Kiev Patriarchate Holy Synod Admonishes Hierarchs, Condemns Occult

At its meeting last week the Holy Synod of the Kyiv Patriarchate dealt with several matters in the life of the independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church, excluding Archbishop Baruch (Tyshchenkov) of Tobolsk from its hierarchy due to his failure to remain in regular communication with Kiev and calling on two of its hierarchs in southeastern Ukraine, Metropolitan Adrian of Kryvyi Rih and Nikopol' and Bishop Simeon of Dnipropetrovsk and Pavlohrad, to stop interfering in one another's dioceses.

The Holy Synod also condemned the followers of a Ukrainian occultic leader from northern Bukovina, calling on the movement to repent and return to Orthodoxy. It also noted that according to the diocesan reports submitted to Kiev that the Kiev Patriarchate grew by 270 parishes in 2010. More on these and the other issues discussed by the Holy Synod can be found here.

Plovdiv Metropolitan Joins in Condemnation of Bulgarian Occult

Metropolitan Nikolai of Plovdiv of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church has joined in the public condemnation of occultism in Bulgaria, calling on the faithful of his diocese to avoid association with the popular mystic Vanga and other anti-Church spiritual figures. More here.

Athonite Monk Publishes Work Against Popular Bulgarian Occultists

A monk at the Zographou Monastery of St. George on Mount Athos has published a book attacking widely popular Bulgarian leaders of the occult. Although clearly against the teachings of the Church neither of the leaders attacked in the recent work have been formally condemned by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. More here.