Yesterday, the trace of the service, Baba Maria, was right in the yard and mi kaza, yes, not the burzam, to the point with the cheteneto on the psalmite, but yes, gi kazvam, it’s fun, speaking in this way to a close person. Stoyakhme to the fence, you from the bastun, you from the key to the kolata in the river. The day before the sutreshnata prayer was done exactly like this and truly the camp was calm. Thanks ѝ naum.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s St. Ivan Rilski parish in Montreal has put out a call for volunteers to help clean the church building on August 9 as preparations begin for the Dormition feast. In the same week the Romanian Orthodox Church in Bihor wrapped up its first summer school with more than forty children taking part in daily activities and prayers. The Orthodox Church in America’s Chicago Deanery gathered its male choir to sing Paraklesis services that officially opened the Dormition Fast, while the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Archbishop Makarios tonsured fifteen new Readers during a service in Sydney. These local efforts show ordinary parishes and dioceses quietly readying themselves for the next cycle of feasts and formation. Such steady work keeps the rhythm of church life moving forward.

Archbishop Makarios tonsured fifteen new readers during a quiet ceremony at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia in Sydney last week, adding fresh voices to the parish choirs and altar service. The move comes as several dioceses mark the Transfiguration with local customs. In Florida, the Orthodox Church in America’s Bishop Andrei led Great Vespers at Saint Polycarp parish in Naples, while Metropolitan Methodios of the Ecumenical Patriarchate celebrated the same feast with evening prayers in Lowell, Massachusetts. Meanwhile the Romanian Church reminded the faithful that fish is permitted on the day, and Bulgarian parishes in Canada, such as St. Ivan Rilski in Montreal, called for volunteers to clean the church building ahead of the next round of services. In Greece, Metropolitan Elias noted the Church’s longstanding refusal to bless weapons of mass destruction. Across the board, the feast keeps pulling people back to simple acts of preparation and memory.

Kyiv theological schools have opened their doors to a new class of students preparing for ordination in 2026. At the same time, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church welcomed a Serbian hierarch to Sumy who offered public support during his visit. In Florida the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia marked the patronal feast of the Pochaev Monastery with Metropolitan Nicholas leading the Liturgy while the brotherhood continues building its church. The Romanian Orthodox Church ran its first summer school in a Bihor parish where more than forty children took part in daily activities and prayer. These reports show steady formation of clergy alongside ordinary parish life that keeps drawing families and young people into the Church. This matters because healthy seminaries and active local communities together ensure the faith is both learned and lived.

The sun's ray lay so quietly on the old stone slabs. It immediately becomes calm inside.

The icon of St. Theodore Ushakov left Rybinsk this week on a journey that will carry it to parishes in southern France. Russian Orthodox Church communities arranged the voyage so believers abroad can venerate the admiral-saint known for his protection of sailors and the Orthodox faithful. At the same time, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church held Matins and Divine Liturgy at St. John of Rila in London on August 9, drawing local families for the summer feast. In Florida, the Orthodox Church in America saw Bishop Andrei celebrate the Transfiguration at Holy Trinity parish in Miramar, while the Romanian Orthodox Church marked the same feast by allowing fish and urging hearts to receive Christ’s glory, as noted by Bishop Timotei Prahoveanul. These coordinated observances across continents show how one saint’s memory and one great feast keep distant dioceses connected through shared prayer and tangible acts of devotion. What recent feast or visiting icon has your own parish welcomed lately?

Bulgarian Orthodox Church parish in Montreal has put out a call for volunteers to help with preparations for the upcoming Dormition feast. In the same week the Romanian Patriarch Daniel reminded the faithful that the Transfiguration feast reveals humanity is made for heaven rather than the grave. The Orthodox Church in America diocesan media office invited parishes to send in photos from their Holy Transfiguration services for a shared online gallery. Meanwhile the Ecumenical Patriarchate announced a pastoral visit by its representatives to the small Orthodox community of Saint Ninian in the remote Shetland Islands. These varied activities show how local needs and global feasts keep Orthodox life moving forward in practical ways across continents. This matters because it keeps parishes connected through ordinary service and shared celebration.

