Vatican: Russia is the Most Religious Country in Europe

marco tosatti
ROMe

A huge majority of Russians believe in God: 82% according to a report published by the Public Opinion foundation and Wednesday, a sociological institute associated with the synod of the orthodox Russian church for youth. The report has a database of responses gathered during the last few months from 1,500 people from the age of 18 years and older and residing in 44 regions in Russia.

The outcome is very surprising. In a country where atheism has been taught for several generations, which has established university faculties and at least one museum dedicated to the topic, and which has tried to spread it in many parts of the world, only 13 interviewees stated that they were definitely atheist, while 5% said they were not sure. Most of the atheists are men (68%), while only 32% are women. Atheism seems to be more popular in the lower social classes, namely workers or poor people who do not even have enough to eat. 27% of those who said that they believe in the existence of God do not belong to any organized religion. This was the response of 34% of young people between 18 and 24 years of age and 38% of students. 4% stated that they are Muslim; there were very few Buddhists, Catholics, Protestants, or Jews. 50% of the believers are Orthodox Christians and most belong to the Russian Orthodox Church.

Link to source, here...

H/t: AQ

There's a Lot of Discussion About Father Kimmel's Defection to the Orthodox

Editor:  Seems to us that the quest for Orthodoxy is a desire fed as much by multiculturalism, as it is by the craving for novelty and spiritual homelessness of the West.

[TitusOneNine] Fr. Kimel is to be ordained into the Orthodox Church on Pentecost Sunday (i.e. today) by Bishop Jerome of the Russian Church Abroad, for the Western Rite.

For those of you who may not know, Al is the former rector of Holy Communion, Charleston, S.C. In 1998 it was written about him:

Father Alvin Kimel, Jr. became the 15th rector of the parish in November 1996. He is a scholar and accomplished liturgist. His efforts include an emphasis on improving music to complement the choral Eucharist and to generally raise the beauty of worship. Father Kimel is a superb teacher from the pulpit, in the classroom, and by published worship aid always available in the Church. He is well on his way to a successful ministry and the future of the Church of the Holy Communion looks bright.

Link to this.,..

And to Vivificat...

Moscow Patriarchate Grateful to Government for Stopping Homo-Parade

Moscow, May 30, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church is grateful to the Moscow city authorities and law enforcers for preventing a gay parade attempted in the city last Saturday.

Responding to questions from Interfax-Religion on Monday, head of the Synodal Department for Church and Society Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin said the authorities "quite politely prevented an instance of propaganda of homosexuality which could have been witnessed by children and teenagers who crowded the two venues of the action."

He expressed hope that in the future the authorities of Russia and Moscow in similar cases "will listen to the voice of their own people, the majority of whom do not accept the propaganda of homosexuality, instead of foreign pressure that was exerted before the action and continues now."

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=dujour&div=49

Orthodox and Catholics Present Pope with Papal Tiara

Wow, this is simply wonderful. Orbis Catholicus has these photos, here, of the Holy Father being presented with a Papal Tiara.

Where's that girl's white mantilla, and, is she married?

Pope Names New Eparch for Armenian Catholics in Canada and US

Editor: An Eparch is a Bishop who rules a particular territory, like a Diocese or an Eparchy. Armenia is the eldest daughter of the Church, the first Land to embrace Catholicism back in the two hundreds, even before the St. Constantine the Great's Edict of Toleration. They say Mass differently but share the Catholic Faith whole and entire.


WASHINGTON — Pope Benedict XVI has named Archpriest Mikaël Mouradian, superior of the Convent of Notre Dame in Bzommar, Lebanon, as the new bishop of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Nareg in New York for Armenian Catholics.

The appointment of Lebanon-born Bishop Mouradian was publicized in Washington, May 21, by Archbishop Pietro Sambi, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States.

Bishop-designate Mouradian, who succeeds Bishop Manuel Batakian, 81, is a member of the Lebanon-based Institute of the Patriarchal Clergy of Bzommar. Among positions he has held is head of Caritas Armenia.

The New York-based eparchate includes about 25,000 people in the United States and 10,000 in Canada. The largest communities are in Los Angeles and Montreal.

Read at, The Diocese of Lake Charles.

H/t: Doc Frey

Redemption songs: The conversion of Bob Marley

Editor: We just received this item from the e-mail. It's always heartwarming to hear stories of conversion. We'll withhold comment about Mr. Marley's ultimate fate. It's not something we can know with absolute certainty and it's not our decision to make, but God is love, we know that and that Bob Marley received the last rites of the Orthodox Church gives us more hope for his salvation than had he received none.

Image stolen from, here.

Redemption songs: The conversion of Bob Marley

By Christopher Stefanick

May 11 marks the 30th anniversary of the passing of Robert Nesta Marley, more popularly known as Bob Marley. He’s known by other titles as well: “The king of reggae,” “the first Third World superstar,” “The Honorable Robert Nesta Marley,” and, by Rastafarians, as “The Prophet,” or “The Teacher.” There have even been efforts by Jamaicans for him to be declared a national hero.

What many don’t know is that Bob Marley can also be called a Christian. He was baptized into the Ethiopian Orthodox faith before his death in 1981.

Bob Marley had become a zealous Rastafarian as a young man. The dreadlocks and pot smoking that became central to his image weren’t just accessories to a rock star lifestyle. They were pillars of Rastafarian faith. Rastas believe that cannabis removes mental barriers to enlightened thinking, and they base their dreadlocks in Old Testament law. As debatable as these doctrines are, it’s clear that a sincere faith in God and service of his people were the driving forces in Bob’s life and music.

One doesn’t have to dig deep into his lyrics to see Marley’s faith. In “One Love,” named the song of the millennium by BBC, Bob sings, “Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right.” And in songs like, “Forever Loving Jah” (“Jah” is the Rastafarian word for God), Marley is clearly praying, not just performing. Praise to “Jah” can be found throughout his music. Bob wasn’t just a secular rock star. It’s probably more accurate to say he was a religious musician who had made it in the secular world.

Read the rest of the article, here.

Russian bishop: America has problems with democracy

Editor: If you read between the lines, you can see that he thinks the USA has too much Democracy and needs more Socialism.

Saratov, May 11, Interfax - Head of Patriarchal Dioceses in the USA Archbishop Justinian of Narofominsk believes the USA still has to work hard on its democracy.

"Economic living standards in the US are much higher than those in Russia. Our situation is aggravated by poverty and sometimes unbearable living conditions in the country's regions. At the same time, I wouldn't regard the situation in the United States as ideal," Archbishop Justinian said in an interview published by the Pravoslaviye i Sovremennost (Orthodoxy and Modern Times) magazine of the Saratov Diocese.

According to him, several thousand strong demonstrations may be held in America where people freely express their opinions and protests but "they often receive no response from the Government: "Do you want to speak out? You are welcome, this is America, and we have democracy. But the authorities will continue to pursue their own government policy."

"It is only evident. There are problems here just as in any other state, including problems with relations of nationalities," Archbishop Justinian said.

However, he believes that a true democracy or "to put it better, a true freedom of which we sometimes dream is unfeasible on Earth," as "a true freedom may be only in Christ."

Link, here...