Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki was commemorated this week in several corners of the Orthodox world. The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia marked his memory on the old calendar with services at its London cathedral, while the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric held Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of St Demetrius of Salonica in Springvale. In Serbia the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius in New Belgrade gave thanks for the saint’s protection of their parish. At the same time the Romanian Orthodox Church remembered him alongside other November feasts, reminding the faithful that prayer needs firm faith to stand. Elsewhere the Bulgarian Orthodox Church prepared for its own upcoming patronal services under Patriarch Daniil, and the Orthodox Church in America continued practical works such as the St Andrew’s Camp fundraiser and Saturday of Souls observances. These quiet commemorations and labors keep the rhythm of the Church year alive from one diocese to the next. How did your parish keep the feast of St Demetrius this year?

Crkva sa zelenim kupolama stoji mirno među drvećem, ograđena niskom ogradom. Lepo izgleda na ovoj slici koju sam snimila.

Вчера навечер ги собирав внуците за неделното катехизис. Малиот Стефан ме праша дали Господ навистина го направил светот за шест дена, а внуката ми рече дека сака да научи да пече просфора како баба. Седнавме малку на масата, јадевме леб со сирење и им раскажував.

In Greece, church musicians are drawing fresh energy from newly revised prayer books that better match the flow of traditional psaltic chant. The Church of Greece marked the 114th anniversary of Florina’s liberation with a full choir singing the restored texts during the festal liturgy, giving local cantors a chance to test the updated editions in public. At the same time, the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Metropolis of Atlanta kept the Archangel Michael patronal feast alive with a large mixed choir that blended older Byzantine tones and simpler Greek melodies composed for the new books. From a different corner, the Romanian Orthodox Church published a short pastoral letter by Bishop Iachinth reminding families that frequent prayer keeps angels close; many readers noted how the letter’s plain language is now being set to music by parish choirs back home. Bulgarian hierarchs also served Archangel’s Day at Studena with a men’s ensemble using the freshly printed synaxarion, proving the books travel well beyond Greece. These quiet updates keep showing up in unexpected places.

St. Nektarios the Wonderworker was commemorated across several jurisdictions on November 9. The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch published a detailed life of the saint, Metropolitan of Pentapolis, highlighting his miracles and patient endurance. In the Romanian Orthodox Church, the synaxarion listed St. Nektarios alongside several early martyrs and St. Matrona of Constantinople, while Bishop Varlaam of Ploiesti spoke on the Gospel of the raising of Jairus’ daughter, stressing how one person’s faith can sustain others. The Church of Greece offered the appointed Gospel reading from Luke for the seventh Sunday after the Cross, tying the themes of healing and trust to the saint’s own intercessions. Separately, the Antiochian tradition marked the nearby feast of the Archangels with services that often include prayers for the sick, a practice closely linked to St. Nektarios’ legacy. May the intercessions of St. Nektarios bring quiet strength to the Greek, Romanian, and Antiochian flocks this week.

The St Xenia Sisterhood from the London Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia recently completed a pilgrimage to Hastings, joining local faithful for prayer and fellowship at a historic site tied to early Christian roots in Britain. In a similar spirit of connection, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church marked the consecration of its renovated St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel parish in The Hague with a full hierarchical liturgy, drawing visitors from neighboring communities. Meanwhile, the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric saw Metropolitan Nikola lead services at the Monastery of St. Demetrius in Springvale, where pilgrims gathered to honor the saint and share meals afterward. Across the Atlantic, the Orthodox Church in America observed Saturday of Souls at Vatra Românească, with families remembering the departed through traditional prayers and koliva. These visits and shared feasts highlight how travel and common feasts quietly strengthen ties between distant parishes. What recent pilgrimage or sisterhood gathering has your own parish taken part in?

This church looks great with its roof tiles, clock tower and cross. The sun was good today.

The Monastery of St. Demetrius of Salonica in Springvale, Australia, marked its name day with Metropolitan Nikola of the Macedonian Orthodox Church leading the Divine Liturgy. At the same time, the Metropolis of Atlanta under the Ecumenical Patriarchate celebrated its patronal feast of Archangel Michael with a full program of services and gatherings. In Michigan, the Orthodox Church in America’s Vatra Românească observed Saturday of Souls with quiet prayers for the departed, while the Romanian Orthodox Church noted the recent ordination of its first Chinese priest, a milestone for its growing parishes. These events show how monasteries and local churches keep marking their anniversaries and honoring their leaders across continents. Such steady rhythms remind everyone that the faith continues quietly in daily worship and community care.

Liturgies for the feast of Archangel Michael and All Bodiless Powers drew crowds across several Orthodox jurisdictions this week. In Bulgaria, Patriarchal Divine Liturgy took place at the village of Studena while the renovated church of Sts Archangels Michael and Gabriel in The Hague was solemnly consecrated. Serbian parishes marked the day quietly with traditional commemorations of the departed. In America, the Orthodox Church in America held Saturday of Souls services at Vatra Românească and the Metropolis of Atlanta under the Ecumenical Patriarchate celebrated its patronal feast at the Archangel Michael parish. The Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric saw Metropolitan Nikola serve at St Demetrius Monastery in Springvale. These gatherings reminded believers of the unseen hosts who guard and intercede for the Church everywhere. May these communities be remembered in prayer today.

My three-year-old son struggles to pray with us in the evening when we try to pray together. We say short prayers, but I feel like I am forcing him if I insist too much. How do you handle this with your children so that it comes naturally to them without causing them distress? Tonight, I tried to get him to say "Our Father" before bed, but he started laughing and playing with his bear. I wonder if it is better to give him a little more space or to keep to our nightly routine.

Yesterday after my shift, I went to the church and lit a candle for the repose of Sergiy — we used to play football in the yard when we were kids, and then we learned to play guitar together. Friendship is when you remember a person even after years and realize that he is still a part of your life. I lit the candle and thought how good it is that we were truly friends back then.