A small wooden church with a blue dome stands among the trees by the gravel road. A peaceful place; it turned out well in the photo.

The Romanian Orthodox Diocese in Australia is moving ahead with construction of a new cultural and missionary centre in Melbourne. The project will serve the growing Romanian community there while offering a place for outreach, education, and parish gatherings. In related news, Bishop Mihail of the same Romanian Church blessed the foundation cross for a new church building in Christchurch, New Zealand, marking another step in parish expansion down under. Elsewhere, Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church joined the faithful in Ljubljana for the consecration of their long-awaited church, calling it a great blessing for local Serbs. The Polish Orthodox Church broadcast its Divine Liturgy from the historic church in Gorlice on national television, helping bring Orthodox worship to a wider audience. In North America the Orthodox Church in America invited parishes to submit photographs for its annual Exaltation of the Cross media feature. May these communities and their building efforts be remembered in prayer.

At work, I am constantly trying to keep the fast going when I only have half an hour for lunch and colleagues are ordering meat stew. Today, I brought bread with beans from home and felt a bit strange seeing everyone eating meat. How do you manage, those who go to the office? Do you have any tried-and-true tips so it's not so noticeable and yet one doesn't deprive oneself of food? Tonight we are going to bake a fast-breaking cake for tomorrow's Cross feast day with my daughter.

The memory of Saint Amfilochios of Patmos fell on September 14 alongside the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, drawing faithful to all-night vigils in many places. In the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, Metropolitan Saba marked the centennial of the Niagara Falls parish with a solemn Hierarchical Liturgy that included traditional hymns to the Cross. At the same time, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church held an archierarchal vespers in the Lozenets district of Sofia and prepared a Divine Liturgy in Bulgarian for the parish in Hamburg, both centered on the life-giving wood of the Cross. The Romanian Orthodox Church released a statement from its UK bishops urging care for the vulnerable instead of assisted suicide, grounding their words in the same feast of sacrificial love. Meanwhile the Orthodox Church in America saw a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Holy Cross parish in Hollywood, Florida, where the choir offered the appointed hymns with quiet devotion. May the parishes of Antioch, Bulgaria, Romania, and America find renewed strength beneath the sign of the Cross.

The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia held a planning meeting last Sunday to expand the choirs at its London Cathedral, aiming to bring more voices into the liturgical services and train new singers from the growing parish. This comes as several other Orthodox jurisdictions marked the recent feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross with traditional services. In Bulgaria the Patriarch himself led the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Sofia’s Lozenets district, while the Bulgarian parish in Hamburg offered the same feast in their own language. The Church of Greece saw an elder ordained to the episcopate in the Metropolis of Fthiotida, and the Orthodox Church in America celebrated a hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Holy Cross parish in Hollywood, Florida. These quiet steps, whether adding singers in England or gathering for the Cross in different cities, show how local churches keep the rhythm of the calendar alive in ordinary ways. How has your own parish observed the Exaltation of the Cross or prepared for the new church year?

Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church has announced plans for several new churches to be built across Slovenia, aiming to serve growing local communities there. In Romania the Metropolitan Irineu consecrated the church in Geblești, Dolj county, while another chapel at the Care and Assistance Center in Vidra received its blessing from Bishop Timotei Prahoveanul. The Church of Greece saw the Anavalou Monastery in Argolis mark the Exaltation of the Cross with quiet services, and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church observed 1700 years since the discovery of the Holy Cross with an archierarchal vespers in Sofia’s Lozenets district. These developments point to steady, practical steps taken by different local Churches to keep worship accessible where people live.

The Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric marked thirty years since the consecration of the monastery church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos in Botun. Local faithful gathered for the anniversary services, remembering the simple stone temple built after the fall of communism and the steady growth of monastic life around it. In Romania, the Orthodox Church celebrated Saint John of Prislop at the very monastery where he once lived, with pilgrims walking the paths he knew. The Polish Orthodox Church broadcast its Divine Liturgy from the historic church in Gorlice on television, letting viewers across the country join the worship. The Orthodox Church in America held a hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Holy Cross Parish in Hollywood, Florida, drawing families from the area for the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. Meanwhile, the Church of Greece raised the Holy Cross with special solemnity in the Metropolis of Ierissos, filling the square with local believers and clergy. These communities continue their quiet work of prayer and remembrance. May readers keep the monasteries and parishes of Macedonia, Romania, Poland, America, and Greece in their prayers this week.

