This is the twelfth in a 15-part series of pics from Syria. First — Second — Third — Fourth — Fifth — Sixth — Seventh — Eighth — Ninth — Tenth — Eleventh — Twelfth — Thirteenth — Fourteenth — Fifteenth. I flew back to Damascus on SyrianAir and was met by my Lebanese friend, Michel, whom I’d met at St George, Houston, back when he was visiting his daughter in 2009. A familiar sight for a Carolina boy —... Read more

This is the eleventh in a 15-part series of pics from Syria. First — Second — Third — Fourth — Fifth — Sixth — Seventh — Eighth — Ninth — Tenth — Eleventh — Twelfth — Thirteenth — Fourteenth — Fifteenth. This is St Michael Church where I had the blessing of serving Hierarchical Liturgy with Metropolitan YOHANNA on Sunday, April 18th. Unfortunately … … since I was serving, I didn’t get any pics! The previous one was taken, street-side,... Read more

FrJ: Doc, it was weird: A few weeks ago, I was in the drive-thru line at Starbucks when a very deep voice came over the drive-thru speaker and said something like: “Welcome to Starbucks, this is Amy … would you like to try our new Hot & Frothy Watchyamacallit?” Well, she – I mean, he – didn’t actually say “Hot & Frothy Watchyamacallit” but the deep voice was genuine … so was the name badge on the big ol’ guy... Read more

This is the tenth in a 15-part series of pics from Syria. First — Second — Third — Fourth — Fifth — Sixth — Seventh — Eighth — Ninth — Tenth — Eleventh — Twelfth — Thirteenth — Fourteenth — Fifteenth. My handlers friends: (L-R: Samer, Nour, Alfred, George, Zeina & Zeina). They’d hired a van & driver and we were headed … There. I‘m not sure, but let’s say this is a shot looking back toward the spot where... Read more

Ruins of the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Nicaea (modern Iznik),site of the First Oecumenical Council in A.D. 325. This week’s Orthodoxy Podcast is a sermon delivered at St George – Houston on the Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council (Bagpipes & Liturgical Dance, Next Sunday). What follows, below, is information on an upcoming Bishop’s gathering that warrants our prayers …NEW YORK – More than 50 hierarchs will take part in the first Assembly of Canonical... Read more

This is the ninth in a 15-part series of pics from Syria. First — Second — Third — Fourth — Fifth — Sixth — Seventh — Eighth — Ninth — Tenth — Eleventh — Twelfth — Thirteenth — Fourteenth — Fifteenth. Today, we’re heading to Saladin Castle (read some history here); that’s it up on the hill in the distance. But, first things first: Another breakfast by the Mediterranean. Then, on to the castle … The current entryway, by winding... Read more

This is the eighth in a 15-part series of pics from Syria. First — Second — Third — Fourth — Fifth — Sixth — Seventh — Eighth — Ninth — Tenth — Eleventh — Twelfth — Thirteenth — Fourteenth — Fifteenth. Fr Ibrahim, pastor of the Church of the Virgin Mary (which is about 1,300+ years old), takes us to the shrine … There are many icons, mostly of the Theotokos, found within the little building — which you can... Read more

This is the seventh in a 15-part series of pics from Syria. First — Second — Third — Fourth — Fifth — Sixth — Seventh — Eighth — Ninth — Tenth — Eleventh — Twelfth — Thirteenth — Fourteenth — Fifteenth. My new friends: Samer & Nour. They picked me up at the Latakia Airport and took me to breakfast at a place called Beauty, located … … on the Mediterranean. Nice, huh? We were in walking distance of this... Read more

This is the sixth in a 15-part series of pics from Syria. First — Second — Third — Fourth — Fifth — Sixth — Seventh — Eighth — Ninth — Tenth — Eleventh — Twelfth — Thirteenth — Fourteenth — Fifteenth. Thanks to donations, Metropolitan SABA has been able to help the people of Sweida by providing a clinic …[Click the pic for a closer view.] One of the rehab rooms at the clinic; Fr Timon is opting to weigh... Read more

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