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Statement of the Holy Synod of Antioch Balamand, 14 March 2024 The Holy Antiochian Synod, presided by His Beatitude Patriarch JOHN X (Yazigi), held its eighteenth extraordinary session in Balamand from March 13 to March 14, 2024, in the presence of Their Eminences: Elias (Archdiocese of Beirut and dependencies); Elias (Archdiocese of Tyre, Sidon and dependencies); Saba (Archdiocese of New York and All North America); Silouan (Archdiocese of Byblos, Botrys and dependencies); Basilios (Archdiocese of Akkar and dependencies); Ephrem (Archdiocese of Tripoli, Koura and dependencies); Ignatius (Archdiocese of France, Western and Southern Europe); Isaac (Archdiocese of Germany and Central Europe);...

“For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.” (Romans 6:19) In the 20th century, between the end of the 60s and beginning of the 70s movements of sexual liberation began and the idea of a “sexual revolution” started to spread. During the 60s broad changes started to occur in Western societies, particularly society’s attitude toward sex, which aimed to “liberate” sex from predominant religious, social and ethical constraints, leading to new legislation about the sexual behavior of an individual...

A Statement on the Sanctity of Life Orthodox Pro-Life Statement The Orthodox Church has consistently and unequivocally recognized the full humanity of every person beginning at the moment of conception. This position is informed by Scripture and Holy Tradition and is validated by modern science, which confirms that a new, distinct human organism comes into existence at conception. The Orthodox Church is, and always has been, unabashedly pro-life, regarding abortion as the killing of another human being. In recent weeks, this position has been called into question, and, consequently, we, Orthodox Presiding Hierarchs representing several canonical jurisdictions in the United...

For the first time since the Coronavirus pandemic took hold of the world, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph returned to doing what he loves most – celebrating the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy among his clergy and laity. He had been worshipping God from his chapel at the Archdiocesan headquarters for months, praying for the world and its healing. On Sunday, August 2, 2020, the leader of the Antiochian Archdiocese led worship at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn, New York. Following the reading of the epistle and gospel, Sayidna Joseph addressed the entire Archdiocese via live video (go to 2:06:00). He acknowledged the...

Pastoral Letter from His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH on the Feast of All Saints Download His Eminence's letter June 8, 2020 Beloved Faithful in Christ, Greetings and blessings to you and your families in the Name of our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ! As we wrote in our pastoral letter for Pentecost, these holiest of days have been difficult and heartrending. We have experienced the unprecedented restrictions on the gathering of our faithful in the churches, anxiety and fear stemming from a new virus spreading with great speed throughout the world, economic distress arising from the lockdowns, and controversies and...

A Statement Issued by the Patriarchates of Antioch and all the East for the Greek Orthodox, Syrian Orthodox, and Greek-Melkite Catholic Damascus, 14 April 2018 God is with us; Understand all ye nations and submit yourselves! We, the Patriarchs: John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Ignatius Aphrem II, Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, and Joseph Absi, Melkite-Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem, condemn and denounce the brutal aggression that took place this morning against our precious country Syria by the USA, France and the UK, under the allegations that...

Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women Hear the voice of gladness, O women; for I have trodden down rebellious Hades, and raised the world from corruption. Wherefore, hasten ye and proclaim the glad tidings to My beloved; for I desire that joy shall break forth thence upon My creation, whence first came forth sorrow. —Orthros of the Feast, Tone 2 On this day, the third Sunday of Pascha, we celebrate the feast of the holy Myrrh-bearing women. And we also make commemoration of Joseph of Arimathea, who was a secret disciple, and Nicodemus, who was a disciple by night. The women...

The bright blue cupolas atop SS. Cyril & Methodius Orthodox Church are an unmistakable landmark in Jeannette — symbols of a parish once home to more than 50 Russian families. In Monessen, families used to fill folding chairs beside packed church pews during Sunday services at St. Michael Antiochian Orthodox Church. Not so today. Not at St. Michael, not at SS. Cyril & Methodius and not at many other Orthodox churches in southwestern Pennsylvania.

At Bridegroom Orthros on Great and Holy Tuesday, the Church sings the following hymn by St. Kassiane: "O Lord, the woman who had fallen into many sins, perceiving Thy divinity, fulfilled the part of a myrrh-bearer; and with lamentations she brought sweet-smelling oil of myrrh to Thee before Thy burial. 'Woe is me,' she said, 'for night surrounds me, dark and moonless, and stings my lustful passion with the love of sin. Accept the fountain of my tears, O Thou who drawest down from the clouds the waters of the sea. Incline to the groanings of my heart, O Thou...

“Glory to God for All Things Things” An Akathist of Thanksgiving Priest: Blessed is our God always, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Choir: Amen. Priest: Glory to Thee, O God, glory to Thee. O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art in all places, and fillest all things, Treasury of good things, and Giver of life, come, and dwell in us, and cleanse us from every stain; and save our souls, O gracious Lord. People: Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us. (THRICE) Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and...

