(AOB) - The Secretariat of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America held its annual "face-to-face" meeting, January 24th and 25th, 2012. The hosts for this year's "face-to-face" meeting were Father Josiah Trenham and the congregation of St Andrew Church in Riverside, CA. An overview of the work accomplished at the Riverside meeting will be included in a soon-to-be issued media release which will report to the Church-at-large on the work of the Assembly during the past year.

The Secretariat, which also meets monthly via teleconference, consists of Bishop Basil (Secretary of the Assembly of Bishops), Archbishop Antony, Bishop Andonios, Bishop Maxim, Father Mark Arey, Father Nicholas Ceko, Father Josiah Trenham, Hierodeacon Benedict (Armitage), Protodeacon Peter Danilchick, and Messrs. Alexei Krindatch, Alex Machaskee, Eric Namee and Constantin Ursache.

(OCA) - The Huffington Ecumenical Institute, in collaboration with the Henry Luce Foundation, will host its annual symposium, “Pan-Orthodoxy in North America: Towards a Local Church,” at Loyola Marymount University here March 16-17, 2012.

A variety of presentations by Orthodox Christian and Catholic experts will explore the “complex mosaic of historical circumstances, struggles for self-identity, and intriguing people” that make up Orthodox Christianity in North America.

The symposium will be held at University Hall 1000, Ahmanson Auditorium, Loyola Marymount University. Friday’s program begins at 9:00 a.m., while Saturday’s program opens at 9:30 a.m. Each days’ presentations will conclude at 5:00 p.m. Lunch and refreshments will be provided each day.

While there is no charge to attend the symposium, advanced registration is strictly required. To register and/or to obtain additional informaton, visit http://bellarmine.lmu.edu/ecumenical/pan-orthodoxy.

Questions may be directed to Katherine Lash at hei@lmu.edu; 310-338-1917.

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 25, 2012, (LifeSiteNews.com) – At a religious event often dominated by massive presence of Roman Catholics, members of the Eastern Orthodox Church played a more visible role in this year’s March for Life than ever before. For the first time, the opening prayer in front of the Supreme Court was offered by His Eminence Jonah (Paffhausen), Metropolitan of All America and Canada for the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), as well as Roman Catholic prelates Daniel Cardinal DiNardo and Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan.

“We are of one heart and one purpose,” he said as he chanted a litany of life before hundreds of thousands of marchers.

The Metropolitan was joined by several of his brother bishops, including Bp. Melchizedek of Pittsburgh, Bp. Matthias of Chicago, and Bp. Michael of New York. At least 15 priests were in his company alone. Several individual representatives of the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, and Antiochian Orthodox Churches also participated.

Fr. Chad Hatfield, chancellor of St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary in Syosset, New York, estimated more than 100 Orthodox Christians came with his group. St. Tikhon’s Seminary in Pennsylvania also brought students to participate in the church’s public ministry.

“The nation should respect life from conception until the moment the person naturally takes his last breath,” Met. Jonah told LifeSiteNews.com. The Orthodox Christian Church, the world’s second largest Christian denomination, dogmatically teaches that life begins at conception and that abortion is a grave sin.

He said throughout the year the faithful should remind women who have had an abortion “that forgiveness and healing are available to them. They should support ministries that care for pregnant women by, for instance, founding crisis pregnancy centers. That is the kind of ministry that will bring an end to abortion in this nation,” he said.

He instructed parishes of the OCA to insert prayers for the end of abortion into one of the church’s litanies on January 22, which the OCA proclaimed “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.”

Fr. Chad Hatfield told LifeSiteNews.com said he had only one disappointment. “I hope next year we have a greater participation from other Orthodox jurisdictions,” he said, particularly other bishops.

Wonderful news. These books used to be somewhat hard to order and pay for. A good reminder for me to get started on these with my son.

(EOCS) - The EOCS has been hard at work updating the award booklets & course requirements for the Chi-Ro,  St. George, and Alpha-Omega Awards.

They are now available online FREE to download here.

(Salvo Magazine) - Many brainwashed Christian kids aren’t getting a clear picture of what their lives will be like as openly conservative religious adults. They don’t fully realize that their objections and concerns will be shouted down and that they’ll be ridiculed and bullied in the public square—called hater and bigot and anti-science no matter what they say or do. So let’s show them what their parents’ lives are like now, so they know what the future has in store for them if they remain Christians.

::: THE PLEDGE :::

No one deserves to be respected for having a Christian point of view or any other perspective that doesn’t fully embrace the gay ideology and abortion rights. To this end, I pledge to squash any religious ideas in children by giving them a taste of the public shaming and vitriol they will receive as God-fearing adults. I’ll shout down anyone who tries to stand up for traditional morals at school and at work—and I’ll encourage my friends, family, and neighbors to do the same. I’ll provide hopelessness to religiously minded youth by letting them know at a young age that “It’ll Get Worse.”

