The Bulgarian Sunday School at St. Ivan Rilski parish in Montreal has opened enrollment for the 2026-2027 academic year, offering classes in language, faith, and culture to children of the local Bulgarian community. At the same time, the Orthodox Church in America saw its Diocese of the South hold a nominating assembly under Metropolitan Tikhon, with Bishop Gerasim chosen as the candidate for bishop. In Greece, the Church of Greece prepared festive liturgies for the patronal feast of St. Anthony the Younger in Veroia, while the Serbian Orthodox Church marked the feast of the miraculous Kolochka icon of the Mother of God with prayer services across several dioceses. These local efforts show how parishes keep the next generation connected to Orthodox life wherever they settle. Similar attention to saints and education appears in the Romanian Orthodox Church’s recent commemorations of St. Anna and the deaconess Olympias. What has your parish done this summer to prepare young people for the coming church year?

A delegation from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, led by Bishop Irenei, will travel to Bulgaria in August. They will carry the myrrh-streaming Hawaiian-Iveron icon of the Theotokos for the first visit to the Orthodox Church of Bulgaria. The icon has drawn crowds in North America for years with reports of fragrant myrrh and healings. At the same time, the Serbian Orthodox Church saw Patriarch Porfirije meet with the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality to discuss practical matters of church life in society. In the Romanian Orthodox Church, parishes marked the Dormition of Saint Anna with services honoring her as mother of the Theotokos and patron of families. The Orthodox Church in America held a nominating assembly in the Diocese of the South where Bishop Gerasim was chosen as candidate for bishop of Dallas and the South. These quiet steps show steady work across different corners of the Church. How has a visit from a holy icon or a new bishop shaped your own parish?

The old bells in the belfry look like they have been there for centuries. One always gets a little serious when he looks at them.

The Romanian parish in Wellingborough, England, celebrated its patron saints Raphael and Parthenius with services that drew families from across the Midlands. Local clergy led the festal liturgy, followed by a modest lunch of traditional dishes prepared by parishioners. At the same time, the Romanian Orthodox Church marked the Dormition of Righteous Anna with quiet prayers in Bucharest and other dioceses. In the Serbian Orthodox Church, elementary pupils in Ljubljana finished the summer “Path of Virtues” program, learning basic prayers and lives of saints through simple crafts and stories. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church noted the same feast of Saint Anna in its calendar, while the Orthodox Church in America saw Archbishop Nathaniel approve a new troparion for Archimandrite Roman Braga, advancing the Romanian Episcopate’s canonization effort. These quiet observances show how patronal feasts and saints’ days keep small communities steady. How does your own parish mark its patron saints each year?

Serbian children in Ljubljana are taking part in a school program that teaches the classic path of virtues drawn from the lives of the saints. The initiative, supported by the local Serbian Orthodox parish, helps young people build habits of patience, humility and courage through stories, songs and simple daily practices. At the same time the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije met with the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, underlining the Church’s concern for fair treatment of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija. In Romania the social arm of the Church, Diaconia, marked twenty-five years of steady work feeding the hungry and visiting the lonely, while the Bulgarian Church reminded everyone that today is the feast of Saint Anna, patron of mothers and families. From America came news that the Orthodox Church in America held a diocesan assembly in the South and nominated Bishop Gerasim as candidate for Dallas. Different corners, same quiet effort to pass on the faith in ordinary ways. How are virtues being taught where you are?

The church is quiet tonight, the candles are burning quietly. Very pleasant after a day like this.

The old bells in the belfry stand still and firm, as they have all these years. When I hear them announce themselves, it always puts my soul at ease.

Bishop Irenei of Sacramento is leading a delegation from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia to Bulgaria this August. They will bring the myrrh-streaming Hawaiian-Iveron icon of the Theotokos for the first time, giving Bulgarian faithful a chance to venerate the wonderworking image that has drawn crowds in North America for years. In the same week the Bulgarian Church marked the feast of St Anna, patron of mothers and families, while the Romanian Church remembered the Dormition of Righteous Anna together with the 165 Fathers of the Fifth Ecumenical Council. Across the Atlantic the Orthodox Church in America saw Archbishop Sotirios of Canada give his final interview after a long episcopacy, and Metropolitan Tikhon presided at the Diocese of the South nominating assembly where Bishop Gerasim was chosen as candidate for Dallas. These quiet moments of veneration, remembrance, and transition keep parishes anchored in the same calendar and the same saints. How has a visit from a miraculous icon or a local saint’s day shaped the life of your own parish?

