Special interest Special Interest News Christianity
Bulgarian Orthodox Patriarch Maxim Dies at 98
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- Published on Wednesday, 17 April 2013 23:50
- Written by BC-Stuff
The Bulgarian Ortodox Patriarch Maxim, who weathered a revolt over his Communist-era ties to lead his country's Orthodox Christians for more than 40 years, died here on Tuesday at age of 98.
The Bulgarian Ortodox church's top clerical body Holy Synod said in a statement that the cause of death was heart failure.
Maxim was born as Marin Naidenov Minkov on Oct. 29, 1914. He has graduated from the Sofia Seminary in 1935 and then studied theology in Sofia University's, before rising in the hierarchy of the Ortodox church and to be named Patriarch on July 4, 1971.
Benedict's reign ends with a promise to obey next pope
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- Published on Saturday, 02 March 2013 22:57
- Written by BC-Stuff
Pope Benedict has ended his difficult reign pledging unconditional obedience to whoever succeeds him to guide the Roman Catholic Church at one of the most crisis-ridden periods in its 2,000-year history.
The papacy became vacant at 8pm on Thursday (8am today NZT), marking the first time in six centuries a pope has resigned instead of ruling for life.
In a symbolic gesture, the Swiss Guards who stood sentry at the papal summer residence south of Rome, where the pope flew by helicopter less than three hours earlier, quit their posts and the massive wooden doors of the hilltop residence were closed.
Serbian Patriarch wants to take his Church closer to Catholics
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- Published on Saturday, 13 October 2012 12:55
- Written by BC & Agencies
Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) Patriarch Irinej has spoken in favor of Roman Catholic Pope Benedict XVI visiting Serbia, Belgrade media reported. Many Orthodox Christians in Serbia and elsewhere in the region are weary of such statements and attempts to get the two Churches closer.
Catholic Church faces black and white issue
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- Published on Friday, 15 February 2013 14:50
- Written by Finian Cunningham
Is the Catholic Church ready for a black pope? That is the question many inside and outside the world's largest Christian organization are asking following the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI this week.
The German pontiff, formerly known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger before he was elected in 2005, is the first leader of the Catholic Church in 600 years to retire before death. Most of his predecessors, who trace their official lineage back nearly 2,000 years to Saint Peter, the first pope, have died while still in the top job.
At age 85 and citing failing health, the outgoing pope has triggered a wave of speculation on who will be his successor. That will be decided next month when the church's cardinals from various parts of the world convene in Rome to elect the new pontiff.
France set to ban the words 'mother' and 'father' from official documents
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- Published on Thursday, 27 September 2012 22:26
- Written by BC & Agencies
France is set to ban the words "mother" and "father" from all official documents under controversial plans to legalise gay marriage.
The move, which has outraged Catholics, means only the word "parents" would be used in identical marriage ceremonies for all heterosexual and same-sex couples.
Christian Calvary Chapel’s Tangled Web
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- Published on Friday, 01 February 2013 14:45
- Written by David Sessions
A pastor whose family was murdered in New Mexico belonged to a large association of evangelical churches that, critics allege, stands behind misbehaving pastors and looks away when they are accused of sexual abuse and other misdeeds.
Drug addict killed in a Serbian Priest-run rehabilitation center
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- Published on Tuesday, 07 August 2012 16:00
- Written by BC & Agencies
The Priest of Serbian Orthodox Church who serves as a head of a drug rehabilitation facility in western Serbia has been placed under arrest for murdering an addict who was treated there.
Priest Branislav Peranovic is now in police custody following his arrest late on Monday in Jadranska Lesnica, near the town of Loznica in western Serbia.
He is suspected of using a metal bar to hit 39-year-old Nebojsa Zarubac on the head and kill him instantly.
According to unofficial reports, the violence was prompted by the fact Peranovic believed Zarubac had smuggled some drugs into the facility.
Pope's new book confirms doubts on Christ's birth
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- Published on Sunday, 20 January 2013 23:14
- Written by BC-Stuff
Pope Benedict XVI has claimed the entire Christian calendar is based on a miscalculation and that Jesus was born several years earlier than commonly believed.
In the book Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives published on Wednesday, the octogenarian pontiff claims the 'mistake' was made by a sixth century monk known as Dionysius Exiguus.
‘Yankee crusaders’ responsible for oppression of 100 million Christians – Zyuganov
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- Published on Saturday, 21 July 2012 23:32
- Written by BC & Agencies
The leader of the Russian Communist Party has given the aggressive expansion of US and NATO as the main reason for repressions that annually target about 100 million Christians worldwide.
Aggressive globalization conducted by Americans leads to ethnic conflicts in such countries as Egypt, Nigeria and Libya, Russian Communist Party head Gennadiy Zyuganov wrote in an article published in the Pravda newspaper.
Get thee to a monastery... there's a brothel there
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- Published on Sunday, 02 December 2012 16:46
- Written by BC & Agencies
The Russian Orthodox Church is furiously trying to calm a media storm after police uncovered a brothel on the grounds of one of Moscow's most prestigious and oldest male monasteries on Ulitsa Sretenka.
Christian belief in Montenegro
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- Published on Tuesday, 03 July 2012 14:30
- Written by Surbatovich family
The Serbian and Montenegrin Orthodox churches (two different denominations) claim to be the religion of the people but this claim is a farce and and a tragedy.