(UOC-USA) - Monday, January 23, 2012 marks the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that removed many state and federal restrictions on abortion.

Every year, thousands gather in the District of Columbia, the nation’s capitol in Washington, DC for the annual March for Life. It’s been deemed the largest and longest-running peaceful human rights demonstration for the unborn, with more than 100,000 in attendance.

As marchers gathered in Washington, D.C., for the March for Life, pro-life marches and commemorations around the country have already taken place in solidarity with the main event. Many were held on Saturday and a few Sunday, while others took place the week before.

The Orthodox Christian Clergy Association of Greater Chicago sponsored and hosted the 4th Annual Prayer Vigil for Life on Sunday, January 22, 2012 at Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church in Westchester, IL with His Grace Bishop Demetrios, a chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago delivering a key-note address, titled “Executing Death”.

Clergy and parishioners of almost very Orthodox parish in Chicago Metropolitan area attended the Prayer Vigil. Representing the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA were His Grace Bishop Daniel, the Ruling Hierarch of the Western Eparchy of the UOC of the USA, accompanied by Archimadrite Pankratiy of St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral in Chicago, IL; Rev. Fr. Vasyl Sendeha and Deacon John Charest of Sts Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox parish in Palos Park, IL, and Subdeacon Vasyl Pasakas of St. Sophia Ukrainian Orthodox Theological Seminary.

The prayers were unspeakably beautiful, in large part due to the parish Chorus, who lead the chanting of a number of Psalms and singing responses in all of the languages of the various Orthodox jurisdiction of Chicago metropolitan area. His Grace Bishop Daniel delivered a prayer during the Vigil, stating: “...Seeking to fulfill Your teaching o Lord, we as Your followers, turn to You in fervent prayer on this “Sanctity of Life Sunday”. O God, Who knows each of us from our mother’s womb, protect the fragile lives of our unborn little brothers and sisters, granting blessed repose to those whose tiny lives were terminated, as well as repentance and forgiveness to those who have participated in their termination… O Life-Giving Christ, the Prince of peace, through the intercession of our Holy Mother, the Birth-Giver of God and all he Saints, grant us and all people the will to treat life as sacred. By protecting the Sanctity of Life, may we ever more glorify You, its Source – together with your eternal Father and Your all-Holy Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.”

It had to be that the year I move away from Texas for studies is the year they hold this conference in my hometown. Thankfully, AFR has supplied us with a comprehensive podcast of the event.

(AFR) - This year, the Missions and Evangelism Department of the Antiochian Archdiocese teamed with North Texas Orthodox Missions for a joint conference held in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. The speakers were Fr. Joseph Huneycutt, Fr. Evan Armatas, and Fr. Peter Gillquist. The dates were January 20-21, 2012. The conference was dedicated to the memory of His Eminence, Archbishop Dmitri.

(ROC) - On 21 January 2012, in the Hall of Church Councils of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia officiated at the ceremony of awarding the prize ‘For the Outstanding Activity in Strengthening Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations and for Consolidation and Promotion of Christian Values in the Life of Society” named after His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II.

The prizes of the International Foundation for the Unity of Orthodox Christian Nations (IFUOCN) are awarded annually to the heads of states, governments and parliaments, Primates of the Orthodox Churches, and major public figures for their contribution to the strengthening of economic and political ties among the states formed in the context of Eastern Christian tradition and for the consolidation of noble standards of Christian morals in the life of Orthodox community.

The IFUOCN-2011 prize-winners are His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa; Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian National Authority; and Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic.

Attending the ceremony were Metropolitan Varsonofiy of Saransk and Mordovia, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations (DECR); Metropolitan Athanasios of Kyrenaika, representative of the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Archbishop Nifon of Philippopolis, representative of the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Archbishop Arseniy of Istra; Bishop Sergiy of Solnechnogorsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administrative Secretariat; Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Finance and Economics Management; archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, chairman of the Synodal Department for Church-State Relations; archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR deputy chairman; archpriest Mikhail Ryazantsev, sacristan of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour; members of the delegation of the Orthodox Church of Alexandria; Mikhail Bogdanov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Mufti Albir Krganov, first deputy chairman of the Central Spiritual Boards of Muslims of Russia; ambassador of the Arab and Balkan states accredited in Russia; members of the delegation of the Palestinian National Administration; and many guests.

(WYTV) - Each year, the Orthodox church commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by holding a special Blessing of Water service.

Local Orthodox churches gathered in Hermitage on Sunday to bless the Shenango River in celebration of the Epiphany holiday.

