The Syrian civil war is one of the worst humanitarian crises in history. Over 200,000 people have died including more than 10,000 children. You can help by contributing to an event to benefit the International Orthodox Christian Charities' Syrian Relief Fund. The event takes place on May 17, 2015 at St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church in Grand Rapids, MI and will feature keynote speaker Mark Ohanian, who oversees approximately 300 relief workers on the ground in the Middle East including the IOCC's response to the Syrian civil war. Event donations may be made at www.iocc.org/grandrapids.

Download the flyer.

Metropolitan Joseph, seated in the first row, listens as the President of Armenia delivers his speech.Press release: By the Very Rev. Joseph Rahal, Washington, DC
Friday, May 8, 2015

On Thursday, May 7, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph was a participant in the ecumenical commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The service was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. as a part of the National Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial coordinated by the Diocese and Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Churches of America, East and West.

Accompanying His Eminence were the Very Rev. Joseph Rahal, Pastor of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church of Washington, DC; the Very Rev. Isaac Crow, Pastor of Ss. Peter & Paul Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church, Potomac, MD; and Subdeacon Rassem El Massih. The delegation was seated on the first row facing the altar.

In the Armenian Genocide, over 1.5 million Armenians, Antiochians, Syrians and Assyrians perished at the hands of Ottoman Turks from 1915-1923.

A prayer of remembrance was offered by the attendees from various church leaders including our hierarch, Metropolitan Joseph.

Over 6000 people were present, including: the President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan; the Vice-President of the United States Joe Biden; His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriach and Catholicos of All Armenians; His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia; His Holiness Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All East of the Syriac Orthodox Church; members of Congress; His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America; and other Christian leaders from around the United States.

The Rev. Dr. Olav Fykse Tveit, General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, delivered the homily. The Most Rev. Dr. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, welcomed attendees to the service, and His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph read the Gospel. The Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan delivered a message on behalf of all the people of Armenia.

With this article, His Grace Bishop Anthony has initiated a series of spiritual meditations on the Holy Apostles. The series begins with this reflection by Fr. Andrew Kishler of St. George Orthodox Church, Spring Valley, IL.

The Apostle Thomas, for the most part, lives in the background of the four Gospels. St. John tells us in his Gospel that Thomas was also called "Didymus," or "the Twin," but we really do not know anything about the origin of this nickname. Perhaps he had a twin brother or sister? The name "Thomas" seems to be derived from a Hebrew word which means "twin," so perhaps "Didymus" was simply his name translated into Greek. We know him colloquially as "Doubting Thomas," which is true up to a point, but still a rather unfortunate way to remember him! St. Thomas did at first doubt the Lord's resurrection, but only because he was not with the other disciples when the Lord first paid them a visit. When he met the Risen Lord, he believed!

Three times in St. John's Gospel St. Thomas rises to the forefront, and we can learn a great deal about him and about our own faith from these instances.

Thomas first speaks up on Lazarus Saturday. The Lord announces to the Twelve: "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless, let us go to him." St. Thomas, who knows the great risk this will entail, responds to the other disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him" (John 11:14-16). Thomas realizes they put their lives at risk, traveling so close to Jerusalem. But at the same time, if that is where the Master wishes to go, His followers must go with Him. We must stick with Jesus and obey His teachings, no matter what the risk to our fame, our fortune, or our lives.

St. Thomas' tomb in Chennai, IndiaSecond, we again hear from Thomas three chapters later at the Last Supper. We hear this reading each year on Holy Thursday, during our Service of the Twelve Passion Gospels: Jesus announces to the disciples that He is going to His Father's house to prepare a place for all of them. "Where I go, you know; and the way you know" (John 14:4). Thomas pipes up: "Lord, we do not know where you are going, and how can we know the way?" (14:5). And the Lord responds with one of His most famous teachings in all of the New Testament: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (14:6). St. Thomas here teaches us that it is okay to ask questions if we do not understand something. Many times we hear or read the Bible, or a prayer or a hymn in Church, and we really have no idea what it's all about. There is nothing wrong with asking! St. Thomas gives us permission to ask if we do not understand.

And third, we hear again from Thomas after the Lord's resurrection. When Jesus first appears to the disciples, only ten of them are present. (Judas of course is no longer one of them, and Thomas is absent for some unknown reason.) They are scared; they are cowering behind closed doors "for fear of the Jews." Jesus appears to them, "show[s] them His hands and His side," and the disciples rejoice that He is still alive. Thomas, unfortunately, misses the whole event, and declares afterwards: "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe" (John 20:25).

After eight days, Jesus appears to them again, and this time Thomas is a bit more fortunate. "Then He said to Thomas, 'Reach your finger here, and look at my hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into my side.'" Thomas responds with one of the greatest exclamations of faith in the entire Bible: "My Lord and my God!"

