Pray for Peace in Georgia

Pray for Peace in Georgia

In any conflict in this fallen world, it is our first duty to pray for those who are suffering, especially our fellow Orthodox brethren. His Grace, Bp. BASIL has sent out this prayer:

PRAYER FOR PEACE IN THE CAUCASUS: "O Master Who lovest mankind, King of the ages and Bestower of good things, Who hast destroyed enmity and givest peace to the human race: Grant peace even now unto all Thy servants who dwell in the lands of the Caucasus. Establish among our nations love one for another; quell every uprising; and allay all dissent and temptations. Grant unto them, O Lord, health and oneness of mind, protect them from all tribulations, afflictions and sudden death; bring an end to all enmity and malice which ariseth through the activity of the devil. Plant peace, O Lord, through the intercessions of the holy Theotokos, of the holy Apostle Andrew the First-called, of the first hierarchs of Moscow, of the holy Nino, Equal-to-the-Apostles, and of the Great Martyr George the Victorious. For Thou art our Peace, and we send up glory unto Thee—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit—now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen." (Released by the Press Service of the Moscow Patriarchate)

Icon: St. Nino, Equal-to-the-Apostles (Click here for her Life)

In addition to our prayers, the IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities), has been distributing food and hygiene supplies in Georgia's capital of Tbilisi to people displaced by the fighting in Georgia. To date, the IOCC has assisted almost 1,000 people, providing them with rations such as pasta, canned fish, rice and tea.

“Many of the displaced people we are seeing from South Ossetia are farmers who have never lived without a piece of land to farm or raise cattle so it has been difficult for them to take shelter in Tbilisi,” said IOCC Georgia Program Manager Darejan Dzotsenidze.

The IOCC expects to widen its assistance to other parts of the country as American shipments of food and other items are distributed throughout Tbilisi and the surrounding areas. The Moscow office of the IOCC is working with the Russian Orthodox Church to provide aid to people who have fled into Russia.

To help in providing emergency relief, call IOCC's donation hotline toll-free at 1-877-803-4622, make a gift on-line at www.iocc.org, or mail a check or money order payable to “IOCC” and write "Conflict in the Caucasus" in the memo line to: IOCC, P.O. Box 630225, Baltimore, Md. 21263-0225.

Abkhaz Monks Seek Release from Georgia

Abkhaz monks want freedom from Georgia
Posted on Sun Aug 17 2008

NOVY AFON, Georgia, Aug 17 (Reuters) - The balance of power in Abkhazia is clear to anyone looking out to sea from the Novy Afon monastery.

Six Russian warships are visible through the cypresses below the orange and ochre building, and military trucks with their black number plates rumble along the coastal road.

Technically, the 50 monks here belong to the Georgian Orthodox Church. But they disagree. Just like their separatist republic's politicians who won a vicious war against Georgia in 1992-3, they have declared independence from the church there.

"What does separatism mean anyway? It means you want to separate. And who do we want to separate from? From murderers," Father Vissarion, the head of the rebel state's church, told Reuters.

"If a man beats his wife, a court will allow her to leave him. People say we are Abkhazian separatists, but this means what? Are we supposed to be Georgians? We have nothing in common with them."

Father Vissarion's quest has gained fresh emphasis in recent days, although all other Orthodox churches still consider Abkhazia to be under Georgian spiritual control.

Abkhazia captured the last corner of its territory this week, after 15 years of uneasy peace. .

Their offensive took advantage of a powerful Russian operation against Georgian troops sent by President Mikheil Saakashvili to seize the second rebel region of South Ossetia.

The Georgian counter-offensive in South Ossetia and prompted the Russian invasion. The 75 percent of Abkhazians who are Christians noticed that Georgian Patriarch Ilia II has not condemned it.

"Sadly, Ilia II sees problems through the prism of politics, and those are the politics of Saakashvili. He has not spoken out against the genocide in South Ossetia," said Hieromonk Ignation, a fellow religious rebel.

The Orthodox Church, once the religion of the Byzantine Empire, has always had close ties with its rulers.

Abkhazia's monks argue that they are just doing what Georgia itself did, since it took advantage of the 1917 revolution to re-establish its independence from the Russian Patriarchate.

Abkhazian clerics have been independent in the past, and had a patriarch until the early 19th century.

They now claim to be restoring their ancient rights.