The service dates back to the 6th century, and consists of Scripture readings, hymns and prayers. Orthodox believers throughout the world take part in the celebration.

"The idea is that through Christ's baptism all creation is blessed. That He came not just to save man, to save fallen man, to save sinners, but to re sanctify the whole creation. To give it a new genesis--a new descent of the Holy Spirit.", explained Father Calinic Berger, a priest at the Romanian Orthodox Church.

This is the first time that the Blessing of Water was celebrated for the Shenango River.

A prayer from the blog Opuscula Theologica:

Most blessed Lord Jesus Christ, send the grace of Thy Holy Spirit upon me, to strengthen me that I may learn well the things I am about to study, and by them become a better person for Thy glory, for the welfare of my family, and for the benefit of Thy Holy Church. Let this knowledge not make me boastful, but rather sanctify my mind by Thy deifying grace. Through my studies, teach me to acquire humility, a peaceful mind and a prayerful heart. This I ask of Thee through the prayers of Thy most Pure Mother, our Lady the Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary; of our holy and godbearing Fathers; of Saint Tatiana of Rome and Saint Sergius of Radonezh, and of all the saints who from the ages have been pleasing unto Thee. Amen.

(AINA) - A Muslim mob attacked Copts today in the Upper Egyptian village of Rahmaniya-Kebly, Nag Hammadi, Qena province, destroying and torching their homes, straw huts and shops, while chanting Allahu Akbar. No one was reported killed or injured (video). According to reports, security forces were present but did not intervene and the fire brigade arrived 90 minutes late.

An eye-witness said that a straw hut belonging to a Copt was torched to clear the area for a mosque. There are more than 300 mosques in the village and one church.

According to Coptic residents, the reason behind the violence was the parliamentary elections. The Salafists wanted to prevent Copts, who number more than 50% of the inhabitants (20,000), from voting because they intended to vote for two moderate Muslims and not the Salafi candidates. "No Copt from Rahmaniya-Kebly was able to vote today, so the Salafists will win the elections," said a witness. Copts were forcefully prevented from voting.

US-based WAY TV, which covered live today's Rahmaniya attacks, called commander Osama, head of security at Rahmaniya, who said "everything was OK" -- despite live pictures on TV of the burning homes. Joseph Nasralla of WAY TV spoke to security and made them aware that the videos of the fires were being broadcast in the U.S. and Middle East, which caused the immediate dispatch of security vehicles. By late evening the violence had stopped.

In another incident today, a large number of Salafis and members of the Muslim Brotherhood entered the Abu Makka church, in Bahteem, Shubra-el-Khayma, Qaliubia province, and informed the congregation that the church has no licence and no one should pray in it. One Muslim said the 1300 square meter church would be suitable for a mosque and a hospital.

Bishop Marcus of Shubra el Khayma was scheduled to inaugurate the incomplete church and celebrate the Epiphany mass in the evening. According to Coptic witnesses the Bishop cancelled the festivities, which angered the congregation, who were not informed of the reason. A witness said the Muslim promised to be back tomorrow.

(Syrian Orthodox) - On Tuesday, January 17, members of the Standing Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Churches met at the Archdiocesan offices in Teaneck, NJ for their biannual meeting. His Eminence Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim welcomed the participant hierarchs and clergy on behalf of Eastern Archdiocese. His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church, chaired the meeting the meeting was also attended by His Eminence Archbishop Mor Titus Eldho, of the Malankara Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church and His Eminence Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, the Ecumenical Director of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church, as well as, clergy representing the Coptic and the Ethiopian Orthodox Churches.

The meeting began with a short morning prayer. Discussion topics included plans being made for a youth retreat to be hosted by the Syrian Orthodox Church and possible daylong regional meetings of Oriental Orthodox clergy.

Participants also spoke about their respective Christian education programs and reviewed the Oriental Orthodox Concelebration of the Divine Liturgy held last November at the Coptic Orthodox Church of Archangel Michael and St. Mena in Staten Island, NY. Next year’s concelebration will be hosted by St. Leon Armenian Church of Fair Lawn, NJ.

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, the Eastern Diocese’s Ecumenical Director, and Archbishop Karim spoke about the participation of Oriental Orthodox churches in the Christian Churches Together organization and presented updates on the ongoing dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church. Turning to developments overseas, participants discussed the situation of Copts in Egypt and Christians in Syria.

The Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan gave a presentation on the new website of the Standing Conference of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. Click here to visit the website for news and information about the organization.

In addition to Archbishop Karim, Very Rev. Fr. Shamoun Asmar, Rev. Fr. Aziz Hadodo and Rev. Fr. Joseph Chamoun were also present.

The meeting continued over lunch prepared by the Ladies Auxiliary of St. Mark’s Cathedral.