(Feast Day ~ June 2) When we hear the name St. Sophia, we usually think of the 2nd century mother of daughters Faith, Hope, and Charity, who saw her children tortured and murdered for being Christians in the persecutions of the Emperor Hadrian. We also think of the term “Hagia Sophia” – Holy Wisdom – […]

(Feast Day ~ June 1) It is one of the great wonders of the Church that anyone can become a saint. The Church honors those who have done great deeds or led holy, self-sacrificial lives, or died for the faith; she numbers among her saints some who have first been great sinners and others who […]

Feast Day ~ May 27 Many saints of the Church have received the crown of martyrdom because of the policies of political leaders – from the first Christian martyrs who refused to reverence state deities or to acknowledge emperors as divine to those who suffered in the twentieth century at the hands of atheist Communist […]

(Feast Day ~ May 28) In our day and in our country, we are accustomed to seeing religious leaders act as advisors to the President. Protestant ministers such as Billy Graham and Jessie Jackson are familiar figures at the White House, especially during times of national or personal crisis. In a country which prides itself […]

Feast Day ~ May 27 Many saints of the Church have received the crown of martyrdom because of the policies of political leaders – from the first Christian martyrs who refused to reverence state deities or to acknowledge emperors as divine to those who suffered in the twentieth century at the hands of atheist Communist […]

(Feast day ~ May 27) It is in the wonderful providence of God that a humble monk – who had lived his entire life from the age of seven in the confines of a monastery in a remote northern region in the seventh century – should have given a testimony of faith and devotion to […]

(Feast Day ~ May 26th) The life of St. Augustine of Canterbury serves as a wonderful inspiration and example for any mission parish whose task is the spread of the Gospel. St. Gregory the Great, who before becoming Pope of Rome in 592 had a great desire to travel to Britain to convert the heathen […]

(Feast Day ~ May 25) As we journey through life, seeking perfection by conforming our wills to God’s will, we are surrounded by many mentors, both among our fellow Christians and those saints – apostles, teachers, missionaries, martyrs and monastics – who have gone before us. Through their examples, their writings and their intercessions, we […]

(Feast Day ~ May 24) The saints of God are a great gift to all who are in the Church. Through their intercessions, our prayers are multiplied before God. Learning of their holy lives and deeds, we are inspired and encouraged in our spiritual journeys. In venerating their relics, we are sometimes blessed with healing […]

(Feast Day ~ May 19) So often we find, in the Orthodox approach to life, that issues are “both/and” instead of “either/or”. We learn from Holy Scripture that Christians are to be both in the world and in heaven; in the Liturgy, we express both sorrow for our sins (“Lord, have mercy upon us”) and […]