SUPRASL – Thanksgiving 2024

Dear friends,

Thanksgiving, offering the Eucharist, is what we as Orthodox Christians do no matter country, culture or nation. As Fr Alexander Schmemann said in his well known Thanksgiving homily, “Everyone capable of thanksgiving is capable of salvation and eternal joy.” As we gather around our tables, whether they be in our homes celebrating Thanksgiving, or in our parishes offering thanks to God and partaking of the Holy Eucharist,  we can all take a moment to reflect on gratitude; gratitude for the Church and her sacraments which nourish our souls, even if at times we feel like we are starving; gratitude for our ability to act in the world beyond words, and truly be agents of Christ’s love; gratitude for place, for the land, the creation and its many bounties; and  gratitude to our Lord for all His gifts bestowed upon us most especially, for allowing us to be able to say,  “Thank You, O Lord!”

Here at Suprasl we are grateful to the students who give us the opportunity to serve them; to each of you for your support, whether that be your prayers or your financial contributions; to all those who came before us, especially those who have shown us what unity in the Orthodox Church looks like, and providing a vision for international youth work; among them:

+Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim, +Metropolitan Irinej of Novi Sad, +Metropolitan Dyonisius of Warsaw, Bishop John Shakhovskoy, +Archimandrite Lev Gillet, +Archbishop Job Osacky, +Fr John Meyendorff, +Fr Basil Zenkovsky, +Fr Alexander Schmemann, +Nikos Nissiotis, +Marko Markovitch, +Leon Zander, +Nicholas Zernov, +Fr Stephan Zankov, +Nicholas Popescu, +Edouard Laham, +Albert Laham, +Paul Evdokimov, +John Lappas, +Cyril Eltchaninov, +Connie Tarassar, +Sophie Koulomzine, +Gabriel Habib, +Fr John Matusiak, Archbishop Anastasios of Albania, Metropolitan George Khodr, Metropolitan Efthymios Stylios, Bishop Demetrios of Xanthos (Couchel), and too many others to name here. 

“Thank You, O Lord, for everyone and everything.” Fr Schmemann