USSR State Prize|Stalin Award]]” for all his scientific publications. He donated almost all of the money to help children who had suffered as the result of the War.

Also in 1946 Vladyka was appointed to the kathedra of Crimea, where at first he combined archpastoral service with medical assistance to the people, but later dedicated himself to Church service, zealously working to build up Christ’s vineyard, something that, under the conditions of life under Communist authorities, then demanded great courage and faith.

As a Bishop he preached incessantly not only about the need to live Orthodoxy but against the perils of the “[[Living Church]]”. The latter was a defiled heretical sect propagated by the communist regime. He is credited with 1250 sermons over 38 years of priesthood and episcopal service, of which 750 are preserved in twelve volumes. When he practiced surgery from this point on, he wore his bishop's cassock in the operating room, and refused to perform surgery without an [[icon]].

As the regimes of Lenin, Stalin, and Khrushchev came and went, Saint Luke’s persecutions and frequent transfers only increased his popularity. Despite public slander, he was known as an unselfish, loving, physician and spiritual father. This posed a great propaganda threat to each regime and towards the end of his life Saint Luke was restricted in his travels and his medical responsibilities to remedial services. This also was in God’s plan, as towards the end of his life Saint Luke lost his vision to glaucoma. He could now devote his time exclusively to matters of faith. He performed many healing [[Miracle|miracles]] and had many spiritual children.

===Death and Funeral===
[[Image:The Reliquary of St. Luke of Simferopol in Sagmata Monastery.jpg‎|right|thumb|The Reliquary of St. Luke in Simferopol]]
Towards the end of his life he was worried if it would be permitted to chant “Holy God” at his funeral. He last celebrated the [[Divine Liturgy]] on the feast of the [[Nativity]] of Christ in 1960, and his last sermon was on Forgiveness Sunday. His repose was [[June 11]], 1961, the day of commemoration for “All Saints who shone forth in the Land of Russia”.

The government made every effort to make Saint Luke’s funeral as inconspicuous as possible. Buses were provided to hurry the funeral procession along the side-streets to the gravesite so there would be little fanfare and recognition. God had different plans for Saint Luke and a popular uprising occurred at the funeral. The faithful refused to be hurried. They boldly ignored, at peril to life and limb, the roadblocks to the central corridors. The mayor was angered because of the roses spread on the roads, and flung a basket away claiming that the roses were litter and trash on the streets.<ref group="note">He soon after had a very ugly death.</ref> To the dismay of the government and to avoid an uprising, they conceded to allow the funeral to proceed for three and a half hours without interference. The roads were full and cars stopped everywhere. People had climbed on balconies, onto rooftops of houses. Such a funeral was a tribute of honor. The authorities wanted a silent event. It was witness to God’s Glory that throughout the walk there was a constant chant of ''“Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal have mercy on us”.''

Saint Luke’s prayers to have “Holy God” chanted at his funeral during the atheistic times were answered!

===Glorification===
On March 17th 1996, St. Luke's remains were disinterred, with an estimated 40,000 people taking part. It is said that an indescribable aroma arose from his relics, while his heart was discovered incorrupt, a testament to the great love he bore towards Christ and his fellow men. Three days later on March 20th 1996, his relics were transferred to the Church of the Holy Trinity.

His relics continue to work countless miracles, in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Simferopol, at Sagmata Monastery in Greece, and throughout the world.

==Legacy==
Holy Hiero-[[Saint titles|confessor]] St. Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky) was a precious vessel of Divine grace. Like his heavenly patron, the Holy Apostle [[Apostle Luke|St. Luke]], he was a physician who continued Apostolic work; like the [[Apostle Paul]] he preached Christ’s [[Gospel]] not only in church but in prison, in exile, to friends, to persecutors, to well-wishing supporters, and while enduring sorrows at the hands of false friends. He was one of those people of unique importance to people who cannot do something for themselves alone, who cannot limit themselves their activities to only what pleases them. For such people, the duty of serving one’s neighbor is not an empty phrase, and for that reason in their activities they do not make choices by mere chance, do not build on a foreign foundation, but strive to find what needs to be done, right here and right now, and what will benefit all society. These are builders and workers who boldly come out onto the field of life in response to the Lord’s challenge. To the ten talents given them by the Lord they return an additional ten. And that is the embodiment of the Gospel model for all of us.
<br>
<br>
{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=Innokentiy (Desert)|
title=Bishop of Tashkent and Turkestan|
years=1923-1927|
after=Sergiy (Lavrov)}}
{{succession|
before=Antoniy (Milovidov)|
title=Archbishop of Krasnoyarsk and Yenisei|
years=1942-1944|
after=Varfolomey (Gorodtsov)}}
{{succession|
before=Grigoriy (Chykov)|
title=Archbishop of Tambov and Michurinsk|
years=1944-1946|
after=Joasaf (Jurmanov)}}
{{succession|
before=Joasaf (Jurmanov)|
title=Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea|
years=1946-1961|
after=Alipiy (Chotovitskiy)}}
{{end box}}

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

==The Saint's last words==
'''In English''' (translation from the Greek below)
:“My children, very much do I entreat you,
:Arm yourselves with the armor that God gives, That you may withstand the devil's tricks.
:You can't imagine how evil he is.
:We don't have to fight with people but with rulers and powers, in effect the evil spirits.
:Take care!
:It's no use to the devil for anyone to think and feel
:that he is close to him.
:A hidden and unknown enemy is more dangerous than a visible enemy.
:O how large and terrible is the army of the demons.
:How numberless is their black horde!
:Unchanged, untiring, day and night, seeking to push all of us who believe
:in the name of Christ, to lure us on the road of unbelief, of evil and of impiety.
:These unseen enemies of God have made their sole purpose, day and night to seek our destruction.
:But do not be afraid, take power from the name of Jesus.”

'''In Greek''' (translation)
:"Παιδιά μου πολύ σας παρακαλώ,
:Ντυθείτε με την πανοπλία που δίνει ο Θεός για να μπορέσετε να αντιμετωπίσετε τα τεχνάσματα του διαβόλου.
:Δεν μπορείτε να φανταστείτε πόσο πονηρός είναι.
:Δεν έχουμε να παλέψουμε με ανθρώπους, αλλά με αρχές και εξουσίες, δηλαδή με τα πονηρά πνεύματα.
:Προσέξτε!
:Τον διάβολο δεν τον συμφέρει να δεχθεί κανείς την ύπαρξή του, να σκέφτεται και να αισθάνεται ότι είναι κοντά στον άνθρωπο.
:Ένας κρυφός και άγνωστος εχθρός είναι πιο επικίνδυνος από έναν ορατό εχθρό.
:Ο πόσο μεγάλος και τρομερός είναι ο στρατός των δαιμόνων.
:Πόσο αμέτρητο είναι το μαύρο τους πλήθος!
:Αμετάβλητα, ακούραστα, μέρα και νύχτα, επιδιώκουν να σπρώξουν όλους εμάς που πιστεύουμε στο όνομα του Χριστού, να μας παρασύρουν στό δρόμο της απιστίας της κακίας και της ασέβειας.
:Αυτοί οι αόρατοι εχθροί του Θεού,εχουν βάλει ως μοναδικό τους σκοπό μέρα και νύχτα να επιδιώκουν την καταστροφή μας.
:Όμως μη φοβάστε,πάρτε δύναμη από το όνομα του Ιησού"

==The Troparion of St. Luke Archbishop of Simferopol==
:'''''Troparion of St. Luke of Simferopol - Tone 1'''
:''O herald of the way of salvation,''
: ''confessor and archpastor of the Crimean flock,''
: ''faithful keeper of the traditions of the fathers,''
: ''unshakeable pillar and teacher of Orthodoxy,''
: ''pray unceasingly to Christ our Saviour''
: ''to grant salvation and strong faith to Orthodox Christians,''
: ''O holy hierarch Luke,''
: ''physician wise in God.''<ref>Archdeacon Vasily Marushchak. ''[http://www.monasteryofstjohnstore.org/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=15&CLSN_3049=12248293183049daeb8b57f80b37aeb0 The Blessed Surgeon: The Life of Saint Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol]''. 2nd Edition. [[St. John of San Francisco Monastery (Manton, California)|Divine Ascent Press]], 2008. (Contains the life and service of St. Luke)</ref>

==Further Reading==
* Archdeacon Vasily Marushchak. ''[http://www.monasteryofstjohnstore.org/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=15&CLSN_3049=12248293183049daeb8b57f80b37aeb0 The Blessed Surgeon: The Life of Saint Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol]''. 2nd Edition. [[St. John of San Francisco Monastery (Manton, California)|Divine Ascent Press]], 2008. (ISBN 978-0-97143924)

* Canadian Orthodox Messenger (OCA, Archdiocese of Canada). ''[http://www.archdiocese.ca/news/com/141.2003.Winter.pdf Lives of the Saints: Saint Luke, Archbishop of Simferopol]''. (Glorified 17-19 March 1996). New Series 14:1 Winter 2002/2003. pp.13-15.

==External links==
'''Wikipedia'''
* [[w:Luka Voyno-Yasenetsky|Luka Voyno-Yasenetsky]]
* [[w:Pyogenic infection|Pyogenic infection]]
'''Other'''
* Photographs of St. Luke Archbishop of Simferopol [http://www.rel.gr/photo/thumbnails.php?album=59]
* Dr. Alexander Roman. [http://www.ukrainian-orthodoxy.org/saints/saints_new/list.htm Saints of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church: New Martyrs and Confessors of the Soviet Yoke]. (''List of glorified Ukrainian Orthodox New Martyrs and Confessors'').
* Russian Orthodox Church (MP). [http://www.mospat.ru/archive/ne208121.htm His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Russia Visits the Tambov Diocese]. 28 October, 2002.
* The St.Petersburg Times. [http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=3475 City Teacher, Nurse, Actress Gave War a Female Face]. Issue #1067 (33), Friday, May 6, 2005.
* Evgueny I. Arinin. [http://www.metanexus.net/magazine/ArticleDetail/tabid/68/id/8848/Default.aspx Essence of Organic Life In Russian Orthodox and Modern Philosophical Tradition: Beyond Functionalism and Elementarism].
* NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. [http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=6161 6161 Vojno-Yasenetsky (1971 TY2)]. (''Main-belt Asteroid 6161, discovered on Oct. 14 1971 by L.I. Chernykh at the Crimean Astrophysical Observatory, was named in memory of Valentin Feliksovich Vojno-Yasenetsky (1877-1961), surgeon and bishop'')
* V Kogan. ''[http://journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/ymai/medline/record/MDLN.11620503 Two letters of V.P. Filatov to V.F. Voino-Yasenetsky]''. In '''Agapit.''' January 1996, Issue 4, pp.65-69. (''History, 20th Century; Portraits; Religion and Medicine; Ukraine'')
* [http://www.impantokratoros.gr/8C1597E5.en.aspx "Science and Religion"] An article by St Luke on the compatibility of science and religious faith.
* {{fr icon}} Orthodoxologie. ''[http://orthodoxologie.blogspot.com/2008/07/saint-archevque-luc-voino-yasenetskyde.html Saint Archevêque Luc ( Voino-Yasenetsky) de Simféropol].'' Dimanche 27 Juillet 2008.
* {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3756/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Λουκᾶς Ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Κριμαίας].'' 11 Ιουνίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
* {{el icon}} "Ρωμηοσύνη". ''[http://www.romiosini.org.gr/CDF1B836.el.aspx Η Μ.Κ.Ο. "ΡΩΜΗΟΣΥΝΗ" ΣΥΜΜΕΤΕΧΕΙ ΣΕ ΣΥΝΕΔΡΙΟ ΓΙΑ ΤΟΝ ΑΓΙΟ ΛΟΥΚΑ ΤΟΝ ΙΑΤΡΟ ΣΤΗΝ ΚΥΠΡΟ].'' 24-10-2008 (Γρηγοριανόν); 11-10-2008 (Ιουλιανόν).
* {{el icon}} [http://agiosloukas.org/ Αγιος Λουκάς Συμφερουπόλεως - Κριμαίας].

