November 2011

Syria’s Christians Side with Assad Out of Fear

November 30, 2011 Featured News

By Bastian Berbner 30/11/2011 Many of Syria’s 2.5 million Christians are supporting President Bashar Assad amidst ongoing protests in the country. They prefer a brutal dictator who guarantees the rights of religious minorities to the uncertain future that Assad’s departure would bring. The president is exploiting their fears of Islamists for his own ends. The [...]

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Portable Churches Go On Sale In Serbia

November 30, 2011 Featured News
One of the Mancic family's portable churches (photo courtesy of www.danas.rs)

30/11/2011 A family in Serbia is commercializing a portable mini-church that it can deliver to anyone who wants a place of worship in their backyard. The five-ton, stone-and-steel construction is equipped with a cross, a bell tower, an altar, and frescoes. It can accommodate up to 15 worshipers. The enterprise was initiated by Svetislav Mancic [...]

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Consecration of the city cathedral in the name of Cyril and Methodius was held

November 30, 2011 News

Ukrainian Church On 26 November the rite of consecration of the Cathedral of Khust in the name of Cyril and Methodius was held. Consecration of the Cathedral and Divine Liturgy were led by a permanent member of the Holy Synod of the UOC Metropolitan Onuphrius Chernovtsy and Bukovina, in concelebration of Metropolitan Pytyrym of Mykolayiv [...]

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Gay Gathering Sparks Row Between Ethiopia Church and State

November 30, 2011 Featured News

Tadias Voice of America 30/11/2011 Anti-Gay Sentiment Flares in Ethiopia as Addis Ababa Preps for AIDS Conference “A meeting organised by an African gay lobby group ahead of an AIDS conference in Ethiopia has sparked a rare spat between the government and religious groups. Read more at Reuters. (Photo: Ethiopian orphans Endashew (R) and his [...]

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Religious Leaders Call For Sniper Withdrawal In Nagorno-Karabakh

November 30, 2011 Featured News

30/11/2011 YEREVAN — The leading religious leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia have called for a withdrawal of snipers from the front lines in the disputed breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagorno-Karabakh to stop bloodshed amid more reported casualties in the conflict zone, RFE/RL’s Armenian Service reports. Russian Patriarch Kiril read out a statement that he [...]

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President Sargsyan visits St. Etchmiadzin Church of Tbilisi

November 30, 2011 News

Gita Elibekyan “Radiolur” Tbilisi 30.11.201 President Serzh Sargsyan and Mrs. Rita Sargsyan visited the St. Etchmiadzin Church in Tbilisi’s Havlabar district and participated in the ceremony of opening of Melik Mantashyan’s bust. “A man who lived, created and invested all he had in the development of Armenian education and culture,” head of the Georgian Diocese [...]

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Armenian President had important meetings in Georgia

November 30, 2011 Featured News

30/11/2011 On November 29 Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met chairman of Georgian Parliament Davit Baqrazade and Patriarch all Georgians Ilya the Second in frame of hi official visit to Georgia. Press service of Armenian President informs about this. Armenian President and Georgian NA chairman discussed issues of bilateral interest and underlined this year was effective [...]

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Armenian Apostolic Church welcomes Caucasus Muslims’ spiritual leader’s proposal to hold border meetings

November 30, 2011 News

30/11/2011 ETCHMIADZIN. – The Armenian side welcomed Caucasus Muslim Board Chairman Allahshukur Pashazade’s proposal to also organize meetings at the border, Father Vahram Melikyan, head of the information system of the Holy See of St. Etchmiadzin, told Armenian News-NEWS.am. “During the November 28 trilateral meeting among the spiritual leaders of the region, they primarily …

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No inside man in looting of Greek Orthodox archdiocese: source

November 30, 2011 News

The Daily Star 29/11/2011 BEIRUT: Three men who were arrested last week for allegedly robbing and vandalizing the Greek Orthodox archdiocese in Beirut will be handed over to Prosecution General Tuesday. The Internal Security Forces said last week that the three men confessed to their crime in addition to several others that they had committed. [...]

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Orthodox metropolitan: Christians –most persecuted religion

November 30, 2011 News

30/11/2011 Christians are now the most persecuted religion is the world, Metropolitan Illarion from the Moscow Patriarchate stated at a Moscow conference on religious freedom. According to the envoy about 100 mln Christians are currently being persecuted because of their faith which accounts for 75% of all persecuted religious groups . The clergyman warned that [...]

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Hellenism Honours the Late Metropolitan Michael of Austria

November 30, 2011 News

28/11/2011 Hellenism of Central Europe attended the requiem mass being held in honor of the late Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Austria-Exarch of Hungary and Central Europe Michael at Hagia Triada Church of the Greek historical area in Vienna. Representatives of the Greek and Cypriot authorities were also present to the requiem mass as well as [...]

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Resurrected: believers breathe new life into sacred buildings

November 30, 2011 Featured News

Alena Legostaeva 30/11/2011 The restoration of many religious buildings in Moscow has provided Muscovites and visitors to the city – both religious and secular – with new spiritual, cultural and architectural treasures. In the early 20th century, Moscow was one of the most prayerful cities in the world. By 1917, it had nearly 1,000 churches [...]

