Activity Report of the Orthodoxy Cognate PAGE Society – 2019

Orthodoxy Cognate PAGE December 27, 2019 1:17 pm 0

The OCP Secretariat – OCP News Service – 27/12/2019

Dear Wellwishers

We are delighted to present to you the annual activity report of the Orthodoxy Cognate PAGE Society for the year 2019. We thank you all for the kind support and encouragement. Orthodoxy Cognate PAGE is a Pan-Orthodox Christian Society founded in 2007 and established under the Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Registration Act, 1955. Registration No: A.455/2010.

Meetings and Visits, Honors and Awards – OCP Foundation
OCP Delegation paid a visit to the His Grace Dr. Mar Aprem Mooken (Metropolitan of the Chaldean Syrian Church of the East) on 8/7/19 at the Metropolitans Palace in Thrissur, Kerala. The OCP delegation consisted of George Alexander (Secretary) Donn George (Editor- International Affairs) Linto Paul and (Editor- Malankara Affairs).

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In August 2019, a delegation (George Alexander- Secretary, Donn George- First Editor of Malankara Affairs, Linto Paul- Second Editor of Affairs) met author Rohit Gupta in New Delhi. The delegation honored Rohit with the Icon of Jesus Christ the Pantocrator (written by Anca Costenco – OCP Delegate of Bucharest and All Romania). The delegation also presented Rohit with copies of ‘Charition’ Greek Drama and the Christians of Kerala’ and the first part of the ‘Western Rites of Syriac Malankara Orthodox Churches.’

In September 2019, George Alexander (Secretary) was received by Anoop A J (National Secretary– the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). OCP Secretary honored Anoop A J with the Icon of Jesus Christ the Pantocrator (written by Anca Sirbu – OCP Delegate of Bucharest and All Romania). He was also presented with the first part of the research book on the Western Rites.

In September 2019, gifts from Orthodoxy Cognate PAGE was handed over to the First Vicar of the Russian Patriarch. On behalf of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, His Grace Dionisy – Bishop of Voskresensk and First Vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia received OCP Pan-Orthodox Icon of St. Gregorious of Parumala and a traditional Nasrani Lamp (Nilavilakku) from Kevin George Koshy (OCP Associate – United Arab Emirates).

In November 2019, an Envoy of the Orthodoxy Cognate PAGE Society (Dr. Ajesh T Philip – Member of E.C and Chief Overseer of the Center for Orthodox Studies, Vipin Varghese – Director- Dept. of Public Relations and Information Services, and Tibin Chacko – Delegate of Malankara and the Indian Sub-Continent) was received by the Russian Orthodox delegation (Bishop Clement of Krasnoslobodsky and Temnikovsky and Hieromonk Fr. Stephan Igmnov – Secretary to the Desk of Christian Affairs of the External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate). Bishop Clement was presented with the OCP Icon of Christ the Pntacator and Fr. Stephen was presented with the OCP Pan-orthodox icon of St. Gregorious of Parumala.

The Annual Activity Report of the Orthodoxy Cognate PAGE Society – 2018

Research Projects and Publications
OCP Publication commissioned three new books in 2019 namely, Second Part of the Western Rites of Syriac -Malankara Orthodox Churches(MARP and OCP Publications), Nasrani Research Papers (COS and OCP Publications) and Ethiopia Persecuted (OCP Publications). The books will be officially released during the first quarter of 2020. A copy of the first part of the Western Rite Orthodox was presented to Catholicos Baselios Paulose II of Malankara. A copy was also presented to the library of the Kerala Council for Historical Research – KCHR.

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Petitions and Social Action
The Secretariat of the OCP Society petitioned around twenty-five international organizations and world leaders including the UN, president of the Russian Federation, on the persecution of Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia. Extensive reports were published on OCP Media Network about the atrocities committed by radicals on Orthodox faithful in Oromiya and other regions. OCP Secrtriate played a significant role in propagating the injustice committed to the Orthodox faithful. Archdeacon Tesfa Miachel (Editor- Ethiopian Affairs), Deacon Solomon Kibriye (Chief Editor- Ethiopian Affairs), and Menetasnot Desta (Chief Administrator of OCP Amharic Service) heavily contributed to reports. The OCP Society was thanked by Patriarch Abune Mathias and Ethiopian Synod for the support provided to the Ethiopian Church and faithful. Apart from the Ethiopian crisis, the OCP Secrtriate also petitioned the Vatican over the aggressive activities of Eastern Catholic Uniates in India.

