Metropolitan Jonah leads Friends of Mount Athos trip to Cyprus

Accompanied by members of the Friends of Mount Athos society, of which he is a patron, His Eminence Metropolitan Jonah, the former Primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) from 2008-2012, is currently leading a nine-day pilgrimage to Cyprus with the blessing of the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus, His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II (r. 2006-). The Friends of Mount Athos invited Metropolitan Jonah to lead this year’s pilgrimage, hosted by the society, which bears the theme “Byzantine and Crusader Cyprus”, and lasts from 22-30 October. Approximately 40 people are participating in the pilgrimage, most of whom are British nationals.

On Sunday, 23 October 2016, at the invitation of His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus, His Eminence Metropolitan Jonah concelebrated the Divine Liturgy at the beautiful church of Agia Sofia (Holy Wisdom) in Strovolos, suburban Nicosia, along with His Beatitude the Archbishop and His Grace Bishop Gregorios of Mesaoria. Observing the Revised Julian calendar following the usage of the Church of Cyprus, the hierarchs with the other clergy and laity commemorated St Iakovos (James) the brother of the Lord and St. Patriarch Ignatios of Constantinople (d. 877) in the Archierarchical Liturgy on the occasion of their feast days.

In Strovolos’ Holy Wisdom Cathedral, with His Beatitude the Archbishop of Cyprus speaking after the Divine Liturgy while Metropolitan Jonah and Bishop Gregorios of Mesaoria are looking on. This, and all photos appearing in this article, are used with the courtesy of Mr Simon Jennings, Treasurer of the Friends of Mount Athos.

Following the Divine Liturgy, His Beatitude the Archbishop consecrated a new school hall in Strovolos, with His Eminence Metropolitan Jonah attending the blessing along with many of the faithful members of Friends of Mount Athos and Nicosian Cypriot parishioners:

Courtesy of Mr Simon Jennings, Treasurer of the Friends of Mount Athos.

Following their con-celebration of the Divine Liturgy on Sunday, 23 October in suburban Strovolos, accompanied by several close friends, Metropolitan Jonah met privately with the Archbishop at his Archepiscopal Residence in Nicosia, the capital of the Republic of Cyprus. The Archbishop’s assistant, His Grace Bishop Gregorios of Mesaoria, was present at the meeting and warmly received His Eminence and several close friends in the Archepiscopal Throne Room. Following this, the Archbishop hosted lunch for the company in his stately residence.

His Eminence Metropolitan Jonah (L) sitting with (R) His Grace Bishop Gregorios of Mesaoria of Cyprus. Standing behind the bishops are two members of the Friends of Mount Athos. Courtesy of Mr Simon Jennings, Treasurer of the Friends of Mount Athos.

 

Metropolitan Jonah sitting in the Archepiscopal Throne Room in the chair reserved for visiting Church dignitaries, to the immediate right of the primatial Throne of the Archbishop of Cyprus. Courtesy of Mr Simon Jennings, Treasurer of the Friends of Mount Athos.

His Eminence Metropolitan Jonah will remain in Cyprus with the Friends of Mount Athos until next Sunday. The group is enjoying an extended tour of the beautiful island and its magnificent ancient, Classical, and Hellenistic period Greek ruins, explore Byzantine and Crusader fortifications and sites, and visit historic village churches and monasteries. FoMA has already visited several ancient, holy monasteries and convents.

Mrs. Marilyn P. Swezey, one of the Friends of Mount Athos members who is on the pilgrimage, told me that “it is wonderful here. Cyprus is still a Christian country, dotted with little churches and monasteries everywhere, many very ancient. It’s truly a land of hidden spiritual treasures!”

I spoke with Mr. Simon Jennings, the Treasurer of the society, who had this to say about Metropolitan Jonah’s pilgrimage to Cyprus with FoMA:

Vladyka is here to lead a pilgrimage to Cyprus organised by the Friends of Mount Athos, of which I am Treasurer. Some of the group have been visiting the Byzantine monuments in the occupied part of Cyprus… [O]n Sunday, Vladyka served the Divine Liturgy at the Church of Agia Sophia in the district of Strovolos (a suburb of Nicosia) with the Archbishop of Cyprus, Chrysostomos – and his assistant Bishop Gregorios. After Liturgy, Archbishop Chrysostomos blessed a new School hall. Following that, and a reception, the Archbishop received us for lunch at his residence, and entertained us very well.

