I would like to share the latest information on religion in Russia,
based on a poll by the newspaper "Izvestia" and the All-Russian Center
for the Study of Public Opinion (ACSPO).

For the text of the article (in Russian), please see:

http://www.newsru.com/religy/19dec2006/god_ru.html


Briefly, it states that at the end of 2006, 15 years after the fall of
the atheistic Soviet Union, 86% of the population believes in God, and
only 16% consider themselves atheists.

Fully 63% of the (adult) population consider themselves to be Orthodox
Christians. This is 75% of those who believe in God.

The article states that in the beginning of the 1990s, when the ACSPO
first began to analyze the data on religion, only 34% of the adult
population considered themselves to be Orthodox, by 1999, this had
risen to 50%, and now is at 63%.

The percentage of those who are "churched," defined as those who
attend churches at least once a month and regularly partake of the
mystery of Holy Communion, is also rising. In the "perestroika"
years,it was around 4%, and that has now risen to 10-12%.

If 15 years ago the average age the majority of people attending
services was 60, at present the average age has fallen to 48, which is
much closer to the average age of the population in general -- 44.

Even more important is that the percentage of young people (those
under 25) who consider themselves Orthodox is 58%.

This poll was taken in 153 population centers in 46 regions and
republics of Russia.


With love in Christ,
Prot. Alexander Lebedeff


mailto:lebedeff@...

In a message dated 12/31/2006 11:03:32 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
gene703@... writes:

Senator Joseph McCarthy was a good man. He was aggressively  investigating
claims that there were Communist and Soviet spies and  sympathizers inside the
federal government back in the 50's. No wonder his  name is used as a
pejorative by pro red church folks on this list. I say it is  high time for a
"mcarthyite" commie hunt, this time in the Russian Orthodox  Church.

Gene T






Happy New Year, Gene!

I'm glad you and your sympathizers are finally showing true colors.   In the
United States, McCarthy is also considered a complete and utter bozo  by
anyone who has more than a sixth-grade education.  His name is  used as a
pejorative by even the most conservative representatives and  senators I know,
and his
reign is generally considered to be one of the darkest  moments of American
history.  If the world of witch hunts and secret  hearings and committees is
what you want, it's no wonder that we hear those  currents of "Bozhe Tsarya
khrani" in the background, since this is a tradition  much more Tsarist Russian
than American.  Please, Gene, be careful for what  you wish, because among the
first that the McCarthyites are going to come and  get are the folks who have
rightly or wrongly leanings of support for those evil  Rooshians.

Incidentally, I know what a revnitel' is, and for the sake of truth in
advertising, revniteli tend to get smacked down by the prevalent society; has 
been
that way at least since Masada.

Happy New Year again, and come on!  Get a life,

Vova H.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Does Fr.Victor consider the statements below from our new Russian
Martyrs, previous hierarch's and Synod Resolution, attacks on our
Church?

Michael N


http://www.stvladimirs.ca/library/concerning-patriarch-pimen.html
"All of the elections of Patriarchs in Moscow, beginning in 1943,
are invalid on the basis of the 30th Canon of the Holy Apostles
and the 3rd Canon of the 7th Ecumenical Council"


"We will not give the Church as a sacrifice over
to the mercy of the BETRAYERS OF GOD and foul
politicians and agents of atheism and destruction.
And by this protest we do NOT cut ourselves off from
her, but WE cut THEM off from US and boldly say: not
only have we NOT gone away and do NOT go away and will
NEVER go away from the bosom of the TRUE Orthodox
Church, but those who are not with us and for us but
are against us we consider Her ENEMIES, BETRAYERS, AND
MURDERERS.  It is not WE who go into schism by not
submitting to Metropolitan Sergius, but rather YOU who
are obedient to him go with him into THE ABYSS OF THE
CHURCH'S CONDEMNATION.---Saint Joseph of Petrograd,
1928"


Excerpts from St.Metr.Philaret's letter to fr.Victor Potapov.
[..."we receive the clergymen from Moscow not as ones possessing
grace,  but as ones receiving it by the very act of union. But to
recognize the church  of the evil-doers as the bearer and
repository of grace, that we cannot do, of  course. For outside
of Orthodoxy there is no grace; and the Soviet church has
deprived itself of grace."]

What then is the Soviet church? Archimandrite Constantine has
often and insistently stated that the most horrible thing that
the God-hating regime has  done in Russia is the creation of the
Soviet Church, which the Bolsheviks  presented to the people as
the true Church, having driven the genuine Orthodox
Church into the catacombs or into the concentration camps.

This pseudo-church has been twice anathematized."



