Schema-Archdeacon Ambrose (Taratuchin) Reposes in the Lord

Schema-Archdeacon Ambrose (Taratuchin) Reposes in the Lord In the early hours of the morning of Sunday November 13/26, on the day of commemoration of our Father among the Saints John Chrysostom Archbishop of Constantinople, after an enduring and trying illness the long-standing cleric of the Diocesan Cathedral in honor of Her Icon “Joy of All Who Sorrow,” Schema-Archdeacon Ambrose (Taratuchin) reposed in the Lord. Father Ambrose, of aristocratic lineage, was born Alexei Michailovich Taratuchin in England on March 22, 1961. His late father was Colonel Michael Alexeyevich Taratuchin (1912-2006), born in Kuban, Russia, survivor of the infamous repatriation in Lienz, Austria, and the Ataman of the All-Cossack Stanitsa of Great Britain (1951-2006). His mother was the late Irina Simeyonovna Princess Sviatopolk-Mirsky (+ 2015). Alexei Taratuchin, first on left, first row, 1981 Alexei Taratuchin, first on left, first row, 1981 From his youth Alexei developed a love for the Divine Services, serving in the holy altar with his younger brother Michael. At the tender age of 16 Alexei crossed the Atlantic and entered Holy Trinity Theological Seminary in Jordanville, NY, where he sought not only a theological education, but the Orthodox way of life. Upon completion of Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary (1977-1982), Alexei Taratuchin was invited to San Francisco to serve as a chanter in the Diocesan Cathedral in 1983; his seminary education provided an excellent preparation for this service. Along with his natural talent for singing and a good memory for the art of liturgics, Alexei successfully performed his obedience on kliros. Soon he became the unofficial cell attendant for Archbishop Anthony (Medvedev). Under Vladyka Anthony’s tutelage, Alexei was able to sharpen his liturgical skills. The latter became a simple and accessible resource for difficult subjects, as he would answer questions concerning the order in the Divine Services without needing to open the Typikon. On the second Saturday of Great Lent in 1993 (March 13), Archbishop Anthony tonsured Alexei a ryasophore monk with the name Andronik in honor of the Holy New Hieromartyr Andronik of Perm, and on the next day – the Sunday of the Cross – Father Andronik was ordained to the deaconate. Also in 1993 he was chosen to participate in the opening of the honorable relics of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco the Wonderworker, which he described as an experience similar to Pascha. In 1997 Father Andronik was awarded the double orarion for his zealous service to the Holy Church. On September 23, 2000, Hierodeacon Andronik was present at the repose of his beloved mentor and father, Archbishop Anthony, whom he had faithfully served for many years. Soon, that same year, by Resolution of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia Father Andronik was elevated to the dignity of archdeacon by His Eminence KYRILL Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America on the altar feast of Holy Virgin Cathedral. Father Andronik's monastic cell was full of books and icons and many lists of names of the people he commemorated. This was a witness of his life with God, the Saints, the holy Angels and of his love for his neighbor. Requests came to him to pray before the sacred relics of Saint John, and it has been testified that those prayers were answered. After a while, Hierodeacon Andronik began to suffer from diabetes and eventually lost his left leg to an amputation in 2012. Several weeks before the operation, His Grace Theodosy Bishop of Seattle tonsured him to the small-schema with the name Ambrose in honor of Venerable Father Ambrose of Optina. With a prosthetic leg, father remained ambulatory and able to continue his diaconal service. During Great Lent of this year, sensing the approaching of the end to his earthly life, Father Ambrose was tonsured to the Great-schema in honor of the Saint Ambrose of Milan by His Grace Bishop Theodosy. Father Ambrose with his brother, Archpriest Michael Taratuchin Father Ambrose with his brother, Archpriest Michael Taratuchin A week and a half before his repose, Father Ambrose had a stroke which hospitalized him; it was here that he succumbed to his final earthly struggles. Upon receiving Holy Communion he immediately requested the “Canon for the Departure of the Soul from the Body” be read. And cognizant right up to the very end, he was able to recognize those around him as he unceasingly moved the knots of his prayer rope between his fingers, signaling his continual prayer and repentance. Father Ambrose’s brother, Archpriest Michael Taratuchin was able to come from New York to the bedside and also read the “Canon for the Departure of the Soul.” For 34 years Schema-Archdeacon Ambrose adorned Holy Virgin Cathedral with his many talents, first as a chanter on kliros and later also as a deacon. He distinguished himself by his solemn pious practice of the Divine