“We are confident that someday this school will reopen, and we have to prepare ourselves for that day,” says Metropolitan Elpidophoros, the abbot of Halki. He has reestablished a monastery at the site of the distinguished Eastern Orthodox seminary closed by the Turkish government for 43 years. More →

January 23, 2015

For many Christians, celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany means marking the appearance of Jesus. In Western churches, the holiday emphasizes the visit of the wise men to the baby Jesus. But Eastern Orthodox churches focus on Jesus’ baptism. More →

January 9, 2015

“East and West are not contradictory to each other. They are part of the same body,” says Metropolitan Elpidophoros, a bishop in the Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul. “And in the last years, thank God, we have extremely good relations.” More →

November 21, 2014

“We are together in front of God and recognize each other as believers…these Muslim, Christian and Jewish, they worship God in a kind of choir,” Father Paolo Dall’Oglio told correspondent Fred de Sam Lazaro in describing the work of his monastery before violence erupted in Syria. More →

July 20, 2012

In the Orthodox Christian tradition fasting is not about deprivation or suffering, says Catherine Mandell, author of “When You Fast: Recipes for Lenten Seasons.” More →

March 2, 2012

Because of differing church calendars, Western and Eastern Christians usually celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on different dates. Over the centuries, distinct Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox Holy Week practices have developed. However, both Orthodox and Western Christians say celebration of the Resurrection is the most important event on the church calendar. More →

April 2, 2010

Jack Hinton says fasting involves “introspection and deep contemplation of your own spiritual state.” More →

February 19, 2010

For Western Christians, Sunday (March 16) is Palm Sunday, which begins Holy Week, leading up to Easter (March 23). But Eastern Orthodox Christians have just begun observing their time of Lent. Because of differing church calendars, Western and Eastern Christians usually celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on different dates. More →

March 14, 2008

Pope Benedict XVI called his trip to Turkey “a mission of dialogue, brotherhood and reconciliation,” and in his first visit to a predominantly Muslim country, the pope took every opportunity to express his respect for the Islamic faith. More →

December 1, 2006

  BOB ABERNETHY: This month in eastern France, the Christian ecumenical community in Taizé is celebrating its birthday. It was founded at the beginning of World War II by a young Swiss theologian named Roger Shutz who wanted to work … More →

September 20, 2002