The Week in Pictures: August 19-25, 2019
The news in pictures. A selection of photographs from around the Orthodox world, covering a variety of topics from church celebrations to folk events and spiritual life.
All news
Saint John defends family unity and fights moral disorder, Patriarch Daniel says
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel on Thursday pointed to the example given by the Honourable Forerunner and Baptist John to defend moral values. In his homily, the patriarch recalled that St John is ‘a protector of…
Cluj Metropolitan: Roma people are our fellow Christians. We want to see them thrive
In a message sent Wednesday on the feast of Saint Moses the Black, the Orthodox Metropolitan of Cluj said that Roma people are ‘our fellow Christians, and we want to see them thrive spiritually and…
A new chapter for the cultural and tourist development of St. Catherine’s Monastery in Sinai
The Egyptian government gave the green light for the expansion of St. Catherine International Airport in Sinai. The project, to be completed in less than two years, will upgrade the entire area, including the Greek-Orthodox…
Ship owner, philanthropist Martinos selected as new civil governor of Mt. Athos
Well-known shipowner and philanthropist Athanasios Martinos has been selected by the Mitsotakis government as the next civil governor of the semi-autonomous Orthodox monastic community of Mt. Athos, Orthodoxia News Agency reports. The choice of Martinos…
Patriarch Irinej of Serbia celebrates his 89th birthday
His Beatitude Patriarch Irinej of Serbia celebrates Wednesday, August 28, 2019 his 89th birthday. Patriarch Irinej was born on 28 August 1930 in Vidova near Čačak, Kingdom of Yugoslavia. His Beatitude is the 45th Patriarch…
21st anniversary of autocephaly of Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia celebrates on Tuesday its 21st anniversary since the bestowing of autocephaly by the Ecumenical Patriarch in 1998. The history of this Church dates back to the…
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s Statement on the Global Wildfires
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s Statement on the Global Wildfires In recent weeks, our planet has witnessed extreme heatwaves and expansive wildfires throughout the world—from the rain forests of the Amazon and desert regions of Africa, normally…
Saint Antipas of Calapodesti’s soul icon to be officially celebrated every year in Finland
The feast of the Tenderness or Sweet-Kissing icon of the Mother of God at Valaam Monastery will be celebrated every year in Finland on January 11, one day after the feast of Saint Antipas of…
Orthodox monasteries featured on new Romanian passport
The new Romanian passport that started being issued from January 2019 has a unique design that features important touristic attractions including three Orthodox monasteries: Curtea de Arges, Barsana and Tismana. Romania’s simple electronic and temporary…
Suceava Street to be named after 90-year-old Archbishop Pimen Suceveanul
Suceava Mayor Ion Lungu announced last week the naming of a city street to honour the eldest Romanian Orthodox hierarch, Archbishop Pimen. Called ‘a devoted and diligent hierarch’ by Patriarch Daniel, His Eminence Archbishop Pimen…
How many Orthodox bishops are in the world?
There are 941 canonical Orthodox bishops in the world, The Society for Orthodox Christian History in the Americas reports. The figures were published by Matthew Namee who wrote that compared to the time of the…
Fanouropita: Greek cake for lost items
Fanouropita is a Greek fasting-appropriate cake brought as an offering to Saint Phanourios for helping people find lost things and not only. Saint Phanourios is also interceded for finding one’s way in life, for finding…
Iași Archdiocese’s Department for Minorities organizes summer camp for Roma youth at Zmeu
One hundred Roma children and young people participated in ‘The Camp of Joy’, organized on August 21-22 at Zmeu Parish by the Department for Minorities of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Iași. “This camp, as well…
56 Years since the episcopal consecration of Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia
Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia celebrates on 26 August 2019 his 56th anniversary of episcopal consecration. Ilia II, also transliterated as Ilya or Elijah (born January 4, 1933), is the current Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia and…
Patriarch of Alexandria arrived in Cyprus
Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria arrived on August 23, 2019, in Cyprus, Romfea reports. Bishop Christoforos of Karpasia welcomed the Patriarch of Alexandria in the airport on behalf of the Archbishop of Cyprus. The bishop accompanied…
Your support is needed for the purchase of a future Romanian Monastery in the heart of Ireland
The Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Southern and Western Europe is kindly requesting your support for the purchase of a future Romanian monastery in the heart of Ireland: Dear all, This is an appeal to your generosity…
Rwanda & Burundi Metropolitan Innocentios enthralled by humility, patience and love of large crowd of pilgrims at Nicula Monastery
His Eminence Metropolitan Innocentios Byakatonda of Rwanda and Burundi has left Romania after a seven-day visit to the Metropolis of Cluj where he celebrated a festive Divine Liturgy at Nicula Monastery which gathered over 20,000…