Dearly Beloved in the Lord, I greet you with the joy and anticipation of our Lord's Nativity! Read more...
During this Holy Season of Our Lord's Incarnation we are invited to join the Magi on their journey to Bethlehem of Judea where we will find the King of Heaven and Earth. These three Wise Men traveled with the guidance of one star from the heavens which illumined their road to the place where the Christ was born: "and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the Christ was" (Matthew 2:8-9). Read more...
In this beloved country, November affords us the opportunity to once again celebrate the Thanksgiving Day holiday. We should always give thanks to our Creator, for He has set upon His inheritance as His sons and daughters to toil in His creation. But on this very special day as we give thanks to the Almighty God, and as we turn our attention toward the pilgrims who settled on the eastern shores of our country, we must also be in remembrance of the pioneers that established each and every parish in this Metropolis and throughout our beloved Archdiocese of America. It is difficult to imagine the hardships they encountered when they first came to this land. They labored strenuously to provide for their families. The pilgrims and the pioneers that came to this great land recognized that through God's blessings and compassion, they would have the opportunity to achieve success. Their faithfulness and trust in God must be the guiding light for us today, as we offer prayers of thanks to God, the Giver and Sustainer of life. Read more...
The land of our ancestral heritage of Greece has once again been stricken with devastating fires that have destroyed, among other areas, a densely populated region outside of Athens. Fires continue to burn in other parts of Greece which is a cause of great concern for the country and its citizens. Many people have lost their homes, their livelihood, and innumerable personal belongings. It will take them many years to rebuild their lives, especially during these times of economic hardship. Furthermore, the afflicted areas have been considered to be very important for the fragile ecological balance in Greece and the Balkan areas. This will only further add to the devastation and destruction. Read more...
Dearly Beloved, The beginning of September is a significant time for Orthodox Christians in the United States, presenting for our spiritual consideration three commemorations. First, following a 5th century edict of Emperor Leo I, September 1 is considered to be the beginning of the year, because according to the Church’s tradition, this was the first day of creation. Less than a century later, Emperor Saint Justinian the Great decreed that all dates must include a reference to the Indiction as a way of linking human events to God’s initial act of creation. Second, in 1989 His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Demetrios, of blessed memory, dedicated September 1 as an annual day of thanksgiving and supplication for the environment and all creation. Third, beginning in 1895, the United States government has set aside the first Monday in September as a national holiday, Labor Day, to remember the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country. Read more...
Communication technology has radically transformed our personal lives, the lives of our faithful, and the lives and ministries of our parishes, our Metropolis, and the Archdiocese. The Church should take advantage of the positive dimensions of new communications technologies. However, it is important to be aware of the dangers that can come from indiscreet use of electronic communication. Read more...
July 2, 2009: At this moment, an electronic referendum is being conducted on the webpage of CNN Turk on the topic of the reopening the Theological School of Halki. I encourage you to read the history of the Theological School of Halki (below) and vote “yes” today. Read more...
The 28th canon of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, which convened in Chalcedon, not only affirmed, but completed that which had been understood by the Second Ecumenical Council, namely, that the Ecumenical Throne was granted “equal privileges as those of the Church of Rome.” To this day, for example, only the Ecumenical Patriarchate possesses the ecclesiastical authority to act judicially in the appeal process regarding clergy outside its jurisdiction (Canons 9 and 17). Read more...
On this Pascha dawn, let your heart and entire being, along with all God's creation, be filled with the exultation of the Resurrection. It was on an early morning such as this that the second creation - the "ineffable" wonder - emerged from the splendor of the empty tomb. Even though it was rejected, and continues to be rejected by apostates and those who espouse no belief whatsoever or are weak in faith in every facet of their lives, the Resurrection of the Lord remains a fact. Read more...
“Let us fast an acceptable fast that is pleasing to God.” With this prayer and admonition I greet you as we begin this period of fasting and Great Lent. The Church has named the first day of Lent “Pure/Clean Monday”. It is expected that Lent gives us the opportunity for an inner catharsis in all things. Read more...
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Third Finding of the Precious Head of St. John the Baptist
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