St. Innocent Orthodox Church Z Founded in 1967 Z Moscow Patriarchal Parishes Z 23300 W. Chicago _ Redford, MI 48239 _ 313-538-1142 _ Fax: 313-538-8126 Church Website: www.stinnocentchurch.com _ E-Mail: [email protected] St. Innocent Monastic Community: 9452 Hazelton, Redford, MI 48239 _ 313-535-9080 PASTOR: Rt. Rev. Mitered Archpriest ROMAN STAR _ Cell: 313-319-0590 Dean, Central States Deanery, Patriarchal Parishes February 7, 2016 ASSISTANT : Rev. DANEIL SHIRAK _ 313-295-3073 EPISTLE: 1st Timothy 1:15-17 (#280-ctr) DEACON: Rev. Dn. Michael Comerford GOSPEL: St. Matthew 15:21-28 (#62) SUBDEACON: Dr. Joshua Genig TONE: 3 ATTACHED: Sister Ioanna CHOIR DIRECTOR: Elizabeth Star Hatfield READERS: Robert Joseph Latsko & George Hanoian

Z 36th SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST & AFTERFEAST Z

_ 9:15am—HOURS, AKATHIST OR CANON; CONFESSIONS _ _ 10am— OF ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM _

COMMEMORATED TODAY: Afterfeast of the Meeting of our Lord in the Temple. St. Parthenius, of Lampsacus on the Hellespont (4th c.). Ven. Luke of Hellas (ca. 946). The 1,003 Martyrs of Nicomedia (303).

FOR THE REPOSE OF: Estelle & Joseph Star; Anna & John Witkowski; Michael Sr. & Margaret Rusko; Mary, Andrew, Daniel, Michael & Lottie Yakuber; Ross & Margaret Falsetti; Helen, John & Carole Andrayko; Peter & Theresa Harvilla; Marc Dade; Betty Martell; Frances & Todd Smoly; Peter Glover; Irene Adams; Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua deVyver; David Horka; Michael Rusko, Anna Lichagina, Yelena & Zinaïda Korniyevskaya, Joseph Nossal, Michelle Tucker, Todd Comerford ALSO FOR: John Bacik (newly departed, January 21, in Passaic, NJ) (brother of Fr. Lawrence, St. Elias Church, Battle Creek) MEMORY Mary Kravitz, whose anniversary of her repose is Today, Sunday, 7 February, by nephew, Fr. Roman ETERNAL! Lottie Yakuber, whose anniversary of her repose is Today, Sunday, 7 February Infant Jasper Elliot Blum, whose 1st anniversary of his repose is Today, Sunday, 7 February

FOR THE HEALTH OF: Archimandrite Seraphim; Priest Daneil, Matushka Debra & Corrina Shirak; Deacon Michael, Matushka Mary Ellen & Julius Comerford; Matushka Mary Donahue; Subdeacon Joshua & Abigail Genig; Reader Robert Latsko, Reader George & Betty Hanoian, Rose Nossal, Mary Glover, Nancy Cupp, Deborah Dade, Vasiliki Stamoulis, Gerald Martell, Azbehat, Donald Yakuber, Carl deVyver, Jo Anne Nicholas, Joan Rusko, Daria, Alice Ladhu (cancer); Joseph Nossal; Ed Manier (recuperating from stroke) ALSO FOR: John Johnson (heart attack), (St. Andrew’s, E. Lansing), by Fr. Roman MANY YEARS! Š MAY GOD GRANT THEM MANY YEARS! Š

SCHEDULE FOR THE COMING WEEK Saturday 2/13 4pm GREAT VESPERS & CONFESSIONS Sunday 2/14 37th Sunday After Pentecost & Zacchaeus Sunday 9:15am HOURS. AKATHIST OR CANON; CONFESSIONS 10am DIVINE LITURGY, & Panikhida; followed by Coffee Hour Feastdays this week: Tuesday, 1/19, St. Innocent of Irkutsk, Translation of his relics & glorification as a saint (our parish’s 2nd Patronal Feast Day)

PROSPHORA FOR TODAY IS OFFERED BY: Matushka Rose Marie & Fr. Roman In Memory Eternal of: Joseph & Estelle Star; Paul & Alexandra; Basil & Ellen; John & Anna; Samuel & Mary; Thomas & Rose; Olga, Joseph, Marsha, Richard, Tom, Julia, George, Olga, Joseph, Ellen, and all departed family members & parishioners of St. Innocent; and For the Health of: Fr. Roman (B-day, 2/4), Mat. Rose Marie (B-day, 2/23), Elizabeth (B-day, 2/23), Larry, Caitlin, Zachary, Thomas (B-day, 3/12), Barbara, Harry, Gregory, Tamiko; all family members & parishioners of St. Innocent.

