Oblate Program at Belmont Abbey, NC

Tag: orthodox church

Ever heard of the Orthodox rosary called a “komboskini” or “prayer rope”?

Tradition attributes to St. Pachomius the invention of the prayer rope (a loop, usually made either of virgin wool — symbol of the purity of the Lamb of God — or of silk threads, braided with knots) back in the 4th century, making this devotional accessory as old as monasticism itself. When monks and anchorites began to… Read More ›

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West Bank town takes pride in links to St. Nicholas, celebrates Dec. 19

BEIT JALLA, West Bank (CNS) — Bethlehem might have the Church of the Nativity, but residents of this largely Christian town adjacent to Bethlehem say they have St. Nicholas. “People believe he is the protector of the city,” said Father Faysal Hijazen, parish priest of the Church of the Annunciation. “In all of the Christian… Read More ›

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Our Lady in Eygpt

On April 2nd, 1968, two Muslim mechanics worked late into the evening at a garage across the street from St. Mary’s, a Coptic Orthodox Church in the poor community of Zeitoun. A few women were on the street at the time, but little else was happening. Some sudden movement on the Church’s dome caught the… Read More ›

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Egyptian patriarch calls recent violence a ‘war’ on terrorism

Alexandria, Egypt, Aug 19, 2013 / 05:08 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The head of the Coptic Catholic Church has expressed solidarity with other Egyptians over the wave of violence that has struck the country, bluntly calling the events a struggle against terrorist forces. Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sidrak of Alexandria said that “out of love for our… Read More ›

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“Rosary” of St. Seraphim of Sarov, appears to be older than the Latin Rosary

Some people have asked why the Orthodox don’t pray the Rosary as Roman Catholics and some other non-Orthodox do. Others object to Orthodox praying the Rosary since, in their view, this is not an Orthodox devotion, but peculiar to Roman Catholicism. In hope of shedding some light on the subject, we publish the following letter of Father Alexander Gumanovsky,… Read More ›

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Benedict XVI urges intense prayer for Catholic-Orthodox talks

Vatican City, Sep 22, 2010 / 09:52 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Pope called the faithful to a greater commitment to Christian unity during Wednesday’s audience. The “peace and harmony” of Christians, he said, shows the world an “authentic” witness to the Gospel message. At the end of Wednesday morning’s audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope… Read More ›

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Patriarch of Constantinople’s new encyclical defends Catholic-Orthodox dialogue

Istanbul, Turkey, Feb 20, 2010 / 06:14 pm (CNA).- Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople’s newest encyclical encourages dialogue between the Orthodox Church and other Christian churches and laments those who are “unacceptably fanatical” in challenging such dialogue. He specifically condemned the false rumors spread about Catholic-Orthodox dialogue. Patriarch Bartholomew’s patriarchal and synodal encyclical was dated Feb…. Read More ›

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New Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch

As a general rule the website is generally not going to be used for posting news. But this story is an attention-getter, particularly for those who read the book or saw the movie, Shoes of the Fisherman. If you remember, the Pope elected in the story was Kirill the I, the same name as the… Read More ›

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