November 14, 2009 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: archbishops, bishops, Buffalo (NY), Christianity, Christmas, church, church history, culture, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Church, Eastern church history, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Greek Orthodoxy, history, legends, movies, mythos, myths, Nativity, Nicholas of Myra, Orthodox Catholic Church, Orthodox Christianity, Orthodox Church, Orthodox church history, orthodoxy, popular culture, publicity, religion, Santa Claus, St. Nicholas, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, western New York
October 27, 2009 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: bishops, Christianity, church denominations, church history, church jurisdictions, church patriarchates, church patriarchs, church provinces, churches, denominations, dioceses, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Church, Eastern ecclesiology, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, ecclesiastical provinces, ecclesiology, ecumenical councils, ecumenical synods, eparchies, great and holy council, history of Christianity, holy great council, Holy Spirit, jurisdiction, omophorion, Orthodox bishops, Orthodox Catholic Church, Orthodox Christianity, Orthodox Church, Orthodox dioceses, Orthodox Eastern Church, Orthodox ecclesiology, Orthodox jurisdictions, orthodoxy, patriarchs, religion, theology of church
As commonly used in reference to Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholicism – broadly considered (I can’t speak about other Churches) — in the Western world, the informal noun jurisdiction seems to indicate a particular ethnic, national, and/or patriarchate’s Church in a given country, region, or continent(s) … considered a part of The One Single Orthodox Church [or "The [...]
July 24, 2009 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: archbishops, autocephalous churches, autocephaly, autonomous churches, bishops, bishops' conferences, Catholicism, chief bishops, church dialogue, church history, church organization, church polity, church primates, conference of catholic bishops, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, ecumenical dialogue, ecumenism, episcopacy, episcopate, first among equals, hierarchs, hierarchy, Latin Patriarchs, metropolitan archbishops, metropolitans, national churches, Orthodox bishops, Orthodox Christianity, Orthodox Church, Orthodox church history, Orthodox Church polity, Orthodox Eastern Church, Orthodox patriarchates, Orthodox patriarchs, orthodoxy, papal claims, Patriarch of the West, patriarchal structures, patriarchates, patriarchs, Pentarchy, pope, Pope of the Universal Church, popes, presiding bishops, primacy, primates, primatial sees, protos, provinces, regional church, Roman Catholicism, Rome, titular patriarchs, universal bishop, universal jurisdiction
(Take One is here, where I ran off at the mouth for a while!)
Patriarch is one possible title for the presiding bishop or primate of a region of The Orthodox Church comprising a number of bishoprics, and/or even a number of smaller such regions. Currently the other two possible titles are Metropolitan or Archbishop, although [...]
February 5, 2009 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: bishops, child raising, Christianity, Doctors of the Church, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, eastern religion, Evangelicalism, Fathers of the Church, Fundamentalism, good works, grace, grace alone, grace and works, grace vs works, Martin Luther, Orthodox bishops, Orthodox Christianity, Orthodox Church, Orthodox monks, Orthodox saints, orthodoxy, podvig, Protestantism, raising children, Reformation, religion, Russian Christianity, Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodoxy, saints, sin, spiritual fathers, spirituality, struggle, temptation, Theophan of Poltava, Theophan the Recluse, virtue, works, works righteousness
Short reflection inspired by St. Theophan the Recluse is here.
(Theophan, sometimes called Theophanes [the original Greek version of his name], was a 19th-century bishop in Russia who retired early from the active episcopate – hence “recluse” – and became an incredible spiritual father and writer! A real latter-day Father of the Church. He even wrote [...]
January 28, 2009 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: bishops, Bolshevik Revolution, canon law, Catholic Church, Catholicism, Christianity, church, Church canons, church history, church polity, College of Cardinals, Communism, early Christianity, early church, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Church, Eastern church history, Eastern church polity, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Great Patriotic War, history of Christianity, Latin Church, Latin Rite, locum tenens, locum tenentes, martyrdom, martyrs, Moscow Patriarchate, Orthodox bishops, Orthodox Christianity, Orthodox Church, Orthodox church history, Orthodox Church polity, Orthodox patriarchates, Orthodox patriarchs, orthodoxy, papacy, Patriarch of Moscow, Patriarch of Russia, Patriarchate of Moscow, Pope of Rome, religion, Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholicism, Russian church, Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodoxy, Russian patriarchate, sede vacante, Soviet Union, spiritual guidance, spirituality, St. Peter of Krutitsy, St. Tikhon of Moscow, theology, USSR, Vatican, World War 2, World War II, World War Two
It’s being noted in news coverage that Moscow Patriarch-elect KYRILL was “Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne” since shortly after the repose of Patriarch ALEXEI. This concept is not unknown in Western Christianity … in fact, locum tenens is the traditional Latin-language term whose Greek or Slavonic counterpart I do not know, but seems commonly [...]