+Metropolitan Constantine (Papastephanou), 1924 – 2016 It was with great sadness that we learned of the falling asleep in our Lord Jesus Christ of His Eminence Metropolitan Constantine (Papastephanou) on Sunday April 17th, 2016. I was personally blessed to know Metropolitan Constantine during my time in Damascus, and I can certainly testify to his holiness, and prayerfulness. It can truly be said that he was a man of God. Metropolitan Constantine was born in 1924 in Damascus, Syria where he was educated in the city's parochial schools. Desirous of entering upon an ecclesiastical career, His Eminence was blessed to study...

SALT LAKE CITY — He wears a long beard and a long, black cassock wherever he goes, which often produces stares from inquisitive onlookers. “People were welcoming … curious about who I was because of what I was wearing, but weren’t afraid to have a conversation,” said Rev. Father John Mahfouz. He wears the traditional, ascetical garb of the Orthodox Christian Church which he says has helped him, his wife and young children fit in in Salt Lake City. “We feel that this is a good place to raise a family,” Father Mahfouz said. “So, we’re very happy.” On Sunday,...

The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America Englewood, New Jersey As Orthodox Christians, we take to heart the commandments of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, especially the commandment that He has told us is the greatest, that is “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). We have watched with dismay as several public figures have played on the fear which they assume has swept over this country. Specifically, a recent news release from the Trump campaign has called for “a total and complete shutdown of all Muslims entering the United States”. We reject in...

Metropolitan Joseph's Archiepiscopal Directive On So-called "Same-Sex Marriage" Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America October 29, 2015 Christ is in our Midst! At the recently concluded meeting of the hierarchs of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, the attached directive was reviewed and approved for distribution to all of our clergy and laity.< Prologue The holy Church offers to her spiritual children the tender and sweet milk of the Gospel and the nourishing and substantive meat of spiritual guidance, encouragement, discipline, and reproof, so that Her children may flourish "in the fatherly adoption." Ours is a Christian...

O Lord our God, Who art Thyself, the Hope of the hopeless, the Help of the helpless, the Savior of the storm-tossed, the Haven of the voyager, the Physician of the sick; be all things to our land which fourteen years ago on this date was devastated by the cowardly and hateful acts of false martyrs; who imitated wicked Herod in his slaughter of the 14,000 innocents. To those who lost loved ones, grant the comfort thou didst impart to Mary and Martha before Thou didst raise their brother Lazarus from the dead, and care for them as Thou didst...

June 28, 2015 Feast of Ss. Cyrus and John Beloved in Christ, May God bless you always. On June 26, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down a decision that effectively defines “marriage” as legal between any two consenting adults throughout our country, regardless of their biological sex, a decision that will no doubt have sweeping effects in our society, not just for these couples but for children, families, churches, other religious organizations and all people of faith. This action by the Court attempting to redefine marriage is deeply wrong, but it gives us an opportunity to reiterate...

By the mercy of God, Patriarch John X, The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East To my brother pastors of the Antiochian Holy Church, and my children throughout the Holy See "Heaven and Earth are made one today, for Christ is born. Today God is come upon the earth, and man is gone up into the Heavens. Today He Who by nature is invisible, for man's sake is seen in the flesh. For this cause, let us also give glory and cry out to Him: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, which Thy...

Today we commemorate our great father among the saints, Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra, the patron of this holy Cathedral. Howgreatly loved he is throughout the Christian world! He is even honored in popular culture, a fact well known to you all. Let us focus for a moment on the Troparion for St. Nicholas: Thy works of justice did reveal Thee to Thy community as a canon of faith, the likeness of humility and the teacher of abstinence. O, Thou Father and great Bishop Nicholas. Wherefore by humility thou didst achieve exaltation, and by Thy meekness wealth, Intercede therefore, intercede...

Your Eminence, Metropolitan Joseph, Brother hierarchs and beloved clergy, Your Excellencies, and beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, I address you with the peace of Christ. I address you with the word of the Word who lived among us. "My peace I leave to you, my peace I give to you" (John 14:27). The enthronement of a bishop in the church is the enthronement of peace and love in her midst. Now, the Church expresses her full essence within a community governed with love. O Sayedna, Joseph, in the name of all your brothers in the Antiochian Orthodox Church, I...

A Message from Metropolitan Joseph Venerable Hierarchs, Brother Clergy, Esteemed Members of the Board of Trustees: Christ is in our Midst! It is with joy that we confirm the election of Archbishop Joseph by the Holy Synod of Antioch to be the new Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of New York and all North America. His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph asked me to convey to all of you his love and prayers. He said that he stands ready to lead this Archdiocese with the support and assistance from each and every one of you, and looks forward to working together for the...