We try to convince them to Orthodoxy with our daily behavior

Bishop Ambrose (in the miter), in the back: Archbishop Chrysostomos and Archimandrite Jerome

An interview with Bishop Ambrose (Cubas) of Recife, an auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rio de Janeiro and Olinda-Recife of the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church.

How is the current situation of the Church in Brazil?

The diocese has about 1,200 baptized believers, but many of them alienated to the church after problems with the Church in Portugal [the Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church in 2000 severed connection with the underlying Orthodox Church in Portugal because of the theological and financial irregularities - editor. ed]. We have seven parishes and two monasteries. Two bishops, 11 priests, a monk, two nuns, two subdeacons and a novice serve within the diocese.

In what way is missionary activity carried out?

On Sundays and holidays, we celebrate Liturgies in parishes and monasteries, but we also celebrate services in the weekdays. Most people in Brazil are Roman Catholics, who in addition have a tendency to spiritualism. It is very difficult to attract them to Orthodoxy. We do not use proselytism, but try to convince them to Orthodoxy with our everyday behavior. We invite them to worship and other events organised by us.

What problems does the Church in Brazil suffer from?

We have many problems, mostly due to the size of our country. Brazil is a very big country, almost like a continent. Two bishops and the amount of priests we have, are not enough to meet with the faithful and people interested in the Orthodox Church scattered throughout the country.

Another big problem is money. Brazil is a developing country, people are struggling from survival with the money they earn. They cannot provide sufficient support for the Church. For example, I and Archimandrite Jerome (Alves) have to have secular jobs [the bishop Ambrose works in a bank - editor. ed].

What relations do you have with other Orthodox jurisdictions in Brazil?

We have established fraternal relations with other canonical Orthodox jurisdictions in Brazil. We invite their representatives to our events and they return the favor to us.

What are the relationships you have with the Church in Poland?

To answer this question, I have to summarize the history of our Church in Brazil. In 1986, the Portuguese Metropolitan Gabriel [then a member of the non-canonical Holy Synod of Milan - editor. red] received into his Church several Brazilians and instituted two parishes: in Rio de Janeiro and Recife. In 1991, the Orthodox Church in Portugal has been received by the PAOC as the Metropolitanate of Spain, Portugal and Brazil, with Metropolitan Gabriel as its primate. After the death of Metropolitan Gabriel [in 1997 - editor. ed] Metropolitan John was elected the new primate. He caused a lot of problems there. His actions led to the separation of the Church in Brazil from the Metropolitanate and the disconnection of the Church in Portugal from the PAOC. Since that time we have visited Poland several times [the last time in 2007 - editor. ed], and repeatedly hosted representatives of the Church in Poland in Brazil.

Thank you.

Bishop Ambrose of Recife (Ezequiel de Almeida Cubas) was born on 6 September 1955 in Capao Bonito (Brazil). In 1980, he graduated from the Faculty of Administration and statics on Faculdades Integradas Barros Melo. Later, he completed an MBA graduate in energy management. Apart from the Portuguese he speaks English and French.

In 1988, he became conductor of the monastery church of Transfiguration in Mafra (Portugal). Three years later, he received subdeacon cherotesia. In 1997, he professed the monastic vows, the same year he was ordained deacon and priest and also was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.

20 July 1998, with the consent of the Council of Bishops of the PAOC, in the cathedral church of Blessed Virgin Mary in Rio de Janeiro, he was ordained a bishop. The ceremony was attended by Archbishop Chrysostomos (primate of the Polish diocese in Brazil) and six bishops from Portugal, who were then under the care of the PAOC. Polish hierarchy was represented by Archbishop Simon of Łódź and Poznań.

http://www.orthodoxchristianity.net/forum/index.php?topic=38986.5;wap2

A rally "For Serbian Kosovo" in Bialystok

Dominika Kovacevic , translation: Anna Bondaruk / 13.03.2013

26 February in Bialystok was a day of solidarity with Orthodox Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija. Kosovo is now occupied by Albanians who, five years ago, pronounced the independence of Kosovo trying to tear it away from Serbia and create new Albania.

