The Wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of Our Lady of the Sign.

On June the 2d and the 3d of this year the great Holy Icon of our Russian Orthodox Church – the Wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of Our Lady of the Sign – will for the first time visit the Patriarchal Cathedral of Saint Barbara in Edmonton.
This icon appeared to people for the first time in the 13th century in the place of the present male monastery of the Kursk Root Hermitage in Russia.

The Holy Icon will arrive to us from Calgary, where it will visit the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate – the parish of All Saints and of John Chrysostom.

The schedule of the Devine Services in our Cathedral on those days is as follows:

The 2d of June (Sunday) 19:00 Meeting of the Holy Icon; Moleben with the Akathist to the Holy Wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of Our Lady of the Sign
The 3d of June (Monday) Celebration of the Vladimir Icon of God and the Memorial Day of the Saint-Equal-to-the Apostles Constantine and Helen:

9:00- the shortened Moleben and veneration of the Holy Icon;
9:40- the Service of the 3d and the 9th Hours
10:00- the Divine Liturgy
After the Liturgy The Ceremony of the solemn Farewell of the Holy Icon will take place.

We invite all Orthodox Christians of our God-protected city of Edmonton and of the Patriarchal parishes to come and venerate the Holy Image and say with gratitude to the Most Holy Mother of God: “Rejoice, oh, You , the Holiest of all ladies, Your Son resurrected from the dead – and by His death and resurrection He procured the resurrection of all dead people and future resurrection of us all! The understanding of this Miracle is a constant and immense source of Spiritual Joy for the true Christian believers!”
“THE HODIGITRIA OF THE RUSSIAN DIASPORA” (On the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God) http://www.synod.com/synod/enghistory/enkursk.html

“Holy Week and Eastertide are a time of profound solemnity and joy to Christians in Canada and around the world. One of the oldest holidays of the Christian faith, Easter celebrates Jesus Christ’s Resurrection from the dead and the triumph of good over evil.

“Also known as Pascha, this great feast day is the Christian celebration of Passover. Just as the Israelites celebrated their liberation from slavery, Christians celebrate Easter as mankind’s ultimate liberation from sin and death. This commemoration of atonement with God and the hope of everlasting life is, among Christians, one of the most important times of the year.

“During this holy season, I encourage all Canadians to be mindful of how fortunate we are to live in Canada, enjoying the blessings of peace, freedom, and the rule of law. This Easter is also an opportunity to reflect on the tremendous Judaeo-Christian contribution to Canada’s rich and diverse culture through over 400 years of history.

“As Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, I extend my warmest wishes for a happy Easter.” http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/statements/2013/2013-05-05.asp

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!

Dear Reverend Fathers, dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

I greet you from the depth of my heart with the Great and Sacred Holy Day of Pascha! Let the words of Pascal Greeting ring today everywhere and in all languages: “Христос Воскресе! Воистину Воскресе!” – “Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!”  “Χριστός α̉νέστη! Αληθώς α̉νέστη!” – “Christus resurrexit! Vere resurrexit!”

“Pascha” is the word that any Christian treasures the most. While we pronounce it, the image of Resurrected Christ is depicted in our mind and we start to experience special spiritual joy. This word means “passage”, “pass over”, or “deliverance”; it also possesses the symbolical meaning and signifies a passage from the material to the spiritual, the process of spiritual rising of the soul from the earthly to the heavenly state. This idea is wonderfully expressed in the first irmos of the Pascal Canon: “Pascha, the Lord’s Pascha: from death to life and from earth to Heaven Christ God leads us…”

In Greek language the Hebrew word “pascha” coincides with the verb “pascho” – “to suffer”. This seemingly accidental concurrence is not fortuitous though, and deeply underlines the connection between “The Pascha of Suffering” and “The Pascha of Resurrection”, between the death of Christ and the moment of His Resurrection. Saint Apostle Paul expresses it directly: “Our Pascha, Christ, has been sacrificed for us” (1 Cor.5,7). The joy of the Resurrection came to us through the Cross of Christ: “For this joy came through the Cross to the whole world!” – as it is sung in the Pascal Hymn “Having seen the Resurrection of Christ.”

The meaning of “Pascha” of the New Testament is fully uncovered in another Pascal Chant “Having fallen asleep in the flesh”, which ends with the words: “The Pascha of incorruptness is the salvation of the world”. Pascha is our Salvation, the precious gift to us from Jesus Christ Himself. It is liberation of the faithful Christians from the enslavement of the devil and reception by them blessed immortality. Jesus Christ, as a yearling lamb, voluntarily gave himself as a sacrifice for all of us and suffered on the Cross in order to arise on the third day and give us the eternal life… We hear about it in the refrain of the ninth song of the Pascal Canon: “Christ – the New Pascha, an alive sacrifice, the Lamb of God, Who taketh away the sins of the world”.

