Unalaska Cathedral Vandalized

It is being reported that Unalaska's historic Cathedral of the Ascension has been desecrated by vandals who spray-painted "Dutch" and "Duncha" on the outside of the Alaskan Orthodox house of worship. Local Alaskan authorities have pledged to catch the perpetrator or perpetrators of the crime, which is both a federal offense (as the cathedral is a historic landmark) and possibly a hate crime. More here.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Completes Visit to Bulgaria

Patriarch Cyril (Gundyayev) of Moscow has completed a visit to Bulgaria. During his time in Bulgaria the Russian Orthodox patriarch met with Patriarch Maxim (Minkov) of Sofia and other members of the Bulgarian Orthodox Holy Synod to discuss relations between the Russian and Bulgarian Orthodox Churches as well as with the President of Bulgaria. More here and here.

Alexandrian Orthodox Church Celebrates St. Mark

Pope Theodoros II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria has led celebrations of the new style feast of St. Mark the Evangelist, the founder and first hierarch of the Church of Alexandria, on the 24th and 25 of this month. Participating in the festal services at Alexandria's Cathedral of the Annunciation were hierarchs and clergy of the Alexandrian and Cypriot Orthodox Churches as well as representatives of the Greek government and the Greek and Arab Orthodox communities in Egypt. More (in Greek) here.

The Popes of Alexandria of both the Alexandrian and Coptic Orthodox Churches consider themselves successors to St. Mark and incumbents of the Throne of St. Mark, which in recent history held jurisdiction over all Orthodox Christians in Africa until the autocephaly of the Churches of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Australian PM Visits the Phanar

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has visited the Ecumenical Patriarchate as part of her recent state visit to Turkey, meeting with Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) during her time at the Phanar. During their meeting the two discussed interreligious and inter-cultural dialogue worldwide as well as the environmental work of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. More here.

Milan Synod First Hierarch Resigns Episcopacy

The first hierarch of the Old Calendrist Milan Synod, Metropolitan Evloghios of Milan, together with his auxiliary, Archbishop Abbondios of Como, have both resigned from the episcopacy and begun to serve as priests in preparation for reception into the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. The status of the other three hierarchs still belonging to the Milan Synod is unclear. More (in Italian) here.