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Egypt’s Christians seek to be heard in election

November 30, 2011 News

By Maha El Dahan and Marwa Awad CAIRO/ALEXANDRIA, Egypt 29/11/2011 (Reuters) – Coptic Christians are trying to make their voices heard in Muslim-majority Egypt’s parliamentary election, fearing Islamists could sweep in and deepen their sense of marginalisation. Egypt’s Christians are reeling from a spate of attacks on churches since Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February [...]

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Orthodox Christians celebrate St. Andrew (Andrei) in Romania today

November 30, 2011 News

ROMANIA INSIDER 29/11/2011 Orthodox Romanians celebrate St. Andrew (in Romanian Sf. Andrei) today (November 30), which is a religious holiday in the country and also name day for over 300,000 men and 300,000 women out of 22 million Romanians. Men called Andrei and women called Andreea celebrate their name day on this occasion. This Orthodox [...]

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Leader of US church group seeks meeting with American imprisoned in Cuba, Alan Gross

November 30, 2011 News

By Associated Press 30/11/2011 HAVANA — A delegation of U.S. religious leaders visiting Cuba has asked for access to an American man imprisoned for bringing restricted communications equipment to the island, a leading clerical official said Tuesday. The 15-member delegation is still awaiting word on whether they will be allowed to visit Maryland man Alan [...]

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At Least 45 Christians Killed in Plateau State, Nigeria

November 29, 2011 Featured News

28/11/2011 Ethnic Fulanis crying ‘Allahu akbar!’ attack church, communities. BARKIN LADI, Nigeria, November 28 (CDN) — Fulani Muslim herdsmen along with Muslim soldiers have killed at least 45 ethnic Berom Christians in Plateau state in the past week, Christians in this northern-central Nigerian town said. Smaller attacks beginning on Nov. 20, reportedly over allegations by [...]

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Advent Begins, Four More Sundays Until Christmas

November 29, 2011 News

27/11/2011 Visit Travelujah Website here: With four weeks until Christmas, the time of preparation leading up to the holiday has begun. Advent is observed on each Sunday of the four Sundays until Christmas Day, Dec. 25. The word Advent come from the Latin word meaning “coming” and celebrates the coming of the Lord. During each [...]

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Mor Nicodemos Dawood Consecrated

November 29, 2011 News

Syrian Orthodox Church 28/11/2011 MA`ARAT SAYYIDNAYA, DAMASCUS: Rabban Dawood Matti Consecrated as Mor Nicodemos by Holy Father Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas as Archbishop of Mosul and Environs at St. Peter & St Paul’s Cathedral in St. Ephraim Patriarchal Monastery, Damascus, Syria on 27 November 2011. Mor Philoxinus Mattias Nayis (Patriarchal Assistant, Director of [...]

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President of European Parliament visits Phanar

November 29, 2011 News

Ecumenical Patriarchate On Friday, November 25, 2011, His All-Holiness received the President of the European Parliament, the Hon. Jerzy Buzek, at the Phanar. Issues discussed during their meeting included religious freedom, minorities and environmental protection. Also in attendance were the European Union Ambassador to Turkey, the Hon. Mark Perini, members of the Turkish President’s office [...]

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Orthodox Hospital Opens Ophthalmology-ORL Center

November 29, 2011 News

The Albanian Orthodox Church Ana Meni 29/11/2011 Click here for Website The Foundation «The Orthodox Clinics of the Evangelism” has added a new field to its activity with a new building, which will serve as a Diagnostic Ophthalmology and ORL Center. The center is equipped with modern equipment and new technology. It guarantees high quality [...]

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The New Academic Year Began at “LOGOS” University

November 29, 2011 News

The Orthodox University of Albania On October 17-th, 2011 “Logos” University began the new academic year, opening its doors for many young students who will continue on the path of knowledge. Having been opened in the 2010, this university is a gift of His Beatitude, Professor-Dr. Anastasios, eminent scholar and well known throughout the world. [...]

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The plea of Bishop Ambrose

November 29, 2011 News

The Polish Orthodox Church 29/11/2011 The Holy Trinity cathedral parish in Recife is about to buy land for the construction of a church. Until now, the parishioners were able to collect R$ 29.000, which is about 40% of the required amount of money. The rest of the money will be paid in installments. The pastor [...]

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Patriarch Cyril will visit Poland

November 29, 2011 News

Michał Kalina 23.11.2011 Metropolitan Sawa yesterday ended his visit in Russia. During the visit he invited Patriarch of Moscow and all Rus Cyril to visit Poland. Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church accepted the invitation. His four-day visit in our country will begin on 16 August 2012. Patriarch Cyril wants to visit all the local [...]

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Orthodox Health Plan announces open enrollment period through December 30

November 29, 2011 Featured News

SYOSSET, NY [OCA] 29/11/2011 CLICK TO VISIT OHP WEBSITE HERE In a memo issued recently by Priest Constantine L. Sitaras, Chairperson of the Joint Orthodox Health Plans Committee, it was announced that clergy and other qualified lay Church workers may join the Orthodox Health Plan Groups during the current open enrollment period that runs through [...]

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Relics of Saint Andrew the Apostle at the chapel of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation

November 29, 2011 Featured News

29/11/2011 THE PRESS OFFICE OF THE ROMANIAN PATRIARCHATE, informs us: Because the protector of the new Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation is Saint Andrew the Apostle, on 29 November 2011, 16.00 hours, a particle of the holy relics of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Protector of Romania, kept in the historical Chapel of the Patriarchal Residence, [...]

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