St. Spyridon Parish News, Events, Activities and Announcements
Parish Hall Roofing Renovation Continues
In preparation for the Solar System Installation approved at the Spring 2025 General Assembly, the roofing on the Parish Hall is being replaced in the flat areas above the three areas that include the Youth Room, the Philoptochos Room, and the front entry foyer. The work is expected to take three weeks to complete.
Church Parking
We respectfully ask that you please adhere to these guidelines when using the church parking lot:
Please do not park in handicap spaces unless your vehicle displays a valid handicap placard or license plate.
Please ensure that no vehicles are blocked in from any side. Blocking someone in is not only a big inconvenience to them, but damage to your vehicle is very possible.
Please park only in marked spaces. If there is no line marking a parking spot, please do not park there.
To ensure Emergency Vehicle access, please do not park in the red-painted driveway onto Indiana Street.
Please ensure that no Entrances or Exits are blocked by your car.
Please be mindful not to mistakenly take up two spotswith your car.
Thank you for your cooperation and for helping to keep our parking area safe and accessible for all parishioners.
Church Office Email Addresses
For Bulletins, Memorials, and Icon Decoration: email Jadranka at [email protected]. For Sacraments, Calendar, and Newsletter: email Soula at [email protected]. For Stewardship, Donations Processing, and Facilities: email Christine at [email protected].
Philoptochos Decorated Icons
Commemorate a Feast Day by offering a decorated icon to be venerated in the Narthex. The suggested donation is $85 to: Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society. Call the church office at 619-297-4165 to reserve.
Icons available:
10/23: St. James the Apostle
Fellowship and Coffee Hour
We invite you to consider offering a future Sunday Fellowship Hour with your family or friends by providing simple refreshments such as donuts or bagels, fruit, and juice. This is a meaningful way to honor a loved one or celebrate a special occasion. To sign up, please contact the Fellowship Coordinator, Olympia (Debbie) Kyriakidis at 619-507-6521 or[email protected].
Available Sundays:
October 25th
November 29th
December 13th
December 27th
With appreciation,
Anthousa Chapter of Philoptochos
See the attached flyer in the Inserts & Flyers section below.
Centennial Celebration - Senior Storytelling Day
Tomorrow, October 3, Education Building.
Below you’ll find some questions to help you with your interview. Keep it short and sweet. Memories should include special events and milestones, involving the whole community. Here are some ideas:
Name
Family Name
Year of Arrival
What are your first memories of 25th St. church, Park Blvd. church?
What are your fondest memories of priests, Sunday school, Greek school, picnics and church dances, etc.?
What would you like to see in the next 100 years for our church and community?
National Church Music Sunday
This Sunday we celebrate National Church Music Sunday and give thanks for all who offer their musical gifts in service to our Church - our choir members, youth choir, chanters, organists, directors, and clergy. May God continue to bless their voices and their dedication as they lead us in worship and glorify Him through the beautiful gift of music.
Thank you to all of our church musicians for your faithful ministry!
18th Hellenic Fairways Golf Tournament
Come out and join us on Friday, October 30th at Willowbrook Golf Course in Lakeside. Registration and putting contest at 11:00 am, followed by 12:00 noon shotgun start. Everyone is welcome! Golfers, non-golfers, beginners to advanced. No handicap needed. Golf cart, swag bag, box lunch, photos, dinner, raffle, and fun all for $150.00. Dinner-only option is $50.00. 100% of net proceeds benefit St. Spyridon’s Dance and Choral groups with nearly 100 students. Sponsorships also available. Please contact Rhad Brown at [email protected] or 619-573-2304 if interested. Registration closes on 10/12/26.
See the attached flyer in the Inserts & Flyers section below.
Greek Dance and Choral School
Schedule of practices for dance groups for Sunday, October 4th:
Ta Spyridonakia: 12:15 to 12:45 pm, Youth Room
Youth Choir: 12:30 to 1:10 pm; High School Girls Group: 1:10 to 1:25 pm, Choir Loft
Lunch break for Helios/Pelagos/Choir participants: 12:10 to 12:20 pm, Youth Room
Helios: 1:15 to 2:15 pm, Youth Room
Pelagos: 1:30 to 3:00 pm, Church Hall
Parea: 6:00 to 8:00 pm,Church Hall.
Adult Beginner Greek Dance Class: Thursdays, until 10/22, from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm.
If you haven’t done so already, please submit Registration and Tuition for Greek Dance and Choral groups ASAP:
See the attached flyer in the Inserts & Flyers section below.
