On January 23–24, 2025, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon participated in the annual March for Life events in Washington, DC.
On the morning of Thursday, January 23, Metropolitan Tikhon met with Ms. Emily Yocum (Wilkinson), President and Executive Director of Orthodox Christians for Life, and Ms. Sophia Lyda, Program Coordinator, at the Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America in Springfield, VA. Their discussion covered various topics, including the long-term goals of Orthodox Christians for Life, educational initiatives, and ongoing pro-life ministries. At the conclusion of the meeting, His Beatitude was presented with an icon of the Holy Innocents.
Later that evening, Metropolitan Tikhon attended the opening Mass for the National Prayer Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC. He was joined by His Grace Bishop John of Worcester of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, the appointed representative for the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the United States, His Eminence Archbishop Michael of New York and New Jersey, His Grace Bishop Andrei of Cleveland and the Romanian Episcopate, and Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino, Acting Chancellor and Secretary of the Orthodox Church in America. Following the service, His Beatitude hosted the visiting hierarchs for dinner.
On Friday, January 24, the Orthodox gathering at the March for Life began at 11:30 AM on the National Mall. His Beatitude and the other hierarchs were welcomed to the stage for the invocation which was followed by a number of addresses by representatives of the March for Life, the Vice President, Governors, the Speaker of the House, and other guests. His Beatitude then led the Orthodox clergy and faithful in a Service of Supplication for an End to Abortion before proceeding with the March.
Also present were Fr. John Parker, Dean of St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, Hieromonk Vasily (Permiakov), Assistant Professor of Liturgical Theology at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, along with seminarians representing both seminaries.
Source: OCA.org
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ARCHBISHOP ANASTASIOS OF ALBANIA FALLS ASLEEP IN THE LORD
It is with deep sorrow that we announce the falling asleep of His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania who passed away today, Saturday, January 25, 2025, at the age of 95.
“It was providential to learn of Archbishop Anastasios’ passing while in Africa where his missionary ministry began and being able to do a Trisagion for him moments after his passing. Historically, certain figures rise to have an astounding impact on the world. Archbishop Anastasios is one of those persons. As a church leader, a scholar, and true missionary, he has impacted a revival and deepening of missions throughout the Orthodox Church as well as within Ecumenical circles.” reflected Mission Center Executive Director Fr. Martin Ritsi.
Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) was born November 4, 1929, in Piraeus, Greece. He was ordained to the diaconate in 1960, as priest and archimandrite in 1964 and then to the episcopacy in 1972. In 1972, he also began his work as General Director of Apostolike Diakonia (1972-92), as Professor of History of Religions (1972-92), and later as Dean of the Theological Faculty at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (1983-86). Over the years, he was awarded honorary doctorates from 20 universities. He authored 24 books and over 200 essays on theology, missions, and religious studies. These works have been translated into 17 languages and have bolstered a mission mindset around the globe.
In addition to his work within the Orthodox Church, Archbishop Anastasios held leadership positions in international ecumenical organizations including serving as Moderator of the World Mission and Evangelism Committee of the World Council of Churches (1984-91), Vice President of Conference of European Churches (2003-09), President of World Council of Churches (2006-13), and Honorary President of World Conference of Religions for Peace (2006-2025).
His contributions to Christian mission and witness, theology, inter-religious and ecumenical dialogue, and to the peaceful coexistence of peoples and religious communities have been recognized internationally.
The Archbishop’s missionary ministry began in East Africa in 1981, where he served as the Acting Archbishop of Irinoupolis in East Africa until 1990. During this time, he laid a foundation that built upon the work of the Church’s early founders, completing a seminary, training and ordaining clergy, building churches, schools and clinics that have led to the vibrant and thriving Church that exists today in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
In Albania (1992-2025), the Archbishop restored and renewed the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, which was raised from its ruins following the fall of the atheistic regime. Again, he began with opening a seminary, training and ordaining over 160 clergy, and continuing this effort through the ordination of Hierarchs that now form a synod of the fully functioning Autocephalous Church. His work was multifaceted and extended into the realms of education, healthcare, culture, the environment, and humanitarian and social welfare projects. To create places for spiritual worship, he also built, restored, and repaired more than 370 churches, all the while offering unceasing sacrificial service for over thirty-three years.
