(UMP) - These homilies, so full of light, hope, and witness to the Lord Jesus, were proclaimed during the dark times of fierce Soviet persecution in the early 20th century. In the year 1926, during his exile in Diveyevo, St. Seraphim delivered over twenty homilies on the deep grace and life present in the Divine Liturgy. These homilies were recorded in writing by the servant of God, Tatyana Artsybusheva and subsequently preserved for the faithful in samizdat form. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the homilies were formally published for the general edification of the Orthodox faithful. O ..read more

O Gentiles, why did you snort in rage? And you, O Scribes and Priests, why did you engage in empty things, saying: “Who is this to whom the children,  waving the palm leaves and branches, cry out in hymns of praise: ‘Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord our Savior.’” God is the Lord, and He appeared to us. O Christians, appoint a feast, and with exultant joy come and let us magnify the Christ, waving our palm-leaves and branches, crying aloud in hymns: “Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord our Savior ..read more

PAIDEIA is holding their second annual conference in May. This time the topic is "Orthodoxy and Culture." It will be held at the Antiochian Village in Pennsylvania and the list of topics and speakers would need a literal kontax to list out all of them.  I encourage everyone to go who has either never been to the village before, never attended a theological conference before, or has interest in any of the myriad topics scheduled. Registration available here. https://www.paideiasociety.org/ Here's a sampling of some of the talks: David Ford, “Some Further Probing of the Mysteries of Male ..read more

As the Antiochian Archdiocese rebounds from an international scandal, it should be a point of pride and cause for no little delight to watch the below.  Have you been praying for true monasticism in America? It's coming. Measured in months, look to Memphis for this effort to begin. But, also look to your own children because Met. Saba is clear that families need to support their own going to the monasteries. Have you been praying for growth in the church? Missions are being planted. A sure sign of health is the planting of missions in one register and the continued life of existing par ..read more

Metropolitan Elias (Zoghby) was a vocal proponent of the "Orthodox in communion with Rome" idea that many Greek Catholics in America have subscribed to. At the same time I remember speaking to Archbishop Basil (Schott) of the Ruthenian archeparchy who described Greek Catholicism as neither Roman nor Orthodox, but its own "third way." Honestly, there are as many identities of what it means to be Greek Catholic as their are people you'll run into on any given Sunday at one of their parishes. As this article states later: "This option, for us Melkite Greek Catholics, means a reorientation ..read more

By way of explanation... What is a "Chorbishop"? Historically, a rural bishop that served many of the functions of a bishop without the full authority to do all things a normal bishop might do. It died out in the West and in Orthodoxy, but remains in Oriental Orthodoxy and elsewhere. What is a a "Valiyapally"? A "principal church" - a title given to a main church in a diocese of the Christian denominations Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church,Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church ..read more

First, I have to commend the Antiochian archdiocese for the quality of this video production. As I have said before, some jurisdictions do amazing work while others are stuck in the '90s. It cannot be easy to come in after the scandal and the legal battle that followed so these sit-down talks are important. It is interesting to see that deacons are being considered for expansion and an expanded role. As almost no one pays their deacons, will this growth spur a change there ..read more

(Orthodox Times) - Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew extended in his homily his heartfelt wishes to all the non-Orthodox Christians who celebrated the Holy Easter on Sunday, March 31, after presiding over the Sunday Divine Liturgy at the Church of Saint Theodore of the Community of Vlanga. “On this day, the timeless message of the Resurrection resonates more profoundly than ever, as our non-Orthodox Christian brethren and sisters commemorate the resurrection of our Lord from the dead, celebrating Holy Easter. We have already sent our representatives to all the Christian Communities of the confe ..read more

BOSTON (TNH via OCL) – Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver has resigned and the Synod of the Phanar in Constantinople, with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presiding, has elected him Metropolitan of Lystra, an honorary position. The National Herald in its publication on Friday, March 15, 2024, titled ‘Eparchial Synod Meets, Elect Two new Bishops for Archdiocese of America’ also reported on other matters addressed by the Synod and revealed, among other things, the following: “Extensive discussion took place regarding Metropolitan Isaiah of Denver, who has been residing for several months now at th ..read more

(EP-AU) - It is with profound praise and gratitude to the Triune God, that the Holy Archdiocese of Australia cements its ecclesiological existence, relevance, and maturity, through the acquisition of its very own Eparchial Synod. Through God’s Grace, the Holy Archdiocese of Australia will have its own Synod of Bishops, glory be to God for all things! In response to our vast nation with its prominent regional areas, our synod will consist of an Archbishop together with his suffragan bishops. Such a precious gift from God, as ratified in principle in the rules of the Holy Archdiocese’s new Cons ..read more