Newindpress (subscription) - Chennai,India
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Acknowledging the changing times and perceptions, the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church is planning to introduce special funeral prayers for its members who commit suicide.

A special episcopal committee is working on the new set of prayers which is to be introduced soon, Church officials said...

Guardian Unlimited - UK
It has taken almost 2,000 years, but those who worship the 12 gods of ancient Greece have finally triumphed. An Athens court has ordered that the adulation of Zeus, Hera, Hermes, Athena and co is to be unbanned, paving the way for a comeback of pagans on Mount Olympus...

About 98% of Greeks are Orthodox Christian, and all other religions except Judaism and Islam had been banned...

PanARMENIAN.Net - Yerevan,Armenia
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II expressed condolences to the families of those killed in the A-320 plane crash. The Catholicos's message says in part, “With deepest sadness we learned of the plane crash and death of the passengers. We grieve over the tragedy and express condolences to the relatives of the killed...

Newindpress (subscription) - Chennai,India
PARAVOOR: Jaleel Mar Gregorios Bava was a symbol of communal harmony, said Kottappuram Bishop Francis Kallarackal on Tuesday.

He was inaugurating the cultural convention, organised in connection with the 325th Sradha Perunnal of St Abdul Jaleel Bava, whose mortal remains were kept at St Thomas Jacobite Syrian Church here...

Situated on the banks of the Pamba river, this massive shrine
at Edathua- 23 kms south-east of Alappuzha, resembles the churches of medieval Europe.

The annual feast here starts on the 27th of April with the hoisting of the flag and concludes on the 7th of May. During the feast, the statue of St. George, decked in gold regalia, is carried out and placed on the dais in the centre of the basilica...

The Journal News.com - Westchester,NY,USA
NEW CITY — Dressed in traditional colorful robes, the congregation of the St. George Syrian Orthodox Church of Rockland celebrated the Feast of St. George yesterday with prayer, an outdoor procession and food.

The morning began with a prayer service led by Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I, the spiritual head of the Syrian Christians in India...

I heard the following incident from HG (Bishop) Thomas Mar
Makarios while the bishop was speaking to the youth in Austin, Texas Church last weekend (April 3, 2004)...