Cilician Catholicos Appeals for Aid to Syria

Catholicos Aram (Keshishian) of the Armenian Orthodox Church of Cilicia, which cares for the Armenian Diaspora in Syria, has appealed to humanitarian organizations to expedite the provision of aid to the country's population, which is suffering as conflict between the Syrian government and rebel movements both claims lives and destroys crops. More here.

Antiochian Orthodox Patriarch Calls for Unity in Syria

Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch has called on the Syrian people "to accept each other and live as one nation," decrying the expulsion of Syria's Christians from their homes and calling on the United Nations to work for the peace and stability of the country. The full appeal can be found here.

Appeal: Kitchen Renovations at South Canaan Monastery

St. Tikhon's Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania, is beginning the renovation of the kitchen used for the children's summer camp held annually at the Monastery and would appreciate any assistance that can be provided. The full appeal with a link for donations can be found here.

Head of Romanov Dynasty Repents for Tsars' Sins

In an address to the Russian nation on the 400th anniversary of the end of the Time of Troubles the head of the House of Romanov, Grand Duchess Mariya Vladimirovna, has recognized the failings of her dynasty during its rule of Russia, saying that "we repent before God for [the dynasty's] mistakes and sins, and we ask forgiveness of the Russian people—both for myself and on behalf of my ancestors."

The grand duchess, who described the period since the February and October Revolutions as a second Time of Troubles for Russia, went on to call on the Russian people to contribute to funding worthy celebrations of the anniversary by giving to causes that would assist those in need, to "erect monuments...not only on the streets and squares of our cities, but first and foremost in the hearts of the people."

Grand Duchess Mariya Vladimirovna's full address with its appeal can be found here.

Appeal for Thailand Flooding Victims

The head of the Orthodox Church in Thailand, Archimandrite Oleg (Cherepanin), has issued an appeal for assistance to be provided to Thailand, which is experiencing its worst flooding in 50 years. The flooding has caused an estimated $2 billion in damages and affected roughly 8.2 million people. The full appeal can be found here.

Excerpts from an Appeal from Archbishop Mark of Berlin

On 11 September 2011 the world [marks] a sorrowful anniversary - 10 years since the terrorist act in New York, when multitudes of innocent people died. This terrorist act, along with those that followed, clearly showed that wickedness, lawlessness and hatred are becoming more brazen. It has demonstrated how defenseless man is in this world. Also clear is that behind today’s terrorist acts are the bold lust for power and cynical political calculation.

The events in Beslan...once again showed the world how man is becoming degraded when he sinks into fanaticism in the name of ideology - whether religious, nationalistic or political. People today often hide behind faith in their god, but in reality they have lost all piety and as a result have no respect for humanity.

A human being who severs his relationship with God is transformed into a hater of mankind. We belong to that One Church which was established by the Savior. This deprives us of the right to hate, to treat others with disdain or despise their beliefs.

Belonging to the true Church of Christ, Catholic and Apostolic, obliges us to live fully in accordance with the commandments of the Gospel and to serve as an example of true Christian life to others. The living truth of Christ reveals to us our own sins and failings. With a pure heart, we repent in the fact that we ourselves serve as a poor example to the world of life according to the Gospel. Through genuine repentance, by transforming our hearts, we can bring others to the truth of Christ, but we cannot do this through self-aggrandizement or condemnation.

In...Russia, militant Islam is developing, as well as other militant ideologies of different colorations, from fascist to pseudo-liberal. But in my opinion, indifference to our own faith and to the beliefs of others contains no less a danger than alien fanaticism or cynicism and corruption. We Orthodox must truly grow into our faith and our traditions, we must fill ourselves with Christ and His love, and not simply fulfill some external rituals which we barely even understand. We must all learn to listen to our own hearts, listen to God, to immerse ourselves in prayer, and heed the words and thoughts of our neighbors.

How often we dismiss the sorrows and joys of our neighbors. Meanwhile, we forget: He who cannot listen to one’s neighbor can hardly listen to himself, being unable to hear the call of his heart, and heed God in his heart, his conscience. He does not then understand what is happening in his own heart. This is the first thing that we must learn. Only then can we be suffused with love and respect for man as God’s creation and can hope that the Lord will also bring others to this view of life, His holy gift.

11 September falls on a Sunday this year, and moreover, this is a day of fasting, precisely because this day, St. John the Baptist, who fervently loved God, was unjustly slain. Through prayer and fasting, said the Savior, the devil goeth not out but by prayer and fasting...

The full 11 September appeal by Archbishop Mark (Arndt) can be found here.

Haitian Orthodox Appeal for Help

The fledgling Haitian Orthodox Church, a mission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, is appealing for assistance as Haiti continues to struggle to rebuild from a devastating 2010 earthquake and the Haitian Orthodox parishes and missions work to reestablish destroyed churches and homes. More here.

Appeal for Our Lady of Kazan Church on the Russian River

An appeal has been issued for Our Lady of Kazan Church in Guerneville, California, by the Western American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. More here.

Appeal for St. Luke's Church in Warners, NY

A parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA, St. Luke's Church in Warners, New York, has suffered extensive damage to its community hall's roof due to a collapse caused by snow. For more on the accident or to donate to the upcoming repairs please see here.

Romanian Orthodox Church in Nice Appeals for Aid

The Romanian Orthodox Church of Sts. Constantine and Helena in Nice, France, has issued an appeal for help in buying land for the construction of a church in the city. The land costs 360,000 euros, 200,000 of which have been raised. The remaining 160,000 must be raised by 16 February. To support the parish visit its website here. More here.

Russian Orthodox Church in Australia Issues Appeal for Flooding Victims

Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of New York of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, in his capacity as ruling hierarch of the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, has issued an appeal for the victims of the recent flooding in the Australian states of Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria. More here.

Friends of Indonesia Appeal

The Friends of Indonesia, an organization established to support the missionary efforts of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad in Indonesia under Archimandrite Daniel (Byantoro), has issued an appeal for support for the Indonesian Orthodox Church. More here.