At this time the then Archbishop Vitaly (Ustinov) of Montreal
concurred totally with Metropolitan Philaret's evaluation. In a
sympathetic yet uncompromising article which he published in the
August 1980 *Parish Newsletter* of his St. Nicholas Cathedral in
Montreal... he wrote: "... And in this good, urgent impulse of
ours we somehow completely forgot a very important fact which no
power can erase from life ... Father Dimitry forgot, as we all
did, this fact which cannot be wiped away by time or by
life. And this fact is the Soviet Moscow Patriarchate. We are in
no way mistaken when we call the Patriarchate Soviet ... Such a
corrupt, anti-canonical organism was not able, of course, to
inspire Father Dimitry to follow the way of confession, much less
of martyrdom, to the end. Father Dimitry's whole mistake is found
in the fact that, although he often condemned and exposed his
Soviet hierarchs, still he never separated himself from the
Patriarchate as an organism, but even defended it as his own
legal authority."

http://www.monasterypress.com/statements.html
under * article * section. Letter to a priest concerning the
origin and status of the Moscow Patriarchate By Metropolitan
Vitaly ..."the Moscow Patriarchate has lost the Apostolic
Succession, which is to say, that it has lost the Grace of
Christ."






--- frvictor@... wrote:

> We have been enduring, tolerating such insults on this list
> such as "you are red as a beat." But don't worry, such
> Macarthyite tactics will not stop the faithful from defending
> the conciliar decisions of our Church.
>
> The complaint, however, dear moderator, is not over the
> personal insults which you repeatedly permit on this list, but
> the attacks on our Church, on the coniliar decisions of our
> Church and on our bishops which you permit. You say we should
> just endure, yet in all the times you chose to jump in, it is
> over Fr. Vadim's very mild post.
>
> I think this all proves, once again, that this list has hit a
> dead end, and it is time to put it out of its misery. On the
> other hand, if it allows a forum for those who think they are
> smarter than our bishops to vent, and in the process feel they
> are making somce difference, then I suppose it serves some
> purpose.
>
> Priest Victor Boldewskul
>
> -------------- Original message --------------
> From: "Rev Fr Mark Gilstrap" <fr.mark@...>
> --- In orthodox-synod@yahoogroups.com, DDD <dimitradd@...>
> wrote:
>
> > DD: And yet, how many times have we had to endure the term
> "pro-union" or even the derogatory "pro-unia" labels?
>
> Father Nikita Grigoriev, Rector of St John of Kronstadt parish
> in Utica MY, and Instructor of Apologetics at Jordanville, in
his letter on the history of church relations, "ROCA, The Beacon
of Light", uses the terms Pro-Union and Contra-Union which he
then abbreviates as PU and CU.
>
> I don't know what the original Russian terms were, but in
> English this is decidedly a zinger. Otherwise I never thought
of Pro-Union as an
> insult. But maybe that's because I am pro-union in a very real,
> but cautious, way. ("Life is not so simple as to be able to
> pigeonhole everyone")
>
> One could also interpret the english abbreviation "CU" as a
> departing comment, and thereby turn it into an insult too. So
you see, there
> is always a balance, but we only seem to wince and complain
> when it is
> our ox being gored. Maybe we should instead try to, more often,
> just endure.
>
> prM
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>


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It is our parish's tradition to have a pot luck Lenten "Holy Supper"
after the first star comes out, at 5 p.m. before the beginning of the
Nativity vigil. It occurs to me that many list members will be
traveling I-95 or the Merit Parkway on Saturday and some of you may
want to stop by. Anyone passing by is most heartily welcome to stop
and eat with us. You may even want to stay for Vigil, which begins at
6:30. St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church is off exit 31 of I-95,
about three and a half hours from Boston and one and a half from NYC.
We welcome pilgrims and visitors. Coming from the North going South,
you turn right upon exiting I-95. Going North from the South, you go
under the freeway. The church is in a little triangular island formed
by Honeyspot Road, Old Honeyspot Road, and South Avenue. It is across
the road from Town Fair Tires and the Habitat for Humanity "ReStore."

If you take the Merit or Rte. 8, use Mapquest or Yahoo maps to find
the best route. The church's address is One Honeyspot Road,
Stratford, CT, 06615.

To recap, the meal is at five p.m., followed by Vigil at 6:30.
Usually people trickle in from work, but since the Eve of the Feast
is a Saturday this year, most will be able to come on time.

The Divine Liturgy for the Feast will begin at 10:00 a.m Sunday, and
will be followed by a festive trapeza. We invite you all to come and
stay for that, too.

But wherever you will be keeping the feast, I wish you a joyous and
blessed upcoming feast of our Lord's Nativity.

In Christ,
Matushka Ann Lardas

God bless you and your parish on the upcoming feast!

