In the News

The Ordination of Bishop-Elect Joachim Cotsonis, PhD, as Bishop of Amissos

The Ordination of Bishop-Elect Joachim Cotsonis, PhD, as Bishop of Amissos Saint Sophia Cathedral, Washington, DC Sunday, December 22, 2019 On Wednesday, November 27, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America received with much gratitude the official announcement from the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate that His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, together with the Holy and Sacred Synod, welcomed the proposal of the Holy Eparchial Synod of our Archdiocese for the election of an

The Feast of the Archangels and other Bodiless Heavenly Powers

SYNAXIS OF THE ARCHANGEL MICHAEL AND OTHER BODILESS HEAVENLY POWERS COMMEMORATED ON NOVEMBER 8TH The Synaxis of the Chief of the Heavenly Hosts, Archangel Michael and Other Heavenly Bodiless Powers: Archangel Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jehudiel, Barachiel, and Jeremiel was established at the beginning of the 4th century at the Council (Synod) of Laodicea, which met several years before the First Ecumenical Council. The 35th holy Canon of the Council of Laodicea condemned and denounced as

Prayer of the Heart in an Age of Technology and Distraction, Part 9

By Fr. Maximos (Constas) The metaphors used by Scripture and the Church are not random and arbitrary, and the deeper you dig into any particular symbol the more meaning it will generate. Those who work with plants and gardening, or maybe biologists who know about reproduction, and the activity of seeds and sperm will be able to unpack even more insight. But the thing about a seed is that seeds remain dormant until they are

Thoughts on Spirituality and Psychology. Thoughts on Sacred and Secular.

By Michael Haldas Thoughts on Spirituality and Psychology, June 21, 2016 “In a psychological culture, morality and psychology are the only human realities we acknowledge. We do not see nor understand the nature of spiritual things. We are locked in a world of cause and effect and presume that everything works in such a manner. The landscape of psychological causes (and effects) is the world as we choose to see it. But it does not

Priorities

By Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis, June 3, 2018 If you were to list out the things you love, where would God be on the list? Take a moment and list all the things you love.  My list would include The Lord, my wife, our son, my mom, my brother and his family, a couple of close friends, celebrating Liturgy, other aspects of my ministry, summer camp, and mowing the lawn. Then take a moment and write

Forgiveness: Forgiving Reality for Being What It Is

The story of Noah and the flood is filled with insight. God tells Noah to bring into the ark all the opposites: the wild and the domestic, the crawling and the flying, the clean and the unclean, the male and the female of each animal (Genesis 7:2-15). Then God does a most amazing thing. God locks them together inside the ark (Genesis 7:16). Check it out. Most people never note that God actually closed them

A Word on What Matters

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, June 3, 2015 I began writing this blog in October of 2006. Printed below is the second article that I wrote. I have reprinted it from time to time, as much for my sake as anything. When I wrote it, almost no one was reading the blog. It was simply a reminder not to take myself too seriously. With around a million views a year these days, it’s tempting to think

Prayer of the Heart in an Age of Technology and Distraction, Part 8

By Fr. Maximos (Constas) The shift from exterior to interior is not simply a monastic idea. It’s part of basic Christian living. We don’t do this because we’re told to, but because it’s what’s good and best for us. This is what’s best for us. I’m reminded of one of the many wonderful quotes from Augustine’s Confessions where he says to God, “I was looking everywhere for you, but I was looking outside of myself.” I

Thoughts on Us and the Holy Spirit. Thoughts on “Being Filled.”

By Michael Haldas Thoughts on Us and the Holy Spirit, June 17, 2016 “If Jesus had stayed on earth, his physical presence would have limited the spread of the Good News, because physically he could be in only one place at a time. After Christ was taken up into heaven, He would be spiritually present everywhere through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was sent so that God would be with and within His followers…”

Holiness Means “Set Apart”

By Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis, June 2, 2018 The word we use in the Greek language for “saint” is agios for male saints and Agia for female saints.  Agios means “holy” and “holy” means “set apart.”  The “saints” or the “holy ones” are those who strived in their lives to put God first in all things.  They “set apart” the relationship with the Lord and put it ahead of everything else. The decision to strive for holiness isn’t easy, and it