Z CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! Z HE IS NOW & ALWAYS SHALL BE! Z CANDLES FOR LAST SUNDAY, 31 JANUARY CHURCH VIGIL LAMPS: Royal Doors Lamp: In Memory of Husband Joe; Son Kenneth; parents Michael & Margaret Rusko, & John & Martha Nossal, by Rose Nossal Altar Candles: In Memory of Nicholas and Susan Yakuber, by son, Donald Yakuber Iconostasis Lamps: In Memory of parents, Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua; Robert David H; & Health of brother, Carl, by Sister Ioanna Candles on the Solea: In Memory of Pete & Theresa Harvilla, Norman & Monica Holst, & Ricky Ellis, by Jason & Debra Truskowski Nave Reliquary-Icon Lamps: (1) In Memory of Ross & Margaret Falsetti, by daughters, Margie Martell & Rose Ann Everhardt Nave Reliquary-Icon Lamps: (2) In Memory of Edwin Rusko, by the Nossal Family Table of Oblation Lamp: In Memory of parents, Helen & John Andrayko, Sr. & sister, Carole Andrayko, by John Andrayko, Jr. IN MEMORY OF (MEMORY ETERNAL!) Joseph & Estelle Star, by son Father Roman and family Paul & Alexandra Yupco, Basil & Ellen Starinshak, by grandson, Father Roman and family John & Anna Witkowski, by daughter, Matushka Rose Marie and family Samuel & Mary Kupec, by granddaughter, Matushka Rose Marie and family Parents, Helen & John Andrayko, and sister, Carole Andrayko, by John Andrayko My husband, Joe; my sisters, Margaret & Ross Falsetti, Anna & Mike Elaschat, Theresa & Pete Harvilla, Irene, & brothers, Michael, John & Edwin Rusko; niece, Rose Mary & Dean Hough; Joe’s brothers, Raymond & Walter Nossal, & sisters, Theresa, Florence & Helen Nossal, by Rose Nossal ++ + Pete & Theresa Harvilla, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay Truskowski + + + My husband, Michael Rusko, by Joan Rusko Parents, Ethel Elizabeth & Wayne Joshua; David H; Nina I; Marion P; Fr. Photius; Mo. Benedicta; Archm. Roman; Olive, by Sister Ioanna Child Lana Wilson, Shirley Troyer, Marsha Olsen, Betty Stelmaszek, by Becky Jurczyszyn Thelma Ratcliff, Louis Pitts, Gloria Robinson, Reginald Bell, Lessie Favor, Lois Hamby, by Manier Family Mom, Lottie Yakuber, Anniv. 2/7, (love & miss you) & Daddy, Michael Yakuber (love & miss you), by daughter Nancy Cupp & family FOR THE HEALTH OF: (MANY YEARS!) Elizabeth & Lawrence, Caitlin & Zachary, by parents & grandparents, Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie Gregory & Tamiko Star, by parents, Father Roman & Matushka Rose Marie Children, Grandchildren & Great-grandchild; Monk Fr. Sdn. Tikhon (Dade); by Rose Nossal Father Roman & Matushka & family; Sister Ioanna; John Andrayko; Nancy; Mary G; Jo Anne N; Grandson Joey (in the Navy Reserves) & all people in the Armed Forces; & all the people of St. Innocent Church, by Rose Nossal My Mom, Jaime Truskowski, by Kay Truskowski + + + Family & Friends, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay T. Brother, Greg & Donna, nephew, Gregory & Liz & nephew, Alex, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay + + + Ed Manier, by Mary Ann Harvilla & Kay Archimandrites Nafanail, Gregory & Seraphim; Fr. Roman & Mat. Rose Marie; Fr. Lawrence & fam; Fr. Laurence & fam; Fr. Daneil & fam; Dcn. Michael & fam; Mat. Mary D; Carl; Sdn Fr. Tikhon; Sdn Andrew; Sdn Joshua, Abigail & children; Rdr Robert; Robert M; David Samuel & Sky & baby (12/31/15); Jo Anne & Nick; Athanasius; John A; Ed (stroke) & Tiffany; Vasiliki; Rose; Emil; Billy & Fonda, by Sister Ioanna Jay Nossal, by Rose Nossal + + + John Andrayko (May God watch over him), by Rose Nossal + + + Rose Nossal, by John Andrayko John Johnson, by Fr. Roman & Mat. Rose Marie + + + Joan & Bob Jurczyszyn, Paul Stelmaszek & Paul Jr., Leia & Mike Wilson, Levi Troyer, Damon Trestain, Liz Tomechesky & Andrea Faust, Richard & Toni Bussen, by Becky Jurczyszyn + + + Health & Salvation of: Breonna & Bronte Manier; Brittany Truitt; Krystal Gardner (pain-pill addiction); Donna Williams (MS), by Manier family God’s Blessings for: my children & grandchildren; Rose Nossal & Families; Don Yakuber; June Rock & families; everyone at St. Innocent Church; St. Innocent Monastic Community & Sister Ioanna, by Nancy Cupp + + + Nancy Cupp (up-coming knee & shoulder surgeries), by Nancy

ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) THEOPHANY HOME-BLESSINGS: Fr. Roman continues to work on completing the annual Theophany home-blessings. 2) THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL WHO HELPED TAKE DOWN & PUT AWAY THE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS LAST SUNDAY, JANUARY 31st, & WHO VACUUMED & CLEANED UP. 3) VISIT OUR CHURCH’S WEBSITE FREQUENTLY TO SEE “WHAT’S NEW,” ON THE HOME PAGE: http://stinnocentchurch.com. FEBRUARY, MARCH & APRIL Calendars have been added, up to Pascha, at: http://stinnocentchurch.com/calendar.html . Also see Sdn. Joshua’s latest Meditation, “Getting Jesus’ Attention” at: http://stinnocentchurch.com/getting_jesus_attention.html 4) PLEASE DONATE TO HELP THE NEEDY HERE IN OUR OWN COMMUNITY. We continue to buy much-needed underwear & socks for children, youth & adults, which are always needed by the Redford Interfaith Relief (RIR). Please donate so we can help as many people as possible. (See Matushka Rose Marie.) Also, we collect year-round: clothing for the season, food, toiletries, children’s items. Many thanks. 5) LISTEN EVERY SUNDAY TO THE COCC’S DETROIT’S OWN ORTHODOX RADIO HOUR [DOOR] ON WNZK 690-AM, 4-5 pm, or on your computer, live, at http://www.doorradio.org. This website also has an archive of all its previous weekly programs. 6) A SERIES OF 3 FREE LECTURES BY ABBOT FR. TRYPHON, AT ST. DEMETRIUS CHURCH IN JACKSON, on Friday and Saturday, March 25th and 26th. Fr. Tryphon is the Abbot of the Orthodox Monastery of the All-Merciful Savior on Vashon Island, Washington, near Seattle, and the author of the book, The Morning-Offering, compiled from his daily podcasts at: http://www.ancientfaith.com/ podcasts/morningoffering. On Friday, 3/25, 7 -8:30pm, the 1st lecture is: “The Destruction of the Image of God in the Womb and How to Restore It.” At 10am on Sat. the 2nd lecture is “The Destruction of the Image of God in the Individual and How to Restore It.” After lunch (12 – 1), the 3rd session is “The Destruction of the Image of God in the Family and Nation and How to Restore It.” The day ends with Vespers at 3:00. St. Demetrius Church is located at 3043 Seymour Rd, Jackson. See directions at: www.stdemetrius.com. RSVP: 517-784-0116. Visit the Vashon Monastery’s website (http://vashonmonks.com/wp/ ) to hear and see Fr. Tryphon talking on YouTube programs. He is a fantastic speaker. SERMON ON THE MEETING OF OUR LORD IN THE TEMPLE By Dmitri (Royster) On February 2nd the Church celebrates the great feast of The Meeting of our Lord in the Temple. The Gospel lesson for that day relates how the Mother of Jesus brought Him to the temple, as was the custom and requirement under the God-given Law of Moses, of Israel (Exodus 13:2, 12; Leviticus 12:2-8). When the righteous Simeon, who received Christ in his arms at the temple, saw the Child, he knew immediately that this was the Redeemer promised by all of Israel’s prophecies, for the elder was inspired by the (Luke 2:26-27). Being inspired, he himself uttered prophetic words which form the hymn sung or chanted at the end of every Vespers service: “Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation which Thou hast prepared before the face of Thy people, a light to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32). This particular feast is part of the great celebration that began forty days prior, with the Nativity of Christ (December 25). Eight days later (January 1) we remembered the Circumcision of Christ and then His Baptism (January 6). The commemoration of these events in our Lord’s earthly life basically form one feast, the feast of the Incarnation of God the Word. God literally entered the world, into time and history. He was physically present in the midst of His people, His creatures whom He loves. Our Lord took on human nature in order to reconcile unto Himself, man who had strayed far from the Source of his life. In taking on the “form of a servant” God, at the same time, in the Person of Christ, fulfilled every requirement of the Law that He Himself had given to His people through Moses. He demonstrated, thereby, that everything that had happened in Israel’s history could not be described merely as a succession of unrelated events. Rather this was a history with a definite goal: the salvation of mankind. He identified Himself as the Director of that history and fulfilled its expectation. When the righteous Simeon took the child into His arms and declared that this indeed was Salvation Incarnate, the “Light to lighten the gentiles, and the glory