News from the East

News from the East: January-February 2026

By Matthew Trojacek Ukrainian Orthodox Priest and Father of Five Taken by Military Recruiters Another priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was detained by military recruitment officials on November 18. Father Konstantin Volovy, a clergyman of the Cherkasy Diocese, was taken to the Smila territorial recruitment center despite having grounds for deferment from military service. Family [...]

Parolin, Zelenskyy speak; Priest murdered in Katyn canonized; Ecumenical Patriarch attends Pope’s anniversary liturgy; Emmanuel of Chalcedon

By Matthew Trojacek Call between Zelenskyy and Cardinal Parolin: prayers for Pope, peace Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (pictured above) discussed the Holy See’s role in the “path toward peace” Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shared news of a March 14 call with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal [...]

News from the East March-April 2025

By Matthew Trojacek Forcibly mobilized Ukrainian priest released after a week A priest of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was released after being forcibly drafted for Ukraine’s army. On December 21, on his way home from visiting his wife in the hospital where she had just given birth to their second child, Father Evgeny Rozhdestvensky was taken [...]

News from the East January-February 2025

By Matthew Trojacek Moscow Patriarchate seeks to “open more parishes” across Africa Amid songs and dances, a diplomatic-plated car pulled up in front of a church in Akpakpa, a suburb of Cotonou, the largest city in Benin. Exiting with a smile, Constantin of Zaraïsk, Metropolitan of the Russian Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa and representative of the [...]

Pope meets with Middle-Eastern bishops as war rages; Iraqi cardinal urges Christians to give “testimony of life”; young Russian Catholics gather; Obituary: Vassula Rydén

By Matthew Trojacek Pope Francis meets Middle East Catholic bishops amid fears of all-out war in region August 28, 2024. Vatican. Led by Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa (above left), Pope Francis met with the Latin rite Catholic leaders of several Middle Eastern and Arabic-speaking countries Pope Francis met August 28 with the Latin-rite Catholic leaders [...]

News From The East

May 2016 - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, foreground, addresses the 2nd Moscow Cadet Parade dedicated to the 71st anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War and the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Moscow (Iliya Pitalev / Sputnik) Russian Orthodox Patriarch Declares Worldwide “Holy War” on Terrorism The head [...]

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