Volume 52 No. 8 November 2008 VOLUME 52 NO. 9 NOVEMBER 2008 contents COVER The Antiochian Village Heritage and Learning Center Museum

3 EDITORIAL by Very Rev. John Abdalah

4 EAST MEETS WEST IN LIGONIER

10 OUR PILGRIMAGE TO RUSSIA: A JOURNEY TO REMEMBER by Fr. Thomas Zain

19 CHILDRENS’ RELIEF FUND

23 ARCHDIOCESAN OFFICE The Most Reverend Metropolitan PHILIP, D.H.L., D.D. 24 MARRIAGE Primate by Daniel Manzuk The Right Reverend

Bishop ANTOUN 28 THE ORDER OF ST. IGNATIUS The Right Reverend Bishop JOSEPH OF ANTIOCH The Right Reverend by Fr. Michael Ellias Bishop BASIL The Right Reverend 30 ORATORICAL FESTIVAL Bishop THOMAS The Right Reverend 32 COMMUNITIES IN ACTION Bishop MARK The Right Reverend 38 THE ORTHODOX WORLD Bishop ALEXANDER Founded in Arabic as Al Kalimat in 1905 by Saint Raphael (Hawaweeny) Founded in English as Icons courtesy of Come and See Icons. The WORD in 1957 www.comeandseeicons.com by Metropolitan ANTONY (Bashir) Editor in Chief The Very Rev. John P. Abdalah, D.Min. Editorial Board The Very Rev. Joseph J. Allen, Th.D. Anthony Bashir, Ph.D. The Very Rev. Antony Gabriel, Th.M. The Very Rev. Peter Gillquist Ronald Nicola Letters to the editor are welcome and should include the author’s full name and Najib E. Saliba, Ph.D. parish. Submissions for “Communities in Action” must be approved by the local The Very Rev. Paul Schneirla, M.Div. pastor. Both may be edited for purposes of clarity and space. All submissions, in Design Director Donna Griffi n Albert hard copy, on disk or e-mailed, should be double-spaced for editing purposes. Member The Associated Church Press Conciliar Press ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION: Ecumenical News International U.S.A. and Canada, $20.00 Orthodox Press Service Foreign Countries, $26.00 Single Copies, $3.00 Editorial Offi ce: The WORD (USPS626-260) is published monthly, except July and August, by The WORD the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America at 358 Mountain 635 Miranda Drive Road, PO Box 5238; periodicals postage paid at Englewood, New Jersey 07631- Pittsburgh, PA 15241 5238 and at additional mailing offi ces. e-mail: [email protected] FAX: 1-412-831-5554 Postmaster send address changes to: The WORD, 358 Mountain Road, PO Box 5238, Englewood, NJ 07631-5238 Subscription Offi ce: ISSN 0043-7964 www.antiochian.org. 358 Mountain Road PO Box 5238 Canada Post Publications Agreement No. 40691029 Englewood, NJ 07631-5238 Return Canada address to: AIM, 7289 Torbram Road, Mississauga, ON L4T 1G8, Canada. 2 The Word editor’s letter

The History of Christianity Is Your Own

As our Cathedral community in Oakland, Church. For this we were called out of the world PA, prepares to celebrate her centennial, I am to express the Kingdom that is both among us struck with just how short a time a century is. and to come. It is too easy to neglect our re- Many of our parishioners have sung, chanted, sponsibility and let others gather and lead. served, cooked and supported the church for Many within reading distance of these pag- 50 and 75 years! This brought me to refl ect on es have slacked off in their responsibility to be how few centuries have already transpired since the Church. Some have elaborate excuses and Christ fi rst commissioned us to preach the Gos- explanations. Beneath most of these is common pel and to baptize all nations. Being brought up human laziness. Fortunately, our God chooses in an already established Church, I lost sight for us to make new starts and to turn ourselves of how much the history of the Church each of around. It takes only three weeks to get back Aus is. Coming to this realization, I stand totally into the habit of gathering in the Church. Just humbled by the responsibility that is mine, or, like it took only three weeks to get out of the more accurately, ours. It is our job to bring the habit of gathering. light into a still dark world. It is our job to bring If, like me, you recognize just how short Christ to each other and ourselves. It is our job our time is and the seriousness of Christ’s com- to gather and be the Church. mission to each of us to be the Church and do Many of us have lost a sense of ownership the work of the Church, I urge you to take those of the responsibility that is ours. Our respon- fi rst steps and to reclaim your role and part in sibility is to be the Church that calls people to the history of the Church and the salvation of prayer. Our responsibility is to offer the liturgy this world. We are the leaven that the scripture on behalf of the world. Our responsibility is speaks of and we will be judged on our steward- to give fl esh to the Word of God and express ship of our time, talents and resources. God’s mercy and love to and for his people. For this we were called out of the world to be the Fr. John Abdalah 4 The Word The current exhibit at the Heritage Museum at Antiochian Village, “East Meets West in Ligonier,” was created in honor of Ligonier 250, a regional celebration of 250 years of local history since the battle fought in 1758 at nearby Fort Ligonier during the French & Indian War.

ing the 1700s. The story told through the exhibit spans the centuries, and crosses oceans, continents, cultures, and faiths – taking a few detours on the way – as it explores a series of links between East and West, rich in the heritage and lega- cies of two emigrant communities that 1. Mid-1700s: Scotch-Irish emigrants come to the U.S. from Ulster, Ireland, have made the U.S., and Western Penn- seeking the Pennsylvania frontier. 2. 1770s: Scotch-Irish Presbyterian church sylvania, their home. communities are established in the Ligonier Valley, Pennsylvania (including Fairfi eld, on what is now Antiochian Village property). 3. 1820: American Presbyterian missionaries set up a mission in Syria (then part of the Turkish A LOG CHURCH IN Ottoman Empire), based in Beirut. 4. Mid-1800s: American missionaries PENNSYLVANIA, AND in Syria make education a priority, and begin the project of translating the MISSIONARIES IN BEIRUT Bible into Arabic. 5. 1876: Syrian/Lebanese Christians from missionary lo- cataions are among those chosen to accompany the exhibits of the Turkish Ottoman Empire to the U.S. Centennial in Philadelphia. 6. Late 1800s/early The fi rst church building on what is 1900s: Syrian/Lebanese Christians begin to emigrate to the U.S., many set- now the Antiochian Village property was tling in New York City and in towns along the railroad into Pennsylvania and a rough log structure built in the early beyond. 7. 1900s: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Churches are established in Johnstown (1904) and Pittsburgh (1908), Pennsylvania; the Church “ar- 1800s by the Scotch-Irish Presbyterian rives” in the Ligonier Valley in 1978 with the purchase of Camp Fairfi eld from community that had begun settling in the the Presbyterian Church, establishing what is now Antiochian Village. area during the mid-1700s. By the time We welcomed the opportunity to participate in the little log church was replaced by a an important local anniversary alongside other brick structure in 1849, the American Presbyte- cultural institutions of the area, and saw it as an rian church had begun sending missionaries over- opportunity to draw new visitors to the Museum seas, establishing a mission in Syria/Lebanon – and to the Antiochian Village Heritage & Learn- known as the Syrian Mission – with headquarters ing Center. The challenge was to create an exhibit in Beirut. In a unique way, the American Presby- that would connect to Pennsylvania’s early fron- terian Syrian Mission brought about a historically tier days while still celebrating the Antiochian signifi cant meeting of East (Orthodox Christians Engraved portrait heritage. At fi rst this seemed like a far reach, but of Syria/Lebanon) and West (Protestant Chris- of Sarah Smith as we began to discover fascinating connections tians from America). between these two seemingly unrelated subjects, we found that – in the words of a visitor to the FIRST SCHOOL FOR GIRLS IN THE 1876 U.S. Centennial Exposition – “the ends of OTTOMAN EMPIRE the earth are not so very far apart after all.” After teaching for a few years among the Mo- Exploring the history of the Antiochian Vil- hegan Indians in Connecticut, a young American lage property, and inspired by conversations with by the name of Sarah Huntington became interest- people whose families emigrated to the U.S. from ed in foreign missionary work. She got a fi rsthand Lebanon, East Meets West reveals fascinating ways introduction to it when she met Rev. Eli Smith, a in which we Antiochian Orthodox Christians share Stone marker in Beirut Presbyterian missionary to Syria, who was home a connection to the early settlers of this western marking location of for a year-long furlough in the U.S. They mar- Pennsylvania land, the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians fi rst School for Girls ried, and soon boarded a ship across the Atlantic in Ottoman Empire who fi rst established a church on this property dur-

The Word 5 Beirut Church and bound for Beirut. After a grueling four-month tion from the 1500s which did not contain the Girls’ School, 1871. journey from Boston, they arrived together in entire New Testament, and used out-of-date or The American mis- Beirut in January of 1834. inaccurate Arabic language. sionaries’ printing Within a year of her arrival in Beirut, Sarah While Sarah Smith used her teaching tal- press was located next to their School Smith had established the fi rst school for girls in ents to start her School for Girls, Rev. Eli Smith for Girls in Beirut: the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Until this time in the dedicated himself to the project of translating the In the extreme Ottoman Empire (which then ruled over Syria/Leb- Bible into modern Arabic, with the goal of print- left of the picture anon), a family’s only option for educating their ing the complete Old and New Testaments in Ara- a portion of the daughters was a private tutor, making education bic, using a printing press which he had brought [American] ‘Press’ building is seen. for girls accessible only to the wealthiest families. to Beirut. Throughout the translation process, When Smith started her School for Girls in Beirut Smith was aided by the Syrian scholar Butrus al- in 1834, it was groundbreaking in its impact on Bustani, who used his linguistic gifts in Hebrew, Current students the local community and became part of a legacy Aramaic and Greek, and perfected his Syriac and at the Lebanese of educational institutions established by Protes- Latin, for the task. After Rev. Smith died in 1857, American University. tant missionaries, many of which still exist today. the translation work continued under the leader- Sarah Smith struggled with ill health and died ship of Dr. Cornelius Van Dyck, who had known within a few years of her arrival in Beirut, at the al-Bustani from the Abeih Seminary, where they age of 34. But her legacy lived on, her school had both taught. The Arabic New Testament was evolving into the fi rst Women’s College in the fi nished in 1860 and the Old Testament transla- Middle East (in 1924), and eventually becom- tion, which took another fi ve years, was fi nally ing one of Lebanon’s foremost universities, the printed in 1865. This remains the standard Arabic Lebanese American University (LAU). In fact, two Bible in use today and is often referred to as “the of Beirut’s most distinguished universities – LAU Bustani-Van Dyck translation.” and the American University of Beirut – were “But for the American missionaries, the Word started by American Presbyterian missionaries. of God had well-nigh perished out of the [Ara- bic] language; but now, through the labors of Dr. ARABIC BIBLE Eli Smith and Dr. Van Dyck, they have given us TRANSLATION PROJECT a translation so pure, so exact, so clear, and so classical, as to be acceptable to all classes and When the missionaries arrived in Beirut, they all sects,” said Priest Ghubreen Jebara, a learned found existing Bibles in Arabic to be inadequate. Greek ecclesiastic in Beirut in 1865. Some were based on a Roman Catholic transla-

