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Russian Orthodox Church Abroad - Provisional Supreme Church Authority

2013-06-10T21:55:14Z

SerafimBR: /* Dioceses */

The self-styled '''"Russian Orthodox Church Abroad - Provisional Supreme Church Authority"''' (PSCA, Русская православная церковь заграницей - Временное высшее центральное управление) is a body composed of [[parish]]es from the [[ROCOR]] who refused to enter into [[communion]] with the [[Church of Russia|Moscow Patriarchate]] in May of 2007. Like the ROCOR before the union, they have maintained communion with the [[Holy Synod in Resistance]] under Metropolitan Cyprian of Fili and their sister churches. The current head of the [[jurisdiction]] is Metropolitan [[Agafangel (Pashkovsky) of Odessa]]. Unlike ROCOR, they are not in communion with any canonical Orthodox Church, while even prior to reconciliation with the Moscow Patriarchate, ROCOR had maintained communion and concelebrations with the [[Church of Serbia]], and the [[Church of Jerusalem|Jerusalem Patriarchate]].

==History==
By mid-2006, a number of ROCOR parishes had made clear that they wanted no part of reconciliation between the Moscow Patriarchate and ROCOR, wishing to retain the status quo as it had been for most of ROCOR's existence. When it became clear that the reconciliation would occur after it had been approved by the [[All-Diaspora Councils#IV All-Diaspora Council|4th All-Diaspora Sobor]], various [[clergy]] began to make plans for the establishment of a rival [[Synod]].

Following the signing of [[Act of Canonical Communion with the Moscow Patriarchate|the Act of Canonical Communion]] in Moscow, Russia, on [[May 17]], 2007, [[Bishop]] Agafangel declared that he did not accept the document and would "continue to abide by the previous Bylaws of the ROCOR, considering any actions of the Moscow Patriarchate to be unlawful." He accused the Moscow Patriarchate of "sins of Sergianism and ecumenism." On [[May 22]], 2007, Bishop Agafangel issued a statement that he and Bishop [[Daniel (Alexandrow) of Erie|Daniel of Erie]] were organizing a Provisional Supreme Church Authority for those who "have remained in the ROCOR", citing authority of [[Ukaz No. 362|Ukase No. 362]] of Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow, dated [[November 20]], 1920. While Bishop Daniel had previously expressed reservations about the Act of Canonical Communion, there is no evidence that he ever intended to break with the ROCOR Synod; rather, the elderly [[vicar]] for the care of [[Old Believers|Old-Ritualists]] continued to remain in communion with Metropolitan [[Laurus (Skurla) of New York |Laurus]]. There were claims that Bishop Daniel had been placed under a form of house arrest on some internet journals[http://elmager.livejournal.com/56905.html], but there is no evidence that this is true.

Agafangel found himself alone, supported by a handful of [[clergy]] and the majority of his parishes in Ukraine, which had refused to join the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), and thus would have no part of the reconciliation.

On [[May 20]], 2007, the members of the ROCOR synod, meeting in Moscow, suspended Bishop Agafangel for inciting [[schism]], disobeying lawful authority, and refusing transfer to the Buenos Aires [[cathedral]].

At an emergency meeting of the ROCOR synod on [[June 28]] and [[June 29|29]], 2007, a "final letter of warning" was issued to Bishop Agafangel, calling on him to cease all schismatic activity. The synod also approved the [[suspension]] of [[Abbot]] Andronik (Kotliaroff), head of the Russian Ecclesiastic Mission in Jerusalem, and other clerics that supported Agafangel. However on [[December 7]], 2007, with the aid of [[bishop]]s from the [[Holy Synod in Resistance]], with whom ROCOR had been in communion until about a year prior to reconciliation with Moscow (though relations had been strained since, and episcopal concelabrations had essentially ceased after 1998), Agafangel carried out the [[consecration of a bishop|consecration]] of [[Abbot]] Andronik (Kotrliaroff) as Bishop of Richmond Hill and New York and [[Hieromonk]] Sofroniy (Musienko) as Bishop of Saint Petersburg and Northern Russia. These ordinations marked the final breach of the new organization with the ROCOR synod, calling itself the Provisional Supreme Church Authority.

On [[September 4]], 2008, the PSCA received into its communion two bishops from the [[Russian Catacomb Movement (Sekachev faction)|Seraphimo-Gennadian (Sekachev) branch of the Russian Catacomb Church]]. There was considerable debate over the status of the two bishops received. On [[November 19]], 2008, the Provisional Supreme Church Authority called what it termed the Fifth All-Diaspora Council (in reference to the Fourth All-Diaspora Council of the [[ROCOR]] which overwhelmingly supported reconciliation with the Moscow Patriarchate). Among other decisions, the council elevated Bp. Agafangel to the rank of [[metropolitan]].

==Dioceses==
The current structure of the PSCA (as of the Sobor of November, 2008) is as follows:

*Metropolitan Agafangel of Odessa and Tavrich, First-Hierarch of the ROCA-PSCA
''(America and Europe)''
* Archbishop Andronik (Kotlyarov) of Ottawa and Eastern America
* Bishop Joseph (Grebinka) of Washington and Florida
* Bishop Gregory (Petrenko) of Sao Paulo and Brazil

''(Russia)''
* Archbishop Sophronius (Musiyenko) of St. Petersburg and West Russia
* Bishop John (Zaitsev) of Buinsk and Volzhsk
* Bishop Afanasy (Savitsky) of Vologda and Veliky Ustyug
* Bishop George (Kravchenko) of Bolgrad and Belgorod-Dnestrovsky
* Bishop Kirill (Kravets) of Voronezh and South Russia
* Bishop Dionisius (Alfyorov) of Novgorod and Tver
* Bishop Irenaeus (Klipenstein) of Lyon and Western Europe
* Bishop Nicholas (Modebadze) of Poti

==External link==
* [http://www.saintjonah.org/articles/voicesofreason.htm Voices of Reason]
* [http://sinod.ruschurchabroad.org Official Site]
* [http://news.ruschurchabroad.org/ News Site]

[[Category:Old Calendarist Jurisdictions]]

Diocese of the South (OCA)

2013-03-02T03:38:19Z

SerafimBR:

[[Image:Ocados.png|thumb|Visual representation of the Diocese of the South]]
The '''Diocese of the South''' is a [[diocese]] of the [[Orthodox Church in America]]. It is currently under the leadership of His Grace, the Right Reverend [[Nikon (Liolin) of Boston|Nikon (Liolin)]], as ''[[Locum Tenens]]'' of the Diocese of the South. Its territory includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia outside the Washington DC metropolitan area.

__TOC__
{{orthodoxyinamerica}}
==Diocesan Council==
*His Grace, Bishop NIKON - Locum Tenens, Chair
*Milos Konjevich, Treasurer

===Members===
*V. Rev. Dimitri Cozby
*V. Rev. Ernesto Rios
*V. Rev. Peter Smith
*V. Rev. Mark Stevens
*Rev. Marcus Burch
*Rev. Stephen Freeman
*Chuck Dionysius Doten
*Bruce Humphrey
*E. Ray Lanier
*Jeanette Parker
*Ed Stickle
*Robert Vranes

==Metropolitan Council Representatives==
*V. Rev. Alexander Fecanin
*Gary George Popovich

==Publications==
*The Dawn
*Monthly diocesan newspaper (Contains articles in Russian, Spanish, and English)

His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri, Editor

==Institutions==
*[[Monastery of the Holy Archangel Michael (Canones, New Mexico)|St. Michael's Skete]] in Canoñes, NM
*[[Ss. Mary and Martha Monastery (Wagener, South Carolina)|Ss. Mary and Martha Orthodox Monastery]] in Wagner, SC

==Deaneries==
*Appalachian Deanery
*Atlanta Deanery
*Carolinas Deanery
*Dallas Deanery
*Miami Deanery
*Orlando Deanery

==Ruling bishops==
* [[Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas|Dmitri (Royster)]] 1978-2009
* [[Jonah (Paffhausen) of Washington|Jonah (Paffhausen)]] as locum tenens 2009-2011
* [[Nikon (Liolin)]], as locum tenens 2011-Present

==External links==

*[http://www.dosoca.org/ DOS Diocesan Website]
*[http://www.ocacarolinas.org OCA Carolinas Deanery Website]

[[Category:Dioceses|South]]
[[Category:OCA Dioceses|South]]

[[pt:Diocese do Sul]]

Moscow Sobor of 1666–1667

2013-02-11T01:12:36Z

SerafimBR:

The '''Moscow Sobor of 1666–1667''' was a council of the [[Church of Russia]], with representation from other patriarchates, convened in Moscow, Russia by Tsar Alexis of Russia. The business of the council was concerned mainly with Russian liturgical practices that were inconsistent with those of the Orthodox Churches on the eastern Mediterranean world.

==History==
The Sobor was convened in 1666 in Moscow during the reign of Tsar Alexis by Metropolitan [[Pitirim of Moscow|Pitirim of Krutitsy]], [[locum tenens]] after the retirement of [[Patriarch]] [[Nikon of Moscow|Nikon]] to a [[monastery]] after a dispute with Tsar Alexis. In addition to the Tsar, [[Joasaph II (Novotorzhets) of Moscow|Joasaph (Novotorzhets)]] who became [[patriarch]] during the sobor, and Russian [[clergy]], those attending the sobor included Patriarch [[Macarius III (Zaim) of Antioch|Macarius of Antioch]], Metropolitans Athanasius of Iconium (representing the [[Ecumenical Patriarch]]) and Ananias of Sinai (representing the [[Patriarch of Jerusalem]]), and Patriarch [[Paisius of Alexandria]] who presided.

The council officially established the reforms that had been brought forward during the patriarchate of Patr. [[Nikon of Moscow|Nikon]] and anathematized all those who opposed the changes to the old Russian books and rites made to comply with the Church's liturgical unity. Even the old Russian books and rites themselves were anathematized. [[Old Believers|Old Ritualists]] were condemned for refusing to comply with such liturgical changes as celebrating [[feast days]] on the same day as the rest of the Orthodox Churches, making the sign of the cross with three fingers instead of two, and not kneeling on Sundays.

One of the decisions during the sober was a specific ban on a number of depictions of God the Father and the [[Holy Spirit]], which then resulted in a whole range of other [[icon]]s being placed on the forbidden list.<ref>Oleg Tarasov, 2004 ''Icon and devotion: sacred spaces in Imperial Russia'' ISBN 1861891180 page 185</ref>

Also, the sober forbad the iconographic depiction of the [[Holy Trinity]] with [[God]] the Father as an old man and the [[Holy Spirit]] as a dove, because it transgressed the rules of Orthodox [[iconography]] as expressed by the [[Seventh Ecumenical Council]], and because the form of this image is of unorthodox Western origin.

==Reference==
<references/>

==Sources==
*[[Wikipedia: Moscow_Sobor_of_1666–1667]]
*[http://genuineorthodoxchurch.com/moscow_1666.htm Council of Moscow (Pan-Orthodox Council)]
*[[Wikipedia: Old_Believers]]

[[Category: Councils]]

[[pt:Sínodo de Moscou (1666-1667)]]

Philoumenos (Hasapis) of Jacob's Well

2013-02-05T18:21:28Z

SerafimBR:

[[Image:Neomartyr Philoumenos.jpg|right|thumb|New Martyr Archimandrite Philoumenos (+1979), keeper of the Greek Orthodox monastery of [[Jacob's Well]] in Samaria (Nablus, West Bank).]]
[[New Martyrs|New martyr]] Archimandrite '''Philoumenos (Hasapis)'''<ref group="note">Of Father Philoumenos' surname, his spiritual son Monk Yeghia Yenovkian writes that he was ''"[http://www.roca.org/OA/94/94k.htm Born to the pious Cypriot family of Hasapis]"''. In a [http://www.scribd.com/doc/9195929/- Greek source], published in August 2004 which deals with modern saints of the Orthodox Church, Fr. Philoumenos is referred to in a brief biographical entry as ''"Orountiotis"'' however; this latter term in the Greek refers to his place his origin (i.e. "of the village of [[w:Orounta|Orounta]]") and not to his surname.</ref> (Greek: Π. ''' ''Φιλουμενος ο Κυπριος'' ''', also Π. ''' ''Φιλουμενος Ορουντιωτης'' '''), [[October 15]], 1913 - [[November 16]], 1979, was the [[Igumen]] of the [[Greek Orthodox]] [[Monasticism|monastery]] of [[Jacob's Well]] near the city of Samaria, now called Nablus (Neapolis), in the West Bank.

In a Synodal decision the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem classified him in its [[Hagiography|Hagiologion]] at its 50th Session on September 11, 2009.<ref>Jerusalem Patriarchate - News Gate.''[http://www.jp-newsgate.net/en/2009/11/29/656/ CLASSIFICATION TO THE HAGIOLOGION OF THE MARTYR FILOUMENOS, SUPERIOR OF JACOB’S WELL].'' 29/11/2009.</ref> He was officially glorified by the the [[Church of Jerusalem|Patriarchate of Jerusalem]] on [[November 29]], 2009 (''Old Style''), and is commemorated by the Church on [[November 16]]/29.<ref group="note">.Father Philoumenos' was martyred on his [[Name day]], November 29th ''(Old Style),'' which is also the feast of the 3rd century [[martyrs]] Paramon and Philoumen (ca. AD 270).</ref> His Beatitude Patriarch [[Theophilus III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem|Theophilus III]] presided at the [[Divine Liturgy]], along with the bishops of the Patriarchal see of Jerusalem and a number of bishops from the [[Church of Cyprus]], in addition to a delegation from the [[Church of Russia|Russian Church]].

The life of Father Philoumenos is an example that [[Martyr|martyrdom]] for [[Jesus Christ|Christ]] is not of the past from the Roman Empire or Communist times, but is a reality even in our own day.<ref name="ACROD">Very Rev. Fr. Edward Pehanich. ''[http://www.acrod.org/assets/files/PDFS/Messenger/CM%20-%201-08_Web.pdf Father Philoumenos of Jacobs Well 1913-1979].'' In: '''The Church Messenger''', American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A. Volume LXIV, Number 1, January 27, 2008. Page 7.</ref>

==Life==
[[Image:Hieromartyr of Jacob's Well Philoumenos.gif|right|thumb|Hieromartyr Saint Philoumenos of [[Jacob's Well]].]]
Saint Philoumenos came from the village of [[w:Orounta|Orounta]] in the province of [[w:Morphou|Morphou]], [[Church of Cyprus|Cyprus]]. The neomartyr was born in 1913 to George and Magdalene Hasapis, along with his twin brother Archimandrite Elpidios. Even though his parents came from the village of Orounta, they lived at the [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Agios_Savvas_Church,_Nicosia.jpg parish of St. Savvas in Nicosia], since his father had his own inn and bakery there.<ref name="NOCTOC">''[http://noctoc-noctoc.blogspot.com/2008/11/1979-cypriot-saint-philoumenos-who-was.html NOCTOC: Ο Κύπριος Άγιος Φιλούμενος που κατακρεούργησαν οι σιωνιστές Εβραίοι το 1979-The Cypriot Saint Philoumenos who was massacred by Zionist Jews in 1979].'' Saturday, November 29, 2008.</ref>

From a young age, he and his brother Elpidios showed a special zeal for the sacred [[Holy Scripture|Scriptures]] of Christ, being inspired in particular by their grandmother Loxantra, who aside from their mother, influenced them in learning the ways of the Church and developing a truly Orthodox conscience.<ref name="NOCTOC"/>

Together with his brother Elpidios, they showed a strong enthusiasm for [[prayer]], read the lives of the Saints, and learned the hymns of the Church. In particular they where touched by the life of Saint John the "Kalyvitis", who in some way made an impact on them, to the point of inspiring them to want to follow the life of [[Monk|monks]].

At the age of 14, the two brothers left for the ancient [[w:Stavrovouni Monastery|Monastery of Stavrovouni]], founded by the Empress [[Helen|St. Helen]], and stayed there for five years.<ref name="NOCTOC"/>

===In the Holy Land===
[[Image:29 nov philoumenos of jacobs well.jpg|right|thumb|St. Philoumenus, Newmartyr of Jacob's well, November 16/29.]]
Afterwards, they both left for Jerusalem, where they attended High School. Upon finishing High School in 1939, Father Elpidios served as a priest in different places, eventually leaving for [[Mount Athos]],<ref group="note">Archimandrite Elpidios died on November 29, 1983.</ref>, while Father Philoumenos joined the monastic [[Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher]] in Jerusalem.<ref name="ACROD"/>

His spiritual son, the Monk Yeghia<ref group="note">Rev. Fr. Hiero[[schemamonk]] Elia (Yenovkian) ([[Holy Synod of Milan|Synod of Milan]]), [[Igumen]] of [http://burningbushmonastery.org/ Paradise Palestinian Hermitage], Ellisville, Mississippi.</ref> wrote these reminiscences of his father in Christ:

:Father Philoumenos used to tell me about his years in [[Church of the Nativity (Bethlehem)|Bethlehem]], where the bishop disapproved of education for monks lest they be tempted to the priesthood. But because of his zeal for the neglected souls of the Palestinian faithful, Father Philoumenos studied to become fluent in Arabic, both literary and conversational, chanting the Holy [[Gospel]] more easily than many Arabs, and preaching the Orthodox faith not only in their language but in his Orthodox manner of life. What a good shepherd he was, more worthy than some of the episcopate! Yet the policies and needs of the patriarchate saw Father Philoumenos assigned to other positions. Whenever Palestinian faithful were scandalized by some unworthy priest, whenever Orthodox neglect or European money drove the faithful to wonder whether they would not receive better pastoral care from Uniates, it was Father Philoumenos that the [[List of Patriarchs of Jerusalem|Patriarch of Jerusalem]] sent as the true defender of the Faith, a man of more than blameless life, a man from whom no one could even imagine any immodest or improper word, a man whose faith and integrity were a model for all.<ref name="Yeghia">Monk Yeghia Yenovkian [http://burningbushmonastery.org/ Paradise Palestinian Hermitage], Ellisville, Mississippi. ''[http://www.roca.org/OA/94/94k.htm Tribute to a New Martyr - Our Holy Father Philoumenos of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre ].'' Martyred at Jacob's Well, 16/29 November, 1979. In: '''Orthodox America''', 1994.</ref>

:Three things were most remarkable about the blessed martyr. The first might have been partly from nature, but assuredly aided by Grace: this was his soft sweet voice, which I can still hear today. The second was a meticulous fidelity to small things, but specifically to the Divine Service. He never omitted one word of any day's service. When we were alone in some remote monastery, particularly for [[Matins]], he slowly and carefully chanted each word of every [[Psalter|psalm]] and canon. Not even at the Monastery of St. Sabba was the reading done so well. But when there were pilgrims for the [[Divine Liturgy]] and [[vespers]], he made the usual abridgements lest the service be too long and some be tempted to leave. Later on, privately, he would read every word that had not been chanted in the church. Those who stayed with him for some time saw the copies of the [[menaion]], [[horologion]], synaxarion, etc. and noticed that the markers were always in place and the volumes never dusty, which earned the Divine Promise, ''Well done thou good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful over little things, I will set thee over great things Enter thou into the joy of the Lord'' (Matt. 25:21). Third, and as unobtrusive, almost secret, was his [[humility]].<ref name="Yeghia"/>

In 1979 Saint Philoumenos was appointed guardian of the Monastery of Saint [[Jacob's Well]].<ref name="NOCTOC"/>

===Martyrdom===
[[Image:Philoumenos.jpg|right|thumb|]]
The crowning moment of Father Philoumenos’ earthly [[pilgrimage]] came on [[November 16]]/29, 1979 at the shrine built on the site of [[Jacob's Well]]. The Saint experienced a martyric death at the hands of extremist Jewish Zionists who massacred him with an ax in the evening, while he was performing [[Vespers]] at the Well of Jacob where he lived as a loyal guardian of the Holy Places and centuries old way of life.<ref name="NOCTOC"/>

The week before his martyrdom, a group of fanatical Zionists had come to the monastery at Jacob's Well, claiming it as a Jewish holy place and demanding that all crosses and icons be removed. Of course, the Saint pointed out that the floor upon which they were standing had been built by [[Constantine I|Emperor Constantine]] before 331 A.D. and had served as an Orthodox Christian holy place for sixteen centuries before the Israeli State was created, and had been in Samaritan hands eight centuries before that.<ref group="note">The rest of the original church had been destroyed by the invasion of Shah [[w:Khosrau II|Khosran Parvis]] in the early seventh century, at which time the Jews [http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/antiochus_strategos_capture.htm massacred all the Christians of Jerusalem].</ref> The group left with threats, insults and obscenities of the kind which local Christians suffer regularly.<ref name="NOCTOC"/>

After a few days, on November 16/29, 1979, during a torrential downpour, a group broke into the [[Monasticism|monastery]]. The saint had already put on his [[epitrachelion]] for [[Vespers]].

:"They burst into the monastery and with a hatchet butchered Archimandrite Philoumenos in the form of a [[cross]]. With one vertical stroke they clove his face, with another horizontal stroke they cut his cheeks as far as his ears. His eyes were plucked out. The fingers of his right hand were cut into pieces and its thumb was hacked off. These were the fingers with which he made the [[sign of the Cross]]. The murderers were not content with the butchering of the innocent monk, but proceeded to desecrate the church as well. A crucifix was destroyed, the sacred vessels were scattered and defiled, and the church was in general subjected to sacrilege of the most appalling type."<ref name="ALL SAINTS">All Saints of North America Russian Orthodox Church. ''[http://www.allsaintsofamerica.org/martyrs/nmphilou.html Holy Hieromartyr Philoumenos].''</ref>

The piecemeal chopping of the three fingers with which he made the [[Sign of the Cross]] showed that he was tortured in an attempt to make him renounce his Orthodox Christian Faith.<ref group="note">It was later determined that the person that did the actual murder was an American Jew. Instead of being imprisioned for this criminal act by the Israeli government, he was merely deported back to the U.S. where he freely walks the streets. ([http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php/topic,322.msg2891.html#msg2891 OrthodoxChristianity.net]. December 04, 2002. ''(Online Forum)''.</ref><ref name="NOCTOC"/>

The body of the Saint was handed over to the Orthodox 6 days after his massacre, but retained its flexibility and was buried in the cemetery of Mount Zion.<ref name="NOCTOC"/> Saint Philoumenos served in the [[Holy Land]] for 46 years (1933-1979).

