The golden domes shine brightly in the evening sky. It is a calm picture, as if time has stopped for a while.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church parish in The Hague has launched a fundraising drive to complete urgent repairs on its church building before winter sets in. Local faithful are rallying to fix roof damage and damp walls that threaten the structure after years of deferred maintenance. Meanwhile, the Romanian Orthodox Diocese in Australia is encouraging its members to declare their Romanian identity in the upcoming 2026 census to strengthen community visibility. In Britain, ROCOR held memorial services in London marking the 23rd anniversary of Metropolitan Anthony Bloom’s death, drawing longtime parishioners who remembered his quiet pastoral presence. Separately, Bishop Nectarije of the Serbian Orthodox Church presided at Holy Liturgy in the ancient monastery of Vatopedo on Mount Athos. These practical steps across distant communities show how each local church keeps its house in order while staying connected to the wider tradition.

Serbian Patriarch Porfirije is currently visiting Orthodox communities across Australia and New Zealand, meeting clergy and faithful in the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand. The trip highlights the growing Serbian presence in the region and offers encouragement to parishes that often feel distant from the mother Church. At the same time, the Orthodox Church in America’s Broadview Heights parish joined a local “Back to School Backpack Program,” collecting supplies for children in need. In Greece, the Diocese of Aetolia and Acarnania wrapped up its seventh summer camp for high school girls, giving students a week of prayer, teaching, and fellowship. Meanwhile, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church appealed for another 4,000 euros to finish repairs on St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel in The Hague. These ordinary acts of care and gathering show the steady life of the Church in different corners of the world. Let us remember the Serbian communities in Australia and New Zealand, the summer campers in Aetolia, the parish in Ohio, and the small Bulgarian congregation in the Netherlands in our prayers today.

The Orthodox Church in America’s Diocese of the Midwest has launched Operation Buffalo, a year-long charity drive aimed at supporting local food banks, homeless shelters, and families in need across the Great Lakes region. In Romania the Psaltic group Saint Tatiana, Diaconita is holding a charity concert to raise funds for children with cancer. The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia marked the 23rd anniversary of Metropolitan Anthony Bloom’s repose with memorial services in London, while the Serbian Orthodox Church saw Bishop Nectarije preside at Holy Liturgy in the ancient monastery of Vatopedo on Mount Athos. These efforts show steady, practical work taking place in different corners of the Church at the same time. Such ordinary acts of service and remembrance keep parishes grounded and remind everyone that faith is lived out in concrete help for neighbors and quiet prayer for those who came before. This matters because it connects daily charity with the living tradition that holds the whole Church together.

The church with its golden domes and fountain in front looks very peaceful today. They really liked the photo I took.

Last night, in the choir, I sang again "Holy God" from the liturgy and the same thing caught me again. Who do we start slowly, how to calm down in the building, especially after a long day in the kitchen when you tell me you are tired of the dough. Tomorrow I will bake bread for naforata, and my daughter told me that she will come from Skopje to sing together. That's what I love the most.

Memorial services for Metropolitan Anthony Bloom took place this week in London, recalling the 25th anniversary of the beloved hierarch's repose. The Russian Orthodox Church marked the occasion with quiet prayer at the Cathedral of the Dormition and All Saints. Meanwhile, the Serbian Orthodox Church held a memorial for the priest-martyr Miloš Grkovac in Bosanski Grahovo, drawing local faithful to honor his witness during difficult times. In the Romanian Orthodox Church, the Metropolis of Bessarabia gathered one hundred young people from South Bessarabia at a summer camp focused on Christian family life, while the Orthodox Church in America continued its OPERATION: BUFFALO charity drive across the Diocese of Buffalo, preparing aid for next year. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch hosted its Western Rite Vicariate conference under Bishop John, exploring steady parish growth. These ordinary acts of remembrance, service, and gathering show the daily rhythm of Church life across continents. May readers hold these communities in their prayers this week.

Youth camps and events continue across UOC dioceses. In the Metropolis of Boston, Metropolitan Methodios welcomed KOSMOS participants for a week of faith formation and fellowship that drew young adults from several states. The Romanian Orthodox Church heard its youngest bishop urge young people in the diaspora to act as bridges rather than walls during a recent gathering in Western Europe. Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, while visiting the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand, met with youth groups and encouraged them to keep their traditions alive far from home. Meanwhile the Orthodox Church in America’s Diocese of Chicago opened its National Clergy Retreat with sessions that included practical talks for those who work with teenagers and college students. These gatherings show how each local Church finds its own way to keep the next generation connected.

Saint John the New of Romania received special veneration at Chozeva Monastery in the hills near Jerusalem, where Romanian monks and pilgrims gathered for the saint’s feast with all-night vigil and Liturgy. The same week Patriarch Daniel of Romania ordained new clergy at the patriarchal residence in Bucharest, reminding them that priesthood demands greater self-giving. In the United States the Orthodox Church in America’s Archbishop of Chicago welcomed clergy from across the country for their national retreat, while the Serbian Orthodox Church marked the feast of Saint Panteleimon with solemn services in the Eparchy of Slavonia. These separate corners of the Church turned their attention to the same calendar of saints and the same call to faithful service. A quiet continuity runs through the different languages and places.