But Christ’s Pascha becomes a salvation for us only if we participate in it. And how can we “participate” in Pascha? What does it mean? It means, first of all, to invite Christ into our hearts and, therefore, try to receive His Holy Blood and Flesh on every Divine Liturgy. The Pascal Lamb – is our Savior Jesus Christ Himself. And with boundless and unconditional love He gives Himself to us in the Mystery of Communion. We are reminded about this true bread of life – Jesus Christ – by the special leavened bread called in Greek “artos.” This bread is always being blessed after the Divine Liturgy on Pascha.

According to The Holy Scripture and the tradition of the Church, Jesus Christ, after His Resurrection, appeared to the Apostles during their repasts. That is why the head of their dining table was always left unoccupied and in the middle of it the bread was placed, which was intended for the Lord Himself. The tradition of placing beautifully formed artos on a special table before the altar when the Pascal Liturgy is being served, initiated at those apostolic feasts… During the Bright Week artos is usually being carried around the church with the Cross processions, and, after blessing, is being distributed to the praying people on the Eve of Saint Apostle Thomas Sunday. This custom, eventually, was transferred to the families, since in the Orthodox tradition we consider our homes to be small churches as well. The homemade artos became to be known as “kulich”, or an “Easter cake”, (in Greek it is called a ‘kollikon” – “a round bread”). Kulich is a tall bread of cylindrical form baked of rich dough and known as “paska” in Ukrainian language. At the Pascal table it represents the Resurrected Christ, His invisible presence among us. The form of a paska or a kulich reminds us of the Hill of Golgotha, on which the salvation of all faithful people from the total control of sin and death was obtained.

During the coming Pascal Divine Services let our souls, our hearts and all our lives be again filled with the bread of our salvation and of the eternal life- Jesus Christ Himself! Let our minds be enlightened with the everlasting light of the Christ’s Resurrection!
May Jesus Christ, Our Lord, grant us to celebrate Pascha according to the Apostle’s instruction: “not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth!” (1 Cor. 5, 8) Let us during the Holy days of Pascha become the “new dough,” adorned through the Grace of God with many Christian virtues…

With Pascal assuring Good News of our Salvation, hierarchical blessing and wishes of bright joy, good health and God’s help in all your deeds in the name of Jesus Christ,
† Iov,
The Bishop of Kashira,
the Administrator of
the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada.
Edmonton, Pascha, 2013

Before the lunch, the 12 bishops along with the six Consuls Generals are pictured in the Church of St. John the Theologian located within the Metropolis.
Seated from the left are: Archbishop Gabriel, Russian OCOR Moscow Patriarchate; Bishop Christoforos, Constantinople Patriarchate; Bishop Ilia (Albanian), Constantinople Patriarchate; Archbishop Nicholaj, Romanian Patriarchate; Bishop Iov, Moscow Patriarchate; Metropolitan Sotirios, Constantinople Patriarchate; Bishop Alexander, Antiochian Patriarchate; Bishop Georgije, Serbian Patriarchate; Bishop Yurij (Ukrainian), Constantinople Patriarchate; Bishop Andriy (Ukrainian), Constantinople Patriarchate; Bishop Ioan Casian, Romanian Patriarchate;
Bishop Irenee, OCA.
Diplomats standing from the left are: Tatiana Popa, Romania; Iakovos Giragosian, Cyprus; Dimitrios Azemopoulos, Greece; Vladimir Pavlov, Serbia, Ivo Mouskourov, Bulgaria; and Anatoliy Oliinyk, Ukraine.

On April 11, 2013, the annual meeting of the Canadian Conference (Synaxis) of Orthodox Bishops of Canada took place at the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Constantinople Patriarchy in Toronto (Canada), with 12 bishops participating.

The Synaxis started from the opening prayers and the reading from the Epistle of Apostle Paul to the Jews (13:14-17), offered as a teaching for the Spiritual contemplation to the participants of the Conference by its Chairman- His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios. Then the Minutes of the previous meeting were heard, approved as written and unanimously accepted by all Hierarchs as the agenda for the present Conference.

The Conference discussed many issues, among which there were the aspects of Inter-Christian dialogue, the activity of the Assembly of the clergy of Canada, the questions on liturgical and canonical rights, as well as the topic on further social protection of the clergy (medical insurance, in particular). The Orthodox Hierarchs expressed their negative and uncompromising position concerning the ill issues of the contemporary society that include the life organs trading and abortion… The Conference agreed to proclaim the first Sunday of October  “The Day of Protection of the unborn child.”