What takes St. Thomas from "I will not believe" to "my Lord and my God"? How do all of the disciples go from cowering behind closed doors to proclaiming the Risen Lord boldly throughout the entire world? The Lord gives them (and us) two things: His peace ("Peace be with you," 20:19 and 20:26), and the gift of the Holy Spirit ("He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit,'" 20:22).

It's with the peace of Jesus in our hearts, and the forgiveness that comes from the gift of the Holy Spirit, that we find our voice as Christians. The disciples go from cowering behind closed doors, afraid of what the Jewish authorities will do to them, to public prayer, healing and preaching. When the peace and love of Jesus invades our hearts, we don't worry about what others may think. "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control" (2 Tim. 1:7).

According to Origen, St. Thomas travelled through Syria and Persia, spreading the Gospel. We also know that he ended up in India, where his relics reside to this day. Christians in India have a particularly strong devotion to St. Thomas the Apostle.

Following in St. Thomas' footsteps, let us receive from Jesus His peace, and let us give to others His peace. Let us live in His love, so that we may follow in the footsteps of St. Thomas and the other apostles in their faith and their witness to Him.

Troparion for St. Thomas Sunday (Tone 7): "While the tomb was sealed, Thou didst shine forth from it, O Light! While the doors were closed, Thou didst come in to Thy disciples, O Christ God, resurrection of all, renewing in us through them an upright spirit, according to the greatness of Thy mercy."

by Maria C. Khoury, Ed.D.

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

Dear Friends of Saint George Taybeh,

As I am having a beautiful Mother's Day in Boston, I must wish all of the beloved mothers I know and the beautiful women who are like mothers to others, a blessed Happy Mother's Day. It is also the day we can remember and pray for all of the beloved mothers who are in God's Heavenly Kingdom. May their souls rest in peace.

It is usually our mothers who are the ones that dedicate their whole life time teaching us to accept the living water Christ offered the Samaritan woman in today's gospel (St. John 4:5-42). It is mothers who must exemplify the most patience in life's journey to eternity.

May all of us who are experiencing a struggle, stay strong and keep the faith because our patience will gain our salvation. The only sentence I remember out of the two day conference I have just attended at Hellenic College about Humanitarianism with renowned speakers is that we serve Christ when we serve others. And, our mothers are at the core of practicing "Love thy Neighbor." May we all accept the living water that gives us eternal life so that we can be empowered to love one another especially in places of conflict where I will return next month.

I pray and hope all of you are having a blessed Happy Mother's Day.

With love in Christ and sincere good wishes,
maria

Samer LahamListen to the full interview

On May 14, 2015, Ancient Faith Radio (AFR) President John Maddex interviewed Mr. Samer Laham, Director of Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development (DERD) for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch in Syria. The Department is a nonprofit organization belonging to and operating from the Patriarchate, located in the old city of Damascus. Mr. Laham was visiting the headquarters of the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) in Baltimore, MD, and during his visit sat down with Maddex to share his up-to-date account of the dire situation inside his homeland. 

"About 10.8 million people are in need of assistance" due to the civil war conditions in Syria, noted Maddex in his introduction. Additionally, due to the many consequences of the protracted war, "the whole population is really under hard conditions," explained Mr. Laham. Yet those who are working in relief efforts, he continued, persevere with faith, hope, and prayer. "We are the second largest organization on the ground...our vision in the future is to continue our work."

Letter from His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph regarding the 2015 Archdiocesan Convention to be published in the church bulletin and distributed to all parishioners:

May 14, 2015

To: Our Beloved Hierarchs, Reverend Clergy, Archdiocesan Trustees, Department Heads, Organization Presidents, Parish Councils and Faithful of this God-protected Archdiocese:

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

It is with this joyful proclamation of the Risen Lord that we send to you this official Call to the 52nd biennial Archdiocesan Convention. We direct your attention to the following matters:

