Total Pageviews

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Michael's List- Annunciation/Evangelismos Commemorated; Greek Independence Day, Celebrated: Archbishop Demetrios, Obama, State Department, AHEPA



The Annunciation of our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary. The Feast of the Annunciation is one of the earliest Christian feasts, and was already being celebrated in the fourth century. There is a painting of the Annunciation in the catacomb of Priscilla in Rome dating from the second century. The Council of Toledo in 656 mentions the Feast, and the Council in Trullo in 692 says that the Annunciation was celebrated during Great Lent. The Greek and Slavonic names for the Feast may be translated as "good tidings." This, of course, refers to the Incarnation of the Son of God and the salvation He brings. The background of the Annunciation is found in the Gospel of St Luke (1:26-38). The troparion describes this as the "beginning of our salvation, and the revelation of the eternal mystery," for on this day the Son of God became the Son of Man. There are two main components to the Annunciation: the message itself, and the response of the Virgin. The message fulfills God's promise to send a Redeemer (Genesis 3:15): "I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed; he shall crush your head, and you shall lie in wait for his heel." The Fathers of the Church understand "her seed" to refer to Christ. The prophets hinted at His coming, which they saw dimly, but the Archangel Gabriel now proclaims that the promise is about to be fulfilled. We see this echoed in the Liturgy of St Basil, as well: "When man disobeyed Thee, the only true God who had created him, and was deceived by the guile of the serpent, becoming subject to death by his own transgressions, Thou, O God, in Thy righteous judgment, didst send him forth from Paradise into this world, returning him to the earth from which he was taken, yet providing for him the salvation of regeneration in Thy Christ Himself." The Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to Nazareth in Galilee. There he spoke to the undefiled Virgin who was betrothed to St Joseph: "Hail, thou who art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." In contrast to Eve, who was readily deceived by the serpent, the Virgin did not immediately accept the Angel's message. In her humility, she did not think she was deserving of such words, but was actually troubled by them. The fact that she asked for an explanation reveals her sobriety and prudence. She did not disbelieve the words of the angel, but could not understand how they would be fulfilled, for they spoke of something which was beyond nature. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" (Luke 1:34). "And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: therefore also that which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.' And Mary said, 'Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.' And the angel departed from her" (Luke 1: 35-38)." In his Sermon 23 on the day of the Annunciation, St Philaret of Moscow boldly stated that "the word of the creature brought the Creator down into the world." He explains that salvation is not merely an act of God's will, but also involves the Virgin's free will. She could have refused, but she accepted God's will and chose to cooperate without complaint or further questions. The icon of the Feast shows the Archangel with a staff in his left hand, indicating his role as a messenger. Sometimes one wing is upraised, as if to show his swift descent from heaven. His right hand is stretched toward the holy Virgin as he delivers his message. The Virgin is depicted either standing or sitting, usually holding yarn in her left hand. Sometimes she is shown holding a scroll. Her right hand may be raised to indicate her surprise at the message she is hearing. Her head is bowed, showing her consent and obedience. The descent of the Holy Spirit upon her is depicted by a ray of light issuing from a small sphere at the top of the icon, which symbolizes heaven. In a famous icon from Sinai, a white dove is shown in the ray of light. There are several famous icons of the Annunciation. One is in the Moscow Kremlin in the church of the Annunciation. This icon appeared in connection with the rescue of a prisoner by the Mother of God during the reign of Ivan the Terrible. Another is to be found in the Dormition Cathedral in Moscow (July 8). It was originally located in Ustiug, and was the icon before which St Procopius the fool (July 8) prayed to save the city from destruction in 1290. One of the most highly revered icons in Greece is the Tinos icon of the Annunciation (January 30). The Annunciation falls during Lent, but it is always celebrated with great joy. The Liturgy of St Basil or St John Chrysostom is served, even on the weekdays of Lent. It is one of the two days of Great Lent on which the fast is relaxed and fish is permitted (Palm Sunday is the other).


March 25, 2010, Feast of the Annunciation, Day of Greek Independence. To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, the Reverend Priests and Deacons, the Monks and Nuns, the Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils of the Greek Orthodox Communities, the Distinguished Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Day, Afternoon, and Church Schools, the Philoptochos Sisterhoods, the Youth, the Hellenic Organizations, and the entire Greek Orthodox Family in America. Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation of our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary chanting these words, “Today is the crowning of our salvation and the revelation of the mystery that is from all ages.” In the Announcement of the Archangel Gabriel to the Theotokos, God offered His divine plan for our salvation. In the same event the nature and purpose of the message of the Gospel was made known. God’s grace and the means of salvation were revealed, the good news was proclaimed by His messenger, and the hearer and receiver of the Word of God responded in faith. The event of the Annunciation was foundational for the Gospel, a message of God’s love that would be carried to the ends of the earth. The means for our salvation through the Incarnation of the Son of God had been established before all ages. The time of the revelation had come, and God chose the recipient of this divine blessing and sent the heavenly messenger to her so that all humanity would know of His grace. This act of God towards us and for our salvation defines the Gospel. The Gospel is the Evangelismos, the annunciation of the “good news” of God’s love and the path of restoration to life and eternal communion with Him. The will of God was joyfully announced by the Archangel Gabriel. The role of the messenger presents us with a second aspect of the Gospel that is celebrated in this Feast of Evangelismos. The Gospel is and must be proclaimed. It is shared by those who are sent to offer to all the saving message of God. Jesus proclaimed that He was the fulfillment of the message of salvation (Luke 4:19). The Apostles were commissioned to go to all the nations and to preach the Gospel and teach what Christ had taught them (Matthew 28:18-20). All who receive the Holy Spirit are called to be witnesses of Christ throughout the entire world (Acts 1:8). For the Gospel to be received it must be heard. For it to be heard it must be proclaimed. For it to be proclaimed, we must be willing to share the Gospel through both word and deed. The Feast of the Annunciation is a significant day in our spiritual heritage. This is also a day upon which we observe an important commemoration of our cultural heritage, the Day of Greek Independence. As both our spiritual and cultural heritage are joined together in our Hellenic identity, so this sacred feast of the Church and this day of remembrance and celebration of freedom are linked in a very unique way. The Gospel of salvation revealed in the Annunciation to the Theotokos is the message of our spiritual freedom in Christ. This ultimate freedom from sin and death is essential to any understanding of the freedom and self-determination that is enshrined in the establishment of modern democracies. We were created by God to be free to live in fellowship with Him and free from all that injures and destroys life. We were also created to live in relationship with one another, using our freedom to establish societies that are free from oppression, exploitation, and tyranny. These were the aims of our fathers and mothers who offered their lives and property so that the people of Greece might be free, and this is a freedom that we still have and cherish. On this day may we remember and be grateful for the freedom we have inherited, both in Greece and in America. May we use this freedom, not to satisfy personal desires, but for the wellbeing of all. May we use it to proclaim a Gospel of salvation and freedom that will not only bless and guide us through our sojourn in this world, but will also lead us into eternal life in the kingdom of God.


Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2010. By the President of the United States of America. A Proclamation: Today, as we commemorate the 189th anniversary of Greece's independence, we reaffirm the ties that link our nations together as allies and warm friends. We also honor the accomplishments of Greek Americans and their immeasurable contributions to the United States. It was the genius of America's forebears to enshrine the pre-eminent idea of democracy in our Nation's founding documents. Inspired by the governing values of ancient Greece, they launched the great American experiment. Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of our Declaration of Independence, later expressed his admiration for the Greeks and their heritage as they fought their War of Independence. Writing in 1823, he acknowledged Greece as "the first of civilized nations, [which] presented examples of what man should be." The Hellenic influence on America's scholarly traditions reflects our Nation's high regard for Greece's lasting heritage. Our physicians uphold the timeless ethics of Hippocrates, and our students learn the mathematics of Euclid and Pythagoras. Our law schools use the Socratic Method, and the structures of ancient Greece have inspired many of our most cherished buildings and monuments. Greek Americans have also shaped our Nation as leaders in every sector of American life, and their community has strengthened the fabric of our country with its vibrant culture and unique traditions. Above all, we were blessed to inherit the Hellenic ideal of democracy, which lives on today in Greece and America, and reinforces the enduring bonds between our two nations. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 25, 2010, as "Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy." I call upon all the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

IV. USDEPARTMENTOFSTATE - Greek National Day

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State, Washington, DC, March 25, 2010. On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I congratulate the people of Greece as they mark the Hellenic Republic’s 189th National Day. This is an opportunity to honor Greece’s history and culture, which has contributed so much to our common humanity. In the United States, millions of Greek-Americans will gather with family and friends to celebrate their Hellenic heritage. From the earliest days of our own republic, America has looked to Greece for inspiration and Greek-Americans have enriched our society and culture. From government and business to medicine and entertainment, Greek-Americans are leaders and innovators. They help cement the historic bonds that hold our two nations close. As NATO allies, Greece and the United States work together on a wide range of common concerns. It is a partnership built on shared democratic values and aspirations. This month, I had the honor of hosting Prime Minister Papandreou in Washington and offering my support for the resolve Greece has shown in these challenging times. And I was pleased that during his visit, we were able to welcome Greece into the Visa Waiver Program. As we celebrate modern Greece’s independence, I offer my warmest wishes to Hellenes and Philhellenes around the globe. May you have a safe and happy holiday.