==Glorification==
[[Image:Relics of Fr Philoumenos of Jacobs Well.jpg|right|thumb|The Relics of New Hieromartyr Philoumenos of Jacobs Well.]]
After four years his body was exhumed, as is customary among Greek monks. It was found to be substantially incorrupt and had the smell of a beautiful scent. Then the tomb was closed and was reopened during the [[Nativity|Christmas]] season of 1984.<ref name="NOCTOC"/>

On November 17/30, Patriarch [[Diodoros I (Karivalis) of Jerusalem|Diodorus of Jerusalem]], accompanied by various Greek bishops, archimandrites, clergymen and monastics, opened the grave. The coffin was reverently removed from its grave in the cemetery of the [[Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher]] on Mount Sion, and, when the shroud was lifted off, the [[relics]] were found to be substantially incorrupt. The remains were rinsed with wine, and then wrapped in a sheet. A short [[Memorial Services|requiem service]] was then chanted.<ref name="ALL SAINTS"> His body was then placed in a glass shrine in the northern part of the sacred Holy Altar in Mount Zion.<ref group="note">In the seminary chapel of the [[Church of Jerusalem|Patriarchate of Jerusalem]].</ref><ref name="NOCTOC"/>

Hieromartyr Philoumenos was ranked among the [[Saints]] of the [[Church of Jerusalem]] on [[August 17]]/30, 2008, and from that time, his incorrupt body was transferred to the pilgrimage site of Saint [[Jacob's Well]] where he had found martyrdom for the love of [[Jesus Christ|Christ]].<ref name="NOCTOC"/><ref group="note">''Notes on Arab Orthodoxy (blogspot). "[http://araborthodoxy.blogspot.com/2009/12/new-hieromartyr-philomenos.html The New Hieromartyr Philoumenos]." Sunday, December 6, 2009.'') 
''The following is translated from the website of the [http://www.archorthotripoli.org/ Archdiocese of Tripoli].'' 
:Nablus (30.11.2009)—Yesterday, at the Orthodox Church of Jacob’s Well in Nablus the beatification of the martyr Philoumenos and the placing of his name in the Synaxarion of saints of the Orthodox Church was officially announced by the Holy Synod. His Beatitude the Patriarch [[Theophilus III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem|Theophilus III]] presided at the Divine Liturgy, along with the bishops of the [[Church of Jerusalem|patriarchal see of Jerusalem]] and a number of bishops from the [[Church of Cyprus]], in addition to a delegation from the [[Church of Russia|Russian Church]]. The relics of the saint are preserved in the church in which he was martyred. During the [[Divine Liturgy]], the decision of the Holy Synod to place the martyr Archimandrite Philoumenos in the [[w:Synaxarium|Synaxarion]] was officially announced. His annual commemoration will be [[November 29]], the anniversary of his martyrdom.</ref>

His memory is honored on [[November 16]]/29, especially in the Holy [[Metropolis of Morphou]] of the [[Church of Cyprus]], and the community of Orounta, which observes an all-night long church service in memory of the martyr Saint Philoumenos the New.<ref name="NOCTOC"/>

The Lord has seen fit to allow our generation of Christians to have [[martyrs]] of its own. It is without a doubt that the blood of murdered Orthodox Christians such as Archimandrite Philoumenos in the Holy Land, Hieromonk [[New Martyrs of Optina Pustyn|Vasily and the two Optina monks]] in Russia and Brother [[Jose Muñoz-Cortes|Jose Munoz]] in the West, is today’s "seed", which is ripening and will produce a harvest in Christ's Vineyard.<ref>Western American Diocese: Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (News Archive). ''[http://www.wadiocese.com/enews.php?id=C10_82_14 The 10th Anniversary of Brother Jose's Repose is Marked in San Francisco].'' October 31, 2007.</ref>

==Troparia==
[[Image:Agios-ieromartys-filoumenos-parekklision-panagoias-pantanassis-porto-lagos.jpg|right|thumb]]
:'''TROPARION (Tone 3)''' 
:Vanquisher of daemons,
:dispeller of the powers of darkness,
:by thy meekness thou hast inherited the earth
:and reignest in the Heavens;
:intercede, therefore, with our Merciful [[God]],
:that our souls may be saved.<ref name="ALL SAINTS"/>

:'''TROPARION (Tone 4)''' 
:At [[Jacob's Well]] you were proved well named:
:loving [[Jesus Christ|Christ]], confessing Him, pouring out your sacred [[Blood in the Bible|blood]].
:Being faithful in small things you were set over great.
:Worshipping in Spirit and in Truth,
:you are now Guardian of the Holy Places forever.<ref name="ACROD"/>

== Apolytikion, Kontakion, Megalynarion (Greek)==
:'''Απολυτίκιο. Ήχος α΄. Της ερήμου πολίτην.''' 
:Της Ορούντης τον γόνον,
:νήσου Κύπρου του βλάστημα και ιερομάρτυρα νέον Ιακώβ θείου Φρέατος,
:Φιλούμενον τιμήσωμεν, πιστοί, ως πρόμαχον της πίστεως ημών,
:και αήττητον οπλίτην Χριστού της αληθείας, πόθω κράζοντες
:δόξα τω σε δοξάσαντι Χριστώ,
:δόξα τω σε αφθαρτίσαντι,
:δόξα τω σε ημίν χειραγωγόν προς πόλον δείξαντι!

:'''Κοντάκιο. Ήχος πλ. δ΄. Τη Υπερμάχω.''' 
:Τον ανατείλαντα ως άστρον νεαυγέστατον τη Εκκλησία του Χριστού αρτίως μέλψωμεν,
:μαρτυρίου ταις ακτίσι και θαυμασίων ταις βολαίς νεοφανέντα ιερόαθλον,
:ού ηφθάρτισε το σκήνωμα ο Ύψιστος,
:πόθω κράζοντες χαίροις,
:μάκαρ Φιλούμενε.

:'''Μεγαλυνάριο.''' 
:Χαίροις, της Ορούντης σεπτός βλαστός,
:χαίροις, νήσου Κύπρου πολυτίμητος θησαυρός,
:χαίροις, Εκκλησίας της Μόρφου ωραιότητης,
:Φιλούμενε, μαρτύρων νέων υπόδειγμα!<ref>Θεοδωρος Ι. Ρηγινιωτης. ''[http://www.scribd.com/doc/9195929/- Σύγχρονοι άγιοι και όσιοι στην Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία].'' Αυγουστος 2004. Page 60.</ref>

==See also==
* [[Jacob's Well]]
* [[Church of Jerusalem]]
* [[New Martyrs]]

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

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

==Sources==
* All Saints of North America Russian Orthodox Church. ''[http://www.allsaintsofamerica.org/martyrs/nmphilou.html Holy Hieromartyr Philoumenos].''
* Blackwell Reference Online. ''[http://www.blackwellreference.com/public/tocnode?id=g9780631232032_chunk_g978063123203220_ss1-39 Philoumenos].''
* Jerusalem Patriarchate - News Gate.''[http://www.jp-newsgate.net/en/2009/11/29/656/ CLASSIFICATION TO THE HAGIOLOGION OF THE MARTYR FILOUMENOS, SUPERIOR OF JACOB’S WELL].'' 29/11/2009.
* KATHIMERINI (English Edition). ''[http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_1_11/09/2006_74050 Orthodox oasis in West Bank].'' Monday September 11, 2006.
* Monk Yeghia Yenovkian [http://burningbushmonastery.org/ Paradise Palestinian Hermitage], Ellisville, Mississippi. ''[http://www.roca.org/OA/94/94k.htm Tribute to a New Martyr - Our Holy Father Philoumenos of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre ].'' Martyred at Jacob's Well, 16/29 November, 1979. In: '''Orthodox America''', 1994.
* Very Rev. Fr. Edward Pehanich. ''[http://www.acrod.org/assets/files/PDFS/Messenger/CM%20-%201-08_Web.pdf Father Philoumenos of Jacobs Well 1913-1979].'' In: '''The Church Messenger''', American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese of the U.S.A. Volume LXIV, Number 1, January 27, 2008. Page 7. ISSN 0734–0036
* Western American Diocese: Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (News Archive). ''[http://www.wadiocese.com/enews.php?id=C10_82_14 The 10th Anniversary of Brother Jose's Repose is Marked in San Francisco].'' October 31, 2007.
'''Greek sources''' 
* Θεοδωρος Ι. Ρηγινιωτης. ''[http://www.scribd.com/doc/9195929/- Σύγχρονοι άγιοι και όσιοι στην Ορθόδοξη Εκκλησία].'' Αυγουστος 2004. pp. 40,60.
* ''[http://noctoc-noctoc.blogspot.com/2008/11/1979-cypriot-saint-philoumenos-who-was.html NOCTOC: Ο Κύπριος Άγιος Φιλούμενος που κατακρεούργησαν οι σιωνιστές Εβραίοι το 1979-The Cypriot Saint Philoumenos who was massacred by Zionist Jews in 1979].'' Saturday, November 29, 2008.

[[Category:Elders]]
[[Category:Monastics]]
[[Category:Martyrs]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Greek Saints]]
[[Category:Modern Saints]]

[[pt:Filomeno do Poço de Jacó]]

Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia

2013-01-03T12:43:41Z

SerafimBR: /* The Episcopacy */

{{diocese|
name=Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia|
jurisdiction=[[Church of Russia|Russia]] |
type=Semi-autonomous|
founded=1922|
bishop=[[Hilarion (Kapral) of Sydney|Hilarion (Kapral)]], First Hierarch|
see=New York|
hq=New York, New York|
territory=United States, worldwide|
language=[[Church Slavonic]], English, German|
music=[[Russian Chant]]|
calendar=[[Julian Calendar|Julian]]|
population=480,000<ref>[http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/news-1/1206001825245730.xml&coll=2 Cleveland Plain Dealer: Metropolitan Laurus, helped reunify Russian Orthodox Church], Thursday, March 20, 2008</ref>|
website=[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/indexeng.htm ROCOR]
}}
The '''Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia''' (also called the ''Russian Orthodox Church Abroad'', ''ROCA'', ''ROCOR'', ''the Karlovsty Synod'', or ''the Synod'') is a semi-[[autonomy|autonomous]] [[jurisdiction]] of the [[Moscow Patriarchate]] originally formed in response against the policy of Bolsheviks with respect to religion in the Soviet Union soon after the Russian Revolution. The ROCOR exists overlapping with previously existing [[diocese]]s of the Moscow Patriarchate throughout the [[diaspora]].

==History==
===Formation and early years===
In 1920, the Soviet government had revealed that it was quite hostile to the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]]. Saint [[Tikhon of Moscow|Tikhon]], Patriarch of Moscow, issued an ''[[Ukaz No. 362|ukaz]]'' (decree) that all Russian Orthodox Christians abroad currently under the authority and protection of his Patriarchate organize and govern themselves independently of the Mother Church, until such time that the Patriarchate would again be free.

Among most Russian [[bishop]]s and other hierarchs, this was interpreted as an authorization to form an emergency [[synod]] of all Russian Orthodox hierarchs to permit the Church to continue to function outside Russia and provide spiritual care for nearly three million Russian emigres. To add urgency to the synod's motives, in May of 1922, the Soviet government proclaimed its own "[[Living Church]]" as a "reform" of the [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox Church]].

On [[September 13]], 1922, Russian Orthodox hierarchs in Serbia gave their blessing to the establishment, in Serbia, of a Synod of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad, the foundation of ROCOR. In November of 1922, Russian Orthodox in North America held a synod and elected Metropolitan [[Platon (Rozhdestvensky) of New York|Platon]] as the primate of an autonomous Russian exarchate in the Americas (also known as the ''Metropolia'', which eventually became the [[Orthodox Church in America]]). Although the hierarchs of the Metropolia participated as full equals in the Synod Abroad, eventually a three-way conflict in the United States erupted between the patriarchal exarchate, ROCOR (sometimes known as "the Synod" in this period), and the [[Living Church]], which asserted that it was the legitimate (i.e., Russian-government-recognized) owner of all Orthodox properties in the USA. (See: [[ROCOR and OCA]])

===The Church of the Refugees (1922-1991)===
{{orthodoxyinamerica}}
In 1927, ROCOR declared "The part of the Russian Church that finds itself abroad considers itself an inseparable, spiritually united branch of the Great Russian Church. It does not separate itself from its Mother Church and does not consider itself autocephalous," indicating that ROCOR considered itself to speak for all of the Russian Orthodox outside of Russia. The Church Abroad also considered itself to be the free voice of the enslaved Mother Church in the Soviet Union.<ref>For more on how ROCOR viewed its relationship to the Mother Church, see [http://web.archive.org/web/20030430123024/http:/orthodoxinfo.com/resistance/mpmother.htm Is the Moscow Patriarchate the "Mother Church" of the ROCOR?] by Protopresbyter Alexander Lebedeff, December 28, 2007</ref>

After the end of World War II, the [[Church of Russia|Patriarchate of Moscow]] broached the possibility of reunification between Moscow and ROCOR, presumably at the behest of the Soviet government, which had adopted a more conciliatory attitude towards religion during the war and was presumably trying to capitalize on its wartime alliances to win a more respectable position internationally. This was not deemed possible at that time by ROCOR, given that Russia was still under communist dictatorship and the Church was still persecuted and controlled by the atheist authorities.

===Holy Transfiguration Monastery and ROCOR===
In the 1960s, ROCOR took under its care [[Holy Transfiguration Monastery (Brookline, Massachusetts)]] (today the principal [[monastery]] of [[HOCNA]]) after the latter had broken communion from the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]]. At some point later, they gradually assumed responsibility for much of ROCOR's external communications and publications. (The monks of Holy Transfiguration were English-speaking and the ROCOR bishops in America mainly were not.)

It is believed by many that the allegedly sectarian spirit of ROCOR came into its flowering during this time and under the influence of this monastery, which frequently misrepresented the official policies and views of the Synod of Bishops. In the early 1980s the hierarchs of the Synod began to correct and censor the narrow-minded and incorrect views of the followers of Holy Transfiguration Monastery. Subsequently this group broke communion with ROCOR (regarding allegations of sexual abuse by the monastery's leadership), styling themselves the [[HOCNA|Holy Orthodox Church in North America]] (HOCNA). They became affiliated with the [[True Orthodox Church of Greece]], a Greek Old Calendarist group which broke from the [[Church of Greece]]. According to Fr. Alexey Young (author of ''The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia: A History and Chronology''), the association of ROCOR and Holy Transfiguration Monastery resulted in deep damage to ROCOR.<ref>For more on the history of this schism, see [http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/hocna_facts.htm Articles for those who wish to know the Truth about the Panteleimonite Schism and the so called "Holy Orthodox Church in North America"], December 28, 2007</ref>

===After the Soviet fall===
After the end of the Soviet Union, ROCOR maintained its independence from the [[Church of Russia|Moscow Patriarchate]] on the grounds that the Church inside Russia had been unacceptably compromised. Some accusations went so far as to claim that the entire hierarchy within Russia were active KGB agents. ROCOR also attempted to set up missions in post-Soviet Russia.

This did not prevent all communication, however. For many years there had been unofficial and warm contacts between the two groups. In 2001, the Synod of the Patriarchate of Moscow and ROCOR exchanged formal correspondence. The Muscovite letter held the position that previous and current separation was over purely political matters. ROCOR's response expressed concern over continued Muscovite involvement in [[ecumenism]], which was seen as compromising Moscow's Orthodoxy. Nevertheless, this was far more friendly discourse than had been seen previously.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia continued to establish itself in its homeland, although today, all of those parishes are either reconciled with the Moscow Patriarchate, or have gone into schism with one "Free Russian" group or another.

===Views on the Moscow Patriarchate===
After the declaration of Metropolitan Sergius of 1927, there were a range of opinions regarding the Moscow Patriarchate within ROCOR. A distinction must be made between the various opinions of bishops, clergy, and laity within ROCOR, and official statements from the Synod of Bishops. There was a general consensus in ROCOR that the Soviet government was manipulating the Moscow Patriarchate to one extent or another, and that under such circumstances administrative ties were impossible. There were also official statements made that the elections of the patriarchs of Moscow which occurred after 1927 were invalid because they were not conducted freely (without the interference of the Soviets) or with the participation of the entire Russian Church.<ref>See, for example, [http://www.stvladimirs.ca/library/concerning-patriarch-pimen.html Resolution of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia Concerning the Election of Pimen (Isvekov) as Patriarch of Moscow, September 1/14) 1971], December 27th, 2007</ref> However, these statements only declared that ROCOR did not recognize the Patriarchs of Moscow who were elected after 1927 as being the legitimate primates of the Russian Church -- they did not declare that the Bishops of the Moscow Patriarchate were illegitimate bishops, or without grace. There were, however, under the umbrella of this general consensus, various opinions about the Moscow Patriarchate, ranging for those who held the extreme view that the Moscow Patriarchate had apostatized from the Church (those in the orbit of Holy Transfiguration Monastery being the most vocal advocates of this position), to those who considered them to be innocent sufferers at the hands of the Soviets, and all points in between. Advocates of the more extreme view of the Moscow Patriarchate became increasingly strident in the 1970's, at a time when ROCOR was increasingly isolating itself from much of the rest of the Orthodox Church due to concerns over the direction of Orthodox involvement in the Ecumenical Movement. Prior to the collapse of the Soviet Union, there wasn't a burning need to settle the question of what should be made of the status of the Moscow Patriarchate, although beginning in the mid 1980's (as the period of Glaznost began in the Soviet Union, which culminated in the ultimate collapse of the Soviet government in 1991), these questions resulted in a number of schisms, and increasingly occupied the attention of those in ROCOR.

There are certain basic facts about the official position of ROCOR that should be understood. Historically, ROCOR has always affirmed that it was an inseparable part of the Russian Church, and that it's autonomous status was only temporary, based upon [http://www.pomog.org/index.html?http://www.pomog.org/ukaz.htm Ukaz 362], until such time as the domination of the Soviet government over the affairs of the Church should cease:

:"The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia is an indissoluble part of the Russian Orthodox Church, and for the time until the extermination in Russia of the atheist government, is self-governing on conciliar principles in accordance with the resolution of the Patriarch, the Most Holy Synod, and the Highest Church Council [Sobor] of the Russian Church dated 7/20 November, 1920, No. 362."<ref>[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/english/pages/regulations/rocorregulations.html Regulations Of The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Confirmed by the Council of Bishops in 1956 and by a decision of the Council dated 5/18 June, 1964], first paragraph, December 28, 2007</ref>

Similarly, [[Anastasy (Gribanovsky) of Kishinev|Metropolitan Anastasy]] wrote in his Last Will and Testament:

:"As regards the Moscow Patriarchate and its hierarchs, then, so long as they continue in close, active and benevolent cooperation with the Soviet Government, which openly professes its complete godlessness and strives to implant atheism in the entire Russian nation, then the Church Abroad, maintaining Her purity, must not have any canonical, liturgical or even simply external communion with them whatsoever, leaving each one of them at the same time to the final judgment of the Council (Sobor) of the future free Russian Church."<ref>[http://www.orthodox.net/articles/anastasy-will.html The last will and testament of Metropolitan Anastassy, 1957], December 28, 2007</ref>

ROCOR viewed the Russian Church as consisting of three parts during the Soviet period: 1. The Moscow Patriarchate, 2. the Catacomb Church, and 3. The Free Russian Church (ROCOR). The Catacomb Church had been a significant part of the Russian Church prior to World War II. Most of those in ROCOR had left Russia during or well before World War II. They were unaware of the changes that had occurred immediately after World War II—most significantly that with the election of Patriarch [[Alexei I (Simansky) of Moscow|Alexei I]], most of the Catacomb Church was reconciled with the Moscow Patriarchate. By the 1970s, due to this reconciliation, as well as to continued persecution by the Soviets, there was very little left of the Catacomb Church. [[Alexander Solzhenitsyn]] made this point in a letter to the 1974 [[All-Diaspora Councils|All-Diaspora Sobor]] of ROCOR, in which he stated that ROCOR should not "show solidarity with a mysterious, sinless, but also bodiless catacomb."<ref>[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/cat_1974.aspx The Catacomb Tikhonite Church 1974], The Orthodox Word, Nov.-Dec., 1974 (59), 235-246, December 28, 2007.</ref> The fact that the catacomb Church had essentially ceased to exist was de facto recognized when, as Communism was about to finally collapse in Russia, ROCOR began to establish "Free Russian" parishes in Russia, and to consecrate bishops to oversee such parishes, and never recognized any alleged Catacomb bishop as having a legitimate episcopacy.

Finally, the collapse of Communism in the Soviet Union precipitated a crisis in ROCOR, because the very reason that had initially resulted in its separation from the Moscow Patriarchate had been removed, and so the basis of the consensus that had previously united ROCOR began to unravel. There were those who did not believe that the Moscow Patriarchate was yet free from the control of the KGB, and that in any case they had not sufficiently renounced the policies of Metropolitan Sergius. There were also those who believed that regardless of the political situation in Russia, that the question of Ecumenism had become sufficient grounds for continued separation. But after the August 2000 All-Russian Sobor of the Moscow Patriarchate, in which the MP officially condemned the Branch Theory of Ecumenism, and also renounced in principle, if not in name, the policies of Metropolitan Sergius, the question of reconciliation with the Moscow Patriarchate become an unavoidable question that had to be resolved, one way or another.<ref>[http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/statusquo.htm Status Quo, ROCOR?], December 28, 2007.</ref>

===Rapprochement with Moscow===
[[Image:Laurus alexii signing.jpg|right|250px|thumb|The signing of the [[Act of Canonical Communion with the Moscow Patriarchate|Act of Canonical Communion]] by Patr. Alexey II and Metr. Laurus]]
After the election of Metropolitan [[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus]] as First Hierarch of ROCOR in 2001, a steady process of rapprochement occurred between ROCOR and the [[Church of Russia|Moscow Patriarchate]]. Multiple official visits were been exchanged between hierarchs and other clergy of both churches, and the date for restoration of [[full communion]] was officially announced by both sides.

In October 2001 Patriarch [[Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow|Alexei II]] and the [[Holy Synod]] of the Moscow Patriarchate sent a letter to the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia calling for reconciliation, but without immediate success. However, there was mutual recognition of grace in the sacraments of each church. Then, in November 2003, a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia consisting of three bishops and two priests paid an official visit to the Moscow Patriarchate. This signaled a warming in relations, and in May 2004 for the first time since the foundation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, the First Hierarch of ROCOR, Metropolitan Laurus, visited Moscow and met with Patriarch Alexei. The two church leaders established a joint committee to examine ways to overcome the division between their churches. This committee met successfully on several occasions, working out the details of intercommunion between the two Church bodies.

This possibility of rapprochement led to a small [[schism]] from ROCOR, taking the self-retired Metropolitan [[Vitaly (Ustinov) of New York|Vitaly]] (Metropolitan Laurus's predecessor) with it (regarded by many in ROCOR as having been abducted by the schismatics). The resultant body refers to itself as the ''[[Russian Orthodox Church in Exile]]'' (ROCE/ROCiE), though it often still uses the ''ROCOR'' name. A few other communities have also broken off from ROCOR, some joining with Greek [[Old Calendarists|Old Calendarist]] groups.

On [[June 21]], 2005, it was announced simultaneously by both the ROCOR and the MP on their respective websites that rapprochement talks were leading toward the resumption of full relations between the ROCOR and the MP and that the ROCOR would be given the status of [[autonomy]].<ref>[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/01newstucture/pagesen/articles/docs.html Documents Developed at the Joint Sessions of the Commission of the Moscow Patriarchate on Discussions with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on Discussions with the Moscow Patriarchate.]</ref>

In May 2006, the ROCOR met in its IV All-Diaspora Council, which was held at Most Holy Theotokos Joy of All Who Sorrow Cathedral in San Francisco, California. The council consisted of clergy and lay delegates from all dioceses of the ROCOR, and adopted a resolution, expressing "great hope that in the appropriate time, the unity of the Russian Church will be restored upon the foundation of the Truth of Christ, opening for us the possibility to serve together and to commune from one Chalice."<ref>[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2006/5ensobresolution.html Resolution of the IV All-Diaspora Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]</ref>

Following the IV All-Diaspora Council, the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR was held. According to sources close to the council, it generally agreed with the text of the proposed "[[Act of Canonical Communion with the Moscow Patriarchate|Act of Canonical Unity]]," but remitted it back to the Committee for Dialogue with the Moscow Patriarchate to rework certain aspects of the document.{{citation}} The exact nature of the elements to be worked out is unclear, but, according to sources close to the Synod of Bishops, it involved, among other things, property issues in the Holy Land.{{citation}}

On September 6, 2006, the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR decreed their confirmation and approval of the revised Act of Canonical Unity and instructed the Commission on Discussion with the Moscow Patriarchate to work jointly with the Moscow Patriarchate to work out details of the official signing of the Act.<ref> [http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2006/9enaktko.html The Synod of Bishops Makes a Decision on the "Act on Canonical Communion"]</ref> Subsequently on September 11, 2006, the Synod of Bishops of ROCOR published on ROCOR's website a clarification of their decision to confirm and approve the Act.<ref>[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2006/9enaktexplanantion.html Clarifications on the Negotiation Process and the "Act on Canonical Communion"]</ref> Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia acknowledged the work of the commissions and declared that the act of reunification, while moving in the right direction, will take time.<ref> [http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=1977 Unification of Orthodox Church with its branch abroad will not be fast - Alexy II]</ref>

Both the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia published on their respective websites the final full text of the Act of Canonical Unity <ref>[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/engdocuments/enmat_akt.html Act of Canonical Union]</ref> with all relevant supporting documents <ref>[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/engdocuments/enmat_addendum.html Addendum to the Act of Canonical Communion], [http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2006/11ensummation.html Summation of the Joint Work of the Commissions of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Moscow Patriarchate]</ref> on November 1, 2006. The Act having been approved by both the Moscow Patriarchate and ROCOR, was formally signed in Moscow on May 17, 2007, followed by a concelebration of the Divine Liturgy, bringing the ROCOR into the Moscow Patriarchate.