The Orthodox Hierarchs of Canada also agreed that they cannot stand aside and leave without reaction the constant persecutions and ill-threatening of the Christians in Egypt and the countries of the Near East.  It was decided that a special nota of protest and disapproval should be written by the Conference to the governments of those countries.

Another question that was raised in the Conference was the question about possibility of participation of the Orthodox Churches in the Multi-Confessional Council, recently formed in Canada, and also the question about establishing in Canada new Orthodox Organizations – the Canadian Orthodox Youth and Charity Organizations. Here were also discussed the actions and steps that the administrations of  the Churches should undertake in case of the rising complaints about improper behaviour of certain clergymen that might disgrace the Dignity of the Holy Church, if such cases are being identified (such as sexual abuse and similar)…

A general interest attracted the project of creating a new pan Canadian Orthodox TV channel that would translate the Divine Liturgies and special educational programs for the multiple Orthodox population of the country.

The debates about the possibility of Orthodox Funeral Services over the cremated remnants again took place and, again, it was uncompromisingly sentenced as not complying with the Spirit of Orthodoxy, in spite of the example of the Orthodox Church of Japan that overlooks this regulation, forced to do so by the state government that demands cremation of the bodies due to the tiny area of the country. This is, obviously, not the case of Canada, however.

The Hierarchs of different Orthodox Churches in Canada agreed that they should continue the politics of brotherly cooperation and mutual support, which would be fulfilled in the future, as it was in the past, through official and semi-official reciprocal visits, through serving together the Devine Liturgies by the representatives of different Orthodox Churches, as well as through carrying out in collaboration different social and charitable projects, organizing Orthodox conferences that might unite people of different ranks and duty: for instance, the conference of the accountants of all Orthodox Churches in Canada is supposed to take place and is expected to discuss multiple common financial issues …

These and all other questions were discussed in details, and the necessary decisions were taken in order to enhance the continued cooperation of the Orthodox Churches in Canada and to promote their spiritual endeavours…

In the afternoon the luncheon followed, where the Orthodox hierarchs of Canada met with the six Consuls Generals of such Orthodox countries as Greece, Cyprus, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine. The diplomats greeted the Conference and expressed their appreciation for being invited to it; they commented with admiration on the exemplary collaboration amongst the hierarchs of the Orthodox Churches in Canada.

The Synaxis of Canadian Conference of Orthodox Bishops began in the year 2000. It has been annually taking place since then for already 13 years, under the Chairmanship of Metropolitan Sotirios.

The next meeting of the Conference was appointed on the 10 of April, 2014. His Eminence Metropolitan Sotirios expressed hope that by that time the present Conference of the Orthodox Bishops of Canada will be already transformed into the Assembly of the Orthodox Bishops of Canada, in accordance with the regulations passed by the IV Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference held at the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Switzerland.

Financially, the organization is doing quite well. The two major fund raisers, the Easter Tea and Bake Sale, and the Fall Social (Puschenia) were very successful events.

At present, Orthodox V is awaiting the assignment of a new minister for the parishes.

At the end of the meeting elections took place for the executive. The new executive is as follows:

• President —                       Yakim Lopushinsky
• Vice-President —           Jim Nemirsky
• Secretary —                        Marlene Engel
• Treasurer —                       June Tichkowsky

Russian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate

Orthodox V Charitable Association of the Patriarchal Parishes in Alberta, Canada

ORTHODOX V SCHEDULE 2013

If you would like to receive Holy Communion at any of the services, please come at 9:30am for confession and notify the priest or someone in the church office.

All services start at 10:00 am, unless otherwise noted.

JANUARY

06 – Sun – Chipman   -   Tone 6 – 31st after Pentecost, Christmas Eve Matins (2:00 pm)

07 – Mon – Chipman   -   NATIVITY OF OUR LORD Divine Liturgy

12 – Sat – St. Mary’s, Nisku   -   Divine Liturgy (9:00 am)  Annual Patriarchal Parishes Meeting (following lunch)

13 – Sun – Mundare   -   Tone 7- 32nd after Pentecost

14 – Mon – Chipman   -   St. Basil the Great, Circumcision of the Lord

19 – Sat – Shishkovtzy   -   Epiphany, Great Blessing of Water

20 – Sun – Farusi   -   Tone 8 – 33rd after Pentecost

27 – Sun – Skaro   -   Tone 1 – 34th after Pentecost

29 – Tue – Lodge (9:30 am) & Auxiliary (10:30 am)