Services, by his reverence, his prayerfulness and his meekness. He was respected by all for his good nature, love for the Church and dedication, for his simplicity and sense of humor, which were a consolation for many around him. Many thanks and gratitude to all those who assisted and cared for Father Ambrose during his final years of illness. Memory Eternal to our dear father and brother Schema-Archdeacon Ambrose. May he find rest with the Saints. Funeral Schedule: PANYKHIDA: Tuesday November 28 at 7:30 PM, Holy Virgin Cathedral FUNERAL & BURIAL: Friday December 1 at 1:00 PM, Cathedral of Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY Biographical Summery: March 9/22 (Holy 40 Martyrs of Sebaste), 1961: born in England 1977-1982: Holy Trinity Theological Seminary, Jordanville, New York 1983: chanter at Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco 1993: tonsured a ryasophore monk with the name Andronik and ordained a deacon 1997: honored with the double orarion 2000: elevated to the dignity of Archdeacon 2012: tonsured to the small schema with the name Ambrose 2017: tonsured to the great schema November 13/26 (St. John Chysostom), 2017: peacefully reposed in the Lord, San Francisco, CA [Click to view] Photographs of Father Ambrose - 11/26/17

Ukrainian leader who sheltered Jews during the Holocaust is declared venerable

The archbishop, who led the Ukrainian Church for 40 years, died four months into the Soviet occupation Pope Francis has signed a decree declaring “venerable” Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky, who led the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the tumultuous period of both world wars and at the beginning of Soviet occupation. The Pope signed the decree recognising that Metropolitan Sheptytsky heroically lived a life of Christian virtue. The recognition is an initial step in the sainthood process; the Vatican would have to recognise a miracle attributed to his intercession in order for a beatification ceremony to be scheduled. Metropolitan Sheptytsky led the Ukrainian Catholic Church from 1901 until his death in 1944. During his leadership Ukraine and its people were ruled by seven different regimes: Austrian, Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, Soviet, Nazi, and finally, the Soviets again. Ukrainian Catholic Bishop Borys Gudziak of Paris told Catholic News Service that while the process for his sainthood opened five decades ago, it was only with the independence of Ukraine in 1991 that Church historians and theologians had access to all his archives. The study required for the sainthood process was not possible while Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union. “It was a rich file,” Bishop Gudziak said. “Metropolitan Sheptytsky was involved in everything, so it took a long time to go through it all.” “Metropolitan Sheptytsky lived in the house of the Lord and it had a high roof, open doors and open windows – he lived outside the box,” the bishop said. “He reached out to the Orthodox when ecumenism was not official Church policy; he defended the Jews during the Holocaust; and he was close to artists, poets, intellectuals and writers.” “Like Jesus, Metropolitan Sheptytsky had a very clear sense of his identity and his God-given dignity, which allowed him to be non-defensive and non-aggressive with others,” the bishop said. Born Roman Aleksander Maria Sheptytsky on July 29, 1865, in Prylbychi near Lviv, he took the name Andrey when he entered the Basilian Order. Ukrainian Catholics around the world are celebrating the 150th anniversary of his birth, which Bishop Gudziak said, may explain the timing of the decree. Elected major archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church at the age of 36, he quickly became recognised as a social and cultural leader in a situation of great political uncertainty. He died on November 1, 1944, just four months after the Soviets took definitive control of Lviv. Bishop Gudziak said: “The Soviets did not liquidate the Greek Catholic Church while he was alive.” The metropolitan’s stature was such that they permitted a public funeral for him, but five months after his death, they arrested all the bishops and moved toward declaring the Ukrainian Catholic Church illegal. “His social teaching, his fine, subtle and prophetic voice allowed the Church to survive,” the bishop said. Fr Peter Galadza, acting director of the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies at St Paul University in Ottawa, Ontario, also mentioned the metropolitan’s efforts to save Jews during the Holocaust – including by personally sheltering them – and his efforts to promote reconciliation among Ukrainians, Russians and Poles. “It is also important to recall Sheptytsky’s commitment to the poor,” he said in a statement. “Born into an aristocratic family, the archbishop used his resources to create a free clinic, provide countless scholarships and help victims of famine, flooding and war. He personally lived a life of poverty.”

