Bridging the Ecclesial, the Academic, and the Political
The perennial issue of liturgical language has once again taken center stage following the recent comments of Archbishop Makarios of Australia on the primacy of Greek in the Church’s liturgical worship. As a faithful member of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and convert of 22 years, I welcome His Eminence’s comments for having generated robust…
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CHRIST IS RISEN! This traditional proclamation reverberates loudly and exuberantly throughout the Orthodox Christian world. In liturgical assemblies, in social settings, and in written correspondence among the faithful, the greeting is exchanged with fervent joy. The Church, in her ritual, expresses the redeeming truth of the central-most event in human history, whose transformative power is…
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On February 28, 2026, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was closed by Israeli authorities, coinciding with the onset of attacks by the U.S. and Israel against Iran, as well as Iran’s retaliatory strikes against Israeli territory. This marks the second time in recent years that this has occurred: the first time, the Church of…
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Ever since emerging from the lockdowns, Orthodox parishes—almost exclusively English-speaking ones—have experienced a historic increase in inquirers and converts. It is probably safe to say that there hasn’t been such an intense and sustained period of growth in the history of Orthodoxy in America. What is remarkable is not only the sheer number of newcomers…
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God ordained Saint Barbara to serve communion. When I speak these words in the U.S., they are often met with bewilderment and even anger, especially in convert-heavy Orthodox circles. Yet, where I come from, and in many other Slavic Orthodox countries, depicting Saint Barbara with a chalice in her hand is standard, as she is…
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Editors’ Note: What can contemporary liturgy offer to people affected by war? What can it provide to those who are traumatized, burned by pain, and crushed by tragic events? These reflections come from a priest ministering to a community where Ukrainians, Russians, Belarusians, and representatives of numerous other nationalities gather together in prayer. There is a…
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