Sunday of All Saints

Христос међу нама! Christ is in our midst! Cristo esta entra nosotros!

Homily on the Sunday of All Saints

St Luke of Simferapol

Numberless and vast as the sands of the great Sahara and Gobi deserts, they are our contemporaries and those who lived before us. Who are they? What were lives like? What do we see in their souls? If we could see what is too vast to see, then we would see that the great majority of mankind consists of those who in Holy Scripture are called “peoples of the earth”. Why are they called by that name? Because the most important goals in their lives, and their main strivings, are directed toward the acquisition of earthly good things, those good things that they can receive from material nature. They are either not spiritual at all, or their spiritual life is not deep! They either do not believe at all in the spiritual world, or they give it little attention. Such are the peoples of the earth, such are the people who are emotional, but not spiritual. These are the main masses of all mankind. But with fear and pain of soul we see on humanity’s left flank people who are incomparably worse and even terrible. We see human beasts, human predators, human monsters and even human devils. But on the right flank of the peoples of the earth we see the light and glory of the human race, those blessed and divinely graced people, whom the great St. John the Theologian calls children of God and friends of Christ. With reverent awe we see the great hosts of the saints, shining in the darkness of the world like God’s bright stars against a dark sky. We see the hosts of prophets and apostles, great holy hierarchs and pastors who preached and lived the Gospel of Christ. We see the great hosts of holy martyrs, monastic saints and anchorites, and even people who are like angels of God. What made them saints and completely unlike the peoples of the earth? We can learn this from the very profound words of the apostle Paul—words that no one before him could say. The awesomeness and boundless glory of the Cross of Christ so shook his soul that he forgot about the whole world and said, The cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world…” and, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me (Gal. 6:14; 2:20). These sacred words could be spoken by all the great saints. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and love for Him burned like a bright flame in the hearts of the holy martyrs and gave them the strength to endure horrifying tortures and terrible deaths. The world lost its attraction for the great monastic saints and anchorites; the world was crucified to them. They could no longer bear to remain amongst people who are capable of such an immeasurable crime as crucifying the Savior of the world, the Son of God, on the Cross; and so they departed into uninhabited deserts and impassible forests in order to live there in inseparable prayerful communion with God. Their prayer was deep as the sea, and poured out ceaselessly day and night. Our great St. Seraphim of Sarov prayed a thousand days and nights in the forest on a flat stone. St. Arsenius the Great stood from evening till morning with arms upstretched to heaven in the desert, praying for the whole world. And the power of prayer of St. Mary of Egypt exceeded even his. We could go on much longer about the other great ascetics of whom the world is not worthy. On this first Sunday after Pentecost, the Holy Church celebrates the memory of all the saints. Why was this feast established? There are many names in the calendar of saints—around 2000[1] names; but it can’t be that there are so few saints. Of course there are more, infinitely more. In the seventh chapter of the Revelations of St. John the Theologian we read, After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands… These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:9, 14). A vast and countless multitude of saints was shown to St. John the Theologian in this vision, and not just the 2000 saints whose names we read in the calendar. With God are an enormous multitude of saints, for the sake of whose salvation the Pre-eternal Son of God, the Savior of the world, came down to earth and was incarnate of the Most Holy Virgin Mary. Only an insignificant number of saints have been canonized by the Church. But the whole enormous multitude of other saints are known only to God, about Whom we say that He is the only One Who sees our hearts, “the only knower of hearts”. In His all-seeing eyes, ordinary and poor people, who are utterly insignificant to the world and even disdained and persecuted by the world are great and precious, and the world really isn’t worthy of them. The Church dedicates this first Sunday after Pentecost to the memory of all the saints—those who are known to the Church, and those who are known only to God. Great and holy is this day, and it behooves us to honor it at least through our hymns of prayer, and to pray to all the saints for their intercession before God for us, so that we sinners might also stand, if only in the very last ranks, with those whom the Lord has vouchsafed to call His children; those who have been born again, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man (Jn. 1:13), but of God Himself and the measureless power of Christ’s Gospel. May it be so for all of us! Amen.

Commemorating all of the Saints of the Holy Orthodox Church of Christ

known by us and those known only to God.

RESURRECTION TROPARION—TONE 8

You descended from on high, O Merciful One! You accepted the three day burial to free us from our sufferings! O Lord, our Life and Resurrection, glory to You!

Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit (Tone 4)

ALL SAINTS TROPARION — TONE 4

As with fine porphyry and royal purple, Your Church has been adorned with Your martyrs’ blood shed throughout all the world. She cries to You, O Christ God: “Send down Your bounties on Your people, grant peace to Your habitation and great mercy to our souls!”

Now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen. (Tone 8)

ALL SAINTS KONTAKION —TONE 8

The universe offers You the God-bearing Martyrs as the first fruits of creation, O Lord and Creator. By their prayers keep Your Church, Your habitation, in abiding peace through the Theotokos, O most Merciful One!

READERS:

This Week: Matins: Lenny Tepsich Epistle: Milan Radanovic

Next Week: Matins: Nicholas Ressetar Epistle: Teddy Sukhernik

EPISTLE: Hebrews 11:33-12:2

DEACON:      Let us pay attention. 

PRIEST:        Peace be unto all!

READER:      And with your spirit!

DEACON:      Wisdom.

READER:      The Prokeimenon in the Eighth Tone: Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God!

CHOIR:          Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God!

READER:      v: In Judah God is known; His name is great in Israel.

CHOIR: Pray and make your vows before the Lord our God!

READER: Pray and make your vows ...

CHOIR: … before the Lord our God!

DEACON: Wisdom!

READER: The Reading is from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Hebrews.

DEACON: Let us attend!

READER: Brothers and Sisters, who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.  Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

PRIEST: Peace be unto you, reader!

READER: And with your spirit! Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

READER: The righteous cried and the Lord heard them and delivered them out of all their troubles.

CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

READER: Many are the afflictions of the righteous; the Lord will deliver them out of them all.

CHOIR: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

АПОСТОЛ: Јеврејима 11:33-12:2

Ђакон:          Пазимо

Свештеник: Мир свима!