Little Angels Playgroup
Meets this Wednesday,October 7th from 9:45-11:00 am. This is for babies, toddlers, and parents! We play, sing songs, and do fun activities in our St. Spyridon Playroom (Lower Education Building). If you have any questions, please contact Julie Dennis, Youth Ministries Director, at [email protected]
WomenoftheWord
Will be having its monthly meeting on Saturday morning, October 10th, from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm in theLower Education Building off the parking lot. All womenofthe parish and their friends are cordially invited to join us! Please visit our “landing site” wowsandiego.carrd.co for full information and to register. Should you have questions, please contact Kay Harkins at [email protected].
Young at Heart Seniors
Our next YAH Seniors gathering is Tuesday, October 13th, at 11 a.m. We’ll have lunch at 11:30, followed by our guest speaker, John Tastad, Program Coordinator for Advanced Care Planning for Sharp Hospice Care. John will discuss bereavement and how to cope after a loved one has passed away. This presentation is open to all St. Spyridon parishioners.
If you plan to attend our October 17th day trip to the St. Nicholas Greek Festival in Temecula,please contact Connie Pappas at 484-553-8791 by October 4th. Tickets are $10.
GOYA Game Night
Friday, October 23rd, 6:30pm-8:30pm at St. Spyridon. 6th-12th graders, join us for this annual activity! We will play games, paint handprints on the wall, and decorate or carve pumpkins. BYOP (bring your own pumpkin). Bring a snack or treat to share and your favorite game. GOYA will provide dinner and drinks. Email [email protected] with any questions.
AHEPA OXI Day Celebration - Saturday, October 24th
AHEPA Chapter 223 San Diego is excited to be sponsoring its Annual OXI Day Celebration in the Church Hall at 6:00 pm on Saturday, October 24th, benefitting our Greek Language School. $70/person. Kids under 15 are free. For reservations contact Christoforos Savvides at 619-709-6067 or email [email protected]
Philoptochos Invites You to Join Team Anthousa
As a member of Team Anthousa, we are each playing a part in helping SusanG. Komen® in their one mission to end breast cancer forever. Please join Team Anthousa as we honor our community members who are battling, have survived, and those we have lost in this fight by making your one donation today.
See the attached flyer in the Inserts & Flyers section below.
Upcoming Memorials in October
10/11: Fr. Michael Makridis - 40 years
10/11: Presv. Eve Makridis-Gamble - 2 years
10/18: John Demos - 40 days
10/18: Athanasios Nicolaou - 31 years
10/25: Kalliopi Christakos - 6 months
10/25: Sarantos Christakos - 8 years
Men’s Ministry
Meets on the 4th Thursday of each month in the Church Hall at 6:30 pm. We invite every man—young and old—to join us as we grow stronger in faith, love, and responsibility. During our meetings, we share specific Scripture and teachings from the Church Fathers, connecting the topics we discuss to how we should live in the world today. Our goal is to strengthen ourselves as: men, fathers, husbands, brothers, and, above all, how to better serve our Lord and our church community.
Each month, we average around 30 participants, with ages ranging from 18 to 90 - and we always welcome new faces. We look forward to seeing you at our next meeting! Questions? Contact: John Georges - jhgeorges58@gmail.com, text: 951-536-1217.
Pilgrimage to Constantinople - Save the Date
From Monday, October 19 through Friday, October 23, 2026, the faithful are invited to join His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America as he leads a historic pilgrimage commemorating the 35th anniversary of the enthronement of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Joined by National Commander Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis and the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Plans for this special pilgrimage are currently being finalized, with additional details to be announced in the coming weeks.
See the attached flyer in the Inserts & Flyers section below.
Strengthen Your Relationship withEight Dates
Join the Metropolis of San Francisco Family Wellness Ministry forEight Dates, a relationship series based on the book by Drs. John and Julie Gottman.
When:Thursdays at 6:30 PM (Pacific) via Zoom
Dates:September 10 – December 10.
Topics:Trust, Conflict, Intimacy, Family, Spirituality, and more!
See the attached flyer in the Inserts & Flyers section below.
Metropolis Young Adult Fall Retreat: “Food as Medicine”
Registration is now open for the 2026 Metropolis Young Adult Fall Retreat, taking place October 22–25, 2026, at St. Nicholas Ranch & Retreat Center in Dunlap, California. Orthodox young adults ages 18–35 from all Orthodox jurisdictions—including those who are new to Orthodoxy or simply exploring the Orthodox faith—are warmly invited to join us for a weekend of prayer, fellowship, hiking, meaningful discussion, service, and spiritual renewal in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains. Register here: https://sanfran.goarch.org/events/2026-metropolis-young-adult-fall-retreat-food-as-medicine?date=2026-10-22
See the attached flyer in the Inserts & Flyers section below.
The Nursery and Cry Room
A nursery and cry room is available in the Narthex behind the candle box, offering a quiet space (with toys, books, changing table) for parents with young children. The room is equipped with both video and audio, allowing you to follow the Divine Liturgy. For assistance, please speak with a member of the Narthex Team.
