News
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Piligrimage to Greece and Constantinople
12:47 AM
With the blessing of His Eminence, Archbishop Gabriel.
Dear brothers and sisters!
The registration for the pilgrimage to Greece and Constantinople from 7 to 21 of May, 2012, is open.
The program includes:
- Athens, places where St. Paul preached.
- Evia island, visit to the church of St. John the Russian.
- Patras, the place where the relics of St. Andrew the First Called are kept.
- The island of Patmos, where in the cave the Revelation of God was given to the beloved disciple of Christ, St. John the Theologian.
- Meteora, with the visits to many mountain monasteries.
- The island of Corfu, Liturgy in the church of St. Spyridon of Trimythous.
- Thessaloniki, visit to the church of holy great martyr Dimitrios of Thessalonica.
- Constantinople, visit to the church of St. Sophia, centre of the Byzantine empire.
And much more.
The cost of the entire trip is $3290, including airfare, stay in hotel rooms (2 or 3 person per room), 2 meals a day, tour bus, ferries, orthodox guide and museum tickets.
In order to register, and for additional information, please, contact Alexander at (416) 650-1367.
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Upcoming piligrimage for children to St. Petersburg, Russia
12:44 AM
With the blessing of His Eminence, Archbishop Gabriel.
At the Holy Trinity cathedral in Toronto, registration is open for children for the pilgrimage trip to St. Petersburg set for 11 through the 18 March, 2012, during the spring break. The pilgrimage is organized and headed by Mitred Protopriest Vladimir Malchenko.
The program includes the visit to St. Peter and Paul fortress, the Hermitage, St. Alexander Nevski Lavra, St. Isaac’s cathedral, the church of the Saviour-on-the-blood, Kazan cathedral, the Russian museum, Smolensk cemetery and the chapel of Blessed Xenia, St. John’s convent where the relics of St. John of Kronstadt rest.
There will also be trips to Tsarskoye Selo and Peterhoff with the visits to Catherine’s and Alexander’s palaces, Theodore’s emperors cathedral, Peter palace.The entire cost of the trip for the children 12 and up, parents and teachers – $1,680.00. Children age 11 and under get a discount.
The cost of the trip includes:
* Airfare Toronto – St. Petersburg – Toronto
* Tourbus for the entire trip
* Orthodox tour guide for the entire trip
* Logding in a comfortable Pilgrim’s home on the monastery territory
* Two meals per day
* Tickets to all museums and excursionsTo register and in order to get additional information, please, contact Alexander at (416) 650-1367.
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Nativity epistle of His Eminence, Archbishop Gabriel
03:21 PM
To the Clergy & the Whole Divinely Saved Flock of the Diocese of Montréal & Canada
Beloved brethren and sisters,Again we have been accounted worthy to live to see the great feast of the Nativity of Christ. The Lord came to us through the immaculate Virgin, He “appeared on earth and dwelt among men,” as the Prophet Baruch foretold (3:38); and after him the Prophet Haggai revealed to the people that He Whom all nations were awaiting would come to the temple of Jerusalem (2: 7).
The events of the Nativity took place more than twenty centuries ago, yet every year throughout these sacred days is repeated the clear experience of this joy, of that yearning of men’s souls for heaven which the witnesses of the events of Bethlehem—the all-holy Virgin Mary, the righteous Joseph, the shepherds and the magi—felt.
Yet what should we today, in our times, do to join the jubilant witnesses of the Nativity of Christ who cry out to us over two millennia: “Come, let us rejoice in the Lord!”? To this we find the answer in a sermon of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), the founder of the Russian Church Abroad: “Two groups of ordinary people were vouchsafed to worship Him and receive the grace of His coming, and we are fully able to imitate them, if only by acquiring the joy of sharing in their compunctionate homage before the manger, the dwelling-place of Christ. The shepherds kept watch through the cold night, carrying out their duties; but they forsook their customary tasks, for after the revelation of the angel “they came with haste” (Lk. 2: 16) to Bethlehem, where there awaited them not the sight of scepters and thrones, but, as we read in the canon of the Nativity, “utter poverty. What is more base than the cave? What is more lowly that the swaddling-bands wherein the richness of Thy divinity shone forth?” (Nativity Canon).