===ROCOR Today===
ROCOR currently has 349 [[parish]]es and 21 [[monastery|monasteries]] for men and women in 32 countries throughout the world, served by 462 clergy. The distribution of parishes is as follows: 152 parishes and 8 monasteries in the United States; 42 parishes in Germany; 31 parishes and 4 monasteries in Australia; 21 parishes and 3 monasteries in Canada; 22 parishes in Indonesia; and a handful of institutions in France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, South America, and New Zealand.<ref>[http://www.synod.com/ Source: Official ROCOR parish directory]</ref>

There are twelve ROCOR monasteries for men and women in North America, the most important and largest of which is [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)]], to which is attached ROCOR's seminary, [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary]].

In concert with the [[Church of Jerusalem]], ROCOR also oversees the [http://www.jerusalem-mission.org/ Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem], which acts as caretaker to three holy sites in Palestine, all of which are monasteries.

==Ecclesiastical status before 2007==
Until the reconciliation with Moscow in 2007, the ROCOR was in relative [[Eucharist]]ic isolation from much of the Orthodox world, not always exchanging [[full communion]] with the majority of Orthodox [[jurisdiction]]s. It maintained good relations, intercommunion, and [[concelebration]] with the [[Church of Serbia]], the [[Church of Jerusalem]], and the [[Church of Sinai]].

Before the reconciliation, ROCOR's status with regard to [[full communion]] was not entirely clear-cut. There was never a formal declaration of a break in communion made between ROCOR and most other Orthodox churches, though in many dioceses [[concelebration]] had been suspended. In others, concelebration was active. A formal declaration of breaking communion with the OCA was issued by the ROCOR Synod after the Moscow Patriarchate issued the Tomos of Autocephaly to the OCA. (See: [[ROCOR and OCA]].) Generally Orthodox Christians from all local Orthodox churches were welcome to the chalice in ROCOR churches. There was never a declaration from the ROCOR synod that grace did not exist in the [[New Calendar]] jurisdictions, in spite of statements to the contrary by the followers of Holy Transfiguation Monastery in Boston when they were still with the Synod.

ROCOR formerly maintained communion with a few [[Old Calendarist]] jurisdictions, including the [[Holy Synod in Resistance]] (True Orthodox Church of Greece, so-called "Cyprianites"), the [[Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Romania]] (Synod of Metropolitan Vlasie), and the [[Old Calendar Orthodox Church of Bulgaria]] (Bishop Photii). In 2006, communion with the [[Holy Synod in Resistance]] was suspended, after the ROCOR Synod received a letter from Metropolitan Cyprian of Oropos and Fili stating that Metropolitan Laurus' name had been "struck from the [[Diptychs|diptych]]."<ref>[http://www.synod.com/synod/eng2006/2ensynodmeeting.html A Regular Session of the Synod of Bishops is Held]</ref> Relations with the Synod of Metropolitan Vlasie and with Bishop Photii of Triaditza were subsequently severed as well.

As of 2007, with the reconciliation with Moscow, the ROCOR is now in communion with [[List of autocephalous and autonomous churches|all of mainstream Orthodoxy]] by virtue of its incorporation into the Moscow Patriarchate.

==The Episcopacy==
: ''See '''[[List of bishiops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]]'''''
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia currently has thirteen [[bishop]]s serving nine [[diocese]]s throughout the world, along with one retired bishop.

===Ruling bishops===
* Metropolitan [[Hilarion (Kapral) of Sydney|Hilarion (Kapral)]] of New York and Eastern America, First Hierarch of the ROCOR, Archbishop of Sydney, [[Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (ROCOR)|Australia and New Zealand]]
* Archbishop [[Alypy (Gramanovich) of Chicago|Alypy (Gamanovich)]] of Chicago and Mid-America
* Archbishop [[Mark (Arndt) of Berlin|Mark (Arndt)]] of Berlin, Germany and of Great Britain
* Archbishop [[Kyrill (Dmitrieff) of San Francisco|Kyrill (Dmitrieff)]] of San Francisco and Western America
* Archbishop [[Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Manhattan|Gabriel (Chemodakov)]] of Montreal and Canada
* Bishop [[Michael (Donskoff) of Geneva|Michael (Donskoff)]] of Geneva and Western Europe
* Bishop [[John (Bērziņš) of Caracas|John (Bērziņš)]] of Caracas and South America

===Vicar bishops===
* Bishop [[Agapit (Gorachek) of Stuttgart|Agapit (Gorachek)]] of Stuttgart, Vicar of the German Diocese
* Bishop [[Peter (Loukianoff) of Cleveland|Peter (Loukianoff)]] of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America
* Bishop [[Theodosius (Ivashchenko)]] of Seattle, Vicar of the Diocese of Western America.
* Bishop [[George (Schaefer)]] of Mayfield, Vicar of the Diocese of Eastern America.
* Bishop [[Jerome (Shaw)]] of Manhattan, Vicar of the Diocese of Eastern America.

===Retired bishops===
* Bishop [[Varnava (Prokofiev) of Cannes|Varnava (Prokofiev)]], Retired, formerly of Cannes, Vicar of the Western European diocese

===Suspended bishops===
* [[Benjamin (Rusalenko)]], suspended. Formerly bishop of Black Sea and Kuban
* [[Agafangel (Pashkovsky) of Odessa|Agafangel (Pashkovsky)]], suspended. Formerly bishop of Odessa and the Crimea

==First Hierarchs==
* Metropolitan [[Anthony (Khrapovitsky) of Kiev|Anthony (Khrapovitsky)]] (reposed on August 10, 1936, in Sremsky Karlovtsy, Serbia)
* Metropolitan [[Anastasy (Gribanovsky) of Kishinev|Anastasy (Gribanovsky)]] (reposed on May 22, 1965)
* Metropolitan [[Philaret (Voznesensky) of New York|Philaret (Voznesensky)]] (reposed on November 21, 1985)
* Metropolitan [[Vitaly (Ustinov) of New York|Vitaly (Ustinov)]] (reposed on September 25, 2006, in Mansonville, Canada)
* Metropolitan [[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus (Škurla)]] (reposed on March 16, 2008)
* Metropolitan [[Hilarion (Kapral) of Sydney|Hilarion (Kapral)]] of New York and Eastern America

==See also==
*[[ROCOR and OCA]]

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

==External links==
*[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/ Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia] (Official site, Russian)
*[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/indexeng.htm Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia] (Official site, English)
*[http://www.roca.org/ ROCA: A collection of Russian Orthodox Materials] (Unofficial site)
*[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/ecumenism/roca_history.aspx History of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad], by St. [[John Maximovitch]]
*[http://gnisios.narod.ru/bisrocor.html Bishops of the ROCOR]
*[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/01newstucture/pagesen/articles/svassasobor.htm "Glory be to God, Who Did Not Abandon His Church": The Self-Awareness of ROCOR at the Third All-Diaspora Council of 1974], by Nun Vassa (Larin)

*[http://www.saintjonah.org/articles/voicesofreason.htm Voices of Reason], a collection of articles in response to those who oppose the reconciliation of ROCOR with the MP

[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
[[Category:Moscow Patriarchate Dioceses]]

[[ro:Biserica Ortodoxă Rusă din afara Rusiei]]

Tarasios (Anton) of Buenos Aires

2012-12-29T19:50:05Z

SerafimBR:

His Eminence [[Metropolitan]] '''Tarasios (Anton)''' is a [[hierarch]] of the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]]. As the Metropolitan of Buenos Aires and the [[Exarch]] of South America, he is the [[primate]] of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Buenos Aires and South America.

==Life==
Metr. Tarasios was born Peter (Panayiotis) C. Anton in Gary, Indiana, in 1956 to Peter and Angela Anton. The family moved to San Antonio, Texas, in 1960, and young Peter grew up in the Church of St. Sophia in San Antonio. He studied at [[Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Brookline, Massachusetts)|Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology]], as well as Trinity University in San Antonio, the University of Notre Dame in Indiana (M.A. in Theology 1983), the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, and the Pontifical School of Paleography and Archives at the Vatican.

He served as a [[lay]] assistant at St. Nicholas' church in St. Louis, Missouri, beginning in 1980, and eight years later became administrative assistant in the Diocese of Atlanta.

In 1990, Peter became the first American to serve at the Patriarchal court in Constantinople, when he was [[ordination|ordained]] to the [[diaconate]] by Metr. [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholemew of Chalcedon]]. He advanced through the ranks of the patriarchate, eventually being appointed as Grand Archdeacon of the Patriarchate. In this role he oversaw the operation of the Patriarchal Church of St. George (the seat of the Ecumenical Patriarch), as well as various functions of the [[Archdiocese]] of Constantinople. He supervised the production of the first English language guidebook to the Patriarchal church.

He was ordained to the [[priest|priesthood]] on [[May 27]], 2001, in Prokopi, and to the [[episcopate]] on [[June 3]] in Constantinople. He was enthroned in Buenos Aires on [[July 14]], 2001.

Metr. Tarasios speaks English, Greek, Spanish, Italian, and French, and has some reading knowledge of Portuguese.

Since taking up his post, His Eminence has relocated and reorganized the administrative offices and other departments of the Archdiocese, initiated programs and activities involving social action, missions, and Christian philanthropy, organized events focusing on the youth with the hope of bringing them closer to the Orthodox Church, sponsored six candidates for ordination to the priesthood, and established close ties with the inter-religious communities primarily of Buenos Aires but also throughout the South American continent.

Presently Metropolitan Tarasios is in the process of establishing a permanent and solid economic foundation based on the principle of Christian Stewardship. Future plans include developing a Department of Religious Education, a Department of Communication, a Sister Parish Program, and establishing an Orthodox Spiritual and Hellenic Cultural Center in their existing facilities.

==Sources==
*"Metropolitan Tarasios of Buenos Aires," ''The Orthodox Observer'', June 2001, page 8. [http://www.goarch.org/en/news/observer/pdf/2001/01-June.pdf PDF]
*[http://www.bulletin.goarch.org/ChurchBulletins/46/071507/OtherNotes.html His Eminence Metropolitan Tarasios of Buenos Aires to Celebrate the Divine Liturgy in Modesto on July 29, 2007]

==External links==
*[http://orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/resources/hierarchs/constantinople/currenta.htm#tarasios_metr_buenosaires Listing] at the Orthodox Research Institute
*[http://www.wwrn.org/article.php?idd=1267&sec=15&cont=8 "American Enthroned As Greek Leader"] by Bill Cormier, 2001
*[http://www.i-tur.com.ar/contenido/arzobizpo/arzobispo_es.php Tarasios, Arzobispo Metropolitano de Buenos Aires y Exarca de Sudamérica] (Spanish)

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Gennadios (Chrysoulakis) of Buenos Aires|Gennadios (Chrysoulakis)]]|
title=Metropolitan of Buenos Aires|
years=2001 - present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Buenos Aires]]
[[Category:21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Holy Cross Seminary Graduates]]

[[es:Tarasios (Antonopoulos) de Buenos Aires]]
[[pt:Tarasios (Antonopoulos) de Buenos Aires]]

Constantine I of Kiev

2012-12-28T13:56:13Z

SerafimBR:

Our father among the [[saint]]s '''Constantine I of Kiev''' was the [[Metropolitan]] of Kiev in the twelfth century. His [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[June 5]].

After the repose of Metr. Michael of Kiev in 1145, the Grand Prince Isiaiaslav moved to have the [[schemamonk]] Clement (Kliment) [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] to the Kievan [[see]] without the blessing of the [[Patriarch of Constantinople]]. At a [[Holy Synod|council of bishops]], Abp. [[Nifont of Novgorod]] voiced his disapproval of this action, advising the council that it was contrary to the tradition of the Russian Church as the Church had received the Orthodox faith from Constantinople. The consecration of Clement took place regardless of Abp. Nifont’s objection.

When he had learned of this action the Patriarch of Constantinople sent Metr. Constantine to Kiev to investigate the situation. Constantine took cause to [[deposition|depose]] Clement and assumed the see in Kiev himself. He there upon exiled all the priests that Clement had [[ordination|ordained]]. This created a dispute between supporters of Clement and Constantine. At the request of the princes, the Patriarch sent Theodore to Kiev, who then removed both Clement and Constantine from office.

In his will that was read after his repose in 1159, Constantine wrote that he was not to be buried but be thrown to the dogs to eaten as he saw himself guilty of sowing discord in the Church. His survivors were thrown into confusion, but daring not to follow his instructions, they took his body and threw it outside. There his body laid for three days while terrible weather came to Kiev. It thundered, lightening flashed, and the earth trembled. Seeing this, the Prince of Kiev directed that Constantine's body be taken and buried in the church in which Prince Igor had been laid, upon which the world in Kiev returned to its natural course.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=Clement Smolyatich|
title=[[List of primates of Russia|Metropolitan of Kiev]]|
years=1155-1158|
after=Feodor}}
{{end box}}

==External links==
*[http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/my.html?month=June&day=5 Blessed Constantine, Metropolitan of Kiev] (''[[Prologue of Ohrid]]'')
*[http://www.maison-russie.fr/invites/icone/saints_fetes/textes/constantin_kiev.html Saint Constantin, Metropolite de Kiev] (French)

[[Category:Bishops|Constantine]]
[[Category:12th-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Kiev]]
[[Category:Patriarchs of Moscow|Constantine]]
[[Category:Russian Saints|Constantine]]
[[Category:Saints|Constantin]]
[[Category:12th-century saints]]

[[pt:Constantino de Kiev]]

Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch

2012-12-28T10:47:26Z

SerafimBR:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople

2012-12-20T13:10:26Z

SerafimBR:

[[Image:Ecum._Patriarch_Bartholomew.jpg|thumb|right|His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I]]
[[Image:President Barack Obama meets with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.jpg|thumb|right|United States President Barack Obama meets with Bartholomew I.]]
His All-Holiness '''Bartholomew I''' is the Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch of the [[Church of Constantinople]], and "first among equals" in Orthodox Christianity. He was enthroned on [[November 2]], 1991.

==Life==
Dimitrios Archontonis was born on [[February 29]], 1940 in the village of Aghios Theodoros (Άγιος Θεόδωρος in Greek, Zeytinli Köyü in Turkish) on Imvros (now Gökçeada), an island in the Aegean Sea belonging to Turkey. He was the son Christos and Merope Archontóni. He is Turkish by citizenship, but belongs ethnically to the remnants of the Greek community that formally existed in Turkey, before the exchange of Turks who were in Greece with Greeks who were in Turkey under the provision of the Treaty of Lausanne that ended the Greco-Turkish War of 1919-1922.

Dimitrios (Christou) Archontonis began his education in the village of Aghios Theodoros and continued at the Zographeion Lyceum in Istanbul. After graduation form the Lyceum, he entered the Patriarchal [[Theological School of Halki]], from which he graduated in 1961 with highest honors. From 1961 to 1963, Dimitrios served his military obligation with the Turkish army as a reserve officer. After his release from the army in 1963, Dimitrios continued his postgraduate education at the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome, Italy, the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey in Switzerland, and the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. He received his doctorate after completing his doctoral research in Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome where he became a lecturer. In 1968, Dimitrios took a position as assistant dean at the Theological School of Halki.

On [[August 13]], 1961, Dimitrios was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]] as well as was given a [[monasticism|monastic]] [[tonsure]] with the name Bartholomew. On [[October 19]], 1969, Dn. Bartholomew was ordained a [[priest]]. In 1970, he was elevated to the rank of [[archimandrite]]. On [[December 25]], 1973, Fr, Bartholomew was consecrated [[Metropolitan]] of Philadelphia in Asia Minor. In 1974, he became a member of the [[Holy Synod]] of the Church of Constantinople. On [[January 14]], 1990, he was [[enthronement|enthroned]] Metropolitan of Chalcedon. On [[October 22]], 1991, Metr. Bartholomew was elected the 270th [[Archbishop]] of Constantinople, New Rome, and [[Ecumenical Patriarch]].

As [[Patriarch]], he has been particularly active internationally. One of his first focuses has been on rebuilding the once-persecuted Orthodox Churches of Eastern Europe following the fall of Soviet Communism in 1989-91. As part of this effort he has worked to strengthen ties amongst the various national Churches and Patriarchates of the Orthodox Church. He has also continued the reconciliation dialogues with the [[Roman Catholic Church]] started by his predecessors, and initiated dialogues with other faiths, including [[Christianity|Christian]], [[Islam|Muslim]], and [[Judaism|Jewish]] sects. He is sometimes accused of acting in an authoritarian, almost [[papacy|papal]] manner by some of his detractors, especially regarding his actions toward the [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]].

Perhaps most unusually, he has gained a reputation as a prominent environmentalist, putting the support of the Patriarchate behind various international environmental causes.

==Titles==
The official title of the Ecumenical Patriarch is:

'''His All Holiness, Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch''';

in Greek:

''' Η Αυτού Θειοτάτη Παναγιότης ο Αρχιεπίσκοπος Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Νέας Ρώμης και Οικουμενικός Πατριάρχης Βαρθολομαίος Α' '''

The official title recognized by the Republic of Turkey is:

'''Bartholomew I, Patriarch of the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul'''

==Books Authored in English==
* Bartholomew I (Ecumenical Patriarch). ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=citwDOTiWV8C&source=gbs_navlinks_s Encountering the Mystery: Understanding Orthodox Christianity Today].'' Random House of Canada, 2008. ISBN 9780385518130
* Bartholomew I (Ecumenical Patriarch), [[John Chryssavgis]]. ''[http://search.barnesandnoble.com/In-the-World-yet-Not-of-the-World/Ecumenical-Patriarch-Bartholomew/e/9780823231713/?itm=3 In the World, Yet Not of the World: Social and Global Initiatives of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew].'' Fordham University Press, November 2009. 300 pp. ISBN 9780823231713

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=Iakovos|
title=Metropolitan of Philadelphia|
years=1973-1990|
after=[[Meliton (Karas) of Philadelphia|Meliton (Karas)]]}}
{{succession|
before=Meliton (Hadjis)|
title=Metropolitan of Chalcedon|
years=1990-1991|
after=[[Joachim (Neradjoulis) of Chalcedon|Joachim (Neradjoulis)]]}}
{{succession|
before=[[Demetrius I (Papadopoulos) of Constantinople|Demetrius I (Papadopoulos)]]|
title=[[List of Patriarchs of Constantinople|Patriarch of Constantinople]]|
years=1991-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Sources==
*[http://www.patriarchate.org/patriarch/biography Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch]
*[http://www.ec-patr.org/list/index.php?lang=en&id=328 Ec-patr: Bartholomew]
*[[Wikipedia: Ecumenical_Patriarch_Bartholomew_I_of_Constantinople]]
*[http://rulers.org/indexv.html#varth Rulers Index V: Vartholomaios I]

==External links==
* [http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1733748_1733757_1735535,00.html The 2008 TIME 100 Leaders & Revolutionaries - Bartholomew I] by Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury, head of the Anglican Church.
* [http://realserver.goarch.org/ram/en/bartholomew_interview.ram RealVideo Interview with His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (1994)]

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

[[ar:برثلماوس الاول]]
[[el:Βαρθολομαίος Κωνσταντινουπόλεως]]
[[es:Bartolomé I (Archontonis) de Constantinopla]]
[[fr:Bartholomée Ier (Archontonis) de Constantinople]]
[[ro:Bartolomeu I (Archontonis) al Constantinopolului]]
[[pt:Bartolomeu I (Archontonis) de Constantinopla]]

Constantine the Great

2012-12-12T08:38:33Z

SerafimBR: /* Controversies surrounding Constantine's faith */

[[Image:Constantine the Great.jpg|right|frame|St. Constantine]]
Equal to the Apostles Emperor Saint '''Constantine the Great''' ([[February 27]], 272-[[May 22]], 337) was proclaimed Augustus by his troops on [[July 25]], 306 and ruled an ever-growing portion of the Roman Empire to his death. Constantine is famed for his re-founding of [[Byzantium]] as "New Rome," which was always called "Constantine's City"—Constantinople. With the [[Edict of Milan]] in 313, Constantine and his co-Emperor removed all onus from Christianity. By taking the personal step of convoking the [[First Ecumenical Council|Council of Nicea]] (325) Constantine began the Roman Empire's unofficial sponsorship of Christianity, which was a major factor in the faith's spread. His reputation as the "first Christian Emperor" was promulgated by [[Lactantius]] and [[Eusebius of Caesarea|Eusebius]] and gained ground in the succeeding generations. The [[Orthodox Church]] keeps his feast on [[May 21]], along with his mother, Empress Saint [[Helen]], as Holy [[Saint titles|Equals-to-the-Apostles]].<ref>Great Synaxaristes: {{el icon}} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3295/sxsaintinfo.aspx Οἱ Ἅγιοι Κωνσταντίνος καὶ Ἑλένη οἱ Ἱσαπόστολοι].'' 21 Μαΐου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.</ref>

__TOC__

==Early life==
He was born at Naissus, today's city of Niš in Upper Moesia (modern Serbia and Montenegro), to Constantius I Chlorus and an innkeeper's daughter, [[Helen]]. Constantine was well educated and served at the court of [[Diocletian]] in [[Nicomedia]] as a kind of hostage after the appointment of his father Constantius, a general, as one of the two Caesars (at that time a junior emperor), in the Tetrarchy in 293. In 305, the Augustus, Maximian, abdicated, and Constantius succeeded to the position. However, he died in 306. Constantine managed to be at his deathbed in Eboracum (York, England), where troops loyal to his father's memory proclaimed him Emperor. For the next 18 years, he fought a series of battles and wars that left him first as emperor of the west, and then as supreme ruler of the Roman Empire.

==Constantine and Christianity==
Constantine is perhaps best known for being the first Roman Emperor to endorse [[Christianity]], traditionally presented as a result of an omen — a chi-rho in the sky, with the inscription "''By this sign shalt thou conquer''" — before his victory in the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312, when Constantine is said to have instituted the new standard to be carried into battle, called the labarum.

Christian historians ever since [[Lactantius]] have adhered to the view that Constantine "adopted" Christianity as a kind of replacement for the official Roman [[paganism]]. Though the document called the "Donation of Constantine" was proved a forgery (though not until the 15th century, when the stories of Constantine's [[conversion]] were long-established "facts") it was attributed as documenting the conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity for centuries. Even Christian skeptics have accepted this formulation, though seeing Constantine's policy as a political rather than spiritual move.

By the end of the 3rd century, Christian communities and their bishops had become a force to contend with, in urban centers especially. Christians were preferred for high government positions; the Church was granted various special privileges; and churches like the [[Church of the Nativity (Bethlehem)|Church of the Nativity]] in Bethlehem and the [[Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Jerusalem)|Church of the Holy Sepulchre]] in Jerusalem were constructed. Christian bishops took aggressive public stances that were unknown among other cult leaders, even among the Jews. Proselytism had had to be publicly outlawed, simply to maintain public decorum. In the essential legions, however, Christianity was despised as womanish, and the soldiers followed pagan cults of Mithras and Isis. Since the Roman Emperors ruled by "divine right" and stayed in power through the support of the legions, it was important for them to be seen to support a strong state religion. The contumely of the Christians consisted in their public refusal to participate in official rites that no one deeply believed in, but which were an equivalent of an oath of allegiance. Refusal might easily bring upon all the Roman people the loss of the gods' support; such were the usual justifications for occasional lynchings of Christians by Roman soldiers, the fare of many [[martyrology|martyrologies]].

Constantine and Licinius' Edict of Milan (313) neither made paganism illegal nor made Christianity a state-sponsored religion. What it did was legalize Christianity, return confiscated Church property, and establish [[Sunday]] as a day of worship. Though the church prospered under Constantine's patronage, it also fell into the first of many public schisms. He called the [[First Ecumenical Council]] to settle the problem of [[Arianism]], a dispute about the personhood and Godhood of [[Jesus Christ]]. It produced the [[Nicene Creed]], which favored the position of [[Athanasius of Alexandria|Athanasius]], Arius's opponent, and became official doctrine.

When the Altar of Victory was desecrated and removed from its place of honor in the Senate, the Senate deputized Symmachus to appeal to the emperor for its return. Symmachus publicly characterized the late Emperor Constantine's policy, in a plea for freedom of religion:
:He diminished none of the privileges of the sacred virgins, he filled the priestly offices with nobles, he did not refuse the cost of the Roman ceremonies, and following the rejoicing Senate through all the streets of the eternal city, he contentedly beheld the shrines ''with unmoved countenance'', he read the names of the gods inscribed on the pediments, he enquired about the origin of the temples, and expressed admiration for their builders. Although he himself followed another religion, he maintained its own for the empire, for everyone has his own customs, everyone his own rites. The divine mind has distributed different guardians and different cults to different cities. As souls are separately given to infants as they are born, so to peoples the genius of their destiny. (''Possible Christian insertion in italics.'')

