by Abbot Tryphon One of the most spiritually profitable discoveries for me, personally, was when I started, as a new Orthodox Christian, the observance of the liturgical calendar. Each day of the year I was carried along with the cycle of commemorations that brought to life various events in the life of Christ. The calendar provided me with daily scripture readings that quenched my thirst. The historical memory of the Church, lived out in the various periods of fasts and feasts, allowed me to experience a Christianity that was vibrant and meaningful. An important element in the calendar, I discovered, was the daily commemorations of Christian saints and martyrs. These saints came alive … [Read more...]

by Fr. Nektarios Serfes Over the years, I’ve seen many of our brothers and sisters in Christ suffer from ‘holiday’ depression. It is not uncommon. I have found that the Nativity Fast, when sedulously applied, lifts this spiritual malaise and depression with great effectiveness. Likewise, I have seen, and continue to see, those who complain or suffer from this Christmas depression, but refuse to life a finger to even try to fast, and thus remain in their despair. If you suffer from Christmas depression – try it and see how simple it is to remain joyful throughout the Nativity fast and the Christmas season. – Fr. John Much of the post-holiday blues and Christmas depression that occur in … [Read more...]

On Thursday, October 31st the parishioners of All Saints of North America Orthodox Church held an 'All Saints Party', the first of an annual tradition.  A fall themed potluck dinner was followed by the quizzing of the saints, in order to determine who dressed as which saint. An amazing amount of creativity went into the presentations. Finally, a pumpkin carving contest was held, with third place being won by a 4 year old! Well done everyone! See the galleries below. … [Read more...]

At ASONA, we take preparedness seriously, whether spiritual, mental, or physical. Start with this: IOCC Emergency Supply Checklist (basic) The IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities) recommends that EVERYONE make preparations, or increase and improve their preparations during the month of September.  ASONA’s website has a READY page, with a wealth of information to help you prepare.  There you will find articles, and checklists, on many  very real and frightening circumstances, including, Civil Unrest and Violence, Nuclear attack, EMP or loss of power, Covid-19 or other pandemic outbreaks, Martial Law, shelter-in-place orders, and more Also checklists for the … [Read more...]

     A famous Greek TikToker with hundreds of thousands of followers gathered over the past eight years has dropped out of the “influencer” game to dedicate her life to Christ as a nun. 23-year-old Eleni Mazlou had nearly 480,000 followers who enjoyed her videos that often included scenes from everyday life, vacations, beauty tips, fashion, and other similar topics, reports the Union of Orthodox Journalists with reference to celebrity.reporter.com.cy.    However, most of Mazlou’s videos recently disappeared, leaving her followers wandering what happened to her. Thus, she decided to publish photos on Instagram from her monastic tonsure, where she was given the name Ipomoni … [Read more...]

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia now has a second canonical Old Rite parish in America. In 1983, the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Erie, Pennsylvania, joined ROCOR and the parish leader was ordained as its first priest—Fr. Pimen. There are many parallels between the Erie parish and the Old Believer community in Nikolaevsk, Alaska, which is now on the same path, reports Sokritaya Rus’. The village of Nikolaevsk was founded in 1968. Today there are about 350 inhabitants. The community was originally of the priestless Old Believer tradition, but in 1983, a bishop in Romania ordained Nikolai Yakunin to the priesthood, who is now leading the community—with his son, Deacon … [Read more...]