For the first time ever, Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox Church issued a certificate of conversion to a believer from a Muslim background last week. The move is unprecedented in a country where it is practically impossible for Muslims to legally change their religious status. Maher al-Gohari requested and was granted the Church’s first conversion certificate. He […]
Russia: Authorities Seek To Convert Beslan’s Muslims
By Paul Goble North Ossetian officials have sought to increase supervision of Muslim organizations in the year since the Beslan tragedy. In the year since the Beslan tragedy, North Ossetian security officials have sought to close down all independent Muslim organizations there, a campaign that has caused at least some members of historically Islamic nationalities […]
From Baptist To Boznia To Byzantium
An Interview with Fr. James Early Originally posted on the Byzantine Texas blogsite, this interview is an excellent introduction to Fr. James’ story and conversion, which we will be publishing shortly in serial format here at JTO! What prompted you to write the book? First, several people who had heard me tell my conversion […]
New Zealand’s Maori Convert To Orthodoxy
The indigenous Maori people in New Zealand are converting to Orthodoxy under the influence of Russian immigrants, the diocese in Russia’s Urals said on Monday, citing a Russian emigre. According to a letter sent to relatives in the Urals by a Russian woman who married a student from New Zealand, Russian immigrants “maintain Russian traditions […]
Antiochian Church Active in Central America
The Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Mexico, Venezuela, Central America and the Caribbean — Iglesia Ortodoxa Antiquena, Arquidiócesis de México, Venezuela, Centro América y el Caribe — is quite busy in the Lord’s work as a look at this new You Tube video demonstrates. Included are a number of parishes and monasteries in Mexico, Venezuela, Honduras […]