New ORI Publications!

Saint Methodios of Constantinople: A Study of His Life and Works

By Rev. Dr. George Peter Bithos
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-933275-30-7

Epiphanius of Salamis, Doctor of Iconoclasm? Deconstruction of a Myth

By Rev. Dr. Steven Bigham
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-933275-28-4

Our Father: A Prayer for Christian Living

By Fr. William C. Mills
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-933275-29-1

The Mystery of Healing: Oil, Anointing, and the Unity of the Local Church

By Fr. David G. Bissias
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-933275-27-7

See: Orthodox Research Institute

January 28, 2009
The Meaning of the Vote
Comment by Andrei Zolotov, Jr.
From: Russia Profile.org

The Russian Orthodox Church Chose Its Strategy

"And so, it happened. As it had been expected, Metropolitan Kirill (Gundyaev) of Smolensk and Kaliningrad was elected Tuesday night as the 16th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia – the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. More than 70 percent of the delegates to the Church’s top body – the Local Council – voted for him in the only round of elections, and the traditional chant “Axios!” (or “Worthy!” in Greek) sounded under the majestic vaults of the Christ the Savior Cathedral. "

For the complete article see: Russia Profile.org

The Kursk-Root Icon: A Miracle in Our Times

(table of contents - click image to enlarge)

This new book contains the story of the wonderworking Icon,accounts of its past and recent miracles, narratives of celebrations and pilgrimages in its honour, and a number of articles concerning the Orthodox Church’s teaching regarding the veneration of the Most Holy Theotokos and of the holy icons. Also included are two colour lift-outs of the Kursk-Root Icon suitable for framing, as well as the Akathist Hymn. This 224-page book is beautifully illustrated with an abundance of full-coloured pictures and icons. It is available from Holy Trinity Monastery bookstore. For ordering information see: http://www.jordanville.org/news_090114_1.html

Reprint of the Eastern Orthodox Church by the late Ernst Benz!

"Western European Christendom finds it difficult to comprehend the Eastern Orthodox Church because it knows little about the practice and doctrines of Orthodoxy. Even what is known is overlaid by many strata of prejudices and misunderstandings, partly political in nature. One of the obstacles has been the natural tendency to confound the ideas and customs of the Orthodox Church with familiar parallels in Roman Catholicism. To escape this tradition pitfall, Ernst Benz focuses on icon painting as a logical place to begin his examination of the Orthodox Church. Beginning with a brilliant discussion of the importance of icons in the Eastern Church - and the far-reaching effects of icons on doctrine as well as art - Benz counteracts the confusion, explaining simply and clearly the liturgy and sacraments, dogma, constitution and law of Eastern Orthodoxy.

In brief history, he describes the rise of Orthodox national churches, schismatic churches, and churches in exile; the role of monasticism and its striking differences from Roman Catholic monasticism; the missionary work of the Orthodox Church; and the influence of Orthodoxy on politics and culture.The role of the church can be defined in terms of the image. Benz writes that the church exists so that "members may be incorporated into the image of Jesus Christ...in that individual believers are 'changed into his likeness'" as Paul writes in the second letter to the Corinthians. Thus, Orthodox theology holds up the icon as the true key to the understanding of Orthodox dogma. "The Eastern Orthodox Church" will be valuable to anyone interested in learning more about the church, its thought, its life, and its ideals.

Ernst Benz (1907-1978) was one of the most distinguished contemporary German theologians and perhaps the leading Western authority on Eastern Orthodoxy. "

See: http://www.transactionpub.com/cgi-bin/transactionpublishers.storefront

Metropolitan Kirill Elected as New Patriarch!

MOSCOW (AFP) — The Russian Orthodox Church on Tuesday selected 62-year-old Metropolitan Kirill as its new patriarch, an outspoken figure who analysts say could prove a headache for the Kremlin.

A seasoned operator after long service as head of the church's foreign relations section, Kirill was elected by an overwhelming majority in a ballot of church leaders in Moscow's ornate cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

Kirill, Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, received 508 votes in a secret ballot of the Church Council in Moscow while his challenger Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk won 169 votes.

"I accept and thank the Church Council for my election as Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia," Kirill said solemnly after the results were announced, before leading the congregation in an Orthodox liturgy.

For complete report see:


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5htauIi6LIsHzjy3GqEJSeOD4Ur8A

ROCOR Delegates to the Local Council [Pomestny Sobor]

Diocese of New York and Eastern America
Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York; Bishop George of Mayfield, Vicar Bishop of the Diocese of Eastern America and New York; Bishop Jerome of Manhattan, Vicar Bishop of the Diocese of Eastern America and New York; Bishop Daniel of Erie, Vicar of the President of the Synod of Bishops for Old Believers; Bishop Ambroise (Cantacuzene) ; Protopriest Alexey Petrovich Ohotin, Rector of Annunciation Church, New York; Archimandrite Luke (Murianka), Abbot of Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, NY; Alexei Serafimovich Slobodskoy, Parishioner of St Seraphim Church, Sea Cliff, NY

Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America
Bishop Peter of Cleveland, Administrator of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America; Protopriest Andre Papkov, Senior Priest of Holy Protection Cathedral, Chicago, IL; Archimandrite John (Magramm), Rector of Resurrection of Christ Skete, Fridley, MN; Andrei Pavlovich Urtiev, Treasurer of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America

Diocese of San Francisco and Western America
Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America Bishop Theodosius of Seattle, Vicar Bishop of the Diocese of San Francisco and Western America; Protopriest Alexander Lebedeff, Rector of Transfiguration Cathedral, Los Angeles, CA; Peter Alendrovich Karakozoff, Parishioner of the Cathedral of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow,” San Francisco, CA

Diocese of Montreal and Canada
Bishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada; Yuri Georgievich Miloslavsky, Administrator of the Chancery of the Diocese of Montreal and Canada

Diocese of Berlin and Germany
Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany; Bishop Agapit of Stuttgart, Vicar Bishop of the German Diocese; Protopriest Nikolai Artemoff; Hegumen Evfimy (Logvinov); Michael Gorachek

Diocese of Great Britain
Priest Peter Baulk; Vera Alexandrovna McClenaghan

Diocese of Western Europe
Bishop Michael of Geneva and Western Europe; Protopriest Pavel Nikolaevich Tsvetkoff, Senior Priest of Elevation of the Cross Cathedral, Geneva, Switzerland; Bernard Petrovich le Caro, Member of the Diocesan Council and of the Commission on the New Martyrs Glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

Diocese of South America
Bishop John of Caracas, Administrator of the Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in South America; Protopriest Vladimir Nikolaevich Skalon, Rector of Resurrection Cathedral, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Igor Nikolaevich Andrushkevich, Parishioner of Resurrection Cathedral, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Diocese of Australia and New Zealand
Protopriest Michael Protopopoff, Rector of Church of Our Lady’s Dormition, Dandenong, Australia, Dean of Victoria; Abbess Anna (Karipoff), Presentation Sisterhood, Bungarby, Australia; Protodeacon Alexander Kotliaroff, Cathedral of SS Peter and Paul, Sydney, Australia

A complete list of delegates to the Council may be viewed here (in Russian).

"A History of Icon Painting is a major new work and one of the first published in English by Russian scholars in the post Communist era. Innovative by virtue of its completeness and encyclopedic coverage, this fundamental work covers the history of icon painting from the beginning of Christianity until the present. The individual contributors are all specialists and scholars working in museums and institutions of higher learning in contemporary Russia, and their writings are both spiritual and scholarly. The superb level of material presentation renders the book indispensable for studying many subjects, making it universally attractive for students and for a broader readership. Table of Contents: Theological Fundamentals of the Icon and Iconography; Icon painting techniques; The Byzantine Icon in the 6th to 15th centuries; The Greek icon after the fall of Byzantium; Icon in Ancient Russia, 11th to 17th Centuries; Georgian Icon in the 10th - 15th century; Icons in Serbia ,Bulgaria and Macedonia- 15th -17th centuries; Ukrainian Icon painting; The Byelorussian Icon; Icon Painting in Romania (Moldova and Walachia); Russian Icon in the 18th - to the beginning of the 20th Century; Icons of the 20th Century; Inscriptions on Icons." See: http://www.liturgica.com/cart/bookInfo.jsp?catNo=BC003#

Select Eastern Orthodox Journals in English


The Canadian Journal of Orthodox Christianity

Divine Ascent

Greek Orthodox Theological Review

Living Orthodoxy

Orthodox Life

Orthodox Tradition

The Orthodox Word

Phronema

Road to Emmaus

St Tikhon's Theological Journal

St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Quarterly

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

See: Nativity Icon Explained

See: Meditations on the Nativity of Christ