'''YouTube Videos (in Greek)'''
*[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=0cU-LHwC-jE Αγιος Λουκάς Κριμαίας μέρος 1ο][http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=wwJXUoJEvAI μέρος 2ο]
*[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=emObdkofrAE&feature=related Στο Ησυχαστήριο της Αδελφότητας των Δανιηλέων στα Κατουνάκια Αγίου Όρους ο '''Πάτερ Δανιήλ Αγιογραφεί''' τον Άγιο Λουκά τον Ιατρό Αρχιεπίσκοπο Συμφερουπόλεως και Κριμαίας.]
*[http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=K3UuAuOf6Cw&feature=related Veneration of his sacred & holy relics outside Russia - 1] [http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=66edFUqh3Lw 2]

==References==
<div class="small"><references/></div>

==Sources==
*[http://www.theologoi.com/agiosloukas/index.htm Saint Luke of Crimea the Doctor] (in Greek); [http://www.theologoi.com/agiosloukas/russia.htm (in Russian)]
*[http://www.stjohndc.org/Russian/saints/e_0609_luke_vj.htm Hiero-confessor Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky)] (''Cathedral of St John the Baptist, Washiongton D.C.'')
*NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. [http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=6161 6161 Vojno-Yasenetsky (1971 TY2)].

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Tashkent|Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky)]]
[[Category:Bishops of Yeniseysk|Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky)]]
[[Category:Bishops of Tambov|Luke (Voino-Yasenetsky)]]
[[Category:Bishops of Simferopol and Crimea]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Ukrainian Saints]]
[[Category:Russian Saints]]
[[Category:Modern Saints]]
[[Category:Unmercenaries]]
[[Category:Wonderworkers]]

[[el:Λουκάς Συμφερουπόλεως]]

Old Testament

2012-10-18T04:11:46Z

Petermav: /* The Five Books of the Law */

{{OldTestament}}
The '''Old Testament''' is first of the two divisions of [[Holy Scripture]]. According to historians, the Old Testament was composed between the 5th century BC and the 2nd century BC, though parts of it, such as the Torah, and Song of Deborah (Judges 5), date back much earlier.

Traditionally the Old Testament is divided into the law books (the Pentateuch and historical books), the Psalms and other wisdom books, and the prophets because of what [[Jesus Christ|Christ]] said in [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2024:44;&version=9; Luke 24:44]:
:And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be
:fulfilled, which were written in the ''law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms'', concerning me. (KJV)

The term ''Old Testament'' itself is a translation of the Latin ''Vetus Testamentum'', from the Greek Ἡ Παλαιά Διαθήκη (hē Palaia Diathēkē), all meaning "The Old Covenant" (or "Testament"). The Latin rendered testament in English originally came from the Latin for "witness" and from there expanded to mean "to make a will"; thus, though it is purported to be synonymous with "covenant," it has a distinct legal flavoring. Further semantic extensions in English have made the English term more ambiguous[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/testament].

The Orthodox Church also numbers among the genuine books of the Old Testament the so-called ''apocryphal'' books, literally meaning the "secret" or "hidden" writings. A less Protestant-biased term for these parts of Scripture is the ''[[Deuterocanon|deuterocanonical writings]]''.

== The Five Books of the Law ==
The '''Five Books of the Law''' are the first five books of the Old Testament, known jointly as the ''[[Pentateuch]]'' (Gr. Πεντάτευχος, literally ''five volumes''), and they describe God's creation of the world, the rebellion of [[Adam and Eve]] and the fall of man. These books are also called the '''Books of Moses'''. They detail the early history of God's people of Israel from the days of Abraham (ca. 2000 BC) right through to the era of [[Moses]] (ca. 1250 BC).

The Five Books of the Law are:

* [[Genesis]], meaning "beginning"
* [[Exodus]], meaning "exit" or "departure"
* [[Leviticus]]
* [[Numbers]]
* [[Deuteronomy]], meaning "second law"

Although scholars believe that the Law was not written by the personal hand of Moses, and that the books show evidence of being the result of a number of oral and written traditions and time periods, the Church connects the Law with Moses, the great man of [[God]] to whom "the Lord used to speak ... face to face, as a man speaks to his friend" (Exodus 33:11).

== The Books of History ==
The second section of the [[Septuagint|LXX Old Testament]] is known as the '''Historical Books'''. This group covers the history of Israel from the settlement in the promised land of Canaan to the first centuries before Christ.

They include:
*[[Book of Joshua|Joshua]] (Jesus Navi)
*[[Judges]]
*[[Book of Ruth|Ruth]]
*First and Second Kingdoms
#[[I Kingdoms]] (I Samuel)
#[[II Kingdoms]] (II Samuel)
*Third and Fourth Kingdoms
#[[III Kingdoms]] (I Kings)
#[[IV Kingdoms]] (II Kings)
*First and Second Chronicles
#[[I Paraleipomenon]] (I Chronicles)
#[[II Paraleipomenon]] (II Chronicles)
#[[Book of Nehemiah|Nehemiah]]
#[[I Esdras]]
#[[II Esdras]] (Ezra)
*The Final Books
#[[Tobit]] (Tobias)
#[[Judith]]
#[[Book of Esther|Esther]]
#[[I Maccabees]]
#[[II Maccabees]]
#[[III Maccabees]] (English bible)

In the [[Holy Scripture|canon]] of the Orthodox Church—which is generally that of the [[Septuagint]], the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible—1 & 2 Samuel are called 1 & 2 Kings; and 1 & 2 Kings are called 3 & 4 Kings. Also, the so-called apocryphal books, listed above (I Esdras, II Esdras, Tobit, Judith, I Maccabees, II Maccabees, III Maccabees, IV Maccabees), are considered by the Orthodox as genuine parts of the Bible. The Old Testament apocrypha is a body of writings considered by the non-Orthodox to be of close association with the Bible, but not actually part of its official canonical contents.

The historical books of the Bible were written well after the events described in them actually took place.

==Wisdom books==
The Wisdom books include Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon, as well as the Wisdom of Jesus, Son of Sirach, also called Ecclesiasticus, and the Wisdom of Solomon from the so-called apocrypha.
* [[Psalms]]
* [[Prayer of Manasseh]]
* [[Book of Job|Job]]
* [[Proverbs]]
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
* [[Song of Solomon]] (Song of Songs or Canticle of Canticles)
* [[Wisdom of Solomon]]
* [[Wisdom of Sirach]] (Wisdom of Jesus, Son of Sirach, also called Ecclesiasticus)
Although not technically a ''wisdom'' book, the Prayer of Manasseh from the so-called apocrypha, is a penitential prayer of the King of Judah, which for the Orthodox is part of the Bible. (It is included in the [[Great Compline]] service of the Orthodox Church.)

==Prophets==
16 books in the Old Testament are called by the names of [[prophet]]s, although not necessarily written by their hands. A prophet is one who speaks the word of God by direct divine inspiration, not just one who foretells the future.

===Major prophets===
Four of the prophetic books are those of the so-called ''major prophets'':
* [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]]
* [[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]] includes book of [[Book of Baruch|Baruch]] and the [[Epistle of Jeremiah]]
* [[Book of Ezekiel|Ezekiel]]
* [[Book of Daniel|Daniel]]

===Minor prophets===
The books of the 12 so-called ''minor prophets'':
* [[Book of Hosea|Hosea]]
* [[Book of Joel|Joel]]
* [[Book of Amos|Amos]]
* [[Book of Obadiah|Obadiah]]
* [[Book of Jonah|Jonah]]
* [[Book of Micah|Micah]]
* [[Book of Nahum|Nahum]]
* [[Book of Habakkuk|Habakkuk]]
* [[Book of Zephaniah|Zephaniah]]
* [[Book of Haggai|Haggai]]
* [[Book of Zechariah|Zechariah]]
* [[Book of Malachi|Malachi]]

==Others==
Some Orthodox Churches include:
* [[IV Maccabees]]
* [[Book of Odes]]
* [[Psalm 151]]

==External links==
* [http://www.biblicaltraining.org/old-testament-survey/douglas-stuart/leadership Old Testament Survey], by Douglas Stuart (seminary class)
* [http://st-takla.org/pub_Deuterocanon/Deuterocanon-Apocrypha_El-Asfar_El-Kanoneya_El-Tanya__0-index.html About the Deuterocanon (Second Canonical Books)]
*[[Wikipedia: Old Testament]]

[[Category:Scripture]]
[[Category:Texts]]
[[Category:Old Testament|*]]

[[el:Παλαιά Διαθήκη]]
[[ro:Vechiul Testament]]

Old Testament

2012-10-18T04:08:50Z

Petermav:

{{OldTestament}}
The '''Old Testament''' is first of the two divisions of [[Holy Scripture]]. According to historians, the Old Testament was composed between the 5th century BC and the 2nd century BC, though parts of it, such as the Torah, and Song of Deborah (Judges 5), date back much earlier.

Traditionally the Old Testament is divided into the law books (the Pentateuch and historical books), the Psalms and other wisdom books, and the prophets because of what [[Jesus Christ|Christ]] said in [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2024:44;&version=9; Luke 24:44]:
:And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be
:fulfilled, which were written in the ''law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms'', concerning me. (KJV)

The term ''Old Testament'' itself is a translation of the Latin ''Vetus Testamentum'', from the Greek Ἡ Παλαιά Διαθήκη (hē Palaia Diathēkē), all meaning "The Old Covenant" (or "Testament"). The Latin rendered testament in English originally came from the Latin for "witness" and from there expanded to mean "to make a will"; thus, though it is purported to be synonymous with "covenant," it has a distinct legal flavoring. Further semantic extensions in English have made the English term more ambiguous[http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/testament].

The Orthodox Church also numbers among the genuine books of the Old Testament the so-called ''apocryphal'' books, literally meaning the "secret" or "hidden" writings. A less Protestant-biased term for these parts of Scripture is the ''[[Deuterocanon|deuterocanonical writings]]''.

== The Five Books of the Law ==
The '''Five Books of the Law''' are the first five books of the Old Testament, known jointly as the ''[[Pentateuch]]'' (Gr. ''Penta''), and they describe God's creation of the world, the rebellion of [[Adam and Eve]] and the fall of man. These books are also called the '''Books of Moses'''. They detail the early history of God's people of Israel from the days of Abraham (ca. 2000 BC) right through to the era of [[Moses]] (ca. 1250 BC).

The Five Books of the Law are:

* [[Genesis]], meaning "beginning"
* [[Exodus]], meaning "exit" or "departure"
* [[Leviticus]]
* [[Numbers]]
* [[Deuteronomy]], meaning "second law"

Although scholars believe that the Law was not written by the personal hand of Moses, and that the books show evidence of being the result of a number of oral and written traditions and time periods, the Church connects the Law with Moses, the great man of [[God]] to whom "the Lord used to speak ... face to face, as a man speaks to his friend" (Exodus 33:11).

== The Books of History ==
The second section of the [[Septuagint|LXX Old Testament]] is known as the '''Historical Books'''. This group covers the history of Israel from the settlement in the promised land of Canaan to the first centuries before Christ.

