The Sistine Chapel of Vatican City (Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos)

The Sistine Chapel of Vatican City 

 

By Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agiou Vlasiou

Recently, on the occasion of the election of the new Pope, there had been much talk about the temple in which the conclave of Cardinals gathered to elect him, namely the Capella Sistina or Sistine Chapel.

The Capella Sistina (Sistine Chapel) was renovated by Pope Sixtus IV from 1473 to 1477 in order to be used as the Papal Chapel (Cappella Pontificia), which was established in 1483 in honor of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. The Sistine Chapel is named after Pope Sixtus IV.

In order to paint the temple, many prominent painters were enlisted, such as Botticelli, Perugino, Signorelli, Cosimo Rosselli, Pinturicchio and others, but mainly the great painter Michelangelo, who constitutes the pinnacle of the Renaissance and heralds the Baroque.

The Orthodox Christians of Syria and Lebanon

By Konstantinos Holevas, Political Scientist

Syria and Lebanon are countries with a multi-religious character. The civil war between Maronite Christians and Muslims, but also between Muslims among themselves, began in Lebanon in 1975. The country still has difficulty making peace today. In Syria, the civil war between the Assad government and its opponents began in 2011. The Assad family, which was overthrown in December 2024, was supported by the Alawite minority. Turkey still maintains military and political influence in Syria today. Greece has the right and obligation to be concerned about the protection of the Orthodox Christians of the region and to press in every way for the peaceful coexistence of all religious groups in the Middle East.

For a better understanding of the problem, I will list five questions with the corresponding answers

July: Day 1: Holy Unmercenaries Kosmas and Damian

July: Day 1:
Holy Unmercenaries Kosmas and Damian
 
(On Imitating Them)

By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko

I. Today the Holy Church celebrates the memory of the Holy Unmercenaries Kosmas and Damian, who suffered in Rome in 284. They were brothers and were raised in Christian piety. Having studied the art of medicine, they, with the help of God's grace, healed all kinds of illnesses. Helping people, they also healed animals. The good healers did not take payment or reward for healing from anyone and therefore were called unmercenary doctors or unmercenaries. They demanded only one thing from those being healed: that they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Healing the sick in Rome itself and in the surrounding cities, they converted many to Christ. Giving healing to the sick, they also helped the poor from their estates left to them by their parents, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and did other works of mercy.