Agape Meals
Our Philoptochos Agape Meal program provides meals to our St. Spyridon community members who may need help with a meal(s) during a time of need. If you are interested in preparing a home-cooked meal for our parishioners, please reach out to Marian Dougenis at[email protected] or mobile 619-520-3660. Thank you!
Your Legacy and Your Church
...to whom much is given; from them much more is required (Luke 12:48).
Please remember to include your Saint Spyridon parish in your estate plan and bequest.
Seventh Orthros Gospel
The Reading is from John 20:1-10
On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him." Peter then came out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; he saw the linen cloths lying and the napkin, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not know the scripture, that He must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.
Epistle Reading
Prokeimenon. First Mode. Psalm 32.22,1. Let your mercy, O Lord, be upon us.
Verse: Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous.
The reading is from St. Paul's Second Letter to the Corinthians 9:6-11.
Brethren, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do as he has made up his mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that you may always have enough of everything and may provide in abundance for every good work. As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever." He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your resources and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for great generosity, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.
Gospel Reading
2nd Sunday of Luke
The Reading is from Luke 6:31-36
The Lord said, "As you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful."
Diakonia Newsletter
Read the latest Diakonia Newsletter for this Sunday
There are three things that impel us towards what is holy: natural instincts, angelic powers and probity of intention. Natural instincts impel us when, for example, we do to others what we would wish them to do to us (cf. Luke 6:31), or when we see someone suffering deprivation or in need and naturally feel compassion. Angelic powers impel us when, being ourselves impelled to something worthwhile, we find we are providentially helped and guided. We are impelled by probity of intention when, discriminating between good and evil, we choose the good.
St. Maximos the Confessor
Second Century on Love no. 32, Philokalia Vol. 2 edited by Palmer, Sherrard and Ware; Faber and Faber pg. 71, 7th century
Every work which does not have love as its beginning and root is nothing.
St. John Chrysostom
Unknown, 4th century
'But I say to you,' the Lord says, 'love your enemies; do good to those who hate you, pray for those who persecute you.' Why did he command these things? So that he might free you from hatred, sadness, anger and grudges, and might grant you the greatest possession of all, perfect love, which is impossible to possess except by the one you loves all equally in imitation of God.
St. Maximos the Confessor
Unknown, 7th century
Christians should strive in all things and ought not to pass judgment of any kind on anyone, not on the prostitute nor on sinners nor on disorderly persons. But they should look upon all persons with a single mind and a pure eye so that it may be for such a person almost a natural and fixed attitude never to despise or judge or abhor anyone or to divide people and put them into boxes for this is purity of heart, that, when you see the sinner and the weak, you have compassion and show mercy to them.
St. Makarios the Great
Homilies 5.8, 4th century
Why do we judge our neighbors? Because we shun knowing ourselves. Someone busy trying to understand himself has no time to notice the shortcomings of others. Judge yourself ... and you will stop judging others. Judge a poor deed, but do not judge the doer. It is necessary to consider yourself the most sinful of all, and to forgive your neighbor every poor deed.
St. Seraphim of Sarov
Unknown, 19th century
The sign that thou lovest God, is this, that thou lovest thy fellow; and if thou hatest thy fellow, thy hatred is towards God. For it is blasphemy if thou prayest before God while thou art wroth. For thy heart also convicts thee, that in vain thou multipliest words: thy conscience rightly judges that in thy prayers thou profitest nought.
St. Ephraim the Syrian
ON ADMONITION AND REPENTANCE.
Archdiocese News
Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos elected Metropolitan of New Jersey
10/01/2026
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America joyfully announces that today, Thursday, October 1, 2026, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos as Metropolitan of the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America received the news of the election with profound joy and thanksgiving to Almighty God, joining the clergy and faithful of the Sacred Archdiocese and the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey in proclaiming “ΑΞΙΟΣ!”to His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras.
Reflecting upon the election, Archbishop Elpidophoros stated:
“With profound joy and thanksgiving to God, I congratulate my beloved brother, His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of New Jersey, upon his election by the Holy and Sacred Synod of our Ecumenical Patriarchate. For many years, I have had the blessing of witnessing firsthand his devotion to Christ and His Church, his fidelity to the Mother Church of Constantinople, and the extraordinary care with which he has undertaken every ministry entrusted to him.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros officiating Orthros and Divine Liturgy on the Feast of St. Demetrios at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Astoria with concelebrant His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos on October 26, 2025. Photo by Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos.
Today, his many years of faithful service open into a new chapter of his episcopal ministry. The Holy Metropolis of New Jersey receives a shepherd who knows and loves our Church, who has served Her faithfully, and who understands that the episcopacy is above all a ministry of sacrifice, presence, and love. I rejoice not only as Archbishop of America, but as his brother and concelebrant, and I assure him of my wholehearted love and support as he begins this sacred responsibility. We wish him many years and exclaim ΑΞΙΟΣ!”