January 27, 2009 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: bishops, Byzantine theology, Catholic Church, Catholicism, Christianity, church councils, church elections, church governance, church jurisdiction, church organization, church patriarchs, church polity, church primates, church unity, collaborative ministry, collegiality, conciliarism, conciliarity, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern patriarchs, eastern religion, Eastern theology, ecclesiastical jurisdiction, episcopacy, episcopal churches, first among equals, Greek Church, Greek Orthodox, greek orthodox church, Greek Orthodoxy, High Church, High Churches, holy tradition, honorary seniority, icons, ikons, Metropolitan Kyrill, miracles, miraculous icons, modern church councils, Moscow Patriarchate, myrrh, myrrh-streaming icons, national churches, Orthodox bishops, Orthodox Christianity, Orthodox Church, Orthodox church councils, Orthodox Church polity, Orthodox Churches, Orthodox theology, Orthodox Tradition, orthodoxy, papacy, papal claims, Patriarch of Alexandria, Patriarch of the West, patriarchal election, patriarchal structures, Patriarchate of Alexandria, Patriarchate of Moscow, Patriarchate of Russia, patriarchs, Petrine ministry, Pope Benedict XVI, Pope of Alexandria, primacy, primates, religion, religious icons, Roman Catholic Church, Roman Catholicism, Rome, Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodoxy, Russian patriarchate, sobornost, synodal church government, synodality, theology
if you’ll permit me, I’ll start off by saying that an Orthodox Patriarch is not normally a “little Pope” whose word is law among those whose Patriarch he is.
November 14, 2008 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: All-American Councils, bishops, chief bishops, Christianity, church, church councils, churches, college converts, converts from Anglicanism, converts from Catholicism, converts from Protestantism, converts from the Anglican Church, converts from the Episcopal Church, converts to Orthodoxy, Dmitri Royster, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, ex-Catholics, ex-Episcopalians, Exarchate of Mexico, hierarchy, independent Catholics, independent Orthodox, JFK assassination, Jose Cortes y Olmos, metropolitan archbishops, Metropolitan Herman Swaiko, Metropolitan Jonah, metropolitans, Mexican Christianity, Mexican National Catholic Church, Mexican Orthodox Christianity, Mexican Orthodoxy, Mexican-Americans, Mexicans, Mexico, modern church councils, North American Orthodoxy, OCA, OCF, Orthodox bishops, Orthodox Christian Fellowship, Orthodox Christianity, Orthodox Christianity in America, Orthodox Christianity in Mexico, Orthodox Christianity in North America, Orthodox Church, Orthodox church councils, Orthodox Church in America, Orthodox Church in Mexico, Orthodox Church in North America, Orthodox Churches, Orthodox converts, Orthodox mission, orthodoxy, Orthodoxy in America, Orthodoxy in Mexico, Orthodoxy in North America, Patriarchate of Serbia, patriarchs, presiding bishops, primates, religion, Robert Royster, Russian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodoxy, Serbian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox Church, Serbian Orthodoxy, synods, vagante, Warren Commission
On the 1st of this month Abbot Jonah (Paffhausen) from California was consecrated Titular Bishop of Ft. Worth, Texas, and Auxiliary Bishop in the OCA’s Diocese of Dallas and the South — probably the newest Bishop in the entire Orthodox Church. Yesterday (Wed.) he was elected Primate of the OCA, quite possibly the first convert [...]