And His Beatitude exclaims: “Brethren, let us also tear ourselves away from our concerns, if only on this sacred and grace-filled day, that we may worship the Newborn with faith!”
“… Even if sin has brought you down into bestial passions and lusts, even if you are compelled by your conscience to apply to yourself the prophet’s rebuke: ‘ Man, being in honor, did not understand; he is compared to the mindless cattle, and is become like unto them ‘ (Ps. 48: 13), even then you must not despair of the condescension of your Savior, Who, not having disdained to lie in a manger, does not disdain to rest in the manger of your soul in His grace and his peace,” Saint Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, once said.
Thus, beloved brethren and sisters, the Nativity of Christ is a feast of great joy, but also of the great humility that the divine Infant, the Lord Himself, shows us. Let us be mindful of this during these festive days, for Christ Who is now born has promised His disciples—that is, you and me: ” I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you” (Jn. 16: 22).
CHRIST IS BORN! GLORIFY HIM!
GABRIEL
Archbishop of Montreal & CanadaNativity of Christ, 2012
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Annual St. Herman’s youth conference was held in Ottawa
02:55 PM
Recently, from the 24th through the 26 of December, 2011, annual St. Herman’s youth conference was held in Ottawa, the capital of Canada. Participants from the east coast of the United States and from all of Canada gathered under the protection of two wonderworking icons of the Mother of God: Kursk-Root of the Sign and the myrrh-streaming Iveron, from Hawai.
His Eminence, the Very Most Reverend Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Church Abroad and His Eminence, the Very Most Reverend Gabriel, Archbishop of Montreal and Canada presided over the divine services and took active part in the work of the conference. The services in Ottawa’s Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos parish were made beautiful by the even and tender singing of the youth choir, directed by several talented conductors.
Lectures were given by priest Viatcheslav Davidenko (Toronto, Ontario), priest Sergei Sveshnikov (Mulino, Oregon), and Nicholas Chapman (Jordanville, New York). For closer contact and fellowship with the youth workgroup discussion were organized.
During the last day there was a guided tour of the Parliament building along with a trip to downtown. The conference concluded with the talent show.
We offer you the photos of matushka Alexandra Platonow-Metni
St. Herman’s conference, Ottawa, 2011 -
St. Nicholas’ cathedral was visited by the wonderworking myrrh-streaming Hawai Iveron icon of the Mother of God
01:19 PM
Please, see the photos by matushka Alexandra Platonow-Metni.
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Parish feast at the St. Nicholas cathedral
12:13 PM
Please, see the photos by matushka Alexandra Platonow-Metni.
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11/24 November – “Iveron – Myrrhstreaming” (Montreal) Icon of the Mother of God
12:00 AM
Montreal Iveron icon was painted on Athos in 1981 by a Greek monk, who copied the original icon of the Mother of God Keeper of the Portal. In 1982, this icon was brought from Mount Athos to Montreal (Canada) by Joseph Muños-Cortez, of Spanish decent, who converted to Orthodoxy.
“On 24 November, at 3:00 AM, I woke up because of a strong fragrance. Initially, I thought that it emanates from the relics, or from a spilt bottle of perfume, but, having approached the icon, I was amazed: it was all covered by fragrant myrrh! I was motionless in place on account of such miracle!” – brother Jose related later on.
Soon the myrrhstreaming icon was taken to the church. Since then, the icon of the Mother of God streamed myrrh continuously, with the exception of Holy Weeks. It is notable, that the myrrh flowed mainly from the hands of the Mother of God and Christ, and also from the star, on the right shoulder of the Most Pure One. At the same time, the back side of the icon was always dry.
The wonderworking icon visited North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, Bulgaria, and Western Europe. Everywhere, throughout its travels it spread love and harmony, as for example in one parish, where all those gathered once again found a way toward prayer and church unity. Its presence intensified the fervor of prayer to such and extent, that Liturgies, served with it in church could be compared to those of Pascha, that are so fervent in the Orthodox Church.
