St. Seraphim Archbishop Seraphim (Sobolev) Has Been Canonized On February 3, at the 5th plenary session of the Holy Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, held at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow, the proposal to canonize Archbishop Seraphim (Sobolev) was approved. The members of the Council, which included Patriarch Kirill of [...]
Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, the celebration of Easter The Resurrection of Christ “Having beheld the Resurrection of Christ, let us worship the holy Lord Jesus, the only sinless one. We venerate Thy cross, O Christ, and Thy holy Resurrection we praise and glorify. For Thou art our God, and we know none other than [...]
The icon of "Extreme Humility" depicting the King of Glory in His Tomb One of the most powerful icons for the Lenten season is that depicting the King of Glory in His tomb, commonly called “Extreme Humility.” The grave is the great human equalizer, of course; princes and paupers alike must descend into death [...]
Rivalry over material possessions has made us forget. . . So we no longer pursue plainness and simplicity of life. We no longer value stillness, which helps to free us from past defilement, but prefer a whole host of things which distract us uselessly from our true goal. Rivalry over material possessions has made us forget [...]
The icon of "Christ the Judge" Christ the Judge This month we highlight a famous and brilliantly executed icon dating from the 6th or 7th century. The icon was preserved during the time of the iconoclastic heresy simply due to the remote location of Saint Catherine’s Monastery at the base of Mount Sinai. Some [...]
Chambesy, Switzerland. A group of delegates at the Fourth Pan-Orthodox Pre-Council Conference Orthodox Clear Way to Historic Pan-Orthodox Council After a five-day conference, called a “synaxis,” held during January in Chambesy, Switzerland, representatives of all 14 of the autocephalous (self-governing) Churches of the Orthodox Christian communion agreed to go forward with the “Great Pan-Orthodox [...]
The Liturgy of the Pre-Sanctified Gifts O Lord and Master of my life, drive from me the spirit of indifference, despair, lust for power and idle chatter. Instead, bestow on me, Your servant, the spirit of integrity, humility, patience and love. Yes, O Lord and King, let me see my own sins and not [...]
We continue our series of occasional articles on the history and spirituality of the Orthodox and Eastern-rite Catholic Churches. Our hope is to deepen our understanding of the ties that bind us, and to slowly “build bridges” that may, at some future time, allow closer relations, and perhaps even full reunion, among our Churches. In that [...]
Our special Urbi et Orbi section, in which we highlight the spirituality, prayer, customs and practices of our brothers and sisters in the churches of the East, continues... Fresco of St. John Chrysostom. We begin the penitential season of Lent — the season in which we most profoundly enter into the mysteries of Christ’s [...]
Pope Francis waves a he delivers his Christmas blessing (to the city and the world) form the central balcony at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican December 25. At St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis celebrates his first solemn Christmas midnight Mass as pontiff. Celebrating the first Christmas since his election, Pope Francis preached the [...]