They include:
*[[Book of Joshua|Joshua]] (Jesus Navi)
*[[Judges]]
*[[Book of Ruth|Ruth]]
*First and Second Kingdoms
#[[I Kingdoms]] (I Samuel)
#[[II Kingdoms]] (II Samuel)
*Third and Fourth Kingdoms
#[[III Kingdoms]] (I Kings)
#[[IV Kingdoms]] (II Kings)
*First and Second Chronicles
#[[I Paraleipomenon]] (I Chronicles)
#[[II Paraleipomenon]] (II Chronicles)
#[[Book of Nehemiah|Nehemiah]]
#[[I Esdras]]
#[[II Esdras]] (Ezra)
*The Final Books
#[[Tobit]] (Tobias)
#[[Judith]]
#[[Book of Esther|Esther]]
#[[I Maccabees]]
#[[II Maccabees]]
#[[III Maccabees]] (English bible)

In the [[Holy Scripture|canon]] of the Orthodox Church—which is generally that of the [[Septuagint]], the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible—1 & 2 Samuel are called 1 & 2 Kings; and 1 & 2 Kings are called 3 & 4 Kings. Also, the so-called apocryphal books, listed above (I Esdras, II Esdras, Tobit, Judith, I Maccabees, II Maccabees, III Maccabees, IV Maccabees), are considered by the Orthodox as genuine parts of the Bible. The Old Testament apocrypha is a body of writings considered by the non-Orthodox to be of close association with the Bible, but not actually part of its official canonical contents.

The historical books of the Bible were written well after the events described in them actually took place.

==Wisdom books==
The Wisdom books include Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon, as well as the Wisdom of Jesus, Son of Sirach, also called Ecclesiasticus, and the Wisdom of Solomon from the so-called apocrypha.
* [[Psalms]]
* [[Prayer of Manasseh]]
* [[Book of Job|Job]]
* [[Proverbs]]
* [[Ecclesiastes]]
* [[Song of Solomon]] (Song of Songs or Canticle of Canticles)
* [[Wisdom of Solomon]]
* [[Wisdom of Sirach]] (Wisdom of Jesus, Son of Sirach, also called Ecclesiasticus)
Although not technically a ''wisdom'' book, the Prayer of Manasseh from the so-called apocrypha, is a penitential prayer of the King of Judah, which for the Orthodox is part of the Bible. (It is included in the [[Great Compline]] service of the Orthodox Church.)

==Prophets==
16 books in the Old Testament are called by the names of [[prophet]]s, although not necessarily written by their hands. A prophet is one who speaks the word of God by direct divine inspiration, not just one who foretells the future.

===Major prophets===
Four of the prophetic books are those of the so-called ''major prophets'':
* [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]]
* [[Book of Jeremiah|Jeremiah]] includes book of [[Book of Baruch|Baruch]] and the [[Epistle of Jeremiah]]
* [[Book of Ezekiel|Ezekiel]]
* [[Book of Daniel|Daniel]]

===Minor prophets===
The books of the 12 so-called ''minor prophets'':
* [[Book of Hosea|Hosea]]
* [[Book of Joel|Joel]]
* [[Book of Amos|Amos]]
* [[Book of Obadiah|Obadiah]]
* [[Book of Jonah|Jonah]]
* [[Book of Micah|Micah]]
* [[Book of Nahum|Nahum]]
* [[Book of Habakkuk|Habakkuk]]
* [[Book of Zephaniah|Zephaniah]]
* [[Book of Haggai|Haggai]]
* [[Book of Zechariah|Zechariah]]
* [[Book of Malachi|Malachi]]

==Others==
Some Orthodox Churches include:
* [[IV Maccabees]]
* [[Book of Odes]]
* [[Psalm 151]]

==External links==
* [http://www.biblicaltraining.org/old-testament-survey/douglas-stuart/leadership Old Testament Survey], by Douglas Stuart (seminary class)
* [http://st-takla.org/pub_Deuterocanon/Deuterocanon-Apocrypha_El-Asfar_El-Kanoneya_El-Tanya__0-index.html About the Deuterocanon (Second Canonical Books)]
*[[Wikipedia: Old Testament]]

[[Category:Scripture]]
[[Category:Texts]]
[[Category:Old Testament|*]]

[[el:Παλαιά Διαθήκη]]
[[ro:Vechiul Testament]]

Dorotheus II of Trebizond

2012-10-15T23:18:19Z

Petermav:

His Eminence '''Dorotheus II of Trebizond''' was a hierarch of the [[Church of Constantinople]] who served as [[Metropolitan]] of Athens and of Trebizond during the fifteenth century, after the Ottoman conquest of Greece.

==Life==
Little is known of the life of Metropolitan Dorotheus. He was the Metropolitan of Athens around the year 1465, after the Ottoman Turks had conquered Athens in 1458. This is recorded only in the text of his election act in the Diocese of Trebizond, which is preserved in a manuscript at the [[Pantokrator Monastery (Athos)|Pantokrator Monastery]] of [[Mount Athos]], as the historians of Athens under Ottoman rule make no mention of any names of metropolitans of the city during the period after the Ottoman conquest of the city.

Dorotheus was appointed Metropolitan of Trebizond in 1472, following a brief tenure by [[Pangratius of Trebizond|Pangratius]] in the same year in which he was forced to resign after the demand of the sultan himself. The quick appointment of Dorotheus was due to the special interest of the Patriarch [[Symeon I of Trebizond|Symeon I]] not to leave the city of Trebizond without a religious leader.

Metr. Dorotheus apparently died in office. He probably was succeeded by Metr. Gennadius I, who is mentioned as being metropolitan in 1501.

{{start box}}
{{succession |
before=Isidore?|
title=Metropolitan of Athens|
years=1465?—1472|
after=Anthimus II?}}
{{succession |
before=[[Pangratius of Trebizond|Pangratius]]|
title=Metropolitan of Trebizond|
years=1472—149x|
after=Gennadius I?}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://asiaminor.ehw.gr/forms/fLemmaBodyExtended.aspx?lemmaId=7867#chapter_0 Dorotheos II of Trebizond]
*[http://asiaminor.ehw.gr/forms/fLemma.aspx?lemmaId=7867 Dorotheos II of Trebizond]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Archbishops of Athens]]
[[Category: Bishops of Trebizond]]
[[Category:15th-century bishops]]

Mark III of Alexandria

2012-10-15T23:16:03Z

Petermav:

His Beatitude '''Mark III of Alexandria''' was the [[Pope]] and [[Patriarch]] of the [[Church of Alexandria]] from 1180 to 1209. Mark was patriarch during a century of which little is certain about the history of the Church of Alexandria as it fought to exist under [[Muslim]] domination.

==Life==
Virtually nothing is known of his life. Mark was patriarch during a time when the Nile River did not experience its annual flood, causing a great famine in Egypt which added to the suffering among the Christians in addition to the repression under the [[Muslim]] Arabs.

During this time of religious duress, Patr. Mark posed 66 questions to Patriarch [[Theodore IV of Antioch]] who was a noted canonist of the time, having served as Nomophylax (Greek: Νομοφύλαξ, "Guardian of the Laws") in the [[Church of Constantinople]].

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=Eleftherius|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Alexandria|Patriarch of Alexandria]]||
years=1180-1209|
after=[[Nicholas I of Alexandria|Nicholas I]]}}
{{end box}}

==Source==
*[http://www.patriarchateofalexandria.com/index.php?module=content&cid=001003&id=151&page=4 Markos III (1180-1209)]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Alexandria]]
[[Category: 12th-13th-century bishops]]

Sava of Krypetsk

2012-09-26T09:54:41Z

Petermav: /* Life */

Our father among the [[saint]]s, '''Sava of Krypetsk''', also '''Savva''', was an [[asceticism|ascetic]] monastic of the fifteenth century who founded the Monastery of St. John the Theologian on Lake Krypetsk in northwestern Russia. His example of Christian life brought many to see him to be healed. St. Sava of Krypetsk is commemorated on [[August 28]].

==Life==
Little is known of his early life. The venerable Sava was of Serbian origin who began his [[monasticism|monastic]] life at [[Mount Athos]] before traveling to the north near [[Pskov]] in Russia. On Mount Snetna, near Pskov, Sava established himself as an ascetic [[monk]] at the Monastery of the Holy Birth-giver of God. Then, he moved to a more remote place along the River Tolva to the monastery of the monk Evphrosyn before he withdrew further into the Krypetsk wilderness, 10 miles from the Tolva. There, he settled alone in a small cave in the forest, on a diet of bread and water, but eating nothing on Wednesdays and Fridays. During this time of solitary life, Sava was assailed by unclean spirits over which he prevailed through prayer.

In time, those zealous for life in the wilderness began to gather round him and then asked him to form a [[monastery]] with a church built in honor of the [[Apostle John]] the Theologian. While agreeing, Sava refused to be [[igumen]] and entrusted the guidance of the monastery to the monk Kassian. But, he was unable to conceal his fame and prominence and soon became known as a [[Geronta|starets]], that is an elder, at the monastery. He taught those who came to be vigilant over their purity, reminding them of the injunction of the [[Apostle Paul]] against those who defile the body. He warned the rich and judges not to use the poor as the source of their living and to preserve rightful truth. He reminded everyone to avoid quarrels and enmity, to preserve love and peace, and to overlook the faults of others by courtesy, even as they in turn have forgiven us. Sava healed and admonished those who came, but never did he accept gifts from them.

From the very beginning of the monastery he introduced a strict life-in-common. Even as the monastery prospered, the [[cell]] of the monk contained nothing save for two [[icon]]s, his monastic clothing, and cot, upon which he lay down to take his rest. By such acts of poverty Sava taught the brethren. Sava commanded the brethren to work the land with their own hands.

Among those who often visited the monastery was the Prince of Pskov, Yaroslav Vasilievich Obolensky. On one occasion the prince brought his ailing wife to the saintly Sava. Upon hearing of the approach of the Prince's party, Sava sent him a message saying, "The starets, the sinner Sava, telleth thee, prince, enter not into the monastery with the princess. Such is our rule here – women are not to enter the monastery. If thou transgress this fatherly command, thy princess wilt not receive healing". Upon hearing of the rule, Prince Yaroslav asked forgiveness, as it was through ignorance that he was on the point of transgressing the rule. Sava, then, came out through the monastery gates together with the brethren and there served a [[molieben]], after which the princess was healed.

The Monk Sava reposed on [[August 28]], 1495, but he did not forsake the monastery. Many a time he came to its defense, as happened the night robbers approached the monastery, but then they caught sight of an august elder who held a staff in his hand and, threateningly, ordered them to repent. The following morning the robbers learned that there was no such elder at the monastery. They, then, realized that the elder had been the Monk Sava himself. This led their leader to make his repentance to the igumen and remain to live at the monastery.
 A man of tall stature, with a beard grey as snow, roundish and thick yet not very long, the Monk Sava appeared in the mid-sixteenth century to the monk Isaiah and showed him where to find his uncorrupted [[relics]] which were and remained miracle-working.

==Sources==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=108966 OCA: St Sava of Pskov]
*[http://www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/August/28-02.htm The Monk Savva of Krypetsk]
*[http://www.orthodox.net/prologue/august-28-the-venerable-sava-of-pskov-and-krypetsk.html From the Prologue: The Venerable Sava of Pskov and Krypetsk]

[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Russian Saints]]
[[Category: Monastics]]

Nicholas (Salos) of Pskov

2012-09-26T09:47:36Z

Petermav: /* Life */

The Blessed '''Nicholas (Salos) of Pskov''', the [[Fool-for-Christ]], was an [[asceticism|ascetic]] of the sixteenth century, known as Mikula the Fool, and, who during his lifetime, was revered by the people of [[Pskov]] as a [[saint]], even calling him Mikula, the saintly. He is commemorated on [[February 28]].

