February, 2012The Sacrament of Holy Unction and the Care of the Sick The year 2012 has been dedicated by the Romanian Patriarchate to the Sacrament of Holy Unction and the Care of the Sick. Just as last year we concentrated on the two Sacraments of Baptism and Crowning seeking to discern their meaning, effects, and their ethical-moral repercussions in the life of the Christian believer this year we will examine another Sacrament: Holy Unction with one of the subjects related to it: illness, which has always been a concern to the human spirit with regard to understanding the profound reasons for its existence.It is not surprising that the first Gospel Reading from the Holy Unction service has a dual focus: the motive or profound rationale for the Christian ethos, which is love for God and one’s fellow man, reflected in the dialog between the lawyer and the Savior, and illustrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Through all this we realize that, in fact, the essence of the Sacrament (and I would add, of each of the Sacraments) is love; the love that is the essence of the entire message of the Holy Scriptures. The sum total of the Law and the Prophets, of the Holy Scriptures, is love for God and one’s neighbor. What follows in the manifestation of the Christian ethos is nothing other than the making visible of the law of love in the actions we undertake. St. John the Evangelist puts the problem this way: how can someone show his or her love for God, whom he has not seen, if he does not prove it through his love for his brother or sister whom he has seen (I John 4:20)? In fact, care for one’s neighbor is the visible or concrete expression of one’s love for God.
The word love is thus visibly incarnated in our life and our actions, continuing to manifest the love of the Son of God and of the Trinity felt by the Holy Apostles, who then endeavored to put it into words and deeds as an eternal witness to all ages. It is the central and eternal message of the true Church, which remains a partaker in the presence, ministry, and grace of God that creates it and sets it as a sign and reality of His existence and economy.
HG Ioan Casian
Auxiliary Bishop of The Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese in Americas
H.E. Archbishop Nicolae visited parishes in California
The feast of Epiphany was cause for great joy for the Romanian Orthodox faithful in California. H.E. Archbishop Nicolae visited two of the Romanian parishes on the occasion of this great feast. Read More » back to top  Let us be solidary with those who suffer! Because the present situation of deep discontent of the Romanian people is very hard, as a result of the world and economical crisis of the society, the future meetings of the Church National Assembly and of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church from 15 - 16 February 2012 will debate with priority how could the Church contribute, by words and deeds, to the changing of the present state of crisis of the Romanian society. Read More »
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Pan Orthodoxy- What happens when technology and big money work together for God’s Glory?Just watch this great presentation of Moscow Exhibition The Revival Read more>>
- Archbishop Demetrios of America delivered yesterday the invocation at the 2012 Opening Legislative Session of the New York State Senate and the Ceremony for the 2012 State of the State Address by New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. Read more>>
- His Beatitude, Metropolitan Jonah offered the opening prayer during the program that preceded the March for Life here on Monday, January 23, 2012.
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A new center for higher education in San Francisco SUA
With its central facilities located in San Francisco, California - an historic and important center of Orthodox life in North America - the Sts. Cyril & Athanasius institute aims to reach out to the whole western region of North America, currently under-served in terms of Orthodox educational provision, as well as to establish itself as a national institute through conferences, symposia, and programmes delivered across the country. Regional Centers will allow interactive education in various cities and areas, while richly-developed Distance Learning resources will allow elements of study to be completed wherever you may be located. If a rich, in-depth knowledge and experience of Orthodox history, life, thought and practice is of interest to you. Read More »
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Mount Athos is situated in the entire third, eastern and most beautiful peninsula of Halkidiki, called the peninsula of Athos. It is the only place in Greece that is completely dedicated to prayer and worship of God.