Their path has not been easy. Most clerics fled during the 1992-3 war in which the Georgians lost control of Abkhazia.

The handful that remained, who chose Vissarion to lead them, had to cobble together a national church with priests borrowed from Russia.

The differences between the rebel priests and the Georgian hierarchy are great, even though Ilia II has himself appealed for peace.

"Georgia has had harder times and still managed to overcome," Ilia II said, in comments on the Georgian Patriarchate's web site.

In the circumstances, it was perhaps unsurprising that the Abkhazian priests organized a service on Sunday for the crews of the six Russian naval vessels out in the bay.

They were also extremely accommodating to the hundreds of Russian tourists arriving every hour.

As Ignation said farewell with a quick squeeze on the arm, a Russian tourist dressed in pink hotpants, a purple vest and sparkly sandals approached him and asked for a blessing.

With only a sailor's cap over her long, blonde hair, she could not have looked more out of place next to Ignation, whose robe and hat made him resemble a huge, bearded crow.

"I bless you," he said. "But I do think you should at least cover up a bit."

Russian & Georgian Churches Appeal for Peace

Church groups back Russian, Georgian Orthodox peace appeals
Posted on Thu Aug 14 2008

Sophia Kishkovsky
New York (ENI). The patriarchs of the Russian and Georgian Orthodox churches have issued calls for peace as military conflict between Russia and Georgia over the pro-Russian separatist enclaves of South Ossetia and Abkhazia escalated into the first war between countries with Orthodox Christian majorities in modern history.

"Today blood is being shed and people are perishing in South Ossetia, and my heart deeply grieves over it. Orthodox Christians are among those who have raised their hands against each other. Orthodox peoples called by the Lord to live in fraternity and love are in conflict," Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II said in a statement on patriarchia.ru , his official Web site.

The Georgian authorities were reported as saying on 12 August that Russian troops were continuing to attack the town of Gori, although Russian President Dmitry Medvedev earlier in the day said he had ordered troops to stop military operations in Georgia. Russia has denied attacking the town and has denied any incursions outside the disputed region of South Ossetia.

The Web site of the Georgian Orthodox Church, patriarchate.ge, reports that in a sermon on 10 August, Patriarch Ilia II called for prayers to end the conflict.

Backing for the patriarchs' appeals came from two international church groupings that said the United Nations must "ensure the territorial integrity and political independence of Georgia".

In a 12 August joint statement, the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches warned, "The use of force in the dispute over South Ossetia and Abkhazia has cost the precious lives of civilians and soldiers, risks destabilising a fragile region, and reawakens deep fears there and far beyond."

In his statement, Patriarch Alexy called for negotiations that would "respect the traditions, views and hopes of the Georgian and Ossetian peoples", and said that the Russian Orthodox Church was ready to work with the Georgian Orthodox Church in a peace effort.

Georgian Patriarch Ilia said in his sermon, ''God is with us and the Virgin Mary is protecting us but one thing concerns us very deeply: that Orthodox Russians are bombing Orthodox Georgians," He added, "Reinforce your prayer and God will save Georgia."

Ilia had earlier called on the Georgian and South Ossetian authorities, "to spare no effort to cease fire and solve disputes peacefully."

On 9 August, Russian nationalist youth groups, led by the Georgiyevtsy, a Russian Orthodox youth movement, held a prayer meeting in front of the Moscow offices of the European Union.

"We believe Saakashvili betrays Orthodoxy when he sets Orthodox peoples against one another," Diana Romanovskaya, press secretary of the Georgiyevtsy, told the Interfax-Religion news service in a reference to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Georgia became Orthodox in the fourth century, more than 600 years before the baptism of Rus in the Dnieper river in Kiev in 988, which Russians mark as the creation of their church.

Russia annexed Georgia, which was seeking protection from Persia, in 1801, and abolished the Georgian Patriarchate. It was reinstated after the Bolshevik revolution in 1917. Relations between the Russian and Georgian churches in recent years have been amicable.

The Web sites of both the Russian and Georgian churches report that before the fighting began, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sent congratulations to Patriarch Ilia on his name day on 2 August.

"We appreciate your efforts in strengthening civil peace and harmony in the region among the nations and religions," read the message. "Common Orthodox traditions have been the greater factors of unity for Russian and Georgian nations for many centuries. Please accept my gratitude for your unchangeable kind attitude towards Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church. We are certain that common spiritual roots, plus friendly and good neighbouring traditions will help us to overcome all existing difficulties between our countries."