1. The Fifty-Second Convention of this Archdiocese will be held at the Sheraton Boston Hotel located at 39 Dalton Street, Boston, MA 02199 from July 20 – 26, 2015. We will be greatly blessed this year by the presence of Our Father in Christ His Beatitude Patriarch John X who will preside over all aspects of the convention. The host parish of St. Mary of Cambridge, MA is working diligently to welcome us all to Boston. All information about the convention can be accessed through the official convention website http://www.acboston2015.com. You are required to send delegates from your parish and Parish Council to attend the departmental meetings and to vote on your behalf at the General Assembly.
2. All Reverend Clergy must be in Boston no later than Monday evening July 20, 2015. The Archdiocesan Trustees must also be in Boston by Monday evening July 20. The General Assembly of the Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch will be held in the morning on Tuesday July 21 and all members of the Order are encouraged to attend. The Department Heads and members of each department must be in Boston in time to attend the departmental meetings which begin on Tuesday July 21. All of our faithful are encouraged to participate in the work of the departments since we need everyone's talent and enthusiasm to do the work of this Archdiocese.
3. The Archdiocesan Constitution specifies that each parish and mission is entitled to one voting delegate for every one hundred (100) baptized souls or fraction of one hundred which exceeds fifty (50). In addition, each fulltime pastor, and fulltime assistant pastor is eligible to vote. You will soon receive a proxy form and Delegate List from the Department of Statistics and Credentials which requests that you identify your delegates by name, and return the signed form to the Archdiocese office no later than June 30, 2015.
4. Your financial obligation to the Archdiocese under the Proportional Giving System for 2015 has already been established based on the forms and worksheets that you have submitted. In addition, every parish is expected to contribute according to the minimum requirements for the three special trays which are collected throughout the year. All parishes are strongly encouraged to make sure that your payments are up to date so that your delegation may be properly seated at the General Assembly which begins on Thursday morning July 23. The preliminary agenda for the General Assembly is enclosed with this letter.
5. It is the sacred duty of all clergy and parish councils to attend the convention. It is also the sacred duty of every parish to pay their pastor's expenses so that he may attend both the diocesan Parish Life Conference, and the Archdiocese Convention. For missions who may not be able to afford these expenses, the Order of St. Ignatius can accept an application which requests some financial assistance for the pastor to attend these events.
6. It is the policy of this Archdiocese that no resolutions may be accepted from the floor of the General Assembly. If you would like to introduce a resolution, please submit the written resolution to the Archdiocese Office in Englewood, NJ no later than June 10, 2015.
7. A very important part of every convention is the Convention Journal which depends heavily on support from every community in the Archdiocese. We strongly encourage you to contribute to this journal by purchasing an ad, and that this be done without any further delay.
8. The theme of this year's convention is the Life of our Father Among the Saints Raphael of Brooklyn, which commemorates the 100th Anniversary of his falling asleep in Christ. All homilies at the divine services will be based on this theme and we urge everyone to be in Boston to hear these inspirational words and to prepare to work together for a very bright future. Bring your entire family and let us worship together and enjoy fellowship with each other.

Looking forward to seeing you in Boston, we remain,

Yours in the Risen Lord,

+Joseph
Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America

by St. Justin Popovich

The Holiness of the Church

... The flow of history confirms the reality of the Gospel: the Church is filled to overflowing with sinners. Does their presence in the Church reduce, violate, or destroy her sanctity? Not in the least! For her Head—the Lord Christ, and her Soul —the Holy Spirit, and her divine teaching, her mysteries, and her virtues, are indissolubly and immutably holy. The Church tolerates sinners, shelters them, and instructs them, that they may be awakened and roused to repentance and spiritual recovery and transfiguration; but they do not hinder the Church from being holy. Only unrepentant sinners, persistent in evil and godless malice, are cut off from the Church either by the visible action of the theanthropic [i.e. of the God-Man] authority of the Church or by the invisible action of divine judgment, so that thus also the holiness of the Church may be preserved. "Put away from among yourselves that wicked person" (I Cor. 5:13).

In their writings and at the Councils, the holy fathers confessed the holiness of the church as her essential and immutable quality. The fathers of the Second Ecumenical Council defined it dogmatically in the ninth article of the Symbol of Faith. And the succeeding ecumenical councils confirmed it by the seal of their assent.

http://archangelsbooks.com/articles/church/AttributesofChurch.asp, accessed May 6th, 2015. Originally published in Orthodox Life, vol. 31, no. 1 (Jan.-Feb., 1981), pp. 28-33. Translated by Stephen Karganovic from: The Orthodox Church & Ecumenism (in Serbian), by Archimandrite Justin (Popovich) (Thessalonica: Chilandar Monastery, 1974), pp. 64-74.

+++

Leavetaking of Pascha, and the Martyr Thallelaeus at Aegae in Cilicia

Troparion, Tone 4

Your holy martyr Thalelaeus and his companions, O Lord, through their sufferings have received incorruptible crowns from You, our God. For having Your strength, they laid low their adversaries, and shattered the powerless boldness of demons. Through their intercessions, save our souls!

Kontakion, Tone 3

Revealed as a fellow struggler with the martyrs, you were a perfect soldier of the King of Glory. Through your trials and torments you humbled the arrogance of the idolators. Therefore, we praise your honorable memory, O wise Thalelaeus.

Who shall declare Thy might, O Christ? And who shall number the multitude of Thy wonders? For as Thou wast doubly seen in Thy goodness on earth, so didst Thou doubly grant healing to the sick; for not only didst Thou heal the bodily eyes of the man born blind from the womb, but the eyes of his soul also. Wherefore, he confessed that Thou art a hidden God, granting all the Great Mercy.

--Doxasticon of the Feast, Tone 8

On this day, the sixth Sunday of Pascha, we celebrate the miracle wrought by our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ upon the man who was blind from his birth.

O Bestower of light, Who art Light coming forth from Light,
Thou dost give eyes to the man who was blind from his birth, O Word.

