WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has labeled churches and other houses of worship as “essential” and called on governors nationwide to let them reopen this weekend even though some areas remain under coronavirus lockdown. The president threatened Friday to “override” governors who defy him, but it was unclear what authority he has to do…

By N. Zaimis The pros and cons of online tertiary-level instruction and lectures – in the wake of coronavirus pandemic measures – were detailed this week, in an interview with the Orthodoxia news agency, by University of Athens theology professor Christos Karagiannis and students in the specific faculty. “Lessons commenced immediate after the closing of all levels…

His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelos of New Jersey has issued his Memorial Day 2020 Encyclical 2020. The Encyclical reads:   Memorial Day 2020 The Very Reverend and Reverend Clergy Esteemed Members of the Metropolitan Council, Esteemed Members of the Parish Councils, Philoptochos Sisterhood, Faculty and Students of the Catechetical and Greek Afternoon Schools, Directors and Participants…

On Friday, May 29, 2020, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Saint Photios National Shrine will present the Shrine’s inaugural Commemoration of the Fall of Constantinople. The online version of this event is presented for all the faithful in place of a planned event at the Saint Photios Shrine that had to be cancelled…

FAITH: An Endowment for Orthodoxy & Hellenism Scholarship Application Now Available  Each year since its inception in 2004, FAITH celebrates the academic achievements of young leaders within the Greek and Hellenic American community by awarding merit-based scholarships to some of the community’s most promising graduating high school seniors from across the country. Recipients of the FAITH…

Download: Re-Opening Our Parishes – Letter to the Faithful   Video Transcript Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, Christ is Risen! Χριστὸς Ἀνέστη! For nearly two months, we have lived under the conditions of physical and social distancing in order to slow the advance of the Coronavirus. As a church, we have had to severely…

On the feast of the Translation of the Relics of Saint Nicholas of Myra, on May 22, 2020, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Irinej presided over the Holy Archhierarchal Liturgy in St. Nicholas Church (18th C.) in Zemun, Belgrade. The Serbian Patriarch was concelebrated by abbot of the Tuman monastery, Archimandrite Dimitrije; archpriest staurophor Djordje Knezevic,…

The Orthodox Christian Network’s myOCN Community Online Gathering on Thursday, May 21 featured as special guest Anthony J. Limberakis, M.D., National Commander of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Please click here to view the live-stream presentation. With Fr. Christopher Metropulos, Executive Director of the OCN, Dr. Limberakis discussed who the…

On May 22, 2020, the Executive Committee of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America met via video conference and determined that a direct appeal to several Governors be made to insist on the equitable treatment of religion in the reopening of certain States. In the appeal, the Hierarchs of…