Читач:           I Духу Твоме!

Ђакон:          Премудрост

Читач : ПРОКИМЕН- глас 8 Молите се и извршујте своје завјете Господу Богу нашему.

Хор: Молите се и извршујте своје завјете Господу Богу нашему.

Читач: Зна се у Јудеји за Бога, у Израиљу је велико име Његово.

Хор: Молите се и извршујте своје завјете Господу Богу нашему.

Читач: Молите се и извршујте своје завјете

Хор: Господу Богу нашему.

Ђакон: Премудрост

Читач: Читање посланице Св. Апостола Павла Јеврејима

Ђакон: Пазимо

Читач: Браћо, они који вјером побиједише царства, чинише правду, добише обећања, затворише уста лавовима, угасише силу огњену, утекоше од оштрица мача, од немоћних постадоше јаки, бијаху силни у рату, поразише војске туђинске; Неке жене примише своје мртве васкрсењем; други пак бијаху мукама уморени не приставши на избављење, да би добили боље васкрсење; А други искусише поруге и шибања, па још окове и тамнице; Камењем побијени, престругани, измучени, од мача помријеше; потуцаше се у кожусима и козјим кожама у оскудици, у невољама, у патњама; Они којих свијет не бијаше достојан, потуцаху се по пустињама и горама и по пештерама и по јамама земаљским. И сви ови, освједочени у вјери, не добише обећање; Зато што је Бог нешто боље предвидјео за нас, да не би они без нас достигли савршенство. Зато и ми, имајући око себе толики облак свједока, одбацимо свако бреме и гријех који нас лако заводи, и са стрпљењем хитајмо у подвиг који нам предстоји, гледајући на Исуса, Начелника и Савршитеља вјере, који умјесто предстојеће му радости претрпи крст, не марећи за срамоту, и сједе с десне стране Пријестола Божијега.

Свештеник: Мир свима Читачу!

Читач: I Духом Твоме! Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Читач: Завапише праведници и Господ их чу.

Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

Читач: Многе невоље имају праведници, али их од свих избавља Господ.

Хор: Алилуиа, Алилуиа, Алилуиа

~Prayers for the Faithful~

In Our Prayers

Metropolitan Paul, Archbishop Youhanna, Protinica Ljubica Jockovic, Protopresbyter Rodney Torbic, V. Rev. Protostavrofor Ilija Balach, V. Rev. Protostavrofor Joseph Fester, Father Gabriel Rochelle, Protinica Ana Stepanov, Popadija Sara Golic, Matushka Barbara Ealy, the child Katie Elizabeth and her parents Mileva and Michael Repasky, the child Louise Bare and her parents Zachary & Elizabeth, Catherine Lewis and the newborn Caleb Ereno, Jessica Crowe and the newborn Maverick Archer, Emma Howell and the child to be born of her, Bethany Peterson and the child to be born of her, Mileva Repasky and the child to be born of her, Jensen Swartz and the child to be born of her, Kyranna Baker and the child to be born of her, Michelle Adams, Addy Andy, Kevin Appleby, Lori Bare, Elijah Barnett, Christina Berchock, Dori & Doug Bert, Jonathan Bertsch, Carole Blitva, Stephan and Barbara Blitva, Jason Brill, Voni Brown, Guiliana & Aleksandar Carricato, Maria Chigrintseva, Susan & Jim Cibort, Leann Cox, Victoria Cox, Tommy & Kara (Blitva) Dorsey, Edward Dry, JoAnn Filepas, Anaya Garvin, Eric Garvin, Christian & Melanie Geib, Michael Geppert III, Dr Andrea Govelovich, Nick & Terry Govelovich, Kata Gruich, George Gutshall, Dan Hazlett, Travis Heilman, Adam Herigan, Edith Herigan, Kay Himes, Nicole Stefan Imschweiler, Susan Jacobs, Slobodan Jovicic, Tony Kepp, Myong Sook Kim, Caryn Kiraly, Nadine Klipa, Dorothy Krnjaich, Dragica Kuzmanovic, Henry Laichak, Peter Lalic, Dragan Lalovic, Stella Wren Lappas, Sue Leis, Jovan Lemajic, Dick Livingston, Maggie Livingston, Stephen Lundingrin, Penny MacDonald, Dianne & Jim Martin, Jean & Paul Martin, Rowan Martin, Jack McFall, George Milakovic, Slavka Miljevic, Marija Miljkovic, Daria Milletics, Rosanda Mitrovic, Diane & Slobodan Momic, George Myers, Patty Navarro, Bosiljka Ninkovic, Lila Packer, Daniel Paddock, Vid & Marica Pejcic, Hope Pesner, Kobe Petrovich, Duke & Sue Petrovich, Tracy Petrovich, Milena Pilipovic, Christopher Radanovic, Marilynn “Chi Chi” Rapasky, Logan Roszkowski, Chloe Ruff, Michael Schaffner, Maryann Seiders, Greg Selman, Steven Semic, Benjamin Shaffer, Tessa Shaffer, John Sheaffer, Milan Shumkaroff, Branko Smitran, Zorka Starcevich, Karen Stefan, Tim Stefan, Michael Stepanovich, Stevan & Mary Stojic, Patricia & Joseph Sypniewski, Linda Szeerba, Leonard Tepsich, Leroy Tepsich Jr, Savka Trivun, Edie & Michael “Bo” Venesevich, Michael Vishnesky, Magdalen Vloutely, Rita Vorkapich, Kristina Vukalo, Traci Weaver, Paula Werner, Draga Worman, Tosh Yanich, Dewey Yetter, Mila “Millie” Yezdimir, Marija Zabrodnaya, Jason Zeigler, Ashley Ziobrowski, Miriam “Mim” Codan Ziolkowski

Those Who Need Special Care 

ECUMENICAL (COUNTRY MEADOWS) Jane Rush, HOMELAND: Draga Donato; MASONIC HOME: Ray Foltz; RS: Cedo Lukic

Those to be Baptized

Caleb Ereno Lewis, Barrett Scott, Nora & Maeve Van Huysen, Sloane & Šeren York

Our College Students

Sophia Adams, Cameron Barber, Kyle Barber, Michael Geppert, Anastasija Gligorevic, Natalija Gligorevic, Matthew Hoover, Faith Kingsbury, Sophia Mummert, Christina Radanovic, Luis Antonio Radanovic, Madison Vorkapich, Anastasija Vukalo

Our Seminary Students

Elizabeth Bare

Our Dearly Departed Loved Ones

Vasil Mihailoff, Fyodor Kochnev, Donald Semic, Alexandra “Soni” Dimond Martorano, Julian Naumenko, Eleni Ziogas, Miloš Balać, Milan Pejčić, Stephen Vulich, Djordje Gajovic





~Parastos Offered~

   Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

†JOVANKA FOLTZ Offered today after Liturgy by her family, in loving memory of her 1 year repose (June 16).