It’s already evening, but the church still stands bright against the dark sky. The lantern ahead is quietly burning, and this makes everything look very calm.

Monastery on the hill in the morning mist. The light is so calm that it makes the whole landscape seem silent.

The Broadview Heights parish in the Orthodox Church in America has joined a local “Back to School Backpack Program,” gathering hundreds of filled packs with notebooks, pencils, folders, and hygiene items for children in need across northeast Ohio. At the same time, the Romanian Orthodox Church heard its youngest bishop call on young people living abroad to act as bridges rather than walls between cultures and generations. In the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Eparchy of Slavonia marked the feast of Saint Panteleimon with solemn services that drew families from several towns. Meanwhile, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in The Hague continues raising funds to finish urgent repairs on the church of Saints Archangels Michael and Gabriel, still short by four thousand euros. These ordinary acts of care and steady maintenance of parish life show the Church quietly at work in different corners of the world. May readers keep the parishes of Broadview Heights, the Romanian youth abroad, the Slavonian faithful, and the Bulgarian community in The Hague in their prayers.

Memorial services were held in London on the 23rd anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, drawing clergy and faithful from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia to the Cathedral of the Dormition. At the same time Romanian Orthodox pilgrims gathered at the Monastery of Moses for the feast of the Assumption, joined by Ukrainian visitors. In the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, services ran from August 14-16 at St Cyril and Methodius parish in Denia, Spain. The Serbian Orthodox Church marked the feast of Saint Panteleimon with liturgies across the Eparchy of Slavonia, while the Orthodox Church in America opened its 63rd Annual Diocesan Conference alongside the charity project OPERATION: BUFFALO. These quiet commemorations and local feasts show how the memory of holy teachers like Metropolitan Anthony still shapes daily parish life across continents. May these communities be remembered in prayer.

The Romanian Orthodox Church re-consecrated its parish in Botoşani to Saint Ephrem the New, marking a fresh start for local believers with restored icons and a full liturgical cycle. In the same week the Church of Greece held its first-ever camp period for parents in the Diocese of Korea, giving families space to pray and reflect together away from daily routines. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church extended an invitation to Bulgarians living in Melbourne to join the liturgy for the Great Mother of God, drawing the diaspora closer to familiar chants and fellowship. Meanwhile the Serbian Orthodox Church celebrated the Feast of Saint Panteleimon in the Eparchy of Slavonia with a large gathering that included clergy from neighboring parishes. These quiet steps show how each local Church keeps its traditions alive in different corners of the world. May the Lord strengthen the parishes in Botoşani, Korea, Melbourne, and Slavonia.

The white church with its green roof stands out well under this blue sky full of clouds. I took the photo yesterday in passing, it's calm and pretty.

Now we're reading “The Nevidlivata Borba” od Sveti Nikodim Svetogorets. Mi ostana v head delot kade veli deka chovek naјmnogu se fight with your thoughts ushte before yes story something. Evening after work I sat down and read and learned all this. Behold, let us offend you and pay more attention to her in order to return to the head.

The concert honoring the Exodus of Messolonghi drew a full house at the Diocese of Aetolia and Acarnania, where the KANON Orchestra performed traditional hymns and new compositions that recalled the 1826 events. In the same week the Church of Greece wrapped up its seventh summer camp for high school girls, offering talks on faith and history alongside music workshops. Across the Atlantic, the Orthodox Church in America’s Archbishop celebrated St. Herman of Alaska in Chicago, drawing clergy and laity for liturgy and a shared meal that echoed themes of endurance. Meanwhile the Serbian Orthodox Church welcomed Patriarch Porfirije to parishes in Australia and New Zealand, where local choirs added their voices to the welcome. These gatherings, though separated by oceans, each turned memory into living song and prayer. How did music or a saint’s feast mark a recent event in your own parish?

The Concert honoring the Exodus of Messolonghi drew crowds to a historic venue in Greece, where the KANON Orchestra performed traditional hymns and folk pieces tied to the 1826 event. In the same week the Church of Greece highlighted the motherly care of the Virgin Mary through the icon of Panagia Gerontissa and the words of the Metropolitan of Thessaliotis. Meanwhile the Serbian Orthodox Church saw Patriarch Porfirije continue his visit to parishes in Australia and New Zealand, meeting clergy and faithful far from home. The Romanian Orthodox Church marked Romanian Migrants Sunday with a message from Patriarch Daniel encouraging identity and faith among those living abroad, and noted the unusually low Danube waters revealing the ancient bridge linked to St Constantine. In North America the Orthodox Church in America reported Broadview Heights parish filling hundreds of backpacks for local schoolchildren, turning practical help into quiet witness. These varied moments show how each local church keeps memory, service, and liturgy alive in its own setting. How has your parish marked a historical feast or helped neighbors lately?