The day started with a liturgy and prayers for the persecuted Orthodox people from Kosovo and Metohija.

Then a rally to support Serbians started. It was organized by The Fellowship of Three Saint Hierarchs, led by Mr Slavomir Nazaruk.  The rally took place on the main square in Bialystok. At the beginning the organizers worried that not many people would come. But at 4 o'clock sharp, when the rally started, a crowd of people came to the square. Around 150 people attended the meeting, which lasted about an hour. There were representatives of the church and local government as well as journalists from Soyuz TV, Radio Racyja and Radio Bialystok as well as Przegląd Prawoslawny Magazine and  Kurier Poranny newspaper.


To begin with, the organizers played hymns of Poland and Serbia. Then, Mr Slavomir Nazaruk told the gathered people about the situation in Serbia. He informed the demonstrants about tragic events in Serbia which followed WWII: terrorist attacks of Albanians on Serbs from Kosovo, banishment (starting from 1990 around 200 Serbs were banished from Kosovo), murders, destroying of Orthodox churches, desecration of graveyards and destroying monuments of  Serbian heroes who fought for freedom.

Mr Nazaruk reminded us that Serbs are people who always loved freedom and had to fight for it many times. First, they were fighting Turkish occupation which lasted over 500 years, then they fought Hitler's occupation, which was followed by the tragic 90's that brought several civil wars in Jugoslavia, lastly NATO's unlawful bombardments in Serbia and massacre of Serbs who were killed by Albanian terrorists.  How much important is Kosovo and Metohia to Serbs? It is like London for English people, Washington D.C. for the Americans.  It is Polish Gniezno and Cracov (first capitals and cultural centers of Poland) or Czestochowa (The most important place for Polish Roman Catholics). In Kosovo and Metohija there are several historic monasteries (the name Metohija means the place which is the destination of pilgrimages and it is the headquaters of the Pec Patriarchate). Mr Nazaruk finished his speech saying: Poland, which was troubled many times by other countries, was losing it's integrity several times. The country suffered before and after the Great War and WWII. That is why Polish citizens cannot ignore the plight of Serbian people in Kosovo and Metohija. (…) It is unfair that a Christian, Slavic Serbian Nation, that has so much in common with Polish nation, has to suffer once again only because of  the policy of European countries. That is why Citizens of Podlasie and Poland stand against this situation! God is not in power, but in truth! We want to express solidarity with our Serbian brothers. Serbian Kosovo forever!


After the speech a popular Serbian patriotic song (Tamo Daleko) from the Great War was played. Serbian People know this song from infancy. The participants of the rally had leaflets with Serbian and Polish version of the song to follow the song and understand its importance.

 Subsequently, Mr Rafal Jurowiec spoke about ethymology of the name Kosovo and Metohija. He also mentioned the fight of Serbs against Nazis – Germans, Italians, Chorvats and Albanians. It is after those fights that Kosovo was first granted to Albanians, to signify the fall of Serbs. After WWII Kosovo was returned to Serbia thanks to an unprecedented decision of the Western Countries. Lately, those same countries allowed Albanians to create independent Kosovo, which is de facto a second Albania! They did it despite the international law which states that each nation has the right to have one country. This decidsion was followed by the tragic events of 2004 – the massacre of Serbs. Finally, the events of 2013 showed the drop of security in Kosovo, which is at its lowest since 9 years ago. Several churches have been burgled and graveyards were desecrated. Moreover, despite the presence of international KFOR troops,  Albanians were trying to overtake numerous monasteries in the region.


Mr Vladan Stamenković who works for Serbian embassy in Poland spoke on behalf of Serbs. Mr Stamenković is a writer and a translator and, like the author of this report, he came to Bialystok from Warsaw to be with his Orthodox brothers on this important occassion. He thanked all the participants of the rally and reiterated how important Kosovo is. Whose words can be more trusted?


