Source: Union of Orthodox Journalists Author: Michael W. Davis Last week, the Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem condemned Christian Zionism. This is long overdue. Christian Zionism is a dangerous and heretical ideology. It distorts the clear teaching of Scripture and the Fathers: that the Church, not the Zionist state, is the true Israel of God. Worse yet, it leads Christians in the West to ignore—or even cheer on—the eradication of indigenous Christian communities in the Holy Land. On January 17, 2026, the Council of Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem—including the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III—released…
Browsing: Governance Top Stories
Source: Orthodox Volunteer Corps The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America has blessed the last Sunday of January as Volunteer Sunday, raising awareness about OVC. We invite you to celebrate with us on January 25. Would you help us share this ministry with your parish? To assist, please click this link to find the following materials to share with your parish: Sample Announcement to make at the end of Liturgy, if there is not an OVC rep present Two Bulletin Inserts to choose from Color w/ Photo or Black & White Text One page to print with QR…
Source: Orthodox Observer Today, Jan. 13, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople issued a response to an aggressive polemic released a day earlier by Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). The Ecumenical Patriarchate characterized the accusations directed at Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as baseless and unworthy of engagement. In its responding communiqué, the Ecumenical Patriarchate recalled that since its 2018 decision to proclaim the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, it has deliberately chosen not to reply to the steady stream of similar attacks emanating from political and ecclesiastical circles within the Russian Federation. That principled restraint, it stressed, continues to guide…
Source: Department of Stewardship, Outreach and Evangelism | Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America Adapted from an article by Rev. Dr. Charles Joanides, Ph.D., LMF “When I converted to the Orthodox Church, I was helped by two people who took me in hand and helped me integrate into the Church and the community. In a few years, I was completely integrated into both. I don’t know what I would have done without them. They are my best friends. I urge you to emphasize my experience in one of your columns to help converts become integrated.” ~An E-mail respondent~ Like the individual quoted…
Source: Assembly of Bishops: Inter-Parish Associations With great joy, the Assembly of Bishops’ Inter-Parish Associations ministry announces the establishment of 6 new Inter-Parish Associations in 2025. These areas include: Denver, Colorado Indianapolis, Indiana Northern New Jersey Manhattan, New York City Worcester, Massachusetts Youngstown, Ohio Inter-Parish Associations promote communication, camaraderie, and cooperation across Orthodox Christian parishes of all jurisdictions in a given geographical area. They are local (city/town level), parishes are the Members, and their leadership includes both clergy and laity. Their purpose is to break down barriers across Orthodox Christian jurisdictions and, as a unified Orthodox Christian community, witness Christ’s…
Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA Patriarch Daniil of Bulgaria has completed his first “Peace Visit” as a recently elected primate of a Local Orthodox Church. It was a four-day (Dec. 25-28) visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Before the visit, it was well-known that differences exist between Patriarch Daniil and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on important issues such as the status of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) and the existence of primacy at the universal level. There are no indications that these differences were resolved by the visit. However, the dialogue and personal contacts that occurred resulted in a visit that…
Source: Orthodox Observer By Office of National Ministries The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America has embarked on a landmark survey with the aim of equipping parish clergy, ministry leaders, and ministry workers to build up healthy parish communities (cf. Ephesians 4:12). The study, launched on December 1, is designed to bring parish voices to the forefront and guide Archdiocesan ministry support, resources, and investment where they will most effectively strengthen parish life. “Our parishes are the heartbeat of our Archdiocese,” said His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America. “As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, ‘Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him…
Source: Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople + B A R T H O L O M E W By God’s Mercy Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch to All the Plenitude of the Church Grace, Mercy and Peace from the Savior Christ Born in Bethlehem Most honorable Brother Hierarchs, Beloved children in the Lord, Having once again been found worthy of reaching the great feast of the Nativity in the flesh of the Son and Word of God, we glorify the “inexpressible and incomprehensible condescension” of the Savior of the human race and Redeemer of all creation from corruption, even…
Source: Orthodox Church in America SPRINGFIELD, VA [OCA] More than 100 clergy of the Orthodox Church in America gathered online for the Office of Pastoral Life’s Winter 2025 Synaxis on Tuesday, Dec. 16. The quarterly gathering offered space for prayerful reflection, shared learning and encouragement, and featured His Eminence Archbishop Alexei of Sitka and Alaska as keynote speaker. In his presentation, “Hard-Pressed Yet Not Crushed”: Avoiding Burnout and Promoting Flourishing, Archbishop Alexei invited clergy into an honest and hope-filled conversation about the interior and exterior pressures of pastoral ministry. Drawing from Holy Scripture, the Psalms and the pastoral wisdom of St. John Chrysostom, His…
Source: Orthodox Church in America SPRINGFIELD, VA [OCA] The Orthodox Church in America has joined the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of New Gračanica–Midwestern America, the Catholic bishops of Illinois and the Illinois Catholic Health Association in filing an amicus brief in the case NIFLA v. Treto in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The brief challenges a law that requires healthcare providers, which abstain from performing abortions, to nevertheless still provide patients with referrals to abortion providers and to deliver state-mandated statements promoting the supposed benefits of abortion in order to receive certain legal protections. The Orthodox Church has always taught that…
Source: Orthodox Church in America SPRINGFIELD, VA [OCA] With the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, the Office of the Chancellor is announcing the publication of the newly updated A Commemorative List of the Departed Servants of Orthodoxy in North America: Diptychs of Those Who Have Fallen Asleep in the Lord. This 2025 edition contains a revised and expanded list of departed clergy, monastics, and laity who have labored for the Orthodox Church in America, from the Alaskan mission to the present day. The Diptychs are now available for download as a PDF and printed copies will be distributed to all parishes,…
Source: The National Herald By Theodore Kalmoukos BOSTON – The Board of Trustees of Hellenic College–Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Boston, chaired by Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, decided on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, to sell a large portion of its real estate (land) to an environmental company, as The National Herald revealed on November 29, 2025. The expected sale price is $1.2 million per acre, and the School is projected to earn between $22 million and $30 million. It is emphasized that the School and its property were purchased in 1947 through the savings and contributions of the…