of Israel,” a new era began; the era of God’s presence among His children. To this day, all of the Church’s celebrations, no matter what the event commemorated may be, whether in the life of Christ, of the Theotokos, or of the saints, all are celebrations of Christ and the establishment on earth of the Kingdom of His presence. He initiated this Kingdom and promised its ultimate realization. And now, just as the Old Israel had awaited the beginning of God’s Kingdom, the New Israel (the Church) awaits the Second and Glorious Coming of Christ and the fullness of His Kingdom, revealed. Although all of our celebrations are intimately rooted in the knowledge that we have been called for complete communion with Christ and to live in function of His Kingdom to which we already belong, we still live in a world that has for the most part rejected what Christ gave it, that is, authentic life “in abundance,” life with real purpose and meaning. We Christians, in spite of having accepted what God’s intervention in human affairs gave us, slip repeatedly and fall into the great temptation to convert the things of this world into gods. We are constantly attracted by ways of seeking happiness and fulfillment that exclude God. This, of course, always proves to be vain and futile. So our lives vacillate, back and forth, between the assurance of salvation and indifference, between moments of real joy because we know that God is with us, and moments of boredom because we cannot give ourselves totally over to Him. Every Christian celebration reaches its climax in the Divine Liturgy for the feast. In this sacred work, when God’s people assemble in His name, we actually become participants in the Heavenly Kingdom to come. We are as literally present with Christ in His future Kingdom as the Apostles were with Him at the Last Supper. So the Kingdom is initiated among us and we enjoy it before our time, by anticipation. This is what every Eucharist is; this is what our feasts and celebrations are all about, and that is why the Eucharist is the very center of all of them. I will emphasize again, however, that although what we have said is true, we continually orient our lives towards everyday pursuits, often living as though we had never experienced this divine reality. That is why repentance and penitential seasons are in order. That is why in approximately one month we will enter the Great Fast or Lent, during which time we are exhorted to repent of our sins. What is important for us Christians is that we have really “seen the True Light, received the Heavenly Spirit, found the true faith” in this experience of the Kingdom of God. The question we must all ask ourselves sincerely, however, is “what are we like when we return into this world after this Heavenly experience?” To Christ Who willed to be held in the arms of the righteous Simeon for our salvation be glory, honor and worship, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. Source: oca.org PRIEST LAMENTS DESTRUCTION OF IRAQ’S OLDEST CHRISTIAN MONASTERY By Dale Gavlak, Catholic News Services AMMAN, Jordan, January 27, 2016 — Catholic clergy lamented the destruction of Iraq's oldest Christian monastery, St. Elijah, and urged the international community to do more to stop such assaults. "I had the same emotional and perhaps spiritual experience as I did when I was standing over the bodies of fallen soldiers," Fr. Jeffrey Whorton told Catholic News Service after seeing pictures of the monastery's destruction. Whorton served as a Catholic chaplain for the U.S. military in Iraq and holds the rank of major, was instrumental along with others in seeing a preservation initiative mounted on the 1,400-old structure. Whorton said he believed he was the last priest in 2009 to "offer Mass on that altar before it was destroyed." The last recorded church service in recent years to take place inside the monastery's walls was the Easter Vigil in 2010, but that was held in the courtyard rather than the altar area.Reading of the destruction "was that profound and surprisingly strong emotion because of my connection with the monastery," Whorton, who now works at Fort Bragg, NC, told CNS by telephone. "It was a kind of a grief that was like a loss of life almost." The Associated Press confirmed the news that the ancient monastery on the outskirts of Mosul had been turned into a field of rubble, with