Orthodox Inter-Seminary Movement

JORDANVILLE, NY [OISM; Dn. Stephen Vernak] Over 60 students from five North American Orthodox seminaries gathered at Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary here February 9-11, 2007, for the spring meeting of the Orthodox Inter-Seminary Movement [OISM].
This event marked the first time in the 40 year history of the movement that a meeting was held on the sacred grounds of Holy Trinity Monastery. The participants spent three days in spiritual retreat, fellowship, and in conducting their business meetings.
Highlights included attending the services at the monastery cathedral of the Holy Trinity, an address to the students by His Eminence Metropolitan LAUR U S, first hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), an extensive tour of the monastery and seminary grounds and the election of Kevin Meyers, a student at St. Tikhon's Seminary, as new OISM president. The students also viewed a slideshow presentation of the October 2006 pilgrimage to St. Herman Seminary and Spruce Island. Representatives also discussed the possibility of launching an OISM web site and plans for a symposium featuring the work of OISM seminarians.
The representatives expressed their gratitude to Metropolitan LAUR U S, for his blessing to hold the meeting on the sacred grounds of Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary, to the monastery brotherhood and seminary community for their warmth and hospitality, and to their respective school administrations for supporting their participation in this historic event in the life of Orthodox theological education on this continent.

In addition to students from Holy Trinity Seminary, students from Saint Tikhon's Seminary, South Canaan, PA; Saint Vladimir's Seminary, Crestwood, NY; Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA; and Saint Andrew's College, Manitoba, Canada participated in the gathering. Students from Saint Herman's Seminary, Kodiak, AK were unable to make the transcontinental journey, but hope to participate in future meetings.

The Reunification of the Two Parts of the Russian Church

Glory be to God!

The Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on December 8, 2006, and the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate on December 26, 2006, approved the proposals of the Commissions of the Moscow Patriarchate on dialog with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on talks with the Moscow Patriarchate regarding the place, time and rite of the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion, and also the order of divine services connected thereto. These proposals were prepared at a joint session of the two Commissions in Cologne on October 26, 2006.

According to the plan, the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion is scheduled to take place on May 17, 2007. It is expected that on this day, when the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and the members of the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate, and the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, along with the members of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, will gather at Christ the Savior Cathedral. After a short moleben, the decrees of the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate and of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on the confirmation of the Act of Canonical Communion will be read aloud, after which the Act itself will be read.

His Holiness the Patriarch and His Eminence the First Hierarch will sign the Act, greetings will be exchanged and Many Years then sung. Immediately following the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus and the other bishops will conduct Divine Liturgy. During the service, the Royal Doors will be open in the Paschal tradition, and the people of God can fully participate in the joy of the first joint partaking of the Eucharist by the hierarchs and clergymen of the then-united Russian Church.

On May 19, on the feast day of St Job of the Much-suffering and of St Job of Pochaev, which is also the birthday of Tsar-Martyr Nicholas II, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy and His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, the bishops and clergymen of the Russian Church Abroad will perform Divine Liturgy at Uspensky Cathedral in Moscow's Kremlin.

On May 20, 2007, on the seventh week of Pascha, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy and His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, along with the bishops and clergymen of Russia and from Abroad will perform the consecration of the Church of the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia in Butovo, and then Divine Liturgy in the newly-consecrated church.

On May 15, 2004, Metropolitan Laurus, during his first official visit to Russia, and the members of His Eminence's delegation, prayed during divine services performed by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II on Butovo Field, the place where an untold number of martyrs died at the hands of the godless regime, many of whom have been canonized as saints. On that day, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church performed the ceremony of the laying of the foundation of this new church, which is now being prepared for consecration. The First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia also participated in the laying of this foundation.

By the prayers of the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia, the Lord has blessed our path to achieving the holy task of restoring the unity of the Russian Church, which had endured great sorrows in the 20 th century. We believe that through their heavenly intercession, this will be accomplished to the Glory of God and the joy of the people of the Church.

Protopriest Alexander Lebedeff, Los Angeles & Protopriest Nikolai Balashov, Moscow

From the Official website of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia:

http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2006/12ensecretarystatements.html

Orthodox libraries: the present state and prospects in Russia

Education for Change and Diaconia

During the long seventy years of Soviet regime church libraries were banned. Exception was made for some libraries of theological academies and seminaries, which could be used only by their students and faculty. Religious books in the reserves of public libraries were placed in the so-called "Special Deposit" and were inaccessible for the general reader. After the political situation in the USSR changed in the late 80s and the open persecution of the Church was ended, many parishes, brotherhoods and theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church began to open libraries of religious literature. This process was especially intensive in the early 90s. At present the number of Orthodox libraries in Russia has reached to several hundreds. We asked Archpriest Boris Danilenko, director of the Synodal Library of the Moscow Patriarchate to tell us about the present state of churches libraries, their place in the religious education system and prospects for their further development.

- Father Boris, what, in your opinion, is the role of the Russian Orthodox library in religious education and spiritual enlightenment?
see: http://www.rondtb.msk.ru/info/en/libraries_en.htm

St. John Chrysostom Anniversary Celebration

2007 is the 1600th anniversary of the repose of St. John Chrysostom, the “Golden-mouth.” For the Orthodox Church, St. John is one of the most brilliant lights among the fathers and saints who adorn her history. He is best known for his sermons and commentaries on the Scriptures, fearless leadership as a chief hierarch and shepherd of the Church, selfless care for the poor and sick, and for the Liturgy that bears his name. The service for the feast of the Three Hierarchs extols him as an equal to St. Gregory the Theologian and St. Basil the Great.
Yet St. John is not noted as an exponent of the dogmas of the faith.

What then is St. John Chrysostom’s place among the fathers of the Church? This is the theme of the Symposium to be held in St. Louis, September 28-30, 2007. Our distinguished speakers will offer their insights on this topic. We invite you to attend and to take part in the discussions.

See the link below for additional details and information on registration.
http://www.chrysostom1600.org/