Ascension Archives - Saint Sophia

Holy Apostle Jude, the Brother of the Lord

06/19/2026

The holy Apostle Jude, one of the twelve Apostles of Christ, descended from the stock of David and Solomon and was the son of the righteous Joseph the Betrothed by his first wife. The holy Apostle John the Theologian writes in his Gospel: For neither did his brethren believe in him (John 7:5). Hierarch Theophilact, the Archbishop of Bulgaria, explains these words thus: at the beginning of the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ,

The Life of St. Bartholomew

06/11/2026

The Life of St. Bartholomew BARTHOLOMEW, a Galilean, was one of the twelve apostles. His name is most probably not a given name, but a family name. He is listed among the twelve apostles in the three synoptic gospels: Matthew, Mark and Luke. He also appears as one of the witnesses of the Ascension (Acts 1:4, 12, 13). He is generally supposed to be the same person as Nathanael. In the synoptic gospels, Philip and

Saturday of Souls. Pentecost and the Liturgy of Hades

05/30/2026

~By Father Stephen Freeman Pascha (Easter) comes with a great note of joy in the Christian world. Christ is risen from the dead and our hearts rejoice. That joy begins to wane as the days pass. Our lives settle back down to the mundane tasks at hand. After 40 days, the Church marks the Feast of the Ascension, often attended by only a handful of the faithful (Rome has more-or-less moved the Ascension to a

Ascension Day Sermon

05/21/2026

– Archpriest Andrew Phillips In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. So we have come to the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord. Thus we have come to the last day of Christ’s physical presence on Earth. This marks the fulfilment of all things, since His Conception at the Annunciation to the Holy Virgin, His Birth and all the events of His earthly life, recorded for

The Fifth Tuesday of Pascha. The First-Born of the Dead and the Land of the Living (II)

05/12/2026

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! CHRIST IS RISEN! George Mantzarides, Professor Emeritus of the Theological School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki The resurrection of Christ is the quintessence of God’s revelation to us. It’s the foundation of the recreation of the world, the basis of the Church and its message: ‘And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is hollow and so is your faith’ (1 Cor. 15, 14). With his great love, God, who is rich in

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearers

04/26/2026

Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou ‘And when ye see this, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb.’[1] Just before His Passion, the Lord promised the inalienable joy of the Resurrection to His disciples and all those who loved Him, ‘I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.’ [2] As He went forth to His incomprehensible Passion, setting His face to derision and

The Second Day of Christmas Advent. Memory of Apostle and Evangelist Matthew

11/16/2025

The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, was also named Levi (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27); he was one of the Twelve Apostles (Mark 3:18; Luke 6:45; Acts 1:13), and was brother of the Apostle James Alphaeus (Mark 2:14). He was a publican, or tax-collector for Rome, in a time when the Jews were under the rule of the Roman Empire. He lived in the Galilean city of Capernaum. When Matthew heard the voice of Jesus Christ:

Evangelist Luke: Disciple of St. Paul

10/18/2025

On October 18, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Evangelist Luke. He was one of the Seventy who were early emissaries of Christ sent out to do missionary work. After these things the Lord appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go. Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray the

The Dormition of the Mother of God: A Liturgical Approach

08/05/2025

Ioannis Foundoulis The feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God is celebrated on August 15 by the Christian world and is the greatest of those established by the Church in honour of the Mother of the Lord. It may be the oldest of all. The first evidence we have for it dates from the 5th century, round about the time when the 3rd Ecumenical Synod was called in Ephesus (451), at which the

Pentecost and the Liturgy of Hades: Soul Saturdays

06/07/2025

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, June 21, 2021 Pascha (Easter) comes with a great note of joy in the Christian world. Christ is risen from the dead and our hearts rejoice. That joy begins to wane as the days pass. Our lives settle back down to the mundane tasks at hand. After 40 days, the Church marks the Feast of the Ascension, often attended by only a handful of the faithful (Rome has more-or-less moved the

Archive

Holy Apostle Jude, the Brother of the Lord

The Life of St. Bartholomew

Saturday of Souls. Pentecost and the Liturgy of Hades

Ascension Day Sermon

The Fifth Tuesday of Pascha. The First-Born of the Dead and the Land of the Living (II)

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearers

The Second Day of Christmas Advent. Memory of Apostle and Evangelist Matthew

Evangelist Luke: Disciple of St. Paul

The Dormition of the Mother of God: A Liturgical Approach

Pentecost and the Liturgy of Hades: Soul Saturdays

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