As conflict in Lebanon escalates, a humanitarian crisis has emerged as communities continue to flee their homes in search of safety. International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) is there on the ground, doing its part to support those who have been displaced. This week, mattresses, hot meals, and emergency first-aid kits were distributed to temporary shelters in north Lebanon, Mount Lebanon, and Beirut.

As residents in the southeastern U.S. continue to be affected by the devastation of Hurricane Helene, parishes have begun addressing urgent needs of their communities. Over the last two weekends, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Asheville, North Carolina and Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Augusta, Georgia canceled their respective Greek festivals and instead prepared the food for distribution to those in need.

On Sunday, October 6, 2024, faithful gathered at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Pittsburgh for the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, with His Eminence Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh and Bishop Joachim of Amissos. 

On October 3, 2024, His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta sent the following message to Metropolis faithful, offering prayers for affected communities and guidance on relief funds.

October is Blind Awareness Month in the U.S., and this conversation of the Center for Family Care's Fully Human podcast highlights the lived experience of Dr. Lauren Barron -- a licensed counselor, wife, and mother -- who humbly offers wise counsel for families experiencing diagnoses of disabilities and other life challenges. Blind herself, she found new insight regarding her disability when becoming Orthodox. Dr. Barron shares encouraging messages for families experiencing visual impairments, and tips for their seeing fellow parishioners. 

Yesterday, October 6, 2024, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the National Forum of Church Musicians celebrated Church Music Sunday. Each year the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the National Forum of Greek Orthodox Church Musicians set aside the first Sunday of October as a day to celebrate our rich history of liturgical music.

This past week I sat down with Kyra Limberakis, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of the Orthodox Volunteer Corps, to talk about what inspired her to found the program, and the aspects of it that most excite her.

This morning, October 5, 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America presided over the Divine Liturgy of Consecration for Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, celebrating alongside His Eminence Metropolitan Savas, His Grace Bishop Joachim of Amissos, Protopresbyter Fr. George Callos (Chancellor), Presbyter Fr. Constantine Kokanos (PGH Clergy Syndesmos President), Presbyter Fr. Michael Gavrilos (Proistamenos), and Presbyter Fr. Matthew Moore.

Last night, October 4, 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros presided over the Great Vespers of Consecration at Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church in Oakmont, Pennsylvania.

On October 13, 2024, at 7pm, the Maliotis Cultural Center will welcome Academic Director of the Benaki Museum George Manginis for a virtual tour of the Benaki's "Asia Minor Hellenism: Heyday-Catastrophe-Displacement-Rebirth" exhibition galleries as they were recorded in 360-degree panoramic photography.

Fr. Peter Spiro, the Director of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese FREEDOM Ministry, recently met with Mr. William Canny, the Executive Director of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) at their headquarters in Washington D.C.  

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, many across Tampa Bay and beyond are facing unexpected hardships. In response to these hardships, the parish of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa, FL offered a Paraklesis service on Wednesday, October 2 to pray for the community and all those affected by the storm. Additionally, the parish is collaborating with a mission partner, Love, INC., to help meet urgent needs.

On Friday, September 27, 2024, at the Hall of Myeongdong Cathedral, the Orthodox Metropolis of Korea and Exarchate of Japan, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of its establishment by the Ecumenical Patriarchate (2004-2024), co-organized with the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Korea (CBCK) and the National Council of Churches of Korea (NCCK) a symposium on: “Artificial Intelligence (AI) from a Christian Point of View: Servant or Overlord?”

This past Saturday, September 28, 2024, Hellenic College Holy Cross was blessed with a Panegyri event that brought together students, faculty, and the entire HCHC community.

Last year, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America established the Archbishop Elpidophoros Camping Scholarship Fund in the fall of 2024 to provide need-based financial assistance for the youth summer camps offered by the Archdiocese, including both Ionian Village and Metropolis camps.

Please join us for a Hierarchal Divine Liturgy in honor Saint Elpidophoros and the Ordination to the Holy Diaconate of Gregory Gounardes on Saturday, November 2, 2024 at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Hoy Trinity in New York City.

Today, October 2, 2024, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America visited His Eminence Metropolitan Dionysios of Corinth, who is currently receiving care at Johns Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, MD.

The past Sunday, September 29, 2024, the Park Avenue Church of St Ignatius hosted the Byzantine sacred music chorus, Cappella Romana, for a presentation of “Lost Voices of Hagia Sophia.”

What is it like to grow up in a territorially and ethnically divided society like Cyprus? What role does education, both formal and informal, play in this? How do children think about and navigate their political lives and selves in such a context? This presentation will draw on ethnographic work with children over three decades to tackle these questions and to shed light on processes of identity construction and ‘othering’ in post-1974 Cyprus both before and after the opening of the checkpoints in 2003.

On Tuesday, October 1, 2024, following the 13th Assembly meeting of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the U.S.A., hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate met in Atlanta, Georgia, under the presidency of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.