==Life==
Little is known of his early life. Nicholas lived the life of a holy fool for more than three decades. During his lifetime he acquired the grace of the [[Holy Spirit]] and was granted the gifts of wonderworking and of prophecy. It is for his confrontation with Tsar [[Ivan IV of Russia|Ivan the Terrible]] that the Blessed Nicholas is remembered.

After a devastating campaign against Novgorod, Tsar Ivan moved in February 1570 against the city of Pskov, suspecting its inhabitants of treason. As the Pskov Chronicler relates, "the Tsar came ... with great fierceness, like a roaring lion, to tear apart innocent people and to shed much blood." On the first Saturday of [[Great Lent]], the whole city prayed to be delivered from the wrath of Tsar Ivan. After hearing the peal of the [[Bells|bell]] for [[Matins]] in Pskov, Ivan's heart softened when he read the inscription on the fifteenth century wonderworking Liubyatov [[Icon]] of the Mother of God of Tenderness[http://www.antiochian.org/node/18823] in the Monastery of St. Nicholas at Lubyatov. "Be tender of heart," he said to his soldiers. "Blunt your swords upon the stones, and let there be an end to killing."

As the Tsar entered the city, all the inhabitants of Pskov came out upon the streets where each family knelt at the gate of their house, bearing [[bread and salt]] to the meet him. On one of the streets the Blessed Nicholas ran toward Tsar Ivan astride a stick as though riding a horse, and cried out: "Ivanushko, Ivanushko, eat our bread and salt, and not Christian blood." The Tsar gave orders to capture the holy fool, but he disappeared.

Though he had forbidden his men to kill, Tsar Ivan still intended to sack the city. As the Tsar attended a [[Molieben]] at the [[Trinity Cathedral (Pskov, Russia)|Trinity cathedral]] and venerated the [[relics]] of holy Prince [[Vsevolod of Pskov|Vsevolod-Gabriel]], he expressed his wish to receive the blessing of the holy fool Nicholas. St. Nicholas instructed the Tsar, "by many terrible sayings," to stop the killing and not to plunder the holy [[church]]es of God. But, not heeding the holy saint, Ivan gave orders to remove the bell from the Trinity cathedral. Then, as St. Nicholas prophesied, the Tsar's finest horse fell dead.

The Blessed Nicholas invited the Tsar to visit his [[cell]] under the bell tower. When the Tsar arrived at his cell the saint said, "Hush, come in and have a drink of water from us, there is no reason you should shun it." Then, the holy fool offered Tsar Ivan a piece of raw meat to which Ivan responded, "I am a Christian and do not eat meat during [[Lent]]". To which the saint replied, "But you drink human blood".

Thus, frightened by the fulfillment of the saint's prophecy and denounced for his wicked deeds, Ivan ordered a stop to the looting and fled from the city. The Oprichniki having witnessing this, wrote, "The mighty tyrant ... departed beaten and shamed, driven off as though by an enemy. Thus did a worthless beggar terrify and drive off the Tsar with his multitude of a thousand soldiers."

Blessed Nicholas died on [[February 28]], 1576. He was buried in the Trinity [[cathedral]] of Pskov, the city he had saved, an honor granted only to the princes of Pskov, and later on, to [[bishop]]s.

The local [[veneration]] of Nicholas Fool-For-Christ began five years after his death. In the year 1581, during a siege of Pskov by the soldiers of the Polish king Stephen Bathory, the Mother of God appeared to the blacksmith Dorotheus together with a number of Pskov saints praying for the city. Among these was the Blessed Nicholas.

==Source==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=100616 OCA: Blessed Nicholas (Salos) of Pskov the Fool-For-Christ]

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

Athanasius I of Naples

2012-09-26T09:43:20Z

Petermav:

Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Athanasius I of Naples''' was Bishop of Naples in Italy from 850 to 872. He was a member of the ''Sergii'' family that ruled Naples until 1137. Athanasius is commemorated on [[July 15]].

==Life==
Little is known of the early life of Bp. Athanasius. He was born in 830, in Naples, the second son of founder of the Sergii dynasty of Naples [[Wikipedia:Sergius_I_of_Naples|Sergius I of Naples]] and became [[bishop]] in 850, at the age 20. At the same time his brother, Gregory, became co-duke with their father, whom he later succeeded as Gregory III. Before Sergius I died, he counseled Gregory to follow the advice of his brother the [[bishop]]. While Gregory did, his son and successor as Duke Sergius II, did not.

Athanasius was an intimate of both the court of the Holy Roman Emperor and of the [[Pope]] of Rome. He was a ''familiaris'' of Lothar I and emperor Louis II and through his connections with the Roman ''curia'' was made a papal legate. He attended the Lateran Council of 863. He restored the church of St. Januarius that had been destroyed by Saracens, founded a hospice, and established a service for the ransom of captive Christians.

He was the ruling hierarch of Naples for twenty years before he came under financial pressure (exaction) from relatives who had risen to a position of civil authority of Naples, including his nephew Sergius II. Sergius persecuted Bp. Athanasius for his opposition to Sergius' alliance with the Aghlabids emirs of Sicily. After denouncing his nephew for immorality, Bp. Athanasius was imprisoned by him, then exiled to a small island, but was rescued by ships from Amalfi sent by the emperor Louis.

On [[July 15]], 872, Bp. Athanasius died in Veroli while traveling to Rome. He was buried at [[Monte Cassino]] before his [[relics]] were transferred to Naples.

{{start box}}
{{succession |
before=John IV|
title=Bishop of Naples|
years=850 - 872|
after=Athanasius II?}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[[Wikipedia: Athanasius_I,_Bishop_of_Naples]]
*[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/saintsa.htm Athanasius July 15]
*[http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=1586 St. Athanasius]
*[[Wikipedia: Duke_of_Naples]]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Naples]]
[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Italian Saints]]
[[Category: Pre-Schism Western Saints]]

Organ

2012-09-21T03:47:28Z

Petermav:

The '''organ''' has been a recent addition to some Orthodox Christian Churches within the United States of America. Traditionally, the Orthodox Church does not use musical instruments during church services. During the twentieth century a few [[parish]]es of Greek and perhaps Antiochian heritage had installed organs within their [[temple]]s.

The organ (from Greek ὄργανον) is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions. Each keyboard instrument is typically operated by either the hands or the feet.

The organ is a relatively old instrument that dates back to the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ctesibius]], the man who is credited with the invention of the hydraulis. The organ was not a particularly popular instrument in neither the ancient nor the medieval church, but after the end of the Age of Exploration organs were increasingly found in liturgical services across the United States.

Archbishop [[Athenagoras I (Spyrou) of Constantinople|Athenagoras Spyrou]], who took over the Greek Archdiocese in 1931, was a major advocate of organs and he encouraged their usage in America. While he encouraged this, however, it is likely that they had already become relatively common before 1931.

In George Anastasiou’s “Ἁρμονικὴ Λειτουργικὴ Ὑμνωδία,” Anastasiou claims to be the originator of organs in Greek Orthodox churches. In a paragraph appropriately titled “Organ Introducer” he says:

"I am convinced that I first introduced the organ in our Churches in America with the musical cooperation of ever-memorable artist and musical [sic] Spyridon Saphrides upon my arrival in America and my appointment as precentor-choir leader of the Greek Church of St. Sophia in Washington at the time of the progress and reformatory presidency of Mr. T. H. Theotokatos, lawyer and at that time teacher of this community in the year 1921. Later I introduced it also in New York and in other places by special musical-historic lectures, descriptions in our Greek press, and by special teaching in the choirs of our communities, which I formed, and lately in the beloved Greek city of Florida, Tarpon Springs, where there is played today, in that very beautiful cathedral church of America (as it is called today by all the Greeks and Americans by reason of the Pan-American celebration of Theophany services every year) an organ of great value electrically, microphonically, megaphonically, and with chimes, on the great singing tower, the bell tower of about 100 feet in height of this Greek Church of St. Nicholas in Florida, called the Greek singing Tower of America."

It is uncertain why organs were introduced to churches in America, but it may represent an attempt to "Westernize."

The National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians, in its position on the usage of organs in church, says that the organ's main purpose is to assist the choir and the congregation in "maintaining accurate intonation," as many parishioners and volunteer choir members may not be very musically inclined or have a musical background. They also strongly discourage the inappropriate misuses of the organ, such as when it overpowers the choir and parishioners' voices, or is used in a way that does not properly complement the church music. The National Forum fully advocates the use of the organ in church services, so long as its use adheres to the proper guidelines presented in their official position paper.

==Sources==
*[http://www.oca.org/QA.asp?ID=88&SID=3 OCA: Musical Instruments]
*[http://stanthonysmonastery.org/music/Armonion.pdf The Organ and Orthodox Spirituality]
*[http://www.kelfar.net/orthodoxiaradio/byzantine.html Byzantine Music Through the Ages]
*[http://churchmusic.goarch.org/assets/files/PP_Organ_Use.pdf The Use of the Organ]

[[Category: Church Music]]

Michael Damaskinos

2012-09-13T00:28:47Z

Petermav: /* Life and work */

[[Image:Divine Liturgy, (Damaskinos).jpg|thumb|right|The [[Divine Liturgy]]. Damaskinos, 1579-1584.]]
[[Image:Burning bush, (Damaskinos).jpg|thumb|right|The Virgin with the [[Burning Bush]]. Damaskinos, 16th c.]]
[[Image:Agia Paraskevi (Damaskinos).jpg|thumb|right|Decapitation of Agia [[Paraskevi]]. The icon is signed by Michael Damaskenos, 16th century.<br>(Paul and Alexandra Canellopoulos Museum, Athens, Greece).]]

'''Michael Damaskenos''' or '''Michail Damaskenos''' (Greek: Μιχαήλ Δαμασκηνός), 1530/35-1592/93, was a leading post-Byzantine Cretan painter. He is a major representative of the [[w:Cretan School|Cretan School]] of painting that flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries, whilst Crete was under [[w:Republic of Venice|Venetian]] rule. He was a near-contemporary of the most famous Cretan painter of any period, [[w:El Greco|El Greco]], but though Damaskinos also went to Italy, he remained much closer to his Greek roots stylistically.

==Life and work==
There is little information regarding the life of Damaskinos. He was born in Herakleion, the son of Tzortzis Damaskinos. He had a daughter named Antonia who married the painter Yannas Mantoufos.

Damaskinos lived in Venice for several years, where he learnt miniature painting and travelled extensively throughout Italy.<ref>J. Stuart Hay, Leonard Bower. "Greek Icon Painting." '''The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs.''' 51,(292), 1927. pp:8-9,12-14.</ref> He was a member of the 'Greek Brotherhood of Venice' from 1577–1582, having been in Venice since 1574. Along with [[w:Emmanuel Tzanes|Emmanuel Tzanes]] he painted the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of [[w:San Giorgio dei Greci|San Giorgio dei Greci]] in Venice.

In 1584 he was back in Greece and worked mainly in Crete and the Ionian islands. His works are in traditional Byzantine style but with many influences from Venetian painting, mainly Renaissance artists such as [[w:Tintoretto|Tintoretto]] and [[w:Paolo Veronese|Paolo Veronese]]. He used a particular rose colour that characterised his paintings; his figures' dimensions are defined by only a few brush strokes, while he was accustomed to drawing wooden and never marble thrones as was typical in the [[w:Cretan School|Cretan School]].

That Damaskinos was highly regarded is shown by him being invited from Crete to paint the frescoes of [[San Giorgio dei Greci (Venice, Italy)|San Giorgio dei Greci]], despite all the many Greek artists already in Venice .<ref>[http://parembasis.gr/2000/00_08_23.htm 2000_ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΟΣ-ΜΙΧΑΗΛ ΔΑΜΑΣΚΗΝΟΣ]</ref>. Damaskinos was also the first artist to introduce paler flesh tones into post-Byzantine painting and it was one of the stylistic features of his work which proved highly influential from the second half of the sixteenth century and onwards.<ref>A winged St. John the Baptist icon in the British Museum (2003). Angeliki Lymberopoulou Apollo.</ref>

As was usual for distinguished painters, Damaskinos signed his works: ΧΕΙΡ ΜΙΧΑΗΛ ΤΟΥ ΔΑΜΑΣΚΗΝΟΥ or ΧΕΙΡ ΜΙΧΑΗΛ ΔΑΜΑΣΚΗΝΟΥ, ΔΑΜΑΣΚΗΝΟΥ ΜΙΧΑΗΛ ΧΕΙΡ or even ΠΟΙΗΜΑ ΜΙΧΑΗΛ ΤΟΥ ΔΑΜΑΣΚΗΝΟΥ (creation of Michael Damaskinos).<ref>[http://home.yebo.co.za/~xenitis/Cretan3.htm Cretan portable icons]</ref>. Damaskinos having worked extensively in the Ionian islands, has contributed to the fusion of the [[w:Cretan School|Cretan]] and the [[w:Heptanese School|Heptanese School]] of painting.

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

==External Links==
'''Wikipedia'''
* [[w:Cretan School|Cretan School]]
* [[w:Heptanese School|Heptanese School]]
* [[w:Byzantine art|Byzantine art]]
'''Other'''
* [http://parembasis.gr/2000/00_08_23.htm The work of Michael Damaskinos by S. Peponakis - in Greek]
* [http://www.istitutoellenico.org/ Istituto Ellenico di Studi Byzantini and Postbyzantini di Venezia]
* [http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/1/eh151.jsp?obj_id=3476 Collection of Agia Aikaterini of Sinai]
* Modern Iconographer [http://www.orthodoxiconography.com/ Elias Damianakis]

[[Category:Iconographers|Damaskinos]]

42 Martyrs of Amorium

2012-09-13T00:25:03Z

Petermav: /* Impact and Aftermath */ grammar

[[File:42 Martyres.jpg|right|thumb|The Holy 42 Martyrs of Amorium, Passion-bearers.]]
The Holy '''42 Martyrs of Amorium'''<ref group="note">[[w:Amorium|Amorium]] is in [[w:Phrygia|Phrygia]], Asia Minor.</ref> (†845) — [[Passion-bearer]]s Constantine, Aetius, Theophilus, Theodore, Melissenus, Callistus, Basoes and 35 others with them — were prominent officers and notables of the Byzantine city of [[w:Amorium|Amorium]], one of Byzantium's largest and most important cities at the time, who were seized following the capture and systematic destruction of the city in 838 AD by the Abbasid caliph [[w:Al-Mu'tasim|Al-Mu'tasim]], then taken as hostages to [[w:Samarra|Samarra]] (today in Iraq) and [[Martyr|executed]] there seven years later for refusing to [[convert]] to [[Islam]].

Their [[feast day]] is celebrated by the [[Orthodox Church]] on [[March 6]].

==History==
===Background===
Amorium was an episcopal see (bishopric) as early as 431, and was fortified by the Emperor [[Zeno (emperor)|Zeno]], but did not rise to prominence until the 7th century. Its strategic location in central [[w:Asia Minor|Asia Minor]] made the city a vital stronghold against the armies of the Arab [[w:Caliphate|Caliphate]] following their conquest of the [[w:Levant|Levant]].

The city was first attacked by the Arabs in 644, and taken in 646. Over the next two centuries, it remained a frequent target of Muslim raids (''[[w:Ghazi (warrior)|razzias]]'') into Asia Minor, especially during the great sieges of 716 and 796. It became the capital of the [[w:Theme (Byzantine district)|theme]] of [[w:Anatolic Theme|Anatolikon]] soon after.

In 742-743, it was the main base of [[Iconoclasm|iconoclast]] Emperor [[Constantine V]] against the usurper [[w:Artabasdos|Artabasdos]]. In 820, an Amorian, [[w:Michael II|Michael II]], ascended the Byzantine throne, establishing the [[w:Amorian_dynasty#Phrygian_or_Amorian_dynasty_.28820.E2.80.93867.29|Amorian dynasty]]. This began the period of the city's greatest prosperity, when it became the largest city in Asia Minor.

However due to its' status as the native city of the reigning dynasty, in 838 AD the Caliph Al-Mu'tasim launched a campaign specifically against the city, which was [[w:Sack of Amorium|captured and razed]].

===42 Martyrs of Amorium===
During the war between the Byzantine Emperor [[Theophilus the Iconoclast]] (829-842) and the Saracens, the Saracens managed to besiege the city of Ammoria. As a result of treason on the part of the military commander Baditses, Ammoria fell, and forty-two of its generals were taken captive and sent off to Syria.

During the seven years of their imprisonment they tried in vain to persuade the captives to [[Apostasy|renounce Christianity]] and accept [[Islam]]. The captives stubbornly resisted all their seductive offers and bravely held out against terrible threats. After many torments that failed to break the spirit of the Christian soldiers, they condemned them to death, hoping to shake the determination of the saints before executing them. The martyrs remained steadfast, saying that the [[Old Testament]] [[Prophet]]s bore witness to [[Christ]], while Mohammed called himself a prophet without any other witnesses to support his claim.

They said to the soldier Theodore:
:''"We know that you forsook the [[priest]]ly office, became a soldier and shed [[blood]] in battle. You can have no hope in [[Christ]], Whom you abandoned voluntarily, so accept Mohammed."''
But the [[martyr]] replied:
:''"You do not speak truthfully when you say that I abandoned [[Christ]]. Moreover, I left the priesthood because of my own unworthiness. Therefore, I must shed my blood for the sake of Christ, so that He might forgive the sins that I have committed against Him."''

The executioners took each one separately and led him off to be beheaded, then threw the bodies into the [[w:Euphrates|River Euphrates]]. In the service to them, these holy [[passion-bearer]]s are glorified as:

:* the "All-Blessed" Theodore,
:* the "Unconquered" Callistus,
:* the "Valliant" Constantine,
:* the "Wondrous" Theophilus and
:* "the Most Strong" Basoes.

==Impact and Aftermath==
The most long-term result of the fall of Amorium, was in the religious rather than in the military sphere. [[Iconoclasm]] was supposed to bring divine favour and assure military victory, but neither the army's weaknesses nor the reported treachery of Baditses could detract from the fact that this was "a humiliating disaster to match the worst defeats of any iconophile emperor" (Whittow), comparable in recent memory only to the crushing defeat suffered by Emperor [[w:Nikephoros I|Nikephoros I]] (r. 802–811) at [[w:Battle of Pliska|Pliska]]. As Warren Treadgold writes, "the outcome did not exactly prove that Iconoclasm was wrong ... but it did rob the iconoclasts for all time of their most persuasive argument to the undecided, that Iconoclasm won battles". [[Iconoclasm]] was thoroughly discredited, and a little over a year after Theophilos' death, on 11 March 843, a [[synod]] [[Sunday of Orthodoxy|restored]] the [[veneration]] of [[icon]]s, and [[iconoclasm]] was declared [[heresy|heretical]].<ref>Treadgold 1988, p. 305; Whittow 1996, pp. 153–154.</ref>

The city itself never recovered from the sack, but retained an active bishopric until definitively conquered by the [[w:Great Seljuq Empire|Seljuks]] following the [[w:Battle of Manzikert|Battle of Manzikert]] in 1071. Emperor [[w:Alexios I Komnenos|Alexios I Komnenos]] defeated the Seljuks at Amorium in 1116, but the area was never recovered.

==Hymns==
'''Troparion - Tone 4'''<br>
Your forty-two holy [[martyr]]s, O [[Lord]],<br>
through their sufferings have received [[Incorruptibility|incorruptible]] crowns from You, our [[God]].<br>
For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries,<br>
and shattered the powerless boldness of demons.<br>
Through their [[Prayer#Intercessory_prayer|intercessions]], save our souls!

'''Kontakion - Tone 4'''<br>
Forty-two holy [[martyr]]s of Ammoria,<br>
you contended for the sake of [[Christ]] on earth;<br>
you were revealed as crown-bearing martyrs,<br>
and have been received into the life of the joy of heaven.<br>
Since you overthrew all the wiles of the enemy<br>
by your sufferings and the [[blood]] of your wounds,<br>
you continually send down from on high remission of [[sin]]s to those who praise you.

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

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

==Sources==
* Great Synaxaristes {{el icon}}: ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/2356/sxsaintinfo.aspx Οἱ Ἅγιοι Ἀέτιος, Βασσόης, Θεόδωρος, Θεόφιλος, Κάλλιστος, Κωνσταντῖνος καὶ ἄλλοι 36 Μάρτυρες].'' 6 Μαρτίου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.
* ''[http://oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100672 42 Martyrs of Ammoria in Phrygia].'' OCA - Feasts and Saints.
* Treadgold, Warren T. (1988). ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=3TysAAAAIAAJ&redir_esc=y The Byzantine Revival, 780–842].'' Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-1462-2
* Whittow, Mark (1996). ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=bFh-ASmKksYC&redir_esc=y The Making of Byzantium, 600–1025].'' Berkeley and Los Angeles, California: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-20496-4
'''Wikipedia'''
* [[w:Amorium|Amorium]]
* [[w:Sack of Amorium|Sack of Amorium]]
* [[w:Arab–Byzantine Wars|Arab–Byzantine Wars]].

[[Category:Martyrs]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Greek Saints]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy and Islam]]

Macarius (Ilyinsky) of New York

2012-09-13T00:18:44Z

Petermav: /* Life */ expression

His Eminence the Most Reverend Metropolitan '''Macarius (Ilyinsky) of New York''' was a [[bishop|hierarch]] of the [[Orthodox Church in America|Russian Metropolia]] and later of the [[Russian Exarchate of North America]].

==Life==
Born '''Michael Ivanovich Ilyinsky''' (Михаил Иванович Ильинский) on [[October 27]], 1866, Fr. Michael was a member of the faculty of [[St. Platon's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Tenafly, New Jersey)|St. Platon's]] [[Seminary]] in Tenafly, New Jersey, at its founding and became its [[rector]] prior to its closing in 1923. (Tarasar, 134, 334).

While an [[archpriest]], in 1934 in the midst of the reaffirmation of "temporary self-government" by the Metropolia at its 5th All-American Sobor, Fr Michael suggested that a delegation be sent to Moscow to explain this status, though his suggestion met with no support.

On [[October 13]], 1935, Fr. Michael was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] [[Bishop]] of Boston under the [[monastic]] name '''Macarius'''. In 1937, Bp. Macarius was appointed Bishop of Brooklyn and was also named rector of the newly established [[St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, New York)|St. Vladimir's Seminary]] in New York. (ibid., 334)

In 1937 at the Metropolia's 6th [[All-American Sobor]] in New York City, where a decision was made to renew relations with the [[ROCOR]] (See: ''[[ROCOR and OCA]]''), Bishop Macarius "gave as his opinion that the commitment to the agreement was more in the nature of a moral than an administrative agreement" (Surrency, 46).