Subsequently, Mr Nazaruk expressed the manifesto of the rally participants. The document condemns all the acts of terror on Serbs that took place in Kosovo and Metohija. It also calls the Polish government and media to: Undertake action aiming at providing security and peace of the Serbs from Kosovo and Metohija. To protect the 1000 year old heritage of Serbs. Helping Serbs in all aspects of their lives and enabling them returning to their homes. After that, three pigeons were released to symbolize peace that is so important to Serbs.


Finally, the male choir of Bogdan Onisimowicz sang Tamo Daleko which was a very touching moment to all Serbs. After that everyone released balloons in national colours of Serbia.


After an hour long break, shortly after 6p.m the rally was continued in Orthodox Community Center. First, a hymn of Serbia Bože pravde (Just God) was played. The participants could listen to three choirs: The Parish choir of St John the Theologian Parish in Bialystok and the male choir from the same parish, and, again, the Male Choir of Bogdan Onisimowicz.

We could hear, among others, Wiecznaja pamiat’ (composed by a Serbian composer Mokranjac) – in commemoration of all the Serbs murdered in Kosovo.
Then, Mnogaja ljeta for the Serbian people, especially those living in Kosovo and Metohija and a Balkan folk song Jovano, Jovanke.

After that a russian movie depicting situation of Kosovo was played.
Then, Mr Vladan Stamenković told us about history of Kosovo and centuries long attempts at forcible converting Serbs into Islam. The meeting ended with a discussion about the situation of Serbs in Kosovo. We hope that the participants were full of reflective thoughts on their way back homes and they would want to help the Serbs in the future, with their prayers and support.

On the behalf of Serbs living in Poland I would like to thank all the participants of the rally, especially the organizers, for help and support. I would like to thank people who created the leaflets and banners and decorated the room in Centre of Orthodox Culture. The biggest thanks are for the main organizer of the event, Mr Slavomir Nazaruk, who overlooked everything with great attention to detail and dedication and was the good spirit of the event. All those people really supported Serbs.


Kosovo je Srbija – Kosowo is Serbia! 

The relationship of Orthodoxy with media and politics in Poland

Tomasz Tarasiuk, Translation: Anna Bondaruk / 16.03.2013

A seminar „Religion, media and politics in Poland – a minority perspective” took place in Suprasl between 8 and 10 March 2013. The seminar was organized as a part of European Forum of Media, Religion and Democracy and was devoted to the Orthodox presence in mass media.

The meeting was organized by Oikonomos and Orthodox Intitiative OrthNet with the assistance of Suprasl Academy. The seminar began with a lecture by Father Henryk Paprocki. It is a part of a cycle of lectures called The Forum of Theological Thought. The lecture was devoted to St Paul Florenski, his biography and theological and scientific heritage.

The second day started with a liturgy in church of St John Theologian. Subsequently, the participants of the meeting listened to a series of lectures by Fr. Doctor Jerzy Tofiluk (PSD, ChAT), professor Andrzej Sadowski (UwB), Fr. Doctor Andrzej Kuźma (PSD, ChAt), Fr. Doctor Henryk Paprocki (PSD, TVP), Doctor Nicolas Kazarian (Institute of St Sergey in Paris). Tomasz Tarasiuk (Cerkiew.pl). Moreover, renowned Orthodox activists (Eugeniusz Czykwin, Marek Masalski and Slawomir Nazaruk) participated in discussion. Each lecture was followed by a discussion with representatives of media industry and educational institutions, politicians and priests.


The focus of lectures was on Orthodox presence in Polish media, how Orthodox minority sees the present situation, what are the main challenges that Orthodox believers and church are facing now with regard to their relationship with media and politics.

The rising popularity of the Internet, its relationship with the Orthodox church, challenges, opportunities as well as dangers connected with this medium were discussed. As it was concluded, all other kinds of media are now linked with the internet. Everyone agreed that the coexistence and cooperation of all Orthodox media is vital. All Orthodox editorial teams should make an effort to cooperate. Thanks to the seminar the participants learned about historical grounding of the topic and the present situaton, most importantly, it was a great opportunity to discuss the future.