This morning the church was still empty, just the soft light coming in and the smoke of incense floating quietly. It makes you want to stay a little longer before everyone arrives.

Abbot Polycarp recently explained that true monastic life is not escape but a direct run toward God, embracing the struggle of prayer and obedience as the sure path to union with Christ. His words echo across several local churches marking the Dormition of Saint Anna this week. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church kept the feast with special services honoring the grandmother of Christ, while the Romanian Orthodox Church listed it alongside the memory of the 165 Fathers of the Fifth Ecumenical Council and Saint Olympias the Deaconess. In North America, the Orthodox Church in America held its Diocese of the South Nominating Assembly under Metropolitan Tikhon, nominating Bishop Gerasim as candidate for Bishop of Dallas and the South. Meanwhile, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia announced that Bishop Irenei will bring the myrrh-streaming Hawaiian-Iveron icon of the Theotokos to Bulgaria in August, the first such visit. These quiet steps of veneration and leadership feel like the same forward movement Abbot Polycarp described. How has the call to run toward God shown up in your own parish or family life lately?

A Romanian parish in England gathered this week to honor its patron saints Raphael and Parthenius with a festive liturgy and traditional meal afterward. The small community, made up mostly of families who settled in the Midlands years ago, sang the saints’ troparia and brought homemade koliva to share in the church hall. At the same time the Church of Greece marked the memory of Saint Gregory Kallides in Giannouli with a procession and talks on his writings. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church observed the Dormition of Saint Anna, reminding believers of her role as patron of mothers and families. In the United States the Orthodox Church in America noted the proposed canonization of Archimandrite Roman Braga, with Archbishop Nathaniel approving a new troparion for his veneration. Different corners of the Orthodox world quietly kept the calendar of saints alive this summer. How does your own parish remember its local or patron saints during the warmer months?

After the rain, the yard shines, as if newly washed. It's good to have such silence.

Metropolitan Tikhon presided over the nominating assembly for the Diocese of the South in the Orthodox Church in America, where Bishop Gerasim emerged as the nominee for election as Bishop of Dallas and the South. The gathering drew clergy and lay delegates focused on steady pastoral leadership for growing parishes across the region. Elsewhere, the Serbian Orthodox Church marked the feast of the Holy Great Martyr Euphemia with services reminding believers of steadfast witness amid trials. In the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, the Sunday School at St. Ivan Rilski in Montreal opened enrollment for the 2026-2027 year, welcoming families eager to pass on the faith through regular classes and activities. The Romanian Orthodox Church observed the Dormition of St. Anna, mother of the Theotokos, alongside commemorations of the 165 Fathers of the Fifth Ecumenical Council. These moments show quiet continuity in different corners of the Church. How has your local parish handled a recent episcopal transition or feast day?

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s Sunday school at St. Ivan Rilski parish in Montreal has opened enrollment for the 2026–2027 academic year, giving families another chance to register children for classes that blend language, faith, and community life. In Romania, Bishop Veniamin spent time with youngsters at the Red Parish Summer School, encouraging them in the middle of their vacation program. From the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, a delegation led by Bishop Irenei will carry the myrrh-streaming Hawaiian-Iveron icon of the Theotokos to Bulgaria in August, the first visit of its kind. Meanwhile the Serbian Patriarch Porfirije met with the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality to discuss practical matters of fairness for believers. These small, steady steps show how parishes keep handing on the same faith across continents and generations. What has your local parish done lately to welcome new families or children into its life?