Sophia Kishkovsky is a correspondent for ENI, based in Moscow. She wrote this story from New York.
Contac

Ukraine's Divided Churches

Orthodox Christianity
Brothers in Christ

Jul 31st 2008
From The Economist print edition
By the skin of their teeth, prelates of the Christian East avoid a rupture

WHENEVER two or more Orthodox Christian clerics join in celebrating the Eucharist—consecrating bread and wine in a manner that is far more elaborate, solemn and formal than is usual in today’s Christian West—it creates a special bond between them. And if one Orthodox cleric refuses to “concelebrate” with another, that is a sign of a deep, painful rift.

That helps to explain why Orthodox Christians all over the world (who may number more than 200m, if one makes generous assumptions about the religiosity of ordinary Russians and Ukrainians) looked on with fascination as two important gentlemen, one from Moscow and the other from Istanbul, came together in Kiev on July 27th to conduct their church’s most important rite. This was a powerful, if provisional, moment of reconciliation between the Patriarchs of Constantinople and Moscow, whose relations have been scratchy for most of the past decade.

It was a close-run thing: the 1,020th anniversary of the advent of Christianity among the Slavs, celebrated with enormous fanfare by Ukraine’s President Viktor Yushchenko, might just as easily have led to a dramatic bust-up between the two institutions whose multiple disagreements have cast a shadow over Orthodox Christian affairs in places ranging from New York to Paris to Beijing.

In the end, however, rupture was avoided. A basis was also laid for better relations in future, thanks to careful diplomacy by Bartholomew I, the Patriarch of Constantinople, who is by tradition the “first among equals” in the Orthodox hierarchy.

Read the rest here at the Economist.

Church Backs Russian & Georgian Orthodox Peace Appeals

Church groups back Russian, Georgian Orthodox peace appeals
Posted on Thu Aug 14 2008

Sophia Kishkovsky
New York (ENI). The patriarchs of the Russian and Georgian Orthodox churches have issued calls for peace as military conflict between Russia and Georgia over the pro-Russian separatist enclaves of South Ossetia and Abkhazia escalated into the first war between countries with Orthodox Christian majorities in modern history.

"Today blood is being shed and people are perishing in South Ossetia, and my heart deeply grieves over it. Orthodox Christians are among those who have raised their hands against each other. Orthodox peoples called by the Lord to live in fraternity and love are in conflict," Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II said in a statement on patriarchia.ru , his official Web site.

The Georgian authorities were reported as saying on 12 August that Russian troops were continuing to attack the town of Gori, although Russian President Dmitry Medvedev earlier in the day said he had ordered troops to stop military operations in Georgia. Russia has denied attacking the town and has denied any incursions outside the disputed region of South Ossetia.

The Web site of the Georgian Orthodox Church, patriarchate.ge, reports that in a sermon on 10 August, Patriarch Ilia II called for prayers to end the conflict.

Backing for the patriarchs' appeals came from two international church groupings that said the United Nations must "ensure the territorial integrity and political independence of Georgia".

In a 12 August joint statement, the World Council of Churches and the Conference of European Churches warned, "The use of force in the dispute over South Ossetia and Abkhazia has cost the precious lives of civilians and soldiers, risks destabilising a fragile region, and reawakens deep fears there and far beyond."

In his statement, Patriarch Alexy called for negotiations that would "respect the traditions, views and hopes of the Georgian and Ossetian peoples", and said that the Russian Orthodox Church was ready to work with the Georgian Orthodox Church in a peace effort.

Georgian Patriarch Ilia said in his sermon, ''God is with us and the Virgin Mary is protecting us but one thing concerns us very deeply: that Orthodox Russians are bombing Orthodox Georgians," He added, "Reinforce your prayer and God will save Georgia."

Ilia had earlier called on the Georgian and South Ossetian authorities, "to spare no effort to cease fire and solve disputes peacefully."

On 9 August, Russian nationalist youth groups, led by the Georgiyevtsy, a Russian Orthodox youth movement, held a prayer meeting in front of the Moscow offices of the European Union.

"We believe Saakashvili betrays Orthodoxy when he sets Orthodox peoples against one another," Diana Romanovskaya, press secretary of the Georgiyevtsy, told the Interfax-Religion news service in a reference to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.