"(matushka) Ann Lardas" <matanna@...> wrote:  It is our parish's tradition
to have a pot luck Lenten "Holy Supper"
after the first star comes out, at 5 p.m. before the beginning of the
Nativity vigil. It occurs to me that many list members will be
traveling I-95 or the Merit Parkway on Saturday and some of you may
want to stop by. Anyone passing by is most heartily welcome to stop
and eat with us. You may even want to stay for Vigil, which begins at
6:30. St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church is off exit 31 of I-95,
about three and a half hours from Boston and one and a half from NYC.
We welcome pilgrims and visitors. Coming from the North going South,
you turn right upon exiting I-95. Going North from the South, you go
under the freeway. The church is in a little triangular island formed
by Honeyspot Road, Old Honeyspot Road, and South Avenue. It is across
the road from Town Fair Tires and the Habitat for Humanity "ReStore."

If you take the Merit or Rte. 8, use Mapquest or Yahoo maps to find
the best route. The church's address is One Honeyspot Road,
Stratford, CT, 06615.

To recap, the meal is at five p.m., followed by Vigil at 6:30.
Usually people trickle in from work, but since the Eve of the Feast
is a Saturday this year, most will be able to come on time.

The Divine Liturgy for the Feast will begin at 10:00 a.m Sunday, and
will be followed by a festive trapeza. We invite you all to come and
stay for that, too.

But wherever you will be keeping the feast, I wish you a joyous and
blessed upcoming feast of our Lord's Nativity.

In Christ,
Matushka Ann Lardas



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to mark the just
passed 38th Anniversary of the ordination to the Holy Diaconate (by
the future Metrpolitan Laurus) of the esteemed and beloved
Mitred Protopriest George Larin.

Congartulations to Fr. George, Matushka Catherine, his family and all
of his parishioners whom he has been ably serving in Nyack for almost 40 years.

Many years, dear Fr. George!

  With love in Christ,
Prot. Alexander Lebedeff


mailto:lebedeff@...

I, too, would like to congratulate Mitred Protopriest George Larin on
the anniversary of his diaconal ordination. May God grant you many
years, dear Father George!
Hieromonk Tryphon

And, wouldn't breast-fed infants simply be
distinguished from toddlers by the fact that they're
'breast-fed'?  ... i.e., toddlers are just little ones
that are no longer breast-fed?

Sincerely,

Michael Coleman
Ignorant Single Male w/no kids
Mission Viejo, CA


--- Archpriest Stefan Pavlenko
<StefanVPavlenko@...> wrote:

> In Russian "grudnoi rebenok" is used to mean tiny
> babies, I was just
> transliterating,.
>
>
>
>
> --- In orthodox-synod@yahoogroups.com, "Barbara
> Manninen"
> <bmanninen@...> wrote:
> >
> > Dear Fr. Stephan,
> >
> > Why only breast fed infants?  Are not other babies
> allowed to
> receive communion?  Breast feeding and breast milk
> are the feedings
> of choice and best for babies, but there are various
> good reasons
> why some babies are bottle fed i.e. adoption, the
> mother may be on
> certain medications that are passed through the
> breast milk,
> separation of the mother from her baby (illness in
> the mother
> necessitating transfer to another facility -- or the
> baby to another
> facility), etc.  I am puzzled by this!  I am an OB
> RN currently
> working in our local hospital's Family Birthing
> Center.
> >
> > Barbara Manninen RN
> >
> >
> >   ----- Original Message -----
> >   From: Archpriest Stefan Pavlenko
> >   To: orthodox-synod@yahoogroups.com
> >   Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2006 12:03 AM
> >   Subject: [orthodox-synod] Re: lining up order
> >
> >
> >   Minor clergy (subdeacons,readers some places
> altar servers)
> >   Monks
> >   Nuns
> >   breast fed infants
> >   toddlers
> >   young children
> >   men
> >   women
> >   and lastly those to whom the priest might need
> to
> >   bring the Chalice
> >
> >   --- In orthodox-synod@yahoogroups.com,
> "aleksandrasamuelevna"
> >   <aleksandrasamuelevna@> wrote:
> >   >
> >   > Is there a rule for lining up for such things
> as confession,
> getting
> >   > the blessing and communion? One of our
> parishoners said the
> Church
> >   > states the order is children first, then men
> then women.
> Father said
> >   > there is not necessarily that rule here in the
> USA anyway,
> maybe in
> >   > Jerusalem.
> >   >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------
> >
> >
> >   No virus found in this incoming message.
> >   Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> >   Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.0/609
> - Release Date:
> 12/29/2006 4:48 PM
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
> >
>
>
>


__________________________________________________
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We need neither McCarthyism (aka agents provocateurs) or communist
sympathizers, both extremes of which tend to bring out the other.