~Our Deepest Sympathy~

We offer our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of Djordje Gajovic, who recently reposed in the Lord. He will be buried in his ancestral home in Republika Srpksa. May his soul dwell with the righteous and be numbered among the just! Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

~Vigils Offered~

ALEKSANDAR CARRICATO & GUILIANA CARRICATO-APPLEBY Offered in joyous celebration of the birthdays of our precious Aleks (June 20) and his mommy Guiliana (June 10). May God grant them both good health and happiness for many many years. Mnogaja Ljeta! Offered by your loving Babi and the whole family.



BAYLOR THOMPSON HOOK  Offered as we lift up our hearts in joyful celebration and glorious thanksgiving on Baylor’s 5th birthday (June 13). We are awed by his special blessing in our lives. Offered with love by parents Kaitlyn & Tim Hook, brother Bowen, grandparents Bill & Bobbi Wenner, Uncle & Godfather Brandon Mumma, Cousin & Godmother Lauren Wenner and the whole family. May the Lord grant Baylor Many Blessings for Many Years! Mnogaja Ljeta!

MIKE & JANET KRNJAIC Offered with much love and God’s Blessings on your Wedding Anniversary (June 15). May God Bless you with many more! Mnogaja Ljeta! Happy Anniversary, from Kat & family.

PAUL KESSLER & NICK GOVELOVICH Offered for my Godfathers on this Father’s Day, by Dave Milletics. Mnogaja Ljeta! Many Years!

BRIAN ‘PUTZ’ LEWIS AND BRIAN LEWIS JR, Offered for my husband and our son in celebration of Fathers’ Day. May God grant you many years! Offered by Nikki Lewis.

D RICHARD WENNER Offered in joyous celebration of Father’s Day and his 98th birthday (June 14) with prayers for his continued health & well-being. Given with love by Bill, Bobbi, Kait, Tim, Baylor and Bowen. Many Years! Mnogaja Ljeta!

WILLIAM WENNER Offered in joyous celebration of Father’s Day with prayers for Poppi’s good health & well-being. Given with love by Bobbi, Brandon, Kaitlyn, Tim, Baylor & Bowen William. Many Years! Mnogaja Ljeta!

TOSH YANICH Offered in joyous celebration of Father’s Day with prayers for his good health & well-being. Given with love by Tosha, Emily, Braydon and Victoria. Many Years! Mnogaja Ljeta!

TIMOTHY HOOK Offered in joyous celebration of Father’s Day with prayers for his good health and well-being. Given with love by Kaitlyn, Baylor and Bowen. Many Years! Mnogaja Ljeta!

CURRAN WOLF Offered in celebration of special Dad Curran on this Father’s Day with prayers for his health and well-being. Given with love by Jazmin, Sonora, Ashtyn & Endora. Many Years! Mnogaja Ljeta!

BRYAN MUMMA Offered in joyous celebration of Father’s Day with prayers for his good health and well-being. Given with love by Brandon. Many Years! Mnogaja Ljeta!

MICHAEL PECK Offered in joyous celebration of Father’s Day with prayers for his good health and well-being. Given with love by Jazmin, Curran, Sonora, Ashtyn and Endora. Many Years! Mnogaja Ljeta!

SEREN YORK Offered in joyful celebration of my precious Great-Granddaughter’s 2nd birthday (June 20). May the Lord grant you Many Blessings for Many Years! Mnogaja Ljeta! Given with love by Stara Baba Kata and the whole family.

TOOTSIE KRNJAICH Offering vigils and prayers for our Kuma Tootsie. May God’s blessings be with her during her rehab period. From her Godchildren, Kat and families.

MICHAEL GEPPERT Offered prayerfully by Mom & Dad for improvement in health and God’s blessings and loving care during his recovery.

†JOVANKA FOLTZ Offered in loving memory of her one year repose (June 16). Always in our hearts and prayers, from her family. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

†MILDRED (MITZIE) BOROTA Offered in loving memory of her repose (4 years—June 17). May God grant her eternal peace in His heavenly kingdom. Given by Caroline Donato. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

†SIMO KRNJAICH Offered on this Father’s Day in memory of my beloved father, who is always in my prayers and heart. Sadly missed by daughter Tootsie. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal! 

†DANIEL RADANOVIC & †FRANK MILLETICS Offered in loving memory of our Fathers/Grandfathers on Father’s Day by Dave, Daria, Jason & Sarah. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal! 

†CHARLES BOJANIC Offered in loving memory of my Godfather on this Father’s Day by Daria Milletics.   Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal! 

†ZARKO JIM MATICH Offered in loving memory of my father with prayers for his peaceful repose where there is no pain, nor sighing, nor sorrow, but life everlasting. With love from Joyce. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal! 

†MILUTIN EMIL YEZDIMIR Offered in loving memory of my dear Kum Emil with prayers for his righteous repose in our Lord’s merciful embrace, by Joyce Matich. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal! 

†RADE YANICH, †MILE MRAOVIC, †SOFRANIJA MATICH, †PETAR VORKAPICH Offered in loving memory with prayers that our grandfathers rest in Christ’s embrace where there is no sickness, nor sighing, nor sorrow, but life everlasting. Offered by all the grandchildren. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

†GRIGORIJ RADCZENKO Offered in loving memory of our dear father on Father’s Day. Poppa, we love you very much and miss you every day. Offered by the Radczenko family. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal! 