The last day of the seminar was a workshop of editorial team of Cerkiew.pl. Mr Aleksander Wasyluk from OrthNet fellowship presided led the meeting. We can now tell our readers that in near future cerkiew.pl will present a new logo. 

Another award for a movie entitled "Archimandrite"

Maria Nalewajko The documentary film "Achimandrite" directed by Jerzy Kalina has won of the International Documentary Film Festival and Television Programme "Radonezh" in Moscow. "Radonezh" is the oldest review and contest of the film productions about religion in Russia. It takes place under the patronage of Patriarch Kirill and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev. In the competition among TV productions, "Archimandrite" was the only film from Poland. This is the seventh prize for the film about Father Gabriel, a monk from Podlasie, who has built the only one Orthodox hermitage in Poland in the village Odrynki on Narew river bank. Archimandrite Gabriel is the founder and sole inhabitant of a hermitage in the Kudak wilderness on the river bank of Narew. For the first few years he lived there alone and prayed in a portacabin, without electricity, running water, completely cut off from the outside world. After some time, with the help of local Orthodox villagers, on the wilderness stood the wooden church, small monastery and outbuildings. Today this place is visited by dozens of pilgrims. They are attracted by the extraordinary personality of Archimandrite Gabriel. With each he can find a common language, provides spiritual counseling, heals with herbs, breeds bees, and when necessary, pitches up and along with the other builds a hermitage. But will it be forever? Will the hermit find their successor in his life? The next candidates for the monastic life in the hermitage cannot withstand long ... They cannot live without comforts, the gains of civilization and contact with peers. Jerzy Kalina’s film is more than a story about an exceptional man and his work. In the lazy Narew currents no less than crosses of Orthodox skithe our globalized world is reflected, facing away from spiritual values, craving for money and exchange of information. The strength of "Archimandrite" is that the author has managed to simultaneously touch of the local, rooted in the Belarusian-Orthodox Podlasie microcosm and universal values, fundamental in human life, regardless of age and his place in the world. For many Polish viewers this picture is also a surprising discovery of the richness of cultures and religions of our eastern border. Awards for the movie: Golden Melchior in the category "Inspiration of the Year" All-Poland Reporter’s Competition MELCHIORY 2012 by Polish Radio. Jury’s award of The International Catholic Festival of Christian Films and TV Programs MAGNIFICAT 2012 in Minsk, Belarus, 2012 The award for Best Cinematography at the Kyiv International Documentary Film Festival KINOLITOPYS 2012, Ukraine First prize in the documentary category of the International Orthodox Film Festival "Pokrov", Kiev 2012 The "Bronze Turoni [barnyard animal]" International Festival ETNOFILM CADCA 2012, Cadca, Slovakia First prize in the documentary category of the International Charity Festival "Shining Angel" 2012, Moscow, Russia Award International Documentary Film Festival and Television Programme "Radonezh" 2012, Moscow

Ostrogski awards granted again

Dorota Wysocka 

Count Konstanty Bazyli Ostrogski, who was a sixteenth-century aristocrat, one of the greatest minds of his time, and at the same time a benefactor and protector of the Orthodox Church in the Republic of Poland, is the patron of the Annual Awards of “The Orthodox Church Review,” granted by the editorial chapter headed by editor-in-chief Eugeniusz Czykwin for contribution in the development of thought, culture and spirituality of the Orthodox faith, and work for the unification of Christians. The winners of the Twenty-Fourth Annual Awards were Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Prof. Kallistos Ware and Prof. Alexei Osipov, the First Belgrade Singing Society, the Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic and the Soyuz television channel. The Awards were granted in the following spheres of activity: schooling, education, science, culture and charity…

Brotherhood of Saints Cyril and Methodius, established in Bialystok in 1989, is active in many fields. The Chapter particularly wanted to emphasize its schooling role. Five years ago, the Brotherhood became a founding body for the Saints Cyril and Methodius Primary School. Its activity (a kindergarten has also been opened, and this year a lower-secondary school is to be founded, too) is a great success of the Orthodox community…

Bishop Kallistos (Ware) from the United Kingdom, the Titular Metropolitan of Diokleia under the Ecumenical Patriarchate, is one of the most prominent contemporary theologians, longtime head of the theological studies at Oxford University, author of the acclaimed books, of which „The Orthodox Church” and „The Orthodox Way” are best known, as well as of translations into English of „The Philokalia” and „The Festal Menaion.” His works owe their popularity not only to his knowledge and erudition, but also to his openheartedness.

