Conference of Russian Orthodox Hierarchs Abroad Held in London

A conference of Russian Orthodox hierarchs serving outside the canonical territory of the Moscow Patriarchate involving diocesan and auxiliary hierarchs of both dioceses directly under the Patriarchate and under the autonomous Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) as well as Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk has been held in London, England. Hierarchs representing dioceses in North America, Oceania, and Western Europe were present for the conference.

In addition to concelebrating together the gathered hierarchs discussed issues relating to joint pastoral work between the various dioceses (previously separated by the split between the Russian Orthodox Church in the USSR and the ROCOR), 'internal missionary work' relating to the Belorussian/Russian/Ukrainian Diasporas, 'external' missionary work amongst the non-Orthodox peoples of the West, differences in liturgical practice, and variations in how converts are received into the Russian Orthodox Church outside the former USSR.

A summary of the conference, which also celebrated the 50th anniversary of the organization of the patriarchal Russian Orthodox diocese in the United Kingdom, can be found here.

Consecration Date for New ACROD Bishop Announced

The American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese (ACROD) has announced that Bishop-elect Gregory (Tatsis) will be consecrated ruling Bishop of Nyssa and the ACROD this coming November in the diocesan Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Hierarchs of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA will concelebrate the consecration. More here.

Jordanville Women's Skete Marks 25th Anniversary

Archbishop Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Montreal has led celebrations in Jordanville marking the 25th anniversary of the founding of the women's Skete of St. Elizabeth. During the celebrations the sisterhood's superior, Nun Elisabeth (Czwikla), was elevated to the rank of abbess. More here.

Macedonia Celebrates 45th Anniversary of the Restoration of Autocephaly

In its recent session earlier this month the Holy Synod of the independent Macedonian Orthodox Church reaffirmed the year's programs celebrating the 45th anniversary of the restoration of the Archdiocese of Ohrid's autocephaly in 1967, noting that the celebrations will include the glorification in Kicevo of the New Martyrs Eusebius, Paisius, and Avercius of the Turkish Yoke, who suffered for the Lord in 1558. More in Macedonian here.

St. Alexander of Munich to be Glorified

It has been decided that the formal glorification of the Holy New Martyr Alexander (Schmorell) of Munich will take place with the participation of hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) in the latter's diocesan cathedral in Munich this coming February. St. Alexander was a faithful member of the ROCOR who helped found an anti-Hitler resistance group during World War II, for which he was martyred. More on the upcoming glorification can be found here.

Czechoslovak Orthodox Church Marks 60 Years of Autocephaly in Prague

The Czechoslovak Orthodox Church has marked the 60th anniversary of its autocephaly, observing the anniversary this past Thursday with celebratory services led by Metropolitan Krystof (Pulec) of Prague and concelebrated by Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) of Volokolamsk and other hierarchs of the Czechoslovak and Polish Orthodox Churches. More here.

The Orthodox Church in the Czech and Slovak Republics was initially under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Church, but gained its autocephaly from the Russian Orthodox Church following World War II.

ROCOR Metropolitan Marks Nameday in NSW

As part of his ongoing pastoral visit to Australia Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral) of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) has marked his nameday at the diocesan Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul in Strathfield, New South Wales. Archbishop Gabriel (Chemodakov) of Montreal of the ROCOR and Bishop Irinej (Dobrijevic) of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand together with local Russian and Serbian Orthodox clergy participated in the festal services at Sts. Peter and Paul, which were led by Metropolitan Hilarion. More (in Serbian) here.

Bulgarian Orthodox Patriarch Turns 97

Patriarch Maxim (Minkov) of Sofia has marked his 97th birthday with visits to Bulgaria's Bachkovo Monastery and the diocesan cathedral in Plovdiv. The patriarch has spent 40 of his 97 years as first hierarch of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. More (in Bulgarian) here.

SCOOCH Concelebration Scheduled for November

The Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches (SCOOCH) in the United States has scheduled a concelebration of the Divine Liturgy by SCOOCH member hierarchs for 19 November at the Coptic Orthodox Church of Sts. Michael and Menas on Staten Island. More here.

New Antiochian Orthodox Auxiliaries for North America to be Consecrated at Balamand

It has been decided with the blessing of Patriarch Ignatios IV (Hazim) of Antioch that the consecrations of Bishops-elect John (Abdalah) of Worcester, Anthony (Michaels) of Toledo, and Nicholas (Ozone) of Brooklyn will take place in early December at Lebanon's Monastery of the Dormition in Balamand. More details on the upcoming consecrations can be found here.

Paris Cathedral Celebrates 150th Anniversary

The Cathedral of St. Alexander of the Neva in Paris has celebrated the 150th anniversary of its consecration this past Sunday. The celebratory services were led by Archbishop Gabriel (de Vylder) of Comana, ruling hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Exarchate of Western Europe, and concelebrated by four other ruling and auxiliary hierarchs of the Constantinopolitan, Antiochian, and American Orthodox Churches and the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. Four other hierarchs of the Constantinopolitan, Serbian, and Romanian Orthodox Churches were also present at the services.