The Enthronement of His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of New Jersey will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Cathedral of Saint John the Theologian in Tenafly, New Jersey at 11:00 am. On the following day, Sunday, November 8, His Eminence will celebrate his first Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral as Metropolitan of New Jersey.
The clergy and faithful of the our Sacred Archdiocese offer their heartfelt congratulations and fervent prayers for His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras as he begins his archpastoral ministry in the Holy Metropolis of New Jersey, praying that our Lord Jesus Christ grant him strength, wisdom, and many years of fruitful service to His Holy Church.
Biography of His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of New Jersey
His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of New Jersey was born Christos Ziliaskopoulos in 1970 in Reutlingen, Germany, and was raised in both Germany and Greece. During his young adulthood, he spent several formative years in the monastic life on Mount Athos, an experience that profoundly shaped his vocation and lifelong devotion to Christ and His Church.
He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate in 1997 and to the Holy Priesthood in 1998 by His Eminence Metropolitan Augoustinos of Germany. In 1999, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew elevated him to the rank of Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne.
For more than twenty years, His Eminence served the Church in Germany in extensive parish, pastoral, and administrative ministry, including as Hierarchical Vicar of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Germany for the states of Hessen and Rhineland-Palatinate. He also represented the Ecumenical Patriarchate in ecumenical theological dialogues and was active in Christian and interfaith initiatives. Among his pastoral accomplishments were the establishment of the first Orthodox chapel at Frankfurt International Airport, a 24-hour Orthodox crisis hotline, and the first Greek Orthodox youth camp in Germany. He also oversaw significant parish building and restoration projects.
In 2017, he relocated to Toronto, Canada, at the invitation of His Eminence Archbishop Sotirios of Canada, where he served as Dean of the Patriarchal Toronto Orthodox Theological Academy and as Office Director of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada.
In 2019, His Eminence came to the United States to offer his ministry to the Sacred Archdiocese of America and Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, where he initially served as Chaplain. In 2021, he was appointed Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod and Spiritual Advisor of the National Philoptochos Society and was subsequently entrusted with the direction of the Archdiocesan Department of Religious Education.
Archbishop Elpidophoros officiates the ordination of His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos to the Holy Episcopacy. Photo by Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos.
On May 19, 2021, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected him Bishop of Nazianzos. He was ordained to the Holy Episcopacy on June 5, 2021, at Holy Cross Chapel in Brookline, Massachusetts, with His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presiding. In the years that followed, he continued his extensive service to the Sacred Archdiocese while also serving as Archiepiscopal Vicar of the Hellenic Orthodox Community of Astoria.
Metropolitan Athenagoras has an extensive academic background. He holds degrees in German Language and Orthodox Theology, including a Master of Theology and a Doctorate in Orthodox Theology from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. His studies have also included pedagogy, German literature, Roman Catholic and Protestant theology, Judaism, Islamic studies, and comparative religion. His scholarly and ecclesiastical work has been particularly engaged with Orthodox theology, religious education, ecumenical dialogue, and interfaith relations.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America joyfully announces that today, Thursday, October 1, 2026, the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos as Metropolitan of the Holy […]
Two-day retreat on forgiveness and the sanctity of life to take place at St. Nicholas Shrine
09/30/2026
Twenty-five years after 9/11, Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) is returning to Ground Zero to host a three-part series on the sanctity of life at the St. Nicholas National Shrine on October 22-23 entitled Suffer with You: Lessons on the Sanctity of Life from Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry.
Drawing from their combined decades of pastoral experience in prison ministry, The Very Rev. Fr. John Kowalczyk and The Very Rev. Fr. Stephen Powley will offer theological reflections and practical insight on topics including abortion, capital punishment, forgiveness, love of neighbor, and Christ’s call to serve those who are incarcerated. Each session will conclude with a question-and-answer period, providing attendees the opportunity for further discussion and engagement.
EVENT SCHEDULE
Day 1: The Sanctity of Life: From the Womb to the Tomb (Death Row) – 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm This session will focus on the sanctity of life—from the unborn to those on death row—emphasizing that no person is beyond God’s love or redemption.
Day 2:
Suffer With You: Lessons on Forgiveness from Prison – 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm The second session will explore the transformative power of forgiveness, the importance of making space for God to work in our lives, and the hope that genuine repentance and change are possible for every person.
With the Fear of God Draw Near: Prison Ministry’s Call to Action – 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm The final session will focus on stepping outside of your comfort zones to answer Christ’s call to serve others, how to recognize Christ in every person, and take action while trusting in God’s plan.
