Orthodox Old Catholic Apostolic See Canonised Benedict XVI

By Jean DuBois

FIRENZE-NUOVA ROMA 11 January 2022 (NRom)

Earlier today the Gallo-Russo-Byzantine Catholicos in his capacity as Supreme Pontiff of the Imperial Roman Church defined the late Pope Benedict XVI as a saint, adding him to the roll of the saints of the Church. Benedict was canonised for his importance to the autocephalous Orthodox Old Catholic Apostolic See of Saints Stephen and Mark and their efforts to re-unify eastern and western Christian traditions. His feast day was set at the day of his death, 31 December, with the rank of double. The Vatican Church, of which Benedict XVI had been Supreme Pontiff, has not at this time begun a cause for canonisation themselves, despite calls for that to begin.

Death of Pope Benedict XVI - Statement by the Papa-Prince of Rome-Ruthenia

FIRENZE-NUOVA ROMA 31 December 2022 (NRom)

His Holiness the Papa-Prince of Rome-Ruthenia issued the following statement on the death of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. 

Early this morning, my court officials in the City of Rome informed me of the death of the Bishop Emeritus of Rome and my venerable Apostolic brother His Holiness Benedict XVI (Cardinal Ratzinger). This comes as a great sadness, though is accompanied with joy at the hope of his entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord in Heaven.

Benedict was not only the last Bishop of Rome to date to seek actively to restore the traditions of the Latin Church and of his office, but also was a devoted supporter of the Apostolic See of Sts. Stephen and Mark. He and his curia acting in his name acknowledged and endorsed our Orthodox and Old Catholic See and its legitimate autocephaly (independence of government from the See of Rome and other Sees) and our Patriarchal office, as well as our ecclesiastical monarchy, family dynasty, and their titular patrimony. It was he whom we succeeded as temporal successor of St. Peter the Apostle, and thus it is in part his legacy that we devoutly perpetuate in that office.

Benedict XVI was a Pope-Bishop of Rome who sought to do his duty as a guardian of the faith and tradition. In that regard, he is an example to all -- particularly to those in church leadership. We institute a period of mourning, therefore, in the Imperial Roman Church and the Pontifical Imperial State of Rome-Ruthenia of thirty days.  

Christmas Message of the Papa-Catholicos with Apostolic Blessing

FIRENZE-NUOVA ROMA 25 December 2022 (NRom)

His Holiness Rutherford I, Papa-Catholicos of Rome-Ruthenia gave his customary address with Apostolic Blessing ex Urbe on the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord. The complete video is available below: 

Tackling Anti-Clerical, Anti-Hate Speech

By Staff

FIRENZE-NUOVA ROMA 20 Nov 2022 (NRom)

For a long time, there has been a phrase of hate speech floating around traditional religion that has effected and impacted many good Christian people and clergy. It is no different than a racial slur. We cannot believe this is still tolerated in a time so focused on stamping out hate speech, and so the Apostolic See of Sts. Stephen and Mark has addressed that issue in the form of a Question and Answer.

Q: I have heard the term "Episcopi Vagantes" (Wandering Bishops) about some Orthodox and Old Catholics. What does it mean?

The term episcopi vagantes (Latin for "wandering bishops") is a highly offensive hate term really no different, for example, than using a certain racial slur about people of African descent. It is used as an insult by some who are either ill-informed or who think only their church and churches they approve of are "real." It is very similar to forms of racial, ethnic, and sexual discrimination seen around the world. Fortunately most normal people don't pay much attention to this type of hate speech.

New Code of Canon Law Released

FIRENZE-NUOVA ROMA 16 November 2022 (NRom)

The Patriarchal Curia announces the promulgation of the 2022 Code of Canon Law of the Imperial Roman Church. This codex applies to all rites and jurisdictions therein, including the Gallo-Russo-Byzantine Catholicate and the Anglican Patriarchate. The new codex was established from the previous version in order to be both inclusive and relevant to the various rites, jurisdictions, and traditions represented within the Apostolic See of Saints Stephen and Mark.

The complete codex is available at the following website:

https://statopontificio.org/gov/canonlaw.html

Papa-Catholicos gives sermon on capitalism, communism, loss of values in society

By Jean DuBois

FIRENZE-NUOVA ROMA 12 November 2022 (NRom)

His Holiness Rutherford I, Papa-Catholicos of Rome-Ruthenia gave a sermon today on the situation in the world. In it Papa Rutherford said that it is not capitalism, but the Christian faith that is the solution to threats of communism and socialism. The Papa-Catholicos also discussed the rise of individualism and loss of Christian values in Western society. The audio record and complete text of the sermon are below.

TRANSCRIPT:

"Some say that capitalism is the solution to fighting communism and socialism. This, however, likewise leads to a treacherous path. Capitalism in its Christian form is often called distributism, in which there is a free market economy, but the means of production are spread as widely as possible instead of concentrated, and market forces and profit are not the only defining factors. In Christian commerce, individual benefit must be balanced against societal benefit and the impact of one's own actions on others.

Modern society continues to find ever-expanding ways to express its inherent selfishness and decline of values. Efforts in the world to destroy traditional society with its culture and values are aimed at the sole purpose of separating individuals from their faith. In that way they can more easily be manipulated by secular government and ultra-capitalist industry, for the people therefore come to lack the moral compass and the anchor that comes from our faith and our heritage.

What we see in particularly the Western world today is a complete abdication of the responsibilities that are inherent to us as human beings. It is the faith and our heritage that teach us that responsibility, so this outcome is no surprise.

There are those in the world who still espouse, feel, live, and promote their faith and traditional Christian heritage, however. There are those who risk all and fight for faith and justice. It is such people and such societies that should serve as an example to those who have lost their faith and should furthermore serve as beacons of hope and encouragement to those Christians around the world who find themselves in the minority, trying to scream the message of Christ into the hurricane of modern Satanic secularism. We know that hurricanes do not last forever, though, and so we must continue to remain strong and fight for the faith. Indeed, our faith tells us that the victory shall be ours in the end!"

House of Hyrcania incorporated into the Pontifical Nobility

Source: Public Domain

By Jean DuBois

FIRENZE-NUOVA ROMA 5 November 2022 (NRom)

Today the Papa-Catholicos of Rome-Ruthenia admitted the Royal House of Hyrcania, headed by H.R.H.  Grand Prince Hernán Alejandro Olano, to the nobility of the Pontifical Imperial State of Rome-Ruthenia. The modern Pontifical Roman State is an ecclesiastical entity that carries on the history and tradition of the original Pontifical States, the Roman Empire, and the various Holy Roman Empire states that form part of the patrimony of the Imperial Roman Church. The head of the House, Grand Prince Hernán Alejandro, is a Knight Commander of the Order of the Pontifical States and is also a Knight of the Order of the Eagle of Georgia, under the House of Bagration, among other honours.