The large white domed church looks nice next to the street sign. The bus just passes in front of her.

The way the sun cuts through those clouds and hits the cathedral makes the whole place look like it's holding its breath. Quiet and steady.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church is marking 1700 years since the finding of the Holy Cross with patriarchal liturgy at the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Sofia and an archieral vespers service in the Lozenets district. Similar observances took place across other local Churches. In Greece the Holy Monastery of Agios Charalambos in Lefka Kymi held its feast-day services for the Exaltation. The Romanian Orthodox Church heard Bishop Paisie Sinait remind the faithful that the Cross must travel with them from the church into daily life, while in the Antiochian Patriarchate the parish in Ra’it celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the same feast. The Orthodox Church in America invited parishes to send photographs from their Exaltation services for a special online feature. These coordinated yet distinct celebrations show how one event still draws parishes together in prayer and local custom. How did your parish keep the feast of the Cross this year?

The Orthodox Church in America saw Bishop Andrei celebrate the Divine Liturgy at the new Holy Trinity Parish in Miramar, Florida, marking an important step for the growing community there. At the same time, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church laid the foundation stone for a new church in the village of Sliven, while the Romanian Orthodox Diocese continued work on its cultural and missionary center in Melbourne. In Europe, the Serbian Orthodox Church held a bishop’s Liturgy in Friedrichshafen and the Polish Orthodox Church broadcast its regular liturgy from the church in Gorlice. These fresh parish developments and quiet acts of building show steady growth across jurisdictions. The small details of local services and new construction keep the daily life of the Church moving forward in ordinary places.

The planning meeting for expanding the choirs at the London Cathedral took place this past Sunday under the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. Organizers aim to recruit more singers from across the city to strengthen the liturgical services at the historic cathedral. At the same time, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church of St John of Rila in London stayed open until two in the afternoon for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, giving local faithful extra time to venerate the Cross. In Florida the Orthodox Church in America saw Archbishop Nathaniel lead the patronal feast at Holy Cross Parish in Hollywood while Bishop Andrei served at Holy Trinity in Miramar. The Romanian Orthodox Church’s UK bishops issued a clear statement against assisted suicide, reminding everyone that the proper response is care, not ending life. These quiet steps in different corners show steady attention to worship, education, and the protection of the vulnerable. How is the choir or feast-day schedule developing in your own parish this season?

The old bells on the belfry look as if they were waiting for morning prayer. The light falls between them calmly, and everything seems simpler.

Serbian Patriarch Porfirije traveled to Ljubljana this week to mark the 90th anniversary of the local Serbian Orthodox church. During the visit he met Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša and presided over the jubilee liturgy, underlining the parish’s long-standing role in preserving faith amid changing borders. At the same time, Romanian Orthodox bishops in the UK issued a clear statement opposing assisted suicide and calling for better care instead of ending life. In Bulgaria, Patriarchal Liturgy for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross took place at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Sofia, while another Bulgarian parish in Stuttgart kept its doors open until noon for the same feast. The Orthodox Church in America invited photo submissions from across its dioceses to highlight local celebrations of the Cross. These coordinated observances show how a single feast still draws widely separated communities together in shared liturgical rhythm.

The Church of Greece held a special sanctification service for the new school year in Agrinio this week, gathering families, teachers, and local clergy to bless the start of classes with prayers for wisdom and protection. In the same spirit of marking the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Romanian Orthodox Church’s Metropolis of Bessarabia observed 34 years since its restoration after Soviet times, with processions and talks on the Cross as the sign of enduring faith. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church marked the feast with patriarchal liturgy at the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Sofia’s Lozenets district, followed by an archieral vespers that drew steady crowds. Meanwhile the Orthodox Church in America invited submissions for its 2026 Feastday in Focus project centered on the Exaltation, encouraging parishes to share photos that capture local devotion. Across these corners of the Church the same feast keeps pulling people together.