In January of 1946, along with Bishop Alexey of Alaska, Macarius broke from the Metropolia and was united to the [[Church of Russia]] as a result of the Metropolia's continued support of the ROCOR and its distancing of itself from Moscow (ibid., 54). Macarius' act was met with an [[anathema]] by the Metropolia, which Moscow called on the Metropolia to withdraw in 1947 as it named Macarius as ''Archbishop of New York'' and ''Patriarchal Exarch of All America and Canada'' (ibid., 58).

Macarius was raised to the rank of [[metropolitan]] by Moscow on [[August 5]], 1952, and reposed in the Lord on [[November 12]], 1953.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before= — |
title=Bishop of Boston (Metropolia)|
years=1935-1937|
after = [[Dimtry (Magan) of Boston|Dimitry (Magan)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Emmanuel (Abo-Hatab) of Brooklyn|Emmanuel (Abo-Hatab)]]|
title=Bishop of Brooklyn (Metropolia)|
years=1937-1946|
after=[[John (Shahovskoy) of San Francisco|John (Shahovskoy)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Benjamin (Fedchenkov) of the Aleutians|Benjamin (Fedchenkov)]]|
title=[[Russian Exarchate of North America|Patriarchal Exarch of All America and Canada]] ([[Church of Russia|Russian)]]|
years=1947-1953|
after=[[Germogen (Kozhin) of New York|Germogen (Kozhin)]]}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
* Surrency, Archim. Serafim. ''The Quest for Orthodox Church Unity in America'' (1973), pp. 5, 7, 44, 46, 54, 58-59, 121
* Orthodox America 1794-1976 Development of the Orthodox Church in America, C. J. Tarasar, Gen. Ed. 1975, The Orthodox Church in America, Syosett, New York

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Boston]]
[[Category:Bishops of Brooklyn]]
[[Category:Bishops of New York]]

Nikolai (Soraich) of Sitka

2012-09-13T00:13:51Z

Petermav: Capitalisation

His Grace, the Right Reverend '''Nikolai (Soraich) of Sitka''' (''Николај (Сорајић)'' in Serbian) is a retired [[bishop]] of the [[OCA]].

Born 1949 in Butte, Montana. Before his retirement, he was the ruling bishop of the OCA's [[Diocese of Alaska (OCA)|Diocese of Alaska]] (2002-2008). After various scandals and controversies within his diocese, he voluntarily stepped down as bishop in May of 2008.

{{stub}}
==External links==
*[http://www.oca.org/HSbionikolai.asp?SID=7 Biography of His Grace, The Right Reverend Nikolai] (OCA)
*[http://www.oca.org/News.asp?ID=1538&SID=19 OCA Holy Synod issues statements on Diocese of Alaska at 2008 Spring Meeting]

{{Start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Baltimore<br>([[OCA]])|
years=2001-2002|
after=[[Nikon (Liolin) of Boston|Nikon (Liolin)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Gregory (Afonsky) of Sitka|Gregory (Afonsky)]]|
title=Bishop of Sitka and Alaska<br>([[OCA]])|
years=2002-2008|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Baltimore]]
[[Category:Bishops of Sitka]]
[[Category:21st-century bishops]]

The Word (magazine)

2012-09-11T10:58:03Z

Petermav:

'''The Word''' is the official news magazine of the [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America]]. The magazine is published every month of the year except July and August.

The Word Magazine, '''Al-Khalimat''', was established in 1905 by Bishop [[Raphael of Brooklyn]] to bring in the Arabic language news of the Arab speaking Orthodox community in the [[Diocese]] of North America. As the Antiochian community, now an archdiocese, grew in the use of the English language, Metropolitan [[Antony (Bashir) of New York|Antony Bashir]], In 1957, changed the magazine into an English language publication.

The magazine primarily provides news of the Orthodox in North America while also providing [[http://www.antiochian.org/thewordnews|educational and inspirational articles]] on the Orthodox Christian faith and practice. The magazine is a member of The Associated Press, Ecumenical News International, and the Orthodox Press Service. The editor is Bishop John Abdalah.

==Source==
*[http://www.antiochian.org/theword The Word Magazine]

[[Category: Publications]]

Cyril and Methodius

2012-09-10T23:53:31Z

Petermav: Tried to correct expression

Our fathers among the saints '''Cyril and Methodius''' were brothers who brought Orthodoxy to the Slavic peoples of central Europe in the ninth century. In preparation for their [[missionary|mission]] to the Slavs they devised the Glagolitic alphabet to translate the Holy Scriptures and other Christian writings into what is now called Old Church Slavonic. Glagolitic later developed into the Cyrillic alphabet which is now used in a number of Slavic languages. The two brothers have been recognized as [[saint]]s, [[Equal-to-the-Apostles|equals to the apostles]], for their missionary work. Many details of their lives have been obscured by the legends that have arisen about them.
[[Image:Cyril_and_Methodius.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Ss Cyril and Methodius]]

==Lives==
Constantine (later Cyril) and Michael (later [[Methodius of Moravia|Methodius]]) were born early in the 9th century in Thessalonika into a senatorial family. The years of their birth are uncertain. Constantine, the elder of the two, may have been born in 826, while Methodius is believed to have been born in 827. Their father, Leon, was Drungarios of the Byzantine Roman Thema of Thessalonika, whose jurisdiction included the Slavs of Macedonia. Their mother is believed to have been Slavic. Being raised in an area with both Greek and Slavic speakers endowed the brothers with a good knowledge of the two languages. As befitting their family's position, they were well educated.

At a young age the brothers lost their father and they were raised under the protection of their uncle Theoctistos, who was a powerful official in the Byzantine government, responsible for postal services and the diplomatic relations of the empire. In 843, he invited Constantine to Constantinople to continue his studies at the university there. He was [[ordain]]ed a [[deacon]] in Constantinopole. As Constantine was knowledgeable in theology and had a good command of the Arabic and Hebrew languages, his first state mission to the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mutawakkil was to discuss the principle of the [[Holy Trinity]] with Arab theologians and thus improve the Empire's diplomatic relations with the Abbasid Caliphate.

Theoctistos also arranged a position as an official in the Slavic administration of the empire for Michael. He soon went to the monastery at Mount Olympus where he was [[tonsure]]d with the name Methodius.

In 860, Emperor Michael III and [[Photios the Great|Photius]], [[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]], sent the brothers to the Khagan of the Khazars on a missionary expedition in an attempt to forestall the Khagan from embracing [[Judaism]]. The mission was unsuccessful as the Khagan chose Judaism for his people, but many people embraced Christianity. Upon their return, Constantine was appointed professor of philosophy in the university.

Then in 862 the two brothers were invited by Prince Rastislav of Great Moravia to preach Christianity in his domains. This request was a fallout of the efforts of the Slavic princes in central Europe attempting to maintain their independence from their Germanic neighbors. Rastislav was looking for Christian missionaries to replace those from the Germans. In the end this mission would continue for the rest of the brothers' lives, as the brothers were dedicated to the idea that Christianity should be presented to the people in their native languages as was the practice in the East. To accomplish their work they developed the Glagolitic alphabet, the precursor of the Cyrillic alphabet, and began the translation of the [[Scripture]]s and Christian literature into the Slavic language.

The German [[clergy]] had used their liturgical language, Latin, as a measure to maintain their influence in Moravia and therefore were unhappy with the work of Constantine and Methodius, and they used this difference to attack the brothers. After laboring for about four years, the brothers were called by Nicholas I to appear in [[Church of Rome|Rome]] to defend their work. The area in which they worked was within the [[jurisdiction]] of Rome. However, before their arrival, in 869 Nicholas died and was succeeded by [[Adrian II of Rome|Adrian II]]. After Adrian was convinced of the orthodoxy of the brothers, he approved their use of Slavonic in their church services and commended their work. He then [[Consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] Methodius [[bishop]]. Constantine took monastic vows in a Greek monastery in Rome. He was given the name ''Cyril'', the name by which he is now commonly known. Cyril was not to return to Moravia as he died shortly thereafter. The date of Cyril's death is uncertain, but appears to have been shortly after his consecration, both perhaps in February 869, with his death most probably on [[February 14]].

Adrian II reestablished the old [[diocese]] of Panonia, as the first Slavonic diocese of Moravia and Pannonia, independent of the Germans, at the request of the Slavic princes Rastislav, Svatopluk, and Kocel. Here Methodius was appointed to the new diocese as [[archbishop]]. However, on returning to Moravia in 870, King Louis and the German bishops summoned Methodius to a [[synod]] at Radisbon, where they deposed him and sent him to prison. After the Germans suffered military defeats in Moravia, [[Adrian III of Rome|John VIII]] freed him three years later and restored Methodius as Archbishop of Moravia. Soon his orthodoxy was again under question by the Germans, particularly over the use of Slavonic. Once again John VIII sanctioned the use of Slavonic in the [[liturgy]] but with the stipulation that the [[Gospel]] must first be read in Latin before the reading in Slavonic. Also, Methodius' accuser, Wiching, was named a [[vicar bishop]] to Methodius, and from this position he continued to oppose him. With his health damaged during his long struggle with his opponents, Methodius died on [[April 6]], 885, after having recommended as his successor his [[disciple]], the Moravian Slav, Gorazd. The brothers are remembered on [[May 11]]. St. Cyril's repose is also commemorated on [[February 14]], and St. Methodius' repose is also commemorated on [[April 6]].

==Works==
The brothers Cyril and Methodius are most renowned for the development of the Glagolitic alphabet that was used to bring literacy and Christian literature to the Slavs in their own language. With further development by their disciples it became the Cyrillic alphabet, which is now used by many of the Slavic peoples. However, the work of the brothers in translating the Holy Scriptures, the services, Nomocanon, and other Christian literature into Slavonic has been the greatest example of Orthodox missionaries bringing Christianity to the peoples of the world.

While events only a few decades after the death of Methodius seemed to destroy their work in Moravia, their work became the foundation of Slavic civilization in eastern and south-eastern Europe and provided the language footings for the missionary efforts in the coming centuries. It is for this continuation of the practice of the Holy [[Apostles]] of speaking of Christianity in the languages of all the nations that Ss Cyril and Methodius are remembered as ''equal to the apostles''. It is to this heritage that the revived Orthodox Church in the [[Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia|Czech Lands]] (Moravia) look as their origins.

==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] (Tone 4)
:O Cyril and Methodius, inspired by God,
:You became equal to the Apostles by your life.
:Since you were teachers of the Slavs,
:Intercede with the Master of all
:That He may strengthen all Orthodox peoples in the True Faith,
:And that He may grant peace to the world
:And great mercy to our souls.
[[Kontakion]] - Tone 3
:Let us praise the two priests of God who enlightened us,
:And poured upon us the fount of the knowledge of God by translating the Holy Scripture.
:O Cyril and Methodius, as abundant learning has been drawn from this work,
:We exalt you who now stand before the Most High,
:Interceding with fervor for the salvation of our souls.

==See also==
* [[Rastislav of Moravia]]

==Further reading==
* [[Francis Dvornik]]. ''The Significance of the Missions of Cyril and Methodius.'' '''Slavic Review,''' Vol. 23, No. 2 (Jun., 1964), pp. 195-211.
* Josef Poulik. ''The Origins of Christianity in Slavonic Countries North of the Middle Danube Basin.'' '''World Archaeology'''. Vol. 10, No. 2, Archaeology and Religion (Oct., 1978), pp. 158-171.
* Roman Jakobson. ''The Byzantine Mission to the Slavs. Report on the Dumbarton Oaks Symposium of 1964 and Concluding Remarks about Crucial Problems of Cyrillo-Methodian Studies.'' '''Dumbarton Oaks Papers''', Vol. 19 (1965), pp. 257-265.