6 The Word sance,” al-Bustani became a leader in the lively intellectual atmosphere among the growing numbers of educated Arabic-speaking people in THE AWAKENING Beirut. He encouraged receptiveness to the scientifi c discoveries made in Europe, valued During this time, Arabic-speaking Christians, the acquisition of modern knowledge, and who were a large minority in the predominantly created the fi rst modern Arabic encyclopedia, Muhit Muslim Turkish Ottoman Empire, were experi- al-Muhit (Ocean of Oceans). encing a literary renaissance known as al-nah- dah or “the awakening.” (Though Arab Muslims were also affected by this renaissance, its greatest AN INVITATION TO AMERICA impact was on members of the Christian commu- In 1876, there arose a unique opportuni- nities.) It has been noted that two major catalysts ty for Christians in the villages of Lebanon, an for this awakening were foreign Christian mis- opportunity that was connected to the presence sionary activity – bringing new schools and new of American missionaries who had fi rst arrived in ideas – and the arrival of the Arabic printing press Beirut fi fty years earlier. During 1876, the United in Beirut, which not only published the Bible in States of America would celebrate its centennial – Arabic, but also printed new editions of classical 100 years since the signing of the Declaration of Arabic texts and inspired the development of a Independence – and a huge party was planned, a lively journalistic tradition. World’s Fair of sorts. Many nations were invited to participate in the U.S. Centennial Exhibition, FATHER OF THE including the Turkish Ottoman Empire. ARABIC RENAISSANCE The American ambassador to the Turkish Ottoman Empire at the time was George Henry The brilliant and scholarly Butrus al- Boker, a prominent Philadelphian. One Bustani (“Butrus” means “Peter” in of his duties was to see that the Arabic) was born into a Maronite Ottoman Empire participated Christian family in Syria. He was in the 1876 centennial event. impressed by the American Boker was also friendly with missionaries’ interest in a re- American Presbyterian mis- vival of Arabic literature and sionary Henry Jessup, who their commitment to edu- at that time had been in cating the local population. Syria for almost 20 years. Al-Bustani worked with the (Their fathers were very missionaries as a teacher in active in the Republican their schools, as their pri- Party and close to Abraham vate tutor in Arabic, and as Lincoln.) When it came time translator and collaborator in to “man the booths” of the B/W Bustani portrait their publications. Ottoman Empire at the U.S. “A group of cultural inter- Centennial, among those cho- mediaries was developing [in Bei- sen for the job were Arabic-speak- rut]. They were not only explaining ing Christians from the Koura region, their own language and society to for- where Jessup had a missionary post. eigners; as teachers and journalists, they were So it happened that a number of Syrian/Leba- beginning to explain the new world of Europe nese people were fi rst introduced to the U.S., and America to the growing number of those who arriving on U.S. soil in 1876. For six months they could read Arabic. Of this group of intermediar- supervised the Turkish exhibits in the Main Hall, ies, Butrus al-Bustani was both an example and a worked in the Turkish Pavilion and Café, and sold leader,” observed Albert Habib Hourani. olive-wood artifacts from the Holy Land at the Known as the “Father of the Arabic Renais- “Bethlehem and Palestine” booth.

The Word 7 THE ANTIOCHIAN ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH ARRIVES IN PENNSYLVANIA

The U.S. Centennial, and later Chicago’s Co- lombian Exposition of 1893, opened the eyes of the world to the potential of the young United States of America. Like other immigrants of that era, people from Syria/Lebanon began to settle Portrait of in communities throughout the U.S., many bring- Kalil Salloum ing with them their Orthodox Christian faith and in his 90s in an entrepreneurial spirit. Many chose to settle in Philadelphia New York City and cities westward along the rail- road, such as Johnstown and Pittsburgh, where THE CENTENNIAL EFFECT they could successfully start small businesses. As their communities grew, their churches were Impressed by their time at the U.S. Centen- established. In Pennsylvania, St. Mary Antiochian nial, many of these Syrian/Lebanese people re- Orthodox Church was established in Johnstown turned home with an enthusiasm for the econom- in 1904. Pittsburgh’s St. George Antiochian Or- ic possibilities and educational opportunities that thodox Cathedral, established in 1908, celebrates the United States offered. One of these was Kalil its 100th anniversary this year. Salloum, who was among the fi rst to arrive in the U.S. to work at the Centennial Exhibition. After- COMING FULL CIRCLE wards, Mr. Salloum – an agent with the London- based travel agency Thomas Cook & Son – trav- Thirty years ago, the Antiochian Orthodox eled between the U.S. and his homeland, making Christian Church found a home in the Ligonier arrangements for interested people to visit and/or Valley. Before the establishment of Antiochian relocate to the United States. Village, Metropolitan PHILIP had envisioned a In 1900, Mr. Salloum brought his family to place where members of his Antiochian Orthodox Philadelphia, with the purpose of enrolling his Christian Church could seek spiritual retreat, sur- oldest son and daughter in school. His daughter, rounded by the beauty of God’s creation. His vi- Mary, enrolled in medical school at the Women’s sion became a reality in 1978, with the purchase Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1905. She then of Camp Fairfi eld from the Presbyterian Church. transferred to Temple University Medical School, The mountains of Ligonier Valley created an ideal where she and her brother, Abdullah, were both setting for Antiochian Village. members of the fi rst graduating class in 1909. In the words of Metropolitan PHILIP, address- They both remained in the U.S. as practicing medi- ing the Archdiocesan General Assembly in Hous- cal doctors. (Salloum’s granddaughter, Aileen Sal- ton in 1978 (as published in the September 1978 loum Freeman, was a valuable resource for this issue of The WORD magazine): section of the East Meets West exhibit. Her re- There is something mysterious about a moun- cently published book, Jessup, explores the zeal tain which is diffi cult to describe. In the Old Tes- of the 19th-century American foreign missionary tament, Moses received the commandments on – especially that of two brothers, the Rev. Henry a mountain; Elias the Prophet witnessed to the Jessup and the Rev. Samuel Jessup, who were Living God on a mountain. In the New Testament, leaders in the Syrian Mission – and takes a look our Lord preached the most beautiful sermon ever at some of the men and women who intermingled preached on a mountain. And when He wanted to business and politics with religion, with some reveal his glory to His disciples, He was transfi g- surprising results. Jessup is available through ured on a mountain. On Ascension Day, He as- the Antiochian Village Bookstore, with proceeds cended into heaven with our human nature from kindly donated to the Village by the author.) a mountain. Thus, my friends, when you become

8 The Word weary, depressed, tired of life, empty, laden with PA, as well as selections from the museum’s own heavy burdens, when you lose direction in life and icon collection, artifacts of inlaid wood and brass, communion with God, go to the mountain, to the and a permanent display honoring St. Raphael, Antiochian Village, and you will fi nd rest. Bishop of Brooklyn.

MUSEUM HOURS LOANS AND DONATIONS TO THE HERITAGE MUSEUM East Meets West will be on view through February 2009. Museum hours are 10:00–4:30, Items related to the Antiochian heritage – of Monday through Friday, with weekend hours artistic, cultural, historic or religious signifi cance available May 1 through October 31 and by ap- – may be loaned or donated to the Museum for fu- pointment during the rest of the year. To ar- ture exhibits. All contributions are tax-deductible. range a group tour to the Village – which may It is through such generosity that the museum is include a Museum tour, lunch in our dining room, able to celebrate the unique Antiochian heritage, and a Chapel & Icon tour – please call Joyce at present it to our visitors, and preserve this rich 724-238-3677. heritage for generations to come.

UPCOMING EXHIBIT

Opening in Spring of 2009 will be a unique exhibit of Syrian traditional dresses that have never been shown in the United States. These are colorful, hand-embroidered dresses from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, on loan from the collection of Farah and Hanan Munayyer. The exhibit will also feature a series of Russian min- iature icons hand-painted on wooden eggs, on loan from Michael G. Farrow, Ph.D., of Altoona,

The Word 9 Our Pilgrimage to Russia: A Journey to Remember The Group with Their Graces, Bishops NIPHON and MARK and V. Rev. Thomas Zain

After more than a year of planning, the evening of August 18, 2008 fi nally arrived and a group of 18 faithful, led by His Grace, Bishop MARK of Toledo and Archpriest Thomas Zain, gathered at New York’s JFK airport to board an Aerofl ot fl ight headed for Russia.

Everyone arrived on time and we departed, anx- street, only to get stuck in our big bus because a Photo opposite: iously awaiting our arrival in Moscow the next car was blocking the way – not a very good start. St. Basil’s Cathedral day. After a long overnight fl ight, we landed at Thanks be to God, and Anna’s husband who has (Cathedral of the Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport, cleared cus- a friend in the Federal Security Service (former Holy Protection of the Theotokos) toms, and transferred to the domestic terminal KGB), we got the car moved very quickly while in Moscow for our next fl ight to St. Petersburg. There we everyone was exchanging money. Then, we were would spend the next eight nights. It was there off to our hotel. We arrived at the Comfort Hotel that we met the Ajalat family of four from Los An- in St. Petersburg, and everyone was ready for a geles (Mr. Charles Ajalat is one of our two Arch- good night’s sleep. diocesan Chancellors) who joined us for the St. Petersburg part of our trip. We arrived safely in August 20: Catherine’s Palace St. Petersburg at 7:00 p.m. on August 19th and and Pavlovsk Palace were met by our guide, Anna, whom we would Our fi rst day of touring was a trip outside St. come to know and love by the end of our time in Petersburg to the summer palaces of Catherine St. Petersburg. and her son Paul in the town of Pushkin or Tsar- We were also greeted by a friend of Fr. Thom- koye Selo. Catherine’s Palace is the home of the as, Roman, whom he knew since the time he stud- famous Amber room that was recreated in the ied in Russia back in 1988. 1990s after being stolen by the Nazis in WWII. In Our fi rst stop before arriving at our hotel was fact, the entire palace was destroyed by the Nazis to change money so we would be ready for a week and was rebuilt and restored after WWII. After a of shopping. This proved to be our fi rst Russian wonderful lunch in a traditional Russian restau- adventure. Roman found a place with a very good rant, we toured Pavlovsk Palace in the same area. exchange rate, open 24 hours, but it was closed! You can see some pictures below. We were also We then headed to another place on a very narrow thankful to welcome for the day our parishioner

The Word 11 Photo right: Nick Roberts who was in Russia on business and Bishop MARK outside our former parishioner Oleg who is now living in the Resurrection Skete at St. Petersburg. the Valaam Monastery August 21: City Tour This day was spent touring St. Petersburg by bus; fi rst stop, the Smolny Convent, built by the Empress Elizabeth as a place for her to retire. It was never fi nished and never used as a monastery or a church, however; today it is used as a concert hall and the other buildings are used for offi ces. Our second stop was the St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra or Monastery. This is the main monastery in St. Petersburg, named after the patron of the city, St. Alexander Nevsky (of the Neva River). At the monastery we had a chance to pray during a morning liturgy for a while and tour the grounds that include a famous cemetery where the likes of Dostoyevsky and Tchaikovsky are buried. Next it was on to the Yusupov Palace, one of the many homes of the wealthy Yusupov family 1858, not far from our hotel. When fi lled to ca- before the 1917 revolution and the site where pacity this Cathedral holds 14,000 people. It is the mystic Rasputin was murdered. This proved named after St. Isaac of Dalmatia. This cathedral to be a beautiful and intriguing stop at the same was used as an anti-religion museum during the time. They actually have recreated the scene in Soviet years. One evening, a few of us climbed the the room where he dined and was stabbed. stairs to the colonnade for a beautiful view of the After a wonderful lunch in a local Georgian city from the four sides of the cathedral. restaurant, we spent our afternoon at Sts. Peter and Paul fortress, the place where the city began. August 22: Peterhof Inside the fortress is the Sts. Peter and Paul Ca- Today we headed to the summer palace of thedral where all the emperors from the time of Peter the Great. On the way, we stopped at St. Peter the Great are buried. Most recently, Saint Nicholas Cathedral in St. Petersburg. This Cathe- Czar Nicholas II and his family were buried there. dral, dedicated to the city’s sailors, was the only Our next stop of the day was the Resurrection church that was never closed even for one Sun- Church or Church on the Spilt Blood, the sight day during the Soviet period. We also stopped at were the beloved Alexander II was killed by an as- the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in the town of sassin’s bullet in 1881. Unlike the Western-look- Peterhof. This beautiful Byzantine church with ing churches of St. Petersburg, this grand church magnifi cent icons lies on the edge of the Peterhof was built to resemble St. Basil’s Cathedral in gardens and palace. Moscow and the iconography is much more tradi- The rest of the day was spent at Peterhof, the tional. There are more than 7,500 square meters summer palace built by Peter the Great in the early of mosaics inside and outside the church. In one 1700s and added to in subsequent centuries. We of the cupolas you can see a mosaic icon of Christ toured Catherine’s Block, a smaller palace on the as a child. Stalin, Khrushchev and Brezhnev all grounds, and then had time to stroll around the signed orders for this magnifi cent church to be many fountains, including some trick fountains blown up; because of its proximity to the State that Peter the Great installed to amuse his guests Russian Museum, however, the orders were never during parties. Some of us got wet! We also had carried out – thanks be to God! a delicious lunch in a beautiful restaurant on the The last stop of this long day was the gigan- grounds of the palace. tic St. Isaac’s Cathedral, built between 1818 and