“Looking over his life we can see the astounding ministry of Archbishop Anastasios within East Africa, Albania, as a scholar and mission thinker in so many ways. His words and wisdom play back in our ears, His exhortations exemplified in quotations such as this: ‘Church without mission is a contradiction in terms. . . if the Church is indifferent to the apostolic work with which she has been entrusted, she denies herself, contradicts herself and her essence, and is a traitor in the warfare in which she is engaged. A static Church which lacks a vision and a constant endeavor to proclaim the Gospel to the oikoumene could hardly be recognized as the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church to whom the Lord entrusted the continuation of His work’” reflected Fr. Ritsi.
“In fact,” Fr. Ritsi continued “it was his vision that inspired the foundation of a missions movement within the Orthodox Church in the United States that the Mission Center evolved from. It has been an honor for the Mission Center to serve and partner with Archbishop Anastasios throughout the decades. His vision and example have left an indelible mark that will be carried on in the generations to come.”
The Divine Liturgy, funeral, and interment services for His Beatitude will occur on Thursday, January 30th at 11am in the Resurrection of Christ Cathedral in Tirana. The services will be presided over by the Locum Tenens of the Archiepiscopal Throne, His Eminence Joani, Metropolitan of Korca, and the members of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania.
Please join us in prayer with the faithful of the Church in Albania, and many around the world, as we pray for his repose and commemorate the life of Archbishop Anastasios. May His Memory be Eternal!
Source: Orthodox Christian Mission Center
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SCHISMATICS SEIZE ANOTHER CATHEDRAL IN UKRAINE
Kremenchuk, Poltava Province, Ukraine, December 30, 2024
Godless representatives of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine have seized another Orthodox cathedral, this time in Kremenchuk, Poltava Province.
“All of this happened with the tacit consent of law enforcement,” the Kremenchuk Diocese reports.
“They broke down the royal doors of the iconostasis and entered the altar; one of the OCU activists went through the doors and looked around inside, although according to Church canons, only priests and their assistants are allowed to enter the altar,” the diocese continues.
As is typical for them, the OCU members were aggressive, rude, and vulgar.
“These raiders, who don’t believe in God, are people who divide society and sow religious discord,” the diocese laments.
The whole process of seizing the church was led by Archimandrite Theodosy Ovcharuk, who, as an apostate from the Orthodox Church, has been banned from serving.
“According to the Kremenchuk Diocese, among those who came to seize the church, there was not a single parishioner or person with any connection to the church.”
The parish community of the seized Holy Dormition Cathedral reported on Facebook that the physical seizure was prefaced by the illegal re-registration of the church in July. While the church has hundreds of active parishioners, a document with a mere 26 signatures of people having no relation to the church was submitted to the authorities, and on that basis the cathedral was taken away from the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
The church also writes about the state of the schismatic OCU in the area:
Not far from the Dormition Cathedral, there’s an OCU church that’s constantly closed, in a neglected state both outside and inside. The territory is unkempt, and dirty rags hang on the windows. Liturgies are held once a week, for some reason starting at 12:00, and there are no evening services at all. This is the liturgical life of the OCU raiders.
The Holy Dormition UOC religious community consists of several hundred parishioners, not 26 like in the OCU.
It’s clear why the OCU invaders want the Holy Dormition Cathedral. The OCU church needs maintenance, decoration, and improvements, but why do that when there’s a well-maintained UOC church across the railroad tracks? According to their logic, it’s better to take away the UOC community’s church than to do anything for their own church. Where you haven’t labored is always better. The UOC community has more parishioners, the church is in good condition, and services are held daily. Better to seize the UOC church so it can stand closed and people won’t have a place to pray, rather than develop their own OCU church.
From the actions of OCU supporters, one gets the impression that they’re driven only by envy. The OCU church is closed because people don’t attend it, so the UOC church must be closed too.
Doing anything themselves isn’t what OCU raiders are about—it’s better to take from others than to beautify their own.
Source: Orthochristian.org
12/30/2024
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