The icon of St. Theodore Ushakov has left Rybinsk and begun its journey to southern France, where it will be venerated by the local faithful. Meanwhile the Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil reminded worshippers at Transfiguration liturgies to walk the apostolic path in daily life. In the United States the Chicago Deanery Male Choir opened the Dormition Fast with a Paraklesis service, and the Romanian Patriarch Daniel marked thirty-nine years since his monastic tonsure with quiet reflection in Bucharest. Different corners of the Church are thus turning their gaze toward the same feasts and the same call to steady faith. The traveling icon, the choir’s voices, the patriarch’s words, and the memory of monastic commitment all speak of a lived continuity that needs no fanfare. May the Lord grant strength and peace to the communities in Rybinsk, Bulgaria, Chicago, and Romania.

Quiet courtyard of the monastery, with the green building and the corner of the white church. At the end, a man in black is seen walking.

The monastery stands under a clear blue sky. The white walls and blue domes stand out beautifully against the background.

A new chapel dedicated to St. Ilie Lăcătusu opened this week in Italy under the Romanian Orthodox Church, giving local faithful a fresh place for prayer and the Divine Liturgy. At the same time the Bulgarian Orthodox Church marked the Transfiguration with festive liturgies in two monasteries and a church in Veliko Tarnovo, while Patriarch Daniil reminded the faithful to walk the apostolic path. In the United States the Orthodox Church in America’s Chicago Deanery Male Choir opened the Dormition Fast by singing Paraklesis, and the diocesan media office invited photos from Holy Transfiguration services across parishes. The Church of Greece heard Bishop Panteleimon of Veroia urge believers to let Christ’s grace transform their daily lives. These quiet openings and shared feasts keep the rhythm of ordinary parish life steady.

Archbishop Makarios tonsured fifteen readers during a recent service at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia in Sydney. The new readers, drawn from local parishes, received blessings to assist in liturgical readings and deepen their service to the Church. In Romania, children and teenagers from two Suceava communities joined the “Treasures of the Village” summer camps, learning traditional crafts alongside daily prayer. Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil, at the Transfiguration liturgy in Sofia, urged the faithful to walk the apostolic path of faith and witness. Meanwhile, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia issued a decree encouraging all parish rectors and monastery abbots in its diocese to support the upcoming church singing congress. These moments from distant corners show the same steady rhythm of formation, teaching, and worship. May readers remember the Archdiocese of Australia, the Romanian camps in Suceava, the Bulgarian Patriarchate, and the ROCOR diocese in their prayers tonight.

Kyiv theological schools have opened their doors to a new group of students preparing for the 2026 academic year. The move comes as the Ukrainian Orthodox Church welcomes thousands of pilgrims who gathered at the Pochaiv Lavra to venerate the wonderworking icon of the Mother of God. In Romania, Metropolitan Hariton spoke at the consecration of the new seminary at Neamț Monastery, reminding everyone that the saints themselves draw people together for study and prayer. Meanwhile the Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil led the Transfiguration liturgy and urged the faithful to walk the apostolic path in daily life. Across the Atlantic, the Orthodox Church in America’s Chicago Deanery began the Dormition Fast with a male choir singing Paraklesis, while the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia issued a decree encouraging all parishes to support the upcoming church singing congress. These quiet steps in formation, pilgrimage, and common prayer show how local churches keep handing on the same faith. May these communities be remembered in prayer.

The white church stands out nicely against that cloudy blue sky. I like how the green roof on the bell tower catches the light even on a gray day.

The Feast of the Transfiguration drew crowds to Greek parishes from New York to California this week. In the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, parishes held traditional vespers and divine liturgies with fruit blessings afterward, many sharing baskets of grapes and apples brought by families. Meanwhile the Church of Greece marked the day with solemn vespers in Corfu, where the island’s historic churches stayed open late for local fishermen and their wives. Over in the Ecumenical Patriarchate, clergy on Kalymnos celebrated the Savior’s feast with full services that spilled out into the narrow streets. The Romanian Orthodox Church released its full hierarchical schedule for the same feast, allowing fish on the fast-free day and drawing families to evening vigils. These gatherings showed once again how the feast quietly anchors summer life across continents.