12 The Word Middle photo: St. Nicholas Skete on Valaam

Photo right: The Group at the Monu- ment of the Millennium of Holy Rus’ in Novgorod

August 23: Valaam Monastery things from a different and interesting perspec- We left early Saturday morning for our four- tive as we navigated the many rivers and canals hour boat ride to the middle of Lake Ladoga and of the city. the Valaam Monastery. This beautiful spiritual ha- ven in the middle of nowhere is a group of small August 25: Novgorod islands where monks live, some on the main is- On our second day-trip, we left early for the land and others on smaller islands in small groups ancient capital of Novgorod, a three to four hour or sketes where they stay for months at a time. journey from St. Petersburg. The group had a Bishop Pankrati, the head of the monastery, chance to see what old Russia and a small Russian greeted us at the dock. We then toured the main town are like today, since most of our time would grounds and the Church of the Transfi guration. be spent in St. Petersburg and Moscow, the two After some shopping in the church store, it was largest cities of Russia. In Novgorod we visited off to the St. Nicholas Skete and then back to the St. George Monastery, an outdoor museum the main monastery for a short concert by the of wooden architecture and the kremlin or for- Valaam choir. What a treat! After the singing, we tress of the city. There were two main sights in the went back to our boat, passing two more beauti- Novgorod Kremlin, the monument to the millen- ful sketes, one of Gethsemane and the other the nium of Russia and the Holy Wisdom Cathedral, Resurrection (that resembled the Church of the the oldest cathedral in the territory of the Russian Resurrection in Jerusalem). After a quick bite to Federation. eat, we headed back to St. Petersburg in time to see a beautiful sunset on the city’s outskirts. August 26: The Hermitage We reserved our last day in St. Petersburg for August 24: Free Day the world-famous Hermitage Musuem of Art. Lo- Sunday was a free day for people to attend cated in the Winter Palace, this collection is sec- liturgy and shop. We did a variety of things and ond only to the Louvre in Paris. In fact, Russians then all gathered for our evening boat trip on the say that “we may not be fi rst, but we are defi nitely canals of St. Petersburg. Though a little cool, this not second!” To see everything in this museum proved to be one of the highlights of the trip; ev- would take months. Since we only had about four eryone got the chance to see many of the same hours, we concentrated on the palace itself and

The Word 13 The Group at the St. Sergius-Trinity Lavra near Moscow

Bishop NIPHON Bless- ing the Faithful during the procession after the Divine Liturgy

Holy Communion at the Dormition Liturgy

Butovo: The site of mass murders, includ- ing many clergymen and monastics under Stalin the most famous exhibits, including those of Van Gogh and Raphael and Rembrandt. The rest of the Bishop MARK and day was free for people to explore St. Petersburg Fr. Thomas being presented with hand- for the last time. Bishop MARK and Fr. Thomas written icons by spent the afternoon with Roman, Oleg (our for- Father Peter in mer sacristan) and Fr. Peter, one of the local cler- St. Petersburg gymen. Fr. Peter was a most gracious host as he drove us to several church stores and hosted a lunch at his church on our behalf. He also pre- sented Bishop MARK and Fr. Thomas with beauti- ful hand-written icons of the Theotokos. May God grant him many years!

14 The Word urgy in the Dormition Cathe- dral inside the Kremlin. (One needs special permission to attend this liturgy since it is inside the Kremlin itself.) Czars were crowned, and Pa- triarchs are enthroned here, in the principal cathedral for all of Russia. Bishop MARK and Fr. Thomas were invited to serve by the local Church authorities. His Holiness, ALEXY II, the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia was to preside at the liturgy, but was not well. One of his Pa- triarchal Vicars, Archbishop ARSENY, presided in his absence. A highlight of the liturgy actually came after- August 27: Travel to Moscow and Visit to wards. As the procession stopped at each side of St. Sergius-Trinity Monastery the Cathedral, the Kremlin bells were ringing; one We left the hotel very early for our 9:00 a.m. could only think of the many years under Soviet fl ight to Moscow. After arriving, we went directly rule that the Church was persecuted and here we to the town of Sergiev-Posad and the St. Sergius- were, in the midst of the Kremlin, with bells toll- Trinity Lavra (monastery). This, the spiritual ing loudly and the bishops dousing the people center of the Russian Orthodox Church, is one of with Holy Water as we sang aloud and greeted the most beautiful monasteries in all of Russia. each other with “Spraznikom!”, or “Happy feast Founded by St. Sergius of Radonezh, this mon- day!” astery now boasts hundreds of monks, a theo- After the liturgy, the guides took the group logical academy, a clerical school, and a school to Red Square to tour St. Basil’s Cathedral (Holy for church musicians and for religious educa- Protection Cathedral). In contrast to its outer tion. The Dean of the academy, His Grace Bishop grandeur, the inside is fi lled with a maze of dif- EUGENE greeted us and one of the seminarians ferent small chapels. After lunch, the group then gave us a special tour of the academy museum. headed to the Tretyakov Gallery of Russian Art We then toured the monastery and venerated the where we saw, among many beautiful paintings relics of St. Sergius and of St. Innocent of Alaska. by Russian artists, the original Rublev Trinity icon Following our tour of the monastery and a time and the original Vladimir Mother of God, one of of prayer, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch in a lo- the icons written by the Apostle and Evangelist cal restaurant overlooking the monastery. On we Luke according to the Church tradition. went to Moscow and our hotel, the Marriott Royal Aurora, just a short walk from Red Square and August 29: Kremlin Museums the Kremlin. It was back to the Kremlin today to visit the Kremlin Cathedrals and museums. We returned to August 28: Feast of the Dormition and the Dormition Cathedral, this time as tourists, to Tretyakov Gallery see this historic place in greater detail. Next we This day is the Feast of the Dormition of the visited the Archangel Cathedral; the Annunciation Theotokos on the old calendar (13 days later than Cathedral was unfortunately closed for renova- August 15). We had the honor of attending the lit- tions. These three Kremlin Cathedrals (there are other churches on the grounds of the Kremlin)

The Word 15 represent the circle of life for the Czars. There tacks of the Crimean Khanates that century. This they were baptized and married in one of them monastery holds the relics of St. Tikhon, the fi rst (Annunciation Cathedral), crowned in another Patriarch since the time of Peter the Great. St. (Dormition Cathedral) and buried in another Tikhon was also the bishop who consecrated our (Archangel Cathedral). The Dormition Cathedral St. Nicholas Cathedral on Pacifi c Street in Brook- is also where the Patriarchs and Metropolitans of lyn in 1904. Not surprisingly, we went there to Russia are buried. venerate his holy relics and pay tribute to the After Cathedral Square it was on to the State one who consecrated our mother cathedral many Diamond Fund. This special room holds the crown years earlier. On the grounds of the monastery is jewels as well as examples of gold, diamonds and a cemetery where the famous author and dissi- other precious stones found in Russia. Unfor- dent Alexander Solzhenitsyn was recently buried. tunately, we were not allowed to bring samples We toured the Danielov Monastery next. Built home! The highlight of the many museums we in the 13th century by Prince Daniel of Moscow, visited, the Armoury Museum inside the Kremlin the son of St. Alexander Nevsky, this is the old- holds many of the country’s most precious items, est monastery in Moscow. It was used as a home both religious and secular. Ancient icons, crosses, for delinquent boys during the Soviet period and chalices and vestments were on display along the main bathroom was located on the site of the with the dresses of Elizabeth and Catherine the holy altar table! The monastery was returned to Great. We viewed the carriages of the Czars, vari- the Church in the 1980s in preparation for the ous thrones, many of the famous Fabergé Eggs, 1000th anniversary of the baptism of Rus’ by St. and many gifts to Russia from other countries. So Vladimir. An active monastery, it is now also the much to see and so little time! offi ces of the Patriarch and the Department of Ex- ternal Church Affairs. August 30: Butovo and Various After St. Daniel Monastery, Archimandrite Monasteries Zacchaeus, a former classmate of Fr. Thomas and The fi rst site we visited, one that would leave Bishop MARK, welcomed the group to the Repre- a lasting impression on all of us, was Butovo, sentation Church of the OCA (Orthodox Church called “the Russian Golgotha.” Butovo, just out- in America) in Moscow, dedicated to St. Catherine side Moscow, was where Stalin had killed more of the Fields, and presented Bishop MARK with an than 20,000 people between August 1937 and icon of St. Catherine. After a tour of the Church, October 1938. The actual number is likely higher. we were hosted for lunch and then shopped in There were plans for the soviet or local govern- the church stores that rent space from Fr. Zac- ing committee of each area of the country to chaeus. We were all grateful to Fr. Zacchaues for murder a certain number of people from all walks his hospitality on behalf of the OCA. After lunch of life, including many of the clergy. Butovo was we went on to the New Maiden Convent, a mon- to be the model. Once this site was made known astery founded in 1524 by Vasily III to commemo- several years ago, it was given to the Russian Or- rate the recapture of Smolensk from the Lithu- thodox Church and a memorial church was built anians ten years earlier. Here, too, Peter the Great there, dedicated to all the people who perished. put his sister into exile for trying to oust him from The bottom church with its icons of the martyrs power. We were again treated to a beautiful con- is dedicated to them, and the upstairs church is cert of church and folk singing as part of our tour. appropriately dedicated to the Resurrection of The monastery and the pond outside provide one Christ. The witness of the many Orthodox faithful of the most scenic photographic opportunities in who were murdered there because of their faith all of Moscow. In the cemetery next to the monas- touched us all deeply. tery many famous writers, artists, politicians and After Butovo, we visited Donskoy Monastery, public fi gures are buried. founded in the 16th century by Boris Godunov in Our last stop was for photographs, at the honor of the icon of Our Lady of the Don (river) Sparrow Hills near Moscow University, as it over- which delivered Moscow from the repeated at- looks all of Moscow. On the way back we passed Victory Park, which is dedicated to the victory