Georgia became Orthodox in the fourth century, more than 600 years before the baptism of Rus in the Dnieper river in Kiev in 988, which Russians mark as the creation of their church.

Russia annexed Georgia, which was seeking protection from Persia, in 1801, and abolished the Georgian Patriarchate. It was reinstated after the Bolshevik revolution in 1917. Relations between the Russian and Georgian churches in recent years have been amicable.

The Web sites of both the Russian and Georgian churches report that before the fighting began, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sent congratulations to Patriarch Ilia on his name day on 2 August.

"We appreciate your efforts in strengthening civil peace and harmony in the region among the nations and religions," read the message. "Common Orthodox traditions have been the greater factors of unity for Russian and Georgian nations for many centuries. Please accept my gratitude for your unchangeable kind attitude towards Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church. We are certain that common spiritual roots, plus friendly and good neighbouring traditions will help us to overcome all existing difficulties between our countries."

Sophia Kishkovsky is a correspondent for ENI, based in Moscow. She wrote this story from New York.
Contact: editor@directionstoorthodoxy.org

Metropolitan PHILIP Responds to GOARCH establishing Arab Vicariate

www.antiochian.org

August 7th, 2008

To: The Esteemed Hierarchs, Members of The Archdiocese Board of
Trustees, Clergy and Faithftil of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox
Christian Archdiocese of North America:

On August 5, 2008, The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America issued a
press release which established a vicariate with the name 'Vicariate for
Palestinian/Jordanian Communities in the USA'. The membership of this
vicariate will consist of those communities in the USA which were
originally part of the Patriarchate of Antioch, but most recently (since
1993) were uncanonically claimed by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem. From
an historical perspective, it has been clear since the disintegration of
Orthodox unity which existed in North America until 1917, that the
Arabic-speaking Orthodox people in North America have been exclusively
under the pastoral care of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian
Archdiocese of North America. Similarly, the Greek-speaking Orthodox
people (e.g. Cypriot, Greek, Egyptian, Turkish, etc.) have always been
under the pastoral care of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
What reaction would occur if the Antiochian Archdiocese were to
establish a vicariate for Greek communities which separate themselves
from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese?!

These former "Jerusalem Patriarchate" communities separated themselves
from the Antiochian Archdiocese without canonical releases, and in some
cases are served by priests who are under canonical suspension. It is
important to point out that since this separation occurred in 1993 we
have taken extraordinary measures to reconcile these communities with
The Antiochian Archdiocese and have appealed to both the Patriarchate of
Constantinople and the Patriarchate of Antioch as well as others for
their assistance. Unfortunately, none of our numerous appeals for
intervention were answered.

As such, our directive of May 2, 2003 remains in force. To emphasize the
main point or that directive, the clergy of The Antiochian Archdiocese
are still forbidden from communing and/or concelebrating with any clergy
who are a part of this newly-formed "Vicariate far Palestinian/Jordanian
Communities in the USA" of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America,
whether in our parishes, their parishes, or as a part of pan-Orthodox
gatherings.

We lament this action by the Ecumenical Patriarchate which further
complicates the already uncanonical jurisdictional situation here and
continues to undermine the efforts of all Orthodox hierarchs of SCOBA to
achieve administrative unity and canonical normalcy in North America.

Praying that this urgent situation will be resolved in a spirit of
peace, harmony and love, we remain

Yours In Christ,
Metropolitan PHILIP
Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America

Copy to:
His Beadtude IGNATIUS IV, Patriarch of Antioch and All The East
His Holiness ALEXY, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
His All-Holiness BARTHOLOMEW, Patriarch or Constantinople
His Beatitude THEOPHILOS, patriarch of Jerusalem
All Hierarchs of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops
in America (SCOBA)

First read HERE.

Jerusalem Patriarchate gives up American authority and signs it over to Constantinople

And does the Jerusalem Patriarchate receive something in return from the Ecumenical Patriarchate? Sounds like they are trying to shore up Greek influence and power. I hope this is not their primary motivation, but it sure looks that way having not consulted with the Arabic (background) Orthodox Patriarchate or Archdiocese. Kyrie eleison!

