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"The Patriarchate of Constantinople is struggling with the Russian Church for influence in the Orthodox world. The Moscow and Constantinople Patriarchates are in tense relations today because of Ukraine.” Russian Orthodox priests are complaining they are unable to obtain Schengen visas for EU travel through Greek missions as relations between Athens and Moscow worsens... In a report carried by the BBC’s Russian-language service on Thursday, a source from the church in Constantinople claimed this Greek “policy” is because “Russian priests … are perceived as potential spies and agents of influence”. Several priests told the BBC they had either been refused...

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I has informed Patriarch Kirill of Moscow of his plans to grant autocephaly to the Ukrainian church. Their meeting took place in Istanbul, Turkey. "First, there was a meeting in front of all the members of the Synod. Then there were tete-a-tete talks, only with translation," Kyiv Archbishop Yevstratiy (Zorya), wrote on Facebook on August 31. Later, Metropolitan of France Emmanuel came out to reporters. He represented Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I at the celebration of the 1030th anniversary of the Baptism of Kyiv Rus in Kyiv in July 2018. "He made a short statement, "We have informed...

Saint Anna, the mother of the Virgin Mary, was the youngest daughter of the priest Nathan from Bethlehem, descended from the tribe of Levi. She married Saint Joachim (September 9), who was a native of Galilee. For a long time Saint Anna was childless, but after twenty years, through the fervent prayer of both spouses, an angel of the Lord announced to them that they would be the parents of a daughter, Who would bring blessings to the whole human race. The Orthodox Church does not accept the teaching that the Mother of God was exempted from the consequences of...

Week after week, Eastern Orthodox hierarchs guide their flocks through the incense-shrouded rites that define their ancient faith. Bishops also become experts at another intricate ritual: banquets. So Metropolitan Philip, the Antiochian Orthodox archbishop of North America, was not surprised to be asked to make a few remarks at the final banquet of the 2004 Clergy-Laity Congress of the Greek Orthodox Church in New York City. He was surprised when Greek Archbishop Demetrios indicated that this was more than a polite request. "I reminded him that when I speak, I tell it like it is," said Philip. What happened next...