Russian Orthodox Church-Supporters: Ιανουαρίου 2013

Κυριακή 20 Ιανουαρίου 2013

NEW YORK: January 19, 2013 Schedule of Funerary Services for Protopriest Alexey Ohotin

On Saturday, January 19, 2013, the great feast day of the Epiphany, after Divine Liturgy and the blessing of the waters, Protopriest Andrei Sommer, Protopriest Serafim Gan, Priest Alexandre Antchoutine and Priest Nicholas Olhovsky, as well as Protodeacon Paul Wolkow, performed the rite of vesting of the body of newly-reposed Dean of the First Deanery of the Eastern American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Mitred Protopriest Alexey Ohotin. The coffin was then brought to Annunciation Church in Flushing, NY, where a pannikhida was performed before all-night vigil.

On Monday, January 21, a hierarchal funerary Divine Liturgy will begin at 9 am, followed by the funeral. The burial will take place at Novo-Diveevo Convent Cemetary in Nyack, NY.

NEW YORK: January 18, 2013 Protopriest Alexey Ohotin Reposes in the Lord

On Friday, January 18, 2013, the Eve of the Epiphany of the Lord, following a lengthy and serious illness, Protopriest Alexey Ohotin, Rector of Transfiguration Church in Flushing, NY, reposed in the Lord. Fr Alexey was the eldest by ordination of all the priests of the Eastern American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, having been ordained by Metropolitan Anastassy (Gribanovsky, +1965) of blessed memory.

Information on the memorial services, funeral and burial of Fr Alexey will be posted in the near future. May he abide in the Kingdom of Heaven in eternal repose with the saints!

CANADIAN DIOCESE: January 16, 2013 27 Russian Organizations of Ontario Unite to Celebrate the 400 th Anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty

From the Editors: With the participation of the Russian-Canadian Cultural Education Society, the Russian House of Commerce, the Russian Youth Theater, the Association of Russian Artists and Actors, Prestige Private School, the Sisterhood of Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and many other organizations in Ontario, Canada, an organizing committee has been set up for the celebration in Canada of the 400 th anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty, consisting of leading members of our community. Below is the committee ’ s appeal to the Russian Orthodox community:

A grand jubilee in the history of Russia is approaching—the 400 th anniversary of the reign of the Romanov Dynasty. We who live in Canada seek to celebrate this date together with our beloved Homeland, four hundred years of the cultural and economic development of our great Russian people. The first challenge is not only to honor the Imperial Dynasty, the church hierarchs, military commanders, diplomats and aristocrats, but to return to our roots, our culture, and our great history. That is why it is especially important that the celebration of the 400 th anniversary be on a first-class level, with beauty, boldly, with characteristic Russian sweep and in all corners of the globe.

With the participation of the Russian-Canadian Cultural Foundation and many other organizations of Ontario, we are preparing a series of special events, proceeds from which will be devoted to concrete charitable programs and towards the dissemination of Russian culture in Canada.

An organizing committee for the celebration of the 400 th anniversary of the House of Romanovs, named the Coordinating Council, to which the most eminent representatives of our compatriots in Canada have been invited, will share their ideas and contribute their time. Canadian citizens of Russian descent are inspired by the fact that the Romanovs are closely related to the present British Royal Family, which heads the British Commonwealth, which includes Canada.

We hope that during the celebrations of this jubilee, charitable work will be the guiding star for our activities, continuing the centuries-old traditions which the Royal Dynasty was renowned for.

The main event will be the celebration of the 400 th anniversary of the end of the Time of Troubles and the reestablishment of Russian statehood, as well as the invitation of Michael Feodorovich to assume the throne as the first member of the Romanov Dynasty.

On behalf of the Coordinating Council, we invite everyone to consider participating in our charitable efforts. This will require great and exhaustive daily work over the entire coming year. Your help for the Coordinating Council can take many forms.

The participation of worthy individuals to this important project will bring its own benefits. For you and your organization, it will promote your cultural, spiritual and moral image. Cultural figures of various opinions and viewpoints, political activists, youth movement representatives and churches will all unite with a single goal, to serve the ideals of good and of mercy.

The personal character of the members of the Coordinating Council ensures success.

Your participation in organizing the events, various presentations and exhibitions, your advice, recommendations and contacts will prove an invaluable contribution towards our common goal, it will strengthen it and guarantee that this effort will earn international recognition.
Some members of the Russian cultural and business elite of Ontario have already expressed their willingness to support this project. We genuinely hope for your help and would be happy to invite new members of the Coordinating Council as a sponsor or member of the press committee. More information can be provided at your request: romanov400.ca@gmail.com, or visit our website atwww.romanov 400.ca.