16 The Word over Napoleon and over the Nazis in World War and serve at the Dormition Liturgy. That after- Photo left: Christ the II, and contains churches of various denomina- noon we embarked upon what would be another Savior Cathedral tions, a mosque and a synagogue. The main and highlight of the trip, our tour of Christ the Savior in Moscow most prominent church on the site is the Ortho- Cathedral. This grand cathedral, the seat of the Photo above: dox Church dedicated to St. George, the patron Patriarch, was originally built in the 19th century Novodevochi or New of Moscow. to commemorate the victory over Napoleon. The Maiden Monastery for cathedral sits on the most prominent spot of Mos- Women in Moscow August 31: Visit to Bishop NIPHON and cow and is visible from much of the city. Because Tour of Christ the Savior Cathedral of this, Stalin didn’t like it. He had this magnifi - Our Antiochian representative in Moscow, cent cathedral blown up when he came to power. His Grace, Bishop NIPHON welcomed us home He wanted to build the Palace of Soviets there this day. Bishop NIPHON has been representing with a large monument to Lenin on top, but with the Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East in WWII at hand there was no money to continue the Moscow for over 30 years. He is like our ambas- project and, later, the largest pool in the world oc- sador to the Russian Orthodox Church. He lived cupied this space. through the diffi cult years of the Soviet era and is In the 1990s, with the Soviets out of power, now enjoying a time in which the Church is free, Boris Yeltsin, Patriarch ALEXY II and the beloved alive and well. We attended liturgy at his church, mayor of Moscow, Yury Luzhkov, decided to re- the Antiochian Representation Church of the build the Cathedral exactly as it had been. Funded Archangel Gabriel. Bishop MARK was welcomed mostly by private donations, the rebuilt Cathedral and vested in the midst of the nave, as is the Slav- was dedicated in 1997. (Metropolitan PHILIP and ic custom. Bishop NIPHON and Father Thomas Fr. Thomas participated in this dedication.) It was then joined him with the other local clergy and consecrated a few years later and now stands as celebrated the Divine Liturgy together. At the end a sign of the resurrection of the Russian Ortho- of the liturgy Bishop NIPHON warmly welcomed dox Church and the faith of the people after more the group and the Syrian Ambassador, Mr. Hassan than 70 years of persecution. We had a special Rishe, who was attending the liturgy. tour that included a chance to go to the balcony After the liturgy we were welcomed to a warm and see all of Moscow from each of the four sides. Middle-Eastern lunch by His Grace. Bishop MARK A special treat! presented Sayidna NIPHON with a wood-carved walking stick and Father Thomas presented Say- September 1: Journey Home idna NIPHON with a monetary gift on behalf of After a mentally and physically exhausting the group. We are all thankful to Bishop NIPHON two weeks, everyone was ready to go home. While for helping to arrange many of our activities in a few of us used the morning hours for some last- Moscow, including the chance to participate in minute sight-seeing, including fi nding the High

The Word 17 Archimandrite Zacchaeus of the OCA Representa- tion Church of St. Catherine in Moscow present- ing Bishop MARK with an icon of St. Catherine the Great-Martyr Monastery of St. Peter (which was just down the It was the trip of a lifetime and one that will Photo right: Bishop street from our hotel) and shopping, the rest ea- not soon be forgotten. Russia is alive and well! NIPHON, Bishop gerly waited in the lobby for our trip to the airport After years of persecution the Church is at the MARK and Father at noon for our 3:55pm fl ight home. forefront of the new Russia. The Russian people Thomas at the will now face many of the same temptations as we Antiochian Represen- Final Thoughts: do in the West – most notably the excesses of ma- tation Church of the terialism. How the people of God in Russia deal Archangel Gabriel in Everyone had different expectations when we Moscow for Liturgy left. In the end, we were left with many confl icting with this temptation will be a story to be written and contrasting images. We were all amazed to in the future. We pray that what Communism and see the resurrection of the Church after so many the Soviet era couldn’t do, that is, extinguish the years of persecution under the Soviet authorities. faith, will not be done by the excesses of a free We all witnessed the great faith and spirituality society and materialism, as we have seen in much of the Russian people, young and old. One sight of Western Europe and to a lesser extent in our that stuck out in my mind was the line of people own country. in the St. Alexander Nevsky Monastery Church, waiting on a weekday to go to confession with Fr. Thomas Zain their lists of sins and struggles written on pieces of paper. The people ranged from a teenage boy to old women. We saw the glory of the Church in places like Christ the Savior Cathedral and the St. Sergius-Trinity Lavra; we saw the sadness of the persecution of the Church at places like Butovo or in the many stories of churches, now function- ing, that had been used for various irreverent purposes. We witnessed the glory of the palaces of the Czars and Emperors, but the sadness of their destruction at the hands of the Nazis during WWII. We witnessed the luxury of the aristocracy in places like Yusuppov Palace, and saw many im- ages of the serfs in the art of the museums.

18 The Word Christmas Appeal Children’s Relief Fund Very Rev. George M. Rados National Director

December 2008

There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your brothers and toward the poor and needy … Deut. 15:11 Dearly Beloved:

On behalf of the sponsored children of the Children’s Relief Fund, I greet you once again in our Lord’s name and pray that He continues to sustain you and your loved ones in His grace and peace. Be assured that you receive this letter with the children’s gratitude and appreciation for the love and concern you have shown them.

As we approach in our lifetime another celebration of the Lord’s Nativity, let us rededicate the gift of our own humanity to the humane endeavors for which our Lord came into this world. His coming is our restoration to salvation, which ultimately manifests itself in our philanthropy. To feed, to clothe, to visit, and most of all, to love and have compassion on the needy is, indeed, to incarnate our Orthodox faith.

The enclosed brochure explains the dimensions of the Children’s Relief Fund and presents two opportunities for giving. One is to sponsor an individual child for $300 annually. The other is simply to make a donation to the general fund.

For those of you who are already participating in our program, we thank you most profoundly, and we encourage all the faithful in this Archdiocese to support our causes.

May you have a blessed Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

As always, I remain,

Yours in Christ,

Father George Rados

10620 River Road, Potomac, MD 20854 • (301)765-9188 • Fax (301) 765-9591 • PO Box 60692 Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

The Word 19 Children’s Relief Fund – Antiochian Orthodox Charities

A central component of our Christian Charities, the Children’s Relief Fund (CRF) is a humanitarian project designed to help children in need.

We initiated a sponsorship program as a pilot project in response to pressing appeals from Lebanon in the wake of its disastrous invasion in 1982.

It soon caught on as a solid outreach program, serving hundreds of school-age children each year in the Purpose Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. The basic purpose of the Children’s Relief program is to provide scholarship funds for the children in Lebanon. Its headquarters are in Potomac, Maryland, and it is administered by the Very Reverend George M. Rados, National Director of the Antiochian Orthodox Charities.

In Lebanon, social workers of the Antiochian Orthodox Patriarchate are in charge of seeking out and recommending needy families.

Sponsorship

Sponsorships are solicited from individuals and organizations. They contribute $300 a year for an individual child (the same amount as in 1983). Since its inception, CRF has distributed more than Sponsorship does not begin until the initial $300 is two million dollars in scholarships to needy school- paid. A child is then assigned to the sponsor for one age children in Lebanon. It has supported more than year, and sponsorship is renewed upon receipt of a 2,500 students and, in 2007, the CRF sponsored 300 check each following year. Each sponsor receives the children. child’s biography, family status and a photograph.

Lebanon was badly shaken by the devastating 34- We encourage sponsors to involve themselves day war between Israel and Hezbollah in July, 2006. personally through correspondence with the child and The damage to infrastructure has set back Lebanon the child’s family. economically and physically for years. All specifi ed contributions and letters reach their As a direct result of the attacks nearly 1,200 people destination in toto, and are personally delivered died, of whom nearly one-third were children. About to each child by the social worker. At the time of a quarter of Lebanon’s population was displaced delivery, a responsible individual within the family during the war and about 500,000 people saw their of each sponsored child signs a receipt. In addition, houses destroyed or damaged. a personal thank-you note written by the child or the parent and a recent photo is given to the social worker The present situation in Lebanon is even more severe for transmission to the sponsor. than it was during the war years. The declining economy, unemployment and the rising costs of You have this wonderful opportunity to see for education make the need for our fi nancial support as yourself just how much you’re changing your child’s great as ever. life for the better, forever, and for so little.

20 The Word Testimonials “I’ll never be able to express my feelings for your kindness and generosity” In their own words, students talk about the Children’s Relief Fund: “You are the person who feels with others, cares for others and help others. With all my heart, I thank you “Words cannot express how much I appreciate your for your help.” generous contribution towards my education.” “I would like to express my debt of gratitude to all of you for helping my son in paying his tuition fees.”

“Thank you for your kindness and generosity. I appreciate your support in this critical period in Lebanon.” “We thank God that there are people like you who “I thank you, with all my heart, for your great care, believe in helping others. God bless you.” your kindness and generosity. I pray God to keep you “I highly appreciate your fi nancial aid to my daughter. in good health. I wish you all happiness.” In fact, without your help, my daughter would not be “No words can express how much my family and I able to proceed with her studies.” are grateful to you.” “Your sponsorship and donation of $300 made me “May the Lord provide you and your family with work harder to achieve my goals. Thank you.” love, peace, health and luck.”

ENCLOSED ■ is my charitable gift of $______to sponsor a child ($300.00/year). ■ is a donation of $______. We cannot sponsor a child at this time, but would like to contribute to the general reserve. All contributions are tax deductible. Please make your check payable to Children’s Relief Fund c/o The Very Rev. George M. Rados P. O. Box 60692 Potomac, MD 20859 Thank you Donor Name(s) ______Address ______

______

The Word 21 Publications Department Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America 358 Mountain Road / P.O. Box 5238, Englewood, NJ 07631-3727 Phone: 201-871-1355 / Fax: 201-871-1709 The Orthodox Study Bible THE OLD TESTAMENT AND THE NEW TESTAMENT AN EXCELLENT CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEA!

Features Include:

Old Testament based on the Greek Septuagint: Full Old Testament Canon New Testament is New King James Version Commentaries drawn from the Early Church Fathers Easy-to-Locate Daily Liturgical Readings Introductions and Outlines to each Book Subject Index Full-color Icons Full-color Maps Available in Hardbound or Leather-bound Editions

Quantity

HARDBOUND $49.95 + Shipping & Handling

LEATHERBOUND $70.00 + Shipping & Handling

ORDER FORM For single orders, please add to your total $5.00 for Shipping & Handling within the U.S., or $10.95 to Canada. For orders of two (2) or more books, please add 12% to the total for Shipping & Handling within the U.S., or 20% to Canada.

I have enclosed U.S. $______which include the Shipping and Handling. Please send to:

NAME: ______ADDRESS: ______

______archdiocese December 14 Is Choir Sunday! On the second Sunday in December, we pause to honor our church musicians for their hard work in our churches. Not only do our offi ce choirs and chanters dedicate many hours of their time in the Divine Services, they also must study the order of service, music theory, vocal technique, and conducting! Our chanters and choirs help lift us up and give us a taste of what the choirs of angels sound like in ELEVATED Heaven. So, on December 14th, show your church musicians how much you appreciate them! BETHONEY, Priest Robert James, attached to St. From The Department of Sacred Music George Church in El Paso, TX, to the rank and The following is a list of music publications available for purchase dignity of Archpriest, by Bishop BASIL on August from the Archdiocese Bookstore. (These may be viewed by going to www.antiochian.org/publications and clicking on “Book List” and 31, 2008, at St. George Church in El Paso, TX. “Order Form”). •Byzantine Projects (by Basil Kazan) ORDAINED 1: Vespers 2: Matins (Orthros) MATAR, Priest Paul, by Bishop ANTOUN, on May 4, 3: Holy Week (2 volumes, Palm Sunday evening to Holy Sat- 2008, and assigned to the assistant pastorate at St. urday) George Church of Washington, DC. 4: Pentecostarion (3 volumes, from Pascha to All Saints Sun- day) 5: Triodion (2 volumes, from Pharisee & Publican Sunday to DECEASED Palm Sunday) • The Divine Liturgy for Clergy & Laity (a congregational music DIB, Dn. Issa, from St. Nicholas Church, San book, like those used at the Antiochian Village) Francisco, CA on September 23, 2008. • Three Divine Liturgies (by Prof. Michael Hilko; one is in English, while two are in Arabic with English phonetics) LYNCH, Archpriest Charles David, retired, of •Hymns of Praise: Troparia & Kontakia (by Fr. James C. Meena) • Hymns from the Festal Menaion (by Frederick Karam & Ray Crystal Lke, IL, on June 28, 2008. He is survived by George; for various feast days) his Khouria Martha Lynch. •Orthodox Hymns in English (by Prof. Michael Gelsinger) • Great Friday Service of Lamentations (compiled by Ray George; traditional music for the Lamentations on Holy Friday evening, WYPER, Khouria April, of Clairton, PA, on which is Orthros of Holy Saturday) September 29, 2008. She is survived by her husband • The Resurrection Service (compiled by Ray George; for the Rush Fr. Douglas Wyper. Service, Matins & Liturgy) • Ninth Hour, Typika, and the Divine Liturgy of the Presanctifi ed Gifts (for each Wednesday during Great Lent) DONATIONS TO THE WORD FOR AUGUST All music in a digital format for the Divine Liturgy, Conventions, AND SEPTEMBER Feast Days, Sacraments (Baptism, Wedding, Holy Unction & Ordina- Faith A. Moussa $20.00 tion), Memorial & Funeral Services, and so forth, may be found at www.antiochian.org/music (click on “Music Downloads”). Kathy Wooster $20.00 David C. Saliba $150.00 West Coast Sacred Music Institute Conducted by the Department of Sacred Music Theme: Baptism, Wedding, Funeral Music – Orthodox Outreach A conference devoted to exploring the depths of music outreach made through those worship services most popular in the general community. January 22–25, 2009 La Casa de Maria 800 El Bosque Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93108 Los Angeles International (LAX) is the nearest major airport, 90 miles south of Santa Barbara. Registration, room (single occupancy) and board – $495 Registration, room (double occupancy) and board – $350 Registration, room (triple occupancy) and board – $310 For registration form and agenda, visit www.antiochian.org/ music/, or contact the Conference Coordinator, Mary Faith Woods, at (831) 331-8323 or [email protected]. Conference Chairman, Fr. John Finley, (805) 683-0406