†STEVO STEVE YANICH Offered in loving memory of Pop with prayers he rests in a place of brightness, refreshment, peace, where there is no pain, nor sorrow, nor sighing, but life everlasting. Offered with love by Beba, Stephi, Bobbi, Bill, Gregory, Wendy, Brandon, Jazi, Curran, Kait, Tim, Sonora, Ashtyn, Baylor, Endora & Bowen. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

†THE HONORABLE BRANKO BOB YANICH Offered in loving memory of our father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother. We are grateful for many precious memories and pray for his peaceful repose and eternal memory. With love from Stephi, Bobbi, Bill, Greg, Wendy, Brandon, Jazi, Curran, Kait, Tim, Sonora, Ashtyn, Baylor, Endora, Bowen & Beba. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

†DRAGAN BEN YANICH Offered in loving memory of our father, grandfather, great-grandfather with prayers for his peaceful rest in the Lord’s merciful embrace by Danilo, Rose, Tosh, Tosha, Emily, Braydon & Victoria. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

†PETAR PETE YANICH Offered in loving memory of Uncle Pete who was like a father to all of his nieces and nephews. We pray for his peaceful repose in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

†PHILIP GRUICH Offered in loving remembrance of our Dad and Jedo on Fathers’ Day. Missed dearly. Memory Eternal! Vjecnaja Pamjat! With love from his family.

†PETER BARBER SR Offered in loving remembrance of our father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Sadly missed by his family. Always in our hearts & prayers. Given by his family. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal! 

†WALTER MCLAUGHLIN Offered in loving remembrance of our father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Sadly missed by his family. Always in our hearts & prayers. Given by the Barber, McLaughlin, Black and Geib families. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

†LUKA VUJASINOVICH Offered in loving memory of my beloved Tata Luka, may God grant him eternal peace in his Heavenly Kingdom. We thank him for all that he has done for us. Forever in our hearts, Ćerka Zorica and the whole family. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

†MILOS STARCEVICH Offered in loving memory. Sadly missed by his wife Zorka, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

†ZARKO “JAMES” MATICH Offered in loving remembrance of our Kum James. Sadly missed by Godchildren Yovanka and Donna. Vjecnaja Pamjat! Memory Eternal!

Please continue to pray for all of those currently being persecuted for Christ's sake in Kosovo, Metohija, Montenegro, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gaza, West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Egypt, the Sudan, China, North Korea, for all of our brothers and sisters in Christ suffering throughout the world, especially in Ukraine and Russia, that they might be comforted with the Joy of our Lord, and for those who are unjustly persecuted that they may be strengthened by the love of Christ which knows no race. 

We also pray for the Orthodox clergy in Alaska, that the Lord might grant them more than enough to feed their families.

LET US PRAY TO THE LORD!

Stewardship Offering Information

Date 6/8/2025

Collection: $3,710.00

Date 6/1/2025

Collection: $2,025.00

Date 5/25/2025

Collection: $1,626.00

June Birthdays

Nikolas Lukic (June 1), Kolton Myers (June 2), Danica Mitrovic (June 2), Theodore Havalchak (June 3), Nora Van Huysen (June 5), Danilo Yanich (June 6), Marie Hernjak (June 6), Luke Jacobs (June 8), Jim Martin (June 9), Guiliana Carricato (June 10), Kyranna Radanovic (June 11), Jimmy Hernjak (June 11), Russell Heilman (June 13), Baylor Hook (June 13), Braydon Fithian (June 16), Xenia Grabbe (June 20), Aleksandar Bracale (June 20), Seren York (June 20), Brian Lewis Jr (June 22), Christopher Baker Jr (June 25), Cayden Healy (June 26), Michael Krnjaic (June 26), Matthew Hoover (June 28), Wayln John (June 28)

June Anniversaries

Christopher & Martha Rakowski (June 1), Dr. James & Liliya Moses (June 1), Brian & Nikki Lewis (June 4), Mike & Terra Heilman (June 4), Fr Christopher & Protinica Andreja (June 13), Mike & Janet Krnjaic (June 14), Nick & Carole Blitva (June 16), Meghan & Brad Livingston (June 25), Mike & Samantha Stefan

by Elizabeth Bare

Published in the

St. Sophia Theological Quarterly

VOL. II ACADEMIC YEAR 2024-25 NO. 2

In Christian circles, the discussion of modesty and modest attire, especially directed at women, is common. There are many interpretations of modesty to be found in the Christian world, and there are certainly variations even among Orthodox Christians. My first encounter with the Patristic discourse on this subject was my examination of Treatise 2: On the Dress of Virgins by St. Cyprian of Carthage. I decided to augment my study with additional Ante-Nicene sources to get a broader picture of the topic: On the Apparel of Women and To His Wife by Tertullian, Epistle I by St. Cyprian of Carthage, and Two Epistles on Virginity by Clement. Through these additional sources, I hoped to understand prescriptions of male modesty and virginity among these early Christian sources to see if there was parity between modesty expectations for both sexes. Ultimately, I wanted to understand the context of modesty in the Early Church in contrast to modern-day conceptions of the topic among conservative Christian groups that claim a “traditional” or “biblical” basis for their practices.

One thing that became apparent to me while studying these texts was that the Early Church was grappling with the new status of women that the Gospel provided. In Christ, women were elevated considerably from their status in pre-Christian society and considered spiritually equal to their male counterparts. It seems to me that the Church Fathers were trying to strike a balance between social expectations for women at the time with the new authority and equality afforded women in Christ. This new understanding of women was certainly a work in progress.

