Announcement from the Metropolis Chancery

We have the sorrowful duty to announce the repose of one of our dedicated parish clergy, Presbyter Mark Gilstrap, rector of the Church of St. James the Apostle Church in Owasso (Tulsa), Oklahoma. Father Mark reposed suddenly this morning, 22 August/4 September, in his home.

Further details regarding Fr. Mark's repose and funeral arrangements, as well as an obituary, will be forthcoming. His Eminence Metropolitan Demetrius requests the immediate commencement of heartfelt prayers and liturgical commemoration on the part of our clergy, monastics, and faithful, the entire fullness of the Body of the Church, for the repose of the Servant of God Presbyter Mark, and for the consolation of Matushka Tatiana and Fr. Mark's pious children and grandchildren.

May his Memory be Eternal!

Orthodox Awareness

A Brief History

In the early 20th century, the idea of promoting the union of Churches (Orthodox and heterodox) began to gain ground among circles in the Eastern Orthodox Church by establishing a "Communion of Churches" modeled on the League of Nations.

The Patriarchal Encyclical of 1920 foresaw a series of steps toward the “union of the Churches,” of which the first was the change of the calendar for the simultaneous celebration of feast days by all the “Churches.” The content of the encyclical was kept secret from the faithful and only after a few years became known. Read more...

Missions

Saint John of Kronstadt - Bunnell, Florida

St. John of Kronstadt Orthodox Church began as a mission parish in the year 2000, in a home chapel in Palm Coast, FL – a small town on Florida’s northeast coast located between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach. After two years, it became necessary to have services in area community centers, rented for Sundays and other Holy Days. Read more...

Youth

2023 Youth Conference

Please join us for the 2023 youth conference in Chicago, IL! To learn more, visit the home page or visit the conference website.

Ask A Priest

Fasting

Q. There seems to be a lot of variation in how people observe fasting, but my confessor told me to fast from oil on Wednesday and Friday. Oil is a pretty vague category, though, and I was wondering if I could get a more explicit description of what kinds of food and drink are excluded on strict fast days. Read more...