exclusive satellite images published early Jan. 20. Islamic State militants claimed responsibility. Whorton said the chance to both worship and give informal tours of the monastery during his tour of duty in Iraq "was probably the highlight of my entire priesthood." "I was able to offer Mass there three or four times on that altar. I was made very aware of the great cloud of witnesses," said Whorton, explaining his sense of those ancient Christians who had worshipped over the centuries at St. Elijah. "In the forefront of my mind was the reality that in the 1700's, 150 or so [monks] had been martyred there," the American priest said. "So I knew I was in a sacred place offering the holy sacrifice of the Mass. I felt extremely unworthy standing at the venerable altar. That, along with celebrating with the Holy Father, was the highlight of my entire priesthood." People were forced to bend down physically to enter the monastery. It was a "humble acquiescence of bending low for this great space that you are entering," the priest said. Whorton said another unusual feature was a piece of wood shaped like a yoke that stood above the entrance to the nave."For me, there was a kind of putting on the yoke of Christ and to bend low into that space where my fallen brothers and sisters had died [centuries ago]. It was extremely emotional and a spiritually palpable event for me," he said of his experience ministering in the ancient monastery. "God became present once again on that ancient altar as he has done thousands and thousands of time throughout the 1,400 years of its existence. That's the weight of glory," Whorton said. Many had voiced concern about the fate of the monastery after Islamic State militants swept into the area in June 2014 and had cut off most communication there. Hundreds of thousands of Christians were forced to flee rather than convert to Islam, pay a protection tax or be killed. Whorton said the finality of the ancient monastery's fate has weighed heavy on him. "I did not realize until I saw the pictures of the destruction that I would be one of the ones to literally close the door on this ancient church," he said. "I hope that I closed it with all the necessary decorum that is due to such a venerable place," he added. Assyrian Fr. Emanuel Youkhana, who heads the Christian Aid Program Northern Iraq, CAPNI, denounced the attack as yet another assault once again on Christians and their heritage in their ancient homeland. "Dozens and dozens of scientific, philosophic, historical and other books were written or translated in such monasteries. This is a memory of Iraq which has been cut off," he told CNS. "When they damage my 2,000 years of Christianity and 5,000 years of Assyrian heritage as the indigenous people of this country, my question is this: If my history is being damaged, my present is being threatened, is there any future?" the cleric asked. He cited examples of the Islamic State's bulldozing the Assyrian city of Nimrod, where the Tower of Babel is believed to have existed. The United Nations called its destruction cultural cleansing and a war crime. Youkhana also drew attention to the destruction of archaeological sites in Ninevah along with the forced displacement of Christians and other religious minorities long present in Iraq from their historic area. He renewed a call for the international community to do more to preserve the Christian presence in their ancient homeland, saying it pained him to see many Christians escaping for safety to the West. "What will be the future of Oriental Christianity if we don't protect or give future chances for Christians to survive and to build a future," he said. "We have to keep this mosaic and diversity, not give up." ORTHODOX NEWS 1) Pan-Orthodox Council to be held in Greece this June Chambesy, Switzerland, January 27, Interfax — A Council of Orthodox church leaders, which has not been convened in over one thousand years, will be held on the Greek island of Crete in June 2016. "The Council will not be held in Istanbul. The position of the Russian Church was accepted. We proposed Athos, or Rhodes, or some other place, but the Patriarch of Constantinople proposed Crete," Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia told reporters after ending his visit to Chambesy, Switzerland, where Orthodox church leaders met earlier to discuss preparations for