The Word 23 Marriage: Society’s View vs. Reality

Jesus answered, “Have you not read that he who made them from the begin- ning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one fl esh’? So they are no longer two but one fl esh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder” (Mt. 19:4–6).

Today, a marriage has a 50/50 chance of sur- Divorce, then, is a woeful and tragic thing – those viving intact. Many think it’s unnecessary: “Why who divorce are ending a relationship in which do I need a piece of paper to prove I love this Christ is a direct participant. person?” is a common question. In many instanc- The contemporary wedding ceremony often es the old rhyme, “fi rst comes love, then comes demonstrates the misunderstanding of marriage, marriage, then comes junior in a baby carriage,” in some instances becoming a faint caricature has been shuffl ed around: First comes love (lust), of itself. The wedding becomes a mode of self- then comes junior in the baby carriage, then expression and/or a showcase of Hallmark senti- comes marriage . . . maybe. As much as anything ments. It becomes centered on shows of wealth, else, this confused behavior comes from a com- personal idiosyncrasy (performed underwater, at plete misunderstanding of marriage. a racetrack, in free fall, by Elvis, and so forth). The fi rst and gravest mistake is to view mar- There can be an attempt to defi ne love based on riage as a contract, and a wedding as a ceremo- personal opinion, in self-composed vows that nial blessing on the contract. Marriage is not a can wax poetical, philosophical, or even slight- contractual relationship, it is a living union, en- ly pornographic. In all these things there is the compassing everything (mental, physical, emo- predisposition to compete: we have to do bigger, tional and spiritual). Look to Scripture and see wilder, and better, than others; we want people to the word used to describe this union: “Therefore a remember our wedding. It all comes down to indi- man shall leave his father and mother and cleave vidualism and egocentricity, as though this couple to his wife and the two shall become one fl esh” is the one that gets love and marriage right. (Gen. 2:24; Mt. 19:5; Eph. 5:31). It doesn’t say In fact, it is individualism that kills most mar- “agree to live with”, “sign a pre-nup with,” “vow riages. Each comes to the other with what he or to stay with until death,” or any such thing – but she wants to “get out of the marriage,” as though cleave. The force implied in that word shows it were a sweepstakes, instead of coming into the the power of the union. The late Princess Diana marriage thinking of what he or she can contrib- once complained that there were three people ute to the marriage. Marriage is the creation of in her marriage. There are actually supposed to a community and must be approached that way. be three; she just had the wrong third person. Just as the three persons of the Trinity are unique Through Baptism, we put on Christ; Christ lives in persons, yet bound by their divine nature, so us through the grace of that Sacrament. Through also in marriage the husband and wife are dis- the Holy Mystery of Matrimony, that “one fl esh” tinct persons, bound by their love for each other, alluded to earlier is baptized into Christ. Christ which is infused with the divine love of Christ. is the necessary third person in every marriage. One can view this another way: just as Christ

24 The Word has two natures, which are not fused, combined, his own last. It is not about power and authority, mixed, or anything of the sort, but distinct from it is about service (Mt. 20:25–28). The husband each other, that work in perfect harmony within is not to control his wife, but put her front and the one person of Christ, so the two spouses are center, and himself in the background. When one distinct, yet called on to act in perfect harmony as freely gives of oneself, it is natural that others will “one fl esh.” follow; this is the defi nition of love. St. Joseph the The Church, on the other hand, uses the same Betrothed is a shining example of this. A simple ceremony no matter who the people are, because man is thrust into the most unique situation imag- they are being united by the one true God. It is his inable and he places the safety of his betrothed view of love and marriage that counts, because it’s and her child (who isn’t his) before his own inter- the only one that’s right. We do not get to defi ne ests, putting aside all doubts, and probably advice love – Christ has defi ned it for all time, and has from numerous friends and relations as well. handed it down through his Church and through The present generation is not wholly to blame its Sacraments. Christ said, “Greater love hath no for the sad state of marriage; in part it is reacting man, than to lay down his life to generations of distor- for his friends” (Jn. 15:13). tions in the understand- The Church declares the na- ing of marriage. Paul’s ture of love in the ceremony, injunction to women, most centrally through the that they should honor or reading from the Epistle to obey their husbands, has the Ephesians. In it St. Paul been distorted by some states that a wife is to honor to mean that the woman (obey) her husband as the is the husband’s property Church does Christ. Most (chattel), which in turn men, and some religious has made some women groups, stop listening there. hostile to these elements And even St. Paul’s exhorta- of marriage. St. Paul, tion here has been warped. however, refutes this dis- The Church does not follow tortion when he says that Christ out of servile submis- the wife’s body does not sion, or as though it were belong to her, but to her his property. Christ actu- husband and – keep read- ally condemns the demand ing – that the husband’s for that sort of obedience, body does not belong to when he tells the Twelve him, but to his wife (1 that such is the manner of Cor. 7:3–4). If anything, authority exercised by the each is the other’s chat- Gentiles, and he prohibits them from following it, tel. The distortion of Paul’s injunction has caused saying that whoever wants to lead must serve those some horrendous social consequences, including he would lead (Mk. 10:42–43). Thus the Church the deplorable common-law rule that a husband follows Christ as one would follow one’s cham- cannot be charged with raping his wife (and some pion, one’s defender. The Church follows, honors, states, God forbid, still have this law on their and obeys Christ on account of the next exhorta- books). St. Paul would take offense at this, for he tion: Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved said that a husband who abuses his wife abuses the Church. How did Christ love the Church? He himself. So if a husband commits such a violent served it (healed, resurrected, taught) and then crime on his wife, he is committing it on himself died for it, all without being asked, and when He (Eph. 5:28–30). Objectively, if one were prepared had the choice not to. That is the example of love to give of oneself for the other, such a heinous Christ has given us. The Church follows Christ act of pure self-centeredness wouldn’t cross because Christ put the Church’s needs fi rst and one’s mind.

The Word 25 There are other distortions that have wormed they created . . . everything. In the same way, the their way into the western understanding of mar- couples’ love, manifested in the conjugal act, pro- riage, based largely on this contractual view. One duces a child. This is no contractual mandate, but of these is the view that conjugal relations (even a the natural result of the couples’ affection, just as set number per month) and children were essen- good works are the natural result of faith. Just as tial elements that somehow made the marriage we are the enduring physical expression of the “valid.” Children are not essential to marriage; Sa- love shared by the Trinity, so children are (or are rai, Elizabeth, and Anna were all shunned because intended as) the enduring physical manifestation they did not have children, but they were truly of the couple’s love. Seeing one’s “children’s chil- married. They were righteous people and loved dren” is more a prayer that one should see the their spouses before they had children. In fact, fl owering of the couple’s (Christian, not worldly) the miraculous conceptions of their children were love through many generations, than a prayer for granted for those very reasons. Childbearing is a long life per se. As this is a divine grace, given purpose for marriage, but not the purpose. When through marriage and intended only for it, it is God created Eve, He did not say specifi cally, Let not to be tampered with in any way. In sum, God us create for Adam a co-procreator, a mother created them, man and woman, to work in har- for his children. Being co-procreators is part of mony and complete the other, as each member of our purpose, but not our raison d’etre. He said the Trinity works in harmony with the others, and they should create for him a helpmate, a compan- by his mercy to add to his creation as we await his ion with whom to share his life, and whose life Second Coming. he would share. The creation of two genders is All of this is embodied in the concluding rites not, according to the Holy Fathers, rooted spe- of the Wedding Service. The couple is crowned cifi cally in procreation. The Holy Fathers are in with matching crowns. Be they western-style fact unanimous in their teaching, that God’s com- crowns in the Slavic tradition, or fl oral crowns mand to “be fruitful . . .” (Gen. 1:28) dealt with in the Greek tradition, they symbolize the same our dominion over the earth, not procreation, and things: they are royal crowns, as the couple be- is properly understood in terms of our intended comes king and queen of their own little corner role as prophet, priest, and king. We are, then, of creation, to rule over their family. They are to “be fruitful and multiply (in gifts of the Spirit), also martyrs’ crowns, symbolizing that they must fi ll the earth (with the Word of God) and subdue sacrifi ce their lives for each other and for Christ. it (to his Will).” The dual genders are an external They drink from a common cup. Christ said that sign of the inter-dependence God intended in his each of the disciples would drink from the cup He preeminent creation. As husbands and wives are drank from, that they would share his sufferings to be the companion and helpmate of the other, and his glory. Likewise the couple is to share each it stands to reason that they should complement other’s sufferings and triumphs. They then walk each other. The strengths of one spouse comple- around the table on which the Gospel rests, the ment those of the other, and often fulfi ll what is circular walk symbolizing eternity (“Till death do lacking in the other. This intrinsic arrangement you part” is not part of the Orthodox Tradition), can extend even to physically complementing three times, symbolizing the divine nature of their each other. Yet the companionship came fi rst; the bond. This is the true understanding of marriage: Bible clearly states that Adam did not have con- not a contract that can be broken when one party jugal relations with (know) Eve until after they fi nds a better deal, but an all-encompassing union were expelled from Paradise. binding two people together with Christ as the In his mercy, God left us with a remnant of our mortar. These two people are to give of them- partnership in his creation through procreation. selves, without keeping score, for the sake of the Through the Sacred Mystery of Matrimony, the other, and so manifest God’s love to all and to couple became intangibly “one fl esh”; this is giv- each other. en tangible and physical expression in their child. The three Persons of the Trinity have been togeth- er for all eternity; as a manifestation of their love,

26 The Word “ Find joy with the wife you married in your youth . . . . Let hers be the company you keep . . . hers the love that ever holds you captive” DECEMBER 2008 (Prov. 5:18–19). daily devotions

“ Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed V. REV. GEORGE ALBERTS undefi led” (Heb. 13:4).