*[http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/ambrose-sym.html Medieval sourcebook:] The Memorial of Symmachus, prefect of the City. (The Memorial has been emended to address three emperors, [[Valentinian II]] (died 392), [[Theodosius the Great (emperor)|Theodosius I]], and [[Arcadius]] (began to rule 395), a historical impossibility. Thus there may be other Christian adulterations of the text. The reply of [[Ambrose of Milan|Ambrose]], bishop of Milan is appended, which is highly revealing in the character of his argument in rebuttal.)

===Persian reaction===
Beyond the ''limites'', east of the Euphrates, the Sassanid rulers of the Persian empire had usually tolerated their Christians. A Letter from Constantine to Shapur II, supposed to have been written in 324 urged him to protect the Christians in his realm… With the edicts of toleration in the Roman empire, the followers of Christ would be regarded as allies of Persia's ancient enemy. The persecutions began. Shapur II (ruled 310 - 379) wrote to his generals:

:''You will arrest Simon, chief of the Christians. You will keep him till he signs this document and consents to collect for us a double tax and double tribute from the Christians … for we Gods have all the trials of war and they have nothing but repose and pleasure. They inhabit our territory and agree with Caesar, our enemy.'' (quoted in Freya Stark, ''Rome on the Euphrates'' 1967, p. 375)

It was not an unreasonable demand in the circumstances. The Sassanids were perennially at war with Rome. Christians were now suspected for potential treachery. The "Great Persecution" of the Persian Christian churches occurred in a later period, 340-363, after the Persian Wars that reopened upon Constantine's death. In 344 came the martyrdom of Catholicos Shimun bar Sabbae, with five bishops and 100 priests.

[[Image:Constantine.jpg|left|thumb|A mosaic image of Constantine the Great from the [[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)]].]]
==Other achievements==
His victory in 312 AD over [[Maxentius]] at the Battle of Milvian Bridge resulted in his becoming Western Augustus, or ruler of the entire western half of the empire. He gradually consolidated his military superiority over his rivals in the crumbling Tetrarchy until 324, when he defeated the eastern ruler, [[Licinius]], and became sole emperor.

Constantine rebuilt the ancient Greek city of Byzantium, naming it ''Nea Roma'', providing it with a Senate and civic offices similar to the older Rome. After his death it was renamed Constantinople, and gradually became the capital of the empire.

He was succeeded by his three sons, Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans, who secured their hold on the empire with the murder of a number of relatives and supporters of Constantine. The last member of his dynasty was his grandson, [[Julian the Apostate]], who attempted to restore paganism.

==Controversies surrounding Constantine's faith==
The religion of Constantine the Great, while generally assumed to be Christian in view of his pro-Christian policies, is disputed by some secular historians, however the Church from the earliest times has considered him to be a devout Orthodox Christian.

One aspect of Constantine's life that secular historians use to indicate Constantine's incomplete acceptance of Christianity (from a modern view) was his notorious cruelty: he executed his own wife and eldest son in 326. He also had [[Licinius]], the East Roman emperor, strangled after his defeat, something he had publicly promised not to do. It should be noted, however, that Constantine's wife attempted to seduce Constantine's son (her step-son) and when he refused her advances, she accused him of raping her. The penalty for doing this to an Empress was death, as was any act considered to be treason. Later, St. Constantine discovered the truth and had his wife executed. Licinius, in his bitter hatred of Constantine and of Christianity, began to persecute the Church in the Eastern half of the Empire. Constantine eventually could not stand Licinius' cruelty and relieved him of his co-rulership of the Empire.

The controversy that has surrounded Constantine's [[baptism]] is based upon the legend arising from the discredited documents of the ''[[w:Donation of Constantine|Donation of Constantine]]'', forged documents that date from about the mid eighth century. The story in the ''Donation of Constantine'' was built on a legend that arose during the fourth century within the Western Church which thought it inappropriate that Constantine could be baptized on his death bed by a bishop whose orthodoxy was in question and thus was an act that was a snub to the authority of [[Pope]]. The legend presents a story that earlier in Constantine's career Bishop [[Sylvester I of Rome]] had baptized Constantine after curing him of leprosy. Eusebius of Caesarea recorded that the bishops "performed the sacred ceremonies according to custom" <ref>Eusebius, Vita Constantini 4.62.4.</ref> of baptizing Constantine in May 337 by the [[bishop]] [[Eusebius of Nicomedia]] before Constantine's death on [[May 22]], 337 at age of 65.
===Historiography Over the Ages===
During his life and those of his sons, Constantine was presented as a paragon of virtue. Even pagans like [[w:Praxagoras of Athens|Praxagoras of Athens]] and [[w:Libanius|Libanius]] showered him with praise. When the last of his sons died in 361, however, his nephew [[Julian the Apostate]] wrote the satire ''Symposium, or the Saturnalia'', which denigrated Constantine, calling him inferior to the great pagan emperors, and given over to luxury and greed.<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 272–23.</ref> Following Julian, [[w:Eunapius|Eunapius]] began—and [[w:Zosimus|Zosimus]] continued—a historiographic tradition that blamed Constantine for weakening the Empire through his indulgence to the Christians.<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 273.</ref>

In medieval times, Constantine was presented as an ideal ruler, the standard against which any king or emperor could be measured.<ref>Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 273; Odahl, 281.</ref>

The Renaissance rediscovery of anti-Constantinian sources prompted a re-evaluation of Constantine's career. The German humanist Johann Löwenklau, discoverer of Zosimus' writings, published a Latin translation thereof in 1576. In its preface, he argued that Zosimus' picture of Constantine was superior to that offered by Eusebius and the Church historians, and damned Constantine as a tyrant.<ref>Johannes Leunclavius, ''Apologia pro Zosimo adversus Evagrii, Nicephori Callisti et aliorum acerbas criminationes (Defence of Zosimus against the Unjustified Charges of Evagrius, Nicephorus Callistus, and Others'') (Basel, 1576), cited in Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 273, and Odahl, 282.
</ref> Cardinal [[w:Caesar Baronius|Caesar Baronius]], a man of the Counter-Reformation, criticized Zosimus, favoring Eusebius' account of the Constantinian era. Baronius' ''Life of Constantine'' (1588) presents Constantine as the model of a Christian prince.<ref>Caesar Baronius, ''[[w:Annales Ecclesiastici|Annales Ecclesiastici]]'' 3 (Antwerp, 1623), cited in Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 274, and Odahl, 282.</ref>

For his ''[[w:The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire|History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire]]'' (1776–89), [[w:Edward Gibbon|Edward Gibbon]], aiming to unite the two extremes of Constantinian scholarship, offered a portrait of Constantine built on the contrasted narratives of Eusebius and Zosimus.<ref>Edward Gibbon, ''The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire'' Chapter 18, cited in Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 274, and Odahl, 282. See also Lenski, "Introduction" (CC), 6–7.</ref> In a form that parallels his account of the empire's decline, Gibbon presents a noble war hero corrupted by Christian influences, who transforms into an Oriental despot in his old age: "a hero...degenerating into a cruel and dissolute monarch".<ref>Gibbon, ''Decline and Fall'', 1.256; David P. Jordan, "Gibbon's 'Age of Constantine' and the Fall of Rome", ''History and Theory'' 8:1 (1969): 71–96.</ref>

Modern interpretations of Constantine's rule begin with Jacob Burckhardt's ''The Age of Constantine the Great'' (1853, rev. 1880).
* [[w:Jacob Burckhardt|Burckhardt]]'s Constantine is a scheming secularist, a politician who manipulates all parties in a quest to secure his own power.<ref>Jacob Burckhardt, ''Die Zeit Constantins des Grossen'' (Basel, 1853; revised edition, Leipzig, 1880), cited in Barnes, ''Constantine and Eusebius'', 274; Lenski, "Introduction" (CC), 7.</ref>
* [[w:Henri Grégoire (historian)|Henri Grégoire]], writing in the 1930s, followed Burckhardt's evaluation of Constantine. For Grégoire, Constantine only developed an interest in Christianity after witnessing its political usefulness. Grégoire was skeptical of the authenticity of Eusebius' ''Vita'', and postulated a pseudo-Eusebius to assume responsibility for the vision and conversion narratives of that work.<ref>Lenski, "Introduction" (CC), 7.</ref>
* [[w:Otto Seeck|Otto Seeck]], in ''Geschichte des Untergangs der antiken Welt'' (1920–23), and André Piganiol, in ''L'empereur Constantin'' (1932), wrote against this historiographic tradition. Seeck presented Constantine as a sincere war hero, whose ambiguities were the product of his own naïve inconsistency.<ref>Lenski, "Introduction" (CC), 7–8.</ref> Piganiol's Constantine is a philosophical monotheist, a child of his era's religious syncretism.<ref>Barnes, Constantine ''and Eusebius'', 274.</ref>
* Related histories by [[w:Arnold Hugh Martin Jones|A.H.M. Jones]] (''Constantine and the Conversion of Europe'' (1949)) and [[w:Ramsay MacMullen|Ramsay MacMullen]] (''Constantine'' (1969)) gave portraits of a less visionary, and more impulsive, Constantine.<ref>Lenski, "Introduction" (CC), 8.</ref> These later accounts were more willing to present Constantine as a genuine convert to Christianity.
* Beginning with [[w:Norman H. Baynes|Norman H. Baynes]]' ''Constantine the Great and the Christian Church'' (1929) and reinforced by [[w:Andreas Alföldi|Andreas Alföldi]]'s ''The Conversion of Constantine and Pagan Rome'' (1948), a historiographic tradition developed which presented Constantine as a committed Christian.
* [[w:Timothy Barnes|T. D. Barnes]]'s seminal ''Constantine and Eusebius'' (1981) represents the culmination of this trend. Barnes' Constantine experienced a radical conversion, which drove him on a personal crusade to convert his empire.<ref>Lenski, "Introduction" (CC), 8–9; Odahl, 283.</ref>
* Charles Matson Odahl's recent ''Constantine and the Christian Empire'' (2004) takes much the same tack.<ref>Odahl, 283; Mark Humphries, "Constantine," review of ''Constantine and the Christian Empire'', by Charles Odahl, ''Classical Quarterly'' 56:2 (2006), 449.</ref> Barnes' work, arguments over the strength and depth of Constantine's religious conversion continue.<ref>Averil Cameron, "Introduction," in ''Constantine: History, Historiography, and Legend'', ed. Samuel N.C. Lieu and Dominic Montserrat (New York: Routledge, 1998), 3.</ref>
* Certain themes in this school reached new extremes in T.G. Elliott's ''The Christianity of Constantine the Great'' (1996), which presented Constantine as a committed Christian from early childhood.<ref>Lenski, "Introduction" (CC), 10.</ref>
* A similar view of Constantine is held in [[w:Paul Veyne|Paul Veyne]]'s recent (2007) work, ''Quand notre monde est devenu chrétien'', which does not speculate on the origins of Constantine's Christian motivation, but presents him, in his role as Emperor, as a religious revolutionary who fervently believed himself meant "to play a providential role in the millenary economy of the salvation of humanity".<ref>Fabian E. Udoh, review, ''Theological Studies'', June 2008.</ref>

==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] (Tone 8)
:Having seen the figure of the Cross in the heavens,
:And like Paul not having received his call from men, O [[Lord]],
:Your apostle among rulers, the Emperor Constantine,
:Has been set by Your hand as ruler over the Imperial City
:That he preserved in peace for many years,
:Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O only lover of mankind.

[[Kontakion]] (Tone 3)
:Today Constantine and his mother Helen
:Reveal the precious Cross,
:The weapon of the faithful against their enemies.
:For our sakes, it has been shown to be a great sign, and fearsome in battle.

==See also==
* [[Eusebius of Caesarea]]
* [[Labarum]]
* [[Edict of Milan]]
* [[Elevation of the Holy Cross]]

==Further reading==
* [[w:Timothy Barnes|Barnes]], (Prof.) Timothy David. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=LGDjJK-JeSwC&source=gbs_navlinks_s Constantine and Eusebius].'' Harvard University Press, 1981. ISBN 9780674165311
* Bruun, Patrick. ''"The Christian Signs on the Coins of Constantine."'' '''Arctos''', Series 2, vol.3 (1962), pp.5-35.
* Elliott, Thomas George. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=R_bFQgAACAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s The Christianity of Constantine the Great].'' University of Scranton Press, 1996. 366pp. ISBN 9780940866591
:''Professor Elliott (University of Toronto) argues that Constantine's "miraculous" conversion (before the final definitive battle in 312 with his rival Maxentius for the senior Augustuship of the Roman Empire) is the stuff of legend; and the reality is that there are many indications that Constantine's Christianity developed earlier and along normal lines. This is more than a scholarly debate over dates. It focuses on the point that this more mature character of Constantine's Christian faith, had an important shaping impact on his imperial policy toward Christianity.''
* Elliott, (Prof.) T.G.. ''"Constantine's Explanation of his Career."'' '''Byzantion''' 62 (1992). 212-234.
* [[Eusebius of Caesarea]]. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=KchhO8KEy3cC&source=gbs_navlinks_s Life of Constantine].'' Transl., with a commentary by Averil Cameron and Stuart George Hall. Clarendon Ancient History Series. Oxford University Press, 1999. 395pp. ISBN 9780198149170
* [[w:Arnold Hugh Martin Jones|Jones]], Arnold Hugh Martin. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=Mo77FrgvtDkC&source=gbs_navlinks_s Constantine and the Conversion of Europe].'' (First published 1948). University of Toronto Press, 1978. 223pp. ISBN 9780802063694
* [[w:Ramsay MacMullen|MacMullen]], Ramsay. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=_ocOAAAAQAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s Constantine].'' (First published 1969). Routledge, 1987. 263pp. ISBN 9780709946854
* Nicholson, Oliver. ''“Constantine's Vision of the Cross.”'' '''Vigiliae Christianae''' 54, no.3 (2000): 309-323.
* Odahl, Charles M.. ''"The Christian Basilicas of Constantinian Rome."'' '''Ancient World''' 26 (1995) 3-28.
* Odahl, Charles M.. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=PN8TMJPugsIC&source=gbs_navlinks_s Constantine and the Christian Empire].'' 400pp. Routledge, 2004. ISBN 9780415174855

==Reference==
<references/>

==Sources==
*[[w:Constantine I|Constantine I]].
*[[w:Donation_of_Constantine|Donation of Constantine]]
*Henry Wace Ed., ''A Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century A.D.'', article: ''Silvester, bishop of Rome'', Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. edition (rights: Public Domain) ISBN 1-56563-460-8

== External links ==
'''Wikipedia'''
*[[w:Constantine I|Constantine I]]
*[[w:Constantine I and Christianity|Constantine I and Christianity]]
*[[w:Donation_of_Constantine|Donation of Constantine]]
'''Other'''
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=101452 OCA: Equal of the Apostles Emperor Constantine]
*[http://www.goarch.org/chapel/saints/62 Constantine & Helen, Equal to the Apostles GOARCH: Constantine & Helen]
* Robert Arakaki. [http://www.antiochian.org/1110388342 Constantine The Great: Roman Emperor, Christian Saint, History's Turning Point]. Antiochian Orthodox Christian
*[http://www.prayer-bracelet.com/2012/05/saint-constantine-the-great-part1/ Saint Constantine the Great]. Two part article on 33Knots Blog.
Archdiocese of North America.
* [http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/symbols/ Christian Symbolism on bronze coins of Constantine the Great].
* [http://www.servinghistory.com/topics/Constantine_the_Great Constantine the Great] article on ServingHistory.com.
'''Icons'''
*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/c/phn38.htm Icon of St. Constantine]
*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/c/phn21.htm Icon of Ss. Constantine and Helen]

[[Category:Rulers]]
[[Category:Roman Emperors]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Byzantine Saints]]
[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[Category:4th-century saints]]

[[ar:قسطنطين وهيلانة]]
[[fr:Constantin le Grand]]
[[ro:Constantin cel Mare]]

Entrance of the Theotokos

2012-12-05T12:16:42Z

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[[Image:Entrance.jpg|right|frame|The Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple]]
The '''Entrance of the Theotokos''' into the Temple, also called '''The Presentation''', is one of the [[Great Feasts]] of the [[Orthodox Church]], celebrated on [[November 21]].

According to [[Tradition]], the [[Theotokos|Virgin Mary]] was taken —presented—by her parents [[Joachim and Anna]] into the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem as a young girl, where she lived and served as a Temple virgin until her betrothal to [[Joseph the Betrothed|St. Joseph]]. One of the earliest sources of this tradition is the non-canonical [[Protoevangelion of James]], also called the ''Infancy Gospel of James''.

Mary was solemnly received by the temple community which was headed by the priest [[Zacharias]], the father of [[John the Baptist]]. She was led to the holy place to become herself the "holy of holies" of God, the living sanctuary and temple of the Divine child who was to be born in her. The Church also sees this feast as a feast which marks the end of the physical temple in Jerusalem as the dwelling place of God.

==Celebration of the feast==
On the eve of the feast, [[Vespers]] is served and contains [[Old Testament]] readings that are interpreted as symbols of the Mother of God, for she becomes the living temple of God. In each reading we hear, "for the glory of the Lord filled the temple of the Lord God Almighty." ([[Exodus]] 40:1-5, 9-10, 16, 34-35; [[III Kingdoms|I Kings]] 7:51, 8:1, 3-4, 6-7, 9-11; and [[Book of Ezekiel|Ezekiel]] 43:27-44)

Sometimes [[Matins]] is served on the morning of the feast. The Gospel reading is from [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 1:39-49, 56. It is read on all feasts of the Theotokos and includes the [[Magnificat|Theotokos' saying]]: "My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden, for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed."

[[Divine Liturgy]] is served on the day on the feast. The [[Apostolos|epistle reading]] is from [[Book of Hebrews|Hebrews]] 9:1-7, and speaks of the [[Tabernacle (biblical)|tabernacle]] of the old covenant. The [[Gospels|gospel reading]] is taken from Luke 10:38-42 and 11:27-28 together; this reading is also read on all feasts of the Theotokos. In it, the Lord says, "blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!"

==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] (Tone 4) [http://www.oca.org/OCchapter.asp?SID=2&ID=86]
:Today is the preview of the good will of God,
:Of the preaching of the salvation of mankind.
:The Virgin appears in the temple of God,
:In anticipation proclaiming Christ to all.
:Let us rejoice and sing to her: Rejoice,
:0 Divine Fulfillment of the Creator's dispensation.
[[Kontakion]] (Tone 4)

:The most pure Temple of the Savior;
:The precious Chamber and Virgin;
:The sacred Treasure of the glory of God,
:Is presented today to the house of the [[Lord]].
:She brings with her the grace of the Spirit,
:Therefore, the angels of God praise her:
:"Truly this woman is the abode of heaven."

===Forefeast hymn===
Troparion (Tone 4)
:Today Anna bequeaths joy to all instead of sorrow by bringing forth her fruit, the only ever-Virgin.
:In fulfillment of her vow,
:Today with joy she brings to the temple of the Lord
:the true temple and pure Mother of God the Word.

Kontakion (Tone 4)
:Today the universe is filled with joy
:At the glorious feast of the Mother of God, and cries out:
:"She is the heavenly tabernacle."

==Externial links==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsLife.asp?FSID=103357 The Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple] - [[OCA]] web site
*[http://oca.org/OCchapter.asp?SID=2&ID=86 Entrance of the Theotokos to the Temple] - The Orthodox Faith by Fr. [[Thomas Hopko]]
*[http://www.goarch.org/special/listen_learn_share/vmpresentation/ The Feast of the Entrance into the Temple of Our Most Holy Lady the Theotokos] ([[GOARCH]])
*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/festal/festal.htm#phf03 Icons of The Presentation of the Most Holy Theotokos]

[[Category:Great Feasts]]
[[Category:Feasts]]

[[fr:Entrée au Temple de la Mère de Dieu]]
[[ro:Intrarea Maicii Domnului în Biserică]]
[[pt:Entrada da Deípara no Templo]]

Category:Pilgrimage Sites

2012-12-04T05:44:02Z

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This category is generally for those sites of [[pilgrimage]] which don't fit into other categories (e.g., Monasteries, Churches, etc.).

[[Category:Images]]
[[Category:Places]]

[[ro:Categorie:Locuri de pelerinaj]]
[[pt:Categoria:Lugares de peregrinação]]

Category:Categories

2012-12-03T09:00:47Z

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This is the root category. It is here as a navigational aid.

No articles should be in this category — they should be filed under an appropriate subcategory, that is a category that is under one or more other categories. This root should be the only category that is not a subcategory to another, and it should only contain major categories. (This page should be the only page in [[Special:Uncategorizedcategories|Uncategorized categories]])
*[[Special:Categories|All Categories]]
*[http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Special%3AAllpages&from=&namespace=15 Category Discussion Pages]
*[http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=Special%3ANewPages&namespace=14 Newest Categories]
*[[Special:Random/Category|Random Category]]
*[[Special:Wantedcategories|Wanted categories]]

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[[pt:Categoria:Categorias]]

Category:Bishops by century

2012-12-03T05:59:12Z

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[[Category:Bishops]]

[[pt:Categoria:Bispos por século]]

Category:Bishops by city

2012-12-03T05:54:18Z

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These subcategories list articles on bishops by city, or other area of their title. Note that some titles are [[Titular bishop|titular]] and do not really describe the area where the bishop resides. Also, some bishops are [[Auxiliary bishop|auxiliary]] bishops, and are given a title of a city in the see of another bishop.

{{CategoryTOC}}
(There may be more subcategories on other pages.)

[[Category:Bishops]]

[[ro:Categorie:Episcopi după localitate]]
[[pt:Categoria:Bispos por cidade]]

Alexis of Wilkes-Barre

2012-11-30T07:11:51Z

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[[Image:Alexis of Wilkes-Barre tomb.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Tomb of St. Alexis]]
Our righteous father '''Alexis of Wilkes-Barre''' was a [[missionary]] [[priest]], sent from his homeland in Slovakia as a [[Uniate]], who, in order to serve and protect his flock in the United States in a hostile Latin environment, recognized the need to lead them in a return to their Orthodox Christian heritage. His [[feast day]] is celebrated on [[May 7]].
{{orthodoxyinamerica}}

==In Europe==
Alexis Georgievich Toth was born to Father George and Cecilia Toth on [[March 14]], 1853, near Eperjes (now Presov) in Zepes county of Slovakia during the reign of Franz Joseph Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary. He followed in the steps of his father who was dean of the United Greek Church in the county. He was educated in the local preparatory schools and then went on to the [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] [[seminary]] for a year and then on for three years to the Uniate Greek Seminary in Ungvar. He continued on to the University of Prague where he graduated with a degree in Theology.

After marrying Rosalie Mihaluk on [[April 18]], 1878, he was [[ordination|ordained]] to the priesthood in 1878 by [[Bishop]] Nicholas Toth, the Uniate Greek Catholic bishop of Presov. In a few years his wife Rosalie, whose father also was a priest, and their only child were to die. After his ordination Father Alexis was an assistant priest in Saros county before becoming the curate in the United Greek Catholic Church in Homrogd. Then Bishop Nicholas Toth appointed Father Alexis his [[chancellor]]. In 1881 the bishop appointed him director of the United Greek Catholic Seminary of Presov and professor of Canon Law and Church History. He continued in these position under Bishop Toth's successor, Bishop John Valyi.

==In America==
Then late in the 1880s, Father Alexander Dzubay, who studied with Father Alexis in the seminary, wrote a petition from America to Bishop John asking that Father Alexis be sent to America. The bishop agreed and sent Father Alexis as a "missioner." He arrived in the United States on [[November 15]], 1889, and on [[Thanksgiving Day]], [[November 27]], Father Alexis conducted his first services in the new St. Mary's Church in Minneapolis as the first resident priest to serve this church officially. However, the church edifice was incomplete, there were no furnishings, no [[vestments]], but a debt. Over the next year Father Alexis worked with his community, preaching, asking for donations, acquiring furnishings, vestments, and bringing the parish to an organized, stable institution, all this without receiving any salary.