FEBRUARY

03 – Sun – Chipman   -   Tone 2 – 35th after Pentecost, Orthodox V Annual Meeting

10 – Sun – Old Wostok   -   Tone 3 – 36th after Pentecost

15 – Fri   – The Meeting of the Lord

17 – Sun – Mundare   -   Tone 4 – 37th after Pentecost, Sunday of Zacchaeus

24 – Sun – Serediaki   -   Tone 5 – Sunday of Publican and Pharisee

MARCH

03 – Sun – Chipman   -   Tone 6 – Sunday of the Prodigal Son

~~~~  DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS  ~~~~

10 – Sun – Skaro   -  Tone 7 – Meatfare Sunday of Last Judgement

17 – Sun – Mundare   -   Tone 8 – Cheezefare and Forgiveness Sunday

18 – Mon – Chipman   -   Great Lent Begins (7:00 pm)

Grand Compline – 18, 19, 20, 21

19 – Tue -  Lodge (9:30 am) & Auxiliary (10:30 am)

24 – Sun – Farusi   -   Tone 1 – 1st Sunday of Lent – Orthodoxy Sunday, Confession

27 – Wed – Lamont Rec Centre   -   Orthodox V Annual Bake Sale

31 – Sun – Shishkovtzy   -   Tone 2 – 2nd Sunday of Lent, Confession

APRIL

07 – Sun – Chipman   -   Tone 3 – 3rd Sunday of Lent, Sunday of the Holy Cross,  Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, Confession

14 – Sun – Skaro   -   Tone 4 – 4th Sunday of Lent, Confession

20 – Sat – North Star   -   Divine Liturgy, Confession

21 – Sun – Old Wostok   -   Tone 5 – 5th Sunday of Lent, Confession

21 – Sun – Spirit River   -   Tone 5 – 5th Sunday of Lent, Confession

27 – Sat – Skaro   -  Lazarus Saturday, Service for the Departed, Confession

28 – Sun – Serediaki   -   Tone 6 – 6th Sunday of Lent, Palm Sunday, The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Confession

MAY

02 – Thu – Chipman  -   Holy Thursday - Reading of Twelve Gospels (7:00 pm)

03 – Fri   -  Holy Friday – ** See Schedule

04 – Sat   – Holy Saturday – ** See Schedule

05 – Sun – Mundare    -   Resurrection of Jesus Christ (8:00 am)

07 – Tue -  Lodge (9:30 am) & Auxiliary (10:30 am)

12 – Sun – Serediaki   -   Tone 1 – 2nd after Easter, Graveyard Service

Mundare     –    Graveyard Service (3:00 pm)

19 – Sun – Old Wostok   -   Tone 2 – 3rd after Easter, Graveyard Service

Farusi   -   Graveyard Service (3:00 pm)

20 – Mon – St. Nicholas, Ukrainian Village   -   Divine Liturgy (10:00 am)

26 – Sun – Skaro   – Tone 3 – 4th after Easter, Graveyard Service

Redwater   -   Graveyard Service (3:00 pm)

JUNE

02 – Sun – Chipman   -   Tone 4 – 5th after Easter, Graveyard Service

Shishkovtzy   -   Graveyard Service (3:00 pm)

09 – Sun – Boyle   -   Tone 5 – 6th after Easter, Graveyard Service

Peno – Graveyard Service (3:00 pm)

13 – Thu  – Skaro   -   Holy Ascension Day

16 – Sun – Farusi   -   Tone 6 – 7th after Easter -  Sunday of the Holy Fathers

22 – Sat – North Star   -   Graveyard Service

23 – Sun – Old Wostok   -   Tone 7 – 8th after Easter, Holy Trinity Day, Feast Day         

23 – Sun – Spirit River   -   Tone 7 – 8th after Easter, Holy Trinity Day, Feast Day,                                                Graveyard Service

Woking   -   Graveyard Service  (3:00 pm)

25 – Tue -  Lodge (9:30 am) & Auxiliary (10:30 am)

30 – Sun – Mundare     -   Tone 8 – 1st after Pentecost – Sunday of All Saints

JULY

07 – Sun – Chipman   -   Tone 1 – 2nd after Pentecost, St. John the Baptist Feast Day

12 – Fri   – St. Peter and Paul Feast Day

13 – Sat – North Star   -   St. Peter and Paul Feast Day

14 – Sun – Spirit River   -   Tone 2 – 3rd after Pentecost

21 – Sun – Cen. Site (Old Wostok)   -   Tone 3 – 4th after Pentecost, Orthodox Day (10:00 am)

28 – Sun – Shishkovtzy   -   Tone 4 – 5th after Pentecost

AUGUST

02 – Fri   – St. Elias

04 – Sun – Peno   -   Tone 5 – 6th after Pentecost

11 – Sun – Skaro   -   Tone 6 – 7th after Pentecost

13 – Tue -  Lodge (9:30 am) & Auxiliary (10:30 am)

14 – Wed   – Dormition Fast Begins

18 – Sun – Chipman   -   Tone 7 – 8th after Pentecost

19 – Mon – Mundare   -   Transfiguration of the Lord

25 – Sun – Shishkovtzy   -   Tone 8 – 9th after Pentecost

28 – Wed   – Dormition of the Theotokos

SEPTEMBER

01 – Sun – Chipman   -   Tone 1 – 10th after Pentecost

08 – Sun – Skaro   -   Tone 2 – 11th after Pentecost

15 – Sun – Peno   -   Tone 3 – 12th after Pentecost

21 – Sat   – Nativity of the Virgin Mary

22 – Sun – Farusi    -   Tone 4 – 13th after Pentecost

27 – Fri – Old Wostok   -   Elevation of the Holy Cross

29 – Sun – Shishkovtzy   -   Tone 5 – 14th after Pentecost

OCTOBER

01 – Tue -  Lodge (9:30 am) & Auxiliary (10:30 am)

06 – Sun – Chipman   -   Tone 6 – 15th after Pentecost

13 – Sun – Mundare   -   Tone 7 – 16th after Pentecost – Thanksgiving Service

14 – Mon – Protection Veil of the Mother of God

20 – Sun – Skaro   -   Tone 8 – 17th after Pentecost

27 – Sun – Shishkovtzy   -   Tone 1 – 18th after Pentecost

NOVEMBER

02 – Sat – Lamont Rec Centre   -   Orthodox V Puschenia