The Savior met this man, born blind and incurable after every human effort, while leaving the Temple on the Sabbath. Jesus spat into the dirt, made clay, rubbed it in his eyes and told him to wash in the pool of Siloam, a famous water spring in Jerusalem. The Savior did not send him there because his eyes were covered in clay, nor did the pool have healing power, but instead to test his faith and obedience. The blind man proclaimed that Jesus healed him, but this confession caused him to be cast out by the enemies of the truth. Even his own parents would not defend him. However, the blind man followed Jesus from that moment forward.

By Thy boundless mercy, O Christ our God, Giver of light, have mercy on us. Amen.

Since my soul’s noetic eyes are blind and sightless, I come unto Thee, O Christ, as did the man who was born blind. And in repentance I cry to Thee: of those in darkness Thou art the most radiant Light.

Grant me a stream of ineffable wisdom and knowledge from on high, O Christ, Thou Light of them that are in darkness and Guide of all them that are gone astray, that I may tell of those things that the divine book of the Gospel of peace hath taught, to wit, the miracle that was wrought upon the blind man; for though blind from birth, he receiveth the physical eyes as well as the eyes of the soul, as he crieth out in faith: of those in darkness Thou art the most radiant Light.

--Kontakion and Oikos of the Feast

Khouriya Gigi Shadid writes:

Dear Fathers and Youth Workers, Christ is risen! Indeed He is risen! It is that time again to register your teen and/or adult teams for this year's Bible Bowl, hosted by St. Elias of Arvada, CO. This year's study text is Our Father Among the Saints, Raphael, Bishop of Brooklyn: Good Shepherd of the Lost Sheep in America. If you have a team, please fill out the attached form (one per team) and e-mail it back to me by the 31st of May at gigishadid@yahoo.com.

The Bible Bowl will take place on Thursday, June 11th from 7:30-9:30 and the winning teen team will have "first dibs" to represent DOWAMA at the national Bible Bowl in Boston this July.

Thanks so much for all of your hard work preparing our youth for this special Bible Bowl commemorating the 100th year of St. Raphael's falling asleep in the Lord. Looking forward to seeing you in Colorado, God willing.

The Department of Sacred Music is thrilled to announce the Thirtieth Anniversary Sacred Music Institute (SMI), which will be held at the Antiochian Village from July 8-12, 2015. This year is promising to be the best ever! Whether you love Byzantine or 4-part choral music, there is something for everyone, from theoretical classes to private lessons in voice, chanting, conducting and vocal technique; instruction in Byzantine chant and choral conducting; special presentations and concerts from the Sacred Music Chamber Choir and the Sacred Music Byzantine Chamber Choir; and even our 30th Anniversary Musical Review!

The Sacred Music Institute has it all. This very special and memorable weekend will be attended by our Keynote Speaker His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph.

For more information about this not-to-be-missed event, please contact Paul Jabara at jabarasmi@gmail.com, visit the Department of Sacred Music web page, and join the Sacred Music Institute Facebook page for all the latest info.

And......for the fourth straight year, the Department of Sacred Music is thrilled to announce our Youth Music Ministry. This Ministry brings our teens throughout the Archdiocese together to worship through music. The teens have their very own classes in Byzantine chant and they participate in two choirs. They even have a session titled "Teen Talk" with Sayidna Joseph. Get ready Sayidna, our teens have lots of questions! And once again this year, all teens are eligible for full scholarships covering room/board/course materials, as long as they meet the June 1, 2015 deadline. For more information about the Youth Music Ministry, or as we like to call it, the "YMM", please contact chrisfarha@cox.net.

Welcome! Bienvenue! Ahla wa Sahla!

As the angels, O Savior, wondered at Thy strange elevation, and the Disciples were amazed at Thy dread rising, Thou didst ascend in glory, being God, and the gates were lifted up for Thee. Wherefore, the heavenly powers were surprised, shouting, Glory to Thy condescension, O Savior; glory to Thy reign; glory to Thine Ascension, O Thou Who alone art the Lover of mankind.

--Orthros of the Feast

On the fortieth day after Jesus was resurrected from the dead, He was taken up into the heavens in a cloud. 

"The cloud which today envelopes Jesus and ascends with him to heaven represents the smoke of the sacrifice rising from the altar to God. The sacrifice is accepted, and the victim is admitted to God's presence where it will continue to be offered in an eternal and heavenly manner. The work of our salvation has been accomplished and is blessed."

 From The Year of the Grace of the Lord

Read "The Ascension": An Excerpt from The Year of the Grace of the Lord
Read "From the Heart: Resting in the Ascension"
Read Fr. Theodore E. Ziton on the Ascension
Read St. Leo the Great on the Ascension
Under the Grapevine podcast explains the Ascension to children 
Listen to Fr. Patrick Reardon's homily on the Ascension

The Synaxarion

On this day, the Thursday of the sixth week of Pascha, we celebrate the Ascension of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ.