As a Uniate, Father Alexis understood that he must visit the ruling Roman Catholic bishop in the area, Archbishop John Ireland of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in St. Paul. Archbishop Ireland was a strong advocate of the "Americanization" movement within the Roman Catholic Church, and thus was a strong proponent of the Americanization of the Catholic immigrants. And in this regard, Archbishop Ireland looked upon Father Alexis and his flock as an alien sect that did not have the capacity or desire to fit into his plans for Americanization. So, upon presenting his credentials to Archbishop Ireland on [[December 19]], 1889, the Archbishop immediately rejected him as a Catholic, not recognizing the [[Eastern Rite Catholic|Greek Rite]] nor Father Alexis as a priest nor even his bishop. Archbishop Ireland directed all Roman Catholic priests and their flock to not have any relations with Father Alexis and his people. Father Alexis sent reports to his bishop in Slovakia about his reception by Archbishop Ireland but heard nothing in return. Other Uniate priests in the United States sent letters to Father Alexis reporting that they had had similar confrontations. The problems for the Uniate priests reached a head after they met to discuss their situation. They learned that they were to be all recalled and returned to Europe.

==Reunion==
These confrontations brought Father Alexis to a course of action about which he had thought about before and that was to return to Orthodox Christianity. On [[December 8]], 1890, St. Mary's parishioners wrote to the Russian Consul in San Francisco to obtain information about a [[Church of Russia|Russian Orthodox]] bishop and followed up by traveling to San Francisco to talk with Bishop Vladimir (Sokolovsky) of San Francisco. Then, in February 1891 Father Alexis traveled with a parish group, led by the Church Warden, Paul Podnay, to met with Bishop Vladimir. At this time Father Alexis was received into the Orthodox Church. Bishop Vladimir, hearing that Father Alexis was not receiving any pay, established a stipend to help him. On [[March 25]], 1892, Bishop Vladimir visited the St. Mary's parish and formally accepted the community of 361 immigrants into the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. On [[July 14]], 1892, the Ruling All-Russian Holy Synod officially approved and sanctioned this move.

[[Image:Alexis of Wilkes-Barre shrine.jpg|left|thumb|300px|Shrine of St. Alexis]]
By this action Father Alexis Toth gained the distinction of being the first Uniate Greek Rite Catholic priest in America to lead his people in reunion with the Orthodox Church. Having been sent originally to America to be a missionary to the immigrants, Father Alexis, in his new role, was to fulfill his destiny as the missionary leading his people back to the Orthodox Church. In December 1892 he evangelized the immigrants in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, preaching and enlightening them about their social and religious future in America. In 1902, he received the parish of St. John the Baptist in Mayfield, Pennsylvania, into the Orthodox fold. Elevated to the rank of [[protopresbyter]], he was in the forefront, over the years until his death, of receiving parishes from the [[Unia]] into Orthodoxy. Through his efforts over 20,000 Carpatho-Russian and Galician uniates were re-united with the Orthodox Church.

On [[May 7]], 1909, he died and was buried in a special shrine at the [[St. Tikhon's Orthodox Monastery (South Canaan, Pennsylvania)]]. On [[May 29]], 1994, Protopresbyter Alexis Toth was [[glorification|glorified]] as St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre.

==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] (Tone 4)

:O righteous Father Alexis,
:Our heavenly intercessor and teacher,
:Divine adornment of the Church of Christ!
:Entreat the Master of All
:To strengthen the Orthodox Faith in America,
:To grant peace to the world
:And to our souls, great mercy!

[[Kontakion]] (Tone 5)

:Let us, the faithful, praise the Priest Alexis,
:A bright beacon of Orthodoxy in America,
:A model of patience and humility,
:A worthy shepherd of the Flock of Christ.
:He called back the sheep who had been led astray
:And brought them by his preaching
:To the Heavenly Kingdom!

==Sources==
Tarasar, Constance J. ''Orthodox America 1794-1976 Development of the Orthodox Church in America''. Syosett, New York: The [[Orthodox Church in America]], 1975.

==External link==
*[http://comeandseeicons.com/a/sgp08.htm St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre Icon and Story]
*{Greek} ''[http://www.synaxarion.gr/gr/sid/3061/sxsaintinfo.aspx Ὁ Ἅγιος Ἀλέξιος ὁ Ὑπερασπιστὴς τῆς Ὀρθοδόξου Πίστεως].'' 7 Μαΐου. ΜΕΓΑΣ ΣΥΝΑΞΑΡΙΣΤΗΣ.

[[Category:American Saints]]
[[Category:Carpatho Russian Saints]]
[[Category:Featured Articles]]
[[Category:Missionaries]]
[[Category:Saints]]
[[Category:Modern Saints]]
[[Category:Priests]]
[[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity from Roman Catholicism|Toth]]
[[Category:20th-century saints]]

[[ro:Alexis Toth]]
[[pt:Alexis de Wilkes-Barre]]

John (Bērziņš) of Caracas

2012-11-28T05:38:01Z

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{{stub}}
His Grace '''John (Bērziņš)''' (Latvian: Jānis (Bērziņš), Russian: Иоанн (Берзинь)) is [[Bishop]] of Caracas and South America of the new diocese stabilized in 2009 with the merger of Vicariate of Caracas with Diocese of Buenos Aires and South America.

==Life==
His Grace was born Pēteris Bērziņš on [[March 16]], 1957, in Cooma, Australia, of [[Church of Latvia|Latvian Orthodox]] refugees, Leonid (1921-1996) and Margarita (b. 1924) Bērziņš. He grew up in Cooma and graduated with a philological degree from the Australian National University. Vladyka John is fluent in ancient Greek and Latin.

In 1982, he entered [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Monastery]] in Jordanville, New York, and enrolled in [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Seminary]]. He graduated from the [[seminary]] in 1985. He was [[tonsure]]d to the mantle on [[March 16]], 1985, by [[Archbishop]] [[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus of Syracuse and Holy Trinity]] and [[ordination|ordained]] [[hierodeacon]] on [[April 12]], 1987, also by Abp. Laurus. From 1992-1996, he served as father-confessor at Gethsemane Convent in the [[Holy Land]]. In 1994, he was awarded the gold [[pectoral cross]] by Abp. Laurus. From 2001-2005, he served again as father-confessor at Gethsemane Convent in the Holy Land. In September 2005, he was elevated to the rank of [[hegumen]] by His Eminence [[Metropolitan]] Laurus. From 2005 to 2008, he ministered to Ss. Sergius and German of Valaam Community of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America. In May 2008, the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR designated him as candidate for the Caracas cathedra.

Hegumen John was consecrated Bishop of Caracas on [[June 21]], 2008, at the [[Old Believers|Old-Rite]] Church of the Nativity in Erie, Pennsylvania. Officiating at the consecration were His Eminence Metropolitan [[Hilarion (Kapral) of Sydney|Hilarion]] of New York and Eastern America, His Grace Bishop [[Daniel (Alexandrow) of Erie|Daniel]] of Erie, and His Grace Bishop [[Peter (Loukianoff) of Cleveland|Peter]] of Cleveland.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Seraphim (Svezhevsky) of Caracas|Seraphim (Svezhevsky)]]|
title=Bishop of Caracas ([[ROCOR]])|
years=2008-2009|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=Bishop of Caracas and South America ([[ROCOR]])|
years=2009-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Source==
*[http://www.synod.com/synod/eng2008/6enberzins.html Curriculum Vitae of Hegumen John (ROCOR website)]

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

John (Bērziņš) of Caracas

2012-11-28T05:36:32Z

SerafimBR:

His Grace '''John (Bērziņš)''' (Latvian: Jānis (Bērziņš), Russian: Иоанн (Берзинь)) is [[Bishop]] of Caracas and South America of the new diocese stabilized in 2009 with the merger of Vicariate of Caracas with Diocese of Buenos Aires and South America.

==Life==
His Grace was born Pēteris Bērziņš on [[March 16]], 1957, in Cooma, Australia, of [[Church of Latvia|Latvian Orthodox]] refugees, Leonid (1921-1996) and Margarita (b. 1924) Bērziņš. He grew up in Cooma and graduated with a philological degree from the Australian National University. Vladyka John is fluent in ancient Greek and Latin.

In 1982, he entered [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Monastery]] in Jordanville, New York, and enrolled in [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Seminary]]. He graduated from the [[seminary]] in 1985. He was [[tonsure]]d to the mantle on [[March 16]], 1985, by [[Archbishop]] [[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus of Syracuse and Holy Trinity]] and [[ordination|ordained]] [[hierodeacon]] on [[April 12]], 1987, also by Abp. Laurus. From 1992-1996, he served as father-confessor at Gethsemane Convent in the [[Holy Land]]. In 1994, he was awarded the gold [[pectoral cross]] by Abp. Laurus. From 2001-2005, he served again as father-confessor at Gethsemane Convent in the Holy Land. In September 2005, he was elevated to the rank of [[hegumen]] by His Eminence [[Metropolitan]] Laurus. From 2005 to 2008, he ministered to Ss. Sergius and German of Valaam Community of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America. In May 2008, the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR designated him as candidate for the Caracas cathedra.

Hegumen John was consecrated Bishop of Caracas on [[June 21]], 2008, at the [[Old Believers|Old-Rite]] Church of the Nativity in Erie, Pennsylvania. Officiating at the consecration were His Eminence Metropolitan [[Hilarion (Kapral) of Sydney|Hilarion]] of New York and Eastern America, His Grace Bishop [[Daniel (Alexandrow) of Erie|Daniel]] of Erie, and His Grace Bishop [[Peter (Loukianoff) of Cleveland|Peter]] of Cleveland.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Seraphim (Svezhevsky) of Caracas|Seraphim (Svezhevsky)]]|
title=Bishop of Caracas ([[ROCOR]])|
years=2008-2009|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=Bishop of Caracas and South America ([[ROCOR]])|
years=2009-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Source==
*[http://www.synod.com/synod/eng2008/6enberzins.html Curriculum Vitae of Hegumen John (ROCOR website)]

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

John (Bērziņš) of Caracas

2012-11-28T05:32:51Z

SerafimBR:

His Grace '''John (Bērziņš)''' (Latvian: Jānis (Bērziņš), Russian: Иоанн (Берзинь)) is [[Bishop]] of Caracas, Venezuela, and administrator of the [[diocese]] of South America for the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]] (ROCOR).

==Life==
His Grace was born Pēteris Bērziņš on [[March 16]], 1957, in Cooma, Australia, of [[Church of Latvia|Latvian Orthodox]] refugees, Leonid (1921-1996) and Margarita (b. 1924) Bērziņš. He grew up in Cooma and graduated with a philological degree from the Australian National University. Vladyka John is fluent in ancient Greek and Latin.

In 1982, he entered [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Monastery]] in Jordanville, New York, and enrolled in [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Seminary]]. He graduated from the [[seminary]] in 1985. He was [[tonsure]]d to the mantle on [[March 16]], 1985, by [[Archbishop]] [[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus of Syracuse and Holy Trinity]] and [[ordination|ordained]] [[hierodeacon]] on [[April 12]], 1987, also by Abp. Laurus. From 1992-1996, he served as father-confessor at Gethsemane Convent in the [[Holy Land]]. In 1994, he was awarded the gold [[pectoral cross]] by Abp. Laurus. From 2001-2005, he served again as father-confessor at Gethsemane Convent in the Holy Land. In September 2005, he was elevated to the rank of [[hegumen]] by His Eminence [[Metropolitan]] Laurus. From 2005 to 2008, he ministered to Ss. Sergius and German of Valaam Community of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America. In May 2008, the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR designated him as candidate for the Caracas cathedra.

Hegumen John was consecrated Bishop of Caracas on [[June 21]], 2008, at the [[Old Believers|Old-Rite]] Church of the Nativity in Erie, Pennsylvania. Officiating at the consecration were His Eminence Metropolitan [[Hilarion (Kapral) of Sydney|Hilarion]] of New York and Eastern America, His Grace Bishop [[Daniel (Alexandrow) of Erie|Daniel]] of Erie, and His Grace Bishop [[Peter (Loukianoff) of Cleveland|Peter]] of Cleveland.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Seraphim (Svezhevsky) of Caracas|Seraphim (Svezhevsky)]]|
title=Bishop of Caracas ([[ROCOR]])|
years=2008-2009|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=Bishop of Caracas and South America ([[ROCOR]])|
years=2009-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Source==
*[http://www.synod.com/synod/eng2008/6enberzins.html Curriculum Vitae of Hegumen John (ROCOR website)]

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

John (Bērziņš) of Caracas

2012-11-28T05:32:31Z

SerafimBR:

His Grace '''John (Bērziņš)''' (Latvian: Jānis (Bērziņš), Russian: Иоанн (Берзинь)) is [[Bishop]] of Caracas, Venezuela, and administrator of the [[diocese]] of South America for the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia]] (ROCOR).

==Life==
His Grace was born Pēteris Bērziņš on [[March 16]], 1957, in Cooma, Australia, of [[Church of Latvia|Latvian Orthodox]] refugees, Leonid (1921-1996) and Margarita (b. 1924) Bērziņš. He grew up in Cooma and graduated with a philological degree from the Australian National University. Vladyka John is fluent in ancient Greek and Latin.

In 1982, he entered [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Monastery]] in Jordanville, New York, and enrolled in [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Seminary]]. He graduated from the [[seminary]] in 1985. He was [[tonsure]]d to the mantle on [[March 16]], 1985, by [[Archbishop]] [[Laurus (Skurla) of New York|Laurus of Syracuse and Holy Trinity]] and [[ordination|ordained]] [[hierodeacon]] on [[April 12]], 1987, also by Abp. Laurus. From 1992-1996, he served as father-confessor at Gethsemane Convent in the [[Holy Land]]. In 1994, he was awarded the gold [[pectoral cross]] by Abp. Laurus. From 2001-2005, he served again as father-confessor at Gethsemane Convent in the Holy Land. In September 2005, he was elevated to the rank of [[hegumen]] by His Eminence [[Metropolitan]] Laurus. From 2005 to 2008, he ministered to Ss. Sergius and German of Valaam Community of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America. In May 2008, the Council of Bishops of the ROCOR designated him as candidate for the Caracas cathedra.

Hegumen John was consecrated Bishop of Caracas on [[June 21]], 2008, at the [[Old Believers|Old-Rite]] Church of the Nativity in Erie, Pennsylvania. Officiating at the consecration were His Eminence Metropolitan [[Hilarion (Kapral) of Sydney|Hilarion]] of New York and Eastern America, His Grace Bishop [[Daniel (Alexandrow) of Erie|Daniel]] of Erie, and His Grace Bishop [[Peter (Loukianoff) of Cleveland|Peter]] of Cleveland.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[Seraphim (Svezhevsky) of Caracas|Seraphim (Svezhevsky)]]|
title=Bishop of Caracas ([[ROCOR]])|
years=2008-2009|
after=—}}
{{succession|
before=—|
title=Bishop of Caracas e América do Sul ([[ROCOR]])|
years=2009-present|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==Source==
*[http://www.synod.com/synod/eng2008/6enberzins.html Curriculum Vitae of Hegumen John (ROCOR website)]

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

Alexander (Mileant) of Buenos Aires

2012-11-27T07:38:15Z

SerafimBR:

His Grace the Right Reverend Bishop '''Alexander (Mileant) of Buenos Aires and South America''' was the [[ROCOR]] [[bishop]] of Buenos Aires from 1998 until his repose on [[September 13]], 2005.

[[Image:bishopalexander.jpg|left|frame|Bishop Alexander (Mileant) of Buenos Aires and South America]]
== Biography ==
Bishop Alexander was born Alexander Vasilievich Mileant in Odessa, Russia in 1938. During the Second World War his father disappeared at the front, and his family, fleeing the Bolsheviks, went to the West. They lived in Prague, in Rome, and finally in Buenos Aires, where the young Alexander received his primary education and then completed a seven-year electro-technical school. He worked as a machine draftsman for several companies. He then enrolled in Buenos Aires University.

From the age of 8, Alexander served as an altar boy under [[Archbishop]] Panteleimon, then under Archbishop Afanassy, who took him under his wing and gave him three years of formal theological training. Vladyka Afanassy possessed a great theological library. Wishing to read the works of the Holy Fathers in the original, Alexander first learned modern Greek, then ancient Greek.

At the end of 1963, Alexander enrolled at [[Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Seminary]] in Jordanville, New York, which he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology in 1967. A year earlier, Archbishop [[Averky (Taushev) of Syracuse|Averky (Taushev)]] [[ordination|ordained]] him to the [[deacon|diaconate]], and during Great Lent, Metropolitan [[Philaret (Voznesensky) of New York|Philaret (Voznesensky)]] of blessed memory ordained him to the [[priest]]hood and sent to Protection of the Holy Virgin Russian Orthodox Church in Los Angeles, where he served as [[rector]] for 31 years. From 1971-1985, Fr Alexander led several youth pilgrimages to Greece and the [[Holy Land]]. While spiritually nourishing his flock, Fr Alexander continued his scientific education, receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Electronics in 1978, then a Master’s Degree in Electronics, and finally, in 1983, an Engineer’s Degree from the University of Southern California in Communications. He worked in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of NASA. His lay work enabled Fr Alexander to become an expert in computers, which in turn helped him publish numerous missionary pamphlets which enjoyed great popularity in Russia and abroad. Today there are over 300 brochures published in Russian, English and Spanish on Orthodox Christianity.

In 1995, Protopriest Alexander was [[tonsure]]d a [[monk]] in Holy Trinity Monastery and given the name ''Alexander'' in honor of Holy Martyr Archbishop [[Alexander of Kharkov]], who died in prison in 1939 (until then, Fr Alexander bore the name of St [[Alexander Nevsky]], on whose feastday he reposed).

On [[May 28]], 1998, [[Archimandrite]] Alexander was consecrated a [[bishop]] at the Synodal Cathedral in New York and appointed Ruling Bishop of Buenos Aires and South America.

After a lengthy and heroic battle with cancer, Bishop Alexander reposed in the Lord on the night of [[September 12]]-13, 2005. [[Memorial Services|Pannikhida]] services were held at the Holy Trinity Church in Oxnard, California. On [[September 18]], 2005, his coffin was brought to [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Monastery]] in Jordanville, New York, where, on the following day he was burried.

==Works==
* Alexander Mileant. ''[http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/creation_man_a_mileant_e.htm The Origins of the World and Mankind: An Attempt to Reconcile the Biblical Account with Scientific Discoveries]''. Transl. by Karyn and Michael Grigoriev. Ed. by Natalia Semyanko. Holy Trinity Orthodox Mission, La Canada, California, 2004.

{{start box}}
{{succession|
before=[[John (Legky) of Buenos Aires|John (Legky)]]|
title=Bishop of Buenos Aires and South America ([[ROCOR]])|
years=1998-2005|
after=—}}
{{end box}}

==External links==
*[http://www.fatheralexander.org/ Bishop Alexander's Website]
*[http://www.holytrinitymission.org/ Holy Trinity Orthodox School]
*[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/01newstucture/pagesen/news05/balexdeath.html His Grace Bishop Alexander (Mileant) of Buenos Aires and South America Reposes]

[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Bishops of Buenos Aires]]
[[Category:Modern Writers]]

[[es:Alejandro (Mileant) de Buenos Aires]]
[[pt:Alexander (Mileant) de Buenos Aires e América do Sul]]

User:SerafimBR

2012-11-15T08:35:49Z

SerafimBR:

Brazilian Orthodox Christian. Admin of [http://pt.orthodoxwiki.org OrthodoxWiki in portuguese].

Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow

2012-11-11T09:02:01Z

SerafimBR:

[[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 elevation 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 II (Ridiger) of Moscow

2012-11-11T09:01:34Z

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Category:Alexandria Patriarchate Dioceses

2012-11-02T09:28:35Z

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This category is for articles on ecclesiastical units of the [[Church of Alexandria]], including [[diocese]]s, archdioceses, metropolises, exarchates, etc.

[[Category:Dioceses]]

[[pt:Categoria:Dioceses do Patriarcado de Alexandria]]

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Predefinição:Grandepredefinição

2012-10-27T04:05:03Z

SerafimBR: moved Predefinição:Grandepredefinição to Predefinição:Predefiniçãogrande: Correção do título

#REDIRECT [[Predefinição:Predefiniçãogrande]]

Church of Poland

2012-10-12T05:23:57Z

SerafimBR:

{{church|
name=The Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church|
founder=Ss. [[Cyril and Methodius]]|
independence=—|
recognition= 1924 by [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]], 1948 by [[Church of Russia|Russia]]|
primate=[[Sawa (Hrycuniak) of Poland|Metropolitan Sawa]]|
hq=Warsaw, Poland|
territory=Poland|
possessions=Brasil, Italy|
language=[[Church Slavonic]], Polish, Portuguese|
music=[[Russian Chant]], [[Polish Chant]], [[Znamenny Chant]]|
calendar=[[Julian Calendar|Julian]], [[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]]|
population=509,100 [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51573.htm] - 550,000|
website=[http://www.orthodox.pl Church of Poland]
}}

The '''Church of Poland''' is the [[autocephalous]] Orthodox Christian [[church]] in the country of Poland. The church has six [[diocese]]s and is currently led by Metropolitan [[Sawa (Hrycuniak) of Poland|Sawa]], [[Archbishop]] of Warsaw and Metropolitan of All Poland.

While the majority of people in Poland are [[Roman Catholic]], Orthodox Christians have resided in the area that makes up modern-day Poland since the missions of Ss. [[Cyril and Methodius]] in the ninth century. In the 13th century there were two Orthodox [[diocese]]s centered around Chełm and Przemyśl. Under the [[Union of Brest]] in 1596 the vast majority of these Orthodox believers were brought under the spiritual leadership of the [[Bishop]] of Rome (the Roman Catholic [[pope]]) as Greek Catholics ([[Unia]]tes). They were, however, allowed to continue several Eastern practices, including a Slavonic [[liturgy]], married [[priest]]s, and [[Eucharist|communion]] with both wine and bread. Loyalties of the faithful between Orthodoxy and the Unia have varied over the ensuing centuries, and tolerance between the ruling regimes and the people has varied as the borders changed. The [[martyr]]dom of [[Maxim Sandovich]] illustrates the tenseness of these relations.

In an attempt to reduce antagonism in Poland after World War I, the Orthodox leadership in Poland and the Polish government arranged for the Orthodox in Poland to organize as an autocephalous church, which was recognized by the [[Ecumenical Patriarch|Patriarch of Constantinople]] in 1924. In 1948, the Patriarch of Russia also recognized the autocephaly of the Church of Poland.

Today, the Church of Poland is led by the [[Archbishop]] of Warsaw and Metropolitan of All Poland and includes six dioceses/eparchies: Warsaw and Bielsk, Bialystok and Gdansk, Lodz and Poznan, Wroclaw and Szczecin, Lublin and Chelm, and Przemysl and Nowy Sacz. Most Orthodox Christians are located in eastern Poland, where Old [[Church Slavonic]] is the liturgical language. There are a few [[parish]]es throughout Poland where Polish is used during services. The [[Holy Synod]] has translated and published St [[John Chrysostom]]'s and St Basil's Liturgies, as well as the [[Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts|Presanctified Liturgy]] of St. [[Gregory the Dialogist|Gregory Dialogus]]. In recent decades Orthodox believers have also returned to the Lemko region, which is part of the Eparchy of Przemysl and Nowy Sacz. Old Church Slavonic is generally used as the liturgical language in the Lemko area. It is estimated that there are about one million Orthodox in Poland. The Brazilian Orthodox Eparchy of Polish Church uses Portuguese.

==Hierarchy==
*His Beatitude [[Sawa (Hrycuniak) of Poland|Sawa]], Archbishop of Warsaw and Metropolitan of All Poland
*His Eminence [[Simon (Romańczuk) of Łódź and Poznań|Simon]], Archbishop of Łódź and Poznań
*His Eminence [[Adam (Dubets) of Przemysl and Novy Sandets|Adam]], Archbishop of Przemysl and Nowy Sacz
*His Eminence [[Jeremiah (Ancimiuk) of Wroclaw|Jeremiah]], Archbishop of Wrocław and Szczecin
*His Eminence [[Abel (Poplavsky) of Lublin and Kholm|Abel]], Archbishop of Lublin and Chełm
*His Eminence Chrisóstomo, Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro and Olinda-Recife
*His Grace [[Miron (Chodakowski) of Hajnówka|Miron]], Archbishop of Hajnówka and auxiliary for the Polish Army. Died in airplane accident [[April 10]], 2010 - Metr. Sawa interim Ordinary of Polish Army.
*His Grace [[Jakub (Kostiuczuk) of Bialystok and Gdansk|Jacob]], Archbishop of Białystok and Gdańsk
*His Grace Ambrósio, Bishop of Recife
*His Grace [[Gregory (Charkiewicz) of Bialy|Gregory]], Bishop of Bialy
*His Grace George, Bishop of Siemiatycze
*His Grace Paisios, Bishop of Gorlice

==Dioceses==
*[[Diocese of Warsaw-Bielsk]]
*[[Diocese of Bialystok-Gdansk]]
*[[Diocese of Lublin-Chełm]]
*[[Diocese of Wroclaw-Szczecin]]
*Diocese of Lodz-Poznan
*[[Diocese of Przemysl-Novy Soncz]]
*Orthodox Chaplainship of the Polish Army
*Diocese of Rio de Janeiro and Olinda-Recife

==See also==
*[[List of Metropolitans of Poland]]

==External links==
*[http://www.orthodox.bialystok.pl/en/info.htm Orthodoxy in Poland]
*[http://cerkiew.pl/index.php?id=ang Polish Orthodox Unofficial Website] (English and Polish)
*[http://orthodox.bialystok.pl/en/ Site of Białystok-Gdańsk Diocese] (English and Polish)
*[http://lublin.cerkiew.pl/ Site of Lublin-Chełm Diocese] (Polish)
*[http://ordynariat.republika.pl/ Site of Polish Military Ordynariate] (Polish)
*[http://www.ortodoxia-brasil.blogspot.com/ Orthodox Church of Brazil] (Portuguese)
*[http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=24&IndexView=toc "The Polish Orthodox Church"] in ''The Eastern Christian Churches: A Brief Survey'' (2008) by Ronald Roberson, on the CNEWA website.
'''Original Orthodox Origins'''
*Antoni Mironowicz. ''[http://www.slonko.com.pl/the-orthodox-church-in-poland.html The Orthodox Church in Poland].'' Sonca.org. 2010.
*Orthodox England. ''[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/poland.htm Orthodox Europe: Poland uncovers its original Orthodoxy].''

{{churches}}

[[Category:Polish Dioceses| ]]
[[Category:Jurisdictions|Poland]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy in Poland|Poland]]

[[es:Iglesia Ortodoxa de Polonia]]
[[fr:Église de Pologne]]
[[ro:Biserica Ortodoxă a Poloniei]]

Church of Poland

2012-10-12T05:21:10Z

SerafimBR:

{{church|
name=The Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church|
founder=Ss. [[Cyril and Methodius]]|
independence=—|
recognition= 1924 by [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]], 1948 by [[Church of Russia|Russia]]|
primate=[[Sawa (Hrycuniak) of Poland|Metropolitan Sawa]]|
hq=Warsaw, Poland|
territory=Poland|
possessions=Brasil, Italy|
language=[[Church Slavonic]], Polish, Portuguese|
music=[[Russian Chant]], [[Polish Chant]], [[Znamenny Chant]]|
calendar=[[Julian Calendar|Julian]], [[Revised Julian Calendar|Revised Julian]]|
population=509,100 [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51573.htm] - 550,000|
website=[http://www.orthodox.pl Church of Poland]
}}

The '''Church of Poland''' is the [[autocephalous]] Orthodox Christian [[church]] in the country of Poland. The church has six [[diocese]]s and is currently led by Metropolitan [[Sawa (Hrycuniak) of Poland|Sawa]], [[Archbishop]] of Warsaw and Metropolitan of All Poland.

While the majority of people in Poland are [[Roman Catholic]], Orthodox Christians have resided in the area that makes up modern-day Poland since the missions of Ss. [[Cyril and Methodius]] in the ninth century. In the 13th century there were two Orthodox [[diocese]]s centered around Chełm and Przemyśl. Under the [[Union of Brest]] in 1596 the vast majority of these Orthodox believers were brought under the spiritual leadership of the [[Bishop]] of Rome (the Roman Catholic [[pope]]) as Greek Catholics ([[Unia]]tes). They were, however, allowed to continue several Eastern practices, including a Slavonic [[liturgy]], married [[priest]]s, and [[Eucharist|communion]] with both wine and bread. Loyalties of the faithful between Orthodoxy and the Unia have varied over the ensuing centuries, and tolerance between the ruling regimes and the people has varied as the borders changed. The [[martyr]]dom of [[Maxim Sandovich]] illustrates the tenseness of these relations.

In an attempt to reduce antagonism in Poland after World War I, the Orthodox leadership in Poland and the Polish government arranged for the Orthodox in Poland to organize as an autocephalous church, which was recognized by the [[Ecumenical Patriarch|Patriarch of Constantinople]] in 1924. In 1948, the Patriarch of Russia also recognized the autocephaly of the Church of Poland.

Today, the Church of Poland is led by the [[Archbishop]] of Warsaw and Metropolitan of All Poland and includes six dioceses/eparchies: Warsaw and Bielsk, Bialystok and Gdansk, Lodz and Poznan, Wroclaw and Szczecin, Lublin and Chelm, and Przemysl and Nowy Sacz. Most Orthodox Christians are located in eastern Poland, where Old [[Church Slavonic]] is the liturgical language. There are a few [[parish]]es throughout Poland where Polish is used during services. The [[Holy Synod]] has translated and published St [[John Chrysostom]]'s and St Basil's Liturgies, as well as the [[Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts|Presanctified Liturgy]] of St. [[Gregory the Dialogist|Gregory Dialogus]]. In recent decades Orthodox believers have also returned to the Lemko region, which is part of the Eparchy of Przemysl and Nowy Sacz. Old Church Slavonic is generally used as the liturgical language in the Lemko area. It is estimated that there are about one million Orthodox in Poland.

==Hierarchy==
*His Beatitude [[Sawa (Hrycuniak) of Poland|Sawa]], Archbishop of Warsaw and Metropolitan of All Poland
*His Eminence [[Simon (Romańczuk) of Łódź and Poznań|Simon]], Archbishop of Łódź and Poznań
*His Eminence [[Adam (Dubets) of Przemysl and Novy Sandets|Adam]], Archbishop of Przemysl and Nowy Sacz
*His Eminence [[Jeremiah (Ancimiuk) of Wroclaw|Jeremiah]], Archbishop of Wrocław and Szczecin
*His Eminence [[Abel (Poplavsky) of Lublin and Kholm|Abel]], Archbishop of Lublin and Chełm
*His Eminence Chrisóstomo, Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro and Olinda-Recife
*His Grace [[Miron (Chodakowski) of Hajnówka|Miron]], Archbishop of Hajnówka and auxiliary for the Polish Army. Died in airplane accident [[April 10]], 2010 - Metr. Sawa interim Ordinary of Polish Army.
*His Grace [[Jakub (Kostiuczuk) of Bialystok and Gdansk|Jacob]], Archbishop of Białystok and Gdańsk
*His Grace Ambrósio, Bishop of Recife
*His Grace [[Gregory (Charkiewicz) of Bialy|Gregory]], Bishop of Bialy
*His Grace George, Bishop of Siemiatycze
*His Grace Paisios, Bishop of Gorlice

==Dioceses==
*[[Diocese of Warsaw-Bielsk]]
*[[Diocese of Bialystok-Gdansk]]
*[[Diocese of Lublin-Chełm]]
*[[Diocese of Wroclaw-Szczecin]]
*Diocese of Lodz-Poznan
*[[Diocese of Przemysl-Novy Soncz]]
*Orthodox Chaplainship of the Polish Army
*Diocese of Rio de Janeiro and Olinda-Recife

==See also==
*[[List of Metropolitans of Poland]]

==External links==
*[http://www.orthodox.bialystok.pl/en/info.htm Orthodoxy in Poland]
*[http://cerkiew.pl/index.php?id=ang Polish Orthodox Unofficial Website] (English and Polish)
*[http://orthodox.bialystok.pl/en/ Site of Białystok-Gdańsk Diocese] (English and Polish)
*[http://lublin.cerkiew.pl/ Site of Lublin-Chełm Diocese] (Polish)
*[http://ordynariat.republika.pl/ Site of Polish Military Ordynariate] (Polish)
*[http://www.ortodoxia-brasil.blogspot.com/ Orthodox Church of Brazil] (Portuguese)
*[http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-us.aspx?eccpageID=24&IndexView=toc "The Polish Orthodox Church"] in ''The Eastern Christian Churches: A Brief Survey'' (2008) by Ronald Roberson, on the CNEWA website.
'''Original Orthodox Origins'''
*Antoni Mironowicz. ''[http://www.slonko.com.pl/the-orthodox-church-in-poland.html The Orthodox Church in Poland].'' Sonca.org. 2010.
*Orthodox England. ''[http://www.orthodoxengland.org.uk/poland.htm Orthodox Europe: Poland uncovers its original Orthodoxy].''

{{churches}}

[[Category:Polish Dioceses| ]]
[[Category:Jurisdictions|Poland]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy in Poland|Poland]]

[[es:Iglesia Ortodoxa de Polonia]]
[[fr:Église de Pologne]]
[[ro:Biserica Ortodoxă a Poloniei]]

User talk:FrJohn

2012-10-11T20:43:35Z

SerafimBR: /* pt.orthodoxwiki */ new section

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''[[/archived discussion 2]] (through 11-20-2005)'' 
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__TOC__

==August 17 Menaion==

Should we call our father among the saints Theodoretus the enlightener of the Sami, as opposed to the enlightener of the Lapps. Lapp is considered something of an ethnic slur; much like calling the Inuit by the name Eskimo. On the other hand, should we wait until the Menaion itself is changed to reflect the better name for the people of northern Scandinavia. [[User:Eddieuny|Eddieuny]] 03:22, November 18, 2009 (UTC)

:Hi Eddieuny, Thanks for your question. My take is that, since he is in the menaion as "Enlightener of the Lapps" we should do this, but with a footnote explaining what you just said -- it would be good to make people aware of this. Thanks! — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 04:30, November 18, 2009 (UTC)

==Ukrainian version==

Dear Father, I thought to start Ukrainian version. How can I do that? I work with articles related to Orthodoxy on Ukrainian wikipedia.

--[[User:Roman Z|Roman Z]] 21:38, March 12, 2009 (UTC)

==Orthodox Source==
Hi father john, it is with much sadness and hurt that I see you close down Orthodox Source. Mainly because I invested a huge amount of time to put information onto that site that took a lot of my time and I dont have access to any more. I am a bit saddened because you didnt even give me some notice that you were going to close the site down so that I could at least download some of the information onto my personal computer that I can access in the future ... a bit disappointed that this was not considered and an opportunity given to do this. It only proves that the Internet is not a very viable Christian tool. [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 05:50, November 27, 2008 (UTC)

== Fact check ==

Dear Father,
I am trying to recall the name of the cemetery chapel at Saint Anna's Skete on the Holy Mountain. I wondered if you or any of your readers/discussants might help me.

Thanks,
Isaak Scott Cairns

:One source tells me it's "Holy Cross" — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 20:54, March 16, 2009 (UTC)

== Hymns of Contrition ==

Father John, I bought a CD last night that in Greek is called "Kataniktika of Great lent". So, I set about doing a google today to find out just what are these hymns (although I understand the words). Many articles come up but they are primarily from the Catholic church and are seven Psalms ... these do not seem to be the format of the kataniktiko service. Can you help me. What are the Kataniktika of Great Lent? I want to post an article onto OrthodoxWiki for others to reference too.!! Thanks in advance. [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 22:54, March 16, 2009 (UTC)

:O man, these Greek terms -- best ask a Byzantine-style cantor, I think. Anyone around here? — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

::Триоди в Воскресенья - the CD translates the "Kataniktika" as the "Hymns of Contrition". However, if you do a google on that term it comes up with the Catholic version of Hymns of Contrition - which are not the same! Oi! What is wrong with the Greek terms? The church lasted 2,000 years because of the beauty in the Greek language :-) Do you want us to convert everything to Russian so you can understand? LOL ANYWAY! You are a priest - you should know what these are! ROFL [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 23:07, March 16, 2009 (UTC)

::: The ''Katanyktikoi Hymnoi'' (it helps to use standard Latinization for Greek!) may be called the "Hymns of Contrition" or "Penitential Hymns," and the term refers to a wide set of pieces of hymnography used throughout the period of the Triodion, most especially in the stichera of Lenten Vespers (most often referenced in Sunday night Vespers).

::: They are not the same thing as the "Penitential Psalms." —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] ('''[[User:ASDamick/Wiki-philosophy|THINK!]]''') 23:53, March 16, 2009 (UTC)
:::: Thanks! What I did was cut and paste what you just said and inserted it into an article. Hopefully we can develop it a little ... there is not much available on the Internet for this. [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 00:34, March 17, 2009 (UTC)

== ΒΟΗΘΕΙΑ ==

ΧΡΕΙΑΖΟΜΑΙ ΣΤΟΙΧΕΙΑ ΓΙΑ ΜΙΑ ΠΑΛΙΑ ΑΙΡΕΣΗ, ΛΕΓΕΤΑΙ ΑΦΘΑΡΤΟΔΟΚΗΤΙΣΜΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΙΔΡΥΤΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΗΤΑΝ Ο ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΣ ΑΛΙΚΑΡΝΑΣΣΟΥ ΙΟΥΛΙΑΝΟΣ

:Ελληνικά, παρακαλώ. Δεν μιλούν ελληνικά. Σε ευχαριστώ. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

==User Creation - Proposal==
Greetings Fr. John,
With the amount of Vandalism we have, I propose that anyone requesting a new account first has to submit a request online, with some brief info about temselves, and THEN THE REQUEST WILL REQUIRE APPROVAL by yourself or Fr. Andrew or other Sysops. '''The ability for anyone to automatically create accounts will be disabled''', unless they are sincere and simply request a free account which they can then of course have; I think that the Conservapedia and some other wikis might have this system in place. Anyhow, just an idea I wanted to pass along :)

By the way, regarding the note immediately above this one (in greek), it reads something like this: ''"I require information on an ancient heresy, called "Aftharto-Docetism"?, and its proponent was the Bishop of Halicarnassos Julianos."'' I see that it was an unsigned comment however.

Cheers, [[User:Angellight 888|Angellight 888]] 00:10, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

:Hi Angellight, given the number of users we have, this sounds like an awful lot of work. I'd rather just clean up occasionally as needed, but let me keep my eyes open for another solution. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 00:17, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

::other forums require that you Verify your "humanity" by typing into a box the combination of numbers/letters you can see on the screen to verify that you are indeed "real" and not a bot. maybe that is all you need. [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 00:51, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

::::Yep, was just posting that I've just installed a captcha test for new user registrations. It won't block disturbed individuals, but should help with the automated creation of accounts from multiple un-blacklisted IPs where email verification can be performed. Amazing we have to deal with that, eh? — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 00:55, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

:::::Yeah, you have to wonder why they havent got better things to do than hurl abuse at people who are minding their own business ... I learnt something yesterday. A priest called Fr Demetrius wrote an email about praying for the deceased soul of a "george" who was a pro-abortionist in America. When you read with what tenderness and love Fr Demetrius writes about this "sinner" you realise how much we just pity these people - for they know not what they do. [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 01:04, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

:::The only effect really is to drain a little bit of my time away :-(. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

::::Hey, I just did an EDIT on an article and it asked me to fill out a box ... is this going to be the standard practise from now on for editing as it will grow tedious I think for regulars? [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 01:37, June 4, 2009 (UTC)
:::Whoops, I'll fix this. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 01:43, June 4, 2009 (UTC)
:::I missed the setting that said "Require captcha when user edits page and adds a link" - let me know if it happens again! — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

::::Sure, also while I have you and you are in a good mood :D I would like to ask for a favour (as far as practical) my heart is to complete the most comprehensive Table of Saints (in Chronological order) - as you can witness by this new article. At present, I am systematically and patiently working through the information ON OrthodoxWiki ... how can I identify saints I have missed NOT listed on OrthodoxWiki. Do you have any suggestions? [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 01:53, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

:::Wow! Sounds like a big job. I guess you'd have to check the websites of the various Orthodox jurisdictions around the world, or get your hands on a really good synaxarion (I like the one published by at Ormylia) and refer to its index. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 01:56, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

== Glitch ==

See [[Talk:Alban|this]]. —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] ('''[[User:ASDamick/Wiki-philosophy|THINK!]]''') 01:59, July 8, 2009 (UTC)

::Thanks, message left. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 05:38, July 8, 2009 (UTC)

== Sysop. ==

Hello Fr. John.
I am a Greek Orthodox user. I was wonderign if you can add me as a sysop to help you out with the site. I have a lot of time on my hands.

In his service,
--[[User:Greeks|Greeks]] 15:23, February 1, 2010 (UTC)

==Hello!==
Hi sir! I would like to create a project OrthodoxWiki dutch language and I have rights bureaucrat, administrator, renameuser, Checkuser and oversight, thanks. —[[User:Mr. man|Mister]] [[User talk:Mr. man|'''lasă-mi un mesaj''']] 17:23, February 20, 2010 (UTC)ﻧ

:You are active or no? For 2 months you no response me. --—[[User:Mr. man|Mister]] [[User talk:Mr. man|'''lasă-mi un mesaj''']] 15:15, February 22, 2010 (UTC)

Many Orthodox believers have asked about the Icon of Christ and the Ancient of Days and confusing this elder sitting next to Christ with God the Father.
They are not alone, for the entire Roman Catholic Church believes that this is the case and their belief has by the process of osmosis been picked up by many of our clergy and this icon has been ejected from many of our Churches. It is not true for the Ancient of Days is the Son of God who was begotten before all time. If they recall, Christ in the incarnation had divested Himself of those signs of being God and had assumed the appearance of a mere servant. The icon of the Platytera teaches us that the Holy Virgin's womb contained the "uncontainable, therefore those aspects of God the Son of God remained in the mystery of Heaven. Read on with what I have written:

QUESTION:

v Do you recall ever having seen this icon of Jesus Christ holding his cross, sitting at the right of an elderly man with white hair?
at their feet there are cherubic figures, and about them there are clouds. They both have a nimbus above their head and above them
there is a white dove, sometimes within a circle or a triangle.
v Is there anything incorrect about it ?
v Why is it not found in today’s churches ?
v What is its origin ?

For those of us who are old enough, this icon is familiar. We had seen it in most of the Greek Orthodox Churches when we were children. It was located on the iconostasion on the right side of the royal entrance, the spot currently occupied by the icon of Christ. I do remember it in St. Sophia Cathedral (until the 1960’s) and in the Holy Trinity Church in Waterbury, Connecticut (in the 1920’-30’s). St. Sophia’s oldest icons were contributed to a more recently established parish in Virginia and this icon was still in use there as of seven years ago.

What is wrong with it? It has a perfectly good representation of Christ. He is seated at the right hand of an elderly man who is giving a blessing and they are both apparently seated in majesty in heaven. There are little, western style cherubs at their feet. The elderly man supposedly represents God the Father. Instead of a halo, His head is usually surrounded by a triangle which, I presume, represents the Holy Trinity. I have heard of Him in this representation being named the “Ancient of Days.” What is wrong with all this is that God the Father is purely spirit and cannot be portrayed in any manner. Christ said in the New Testament, “When you see Me, you see my Father.” This is the reason why this icon has been supplanted by one of Christ alone, for when we see Christ in an icon, we see the Father.

How did we come to portray God the Father in this manner? I could not discover the answer in any book on iconography or theology available to me. It was not until I came across a passage in the Septuagint Scriptures that I found the answer in the Book of Daniel chapter VII, verses 9 - 10 and 13 - 14.

[9] I beheld until the thrones were set, and the Ancient of days sat; and his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head as pure wool: his throne was a flame of fire, and his wheels burning fire. [10] A stream of fire rushed forth before him: thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousands of myriads attended upon him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened.
[13] I beheld in the night vision, and, lo, one coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of Man, and he came on to the Ancient of Days, and was brought near to him. [14] And to him was given the dominion, and the honour,and the kingdom; and all the nations, tribes, and languages, shall serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.

This vision and prophesy of Daniel has been identified, in both Latin Catholic and Protestant sources as a prefiguration of God the Father and the powers and glory which He has bestowed upon God the Son, Jesus Christ - the Son of Man. This passage may have been the source of the artistic rendering of God the Father as the “Ancient of Days.” Whether this conception was original with our iconographers or was influenced by the realistic presentations of western artists is not known. Indeed we have a prime example of this in Michaelangelo’s painting of God in the Sistine Chapel and the western style cherubs at their feet. His portraiture is that of an old man with white hair and a white beard, reaching out with his finger to endow Adam with life. None of these features are found in Orthodox iconography and their being in this icon suggests the influence of western imaging since large portions of Greece had been occupied for several centuries by Venetian, Catalan and other Latins.

Regardless of its origins, this icon is considered erroneous today.

Providence has a way of providing us with truths to heal our ignorance. I believe that I have discovered the significance of this icon while reading A Discourse On the Nativity of Christ by St. Gregory Thaumatourgos, Bishop of Neo-Caesarea (died 260) . He wrote:

“The new wonders do strike me with awe. The Ancient of Days is become a Child, to make people children of God. Sitting in glory in the Heavens, because of His love for mankind, He now layeth in a manger of dumb beasts.”

Do the words of Gregory’s statement imply that this icon could represent a “double image” of Christ? First as the “Ancient of Days”, the only-begotten Son of God, born before all ages. Adjacent to Him is the younger Incarnate Jesus Christ, Son of Man(-kind) as He appeared to us on earth in His kenotic form (i.e. when He “emptied Himself” and “became as a base servant”). Gone would be the mistaken identification of the Ancient of Days as God the Father, which is the mainstay of western explanations. Such an interpretation of this icon sheds a completely new light upon it, a light which may render it theologically legitimate. Even so St. Gregory goes on to say: “The Impassionate, Incorporeal, Incomprehensible One is taken by human hands, in order to atone the violence of sinners.” If the Ancient of Days has these chacteristics, is it permissible to portray him in an icon? Does the fact that He becomes incarnate as Jesus Christ repeal the prohibition of showing Him as an aged man?
However, St. Gregory’s words have allowed me to learn the true meaning of this prophesy from the Book of Daniel. It is a prophesy of the Parousia, the Second Coming of Christ, when the “books will be opened” and the “secrets of men will be revealed.” I am thankful to have gained this knowledge so that I can look upon this icon with greater appreciation. Later yet, I discovered that there is an icon in St. Katherine’s Monastery at Sinai which depicts the Ancient of Days, and on his lap rests Jesus as a child. This icon is said to confirm the concept voiced by St. Gregory that The Ancient of Days is the heavenly manifestation of the Son of God.

The Ancient of Days with a child Jesus Christ on His Lap, 12th century
At St. Katherine’s Monastery Church, Mt. Sinai
(You can find this icon on the internet)

== Psalter quote ==

Father John,
Bless!
My name is Manoli and I'm an 18 year old recent high school graduate. I am distantly acquainted with Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick and I'm writing an essay for the PanHellenic Foundation, trying to get a scholarship for college. I want to use the "golden thread" quote from "one modern commentator" on the OrthodoxWiki "Psalter" page. If you know who that person is, or who would know who that person is, I'd appreciate any info...Fr. Andrew doesn't and although I'm registered on OrthodoxWiki as CampNazFanatic, I don't know much about using the site so I decided to contact you. Please respond asap as this essay is due like tomorrow.
Thanks,
Manoli
--CampNazFanatic[[CampNazFanatic]]

==IMAGES ISSUES==
Warm greetings Fr. John,

I hope it is okay that I am contacting you directly, but this problem has not been resolved for some time. Could you kindly look into rectifying the long-standing problem with uploaded images not displaying - they do not display once they are uploaded and they do not display especially as thumbnails.

See here: the [http://commons.orthodoxwiki.org/Special:Newimages Gallery of New Image Files];

I had left a note at the OrthodoxWiki Trapeza [[OrthodoxWiki:Trapeza#Thumbnails_Error|here]] regarding this error some time ago, but it has gone unanswered and the problem is not resolved.