Decisions on Some Palestinian and Jordanian Communities in the USA

New York, NY - After a long process that began in 1993 related to the ecclesiastical status of a portion of the Palestinian and Jordanian communities in the USA, the portion connected to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, there has been a final agreed decision by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem concerning these communities. The Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Jerusalem Patriarchate have agreed that the canonical and pastoral supervision of these communities and their clergy should belong to the canonically established jurisdiction in the United States which is the Eparchy of the Ecumenical Throne in America, that is, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. Henceforth, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem no longer asserts any jurisdiction in the Western Hemisphere.

On Tuesday, April 1, 2008, His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew received His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, together with the senior member of the Holy Synod of the Jerusalem Patriarchate, Metropolitan Vasilios of Caesaria (Palestine) and other clergy. Final details for the implementation of the agreements were completed, with a mutual decision that these communities come under the canonical jurisdiction of the Archdiocese of America. Following the meeting at the Phanar, His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America was directed to proceed with the implementation of the agreements by the creation of a Vicariate for the inclusion of the clergy and communities within the Archdiocese of America. The official name of the Vicariate is: “Vicariate for Palestinian/Jordanian Communities in the USA.”

The clergy and communities of the Vicariate will be directly under the Archbishop of America and will report to the Archdiocese through the Vicar. Through the Archdiocese, all of these clergy and communities will be able to participate in the programs and agencies of SCOBA.

Contact: Ecumenical Office
Tel.: 212.570.3593
Email: ecumenical@goarch.org

GEORGIAN & RUSSIAN PATRIARCHS TAKE STAND FOR PEACE

Phone talk of the head of Georgian Orthodox Church with Metropolitan Kirill, chairman of Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations

His Holiness and Beatitude Iliya II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, had a telephone talk on 14 August with Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations.

They discussed the tragic consequences of the events last week, focusing on the condition of the civilian population in the military conflict zone.

They approved the peacemaking stand taken by the two Churches and agreed to maintain contacts and cooperation in efforts to overcome the grave consequences that the military confrontation has had for the civilians.

GEORGIAN PATRIARCH PLEADS FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II Has Left for Gori
2008-08-15

Just half an hour ago His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II accompanied with Metropolitan Daniel (Datuashvili) of Tskhum-Abkhazia Diocese and a large group of priests and nuns left for Gori. The Catholicos Patriarch is expected to meet the local population in Gori and Nikozi, and if it is available to go to Tskhinvali as well. The Patriarchate of Georgia has been delivering humanitarian assistance through IDP’s and injured population. There is opened a banking account for the Patriarchate of Georgia “For Injured in Samachablo War” at the Central Branch of Republican Bank. Please, see the banking details: 10001556118 EUR INTERMEDIARY BANK – SOCIETE GENERALE, Paris, France SWIFT: SOGE FR PP BENEFICIARY BANK – BANK “REPUBLIC” Tbilisi, Georgia Acc.: 001019083750 SWIFT: REPL GE 22 Beneficiary: SAKARTVELOS SAPATRIARKO Account: 10001556118 USD INTERMEDIARY BANK – SOCIETE GENERALE, N.Y., USA SWIFT: SOGE US 33 BENEFICIARY BANK – BANK “REPUBLIC” Tbilisi, Georgia Acc.: 00195464 SWIFT: REPL GE 22 Beneficiary: SAKARTVELOS SAPATRIARKO Account 10001556118

CAN PEACE REALLY COME FROM WAHHABIST SAUDI ARABIA?

Islam and Saudi Arabia, champions of dialogue?

by Samir Khalil Samir

The Saudi king takes more steps to show openness towards Christians, Jews and other religions. The most urgent reason is to rectify Islam’s violent image but also stems from a new attitude towards inter-faith dialogue towards the People of the Book (Jews, Muslims and Christians), but also atheists, Hindus and Buddhists.

Beirut (AsiaNews) – The Muslim world is showing increasing signs that it wants to engage others in dialogue. Greater tolerance is increasingly visible in Muslim countries, signs like the opening of a new church in Kuwait or one in Qatar, greater openness towards the Vatican, the letter signed by 138 Muslim scholars to Benedict XVI, the creation of a joint Islamic-Catholic commission; Saudi King Abdullah’s visit to the Holy See . . . .

More signs of openness and tolerance have come from the Saudi monarch himself like the intra-Muslim meeting in Makkah (4-6 June 2008) and the inter-faith conference in Madrid (16-18 July 2008) as a start to inter-faith dialogue, one that includes Jews as well.