Learn more and register for this very special event at theocpm.org/stnicholas
Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) is an Agency of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America. For Orthodox Christians who have been arrested for crimes, OCPM helps them return to the Faith, offering forgiveness and reconciliation in Christ. For both Orthodox and non-Orthodox alike, OCPM provides spiritual care, enabling prisoners to find hope and purpose in their lives. For more information, please visit theocpm.org , follow us on Facebook and Instagram @theocpm, or find us on Substack ocpm.substack.com
Twenty-five years after 9/11, Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) is returning to Ground Zero to host a three-part series on the sanctity of life at the St. Nicholas National Shrine on October 22-23 entitled Suffer […]
Archbishop Elpidophoros welcomes Archon on the occasion of newly published volumes of history
09/30/2026
NEW YORK – September 29, 2026 – His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America welcomed the esteemed Archon Dr. Stamatios V. Kartalopoulos, who presented His Eminence with his newly published two-volume work, Ancient Hellenic Cities in Asia Minor: Where the “Stones Still Speak.”
The extensive publication is the fruit of years of historical research, travel, and documentation and presents the history of more than 1,600 ancient Hellenic cities in Asia Minor, together with certain adjacent Aegean islands and Eastern Thrace. Drawing upon historical, archaeological, numismatic, epigraphic, and ecclesiastical sources, Dr. Kartalopoulos has assembled a work intended to preserve the memory of communities whose contributions to Hellenism and Christianity continue to resonate across the centuries.
The two-volume publication includes prefaces by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.
In his preface, His All-Holiness reflects upon the enduring bond between these historic lands and the Mother Church, writing: “Though now silent in voice, these cities remain audible in the heart of the Mother Church.”
Archbishop Elpidophoros, in his preface, describes the publication as “a truly ground-breaking history, available in English for the first time,” and emphasizes its particular significance for the descendants of the Greek Orthodox communities of Asia Minor. His Eminence writes that, “Even for those without Asia Minor ancestry, this book will put into a more tangible perspective the history of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, because the founding of our Sacred Archdiocese was deeply connected to the Asia Minor Catastrophe…I am grateful for and commend wholeheartedly this tremendous effort of Professor Kartalopoulos.”
The production of the two-volume publication was made possible through the generous contributions of Leadership 100 and the ever-memorable Archon Michael S. and Kay Johnson and their family of Denver, Colorado. Dr. Kartalopoulos has generously donated all rights to the work to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
The presentation of the completed volumes marked the culmination of a significant undertaking dedicated to ensuring that the history, faith, and cultural memory embodied in the ancient Hellenic cities of Asia Minor continue to speak to generations to come.
NEW YORK – September 29, 2026 – His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America welcomed the esteemed Archon Dr. Stamatios V. Kartalopoulos, who presented His Eminence with his newly published two-volume work, Ancient Hellenic Cities in […]
HCHC’s Scriptorium Initiative to offer weekly Bible study
09/28/2026
Rev. Dr. Eugen J. Pentiuc, Dean of Holy Cross and Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies, will offer a weekly Bible Study every Thursday at 7:00 PM Eastern via Zoom.
Part of The Scriptorium Initiative at Holy Cross, funded by Lilly Endowment, this Bible Study is open to everyone: seminarians, clergy, faithful, seekers, and all who wish to discover more deeply how Scripture is read, interpreted, and lived within the Orthodox tradition.
Rev. Dr. Eugen J. Pentiuc, Dean of Holy Cross and Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies, will offer a weekly Bible Study every Thursday at 7:00 PM Eastern via Zoom. Part of The Scriptorium Initiative at […]
Girl Delegates program gives Greek Orthodox girls a voice
09/28/2026
For Anna Maria Alonso, having a voice means embracing the responsibility to use it. Through the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s Girl Delegates to the United Nations program, Anna Maria was given the opportunity to advocate for issues impacting women and girls through the lens of her culture and faith.
The program, founded by Niki Devaris-Morgulis and operating through the Archdiocese’s Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical, and Interfaith Relations, allows Greek Orthodox high-school girls to utilize their unique talents and uplift them to go forth and become the next generation of change-makers and peace-builders.
Whether asking questions in a conference room at the U.N. or listening to women share stories of violence, displacement, and persecution, Anna Maria, through the Girl Delegates program, has come to understand advocacy as more than simply speaking, but an opportunity to speak for those who cannot. As a young Greek Orthodox woman with aspirations of becoming an international human rights lawyer, that responsibility has become central to the future she is building.
Anna Maria is from Tampa, Florida and attends Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Clearwater, Florida; her family has also been active in the Laconia Society of West Florida for 35 years. She is currently a sophomore at the University of Central Florida, where she majors in International and Global Studies with minors in Legal Studies and Global Peace and Security Studies.