Surely there must be a process to have this investigated? -- i.e. Where is the OW site hosted? Which person(s)/webmasters or what entity is in charge of maintenance? Who needs to be called? Who is in control? And WHERE is their accountability???? Why have they ignored this for so long? Was this change done intentionally for some reason and if so why is there no notice informing the users? This problem has persisted for a very long time now, and it appears that it is a feature that has been disabled. If it stays non-functional this way I fear that this will discourage further users from wanting to contribute to OW. If there is something I have overlooked apologies in advance. Hoping something can be done. Thanks and kind regards :) [[User:Angellight 888|Angellight 888]] 05:49, October 2, 2010 (UTC)

::Hi Angellight -- I apologize for the frustration. Sadly, it is I -- the negligent webmaster. and the volunteer in charge of site maintenance (but with many distractions). Please be assured that there is nothing intentional in the problem - the site just needs an upgrade. Because of the way the databases are tied together for each localization, it gets a little complex. I will strive to find some time to fix this soon. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 07:28, October 2, 2010 (UTC)

:::Many thanks for the info dear Fr.; good to know the site will be eventually upgraded and that this will be addressed then. Please forgive my initial frustration. This is a wonderful resource and I hope to see it grow. Cheers, [[User:Angellight 888|Angellight 888]] 18:55, October 2, 2010 (UTC)

----

:Fr. John, this may be part of the same problem, if one tries to add a image and re-size it they get an error:
Error creating thumbnail: Warning: passthru() has been disabled for security reasons in
/home/owiki/public_html/shared/includes /GlobalFunctions.php on line 1839 
:(just an FYI) - [[User:Andrew|Andy]] 16:41, November 24, 2010 (UTC)

::I apologize for the delay in getting this resolved. Thumbnails should now be working again! — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

== Suppression ==

Unfortunately, after going through some articles and dead links, it seems that the Oriental Orthodox Church is suppressed on this OrthodoxWiki. it is a shame becuase this wiki is what should unite us together in Christ, not divide us and furthurmore insult our brothers and sisters. No one would dare do that to Christ. Eastern Orthodoxy and Oreintal Orthodoxy are probably the closest, most Orthodox, unchanging groups of Churches. I pray that one day we will once again be reunited as one in His Church.

God Bless

:: Hello [[Cmd|User:Cmd]] - It is certainly not my heart to suppress Oriental Orthodoxy in any way. In fact, just about 30 minutes ago I was speaking about my respect for Oriental Orthodox Christians, and talking about how the Christological differences have been largely resolved. This is a joy to me. Please see [[OrthodoxWiki:Style_Manual_%28Point_of_View%29]] for the stated policy of this site. If you can point to specific examples of suppression, that would be helpful. In Christ, — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 23:32, October 3, 2010 (UTC)

== About the 3 photos at the text ''Monastery of St Patapios (Loutraki, Greece)'' ==

Dear Father John. I have added 3 photos at the text ''Monastery of St Patapios (Loutraki, Greece)'', but they do not appear in the article, however they appear when I ''clic'' on them. Could you please help me make them appear at the article. Is it a problem from your server? Please help me and you will have the bless of Saint Pastapios. [[User:688dim|688dim]] 22:15, November 29, 2010 (UTC)

::Dear 688dim, Thanks for the bug report. This should now be fixed. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])
:::Thanks, Fr. John for catching the "bug". I missed the pictures![[User:Wsk|Wsk]] 22:56, December 20, 2010 (UTC)

== Italian Version ==

::: Dear Father, I thought to start Italian version. How can I do that?
me and my boyfriend !! We've a lot of articol en Italian about orthodoxia.

Thanks. [[User:Raggiodisole|Raggiodisole]] 15:30, February 7, 2011 (UTC)

Hi Raggiodisole, I would be very happy to see an Italian version. The place to start is [[OrthodoxWiki:Localization]] -- would you be up for this translation work? — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 04:48, February 8, 2011 (UTC)

:: Dear Father, ok, I gladly accept.
Then, if I may, I would like to post new articles in Italian orthodoxy
Technically, I would like you opened your site because I have these technical skills, so I will translate the pages essential for the initiation site and part Italian and enrich it later.
How do I send you the translation? the insert here?
Thank you for your trust, we are now going to translate the page you showed me.
I greet you and thank you Father. [[User:Raggiodisole|Raggiodisole]] 13:12, February 22, 2011 (UTC)

:: Father this is the translation you asked me:

OrthodoxWiki: Localizzazione

Questa pagina fornisce i principi di politica ufficiale sull’enciclopedia OrthodoxWiki. Questa pagina è stata redatta consensualmente degli editori ed è considerata uno standard che tutti gli utenti devono seguire. Se si parte dell'amministrazione, non esitate ad aggiornare questa pagina, se necessario, ma occorre fare in modo che le modifiche apportate a questa politica
le voci che vi appaiano devono rispecchiare fedelmente il punto di vista ortodosso e si candidano quindi ad essere un punto di riferimento, una riflessione, per chi vuol conoscere la Chiesa Ortodossa.

Localizzazione e le relazioni inter-wiki (PROGETTO IN PROGRESS)

I commenti sono accolti

Indice [nascondi]
1 Definizioni
2 Contributori
2,1 Amministrazione
2,2 Responsabilità dei contributori
2,3 Loghi e Identità
2,4 Hosting e domini
2,5 Problemi di copyright
3 Colleghi
4 Appedix A: documenti fondamentali OrthodoxWiki
5 Appendice B: Localizzazioni Attivo
6 Appendice C: Localizzazioni in fase di progettazione
7 Appendice D: Risorse

Definizione : Cos’è OrthodoxWiki [Modifica]
La localizzazione si riferisce al processo di porting del progetto OrthodoxWiki in lingue diverse dall'inglese (la lingua originale).

Si riconoscono due accordi separati. 1. Affiliati, e 2. Colleghi.

Contributori ( Affiliato)

Un rapporto "affiliato" si ha quando un gruppo canonicamente ortodosso di persone che condividono la visione OrthodoxWiki, e il desiderio di estendere il progetto OrthodoxWiki's in altre lingue. Siamo molto felici quando per avere altri wiki-based ortodossi formalmente si aderisce all’OrthodoxWiki come affiliati pieni.

Amministrazione [Modifica]

Un rapporto di affiliazione inizia quando i volontari una o più persone dedicano sforzi sostanziali per creare e mantenere una OrthodoxWiki localizzata in una lingua che non dispone già di uno. Tutti i contatti dovrebbe passare attraverso Fr. John.

Se approvata, una o più persone del gruppo affiliato sarà data sysop di stato e sarà aggiunto alla mailing list sysop OrthodoxWiki.

Responsabilità di Contribuzione (Affiliazione) [Modifica]

E 'la responsabilità della filiale/i di mantenere e gestire attivamente il sito OrthodoxWiki localizzato in conformità con le linee guida principali OrthodoxWiki, in particolare la sua politica sul copyright (per motivi legali) e OrthodoxWiki principio di neutralità. Saranno anche responsabile della traduzione di testi fondamentali OrthodoxWiki dall'inglese in altre lingue.

All'interno di questi parametri, agli operatori locali viene dato un grande margine di manovra per quanto riguarda come è strutturato il loro wiki, stabilendo le priorità per quale tipo di materiale di importazione e di esportazione dalla lingua inglese OrthodoxWiki, e così via.

Se non riescono a soddisfare queste responsabilità, stato di affiliazione può essere revocata, e la loro sottodominio di hosting e annullato. Questo tipo di misura sarà usata, tuttavia, con parsimonia solo nei casi più gravi.

Loghi e identità [Modifica]

Gli OrthodoxWiki affiliati sono autorizzati e tenuti ad adottare il logo ufficiale OrthodoxWiki, anche se possono tradurre in altre lingue, se a loro piace. Allo stesso modo, si dovrebbero utilizzare la favicon OrthodoxWiki e il plugin di ricerca icona, permettono essi possono adattare queste come vogliono (per esempio, la modifica a un diverso colore per differenziare tra le versioni di OrthodoxWiki nella casella di ricerca o per i segnalibri).

Link a tutti gli OrthodoxWikis localizzate dovrebbero essere ben descritto sulla home page di ogni discreto / sito localizzato OrthodoxWiki.

I contributori (Affialiates) possono utilizzare uno dei linkbuttons OrthodoxWiki, tradotto o meno, o può creare il proprio.

Hosting e domini

Vi forniremo un sottodominio localizzato (come ru.orthodoxwiki.org, gr.orthodoxwiki.org, bu.orthodoxwiki.org, ecc.) Questo può essere indicato un altro indirizzo IP che sarà ospitata a livello locale, oppure possiamo fornire uno spazio sul server che ospita OrthodoxWiki (un server appartenente alla ortodossa Internet Services). In alcuni casi, un nome di dominio più appropriato per la lingua in questione può anche essere sistemato sul sottodominio.

Hosting e gestione tecnica del software MediaWiki può essere fornito gratuitamente da OrthodoxWiki, in associazione con gli ortodossi Internet Services. Tuttavia, è anche possibile per gli affiliati ospitare e gestire la propria installazione MediaWiki

Problemi di copyright

Per motivi pratici, è importante che OrthodoxWikis localizzato mantenga lo stesso copyright / accordo di licenza, come la lingua inglese OrthodoxWiki.

Dato che il wiki è localizzato nel progetto OrthodoxWiki, riteniamo che tutte le immagini e gli articoli per i quali OrthodoxWiki ha ottenuto un permesso speciale da utilizzare potrebbe essere utilizzato anche su OrthodoxWikis localizzato utilizzando lo stesso nome di dominio.

I colleghi [Modifica

Un rapporto "collega" è particolarmente appropriato in cui l'attenzione di un altro wiki (ad esempio, la loro interpretazione del NPOV e "mainstream Chalcedonian bias ortodossi") è diverso da OrthodoxWiki's. Ci aspettiamo che questo sarebbe il caso, ad esempio, se un vecchio gruppo Calendarist greco voluto creare il proprio wiki, o per copto / non-Calcedoniani o romana (o altro) wiki cattolica, o se un altro gruppo di ortodossi orientali ha voluto avviare una wiki con una particolare attenzione sostanzialmente diverso o missione. In alcuni casi, si possono riconoscere altri Wiki come "colleghi", anche se non si definiscono cristiani.

Il "collega" parola presuppone che noi abbiamo un senso della missione comune o di complementarietà, e siamo felici di lavorare insieme e sostenere ogni lavoro altrui.

In questo caso, non si può condividere un comune branding - nomi di dominio, i loghi, linkbuttons, ecc sarebbero tutti distinti. Allo stesso modo, speciali autorizzazioni per l’ immagine e l'articolo sarebbe gestiti separatamente.

I colleghi riceveranno un riconoscimento pubblico, i link sul wiki, così come il permesso esplicito di utilizzare qualsiasi materiale appropriato OrthodoxWiki (a patto che si inserisce il loro sistema di licenze) e di ogni altra assistenza o incoraggiamento siamo in grado di fornire.

Collega status può essere revocato in qualsiasi momento, soprattutto se la missione della vira altri wiki di là di un generale "NPOV" o presa di posizione "descrittivo" e formalmente adotta una forte polemica contro un altro gruppo in modo tale che non sono utili non avendo alcun rapporto formale con loro.

Appedix A: documenti fondamentali OrthodoxWiki

Si tratta di un elenco di documenti essenziali OrthodoxWiki che deve essere tradotto (in forma abbreviata, se necessario) e mantenuta coerente in localizzazioni. Il testo in lingua inglese rimane il testo "canonico".

Pagine principali sono:

OrthodoxWiki: A proposito - abbiamo bisogno di lavorare su una revisione di questo anche in inglese!
Almeno queste pagine politica OrthodoxWiki:
OrthodoxWiki: Copyrights
OrthodoxWiki: General disclaimer
OrthodoxWiki: Informazioni sulla privacy
OrthodoxWiki: Manuale di stile
Help: titoli di immagine
Core modelli includono:

Il più generico Modelli generali, in particolare:
Template: Benvenuto
Template: Stub
Template: Pulitura
Template: disambig
Tutti i modelli Copyright richieste per il materiale utilizzato sul sito affiliato, in particolare:
Template: Copyright
Template: non verificato
Template: Fairuse
Template: OWiki
Template: Skete.com
Template: Oca
Template: Htm
Template: Pd

Altre pagine che arricchiscono il funzionamento del wiki, ma non sono strettamente necessarie, o può essere più liberamente adattato per l'uso locale, sono:

OrthodoxWiki: News
OrthodoxWiki: Buzz
Le pagine di aiuto e le pagine nel namespace OrthodoxWiki.
Altre pagine template - vedi OrthodoxWiki: Modelli per un elenco completo

Appendice B: Localizzazioni Attivo

Bulgaro OrthodoxWiki (http://bg.orthodoxwiki.org) – Riferimento per un contatto: Costantino per aiutare o per ulteriori informazioni.
(Questo sito è considerato pienamente avviato e maturo.)
Rumeno di lingua OrthodoxWiki (http://ro.orthodoxwiki.org) –
Contatti Utente: Inistea per aiutare o per ulteriori informazioni.
(Questo sito è considerato pienamente avviato e maturo.)
Per una discussione in lingua araba OrthodoxWiki (fase Alpha: http://ar.orthodoxwiki.org), andare al OrthodoxWiki: Localizzazione / arabo. Vedi anche qui.
In lingua russa OrthodoxWiki (fase Alpha: http://ru.orthodoxwiki.org) - Vai alla OrthodoxWiki: Localizzazione / Russo.
Di lingua greca OrthodoxWiki - EL: Αρχική_σελίδα

Appendice C: Localizzazioni in fase di progettazione [Modifica]

Di lingua neerlandese OrthodoxWiki (nl.orthodoxwiki.org) –
Contatti Utente: Stephan per aiutare o per ulteriori informazioni.
Castigliano e portoghese –
Contatti Utente: Theofilactos (vedi anche qui).
Spagnolo: User: Alstradiaan.

Appendice D: Risorse [Modifica]

meta: MediaWiki_localisation
meta: Help: Esportazione e meta: Help: Import
meta: Recent_changes_extension - se si volesse unire elenchi delle ultime modifiche
meta: Meta: Babel_templates - mostra competenze linguistiche dell'utente
meta: transwiki
Estratto da "http://orthodoxwiki.org/OrthodoxWiki:Localization"

I send this translation in another place?
Thanks

:::Hi, Father John, I look forward to the Italian site and its address. Please Provide the technical aspect for you, after I insert the contributions to make it grow and I can call other people to feed.
Thanks a lot. Your sister in Christ!

::Dear [[User:Raggiodisole|Raggiodisole]] - sorry for the delay! This is wonderful. Please give me a little more time to set this up. I will get back to you. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

ok! thanks ! RAGGIODISOLE

::Thanks [[User:Raggiodisole|Raggiodisole]] - would you be able to post this on the Italiano wiki, and also cover the pages mentioned in that document under Appendix A: Core Documents ? The copyright pages are especially important. Grazie! I'm excited to see it.orthodoxwiki become a reality. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

::Hi,I would like to publish this translated page but I do not know where to place it on the Italian site, such as system?
Me and my boyfriend have already started working on the site, are the first entries that will improve with time. [[User:Raggiodisole|Raggiodisole]] 14:04, March 4, 2011 (UTC)

== New Server (Nov 15) ==
Great news about the new server Fr John! :)
I did notice that a bug while uploading an image file - the image does not show, even though it was only 79kb small. Thought i would mention it. Cheers, [[User:Angellight 888|Angellight 888]] 05:17, November 19, 2011 (HST)
:Thanks! It was long overdue. This bug should be fixed now. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 09:47, November 19, 2011 (HST)

==Account requests==
Fr. John, I notice numerous account requests on Orthodoxwiki Commons that are still open. Bill Kosar [[User:Wsk|Wsk]] 10:03, May 16, 2012 (HST)

::Thanks for the heads-up, Bill! — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 10:13, May 16, 2012 (HST)

== pt.orthodoxwiki ==

Father John, bless! I sent two emails, one to info@orthodoxwiki.org and another to frjohn@stjuvenaly.org, but i haven't received your reply. It's about OrthodoxWiki in portuguese. I wanna say that we (my friends and I) can start translating what is needed. Please, i look forward to your response! -- [[User:SerafimBR|SerafimBR]] 10:41, October 11, 2012 (HST)

User talk:FrJohn

2012-10-11T20:42:40Z

SerafimBR: /* Account requests */

User talk:FrJohn

2012-10-11T20:41:50Z

SerafimBR:

<div id="shortcut" style="border: 1px solid #CC9; margin: 0em 1em 0em 1em; text-align: center; padding:5px; clear: both; background-color:#F1F1DE">
''Welcome to my discussion page. Please post new messages to the bottom of the page and use headings when starting new discussion topics. Please also sign and date your entries by inserting '''<nowiki>- ~~~~</nowiki>''' at the end. Thank you. [{{SERVER}}{{localurl:{{NAMESPACE}}:{{PAGENAME}}|action=edit&section=new}} Start a new discussion topic.]''
----
''[[/archived discussion 1]] (through 09-07-2005)'' 
''[[/archived discussion 2]] (through 11-20-2005)'' 
''[[/archived discussion 3]] (through 05-24-2006)'' 
''[[/archived discussion 4]] (through 04-13-2007)'' 
''[[/archived discussion 5]] (through 05-28-2008)'' 
''[[/archived discussion 6]] (through 11-25-2008)''
</div>

__TOC__

==August 17 Menaion==

Should we call our father among the saints Theodoretus the enlightener of the Sami, as opposed to the enlightener of the Lapps. Lapp is considered something of an ethnic slur; much like calling the Inuit by the name Eskimo. On the other hand, should we wait until the Menaion itself is changed to reflect the better name for the people of northern Scandinavia. [[User:Eddieuny|Eddieuny]] 03:22, November 18, 2009 (UTC)

:Hi Eddieuny, Thanks for your question. My take is that, since he is in the menaion as "Enlightener of the Lapps" we should do this, but with a footnote explaining what you just said -- it would be good to make people aware of this. Thanks! — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 04:30, November 18, 2009 (UTC)

==Ukrainian version==

Dear Father, I thought to start Ukrainian version. How can I do that? I work with articles related to Orthodoxy on Ukrainian wikipedia.

--[[User:Roman Z|Roman Z]] 21:38, March 12, 2009 (UTC)

==Orthodox Source==
Hi father john, it is with much sadness and hurt that I see you close down Orthodox Source. Mainly because I invested a huge amount of time to put information onto that site that took a lot of my time and I dont have access to any more. I am a bit saddened because you didnt even give me some notice that you were going to close the site down so that I could at least download some of the information onto my personal computer that I can access in the future ... a bit disappointed that this was not considered and an opportunity given to do this. It only proves that the Internet is not a very viable Christian tool. [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 05:50, November 27, 2008 (UTC)

== Fact check ==

Dear Father,
I am trying to recall the name of the cemetery chapel at Saint Anna's Skete on the Holy Mountain. I wondered if you or any of your readers/discussants might help me.

Thanks,
Isaak Scott Cairns

:One source tells me it's "Holy Cross" — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 20:54, March 16, 2009 (UTC)

== Hymns of Contrition ==

Father John, I bought a CD last night that in Greek is called "Kataniktika of Great lent". So, I set about doing a google today to find out just what are these hymns (although I understand the words). Many articles come up but they are primarily from the Catholic church and are seven Psalms ... these do not seem to be the format of the kataniktiko service. Can you help me. What are the Kataniktika of Great Lent? I want to post an article onto OrthodoxWiki for others to reference too.!! Thanks in advance. [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 22:54, March 16, 2009 (UTC)

:O man, these Greek terms -- best ask a Byzantine-style cantor, I think. Anyone around here? — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

::Триоди в Воскресенья - the CD translates the "Kataniktika" as the "Hymns of Contrition". However, if you do a google on that term it comes up with the Catholic version of Hymns of Contrition - which are not the same! Oi! What is wrong with the Greek terms? The church lasted 2,000 years because of the beauty in the Greek language :-) Do you want us to convert everything to Russian so you can understand? LOL ANYWAY! You are a priest - you should know what these are! ROFL [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 23:07, March 16, 2009 (UTC)

::: The ''Katanyktikoi Hymnoi'' (it helps to use standard Latinization for Greek!) may be called the "Hymns of Contrition" or "Penitential Hymns," and the term refers to a wide set of pieces of hymnography used throughout the period of the Triodion, most especially in the stichera of Lenten Vespers (most often referenced in Sunday night Vespers).

::: They are not the same thing as the "Penitential Psalms." —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] ('''[[User:ASDamick/Wiki-philosophy|THINK!]]''') 23:53, March 16, 2009 (UTC)
:::: Thanks! What I did was cut and paste what you just said and inserted it into an article. Hopefully we can develop it a little ... there is not much available on the Internet for this. [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 00:34, March 17, 2009 (UTC)

== ΒΟΗΘΕΙΑ ==

ΧΡΕΙΑΖΟΜΑΙ ΣΤΟΙΧΕΙΑ ΓΙΑ ΜΙΑ ΠΑΛΙΑ ΑΙΡΕΣΗ, ΛΕΓΕΤΑΙ ΑΦΘΑΡΤΟΔΟΚΗΤΙΣΜΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΙΔΡΥΤΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΗΤΑΝ Ο ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΣ ΑΛΙΚΑΡΝΑΣΣΟΥ ΙΟΥΛΙΑΝΟΣ

:Ελληνικά, παρακαλώ. Δεν μιλούν ελληνικά. Σε ευχαριστώ. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

==User Creation - Proposal==
Greetings Fr. John,
With the amount of Vandalism we have, I propose that anyone requesting a new account first has to submit a request online, with some brief info about temselves, and THEN THE REQUEST WILL REQUIRE APPROVAL by yourself or Fr. Andrew or other Sysops. '''The ability for anyone to automatically create accounts will be disabled''', unless they are sincere and simply request a free account which they can then of course have; I think that the Conservapedia and some other wikis might have this system in place. Anyhow, just an idea I wanted to pass along :)

By the way, regarding the note immediately above this one (in greek), it reads something like this: ''"I require information on an ancient heresy, called "Aftharto-Docetism"?, and its proponent was the Bishop of Halicarnassos Julianos."'' I see that it was an unsigned comment however.

Cheers, [[User:Angellight 888|Angellight 888]] 00:10, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

:Hi Angellight, given the number of users we have, this sounds like an awful lot of work. I'd rather just clean up occasionally as needed, but let me keep my eyes open for another solution. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 00:17, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

::other forums require that you Verify your "humanity" by typing into a box the combination of numbers/letters you can see on the screen to verify that you are indeed "real" and not a bot. maybe that is all you need. [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 00:51, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

::::Yep, was just posting that I've just installed a captcha test for new user registrations. It won't block disturbed individuals, but should help with the automated creation of accounts from multiple un-blacklisted IPs where email verification can be performed. Amazing we have to deal with that, eh? — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 00:55, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

:::::Yeah, you have to wonder why they havent got better things to do than hurl abuse at people who are minding their own business ... I learnt something yesterday. A priest called Fr Demetrius wrote an email about praying for the deceased soul of a "george" who was a pro-abortionist in America. When you read with what tenderness and love Fr Demetrius writes about this "sinner" you realise how much we just pity these people - for they know not what they do. [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 01:04, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

:::The only effect really is to drain a little bit of my time away :-(. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

::::Hey, I just did an EDIT on an article and it asked me to fill out a box ... is this going to be the standard practise from now on for editing as it will grow tedious I think for regulars? [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 01:37, June 4, 2009 (UTC)
:::Whoops, I'll fix this. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 01:43, June 4, 2009 (UTC)
:::I missed the setting that said "Require captcha when user edits page and adds a link" - let me know if it happens again! — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

::::Sure, also while I have you and you are in a good mood :D I would like to ask for a favour (as far as practical) my heart is to complete the most comprehensive Table of Saints (in Chronological order) - as you can witness by this new article. At present, I am systematically and patiently working through the information ON OrthodoxWiki ... how can I identify saints I have missed NOT listed on OrthodoxWiki. Do you have any suggestions? [[User:Ixthis888|Vasiliki]] 01:53, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

:::Wow! Sounds like a big job. I guess you'd have to check the websites of the various Orthodox jurisdictions around the world, or get your hands on a really good synaxarion (I like the one published by at Ormylia) and refer to its index. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 01:56, June 4, 2009 (UTC)

== Glitch ==

See [[Talk:Alban|this]]. —[[User:ASDamick|Fr. Andrew]] [[User_talk:ASDamick|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/ASDamick|contribs]] ('''[[User:ASDamick/Wiki-philosophy|THINK!]]''') 01:59, July 8, 2009 (UTC)

::Thanks, message left. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 05:38, July 8, 2009 (UTC)

== Sysop. ==

Hello Fr. John.
I am a Greek Orthodox user. I was wonderign if you can add me as a sysop to help you out with the site. I have a lot of time on my hands.