Dialogue seems to be the order of the day in a religion that since 11 September 2001 and the attack against New York’s twin towers has come to be regarded by the general public as the most intolerant religion. What is going on? Here is the analysis of Islam expert Fr Samir Khalil Samir.

Read the full article HERE.
Here is another take: "In Mecca, a King is Giving Lessons in Peace"
And do take note of this (typical) bit of hypocrisy.

FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE IN EGYPT & IRAN

APOSTASY: CURRENT ISSUES IN EGYPT & IRAN

----------------------------------------

Islam's founder, Muhammad, once decreed: 'Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him.' (Sahih Al-Bukhari Vol. 9:57) This hadith (saying of Muhammad) is the basis for Islam's law that deems apostasy (leaving Islam) a capital offence. Islamic states generally do not execute apostates but they do tolerate 'honour killings' and the Sharia-enforcing violence of Islamic vigilantes. Because religion is regarded as a state matter in most Muslim countries, a person's religion is stated on the identity (ID) card. This then determines what rules they must follow: for example, a woman with a Muslim ID may legally marry only a Muslim man. This intolerance is being questioned in places with more openness.

* EGYPT: An apostasy debate is presently simmering in Egypt over the merits or otherwise of religious liberty vis-a-vis Islamic apostasy laws. A group of Coptic Christians who converted to Islam for pragmatic reasons (such as marriage or jobs), or were deemed Muslim by official decree, are seeking the right to have their identities restored as Christian. On 2 August 2007 Mohammad Hegazi (24) became the first Egyptian-born Muslim to sue Egypt's Interior Ministry for his right to leave Islam and be registered as a Christian. In January the court ruled against Hegazi and declared that a Muslim may not convert. Hegazi plans to appeal the ruling. Meanwhile, he and his wife and baby daughter have been forced into hiding. Even his own father has publicly threatened to kill him. Despite Hegazi's trials, on 4 August 2008 Maher Ahmad El-Mo'otahssem Bellah El-Gohary (56) became the second convert to launch a court challenge for his right to leave Islam. Like Hegazi, he is acting not only for his own right but for the benefit of his family: he also doesn't want his daughter deemed Muslim.

* IRAN: Iran is a Shi'ite revolutionary police state. The only apostasy debate (known to us) taking place in Iran is about whether to make the death sentence for apostasy mandatory instead of optional (at the judge's discretion). The draft Internet Crime Bill which is presently being debated in the parliament will, if passed, make apostasy and promoting apostasy (even through Internet articles and weblogs) a mandatory capital offence on the grounds that it harms the 'mental security' of society.

Meanwhile, on 30 July, Abbas Amiri (62) died in hospital after being beaten on Sunday 27 July by police who raided his house church meeting. His wife, Sakineh Rahnama, died on 3 August 2008 from a combination of injuries sustained in the raid and heartbreak. On 29 July, 16 converts were arrested during a house church baptism ceremony. Another convert, Mohsen Namvar (44), is suffering severely physically and from memory loss after torture throughout June by Iran's secret police trying to extract information on the church.

Upon his 'temporary' release, Namvar and his family fled Iran. This was the second time Namvar had been tortured in detention.

Compass Direct also reports that Christians Mahmood Matin (52) and Arash Bandari (44) have been jailed since their arrest on 15 May on suspicion of apostasy. In June, a newly converted couple, Tina Rad (24) and her husband Makan Arya (31), were detained and ferociously beaten over four days leaving Rad unable to walk. Upon their release they were threatened that if they ever again attended a house church they will be charged with apostasy and lose custody of their 4-year- old daughter. They are experiencing intensive persecution from neighbours and family.

[Click here for the full article.]

APPEAL BY RUSSIAN ORTHODOX PATRIARCH FOR PEACE IN GEORGIA

Appeal by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia

Having learnt about the hostilities in Tshinvali and its outskirts, I call upon the warring parties to cease fire and return to the path of dialogue. Blood is being shed in South Ossetia and people are being killed and this makes my heart to grieve profoundly. Among those who have lifted their hand against each other are Orthodox Christians. What is more, those who have come into conflict are Orthodox nations who are called by the Lord to live in brotherhood and love. I am aware of the appeal to peace made by His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch Iliya of All Georgia. I also make my ardent appeal to those who have gone blind with hatred: stop! Do not let more blood be shed, do not let today’s conflict be expanded many times over! Show common sense and virtue: sit at the negotiation table for talks with respect for the traditions, views and aspirations of both the Georgian and Ossetian peoples. The Russian Church is ready to unite efforts with the Georgian Church and help in achieving peace. May our God, Who ‘is not a God of disorder but of peace’ (1 Cor. 14:33), be our Helper in this endeavor.