A press conference was held in Moscow on the forthcoming Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church mp

November 22, 2017 in the International Multimedia Press Center MIA "Russia Today" held a press conference on the upcoming Bishops Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. Bishops' Council dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Local Council of the Orthodox Russian Church of 1917-1918. and the restoration of the Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church, will take place at the cathedral Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia from November 29 to December 4, 2017. The press conference was attended by: Metropolitan Tambovsky and Rasskazovsky Theodosius ; V.R. Legoyda , chairman of the Synodal Department for the relationship between the Church and society and the media ; Archimandrite Savva (Tutunov) , Deputy Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate; Protopriest Nikolai Balashov , Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate; priest Alexander Volkov , spokesman for the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The press conference was conducted by the head of the department "Religion and Worldview" of the MIA "Russia Today" O.V. Lipich. V.R. Legoida spoke about the historical context of the Bishops' Council: "It is clear that for our peoples, the year 2017 is the year when we recall the events of a hundred years ago and what followed. Of course, this is the general context of everything that is happening now. For the Church, this is primarily the time of the beginning of persecutions against the Russian Orthodox Church. " "His Holiness the Patriarch, after a service in the Donskoy Monastery on Saturday, on the day of the election of St. Tikhon to the Patriarchal throne, said that St Tikhon once knew perfectly well what times are coming, because the hard times for the Church have already begun. By the time of the election of St. Tikhon, Father John Kuchurov, the first New Martyr of the Russian Church, had already suffered, and there was an awareness of the advancing complex times, "VR recalled. Legoida. - The holding of the Cathedral is timed to the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate and the 100th anniversary of the Local Council of 1917-18. That historical context, which I have already mentioned, will also be reflected in the speeches at the Council of Bishops, and we try to ensure that everything that is important for society as a whole, not only for the Church, not only for the believers, as the church-public agenda also will be considered at the Council, so that all this is as quickly as possible with your help to everyone who is interested in it. " Deputy Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate Archimandrite Savva (Tutunov) said that all the countries of the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church will be represented at the Council. It can be attended by 377 ruling and vicar bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as bishops who are at rest. Archpriest Nikolai Balashov added that in addition to the bishops from Russia, the Archbishops of the Russian Orthodox Church living in 22 countries will attend the Council. In particular, all the bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church , with the exception of one, confirmed their participation. Metropolitan Theodosius told about the significance of the Cathedral for the development of church life in the dioceses by the example of the Tambov diocese . Answering one of the journalists' questions concerning the topic of education, V.R. Legoeda noted: "The church, believers are concerned about the general state of education in our society, and not only by teaching the basics of religious culture and secular ethics. It is wrong to reduce church concerns in the field of education to teaching "own" (in quotes) subject. I repeat that we understand the importance of understanding the importance of development and education, and the scientific sphere. And this is something that you do not need to justify: you know perfectly well about the initiatives of the Church, about the attention that the Church and personally His Holiness the Patriarch devotes to this issue. In general, the educational theme, in particular, at meetings of the Supreme Church Council, is cross-cutting. That is, at each meeting of the Supreme Church Council, one of the governing bodies of our Church, issues related to education are considered. " The Chairman of the Synodal Department for the Relations of the Church with the Society and the Media drew attention to the positive aspects of the possible expansion of the teaching of the subjects of the module "Foundations of Religious Culture and Secular Ethics" in the cultural and practical aspect. "Let me remind you that these are six subjects today, of which parents choose - of course, in the 4th grade, not children still choose, but their parents: these are the four traditional religions for Russia, as well as the Basics of secular ethics - I recall that it was a proposal of the Russian Orthodox Church - and the Fundamentals of World Religions. It is clear that it is almost impossible to study this in one year. Imagine that our literature would be taught at school one year out of eleven. Therefore, naturally, we would like the study of the religious foundations of culture to be presented in the educational process broader. At the same time, we understand the congestion of the educational process, all this is taken into account in our dialogue with the Ministry of Education. " At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the study of the disciplines of this educational module allows us to master important basic concepts, so this process is comparable to mastering the language of culture, which is necessary for its perception. This is the culturological aspect. "The second point is purely practical. Knowledge of traditional religions, good knowledge of the foundations of traditional religious cultures, is, of course, the best vaccination against extremism. Because when you know this well, then it's harder to confuse you with some sort of pseudo-religious innovations, "VR explained. Legoida. "Therefore, we are in constant dialogue with the Ministry of Education and look forward to continuing and deepening this topic, but, I repeat, with an understanding of all the features that exist in the educational process," added the chairman of the Synodal Department. "There is no lobbying for church or religious interests, there is an understanding of what a modern young man should be like." Archimandrite Savva recalled that the last regular Council of Bishops was held in 2013, and last year's Council of Bishops was devoted primarily to a specific topic - the Council, which was then being prepared in Crete. "According to the Charter, the Council must meet every 4 years, first of all, in order to comprehend what happened during this period in the Church, in its internal life, in church-state, church-social issues, relations with other Churches, non-Orthodox community. These are the main tasks of the Council. Therefore, the coming Council will consider issues related to the whole palette of those by which the Church lives, "said the deputy administrator of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate. The Council will consider the documents prepared by the Inter-Sobornaya Presence. This advisory body, which promotes the supreme ecclesiastical authority of the Russian Orthodox Church, is working on the comprehension of various topics. For many years, the Inter-Council Presence prepared, in particular, two documents - the Regulations on Monasteries and Monasticism and On the Canonical Aspects of Church Marriage. "Regulations on monasteries and monasticism" is being processed and publicly discussed since 2010. "It included thoughts about the modern monastic life, in particular, such a moment as the Internet in monasteries. Before it was not, and monasteries now live in completely different conditions than a century ago, "said Father Savva. "The Holy Synod also submitted to the Council a question about the general church glorification of some saints who used to be glorified as local people," the priest added, explaining that this issue is the prerogative of the Council of Bishops, so he will also be included in his program. V.R. Legoyda pointed to the full openness of the discussion of documents of general church significance. "They often ask about the openness