Eastern Orthodox Church

The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Daniel, was decorated, on Thursday, by President Klaus Iohannis with the Grand Star with Collar of the National Order of the Star of Romania in a ceremony that took place at Cotroceni Palace.

A historic service at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican is expected today. In front of the Bulgarian National Radio Assoc. Prof. Presbyter Ivan Ivanov, the new Orthodox Bulgarian priest in Rome, said:

The Orthodox Church in Russia has urged women to refrain from abortions and instead give their children to church institutions.

"Give birth to the child and hand it over to us, the Church, and we will do everything we can to raise it and get it on its feet," the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, said Patriarch Kirill, said in a video address.

The midnight Easter liturgy in the Temple of Saint Sava was served by the newly elected Vicar Bishop Stefan of Remesiana.
His Holiness Patriarch of Serbia Porfirije will serve the Holy Hierarch's Liturgy in the church of St. Sava on Easter, May 2, starting at 9 am, Serbian Orthodox Church announced.

His Beatitude Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria was admitted to hospital for regular health tests, according to the Holy Synod press office.

The new head of the Serbian Orthodox Church addressed the people gathered.
"I pray to God and I ask all of you to support me so that the great and responsible task that is placed before me, on my weak shoulders, I could present joyfully, as the 46th patriarch, and the 57th leader of our church, I be at least a humble representative," said the new patriarch.

Ombudsman Renate Weber had a meeting with leader of the Romanian Christian Orthodox Church (BOR) on baptism, bringing to attention several aspects that could be considered by the BOR Holy Synod, including analysing the opportunity of some classes in the liturgical practices of baptism, and establishing ways of performing the ritual adapted to each case.

Manolis Dermitzakis, professor of genetics at the University of Geneva, said on Thursday he was "shocked" by the crowding he saw in the streets and the images of some faithful receiving Communion from the same spoon on Wednesday, when the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Epiphany.

Along with Easter, Christmas is one of the two greatest Christian holidays.
It is the day when the Christian world celebrates the birth of Christ and when, according to the belief, the spirit of Jesus is omnipresent among people, bringing them peace and forgiveness.

Turkey's Orthodox community celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ on Jan. 6, recognized as Christmas according to the Julian calendar.

Greek Orthodox citizens in Istanbul reenacted the baptism of Christ with a traditional cross-throwing ceremony at the Kuzguncuk dock in Üsküdar district.