"The Trinity" by Andrei Rublev, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow The Trinitarian Icon The Trinity as depicted by Andrei Rublev is arguably the most famous and best-beloved icons of all time. Most iconographers would agree that no one has ever surpassed the unity of composition, the balance of color and the sheer spirituality of this image; [...]
The small structure inside the Church of the Holy Sephulcher in Jerusalem which encloses the tomb of Jesus Endangered Jesus Tomb Unites Rival Catholic, Orthodox Churches in $3.4 Million Restoration Project Three Christian traditions recently put aside their long-standing theological differences and agreed to partner to save the endangered holy place where Jesus was [...]
Icon of the Resurrection Why is the Great Pascha on a Different Date than Easter? This year the Orthodox Church celebrated the Great Pascha, their Easter, on May 1, several weeks after the rest of the Christian world celebrated Easter. This feast is preceded by a Holy Week similar to the Catholic one, and [...]
Icon of Mary Reflecting on Mary’s Blessedness through the Annunciation Thou knowest, O Mary, things kept hid from the patriarchs and prophets. Thou hast learned, O virgin, things which were kept concealed till now from the angels. Thou hast heard, O purest one, things of which even the choir of inspired men was never [...]
April 6, 2016, Wednesday -- A Religious "Off-Ramp" for Ukraine? US Ambassador Pyatt Visits Rome An American official has made a quiet, important visit to the Vatican to discuss the situation in Ukraine. In a visit that has received no press attention up until now, the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt (photo) was in Rome [...]
February 5, 2016, Friday -- More on the Pope Francis-Patriarch Kirill Meeting in Havana, Cuba, on February 12 "Thus, in full awareness and at the beginning of his ministry in the Church of Rome that Peter bathed with his blood, the current successor assumes as his primary commitment that of working tirelessly towards the reconstruction of [...]
A Personal Invitation from Dr. Robert Moynihan: Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, has asked to be received in audience by Pope Francis in two days, on Wednesday, June 10, and Pope Francis has agreed to the meeting. What is the purpose of this unexpected encounter? No information has yet been made public, but we know that it [...]
A Special Christmas Appeal December 16, 2014 Dear friend, Greetings. At this Christmas time, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for reading my newsflashes and for your support over the years. I would also like to invite you to join with me as supporters and co-workers. We continue to publish Inside the Vatican [...]
December 15, 2014, Monday — 1st Annual Dinner"How did it happen that the country known as ‘Holy Russia’, with such a long history of Orthodox Christianity, was, in a very short period of time, turned by the Bolsheviks into ‘the first atheist state in the world’?" —Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, the "Foreign Minister" of the Russian Orthodox [...]
December 6, 2014, Saturday — Orthodox and Catholics to Gather at Papal Nunciature The text below is the Press Release for the 1st Annual Urbi et Orbi Foundation dinner on December 10, 2014, in Washington D.C., at the papal nunciature. PRESS RELEASE --For Immediate Release-- December 6, Washington, DC — The Urbi et Orbi Foundation will [...]