The celebrations were well attended, and following the Sunday Liturgy the ruling metropolitan of the Constantinopolitan Orthodox Church in France, Metropolitan Emmanuel (Adamakis) of Paris, read a congratulatory message to the cathedral parish from Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis). More (in French) here.

Yakut Orthodox Celebrate Birth of Bible Translator

Celebrations have been held by the Orthodox Church in Yakutia to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the restoration of the diocesan Cathedral of the Transfiguration in Yakutsk and the 105th anniversary of the birth of Dmitriy K. Sivtsev, who translated the Bible into the Yakut language.

Friday's celebrations were led by Archbishop Herman (Moralin) of Kursk, former Bishop of the Orthodox Church in Yakutia, and Bishops Theophylact (Kur'yanov) of Pyatigorsk, Roman (Lukin) of Yakutsk and the Lena, the newly enthroned ruling bishop of the Orthodox Church in Yakutia, and Ambrose (Yermakov) of Gatchina, an auxiliary of the Eparchy of St. Petersburg. More (in Russian) here.

Festal Services with Armenian Orthodox Catholicos to be Broadcasted Live

On this year's commemoration of the Dormition and Assumption of the Mother of God according to the Armenian calendar (13 August) the festal Divine Liturgy celebrated by Catholicos Aram I (Keshishian) of the Armenian Orthodox Church of Cilicia will be broadcasted live on television. More details on the upcoming broadcast can be found here.

Metropolitan Kallistos to Speak at Anglican/Orthodox Conference in New York

The North American Conference of the Fellowship of Sts. Alban and Sergius will feature Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diocleia this year, who will be delivering the Conference's keynote address. The Conference, which encourages dialogue between Orthodox Christianity and Anglicanism, is being hosted by St. Vladimir's Theological Seminary in Crestwood, New York. Metropolitan Jonah (Paffhausen) of the American Orthodox Church, who was raised in the Episcopal Church (the US province of the worldwide Anglican Communion), will also be in attendance at the Conference. For more details please visit the Seminary's website.

Pope Shenouda Cancels Annual National Unity Iftar

It is being reported, although not yet officially, that Pope Shenouda III (al-Suriani) of the Coptic Orthodox Church has canceled the national unity iftar (breaking of the fast) usually hosted by the pope at the end of Ramadan. The iftar is reportedly being canceled so that the meal's cost can go to help needy Egyptians. More here.

Diveyevo Monastery Marks 150th Anniversary

Celebrations have been held at central Russia's Holy Trinity Monastery in Diveyevo to mark the 150th anniversary of the Monastery's founding as well as the 20th anniversary of its renewal after the fall of the USSR and the 20th anniversary of the translation of the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov to Diveyevo. The commemorative services were led by Metropolitan Yuvenaliy (Poyarkov) of Krutitsy with the participation of Archbishop Georgiy (Danilov) of Nizhniy Novgorod, whose diocese includes the region around Diveyevo, and 13 other hierarchs of the Belorussian, Estonian, Russian, and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches. More (in Russian) here.

Russian Orthodox Archbishops Participate in 199th Anniversary of the Founding of Fort Ross

In honor of the 199th anniversary of the founding of Fort Ross this past Thursday Archbishops Kyrill (Dmitrieff) of San Francisco of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) and Justinian (Ovchinnikov) of Narofominsk, representative of the Moscow Patriarchate to the American Orthodox Church, visited the northern Californian fort to take part in the anniversary celebrations as well as planning for the upcoming 200th anniversary.

As part of this year's celebrations Archbishop Justinian served the Divine Liturgy in Fort Ross' Holy Trinity Church with Archbishop Kyrill and other clergymen of the Russian Orthodox Church and the ROCOR in attendance. More (in Russian) here.

Ethiopian Orthodox Celebrate Emancipation Day in Trinidad

The Ethiopian Orthodox Church of St. Peter in San Fernando, Trinidad, has hosted early celebrations of Trinidad and Tobago's Emancipation Day, organizing a procession in San Fernando with dancing and drumming. Trinidad is home to the Caribbean's oldest Ethiopian Orthodox church, which was established in the 1950s as part of the Addis Abeba Patriarchate's missionary work amongst the island's Rastafarians. More here.

Cleveland Cathedral Prepares to Celebrate 100th Anniversary

Preparations are underway to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the construction of the Cathedral of St. Theodosius of Chernigov in Cleveland, Ohio. The celebrations will be held in early September and will be led by Bishop Matthias (Moriak) of Chicago and Midwestern America of the American Orthodox Church. More here.

Rue Daru Cathedral to Celebrate 150th Anniversary of Consecration

The Russian Orthodox Exarchate of Western Europe under the Ecumenical Patriarchate is preparing to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the consecration of its diocesan seat, the Cathedral of St. Alexander of the Neva in Paris. The cathedral has long been a center of the large Russian community in the French capital and was the first Orthodox church to be built in the city. The upcoming anniversary of the cathedral's founding will be commemorated this September, with Archbishop Gabriel (de Vylder) of Comana leading the celebrations. More (in French) here.