A small group in Raleigh has spent years working for justice and democracy. Lately they've been gathering for Buddhist meditation, saying it helps them stay steady and kind even when things feel heavy. Quiet practice seems to be giving them fresh strength to keep going.

The Back-to-School Backpack Drive at the parish in Broadview Heights gathered hundreds of new supplies last week, quietly filling bags for local children who needed them. At the same time the Orthodox Church in America announced OPERATION: BUFFALO, its diocesan charity push planned for next year that will expand similar hands-on help across parishes. In Romania Patriarch Daniel spoke at an ordination about the need for greater self-giving, words that line up with the practical work of filling backpacks. The Serbian Orthodox Church marked the feast of Saint Panteleimon in the Eparchy of Slavonia with services that reminded everyone of steady, everyday care for neighbors. From Chicago, Archbishop Michael led the celebration of Saint Herman of Alaska, another moment that keeps charity visible in ordinary life. These coordinated efforts show how Orthodox communities turn faith into concrete help for families right where they live. Such steady local action keeps parishes grounded and useful year after year.

A beautiful church in Abakan. It looks very calm.

Memorial services took place in London marking the 23rd anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, the influential Russian Orthodox hierarch known for his deep writings on prayer and his long ministry in Britain. At the same time the Serbian Orthodox Church announced that Patriarch Porfirije is visiting the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand, strengthening ties with the growing Serbian communities there. The Romanian Orthodox Church welcomed its youngest bishop urging young people in the diaspora to act as bridges rather than walls, while the Orthodox Church in America reported that the parish in Broadview Heights joined a local “Back to School Backpack Program” to help needy families. These quiet acts of remembrance, pastoral care, and practical charity continue across distant corners of the Church. May God grant peace and strength to the flocks in London, Sydney, Bucharest, and Ohio.

Youth summer events are underway in several dioceses of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, with camps offering teenagers prayer, service projects, and talks on living the faith in daily life. In the same spirit, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople has announced its own 2026 youth summer schedule focused on Scripture study and community building. The Church of Greece is awarding scholarships through the Holy Metropolis of Stagios and Meteora to help young people continue their studies while staying rooted in parish life. Meanwhile, the Serbian Orthodox Church reports that Patriarch Porfirije is visiting the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand, where local youth gatherings form part of the welcome program. These camps and visits show a steady effort to keep the next generation connected to the Church across different countries and cultures. Each diocese adapts the same basic pattern—worship, teaching, and simple fellowship—to the needs of its young people. How is your parish marking the end of summer with its youth this year?

The Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Botoșani re-consecrated its parish church to Saint Ephrem the New, marking a fresh chapter for local faithful. In the same week the Romanian Orthodox Diocese in Australia encouraged its members to declare their identity clearly in the upcoming national census. Metropolitan Mark of Chersonese reminded listeners that man cannot live by the visible alone during a recent gathering. Meanwhile, the Serbian Orthodox Church held a memorial for priest-martyr Miloš Grkovac in Bosanski Grahovo, and Bishop Nectarije of the same Church presided at Holy Liturgy in Vatopedo. From the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a Holy Vigil took place in Paleochora, while the Orthodox Church in America saw Archbishop of Chicago welcome clergy to a national retreat in his diocese. These quiet acts of renewal and remembrance keep parishes steady. May these communities be remembered in prayer.

Saint John the New of Romania was solemnly celebrated at Chozeva Monastery in the hills above Jericho. Hierarchs and pilgrims from several local communities joined the monks for the Divine Liturgy in the ancient cave church where the saint’s relics rest. The Romanian Orthodox Church marked the day with special services across its dioceses, while the Church of Greece noted the feast in its calendar and held related vespers in several parishes. At the same time the Serbian Orthodox Church reported that Patriarch Porfirije continues his archpastoral visit to the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand, greeting clergy and faithful there. In the Orthodox Church in America, Archbishop of Chicago welcomed participants of the National Clergy Retreat to his diocese, linking the gathering to the same calendar of saints. These coordinated commemorations show how one local Romanian saint still draws Orthodox from different continents together on a single summer day. May the prayers of Saint John strengthen all four communities.

Snow has covered the church. The cross on the dome is clearly visible in the white.

In the afternoon I went to the church yard to water the geraniums we planted last year. The leaves had wilted a bit from the heat, but after the water they looked better. I will go back tomorrow with the carver to get the weeds out before the service.

Youth camps wrapped up their final sessions this summer with the Metropolis of Boston in the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople welcoming participants to the 2026 KOSMOS Project. In the Church of Greece the Diocese of Aetolia and Acarnania finished its seventh camp period for high school girls and students, while the Orthodox Church in America hosted its 63rd annual diocesan conference that drew clergy and laity together for formation and fellowship. The Romanian Orthodox Diocese in Australia encouraged faithful to affirm their identity during the upcoming national census, tying cultural roots to everyday parish life. These gatherings show how local churches keep drawing younger people into the rhythm of prayer, study, and service. Each diocese shapes the programs around its own needs yet the core remains the same: handing on the faith in simple, concrete ways. May these communities and their young people be remembered in prayer.