Guria, Shamuna, and Habib, Martyrs and Confessors of Edessa
Of these most illustrious Martyrs of the city of Edessa in Syria, Guria and Shamuna contested during the reign of Diocletian, in 288; after many tortures, they were cast into prison, then beheaded. Saint Habib, a deacon, contested in the days of Licinius, in the year 316, and was burned alive; he was buried with Saints Guria and Shamuna. The three have one common feast, and it is always together that they are portrayed in icons and invoked by the faithful. On account of a renowned miracle they worked, they are invoked for help in marital difficulties. A certain Goth had come with the Roman army to Edessa and was quartered in the house of a pious widow named Sophia. The Goth asked Sophia for the hand of her daughter, Euphemia; after resisting for a long time, Sophia at last agreed. When it was time for the army to return home, Sophia made the Goth vow by the power in the holy Martyrs Shamuna, Guria, and Habib, to keep Euphemia as the apple of his eye. As he was nearing his home, however, the treacherous man revealed to Euphemia that he already had a wife. Euphemia was compelled to serve the Goths wife, who dealt with her mercilessly. After extreme sufferings, which included being sealed alive in a tomb and left there to die, Euphemia was miraculously conveyed to Edessa, to the very shrine of the holy Martyrs whose surety they had taken, and was reunited with her mother through their holy prayers.
What Do You Hear, Angel? by Elizabeth Crispina Johnson. Annie's going for a walk in the woods with her angel. For everything, Annie hears—a frog, a bird, a brook, a breeze—the angel hears a corresponding song of praise in heaven. Young children are shown that heaven and earth are not so very far apart, after all. ($18.95)
The Holy Angels by Mother Alexandra. In layperson's terms, Mother Alexandra presents the essence of everything the Church has to teach us about the angels, from the Old and New Testaments to the Tradition of the Church as expressed in her theology, hymnography, and iconography. For those who’d like to understand the role of these holy servants of God in our lives, this book is a great place to start. ($19.95) 
A Lenten Cookbook for Orthodox Christians. Published by St. Nektarios Press, this classic Lenten cookbook contains the life of St. Euphrosynos the Cook, basic Orthodox fasting information and rules, as well as scores of Lenten recipes. ($12)
Meditations for Advent: Preparing for Christ’s Birth by Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou. The author takes us through the hymnography, scripture readings, and iconography for the forty days leading up to the Nativity of Christ, showing how a full understanding of the Incarnation can enrich our spiritual lives. ($12.95) 
The Winter Pascha by Fr. Thomas Hopko. Fr. Hopko draws on the biblical readings and liturgical hymns of the season to illumine the way for us to follow the Church's days of preparation and celebration for the Coming of Jesus in the flesh. References are made to the writings of the saints and Church Fathers, as well as to contemporary Christian teachers and spiritual guides. All those who love the Lord's Coming will find comfort and strength, as well as enlightenment and instruction, for having passed through the Winter Pascha with this book as their companion. ($20)
et All Creation Rejoice: Reflections for Advent, the Nativity, and Epiphany by Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis. Short daily reflections on the Scripture readings for Nov.15 through Jan. 7. Spending a few minutes each day reading and reflecting on these scriptures will change your heart. Topics include:
Toolkit for Spiritual Growth by Fr. Evan Armatas. Confused about what you need to do to grow in your faith? Fr. Armatas, a popular podcaster, explains the fundamentals of the three-legged stool of Orthodox practice – prayer, almsgiving, and fasting –in terms that everyone can understand and implement, whether you’re a new Orthodox Christian or have been one for life. ($12.95)
The Feast of the Holy Archangels – Ἡ σύναξις τῶν Ἀρχιστρατήγων Μιχαὴλ καὶ Γαβριήλ – is a moment when the Church pauses to reflect on the spiritual realities that surround us. If you were to begin counting the number of Angels that are mentioned in the Holy Scripture, your powers of arithmetic would be severely challenged. Just one expression in the Book of Revelation (5:11), “ten thousands of ten thousands and thousands of thousands,” gives a glimpse of a number beyond all counting.
The Center for Family Care is pleased to announce the launching of Comfort Food for Families Advent Series, a weekly series that will be released on Mondays, beginning on November 9th and ending on December 28th.
The Department of Religious Education has a variety of educational and gift items for the Christmas season for all ages. Browse the collection on Orthodox Marketplace but order early as we are still experiencing some slower delivery times.
The Department of Religious Education has released the 2021 Topic Tips and Resources for the St John Chrysostom Oratorical Festival. Simultaneously, the parish registration is now available.
I am so very pleased to be with you for this magnificent feast of your Patron Saint – the Commander of the Heavenly Host, Michael, whose name – Μιχαήλ, is a question: “Who is like God?” What a question to ask this day! A question for all of us to consider, and whether our lives are like God and reflect His love for all creation.
On this week's episode of "Live with the Louhs," a radio ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Fr. Nicholas and his wife, Dr. Roxanne Louh, a Clinical Psychologist, discuss how to "Navigate Through The Political Divide."