by S. P. Stamatis, M.A. When we experience a neo-Byzantine style Renaissance in America…where the floodgates open once again from Greece with tens of thousands of new immigrants; where Greek is spoken freely like Spanish; where Studies in Hellenism and Eastern Orthodoxy are available in most universities; where signage and owners’ manuals are also printed in Greek; where Greek-town sections in major cities are restored and flourish…then, there’s no reason to worry! The Greek Orthodox Faith and Greek culture would fit in perfectly and prevail for years to come. Of Course, this is Fantasy! For most people, this kind of…
Browsing: Greek Orthodox Church
Source: Orthodox History The US Congress imposed immigration quotas in 1924, ending the Ellis Island era of immigration. With no more newcomers, Orthodoxy in America began to assimilate more rapidly into American society, as the children and grandchildren of the original immigrants came to see themselves as Americans, even if they held onto their cultural inheritances (which, in practice, included Orthodoxy). These American-born Orthodox spoke English as their first language, and the use of Old World languages in church services became an obstacle. . . Read the complete article here
Source: Orthodox History by Matthew Namee Originally posted on August 20, 2024 Father Alex Karloutsos may be the most influential Orthodox priest in modern history. He has spent time in every Oval Office going back to Jimmy Carter, culminating in a Presidential Medal of Freedom from Joe Biden. His connections are extraordinary – the presidents, of course, and every patriarch you can imagine, but also a range of twentieth century giants like Henry Kissinger, Elijah Muhammad, Pope John Paul II, and Blackstone founder Pete Peterson, to name four at random. Karloutsos is also incredibly polarizing, with critics viewing him as a…
Source: The National Herald By TNH Staff NAIROBI – In Africa, where Orthodoxy is taking deeper root, the missionary work of Metropolitan Makarios shines as a beacon of knowledge and spiritual guidance. His presence in Kenya is renewing the local community with the power of divine love, going beyond the traditional boundaries of church life. For over fifty years, his pastoral efforts have shaped the spiritual landscape of Africa, where the Orthodox tradition now flourishes and bears remarkable fruit. At the headquarters of the Holy Metropolis in Nairobi, what was once a barren land filled with dry grass and dangerous…
Source: The National Herald By Rev. Dr. Georgios Lekkas, Special to TNH Christ stayed with His Disciples for forty days after His Resurrection to establish their faith in Him as the Son of God and the God-Man. And when their faith had been firmly established and the Lord Jesus Christ had ascended into Heaven, the Holy Spirit descended upon them and aroused their faith in Christ in such a way that they could now perform miracles and preach the Gospel to the whole world – most of them even gave their lives for Christ. The Holy Spirit united the Disciples…
Source: N.H. Scott & Hanekamp Funeral Home (August 11, 1938 – June 6, 2024) George Demetrios Karcazes fell asleep in the Lord on June 6, 2024, in the presence of his wife and children, and surrounded by their love, devotion, admiration, and their great comfort in knowing that their husband and father had lived a life of consequence, courage, and commitment to his ideals. George’s life was marked with the achievements of a clear-eyed idealist, in his roles as a longtime Chicago attorney, bank builder, community and church leader, and indefatigable volunteer for a host of endeavors in which he…
Source: Public Orthodoxy Very Rev. Barouyr Shernezian Dean of Armenian Theological Seminary of the Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia Historical imagery has always fascinated me for the significant value it holds for research and inquiry. In my research attempts to explore photographs depicting historical moments, I came across the December 1959 edition of the official magazine of the Armenian Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia, “Hasg,” through which a striking photograph of two spiritual leaders—His Holiness Zareh I Catholicos Payasilian of the Armenian Catholicosate of the Holy See of Cilicia and His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras, united…
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America – Center for Family Care by Presvytera Melanie DiStefano What does the phrase “eternal memory” mean really, for us mere mortals? This question begs at me much now that I am in my sixth decade of life and have witnessed so many lovely souls pass on to the next life. My sweet grandmother passed away on Theophany 6 years ago. She is in my thoughts at times, but I must admit not at all times – thus her memory is certainly not eternally in my small mind. There are moments when my heart throbs…
Source: The National Herald By Archbishop Sotirios of Canada “Darkness covers once more cities and towns while our souls wait and our anguish abounds. Lies and bitter hatred have poisoned us all the tragically spilled blood of countless dead. Come dear Christ to us who patiently await, bring us peace and comfort.” Darkness. Everywhere darkness. Thick black clouds cover the sky. Wars everywhere. Bloodshed. People uprooted from their homes are running to find peace. They drown in the seas. Decimated, they seek out new countries in which to relocate. Incredible to witness. They commit suicide and kill innocent people. Furious…
Source: Orthodox Christian Laity The founding mother of Orthodox Christian Laity, Mary (Dallianis) Koulogeorge, fell asleep in the Lord on December 21, 2023. Her funeral prayers will be offered on January 2, 2024, at her home parish of Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, Glenview, Illinois, where she and her late husband were benefactors and members. She was predeceased by her husband Jim of blessed memory in 2015. In 1987, Mary and Jim opened their Northbrook home and hosted the organizational meeting for what would become Orthodox Christian Laity. They gathered lifetime friends and neighbors who were devout Orthodox Christians…
Source: The National Herald By Theodore Kalmoukos BOSTON – His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia, one of the most prominent and learned hierarchs of the Church of Greece and Orthodoxy in general, professor at the University of Athens, presented an interview to The National Herald. He spoke about the meaning of the Incarnation of God, violence, same-sex marriage, elderism and more. The National Herald: Your Eminence, these are Holy Days, marking the incarnate presence of God among us. What does this mean today for the modern man? Metropolitan Chrysostomos: First of all, the very fact of the Incarnation of the…
Source: The National Herald By Nikolaos Piperis When our forefathers immigrated here near the turn of the 20th century, they generally desired to maintain their Hellenism in America. Like people everywhere, Greeks hold fast to their inherited traditions, having protected them through centuries of inordinate persecutions in the Ottoman Empire. Understandably, these immigrants intended to perpetuate their culture and religion in their new country and accordingly established, in nearly every locality they stepped foot, local societies devoted to that task. These societies, which sponsored Greek schools, community centers, and churches, later transformed themselves into parishes, creating the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese…