By the Grace of God, the gathering of the clergy of our Eparchial Synod took place last week, from Wednesday June 17/30, to Friday June 19/July 2. On Friday evening a vigil service was conducted in honour of St. John which started at 6:15PM, and ended around 1AM. In the morning a Hierarchical Liturgy was served by His Eminence, Metropolitan Demetrius, together with Bishop Auxentios, and Bishop Maximos. The Reverend Nectarios Pittos was ordained to the priesthood.
Since many clergy could not travel, they were able to connect through the Internet for the deliberations of the clergy conference.
Both Metropolitans Photios and Moses could not travel. The Canadian border was still closed, so many faithful were not able to visit.
The feast was well attended by a few hundred people from all over the United States of America, many of whom stayed until the end of the vigil service.
The faithful were very happy to have received such rich blessings on the feast of St. John of San Francisco.
Pictures of the Feast (Note: link will take you off of our site):
https://dchatzis.smugmug.com/2021-Saint-John-Feast-day-photos/n-5vpPN4
This miracle of Saint Spyridon took place in Mandra, Greece in 1926.
It was 12/25 December, 1926. The state Church of Greece adopted the Papal calendar and with the help of the Greek government persecuted all those who did not accept the Papal calendar. The faithful Orthodox Christians of Mandra woke up and headed to their Church to celebrate the Feast of Saint Spyridon. When they reached the Church they saw that the door to the Church had been secured with chains and the faithful could not enter. Before leaving the Church to return to their homes they stuck their candles on the door. As soon as the last person placed his candles on the door
the chains broke and fell. The faithful, confirmed in their Faith, entered the Church and celebrated the Feast of Saint Spyridon.
The miracle was reported the next day by the newspaper Skrip.
Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church is a beautiful mission parish near downtown Tucson, a city in southern Arizona. It was started in 1997 by Father John Bockman, who was a missionary Priest formerly serving missions in Tennessee and Massachusetts since 1990. Father John served the faithful in Tucson and the surrounding area in his home Chapel until his repose in November of 2000. His wife, Presbytera Valerie, continued to make her home Chapel available for the mission, with clergy from Saint Nectarios Orthodox Church in Seattle and His Eminence, Metropolitan Moses of Toronto (then of Portland), visiting to provide the Divine Services.
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Q. In considering becoming part of the GOC in America, I am getting warnings from various circles that the attitude of GOC people is that of being “walled off,” “arrogant,” “judgmental,” and “in your face” toward those not in the Genuine Orthodox Church, with accusations such as “World Orthodox” priests are “not even Christians” and the like. Could you give me your personal, realistic assessment of this dynamic and possibly refer me to an official statement on how GOC members should and do relate to and communicate with those in “World Orthodoxy”? Read more...