AHEPA Supreme President, Nicholas A. Karacostas. In 1821, after nearly 400-years of Ottoman oppression, the Greeks bound together under a flag bearing the cross, to fight for freedom and justice in the land which gave the world democracy. Like the revolution which took place in America 45 years earlier, Greece would embark on a journey forever linking our two countries in their struggle for freedom and independence. The founding fathers of the United States of America drew upon the ideals and principles forged in Ancient Greece in constructing our Nation. All who cherish a free and democratic government are beneficiaries of Greece's legacy and thus should consider themselves Philhellenes. Throughout history Greece and the United States have stood shoulder to shoulder to face the challenges of an ever changing world. Greeks and Americans fought for common causes over the course of the 20th century and continue this strong alliance into the 21st century. This month, that alliance was honored as Greece was accepted by the U.S. government into our Visa Waiver Program. To AHEPA, this was more than just validation of Greece as a trusted ally of the United States, but recognition as a true partner in our common pursuit of democracy and freedom. AHEPA was proud to have played an important role in making this happen, and with your help, pledges to continue building bridges between our two great nations. As we celebrate the 189th Anniversary of Greece's independence, our AHEPA Chapters and our communities are working together to promote various parades across the country in honor of March 25th. Proclamations and resolutions have been issued in almost every state in the United States. From coast-to-coast, AHEPA and its members promote and sustain the celebration of this historic day for all Greek Americans. In closing, I would like to express to all Hellenes in the United States, Canada, Greece, Cyprus, Australia and throughout the Diaspora, that as Supreme President of AHEPA, I too ask our chapters to take the time to acknowledge and pay respects to those who sacrificed to allow freedom and democracy, to once again, take root in Greece, in 1821. To read more about AHEPA, click here.


Greek Independence Day will be celebrated all over the world on March 25. The annual local parade, which will be commemorating the 189th Anniversary of the Greek Declaration of Independence, has become a New York City tradition since 1938 and has been celebrated on Fifth Avenue since1951. Sponsored by the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, the Greek Independence Day Parade attracted more than 150,000 spectators last year and included 26,000 participants. The festivities are also broadcast locally and internationally through local English and Greek language television networks via satellite and the Internet. The Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, founded in 1937, and the largest and oldest of its kind, represents a large number of Greek societies, fraternities and local organizations in America. Its mission is to promote and preserve Greek- American heritage and administer philanthropic endeavors, which are used for medical aid, scholarships, disaster relief and other charitable causes in North America and Greece. The origin of Greek Independence Day dates back to 1821, when the Greeks rose up against the Ottoman Empire, which had occupied Greece for nearly 400 years. The first incident of protest that sparked the beginning of the Greek independence movement occurred at the monastery of Agia Lavras when Bishop Germanos of Patras boldly raised the Greek flag inciting the Peloponnese to rise against their oppressors. The movement for an independent Greek nation began in Odessa in 1814 when three wealthy businessmen, Athanasios Tsakalof, Emmanuel Xanthos and Nikolaos Skoufas founded a Greek independence party called the Philiki Etairia or Friendly Society. The message of the society spread quickly and branches opened throughout Greece. Members met in secret and came from all walks of life. These businessmen used their money and influence to purchase armaments, which were then distributed among freedom fighters. M a n y others contributed to the revolution as well. Aristocratic young men, recipients of a classical education, were willing to fight to liberate the country whose culture had inspired them and their life’s work. Philhellenes included Victor Hugo, author of The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Miserables, Alfred de Musset and English poet George Gordon, Lord Byron, who, after arriving in Messolongi, an important center of resistance in January 1824, died three months later of pneumonia. Greek independence was proclaimed at Epidaurus on Jan. 13, 1822. The Turks retaliated with massacres in Asia Minor, most notoriously on the island of Chios, where more than 25,000 civilians were killed. After the Turks declared a holy war, the Western powers became involved, with Russia sending troops to the gates of Constantinople. After mounting pressure, Sultan Mahmud II accepted Greek independence by the Treaty of Andrianople. The names of the victors, who led Greece towards independence, including General Theodoros Kolokotronis, General Yannis Makriyannis and Markos Botsaris, would live on forever.


On Sunday the 21st of March 2010, the celebration of the National Greek Independence Day of March 25th took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, with feelings of patriotism and national pride. The Federation of Greek Communities of South Africa was responsible for the organization of the event, which took place in the sports terrain of the Greek school SAHETI. This glorious ceremony, which was attended by many Greeks from Johannesburg and surrounding areas, was honoured by the presence of the Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, His Beatitude Theodore II, a delegation from the Greek Parliament comprised of Mr. Spiros Moschopoulos, MP Kefalonia (PASOK) and Mr. Evangelos Meimarakis, MP Athens B constituency, diplomatic authorities of Greece and Cyprus, Coordinator of SAE Africa-M. East Region Mr. Harry Gouvelis and the leadership of the Hellenic Diaspora of Johannesburg. Our Youth who paraded, added colour to the event, promoting the initiative it has taken over for the collection of signatures for the Return of the Parthenon Marbles. The parade was attended by all the Communities and Organisations of South Africa. At the end of the event, the official guests laid a wreath in honour of our national fighters, who sacrificed their lives so that we today, can live freely.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Michael's List - Desecration, occupied Cyprus; Turkey air violations; NATO-Serbia, 11yrs; Kosovo question; US-Russia arms; Explosive Breasts; Pirates



The Museum of Kykkos Monastery has presented new evidence of destruction, desecration and plundering of religious monuments in the Turkish occupied areas of Cyprus. Dr. Charalambos Hodjakoglou, head of the Museum's programme to record evidence concerning churches and other religious monuments in the Turkish occupied areas, referred to specific incidents of desecration, as well as the violation of the freedom of religion by the Turkish occupation regime. He noted that the Roman Catholic gothic church of Saint Francis has been turned into a pub and pizza parlour, and that the church of the Johannine knights has been transformed into a night club. Furthermore, the church of Panayia Trapeza in the village of Acheritou has been desecrated, with illegal excavations of probable medieval tombs. In the case of Saint Efimianos in the village of Lysi, plunderers partially demolished a wall and excavated the floor, having earlier removed the church's murals. Hodjakoglou also referred to a ''dramatic case, in which we also bear responsibility,'' namely the church of Panayia of Trachonas in the Turkish occupied part of Nicosia, which has been turned into a dance school. He pointed out that recently road works began in the area, very close to the church, causing the building to become unstable. A breast wall had to be built to prevent the church from collapsing.


Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas yesterday raised the issue of ongoing Turkish provocations in the Aegean with the European Union’s General Affairs and External Relations Council following a series of violations of Greek airspace and territorial waters by Turkish fighter jets and vessels this week. Droutsas highlighted the “extremely dangerous” tactic of Turkish F16s harassing Greek coast guard helicopters participating in anti-immigration patrols in cooperation with Frontex, the EU’s border monitoring agency. Droutsas appealed to the EU’s council just a few days after lodging an official complaint with diplomats in Ankara last Friday when Turkish F16s “locked onto” a Greek coast guard helicopter and threatened to shoot it down as it flew over Farmakonisi. Droutsas, who is due to visit Turkish government officials in Ankara later this month ahead of a scheduled trip to Greece by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, stressed yesterday that he was hopeful for an improvement in Greek-Turkish relations. “These activities bother us and they are certainly not being ignored,” Droutsas told a business and economic conference in Athens organized by the International Herald Tribune. But he indicated that diplomacy would prevail over aggression. “Foreign policy is not trench warfare,” he remarked. In a related development defense officials expressed concern after a Turkish corvette, which had been participating in an international operation in the Aegean, veered close to Greek territorial waters off the island of Santorini. It is the seventh such incident in the region this year.


All over Serbia and in the Serbian diaspora, Day of Remembrance of Victims of the NATO aggression against Serbia is being marked. Some 3,500 persons were killed, more than 12,500 were wounded and thousands of infrastructural facilities, hospitals, schools, buildings and other civilian targets were levelled to the ground or damaged in the NATO bombing, which began on 24 March 1999. On that occasion, commemorative gathereings have been held, homage was paid to victims and wreaths were laid on monuments. Serbian Patriarch Irinej held a memorial service to all the victims of the NATO aggression in St Mark’s Church in Belgrade. NATO attributed the 78-day air strikes on the then FR Yugoslavia to alleged humanitarian reasons and the position of Kosovo Albanians. The aggression ended with the signing of the Kumanovo Agreement and the withdrawal of Yugoslav Army and Serbian Interior Ministry forces from Kosmet, after which UN peace forces arrived in the southern Serbian province. Ever since the arrival of the international forces, more than 200,000 Kosmet Serbs and other non-Albanians have been expelled from Kosmet.


The Serbian government's precondition that Kosovo take part in international gatherings only under the designation of the UN civilian authority in Kosovo, UNMIK, got a major boost recently because of disunity within the EU on Kosovo. A regional summit of Balkan countries was held on March 20 in the Brdo castle in central Slovenia. But Serbia refused to attend because it objected to the presence of Kosovar Prime Minister Hashim Thaci. Serbian President Boris Tadic remained firm in his position to visiting Slovenian officials in Belgrade last week -- namely that he would go to Brdo only if Kosovo, which was also invited, is not identified as a state. The Kosovo recognition question isn't going away any time soon. Spain, which currently holds the rotating EU Presidency and has not recognized Kosovo, promised Serbia that there would be no problem for Belgrade to attend an upcoming regional gathering that the Spanish Presidency is organizing in Sarajevo. But Spain's ambassador to Serbia said that Kosovo can come only if it is represented as UNMIK. The differences between the Slovenian and Spanish positions reflect divisions within the EU between the 22 member countries that recognize Kosovo and the five that do not -- largely because of concerns that such recognition could encourage ethnic minorities within their own countries. Serbia is now waiting for the International Court of Justice in The Hague to act later this year on Belgrade's request for a ruling on Kosovo's independence.


Prague is to host the meeting of Russian and American officials at which a new strategic arms reduction treaty will be signed, says the Czech Foreign Ministry. The Czech side says the US Administration has asked them to prepare everything for a solemn ceremony. Russian officials have so far not commented on the statement, reports Interfax. What is lacking in Wednesday’s announcement is the exact date. However, Yuri Baluyevsky, deputy chief of the Russian Security Council hinted that it might happen before the middle of April. “Just several weeks ago, an overview of a recent development of the US missile defense systems came out. This document clearly states that our partners in the US in principle do not accept any limitations to the anti-ballistic missile defense,” he told RT. Today, he went on to cite his colleagues, stating “a date has been named when a new START treaty will be signed: by April 10.” ”I believe that before the middle of April we will get to the point of signing the treaty,” he added. Russian and US diplomats and military experts have been working on the new treaty since early 2009. Initially, the plan was to have the document ready by the end of last year, before the expiration of the START treaty, which the new one is to replace. However the work proved to be more difficult than expected, considering all the details. Last week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he hoped the work on the arms treaty would be finished “in a short time.” US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was visiting Russia at that time, backed up this statement. The replacement treaty is expected to put lower limits on the number of nuclear weapons and missiles for the US and Russia. The numbers will be between 500 and 1100 nuclear warheads and 1500 and 1675 delivery vehicles.


Plastic surgeons using explosive-laden breast implants in homicide bombers could be a new terror tactic that current airport scanning methods may miss. Female homicide bombers are being fitted with exploding breast implants which are almost impossible to detect, British spies have reportedly discovered. The shocking new Al Qaeda tactic involves radical doctors inserting the explosives in women's breasts during plastic surgery — making them "virtually impossible to detect by the usual airport scanning machines." It is believed the doctors have been trained at some of Britain's leading teaching hospitals before returning to their own countries to perform the surgical procedures. MI5 has also discovered that extremists are inserting the explosives into the buttocks of some male bombers. "Women suicide bombers recruited by Al Qaeda are known to have had the explosives inserted in their breasts under techniques similar to breast enhancing surgery," Terrorist expert Joseph Farah claims. Top surgeons have confirmed the feasibility of the explosive implants.


Private guards have killed a Somali pirate involved in an attempted hijack for the first time, the EU Naval Force has revealed. The guards fired on three pirate ships off the coast of East Africa after they tried to hijack the merchant vessel they were protecting. The Panamanian-flagged cargo ship Almezaan was sailing towards Mogadishu when it came under attack by a group of seven pirates. When the guards on board the Almezaan returned fire, the pirates fled the scene but were pursued by the Spanish Navy vessel Navarra. Its crew boarded the bandits' boats and took six surviving pirates into custody before finding the body of another on board. A spokesperson for the EU Naval Force said: "The mother ship has now been destroyed and the remaining six suspects have been taken onboard the Navarra." Earlier this week, the Navarra assisted the crew of an Iranian vessel after it was attacked and robbed by pirates. Private security guards are commonly placed on merchant ships which sail through pirate-infested waters around the Gulf of Aden.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Michael's List- States sue over Health Care; GITMO detainees,US; Sudan-Hitler; Feminists sex boycott; ICJ-Kosovo; Cyprus Film Festival; Copts in Egypt



The ink from President Obama's signature was barely dry when attorneys general from 14 states filed papers in federal court today challenging the constitutionality of the newly-signed health care bill. "We are convinced that this legislation is fundamentally flawed as a matter of constitutional law, that it exceeds the scope of proper constitutional authority of the federal government and tramples upon the rights and prerogatives of states and their citizens," David Rivkin, Jr., an attorney representing 13 of the states, told ABC News. The challenges to the legislation are focused on the mandate that requires an individual to buy health insurance. The states are also concerned with the extent to which the statute imposes a financial burden on the states in terms of resources and state personnel. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is leading the attack for 13 of the states and filed papers in the Northern District of Florida just after noon today. More states are expected to file in the days and weeks to come. "We simply cannot afford the things that are in this bill that we're mandated to do," McCollum, who is running for governor of Florida, said at a press conference this afternoon. "It's not realistic, it's not hype, it's just very, very wrong." McCollum said he's confident the case will end up before the U.S. Supreme Court and that they will prevail. "There's no provision in the constitution that allows for anybody to be forced to do something when there's no commerce, no action, you're just sitting there," McCollum said of the insurance mandate. "And [the lawsuit] is about the question of forcing the state of Florida and other states, against the sovereignty that's guaranteed in the constitution to our states, to do things that are practically impossible to do." Attorneys general from South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Utah, Louisiana, Alabama, Michigan, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Washington, Idaho, and South Dakota joined Florida in the suit. Virginia filed a separate suit in federal court in Richmond because it has a state statute on the books worded specifically to block such a mandate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told ABC News' Diane Sawyer yesterday that "the Congress legislates, the White House -- the executive branch enforces and the Supreme Court, the judiciary, interprets. We feel very confident about our legislation." In addition to constitutional challenges to the law, legislators in at least 36 states are attempting to limit, alter or oppose some of its provisions through state constitutional amendments or laws, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Many of the proposals seek to keep health insurance coverage optional for individuals and exempt employers from penalties if they don't offer coverage for workers. Earlier this month, Virginia and Idaho became the first states to enact laws specifically stating that health insurance coverage is not required. Still, many legal experts say these legislative efforts will ultimately be trumped by the so-called supremacy clause in the U.S. Constitution, which says federal laws "shall be the supreme law of the land."


The United States Tuesday transferred three inmates from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to Georgia, a US official said, leaving 183 prisoners still languishing in the controversial US military jail. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said the Georgian ministry of interior had announced "that three Guantanamo detainees were transferred to Georgia." It was believed to be the first time that Georgia has accepted to take in Guantanamo detainees. "We are grateful to the government of Georgia for joining their efforts to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay," Crowley added. President Barack Obama has pledged to close the US military base in Cuba, but his administration has struggled to find countries to take in those cleared of any charges but who cannot be returned to their home countries for various reasons.


A day after Sudan president Omar al-Bashir threatened to cut off the fingers off election observers, the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, called Sudan’s upcoming vote “a Hitler election.” Mr. Moreno-Ocampo, who seeks to prosecute Mr. Bashir for crimes committed in Sudan's troubled Darfur region during a war that killed at least 1.9 million people, today said election observers face “a big challenge” in Sudan. “It’s like monitoring a Hitler election,” he said at a press conference in Brussels, according to Agence France-Presse. Bashir is running in the legislative, regional, and presidential elections set for April, the first multi-party vote in 24 years. Last week, however, foreign observers recommended to delay the elections. The Atlanta-based Carter Center voiced concern that Sudan’s election commission can deliver a successful election on time, as the Monitor reported. Bashir shot back by threatening to expel foreign observers. "We want them to observe the elections, but if they interfere in our affairs and demand the delay, we will cut their fingers and put them under our shoes and expel them," he said Monday, according to broadcasts of his speech. Today, as Moreno-Ocampo was calling the upcoming election “a Hitler vote,” a political party in southern Sudan accused the north of attempting to control the election results. Bashir’s ruling National Congress Party has delayed visas for UN helicopter pilots slated to collect votes and instead asked the northern army to transport the ballots, Reuters reports. Bashir's arrest warrant was initially a potent symbol for Darfur's victims, the Monitor reported. But earlier this month on the first anniversary of the ICC issuing its arrest warrant, the Monitor reported that fresh violence had cropped up in the south and the upcoming elections are virtually meaningless for Darfur because of unregistered, displaced populations and widespread insecurity. Following the ICC’s arrest warrant last year, Bashir expelled aid organizations and journalists.


The women’s movement “Femen” has called on the Ukrainian and world communities to sharply react “to the new prime minister’s discriminatory policies towards women.” Femen claims that Nikolay Azarov’s stance on government appointments is that women cannot work in the government as they cannot firmly say “no”, says Rosbalt news agency. On March 19, Azarov said that women do not fit in the government as “implementing reforms in Ukraine is not women’s business.” According to him, when forming the new government, people were chosen who can work 16 hours a day, including weekends, can take responsibilities and are not afraid to say “no” to their bosses. Femen has called on the wives and girlfriends of the members of the cabinet to set up a sex boycott against them “as a protest against the caddish and humiliating attitude towards Ukrainian women.” The organization believes that, taking into consideration earlier words of President Yanukovich that women’s place is in the kitchen and not in politics, the stance of the new Ukrainian authorities displays a dangerous tendency. “The Femen movement stresses that people who have such an archaic attitude towards women – who constitute more than a half of the country’s population – have no right to hold senior roles in the country,” the organization said. They added that in the whole civilized world a similar statement would have meant political death for any high-ranking official.


In Luxembourg today, Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic had separate talks with the President of the Parliament of that country Laurent Mosar and Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn on the continuation of the European integration of Serbia and the situation in Kosovo. After meeting with Asselborn, Jeremic said that the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo should create conditions for a solution that will contribute to the acceleration of European integration of the entire West Balkans. The Serbian Foreign Minister pointed out that the solution to the issue of the Kosovo status requires consensus that should be reached by the European Union, Serbia and the provisional institutions of government in Pristina. Jean Asselborn expressed belief that Serbia, after the ICJ declares its opinion on Kosovo, will make decisions that will lead to stability in the West Balkans.


Two Greeks from Hollywood participate in the Cyprus International Greek Festival as members of the festival jury. The two talented artists are composer Demetrios Katis and actress Sophia Shinas. The Cyprus International Film Festival ever since its launch five years ago, remains adamant in its objective of giving young and emerging directors of various aspects of audiovisual entertainment – feature films, shorts, animation, music videos, dance films – from whenever they may come from, the opportunity to present their talent before a committee of internationally acclaimed film professionals. ‘Spiritual Child’- of a group of dedicated event organizers, film producers, movie industry professionals, as well as multimedia and audiovisual specialists, who work tirelessly, the festival aspires through film to draw the interest on this beautiful island torn in a cultural intersection of East and West. The fact that year by year the percentage of participation by film-makers increases, shows that our efforts have been successful. Last year we had participation from 61 countries! Artistic director of CYIFF 2010 is director and producer Mr. Tony Srour. Cypriot actor and director, Mr. Costas Demetriou and Greek actress Alexandra Pavlidou, are two of the members of this year’s jury for feature films in competition for the Golden Aphrodite. The festival has been innovative ever since its launch in 2006 and it was the first to establish the category of films “Nostimon Imar” with screenings of film directors of Greek/Cypriot origin who live abroad, as well as the film category “Award-winning Cypriot Directors”. The deadline for applications for Greek/Cypriot feature films and shorts, which have not yet been screened commercially at cinemas in Cyprus, to participate in the competition section of the 5th International Film Festival of Cyprus, is the 30th of June, 2010. Application for volunteers can be found in the website of the festival. The 5th Cyprus International Film Festival is under the Auspices of the Municipality of Nicosia and it is supported by, among other bodies, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation. Information: www.cyprusfilmfestival.org.


Egyptian Christians are extremely upset that the government has again delayed the trial of three Muslims who are accused of killing six Christian youths celebrating Christmas Eve. It is the second time the Egyptian government has postponed the trial of the three men: Hammam al-Qomy, Oreshi Abul Hagag and Hindawi Sayed Hassan. The first delay was on Feb. 13, when the judge adjourned the trial until March 20. The new trial date is April 18. “They have postponed the trial twice, and they are going to postpone it again and again,” said Wagih Yacoub, a Coptic human rights activists, to International Christian Concern. “This is what we worry about. Soon the case will die… and all of a sudden we will wake up one day, and the guys will be innocent, and they will walk around on the street again after killing six kids at the Christmas mass.” “The Copts are furious about this postponement,” he said. “We reject it and demand an immediate trial.” Coptic and Eastern Orthodox Christians were celebrating their Christmas Eve on Jan. 6 when several cars carrying gunmen opened fire on people exiting the church in the upper Egypt town of Nag Hammadi. Six Christians were killed. Another nine were injured. Among those killed were a young man and his fiancé and a 14-year-old boy. Most of those killed were young men in their 20s. The Christmas Eve attack was the worst assault on Copts in Egypt since January 2000, when 21 Christians were killed in sectarian violence. “ICC predicts that once the murders of these Coptic Christians in Nag Hammadi are forgotten, the judge will issue a light sentence, perhaps one to five years imprisonment with bail, and then the murderers will be released back onto the streets,” commented Aidan Clay, ICC regional manager of the Middle East, on Tuesday. He added, “We have seen this occur time and again. Egyptian Muslims who kill Christians in Egypt continue to do so because they are fully aware that their crime will almost always go unpunished.” Egypt’s Christian population makes up eight to 12 percent of the overall population. Despite their sizeable number in the country, the Christian community in Egypt, which consists of mostly Coptic Christians, are marginalized in society and reportedly suffer from violent forms of abuse. They also lack fair representation in the government, leading to further abuse of the minority group. Islam is the “religion of the state” and the country's “principle source of legislation,” according to Egypt’s constitution. Since 2002, Egypt has been on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s “Watch List” for its serious religious freedom violations, including widespread problems of discrimination, intolerance, and other human rights violations against members of religious minorities. “In recent months, we have seen thousands of Coptic Christians around the world take to the streets in protest against the criminal acts of their government,” said Clay. “Let us not see this fervor end, but let us continue to speak out by demanding justice and equality for Egypt’s Christians.”

Monday, March 22, 2010

Michael's List - Balkan summit; EU-Schengen; 23,000yrs old wall, Thessaly; Israeli settlements; US-Russia arms; Russia-Cyprus; Metropolitan Jonah, OCA



European Union absenteeism and apparent lack of interest left participants of a Western Balkans summit over the weekend with bitter feelings. The Slovenian and Croatian prime ministers Borut Pahor and Jadranka Kosor hosted on Saturday (20 March) the first ever meeting of regional leaders that was not organised by others. With the EU regularly stressing the importance of regional cooperation, the organisers were hoping for top EU officials to show up in person and give symbolic support to the initiative. But European Council President Herman Van Rompuy cancelled his participation at the last minute. Jose Manuel Barroso, head of the EU's executive commission, never considered travelling to Brdo at all. And the EU's new foreign affairs chief, Catherine Ashton, was among the first of the invitees to turn down the invitation. Participants and diplomats taking part in the Brdo meeting even voiced suspicion that Spain, current holders of the rotating EU Presidency, may have encouraged Serbia to make its participation conditional on demands to which Kosovo clearly would not agree to. Belgrade insists its former province, which declared independence two years ago, is legally still part of Serbian territory. Thus, enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele was the only EU institution representative in Brdo. But he left the meeting after less than one hour, excusing himself for being tired after several days of travelling, according to diplomats. With the exception of Serbia, all countries of former Yugoslavia plus Albania were represented. Serbia's foreign minister Vuk Jeremic stated immediately after the meeting that it had been unsuccessful and that "Serbia and the EU could not participate." While there was disappointment about the Serbian boycott, the organisers noted that on Kosovo and future enlargement, the EU now seems to be more divided than the region itself.


The European Union on Monday opened its internal borders to non-European holders of long-stay visas for individual member states, agreeing to let them travel across the Schengen border-free zone. Hitherto, holders of visas valid for more than three months had been barred from travelling freely throughout the Schengen area, making it in some cases impossible for them even to pass through the zone on the way back to their homelands. Under the rules agreed Monday, holders of long-stay visas will be allowed to travel freely throughout the Schengen area for up to 90 days within a six-month period - the same right already granted to non-EU citizens who hold residence permits in the bloc. At the same time, the rules oblige member states to run applicants for long-stay visas through a Schengen-wide security check, to make sure no other member of the zone has tagged them as a security risk. They also oblige member states to limit the validity of a long- stay visa to one year. Anyone wanting to stay in any Schengen country for more than a year in the future will have to apply for a residence permit. The Schengen states are Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Britain, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland and Romania are EU members but remain outside the Schengen zone.


The oldest stone wall in Greece, which has stood at the entrance of a cave in Thessaly for the last 23,000 years, has been discovered by palaeontologists, the ministry of culture said Monday. The age of the find, determined by an optical dating test, singles it out as "probably one of the oldest in the world", according to a ministry press release. "The dating matches the coldest period of the most recent ice age, indicating that the cavern's paleolithic inhabitants built it to protect themselves from the cold", said the ministry. The wall blocked two-thirds of the entrance to the cave, located close to Kalambaka, itself near the popular tourist area and monastic centre of Meteora in central Greece. Greek palaeontologists have been excavating the site for the last 25 years.


Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected U.S. demands that the Jewish state freeze Jewish settlements around Jerusalem. The Israeli leader was speaking before departing for the United States where he is to address a pro-Israel lobby and meet with U.S. President Barack Obama. In Gaza on March 21, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Israel to end its blockade on Gaza. The blockade causes "unacceptable suffering" and "undercuts moderates and encourages extremists," Ban said after visiting a housing project in the Khan Younis refugee camp.


Russia and the United States will finalize a strategic arms reduction pact within days, a Foreign Ministry official said on Monday. "We are literally on the verge - I think the business will be done within a few days," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said. He added, however, that it was too soon to say where the pact would be signed. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday the negotiators "have entered the home stretch." He said, however, that did not mean the treaty would be signed immediately. Lavrov said the treaty would be 20 pages long, with an extensive protocol attached. Russia and the United States have been negotiating a strategic arms reduction pact since the two countries' presidents met in April last year, but the work on the document has dragged on, with U.S. plans for missile defense in Europe a particular sticking point. Moscow wants to include a link between missile defenses and cuts in offensive weapons, but the U.S. Senate is unlikely to ratify any document formally linking the two issues. START 1, the cornerstone of a post-Cold War arms control setup, expired on December 5 2009.


An evening of Russian folk and Soviet-era songs was held in Nicosia, Cyprus, on Sunday, to mark the Republic’s 50th anniversary and the establishment of diplomatic relations with Russia. Dozens of politicians, businessmen, doctors, teachers and musicians, who had graduated from Soviet or Russian institutions, attended the concert at the Russian Centre of Science and Culture. Over 3,000 Cypriots have studied in the Soviet Union or in Russia.


Growing up in La Jolla, James Paffhausen felt the tug of religion at a young age. He knew he would become a priest one day. “I believe God was demanding something more of my life,” said the La Jolla High School graduate who now serves as the Washington, D.C.-based leader of the Orthodox Church in America. The church, which is part of Eastern Orthodox Christianity, has an estimated 800 parishes, missions, monasteries and other institutions in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Now known as Metropolitan Jonah, primate of the Orthodox Church in America, the former Episcopalian who converted when he was in college will return to the region this weekend to speak at Poway’s St. John of Damascus Orthodox Church. He will be speaking about Orthodox spirituality and family life. Described as humble and approachable, Metropolitan Jonah is quick to marvel at the direction life has taken him. He said he had “no idea” he would reach the top position in his church one day. He first got a degree in anthropology at the University of California Santa Cruz. On a trip to Russia in the early 1990s, he met spiritual elders who inspired him into monastic life. Metropolitan Jonah would go on to take various roles in the church, including founding a monastery in Marin County where he lived for a decade. Life at the monastery wasn’t as isolated as some might imagine, he said. There were lots of visitors. Computers and the Internet were even allowed under certain circumstances. “Monks aren’t free to just play on the Internet; it’s a tool,” he said. But there was contact with the outside world. “(Monasteries) are hives of activity,” he said. That’s the type of perspective that will make Metropolitan Jonah an interesting and valuable speaker, said the Rev. Alexander Federoff, rector at the Poway church where the religious leader is scheduled to appear this weekend. “He speaks from experience as opposed to reading books,” Federoff said. Federoff says the faith, steeped in tradition, continues to draw people who are looking for something that “doesn’t change with the times, something people could trust.” An estimated 750 families in the county are Orthodox Church faithful, said Archpriest George Morelli, who serves as assistant pastor at St. George’s Antiochian Orthodox Church in City Heights. The event this weekend is open to the public and will offer information on Eastern Orthodox spirituality. Morelli described Metropolitan Jonah as someone who has “a sense of both the tradition of the church and the needs that we have in the United States for spiritual focus and how important it is.” Perhaps a sign of his personality, the religious leader even keeps a Facebook page. He also spends a lot of time traveling around the country. The best part of the job, he said, is “to really make a difference in people’s lives.” To read more about the Orthodox Church in America, click here.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Michael's List- Greek problem exaggerated; FYROM-NATO; Serbia-Slovenia; EU Rubbish; Russia-US Congress; US-Cyprus-HalkiSeminary; EU-Orthodox-Committee



After the crisis crunch, many countries in the Eurozone face the same economic threat, said Joerg Wolf, editor in chief of the Atlantic Initiative. He also believes the Greek problem has been exaggerated. “There is a danger of a chain reaction – Portugal, Italy, Ireland and Spain have the same problems, huge deficits and debts,” he said. The two strongest Eurozone members are split over the nature of a financial lifeline for Greece. Germany is softening to the idea of an international rescue, whereas France remains reluctant to cry for help outside of the EU family. Greece has been calling for help to reduce its budget deficit, which is the biggest in Europe. On Thursday, Athens warned it would turn to the International Monetary Fund unless European leaders make a firm financial pledge at next week's EU spring council meeting. The debt-stricken country believes investors will be more confident if the continent is seen as playing a supporting role.


Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and Admiral Mark Fitzgerald, Commander of NATO Joint Force Command Naples, discussed Wednesday in Skopje on the relations between FYR Macedonia and the Alliance. FYR Macedonia's accession to NATO remains one of the country's foreign policy priorities, Gruevski told the high guest. To that effect, FYR Macedonia is committed, via own reforms and contribution to NATO-led missions, to act as an equal partner of the Alliance's member states, sharing and defending the common values and responsibilities, the PM said. He told Fitzgerald that in 2010 FYR Macedonia would send 80 ARM troops to Afghanistan mission ISAF in addition to already deployed contingent of 164 and affirmed the country's support of the new Afghan strategy. The PM welcomed the recent statements of NATO officials, including the one of Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, which call for swift settlement of the name row imposed by Greece. FYR Macedonia is strongly committed to the UN-sponsored process for finding a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue, Gruevski said. Fitzgerald praised FYR Macedonia for its contribution to global, regional stability, saying that there was no obstacle from the military point of view to the country's full-fledged NATO membership.


Serbian President Boris Tadic will not participate in the regional conference on the West Balkans, scheduled for tomorrow in Slovenia, in Brdo Kod Kranja - the office of the Serbian President communicated. As underlined, from the very beginning Serbia has defended the principle by which the delegation of Kosovo can participate in regional meetings only in accordance with UN documents, especially Resolution 1244. Unfortunately, the organizers have not been able to organize the gathering in accordance with such principles, which prevented the presence of the Serbian president - the statement reads. The Office of the Serbian President indicates that Serbia had a constructive role in talks on modalities of the organization of the conference and demonstrated a desire not to block the participation of the Kosovo representatives. At the beginning of the talks, the principled position of Serbia was clearly demonstrated to the organizers in order for them to have a criterion and find a formula that would be in accordance with the principles of the UN - the statement reads.


The Europeans who churn out the most rubbish are the Danes, the Cypriots and the Irish, according to official Eurostat figures on municipal waste just released for 2008. This also went into how the European Union member states deal with their trash. Eurostat says 40 percent of the stuff is recycled or incinerated. While rubbish for the average Dane tipped the scales at more than 800 kilos, the Czechs were the least rubbishy, producing a comparatively abstemious 300 kilos or so. The overall EU average was about half a tonne. It is 565 kilos per head in the UK. The treatment methods differ substantially from one country to another: landfill, incineration and recycling. In seven countries, less than 10 percent of waste was recycled. One of the poorest EU members, Bulgaria, sends it all to landfill, Romania, Malta, Lithuania and Latvia about the same proportion. Austria shows up the most environmentally responsible (70% of its waste is recycled or composted). The Danes may produce the most but they also burn the most — more than half. The Czechs send over 80 percent of their 306 kilos of municipal waste each to landfill sites, only recycling two percent, and composting the same. Germany, Sweden and Belgium recycle the most.


The Russian government would like to see more active cooperation with the U.S. Congress to facilitate trade between the two countries, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Friday. "We are ready to work more intensively with Congressmen and discuss what is happening in our country and what is happening in your economy," he said during a meeting with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He said Russian companies operating in the United States needed signals from U.S. authorities that they were welcome. "A number of companies are under sanctions initiated by your department," he told Clinton, referring in particular to steelmaker Severstal and metals producer Norilsk Nickel. "They need support. They need signals that they are welcome," Putin said. Clinton said she was aware of those problems and said it was important to work together to overcome them and move forward.


US Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon (foto) has said that United States continues to encourage the negotiations held between the two communities in Cyprus under the auspices of the UN Secretary General. Speaking at the Brookings Institution, in Washington on Tuesday, he said that a regional issue where Turkey can play a productive role is Cyprus. “The United States continues to encourage the negotiations between the two communities under the auspices of the UN Secretary General. Turkey and Greece can also play constructive roles in helping the Cypriot parties toward a lasting solution to their differences”, he said. Gordon said that the US commend both Cypriot leaders for their efforts and urge them to seize this window of opportunity to pursue negotiations leading to a settlement that reunifies Cyprus into a bi-zonal and bi-communal federation. He expressed the view that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent and “very constructive comments to the Cypriot press endorsing such a solution were very welcome and should help bring this outcome about”. The US official noted that the US welcomes as well “the positive dynamic in the relationship between the Turkish and Greek Prime Ministers – something that Greek Prime Minister Papandreou, who was just on this stage, spoke about when he was in Washington last week”. Referring to Turkey’s EU course, he said that the United States continues to strongly support Turkish accession and urges Turkey to continue the democratic and political reforms necessary to complete the membership process. “Further progress on promoting human rights and religious freedom, including important steps like reopening the Halki Seminary, will move Turkey’s EU prospects forward”, he added. Cyprus President Demetris Christofias and Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat have been engaged in direct negotiations since September 2008 with a view to solve the problem of Cyprus, divided since the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.


The Committee of Representatives of Orthodox Churches to the European Union has initiated its work. As was reported in communique, adopted on the results of the Committee session in Brussels and conveyed to Interfax-Religion on Thursday, the new structure members believe that "the dialogue between the political community and the Churches is very welcome as a manifestation of mutual respect and as a sign of hope for a better Europe and a sustainable world." The Committee considers such a dialogue as an opportunity "for promoting the fundamental values and principles upon which European culture has based itself and along which it has developed." Among such values are "justice, peace, protection of the environment, sensitivity in front of situations of poverty and suffering, reasonable distribution of financial assets, condemnation and avoidance of all sort of violence, protection of children and women, access to education for all, standing in solidarity with one another, freedom of communication and expression, protection of religious freedom concerning both minorities and majorities and the rule of law," the document reads. Acting representative of the Russian Church to the European Union Archpriest Antony Ilyin told the agency that "the Committee of Representatives of Orthodox Churches is called to make visible the presence of the global Orthodoxy both for the decision-making political elites and for an expert community and mass-media in Brussels." According to him, Europe is a common space united not only by acquis communautaire, the Roman law, the Renaissance culture and the Enlightenment project "but above all it is united by the idea of freedom and dignity of a human person created according to the image of God, by the idea of Christian personalism and sobornost. Ignoring them makes the whole European project losing its content and its historical mission." The initiative of creating of the Committee of Representatives belongs to Metropolitan Hilarion, the Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department of External Church Relations and to Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, the representative of the Constantinople Patriarchate to the EU who agreed to assume the function of the moderator of the Committee. Holding briefings, round tables, seminars and thematic conferences dedicated to the present challenges of today's Europe is among the prospects of the Committee. It implies forming the expert groups of all interested partners including the acting Orthodox politicians, media workers, scientific community and NGO's in Brussels.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Michael's List- Cyprus Flamingos; Greece-FYROM; Turkey,Armenians expelled?; Serbia-Kosovo; St. Pete, Russia; US-Russia-Iran; Orthodox Churches, Europe



Unusually high water levels have led to a record number of flamingos arriving on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, wildlife officials said. Wildlife biologist Nicos Kassinis told the Cyprus Times lakes spilling over their shores were attracting the birds. “We had around 6,000 in January, 3,000 in February, and though we do not have the figures yet, we expect around 1,500 this month,” he said. However, the high water levels have created a deadly problem for the birds around a salt lake in southern Larnaca, Kassinis said. The water has encroached over land that was once used for clay pigeon shooting and is widely littered with lead shot. So far, 35 flamingos have died, and Kassinis said their livers showed lead concentrations several times the toxic level. As far as a remedy, Game Director Pantelis Hadjiyerou said it wasn’t feasible. “I do not think that cleaning will be appropriate, because the destruction to the ecology from the cleaning would be worse than the effects of the lead that is there,” he said.


Greece is following a firm policy on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and sends a positive message of friendship and support to the neighboring people, but is disappointed by the lack of reciprocation on the part of FYROM, foreign ministry spokesman Grigoris Delavekouras told a press briefing on Thursday. "Unfortunately, we have yet to see reciprocation from the other side," he said, adding that "we want the government of Mr. Gruevski (FYROM prime minister) to come to the negotiation with a positive and constructive attitude. We believe that we could immediately reach a solution if the political will exists," the spokesman stressed.


Turkey's prime minister has threatened to expel thousands of illegal Armenian immigrants after U.S. and Swedish lawmakers passed votes branding World War One-era killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide. Muslim Turkey, a NATO member and candidate to join the European Union, recalled its ambassadors to Washington and Stockholm earlier this month after the non-binding votes and warned they could hurt a fragile effort to reconcile with Christian Armenia after a century of hostility. Asked about the votes in an interview with the BBC Turkish service that was broadcast late Tuesday, Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said: "There are currently 170,000 Armenians living in our country. Only 70,000 of them are Turkish citizens, but we are tolerating the remaining 100,000. "If necessary, I may have to tell these 100,000 to go back to their country because they are not my citizens. I don't have to keep them in my country. Thousands of illegal Armenian immigrants, mostly women from the impoverished countryside, work as cleaning ladies and in other low-skilled jobs in Istanbul, where many settled after an earthquake in their homeland in 1988. The exact number of Armenian immigrants in Turkey is unknown. But Turkish-Armenian groups say Turkish politicians inflate numbers of illegal workers and threaten expulsions whenever tensions escalate between Ankara and Yerevan. Erdogan said Armenian immigrants had been allowed to work in Turkey as a "display of our peaceful approach, but we have to get something in return."


The Serbian government Thursday reiterated its refusal to attend a weekend conference on the status of Kosovo in Slovenia. Slovenian Prime Minister Borut Pahor proposed hosting the meeting in Ljubljana between Serbia and the breakaway, predominantly Albanian province, but Serbian President Boris Tadic has repeatedly said his government doesn't recognize Kosovo as an independent state. "Serbia neither accepts nor recognizes Kosovo's independence, and it will not do so," Tadic told the Tanjug news agency Thursday. "Therefore, it is not necessary for anyone to try to talk us into it, or blackmail us to do something like that, because that is an impossible mission." Serbia has demanded Kosovar delegates be represented as a United Nations entity. The Slovenian leader proposed all attendees could refrain from sitting by their national flags, but Serbia opposed that as well, the report said. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and so far, 65 countries have diplomatically recognized it.


The city of St. Petersburg, known as the “Venice of the North” and Russia's cultural capital, now boasts another romantic title. Sunday Times Travel Magazine included the city in a list of 12 of the world's most "exotic and erotic" escapes. For a perfect day to keep any couple in the mood, the guide recommends first stripping off at a Russian sauna (banya) before visiting the city's Museum of Erotica. In the evening, they can catch a ballet performance, and then spend a passionate night at the luxurious Astoria Hotel. St. Petersburg shares its steamy status with such cities as Rome, Havana, London, New York, Berlin, Paris, Seville, Tangier, Stockholm and Istanbul.


The U.S. and Russia have been sparring openly today, over the planned launch this summer of Iran's first nuclear power plant -- which is being built by Russia. During a visit to Moscow, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton didn't directly criticize the project. But she said that until Iran reassures the world that it's not trying to build a nuclear weapon, it's "premature to go forward with any project at this time." Russia's foreign minister, at the same news conference, responded that despite the U.S. concerns, his country will finish work on the power plant shortly. Sergei Lavrov said the plant will operate under strict compliance with the requirements of the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency. On another issue, Clinton and Lavrov both told reporters that U.S.-Russian negotiations on a new treaty to reduce long-range nuclear weapons are close to completion.


The Committee of Representatives of Orthodox Churches to the EU (CROCEU) met in Brussels on March 17, 2010. The meeting was hosted by His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, Representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to the EU. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the participation of the Orthodox Churches to the dialogue with the EU institutions in view of the implementation of Article 17(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), which reads as follows: "Recognising their identity and their specific contribution, the Union shall maintain an open, transparent and regular dialogue with ...Churches". The Committee worked with His Eminence Metropolitan Emmanuel of France as Moderator. Those present at the meeting were: Rev. Fr Antony Iljin (Moscow Patriarchate), Rev. Fr Patriciu Vlaicu (Patriarchate of Romania), His Grace Bishop Porphyrios of Neapolis (Church of Cyprus), and His Eminence Metropolitan Athanasios of Achaia (Church of Greece). The Committee would like to underline the commitment of the Orthodox Churches to the dialogue between on the one hand the Churches of different denominations and religious communities sharing common values and on the other hand the EU institutions. This dialogue is considered a service to the human person who faces major challenges in the different areas of Europe today and whose dignity is rooted in the faith that the human person is made according to the image of God. The Orthodox Church has a long experience in dialogue, because it is inherent in its ethos.Particularly, the dialogue between the political community and the Churches underscored by Article 17(3) is very welcome as a manifestation of mutual respect and as a sign of hope for a better Europe and a sustainable world. The Committee considers dialogue in view of the implementation of Article 17(3) a challenge and an opportunity for promoting the fundamental values and principles upon which European culture has based itself and along which it has developed, such as justice, peace, protection of the environment, sensitivity in front of situations of poverty and suffering, reasonable distribution of financial assets, condemnation and avoidance of all sort of violence, protection of children and women, access to education for all, standing in solidarity with one another, freedom of communication and expression, protection of religious freedom concerning both minorities and majorities and the rule of law. The importance of common values and principles for sustaining dignified social life in Europe and in the world make it necessary that the EU institutions ensure a dialogue between them and the Churches within a clear framework, providing for the necessary flexibility as well as for an exchange of views on important topics that need to be seriously tackled and followed-up.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Michael's List- Cyprus talks; Greek-KFOR; Balkan talks; Turkey-EU visas; Ukraine-NATO; Orthodox Priest murder solved; Turkey, Ecumenical Patriarch



The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who spoke with his Special Adviser for Cyprus Alexander Downer by telephone on Sunday, told journalists that it was “very important” that the two Cypriot leaders carried on with the negotiations despite “the very busy electoral campaign season” in the occupied areas. Replying to a question on the Cyprus peace talks yesterday at UN headquarters in New York, the Secretary-General noted: “I am not sure how much progress they will be making, but during my visit I stressed with them the importance of making progress”. “It is again very encouraging that the Turkish Prime Minister has made quite a good statement which will be also a good demonstration of the commitment of the Turkish Government,” Mr Ban asserted. He further pointed out that Mr Downer had visited both Greece and Turkey and had “very good consultation and support from those two countries”. “We hope that the two leaders can issue some joint statement on the agreement they will have made, that is my sincere hope. I have asked Mr Downer to do his best to facilitate to make progress,” the UN Secretary-General added.


The command of NATO's KFOR multinational force in Kosovo on Tuesday announced the closure of the Greek military camp "Megas Alexandros", where the Greek contingent in KFOR has been based until now. A KFOR spokesman said the closure of the Greek camp was part of an overall restructuring.


Three days before the scheduled date of the Balkans conference in Slovenia, it is still not known whether it will be held in the end. Slovenian authorities have been giving conflicting information regarding the fate of the Western Balkans conference. B92 has asked the Slovenian foreign ministry and the prime minister's cabinet for an answer on whether the conference will be held, but has yet to receive a written reply from either. In a phone call to the Slovenian foreign ministry, B92 was told that the conference would be held. However, the prime minister's cabinet stated that it would not give an answer to the question verbally or in writing, adding that a "statement will be sent to the public," and that this will be done "once all the invited participators have confirmed their participation in the conference." Serbian officials will not particpate in the conference unless Kosovo is represented as UNMIK/Kosovo, and Kosovo officials refuse to participate if they are not representing the independent state of Kosovo in the regional conference organized by Slovenia and Croatia.


The Turkish government has renewed its call for the European Union to remove visa requirements on its citizens within Europe. At a meeting in Ankara with Stefan Fule, the EU's new commissioner for enlargement, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said existing protocols dating back to 1973 should be invoked to ease the visa requirements. Davutoglu also pointed out the EU had waived visa requirements for three non-members -- Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro -- in December. Turkey has been a candidate to join the 27-nation union since 1999 and accession talks began in earnest in 2005. Among the hurdles it faces is opposition from some EU states disputing Turkey's geographical and cultural right to membership, longstanding claims of genocide against Armenians in the early 1900s and the more than 30-year-old territorial dispute with Greece over the sovereignty of Cyprus.


Ukraine is not going to be a member of any other countries’ military-political alliance, according to the country’s ruling coalition. Its non-allied status will be legally established, governmental newspaper “Golos Ukrainy” published on Tuesday. In addition, a parliamentary majority agreed to “form an agenda in bilateral relations with the Russian Federation, based on strategic partnership, friendship and good neighborly relations, and mutually proficient trade-economic cooperation.” However, the intention “to continue constructive cooperation with NATO on all issues of mutual interest” is also expressed in the paper. This move comes in sharp contrast with the policy of the previous Ukrainian government under Viktor Yushchenko, who had sought membership in NATO since he became president after the Orange Revolution in 2004. As such, this is a complete U-turn on the precious policy. The government’s statement, however, does not mention the European Union which Ukraine under Yushchenko had also sought to join. Historically, Russia had always opposed the plans of Ukraine becoming a member state of NATO. Thus the recently published military doctrine lists NATO’s possible Eastern expansion as Russia’s greatest external threat. Such a move caused outrage within the country. The opposition of Yanukovich’s government said that, in return, they are going to work together against Yanukovich and his supporters in parliament.


A gun found on a man who was shot dead by police in south Russia was used in the murder of a priest in Moscow last year, investigators said on Tuesday. The man, who was carrying a Russian passport in the name of Beksultan Karybekov, had been detained by police in the North Caucasus republic of Dagestan in connection with an unrelated incident. "The detainee offered armed resistance - he grabbed a gun and threw a grenade, after which he opened fire with a hand gun at police. He was killed by their return fire," Investigation Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin said. The gun found on his body was used in the killing of priest Daniil Sysoyev, who was shot dead by a masked gunman in St. Thomas' Church in southern Moscow on November 19, 2009. Sysoyev was known for his active missionary work in converting Muslims and people seeking to quit religious sects into Christianity. His assistant, Vladimir Strelbitsky, was badly wounded in the attack. The murder stirred a wave of condemnation from all religious groups in Russia, and demands for better security for the clergy. "Police have incontrovertible evidence that this very gun was used to kill Daniil Sysoyev," Markin said. A law enforcement source told RIA Novosti earlier that police had identified a suspect in the murder of Sysoyev, but that he was most likely abroad.


The European Commission for Democracy has made a ruling urging Turkey to recognize as from time immemorial the entire international community has done, the status of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and its historical role as it was already defined the sixth century. In the same ruling the legal status of all religious minorities in Turkey is recognized. The committee, the so-called Venice committee, named after the lagoon city where it gathered the day before yesterday, is part of the Council of Europe, which brings together 47 states, including Turkey. The Turkish authorities, since the foundation of the Turkish Republic in 1923, have refused to recognize the religious status of the See of Constantinople, considering it simply as a single diocese of the Orthodox community and the recognizing the Patriarch of Constantinople the sole function of the pastor of his community. This ruling, observes the noted journalist, editor of www.amen.gr Nikos Papachristou, in addition to restoring the historic right of Constantinople, lays the foundation not only for the reopening of the Theological School of Halki, but also to change the current situation, for which the metropolitans must be Orthodox Christians of Turkish nationality. The Commission states that the title "ecumenical" from the Patriarchate of Constantinople is universally recognized and that it does not understand the insistence of Turkish authorities in not recognizing a historically defined fact that is accepted throughout the world. This committee links the work of the theological school to the role of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and has called for its immediate reopening. It explicitly calls on Turkey to legally recognise the Ecumenical Patriarchate and all the religious communities present in Turkey. The discussion was attended by two representatives of the government from Ankara, whose arguments were rejected. The committee also reminded Turkey of compliance with Article 9 of the Treaty on Human Rights, which establishes the right to religious freedom, which must not hinder the exercise of religious functions and the See of Constantinople to be titled the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Certainly, it is said in the ruling, Turkey is not obliged to recognize the ecumenical title, but it can not, however, force anyone to deny this historical title that is defined and universally accepted. And on that point, the grand jury said they did not understand the legal reasons for which Turkey refuses to recognize the historic role of the patriarchate. The ruling rejected Ankara’s appeal to the Lausanne Treaty, in so far as it makes no mention of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and therefore places no restriction on the exercise of its role. In this regard, committee members commented that the Treaty of Lusanne (1923) is now superseded and surpassed by recent treaties on the rights of man. So continuing to invoke it is a sign of defensive positions that have long been exceeded. The sentence, though once again condemns Turkey for breach of human rights, in essence, does not displease Erdogan, who can now reproach the godfathers of the old bureaucratic nomenclature, concentrated in the judiciary and the Supreme Court, a mentality that is not appropriate to European dimension, and may invoke the need to accelerate the reform of the Turkish Constitution, widely seen as responsible for all the ills of Turkey. It may be coincidence, but at last Thursday’s meeting in the Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, that included the Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc, who is also responsible for the religious foundations, and all the spiritual leaders of religious minorities, including Bartholomew, when asked by reporters about the reopening of the Theological School of Halki, the same Arinc replied that the Erdogan government has decided to allow its reopening. Hopes are born for a real springtime for religious minorities in Turkey.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Michael's List - AHEPA, US Census; ObamaCare; AIPAC, Israel; US "Birth Tourism"; Kiev, Russia-US arms deal; Kosovo; OCA blog seeks articles



The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), the largest and oldest association of American citizens of Greek heritage, and countless Philhellenes, encourages your participation in the 2010 U.S. Census. AHEPA has been a long-standing census partner of the U.S. Department of Commerce helping to inform the community about the importance of census participation. There are 10 questions on the 2010 U.S. Census form, but unlike in previous years, there is no question that specifically asks about your ancestry or ethnicity. However, in Question 9 you can mark or check "White," and under the designation "Some other race" write-in "Greek." To view the questions on the census, please click here. For all questions about the 2010 U.S. Census, please click here.