Priest. May the Father, and the Son, and the 1. 2 THESSALONIANS 1:1–10; LUKE 19:37–44 Holy Spirit, the all-holy, consubstantial and life- (FAST) giving Trinity, one Godhead and one kingdom, 2. 2 THESSALONIANS 1:10–2:2; LUKE 19:45–48 bless you and grant to you length of days, fair (FAST) children, prosperity of life and faith, and fi ll you with abundance of all earthly good things, and 3. 2 THESSALONIANS 2:1–12; LUKE 20:1–8 make you worthy to obtain the blessings of the (FAST) promise: through the prayers of the holy Theot- 4. GALATIANS 3:23–29; MARK 5:24–34 (FAST) okos, and of all the Saints. Amen. 5. 2 THESSALONIANS 3:6–18; LUKE 20:19–26 (FAST) Priest. O God, our God, who came to Cana of 6. HEBREWS 13:17–21; LUKE 6:17–23 (FAST) Galilee, and blessed there the marriage feast: Bless, also, these Thy servants, who through Thy 7. EPHESIANS 4:1–7; LUKE 13:10–17 (FAST) good providence are now united together in the 8. 1 TIMOTHY 1:1–7; LUKE 20:27–44 (FAST) Community of Marriage. Bless their goings out 9. GALATIANS 4:22–31; LUKE 8:16–21 (FAST) and their comings in. Replenish their life with 10. 1 TIMOTHY 1:18–20; LUKE 21:5–7, 10–11, good things. Receive their crowns into Thy king- 20–24 (FAST) dom, preserving them spotless, blameless, and without reproach, unto ages of ages. 11. 1 TIMOTHY 3:1–13; LUKE 21:28–33 (FAST) 12. HEBREWS 13:17–21; LUKE 6:17–23 (FAST) Priest. O Lord our God, who in Thy saving provi- 13. GALATIANS 3:8–12; LUKE 13:18–29 (FAST) dence did agree by Thy presence in Cana of Gali- 14. COLOSSIANS 3:4–11; LUKE 14:16–24 (FAST) lee to declare marriage honorable: Do thou the 15. 1 TIMOTHY 5:1–10; MARK 8:11–21 (FAST) same Lord, now also maintain in peace and har- 16. 1 TIMOTHY 5:11–21; MARK 8:22–26 (FAST) mony Thy servants, N. and N., whom it pleases Thee to join together. Cause their marriage to be 17. 1 TIMOTHY 5:22–6:11; MARK 8:30–34 honorable. Preserve their life blameless. Merci- (FAST) fully grant that they may live together in purity. 18. 1 TIMOTHY 6:17–21; MARK 9:10–16 (FAST) Enable them to attain to a ripe old age, walking 19. 2 TIMOTHY 1:1–2, 8–18; MARK 9:33–41 in Thy commandments with a pure heart. (FAST) Priest. O Holy God, who created man from the 20. GALATIANS 3:8–12; LUKE 13:18–29 (FAST) dust, and from man’s rib made woman joining 21. HEBREWS 11:9–10, 17–23, 32–40; her to him as a helpmate, for it seemed good to MATTHEW 1:1–25 (FAST) Thy Majesty for man not to be alone on earth. 22. 2 TIMOTHY 2:20–26; MARK 9:42–10–1 Do Thou now, O Master, extend Thy hand from (FAST) Thy holy dwelling and unite this Thy servant, N., 23. 2 TIMOTHY 3:16–4:4; MARK 10:2–12 (FAST) and this Thy handmaid, N., for by Thee is the husband united to the wife. Unite them in one 24. HEBREWS 1:1–12; LUKE 2:1–20 (STRICT mind. Wed them into one fl esh. Grant them of FAST) the fruit of the body and the procreation of fair 25. GALATIANS 4:4–7; MATTHEW 2:1–12 children. THE NATIVITY OF OUR LORD 26. HEBREWS 2:11–18; MATTHEW 2:13–23 Daniel Manzuk is a reader at the Church of the 27. ACTS 6:8–15, 7:1–5, 47–60; Virgin Mary in Alsip, IL. MATTHEW 21:33–42 28. GALATIANS 1:11–19; MATTHEW 2:13–23 29. HEBREWS 3:5–11, 17–19; MARK 10:46–52 30. HEBREWS 4:1–13; MARK 11:11–23 31. HEBREWS 5:11–6:8; MARK 11:23–26

The Word 27 Remembering Our First Love

In the second chapter of the Revelation to John, also known as the Apocalypse, the Apostle John records these words of Jesus Christ to the church in Ephesus:

“I know you are enduring patiently and bearing lage and other camping programs, Campus Min- up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown istry, the Special Olympics, international emer- weary. But I have this against you, that you have gency relief, Missions and Evangelism, and hosts abandoned the love you had at fi rst” (Revelation 2:3–4). of others, but its “fi rst love” was, and remains, a dignifi ed retirement for archdiocesan clergy. Ephesus was the commercial metropolis of At present the Metropolitan grants the re- Asia and the seat of the proconsular Roman gov- tired clergy a retirement allowance as a housing ernment. Such a setting encouraged a diversity stipend which means that the allowance is not of philosophies and religious practices, includ- taxable under the U.S. federal tax code. The re- ing the imperial cult, the worship of Artemis, and tired clergy allowance is not a qualifi ed pension even sorcery, into which some Ephesian Chris- plan. The allowance equals $26.67 per month tians may have fallen. Christ is calling the Ephe- multiplied by the number of years of active ser- sian church back to its roots, back to its primitive vice in the Antiochian Archdiocese to a maximum faith in the Lord and love of him. of thirty years. The current maximum allowance, We all remember our “fi rst love,” but typi- therefore, is $800 per month. Let us think about cally we mean by that our fi rst romantic crush that for a moment: $800 per month after thirty or our fi rst sweetheart. Sometimes we even talk years of service. Try getting even an apartment in about our “fi rst love” as the thing or activity of any major metropolitan center for that! most importance to us in our lives. In our context, What is wrong with this picture? Would we however, the “fi rst love” to which our Lord refers encourage any of our sons to take a position with is the matter of ultimate importance – our love that kind of retirement plan? of Him in response to His saving and sanctifying The Department of Clergy Benefi ts, which I love for us. chair, commissioned an actuarial study about fi ve Since Metropolitan PHILIP established the years ago to determine the needs of this retire- Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch in January 1975 ment fund based on current resources and ex- under the chairmanship of Albert Joseph and pected retirements. When the study revealed sig- Archpriests Paul Schneirla and Antony Gabriel, nifi cant underfunding, Metropolitan PHILIP acted its “fi rst love” has been to provide a retirement decisively. He challenged the Antiochian Women housing stipend for the faithful clergy of the An- of North America to raise $500,000 in fi ve years tiochian Archdiocese of North America. Yes, the to stabilize the fund; he asked the Order of St. Order now exceeds 3,800 members, and its an- Ignatius to increase its annual contribution; and, nual budget now exceeds $1.2 million. Yes, the he himself committed another $1 million in re- Order has contributed over $20 million to many sources so that the maximum benefi t of that time worthwhile projects, including the Antiochian Vil- could increase from $700 to $800 per month. We

28 The Word Icon courtesy of Come and See Icons. courtesy of Come and See Icon will defi nitely want While the Or- to increase the cur- der of St. Ignatius rent stipend in the does many wonder- future, but any in- ful things, we ought crease will require not to forget one of greater contribu- its fi rst and most im- tions from the faith- portant imperatives ful members of the – the care of those Order of St. Igna- who care for us, the tius. Additionally, as priests. As benefi cia- our God-protected ries of the Order’s archdiocese con- good work, it is in- tinues to grow and cumbent upon our prosper, we will re- clergy to encourage quire more clergy membership in the who will need and Order. As benefi cia- deserve a dignifi ed ries of our pastors’ retirement. dedication and ser- It is the parish vice it is incumbent priest who baptizes us and our brethren, who upon our faithful prayerfully to consider mem- marries our couples and buries our departed bership in the Order at a cost of less than $10 loved ones. It is the parish priest who counsels per week. As the “philanthropic and supports us in times of trouble, organizes arm” of the Antiochian Arch- church schools and youth programs, reaches diocese in North America it out to new believers and the community at large. is incumbent on the mem- We expect our priests to sing and serve well, to bers of the Order not to preach effectively, to visit the elderly, the home- “abandon the love you had bound, the lapsed and the needy, to raise money at fi rst.” and to administer effi ciently. We expect him to do these things for 30 years (for a fraction of what Very Rev. Michael Ellias he could make in secular employment), and then Eastern Dioceses we say, “Here’s your $800 per month. Go your Spiritual Advisor way and fend for yourself.”

The Word 29 Oratorical Festival Karol Samman Diocese of Ottawa, Eastern Canada and Upstate NY

“Speak about people being male and female in the image Adam he said: Because you gave ear to the voice of God and about the role of masculinity and femininity in of your wife and took of the fruit of the tree which personal life and in the Mystery of Marriage in Christ.” I said you were not to take, the earth is cursed on your account; in pain you will get your food from “Your Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP; Your it all your life” (Gen. 3:16–17). At this moment, Graces; Reverend Fathers, Brothers and Sisters in Adam and Eve became the target of a million sins. Christ: Christ is in our midst!” Feelings like passion, oppression, and jealousy “And the Lord God said: It is not good for the began to develop in their hearts. The story of Abel man to be by Himself. I will make one like himself and Cain in which Cain, angry because of God’s as a help to him. [ … ] And the Lord God sent a pleasure toward his brother’s offering but not to- deep sleep on the man, and took one of the bones ward his, decides to take away his brother’s life from his side while he was sleeping, joining up in the fi eld, is a perfect example to show us how the fl esh again in its place. And the bone which the feeling of jealousy could bring to sin. In other the Lord God had taken from the man he made words, when they came to earth, humans created into a woman, and he took her to the man. And dissociation between male and female. A feeling the man said: This is now bone of my bone and of power over women is developed in the heart fl esh of my fl esh: let her name be woman because of men, while women accept their submission to she was taken out of Man” (Gen. 2:18–23). This them. This is why females often occupy a sub- passage, that recounts our appearance in the cre- ordinate role in the Bible. In the past centuries, ation, demonstrates that, from the moment He for example, a woman passed from her father’s gave us life to now, God have never made any dif- house to her husband’s and was considered dish- ference between men and women. The fact that onourable for the family if she couldn’t bear chil- the angel Gabriel came on earth to ask the Virgin dren. On the other hand, in the New Testament, Mary if she would accept to bear the son of God we can see that Jesus Christ followed his Father’s is a proof of this equality. In His eyes, everyone example, and never differentiated genders. With is entitled to be God’s child and the two creatures the story of Mary and Martha in the Epistle of are part of one fl esh. Luke, we can understand that, for him, listening If so, how, further in the Bible and even in to the word of God is the only thing that matters. today’s society, have we come to differentiate In the twenty-seventh verse of the fi rst Gen- the two genders? Well, I think that this way of esis, we read “So God created man in His own thinking was generated by the Transgression and image, in the image of God created He him; male by our descent on earth. We all know that when and female created He them.” The fi rst image I Adam and Eve, manipulated by the serpent, ate drew in my mind when I read this passage was a from the forbidden tree of life, their eyes opened literal image. In other words, the link that I made and they acquired knowledge of good and evil. in my head is that our physical appearance re- When He realized their mistake, God decided to sembles God’s. But, I realized that we had to look punish them. “To the woman he said: Great will further to see the real message of the writings. be your pain in childbirth; in sorrow will your We humans are the only creatures on earth with a children come to birth, still your desire will be for spirit. And we Christians are fi lled with the Holy your husband, but he will be your master. And to