Achievements by OCP Delegates
Anca Constenco Sirbu – Delegate of Bucharest and All Romania was honored with the Great Union Centennial Medal by His Beatitude Daniel – Patriarch of Romania. Anca was honored along with her husband Alex Costenco. The surprise ceremony took place on 9th December 2018 as part of the 100th-anniversary celebrations of the Great Union Day of Romania. The Costenco’s are well-known iconographers in Romania. They were also presented with a Diploma certificate by the Patriarch. The couple was honored for preserving and promoting Orthodox Christianity through their work and for their contributions in preserving the identity and unity of the Romanian Nation.

In March 2019, Deacon Solomon Kibriye – Chief Editor of Ethiopian Affairs was decorated with the prestigious Order of Commander of the Star of Ethiopia by the Crown Council of Ethiopia and the International Society for the Imperial Ethiopian Orders. The award was presented by Prince Ermias Sahle Selassie Haile Selassie (a grandson of the late Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia).

In May 2019, John G. Panagiotou (Editor- Genrwl Orthodox Affairs and Book Reviewer) became the first Orthodox Christian theologian to receive a Doctorate in the 182-year history of Erskine Theological Seminary in South Carolina. Erskine Seminary was founded in 1837 and is rooted in the Reformed tradition.

In April 2019, on the Feast of the Lord’s Resurrection, at ṢärḥaṢəyon St. Mary of Zion Ethiopian Orthodox Täwaḥədo Church, London, Archdeacon Täsfa Mikaʾel Williams’ (Editor- Ethiopian Affairs) first book (Daily Prayers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Täwaḥədo Church: Pocket Edition) was launched. The announcement of this launch was greeted with joyful ululations and clapping at the conclusion of the Paschal Divine Liturgy.

In November 2019, a presentation titled ‘Critical Analysis of the Ethiopian Crisis’ was held at the Department of the South and Central Asian Studies of the Central University of Punjab (CUPB), Bathinda. The presentation was delivered by Donn George Varghese (Delegate of Orthodoxy Cognate PAGE) and a student of the CUPB.

In November 2019, the study paper by Linto Paul Jacob (OCP Delegate and Second Editor – Malankara Affairs) was decorated with the Young Scientist Award for his paper “UTILISING THE BENEFITS OF GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM FOR WILDLIFE WELFARE.’The paper was selected as the best among the presented papers in the Workshop and Symposium organized by the Zoology Survey of India and the Asian Council of Agriculture Research.

Charity and Social Welfare
An amount of rupees 150000 (2100 Dollars) was distributed for philanthropy by the Department of Charity and Social Welfare. Help was provided for education and health needs.

Networking and Associations
OCP maintains strong networking, communication, and cooperation with a number of Orthodox Churches, organizations, and personalities. Some of them are the Serbian Orthodox Patriarchate, External Church Relations Dept of the Russian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate, the Special Office of the Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarchate, the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate, the Ecumenical Relations Dept. of Indian Orthodox Malankara Church, the British Orthodox Church, the Christian Catholic Church Canada Information Services Department of the St. Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary, International Orthodox Christian Charities, the Armenian Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Orthodox Church in Pakistan, St. Catherine’s Vision, Focus Ecumenical Journal, 28. Jun NGO, Coptic Orthodox Center- UK.

The OCP Society
In an unfortunate incident, Ben Kunjacko (Delegate and Chief Public Relations & Social Media Officer) was brutally attacked by a group of Christian religious fanatics at Piravom (Ernakulam, Kerala State) on 26th September 2019. He was attacked as part of the tensed and ongoing developments at the Piravom Church. Ben was admitted to the local hospital and was released after providing treatment. Ben serves as the Sexton (Lay-Chaplain) at the Piravom Catholicate Center. The registration of the Society was renewed (annual) with the Govt. of India by filing the annual financial reports. An intense revamping of the administration was completed in the year 2019.

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Ruling Hierarchy of the OCP Society

In Christ

George Joseph
Chairman