An example of this can be found in On the Apparel of Women by Tertullian. On the one hand, he seems to evoke a more traditional, patriarchal view of women as more weak and susceptible to the forces of evil— and even responsible for it— therefore requiring a strict code of modesty. On the other hand, Tertullian recognizes that ultimately there will be no differentiation between the sexes in the Kingdom of God. In Book I, Chapter I of this treatise, Tertullian introduces his topic by referring to women as “the devil’s gateway” and that “the sentence of God is on this sex of yours and lives in this age” because women “are the unsealer of that (forbidden) tree.” He continues his rather scathing accusations by saying “you are she who persuaded him whom that devil was not valiant enough to attack.” In his view, all women are culpable for the sins of Eve and are more vulnerable to Satan while men are not, a view I do not think most Orthodox Christians would argue today.

However, Tertullian cannot deny the spiritual equality promised to women in Christ. In Chapter 2, he says: “For you too, (women as you are,) have the self-same angelic nature promised as your reward, the self-same sex as men: the self-same advancement to the dignity of judging, does (the Lord) promise you.” In Book II, Chapter 1, he again calls women “my fellow servants and sisters” and says that his “right of fellow-servantship and brotherhood” with the women is what “emboldens” him to convey his message to them. Here there seems to be a juxtaposition between preexisting prejudices against women and the recognition that their ultimate destiny and worth is equal to that of men.

Other hints at the newfound equality of the sexes appear in Tertullian’s message “To His Wife” where he refers to her as “my best beloved fellow-servant in the Lord” and in Book II, Chapter 13 of On the Apparel of Women” he refers to “delicacies as tend by their softness and effeminacy to unman the manliness of the faith...” Such a statement suggests that the faith blurs lines between gender norms and that excessive ornamentation on women degrades their “manliness” and strength given to them by faith in Christ. Later in the chapter, however, he returns to the same typical tropes of female gender roles as he admonishes women to stay home, submit to their husbands, and keep busy with spinning!

I feel that this context is important because it is easy to misinterpret the words of the Fathers, and even the Epistles and conclude that women must forever exist in some sort of subservient state. It is my belief based on these readings that the role of women in the Church was actively developing and that the Fathers did not quite know how to respond to these changes because they had no other point of reference but their present culture. It is clear to me that the Fathers were trying to balance current cultural beliefs about women and their place in society with the new reality of life in Christ.

It is this consideration of social norms that also drives the conversation about both female and male modesty among the Patristic texts I studied. There is a great earnestness among early Christians to present themselves in society as people of impeccable integrity and virtue no matter what their station in life. In the texts, there are repeated references to how pagan men and women use their attire and appearance for social climbing and manipulation. In his Epistle 1 to Donatus, St. Cyprian of Carthage reminds his friend that the “brilliant” and “glittering” attire worn by rich and powerful men has been earned by “the virus of ensnaring mischief” wherein he has “no claim to be regarded for his character” but was earned by behaving as “sycophant” to other people deemed great and powerful. All the attention paid to these glamorous public figures was not sincere, nor honest, but came from those seeking to take advantage of their proximity to the immodest individual for personal gain. In this manner St. Cyprian acknowledges the age-old pitfalls of celebrity; the rich and famous are often lonely and unhappy, unable to trust those around them.1

Women in the Patristic Era also faced similar social pressures to gain status and attention by their appearance. Unmarried women were tempted to “enhance” their beauty with all sorts of makeup, jewelry, and flashy clothing to attract the attention of men, preferably men of means since women had virtually no ability to obtain wealth or property independently in the Greco-Roman world. Married women also faced pressures to follow current fashion trends and thereby solidify, if not augment their husbands’ statuses. They too became, in a sense, a sort of sycophant to the men in their lives, not unlike the male social climbers grabbing on the coattails of the rich and powerful.

In contrast, Tertullian argues that it is the responsibility of both spouses in a Christian marriage to reject the worldly standards of beauty. He argues that Christian women should not concern themselves with fashion and cosmetic treatments to please their husbands because “a believing (husband) does not require, because we are not captivated by the same graces which the Gentiles think (to be) graces...”2 Here we see that a married Christian man is expected to be completely transformed in his understanding of beauty and modesty, and therefore not require his wife to “please” him with sumptuous and sensual attire. How different this is from the outlook of many Christians engaged in the so-called patriarchal “tradwife” culture popularized on social media where women are often expected to be impeccably dressed eye candy, ever available to satisfy the lust of their husbands.

The Church offered an even more revolutionary answer to the limitations and expectations women faced in the ancient world: consecrated virginity or widowhood. Since consecrated virgins and widows dedicated their lives to the service of the Church, a higher level of modesty was demanded of them. In Treatise 2: On the Dress of Virgins, St. Cyprian sees this demand for modesty for consecrated women not as a burden but freeing for those who undertake the office. The women who chose to dedicate their lives to God no longer had the burden of pleasing their spouse or having to attract a mate, as this was often a burdensome and economically transactional ordeal. Plain dress and modesty enabled the virgins to overcome the social expectations of married or courting women and thus freed them since they “have vowed themselves to God as well in the flesh as in the spirit...and may not study any longer to be adorned or to please anybody but their Lord...” Tertullian also speaks to the freedom found by consecrated widowhood in this way:

“Fleshly concupiscence claims the functions of adult age, craves after beauty’s harvest, rejoices in its own shame, pleases the necessity of a husband to the female sex, as a source of authority and of comfort, or to render it safe from evil rumours. To meet these its counsels, do you apply the examples of sisters...who, when their husbands have preceded them (to glory), give to no opportunity of beauty or age the precedence over holiness. They prefer to be wedded to God. To God their beauty, to God their youth (is dedicated).”3

For those women who had given their lives to Christ’s service, the worldly ways of operating and signifying their status were of absolutely no value. They no longer need the “authority” and “comfort” of male relatives to define their role as their identity has been secured in the person of Jesus Christ. Female virgins were reminded by St. Cyprian that their freedom from marriage did not give them license to go gabbing about at social events and mixed-gender bathhouses or dressing in a way that would signal sexual availability or marriageability. Such things distorted their mission to the Church and provided opportunities for scandal among believers and unbelievers alike. In other words, freedom from some cultural restraints did not give the virgins a license to behave carelessly.4

This same was true for men who pursued the consecrated life. In his Two Epistles on Virginity, St. Clement painstakingly details the efforts male virgins must take to preserve their purity and modesty. One thing I found especially interesting was his very detailed instructions concerning accommodations for consecrated men traveling in service to the Church. For example, there were very strict rules about what to do when visiting areas where the only Christians in the community were female, versus a Christian community of married persons, versus a community of mixed genders. Staying in a community with only one believer who is female was forbidden and the celibate men were not to stop, pray, or teach there. “Not that we disdain the believing woman—far be it from us to be so minded toward our brethren in Christ!” Clement writes, “But because she is alone, we are afraid lest anyone should make insinuations against us in words of falsehood.” He continues that he does not want to create a “stumbling block” for Jews, Gentiles, or fellow Christians.5 The message, then, is not that the woman is inferior or unworthy, but that their ministry should not be jeopardized by false accusations or misinterpretations in a society where men staying with a single woman would have very bad insinuations. I think Christians today would also find this a best practice.

