Welcome to “The Children’s Word,” a weekly ministry of the Orthodox Christian Network. Each week, Presvytera Alexandra Houck writes this little newsletter for young parishioners! You will find age-appropriate articles, stories, and activities in every edition. The newsletter is provided in PDF format so that you can easily download Read more…
“Man of God,” the highly anticipated award-winning box office hit based on the inspiring life of our beloved Orthodox saint, Saint Nektarios of Aegina that won the hearts of the public in Greece, Russia and Serbia starring Aris Servetalis, Alexander Petrov, and Mickey Rourke, premiered on the big screen as Read more…
Alexandros Christodoulou, Theologian In general terms, Saint Païsios set the greatest store in the spiritual struggle on repentance and unceasing prayer. It was through repentance that he received revelations from heaven. He used to say that the life of a monk was one of repentance and prayer. The monks Read more…
One of the brethren was troubled and went to see the Elder. He begged him: ‘Elder, say a prayer for me to be rid of my sadness’. He put his hands on the man’s head and prayed as he usually did. Then he said to him: ‘Listen, son. In the Read more…
Los Angeles, October 31, 2023. Orthodox Christian Network (OCN) and the Cathedral of Saint Sophia, Los Angeles, are pleased to announce their collaboration, celebrating both OCN’s coming 30th year of championing global Christian Orthodoxy and the establishment of the Orthodox Media Ministry at Saint Sophia Cathedral (OMM). The two organizations Read more…
George Poulos In recent years there has been a rash of new religions erupting on the community skin, a kind of social disease to which the seasoned Christian is immune, but which afflicts the well-intentioned but more impressionable young. The merchants of these new religions, which can be better Read more…
Saint Peter the Damascan We shouldn’t despair when we’re not as we ought to be. Of course, it’s bad if you sin. But why do you slight God and, in your ignorance, consider Him powerless? Is He Who made this wonderful world for you perhaps unable to save your Read more…
Elder Moses the Athonite † Saint John Chrysostom shows us five practical ways to repent. He says: The first way is to condemn yourself for your sins. The Lord esteems this action greatly. If, of your own volition, you condemn your sins, you’re less likely to repeat them. No Read more…
During the Occupation [of Greece by the Germans in World War II], Fr. Georgios Ayiopavlitis was a gardener and he was inducted into the Resistance. Together with other monks, he assisted Allied escapees, but was betrayed by a Romanian [For most of WWII, Romania was an ally of Germany]. He Read more…
James W. Lillie We know very little concerning the martyr Nestor, other than that he was a close spiritual brother of Saint Dimitrios. He may have volunteered to fight the giant Vandal, Lyaeus, in order to prevent other Christians being drafted in to do so against their will. According Read more…
James W. Lillie Another point of interest is that the church of Saint Dimitrios, for 60 years (1430-1490) remained as part of the local Church, when almost all the other churches in Thessaloniki had been turned into mosques after the fall of the city to the Turks in 1430. This Read more…
James W. Lillie Saint Dimitrios is the protector and patron saint of Thessaloniki, a saint from whose relics myrrh flows and also a Great Martyr. There are actually conflicting accounts in the sources, but the overwhelming view is that he was born and bred in Thessaloniki. As a young man, Read more…