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Der Leiter des ukrainischen Staatsdienstes für Ethnopolitik und Gewissensfreiheit, Viktor Yelenskyj, hat Metropolit Kliment (Vetscherja) von Nyzhin und Erzbischof Silvestr (Stojtschev) von Bilohorod und Rektor der Kyjiwer Geistlichen Akademie der Ukrainischen Orthodoxen Kirche (UOK) getroffen. Das Treffen am 7. Juli fand auf Anfrage der Bischöfe statt, die dazu den Segen des Oberhaupts der UOK hatten. Sie legten ihre Sicht des Statuts der UOK, die sich im Mai 2022 als von der Russischen Orthodo…

During his visit to the Republic of Türkiye, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The Head of State briefed the Ecumenical Patriarch on the situation at the front and the recent crimes of the aggressor against Ukrainian civilians. The President thanked His All Holiness for his unwavering support of our country, prayers for peace, condemnation of aggression and crimes, comprehensive assistance to Ukrainians who suffered due to Russi…

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has submitted a draft law to the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) proposing rescheduling the celebration dates of three important holidays. Officially, the proposed new dates for celebrating Christmas, Ukrainian Statehood Day, and Defender of Ukraine Day are as follows. The document has been posted on the parliament's website, as reported by Gazeta.ua. The President suggests that Christmas be officially celebrated on December 25 (instead of January 7…

Reports emerged in the Georgian media last week that the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal throne of the Georgian Orthodox Church may have been poisoned. According to InterPressNews, medical analyses showed arsenic in the blood of His Eminence Metropolitan Shio of Senaki and Chkhorotsqu, who was appointed Locum Tenens by His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II in November 2017, meaning he would govern the Church in the event of the death of the Patriarch until a new Patriarch is elected. Archp…

The National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra" intends to digitize up to 12,000 cultural objects and 2,500 documents from the reserve's collections with the help of equipment provided by the American company "Digital Transitions." This was announced during a briefing attended by representatives of "Digital Transitions" and the administration of the National Reserve "Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra," as reported by Ukrinform. "The threats to cultural heritage have increased with the war. Therefore, there is a n…

The Albanian Orthodox Church is shocked and disappointed by the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s choice for bishop for its Albanian Diocese of America. Late last month, it was reported that Archimandrite Theophan (Koja), a native Albanian, formerly a priest of the Orthodox Church in America’s Romanian Episcopate, was elected by the Constantinople Holy Synod to replace Metropolitan Ilia (Katre), reposed in the Lord in October. However, according to the Albanian Church, Fr. Theophan is a “divisiv…

Die Synode der Evangelischen Kirche der Böhmischen Brüder (EKBB) stimmte in ihrer Sitzung vom 25.-27. Mai 2023 mit großer Mehrheit der Möglichkeit einer Segnung gleichgeschlechtlicher Paare zu, wenn diese es sich wünschen. Bisher lag die Entscheidung allein in der Verantwortung einzelner Pfarrerinnen und Pfarrer sowie der Gemeinden. Die Synode hielt fest, dass niemand gegen den eigenen Willen gezwungen ist, gleichgeschlechtliche Paare zu segnen. Die Synode war sich im Klaren darüber, dass die M…

In Estland fanden im Frühjahr 2023 intensive parlamentarische sowie gesellschaftliche Debatten über die Änderung der Familiengesetzgebung statt, die zwei volljährige Personen unabhängig vom Geschlecht das Heiraten ermöglichen sollte. Der Rat Estnischer Kirchen hat am 12. Juni 2023 eine Botschaft zur Unterstützung der klassischen Ehe veröffentlicht. Darin wird betont, dass es keine Beispiele in der Heiligen Schrift gebe, die darauf hindeuteten, dass gleichgeschlechtliche Partnerschaften als Eh…

The Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church issued a short statement last month, calling on its hierarchs and clergy to refrain from political speeches or activities. To do so openly contradicts Holy Tradition and the sacred canons, the Synod writes. The hierarchs especially note that there has been problematic activity on social networks. The Synod’s statement reads: "...do not take pleasure in listening to gossip or criticisms, or the calumnies, which some people spread about their brethre…