Prof. Alexei Osipov is also a theologian. He reaches people with his written word as an author of well-known and highly regarded books (such as „The Road of Reason in the Search for Truth” which was published in the Polish language in 2011), and also with his spoken word – he is not only a lecturer at the Moscow Theological Academy but he also appears before television and radio audiences. You can listen to his words in a digital format when at home or while driving in a car. He explains, brings closer, compares, awakens minds, and opens hearts…

The First Belgrade Singing Society, founded one hundred and sixty years ago, and in constant operation since then, is much more than just a choir, it is a real Serbian national institution which has been cultivating the tradition and seeking new forms of expression. Among its patrons were many kings and now the Serbian Patriarch, as the choir is concerned about the preservation of the Orthodox spirituality and musical heritage, paying equal attention to both these fields of its activity. The Society, which is now under the direction of Svetlana Vilić, grabs you with great performances and its attitude inspires respect. Just remember that when NATO planes bombed Belgrade night after night, the choir gathered in the church up to the very last day singing until the explosions subsided…

Yet another Serb got the award. It is Novak Djokovic, the leader of tennis rankings, born in 1987. However, not for sporting achievements attracting millions of fans in front of their TVs, but for bearing witness to the faith, both spectacularly, when he makes the sign of the cross in front of the cameras, but also quietly, because while making millions he shares the money with those in need. He supports charities, helps children, builds churches. He is a true Christian.

Theology, education, history and culture are the main fields of activity of the Soyuz TV channel. It was established eight years ago in the Orthodox diocese of Ekaterinburg. It is directed by Igumen Fr Dmitri (Baibakov). It quickly gained huge popularity in both Russia and abroad. It transmits live broadcasts of religious services, but it does not focus on religion alone. There is no coverage of politics nor commercials. For over a year now, its Eastern European office based in Minsk, has been in operation led by Artyom Mahakeev, preparing programs concentrating on Orthodoxy in Poland, among other subjects. The channel has many faithful viewers in Poland.

„The Orthodox Church Review” is a magazine which has been published in Poland for 28 years, with its first editor-in-chief Eugeniusz Czykwin still in office, who has also been member of the Polish parliament for many terms. „The Review” is published by the Ostrogski Foundation. 

Theft at Holy Mountain Grabarka

Translation: Maria Nalewajko 

Icon before theft

Transfigurafion church at Holy Mount Grabarka

On the night of 8 to 9 January a theft has been carried out at Holy Mountain Grabarka. Someone or several persons broke into the church of the Holy Transfiguration, from which were stolen votive offerings. They were placed before Iverion Holy Mother of God icon.  Among others silver and gold chains are missing.

According to Gregory Gilar of the Poviat Police Headquarters in Siemiatycze, the burglary took place on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday (from 8 to 9 January). The theft was reported to the police on Wednesday in the morning by nuns living on the Holy Mount.

- The preliminary findings show that the thieves or thief - because we are not sure whether it was one person or several people - entered the church with a ladder used for the renovation of the other church. First, they got to the belfry, and then to the nave - reports Gregory Gilar of Podlasie police. - Votive offerings were stolen: gold and silver necklaces with medallions, donated by the believers visiting Grabarka. It is difficult to estimate their value.

Police are investigating the matter and asked to contact all people who could help determine the perpetrators of this theft.

- It certainly was not a believer. I am very sorry that once again someone raised a hand to a place of worship which is very important for the Orthodox - says Vice Mayor of Bialystok Aleksander Sosna, who is also advisor to the President of the Republic of Poland in matters of Orthodox believers. 

Prawosławna Liturgia po polsku (Orthodox Liturgy in Polish)