By the pleasure and grace of God, the giver of all gifts, having run the race of Holy and Great Lent and spent with compunction the Week of our Lord’s Passion, behold we delight in the celebration of His splendid Resurrection, through which we were redeemed from the tyranny of Hades.
The glorious Resurrection of the Lord Christ from the dead is a shared resurrection of the entire race of mortals and a foretaste of the perfection of all, as well as of the fulfilment of the Divine Oikonomia in the heavenly Kingdom. We participate in the ineffable mystery of the Resurrection in the Church, being sanctified in its sacraments and experiencing Pascha,

On this great and glorious Feast of Pascha – the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, our hearts are filled with tremendous joy, our souls are transformed and we bask in the Light of Truth. This year I want to share with you an excerpt from an inspiring, uplifting and brilliant homily of our Father among the Saints, Gregory of Nyssa. The reign of life has begun, the tyranny of death is ended. A new birth has taken place, a new life has come, a new order of existence has appeared, our very nature has been transformed! This birth is not brought about by human generation, by the will of man, or by the desire of the flesh, but by God.

My beloved Faithful Clergy and Laity (Young and Old) of our God-Protected Diocese:

As we begin Holy and Great Lent this year on March 18th, I want to share with you a few thoughts so that we may journey through this reflective period and arrive at the Great Feast of Feasts, PASCHA to receive the Resurrected Christ.     

We are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we at the same time reconcile with one another.  In this holiest period of the ecclesiastical year, we should honestly examine our relationships with our families, our Church families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and the society in general.      

As we celebrate this joyous Feast of the Nativity in the flesh of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, I wish to share with you one of my favorite Christmas homilies from the Church Fathers concerning this day. St.  John Chrysostom. spoke on the Incarnation with these words:

I behold a new and wondrous mystery! My ears resound to the shepherd's song, piping no soft melody, but loudly chanting a heavenly hymn!

On this great and glorious Feast of Pascha – the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, our hearts are filled with tremendous joy, our souls are transformed and we bask in the Light of Truth. This year I want to share with you an excerpt from an inspiring, uplifting and brilliant homily of our Father among the Saints, Gregory of Nyssa. The reign of life has begun, the tyranny of death is ended. A new birth has taken place, a new life has come, a new order of existence has appeared, our very nature has been transformed! This birth is not brought about by human generation, by the will of man, or by the desire of the flesh, but by God.

My beloved Faithful Clergy and Laity of our God-Protected Diocese:

As we begin Holy and Great Lent this year on March 14th, I want to share with you a few thoughts so that we may journey through this reflective period and arrive at the Great Feast of Feasts, Pascha to receive the Resurrected Christ.

We are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we at the same time reconcile with one another. In this holiest period of the ecclesiastical year, we should honestly examine our relationships with our families, our parish families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and the Church in general.

As we celebrate this joyous Feast of the Nativity in the flesh of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, I wish to share with you one of my favorite Christmas homilies from the Church Fathers concerning this day. St.  John Chrysostom. spoke on the Incarnation with these words:

I behold a new and wondrous mystery! My ears resound to the shepherd's song, piping no soft melody, but loudly chanting a heavenly hymn!

As we celebrate this joyous Feast of the Nativity in the flesh of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, I wish to share with you one of my favorite Christmas homilies from the Church Fathers concerning this day. St.  John Chrysostom. spoke on the Incarnation with these words:

I behold a new and wondrous mystery! My ears resound to the shepherd's song, piping no soft melody, but loudly chanting a heavenly hymn!

Dear Beloved Clergy and Laity of our God-Protected Diocese,

Glory to Jesus Christ!

We now embark on our annual journey to Bethlehem. The Church, as a wise and loving mother, knows that we need preparation in order to reap the spiritual fruits of celebrating Our Lord’s theophany—the “manifestation of God” in His Incarnation, Birth, and Baptism. Yet, while we often sing “let us lay aside all earthly cares” in the Cherubic Hymn of the Divine Liturgy, it seems that our earthly cares increase exponentially during these last two months of the year.

oday I greet you with great love and joy in the Name of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ following His glorious Resurrection. On Great and Holy Pascha, we behold the triumph of Christ, as He rose from death to life, from darkness of the tomb into the Light. With the Resurrection of Christ, all Creation is filled with a new Light of life and joy. On this Feast of Feasts, this Holy Day of Holy Days, we all proclaim the only truth that matters, the Truth that Christ is Risen!

We gather together as family and friends, in joy and in love, celebrating the presence of the Risen Lord in our midst, and singing with one voice the triumphant hymn "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs bestowing life."

My beloved Faithful Clergy and Laity of our God-Protected Diocese:

As we begin Holy and Great Lent this year on March 7th, I want to share with you a few thoughts so that we may journey through this reflective period and arrive at the Great Feast of Feasts, Pascha to receive the Resurrected Christ.

We are reminded that there can be no true fast, no genuine repentance, no reconciliation with God, unless we at the same time reconcile with one another. In this holiest period of the ecclesiastical year, we should honestly examine our relationships with our families, our parish families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and the Church in general.

Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

On this glorious Feast of the Nativity of Christ we celebrate a truly a wondrous event in which God, in His infinite and marvelous grace, became man bringing us enduring hope, newness of life, and eternal salvation. The Son of God, the Lord of Glory and King of kings who upholds the universe by His word of power, became man so that we human beings might be redeemed, renewed, united with Him, and become fellow citizens with the Saints and members of God’s kingdom.

The magnitude and depth of the event of the Nativity of Christ are impossible to grasp, but the message is clear and true. It is a message of grace, hope, and salvation to all humanity and to all the created order.