of the Church. The situation with the preparation and adoption of documents that determine the life of the Church is unprecedented not only for the practice of our Church or other Orthodox Churches, but in general for the modern world, "said the chairman of the Synodal Department for the relationship between the Church and society and the media. "The project prepares an Inter-Sobornoye Presence , then a commission with the involvement of experts works on it for a long time, then it is made public for a general, general church and public discussion. The comments collected during the nationwide discussion, if relevant, are accepted and considered by the drafting groups, and then by the Inter-Council Presence. And only then the document is submitted for discussion by the Holy Synod or the Bishops' Council. Thus, the draft is filtered through an intellectual sieve of discussion, "VR noted. Legoida. Returning to the topic of church marriage, Protopriest Nikolai Balashov noted that various aspects of the council will be discussed at the Council. "How many times is it permissible to marry and whether it is necessary to consider only marriages that were consecrated by the church wedding, or those that were made in civil order in the registry office? There is no clear answer in the existing ecclesiastical law, but how to interpret the existing canonical norms in the new conditions, when there are much more marriages than are consecrated in the Church, there are different answers. The decision will be made at the Council, "Father Nikolay said. Priest Alexander Volkov told about the work of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the report, the program of the Council of Bishops, divine services and solemn events that will take place during the Council. "As for the preparation of His Holiness the Patriarch to the Council, then, of course, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church is preparing in the most serious way, first of all, to his report, which is the core component of the entire Council, setting the whole tone for discussions and discussions. Always the Patriarch, as we know, is very attentive to his public appearances, to his appeals to fellow archpastors, "said the head of the press service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. "Now he is getting ready for his report, he is already working with documents, with some texts that he is being offered for consideration before he makes his appeal." "I must say that for the Most Holy Patriarch the theme of the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the persecutions, the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate, the 100th anniversary of the Sanctified Local Council is part of his personal history, because his family, his grandfather and father experienced persecution to our Church, "Father continued. - The Primate, on the experience of his family, knows the tragedy that the Russian Church encountered in the twentieth century. And therefore for him it is, of course, the theme of personal experiences, reflections and prayers. " The Head of the Press Service of the Patriarch also noted that the topic related to the organization of the internal church life, which Metropolitan Theodosius touched during the press conference, is also very significant for the Primate. "I want to say that this year the Patriarch visited 20 dioceses of the Russian Church, and for him it is so important to immerse himself in the diocesan life that on recent visits he changed their format and, when he comes to this or that metropolitanate, the Patriarch sets a task to visit not only the main city but also necessarily to come to other cities that are part of the metropolia in order to communicate with the inhabitants on the spot, to see the structure of church life in the newly created dioceses and metropolises of the Russian Orthodox Church and to see how much the decisions that s taken including the Council of Bishops, reach the flock, to those people to whom they are addressed. Therefore, the Patriarch, I think, will have something to share with his fellow archpastors regarding the practical implementation of those tasks that are now facing the Church, "Father Alexander said. The priest informed that on November 29, on Wednesday, before the Bishops' Council, a prayer service will be held in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior with the participation of all the participants of the Council. Then on 29 and 30 November, on 1 and 2 December, plenary sessions will be held. "For the most part, they will be closed to all but the members of the Council of Bishops and the smallest list of admitted persons," added the head of the Patriarch's Press Service. - I must say that, according to the experience of past Soborov, very lively and open discussions take place at these meetings. All the participants of the Council have the opportunity to express themselves, formulate their point of view and present it to their fellowmen for discussion. Sometimes there is not enough time planned by the Organizing Committee of the Council for plenary sessions, because the line from the bishops standing to the microphone is quite long and they want to share their opinion on this or that document very much. " "The Patriarch insists always on this open discussion, on the fact that the Council was precisely an exchange of views," Father Alexander said. On December 4, on the Feast of the Presentation into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the one hundredth anniversary of the enthronement of Patriarch Tikhon, the Council of Bishops will end with a solemn festive divine service at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, in which all members of the Council, the entire episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church, will take part. "The ministry of this festive Liturgy will be led by the Primate of the Local Orthodox Churches who will attend the celebrations associated with the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church," said the head of the Patriarch's Press Service. Archpriest Nikolai Balashov spoke about the participation of the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches in the final part of the Bishops' Council. "The Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church is likely, if the Holy Synod decides this way, the meeting of which will take place on the eve of the opening of the Council of Bishops, will pass its judgment on the Council held in the summer of 2016 in Crete," the deputy chairman of the DECR also noted. - For a number of reasons, as was already noted by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, that Council did not become the All-Orthodox Council, which, of course, should be regretted. At the same time, the communion of the Orthodox Churches among themselves - and those who participated in the Cretan Council, and those who abstained from such participation - continues, and a good sign of this is the arrival of the majority of the Primates of the Local Churches in Moscow. " Participants of the press conference, responding to a number of questions from media representatives, in particular, presented in detail the alleged agenda of the Bishops' Council, which will be finally approved by the Council itself. According to Protopriest Nikolai Balashov, the Council will consider the possibility of general church glorification of saints, who before that were revered only in Ukraine. "Among the saints who, perhaps, will be glorified as a church-wide worshiped at the upcoming Bishops' Council, as we expect, a number of devotees who have worked in Ukraine," the DECR representative said. Father Nicholas also answered questions related to the intensification of persecutions against Christians. "Attraction of the world's attention to the tragic situation of persecuted and persecuted Christians in a number of countries, especially the Middle East and North Africa, during the period between the Bishops' Councils will undoubtedly be the subject of consideration at the Council," the representative of the DECR believes. "The Council must evaluate what has already been done by the Russian Orthodox Church in this area and what must be done." "In addition, the presence of the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches representing the Middle East region at the closing of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church is an additional motivation to address this very important issue for our Church," the cleric concluded.