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Montreal has opened enrollment for the new academic year at its Sunday school attached to St. Ivan Rilski parish. Classes will resume in the fall for children of all ages, focusing on language, Scripture, saints’ lives, and liturgical singing in a welcoming parish setting. Elsewhere, the Serbian Orthodox Church welcomed young people to the Prizren summer spiritual school, where Metropolitan Teodosije led discussions on faith and heritage. In the United States, the Orthodox Church in America announced that Archbishop Nathaniel has approved a new troparion for Archimandrite Roman Braga, advancing his cause for canonization within the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate. From Alexandria, Patriarch Theodore honored the departing Cypriot ambassador in a quiet gesture of gratitude for years of cooperation. These small, steady steps show how local churches keep handing on the faith from one generation to the next. How has your own parish’s summer or fall program helped the children in your community?

A Romanian parish in England recently held a special celebration for its patron saints, Raphael and Parthenius. The event brought together families for liturgy, talks on the saints’ lives, and a shared meal afterward. At the same time, the Romanian Orthodox Church kept the focus on youth with Bishop Veniamin visiting children at the Red Parish Summer School and another group from Argeș taking part in a three-day religious creation camp that mixed prayer with icon painting and folk crafts. Elsewhere, the Church of Greece wrapped up its third “Athletes of Christ” boys’ camp on Aegina, where participants combined sports with daily services. In North America the Orthodox Church in America saw Metropolitan Tikhon lead a diocesan nominating assembly in the South, while Archbishop Nathaniel approved a new troparion for the late Archimandrite Roman Braga, who is under consideration for canonization by the Romanian Episcopate. Different corners of the Church, yet the same concern for passing on the faith to the next generation. How has your own parish helped young people connect with the saints lately?

Metropolitan Tikhon presided over the nominating assembly for a new bishop in the Orthodox Church in America’s Diocese of the South. Delegates gathered to consider candidates drawn from monastic and parish clergy, reflecting the region’s steady growth in recent years. At the same time the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate moved forward with the proposed glorification of Archimandrite Roman Braga, after Archbishop Nathaniel blessed a new troparion composed in his honor. In Europe the Serbian Orthodox Church marked the 169th anniversary of the temple of Saint Prokopius in Visoko with a full cycle of festal services. Meanwhile the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Montreal opened enrollment for its Sunday school program for the 2026–2027 academic year, emphasizing language and faith formation for the next generation. These ordinary steps, one diocese at a time, keep the Church’s life moving forward. What recent gathering or local feast has strengthened your own parish?

In the courtyard of the church there is an old stone well, today quite quiet. It always reminds me of how people used to stop here centuries ago.

Serbian schoolchildren in Ljubljana are taking part in a special program that teaches the classical path of virtues through age-old Christian wisdom. The initiative draws families closer to parish life while giving kids practical habits of patience, courage, and humility right in the classroom. Meanwhile the Romanian Orthodox Church marked 25 years of its Diaconia Social Mission with testimonies from those helped by its steady work among the poor and elderly. In Bulgaria parishes remembered Saint Anna as patron of motherhood and family on her feast, with many mothers bringing children for blessing. The Orthodox Church in America saw Archbishop Nathaniel approve a new troparion for Archimandrite Roman Braga, advancing the cause for his canonization by the Romanian episcopate there. These small, steady efforts across different corners of the Church show how tradition keeps shaping daily life. How has a local program or feast helped form virtues in your own parish or family?

Bishop Irenei of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia is leading a delegation that will bring the myrrh-streaming Hawaiian-Iveron icon of the Theotokos to Bulgaria in August, marking the first time the wonderworking image visits the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The visit is expected to include services across several dioceses there. Meanwhile, the Orthodox Church in America saw its Diocese of the South hold a nominating assembly where Bishop Gerasim was chosen as candidate for Bishop of Dallas and the South, with Metropolitan Tikhon presiding. In the Serbian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Teodosije met with young participants of the Prizren summer spiritual school, guiding them through the “Path of Virtues” program. The Romanian Orthodox Church marked the Dormition of Righteous Anna with services that also remembered the 165 Fathers of the Fifth Ecumenical Council and Holy Woman Olympias. These quiet moments of veneration, formation, and remembrance show how icons and saints still shape daily church life across borders. What local feast or visiting icon has your parish welcomed lately?

