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Many, many GOA parishes have the Liturgy, or substantial parts of it in English. The Orthodox Church has always prayed the Liturgy in the language of the people. In America, when the Greek Orthodox parishes were established and for a century thereafter, all the parishioners spoke Greek, or learned fast enough Greek to understand the Liturgy. After the 1950s, the increasing number of mixed marriages (for us that is when a non-Greek marries a Greek!) brought huge numbers of non Greek speakers into the Church. The Archdiocese recognized the reality of the "ethnic" make up of the parishes and suggested that the Liturgy be prayed as is traditional, in the language of the people in the pews, but to retain the Greek heritage of the Church so far as is possible. Over the last 30 years, Greek as the liturgical language has all but disappeared in some parishes, mostly west of the Mississippi. A few parishes in big city Greek ghettos still pray the entire liturgy in Greek. Most have a mixture, some less English than Greek, some, like my parish, more English (a lot more in our case) than Greek. In our parish, since the weekday liturgies are attended mostly by old Greeks, the liturgy is prayed in Greek.

You know, if the Church were all about me, I would have it all in Greek, but it isn't and that frankly would be un Orthodox and wrong. Every Sunday I see 100% non Greek families worshiping God in our parish. The overwhelming number of converts we have wouldn't be there if it was all in Greek (though to be fair to them, a number of the adults and children are taking Greek lessons. One god daughter is driving me nuts to practice with me!). In the old days, converts used to say you had to become a Greek to become Orthodox and of course that's absurd, but once upon a time, it was a practical reality.

Let me relate a short story. About two years ago I and another attorney, who, coincidentally is Syrian and Orthodox, were preparing a 95 year old Syrian immigrant lady for a trial. During the prep, the Antiochian Archmandrite who serves in our parish came into the office. We introduced him t our client and the old lady began to tell the Abuna about coming to our town from Syria in the 1930s. She said "We didn't have a church of our own so we went to the Greeks' church." Several weeks later the women's society at church had a baby shower for a young Lebanese immigrant couple expecting their first child. The young husband got up to thank everyone and spoke about how much they loved "their" parish. The young wife's parents from the old country were there; couldn't speak a word of English, but said in Lebanese that the father said he and his wife were so happy that their children were safe within an Orthodox community, that they had a little piece of home here in America to hold onto. 70 years can make for a lot of change, for us for the good.

You related how the children of the parish want the liturgy in English but the priest told them that Arabic/Syriac was their heritage. Frankly, that mentality in a priest, even more so in an Archdiocese, bothers me. I have argued time and again in Diocesan Councils that it is no longer the role of the Greek Orthodox Church in America to inculcate Greekiness. That is my job, not the Churches' and I've done a damn fine job of it with my boys. I can see no earthly reason why John Doe, Anglo Saxon American Orthodox, should subsidize an effort by the Church to discharge a duty I owe to my children. If the GOA were still an immigrant community, that would be one thing, but we are not. We are an Orthodox Community made up of a broad spectrum of races and nationalities. We have an Hellenic character and tradition, which I pray will last long after I am gone. But Hellenism was and is always inclusive of all people who wish to embrace Hellenism (quite different from Greekiness or Greek chauvinism). How did you like that rant? :)

Thank you for this informative response.

Many, many GOA parishes have the Liturgy, or substantial parts of it in English. The Orthodox Church has always prayed the Liturgy in the language of the people.

Yes ... but "how" were the translations arrived at and who approved the translations? Are they the same in each English speaking church? Here is one problem facing the Catholic Church, post Vatican Council II.

You know, if the Church were all about me, I would have it all in Greek, but it isn't and that frankly would be un Orthodox and wrong.

That response makes perfect sense. In fact, this is how the catholic traditionalists feel about the use of Latin in the RC liturgy. At one time, catholic school students studied Latin. In fact, it is making a comeback in the public schools.

You related how the children of the parish want the liturgy in English but the priest told them that Arabic/Syriac was their heritage. Frankly, that mentality in a priest, even more so in an Archdiocese, bothers me.

Lol! This, after you just said that you would prefer the liturgy remain in Greek.

I respect both positions but lean towards the retention of the original language. Some aspects of language transcend translation. I once tried to translate an Italian joke into English ... it was met with blank stares. The Maronite Catholic Church, along with several others, retain Aramaic for the Consecration. This is THE language and THE words of our Lord at the Last Supper. No matter how many languages you translate them into, hearing those words in their original form and context, stirs the soul.

I am out of here for now, after nursing a virus all day. Will check in later. In the meantime, thank you again, for the clarifications on the greek words.