Kyiv theological schools have welcomed a new group of students preparing for the 2026 academic year, continuing their long tradition of priestly formation amid steady demand. In parallel, the Russian Orthodox Church opened basic theology courses for monastics at Optina Monastery, Danilov, and Valaam. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church marked the Transfiguration with Patriarch Daniil urging the faithful to walk the apostolic path during the festive liturgy in Sofia. From the Romanian Patriarchate, the first outcomes of its Gaza humanitarian project showed 1,200 people receiving direct aid, while Cernica Monastery celebrated its patronal feast with quiet services and shared photos of the gathered community. These coordinated efforts across distant dioceses point to a practical focus on formation, relief, and feast-day steadiness.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church in Montreal has put out a call for volunteers to help with services and preparations for the upcoming Dormition of the Theotokos. Local families are already signing up to bring flowers, organize the procession, and assist with the festal meal that follows. Meanwhile, the Orthodox Church in America’s Chicago Deanery kicked off the Dormition Fast with a male choir singing Paraklesis, drawing a steady crowd of working adults who stopped by after their shifts. In Greece, the Church of Greece highlighted how the Transfiguration draws pilgrims to the historic sites around Messinia, where small mountain chapels stay open late for vespers. The Romanian Orthodox Church marked the same feast by noting fish is allowed and quietly continued its Gaza aid project, which has now helped 1,200 people with basic supplies. Patriarch Daniil of Bulgaria spoke at the Transfiguration liturgy about walking the apostolic path, a message echoed in simple terms by clergy in both North America and the Balkans. Practical needs like these keep pulling ordinary parishioners into the work.

I got up early in the morning and kneaded the prosphora for the liturgy a week. Dough mi izleze ubavavo, lesno se oblikuvashe, sega gistavam yes se printat s printot od tsrkvata. All the clothes we put on will be baked less, yesterday’s clothes will be returned to normal.

Archbishop Makarios tonsured fifteen new readers during a quiet ceremony at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in Sydney, marking a steady increase in local vocations. In the Romanian Orthodox Church, Bishop Timotei Prahoveanul reminded the faithful to open their hearts to Christ’s glory shining through ordinary days. Meanwhile, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia observed the memory of the holy passion-bearers Boris and Gleb with services that drew families together across time zones. From the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a pastoral visit reached the small Orthodox community of Saint Ninian on the Shetland Islands, bringing the liturgy to one of Britain’s remotest corners. These moments show the Church quietly strengthening its foundations in both large cities and far-flung places. May the communities in Sydney, Romania, the Shetlands, and across the Russian Church Abroad find fresh courage for the tasks ahead.

A few of us from the choir are thinking about a day trip to the monastery in Johnstown next month. Father said the road's decent this time of year and the drive is only about three hours. I'm taking the truck so we can fit the cooler with sandwiches and maybe stop for fishing if there's time after the service.

The new chapel dedicated to St. Ilie Lăcătusu opened its doors this week in a Romanian Orthodox community in Italy, giving local faithful a fresh place for prayer and liturgy on the feast of the Transfiguration. In Romania itself, Cernica Monastery marked its patronal feast with services that drew large crowds for the same holy day. Meanwhile the Ecumenical Patriarchate saw Archbishop Makarios tonsure fifteen new readers in Sydney, strengthening parish life in Australia, and the Serbian Orthodox Church welcomed a visit from one of its hierarchs to Sumy, where he voiced support for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church amid ongoing local needs. Separately, the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia held its patronal feast at the Pochaev Monastery in Florida, with Metropolitan Nicholas leading the Liturgy while the brethren continue building work on their church. May the intercession of the Transfigured Lord bring steady growth to these communities.

Greek parishes across America marked the Feast of the Transfiguration with quiet fervor this week. In Lowell, Massachusetts, Metropolitan Methodios of the Ecumenical Patriarchate led Great Vespers at Holy Trinity Cathedral, drawing families from the surrounding New England dioceses for the traditional blessing of grapes. At the same time, Bishop Andrei of the Orthodox Church in America presided over the same service at Saint Polycarp of Smyrna in Naples, Florida, where the small parish hall afterward filled with homemade koulourakia and stories from older parishioners who remember similar nights in their villages back home. Meanwhile, the Antiochian parish of the Transfiguration in Mexa held its evening liturgy on August 5, with sunset prayers followed by a modest reception under the California sky. Across the border in Montreal, the Bulgarian Church of St. Ivan Rilski prepared its own calendar for the upcoming Dormition fast, linking the two feasts in local announcements. These gatherings show how one feast quietly threads its way through very different American neighborhoods.