In addition to the rules for purity among male celibates, men both married and single were reminded to exhibit humility and modesty in their physical appearances for the sake of Christ. Among behaviors for consecrated males to avoid, according to Clement, are “haughtiness, arrogance, ostentation, boasting of family, of beauty, of position, of wealth, of an arm of flesh...”6 Here we are given an all-encompassing view of modesty where both physical appearance and attitudes are evaluated. I found it interesting that Clement mentions “an arm of flesh” which I interpreted to be muscles. Just as women were not to be flaunting their bodies, men were also not to be flexing their muscles and showing off their physique. In his treatise On the Apparel of Women, Tertullian spends Chapter 8 addressing the modesty of Christian men. He writes:

“If it is true, (as it is), that in men, for this sake of women (just as in our women for the sake of men), there is...the will to please; and if this sex of ours acknowledges to itself deceptive trickeries of form peculiarly its own—(such as) to cut the beard too sharply; to pluck it out here and there; to shave round about (the mouth); to arrange the hair, and disguise its hoariness by dyes; to remove all the incipient down all over the body; to fix (each particular hair) in its place with (some) womanly pigment, to smooth all the rest of the body by the aid of some rough powder...to take every opportunity for consulting the mirror; to gaze anxiously into it...all these things are rejected...as hostile to modesty.”

Such guidelines suggest that excessive attention to or modification of appearance was to be rejected by both women and men. Men had a responsibility to be modest individuals and not present themselves in a way that garnered the attention of the opposite sex or relied on treatments and cosmetics to conceal their actual physical appearance or age. Another illustration of male modesty can be found in St. Cyprian’s epistle to Donatus, where we discover an example of Christian men conversing about true beauty and wealth. Cyprian utilizes architectural imagery to convey his message:

“Ceilings enriched with gold and houses adorned with mosaics of costly marble will seem mean to you, now when you know that it is you yourself who are rather to be perfected, you who are rather to be adorned, and that the dwelling in which God has dwelt as in a temple...is of more importance than all others.”

Cyprian continues by describing the attributes of a person properly oriented toward God by analogizing it with a lavish home. The house is decorated with “the colors of innocence” and illumined with “the light of justice: which will never “wear of age” or “be defiled by the tarnishing of its walls, nor its gold. Whatever is artificially beautified is perishing...” A person transformed by the Holy Spirit has “a beauty perpetually vivid” that lasts for all eternity. While not directly addressing physical appearance, St. Cyprian’s words reinforce the same spirit that seems to pervade conversations about modesty among the patristic sources that I studied: the artificial creations of humans to display their wealth and status or attract attention are foolish and fleeting. Christians of both sexes must prioritize the Kingdom of God above anything else. It is our refusal to comply with the artificial and ephemeral constructs by which the world incessantly defines itself that testifies to a truer and nobler humanity made in the image and likeness of God.

The juxtaposition between the Kingdom of God and the inherent beauty of Creation with the crassness of materialism and consumerism is another important theme that I discovered while studying the Fathers. I was particularly amazed by the argumentation of Tertullian against the inherent injustice and exploitation involved in the creation of luxury goods. He speaks of the absolute horrors inflicted on human beings to obtain silver and gold: 

“...only after it has been tearfully wrought by penal labor in the deadly laboratories of accursed mines, and there left its name of “earth” in the fire behind it, that, as a fugitive from the mine, it passes from torments to ornaments, from punishments to embellishments, from ignominies to honours.”7

Such a conversation is still incredibly relevant today. Who among us has not heard of “conflict diamonds” or read about the inhuman sweatshops and factories in developing countries that produce our electronics, garments, and household goods? To this day, extracting precious metals and gemstones is often difficult and dangerous work conducted by people who are not properly protected or compensated. So much of what we own, or use has been produced at the cost of human suffering and ecological destruction. This truth was just as real in the Patristic era as it is today. While we all share in this corporate guilt, even unintentionally, we must ask ourselves if our desire for pleasure and status through the things that we own drives us. Are we merely consumers or are we Christ followers? Is there a way to change our relationship with the things we wear and use to reduce the exploitation of people and resources? Christian simplicity and modesty call us to a life that is much richer without excessive consumption. 

Another element of materialism that Tertullian speaks to is the artificially inflated value of luxury goods. He says, “It is only from their rarity and outlandishness that all things possess their grace...”8 The value of items and standards of beauty are defined by human beings and can even vary from place to place. He uses examples of certain gemstones and pearls highly prized by Roman women having a “contemptuous usage among the Parthians and Medes” who put them in places where they are scarcely visible or even bound to become soiled. In yet another example, he refers to unnamed barbarians who reportedly make shackles for criminals from gold because it is so readily available.9

Tertullian also appeals to nature in his call to modesty. I found his instruction on the use of undyed, natural textiles particularly fascinating. Certainly, the process of dyeing cloth in the ancient world was much different than in the modern era and this must be taken into consideration, especially given the extreme processes engaged to create such things as Tyrian purple from Murex snails. Although Christians today would reject Tertullian’s notion of “illegitimate colors,” (i.e. fabrics dyed a different shade than they would naturally appear), his observations are thought-provoking. Again, he remarks on the exploitation of natural resources and animals in the creation of ornate apparel and compares the use of God-created nature for dyed ornamentation with the utilization of animals in such places as the arena.10 God has created the world good, but our use of what he has provided to serve our passions and fuel our egos is counter to the Christian ethos. As he later writes, “excellence in form be not to be feared, as neither troublesome to its possessors nor destructive to its desirers, nor perilous to its compartners...”11 Natural human beauty is not inherently sinful, just as the rest of creation is “good.” Modesty is not a denial of what is beautiful, but rather a measure of discipline and restraint so that we are not so consumed with ourselves that we devour everything and everyone around us in a mad and demonic quest to be our own god. 

