АРХИПАСТИРСКО ВЕЛИКДЕНСКО ПОЗДРАВЛЕНИЕ

ARCHPASTORAL PASCHAL MESSAGE

Memory Eternal! Fr. Christo B. Christoff

Metropolitan Joseph, on behalf of the Holy Synod, Congratulates Patriarch Maxim on his names day.

Article with photos on website of Bulgarian Patriarchate.

Another article with more photos.

On October 29th, 2009 His Holiness the Bulgarian Patriarch MAXIM will
celebrate his 95th Birth Day. On this occasion he will consecrate the
new church in the Holy Patriarchate "St. Marina" (the civil name of His
Holiness was Marin).

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Your Holiness Patriarch MAXIM,

Bless Your Holiness!

We
at Holy Dormition Orthodox Church greet and congratulate Your Holiness
on your 95th birthday. We pray that your day will be full of Our Lord's
blessing and joy along with the love of His most-pure Mother. We are so
thankful for your fatherly love for us here in America and your constant
and unceasing prayers for each one of us. It is with deep appreciation
for your compassion and generosity towards us that we wish you every
blessing on this special day. Thank you for all the wonderful epistles
that you send to us, enlightening our hearts and minds with the true
Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you also for receiving us so
warmly when we have come to visit you in Bulgaria and allowing us to
serve with Your Holiness -- a great blessing for us clergy. And we thank
you also for giving us your spiritual son, His Eminence Metropolitan
Joseph, to lead us here in America. He is a wonderful example of our
Bulgarian Hierarchs and beloved by many everywhere.

Your
Holiness, may Our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ grant you Many
Years!

We ask for Your Holiness' continued support, prayers and
blessing for the missionary work of our Diocese of the USA, Canada and
Australia. Through Your Holiness' prayers, may many Americans, Canadians
and Australians be brought to the True Light of our Holy Orthodox
Church.

Respectfully venerating Your right Hand,
Archpriest
Michael Oyer and the flock of Holy Dormition Orthodox Church
Santa
Rosa, CA
www.holydormitionchurch.org

Blagoslovi, Vladiko!
 
Your Holiness:
 
The faithful of
Saint Herman of Alaska Mission send you our warmest greetings in the
Lord on the occassion of the 95th anniversary of your birth!
 
We
wish for you to know that you are in our prayers constantly and without
fail, both in our daily celebrations of Divne Services (weekly
Akathists, Liturgies, Vespers, and daily Morning Prayers).  We remember
fondly your last visit to the US, and we treasure the memories of our
having the honor to receive a blessing directly from your hands!  Now we
hold tightly to that first blessing as we continue to seek our Lord's
will through your continued blessings to us and your prayers for us in
America.  Since your visit to America, many of us have aged much, but
when I see your photograph, you look as you did then, on that day you
visited the faithful of Sveti Duch in Cincinnati!  How is this possible?
 
May
our Lord grant to you Many Years, and through His gift of years to you
thereby bless us, thereby keeping you as our Patriarch, under your
pastoral protection and care.  You are the only Patriarch that many of
us have ever known, and we pray that your health, your strength, your
wisdom, and your prayers will continue to guide us and strengthen us for
many more years!
 
I also wish to send to you my personal thanks
for your prayers for the little child of God, Marina.  Metropolitan
Joseph told me of your love for her after hearing her name.  She fell
asleep in the Lord only days after her birth, but I know that it was
because of your holy prayers that she did not leave this world before
she received baptism, Chrismation, and before she tasted on her own the
Body and Blood of our Lord.  Now we know with certainty that she rests
in His arms, free from any harm this world could do her.  I cannot thank
you enough for remembering this loved one of our Lord!  It is a great
comfort and joy to know that on the day of your birth you will
consecrate a church to her Patron Saint, Saint Marina!  With your
blessing, I will share this joyous news with her parents.
 
All
love in Christ,
Father Basil Rusen
for the faithful of
Saint
Herman of Alaska Mission
Hudson, Ohio

Храм „Св. Димитър” Българска Източно Православна Църква в град Брамптън, Онтарио, Канада, отпразнува петия си рожден ден, на 26. 10. 2009 г., която дата съвпада и с храмовия й празник по случай честването паметта на светеца, чието име носи. Богослужението бе оглавено от Негово Високопреосвещенство Йосиф, митрополит на САЩ, Канада и Австралия, който предприе тридневно богослужебно гостуване в съслужение с всички български свещеници от съседните енории на македоно-българските църкви в Торонто.

Негово Високопреосвещенство бе топло приет от новия благоговеен свещ. Йоан Иванов в компанията на българската младежка секция при храма, която само за десетмесечна работа наброява над четиридесет православни младежа, обединени под логото на храма и инициира първата отворена младежка среща на нашите младежи с него.

