Tag: Ecumenical Patriarchate

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Lest We Forget Halki 1971 – 2021

The Patriarchal Theological School of Halki

This new year is one of promise and expectation, yet it marks a sad but significant anniversary of which we faithful should always be cognizant.  This year is the 50th anniversary of the tragic closure of the historic and renown Patriarchal Theological School of Halki . As an Archon of the Great Church,  I deeply feel that we Orthodox Christians should be aware of the impact of this tragic attack on Religious Liberty.  Most especially at this time. after the unlawful conversion into a mosque of the Great Cathedral of Hagia Sophia and the historic Church of Our Saviour in Chora by the Turkish government, we need to educate ourselves. Our school of Halki has been educating Orthodox  clergy since 1844, yet it remains closed by order of the Turkish authorities. Below please find an excellent paper by Archon Elias Damianakis, the celebrated iconographer. Please take a few minutes to educate yourselves. Tell the story and support the reopening of our school as a matter of Religious Freedom with letters to your elected officials. God Bless and  Happy New Year…..Fr. George

HALKI 1971 2021

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Hagia Sophia.

May the Christ and the Theotokos always protect our Holy Church

On September 1st. Dumbarton Oaks presented a beautiful and interesting webinar on Hagia Sophia. This is a link to watch it. I hope you enjoy it. Always pray that Our Lord, the Holy Wisdom of God, and the Theotokos, the Protectress of the Queen City, keep this our Church under the shelter of their blessings.

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God Save Your Church!!

    • Icons of the Church of Our Saviour of Chora

    The Holy Church of Our Saviour in the Country(Chora) – ἡ Ἐκκλησία τοῦ Ἁγίου Σωτῆρος ἐν τῇ Χώρᾳ, is one of the greatest churches and monastery complexes of Constantinople. Originally build by St. Constantine the Great and continually rebuilt and adorned from the 4th to the 14th centuries, it falls victim to the tyrannical whims of a present day dictator. All these sacred icons and more are now to be desecrated by the decree of the Turkish government. It is being established as a mosque. These steps are part of a continuous attack on the Orthodox Christian legacy of Byzantium. If you wish to be inspired by the other priceless great icons of the Church link to https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=images+and+Icons+of+Chora+Church&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

    This current persecution comes only one month after the Blessed Hagia Sophia was opened as a mosque. Let us pray most especially for Our Patriarch and the Patriarchate because these calculated moves are a direct attack on its position in Constantinople. Please take the time and write our elected representatives decrying the lack of Religious Freedom in Turkey. As an Archon of the Great Church, I urge you to stand with us to protect our Church. This effort can be assisted by educating yourself and signing a petition at: https://www.archons.org

    God Bless….dn. g

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