It is important to note contextually that Tertullian (and even Saint Paul in I Corinthians 11:10) bases some of their rationale for female modesty on stories from the non-canonical Book of Enoch. Here it is explained that the angels lusted after naturally beautiful women and taught them to apply cosmetics, wear jewelry, and dye clothing as part of their amorous intercourse. A similar, but considerably more obscure account is present in Genesis 6:12 where the “sons of God” become infatuated with women and take them as wives. When St. Paul refers to women covering their heads “because of the angels,” I can only presume he is referencing this same legend, although head-covering was already a normative practice of modesty and respectability in the Greco-Roman world for all women, Christian or pagan.

Tertullian particularly relies on the Enoch account to argue for the demonic origins of bodily ornamentation, even going as far as defending the book’s genuineness to his female audience.12 Most modern Orthodox women would be appalled at the insinuation that wearing jewelry or makeup is inherently demonic and such passages seem overly harsh and almost hysterical. However, groups such as the Amish and conservative Mennonites still shun the use of cosmetics and require head coverings at all times. This is also accompanied by clothing that is simple in construction and made with fabrics of plain colors or simple patterns. Orthodox monastics also dress very simply and do not don jewelry or cosmetics. While certainly not normative for the average worshipper, such prohibitions are certainly still part of the Christian religious landscape.

It is my personal belief that basic jewelry such as earrings, necklaces, and rings and the wearing of makeup, especially at formal occasions, no longer has the same connotation as it did in ancient times. (I like to wear rings that have sentimental significance to me, for example, that help me remember my grandmothers who have passed on). While Tertullian has very strong opinions, his views seem no longer particularly relevant to our culture and certainly do not denote “the” Orthodox opinion of the matter, especially when the main source for his contempt has been rejected by the Church as canonical scripture. Clearly, his view has not stood the test of time among Christians as almost everyone wears dyed clothing and many devout women wear jewelry and makeup. This is not to say that the use of cosmetics and jewelry requires no measure of discipline. Certainly, many pitfalls can arise from the pursuit of beauty enhancements and the acquisition of jewelry. While Tertullian seems to overstate his case, I tend to believe that being comfortable in our skin and not reliant on artificial enhancements is a blessed thing. How much better life would be if we all stopped requiring so much of each other and simply loved and accepted one another!

The Christian orientation toward radical love also factors into the Patristic witness on modesty. Again and again, the Fathers remind their readers that modesty is not merely beneficial for oneself, but also the good of the other. Wealthy Christians have a responsibility to reject displays of opulence and instead humbly employ their prosperity to the alleviation of the poor. Women and men must protect the purity of each other as brothers and sisters in Christ and by their modesty reduce opportunities for lust and jealousy. The Christian community as a whole is responsible to society and its witness must be one of impeccable integrity and blamelessness. The real heart of modesty is not a self-righteous dress code nor is it meant to be a tool of repression and subjugation, but rather is an act of self- emptying love that both frees a person from the shackles of earthly cares and reorients their relationship with others and the natural world toward the Kingdom. Within its protections, believers can experience true freedom that enables spiritual growth and deeper communion with both God and creation.

Unfortunately, it seems to me that Christians have misappropriated the language of modesty throughout the ages as a method of control and even have resorted to a sort of transactional pietism akin to paganism. Early in my Orthodox journey, I remember being told that women who wear head coverings in church will be “blessed by God” as compared to women who don’t, which certainly put fear into me. I felt a compulsion to cover my head because I wanted to make God happy and be seen as a pious person. I realized that my motives were completely wrong—wearing a headscarf was not a transaction with God to make Him like me more. Moreover, I sensed that by wearing a head covering, especially in parishes where most women did not, I was drawing more attention to myself and sending a signal that I was “better,” which to me was the opposite of modesty. I am convinced that trying to “look” a part is not the same as actually being a Christian, and so I reject a formal “modesty code” that relies on certain types of garments and head coverings as its basis.

However, I am not opposed to head coverings for women in church if that is their desire or is an expected part of their cultural tradition. I certainly wear them when I am expected to do so (for example in certain monasteries or churches) and I would never judge the motives of someone who dresses differently than I do because of their convictions. The Orthodox Church certainly possesses much diversity in this regard and I believe it is foolish to become dogmatic, judgemental, and even superstitious over particular attire. If our adherence to a “dress code” becomes so important that our Christian culture becomes one of exclusivity, we are completely missing the point. I recall the story of Metropolitan Anthony Bloom’s shortest sermon where he rebukes his congregation for hassling a young mother wearing pants and no headscarf to the point that she fled the church and never returned. Such an attitude is anything but modesty—it is arrogance and pride at the expense of someone’s soul. Modesty, therefore, is not about defining an “in group” or an “out group” as so often happens in various Christian communities and sects. It is not a “Christian uniform” that exists for the purposes of gatekeeping.

Furthermore, I think Christians through the ages have struggled to disentangle themselves from a cultural bias against women that has unfortunately become normative because of sin. Even the Fathers wrestled with this concept as they both acknowledged the spiritual equality of women, yet returned to tropes of female weakness, vulnerability, and culpability. This is not to say that women and men are the same nor that their roles in family and church life must be identical, but we must consider the implications of women’s spiritual equality with men in the eyes of God. In my experience, many Christian traditions have, unfortunately, placed a disproportionate responsibility on women and girls for the purity of men and boys. How often would a woman be judged or given strange looks in an Orthodox parish for not wearing a headscarf, versus men being accosted for wearing a Rolex and an expensive designer suit and shoes to church? Why aren’t Christian men held accountable for showing off their muscles at the gym for attention on social media? Why do many “traditionalists” demand so much from their wives in both appearance and sexuality?

