Archepiscopal Encyclical on the Feast of the Three Hierarchs and the Day of Greek Letters
Unto the Most Reverend and Right Reverend Hierarchs, Pious Priests and
Deacons, Monks and Nuns, Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils,
Honorable Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Members of Leadership
100, Day and Afternoon Schools, Philoptochos Societies, Youth, Greek
Orthodox Organizations, and entirety of the Christ-loving Plenitude of the
Sacred Archdiocese of America:
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01/30/2024
Archepiscopal Encyclical on the New Year 2024
On this first day of the New Year of 2024, let us embrace the newness in
Christ, which He has appointed for our renewal and salvation. The Apostle
Paul reminds us that we are, in fact, new creations! And that whatever has
transpired is beyond us, forgiven and even forgotten. For every new year —
whether this civil one, or the Ecclesiastical New Year on September 1 — is
a call and opportunity to begin again. Why? Because in Christ, “everything
is new.”
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Read MoreAboutArchepiscopal Encyclical on the New Year 2024 »
12/29/2023
Archepiscopal Encyclical on the Feast of Christmas - 2023
Beloved sisters and brothers in Christ, Christ is Born! Let us glorify Him!
Although He comes to us in humility, in swaddling clothes and in poverty,
He is the powerful Rod of the Root of Jesse. In assuming our human nature
from his Most Holy Mother the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, He bears all
the suffering and sin of humanity across all the ages. What strength in
this Rod! What glory in His powerful love for every creature!
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Read MoreAboutArchepiscopal Encyclical on the Feast of Christmas - 2023 »
12/22/2023
Archepiscopal Encyclical for Thanksgiving
Our National Day of Thanksgiving arrives in a time when the world is in
turmoil, and “wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6) cast a pall over the
global community. It is often difficult to muster the intention to be
thankful in such moments. But as the Apostle Paul reminds us in his first
letter to the nascent Christian community in Thessaloniki, we fulfill the
will of God by our gratitude. This does not mean that we are thankful for
the miseries that afflict the world, but that even in such distressing and
sad circumstances, we persist through them.
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11/17/2023
Archepiscopal Encyclical for National Philoptochos Sunday
Today is National Philoptochos Sunday, always on the day that we read the
parable of the “Good Samaritan” in our churches across the country. This
most famous of parables is an answer to the question: “And who is my
neighbor?” – a question that our Philoptochos Societies have been
responding to for generations.
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Read MoreAboutArchepiscopal Encyclical for National Philoptochos Sunday »
11/09/2023
Archepiscopal Encyclical for the Feast of the Archangels
Every Christian knows the magnificent icon of the Holy Trinity, depicted as
the Three Angels who visited Abraham and Sarah by the oak of Mamre. It is a
profound image of philoxenia, the hospitality that we offer, but which
takes us into the very bosom of God. Indeed, the version of Andrei Rublev
is famous throughout the world.
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Read MoreAboutArchepiscopal Encyclical for the Feast of the Archangels »
11/02/2023
Archepiscopal Encyclical for the Feast of the Holy Unmercenaries, Saints Cosmas and Damian
Our National Philoptochos honors the glorious memory and fame of the Holy
Unmercenaries, Cosmas and Damian, on their Feastday of November 1, by
dedicating the resources to the benevolent and philanthropic ministries of
the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
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10/30/2023
Archepiscopal Encyclical for the Commemoration of OXI Day
Unto the Most Reverend and Right Reverend Hierarchs, Pious Priests and
Deacons, Monks and Nuns, Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils,
Honorable Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Members of Leadership
100, Day and Afternoon Schools, Philoptochos Societies, Youth, Greek
Orthodox Organizations, and entirety of the Christ-loving Plenitude of the
Sacred Archdiocese of America:
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Read MoreAboutArchepiscopal Encyclical for the Commemoration of OXI Day »
10/25/2023
Archepiscopal Encyclical to the Vicariate for Palestinian & Jordanian Orthodox Christian Communities in America
Unto the Pious Priests and Deacons, Presidents and Members of the Parish
Councils, Honorable Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Day and
Afternoon Schools, Youth Orthodox Organizations, and entirety of the
Christ-loving Plenitude of the Vicariate for Palestinian & Jordanian
Orthodox Christian Communities in America of the Sacred Archdiocese of
America:
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Read MoreAboutArchepiscopal Encyclical to the Vicariate for Palestinian & Jordanian Orthodox Christian Communities in America »
10/23/2023
Archepiscopal Encyclical For National Leadership 100 Sunday
On this Sunday closest to the Feastday of Saint Iakovos, the Brother of
God and First Bishop of Jerusalem, we are celebrating the remarkable
Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Fund. Its creative and prescient works,
as a permanent endowment for Orthodoxy and Hellenism in our Archdiocese,
have had enormous impact on our Church, especially Hellenic College and
Holy Cross. In this observance of Leadership 100’s amazing role in our
Church, we also remember and recognize its eponymous inspiration, the
ever-memorable Archbishop Iakovos of blessed memory.