~~~~  DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME ENDS  ~~~~

03 – Sun – Mundare     -   Tone 2 – 19th after Pentecost – St. James Feast Day

08 – Fri   – St. Demetrius Feast Day

10 – Sun – Serediaki   -   Tone 3 – 20th after Pentecost 

17 – Sun – Chipman   -    Tone 4 – 21st after Pentecost

19 – Tue -  Lodge (9:30 am) & Auxiliary (10:30 am)

24 – Sun – Shishkovtzy   -   Tone 5 – 22nd after Pentecost

28 – Thu   – Christmas Lent Begins

DECEMBER

01 – Sun – Chipman   –   Tone 6 – 23rd after Pentecost

04 – Wed   – Entry of the Virgin Mary

08 – Sun – Mundare    -   Tone 7 – 24th after Pentecost

15 – Sun – St. Barbara’s  Cathedral -   Tone 8 – 25th after Pentecost

19 – Thu – Skaro   -   St. Nicholas Day

22 – Sun – Old Wostok   -   Tone 1 – 26th after Pentecost

29 – Sun – Shiskovtzy   -   Tone 2 – 27th after Pentecost

SPECIAL SERVICES

Holy Friday (Holy Shroud Services)

12:00 pm             Skaro

1:00 pm                Old Wostok

2:00 pm                Farusi

3:00 pm                Serediaki

4:00 pm                Mundare

5:00 pm                Shishkovtzy

7:00 pm                Chipman

Holy Saturday (Blessing of Paschas)

3:00 pm              Lamont Aux. Hospital

4:00 pm        Old Wostok

5:00 pm        Farusi

6:00 pm        Serediaki

7:00 pm        Shishkovtzy

8:00 pm        Chipman

9:00 pm        Skaro

To request special services on any day of the year, including Sundays, please check with the Priest or President “Orthodox V ” (780-895-2667) ahead of time for availability.Phone:                          

“Orthodox V” Charitable Association (780) 895-2149   

During the Service in the church of St. Apostle Jacob in Mundare, Alberta, the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada Bishop Iov (Job) awarded A Certificate of Merit (“The Bishop’s Gramota”) – to Marshall Chmilar – who is now quitting his position due to health problems – for many years of serving as the  director of the parish corporation.

This is not the first “Bishop’s Gramota” in the history of the parish of Saint Jacob. In 1904 the similar Gramota was handed to the founder of the parish Kodrat Sheremeta by His Grace Bishop Tikhon, the future Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (1917-1925). This document is well preserved and proudly cherished as one of the most valuable possessions of this parish…

Your Grace, Dear Vladika!

May God repose his soul among the Saints and Angels!

I want to express to You, dear Vladika, my most sincere condolences on the bereavement over the departure of Victor Theodorovich Lopushinsky – the oldest parishioner and a volunteer-employee of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada. People are not aware of the time and dates of life that God, Our Lord, terms for us by His All-Good Providence… But always firmly hoping in His Mercy, we believe that He recalls a soul at the exact moment when it is most well-prepared for the receiving and inheriting the eternal life.