Today, we drove down to see some monasteries – Agia Thekla, which is a small and very pretty women’s monastery, where there was a Russian tour group. We went on to a 14th c. church dedicated to the Holy Archangel Michael, and from there to look at the famous monastery of Stavrovouni, at least to assess the chances of getting up to it, which we may try to do tomorrow. After lunch, we went on to a small monastery again dedicated to St Michael, and from there to a new women’s monastery dedicated to the Mother of God, where we were received by the Gerondissa. She sent us with one of her workmen to guide us to Deftera, where there is a diocesan ecclesiastical store… From there we went on to Tamassos, where there is a new Russian church being constructed with the blessing of the Bishop of that diocese, who has studied in Moscow.

Tomorrow, we will visit some more monasteries… On Wednesday, we will meet up with the rest of the group to tour Nicosia, and then on to the Troodos mountains to look at the painted churches there, which are amongst the most important treasures of the Island. We will travel back to London on Sunday. Vladyka Jonah is one of the patrons of the Friends of Mount Athos.

Here are some photos of the FoMA tour of several different historic Cypriot monasteries and village churches which they have visited so far in their pilgrimage:

Monastery of the Holy Archangel Michael, Analiontas, Cyprus. Courtesy of Mr Simon Jennings, Treasurer of the Friends of Mount Athos.

Courtesy of Mr Simon Jennings, Treasurer of the Friends of Mount Athos.

The high walls of the Holy Archangel Michael monastery reflect the frequent wars and invasions Cyprus endured as a key strategic island in the eastern Mediterranean — Persians and Alexander’s Macedonians, Ptolemies and Seleucids, Roman consuls and emperors, Byzantines/Christian Romans, Arab Muslims, Norman and English Crusaders, Ottoman Turks, Venetians, and the British all vied for control of the island. Photo courtesy of Mr Simon Jennings, Treasurer of the Friends of Mount Athos.

The small, lavishly decorated church of St Thekla in the women’s monastery (convent) dedicated to her in Mosfiloti. Courtesy of Mr Simon Jennings, Treasurer of the Friends of Mount Athos.

The lovely courtyard and gardens of St Thekla Convent. Courtesy of Mr Simon Jennings, Treasurer of the Friends of Mount Athos.

Metropolitan Jonah at St Thekla’s, where the abbess/Gerondissa warmly received the group of members from Friends of Mount Athos. Courtesy of Mr Simon Jennings, Treasurer of the Friends of Mount Athos.

The warm and intimately quaint, ancient village church of St Marina (Αγία Μαρίνα). Courtesy of Mr Simon Jennings, Treasurer of the Friends of Mount Athos.

The exterior of the small, stone Byzantine-era church of St Marina. Courtesy of Mr Simon Jennings, Treasurer of the Friends of Mount Athos.

Here is the link to the Facebook page for Friends of Mount Athos, whose president is His Eminence Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia, best-selling Orthodox author and former Spalding Lecturer of Eastern Orthodox Studies at the University of Oxford (1966-2001). The Royal Patron of FoMA is His Royal Highness Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales.

April 13: Third Annual Bishop Basil Rodzianko Memorial Retreat

Dear Friends,

I hope you have all enjoyed a blessed and contemplative start to your Lenten journeys!

I want to encourage all of you who are able to attend the Saturday, April 13 memorial Lenten retreat at St John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Cathedral here in Washington, D.C. in honor of the late and venerable Bishop Basil (Rodzianko). The Holy Archangels Orthodox Foundation of Washington, D.C. will sponsor this special event.

For those of you who may not have heard of this remarkable man, Bishop Basil was an Orthodox luminary of the last century whose extensive writings, radio broadcasts and travels contributed to the revitalization of Orthodoxy both in the last years of the Soviet Union and then following the collapse of communist regimes throughout Eastern Europe. Bishop Basil was my godmother’s spiritual father, and so I have been greatly blessed to hear many wonderful stories and anecdotes from her about his extraordinary life.

