Cathedral of Saint Markella

! Christ is Risen! Хрстосъ воскресе! Parishioners of the Cathedral were blessed to have Bishop Maximus of Pelagonia with them for all of Holy Week. The Divine Liturgy on Great and Holy Pascha was also presided by His Eminence, Metropolitan Demetrius. Below are the links to photos from Holy Week and Anastasi. https://dchatzis.smugmug.com/Holy-Week-2021/... https://dchatzis.smugmug.com/Anastasi-2021/

We have been called upon by our Metropolitan to keep a three day fast this Wednesday, Thursday and Friday September 23-25 in preparation for the feast day of the cross. The Metropolitan stresses that we must bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, i.e. fasting and prayer. Such prayer and fasting, when done collectively, has great power to attract God's mercy and grace. May God give us strength. Below is a message from our Metropolitan. Beloved Concelebrants and Faithful,...Continue reading

On the Nativity of the Theotokos- Saint John of Damascus (A.D. 676 754/787) From Sermon I on the Dormition of Mary The birth of her, whose Child was marvellous, was above nature and understanding, and it was salvation to the world; her death was glorious, and truly a sacred feast. The Father predestined her, the prophets foretold her through the Holy Ghost. His sanctifying power overshadowed her, cleansed and made her holy, and, as it were, predestined her. Then Thou, Word...Continue reading

A Homily by Saint Justin Popovich On the Feast of the Beheading of St John, The Glorious Prophet Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord ...Continue reading

On this day, September 9th, the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates the life of Saint Phanourios. He is known to the Orthodox as "the Saint of Lost and Found" and is called upon for help in finding lost items. When the item is found, the faithful make a Phanouropita. The Life and Miracles of Saint Phanourios- from The Great Synaxaristes "Phanourios bestoweth light upon all the faithful, even though he long lay in the darkness of the earth."...Continue reading

A Homily on the Dormition of Our Supremely Pure Lady The Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary by St. Gregory Palamas ...Continue reading

’ , . , , , . Apolytikion- First Mode In giving birth, thou didst preserve thy virginity; in thy dormition, thou didst not forsake the world, O Theotokos. Thou wast translated unto life, since thou art the Mother of Life; and by thine intercessions dost thou redeem our souls from death.

, , , , , , . Thou wast transfigured on the mountain, O Christ our God, showing to Thy disciples Thy glory as each one could endure; shine forth Thou on us, who are sinners all, Thy light ever-unending through the prayers of the Theotokos. O Light-giver, glory be to Thee. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++...Continue reading

Today, August 9th, the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Panteleimon the Great Martyr and Healer. The Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon was born in the city of Nikomedia into the family of the illustrious pagan Eustorgias, and he was named Pantoleon. His mother Ebbula was a Christian. She wanted to raise her son in the Christian faith, but she died when the future great martyr was still a young lad. His father sent Pantoleon to a fine pagan school, at the completion...Continue reading

Today, August 8th, the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Paraskevi of Rome and Saint Oreozili of Revma. ++Saint Paraskevi++ Holy Virgin Martyr Paraskevi of Rome was the only daughter of Christian parents, Agathon and Politia, and from her early years she dedicated herself to God. She spent much of her time in prayer and the study of the Holy Scriptures. After the death of her parents Saint Paraskevi distributed all of her inheritance to the poor, and consecrated her vi...Continue reading

Photos form Vespers and Divine Liturgy for the Feast Day of St. Markella at the Cathedral. May St. Markella intercede for us all. !

Today, August 4th, the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates the Martyr Markella of Chios. Saint Markella lived in the village of Volissos, Chios sometime after the middle of the fourteenth century. Her parents were Christians, and among the wealthiest citizens of Volissos. The saint’s mother died when she was young, and so her father, the mayor of the village, saw to her education. She had been trained by her mother to be respectful and devout, and to guard her purity. She avoi...Continue reading