Let us pray God, Our Lord, to make the memory of His newly-departed servant to be eternal!

With love in Christ,

Paul, Metropolitan of Ryazan and Mikhailov

March 12, 2013

ЕГО ПРЕОСВЯЩЕНСТВУ,  ПРЕОСВЯЩЕННЕЙШЕМУ ИОВУ, ЕПИСКОПУ КАШИРСКОМУ,

УПРАВЛЯЮЩЕМУ ПРИХОДАМИ МОСКОВСКОГО ПАТРИАРХАТА В КАНАДЕ

Ваше Высокопреосвященство, дорогой Владыка!

Выражаю самые искренние соболезнования Вам, дорогой Владыка, в связи с кончиной старейшего труженика на Патриарших приходах в Канаде Виктора Федоровича Лопушинского. Людям не ведомы времена и сроки, которые Господь определяет Своим всеблагим промыслом, но в твердом уповании на Его милость мы верим, что Он призывает душу тогда, когда она наиболее подготовлена для восприятия и наследования жизни вечной. Да сотворит Господь новопреставленному рабу Своему Виктору вечную память.

С любовью о Господе

Павел, митрополит Рязанский и Михайловский

12 марта 2013 г.

Victor LOPUSHINSKY (1915 – February 27, 2013)

On Wednesday, February 27, 2013, Victor Theodore Lopushinsky, the Honorary Member the Church Board of St. Barbara Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Edmonton, AB, passed away peacefully at the age of 97.
Victor will be sadly missed and forever remembered by his wife of 38 years, Lucy and his children, Diane (Jerry) Shieron and Eugene Lopushinsky; grandchildren, Victoria (Joel) Hunt, Alexandra Shieron and Brittany (Derek) Sabo; great-granddaughters, Keili and Hailey Sabo and two stepchildren, Lorna Holowaychuk and Larry Holowaychuk. He is also survived by two sisters, Pearl Chernyk and Anne Herchek. Victor was predeceased by his son, Ted; his parents, Theodore and Euphemia; seven brothers and three sisters.

Condolence Message of His Grace Iov, Bishop of Kashira, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada on the passing of the late Victor Lopushinsky.

Reverend Fathers, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, dear Lucy – widow of the departed Mr. Victor Lopushinsky, his beloved children, grandchildren and all relatives and members of his big family!

Please, accept the condolences and deep sympathies from His Holiness, the Holy Patriarch of All Rus Kirill and all administration of our Russian Orthodox Church, in connection with the recent repose of the oldest member of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada – Victor Theodorovich Lopushinsky.

Victor Theodorovich devoted all his life to serving the Russian Orthodox Church in Canada. For many years he worked zealously as an editor of the “Canadian Orthodox Messenger”, while holding various positions at the Patriarchal Parishes of Canada, such as the secretary-treasurer of all Patriarchal Parishes, and the secretary of the Bishop’s Council. In recent years he was the Honored Member of the Council of our Parish of Saint Barbara’s Cathedral. All these years were very difficult and crucial for our Church. And he, in this period in particular, devoted all his strength and knowledge to serving God and our people. Working as the secretary of the Bishops’ Council, he prepared all documentation for the Bishops and clergy who arrived from Russia and Ukraine to serve in Canada. He took care of them: he met them at the airport, provided them with lodging and the means of transportation. He was the chief coordinator of the Great Celebration of the Centenary of our Saint Barbara’s Cathedral in Edmonton and the Centenary of when the First Orthodox Liturgy was served here in Alberta, Canada by the Russian clergy.

Victor Thodorovich was also the head of the editorial staff that released a number of books on the history of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada, on the century-long history of Our Cathedral of Saint Barbara in Edmonton, as well as on the Celebration of the 1000^th Anniversary of the establishing the Christian Orthodox Faith in Russia and Ukraine. The last book from this series was published in 2002 and was called “The Century of Faith”. Through his fervent efforts our parish library and museum of Saint Barbara’s Cathedral were also created and are in existence now.

A couple of times Victor Theodorovich visited Russia and Ukraine on pilgrimages to the Shrines of the Russian Orthodox Church. This special person was well known and respected for his unique diligence and responsibility, his openness and friendliness towards other people. He always performed any task or mission that was entrusted to him conscientiously, scrupulously, and on a highly- professional level. This honest attitude gained him recognition and respect from both Clergy and the members of all our parishes. His faithfulness and his long-term service to the Russian Orthodox Church were highly valued by all Administrators of the Patriarchal Parishes. For his assiduous service he was awarded many medals of the Moscow Patriarchy. The last award he received by the blessing of His Holiness, the Holy Patriarch Kirill Himself in 2010, at the Celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of the Sanctification of our Cathedral.

