The Campus Ministry of St Thomas Indian Orthodox Church is an active bunch. I was blessed, last week, to be a speaker at their monthly meeting which was held at the church in their Campus Ministry “upper room”. What a fun group! After dividing up into 4 different groups, it was time to break the ice. The groups were instructed that the activity would resemble a popular Bridal Shower contest — except, instead of dresses, those chosen would be “decorated”... Read more

Back in 1995 our little Orthodox Mission was expecting our first hierarchical visit from His Grace, Bishop BASIL. Our community was only a couple years old and we were, at the time, meeting in a store front. That’s when I discovered I was expecting. It happened in the middle of the night — suddenly — a terrible pain in the lower right corner of my back. At first I thought it was something else (and, no, I am not here... Read more

Moscow, May 21, Interfax – Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will soon visit the Orthodox Church of Antioch in the Middle East. Head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk, Russian Ambassador to Syria Sergey Kirpichenko and Antiochian Patriarch Ignatius discussed the upcoming visit in Damascus, the Moscow Patriarchate website said. The date of the visit and possible traveling of Patriarch Kirill outside Syria are as yet unknown. The canonical territory of... Read more

QUESTION: Can I get sick — say, Swine Flu — from receiving Communion in the Orthodox Church? ANSWER: No. STILL DOUBTING? Go here. Read more

CONFESSION: I started to “steal” the first image, below, to post here the other day — just to beautify the blog. Then, with the posting of the second image, below, I could no longer refrain. Evlogia is a beautiful site — pay a visit. You’ll be glad you did, AND you’ll be surprised at the age of the artist featured here. BTW, if you’ve a mind, you might want to vote Evlogia the Most Visually Attractive Blog in the upcoming... Read more

Greek Festival in Winston-Salem — my pal Millard Constantine Shepherd is on it! Check it out. (Now that’s what I call a blending of culture!) Parish webpage. Read more

CRESTWOOD, NY [SVS/May 13, 2009] — Recent exchanges of views about Orthodoxy in America, the role of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and the forthcoming pan-Orthodox sessions that will deliberate on the “diaspora,” emphasize how vital it is to reflect upon events that shaped the current landscape. As a foundational part of its mission, Saint Vladimir’s Seminary is a venue where controversial topics can be discussed openly and freely. Read about the upcoming conference H E R E. Read more

I believe that the uniqueness of the OCA consists in the fact that it is the first Orthodox Church on the American continent that has declared itself American. It is meant to be not one of the ethnic churches of the “diaspora,” but the national Orthodox church of the USA, Canada and Mexico. It is meant to be the living testimony to the universality of Orthodox Christianity. As Metropolitan Kallistos Ware said, “The Orthodox Church is not something exotic or... Read more

Oh. My. Goodness. Though it’s better than Boogie Bands for Buddha, Gettin’ Funky with Confuscious, or Sweatin’ to the Psalms … Sump’m just ain’t right: I mean, I’ve grown accustomed to such things from White Folks but, really … Y’all? Read more

I said, “Where should I begin?” The psychiatrist said, “At the beginning.” I said, “Look, this is costing me a lot of money for this session — do me a favor — don’t state the obvious. Say something a little more sophisticated, please.” “Fr Joseph,” he replied, “I am not here to take your money and run …” “Go on! Take the money and run … whoo oo … (#11 hit for Steve Miller Band, 1975).” “Oh,” he said, “I... Read more