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Read MoreAboutArchepiscopal Encyclical For National Leadership 100 Sunday »
10/20/2023
Archepiscopal Encyclical On the Feast of the Universal Exaltation of the Precious and Life-giving Cross
Unto the Most Reverend and Right Reverend Hierarchs, Pious Priests and
Deacons, Monks and Nuns, Presidents and Members of the Parish Councils,
Honorable Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Members of Leadership
100, Day and Afternoon Schools, Philoptochos Societies, Youth, Greek
Orthodox Organizations, and entirety of the Christ-loving Plenitude of the
Sacred Archdiocese of America:
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09/14/2023
Archepiscopal Encyclical on the Day of Mourning for Hagia Sophia
The Great Church of Holy Wisdom, Hagia Sophia, is a living monument to the
glory of our Orthodox Christian Faith and a visible symbol of all that is
best in the worship and liturgy of our Church. Even after centuries of
servicing an alien purpose, the magnificence of the edifice is
unparalleled.
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07/27/2023
Archepiscopal Encyclical on the Day of Commemoration of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus
Forty-nine years have passed since the sad summer of 1974, when on July 20,
armed Turkish soldiers — with the tolerance of the great powers and
Greece’s weakness, due to military dictatorship — invaded the most
beautiful island of Hellenism, our beloved Cyprus. Memories of persecution
and uprooting from ancestral homes remain alive today.
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Read MoreAboutArchepiscopal Encyclical on the Day of Commemoration of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus »
07/18/2023
Archiepiscopal Encyclical on the Fourth of July
The Fourth of July is a National Holiday for all Americans, no matter how
or when their ancestors came to this land. Whether millennia ago, across
the Bering Straits, or in ships of conquest, or ships of slavery, or even
just a few weeks ago after a dangerous and arduous trek.
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06/29/2023
Homily By His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America At the Divine Liturgy
Sisters and brothers in Christ, I feel so very privileged to be with you,
especially on the Leave-Taking of the Feast of the Nativity of your
Celestial Patron, the Great Saint and Forerunner, John the Baptist.
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Read MoreAboutHomily By His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America At the Divine Liturgy »
06/27/2023
Archiepiscopal Encyclical for Father’s Day - 2023
This Father’s Day, I once again request our entire Archdiocese to remember
and celebrate the “fathers” of our parishes across the country. Our clergy
give so much to their ministries, responding unhesitatingly to the call of
our Lord Jesus Christ, leaving behind the advantages of secular life and
serving as “fishers of men.”
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Read MoreAboutArchiepiscopal Encyclical for Father’s Day - 2023 »
06/15/2023
Archiepiscopal Encyclical on the National Sisterhood of Presvyteres Sunday
On this National Sisterhood of Presvyteres Sunday, let us call to mind
these words of Saint Paul for all of our Presvyteres, which were indeed
personal for the Deaconess Phoebe. But they could truly be said of each and
every Presvytera, who deserve to be received and treated “in a manner
worthy of the saints.”
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Read MoreAboutArchiepiscopal Encyclical on the National Sisterhood of Presvyteres Sunday »
06/09/2023
Archiepiscopal Encyclical on AHEPA Sunday 2023
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America celebrates the achievements and
goals of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association.
Therefore, we enjoin this annual observance of AHEPA Sunday, a true
cultural partner to the Church for over one hundred years. As is well
known, both the Archdiocese and AHEPA were founded in 1922, and have grown
up together in the American milieu working for many common purposes.
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Read MoreAboutArchiepiscopal Encyclical on AHEPA Sunday 2023 »
05/19/2023
Archiepiscopal Encyclical on Great and Holy Pascha
We have finally arrived at the mystery of mysteries, and we approach the
Tomb with the holy Myrrh-bearing Women. With them we ask: “Who will roll
away the stone for us?”
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Read MoreAboutArchiepiscopal Encyclical on Great and Holy Pascha »
04/12/2023
Archiepiscopal Encyclical on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and the Celebration of Greek Independence Day
This Day of Greek Independence — when throughout Greece, Cyprus and the
Hellenic Diaspora, the people of God celebrate freedom and remember the
cost thereof — let us train our minds on the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin
Mary, who is the model for what that freedom truly means.
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Read MoreAboutArchiepiscopal Encyclical on the Feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and the Celebration of Greek Independence Day »
03/23/2023
Archive: Archbishop Demetrios' Encyclicals
- All Encyclicals
- Great Lent
- Great & Holy Pascha
- Indiction & Day of Protection of Environment (September 1)
- Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14)
- Leadership100 Sunday
- OXI Day (October 28)
- Unmercenaries (November 1)
- Holy Archangels (November 8)
- Thanksgiving
- Nativity of Christ (December 25)
- New Year/St. Basil (January 1)
- Three Hierarchs and Greek Letters (January 30)
- St. Photios (February 6)
- Annunciation of the Theotokos (March 25)
- Greek Independence Day Parade (March 25)
- AHEPA Sunday
- Independence Day (July 4)
- Dormition of the Theotokos (August 15)
- Tragedy/Crisis
- Other