After His Resurrection, Jesus remained on earth for forty days, appearing to His Disciples in various places. He ate, drank and conversed with them, verifying and assuring His Resurrection. On the fortieth day after Pascha, Jesus appeared to His Disciples in Jerusalem. He gave them His last commandment, to go forth and preach in His Name to all the nations. At the same time, He told them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait until they were clothed with the power from on high by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them. Having said this, Jesus led His Disciples to the Mount of Olives. Then He lifted up His hands and blessed them. And as He was speaking to them with words of fatherly blessing, Jesus departed from them and ascended into Heaven, being received by a shining cloud, indicating His divine majesty. He gradually disappeared from the sight of the Disciples as they gazed at Him. And as they stood thus, two angels in brilliant white robes appeared to them in the form of men and said to them: Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, Who is taken from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven. In these words is fulfilled and defined the doctrine concerning the Son of God and His Word, in the Confession of Faith. After our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled all His great dispensation for us, He ascended in glory into Heaven, and sat on the right hand of God the Father. His Disciples returned from Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, rejoicing in the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit. O Christ our God, Who didst ascend in glory, have mercy on us. Amen.

On the weekend of May 8-10, 2015, St. Willibrord Mission Station in Holland, Michigan, welcomed the wonderworking icon of St. Anna into our community. It was a tremendous blessing to have the Theotokos' mother present in this special way on Mother's Day weekend.

Archimandrite Sergius, the abbot of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk Monastery in South Canaan, PA (Orthodox Church in America), accompanied the icon, and gave a series of talks throughout his three-day visit. He described his first-hand accounts of miracles worked through St. Anna's intercessions, and challenged the faithful to strive and make progress in their spiritual lives. He also spoke about the great importance the Orthodox faith places in the vocation of motherhood.

View more photos on St. Willibrord's Facebook page.

Testing 123

Testing 2

In honor of the Holy Feast of Pentecost, Bishop Anthony encourages all churches in the Toledo Diocese to support our new missions. Missions are a sign of a living, and vibrant church, and evidence that the same Holy Spirit who descended upon the Apostles is with us today!

May 31, 2015
Great Feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost

Beloved Clergy and Laity of the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest:

Christ is in our midst!

We give thanks to God in all things as we enjoyed the blessings of the Great Fast, the Feast of Feasts, Pascha, and now our celebration of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

As we read in the Holy Scriptures, our Lord asked the apostles and disciples to stay in the Holy City of Jerusalem until they received "power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:8) The Holy Spirit gave them the power and grace to go and preach the Good News of His Resurrection. This "power" has been with the Church since that day and given to us!

This most-joyous feast represents the beginning of the Church's mission to carry the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to the four corners of the earth. From that day in Jerusalem, the Apostles followed our Lord's command to make disciples of all nations. This mission continues to this very day.

Of particular importance in the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest is the work of our nine mission parishes and our Diocesan Mission Council. Through our mission parishes, the love of God the Father and the Communion of His All-Holy Spirit in His One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church have come to rest in the hearts and on the heads of so many in otherwise geographically and spiritually remote places throughout our Diocese.

As we hear in the Epistle, the establishment of missions is not always an easy task. Many of our mission parishes are small and without the material means to acquire what is needed to help them grow and prosper. It is vital that all of the faithful throughout the Diocese take up the task of sharing what they have received, both in spiritual and material blessings, with our mission parishes.

I strongly encourage our more-established parishes to "adopt" a mission parish and work to ensure that the mission has all that it needs to carry on the work of our Lord. In those mission parishes where many of the faithful have been "newly-illumined," share the faith and traditions as we have received them from our spiritual fathers and mothers, and learn of the path that brought the faithful home to the Orthodox Church. As our Lord instructed the Apostles, "Freely ye have received, freely give." (Mathew 10:8)

On the Great and Holy Feast of Pentecost, all parishes are asked to take a special offering to support our nine missions. You may send your checks to the "Diocese of Toledo Mission Fund", c/o Nicholas Ayoub 1251 Franklin St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506. In addition, I am renewing my request that all parishes include a line item in their annual budgets for the benefit of the mission fund.

Please continue to keep our missions in your prayers during this festal season and throughout the entire year!

Have a blessed Feast and may the Lord bless you as you remain faithful to Him.

+ Bishop Anthony
Bishop of Toledo
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

The Summer 2015 issue of DIAKONIA is now available online. This issue highlights The Diocese of Worcester and New England! The issue contains:

• Messages from His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph and His Grace Bishop John
• A Tribute to "Woman"
• A message from Diocesan Spiritual Advisor Fr. Edward Hughes
• A Sincere Word of Thanks by Lucy Hanna
• Introducing The 2013 - 2015 Board of Antiochian Women of the Diocese of Worcester and New England
• My Mother's Legacy by Christine Bezreh
• Happenings Around the Diocese of Worcester and New England

...and more! Download (PDF) here.

