Posted on 09/11/2010 9:39:25 AM PDT by FormerLib
On Saturday, September 11, 2010, the 9th Anniversary of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, Archimandrite Zacchaeus, the Representative of the Orthodox Church in America to the Moscow Patriarchate celebrated a memorial service (panikhida) for the innocent victims of terrorism throughout the world.
Prior to the service, Father Zacchaeus preached a sermon to all those gathered at St Catherine the Great Martyr Church. After his words, Archimandrite Zacchaeus invited all to join together in offering their prayers during the celebration of the panikhida for those who lost their lives at the hands of terrorists and as a result of terrorist attacks throughout the world, noting the most recent terrorist attack in Vladikavkaz, in Northern Ossetia.
After the conclusion of the memorial service, Father Zacchaeus thanked all for their participation in this very important annual event in the Moscow religious, diplomatic, political and public life. Following his words of gratitude, Father Zacchaeus invited His Excellency, Mr. John Beyrle, the Ambassador of the United States of America to the Russian Federation to offer words to those gathered.
After the moving words offered by the US Ambassador, the First Deputy of the Chairman of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, Mr. Alexander P. Torshin was invited to address the assembly. After Vice-Speaker Torshin’s words, Father Zacchaeus mentioned that annually, St Catherine the Great Martyr Church has the honor of welcoming the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the St Andrew the First Called Foundation and the Center for the National Glory of Russia, Mr. Vladimir I. Yakunin at the panikhida for the innocent victims of terrorism. However, due to a working trip outside of Moscow, this year, representing the St Andrew Foundation and Vladimir I. Yakunin at St Catherine Church is Russian Senator and Foundation President, Mr. Sergei E. Sheblygin. Father Zacchaeus then invited Senator Sheblygin to offer words to those gathered in the church.
Following these last words of condolences and solidarity in the war against terrorism, Father Zacchaeus invited all to join him outside the temple and to ring the memorial bell which hangs in the memorial bell tower erected in memory of the innocent victims of terrorism on September 11, 2001 in the United States of America.
Afterwards, a memorial reception was held in the church courtyard which was sponsored by the St Andrew the First Called Foundation and the Center for the National Glory of Russia.
* In my experience, panikhidas are only served for departed Orthodox Christians. I'm sure there were some who perished during the twin tower, pentagon and aircraft wreck in Pennsylvania attacks; however it would be appropriate to list them by name at the service, not all so called victims of terrorism.
* The deacon looks to be a boy. There is a canonical age requirement for deacons (25) which he probably does not meet. I wonder which bishop ordained this young man? For what purpose? I also note he does even not have a beard, which is another canonical requirement (unshaven clergy).
* Usually monastic clergy wear only the epitrachilion when serving a panikhida. Archimandrite Zacchaeus is wearing his mitre and phelonion. I can't help but wonder if this is only for reasons of vanity.
Here is a photograph of Metropolitan Hilarion serving a panikhida: note he only wearing his klobuk and (small) ormphorion over his epitrachilion.
* Finally, I note the media seems to outnumber those attending the service as laity, and the media seems to be positioned for the best "photo opportunity".
Fregards,
Thank you for your post.
As to your allegations, they are contemptible and sully the commemoration of the 911 victims.
Thanks, FL!
Memorial for the victims of 9/11 Orthodox ping!
You are entitled to your viewpoint.
But making a fuss over whether or not he can see the deacon’s beard (c’mon, the guy is clearly blond) and estimates about his age as a reaction to a memorial service...I just don’t get.
First of all, Old Corps comment that panikhidas can be made only for Orthodox Christians and not for victims of terrorism in general is absolutely spot on! The Church can certainly offer a prayer for all victims, but the Church can not perform Orthodox funeral rites for the non-Orthodox, and panikhidas are equivalent to funeral rites.
Second,regarding OC's' comment on the archimandrite's vestments, perhaps the panikhida was served immediately after the Divine Liturgy. I believe he would normally devest himself but I am not sure. I defer to Kolo and others who may be more familiar with the rules.
Third, Old Corps was wrong regarding the deacon because a simple review of the original article shows that the deacon (on the right) does have a beard and is not necessarily under 25 years of age.
No doubt, the deacon on the right does have a beard. However, the beard appears to be somewhat stylized which is another issue.
So, my advice is to examine the evidence and not jump to conclusions based on one photograph.
“First of all, Old Corps comment that panikhidas can be made only for Orthodox Christians and not for victims of terrorism in general is absolutely spot on! The Church can certainly offer a prayer for all victims, but the Church can not perform Orthodox funeral rites for the non-Orthodox, and panikhidas are equivalent to funeral rites.
Second,regarding OC’s’ comment on the archimandrite’s vestments, perhaps the panikhida was served immediately after the Divine Liturgy. I believe he would normally devest himself but I am not sure. I defer to Kolo and others who may be more familiar with the rules.”
My assumption was that the Memorial Service was for the Orthodox dead since Kosta is of course correct. A Memorial Service is done only for Orthodox people. In the Greek Church we can, and do, chant a Trisagion Service for non Orthodox dead.
In the Greek Orthodox Church I have never seen a priest, Archimandrite or otherwise, divest before performing a memorial Service after just finishing a Divine Liturgy. I do not know what the practice is in Slavic Churches.
Thank you, Kolo. The text clearly says the memorial service was for the terrorist victims around the world. It doesn't say Orthodox terrorist victims, and it makes no mention of the Trisagion Service, so maybe the OCA could explain this if someone wants to write to them.
In the Greek Orthodox Church I have never seen a priest, Archimandrite or otherwise, divest before performing a memorial Service after just finishing a Divine Liturgy. I do not know what the practice is in Slavic Churches.
I have never seen anyone devest before serving panikhida (parastas) memorial service immediately following the Divine Liturgy. There is no doubt that epitrachelion is required (just as with confession, or blessing of the home) as is the minimum amount of vestment required, not the maximum. In other words, I am pretty sure complete vestiture is not a problem, but less than epitrachelion is.
as is=and is
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.