On January 15, the feast day of St. Seraphim of Sarov the Wonderworker, the Holy Dormition Convent “Novo-Diveevo” (Nanuet, NY) celebrated the patronal feast of its main cathedral. St. Seraphim is the heavenly patron of the monastery, which was founded in the mid-20th century as a spiritual continuation of the Diveevo tradition on American soil....
To the Clergy, Monastics and Laity of the Western American Diocese! As we enter into the joyous season of Nativity, we must put aside the distractions of this world and remember that Jesus Christ came into the world to reconcile Divinity with creation. When the Heavenly Angelic Hosts revealed themselves in glory to the shepherds...
Most Reverend Brother Archpastors, Venerable Fathers, Monastics, Brothers and Sisters! Peace be with you from the Abode of the Miracle-Working Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign!” I warmly greet you all with love on the great holidays of the Nativity of Christ, Theophany, and the New Year, sincerely wishing you inner...
Hundreds of pilgrims flocked to Fort Ross in October to celebrate the Divine Liturgy and honor the Orthodox legacy in America. Attending the service at the oldest Orthodox parish in the continental US makes you contemplate and imagine the struggles that Russian missionaries and settlers faced in establishing an Orthodox presence in the New World. ...
According to the resolution of the Synod of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), June 19-20 was chosen for the church canonization of the righteous mother Olga of Kwethluk (1916-79) – the first officially glorified Orthodox holy woman of the North American continent. A native of Kwethluk, a village in southwestern Alaska, Olga Michael (Tanqilria...
On October 4, 2025, Fort Ross welcomed around a thousand Orthodox pilgrims from across the country. They gathered for a Divine Liturgy marking one hundred years since services were renewed in the chapel of what is recognized as the first Orthodox parish on the North American mainland. The liturgy was concelebrated by three Metropolitans together...
This September marks twenty-five years since the blessed repose of the beloved archpastor, Archbishop Anthony (Medvedev) of Western America and San Francisco. For more than three decades, from 1968 until his passing on September 23, 2000, Vladyka Anthony ministered to his flock with a gentle spirit, deep humility, and unwavering devotion. His memory is sacredly...
The recent article “St. John’s Orthodox Academy Must Stand For the Sake of Our Children, Our Church, and Our Future” struck a chord far beyond its initial readership. Alumni, parents, and members of the community from across the decades have reached out in a show of overwhelming support, reaffirming the Academy’s vital role in shaping...
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 The possible closure of Saint John of San Francisco Orthodox Academy would mark a profound failure and a lasting shame for the Orthodox community. I can find no rational justification for...
Radonitsa in the the Russian Orthodox Church is a commemoration of the departed observed on the second Tuesday of Pascha (Easter) or, in some places (in south-west Russia), on the second Monday of Pascha. The Slavs, like many ancient peoples, had a tradition of visiting family members’ graves during the springtime and feasting together with them. After their conversion to Christianity, this...