the Pan-Orthodox Council. This Greek island is under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople. This place was proposed because "it has the most favorable conditions: there is a room for 400 people, accommodations, and Crete is a venue for very many different conferences, including theological ones," the Russian Church leader said. "We know this place well and, of course, we accepted Crete as the Council venue," Patriarch Kirill said. For his part, the Patriarch's spokesperson Priest Alexander Volkov told Interfax-Religion that the Council will begin on June 19, the Holy Trinity Day [Pentecost]. A Pan-Orthodox Council has not been convened in over 1,000 years and preparations have been underway for over half a century now. In 2014 Orthodox church leaders decided to convene the Pan-Orthodox Council in Istanbul on 2016, but with a reservation: "unless impeded by unforeseen circumstances." + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 2) Primates of Orthodox Churches for reorganization of global economy Moscow, January 29, Interfax — The Primates of Orthodox Churches have urged that a moral world economy be set up. "The Church cannot remain indifferent to economic processes that have negative influence on the whole of humanity. It insists on the necessity not only to build economy on a moral basis, but to serve people by action with its help," the draft document of the coming Pan-Orthodox Council reads as it was approved by the Primates of the Orthodox Churches and posted at the website of the Department for External Church Relations of the Russian Church. The document also mentions that "the gap between the rich and the poor dramatically broadens as a result of the economic crisis," which in its turn "is the result of impetuous speculations by financial circles, concentration of riches in the hands of a few people, and perverted financial activities which are deprived of justice, humanity and responsibility, and eventually do not satisfy true demands of the human race." "Viable economy is the economy which combines efficiency with justice and social solidarity," the Orthodox leaders are convinced. They are also concerned with growing imposition of customer's lifestyle "which does not rely on Christian moral norms," cases of disrespectful and blasphemous attitude towards religious values, the ecological crisis, and desire for modesty and self-restriction. The Pan-Orthodox Council has not been convened in over 1,000 years and preparations have been underway for over half a century now. In 2014 Orthodox church leaders decided to convene the Pan-Orthodox Council in Istanbul on 2016, but with a reservation: "unless impeded by unforeseen circumstances." At their meeting in Chambesy (Switzerland), Orthodox leaders have decided to hold the Council on the island of Crete from June 16 to June 27. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 3) Georgian Constitutional Court receives same-sex marriage lawsuit Tbilisi, January 29, Interfax — Lawyer Giorgi Tatishvili has filed a lawsuit with the Georgian Constitutional Court, seeking recognition of same-sex marriage in the country. The lawsuit calls for a change in the Georgian Civil Code which defines marriage as one between a man and a woman, Tatishvili told reporters. The definition of family should be clarified as a union between man and man, woman and woman, and man and woman, he said. He added that he filed the lawsuit as an individual and not as a representative of an organization. The issue prompted active media debate in back in 2015. Zurab Jorbenadze, head of Rights For All, a Georgian non-governmental organization, said last summer that the association agreement signed between Georgia and the European Union involves formal recognition by Georgia of same-sex marriages. The then prime minister, Irakli Garibashvili, told journalists at the time that, "there will be no same-sex marriages in Georgia, and marriage, family is a union between a man and a woman." 