I don't think it is a phenomenon of personal stereotype. I think it is
a phenomenon that grows out of the divisive use of lies such as have
been sprinkled into our ears by the MP.

That has been the purpose of that organization since it gave itself to
the Soviets.

My orginal intent was to find out
   1  Who goes first?  2. Why men before women?  3 Does this apply to  all things
at church including confession, blessing , communion, and lining up for food ?
   It seems people are focusing on something kind of childish.

Michael Coleman <usmichaelnew@...> wrote:
   And, wouldn't breast-fed infants simply be
distinguished from toddlers by the fact that they're
'breast-fed'? ... i.e., toddlers are just little ones
that are no longer breast-fed?

Sincerely,

Michael Coleman
Ignorant Single Male w/no kids
Mission Viejo, CA


--- Archpriest Stefan Pavlenko
wrote:

> In Russian "grudnoi rebenok" is used to mean tiny
> babies, I was just
> transliterating,.
>
>
>
>
> --- In orthodox-synod@yahoogroups.com, "Barbara
> Manninen"
> wrote:
> >
> > Dear Fr. Stephan,
> >
> > Why only breast fed infants? Are not other babies
> allowed to
> receive communion? Breast feeding and breast milk
> are the feedings
> of choice and best for babies, but there are various
> good reasons
> why some babies are bottle fed i.e. adoption, the
> mother may be on
> certain medications that are passed through the
> breast milk,
> separation of the mother from her baby (illness in
> the mother
> necessitating transfer to another facility -- or the
> baby to another
> facility), etc. I am puzzled by this! I am an OB
> RN currently
> working in our local hospital's Family Birthing
> Center.
> >
> > Barbara Manninen RN
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Archpriest Stefan Pavlenko
> > To: orthodox-synod@yahoogroups.com
> > Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2006 12:03 AM
> > Subject: [orthodox-synod] Re: lining up order
> >
> >
> > Minor clergy (subdeacons,readers some places
> altar servers)
> > Monks
> > Nuns
> > breast fed infants
> > toddlers
> > young children
> > men
> > women
> > and lastly those to whom the priest might need
> to
> > bring the Chalice
> >
> > --- In orthodox-synod@yahoogroups.com,
> "aleksandrasamuelevna"
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Is there a rule for lining up for such things
> as confession,
> getting
> > > the blessing and communion? One of our
> parishoners said the
> Church
> > > states the order is children first, then men
> then women.
> Father said
> > > there is not necessarily that rule here in the
> USA anyway,
> maybe in
> > > Jerusalem.
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
-------------------------------------------------------------------
> -----------
> >
> >
> > No virus found in this incoming message.
> > Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> > Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.0/609
> - Release Date:
> 12/29/2006 4:48 PM
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
> >
>
>
>


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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

As many of you doubtless already know, "Bishop
Christodoulos" of the "Holy Metropolis of the
Genuine Greek Orthodox Church of North and South
America" (which is under the synod of Chrysostomos
II of Athens) has publicly announced that Fr. Thomas
Maretta, formerly of the St. Nicholas ROCOR parish
in Endicott, NY, was just received by them "through
canonical release from the omophorion of Metropolitan
Laurus."

My question is: Does such a "canonical release"
mean that the party which the "released" person
subsequently joins is recognized thereby?  In other
words, does a canonical release necessarily mean
that Met. Laurus in this instance is recognizing
the "Holy Metropolis" as a legitimate Orthodox
body?  I fear that some people will interpret it so,
and that this is why "Bishop Christodoulos" was
careful to include this info. in his announcement.

Thank you for any information you can provide
concerning the meaning of "canonical release."

Athanasios.

Aleksandra Thompson <aleksandrasamuelevna@...> wrote:

>My orginal intent was to find out 1 Who goes first?

(snip)

>It seems people are focusing on something kind of childish.

Hmmm... I guess one could say that. Or was it -Pun- intended?

Fr. Anthony


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Protopriest Anthony Nelson
St. Benedict Russian Orthodox Church
Oklahoma City, OK USA 405-672-1441
mailto:fr.anthony@...
http://www.russianorthodoxoklahoma.org

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In orthodox-synod@yahoogroups.com, "Athanasios Jayne" <athanasiosj@...>
wrote:

> My question is: Does such a "canonical release"
> mean that the party which the "released" person
> subsequently joins is recognized thereby?  In other
> words, does a canonical release necessarily mean
> that Met. Laurus in this instance is recognizing
> the "Holy Metropolis" as a legitimate Orthodox
> body?  I fear that some people will interpret it so,
> and that this is why "Bishop Christodoulos" was
> careful to include this info. in his announcement.

JRS: The fact that a canonical release was granted, shows that ROCOR recognizes
Bishop
Christodoulos' church as being Orthodox, as opposed to "outside the Church", or
"graceless".