Anna Maria’s academic work include international human rights advocacy, and she is particularly interested in advocating for human rights in conflict zones, including those in the Middle East, North Africa, and South America. Anna Maria is also currently conducting research on artificial intelligence (AI) policies and how AI is discussed in more positive or negative terms depending on cultural context.
A certified International Humanitarian Law advocate through the Red Cross, Anna Maria finds that her participation in the Girl Delegate program enhanced her first-hand knowledge of global issues, allowing her to teach youth in her community about humanitarian struggles. She is trilingual, speaking English, Greek, and Spanish.
Anna Maria at the U.N. Photo courtesy of Anna Maria Alonso
Anna Maria joined the Girl Delegates program in the spring of 2025, and has attended the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) 69, CSW 70, and the FIFA-hosted One World, One Game, One Goal: Football as a Catalyst for Youth Mental Health and Well-Being event, in addition to many other events and virtual trainings.
She credits her culture and faith with driving her passions in life, which likewise led her to join the Girl Delegates program. Anna Maria’s mother first mentioned the program at a family dinner, explaining it was created by a passionate woman promoting Greek Orthodox values and was the perfect avenue for Anna Maria to immerse herself in human rights advocacy. Anna Maria applied swiftly.
“This program offers opportunities for girls to advocate and speak on areas that many girls across the globe do not have the privilege of speaking about, which truly inspired me,” Anna Maria says. “This program allows me to be a voice for those who have had their voices taken. And for that, I am incredibly grateful to Niki and the GOA.”
Anna Maria is grateful for the opportunity to learn about global issues which may not present in mainstream coverage or discussed in everyday life. She often reflects on her experience speaking with diplomats, policy makers, and others who participate in advocacy efforts.
“At the U.N., we are one of the only groups representing Greek Orthodoxy. At that global stage, it is incredibly important that we utilize the morals, principles, ethics, and the love that our religion teaches us to bestow upon others,” Anna Maria says. “In a space like the U.N., we meet so many different cultures and people groups, witness different traditions, and hear intense stories and messages, and through it all, our religion teaches us to relay nothing but respect and kindness to those who we are different from. I can’t express how important it is that we utilize the principles we learn through Orthodoxy and put them into practice at the U.N.”
Anna Maria also gained lifelong friends and connections through the Girl Delegates program.
“The program brings together likeminded girls from all over America, and I can proudly say I talk to my fellow Girl Delegates at least once a day,” Anna Maria say. She enjoys connecting with her Girl Delegates socially, but sees herself working alongside them professionally in the future.
“The UN presents you with the opportunity to connect with so many incredible professionals,” she says. “It is great that with a couple conversations, we can get the contacts of people who may let us enter elite professional spaces in the future, and it is all thanks to this wonderful program.”
During CSW70, the Girl Delegates attended the side-event “Women’s Equal Right to Participate in the Judiciary and Women’s Access to Justice: More Women, More Access” at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, an international law firm in midtown Manhattan. Anna Maria credits this attendance with influencing her desire to attend law school and practice international law.
Since then, Anna Maria has met other Greek women lawyers through the program, such as program director, Niki Devaris-Morgulis, and is inspired by women like her who create a pathway for the success of future generations of Greek women.
“I would encourage other girls to join because this program helps set up your future and unlock opportunities and experiences that will help you discover exactly what you’re passionate about,” Anna Maria says. “It is also an incredible way of expanding your public speaking abilities, networking abilities, living out our faith on a global scale, and having impactful discussions for all the other young girls who couldn’t be there.”
For Anna Maria Alonso, having a voice means embracing the responsibility to use it. Through the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America’s Girl Delegates to the United Nations program, Anna Maria was given the opportunity to […]
Russian invaders ‘cannot stand free people,’ Archbishop Elpidophoros says as Ukrainians receive Beacon of Hope Award
09/27/2026
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine honored Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at its second annual Beacon of Hope Award Dinner on Sept. 26.
Andrii Melnyk addresses the Beacon of Hope Dinner before a video message played from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos)
The invaders of Ukraine, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America said in his address, more than anything else, “cannot stand free people, cannot stand free ideas,” and “cannot stand free societies.”
“This fight, this war, this invasion, is not about expanding territories. No, it’s not about soil. It’s about ideas. Because the invaders cannot stand free people, cannot stand free ideas, cannot stand free societies,” His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros said.
In His Eminence’s remarks, Archbishop Elpidophoros recognized that the fight of the Ukrainian people is the fight for free civilizations, for human dignity, democracy, and against autocracy.
“In the face of terror from the skies and on the ground, the noble Ukrainian people have shown the world a bravery and a determination worthy of the greatest of kingdoms of this world,” Archbishop Elpidophoros said.
