Russian Orthodox Church to Promote Environmental Conservation

The Moscow Patriarchate, the All-Russian Society of Nature Protection, and the World Russian People's Council have signed an agreement to work together to promote the conservation and protection of the environment. Commenting on the agreement, Fr. Vsevolod Chaplin, a spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchate, noted that over the last twenty years conservation efforts hadn't been a priority for the Russian Orthodox Church due to the assortment of political and economic challenges facing its members, but that the Church needed to encourage its clergy and laity to become more actively involved in protecting the environment.

The signatories have yet to agree to concrete steps on environmental issues that they can take together, but plan to discuss (among other possible plans of action) programs to encourage churches and monasteries to take an interest in the physical state of the areas around them to encourage a greater overall awareness of the state of environment being a community responsibility. More in Russian here.

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.

Malankara Orthodox Catholicate Celebrates Earth Day in Kottayam

The Catholicate of the independent Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church is hosting Earth Day celebrations at its seat in Kottayam, during which Catholicos Moran Mar Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II of the East planted a tree on the grounds of the Catholicate and noted that, "If greed-driven continual exploitation of nature takes place, human extinction will result." More here.

"Saving Ethiopia's 'Church Forests'"

A wonderful article by T.D. Beeland on northern Ethiopia's surviving woodlands and the role of the Church in their preservation can be found here.