+ ALEXY
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

http://www.mospat.ru/index.php?page=42213

QUEEN RANIA'S WEBSITE

Check out Queen Rania of Jordan's Youtube website, featuring her initiative on Arab stereotypes. Some of these are really quite hilarious. I applaud the effort, but I would add that it would be good (perhaps even more important) to also try to enlighten Arabs and Muslims about their manifold false stereotypes against the West.

http://www.youtube.com/QueenRania
http://www.queenrania.jo/

MARONITE PATRIARCH SFEIR THRUST INTO LIMELIGHT

Lebanon's political wranglings thrust Sfeir into limelight
Bkirki sees renewed influence in deeply divided scene
By Inter Press Service (Mona Alami)

Monday, August 11, 2008

BEIRUT: Bkirki towers atop the coastal Lebanese city of Jounieh, a white mansion that serves as the refuge of the Maronite patriarch. The century-old construction seems to shine amid the shrubbery, contrasting against the pristine blue sky. Its story is as ancient as Lebanon's, and reflective of its diverse past.

The history of the Lebanese Maronites, a branch of the Syriac Eastern Catholic Church dating back to the fifth century, has been punctuated with adversity. The order, the name of which originates from Maronite patriarch John Marron, currently reaches across the globe, dovetailing the emigration of Christian Lebanese to the United States, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe and South America.

"Some 76 patriarchs have led the Maronite Christian community over the years," says Antoine Saad, author of "76th Maronite Patriarch: Monseigneur Nasrallah Sfeir."

Their leadership has proven a complex, if not perilous, exercise in a region mostly dominated by Muslims and where Christians have become, over time, a minority. In spite of the absence of accurate statistics, Christians are believed to constitute about one-third of the population in Lebanon (out of about four million), a figure dwindling away with each subsequent war and political crisis.

Today, Lebanese patriarchs are elected by an electoral college in a similar manner to that of the Pope. This democratic process has along the years rendered Syria, Lebanon's powerful neighbor and one-time occupier, wary of Maronite patriarchs, especially considering the pivotal political role the leader of the Maronite church plays.

Since the establishment of Lebanon under the French mandate system in 1920, Lebanon has had as many as five patriarchs, each of whom participated significantly in the country's political scene.

More here: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=94956
Also: http://bkerkelb.org/english/

GEORGIAN PATRIARCH SPEAKS OUT AGAINST VIOLENCE

Patriarch urges nation to pray
2008-08-10

Georgian Catholicos Patriarch Illia II spoke about the political crisis in Georgia in His Sunday Preachment today. The Patriarch expressed his concern that Orthodox Russians were bombing Orthodox Georgians and that such aggression had never occurred in the history of two nations. ''Indeed, we are facing very serious peril, but don't be afraid of anything, God is with us and Virgin Mary is protecting is, but one thing concerns us very deeply that Orthodox Russians are bombing Orthodox Georgians. This is unprecedented act of relations between our countries. Reinforce your prayer and God will save Georgia. There is a saying ''Water will flow up and down and will return to its weir. So, believe that God will not separate Georgia into peices,'' Patriarch declared.

http://www.patriarchate.ge/_en/?action=home

"CRUSADES LONG GONE, BUT JIHAD LINGERS ON"

Although off in a few tiny details, the spirit of this article sums up a key difficulty in dealing with the Arab world.

Aug 7, 2008 12:28 | Updated Aug 12, 2008 19:02
The Region: Crusades long gone, but jihad lingers on
By BARRY RUBIN

A 19-year-old man is tortured and beheaded for a bad joke interpreted as blasphemy. A father is accused of killing his son because he converted to another religion. They are not Muslims but Christians, and the place is France in the mid-1700s.