Fr. Joseph Rahal writes:

The week of May 6-11, 2015 was a glorious week for the city of Washington and the Parish of St. George. On Wednesday, May 6, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph, Primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, accompanied by Sub-Deacon Rassem El-Massih, arrived in Washington, D.C. for an official visit.

On Thursday May 7, His Eminence, accompanied by the Very Rev. Joseph Rahal, Pastor of St. George Church of Washington, D.C., the Very Rev. Isaac Crow of Ss. Peter & Paul Church of Potomac, MD, and Sub-Deacon Rassem El-Massih, attended and participated in the 100-year commemoration of the Armenian, Assyrian, Syriac and Antiochian genocide that took place in 1915 in the Ottoman Empire in Turkey.

On Friday May 8, His Eminence attended a private dinner with members of the parish council of St. George, their spouses and other prominent members of the Parish at the home of Jamal & Amal Motran in Fredrick, MD.

During this gathering many topics were discussed. Those in attendance were:

Eric and Patricia Granahan
Nancy Tzentzera
Nicola Said
Vickie Berberi
Mike and Dianne Rishmawi
George and Grace Ghareeb
Nabil and Nahida Berberi
Samer and Nayfeh Makhlouf
Nicolette Aftimos
Marwan Hinnawi
Elias and Maysoon Rizkallah
Eli and Mariana Souri
Joe and Lourdes Moutran
Jamal and Amal Moutran
Josephine Motran
Jamil & Diana Bahri
Rami & April Motran
Dr. John & Mariam Motran
Issa and Roudeyna Ayoub
Dr. Tony and Grace Chehade
Habib and Zeina Chehade
Assaad and Roxanne Saliba
Walid and Angela Saliby

(Note: each couple of the above mentioned people donated $100 toward this weekend expenses).

Saturday May 9: His Eminence had a private lunch with a family.

At 3:00 PM His Eminence met with the Teen SOYO of the parish. Members of the Teen SOYO asked several questions and they had a very productive meeting together.

At 4:00 PM: His Eminence met with members of the Ladies Myrrh Bearing Society of St. George. The Ladies served him refreshments and a discussion about the role of the Ladies within the Church. His Eminence thanked the Ladies for all the good work they do.

At 5:00 PM: His Eminence met with members of the Parish Council and he challenged them to be "servant" of the Church, emulating our Lord Jesus Christ.

At 5:30 PM: His Eminence presided over the Great Vespers Service. Several members of the Clergy from this area were in attendance. Our Choir, throughout the weekend was superb and the Metropolitan was very impressed with them, along with our Chanters: Norma Achor and Eyvonka Rizkalla, and of course Sub-Deacon Rassem El-Massih with his beautiful voice.

At 6:30 PM: The Grand Banquet in Honor of the Metropolitan was held at St. George Ballroom. More than 300 people were in attendance, with soft music in the background. Walid Saliby was the MC for the evening and Mrs. Nyla Louh sang the National Anthem. A moment of silence was observed for the Genocide that took place 100 years ago in Turkey, for the Armenians, Antiochians, Syriacs, Assyrians and many others. Mr. Eric Granahan, Chairman of the Parish Council welcomed the dignitaries and the guests that were present amongst them were former Ambassador Dr. Clovis Maksoud, Mr. Paul Monteiro former Director of Public Engagement at the White House, and other dignitaries.

Sunday May 10: The climax of the entire weekend. His Eminence presided over the Divine Liturgy. In attendance were Mr. Antoine Chedid, the Ambassador of Lebanon; Dr. Clovis Maksoud, former Ambassador of the Arab League to the United Nations; and Brigadier General George Shreim, Military Attache at the Lebanese Embassy.

During the Liturgy, His Eminence elevated Deacon Workineh Belesse to the dignity of Arch-Deacon, and the end of the Liturgy he inducted the following people to Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch:

Mr. Eric Granahan
Mr. George Ghareeb
Mr. Michael Rishmawi
Mrs. Nancy Tentzeras

Following the Liturgy, the Ladies with their president, Ms. Nicolette Aftimos, served a superb lunch for everyone.

It was an exhilarating weekend. My most sincere thanks to each and everyone of you for your good work.

Respectfully submitted,
The Very Rev. Joseph Rahal

St. Mark Church in Denver, CO will be hosting Icon Painting and Water Gilding workshops on June 15th-20th and June 22nd-23rd, 2015 under the direction of iconographer Theodore Papadopoulos of Larissa, Greece. For enrollment or information contact Mr. J.P. Andrews at 303-729-1855 or jp@sicafoundation.org.

Icon Painting Workshop
June 15-20, 2015
Denver, Colorado

Join us on this six-day intensive course where we will immerse ourselves in the painting techniques of Byzantium. The subject of the icon of "Jesus Christ" (at right, will come alive before you as the instructor, Theodore Papadopoulos, guides you, step by step, through the ancient techniques of Byzantine Iconography. Let us journey together to discover new secrets in this traditional artistic expression of theology and spirituality, in this meeting place of the Divine. Whether you are a beginner or a professional, this workshop offers an opportunity to learn and/or refine your techniques in this sacred art. The course focuses on the art of egg tempera painting. Our goal is for students to understand and learn the artistic practices as well as the philosophy of Orthodox Iconography. The coursework is divided into individual steps; the instructor explains the principles and then demonstrates each phase in detail, answering all questions. Through the process of demonstrations the stages as well the whole method of painting an icon will be presented. The students will then put into practice these skills under the guidance of the instructor Theodore Papadopoulos.

The techniques of painting will be taught in a clear and concrete way enabling the students to apply what they have learnt once the workshop is completed. Great emphasis is placed on the student acquiring "hands-on"experience, in order to be able to comprehend and put into practice the techniques Byzantine icon painting requires. From the very beginning to the completion of the course, every student will work on his or her painting with assistance by the instructor.

The courses will be in daily basis from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Instructor: Theodore Papadopoulos

Tuition: $680. The price includes the materials which will be used by the students, (brushes, pigments, boards). A non-refundable deposit of $230 is required to reserve a place in this workshop. The balance is due on June 15, 2015.

Location: St. Mark Antiochian Orthodox Church, Denver, Colorado.

Water Gilding Workshop
June 22-23, 2015
Denver, Colorado

This is a separate two-day gilding workshop. This course will teach students the technique of water gilding. Water gilding is a traditional and highly skilled technique used for the gilding of icons. During this workshop we will learn all the stages of water gilding using 22 carats gold. Beginning with the preparation of the board which is done by applying linen then covering with many layers of gesso. The last stage of the process is applying the clay bole and finally burnishing the gold with an agate stone which results in gold that is smooth and shines like a mirror.

Instructor: Theodore Papadopoulos

Tuition: $320. The price includes the materials which will be used by the students. Students participating in both icon painting and water gilding workshop will pay only $250 for the gilding workshop. A non-refundable deposit of $120 is required to reserve a place in this workshop. The balance is due on June 22, 2015.

Location: St. Mark Antiochian Orthodox Church, Denver, Colorado.

About the Instructor

Theodoros Papadopoulos was born, raised and presently lives in Larissa, Greece. His artistic studies began when he studied drawing at the local Municipal School of Painting in 1987. His fascination with iconography began when he visited Athos, The Holy Mountain.

His studies compelled him to return to Mt. Athos in order to perfect his technique and understanding in painting Byzantine icons and murals. Studying in Athens also facilitated his artistic progress in this field.

He is a member of the Chamber of Fine Arts of Greece, the International Association of Art and the Greek Iconographers Association. His commissions range from individuals personal icons to painting religious murals in churches in his homeland as well as abroad. For over 20 years of professional work in iconography, his uncompromising principle is to present work of the highest quality.

For more information visit Theodoros Papadopoulos' web site.

His Grace Bishop Basil writes:

The Feast of St. Timon, patron saint of the Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran, is Tuesday, July 28th. On the preceding Sunday, July 26th, 2015, the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America will observe "St. Timon Sunday" when DOWAMA parishes and missions pray for and highlight the history, ministries and needs of our Sister Diocese of Bosra-Hauran shepherded by His Eminence Metropolitan Saba. However, if you will be remaining in Boston for the concluding Divine Liturgy on Sunday, July 26th you may keep "St. Timon Sunday" on the previous Sunday, July 19th. The text of my letter to the Diocese (PDF) about this observance is attached hereto. Immediately following your community's observance of St. Timon Sunday, please direct your parish treasurer to send one parish check for the total amount collected (payable to"DOWAMA FSJD Account" and earmarked "Bosra-Hauran") to the coordinator of The Hauran Connection Dn. James Kallail - 502 South Creekside - Derby, KS 67037. Questions? Contact Deacon James at kkallail@att.net.

May 22nd,2015

Beloved and Christ-loving priests, deacons, monastics and lay folk of DOWAMA:

I embrace and greet you with a holy kiss in the Name of the Lord Christ.

In the Biblical account of the feast of Pentecost (Acts 2) we read of people from a multitude of nations who heard for the very first time and "everyone in his own language" (2:6) the proclamation by the Holy Apostles of the Good News. Among those people were "Arabians" (2:11) which meant people from Rome's frontier province of Arabia Petraea (the area of modern Syria south of Damascus, the Nabataean kingdom in modern Jordan, the Sinai peninsula and the northwestern tip of modern Saudi Arabia).

