RTOC Diocese of Pallini & Western Europe
RTOC Diocese of Pallini & Western Europe
When I left America, I never imagined that I would be leaving it for good. My intention was not to return permanently to Greece. I thought I would spend only a short time there before the Lord revealed the next…
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the Faith; prove your own selves.” (2 Corinthians 13:5) Many things occupy the mind of modern man. We examine the actions of politicians, the mistakes of our neighbors, the failures of our clergy(ooooo!), and…
My year as a deacon at the Cathedral of the Genuine Orthodox Church in Astoria, New York, had come to an end. Astoria, at that time, was like living in a Greek city…a “Little Greece”. I left quietly. I did…
After spending my teenage years searching, studying, traveling, and seeking guidance, I thought I was done with Greece and was again returning to the United States with a clear purpose. I wanted to find a place where I could begin…
Life resumed, at least outwardly, as before. I continued my studies in the United States, but something had changed within me. The flame that had begun years earlier was no longer merely a longing. It had become a direction. Whenever…
Among all the passions that wage war against the human soul, the most dangerous is often not the strongest one, but the one that we refuse to acknowledge. The passion that we defend, excuse, justify, and even cherish is the…
My first pilgrimage to Jerusalem lasted only a short time – several weeks, but some of its effects would remain with me for all the years. Among the many blessings of that journey was the opportunity to meet monks and…
When I look back now, I sometimes wonder how I managed to do some of the things I did when I was young. Perhaps youth gives us a courage that age later replaces with caution. I had finished high school…
+ Bishop Philaretos As I grow older, people sometimes ask me why I chose the path I did. Much worse, and much more painful, are those who propose to understand me—those who desire to believe that I did everything to…
In an age of confusion and uncertainty, every soul longs for a sanctuary. For the Orthodox Christian, that sanctuary is found in the Holy Church—the safe harbor where Christ is present, the Holy Mysteries are celebrated, and the Faith of the Apostles is preserved unchanged. Despite the trials of our times, the True Orthodox Church remains a refuge where the faithful find truth, peace, and communion with God.