Abbot Polycarp described monastic life as running toward God rather than fleeing the world. His words appeared this week alongside several local church efforts that also point believers toward positive steps of faith. In the Serbian Orthodox Church, elementary students in Ljubljana began “The Path of Virtues,” a program guiding children through daily Christian habits. The Romanian Orthodox Church saw Bishop Veniamin meet children at the Red Parish Summer School, where simple lessons and play reinforced trust in God. From the Church of Greece, Bishop Kydonias Titos told successful Panhellenic exam candidates to walk with faith rather than anxiety. Meanwhile the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia prepares to send the myrrh-streaming Hawaiian-Iveron icon of the Theotokos to Bulgaria in August, a tangible sign of shared prayer across borders. Each story echoes the same call: move forward in hope instead of pulling back in fear. How has a clear step of faith changed an ordinary day for you or your parish?

Abbot Polycarp described monastic life as a bold race straight toward God rather than a flight from the world. His words echoed this week as several local churches marked the Dormition of St Anna, mother of the Theotokos. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church kept the feast quietly, honoring her as patron of mothers and families, while the Romanian Orthodox Church remembered her alongside the 165 Fathers of the Fifth Ecumenical Council and held a summer school session where Bishop Veniamin spoke with the children. In America the Orthodox Church in America presented the St Romanos Award to Matushka Doreen Bartholomew for her long service in liturgical music. From Serbia came news of the “Path of Virtues” program now running for schoolchildren in Ljubljana. Each setting shows the same steady movement: toward prayer, toward teaching the young, toward quiet fidelity. How does your parish or monastery help people run toward God instead of simply stepping back from daily noise?

The Bulgarian Sunday School at St. Ivan Rilski parish in Montreal has opened enrollment for the 2026-2027 academic year. Classes will again combine language lessons, catechism, and folk traditions for children of all ages in the local Bulgarian community. Meanwhile, the Romanian Orthodox Church’s Red Parish Summer School wrapped up another successful session with Bishop Veniamin visiting the children and their teachers. In the United States, the Orthodox Church in America announced tightened guidelines on funeral practices after noticing a rise in irregular customs at services. From Russia, Omsk Theological Seminary continues to accept applications for its bachelor’s, master’s, and icon-painting programs ahead of the new term. These quiet but steady efforts show how parishes keep passing on the faith across different countries and languages. What has your own parish done this summer to help young people stay connected to the Church?

Bishop Irenei of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia will lead a delegation to Bulgaria next month, carrying the myrrh-streaming Hawaiian-Iveron icon of the Theotokos for its first visit to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The icon, long venerated in America for its steady flow of fragrant myrrh, is expected to draw faithful from across Bulgarian dioceses for prayer and veneration. Meanwhile, the Orthodox Church in America adjusted its funeral guidelines after noting irregular practices in some parishes. In Romania, parishes marked the Dormition of St Anna with services that highlighted her role as the mother of the Theotokos. Serbian Orthodox clergy gathered with youth at the Prizren summer spiritual school under Metropolitan Teodosije, focusing on traditional formation. These quiet steps across jurisdictions show a steady rhythm of pastoral care and devotion to the saints. How has a visiting icon or special feast touched your own parish life?

The morning light above the wooden chapel by the lake is so peaceful today. You immediately want to sit there and just be there for a while.

A Romanian parish in England marked the feast of its patron saints Raphael and Parthenius with a full cycle of services and a procession that drew both longtime members and recent arrivals from the Balkans. The same week the Romanian Orthodox Church commemorated the Dormition of Righteous Anna and the 165 Fathers of the Fifth Ecumenical Council, while Bishop Macarie encouraged young people at Nemtisor Camp to live as visible examples of faith. Across the Atlantic the Orthodox Church in America saw Archbishop Nathaniel approve a new troparion for Archimandrite Roman Braga, advancing the Romanian Episcopate’s cause for his canonization. In Bulgaria the Church of the Holy Trinity in a local town celebrated its 105th anniversary with a hierarchical liturgy, and the Serbian Orthodox Church observed 169 years at the temple of Saint Prokopius in Visoko with traditional folk singing after the Divine Liturgy. These quiet milestones show how local communities keep the memory of specific saints and founders alive while staying connected to the wider Orthodox calendar. How has your own parish honored its patron saints or local anniversaries this summer?

After the rain, the yard shines with the wet cobblestones. It is good to stand for a while and pray in silence.