Attacks on the Orthodox Church in the world in recent years have increasingly forced Americans to take an interest in Orthodoxy, American Bishop Jerome (Sho) said in an interview with RIA Novosti on January 6.
Bishop Jerome converted to Orthodoxy in the Russian Church Abroad (ROCOR) in the 1960s. He noted that information about Orthodoxy began to appear more frequently in mainstream news after events related to the war in Yugoslavia and attacks on the Serbian Orthodox Church.
Bishop Jerome mentioned that in the past, articles about the Orthodox faith were published more often in the food sections of American newspapers than in the religious sections. The situation changed and this caused an increase in interest in Orthodoxy among Americans. The bishop expressed his confidence that the Russian Orthodox Church will preserve its traditions, despite changes in “minor” traditions According to him, this does not in any way affect the services, which remain the same as many centuries ago.
Priest Michael van Opstall, rector of St. George’s Church in Utah, confirmed that more and more Americans, including those who do not have Russian roots, are showing interest in Russian Orthodox traditions. He suggested that in a changing world, people seek a stronger foundation in faith. In his words, the church, run by a priest rooted in the local community, has become a meeting place for many young people between 20 and 30 years old who are not of Russian origin, but who seek spirituality and meaning in the orthodox religion. faith.
Bishop Jerome (Shaw) also analyzed the historical path of the Western Church after the split in 1054, including the reforms and counter-reforms that led to the change of many traditions. He noted that in the United States there have been attempts to make the celebration of Christmas more secular, but this only strengthened its spiritual meaning for believers. The bishop compared the spiritual importance of Christmas to the need for food for the hungry, while Father Michael mentioned the gathering of the faithful for a spiritual meal – the liturgy – on this day.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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