The icon of St. Theodore Ushakov left its home in Rybinsk this week and began its journey to southern France. The Russian Orthodox Church arranged the pilgrimage so believers in Nice and the surrounding area could venerate the image of the admiral-saint who defended Orthodox lands. At the same time, the Orthodox Church in America saw Bishop Andrei serve the Transfiguration feast at Holy Trinity Church in Miramar, Florida, where local families brought grapes and first fruits for blessing. In Romania, hierarchs followed the published schedule of services for the same feast at monasteries and cathedrals, while the Serbian Orthodox Church highlighted the quiet work of the Budimlja-Nikšić diocese in preserving local traditions and church unity. Each diocese marked the feast in its own practical way, from processions to simple conversations with cadets and teachers. The icon’s long trip reminds everyone that saints still travel with their people.

Tazi prepared two golems of tigana from a village-style kuftet for the holiday on Saturday. I put the onions and magdanose in a pile, like my father, and left the ghee in the refrigerator to rest. In the morning, the gi came out of the spring and brought the gi into the church, my wife sent it to me and ate a bowl of potatoes.

The church looks peaceful this morning, half-hidden behind the green leaves. You can just make out the bell tower rising above the branches.

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia marked the feast of the holy passion-bearers Boris and Gleb on August 6 with services across its parishes. In Florida the brethren of the Pochaev Monastery welcomed Metropolitan Nicholas, who led the Divine Liturgy while construction of their new church building continued on site. At the same time the Moscow Patriarchate’s Archbishop Theodore served at the All Saints Skete on the Pochaev Icon feast, and Metropolitan Joseph offered Liturgy and a funeral litany inside the Boris and Gleb Church in his diocese. The Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil, meanwhile, presided at a Transfiguration Liturgy in Sofia and urged the faithful to walk the apostolic path. These quiet observances of saints and feasts went on alongside practical needs, such as the mortgage appeal from St. Ivan Rilski Church in Montreal. May the intercession of Boris and Gleb strengthen every community keeping their memory today.

Just finished peeling a big pile of potatoes for the potato salad we’re bringing to the Transfiguration feast on Sunday. Mom wants it the way she always makes it with lots of dill and eggs, so I’m sticking to her recipe. Feels good to do something simple for the parish lunch after liturgy, especially since I remember helping her with the same dish last year.

St John Jacob, the Romanian hermit known for his ascetic life in the Holy Land, is being honored this week in parishes and his hometown of Crainici. In the Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Canada, the recent pilgrimage to Mono Monastery opened the Dormition Fast with prayers invoking his intercession. Back home, local clergy in the Diocese of Craiova led molebens at his childhood church, drawing families from surrounding villages for confessions and talks on his writings. Meanwhile, the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Diocese of Budimljansko-Niksic marked the occasion with a quiet evening vigil that included readings from his letters on repentance. The Bulgarian Church's parish of St John of Rila in London also noted his feast in their calendar, adding a short troparion during the Sunday liturgy. These coordinated remembrances across borders show how one local saint continues to shape Orthodox practice in both homeland and diaspora settings. This matters because it keeps the memory of disciplined prayer alive in ordinary parish life.

The Hawaiian icon of the Mother of God arrived in the Bulgarian Diocese of Vratsa this week, where clergy and faithful greeted it with prayers and lit candles before its first services. In the same days the Serbian Orthodox Church sent a hierarch to Sumy to stand with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and affirm its unity. The Romanian Orthodox Church marked the 39th anniversary of Patriarch Daniel’s tonsure into monastic life, while the Orthodox Church in America saw Bishop Andrei lead Great Vespers for the Transfiguration at Saint Polycarp parish in Naples, Florida. These events show how icons, visits, and quiet anniversaries keep the scattered Orthodox family connected across continents.

Saint Andrew's Camp in the Orthodox Church in America wrapped up another busy summer with young people from across the country joining daily services, hiking trips, and workshops on icon painting and choral singing. At the same time Bishop Andrei led Great Vespers for the Transfiguration at Saint Polycarp parish in Naples, Florida, while the Chicago Deanery Male Choir opened the Dormition Fast with a Paraklesis service downtown. The Romanian Orthodox Church marked the same feast with fish allowed and later consecrated a new reliquary holding relics of Saints Paisie and Cleopa at Slatina Monastery. In Sydney the Ecumenical Patriarchate saw Archbishop Makarios tonsure fifteen new readers, giving fresh momentum to parish choirs and youth formation. These coordinated summer efforts show how feast days and camps keep handing the faith down in ordinary, lasting ways.