Homily By Archbishop Elpidophoros of America On the Sunday of the Last Judgment (Meatfare) Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral
Today, in this magnificent Cathedral, adorned with the glories of Byzantium and the beauty of our Orthodox Faith, we gather as a community, which, as all of you know, is a form of communion. The Holy Communion that we receive – the Body and Blood of the Lord – is what binds us together. It is the substance of God, the Divine DNA, that makes us a family in God. All of us are members of the Body of Christ, and our communion with each other is truly a sign of the sincerity of our communion with God.
Read MoreArchbishop Elpidophoros Remarks at the Groundbreaking for the Youth and Ministry Center
What a marvelous day to break ground for this vital addition to your Parish. You are creating an institutional legacy of faith, of learning, and of love.
Read MoreThis week, I have been here in your beautiful city of Naples by the Gul, with the members of Leadership 100 – many of whom are participating this morning – in order to further advance the mission and the ministries of our Church.
Read MoreYou present yourself today for ordination to the Holy Diaconate, at the Beginning of Triodion, on the day of the reading of the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee. For one seeking to serve in the role of deacon, it is hard to think of a more appropriate commemoration.
Read MoreMy Beloved Brother in Christ, Metropolitan Gerasimos,
Your Grace and Reverend Fathers,
Beloved Children in the Lord,
We read in the Old Testament, in the Second Book of Samuel, that when King David brought up the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, that he: … danced before the Lord with all his might.[1]
Read MoreSeeing your shining faces this morning, as we celebrate together Greek Letters and the Feast of the Three Hierarchs, brings a song to my heart. I look upon all of you, and I see what the Lord Jesus meant when He said (and as we read in today’s Gospel): “You are the light of the world.”*
Read MoreArchepiscopal 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:
Read MoreWhat a joy it is for me to join all of you for the Hellenic Dance Festival of the Holy Metropolis of Atlanta. These cultural celebrations that take place across the Archdiocese are especially rewarding to see, because they bring so many of you – or young people – together in fellowship.
Read MoreVery Reverend and Reverend Fathers,
Dear Presvyteres and Beloved Children,
It is a delight to be with you at the Clergy Family Luncheon of the Hellenic Dance Festival of the Holy Metropolis of Atlanta. I am always impressed at the number of clergy and their families who attend the Dance Festivals throughout our Sacred Archdiocese. It tells me that these occasions have become deeply woven into your Parishes, and that these cultural events are woven into the fabric of the Church.
Read MoreWhat does the phrase “eternal memory” mean really, for us mere mortals? This question begs at me much now that I am in my sixth decade of life and have witnessed so many lovely souls pass on to the next life. My sweet grandmother passed away on Theophany 5 years ago. She is in my thoughts at times, but I must admit not at all times - thus her memory is certainly not eternally in my small mind. There are moments when my heart throbs with ache for her embrace. There are also many moments when I mostly, admittedly, forget about her.
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