Merciful God, Our Lord, granted him a truly Christian and peaceful conclusion to his earthly life. Few days before his peaceful repose, he received from me Holy Communion. It happened in the nursing house, where Mr. Lopushinsky resided for the last 2 years, because of his health conditions. After receiving Holy Communion, Mr. Lopushinsky was greeted by His Eminence Mark, the Archbishop of Hust and Vinogradov, who for more than 11 years had been the Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in Canada and who at this time is on a private visit in Canada. His Eminence underlined the colossal help Victor Theodorovich provided to him and to all Administrators and the Clergy of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada in their challenging Service in Canada.

Let us pray the Lord of Our Lives and Deaths, Jesus Christ, to accept the soul of His faithful departed servant to the Heavenly Kingdom, and to grant him eternal rest and make his memory to be eternal!

I wish to all his relatives, close friends and to all parishioners of our Churches to have the same faith, the same aspiration to serve God and Our Church that the departed Victor Lopushinsky had.

I also wish to you all, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, physical and spiritual strength and the blessing of Our Lord and the Heavenly Father.

With love in our Lord Jesus Christ,

 +Iov, Bishop of Kashira, Administrator of Patriarchal Parishes in Canada.

Prayer Service (Panikhída) will be held on Sunday, March 3 at 7:00 p.m. and Divine Liturgy and Funeral Service on Monday, March 4 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Barbara Russian Orthodox Cathedral, 10105 – 96 Street with His Grace Bishop Iov and Archpriest Sergey Kipriyanovich concelebrating. Interment to follow in St. Barbara’s Cemetery (Nisku), 3 miles west of Hwy. #2 on Hwy. #19 (Devon Highway). In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Building Fund – St. Barbara Russian Orthodox Cathedral, 10105 – 96 Street, Edmonton, AB T5H 2G3.

In a blessed falling asleep, grant, O Lord, eternal rest unto Thy newdeparted servant VICTOR and make his memory to be eternal! Memory eternal! Memory eternal! Memory eternal!

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus.

I would like to devote my message for this annual meeting of our Cathedral to the Holy Bishop’s Council of the Russian Orthodox Church that took place on the 2-5 of February in Moscow this year, and in which, according to the protocols of our Church, I participated.
In our days this Council takes place every two years.  280 bishops and 290 hierarchs of the Moscow Patriarchy of the Russian Orthodox Church joined it this year.
As always, the Holy Council was opened by the Divine Liturgy, dedicated to the 4th anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Kirill. On this memorable day I was helping His Holiness to serve the Liturgy. On behalf of the Patriarchal Parishes I congratulated His Holiness and wished Him “in the next year of His Patriarchal Mission generous mercies and abundant help from God, Our Lord -the Head of all bishops and priest. While presenting His Holiness with a picture album of our Canadian Churches, I also wished Him spiritual joy and excellent health and to All Our Holly Orthodox Church a safe and happy voyage through the boisterous sea of life to the secure harbour of Our Protector- Jesus Christ…”

Kremlin. A meeting of the Members of the Holy Council with the President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

On the same day a meeting of the Members of the Holy Council with the President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin took place in Kremlin. During this meeting the Head of the Russian State highly estimated and  praised the work of the Holy Patriarch of Russian Orthodox Church and also answered to the row of questions of our Church’s  hierarchs.
On the first day of the work of the Council (the 2nd of February) – His Holiness, Holy Patriarch Kirill addressed us with a word about the life and work of Russian Orthodox Church. His Holiness touched, among others, the questions about formation of new metropolitan areas and eparchies, the life of our parishes abroad, financial and economic aspects of the Church life, and different problems of the religious education of our people. His Holiness underlined that the role of our Church in the life of the country for the last years was extremely dynamic; its missionary and social service- very successful and vital, which is well seen, for example, in the movement of the Orthodox young people, who nowadays actively form different charitable organizations and bring out to the society our Christian Moral values. His Holiness also pointed out to the importance of the Orthodox mass-media, through which the dialog with the society and the state is being held. The Head of the Russian Orthodox Church outlined the perspectives of the relationships between different branches of the Orthodox Church, as well as between Russian Orthodox Church and representatives both of the other Christian confessions and also of different religions.

