CHURCHES IN BRIEF" "
Czech repubic: new website of Night of NicodemusInitiators of a pastoral project “Night of Nicodemus” have launched a new design of its website www.nikodemovanoc.cz. They have decided to enrich it with English and Polish version, as the campaign has already crossed the borders of Czech republic. It also offers the possibility to use E-card service facilitating search for necessary information by those who want to participate at the project. The Night of Nicodemus started last year with aim to attract attention of the faithful to the Year of Faith. The initiative run by the Pallotines under the patronage of Mons. Vojtech Cikrle, bishop of Brno, takes place every Thursday in the Church of the Divine Mercy in Slavkovice and gradually it has spread also to number of other churches all over the country. Its program includes the eucharistic celebration followed by adoration until midnight, with possibility of confession and personal talk with a priest. The project is closely associated with Night of Churches and Night of Confessions and is intended not only for the faithful but also for those who are still searching. “We want to offer an opportunity to meet Jesus Christ in today’s bustling world”, explain the organizers.The new website was officially launched on 24 May.Slovakia: visit of Bartholomew IEcumenical patriarch Bartholomew I, archbishop of Constantinople, was awarded the Order of the White Double Cross, the highest state decoration, by president of Slovakia Ivan Gasparovic on 27 May. This way, the representatives of the state, wanted to appreciate “an extraordinary personal contribution” of the orthodox hierarch “to mutual understanding among nations” and “spreading of a good name of the Slovak republic abroad”. Gasparovic said that Slovakia associates its statehood with the message of Ss. Cyril and Methodius and appreciated that patriarch Bartholomew I has decided to participate personally at celebrations of the 1150th anniversary of their arrival to the region of Great Moravia. During his three-day visit in the country, the archbishop of Constantinople visited several towns and expressed his satisfaction with situation regarding ecumenical dialogue in Slovakia. He thanked president for “the development of Cyrilo-Methodian tradition”. The patriarch met also with representatives of the Catholic Church – president of the Bishops’conference of Slovakia, Mons. Stanislav Zvolenský, and archbishop of Kosice, Mons. Bernard Bober. Bartholomew I spoke about a close connection of the patriarchate of Constantinople with the archdiocese of Kosice throught the figure of St. Andrew. He pointed to the fact that this saint has established the patriarchate and in the 19th century he was declared a patron of the Slovak archdiocese. “If we can unite our freedom with obedience to the Church, if we can deny ourselves and try to develop our personality in Christ, we can become real people in the Holy Spirit”, said patriarch Bartholomew in Kosice, adding that such self-denial in freedom was typical also for Ss. Cyril and Methodius. “They didn’t pay attention to difficulties on their road, they won over their fear from the unknown, gave up their own will and dedicated themselves fully to Christ. That’s why their mission was successful”, concluded archbishop of Constantinople, inviting not only the Orthodox faithful to follow their example.Hungary: transfer of state-owned property The government of Hungary has drafted a bill for transferring, free-of-charge, state-owned property to local councils and the Catholic Church, the National Development Ministry announced on Friday 17 May. According to the website www.politics.hu, the bill seeks to award 1,174 properties worth more than 1.2 billion forints (4.1million ) to 419 local councils as well as transferring of several churches to the Roman Catholic Church, the ministry said in a statement.