DIOCESE OF CHICAGO AND MID-AMERICA: January 15, 2013 Nativity of Christ Celebrations at Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in the Mid-American Diocese

Festive divine services for the great feast of the Nativity of Christ were led by His Grace Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America, in Holy Virgin Protection Cathedral in Chicago. He was joined by the other clergymen of the cathedral. Praying in the altar during the service was His Eminence Archbishop Alypy of Chicago and Mid-America. Below are photographs of the celebrations:

holyvirginprotection.org

DIOCESE OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND: January 14, 2013 Photo-Report on the First Hierarch's Services on the Nativity of Christ

On Monday, January 7, 2013, the great feast day of the Nativity of Christ, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, who is making an archpastoral visit to the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand, celebrated Divine Liturgy of St Basil the Great at SS Peter and Paul Cathedral, and all-night vigil on Christmas Eve. Following are photographs of the solemn services provided by the Australian-New Zealand Diocese.

rocor.org.au

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia(ROCOR)

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (Russian: Русская Православная Церковь Заграницей), also called ROCOR is a semi-autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church. The ROCOR is also referred to as the Karlovtsy Synod (from its seminal formations in Serbia) or simply the Synod, the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, or ROCA. It was formed as a jurisdiction of Eastern Orthodoxy as a response against the policy of the Soviet Union soon after the Russian Revolution of 1917, and separated from the Russian Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in 1927 after an imprisoned Patriarch Sergius I of Moscow.

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia officially signed the Act of Canonical Communion with the Moscow Patriarchate on May 17, 2007 restoring the canonical link between the churches. Critics of the reunification argue that the issue of KGB infiltration of the Moscow Patriarchate church hierarchy has not been addressed by the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1920 near the end of the Russian Civil War, after the White Russian Army under Admiral Aleksandr Kolchak was crushed, a mass exodus of Russian refugees moved into Manchuria. Over ninety thousand refugees settled in Harbin, Shanghai, Dairen, Hailar and the smaller towns along the Chinese branch of the Trans-Siberian Railway within three years. Lacking adequate lodgings or employment many migrated to America, Europe or Australia. Also in 1920 the Soviet government revealed that it was hostile to the Russian Orthodox Church. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow, issued an ukase (decree) that all Orthodox Christians currently under the authority and protection of his Patriarchate seek protection and guidance elsewhere. Among some Russian Bishops and other hierarchs, this was interpreted as an authorization to form an emergency synod of all Russian Orthodox hierarchs to permit the Church to continue to function outside Russia. To add urgency to the synod's motives, in May 1922, the Soviet government proclaimed its own "Living Church" as a "reform" of the Russian Orthodox Church. In September 13, 1922, Russian Orthodox hierarchs in Serbia met in the town of Sremski Karlovci and established a Synod of Bishops of the Russian Church Abroad, the foundation of ROCOR. In November 1922, Russian Orthodox in North America held a synod and elected Metropolitan Platon as the primate of an autonomous Russian exarchate in the Americas. This led to a three-way conflict in the United States among the Exarchate, ROCOR (sometimes known as "the Synod" in this period), and the Living Church, which asserted that it was the legitimate (Soviet-government-recognized) owner of all Eastern Orthodox properties in the USA. Between 1997–2000 the ROCOR and the ROC came into direct conflict over ownership of churches and properties within Palestine. In 2000 Metropolitan Laurus became the First Hierarch of the ROCOR and expressed interest in the idea of reunification. In 2003 Vladimir Putin met with Metropolitan Laurus in New York. This event was later hailed as an important step by Patriarch Alexy II who said that it showed the ROCOR that "not a fighter against God, but an Orthodox Christian is at the country's helm." In May 2004, Metropolitan Laurus, the head of the ROCOR, visited Russia participating in several joint services. In June 2004, a contingent of ROCOR clergy meeting with Patriarch Alexey II. Committees were set up by both the Patriarchate and ROCOR to begin dialogue towards rapprochement. Both sides decided to set up joint commissions, and determined the range of issues to be discussed at the All-Diaspora Council, which met for the first time since 1974. On December 28, 2006, it was officially announced that the Act of Canonical Communion would finally be signed. The signing took place on the May 17, 2007, followed immediately by a full restoration of communion with the Moscow Patriarchate, celebrated by a Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, at which the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexius II and the First Hierarch of ROCOR concelebrated for the first time in history. On May 17, 2007, at 9:15 a.m., Metropolitan Laurus was greeted at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow by a special peal of the bells, and shortly thereafter, Patriarch Alexey II entered the Cathedral. After the Patriarch read the prayer for the unity of the Russian Church, the Act of Canonical Communion was read aloud, and two copies were each signed by both Metropolitan Laurus and Patriarch Alexey II. The two hierarchs then exchanged the "kiss of peace," and they and the entire Russian Church sang "God Grant You Many Years." Following this, the Divine Liturgy of the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord began, culminating with the entirety of the bishops of both ROCOR and MP partaking of the same Eucharist. The ROCOR has over 400 parishes worldwide, and an estimated membership of over 400,000 people. Within the ROCOR there are 13 hierarchs, and also monasteries and nunneries in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and South America.