30 The Word Spirit. This spirit gives us the reason, the abil- they also symbolize the crown of glory which God ity of thinking, and permits us to be unifi ed with grants to the Holy Martyrs. But in this marital God. Even if we are made in His image, we have equality, there is an order. Verses 22 to 29 of the to work hard all our life to keep this resemblance fi fth chapter of the letter of Paul to the Ephesians and to increase the power of the Holy Spirit in our show the meaning of this order: “Wives, submit hearts. Because we cannot see God the Father, we to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the have to make an effort to resemble His pure im- husband is the head of the wife, as also Christ is age, Jesus Christ. How? By being righteous, by head of the church; and he is the saviour of the following the commandments of God, by praying body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to . . . . But the fi rst step is baptism, which we can Christ, so let the wives be to their husbands in ev- also call a second birth as Christians, but also a erything. Husbands love your wives, just as Christ birth in the image of God. also loved the church and gave himself for her. “And God said, Let us make man in our im- . . . So husbands ought to love their own wives age, like us: and let him have rule over the fi sh of as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves the sea and over the birds of the air and over the himself. For no one ever hated his own fl esh, but cattle and over all the earth and over every living nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does thing which goes fl at on the earth” (Gen. 1:26). the church.” In other words, it means that a wife So, as God is the King of the whole Kingdom, should be respectful to her husband who will love man, created in His image, is a King over nature. her and cherish her as himself. Even if an order By revealing man as a King over nature, this pas- defi nes the equality in a marital union, we have sage shows us that, in all kinds of relationships to remember the law of nature in her complete of our personal life, we have to follow the law form because “as woman came from man, even of nature according to which “the head of every so man also comes through woman; but all things man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the are from God” (1 Cor. 11:12). head of Christ is God” (1 Cor. 11:3). In today’s Finally, in today’s society, women and men society, this verse seems to have been forgotten, gradually come back to Adam’s and Eve’s state in because we see numerous women demanding to Paradise; they are more and more equal and have be considered as men, and men taking advantage similar roles. But, in the family, they use their dif- of their position over women. ferences and work together for the well-being of This confl ict brings a large discussion about their children. Habitually, the man is a symbol of the role of masculinity and femininity in the Mys- security to the kids, and the image of woman is tery of Marriage in Christ. The Bible and human seen in nurturing, because of the capacity to love history begin and end with weddings, a sacrament and the confi dence God gave her. But, in my opin- blessed of God. Adam and Eve came together in ion, what is important to us, as Christians, is to a marital union in Paradise revealing marriage as keep the way God our Father and Jesus our Lord a part of God’s eternal purpose for humanity in saw the world. How can we move back to that the midst of creation (Gen. 2:22-25). But, what is world? I think that the best way is through mar- it about the equality of both partners? The fourth riage, a mystery of the church, which real sense verse of the seventh chapter of Saint Paul’s fi rst is defi ned in the theme of our convention: “He letters to the Corinthians, says that “the wife does who made them at the beginning made them male not have authority over her own body, but the hus- and female. For this reason a man shall leave his band does. And likewise also the husband does father and mother and be joined to his wife, and not have authority over his own body, but the wife the two shall become one fl esh. So then, they are does.” This sentence certifi es what we said at the no longer two but one fl esh. Therefore what God beginning, that for God, both of them are equal. has joined together, let not man separate” (Mat. During the ceremony of marriage, the rings that 19:4–6). are exchanged, and the crowns that are placed and exchanged on the bride’s and groom’s heads sym- Karol Samman, 16, is a member of St. Mary Antiochian bolize their union in the kingdom of God, where Orthodox Church, Montreal. “there is neither male nor female” (Gal. 3:28) and

The Word 31 incommunities action

A Tribute to Archpriest and, having become engaged Father Charles was an under- Charles David Lynch, with the Western Rite Vicariate standing, compassionate per- Died June 29th, 2008 of the Antiochian Archdiocese, son and exemplary pastor. A applied for acceptance as a successful leader as well as a Seventy-two years ago the Very priest. scholar of great capacity, he Reverend Father Charles David radiated Christian love with a Lynch was born in Indiana into Following ordination, Father spirit of deep piety. While it is a Christian community formed Charles, taking the name of Da- often diffi cult to pair superior under the direction of Freder- vid, served as pastor of St. Au- managerial ability with true ick William III (1770–1840) in gustine’s parish, Denver, Colo- Christian spiritual qualities, Fa- an ecumenical effort of German rado. He served the Church in ther Charles showed it could be Protestantism. In due course many important capacities until done. A most exceptional priest, Charles entered the Episcopal family health problems made he was an important fi gure Church and became very active the Denver area too challenging among those in the Church who in the Anglo-Catholic parish of and he had to retire from parish follow the Western Rite and will The Incarnation located in De- work. Nonetheless, he contin- be missed by all blessed to have troit in the Diocese of Michigan. ued to serve in local churches been able to work closely with He graduated from the Universi- near his residence in Crystal him for so many productive and ty of Michigan and turned to the Lake, Illinois. For some time he happy years. Episcopal Seminary at Nashota assisted at All Saints Church in for preparation for the Epis- Chicago under the pastorate of For his wife, Martha, and their copal ministry. He was deeply Father Patrick Reardon. In addi- two daughters, their husbands committed to the Anglo-Catholic tion, he acted as Missioner for and their fi ve grandchildren, community, becoming a member the Western Rite, visiting indi- we ask the blessing and com- of the American Church Union, viduals and centers in response fort of our Heavenly Father in the Society of the Holy Cross, to inquiries and in order to ad- this time of felt loss and turn and the support group for the vance the training and educa- to prayer for the blessed spirit Walsingham Shrine. tion of clergy and laity alike. of Father Charles David with Additionally, he applied his the wish of Memory Eternal! Most signifi cantly, he became a expertise in western liturgy to A member of a British Anglican the task of editing and revising group, The Anglo-Orthodox So- service books of the Rite. Both ciety, concerned with the revival his parish work and his invalu- St. Nicholas, Myrtle Beach, of Orthodoxy within the Church able work following his tenure SC, Consecrates Their New of England. For many years Fa- at St. Augustine’s underscore Church ther Charles served as North how tirelessly Father Charles Sunday, October 7, 2007, was American Convener of this so- gave of himself in the name of a joyous day in the life of Saint ciety. He studied the Orthodox the Church. Immediately prior Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church throughout his pastoral to learning that he would have Church in Myrtle Beach, SC: life and associated closely with to go into the hospital, Father His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN, clergy and laity in American David arranged to spend a por- consecrated our new building. It Orthodoxy. One of his daugh- tion of two months training ap- took several years of hard work ters enrolled as a student in St. plicant communities for admis- and, more importantly, God’s Vladimir’s Seminary and gradu- sion to the Archdiocese! blessings on the people of Saint ated. Ultimately, Father Charles Nicholas, for this to come about. joined the Orthodox Church

32 The Word Having our own new building is into the church. a signifi cant milestone in the life of this parish. In the late 1990s In 2005 the parish faced a tough a group of Orthodox Christians decision: we had outgrown in the Myrtle Beach area wanted our tiny house church, but we an Orthodox Church that cel- lacked the enormous capital ebrated the divine services in necessary to build a church on English. So a small group of the the land that the Pandis family faithful, headed by Mr. Joseph had donated. The parish voted Reagan, banded together and to sell the land, and with the held the fi rst Typica services in blessings of Metropolitan PHIL- a motel room. IP the land was sold. The parish council voted to form a building From the time of that fl edgling committee and appointed Bob Bishop ANTOUN presents Nick and Susan meeting, this dedicated group Hanania as the chairman. Under Pandis with a plaque commemorating their of Orthodox Christians worked his leadership, the parish found fi nancial gifts that enabled the purchase of the hard until they were able to a Protestant church for sale in new St. Nicholas Church in Myrtle Beach, SC. purchase a home that had been the middle of Myrtle Beach. Ours Is Not to Judge used as an adult daycare cen- The church fi t our size and geo- ter. The parishioners remodeled graphic requirements. Orthodox Youth Outreach in the home into a small Orthodox Philadelphia church. What began as an almost The building, however, had to informal gathering of people in be reoriented and remodeled to First impressions are the most 1996 had by 1998 become a fi t the canonical requirements important; we only get one promising mission. In 1998 Mr. of an Orthodox Church. The chance to show the world who Nick Pandis and his family do- team of Jerry Dziubak, Sub-dea- we are. For many this fi rst im- nated almost fi ve acres of land con John Jones, Joseph Reagan, pression is lost, and second to the parish with the hope, as Joan Reagan and Nina Sedoren- impressions are rarely given a Mr. Pandis said, of “building ko were responsible for the re- chance, because of being in the God’s house on the land for all markable transformation. We wrong place at the wrong time Orthodox people regardless of celebrated our fi rst Liturgy on and ending up in unpleasant sit- their ethnic background.” Labor Day weekend 2007. The uations, such as homelessness. highlight of the consecration When many of us come across After several years of growth, occurred after the Liturgy, when those who are homeless, we as- the mission suffered a series Bishop ANTOUN presented sume that they must be drug ad- of unforeseeable setbacks and Nick Pandis and his wife Susan dicts, alcoholics, or have some came close to complete disso- Pandis with a special plaque in mental disability; after all, why lution, until Fr. Gabriel Bullock honor of their very generous do- else would they be there? We was assigned to the parish in nation to the church. His Grace view them as dirty, uneducated, 2003. From the beginning, Fr. told Nick Pandis to “stay strong, mean, and lazy. Without realiz- Gabriel stressed Metropolitan because we have a lot more ing it, we cause ourselves to fear PHILIP’s commitment to unity work to do.” As a parish, we are our brothers and sisters in Christ among all Orthodox people in taking Bishop ANTOUN at his through false assumption. We this country. Under the leader- word; we are staying strong in walk past many who are in need, ship of His Grace, Bishop AN- the Lord because we still have a without a care, concluding that TOUN, Fr. Bullock brought peo- lot of work left to do! it is their fault for being in that ple from all ethnic backgrounds A situation, and we have nothing

The Word 33 incommunities action

to do with them. “Judge not, that whom drugs and alcohol led Some of us played bingo and you be not judged. For with what them off the track they had in- visited with the residents. One judgment you judge you will be tended for their lives, they are particular resident, Donald, judged; and with the measure all just like us and need help to spoke to us about his service you use, it will be measured back turn their life around. They have in the Navy during the Second to you” (Matthew 7:1–2). Many hopes and dreams that have World War. He traced his fam- have simply been through some been lost along the way, but can ily back to the Mayfl ower and misfortunes, and getting help is be retrieved with God’s love and traveled to 23 countries. He out of reach. On the contrary, guidance. was impressed at the questions help is just one person away. We we asked him; no one had ever have to be willing to help, and Another organization we helped been so interested in his stories not just through Orthodox Youth was “Ray of Hope,” founded by as to ask questions like “Did Outreach (OYO) but every day, an ex-drug dealer named Ray- you ever see a whale [while in when we pass someone less for- mond, who served 12 years in the Navy]?” This led him to tell tunate. jail. After serving his time, he an unusual story of how his ship found God and the help he need- got a whale caught on it and the During the OYO trip to Philadel- ed to change his life around to hassle they went through to get phia, the our team participated help those less fortunate in his it loose. We learned that by just in an activity called “Hands of neighborhood. His organization being there with him made his Hope.” We passed out lunches, helps renovate homes of the day; it made no difference what consisting of PB&J [peanut elderly and those who cannot we asked him about, he was just butter and jelly] sandwiches, a afford to hire contractors and glad to share with us and have snack, water, and a care pack- repairs old playgrounds for the some company for the day. Liv- age with basic toiletries and neighborhood kids, and it made ing in a nursing home is a tough socks. However, instead of a new basketball court for the ordeal; one must give up one’s merely passing out these items basketball league. We helped home and most of one’s belong- to the homeless we passed by in Raymond by cleaning up the ings, and some residents may the park we stopped to talk with surrounding area of the basket- not have family that live nearby those who were willing to share ball court, picking up garbage. to visit them everyday. their time and stories. My group Some of the guys helped move came across a man, John, who furniture in Raymond’s ware- It does not take much to show actually fl agged us down, and house. Raymond was a great someone they are a human be- was more than willing to talk. example to us and to those who ing. A simple “Hello,” or a smile, He told us about his life, and fi nd themselves in tough situa- can prove they exist and make how much he would love to golf tions, that it is never too late to someone’s day. They may not again. Although he stuttered, he change your life for the better, know you personally, but you had a lot of insight on life and and that God always has a way will leave an impression with how to live, saying that people of revealing his plan for us. them as someone who took are wrong to quickly say they the time to notice and validate dislike something, that in order Those who went on the OYO them. So let’s take the time to to truly dislike something one trip in Philadelphia can agree make a great fi rst impression must fully understand what it is, that money is not the only fac- on someone, and allow them to and research. Many of the oth- tor when it comes to being im- give a second impression. Jesus ers we met were college gradu- poverished. A person can be gave us an example by visiting ates, who lost their jobs and impoverished for a lack many the sick, poor, downtrodden, cannot seem to get another. By things, such as friendship, food, and demon-possessed. If there the end of the night our stereo- water, shelter, security, fam- is one lesson I walked away types of homeless people were ily, and love. We found this all with, it is that a homeless per- proven mostly wrong. Although too true while visiting a nurs- son, an ex-convict drug dealer, there might have been some for ing home, the Simpson House. and an elderly man, all contrib-