Much of Decapolis (Matthew 4:25), an area frequently visited by Christ and His disciples, is situated in this Arabia, as is Caesarea Philippi (modern Banyas in Syria) where the Holy Apostle Peter confessed Jesus to be "the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:13-20). It was to this Arabia that, following his baptism in Damascus by St. Ananias (9:17 & 18) and his escape over the city's wall (9:25) that the Holy Apostle Paul fled and spent three years (Galatians 1:15-18). And it was to this Arabia that St. Timon, one of the Seventy Apostles appointed by the Lord Christ (Luke 10:1) and one of the Seven Deacons chosen by the Twelve (Acts 6:5), was sent to preach and later served as first bishop of the province's capital city of Nova Trajana Bostra (modern Bosra in Syria).

The Orthodox Christians who today live in much of the territory once known as Arabia Petraea– descendants of those converted to faith in Christ Jesus by St. Timon – comprise the faithful of the Archdiocese of Bosra, Hauran, Jabal al-Arab and the Golan. The present "angel of Bosra and successor to St. Timon" is The Most Reverend Metropolitan SABA (Esper). One of the most venerable Archdioceses of our Patriarchate, the Archdiocese of Bosra now finds itself facing very difficult times. Because of the area's frequent wars – which, as you are well aware, continue to this very day – the occupation of much of its territory by a neighboring unfriendly nation, and the unemployment which plagues that desert region, most of its people have become economic refugees who have relocated to Damascus or have simply left the country for the Americas, Australia, Europe or the Gulf States.

In a gesture of Christian love and support for Metropolitan SABA and his flock, the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America has committed itself to a Sister Diocese relationship with the venerable Archdiocese of Bosra, and many of our parishes and missions have come forward to be paired - or "twinned" - with congregations in Metropolitan SABA's Archdiocese in Sister Parish relationships. To call attention to this project, dubbed "The Hauran Connection," the Sunday nearest July 28th, the feast of St. Timon, is observed annually as "St. Timon Sunday" throughout our Diocese.

This year our eighth annual "St. Timon Sunday" will be Sunday, July 26th (or 19th). On that day we ask our congregations to highlight all aspects of our Sister Diocese project. You can find suggested resources for your congregation's observance of "St. Timon Sunday" online at www.antiochian.org/Hauran. Questions? Contact Deacon James Kallail (kkallail@att.net) of St. Mary Church in Wichita, KS, coordinator of "The Hauran Connection."

Thanking you for your prayers and offerings for Metropolitan SABA and the clergy and people of our Sister Diocese – The Archdiocese of Bosra Hauran – and assuring you of my continued paternal love, prayers and blessings, I remain

In Christ,

+Basil
Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America

by St. Justin Popovich

The Apostolicity of the Church

The holy apostles were the first god-men by grace. Like the Apostle Paul each of them, by his integral life, could have said of himself: "I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me" (Gal. 2:20). Each of them is a Christ repeated; or, to be more exact, a continuation of Christ. Everything in them is theanthropic [i.e. of the God-Man] because everything was received from the God-man. Apostolicity is nothing other than the God-manhood of the Lord Christ, freely assimilated through the holy struggles of the holy virtues: faith, love, hope, prayer, fasting, etc. This means that everything that is of man lives in them freely through the God-man, thinks through the God-man, feels through the God-man, acts through the God-man and wills through the God-man. For them, the historical God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the supreme value and the supreme criterion. Everything in them is of the God-man, for the sake of the God-man, and in the God-man. And it is always and everywhere thus. That for them is immortality in the time and space of this world. Thereby are they even on this earth partakers of the theanthropic eternity of Christ.

This theanthropic apostolicity is integrally continued in the earthly successors of the Christ-bearing apostles: in the holy fathers. Among them, in essence, there is no difference: the same God-man Christ lives, acts, enlivens and makes them all eternal in equal measure, He Who is the same yesterday, and today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). Through the holy fathers, the holy apostles live on with all their theanthropic riches, theanthropic worlds, theanthropic holy things, theanthropic mysteries, and theanthropic virtues. The holy fathers in fact are continuously apostolizing, whether as distinct godlike personalities, or as bishops of the local churches, or as members of the holy ecumenical and holy local councils. For all of them there is but one Truth, one Transcendent Truth: the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ. Behold, the holy ecumenical councils, from the first to the last, confess, defend, believe, announce, and vigilantly preserve but a single supreme value: the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ.

http://archangelsbooks.com/articles/church/AttributesofChurch.asp, accessed May 6th, 2015. Originally published in Orthodox Life, vol. 31, no. 1 (Jan.-Feb., 1981), pp. 28-33. Translated by Stephen Karganovic from: The Orthodox Church & Ecumenism (in Serbian), by Archimandrite Justin (Popovich) (Thessalonica: Chilandar Monastery, 1974), pp. 64-74.

+++

Venerable Bede, the Church Historian

Troparion, Tone 8

Throughout the dark years of thy times, O Bede, thou didst water the English lands and all the West with outpourings of grace; and like a skilled sower thou didst cast the seed of divine knowledge far and wide over the fields of thy Master, where, springing forth, it hath borne fruit for Him an hundredfold. Wherefore, having thus acquired boldness before Him, O venerable one, pray thou unceasingly that our souls be saved.