Храм „Св. Димитър” е една идея на българското общество в Канада, осъществена в не толкова далечната 2003 г. от големия български бизнесмен и родолюбец, носител на орден „Стара планина” и почетен български консул в Торонто, д-р. х. к. Игнат Канев, което я прави една от най-младите Православни църкви в Северна Америка.

Църквата предлага модерно оборудвана база за задграничното българско училище по министерската програма „Български език и култура”, в което се помещават и учат около седемдесет наши деца.


Понастоящем управлявана под духовния покров на Негово Високопреосвещенство Митрополит Йосиф и зоркия поглед на Негово Благоговейнство свещеник Йоан Иванов, храмът има десетчленно настоятелство и председател в лицето на Г-жа Диди Канева, и се явява духовен и национален стожер на много българи зад граница.

Дори бегъл поглед над духовните и социални дейности при храма ни очарова със задружността на Женската си секция, която ежемесечно събира енориашите при храма на обеди или вечери с традиционна българска кухня; с младежката инициатива за безплатни прожекции на български филми, с катехизисните си курсове под предводителството на енорийския свещеник, с историческия дискусионен клуб, а не на последно място и с много спортни мероприятия за укрепване на българския дух, душевност и физика.

Важно е да не пропуснем да отбележим, че на тази паметна дата бе официално въдворен от Нюйоркския Митрополит в енорийско служение едногодишно служещият вече там свещ. Йоан Иванов, бивш духовник на храм „Св. Димитър”Кокаляне, Софийска Епархия, а така също бе подстриган и благословен за четец и певец при храма, православният местен Канадски жител Joseph Forget.

На същото богослужение, за особени заслуги по изграждането и консолидирането на българската общност при храма бяха наградени с патриаршеска грамота и грамота от храма, достопочтимите Д-р. и Г-жа Константин и Кина Вълчеви, църковни членове от основаването му.

Нека всички последваме светлия им православен пример на всеотдайно служение зад граница.

"The Summer Session of the Holy Synod continues. His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph
returned back to NYC to prepare himself for our 34th Annual Diocesan Convention.
The Holy Synod took the following decisions for us:

- His Holiness Patriarch Maxim on behalf of the Holy Synod to send three messages:
1. To MLIC Youth Conference; 2. To Popadias and Deaconissas Gathering, and 3. To the delegates of 34th Annual Diocesan Convention in Des Plaines;

- Holy Synod to inform us that he approved as final the decision of our Diocesan Court to depose archimandrite Simeon of Boscobel;

- Holy Synod to inform His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah of OCA that it was approved as final the previous deposition of former priests Stefan Michailov and Valentin Notzkov, now in the USA;

- Holy Synod to infrom His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah of OCA that the status of Very Rev. Archimandrite Pachomij (Bellcov) is canonical in our Diocese and he came to us from ROCOR, not from OCA;

- Holy Synod appointed the new Deans of Sofia and Plovdiv seminaries;

- Holy Synod gave as Vicar Bishop the Dean of Sofia seminary Bishop Sionij to Metropolitan Dometian of Vidin;

- Holy Synod blessed the new website of Bulgarian Patriarchate: www.bg-patriarshia.bg

- Holy Synod heard for information the report of Metropolitan Neophit of Russe regarding the decisions of Panorthodox dathering in Shambezi (Materials are already ready in English);

- Holy Synod decided to celebrate 95th anniversary of His Holiness Patriarch Maxim in October this year and to consecrate on this occasion his chapel "St. Marina" in his home.

- Holy Synod continues its Session until July 10, 2009."

On Pentecost Sunday, the fourth pan-Orthodox pre-assembly discussion and meeting began with a pan-Orthodox Archpastoral Liturgy. The co-celebrants of the Liturgy were the leaders of the delegations from the Churches in Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Serbia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Cyprus, Greece, Poland and Albania. Bulgaria was represented in the service by Metropolitan Neofit. Metropolitan Neofit is 4th from the left in the picture.

   

   

On Palm Sunday Fr. Dcn. John Williamson installed the beautiful icons painted for us by an excellent iconographer from Romania. The icons were accomplished through his hand but also through the prayers and encouragement of Dedo Vladiko, the support of the entire parish and the hard work of our iconography committee. We definitely felt the enhanced presence of the Apostles and the real purpose of icons was exemplified in this blessed event. The picture was taken after Liturgy and is of the parish of HROC that was present on that day.            Fr. Patrick

His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph attends the elevation of his spiritual brother, Metropolitan Neofit, to Doctor Honoris Causi at Sofia University, Bulgaria. Our Diocese expresses, together with Metropolitan Joseph, its joy and congratulations to our beloved Metropolitan Neofit. May God grant him Many Years!