On this Sunday, August 2nd, the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy and Glorious Prophet Elias. Elias of great fame was from Thisbe or Thesbe, a town of Galaad (Gilead), beyond the Jordan. He was of priestly lineage, a man of solitary and ascetical character, clothed in a mantel of sheep skin, and girded about his loins with a leathern belt. His name is interpreted as Yah is my God. His zeal for the glory of God was compared to fire, and his speech for teaching and ...rebuke was likened unto a burning lamp. From this too he received the name Zealot. Therefore, set aflame with such zeal, he sternly reproved the impiety and lawlessness of Ahab and his wife Jezebel. He shut up heaven by means of prayer, and it did not rain for three years and six months. Ravens brought him food for his need when, at God’s command, he was hiding by the torrent of Horrath He multiplied the little flour and oil of the poor widow of Sarephtha of Sidon, who had given him hospitality in her home, and when her son died, he raised him up. He brought down fire from Heaven from Mount Carmel, and it burned up the sacrifice to God before all the people of Israel, that they might know the truth. At the torrent of Kisson he slew 450 false prophets and priests who worshipped idols and led the people astray. He received food wondrously at the hand of an Angel, and being strengthened by this food he walked for forty days and forty nights. He beheld God on Mount Horeb, as far as this is possible for human nature. He foretold the destruction of the house of Ahab, and the death of his son Ohozias; and as for the two captains of fifty that were sent by the king, he burned them for their punishment, bringing down fire from heaven. He divided the flow of the Jordan and he and his disciple Elisseus passed through as it were on dry land; and finally, while speaking with him, Elias was suddenly snatched away by a fiery chariot in the year 895 B.C., and he ascended as though into heaven, whither God most certainly translated him alive, as He did Enoch (Gen. 5:24; IV Kings 2:11). But from thence also, after seven years, by means of an epistle he reproached Joram, the son of Josaphat, as it is written: And there came a message in writing to him from Elias the Prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the way, and so forth (II Paraleipomenon 21:12). According to the opinion of the majority of the interpreters, this came to pass either through his disciple Elisseus, or through another Prophet when Elias appeared to them, even as he appeared on Mount Tabor to the disciples of Christ. See more

On July 18th, the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates the martyrdom of Grand-Duchess Elizabeth and the Nun Barbara. Saint Elizabeth was the older sister of Tsarina Alexandra, and was married to the Grand Duke Sergius, the governor of Moscow. She converted to Orthodoxy from Protestantism of her own free will, and organized women from all levels of society to help the soldiers at the front and in the hospitals. Grand Duke Sergius was killed by an assassin’s bomb on February 4, 1...905, just as Saint Elizabeth was leaving for her workshops. Remarkably, she visited her husband’s killer in prison and urged him to repent. After this, she began to withdraw from her former social life. She devoted herself to the Convent of Saints Martha and Mary, a community of nuns which focused on worshiping God and also helping the poor. She moved out of the palace into a building she purchased on Ordinka. Women from the nobility, and also from the common people, were attracted to the convent. Saint Elizabeth nursed sick and wounded soldiers in the hospitals and on the battle front. On Pascha of 1918, the Communists ordered her to leave Moscow, and join the royal family near Ekaterinburg. She left with a novice, Sister Barbara, and an escort of Latvian guards. After arriving in Ekaterinburg, Saint Elizabeth was denied access to the Tsar’s family. She was placed in a convent, where she was warmly received by the sisters. At the end of May Saint Elizabeth was moved to nearby Alopaevsk with the Grand Dukes Sergius, John, and Constantine, and the young Count Vladimir Paley. They were all housed in a schoolhouse on the edge of town. Saint Elizabeth was under guard, but was permitted to go to church and work in the garden. On the night of July 5, they were all taken to a place twelve miles from Alopaevsk, and executed. The Grand Duke Sergius was shot, but the others were thrown down a mineshaft, then grenades were tossed after them. Saint Elizabeth lived for several hours, and could be heard singing hymns. The bodies of Saint Elizabeth and Saint Barbara were taken to Jerusalem in 1920, and buried in the church of Saint Mary Magdalene. +++ Troparion Fourth Tone Emulating the Lord’s self-abasement on the earth, You gave up royal mansions to serve the poor and disdained, Overflowing with compassion for the suffering. And taking up a martyr’s cross, In your meekness You perfected the Saviour’s image within yourself, Therefore, with Barbara, entreat Him to save us all, O wise Elizabeth.