The Holy Bishops’ Council of the Russian Orthodox Church

It is important to remember that the Russian Orthodox Church, to which we belong and which we serve, includes people living on the territories that trespass the boundaries of the State of Russian Federation. Among them are those living in the countries that once were the parts of Russia and by now have become independent republics, those who live on the territories of China and Japan, where our Orthodox eparchies had been established a long time ago, and the multi-millions Russian diaspora of immigrants and their descendants, living in all the corners of the world! 400 Patriarchal parishes and 300 parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad scattered across all countries and continents outside Russia testify that the question of how to in a better way provide the Christian spiritual care to this people – is a burning question for our Church.
On the following days, the Members of the Holy Council, in true spiritual and ecclesiastical accordance, approved a number of documents, offered for their attention by the Council Presence.
Thus, the Council’s members have defined for the future
“The procedure of electing the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia”:
Most of the participants voted for the now-existing practise of electing Patriarch at a Local Council from the candidates, offered by the Holy Council. The new aspect of this procedure that was discussed and regulated at this time is the case, when the two candidates gain the equal number of votes. It was agreed upon that the final choice then would be made through the draw of lots.
Since now in the election of the next Patriarch will participate not only the Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes, as usually,  but also -after the approval from the High Council of the Church – one representative of the clergy and one of the laity-parishioners.
The Holy Council’s members have also refined
“The Structure of the Local and Bishops’ Councils”;
“The position of the church towards the development of the technologies of registration and processing of the personal data”:
In this document our Church petitions the state not to oblige people to adopt certain electronic IDs against their will, and to let them continue using their old documentation. In this issue any forcing is not acceptable and should not be demonstrated. People always should have an alternative choice.
“The position of the Russian Orthodox Church towards the reform of the family law and the problems of juvenile justice”:
In this document the Church asks the state authorities to preserve the traditional family values, to protect both the children and the parents, to ordain the God-parents with a special right and privilege to adopt their God-children in the case of necessity.
“The position of the Russian Orthodox Church on the vital ecological questions”:
Our Church is seriously concerned by the present state of the natural world. The exhaustion of resources and pollution of the environment, and even of our food, put into a sharp focus the problem of preserving the diversity of life and the prudent use of nature’s gifts. By this document the Holy Council members remind the society of its responsibility before the God-created world.
The new edition of the Charter of Rules and regulations of the Russian Orthodox Church, that included all recent changes, was issued.
One of the most important documents that was released by this Holy Council and which I want to mention is
“The regulation about material and social support of the priests, clergy and the officials of the religious organizations of the Russian Orthodox church and their families”:
In this document the Holy Council advise that the main support of the aged or diseased clergy should be provided by those parishes, where they once served, and especially by that one, which was their last place of service.
The Holy Council also issued
“The regulations about the awards of the Russian Orthodox Church”:
It standardizes the system of various Church awards for the clergy and faithful laity that were established in different time in the past.
By the unanimous decision of the Holy Council the present members of the General Ecclesiastical Court were re-elected for the new period.
In conclusion, the Holy Bishops’ Council issued the Regulations, consisting of 69 articles, and addressed with a Message to the Clergy, Monastics, Laity and Children of the Russian Orthodox Church. The short articles of these regulations contain the majority of the decisions of the Holy Council on various essential questions of the life of our Church, among which one of the most important was the question about the relationship between the Church and the society.
Every day the work of the Council started from the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. During those Divine Services special prayers were raised for the safe and successful progress of the Holy Council.
During the days of the Council I met several times with His Eminence the Most Reverend  Archbishop Mark of Egoriev, with whom we discussed the questions about assigning the priests  for serving on the Patriarchal parishes in Canada, the important aspects of life of the parishes in Canada  and, in particular, the future of our parish in Ottawa.
During my staying in Moscow, I venerated the relics of Saint Daniel of Moscow and Saint Patriarch Tikhon, who, at the beginning of the 20th century, was establishing the first Orthodox churches here, in Canada. I also venerated other shrines of the Danilov and Donskoy monasteries.
In Ukraine I visited my father’s house, the Kiev Pechersk and Pochaev Lavras, the Holy Epiphany Krementz Monastery where I served the Divine Liturgies in front of the widely honored shrines and prayed for you all, the congregation of the Patriarchal parishes in Canada.
While heading to Moscow to join the Holy Council and passing Kiev,  I gave a brief  interview, which was published in the Ukrainian Orthodox Magazine “Thomas” under the headline: “ There is not a great number of the Orthodox people in Canada, but they live as a single and united family.” http://foma.in.ua/articles/interview/pravoslavnykh-v-kanade-malo-no-oni-kak-odna-semya-blits-intervyu-v-vagone-poezda
On this basis, I prayerfully wish to all our parishioners to be a real spiritual God’s family!