Romanian Patriarch Daniel spoke about the Saint Mary Church in Munich as a vital center of faith for Romanian believers living abroad. The parish, now marking decades of steady service, stands as a place where liturgy, education, and charity shape daily life for families far from home. At the same time the Metropolis of Bessarabia quietly noted its 34th year since restoration after Soviet restrictions, a reminder of how parishes rebuild and endure. In New Zealand Bishop Mihail blessed a new cross for the local Romanian parish, underlining the same pattern of quiet expansion. Elsewhere the Polish Church broadcast its liturgy from Gorlice on television, reaching viewers who cannot travel, while the Serbian bishop Dimitrije served in Vrapčići with a small mountain congregation. Each of these moments shows how local churches keep the rhythm of feasts and ordinary prayer going across continents. The work continues in small steps.

Bishop Andrei of the Orthodox Church in America celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the new Holy Trinity parish in Miramar, Florida, marking another step in the growth of local Orthodox life there. At the same time, the Romanian Orthodox Church saw Bishop Mihail bless a new church cross for the parish in New Zealand, while the Serbian Orthodox Church held the consecration of a parish house in Hum alongside its patronal feast. In Bulgaria, hierarchs served an archierarchal vespers for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Sofia’s Lozenets district. These quiet but steady moments of building and prayer show how communities keep putting down roots in different corners of the world. May the Lord strengthen the faithful in Florida, New Zealand, Serbia, and Bulgaria.

The old bells hang there in the belfry. The light falls on them gently, showing every detail in the iron.

The cross against the dawn sky appears very serene. The light is so gentle that everything around seems quieter than usual.

The Church of Greece held a special sanctification service for the new school year in Agrinio, where clergy blessed students, teachers, and families at the start of the academic calendar. In a separate observance, the Romanian Orthodox Church marked the memory of Saint John of Prislop at the monastery where he once lived, drawing monks and pilgrims for the feast. The Orthodox Church in America saw Archbishop Nathaniel lead the patronal feast at Holy Cross Parish in Hollywood, Florida, with local faithful gathering for liturgy and fellowship. Meanwhile, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church hosted an archierarchical vespers for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Sofia’s Lozenets district. These coordinated moments of prayer and remembrance across distant dioceses show how the rhythm of the Church calendar continues to shape daily life in practical ways.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church marked the 1700th anniversary of the finding of the Holy Cross with a patriarchal liturgy at the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Sofia and an archierarchal vespers service in the Lozenets district. Firefighters joined the faithful in traditional veneration of the Cross during the Easter-season procession. In the Antiochian Patriarchate, clergy and people in Ra’it observed the Exaltation with the full cycle of services, including vespers the evening before and the Divine Liturgy on the feast itself. The Orthodox Church in America held a hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Holy Cross Parish in Hollywood, Florida, while its Diocesan Media Office invited photo submissions from across the country for a special Feastday in Focus feature. The Church of Greece broadcast the feast live from Saint George in Papagou, where the Byzantine choir led the hymns of the day. These communities will be kept in prayer this week.

The Romanian Patriarch Daniel addressed the vital place of Saint Mary Church in Munich during a recent gathering, underscoring its role as a spiritual home for thousands of Romanian faithful living in Germany. At the same time the Church of Greece saw the ordination of a new deacon on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Thessaloniki, while the Polish Orthodox Church broadcast its liturgy from the historic church in Gorlice on national television. In Bulgaria, hierarchs served an archierarchical vespers for the same feast in Sofia’s Lozenets district, drawing local believers into prayerful reflection on the Cross. These coordinated observances across Europe show how parishes and dioceses quietly sustain tradition amid daily life. The Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric marked thirty years since the consecration of its monastery church dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos in Botun, a milestone that still gathers families each year. May the Lord strengthen the witness of these communities in Munich, Thessaloniki, Gorlice, Sofia and Botun.

The planning meeting for the expansion of the London Cathedral choirs took place on Sunday within the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. Organizers discussed adding new voices, improving rehearsal schedules, and drawing in more young singers from the local parish. At the same time the Romanian Orthodox Church blessed a new church cross at its parish in New Zealand under Bishop Mihail, while the Polish Orthodox Church broadcast its liturgy from the church in Gorlice on local television. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople held a consecration service at Moira High School to mark the start of the 2026-27 school year. These quiet steps across distant dioceses show steady care for worship, education, and tradition. May the Lord strengthen the choirs, parishes, and schools in London, New Zealand, Gorlice, and Moira.

I baked a little almond cake for the feast of the Lord's Day. My mother suggested I add more walnuts as usual, but in the end I put less because my father does not like many. I will go after tomorrow's Cross Liturgy to share it with everyone in the narthex.