34 The Word uted something to my life. John Project Mexico’s home-building Project Mexico volunteers over taught me to give the world a ministry, now in its 20th year. A the past 20 years: a chance to chance. Raymond taught me to more rustic and spiritually rig- live out the Gospel and respond make amends, give back, and orous experience than the usual to Christ’s directive in Matthew have patience in God’s plan. home-building program, OBT 25: “For I was hungry and you Donald taught me that there is participants camped in tents, gave Me food; I was thirsty a wealth of history in all of us, took cold-water bucket show- and you gave Me drink; I was a waiting to be shared and appre- ers, and ate meals and prayed stranger and you took Me in . . ciated. If only given the chance, together in huge mess tents . . Inasmuch as you did it to one imagine what they can contrib- on the St. Innocent Orphanage of the least of these My breth- ute to society. property. They had structured ren, you did it to Me.” time each morning for medita- Katrina Bandeli, 17, is a member of Participation in OBT had a pro- the Orthodox Youth Outreach group of tion and journaling, and were St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, taught and inspired by speakers found impact on these young Little Falls, NJ. in the evenings. Evening speak- men. Luis, a teen from St. Inno- ers included Fr. Michael Nasser, cent Orphanage, commented: For more information or to help sup- Fr. Jon Braun, Fr. Luke Veronis, “It was a great experience! We port Orthodox Youth Outreach go to learned how to build a house, www.orthodoxyouthoutreach.net and Archimandrite Joseph Mor- ris. Sunday was a day for wor- not for our benefi t, but for the Be sure to also join the Orthodox ship, fun and fellowship, if not benefi t of other people that Youth Outreach group on Facebook, necessarily rest, and included needed us. We met people from the social-networking site on the all over the United States. We World Wide Web: an all-afternoon sports tourna- ment and evening campfi re. don’t always get the chance to (http://www.new.facebook.com/ speak Spanish with Americans, group. While some of the young men but every day as we worked, we A living at St. Innocent Orphan- were able to converse in Span- age have helped in the home- ish about the experience with Volunteers from Across the building program in the past, many of the volunteers.” this year a record number of U.S. and Young Men of St. them were able to participate Fr. Michael Nasser, full-time Innocent Orphanage Join in OBT. OBT participants not priest at St. Innocent Orphan- Hands to Help the Poor only had an opportunity to get age and Chapel, was also deeply to know the boys from the or- moved: “What a miracle – what During the week of July 22, 180 phanage by working alongside a set of miracles! Dozens of volunteers from 15 U.S. states them each day at the work sites, Orthodox youth giving of their and 25 parishes built houses for these young men could see Proj- summer vacation to serve the seven impoverished Mexican ect Mexico in action fi rst-hand. poor; people from our various families under the auspices of OBT gave them the same oppor- Orthodox jurisdictions – who Project Mexico’s Orthodox Basic tunity that it has given countless might have otherwise never Training (OBT). OBT is part of

The Word 35 His Grace, Bp. JOSEPH, met – working together in such “I have participated in many St. George, El Paso, TX, took time in July to visit a great act of mercy.” Fr. Mi- short-term mission trips with Hosts His Grace, Bishop with Fr. Michael Nasser, chael added, “Seven families Project Mexico and OCMC in the his family, and several past, but this 2008 OBT was, by BASIL of the young men from went from having no homes to far, the most spiritually and per- St. Innocent Orphanage having the keys handed to them sonally rewarding experience Our beloved Bishop BASIL re- during the Parish Life seven days later. And most im- of them all. I left spiritually re- turned to St. George Church in Conference of the Western pressive for me was seeing our charged. I am, indeed, unworthy El Paso, TX, for his annual par- Diocese in Los Angeles. boys at the orphanage passing to have been so blessed by others ish visit on August 29–31, 2008. Mission teams from par- while at OBT. But these feelings on the love they have received Our dear priest, Fr. George Al ishes in Missouri, Virginia are a constant reminder that and Oklahoma worked to others in need. It was just a God, indeed, is enough; and that Dehneh, and several members of alongside boys from St. fantastic week.” I must pass on to others the love the Parish Council greeted him Innocent Orphanage to that has been given to me.” at the airport and that evening construct one of the seven Project Mexico will continue to he attended a dinner in his honor Amy Chiconas, houses built during OBT offer Orthodox Basic Training as with the Council at the Lancer’s 2008 for Mexico’s poor. Holy Trinity (GOC), Tulsa, OK an option for summer mission Club. Saturday morning, the St. teams and the program will be A George Ladies Society hosted expanded over the next several His Grace at a lovely breakfast. years to include more partici- Jeanette Zacour and members pants over several weeks. For of the Ladies Society once again more information, visit www. outdid themselves by prepar- projectmexico.org. ing a delicious and beautifully presented meal. Mary Esther From OBT participants… Salom freshened the room with “Mission work at our parish is spring bouquets and colors and now like the phoenix. It has, be- President Doris Shaheen pre- cause of the Holy Spirit, risen up sided over the gathering. Later from this and other past trips, but His Grace joined the teens, ably with a new and refreshing pas- sion to do God’s will and work!” guided by P.J. Ferris and Jamee- lie Dayoub, for lunch. The day Robert Kindell, St. Stephen (OCA), was completed by a banquet at Orlando, FL the Summit Ballroom attended by many from the congregation.

36 The Word incommunities action

Fifteen-year-old Luis, a resident of St. Innocent Orphanage, teaches a Mexican child how to nail the roofi ng to his own house, built by mission teams at OBT 2008.

15-yr-old Luis, a resident of St. In- nocent Orphanage, helping the Project Mexico mission team put up the frame for a house at OBT 2008.

Christopher Al-Dehneh, Da- have been baking their way into the people vid Dayoub, and Victor Martin the hearts of their community. speak amused everyone with a won- As an annual holiday fundraiser derful skit, portraying Middle the ladies sell homemade bak- Eastern grandmothers delight- lawa to members of the parish, To His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP fully. A posthumous award for families and friends. Countless Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese his constant and loving service hours are spent buttering layers PO Box 5238 to our church was presented to of fresh phyllo dough and mix- Englewood, NJ 07631-5238 the family of much-loved and ing fresh chopped walnuts, and sorely missed Peter Rizk, may then pouring homemade golden he rest in peace. syrup over hundreds of trays. Master Bless! The fi nished product is a beauti- I am writing to thank you for all the support that you The icing on the cake for the ful treat for the eyes, as well as have given me and my family while I was at St. Tikhon weekend was the elevation of delicious. Seminary. The care that you and the Archdiocese have Fr. Bob Bethoney to Arch-Priest shown to your seminarians has had a great impact on during the Liturgy. (Axios, Fr. With leadership from President our lives while at seminary and afterwards. The fi nan- cial burden has been relieved greatly through the arch- Bob!) A delectable luncheon Sandra Cockrell and Vice-Pres- diocesan scholarship, the stipend from the Order of was served to the attend- ident and chair of the baking St. Ignatius, and the support of the Myrrh-Bearers, as ees gathered to celebrate the project, Regina Bojrab, the la- well as by your covering of the cost for our time at the elevation. dies group aims to raise twenty house of studies. My family and I are greatly indebted thousand dollars each year for to you and the Archdiocese for the great generosity you have shown us. We look forward to hosting our the next fi ve years toward the beloved Bishop BASIL next year. building of their new church. I am also writing to thank you for assigning me to Bp. Hurry back, Sayidna. These ladies, along with many ANTOUN’s diocese at the parish of St. John, Memphis, A TN. The pastor, Fr. John Mashburn, and the parish have others in the parish, are up to taken wonderful care of us and welcomed us to our the task. new home. We are now settled here in Memphis and I Saint John Chrysostom have begun my work at the parish as of August 1st. Parish in Fort Wayne, Thank you again for all you have done for us. Indiana Asking your prayers on my new ministry, and Kissing your right hand, For more than thirty years, the ladies of Saint John Chrysostom Parish in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Rev. Nicholas Meyers

The Word 37 Orthodox World

Ike Aftermath: IOCC Front- IOCC has issued an emergency line Reports That Trauma appeal for its continuing re- Counselors Are Desperately sponse to the Gulf Coast Hur- Needed ricanes. Orthodox faithful, in- cluding Sunday Schools, youth (Galveston, Texas) – As resi- groups and others, are also dents try to return to their dam- urged to continue providing aged or destroyed homes in Tex- emergency clean-up buckets as, offi cials are still warning of a and health kits for shipment to secondary health crisis because the Gulf Coast. (For information of the lack of water, power, and on assembling the kits go to functioning sewers in some ar- http://iocc.org/emergencykits. eas. International Orthodox aspx). IOCC distributed 1,000 Christian Charities (IOCC) re- such kits in New Orleans and ceived an initial assessment of Baton Rouge immediately fol- the situation from its Emergency lowing Hurricane Gustav. Response Network team, which arrived in Galveston on Septem- Help us speed relief to the Gulf ber 17 and remained in the area Coast’s devastated communities for the next several days. by making a donation today. Call IOCC’s donation hotline toll-free IOCC will deliver 20 pallets of at 1-877-803-4622, make a gift hygiene kits and medical sup- on-line at www.iocc.org, or mail plies to local area hospitals and a check or money order payable shelters, and will also send its to “IOCC” and write “US Emer- “Frontline,” a team of Orthodox gency Response” in the memo clergy who are trained in Criti- line to IOCC, P.O. Box 630225, cal Incident Stress Management Baltimore, Md. 21263-0225. (CISM), a form of trauma coun- seling and evaluation. IOCC de- cided on this course of action after American Red Cross offi - cials reported that shelters are completely full and invited IOCC to provide trauma counselors for those shelters. Earlier this In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in Galveston, Texas, IOCC is year, IOCC completed training set to deliver hygiene kits and medical supplies to local area for 40 Orthodox clergy in CISM hospitals and shelters, and plans to send a team of Orthodox at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox clergy who are trained in Critical Incident Stress Management, a form of trauma counseling and evaluation. American Red Seminary in Boston and at St. Cross offi cials invited IOCC to provide trauma counselors for Nicholas Ranch and Retreat area shelters. (Photo credit: IOCC Baltimore) Center in San Francisco.

38 The Word ngels Aare our Guardians.

Be an angel. Join Th e Order

Th e Order fosters spiritual growth through fi nancial giving. Th e Order not only supports our Archdiocese, but also contributes to International Orthodox Christian Charities, Yes, I want more information Project Mexico, Treehouse Family Ministry, and more. about Th e Order Name: Join Th e Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch Address: To learn more, call 201-871-1355 or e-mail: [email protected] or return this slip to: Phone: Th e Order E-mail: 358 Mountain Road Englewood, NJ 07631 11/08

The Word 39 THE WORD 358 Mountain Road Periodical postage paid at PO Box 5238 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Englewood, NJ 07631-5238