However, it does not mean that we recognize any other jurisdictional claims put
forward
by the "Holy Metropolis".

For example, there are "canonical transfers" between the Greek Archdiocese and
the OCA,
even though the Ecumenical Patriarchate does not recognize the autocephaly claim
of the
OCA.

But they do recognize the OCA as being Orthodox.

In Christ
Fr. John R. Shaw

"Fr. John R. Shaw" <vrevjrs@...> wrote:

>JRS: The fact that a canonical release was granted, shows that ROCOR
>recognizes Bishop Christodoulos' church as being Orthodox, as
>opposed to "outside the Church", or "graceless".

Which is problematic, I think, in this case, unless the release was
one of those "at-large" releases that the ROCOR has done from time to
time. After all, one cannot be canonically-released to an
un-canonical "church" or "bishop" I would expect. And if there are
such things as schismatics (and there are), I can't imagine a much
better gauge than a group's own pronouncements that they are the only
Orthodox left - which C2K has certainly made clear is his position.

Fr. Anthony


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Protopriest Anthony Nelson
St. Benedict Russian Orthodox Church
Oklahoma City, OK USA 405-672-1441
mailto:fr.anthony@...
http://www.russianorthodoxoklahoma.org

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In orthodox-synod@yahoogroups.com, "Fr. Anthony Nelson" <fr.anthony@...>
wrote:

> Which is problematic, I think, in this case...

JRS: The real problem was this:

When no canonical transfers were being given, a number of priests, who had left
without a
release, were suspended and then defrocked (especially in the time of Fr.
George/Bishop
Gregory Grabbe).

Then later, some reconsidered, and would have come back to ROCOR; but they felt
they
could not come back as priests.

After 1992, on the model of the Serbian Church, there have been cases where
previously
deposed clerics were reinstated.

This year, the Moscow Patriarchate also followed that model in one case.

But "defrocking and then restoring" could undermine church discipline, in the
eyes of
some.

Metropolitan Laurus has been more lenient with canonical releases, and has given
transfers even in some cases where a priest had already left wilfully.

Thus for example, one priest had sought reception in the Bulgarian Church
without saying
a word to his diocesan ROCOR bishop.

But the Bulgarian bishop contacted Metropolitan Laurus about this before taking
any
action: and a canonical transfer was granted by ROCOR.

It is certainly true that many of the Greek Old Calendar jurisdictions have been
making
false claims (often at odds with one another)!

However, if Bishop Christodoulos taught that his hierarchy was "the only
remaining
Orthodox Church", he would hardly have bragged about the canonical release from
ROCOR!

In Christ
Fr. John R. Shaw

Usually when someone leaves for a jurisdiction such as the "Holy Metropolis
of the
Genuine Greek Orthodox Church of North and South America", which does not
maintain communion with anyone, they are placed under suspension. Even in
other cases, such as when Bishop Evtikhi, back as an Igumen (Abbot) left the
Moscow Patriarchate for the ROCOR, he was suspended by his MP bishop. That
suspension has been recently lifted.

While I have no information on this particular case, knowing Vladika Lavr, I
would hypothesize that he is acting out of economia in not suspending the
priest (as he should do, if he acted out of akrevia).  Vladika is usually
lenient to people's bizarre ideas, as long as they do not attempt to take
others into schism with them.

In a case I know of personally, Vladika Kirill did not place someone under
suspention for leaving for the "Matthewites" because they didn't attempt to
take the whole parish with them. The problem occurs when priests leaving for
"exotic places" either attempt to take some of the parishioners or all the
real estate with them.

Aleksandr Andreev
Duke University
aleksandr.andreev@...
http://www.duke.edu/~aa63/


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> However, if Bishop Christodoulos taught that his hierarchy was "the only
remaining
> Orthodox Church", he would hardly have bragged about the canonical release
from
> ROCOR!


I have never gotten the impression that the Florenite Old Calendarists consider
themselves to be the only Orthodox left in the world. The differences are
subtle, but I believe most people consider them to be a little softer on some
positions than the Matthewites. That said, I don't even think the Matthewites
consider themselves to be the only Orthodox left in the world, though to be
honest I cannot say who they do recognize. I believe they are agnostic on some
groups, however, not saying one way or the other.

Seraphim

--- In orthodox-synod@yahoogroups.com,
"Aleksandr Andreev" <aleksandr.andreev@...> wrote:
>
>>...While I have no information on this particular
case, knowing Vladika Lavr, Iwould hypothesize that he
is acting out of economia in not suspending the priest
(as he should do, if he acted out of akrevia). Vladika
is usuallylenient to people's bizarre ideas, as long
as they do not attempt to take others into schism
with them...<<

Well, I live not far from Endicott, nY, and
have spoken to people who know the parishioners
involved, and my understanding is that the
parishioners are leaving ROCOR with their
Priest to join these Old Calendarists.