4) UOC concerned about legalization of homosexual 'marriages' in Ukraine Moscow, February 3, Interfax — Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev and All Ukraine is concerned about the prospect of legalizing unisexual unions in the country. Speaking at the ' Council in Moscow, he reminded that on November 12, 2015, the Supreme Rada [Legislature] approved of the draft on "Introducing Changes in the Codex of Ukrainian Laws on Labor (referring to harmonizing Ukrainian law in correspondence with the European law in the field of preventing and opposing discrimination), the Russian Church reports on its website. "This law introduces new (for the Ukrainian legislative) field terms 'sexual orientation,' and 'gender identity.' Such novelties can become the first step for promoting homosexual lifestyle in Ukraine and attempts to legalize unisexual marriages," the metropolitan said. He said that the Ukrainian Church, together with other religious organizations, directed to the Rada alternative formulations in the mentioned draft in order to prevent discrimination, but escape introducing "terms alien to Christian morals" in the legislative field. "Unfortunately, our position has never been heard. Thus, the Bishops' Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church again urged the Ukrainian President to "back up traditional moral values and protect people from promoting sinful lifestyle in the society on January 29, 2016," Metropolitan Onufry said. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 5) Russian Church canonizes Dr. Botkin killed with the tsar’s family Moscow, Fabruary 5, Interfax — The Bishop Council of the Russian Church made a decision on the canonization of Dr. Yevgeny Botkin. "The Bishop Council has made a decision to beatify Doctor Yevgeny Botkin. I think it's a long-awaited decision because he is one of the saints who is honored not only in the Russian Church abroad, but also in many dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church, including in the medical community," head of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, told a press conference in Moscow following the Bishops’ Council. Speaking about the tsar's servants and the people who were killed with Great Duchess Yelizaveta [Elizabeth] Fyodorovna in Alapayevsk, he said that "the study of their lives and the circumstances surrounding their deaths will continue." Priest Alexy Kulberg, first aide to the Metropolitan of Yekaterinburg and Verkhotursk Kirill, earlier told Interfax- Religion that the Russian Church may canonize Botkin and the servants of Russia's last emperor. He said that people in the Urals have a special attitude to Botkin and the tsar's three servants who were killed with the tsar's family, and that attitude is reflected in the interior of the Church-on-the-Blood built on the site of the Ipatyev house in Yekaterinburg. Memorial plates with the names of the emperor, the tsarina and their children are located in the southern apse and memorial plates with the names of their servants in the northern apse. In 1981, the Russian Church Abroad canonized Botkin and the servants of the tsar family (cook Ivan Kharitonov, footman Aloise Trupp, and maid Anna Demidova) who were shot and killed in the Ipatyev house. In 2000, the Russian Church canonized new martyrs and confessors, including Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra Fyodorovna and their five children. Members of the tsar's family, their doctor and three of their servants were martyred in engineer Ipatyev's house in Yekaterinburg in the early hours of July 17, 1918. + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + 6) His Holiness Patriarch Kirill appeals to Iran’s President, Hassan Rouhani Saeed Abedini, pastor of an Evangelical church, was detained in 2012 and sentenced to eight years in prison on charges of undermining national security in Iran. His case was highly publicized; more than a million people all over the world signed petitions for Abedini’s release. In December 2014, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sent a letter to President Hassan Rouhani of Iran with a request to pardon Pastor Abedini. Saeed Abedini was released several days ago as part of the US-Iran Prisoner Exchange Program, and has arrived in the USA and been reunited with his family. The US state and the EU leaders and the Billy Graham Evangelical Association have repeatedly issued appeals for Abedini’s release. The Russian Orthodox Church has followed closely the situation with Christian prisoners in different countries of the world. The Moscow Patriarchate, in cooperation with political and religious leaders, has always raised questions about the destiny of Christian prisoners and issued appeals for their release.