Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America hopes to implement the jurisdiction-wide practice of girls serving in the altar and being tonsured as readers. This would include not just young children, but even students of the Archdiocese’s Hellenic College-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, …
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Easter 2023: Holy Fire appears again in Sepulchre church (Live)
In an atmosphere of religious devoutness and magnificence, the Holy Fire marking Jesus Resurrection appeared again in the Church of Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Great Saturday. Crowds of people, even though much less than in previous years due to Israeli restrictions, had gathered in the church to get the …
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“You are a heretic!” Greek-Orthodox priest heckles Pope Francis (video)
Pope Francis was heckled by an elderly Greek Orthodox priest on Saturday. “Pope, you are a heretic!” the priest shouted three times before police intervened and took him away. The Pope had arrived for a meeting with the head of the country’s Orthodox Church, evidence of the lingering distrust between …
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Greek-Orthodox priest shot in Lyon church, one arrest UPD
A Greek-Orthodox priest was shot and seriously wounded in the French city of Lyon, on Saturday afternoon. The assailant fled and the victim was transferred to the nearest hospital. The priest was preparing to close the church at 04:00 pm Saturday local time, when he was shot with what it …
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Prayer in primary schools and kindergartens is “constitutional”, rules CoS
Morning prayer and school religious services for kindergarten and primary school students are constitutional and legal, the plenary of the Council of State ruled on Friday. The court clarified that this ruling applies “exclusively to students who follow the Christian Orthodox dogma, not to students of other religions, other denominations …
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Construction work resumes on St Nicholas Church at Ground Zero
Work has started again on the moribund St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center although it likely won’t be visible for another month. The Minnesota company fabricating the exterior screen for the long-stalled project was paid $5.7 million and has resumed working on it, Michael …
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Council of State rules “religion courses in schools only for Greek-Orthodox students”
The Council of State ruled on Friday that religion courses in primary and secondary education schools are exclusively “Greek-Orthodox.” The ruling cancels the previous content of religious books as it was decided by SYRIZA Education Minister Kostas Gavroglou and leads to re-writing of thousands of books. The Plenary of the …
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Why do Catholics and Greek Orthodox celebrate Easter on different Sundays?
The eternal question: Why do Christians celebrate Easter on two different dates? This year Catholics, the Western Church, celebrate Jesus Resurrection on April 1st, while members of the Greek Orthodox and the East Church on April 8th. Easter is a moveable feast, that does not fall on a fixed date …
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Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew extends support to Erdogan’s operation in Arfin against Kurds
Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I has lent his support to the Turkish Military “Operation Olive Branch” against Kurds in Arfin area in North-West Syria. In a letter to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Greek Orthodox spiritual leader who is based in Istanbul, said the Greek Church is praying …
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Local clergy warns “Greece stands on the brink of destruction”
The clergy of the Diocese of Orestiada of the Greek Orthodox Church have unanimously supported a declaration dedicated to the difficult situation in modern Greece, the main points of which have been published on AgionOros. The clergy’s concern has been caused by the demographic problem: “Our villages are dying out …
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Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew urges US to “preserve the status quo of Jerusalem”
Greek Orthodox Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expressed his support to the preservation of the current status quo in Jerusalem and urged the United States to reverse its decision to recognize the city as the capital of Israel. Speaking to the group of visitors at the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul on Christmas …
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Orthodox Christians, incl Greeks, want a strong Russia to counter the West
Orthodox Christians in Central and Eastern Europe but also in Greece express pro-Russia views and many would like to see Russia playing a stronger role in the area in order to balance the influence of the West. According to a survey conducted by PEW Research Center majorities in Orthodox countries …
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Good Friday: The Epitaph procession in Greek Orthodoxy VIDEO
Good Friday, the peak of the Passion Week. the day of absolute mourning for Christianity. The day commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at the Calvary. I it is the most solemn day of Holy Week. The day ends with the candlelit Epitaph procession through the streets, …
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Bishop calls on Erdogan to baptize Greek Orthodox with Putin as Godfather
An unprecedented move by a Greek Orthodox Bishop. He urged Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to denounce Islam and baptized Greek Orthodox with Russian President Vladimir Putin as godfather. It may look like a joke but it is not. Metropolit Seraphim of Piraeus, one of the most hardcore religious leaders …
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How to make an amazing Greek Orthodox Palm Cross VIDEO
Have you ever seen the Palm Sunday Cross? Have you ever wondered how a palm cross is made, how the palm leaves are folded? The video below shows a specific type of Palm Cross. Papa Giorgis from Zaro, in South Crete, show show easy it is to make this specific …
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IS calls on its “hidden soldiers” to attack Christian churches, targets the Pope, Greek Orthodox and Coptic leaders
The Islamic State (IS) is inciting its supporters to intensify attacks against Christians and targets the Pope, the Coptic leader and the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem. The incitement is published in the latest issue of IS’s online magazine Dabiq, just days after two of the terror group supporters cut …
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Miracle! Crucified Jesus icon weeps since SYRIZA won the elections (video)
It is not only Christian-Democrat Schaeuble and the other conservative EU-partners who dislike the new Greek left-wing government. The scary image of the Greek radical men without ties and no debt-plan papers has allegedly spread beyond the boundaries of the Eurozone and the European Union, beyond this pragmatic earthy world. …
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Priest refuses to baptize girl, 3, after she says “No”
A Greek Orthodox priest refused to baptize a 3-year-old girl after he asked her three times for her consent and she replied three times with “No”. The obviously nervous priest took off his stole and refused to proceed with the holy baptizing procedure. He left despite the strong opposition by …
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Syria: Thriller with two abducted Christian Bishops – video with shot driver?
Despite news claiming the two bishops were released by their abductors on Tuesday afternoon, the reality is much more sober and frustrating: Greek Orthodox Archbishop Pavlos and Syriac-Orthodox bishop Yohanna apparently remain in the hands of their kidnappers also on Wednesday noon. News coming from the area through the official …
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Syria: Kidnappers apparently released two Orthodox bishops
Several media reported on Tuesday afternoon that the two Orthodox bishops were released on Tuesday afternoon. Greek media citing Christian organization “l’Œuvre d’Orient” report that Archbishop of Aleppo Pavlos Yazigi of the Greek Orthodox Church and Syrian Orthodox Bishop Yohanna Ibrahim were released at 2:15 pm Tuesday. The brother of Pavlos, …
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