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Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas
This divine Father, who was from Asia Minor, was from childhood reared in the royal court of Constantinople, where he was instructed in both religious and secular wisdom. Later, while still a youth, he left the imperial court and struggled in asceticism on Mount Athos, and in the Skete at Beroea. He spent some time in Thessalonica being treated for an illness that came from his harsh manner of life. He was present in Constantinople at the Council that was convened in 1341 against Barlaam of Calabria, and at the Council of 1347 against Acindynus, who was of like mind with Barlaam; Barlaam and Acindynus claimed that the grace of God is created. At both these Councils, the Saint contended courageously for the true dogmas of the Church of Christ, teaching in particular that divine grace is not created, but is the uncreated energies of God which are poured forth throughout creation: otherwise it would be impossible, if grace were created, for man to have genuine communion with the uncreated God. In 1347 he was appointed Metropolitan of Thessalonica. He tended his flock in an apostolic manner for some twelve years, and wrote many books and treatises on the most exalted doctrines of our Faith; and having lived for a total of sixty-three years, he reposed in the Lord in 1359.
His holy relics are kept in the Cathedral of Thessalonica. A full service was composed for his feast day by the Patriarch Philotheus in 1368, when it was established that his feast be celebrated on this day. Since works without right faith avail nothing, we set Orthodoxy of faith as the foundation of all that we accomplish during the Fast, by celebrating the Triumph of Orthodoxy the Sunday before, and the great defender of the teachings of the holy Fathers today.
Tonight’s lecture, A Spirituality of Imperfection: The Way of Tears in Saints Barsanuphius and John, has truly been a balm for this moment that we are living in. For if we have ever beheld imperfection in the life of the Church, it is this present moment in Ukraine.
This is what I would like to address with you this evening, my dear friends. What is this fear of the Lord of which we speak, and of which we hear, in the prayers and praise of our Church?
Is it cowardice? Or maybe a trembling panic that terrifies us to the very core of our being?
It is with much joy that I join all of you here tonight, as we draw near to the conclusion of the first week of Holy and Great Lent. As in years past, we will continue our annual tradition of fellowship following this Service of the First Salutations to the Theotokos with a Lenten dinner in the newly renovated Chiotes Family Cathedral Hall — together with a very special guest, of course. But before we depart the sanctuary, I would like to call your attention to the following line from the First Stanza of the Akathist, which we chanted to our Panagia this evening:
This evening, we embrace one another in the fellowship of this meal, and we give thanks to God for the blessing to be able to do so in this newly renovated Chiotes Family Cathedral Hall, whose grand opening we celebrate tonight.
I want to congratulate and express my abiding gratitude to the Jewish Museum of Greece, the Maliotis Cultural Center, and our Hellenic College and Holy Cross, for offering us this remarkable and most timely exhibition: “The Good Shepherds: Metropolitans and Rabbis in the Face of the Holocaust.”
In this present moment, when Europe has been shattered once again by a tyrant’s bloodthirsty pursuit of violence and war, we need these heroes – Jewish and Christian alike – to remind us of what is best in our shared humanity.
On Friday, March 11, 2022 parishes from South Florida Eastern District, gathered at Saint Mark Church in Boca Raton, Florida, to participate in Sleep-Out America. This has become an Annual event, in coordination with the Covenant House.
For the annual commemoration of the Fall of Constantinople observed May 29, the St. Photios National Shrine is proud to announce its Second Annual Drawing Competition open to children ages 9-12 of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
On March 17, 2022 Archbishop Elpidophoros of America welcomed Mr. Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, Greek Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the Archdiocese Headquarters, where they discussed the Archdiocese's initiatives and the Greek-American community.
'Man of God', the award winning box office hit film based on the widely venerated Greek saint, St Nektarios of Aegina that won the hearts of people last summer in Greece is coming to a theatre near you across the US on March 21 & March 28 - two-nights only! Don't miss the chance to watch this incredible film!
Dr. Marcus Plested: Professor | Author | Editor
Saints Constantine and Helen Cathedral of Brooklyn welcomed Asia Mieleszko, the music director of the Ukrainian Village Voices, along with her colleagues Max Temnogorod and Natalie Oshukany, to present a workshop that highlighted songs from the regions of Ukraine most adversely affected by recent bombardment and military aggression.
The Archdiocesan Cathedral Choir, Youth Choir and Orchastra, under the direction of Maetro Costas Tsourakis present, The Sounds of Lent" Concert, Sunday April 3rd, 2022.
On this week's episode of "Comfort Food for Families: Pilgrimage to Pascha" from the GOA Center for Family Care, Pres. Kerry Pappas talks about the Lenten services of the church and how important it is for us to attend as many as we can!
Special Edition hand-painted IV Pascha Eggs are on sale through So Blue Greek Ceramics & Gifts! @sobluegreekceramics
St. Andrew will feature several Lenten Lectures by a variety of speakers on Wednesdays from March 16, 2022 - April 13, 2022 at 7:15 PM.
On March 13, His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos presided over the Sunday of Orthodoxy Divine Liturgy at Archangel Michael Church in Port Washington, New York, with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America.
On behalf of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, His Grace Bishop Apostolos of Medeia visited the Annunciation Cathedral in Baltimore.
The 2022 Directory of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is now available online at www.goarch.org/directory. The Directory can also be downloaded from the website as a pdf and used as a digital book on tablets, smart phones and other digital reading devices.
His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America announces that the 46th Biennial Clergy Laity Congress will convene in New York City from July 3-7, 2022, with the theme “Legacy, Renewal, Unity” honoring the Centennial of the Archdiocese which is being celebrated in 2022. During the Clergy Laity Congress, on July 4th, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros will consecrate Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine at the World Trade Center.
The Office of Greek Education in cooperation with The Center for Lifelong Learning at Democritus University of Thrace will once again offer the program entitled: Education and certification in the teaching of Greek as a heritage language for educators in the diaspora, from March 1 to December 30, 2022.
The Office of Ionian Village announces the dates for its Summer 2022 programs. Ionian Village is the international camping ministry of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America with campgrounds located in Peloponnesus, Greece.
Orthodox Marketplace of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America launched a new store on Wednesday September 7, 2021. The new platform (still at www.orthodoxmarketplace.com ) has many updated features from the previous platform, improving the user interface and enhancing the marketing capabilities of the store.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has acquired certain assets of the respected AGES Initiatives organization, which has provided digital music for Byzantine Chant utilizing both Byzantine and Western notations and translations of liturgical texts for Orthodox churches around the world since 2012. In that time, AGES Initiatives has developed a full suite of digital texts designed to facilitate the study of Byzantine chant in a variety of languages for those at church, at home, or in the classroom.