"Bishop Christodoulos" has even boasted
about the beautiful architecture of their
new building, which is already nearly complete!
Evidently, it has been "in the works" for some
time--at least on their side.

When I fist became Orthodox a few years ago,
the nearest ROCOR Priest in Phoenix defected
to the Matthewites, just after Met. Vitaly's
stormy retirement (I was there when he returned
the Antimense to Fr. Alexander Lebedeff at the
airport), taking part of his flock with him.
Now, I move to NY State, and the nearest ROCOR
Priest defects to the Chyrostomites, taking his
flock with him as well.

For myself, I hope that in the future our Bishops
will not let them go so easily--or return as
Clergy so easily.  My impression is that many
of these convert Clergy in particular, had mistaken
notions concerning what ROCOR was and is really
about, and that the dialogue and reconciliation
with the MP has finally disabused them of their
illusions.  It's not that they have left us, it's
that they were never really with us in the
first place.  For them, it seems, they were not
joining the Russian Orthodox Church Outside
Russia, operating under the canonical authority
of an emergency and temporary Ukaz, rather, they
were (in their own minds) joining "anti-ecumenism."

But they trade Orthodoxy for anti-ecumenism to
their loss and at their peril.  It is a negation,
lifeless, and as such is devoid of the Charism
of Unity which comes from the Holy Spirit and
makes the Church One: One Lord, One Faith, One
Baptism, One Bread, One Body.

"A schismatic will not inherit the kingdom of
heaven."

(Hieromartyr Ignatios of Antioch)

Athanasios.

To avoid any possible confusion, let me
hasten to add that there is now a new ROCOR
parish in (south) Phoenix, Holy Archangels
Orthodox Church, served by the faithful
Priest Fr. John McCuen, who Baptized me,
and I encourage everyone here who may visit
that area to also visit with him and his
parishioners, as they would be made *most*
welcome.

Athanasios.

I had forgotten, but "Bishop Christodoulos,"
in his announcement on the Indiana list,
closed by saying that he welcomed Fr. Thomas
and all his flock, which suggests that
many, if not all, of his former ROCOR
parishioners have left ROCOR along with him.

I don't want to "cross-post" something
I didn't write, so if you want to read
this announcement yourself, you can access
it in last week's Indiana list archives.

I tried including a link address to the post
here, but it was so long it would probably be
broken-up and not work properly (can anyone
help with this?).

I have asked "Bishop Christodoulos" to
post a copy of the claimed "canonical
release" on their website, as he did for
pictures of the "stunningly beautiful
ediface" of the new parish building,
but I doubt that he will do so (he might,
however, if someone *else* would ask him).

He does not regard me as a "gentleman,"
because I publicly disclosed the fact that
he receives members of the Orthodox Church
of Greece by Chrismation, and so he is not
likely to be inclined to grant any request
coming from me.

Athanasios.

The Soviet chameleon is showing its true color.

Michael N


http://www.worldmag.com/articles/12534

http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/11.16/03-russia.html


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On Wed, 03 Jan 2007 22:40:39 -0000, Athanasios Jayne wrote:
 I tried including a link address to the post here, but it was so
 long it would probably be broken-up and not work properly (can
 anyone help with this?).
________________________________________________

Hi, Athanasios!
	 Yes--go to "TinyURL.com" and paste your link into the box.  It will then give
you a smaller link that will fit on one line.

--Dimitra Dwelley

On Wed, 03 Jan 2007 22:40:39 -0000, Athanasios Jayne wrote:
 He does not regard me as a "gentleman," because I publicly disclosed
 the fact that he receives members of the Orthodox Church of Greece
 by Chrismation, and so he is not likely to be inclined to grant any
 request coming from me.

 Athanasios.
_______________________________________________

I'm interested why he is upset about this disclosure (and I do not understand
OC's very well, either)... Is he afraid other OC's will think he is too
lenient--that he should have *baptized* an already baptized Orthodox Christian
from the Church of Greece?  Or do they think he is too strict and should receive
them only by Confession?  (I am imagining all the Old Calendarists laughing at
me here... or scoffing...)

Dimitra

> I'm interested why he is upset about this
disclosure...<<

Greetings Dimitra!

I'm not sure, but I suppose it was a surprise to
him, because he answered me via email in reply to
an emailed question (to their website address).
That is, it was a "private" correspondance.
But I never promised confidentiality, and he
was likely aware that I was discussing this
matter publicly on the Indiana list before I
contacted him about it.  I guess he thought my
sharing of this info. was a breach of "Netiquette."