Today I greet you with great love and joy in the Name of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ following His glorious Resurrection. On Great and Holy Pascha, we behold the triumph of Christ, as He rose from death to life, from darkness of the tomb into the Light. With the Resurrection of Christ, all Creation is filled with a new Light of life and joy. On this Feast of Feasts, this Holy Day of Holy Days, we all proclaim the only truth that matters, the Truth that Christ is Risen!

This year we have experienced a different Great Lent, Holy Week and Pascha from that which we did last year with the arrival of the Coronavirus known as Covid-19.  This invisible entity has attacked us in a vicious way. Millions of people have been exposed to the virus showing no symptoms.

My Beloved Faithful Clergy and Laity of our God Protected Diocese:

As we begin Holy and Great Lent this year on March 15th, I wanted to share with you a few  thoughts so that we may journey through the season and arrive safely at the Great Feast of Feasts, Holy Pascha with the proper frame of mind.

It has been over a year now that we have been dealing with the global Covid-19 pandemic and all of its effects including tragically the loss of over 50 individuals in our Diocese. May their memories be eternal! The pandemic greatly impacted our lives including the practicing of our faith, especially our attendance at church services. Virtual attendance via live-streaming and other measures work in emergency situations, but eventually lose their effectiveness.

Dear Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Christmas is a time of great joy, hope and love. Two thousand years ago, quietly, almost secretly, without a great deal of fanfare, Jesus Christ, the "King of Kings" was born in a cave in the town of Bethlehem. No earthly creature in their wildest imaginings could have foreseen the impact of this humble event: a God-Man, born of a woman, who would change the course of history forever. This God- Man spoke and touched the hearts and minds of everyone who had ears to hear Him. This God- Man's words and actions have comforted, given hope and transformed the lives of millions throughout time. This is the God-Man that we worship. This is the God-Man that we praise. The miraculous mystery of our Lord's birth should remain first and foremost in all our hearts and minds during this brilliant season. We should never forget that Christmas is about Christ and His birth.

July 19, 2020

Protocol No. 29/2020

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Reverend Fathers and Faithful Laity of our God-Protected Diocese,

Today I write with a sense of great sadness, disgust, anger, determination, faith, and urgency.  

On July 10, 2020 Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan formally converted The Great Cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople (present day Istanbul) into a mosque. Built in 537 AD during the reign of Emperor Justinian, for more than a millennium Hagia Sophia served as a place of rich spiritual and cultural inspiration for all. If you have ever been inside this World Heritage Site (I have visited it a couple of times) you know the awesomeness of this architectural wonder.   

In 1453 when the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet II conquered Constantinople, the Great Church of Christianity was converted into a mosque.  Later however, in 1934, it was converted into a museum by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.  Transforming Hagia Sophia into a museum opened it up to all people of all faiths and not the property of any one religion. Over 3 million people visited each year.

July 16,, 2020

Protocol No. 28/2020

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Dear Reverend Clergy and Faithful Laity of our God-Protected Diocese,

I am writing today to update you on several items as we continue to be challenged with the effects of the Coronavirus on our Church and its activities.  Many of our people have become ill due to the virus and several (too many of course) have succumbed to it and have fallen asleep in the Lord. May their memories be eternal!  The Diocese has continued to distribute an updated list of the sick, the dead, and those who provide care such as healthcare professionals and support staff, along with first responders and so many others. Let us continue to pray for all of our brothers and sisters.

We have tried diligently to follow the advice and pronouncements of local, state and federal government officials in thirteen states and a province in Canada.  It has een very challenging and difficult as we have negotiated our way through the situation, some would say “the mess”.  We reluctantly closed the doors of the Church to the public for several weeks, including Holy Week.  Eventually we opened up again with just a few parishioners attending services at first and gradually increasing the numbers as allowed. 

May 8, 2020

Protocol No. 24/2020

Christos Voskrese! Christ is Risen! Christos Anesti!

Dear Reverend Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese,

Today I am writing to summarize how we got to where we are in dealing with Coronavirus and to let you know the process for the re-opening of our churches.

Prior to this Protocol, you received five Protocols from me dealing with the pandemic known as Covid-19 or Coronavirus starting with Protocol No. 7/2020 on March 12, 2020. When Protocol No. 7/2020 was sent out, it was still early in the pandemic and so less was known about the virus than now.  These are some of the items mentioned in the Protocol:

May 8, 2020

Protocol No. 22/2020

Christos Voskrese! Christ is Risen! Christos Anesti!

Dear Very Reverend Protopresbyters, Very Reverend, and Reverend Fathers and Diocesan Faithful,

Today I am writing to inform all of you that due to the current circumstances regarding the Coronavirus, I (hearing the advice of many) have made the decision that the following Diocesan Summer Youth Events will not take place onsite this year, but virtually:

The Altar Boy Retreat June 28 – July 1, 2020 The Young Women’s Encounter June 28 – July 1, 2020 The Camp Nazareth Summer Camping Weeks July 19 – August 8, 2020 The Camp Nazareth Science and Nature Week August 9 – 15, 2020

Today I greet you with great love and joy in the Name of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ following His glorious Resurrection. On Great and Holy Pascha, we behold the triumph of Christ, as He rose from death to life, from darkness of the tomb into the Light. With the Resurrection of Christ, all Creation is filled with a new Light of life and joy. On this Feast of Feasts, this Holy Day of Holy Days, we all proclaim the only truth that matters, the Truth that Christ is Risen!

This year we have experienced a different Great Lent, Holy Week and Pascha from that which we normally do. The world has been turned upside down with the arrival of the Coronavirus known as Covid-19. This invisible entity has attacked us in a vicious way. Millions of people have been exposed to the virus showing no symptoms.