==External links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saints_Cyril_and_Methodius Wikipedia: Ss Cyril and Methodius]
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04592a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Sts. Cyril and Methodius]
*[http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=39 Catholic Online: Sts. Cyril and Methodius]
*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/groups/inp55.htm Icon and Story of Ss. Cyril and Methodios]

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Missionaries]]
[[Category:Carpatho Russian Saints]]
[[Category:Serbian Saints]]
[[Category:Bulgarian Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]

[[es:Cirilo y Metodio]]

Paul (Lyngris) of Memphis

2012-09-07T02:25:59Z

Petermav: spelling

His Eminence, the Most Reverend '''Paul (Lyngris)''' is the Elder Archbishop of Memphis, within the [[Church of Alexandria]]. His [[see]] is Heliopolis, Cairo, in Egypt.

==Life==
Born in 1920 in Kafr-el-Zayat, Egypt, the future Archbishop attended the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens. In 1940, he was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[diaconate]], and this was followed in 1952 by his ordination to the [[priest]]hood.

After serving for a period as a [[parish]] priest, he was assigned as a [[Vicar]]-General in Harare, Zimbabwe, from 1954. In 1996, during the interregnum period between the repose of Pope and Patriarch [[Parthenios III (Koinidis) of Alexandria|Parthenios III]] and his [[Petros VII (Papapetrou) of Alexandria|successor's]] election, Abp. Paul was elected as Deputy of the throne.

In 1968, he was elected [[Archbishop]] of Johannesburg and Pretoria, and was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] to the episcopate on [[November 29]], 1968.

On [[May 18]], 2008, His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa awarded Abp. Paul the Highest Medal of the Archangel at the Church of Ss Constantine and Helen in Johannesburg. The medal is the highest award of the ancient Patriarchate.

In addition to his native Greek, His Eminence speaks Arabic, English, and French.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Archbishop of Johannesburg and Pretoria|
years=1968 - ?|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Elder Archbishop of Memphis|
years=? - Present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.greekorthodox-alexandria.org/index.php?module=content&cid=004001 Alexandria Patriarchate website]
*[http://www.greekorthodox-alexandria.org/oldsite/administration/hierEN.htm Hierarchs of the Throne - Alexandria]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Johannesburg and Pretoria]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:University of Athens Theology School Graduates]]

Nicholas (Mogilevsky) of Alma-ata and Kazakhstan

2012-08-27T05:11:29Z

Petermav: Tried to correct expression and spelling.

Our father among the [[saint]]s, '''Nicholas (Mogilevsky) of Alma-ata and Kazakhstan''' was the first [[Metropolitan]] of the Eparchy of [[Eparchy of Astana and Almaty|Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan]] of the [[Church of Russia]], today the Eparchy of Astana and Almaty. His [[feast day]] is [[October 25]]. He is commemorated also with the New [[Martyr]]s and [[Confessor]]s of Russia on the first Sunday after [[January 25]].

==Life==
Theodosius Mogilevsky was born to Nikifor Mogilevsky, a church cantor, and his wife Maria on [[April 9]], 1877. He grew up in a loving and disciplined home. His father was an expert on Church [[hymn]]s and congregational singing which he carefully and lovingly instilled into his children. From his mother and grandmother Theodosius heard endless stories about the holy pleasers of God.

In 1904, Nikifor received his [[tonsure]] as a [[monk]] and was given the name Nicholas. In May 1905, Mnk. Nicholas was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]], and on [[October 9]], 1905, he was ordained a [[hieromonk]]. In 1907, at the insistence of the brethren of the [[monastery]] he entered the [[Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary|Moscow Theological Academy]] at the [[Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra|Lavra of St. Sergius of Radonezh]], from which he graduated four years later. He was later raised to the dignity of [[archimandrite]].

In October 1919 and under the government of Bolsheviks, Archim. Nicholas was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] Bishop of Staridub, a [[vicar]] of the Diocese of Chernigov. In 1923, Bishop Nicholas was appointed Bishop of Kashir, a vicar of the Diocese of Tula, where he had to contend with the [[Living Church|Renovated Church]] that had assumed control of most of the parishes. As a result of his struggle against them, Bp. Nicholas was arrested on [[May 8]], 1925 and spent two years in prison.

After his release from prison, Bp. Nicholas was appointed Bishop of Orel where he served until he was arrested again on [[July 27]],1932. Sent to Voronezh, where during his interrogation, the investigator disclosed that his sentence was for his popularity and the message of his sermons that were important to the people, such that he needed to be isolated from the people. It was a message he did not expect and brought joy to him and led to his exclamation, "Now no sentence could frighten me".

Bp. Nicholas was raised to the dignity of [[archbishop]] in 1941, before the German invasion of the Russian land and his arrest on [[June 27]] 1941. After his trial, he initially spent six months imprisoned in Saratov before being sent to the town of Aktiubinsk, now Aktobe, in Kazakhstan for three months. Then, he was sent by train to voluntary exile to the town of Chelkar in Aktiubinsk province.

Arriving on a winter night, Abp. Nicholas was pushed out onto the station platform by the guards, dressed only in his underwear and a torn quilted jacket. With only his identification certificate, he had nowhere to go. Sympathetic women gave him odds and ends of clothing and one let him sleep in a barn with the animals. Not finding any work, he was forced to ask for alms so as not to starve as he dragged out his existence as a beggar until the end of Fall of 1942 when his last strength left him and he lost consciousness.

When he revived, Abp. Nicholas found himself in a clean bed, in a clean room in a hospital. As he slowly recovered, those who helped him came to love the "old man" in the hospital. But, as the day approached that he would again be homeless he prayed to the Lord, giving himself up to His will. As he was preparing to leave the hospital, the Tatar who had brought him to the hospital and sent him packages during his convalescence, arrived to take the "old man" under his wing. Explaining that God had directed him to save the "old man", the Tatar took over his care. Thus, began a quiet phase in Abp. Nicholas' life as the Tatar, with his contacts, carefully nursed Abp. Nicholas back to health and united him with spiritual daughter, Vera Afanasievna Fomushkina.

After a request by Abp. Nicholas of [[October 10]], 1944 to the People's Commissar for Internal Affairs of the USSR, he was released from his status of 'voluntary exile' on [[May 19]], 1945. On [[July 5]], 1945, the [[Holy Synod]] of the Church of Russia established the Diocese of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan and appointed Abp. Nicholas its first ruling hierarch. He arrived in Alma-Ata, now Astana, on [[October 26]], 1945, the feast of the [[Panagia Portaitissa|Iveron Icon of the Mother of God]].

Upon his arrival in Alma-Ata, Abp. Nicholas began serving in the small Kazan Church in the center of town that had re-opened just a few months earlier. He celebrated the Divine services reverently with unusual zeal and never rushed, with a closeness to monastic services as could be had in a [[parish]]. In his seventieth year at that time, he not only demanded strict fulfillment of the rule, but always explained the meaning of the services, why they needed to sing or read one way and not another. He prayed with tears, especially when he served the [[Divine Liturgy]], and when ”We praise Thee, we bless Thee…” was sung he always wept. During the days of [[Pascha]] and the [[Nativity of Christ]], the doors of his house were never closed. All would greet each other with the Paschal kiss and all would glorify the Lord.

In July 1947, Abp. Nicholas was called to Moscow for a session of the [[Holy Synod]]. As the passengers boarded the airplane, he stood by the gangway and blessed all the passengers as they boarded. Even though he was often mocked for it he always flew in his [[Vestments|ryassa]]. Noting this religious personage was blessing them, the passengers began to laugh and make biting remarks. The remarks he put aside, as he noted, ”I pitied them. After all, people don't even suspect that they are not speaking blasphemies from their own minds and understanding, but are only fulfilling the evil will of the enemy of the human race. I calmly blessed them all.” At a time after takeoff the pilots became concerned as one engine failed. The passengers began to panic. But, Abp. Nicholas said, ”Let's pray! Not a single soul will perish!” and added, ”We will only get a little dirty in the mud.” He stood up and began to pray. The passengers' anxiety continued. While at first no one paid attention to him, in a few minutes they all began to calm down, rose from their seats, and listen to his prayer. He was praying to the Lord to save everyone who was flying in that plane. Then, as the airplane began to descend, to the amazement of the pilots, its descent was unusual, as if gliding as it gently descended and came to rest in a small, swampy, and shallow lake. As the passengers recovered from their fear, they approached Abp. Nicholas to thank him. Even the senior pilot came to him and remarked, ”A miracle happened, father. Forgive us for our mockery!” ”God forgives you,” he replied. ”Thank God and His Most Pure Mother, and place your hope in St. Nicholas.”

Many other miraculous events have been related concerning Abp. Nicholas, such as the time during a summer in the early 1950's when a heat wave and drought descended upon the Uralsk region as from the time the winter snow had melted, not a drop of rain had fallen. When the people came to complain to their beloved archbishop, he said, ”Let's pray to the Heavenly King; perhaps He will hear our prayer.” They began to serve the [[Molieben|moleben]] for rain. As they prayed a miracle occurred - the sky, that had not had a single cloud, darkened, became covered in thick rain clouds. It then not only rained, it poured. As the walls of the old Uralsk cathedral trembled from the thunderclaps, Abp. Nicholas paused in his prayer and stated, ”Orthodox people! Isn't this a miracle?!”

His health began to fail him during his last years. While often sick, he tried to be in church even then, fending off calls that he should stay home with the remark that, "I will be healed in the church. But at home, I will get even sicker". Advised by doctors to seek a change of climate, he refused, saying, "Everyone loves me so here, and I want to die in the arms of my [spiritual] children." On [[October 23]], Abp. Nicholas saw that his final days had come and asked that "…we … begin the burial rite of a bishop." Late on [[October 25]], as the bells of St. Nicholas [[cathedral]] were ringing for evening service on the feast of the Iveron [[Icon]] of the [[Theotokos|Mother of God]], he departed from this world to the Lord on that same [[feast day]] as his arrival to his Alma-Ata [[cathedra]], on the feast of the Icon of Iveron Mother of God.

The funeral service for Metr. Nicholas was performed on [[October 28]], 1955 by Bp. Hermogen (Golubev) of Tashkent and Central Asia at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Alma-Ata. He was buried in the cemetery of Alma-Ata.

==Glorification==
During 2000, the Holy Synod of the Church of Russia [[glorification|glorified]] as a saint the confessor, wonderworker, and intercessor for the Russian land and Kazakhstan, Metropolitan Nicholas of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Staridub <br>Vicar of Diocese of Chernigov|
years=1919-1923|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Kashir<br>Vicar of Diocese of Tula|
years=1923-1925|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Archbishop of Orel|
years=1927-1941|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=Archbishop of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan|
years=1945-1955|
after=?}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://orthodoxengland.org.uk/almaata.htm The Life of St Nicholas (Mogilevsky), Metropolitan of Alma Ata and Kazakhstan (1877-1955)]
*[http://www.pravoslavie.ru/english/41949.htm The Life of Metropolitan Nicholas of Alma-Ata and Kazakhstan, Confessor]

==External link==
*[http://www.nikolay.orthodoxy.ru/saints/nikolay/ Saint Nicholas Cathedral] In Russian

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Bishops of Staridub]]
[[Category: Bishops of Kashir]]
[[Category: Bishops of Orel]]
[[Category: Bishops of Astana]]
[[Category: Saints]]
[[Category: Russian Saints]]
[[Category: Moscow Academy and Seminary Graduates]]

Constantine V (Valiadis) of Constantinople

2012-08-27T04:59:21Z

Petermav:

His All-Holiness '''Constantine V (Valiadis) of Constantinople''' was Patriarch of Constantinople during the turn of the nineteenth to the twentieth century from 1897 to 1901. He was deposed by the Ottoman Turk government.