It is evident that early Christians saw the need for modesty of both men and women in ways that are often not considered today. In my study, I sensed that men and women were both expected to submit to the will of God for the good of each other in a way that seems more balanced and holistic than our modern “purity culture” tends to be. As Tertullian writes, “...salvation—and not (the salvation) of women only, but likewise of men—consists in the exhibition principally of modesty. For since, by the introduction into an appropriation (in) us of the Holy Spirit, we are all “the Temple of God.”” Modesty, he continues, is not simply “the bare integrity of the flesh” by “turning away from (actual) fornication” but is a lifestyle that continually reflects the presence of God in the way we conduct ourselves. In this manner, the heart of modesty is not about looking a part or following a dress code; it is, like everything else in the Christian life, a pathway to repentance. While cultural norms of attire and styling vary across time and culture (and even from parish to parish), such a message is just as timely today as it was for the earliest Christians.

WISDOM THROUGH THE HOLY FATHERS

“You carry your snare everywhere and spread your nets in all places. You allege that you never invited others to sin. You did not, indeed, by your words, but you have done so by your dress and your deportment, and much more effectively than you could by your voice. When you have made another sin in his heart, how can you be innocent? Tell me, whom does this world condemn? Whom do judges in court punish? Those who drink poison or those who prepare it and administer the fatal potion? You have prepared the abominable cup, you have given the death-dealing drink, and you are more criminal than are those who poison the body; you murder not the body, but the soul. And it is not to enemies that you do this, nor are you urged on by any imaginary necessity, nor provoked by injury, but out of foolish vanity and pride.”

St. John Chrysostom

“Luxurious clothing that cannot conceal the shape of the body is no more a covering. For such clothing, falling close to the body, takes its form more easily. . . As a result, the whole make of the body is visible to spectators, although they cannot see the body itself.”

St. Clement of Alexandria, 

Father of the Church

1 Section 11

2 On the Apparel of Women, Book II, Chapter 4

3 To His Wife, Book 1, Chapter 4

4 Treatise 2: On the Dress of Virgins, sections 18 & 19 

5 Second Epistle, Chapter 5 

6 First Epistle, Chapter 8

7 On the Apparel of Women, Chapter 5 

8 Book I, Chapter 7

9 Book I, Chapter 7 

10 Book I, Chapter 8 

11 Book II, Chapter 3

12 Book I, Chapter 3

PASTORAL EMERGENCY

This week, in case of pastoral emergency, call Father Ilija Balach at 425.736.3016.

SAINTS OF OUR FRESCOES SERIES

The lecture series on the saints of our frescoes will continue TODAY, June 15 after Liturgy. Mrs. Martha Rakowski will continue our series on Serbian Saints: the Nemanjic Dynasty and Vidovdan.

SOTAYA GIFT CARD FUNDRAISER

Thinking of a gift for someone, a special occasion, birthday or a reward for yourself? Gift cards are a good choice! And there is no need to go to the store, SOTAYA is selling Texas Roadhouse and Darden Restaurant Group cards (which includes Olive Garden, Longhorn, Cheddar’s, Yard House, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52) at a face value of $50. Just see any SOTAYA member or Sladjana for a purchase. Thanks for your support!



FOOD SURPLUS FOR SHADELAND

A generous donor has given us a gift of surplus food. PLEASE visit the table in the Social Hall and take what you or someone you know can use. Donate what you can, help someone in need and save money at the same time! Remember to check the table every time you are at church as supplies will change frequently. ALL proceeds will go to support our St. Sava Shadeland Camp!!!

SHADELAND COLLECTION

The operation of our St. Sava Shadeland Camp has been subsidized by the Diocesan Endowment for the Future. This endowment was based upon the royalties we received from natural gas and oil wells and is now depleted. Currently, we no longer have any reliable income from these wells. Camp fees have been kept artificially low due to these royalties. This means that there is a deficit of $150,000 to run the camp each year. Additionally, there are approximately $225,000 in repairs and maintenance that will be necessary in the next 3 years. The Diocese is asking for donations to offset the operating costs. These donations may be given directly to the Diocese, to our local church here at St. Nicholas, by renting Shadeland Camp for your event, or purchasing a hunting license, thus increasing annual revenue. Checks can be made payable to St. Nicholas Church with Shadeland in the memo and given to our Church, or go to easterndiocese.org to donate directly to the Diocese.

PLEASE HELP - BETHESDA MISSION WOMEN’S SHELTER OUTREACH

On the second Saturday of every month, volunteers from our four Orthodox churches prepare and serve lunch for shelter residents. We also help with various projects and activities that assist with shelter operations. If anyone would like to volunteer or learn more about this important program, please contact Andrea Gunther.

2025 ORGANIZATIONAL DUES

To pay your 2025 dues (or if you still owe 2024 dues) please see Daria Milletics for KSS/Mothers Club, Jovanka Shaffer for Seniors, Jason Milletics for Choir and Protinica Andreja for Serb Club.

CHURCH OFFICE HOURS

Office hours are Monday thru Friday from 9 am until noon. You may call the office during these hours at (717) 939-3872 or come by the office in person. Office hours will be adjusted when services are occurring during those hours.

BULLETIN DEADLINE

Please send all Bulletin Requests to the Church Office at office@stnicholassteelton.org

You may also call (717) 939-3872

June Charity

Orthodox Christian Charities of Greater Harrisburg

The Orthodox Christian Charities of Greater Harrisburg, Inc. (OCCGH,) was formed in October of 2009 as a non-profit organization comprised of clergy and faithful from five local Orthodox Churches of the greater Harrisburg metropolitan area. Our goal is to provide opportunities for the citizens of the greater Harrisburg area to come into contact with Orthodoxy, to serve as an educational support to our local parishes, and to develop projects that witness to our Faith, as well as provide financial assistance to organizations and individuals who are in need.