Annunciation of the Mother of God

Joyous feast!!! С праздником!!! I wish I had it in me to write more, but I'm afraid it's been a difficult day and week and so I'll have to be content with a link to more on today's feast.

"Rejoice, star from which the sun shines forth! Rejoice, womb in which God takes on flesh! Rejoice, you through whom creation is reborn!"

Metropolitan Andrew of Cluj Enthroned

After this morning's festal services for new style Annunciation in Cluj's cathedral the city's Metropolitan-elect Andrei was enthroned by Patriarch Daniel (Ciobotea) of Bucharest as Metropolitan of Cluj, Alba, Crisana, and Maramures. More here.

Pope Theodore Leads Annunciation Celebrations in Alexandria

Pope Theodoros II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria has returned to Egypt to lead celebrate new style Annunciation and Greek Independence Day celebrations at Alexandria's Cathedral of the Annunciation. What Greek Independence Day should have to do with Egypt's ancient Greek-speaking community or the Church of Alexandria is beyond me, but as the Annunciation is now synonymous in the Greek world with the liberation of Greece from the Turks the joining of the two seems to be unavoidable.

Metropolitan Nicholas of Hermopolis, papal vicar for Egypt's Arabic-speaking Alexandrian Orthodox faithful, and Bishop Gabriel of Mareotis, papal auxiliary for the Archdiocese of Alexandria, concelebrated the festal services with Pope Theodoros. More here.

Romania Prepares for the March for Life

Romania is preparing for its first large-scale Marches for Life, which will be held in the cities of Bucharest, Timisoara, and Satu Mare on the new style afterfeast of the Annunciation this coming Saturday. Although a predominantly Orthodox Christian nation Romania has the highest abortion rate in the European Union and the second highest in Europe. More here.