July 5, 2008 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: Anglophone Orthodox, bishops, blessings, Christianity, converts, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, English-speaking Orthodox, Erie, icons, Old Believers, Old Rite Orthodox, Old Ritualists, Orthodox converts, Orthodox icons, orthodoxy, Pennsylvania, raskol, raskolniki, religion, religious icons, ROCOR, Russian Christianity, Russian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Old Rite, Russian Orthodoxy, Sign of the Cross
Bishop JOHN (Berzins) of Caracas, (temporary) administrator of the Diocese of South America, of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, is one of ROCOR’s newly-elected and -consecrated hierarchs. Many Years, Master!
Interestingly, as their news release with lots of interesting photos mentions, he was consecrated a couple weeks ago at, and according to, what I believe is [...]
June 18, 2008 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: America, Australia, bishops, Canada, Christianity, church jurisdictions, church primates, Eastern Orthodoxy, Exarchate, France, Germany, Metropolia, Moscow Patriarchate, OCA, Orthodox Christianity, Orthodox Unity, orthodoxy, Patriarchal Parishes, religion, Russian Orthodoxy, SCOBA, United States
This is good news, because it represents closer cooperation of another “canonical” jurisdiction with the main grouping of other canonical jurisdictions. Bishop MERCURIUS of Zaraisk, who administers around three dozen parishes in the U.S. – referred to sometimes as “the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA” – on behalf of the Patriarch of Moscow personally, [...]
June 8, 2008 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: bishops, Christianity, churches, dioceses, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, Orthodox Christianity, Orthodox Unity, orthodoxy, religion, Romania, Romanians
There are two “canonical” Romanian Orthodox jurisdictions in North America (mostly), now seemingly talking more seriously about reunion than ever before. The Romanian Orthodox Episcopate* of America has been part of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) for a couple generations. The smaller Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese* of the Americas is part of the Patriarchate of Romania [...]
May 15, 2008 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: bishops, Christianity, church polity, Eastern Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, hierarchy, liturgy, mass, Orthodox Christianity, patriarchs, pope, religion, services, worship
Sometimes you will see Orthodox refer to a liturgy as pontifical. Naturally, this has nothing to do with the Pope of Rome, among whose titles are “Pontifex Maximus” and “Sovereign Pontiff.” I believe a more commonly-used synonym among English-speaking Orthodox is hierarchical, as in Hierarchical Divine Liturgy. Actually pontifical has been traditionally used this way [...]
May 15, 2008 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: Australia, bishops, Canada, Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, Indonesia, Jay-Z, Korea, Moscow Patriarchate, New Zealand, Orthodox Christianity, orthodoxy, religion, ROCA, ROCOR, Russia, Russian Orthodoxy, South Korea, Ukrainian Orthodox
Many Years to Metropolitan HILARION (Kapral), till now Archbishop of Australia and New Zealand as well as of some of the Orthodox in Indonesia and South Korea, just confirmed by the Synod of the Patriarchate of Moscow as First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR), and Ruling Hierarch of its diocese of the eastern United [...]
March 29, 2008 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: Arab Christians, Arab Orthodox, Arabs, bishops, Brooklyn, Christian Arabs, Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, missions, Orthodox Christianity, orthodoxy, religion, saints, Syria, Syrians, Syro-Arabs
The impending arrival of St. Raphael (Hawaweeny) of Brooklyn (1860-1915) as a priest-monk to serve Arab Orthodox in North America was announced on page 16 of the NY Times on September 15, 1895. In true human-interest fashion, the “lede” is buried down in paragraph 11, although the preceding grafs provide interesting Victorian-Era-style information about the Arabs [...]
March 19, 2008 in Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Tags: bishops, Christianity, Eastern Orthodoxy, Illinois, Orthodox Christianity, Pennsylvania, religion, saints, Serbian Orthodox, Serbian-Americans
March 18, besides being the feast of the great Father of the Church, Cyril of Jerusalem, is also that of (the Repose of) St. Nikolai (Velimirovich, also Velimirovic) of South Canaan Penna., Ohrid and Zhicha – “the Serbian Chrysostom,” diplomat, missionary, prisoner and torture victim of Dachau, and theologian in Pennsylvania and Illinois. He lived [...]
Memory Eternal to His Eminence, Metropolitan LAURUS, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, who died of the flu at age 80 Sunday morning, the Triumph of Orthodoxy, in New York State. Information and a statement also from the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) are available through their homepage for now, and later through their [...]