In his service,
--[[User:Greeks|Greeks]] 15:23, February 1, 2010 (UTC)

==Hello!==
Hi sir! I would like to create a project OrthodoxWiki dutch language and I have rights bureaucrat, administrator, renameuser, Checkuser and oversight, thanks. —[[User:Mr. man|Mister]] [[User talk:Mr. man|'''lasă-mi un mesaj''']] 17:23, February 20, 2010 (UTC)ﻧ

:You are active or no? For 2 months you no response me. --—[[User:Mr. man|Mister]] [[User talk:Mr. man|'''lasă-mi un mesaj''']] 15:15, February 22, 2010 (UTC)

Many Orthodox believers have asked about the Icon of Christ and the Ancient of Days and confusing this elder sitting next to Christ with God the Father.
They are not alone, for the entire Roman Catholic Church believes that this is the case and their belief has by the process of osmosis been picked up by many of our clergy and this icon has been ejected from many of our Churches. It is not true for the Ancient of Days is the Son of God who was begotten before all time. If they recall, Christ in the incarnation had divested Himself of those signs of being God and had assumed the appearance of a mere servant. The icon of the Platytera teaches us that the Holy Virgin's womb contained the "uncontainable, therefore those aspects of God the Son of God remained in the mystery of Heaven. Read on with what I have written:

QUESTION:

v Do you recall ever having seen this icon of Jesus Christ holding his cross, sitting at the right of an elderly man with white hair?
at their feet there are cherubic figures, and about them there are clouds. They both have a nimbus above their head and above them
there is a white dove, sometimes within a circle or a triangle.
v Is there anything incorrect about it ?
v Why is it not found in today’s churches ?
v What is its origin ?

For those of us who are old enough, this icon is familiar. We had seen it in most of the Greek Orthodox Churches when we were children. It was located on the iconostasion on the right side of the royal entrance, the spot currently occupied by the icon of Christ. I do remember it in St. Sophia Cathedral (until the 1960’s) and in the Holy Trinity Church in Waterbury, Connecticut (in the 1920’-30’s). St. Sophia’s oldest icons were contributed to a more recently established parish in Virginia and this icon was still in use there as of seven years ago.

What is wrong with it? It has a perfectly good representation of Christ. He is seated at the right hand of an elderly man who is giving a blessing and they are both apparently seated in majesty in heaven. There are little, western style cherubs at their feet. The elderly man supposedly represents God the Father. Instead of a halo, His head is usually surrounded by a triangle which, I presume, represents the Holy Trinity. I have heard of Him in this representation being named the “Ancient of Days.” What is wrong with all this is that God the Father is purely spirit and cannot be portrayed in any manner. Christ said in the New Testament, “When you see Me, you see my Father.” This is the reason why this icon has been supplanted by one of Christ alone, for when we see Christ in an icon, we see the Father.

How did we come to portray God the Father in this manner? I could not discover the answer in any book on iconography or theology available to me. It was not until I came across a passage in the Septuagint Scriptures that I found the answer in the Book of Daniel chapter VII, verses 9 - 10 and 13 - 14.

[9] I beheld until the thrones were set, and the Ancient of days sat; and his raiment was white as snow, and the hair of his head as pure wool: his throne was a flame of fire, and his wheels burning fire. [10] A stream of fire rushed forth before him: thousand thousands ministered to him, and ten thousands of myriads attended upon him: the judgment sat, and the books were opened.
[13] I beheld in the night vision, and, lo, one coming with the clouds of heaven as the Son of Man, and he came on to the Ancient of Days, and was brought near to him. [14] And to him was given the dominion, and the honour,and the kingdom; and all the nations, tribes, and languages, shall serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.

This vision and prophesy of Daniel has been identified, in both Latin Catholic and Protestant sources as a prefiguration of God the Father and the powers and glory which He has bestowed upon God the Son, Jesus Christ - the Son of Man. This passage may have been the source of the artistic rendering of God the Father as the “Ancient of Days.” Whether this conception was original with our iconographers or was influenced by the realistic presentations of western artists is not known. Indeed we have a prime example of this in Michaelangelo’s painting of God in the Sistine Chapel and the western style cherubs at their feet. His portraiture is that of an old man with white hair and a white beard, reaching out with his finger to endow Adam with life. None of these features are found in Orthodox iconography and their being in this icon suggests the influence of western imaging since large portions of Greece had been occupied for several centuries by Venetian, Catalan and other Latins.

Regardless of its origins, this icon is considered erroneous today.

Providence has a way of providing us with truths to heal our ignorance. I believe that I have discovered the significance of this icon while reading A Discourse On the Nativity of Christ by St. Gregory Thaumatourgos, Bishop of Neo-Caesarea (died 260) . He wrote:

“The new wonders do strike me with awe. The Ancient of Days is become a Child, to make people children of God. Sitting in glory in the Heavens, because of His love for mankind, He now layeth in a manger of dumb beasts.”

Do the words of Gregory’s statement imply that this icon could represent a “double image” of Christ? First as the “Ancient of Days”, the only-begotten Son of God, born before all ages. Adjacent to Him is the younger Incarnate Jesus Christ, Son of Man(-kind) as He appeared to us on earth in His kenotic form (i.e. when He “emptied Himself” and “became as a base servant”). Gone would be the mistaken identification of the Ancient of Days as God the Father, which is the mainstay of western explanations. Such an interpretation of this icon sheds a completely new light upon it, a light which may render it theologically legitimate. Even so St. Gregory goes on to say: “The Impassionate, Incorporeal, Incomprehensible One is taken by human hands, in order to atone the violence of sinners.” If the Ancient of Days has these chacteristics, is it permissible to portray him in an icon? Does the fact that He becomes incarnate as Jesus Christ repeal the prohibition of showing Him as an aged man?
However, St. Gregory’s words have allowed me to learn the true meaning of this prophesy from the Book of Daniel. It is a prophesy of the Parousia, the Second Coming of Christ, when the “books will be opened” and the “secrets of men will be revealed.” I am thankful to have gained this knowledge so that I can look upon this icon with greater appreciation. Later yet, I discovered that there is an icon in St. Katherine’s Monastery at Sinai which depicts the Ancient of Days, and on his lap rests Jesus as a child. This icon is said to confirm the concept voiced by St. Gregory that The Ancient of Days is the heavenly manifestation of the Son of God.

The Ancient of Days with a child Jesus Christ on His Lap, 12th century
At St. Katherine’s Monastery Church, Mt. Sinai
(You can find this icon on the internet)

== Psalter quote ==

Father John,
Bless!
My name is Manoli and I'm an 18 year old recent high school graduate. I am distantly acquainted with Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick and I'm writing an essay for the PanHellenic Foundation, trying to get a scholarship for college. I want to use the "golden thread" quote from "one modern commentator" on the OrthodoxWiki "Psalter" page. If you know who that person is, or who would know who that person is, I'd appreciate any info...Fr. Andrew doesn't and although I'm registered on OrthodoxWiki as CampNazFanatic, I don't know much about using the site so I decided to contact you. Please respond asap as this essay is due like tomorrow.
Thanks,
Manoli
--CampNazFanatic[[CampNazFanatic]]

==IMAGES ISSUES==
Warm greetings Fr. John,

I hope it is okay that I am contacting you directly, but this problem has not been resolved for some time. Could you kindly look into rectifying the long-standing problem with uploaded images not displaying - they do not display once they are uploaded and they do not display especially as thumbnails.

See here: the [http://commons.orthodoxwiki.org/Special:Newimages Gallery of New Image Files];

I had left a note at the OrthodoxWiki Trapeza [[OrthodoxWiki:Trapeza#Thumbnails_Error|here]] regarding this error some time ago, but it has gone unanswered and the problem is not resolved.

Surely there must be a process to have this investigated? -- i.e. Where is the OW site hosted? Which person(s)/webmasters or what entity is in charge of maintenance? Who needs to be called? Who is in control? And WHERE is their accountability???? Why have they ignored this for so long? Was this change done intentionally for some reason and if so why is there no notice informing the users? This problem has persisted for a very long time now, and it appears that it is a feature that has been disabled. If it stays non-functional this way I fear that this will discourage further users from wanting to contribute to OW. If there is something I have overlooked apologies in advance. Hoping something can be done. Thanks and kind regards :) [[User:Angellight 888|Angellight 888]] 05:49, October 2, 2010 (UTC)

::Hi Angellight -- I apologize for the frustration. Sadly, it is I -- the negligent webmaster. and the volunteer in charge of site maintenance (but with many distractions). Please be assured that there is nothing intentional in the problem - the site just needs an upgrade. Because of the way the databases are tied together for each localization, it gets a little complex. I will strive to find some time to fix this soon. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 07:28, October 2, 2010 (UTC)

:::Many thanks for the info dear Fr.; good to know the site will be eventually upgraded and that this will be addressed then. Please forgive my initial frustration. This is a wonderful resource and I hope to see it grow. Cheers, [[User:Angellight 888|Angellight 888]] 18:55, October 2, 2010 (UTC)

----

:Fr. John, this may be part of the same problem, if one tries to add a image and re-size it they get an error:
Error creating thumbnail: Warning: passthru() has been disabled for security reasons in
/home/owiki/public_html/shared/includes /GlobalFunctions.php on line 1839 
:(just an FYI) - [[User:Andrew|Andy]] 16:41, November 24, 2010 (UTC)

::I apologize for the delay in getting this resolved. Thumbnails should now be working again! — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

== Suppression ==

Unfortunately, after going through some articles and dead links, it seems that the Oriental Orthodox Church is suppressed on this OrthodoxWiki. it is a shame becuase this wiki is what should unite us together in Christ, not divide us and furthurmore insult our brothers and sisters. No one would dare do that to Christ. Eastern Orthodoxy and Oreintal Orthodoxy are probably the closest, most Orthodox, unchanging groups of Churches. I pray that one day we will once again be reunited as one in His Church.

God Bless

:: Hello [[Cmd|User:Cmd]] - It is certainly not my heart to suppress Oriental Orthodoxy in any way. In fact, just about 30 minutes ago I was speaking about my respect for Oriental Orthodox Christians, and talking about how the Christological differences have been largely resolved. This is a joy to me. Please see [[OrthodoxWiki:Style_Manual_%28Point_of_View%29]] for the stated policy of this site. If you can point to specific examples of suppression, that would be helpful. In Christ, — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 23:32, October 3, 2010 (UTC)

== About the 3 photos at the text ''Monastery of St Patapios (Loutraki, Greece)'' ==

Dear Father John. I have added 3 photos at the text ''Monastery of St Patapios (Loutraki, Greece)'', but they do not appear in the article, however they appear when I ''clic'' on them. Could you please help me make them appear at the article. Is it a problem from your server? Please help me and you will have the bless of Saint Pastapios. [[User:688dim|688dim]] 22:15, November 29, 2010 (UTC)

::Dear 688dim, Thanks for the bug report. This should now be fixed. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])
:::Thanks, Fr. John for catching the "bug". I missed the pictures![[User:Wsk|Wsk]] 22:56, December 20, 2010 (UTC)

== Italian Version ==

::: Dear Father, I thought to start Italian version. How can I do that?
me and my boyfriend !! We've a lot of articol en Italian about orthodoxia.

Thanks. [[User:Raggiodisole|Raggiodisole]] 15:30, February 7, 2011 (UTC)

Hi Raggiodisole, I would be very happy to see an Italian version. The place to start is [[OrthodoxWiki:Localization]] -- would you be up for this translation work? — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 04:48, February 8, 2011 (UTC)

:: Dear Father, ok, I gladly accept.
Then, if I may, I would like to post new articles in Italian orthodoxy
Technically, I would like you opened your site because I have these technical skills, so I will translate the pages essential for the initiation site and part Italian and enrich it later.
How do I send you the translation? the insert here?
Thank you for your trust, we are now going to translate the page you showed me.
I greet you and thank you Father. [[User:Raggiodisole|Raggiodisole]] 13:12, February 22, 2011 (UTC)

:: Father this is the translation you asked me:

OrthodoxWiki: Localizzazione

Questa pagina fornisce i principi di politica ufficiale sull’enciclopedia OrthodoxWiki. Questa pagina è stata redatta consensualmente degli editori ed è considerata uno standard che tutti gli utenti devono seguire. Se si parte dell'amministrazione, non esitate ad aggiornare questa pagina, se necessario, ma occorre fare in modo che le modifiche apportate a questa politica
le voci che vi appaiano devono rispecchiare fedelmente il punto di vista ortodosso e si candidano quindi ad essere un punto di riferimento, una riflessione, per chi vuol conoscere la Chiesa Ortodossa.

Localizzazione e le relazioni inter-wiki (PROGETTO IN PROGRESS)

I commenti sono accolti

Indice [nascondi]
1 Definizioni
2 Contributori
2,1 Amministrazione
2,2 Responsabilità dei contributori
2,3 Loghi e Identità
2,4 Hosting e domini
2,5 Problemi di copyright
3 Colleghi
4 Appedix A: documenti fondamentali OrthodoxWiki
5 Appendice B: Localizzazioni Attivo
6 Appendice C: Localizzazioni in fase di progettazione
7 Appendice D: Risorse

Definizione : Cos’è OrthodoxWiki [Modifica]
La localizzazione si riferisce al processo di porting del progetto OrthodoxWiki in lingue diverse dall'inglese (la lingua originale).

Si riconoscono due accordi separati. 1. Affiliati, e 2. Colleghi.

Contributori ( Affiliato)

Un rapporto "affiliato" si ha quando un gruppo canonicamente ortodosso di persone che condividono la visione OrthodoxWiki, e il desiderio di estendere il progetto OrthodoxWiki's in altre lingue. Siamo molto felici quando per avere altri wiki-based ortodossi formalmente si aderisce all’OrthodoxWiki come affiliati pieni.

Amministrazione [Modifica]

Un rapporto di affiliazione inizia quando i volontari una o più persone dedicano sforzi sostanziali per creare e mantenere una OrthodoxWiki localizzata in una lingua che non dispone già di uno. Tutti i contatti dovrebbe passare attraverso Fr. John.

Se approvata, una o più persone del gruppo affiliato sarà data sysop di stato e sarà aggiunto alla mailing list sysop OrthodoxWiki.

Responsabilità di Contribuzione (Affiliazione) [Modifica]

E 'la responsabilità della filiale/i di mantenere e gestire attivamente il sito OrthodoxWiki localizzato in conformità con le linee guida principali OrthodoxWiki, in particolare la sua politica sul copyright (per motivi legali) e OrthodoxWiki principio di neutralità. Saranno anche responsabile della traduzione di testi fondamentali OrthodoxWiki dall'inglese in altre lingue.

All'interno di questi parametri, agli operatori locali viene dato un grande margine di manovra per quanto riguarda come è strutturato il loro wiki, stabilendo le priorità per quale tipo di materiale di importazione e di esportazione dalla lingua inglese OrthodoxWiki, e così via.

Se non riescono a soddisfare queste responsabilità, stato di affiliazione può essere revocata, e la loro sottodominio di hosting e annullato. Questo tipo di misura sarà usata, tuttavia, con parsimonia solo nei casi più gravi.

Loghi e identità [Modifica]

Gli OrthodoxWiki affiliati sono autorizzati e tenuti ad adottare il logo ufficiale OrthodoxWiki, anche se possono tradurre in altre lingue, se a loro piace. Allo stesso modo, si dovrebbero utilizzare la favicon OrthodoxWiki e il plugin di ricerca icona, permettono essi possono adattare queste come vogliono (per esempio, la modifica a un diverso colore per differenziare tra le versioni di OrthodoxWiki nella casella di ricerca o per i segnalibri).

Link a tutti gli OrthodoxWikis localizzate dovrebbero essere ben descritto sulla home page di ogni discreto / sito localizzato OrthodoxWiki.

I contributori (Affialiates) possono utilizzare uno dei linkbuttons OrthodoxWiki, tradotto o meno, o può creare il proprio.

Hosting e domini

Vi forniremo un sottodominio localizzato (come ru.orthodoxwiki.org, gr.orthodoxwiki.org, bu.orthodoxwiki.org, ecc.) Questo può essere indicato un altro indirizzo IP che sarà ospitata a livello locale, oppure possiamo fornire uno spazio sul server che ospita OrthodoxWiki (un server appartenente alla ortodossa Internet Services). In alcuni casi, un nome di dominio più appropriato per la lingua in questione può anche essere sistemato sul sottodominio.

Hosting e gestione tecnica del software MediaWiki può essere fornito gratuitamente da OrthodoxWiki, in associazione con gli ortodossi Internet Services. Tuttavia, è anche possibile per gli affiliati ospitare e gestire la propria installazione MediaWiki

Problemi di copyright

Per motivi pratici, è importante che OrthodoxWikis localizzato mantenga lo stesso copyright / accordo di licenza, come la lingua inglese OrthodoxWiki.

Dato che il wiki è localizzato nel progetto OrthodoxWiki, riteniamo che tutte le immagini e gli articoli per i quali OrthodoxWiki ha ottenuto un permesso speciale da utilizzare potrebbe essere utilizzato anche su OrthodoxWikis localizzato utilizzando lo stesso nome di dominio.

I colleghi [Modifica

Un rapporto "collega" è particolarmente appropriato in cui l'attenzione di un altro wiki (ad esempio, la loro interpretazione del NPOV e "mainstream Chalcedonian bias ortodossi") è diverso da OrthodoxWiki's. Ci aspettiamo che questo sarebbe il caso, ad esempio, se un vecchio gruppo Calendarist greco voluto creare il proprio wiki, o per copto / non-Calcedoniani o romana (o altro) wiki cattolica, o se un altro gruppo di ortodossi orientali ha voluto avviare una wiki con una particolare attenzione sostanzialmente diverso o missione. In alcuni casi, si possono riconoscere altri Wiki come "colleghi", anche se non si definiscono cristiani.

Il "collega" parola presuppone che noi abbiamo un senso della missione comune o di complementarietà, e siamo felici di lavorare insieme e sostenere ogni lavoro altrui.

In questo caso, non si può condividere un comune branding - nomi di dominio, i loghi, linkbuttons, ecc sarebbero tutti distinti. Allo stesso modo, speciali autorizzazioni per l’ immagine e l'articolo sarebbe gestiti separatamente.

I colleghi riceveranno un riconoscimento pubblico, i link sul wiki, così come il permesso esplicito di utilizzare qualsiasi materiale appropriato OrthodoxWiki (a patto che si inserisce il loro sistema di licenze) e di ogni altra assistenza o incoraggiamento siamo in grado di fornire.

Collega status può essere revocato in qualsiasi momento, soprattutto se la missione della vira altri wiki di là di un generale "NPOV" o presa di posizione "descrittivo" e formalmente adotta una forte polemica contro un altro gruppo in modo tale che non sono utili non avendo alcun rapporto formale con loro.

Appedix A: documenti fondamentali OrthodoxWiki

Si tratta di un elenco di documenti essenziali OrthodoxWiki che deve essere tradotto (in forma abbreviata, se necessario) e mantenuta coerente in localizzazioni. Il testo in lingua inglese rimane il testo "canonico".

Pagine principali sono:

OrthodoxWiki: A proposito - abbiamo bisogno di lavorare su una revisione di questo anche in inglese!
Almeno queste pagine politica OrthodoxWiki:
OrthodoxWiki: Copyrights
OrthodoxWiki: General disclaimer
OrthodoxWiki: Informazioni sulla privacy
OrthodoxWiki: Manuale di stile
Help: titoli di immagine
Core modelli includono:

Il più generico Modelli generali, in particolare:
Template: Benvenuto
Template: Stub
Template: Pulitura
Template: disambig
Tutti i modelli Copyright richieste per il materiale utilizzato sul sito affiliato, in particolare:
Template: Copyright
Template: non verificato
Template: Fairuse
Template: OWiki
Template: Skete.com
Template: Oca
Template: Htm
Template: Pd

Altre pagine che arricchiscono il funzionamento del wiki, ma non sono strettamente necessarie, o può essere più liberamente adattato per l'uso locale, sono:

OrthodoxWiki: News
OrthodoxWiki: Buzz
Le pagine di aiuto e le pagine nel namespace OrthodoxWiki.
Altre pagine template - vedi OrthodoxWiki: Modelli per un elenco completo

Appendice B: Localizzazioni Attivo

Bulgaro OrthodoxWiki (http://bg.orthodoxwiki.org) – Riferimento per un contatto: Costantino per aiutare o per ulteriori informazioni.
(Questo sito è considerato pienamente avviato e maturo.)
Rumeno di lingua OrthodoxWiki (http://ro.orthodoxwiki.org) –
Contatti Utente: Inistea per aiutare o per ulteriori informazioni.
(Questo sito è considerato pienamente avviato e maturo.)
Per una discussione in lingua araba OrthodoxWiki (fase Alpha: http://ar.orthodoxwiki.org), andare al OrthodoxWiki: Localizzazione / arabo. Vedi anche qui.
In lingua russa OrthodoxWiki (fase Alpha: http://ru.orthodoxwiki.org) - Vai alla OrthodoxWiki: Localizzazione / Russo.
Di lingua greca OrthodoxWiki - EL: Αρχική_σελίδα

Appendice C: Localizzazioni in fase di progettazione [Modifica]

Di lingua neerlandese OrthodoxWiki (nl.orthodoxwiki.org) –
Contatti Utente: Stephan per aiutare o per ulteriori informazioni.
Castigliano e portoghese –
Contatti Utente: Theofilactos (vedi anche qui).
Spagnolo: User: Alstradiaan.

Appendice D: Risorse [Modifica]

meta: MediaWiki_localisation
meta: Help: Esportazione e meta: Help: Import
meta: Recent_changes_extension - se si volesse unire elenchi delle ultime modifiche
meta: Meta: Babel_templates - mostra competenze linguistiche dell'utente
meta: transwiki
Estratto da "http://orthodoxwiki.org/OrthodoxWiki:Localization"

I send this translation in another place?
Thanks

:::Hi, Father John, I look forward to the Italian site and its address. Please Provide the technical aspect for you, after I insert the contributions to make it grow and I can call other people to feed.
Thanks a lot. Your sister in Christ!

::Dear [[User:Raggiodisole|Raggiodisole]] - sorry for the delay! This is wonderful. Please give me a little more time to set this up. I will get back to you. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

ok! thanks ! RAGGIODISOLE

::Thanks [[User:Raggiodisole|Raggiodisole]] - would you be able to post this on the Italiano wiki, and also cover the pages mentioned in that document under Appendix A: Core Documents ? The copyright pages are especially important. Grazie! I'm excited to see it.orthodoxwiki become a reality. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk])

::Hi,I would like to publish this translated page but I do not know where to place it on the Italian site, such as system?
Me and my boyfriend have already started working on the site, are the first entries that will improve with time. [[User:Raggiodisole|Raggiodisole]] 14:04, March 4, 2011 (UTC)

== New Server (Nov 15) ==
Great news about the new server Fr John! :)
I did notice that a bug while uploading an image file - the image does not show, even though it was only 79kb small. Thought i would mention it. Cheers, [[User:Angellight 888|Angellight 888]] 05:17, November 19, 2011 (HST)
:Thanks! It was long overdue. This bug should be fixed now. — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 09:47, November 19, 2011 (HST)

==Account requests==
Fr. John, I notice numerous account requests on Orthodoxwiki Commons that are still open. Bill Kosar [[User:Wsk|Wsk]] 10:03, May 16, 2012 (HST)

::Thanks for the heads-up, Bill! — [[User:FrJohn|FrJohn]] ([http://orthodoxwiki.org/index.php?title=User_talk:FrJohn&action=edit&section=new talk]) 10:13, May 16, 2012 (HST)

Father John, bless! I sent two emails, one to info@orthodoxwiki.org and another to frjohn@stjuvenaly.org, but i haven't received your reply. It's about OrthodoxWiki in portuguese. I wanna say that we (my friends and I) can start translating what is needed. Please, i look forward to your response! -- [[User:SerafimBR|SerafimBR]] 10:41, October 11, 2012 (HST)