It seems that he doesn't want people to know
what their practice actually is, because "praxis
is proof" of their true position with regard to
grace in New Calendar Churches.  Their website
is a little ambiguous on this vital point, which
is why I asked him about how a New Calendar Greek
Orthodox would be received by them.

To my mind, to Chrismate or Baptize/Chrismate
one who has already been made a member of the
Orthodox Church of Greece though Orthodox
Baptism and Chrismation, is Praxis Proof
of their true position, i.e., that "the New
Calendar is graceless" (as they put it), which
is for all intents and purposes an ecclesiology
identical to that of the Matthewites.

Since I do not share this opinion, I must and
do regard those who hold it as schismatic, and
also blasphemers of the Holy Mysteries of Christ,
because they repeat that which cannot be repeated,
according to the Apostolic Canons of the Church.

I would go so far as to say that those Orthodox
who are Chrismated by them, have in truth been
Extinguished by them, and those who have been
Baptized by them, far from being Illumined,
have been blackened and stained by adulterous
waters, even as the blessed Hieromartyr
St. Cyprian of Carthage bears sure witness.

Those who deny the Baptism of the Church cannot
possess the Baptism of the Church, which is One,
and her Baptism also is One.  Those who deny the
Grace of the Spirit cannot possess the Grace
of the Spirit, because they lie, and the Spirit
is the Spirit of Truth.

Athanasios.

One of our readers, Nicolas Neptune, the once-16-year-old who, together with
a few of his friends, was in effect the "founder" of St. Augustine's at
Jacmel, is in his final year of studies in agricultural engineering.  His
school fees have been underwritten throughout his university studies by a
faithful contributor.  But now, in order to complete his degree, he must
undertake and complete an on-the-ground project, studying the cultivation of
hot peppers in the region around the parish.  His project (which I have read
and find impressive) has been approved by the university.

But in order to accomplish it (in effect, the equivalent of a thesis), he
has several needs which must be met:

A PC laptop computer (Macs are virtually unknown in Haiti, and I can't
afford to take on an additional role as computer support guy) of reasonably
recent vintage.

A digital camera -- anything of reasonable resolution and in good
functioning order, capable of downloading to the PC will do.

And about $1500 to cover costs for topographic maps, printing, rental of
specialized equipment, transport, etc.

Should a surplus of laptops and/or cameras turn up, I know well where to put
them to good use!


In Christ Jesus,
Fr. Gregory Williams

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Saint John of Kronstadt Press
The Haitian Orthodox Mission
The Orthodox Church of the Annunciation/Agape Community
1180 Orthodox Way
Liberty, TN 37095-4366 USA

Catalog of books & recordings: www.sjkp.org
Information on the Haitian Mission:  www.orthodoxhaiti.org
Information on Church of the Annunciation:  www.annunciation.us

Phone:  (615) 536-5239
FAX: (615) 536-5945
E-mail: frgregory@...

According to "Sedmitza.ru", a new monastic community under the omophor of
Archbishop
Kirill of San Francisco has been opened in Mexico City.

Holy Trinity Skete, with 3 monks, is the first Orthodox community in Mexico to
follow the
Old Calendar.

This information is quoted by the Moscow Patriarchate's "Sedmitza.ru" website
from the
site of the San Francisco diocese.

In Christ
Fr. John R. Shaw

MP Patriarch joins Pope Benedict, Kofi Annan, Archbishop of Canterbury, and
Patriarch Bartholomew in ecumenical greeting.
A little background:
Taizé, in the south of Burgundy, France, is the home of an international,
ecumenical community, founded there in 1940 by Brother Roger. The brothers are
committed for their whole life to material and spiritual sharing, to celibacy,
and to a great simplicity of life. Today, the community is made up of over a
hundred brothers, Catholics and from various Protestant backgrounds, from more
than twenty-five nations.
At the heart of daily life in Taizé are three times of prayer together. The
brothers live by their own work. They do not accept gifts or donations for
themselves. Some of the brothers are living in small groups - "fraternities" -
among the very poor.
Since the late 1950s, many thousands of young adults from many countries have
found their way to Taizé to take part in weekly meetings of prayer and
reflection. In addition, Taizé brothers make visits and lead meetings, large and
small, in Africa, North and South America, Asia, and in Europe, as part of a
"pilgrimage of trust on earth".