Many counts of people coming back to church, confession, and communion are known. Thus, one woman, having learned of the death of her son, prepared to take her own life, but, touched to the depths of her soul at the sight of the wonderworking icon, she repented of her awful intention and immediately confessed.
The icon streamed myrrh for 15 years. On the night of 31 October, 1997, the keeper of the icon, Joseph Muños-Cortez, was brutally murdered in Athens, Greece, while the Wonderworking Iveron Icon disappeared without a trace…
The icon appeared soon after the glorification of the New Martyrs of Russia, the Holy Royal Martyrs, it appeared in the place where the martyrs were first glorified, in the fold of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, in the Russian Diaspora… It also appeared to us on the eve of the changes in the entire realm of Historical Russia.
Evermemorable brother Jose quoted the words of a certain pious maiden in this regard: “Myrrhbearing women came to anoint the Body of Christ before His Resurrection. Like unto them, the Mother of God today anoints the Russian People, foreshadowing the resurrection of Russia.”
In the last years of his life, brother Jose always thought that the Icon, of which he was the keeper, would have to visit Russia soon. At the same time, he repeated several times that the Icon cannot come to Russia secretly, “over the fence”, “through the back door.” It should enter the Fatherland by the main gates, with a solemn celebration, so that the entire orthodox Russia could make a prostration to the ground before the Most Pure One. The meeting of the Keeper of the Portal, Who would have returned to Her Own Home, could have marked the beginning of the church unity…
However, the Lord judged things to be different.
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Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos in Ottawa
04:16 PM
This year the Protection of the Mother of God Parish in Ottawa celebrated its parish feast on the 15th and 16th of October. His Eminence, Archbishop Gabriel presided over the services, assisted by the rector of the parish, Fr. Stelian Liabotis, the second priest Fr. Alexis Pjawka, and the parish Protodeacon Fr. Vasily Milonow. Fr. Peter Perekrestov from San Francisco also served. The choir sang under the direction of the Reader Elias Dubelsten.
A moleben and procession took place after the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy. In his congratulatory remarks, Vladyka Gabriel congratulated the rector, clergy and parishioners with the feast day.
After the service, everyone was invited to the parish hall to a festive lunch prepared by the sisterhood.
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St. Herman’s youth conference
09:30 PM
ENCYCLICAL
To All the Reverend Rectors of the Montreal & Canadian Diocese
DIRECTIVE
This year, the St Herman’s Youth conference will be held, with God’s help, at the Protection of the Holy Virgin Memorial Church, Ottawa, Canada. Please, remember, that the St Herman’s youth conference for more then three decades continues it’s mission to provide a rare opportunity for all of our Orthodox youth to meet together, to become acquainted, to participate in group discussions and to listen to lectures of a purely Orthodox character, and finally and most importantly, to prepare for and receive communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ on the feast day of St Herman, 12/25 December.
The St Herman’s committee which is undertaking the organization of the conference is working very hard to contain the costs of attending these conference to a minimum. As always, the outlays for food and lodging are the highest. For this reason we are appealing to each parish to make this conference accessible to as many of our Orthodox youth as possible.
In connection with this, I urgently request that all the reverend rectors take up a special collection on Sunday, November 7/20 of this year in our parishes at the end of the Divine Liturgy to help defray the costs of organizing this conference. I would also ask that this be announced from the amvon prior to the collection taking place.
The funds collected will help to cover the expenses of the conference and will also be used to make it possible for the St Herman’s organizing committee to assist young people from families of limited means.
It is also asked of each parish to sponsor al least one representative from amongst the youth – to take part in the St. Herman’s Conference.
I thank you in advance for your support. Please do not forget that our youth is our future. We must support it!
Please send cheques to:
St. Herman’s Youth Conference
c/o Rev. George Lagodich
6738 32 Ave
Montreal, QC H1T 3C9Gabriel
Archbishop of Montreal and Canada
October 11/24, 2011
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Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos
11:04 PM
We apologize: this material is unavailable in English at this time.
