The London Cathedral choirs of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia are mapping out a larger schedule of rehearsals and outreach events to draw in more singers from the growing local faithful. At the same time the Bulgarian Church of St John of Rila in London kept its doors open until two in the afternoon for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, allowing passers-by to venerate the Cross and light candles. In Australia the Romanian Orthodox Diocese moved its new cultural centre in Melbourne into the third phase of construction, while Bishop Mihail blessed a freshly cast church cross for the parish in New Zealand. The Orthodox Church in America invited photographers across its dioceses to submit images from this year’s Exaltation services for a special online feature. These separate efforts show how feast days and practical work continue quietly across continents.

The memory of Saint Amfilochios of Patmos draws Orthodox Christians to the quiet power of prayer and steadfast faith. In Bulgaria, the Patriarchal Liturgy for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross filled the Church of the Elevation of the Cross in Sofia, while evening vespers took place in the Lozenets district. The Orthodox Church of Ukraine reflected on the same feast with local traditions in the Ternopil region and practical guidance for name days and observances. From the Romanian Orthodox Church, bishops in the UK reminded the faithful that true care for the suffering means rejecting assisted suicide in favor of genuine support. In the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, Metropolitan Saba marked the centennial of the Niagara Falls parish with solemn services that echoed the same cross-centered joy. These gatherings show how the Cross remains a living center across widely separated dioceses. May these communities be remembered in prayer this week.

Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church has announced plans for two new churches to be built in Slovenia, responding to the growing Orthodox population there and the need for more places of worship. In the same week the Bulgarian Orthodox Church laid the foundation stone for a new parish church in the village of Sliven, while the Romanian Orthodox Church marked the Exaltation of the Cross with a Hierarchical Liturgy at the Caraiman Monastery and special prayers with firefighters at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Timișoara. The Orthodox Church in America also celebrated the feast with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Holy Cross Parish in Hollywood, Florida. These quiet steps show steady parish growth across different corners of the Orthodox world. May these communities and their new construction projects be remembered in prayer.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church held its patriarchal liturgy yesterday for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross inside the capital’s Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross. At the same time, the Orthodox Church in America invited parishes to submit photographs from their own feast-day services for a special diocesan feature, while the Romanian Orthodox Church saw Bishop Mihail bless a newly forged cross for a parish in New Zealand. In Greece, Metropolitan Ignatios of Demetrias reminded listeners that every Golgotha is followed by resurrection, tying the day’s theme of the Cross to hope. These quiet observances stretched from Sofia to Hollywood, Florida, and across continents, showing how one feast unites scattered communities in the same ancient rite of elevating the Cross. May these local churches and their faithful be remembered in prayer.

The Romanian Orthodox Diocese in Australia is moving ahead with plans to build a new cultural and missionary centre in Melbourne. The project aims to serve the growing Romanian community there while offering a space for outreach, education, and parish activities that connect people to the faith. In Bulgaria, Patriarch Daniil spoke to young people about choosing the good and staying with it. The Bulgarian Church also held hierarchical vespers and liturgy for the Exaltation of the Cross in Sofia parishes. The Metropolis of Bessarabia under the Romanian Patriarchate marked 34 years since its restoration after Soviet times, remembering the difficult path back to regular church life. From the Orthodox Church in America, Holy Cross parish in Hollywood, Florida, welcomed a hierarchical Divine Liturgy, while the diocesan media office invited photo submissions for the upcoming feast of the Exaltation of the Cross. How is your own parish marking the feasts of the Cross or planning new spaces for mission?

London Cathedral choirs in the ROCOR are drawing up plans to expand their singing programs, aiming to bring more young voices into regular services and outreach events across the UK. At the same time, the Romanian Orthodox Diocese is pushing forward with construction of a new cultural and missionary centre in Melbourne, adding classrooms and a small hall for community gatherings. In Bulgaria, parishes marked the Exaltation of the Holy Cross with both patriarchal liturgy in Sofia’s Church of the Exaltation of the Cross and an evening service in the Lozenets district, keeping the old traditions alive in the capital. Meanwhile, the Orthodox Church in America’s diocesan media office has put out a call for photos tied to the same feast, inviting parishes to share images for a special 2026 feature. These modest steps show how different corners of the Church keep finding fresh ways to pass on the faith.

Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church announced plans for two new churches to be built in Slovenia, one in Ljubljana and another in Maribor, to serve the growing faithful there. The move follows his recent meeting with Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša. In related news, the Romanian Orthodox Church saw its Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland hold its first football championship with eight parishes taking part, blending sport and fellowship. The Orthodox Church in America marked the occasion with Bishop Andrei celebrating Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity Parish in Miramar, Florida, while the Bulgarian Orthodox Church observed the Exaltation of the Cross with a patriarchal liturgy at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Sofia. Each diocese shows steady, practical steps to nurture local communities. How has your own parish marked the recent feasts or expanded its work lately?

The memory of Saint Amfilochios of Patmos draws quiet crowds to monasteries across the Greek islands this week, while parishes mark the Exaltation of the Holy Cross with all-night vigils that stretch into the early hours. In the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the festival at Simi brought together locals for the traditional lifting of the Cross and distribution of blessed basil. Over in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, clergy in Ra’it served the Holy Liturgy at the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross, keeping the old rhythm of fasting, prayer, and shared koliva afterward. The Serbian Orthodox Church heard Patriarch Porfirije remind the faithful that the Orthodox Church should remain a place where people find unity in Christ rather than division. Meanwhile the Romanian Orthodox Diocese in Melbourne pushed forward with its new cultural center, tying practical construction work to the same feast day emphasis on carrying the Cross into daily life. Bulgarian parishes in Stuttgart and Hamburg kept their doors open late, offering Liturgy in the mother tongue for scattered communities. These simple gatherings show how one saint’s memory and one feast still shape the week for very different corners of the Church.

A Macedonian monastery is marking 30 years since its main church was consecrated on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. In Bulgaria the Patriarch led a solemn liturgy at the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in Sofia while another parish in Sliven laid the foundation stone for a new village church. The Church of Greece held a grand hierarchical vespers at the Holy Cross parish in Ierapetra, and Romanian Patriarch Daniel spoke about how the sign of the Cross calls believers to sacrificial love rather than despair. From Antioch, Metropolitan Saba presided at the centennial celebration of a parish in Niagara Falls dedicated to the same feast. These coordinated observances across different local Churches show how one ancient feast still shapes parish life from the Balkans to North America. The consistent focus on the Cross keeps reminding ordinary faithful what their daily sacrifices are for.

The Bulgarian Orthodox Church held a patriarchal Divine Liturgy for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at the Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross in Sofia. Clergy and faithful gathered for the solemn service that centered on the veneration of the Life-giving Cross. At the same time, the Church of Greece marked the feast with ordinations in the Diocese of Corfu, where new deacons and priests received their orders during the Elevation liturgy. In Romania, Bishop Mihail blessed a new church cross for the Romanian Orthodox parish in Christchurch, New Zealand, tying the occasion to the recent 98-year anniversary of the Caraiman Peak cross. The Antiochian Church also observed the day with the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross in Ra’it. These local celebrations show how one feast connects distant communities through the same ancient rite. How did your parish keep the Exaltation of the Cross this year?

London Cathedral choirs in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia are mapping out a larger program of concerts and youth training for the coming year. The plans include new joint rehearsals with neighboring parishes and expanded visits to smaller communities across the UK. Meanwhile the Romanian Orthodox Church saw Bishop Mihail bless a freshly cast cross for the parish in New Zealand, giving the growing congregation a visible sign of their renewed commitment. In Florida the Orthodox Church in America held two hierarchical Divine Liturgies at Holy Cross in Hollywood and Holy Trinity in Miramar, drawing steady crowds for the Exaltation of the Cross. The Serbian Orthodox Church marked Aleksandrovdan with solemn festal services in Vasojević that combined local tradition and full parish participation. These separate dioceses keep finding quiet, practical ways to strengthen everyday church life. May these communities remain in our prayers.

Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church has announced plans to build new Orthodox churches in Slovenia following his recent meeting with Prime Minister Janez Janša. The initiative aims to strengthen parish life and serve growing communities in the country. In related news, the Romanian Orthodox Church saw Bishop Mihail bless a new church cross at their parish in New Zealand, while the Bulgarian Orthodox Church held a patriarchal liturgy for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Sofia. Meanwhile, the Orthodox Church in America’s Bishop Andrei served the Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity Parish in Miramar, Florida, drawing local faithful together for the feast. These steps across different corners of the Orthodox world reflect steady efforts to build up parish infrastructure and mark the holy days with care. How has the Exaltation of the Cross been observed in your own parish this year?

The Romanian Orthodox Diocese is moving forward with construction of a new cultural and missionary centre in Melbourne, a project aimed at serving the growing local faithful and offering a place for education, liturgy, and outreach. At the same time, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch marked the centennial of its church in Niagara Falls with Metropolitan Saba leading the celebrations. In Europe, the Serbian Orthodox Church gathered in Novi Pazar to honour the memory of Venerable Jefimija at Peter’s Church, while the Orthodox Church in America saw Archbishop Nathaniel preside at the patronal feast of Holy Cross Parish in Hollywood, Florida. These communities, spread across continents, continue steady work that strengthens parish life and passes on the faith. May readers hold the Romanian Diocese in Melbourne, the Antiochian parish in Niagara Falls, the Serbian faithful in Novi Pazar, and the OCA congregation in Florida in their prayers this week.

The Macedonian Orthodox Church is marking the 30th anniversary of the consecration of its monastery church dedicated to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Local clergy and faithful gathered for a solemn Divine Liturgy that recalled the original service held three decades ago, complete with the same hymns and the raising of the cross that has stood in the main dome ever since. In Bulgaria, Patriarchal Liturgy took place at the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Sofia, while an archierarchical vespers was served in the Lozenets district the evening before. The Romanian Patriarchate released a pastoral letter underlining how the sign of the Cross continues to proclaim Christ’s sacrificial love in daily life. Meanwhile, the Orthodox Church in America saw Bishop Andrei serve the Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity parish in Miramar, Florida, where the parish cross was carried in procession after the Gospel. These quiet observances across different corners of the Church show how one feast still draws people together in prayer and memory. May these communities be held in prayer.

The memory of Saint Amphilochios of Patmos drew crowds to monasteries across the Greek islands yesterday, while the Holy Vigil for the Exaltation of the Holy Cross united voices in prayer from Patmos to the hills of Romania. In the Church of Greece, Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Trikala reminded the faithful at Dobra Monastery that Christ conquered through sacrificial love rather than force during the deacon’s ordination liturgy. The Romanian Orthodox Church saw Archbishop Calinic consecrate a towering 23-meter cross on a hill below the Iezer-Păpușa Massif, a visible sign of faith for passing travelers. Meanwhile, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church held patriarchal liturgy at the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross in Sofia’s Lozenets district and laid the foundation stone for a new parish church in the village of Sliven. These quiet acts of building and remembering keep the cross at the center of daily life. May the Lord strengthen the parishes of Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria through the prayers of Saint Amphilochios.

Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church has announced plans to build several new churches in Slovenia, aiming to serve growing Orthodox communities there. The move comes as the Church of Greece marked the Exaltation of the Cross with reflections on the power found in Christ's silence, while the Bulgarian Orthodox Church held patriarchal liturgy in Sofia's Church of the Elevation of the Holy Cross. In Romania, eight parishes from the Archdiocese of Great Britain and Northern Ireland took part in their first football championship, mixing faith with fellowship on the field. The Russian Orthodox Church meanwhile opened access to the relics of St. Spyridon of Trimifuntsky at Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior, drawing steady crowds. These steps show quiet, practical work across different corners of the Orthodox world, whether building, celebrating feasts, or simply gathering people together. How is your own parish marking the Exaltation of the Cross or supporting new growth this season?

In the photo, there are rock formations in the foreground, while a church with a tiled roof is visible in the distance. Beautiful and serene.

I tried that simple lenten cabbage soup again last week and it turned out really good this time. Just onions, carrots, a bit of potato and half a head of cabbage from the market, simmered with a spoon of tomato paste. Even my sister had two bowls.