A press conference was held in Moscow on the forthcoming Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church ft.com

November 22, 2017 in the International Multimedia Press Center MIA "Russia Today" held a press conference on the upcoming Bishops Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. Bishops' Council dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Local Council of the Orthodox Russian Church of 1917-1918. and the restoration of the Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church, will take place at the cathedral Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia from November 29 to December 4, 2017. The press conference was attended by: Metropolitan Tambovsky and Rasskazovsky Theodosius ; V.R. Legoyda , chairman of the Synodal Department for the relationship between the Church and society and the media ; Archimandrite Savva (Tutunov) , Deputy Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate; Protopriest Nikolai Balashov , Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate; priest Alexander Volkov , spokesman for the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The press conference was conducted by the head of the department "Religion and Worldview" of the MIA "Russia Today" O.V. Lipich. V.R. Legoida spoke about the historical context of the Bishops' Council: "It is clear that for our peoples, the year 2017 is the year when we recall the events of a hundred years ago and what followed. Of course, this is the general context of everything that is happening now. For the Church, this is primarily the time of the beginning of persecutions against the Russian Orthodox Church. " "His Holiness the Patriarch, after a service in the Donskoy Monastery on Saturday, on the day of the election of St. Tikhon to the Patriarchal throne, said that St Tikhon once knew perfectly well what times are coming, because the hard times for the Church have already begun. By the time of the election of St. Tikhon, Father John Kuchurov, the first New Martyr of the Russian Church, had already suffered, and there was an awareness of the advancing complex times, "VR recalled. Legoida. - The holding of the Cathedral is timed to the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate and the 100th anniversary of the Local Council of 1917-18. That historical context, which I have already mentioned, will also be reflected in the speeches at the Council of Bishops, and we try to ensure that everything that is important for society as a whole, not only for the Church, not only for the believers, as the church-public agenda also will be considered at the Council, so that all this is as quickly as possible with your help to everyone who is interested in it. " Deputy Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate Archimandrite Savva (Tutunov) said that all the countries of the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church will be represented at the Council. It can be attended by 377 ruling and vicar bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as bishops who are at rest. Archpriest Nikolai Balashov added that in addition to the bishops from Russia, the Archbishops of the Russian Orthodox Church living in 22 countries will attend the Council. In particular, all the bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church , with the exception of one, confirmed their participation. Metropolitan Theodosius told about the significance of the Cathedral for the development of church life in the dioceses by the example of the Tambov diocese . Answering one of the journalists' questions concerning the topic of education, V.R. Legoeda noted: "The church, believers are concerned about the general state of education in our society, and not only by teaching the basics of religious culture and secular ethics. It is wrong to reduce church concerns in the field of education to teaching "own" (in quotes) subject. I repeat that we understand the importance of understanding the importance of development and education, and the scientific sphere. And this is something that you do not need to justify: you know perfectly well about the initiatives of the Church, about the attention that the Church and personally His Holiness the Patriarch devotes to this issue. In general, the educational theme, in particular, at meetings of the Supreme Church Council, is cross-cutting. That is, at each meeting of the Supreme Church Council, one of the governing bodies of our Church, issues related to education are considered. " The Chairman of the Synodal Department for the Relations of the Church with the Society and the Media drew attention to the positive aspects of the possible expansion of the teaching of the subjects of the module "Foundations of Religious Culture and Secular Ethics" in the cultural and practical aspect. "Let me remind you that these are six subjects today, of which parents choose - of course, in the 4th grade, not children still choose, but their parents: these are the four traditional religions for Russia, as well as the Basics of secular ethics - I recall that it was a proposal of the Russian Orthodox Church - and the Fundamentals of World Religions. It is clear that it is almost impossible to study this in one year. Imagine that our literature would be taught at school one year out of eleven. Therefore, naturally, we would like the study of the religious foundations of culture to be presented in the educational process broader. At the same time, we understand the congestion of the educational process, all this is taken into account in our dialogue with the Ministry of Education. " At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the study of the disciplines of this educational module allows us to master important basic concepts, so this process is comparable to mastering the language of culture, which is necessary for its perception. This is the culturological aspect. "The second point is purely practical. Knowledge of traditional religions, good knowledge of the foundations of traditional religious cultures, is, of course, the best vaccination against extremism. Because when you know this well, then it's harder to confuse you with some sort of pseudo-religious innovations, "VR explained. Legoida. "Therefore, we are in constant dialogue with the Ministry of Education and look forward to continuing and deepening this topic, but, I repeat, with an understanding of all the features that exist in the educational process," added the chairman of the Synodal Department. "There is no lobbying for church or religious interests, there is an understanding