There was a time when Europe often behaved in ways parallel to that of Muslim-majority countries today. Yet by the end of the 1700s, this was changing. In the first case cited above, the king and even Catholic bishops failed to save the unfortunate Chevalier de la Barre, but the outcry led to the end of such actions. In the second case, Voltaire led a campaign that saw Jean Calas's name legally cleared on the grounds that he was the victim of an unjust frame-up because he was a member of the Protestant minority.

It's true, then, that there are parallels between Western and Middle Eastern societies. But even leaving aside important doctrinal religious issues, the crucial difference between the two is that phenomena the West has left far back in the past continue to exist in Muslim-majority counterparts.

More here: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1218095193781&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

MONASTERIES OF ANTIOCH

Anybody have $145 I can borrow for this book? :-)
http://www.alexiapublications.com/Monasteries_Antiochian_Church.htm

ORTHODOX PRIEST PRAYING OVER GEORGIAN SOLDIERS

Georgian soldiers prayed with an Orthodox priest. Air attacks by Russian forces caused numerous casualties among the civilian population in Gori.

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/08/11/world/0811-GEORGIA_10.html

COPTIC CHRISTIANS IN EGYPT

IN EGYPT, MUSLIM-CHRISTIAN DIVIDE SEEMS WIDER
By Michael Slackman
Published: August 2, 2008

CAIRO: A monastery was ransacked in January. In May, monks there were kidnapped, whipped and beaten and ordered to spit on the cross. Christian-owned jewelry stores were robbed over the summer. The rash of violence was so bad that one prominent Egyptian writer worried it had become "open season" on the nation's Christians.

Does Egypt face a sectarian problem?

More here: http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/02/mideast/egypt.php

SAUDIS CALL FOR INTERFAITH DIALOGUE, THEN ARREST 15 CHRISTIANS

Monday, August 4, 2008

Saudi Arabia to Deport 15 Christians
Deportation Comes Two Weeks after King Abdullah Calls for Reconciliation Between Muslims and Christians at Saudi Hosted Interfaith Dialogue

By Michael Ireland
Chief Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

SAUDI ARABIA (ANS) -- Saudi Arabia is set to deport 15 Christians on Tuesday, August 5, for holding private worship meetings in a house in the city of Taif.

International Christian Concern (ICC) www.persecution.org says that on Friday, April 25, twelve Saudi Arabian police raided a house where 16 Christians were holding a prayer meeting.

More here: http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/2008/s08080019.htm

CHRISTIANS IN ALGERIA

PERSECUTION SPURS DEBATE IN ALGERIA

The Algerian government has been appeasing Islamists since early 2008 by implementing its 2006 'Presidential Order Concerning Religion' and repressing Christian worship and practice. Habiba Kouider (35) was charged with 'practising non-Muslim religious rites without a licence' after police found Bibles in her handbag on 29 March. Her case is so controversial that on 27 May the court postponed its verdict. On 1 June police harangued Habiba in the street for two hours. Then on 3 June, four Algerian Christians got suspended jail sentences and fines for 'attempting to shake the faith of Muslims'. The government asserts that religious liberty is part of a foreign conspiracy to colonise Algeria. But many Algerians are not buying that and voices for liberty and justice are being raised in Algeria. Please pray for Algeria and its Church in this time of trial and debate.

http://www.ea.org.au/default.aspx?id=13f4212d-fd05-4b5b-87bd-21813c15be3f

CHRISTIANS IN YEMEN

CHRISTIANS IN YEMEN ARRESTED

Since October 2007 Islamic sources have been claiming large numbers of Muslims are converting to Christianity in Yemen. The World Muslim League has urged the Yemeni government to curb conversions and al-Qaeda deputy Ayman Al-Zawahiri has called for a 'media jihad' in Yemen against missionaries and apostasy (leaving Islam). In mid-June 2008 Yemeni authorities arrested what they described as a 'missionary cell' of seven people, charging them with promoting Christianity and distributing the Bible. One member, Hadni Dohni, is also charged with converting to Christianity. The believers are presently being 'investigated'. Religious liberty monitors believe these Christians are at grave risk of beatings, torture and murder. Please pray for these believers and that their arrests will not be in vain but will arouse interest in the gospel. Pray for the Church in Yemen.

More here: http://www.ea.org.au/default.aspx?id=f0c00b78-ebfe-4e33-b359-d01eb3a60d39

BRANCH MAP OF CHRISTIANITY

http://www.aina.org/aol/link2.htm