Archbishop Elpidophoros addresses the second annual Beacon of Hope Dinner on September 26, 2026. (Photo by Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos)
“Tonight we pray in Ukrainian”
Opening the ceremony, the Ukrainian national anthem was sung, and the Lord’s Prayer was also led in Ukrainian by His Eminence Archbishop Daniel of Pamphilon of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA. Opening remarks were made by Michael G. Psaros, Vice Chairman of the Shrine, who cited Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people’s heroic defense of the free civilizations as a cause for the award.
“President Zelensky’s tenacious and unconquerable commitment to his country, to his people, and to freedom reflect the spirit of St. Nicholas itself — a place where faith, resilience, and the eternal light of hope stand as a witness to the world,” Psaros said.
Michael G. Psaros, Vice Chairman of the Saint Nicholas National Shrine addresses the second annual Beacon of Hope Dinner. (Photo by Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos)
The Beacon of Hope Award honors individuals whose lives and leadership reflect courage, resilience and moral clarity in the face of adversity. It is presented to first responders, community leaders and humanitarians. The Shrine’s Board said Zelenskyy has shown those qualities throughout a presidency defined by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In announcing the award earlier this year, the Shrine’s Board of Trustees cited Zelenskyy’s leadership “in defense of freedom and human dignity” and his reported words at the outset of the full-scale invasion, “I need ammunition, not a ride.” Pointing to the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Board said it was especially fitting to honor a leader who embodies hope rising from darkness.
The award also described Zelenskyy’s “unwavering commitment to his people and to the principles of freedom” as reflecting “the spirit of the National Shrine itself—a place where faith, resilience, and the light of hope stand as a witness to the world.”
Ukrainian envoy advocates for ambition, tired of ‘resilience’
Among the evening’s speakers was Olga Rudnieva, co-founder of Superhumans War Trauma Center, which provides prosthetics and reconstructive surgery to people wounded in the war. Rudnieva was born in a part of eastern Ukraine now under Russian occupation. She told guests she returned to Ukraine after the full-scale invasion began and started building the center in 2022, when “everybody told us that we are absolutely crazy to build a hospital during the wartime.” Superhumans now operates three centers, with 650 staff across Odesa, Dnipro and Kyiv.
“The world says that we are resilient, and you know, I’m tired of being resilient,” Rudnieva said. “I want to be called ambitious, because we are an ambitious country. We don’t want just to survive; we want to build a better country.”
Zelenskyy had been expected to accept the award in person, but the demands of the war kept him away. Andrii Melnyk, Ukraine’s ambassador to the United Nations, accepted it on his behalf at short notice. Melnyk told guests that the situation in Ukraine “has never been as dangerous as it is today” and that the award should serve as “a wake-up call to our American friends.” He, too, took issue with the language often used to describe his country.
Melnyk, who grew up in the Soviet Union, framed his appeal around the United States’ own image of itself. “Let me ask you, good people: what happened to the America that we once knew, admired, and looked up to?” he said. “For us, this America has always been a Beacon of Hope. And I can tell you, being here today, speaking with you, I have a feeling that this America is still there.”
The Ukrainian ambassador said he would bring the award home “as a Beacon of Hope that the United States and the great American people will stand by Ukraine and will leave no stone unturned to stop the war.”
“I am frankly sick and tired of hearing how resilient Ukrainians are,” Melnyk said. “Ukraine’s perseverance should never become an alibi for our partners not to go all in, not to pull out all the stops.”
Zelenskyy addressed the ceremony in a video message. “Hope does not grow by itself,” he said. “Even in the darkest times, it needs something like sunlight that helps a harvest grow. For us, that light is knowing that so many people are with us, that people like you are with Ukraine.”
With Ukraine preparing for another winter of Russian attacks on its energy system, Zelenskyy urged faster implementation of Ukraine’s agreements with the United States, including on the production and supply of Patriot air defense systems. “This really matters,” he said. “Please, speak about these wherever it can make a difference.”
The inaugural dinner, held last year in the presence of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, honored NYPD, FDNY and PAPD first responders for their service on September 11.
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine honored Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at its second annual Beacon of Hope Award Dinner on Sept. 26. The invaders of Ukraine, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America […]
Though the tomb was sealed by a stone and soldiers guarded your pure body, you arose, O Savior, on the third day, giving life to the world. Therefore, O giver of life, the heavenly powers praise you: Glory to your resurrection, O Christ, glory to your kin
Apolytikion for the Church in the First Mode
The Hymn of Saint Spyridon
At the first of the Synods, you appeared as a champion, * and Wonderworker, our God-bearing Father Spyridon. * Wherefore, you addressed the dead one in the grave, * and a serpent you changed to gold. * And while chanting * in service your sacred prayers, * you joined the angels concelebrating, most holy one.* Glory to Christ who glorified you, * glory to Him who crowned you, * glory to the One who works through You, * healings for everyone.