His Beatitude Metropolitan Jonah, former Primate of the Orthodox Church in America and Archbishop of Washington, will offer a talk centered around the Orthodox spiritual life titled “Let us take refuge in the Lord”. 

All are welcome to join us for the morning services before the talk. Matins begins at 7:40am followed by the Divine Liturgy at 9:00am. Lunch will be served at 11:00am, and the talk will commence at 12:30pm.

Interested clergy, students, professionals, Russian scholars, and Orthodox inquirers are encouraged to attend!

 If you would like to read more about Bishop Basil’s life and legacy, I would direct you to the following links:

1) The main website dedicated to Bishop Basil’s memory.
2) The chapter “His Eminence the Novice” by Archimandrite Tikhon (Shevkunov) in the abbot’s bestselling book Everyday Saints.
3) In all humility, two brief articles which I wrote about him, which may be found here and here.

Here is the link to a Facebook event which I have created to spread the word about the retreat. For those who cannot access the embedded link, here it is unembedded:  
https://www.facebook.com/events/418810168214587/?context=create

I hope you will attend what promises to be a wonderful Lenten retreat dedicated to the memory of a venerable hierarch in our times!

Yours in Christ,

-Ryan

Update on Metropolitan Jonah’s situation

Since this past summer, Metropolitan Jonah has often been serving at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist here in Washington at the invitation of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion (Kapral), First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) and Cathedral rector Fr. Victor Potapov. For some time Metropolitan Jonah has been serving weekly at St John’s, a warm and very active parish. Metropolitan Jonah has been welcomed very kindly by all, including both English parishioners and Russian and Ukrainian parishioners attending the Slavonic Liturgy.

His weekly Bible studies are always very well attended, and these talks are available here via the St John’s Cathedral YouTube channel. His ministry is well-loved and growing under the care of this wonderful parish and the kindness of those in the Russian Church Abroad who have been very welcoming. The OCA enthrones Metropolitan Tikhon this coming Sunday, January 27 at St. Nicholas Cathedral. It is crucial for Metropolitan Jonah that the OCA soon release him to ROCOR so that he may continue his ministry uninhibited by those in the OCA who sought his removal as primate.

The following information comes from George Evanisko, an active Orthodox Christian in the Washington, D.C. Metro area. I highly encourage you to share this information with all your friends. Since the OCA is no longer paying Metropolitan Jonah, if you or any of your friends are in a position to financially support his continued ministry, I can vouch for the integrity of the Holy Archangels Foundation.

Dear Fellow Orthodox Christian,
 
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) requested Metropolitan Jonah be released to ROCOR from the OCA more than a month ago.
The OCA Synod has yet to release +Jonah, even after the Synod’s letter accused +Jonah of being unfit for the OCA.  In addition, the OCA has stopped providing a salary to +Jonah.
 
I am asking you to do two things today to assist +Jonah, as the OCA Synod meets in seven days.
 
1.  Write a letter to the OCA Synod and Metropolitan Tikhon kindly asking that the OCA Synod release Metropolitan Jonah to ROCOR.
The address is: Metropolitan Tikhon and the OCA Synod, c/o St. Nicholas Cathedral, 3500 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20007.

 
2.  Write a letter to Archbishop Justinian of the Moscow Patriarchate asking that
a.  He speaks to the OCA Synod and asks them to release +Jonah to ROCOR, and 
b.  if the OCA does not release +Jonah, that +Justinian asks Patriarch Kirill to mercifully accept +Jonah into the Moscow Patriarchate.
The address is: Archbishop Justinian, c/o St. Nicholas Cathedral, 15 East 97th St, New York, NY 10029.
 
Finally, if you are interested in supporting Metropolitan Jonah’s ministries, a charitable organization has been established.
You can send a check to: Holy Archangels Orthodox Foundation, 3027 Foxhall Rd NW, Washington DC, 20016
If you have any questions about the foundation, you can email mpswezey@comcast.net to find out more information.
 
Let us never forget what was unjustly done to Metropolitan Jonah and let us all work to come to a Christian resolution to this sad chapter in the OCA.
 
In Christ,
George Evanisko