of what a modern young man should be like." Archimandrite Savva recalled that the last regular Council of Bishops was held in 2013, and last year's Council of Bishops was devoted primarily to a specific topic - the Council, which was then being prepared in Crete. "According to the Charter, the Council must meet every 4 years, first of all, in order to comprehend what happened during this period in the Church, in its internal life, in church-state, church-social issues, relations with other Churches, non-Orthodox community. These are the main tasks of the Council. Therefore, the coming Council will consider issues related to the whole palette of those by which the Church lives, "said the deputy administrator of the affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate. The Council will consider the documents prepared by the Inter-Sobornaya Presence. This advisory body, which promotes the supreme ecclesiastical authority of the Russian Orthodox Church, is working on the comprehension of various topics. For many years, the Inter-Council Presence prepared, in particular, two documents - the Regulations on Monasteries and Monasticism and On the Canonical Aspects of Church Marriage. "Regulations on monasteries and monasticism" is being processed and publicly discussed since 2010. "It included thoughts about the modern monastic life, in particular, such a moment as the Internet in monasteries. Before it was not, and monasteries now live in completely different conditions than a century ago, "said Father Savva. "The Holy Synod also submitted to the Council a question about the general church glorification of some saints who used to be glorified as local people," the priest added, explaining that this issue is the prerogative of the Council of Bishops, so he will also be included in his program. V.R. Legoyda pointed to the full openness of the discussion of documents of general church significance. "They often ask about the openness of the Church. The situation with the preparation and adoption of documents that determine the life of the Church is unprecedented not only for the practice of our Church or other Orthodox Churches, but in general for the modern world, "said the chairman of the Synodal Department for the relationship between the Church and society and the media. "The project prepares an Inter-Sobornoye Presence , then a commission with the involvement of experts works on it for a long time, then it is made public for a general, general church and public discussion. The comments collected during the nationwide discussion, if relevant, are accepted and considered by the drafting groups, and then by the Inter-Council Presence. And only then the document is submitted for discussion by the Holy Synod or the Bishops' Council. Thus, the draft is filtered through an intellectual sieve of discussion, "VR noted. Legoida. Returning to the topic of church marriage, Protopriest Nikolai Balashov noted that various aspects of the council will be discussed at the Council. "How many times is it permissible to marry and whether it is necessary to consider only marriages that were consecrated by the church wedding, or those that were made in civil order in the registry office? There is no clear answer in the existing ecclesiastical law, but how to interpret the existing canonical norms in the new conditions, when there are much more marriages than are consecrated in the Church, there are different answers. The decision will be made at the Council, "Father Nikolay said. Priest Alexander Volkov told about the work of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the report, the program of the Council of Bishops, divine services and solemn events that will take place during the Council. "As for the preparation of His Holiness the Patriarch to the Council, then, of course, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church is preparing in the most serious way, first of all, to his report, which is the core component of the entire Council, setting the whole tone for discussions and discussions. Always the Patriarch, as we know, is very attentive to his public appearances, to his appeals to fellow archpastors, "said the head of the press service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. "Now he is getting ready for his report, he is already working with documents, with some texts that he is being offered for consideration before he makes his appeal." "I must say that for the Most Holy Patriarch the theme of the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the persecutions, the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate, the 100th anniversary of the Sanctified Local Council is part of his personal history, because his family, his grandfather and father experienced persecution to our Church, "Father continued. - The Primate, on the experience of his family, knows the tragedy that the Russian Church encountered in the twentieth century. And therefore for him it is, of course, the theme of personal experiences, reflections and prayers. " The Head of the Press Service of the Patriarch also noted that the topic related to the organization of the internal church life, which Metropolitan Theodosius touched during the press conference, is also very significant for the Primate. "I want to say that this year the Patriarch visited 20 dioceses of the Russian Church, and for him it is so important to immerse himself in the diocesan life that on recent visits he changed their format and, when he comes to this or that metropolitanate, the Patriarch sets a task to visit not only the main city but also necessarily to come to other cities that are part of the metropolia in order to communicate with the inhabitants on the spot, to see the structure of church life in the newly created dioceses and metropolises of the Russian Orthodox Church and to see how much the decisions that s taken including the Council of Bishops, reach the flock, to those people to whom they are addressed. Therefore, the Patriarch, I think, will have something to share with his fellow archpastors regarding the practical implementation of those tasks that are now facing the Church, "Father Alexander said. The priest informed that on November 29, on Wednesday, before the Bishops' Council, a prayer service will be held in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior with the participation of all the participants of the Council. Then on 29 and 30 November, on 1 and 2 December, plenary sessions will be held. "For the most part, they will be closed to all but the members of the Council of Bishops and