A protection of Christians unshamable, intercessor to our Holy Maker, unwavering, please reject not the prayerful cries of those who are in sin. Instead, come to us, for you are good; your loving help bring unto us, who are crying in faith to you: hasten to intercede and speed now to supplicate, as a protection for all time, Theotokos, for those who honor you.
Saints and Feasts
October 04
Hierotheos, Bishop of Athens
According to some, Hierotheus, like Saint Dionysius, was a member of the court of Mars Hill. Having first been instructed in the Faith of Christ by Paul, he became Bishop of Athens. He, in turn, initiated the divine Dionysius more perfectly into the mysteries of Christ; the latter, on his part, elaborated more clearly and distinctly Hierotheus' concise and summary teachings concerning the Faith. He too was brought miraculously by the power of the Holy Spirit to be present at the Dormition of the Theotokos, when, together with the sacred Apostles, he became a leader of the divine hymnody. "He was wholly transported, wholly outside himself and was so deeply absorbed in communion with the sacred things he celebrated in hymnology, that to all who heard him and saw him and knew him, and yet knew him not, he seemed to be inspired of God, a divine hymnographer," as Dionysius says (On the Divine Names, 3:2). Having lived in a manner pleasing to God, he reposed in the Lord.
October 05
Charitina the Martyr
Saint Charitina contested for Christ during the reign of Diocletian, in the year 290. The handmaid of a certain Claudius, she was betrayed as a Christian to Dometian, the Count, before whom she fearlessly confessed Christ. After suffering the most terrible tortures, including the uprooting of her teeth and nails, she gave up her soul into the hands of the Lord.
October 06
Thomas the Apostle of the 12
The name Thomas means, "twin." He was one of the Twelve, a Galilean by birth. Sophroneus (not the famous Patriarch of Jerusalem [7th Century, celebrated March 11], but a friend of Jerome's), quoted also by Jerome, says that Saint Thomas preached to the Parthians, Pesians, Medes, Hyrcanians, Bactrians, and neighbouring nations. According to Heracleon, the Apostle died a natural death; according to other accounts, he was martyred at Meliapur His tomb was known by Saint John Chrysostom to be at Edessa in Syria, to which city his holy relics may have been translated from India in the fourth century.
October 07
Sergius & Bacchus the Great Martyrs of Syria
These holy Martyrs were Romans of high rank in the service of the Emperor Maximian, to whom it was reported that they did not take part in the festivals of the idols. When he called them into his presence, they confessed their Faith in the one God. He had them arrayed in women's clothes and paraded through the streets in mockery. They were afterwards scourged, from which Saint Bacchus died. This was about the year 296. Saint Sergius was then taken to Resapha in Syria, where he was tortured and beheaded. His tomb in Resapha became a very famous shrine, to which pilgrims came from as far away as Western Europe; Resapha was later renamed Sergiopolis in his honour.
October 08
Pelagia the Righteous
This Saint was a prominent actress of the city of Antioch, and a pagan, who lived a life of unrestrained prodigality and led many to perdition. Instructed and baptized by a certain bishop named Nonnus (Saint Nonnus is commemorated Nov. 10), she departed for the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem, where she lived as a recluse, feigning to be a eunuch called Pelagia. She lived in such holiness and repentance that within three or four years she was deemed worthy to repose in an odour of sanctity, in the middle of the fifth century. Her tomb on the Mount of Olives has been a place of pilgrimage ever since.
October 09
Abraham the Righteous & his nephew Lot
The holy Patriarch Abraham, born a pagan, ten generations after Noah, when the knowledge of God had perished from among men, became the beginning of God's dispensation for the universal renewal and salvation of man. He was called out of his country--the land of the Chaldees, that is, Mesopotamia--to the land of Canaan, and received the promise that through his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed; through his singular faith in the promises of God, he was justified before the giving of the Law and the coming of Grace; through his willingness to sacrifice Isaac, he portrayed the love wherewith God loved the world in sacrificing His only-begotten Son. The greatness of Abraham, and the trials that he and his righteous nephew Lot underwent, are set forth in the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament, chapters twelve through twenty-five. See also the Sunday of the Holy Forefathers, December 11-17.
October 10
The 14 Holy Elders of Optina Monastery
On this day we also celebrate the Synaxis of the Righteous Fathers of Optina Hermitage in Russia, who struggled valiantly in the monastic life in prayer, humility, obedience, and love, and whom God deemed worthy of the lofty gifts of discernment, prophecy, clairvoyance, and eldership, that is, the grace to guide souls on the unerring path of salvation. They are Leo (who reposed in 1841), Macarius (1860), Moses (1862), Anthony (1865), Hilarion (1873), Ambrose (1891), Anatolius (1894), Isaacius (1894), Joseph (1911), Barsanuphius (1913), Anatolius (1922), Nectarius (1928), Nicon (1931), and Isaacius (1936).
