by Fr. Ted Stylianopoulos Question: I am powerfully drawn to the Orthodox Church, but I'm gay. Can I be chrismated anyway? How will the other members of the church treat me? Answer: The church as a loving community, following the example of Christ, welcomes to its life of faith all sincere seekers with their gifts, [...]
The Icon of the Sign: A Womb with a Window by Frederica Mathewes-GreenI am looking at a painting of a woman with her arms upraised in prayer. But her eyes are not closed, or even lifted up; they gaze out at the viewer with steady solemnity.The most startling thing about this image [...]
God has not Abandoned the World: A Joint Statement The text of the joint declaration signed on June 10, 2002 by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope John Paul II on the shared Christian responsibility to safeguard the environment.We are gathered here today in the spirit of peace for the good of all [...]
by Metropolitan John (Zizioulas) of Pergamon I The development of ecological awareness and sensitivity in the last years has led to the use of various models of speaking about the relation of the human being to nature. The prevailing one among these models is that of steward: the human being is the steward of creation. [...]
One of the most important individuals to appear among the Greek people during the period they were subject to the Ottoman Turks was a diminutive monk named Kosmas. Because he was a native of the province of Aitolia in western Greece, he is best known as Kosmas the Aitolian, although among the people of his [...]
Adapted from Thomas Merton’s book The Wisdom of the Desert In the 4th century AD the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, Arabia and Persia were settled by people who left behind them a strange reputation. They were the first Christian hermits, who abandoned the cities of the ancient Roman world to live in the solitude and [...]
Taken from an ancient Christian document called The Didache or The Teaching of the Apostles, written anonymously circa 125-150 AD. There are two Ways: the Way of Life and the Way of Death and the difference between these two Ways is great. The Way of Life is this: first, you shall love the Lord God, [...]
from the Apology of St. Aristedes of Athens to the Roman emperor, Antoninus Pius, circa 150 AD from our Ambassador publication for February 2000 Christians know and believe in God as the Creator of heaven and earth in whom and from whom all things exist. They have learned God’s commandments and they live by them [...]
25th Anniversary Celebration of the Liturgy with Metropolitan Anthony of San Francisco and St. Paul's former assistant clergy: Fathers Jim Pappas, Martin Ritsi, Dean Kouldukis, John Konugres and Timothy Robinson. Sunday, June 8, 2003
25th Anniversary Grand Banquet Saturday, June 7, 2003 The Irvine Marriott