Visit to Bulgaria

By Synodal decree, Their Graces, Bishops Photios of Marathon and Clement of Gardikion, Chief-Secretary and Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece respectively, made a two-day visit to Bulgaria from Monday evening July 1/14 to Wednesday afternoon July 3/16 in order to deliberate with His Grace, Bishop Photii of Triaditsa who presides over the Old Calendar Church of Bulgaria on issues of common interest, to facilitate the desired attainment of formal ecclesiastical communion between the Genuine Orthodox Churches of Greece and Bulgaria.

His Grace Bishop Photii of Triaditsa confirmed that in principle there is no disagreement with the Common Ecclesiological Document “The True Orthodox Church and the Heresy of Ecumenism – Dogmatic and Canonical Issues.” However, the Document will be carefully studied and after internal consultation he shall present their opinion thereon, officially and in writing.

They also discussed the way of finding a possible solution to a local issue concerning a cleric in order not to hamper the desired ecclesiastical unity. For this purpose the two bishops from Greece visited the Holy Monastery of the Annunciation in Kopilovtsy in the region of Kyustendil, to conduct discussions.

The discussions with His Grace, Bishop Photii of Triaditsa took place in a climate of mutual respect with a sincere interest to serve the unity of the Church and our common Orthodox Witness and Confession of Faith.

In Greek

Orthodox Awareness

Why Do We Follow the Old Orthodox Calendar?

Why do we follow the Old Orthodox Calendar?

a Because based on it, the First Ecumenical Council established the Paschal Canon and appointed that the feast of Holy Pascha may fall anywhere from March 22nd until April 25th, while with the New (Papal) Calendar it can fall as late at May 8th.

b The Gregorian (Papal) Calendar has been condemned by three Pan-Orthodox Councils under Patriarch Jeremiah Tranos (1583, 1587, 1589) Read more...

Missions

Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Mission, Tucson, Arizona

Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church is a beautiful mission parish near downtown Tucson, a city in southern Arizona. It was started in 1997 by Father John Bockman, who was a missionary Priest formerly serving missions in Tennessee and Massachusetts since 1990. Father John served the faithful in Tucson and the surrounding area in his home Chapel until his repose in November of 2000. His wife, Presbytera Valerie, continued to make her home Chapel available for the mission, with clergy from Saint Nectarios Orthodox Church in Seattle and His Eminence, Metropolitan Moses of Toronto (then of Portland), visiting to provide the Divine Services.

Read more...
Youth

2023 Youth Conference

Please join us for the 2023 youth conference in Chicago, IL! To learn more, visit the home page or visit the conference website.

Ask A Priest

Fasting

Q. There seems to be a lot of variation in how people observe fasting, but my confessor told me to fast from oil on Wednesday and Friday. Oil is a pretty vague category, though, and I was wondering if I could get a more explicit description of what kinds of food and drink are excluded on strict fast days. Read more...