We're not sure American schools teach civics any more, but once upon a time they taught that under the U.S. Constitution a bill had to pass both the House and Senate to become law. Until this week, that is, when Speaker Nancy Pelosi is moving to merely "deem" that the House has passed the Senate health-care bill and then send it to President Obama to sign anyway. Under the "reconciliation" process that began yesterday afternoon, the House is supposed to approve the Senate's Christmas Eve bill and then use "sidecar" amendments to fix the things it doesn't like. Those amendments would then go to the Senate under rules that would let Democrats pass them while avoiding the ordinary 60-vote threshold for passing major legislation. This alone is an abuse of traditional Senate process. House Members hate the thought of going on record voting for the Cornhusker kickback and other special-interest bribes that were added to get this mess through the Senate, as well as the new tax on high-cost insurance plans that Big Labor hates. So at the Speaker's command, New York Democrat Louise Slaughter, who chairs the House Rules Committee, may insert what's known as a "self-executing rule," also known as a "hereby rule." Under this amazing procedural ruse, the House would then vote only once on the reconciliation corrections, but not on the underlying Senate bill. If those reconciliation corrections pass, the self-executing rule would say that the Senate bill is presumptively approved by the House—even without a formal up-or-down vote on the actual words of the Senate bill. Democrats would thus send the Senate bill to President Obama for his signature even as they claimed to oppose the same Senate bill. They would be declaring themselves to be for and against the Senate bill in the same vote. Fence-sitting Members are being threatened with primary challengers, a withdrawal of union support and of course ostracism. Michigan's Bart Stupak is being pounded nightly by MSNBC for the high crime of refusing to vote for a bill that he believes will subsidize insurance for abortions. Democrats are, literally, consuming their own majority for the sake of imposing new taxes, regulations and entitlements that the public has roundly rejected but that they believe will be the crowning achievement of the welfare state. They are also leaving behind a procedural bloody trail that will fuel public fury and make such a vast change of law seem illegitimate to millions of Americans.


The Obama Administration's recent statements regarding the U.S. relationship with Israel are a matter of serious concern. AIPAC calls on the Administration to take immediate steps to defuse the tension with the Jewish State. Israel is America's closest ally in the Middle East. The foundation of the U.S-Israel relationship is rooted in America's fundamental strategic interest, shared democratic values, and a long-time commitment to peace in the region. Those strategic interests, which we share with Israel, extend to every facet of American life and our relationship with the Jewish State, which enjoys vast bipartisan support in Congress and among the American people. The Administration should make a conscious effort to move away from public demands and unilateral deadlines directed at Israel, with whom the United States shares basic, fundamental, and strategic interests. The escalated rhetoric of recent days only serves as a distraction from the substantive work that needs to be done with regard to the urgent issue of Iran's rapid pursuit of nuclear weapons, and the pursuit of peace between Israel and all her Arab neighbors. We strongly urge the Administration to work closely and privately with our partner Israel, in a manner befitting strategic allies, to address any issues between the two governments. As Vice President Biden said last week in Israel, "The cornerstone of the relationship is our absolute, total, unvarnished commitment to Israel's security. Bibi, you heard me say before, progress occurs in the Middle East when everyone knows there is simply no space between the United States and Israel. There is no space between the United States and Israel when it comes to Israel's security."


With more Turkish parents wanting their child to be born in the US, tourism companies are starting to offer ‘birth tourism’ packages to US cities. Many women say giving birth in the US has benefits including cheaper education and fewer visa worries. Some Americans, however, want to restrict the practice, citing fears of illegal migration. According to tourism expert Gürkan Boztepe and media sources, 12,000 Turkish children have been born in the U.S. since 2003.The numbers are significant enough to draw the attention of tourism companies and inspire them to pursue “birth tourism.” “We found a company on the Internet and decided to go to Austin for our child’s birth,” said Selin Burcuoğlu who gave birth to a daughter last year. “It was incredibly professional. They organized everything for me. I had no problem adjusting and I had an excellent birth,” she told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. Burcuoğlu said she and her partner chose to have the birth in the U.S. to make their child’s life more comfortable. “I don’t want her to deal with visa issues – American citizenship has so many advantages.” In terms of cost, Baş said the minimum expense is $25,000, which rises to $40,000 if the destination is New York. Birth tourism organizations are located throughout Turkey. While the small-scale companies have started investing in the birth market, bigger firms are also entering the market with alternative packages. The Turkish-owned Marmara Hotel group recently announced a birth tourism package that includes accommodation at their Manhattan branch. “We hosted 15 families last year,” said Nur Ercan Mağden, head manager of The Marmara Manhattan, adding that the cost was $45,000 each. According to the U.S.’s 14th Amendment, the country grants citizenship to anyone born on its soil. At the same time, however, many have demanded the elimination of the “ius soli” law. According to Emre Özgü, a partner at law firm Barst Mukamal & Kleiner LLP in New York, people in favor of tightening immigration laws have been attempting to end “ius soli” citizenship for years. “Those trying to restrict immigration argue these babies, who are occasionally called ‘anchor babies,’ serve as a key link in the ‘chain immigration’ process that they would like to see eliminated. However, there is no current pending legislation before Congress that would limit the claim to U.S. citizenship of a child born in the U.S.” When asked whether birthright citizenship could be considered a loophole in the law, Özgü said he would not classify the “ius soli” citizenship as such because it is explicitly included within the U.S. Constitution.


Kiev is seeking to be the venue for the signing of a new nuclear arms reduction treaty between Russia and the United States. According to Kommersant, new Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych made the suggestion to his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, during his visit to Moscow on March 5. The deputy head of the Ukrainian presidential administration, Anna German, told Kommersant on Monday that Moscow showed interest in Ukraine's initiative. This issue will also be discussed on Tuesday in Moscow between the countries' foreign ministers, Sergei Lavrov and Kostyantyn Hryshchenko. The talks will be held ahead of the upcoming visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Moscow, during which she and Lavrov are expected to coordinate the final details of the replacement to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START 1), the paper said. German said the bid to host the signing ceremony was part of Yanukovych's efforts to position his country as a link between Russia and the West. "I believe this is a very interesting idea," Kommersant quoted German as saying. "The Russian side responded with interest to it. If the Americans are not against it, Ukraine will finally become the bridge between the East and the West that our leader always speaks about." Russia and the United States have been negotiating the arms reduction pact since the two countries' presidents met in April last year, but finalizing a document has dragged on, with U.S. plans for missile defense in Europe a particular sticking point. Moscow wants to include a link between missile defenses and cuts in offensive weapons, but the U.S. Senate is unlikely to ratify any document formally linking the two issues. START 1, the cornerstone of post-Cold War arms control, expired on December 5.


Serbian FM Vuk Jeremić stated in Oman that he highly appreciates the policy of the Sultanate regarding Kosovo. Jeremić said it was in keeping with international law, and expressed gratitude to the country for its support to Belgrade in view of the unilateral proclamation of the independence of Kosovo and Metohija. According to the Oman News Agency ONA, following the talks with his Omani counterpart Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Jeremić said at a press conference that the Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement should be held in Belgrade, 50 years after the last one was held in the Serbian capital, and invited the minister to visit Serbia soon. Jeremić announced that the two countries will appoint ambassadors to Muscat and Belgrade as part of promotion of their cooperation and sign several political and economic agreements.


Since making its debut at www.ocawonder.com February 26, 2010, the OCA’s young adult blog, "Wonder," is already averaging 300 hits per day. Accessible at www.ocawonder.com, the blog was launched by the Orthodox Church in America’s Department of Youth, Young Adult and Campus Ministry. Its content is geared toward providing thought-provoking articles on a variety of topics touching young adults, college students, and those who minister to this age group. The blog’s first installment explored the theme, "Engaging Modern Atheism," and featured articles by Father Sean Levine, Andrew Boyd, and Logan Johnson. "Capital Punishment" will be the theme of the second installment, slated to appear on March 25, while the April 25 installment, "Help My Unbelief," will explore the topic of faith and doubt. Readers are invited to submit articles, creative writing and artwork, poetry, photos, and videos for these and future installments. Suggested topics for subsequent installments are also welcome. Send all materials and comments to wonder@oca.org. Every month, "Wonder" will feature four articles on a specific theme, blending theological and academic insights with practical ideas for ministry, according to co-moderators Protodeacon Joseph Matusiak and Andrew Boyd. To subscribe to "Wonder," log on to www.ocawonder.com and click the "sign me up" link on the left of the page.

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)