For their current meeting in Zagreb, Patriarch Alexy joins in ecumenical
greetings
" May this meeting strengthen you in your determination to make your journey a
true pilgrimage and may it help you find good companions for the journey and to
realize that God is with us and helps us."  He doesn't mention anything about
Orthodoxy being the true church, simply wishes the young people "realize that
God is with us."
http://www.taize.fr/en_article4203.html



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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In orthodox-synod@yahoogroups.com, "Bushunow, Peter"
<peter.bushunow@...> wrote:
>
> For their current meeting in Zagreb, Patriarch Alexy joins in
ecumenical greetings
> " May this meeting strengthen you in your determination to make your
journey a true pilgrimage and may it help you find good companions for
the journey and to realize that God is with us and helps us."  He
doesn't mention anything about Orthodoxy being the true church, simply
wishes the young people "realize that God is with us."
> http://www.taize.fr/en_article4203.html

Thank you for this heartwarming news.  I am familiar with Taize since
I did a thesis on Christian Communities in my Social Psych class back
in undergrad school and this community was one that I used as an
example.  The well known protestant Christian philosopher, the late
Frank Shaeffer, was closely associated with this group.

It is heartwarming to see that Patriarch Alexii would take such and
interest in people who are fervently searching for the path to
salvation that he would greet them and encourage them with the
ultimate hymn of this feast of the Incarnation of our Lord - "God is
with us."  He has sown the seed, let us each water that seed with our
prayers that it might sprout in the hearts of those who received it
and grow and bear fruit.

Archpr David Moser

In a message dated 1/4/2007 5:00:16 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
peter.bushunow@... writes:

For  their current meeting in Zagreb, Patriarch Alexy joins in ecumenical
greetings
" May this meeting strengthen you in your determination to make your  journey
a true pilgrimage and may it help you find good companions for the  journey
and to realize that God is with us and helps us." He doesn't mention  anything
about Orthodoxy being the true church, simply wishes the young people
"realize that God is with us."





Dear Peter!

I know that you genuinely feel that your heart is in the right place, but I
am not at all sure about your head.  I read all of the greetings, and  that's
what they were, greetings, not liturgies, not even joint prayers, and  found
them to be very good, Christian sentiments, of the variety I would expect  and
appreciate from my priest or bishop as well.  No where in the Gospels,  or for
that matter, any of the Church fathers, does it define Orthodoxy as being  a
manifestation of antagonistic and insensitive jerks.  Certainly Christ  never
did that, and he even praised a Samaritan heretic.  Why does  everything have
to be so negative?  That frightens more people away from  Orthodoxy than any
positive greetings or prayers would.

I'm all for the MP's "ecumenical attitude," if that's what you want to call
it.  You and your kind can continue to wallow in your bitterness and become
what splinter groups always become -- irrelevant sects and historical
footnotes.

In Christ - hoping that he might warm your heart

Vova H.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

This is not so. Under the tenure of Holy Metr. Philaret
priests were not normally defrocked. The reason they weren't was
because if priests wanted to come back there would not be a
problem, just a repentance. Also, what is the sense of defrocking
those who left the Church? To get back at the person?

Could Fr.John please write us what priests were defrocked under
Holy Metr. Philaret...my memory seems to fail me.

The canonical transfers between the Greek Archdiocese and OCA,
although the OCA autocephaly is not recognized by them, occur
because these are administrative concerns, not because of any
heresy. The two churches are exactly the same.

We'll see how lenient Metr. Laurus will be when those who follow
our New Russian Martyrs refuse to join the MP.

Michael N



--- "Fr. John R. Shaw" <vrevjrs@...> wrote:

> --- In orthodox-synod@yahoogroups.com, "Fr. Anthony Nelson"
> <fr.anthony@...> wrote:
>
> > Which is problematic, I think, in this case...
>
> JRS: The real problem was this:
>
> When no canonical transfers were being given, a number of
> priests, who had left without a
> release, were suspended and then defrocked (especially in the
> time of Fr. George/Bishop
> Gregory Grabbe).
>
> Then later, some reconsidered, and would have come back to
> ROCOR; but they felt they
> could not come back as priests.
>
> After 1992, on the model of the Serbian Church, there have been
> cases where previously deposed clerics were reinstated.
>
> This year, the Moscow Patriarchate also followed that model in
> one case.
>
> But "defrocking and then restoring" could undermine church
> discipline, in the eyes of some.
>
> Metropolitan Laurus has been more lenient with canonical
> releases, and has given
> transfers even in some cases where a priest had already left
> wilfully.
>
> Thus for example, one priest had sought reception in the
> Bulgarian Church without saying
> a word to his diocesan ROCOR bishop.
>
> But the Bulgarian bishop contacted Metropolitan Laurus about
> this before taking any
> action: and a canonical transfer was granted by ROCOR.
>
> It is certainly true that many of the Greek Old Calendar
> jurisdictions have been making
> false claims (often at odds with one another)!
>
> However, if Bishop Christodoulos taught that his hierarchy was
> "the only remaining
> Orthodox Church", he would hardly have bragged about the
> canonical release from
> ROCOR!
>
> In Christ
> Fr. John R. Shaw



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