|
"When we celebrate the Holy Icons, look into one another’s eyes, for you are also images of the Divine. Community, solidarity, and loyalty: these will never let you down."
Archbishop Elpidophoros on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, March 9, 2025
| |
|
Καλή Σαρακοστή! Blessed Lent!
In this morning's edition, find exciting announcements from the Departments of Religious Education (DRE) and Greek Education, features and interviews for Women's History Month, and more.
| |
Kids Sunday Sermon Series Launched by the Department of Religious Education (DRE) | |
|
The Department of Religious Education (DRE) recently announced the launch of their new Kids Sunday Sermon Series, an easy-to-download weekly sermon resource designed for children in grades Kindergarten-3 or older.
Based on the upcoming Sunday Gospel reading, each sermon is crafted to help children engage with the Bible, particularly the Gospels, learn about their faith, and deepen their understanding of Christian teachings. With a new sermon released every week, the Kids Sunday Sermon Series will eventually cover every Sunday of the ecclesiastical year, providing a year-round resource for faith formation.
Learn more about this new resource for parents and religious educators.
| |
Archbishop Elpidophoros Celebrates the First Salutations to the Theotokos | |
On March 7, 2025, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros celebrated the first salutations to the Theotokos at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York, New York, alongside the V. Rev. Archimandrite Chrysostomos Gilbert, Archdiocesan Cathedral Dean. Archbishop Demetrios formerly of America was also present. | |
Photos: Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos. | |
His Eminence delivered a homily in which he reflected upon the Archangel’s words to the Theotokos, "Χαῖρε, δ' ἧς ἡ χαρὰ ἐκλάμψι!," “Rejoice, you through whom joy will shine forth!” noting that the rhyming rhythm of the words transport us “into their presence," making us "one with the scene [we] are witnessing through the liturgical actions and hymnody."
Read the full text of His Eminence's homily.
| |
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and the Foundation of the Hellenic World (FHW) have formalized a significant partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding, highlighting their commitment to promoting Hellenic history, culture, and Orthodox Christian heritage. Read more.
This collaboration aims to enhance cultural and educational initiatives by utilizing FHW’s expertise in digital technology and historical interpretation alongside the Archdiocese’s longstanding mission of preserving and sharing Greek Orthodox faith and tradition in the United States. Through joint exhibitions, virtual museum initiatives, and educational programs, both organizations seek to engage Greek-American communities and the broader public in meaningful ways that honor and celebrate their shared heritage.
| Women's History Month: HCHC's Christina Dager | As part of Women’s History Month in March, the Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical, and Interfaith Relations, in collaboration with the Communications Department, seeks to celebrate the rich legacy of women who have shaped the Orthodox Christian tradition, as well as their contributions to the academic, cultural, and social fabric of the Orthodox community. | Photo: Courtesy of Christina Dager. | |
We hope to highlight the journeys, challenges, and accomplishments of these women. At the recommendation of His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, this year we will focus on the women within the Hellenic College Holy Cross (HCHC) community.
This week, read about Christina Dager, a student at Hellenic College Holy Cross.
| A Mother’s Perspective: Inside the Studio of Greek American Artist Nicholas Kontaxis | The Orthodox Observer’s Dr. Claire Koen recently spoke with Krisann Kontaxis, mother of the celebrated artist and Forbes 30 under 30 honoree, Nicholas Kontaxis, whose exhibit, “Catch Me,” will be on display at the Basil and Elise Goulandris Museum in Athens from March 13 - May 13, 2025. Read the interview here. | Photo: Nicholas Kontaxis Studios. | Nicholas has suffered from a seizure disorder from the age of 14 months. Now 29, he continues to beat the odds in his work as a full-time artist. His work has been displayed in a number of solo shows from New York to London, and most recently in Greece, and his work can also be found among the private collections of Beth Rudin DeWoody, Denise Gardner, Eric Schmidt, Jeremy Zimmer, and Roger Federer, among others. Nicholas and his family draw strength and comfort from their church community and faith lives, and the Orthodox Observer is happy to share the profound witness of their faith with our audience. | In the third episode of The Black American Orthodox Experience (season 3), a collaboration of the Department of Inter-Orthodox, Ecumenical, and Interfaith Relations and the Orthodox Christian Network, Rev. Chris Metropulos sits down with Rev. Fr. Samuel Davis to discuss his personal journey to Orthodoxy and the exciting developments in the third season of his program. Fr. Samuel’s story is one of profound spiritual exploration and commitment, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of Balck American culture and Orthodox Christianity. | Sunday of Orthodoxy at the Archdiocesan Cathedral | |
The Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York City celebrated the Sunday of Orthodoxy on March 9, 2025, with His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, His Grace Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos, His Grace Bishop Nektarios of Diokleia, Dean of the Cathedral V. Rev. Archimandrite Chrysostomos Gilbert, and faithful of the community, including many children who all processed with icons around the church holding their icons proudly in honor of the day. | |
Photos: Orthodox Observer/Dimitrios Panagos. | |
Closing his homily for the occasion, His Eminence urged the parishioners, "On this Sunday of Orthodoxy, when we celebrate the Holy Icons, look into one another’s eyes, for you are also images of the Divine: community, solidarity, and loyalty; these will never let you down. They will uphold you and make you worthy of the offerings of our spiritual ancestors, whose memory and victory we commemorate today." Read the full homily. | |
Department of Greek Education Releases Resource Guides for Teaching Byzantine History | |
|
Yesterday, the Department of Greek Education announced the release of "Byzantium: The Missing Link to Understanding the History of Western Civilization," an innovative set of resource guides for teaching Byzantine history. Find out more.
The over one thousand years of Byzantine history remain little studied and often ignored in schools and universities outside of Greece; this is why a team of educators and scholars worked to produce a unique educational resource to make this fundamental part of civilization and Hellenism more accessible to the English-speaking world. These resources include a plethora of authentic Byzantine texts in English translation and make rare images drawn from precious manuscripts available to educators and students for the first time.
| |
If you were sent this email, we kindly ask you to subscribe for future updates. | |
Our Company | Contact Us | FAQs | Privacy Policy |
| | | |