the smallest list of admitted persons," added the head of the Patriarch's Press Service. - I must say that, according to the experience of past Soborov, very lively and open discussions take place at these meetings. All the participants of the Council have the opportunity to express themselves, formulate their point of view and present it to their fellowmen for discussion. Sometimes there is not enough time planned by the Organizing Committee of the Council for plenary sessions, because the line from the bishops standing to the microphone is quite long and they want to share their opinion on this or that document very much. " "The Patriarch insists always on this open discussion, on the fact that the Council was precisely an exchange of views," Father Alexander said. On December 4, on the Feast of the Presentation into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the one hundredth anniversary of the enthronement of Patriarch Tikhon, the Council of Bishops will end with a solemn festive divine service at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, in which all members of the Council, the entire episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church, will take part. "The ministry of this festive Liturgy will be led by the Primate of the Local Orthodox Churches who will attend the celebrations associated with the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the Patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church," said the head of the Patriarch's Press Service. Archpriest Nikolai Balashov spoke about the participation of the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches in the final part of the Bishops' Council. "The Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church is likely, if the Holy Synod decides this way, the meeting of which will take place on the eve of the opening of the Council of Bishops, will pass its judgment on the Council held in the summer of 2016 in Crete," the deputy chairman of the DECR also noted. - For a number of reasons, as was already noted by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, that Council did not become the All-Orthodox Council, which, of course, should be regretted. At the same time, the communion of the Orthodox Churches among themselves - and those who participated in the Cretan Council, and those who abstained from such participation - continues, and a good sign of this is the arrival of the majority of the Primates of the Local Churches in Moscow. " Participants of the press conference, responding to a number of questions from media representatives, in particular, presented in detail the alleged agenda of the Bishops' Council, which will be finally approved by the Council itself. According to Protopriest Nikolai Balashov, the Council will consider the possibility of general church glorification of saints, who before that were revered only in Ukraine. "Among the saints who, perhaps, will be glorified as a church-wide worshiped at the upcoming Bishops' Council, as we expect, a number of devotees who have worked in Ukraine," the DECR representative said. Father Nicholas also answered questions related to the intensification of persecutions against Christians. "Attraction of the world's attention to the tragic situation of persecuted and persecuted Christians in a number of countries, especially the Middle East and North Africa, during the period between the Bishops' Councils will undoubtedly be the subject of consideration at the Council," the representative of the DECR believes. "The Council must evaluate what has already been done by the Russian Orthodox Church in this area and what must be done." "In addition, the presence of the Primates of the Local Orthodox Churches representing the Middle East region at the closing of the Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church is an additional motivation to address this very important issue for our Church," the cleric concluded.

In Moscow, will present the Patriarchal literary award for 2017

In Moscow, will present the Patriarchal literary award for 2017 . Posted By: newsmaker 11.05.2017 © RIA Novosti . Eugene to Novostinearly in fotobanka of Christ the Savior. Archival photo The Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill on Thursday, will lead the ceremony of election and award ceremony of the literary prize named after saints Cyril and Methodius in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The award was established to encourage writers who have made a significant contribution to the assertion of spiritual and moral values in modern life and created highly artistic works that enriched Russian literature. Each year the award will be up to three writers. As the head of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, in the short list of nominees for the Patriarchal literary award of 2017, which forms the Chamber of Trustees, included eight people: Irina Bogdanova, Dmitry Volodihin, Vladimir Dvortsov, Victor Lihonosov, hieromonk Roman (Matyushin), Boris Disputes, Alexander Tkachenko, Archpriest Yaroslav Shipov. «We see it in the list of the two priests. Is father Yaroslav Shipov, he began writing being a layman; it is one of the few times when the priest-the writer began way before acceptance of a dignity. And second — hieromonk Roman Matyushin, this famous poet, his compositions are sung by many,» said Metropolitan Kliment. Just a long list of awards includes 52 people — nominees from Russia, CIS and far abroad. According to the organizers, Archpriest Yaroslav Shipov is this year one of the favourites of the competition. «In his youth he wrote about the revolution, sympathetic red. He was a long way of formation and realization of Russia’s historical path not only in one red. In the end, people came to faith, became a priest. After the adoption Sana it about five years wrote. And then he released a collection of short stories dedicated to the life of a village priest… He is one of the best candidates for the award for all the years», — said a member of the Advisory Board, laureate of the 2015 writer Alexander Segen. The award ceremony will be timed to the Day of Slavic writing and culture. Prize — 300 thousand rubles, a diploma and memorable gifts.

'A conference dedicated to the 295th anniversary of the birth of St. Paicius Velichkovsky will be held at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.' -Moscow Pat.

'A conference dedicated to the 295th anniversary of the birth of St. Paicius Velichkovsky will be held at the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.' -Moscow Pat.

Internet Activity: "For" & "Against" - A Discussion with His Grace Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk

Internet Activity: "For" & "Against" - A Discussion with His Grace Bishop John of Naro-Fominsk On Tuesday, July 25, the weekly meeting of Orthodox Youth was held in the refectory of St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York City. The speaker for the evening’s meeting was the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, His Grace John, Bishop of Naro-Fominsk. His Grace proposed speaking with the youth about his thoughts on the role of the internet in the life of an Orthodox Christian. To begin, Bishop John briefly shared some of his own observations. He believes that active participation in internet discussions (when time spent on social media prevails over live communication), the notion of the “here and now” – something extremely important for a Christian – is threatened. Bishop John drew the attention of the young people [to the fact] that the life of the Church was founded on the basis of the parish community. People would gather together to pray, commune from one common Chalice, and then interact with one another during fellowship. It would seem that a more individualized model of communication, where one could meet with a so-called “priest-psychoanalyst,” would be more effective. One would be able to make an appointment and be able to resolve spiritual and moral problems one-on-one. Why, then, would it be necessary to gather and pray together? Vladyka reminded [his audience] that the first Christian churches (much like the modern parish) were established on the basis that the Church is a hospital where all can come to recover. Thus, those who came to the Church were all united in their desire to be healed. We are not saints, but rather a group of penitent sinners. This is why when we come to a hospital and our leg hurts, we do not desire to point with our fingers at someone who is deaf or blind sitting near us with a more serious illness than ourselves. This is something that doesn’t concern us. “I was recently at a meeting for Alcoholics Anonymous and witnessed the many takeaways from the Church,” said Vladyka John. “A person comes and exclaims that ‘I am an alcoholic.’ He is not proud of this, but upon recognizing his own weaknesses, he begins the path to recovery. Moreover, those who participate in these meetings do not identify themselves as healed until the end, once they understand the need for God’s help, as well as the daily struggle to better oneself.” At the same time, internet communication offers “too broad of a forum.” Someone on the internet can feel the desire to “save the world,” while at the same losing sight of his own illness and the needs of his mother, friend, neighbor, the homeless – who are all near at hand. There are times where we read about problems or conflicts in churches on the other end of the Earth and get so consumed by the ensuing internet discussion that we do not notice those suffering next to us. Ideally, there should be live interaction in the parish. Members of the parish community are called to bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2). It may very well be that a person may be uncomfortable sharing his problems with others. However, this depends on the rector and the atmosphere he creates within the parish. And so, if a person feels disconnected in their own parish, this is well within their right, but it also means that something in the system is not working. After expressing his own thoughts, Bishop John opened the floor to those present. One attendee stated that, thanks to modern technology, anyone is able to view the service schedule and read spiritual literature from a smartphone, and this is undoubtedly good. At the same time, the internet provides an opportunity for a person to make harsh statements under an alias without the need to answer for his actions. Someone noted that social media users attempt to present themselves insincerely in a more positive light… This in turn leads people to depression, because they try to compare themselves to these “picture perfect” individuals (those who boast about a tidy apartment, smiling children, a photograph in an evening dress or relaxing on the beach) and are unable to do so. Someone else mentioned that the internet allows someone with an urgent spiritual question to get an answer if the priest from the local parish is unavailable. The discussion surrounding interaction on the internet resulted in related topics arising. A participant asked, “Is information the same as knowledge, and if not, what is the difference?” Vladyka answered after some reflection, saying, “Information is an abstract set of facts, while knowledge is inseparable from our lives.” For example, palms grow in the south; this is information. What it has to do with me, though, is unclear.” However, concepts such as love, friendship, and mutual assistance, which we regularly practice, is knowledge. “Unfortunately, a person can have an immense amount of information on the Bible, the divine services…, and at this level, all of that is just information, unless it is implemented. But a person is capable of making true and interesting judgments on the subject matter…," Bishop John sighed. In the audience, someone asked “Vladyka, you stated that in the Church there are not saints, but sick people, and the church is a hospital. However, we are all called to become saints. So does that mean that the desire to become holy is the desire to be healed and be with God? So, in fact, is this a yearning for eternity, something that can ever be achieved? “The desire for eternity is perhaps a satisfactory formulation,” said Vladyka John. “When God ‘latches’ us on the hook, and gives us a taste of His grace, then we wish to taste it again and again as from an inexhaustible font. This why we return to the Church and continue to pray. And with God, there is after all, Eternity….Eternal Love and the source of Eternal Life.” Another participant asked “Vladyka, I always thought that the way the elders lived in Egypt is a type of express-route to God. That is, if a person were to optimize his road to God by rejecting material value and deciding to live in desert… should we not strive to imitate the Desert Fathers?” [His Grace responded,] “Holiness is not a something that occurs in an instant. Suddenly a lightbulb does not light and one realizes that they are a saint. Holiness is not the folding of hands and halos on one’s head. If a person remains with God and keeps his heart pure and simple, then this is holiness. The Holy Gospel states that ‘the Kingdom of God is within you’ (Luke 17:21). Holiness is a state of being with God, and it can be achieved right here on Earth. “Monks are a kind of special forces. Their struggles are more noticeable. And thankfully to help with this, God allows the glorification of saints – the public recognition that one has achieved certain spiritual heights, in order to serve as examples to aid us. But Judgment belongs to God. How many people are in heaven – more or less than the number we glorify? This is known only to God. There is also, though, an ordinary infantry, also capable of enduring struggles. The person’s location plays no critical role. One can sit in a cell and concoct the kind of thoughts we could not even imagine, while another can live in the world and quietly overcome the temptations that occur in every step. God does not look at the circumstances, but rather at the person’s heart. This is the only thing He needs from us – our heart.” Orthodox Youth Meetings take place in St. Nicholas Cathedral in New York City every Tuesday evening. The evening begins with a moleben at 7:00pm with disucssion and interaction following immediatley after.