==Life==
Constantine Valiadis was born in November 1833 in the village of Vessa on the island of Chios in the eastern Aegean Sea. His father was a [[priest]] and teacher from whom he began his education. After completing his basic education, Constantine entered the [[Theological School of Halki]], from which he graduated in 1857 with honors. He continued his education at the University of Athens. When his uncle became [[patriarch]] as [[Sophronius IV of Alexandria|Sophronius III]] in 1863, Constantine followed him to Constantinople as a secretary. He was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] in 1864. After his uncle resigned as patriarch in 1866, Constantine followed him, but continued his education with post graduate studies at Strasbourg, Switzerland, and Heidelberg.

In 1872, he became secretary of the [[Holy Synod]] of the [[Church of Constantinople]]. In 1874, he was ordained a [[priest]]. In 1876, Father Constantine was elected a [[bishop]] and [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] Bishop of [[Metropolis of Mytiline|Mytilene]] on Lesbos Island. In 1893, he was transferred to the position of Bishop of the [[Diocese]] of [[Ephesus]]. During the years he was a bishop, Bp. Constantine's name was numbered as a nominee on the three person candidate list (triprosopo) in the Patriarchal elections of 1884, 1887, and 1891. On [[April 2]], 1897, he was elected Ecumenical Patriarch after the resignation of Patriarch [[Anthimus VII of Constantinople|Anthimus VII]].

Patr. Constantine was particularly interested in preaching and Byzantine church music. It was during his patriarchate that an interruption developed with the [[Church of Antioch]]. He also made approaches to the Anglican Church. A discord arose between Patr. Constantine and a group of bishop that resulted in a call by the bishops for his resignation during Holy Week in 1901. A representative of the [[w:Ottoman_Porte|Sublime Porte]] attempted to reconcile the "factions," but was unsuccessful. This led to an imperial decree, signed on Good Friday of 1901, that deposed Patr. Constantine and the election of his [[Joachim III of Constantinople|successor]] on the same day.

Patr. Constantine withdrew to Halki after his dismissal. He died there on [[February 27]], 1914 from diabetes.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Mytilene|
years=1876-1893|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=?|
title=Bishop of Ephesus|
years=1893-1897|
after=?}}
{{succession|
before=[[Anthimus VII of Constantinople|Anthimus VII]]|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]|
years=1897-1901|
after=[[Joachim III of Constantinople|Joachim III]]}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://lefobserver.blogspot.com/2011/02/patriarch-constantine-v-of.html Patriarch Constantine V] In Greek
*[[Wikipedia:Ecumenical_Patriarch_Constantine_V_of_Constantinople]]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Constantinople]]
[[Category: Bishops of Mytiline]]
[[Category: Bishops of Ephesus]]
[[Category:19th-20th-century bishops]]
[[Category: Theological School of Halki Graduates]]

Virtues

2012-08-12T05:38:08Z

Petermav:

{{spirituality}}
'''Virtue''' (Greek αρετή; Latin ''virtus'') is the habitual, well-established, readiness or disposition of man's powers directing them to some goodness of act.{{ref|1}} Virtue is moral excellence of a man or a woman. The word αρετή is derived from the Greek arete (αρετή). As applied to humans, a virtue is a good character trait. The Latin word ''virtus'' literally means "manliness," from ''vir'', "man" in the masculine sense; and referred originally to masculine, warlike virtues such as courage. In one of the many ironies of etymology, in English the word "virtue" is often used to refer to a woman's chastity.

In the Greek it is more properly called ηθική αρετή, or "habitual excellence." It is something practiced at all times. The virtue of perseverance is needed for all and any virtue since it is a habit of character and must be used continuously in order for any person to maintain oneself in virtue. The Orthodox Church teaches that the body, as well as the soul, must be trained and disciplined because man is a unity of soul and body. [[Fasting]] and self-control are the primary source of all good and the foundation of acquiring virtue.

==Likeness of God==
[[Genesis]] states that man was created in the according to the image and likeness of [[God]]. [[John of Damascus]] wrote, ‘The expression ''according to the image'' indicates rationality and freedom, while the expression ''according to the likeness'' indicates assimilation to God through virtue.’ All of the human virtues are attributes of God. They are the divine properties which should be in all human persons by the gift of God in creation and salvation through [[Christ]]. To acquire the virtues is to reacquire the divine likeness of God.

Unlike the image of God, which can never be lost even by the most sinful, the likeness depends upon moral choice, upon ‘virtue,’ and so it is destroyed by sin. The virtues are not an endowment which man possesses from the start, but a goal at which he must aim, something which he can only acquire by degrees through the [[grace]] of God.
==Christian virtues==

The virtues, often called the fruits of the Spirit, include:
*[[Faith]] - The weakness and absence of faith in God is rooted in sin, impurity and [[pride]].
*[[Hope]] - Hope is the assurance of the good outcome of our lives lived by faith in God.
*[[Knowledge]] - Knowledge of God is the aim and goal of man's life, the purpose of his creation by God.
*[[Wisdom]] - The wise man is the one who sees clearly and deeply into the mysteries of God.
*[[Honesty]] - To be truthful at all times and lacking in hypocrisy.
*[[Humility]] – ([[Meekness]]) To see reality as it actually is in God. It means to know oneself and others as known by God.
*[[Obedience]] - To do the will of God is glory and life.
*[[Patience]] (Diligence) - To put up with one's self and others, growing gradually in the grace of God through the daily effort to keep His commandments and to accomplish His will.
*[[Courage]] - To not be afraid, even unto martyrdom.
*[[Faithfulness]] - The spiritual person is faithful to his calling, fulfilling every good resolution, and bearing fruit patiently with the gifts and talents given by God.
*[[Temperance]] (Self-Control, Chastity) - To be moderate in all things. Like patience, it comes from the grace of God; one must seek it from the Lord.
*[[Generosity]] (Kindness) – It is shown by care and concern for the well-being of others.
*[[Gratitude]] (Contentment) - The spiritual person is the one who is grateful for everything.
*[[Love]] - The greatest virtue of all is love. If we do not love one another, we cannot love God, for God is love.

==Source==
*[[Wikipedia:Virtue|''Virtue'' at Wikipedia]]

===Reference===
<sup>{{note|1}}</sup> ''New Catholic Encyclopedia'', Catholic University of America, 1967. p. 704.

==External link==
*[http://www.oca.org/OCchapter.asp?ID=172 "The Virtues"] from ''The Orthodox Faith: Spirituality'' by Fr. [[Thomas Hopko]]

[[Category:Spirituality]]

[[el:Αρετή]]
[[ro:Virtuţi]]

Nephon II of Constantinople

2012-08-11T10:39:20Z

Petermav:

[[Image:Nifon-nephon2.jpg|right|frame|Nephon II of Constantinople]]His All-Holiness '''Nephon II of Constantinople''', also '''Nifon II''', was the Patriarch of Constantinople for two periods, from 1486 to 1488 and then from 1497 to 1498. He was called again, a third time in 1502, but refused the invitation, choosing instead to return to [[Dionysiou Monastery (Athos)|Dionysiou Monastery]] where he reposed September 3 in 1508.

==Life==

He was born in Messinia on the Peloponnese peninsula of southern Greece. His mother Maria, was a noble Greek woman and his father Emmanuel, a rich Albanian nobleman. His worldly name was Nicholas. He entered a [[monasticism|monastic]] life as a [[monk]] at Epidaurus where he received the monastic name Nephon. He followed the monk Zacharias to the Monastery of the Theotokos at Ochrid and later moved to [[Mount Athos]] where he was ordained to the diaconate and priesthood. In 1482 he was consecrated as [[Metropolitan]] of [[Thessalonica]] following the death of Metropolitan Parthenios. At the end of 1486 he was elected to Patriarch of Constantinople.

His tenures as [[patriarch]] where during difficult times as various groups sought to gain favour in the sultan's court. He tried to correct corrupt practices and abuses by the clergy. Nephon was confronted by the many competing power groups within the church that made difficult his attempts to reorganize the patriarchate and that also resulted in his depositions and refusal of a third invitation.

In 1502, afte refusing calls to ascend the patriarchal throne, he left the imperial city and returned to [[Mount Athos]] with his two disciples Makarios (who was martyed in 1527) and Joasaph (who was martyred in 1536). The hieromartyr James of Kastoria was also his disciple. At [[Mount Athos|Athos]] he concealed his episcopal rank and was assigned by the brethren to care fr the community's animals. It was not long before his virtues attracted the brethren who soon discovered that he was formerly patriarch. The monks would flock to him to hear his counsel. Living as a simple monk, he taught with theexample of his humility. God rewarded his humility, giving him the power to heal through his prayers. In this way the humble Nephon lived out the remaineder of his days in peace.

Nephon's holiness and virtue were recognized by all, and immediatey after his death he was honoured as a saint. In fact, he was glorified only nine years later in 1517. His memory is celebrated on [[August 11]]. His holy relics are housed in a chapel dedicated in his honor in [[Dionysiou Monastery (Athos)|Dionysiou Monastery]], while his skull and hand are in Romania where they were sent early in the 16th century as a blessig for the people of Wallachia.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Symeon I of Trebizond]]|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]|
years=1486-1488|
after=[[Dionysius I of Constantinople|Dionysius I]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Maximus IV of Constantinople|Maximus IV]]|
title=Patriarch of Constantinople|
years=1497-1498|
after=[[Joachim I of Constantinople|Joachim I]]}}
{{succession|
before=Joachim I|
title=Patriarch of Constantinople|
years=1502|
after=[[Pachomius I of Constantinople|Pachomius II]]}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.ec-patr.org/list/index.php?lang=en&id=172 EC-patr: Nifon II]
*[[wikipedia: Patriarch_Nephon_II_of_Constantinople]]
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=102277 St Niphon the Patriarch of Constantinople of Mt Athos]

[[Category: Bishops]]
[[Category: Patriarchs of Constantinople]]
[[Category: 15th-16th-century bishops]]

[[ro:Nifon al II-lea al Constantinopolului]]

Anthony of Alexandria

2012-08-10T02:34:19Z

Petermav:

The Holy Glorious [[Martyr]] '''Anthony''' of Alexandria was martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ. His memory is commemorated [[August 9]].

Anthony, a native of the city of Alexandria, was a Christian who publicly declared the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was arrested because of his confession of faith and tortured severely. At first he was tied to a tree and his body was torn with iron hooks. He was then sentenced to be burnt in a furnace. Standing in the furnace, he calmly exhorted those standing about that in aspiring towards God they must toil not for the body which is temporal but for the eternal soul. After this, he gave up his soul to the Lord.

When the furnace was opened, his holy relic was found untouched by the flames.

[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Ante-Nicene Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Martyrs]]

Anthony of Alexandria

2012-08-10T02:33:47Z

Petermav:

The Holy Glorious [[Martyr]] '''Anthony''' of Alexandria was martyred for his faith in Jesus Christ. His memory is commemorated [[August 9]].

Anthony, a native of the city of Alexandria, was a Christian who publicly declared the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was arrested because of his confession of faith and tortured severely. At first he was tied to a tree and his body was torn with iron hooks. He was then sentenced to be burnt in a furnace. Standing in the furnace, he calmly exhorted those standing about that in aspiring towards God they must toil not for the body which is temporal but for the eternal soul. After this, he gave up his soul to the Lord.

When the furnace was opened, his holy relic was found untouched by the flames.

[Category:Saints]
[Category:Ante-Nicene Saints]
[Category:Byzantine Saints]
[Category:Martyrs]