The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco Stewardship Ministry continues the monthly series “Equipping and Enriching Parish Life”. Please join us on Monday, October 17 at 5:00 p.m. PDT for a special Zoom presentation, “An Introduction to Cultivating Generosity in Parishes.”
At the historic Patriarchal Divine Liturgy at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Manhattan, the 2022 Class of Archons were installed in the presence of His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros. His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston, Their Eminences Metropolitans George of Guinea and Nikodimos of Memphis, His Grace Bishop Irinej of the Serbian Orthodox Church, His Grace Bishop Joachim of Amissos, His Grace Bishop Ierotheos of Evkarpia, and His Grace Bishop Timothy of Hexamilion also concelebrated the liturgy. His Eminence former Archbishop of America Demetrios was present, as well.
This week, find insights about the upcoming Gospel reading where the Lord shares a parable about a sower trying to sow his seed. But what does agriculture have to do with us? And why is the Lord speaking in difficult parables instead of just using plain language?
Washington, DC - His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa, together with His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, met today at the White House with Mr. Steven J. Ricchetti, Counselor to President Biden, and members of his staff.
I approach this podium full of emotion. Awarding a person is undoubtedly an honor for that person, but I think that this honor also belongs to those who decide on the award. It shows that they have those sensibilities to perceive the surrounding atmosphere, to appreciate events and to honor persons. For these reasons, allow me to dedicate this highly honorable distinction, the "Patriarch Athenagoras" award, to all those who fight day and night for the assertion of all kinds of rights.
On Saturday evening, the Order of Saint Andrew, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, honored His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, with the Athenagoras Human Rights Award. The annual award ceremony, which recognizes “a person or organization which has consistently exemplified by action, purpose, and dedication, concern for the basic rights and religious freedom of all people,” also coincided with the eighteenth anniversary of His Beatitude’s enthronement to the See of St. Mark.
It is worthy and right that the Order of St. Andrew is bestowing the Athenagoras Human Rights Award of 2022 to His Beatitude Theodore, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, in honor of his great contribution to the Church and humankind, as well as his labors in support of the right to religious freedom in Africa, the great continent to which, as His Beatitude our brother says, “belongs the future.”
October 16
Sunday of the 7th Ecumenical Council
On the Sunday that falls on or immediately after the eleventh of this month, we chant the Service to the 350 holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, which gathered in Nicaea in 787 under the holy Patriarch Tarasius and during the reign of the Empress Irene and her son, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, to refute the Iconoclast heresy, which had received imperial support beginning with the Edict issued in 726 by Emperor Leo the Isaurian. Many of the holy Fathers who condemned Iconoclasm at this holy Council later died as Confessors and Martyrs for the holy Icons during the second assult of Iconoclasm in the ninth century, especially during the reigns of Leo the Armenian and Theophilus.
