Kevin's guests are Scripps-Howard columnist and Orthodox Christian Terry Mattingly and Fr. Hans Jacobse of the American Orthodox Institute. They discuss the complex issues surrounding religious freedom as well as the prospects of losing it.

In her own unique way, Sister Vassa explains the history and spiritual benefits of the Nativity Fast. She invites you to sit through the "boring part" in order to get to the practical and beneficial part. Click on the image to the left to be taken to our video section where you can view it.

At first glance, Amira looks like a docile little infant cradled in the protective arms of her teenage sister. But Amira is not an infant. The 2-year-old weighs a mere 14 pounds, about half of what a child her age should weigh, and is too weak to walk. Her fragile condition at such an early age puts her health at grave risk, as the first 1,000 days of a child's life are the most critical period of development. Amira was recently diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition during a nutrition screening of 1,000 Syrian refugee children living in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) staff is seeking out refugee children at risk of malnutrition ...

Learn about the leadership, vision, and direction of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF) with Executive Director Jennifer Nahas. OCF seeks to support fellowships on college campuses, whose members experience and witness to the Orthodox Church through community life, prayer, service, and study of the Faith.

On a new "Ancient Faith Presents," Bobby Maddex interviews Chris Vlahonasios, the founder of the Orthodox Filmmakers and Artists blog, as well as the Byzanfest film festival.

His Beatitude John X, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, issued the following remarks on December 5, 2013 at a press conference in Balamand, Lebanon:

Amidst the calamities besetting Syria and the bloodshed afflicting our people and amidst the uncertainty that still surrounds the fate of our metropolitans Boulos and Youhanna in Aleppo, it is with deep pain that the Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East has received news of the abduction of her daughters, nuns and orphans of the Monastery of Saint Thekla in Maaloula on December 2, 2013 and their being transported to Yabroud. Because our initial attempts to obtain the release our abducted daughters did not achieve the desired outcome, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East calls upon the international community and all governments to intervene and make efforts to release them safely. She likewise calls upon the conscience of all humanity and upon the spark of living conscience that the Creator, may He be exalted, sowed in the souls of all those who worship God, including the kidnappers, to release our sisters the nuns and the girls of the orphanage.

Our appeal to the international community: Although we are grateful for all the feelings of solidarity, we no longer need denunciation, condemnations, or "feelings of concern" about the assault on human dignity that is occurring, because all this is engraved in the conscience of every one of us. Today, however, we need concrete actions, not words. We do not want voices of condemnation from decision-makers, whether regional or international, but rather efforts, pressure and action leading to the release of those whose only fault was their clinging to their monastery and refusing to leave it.

We reiterate our call to stop the logic of conflict in Syria and replace it with the logic of peaceful dialogue and not to use stalling the start of dialogue to make gains on the ground because Syria is bleeding and with her too our hearts. Let all know that one drop of innocent blood shed on this earth is holier and more precious than all the slogans in the world. Let all understand the the bells of our churches, we the Christians of the Middle East, which were hung and rang in time immemorial, shall continue to ring out and be heard as the sound of our love and our peace for others, with their various religions, throughout the world.

The cruelty of the present days shall not uproot us from our land, because it is our being, our essence and a piece of our heart. Given the new circumstances exemplified by the abduction of the nuns and orphans of Maaloula, with regret we announce the suspension of our official patriarchal pastoral visit to our children and parishes in the countries of the Arabian Gulf, which had been scheduled between the sixth and seventeenth of December 2013, and our return to Damascus to follow closely all efforts and communications related to this latest incident. I greet all of our children in those countries and all those who labored to prepare the schedule for the aforementioned visit. I hope that my visit to them will be at the nearest opportunity. You, our children in the Gulf, you whose sweet and honored faces, dear to my heart I was eagerly looking forward to meeting tomorrow, I apologize to you all for suspending this visit after you had made all arrangements for its success. I pray for your health, blessing and success. May God protect Syria, Lebanon and the Middle East and the people of the Middle East.

Thank you to the media who have made it possible for Antioch's pain and Antioch's hope to be heard in all the world.

Translation provided with permission by Notes on Arab Orthodoxy.

An Orthodox priest looks on in disbelief as a survivor of Typhoon Haiyan leads them through the remains of his home in a remote area of Leyte Province in the Philippines. For nearly two weeks, thousands of storm survivors cut off from the rest of the country endured hunger, thirst and exposure as they waited in desperation for aid they feared wouldn't come in time. No electricity or telephone service, and roads blocked by piles of debris made it nearly impossible for government agencies and relief organizations to respond quickly. As roads are cleared, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and its church partners in the Philippines are directing relief efforts to reaching the country's most isolated survivors of the storm ...

His Grace Bishop Basil writes:

MEMORY ETERNAL! Beulah Katherine Farha of St. George Cathedral in Wichita, KS, daughter of the late Archpriest Nicholas and Khouriya Mary Husson, fell asleep in Christ this past Tuesday, December 3rd, 2013 at the age of 94.

A member of the Cathedral choir for sixty-one years and a past vice-president of our Diocesan "Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America" for two terms, Beulah is survived by her children Alan, Subdeacon Nicholas, and Mary Kay Nichols and their families; by her sister Lorraine Ferris of St. Mary Church in Wichita, KS; and by many nieces and nephews. She will be buried from the Cathedral this Saturday, December 7th. May she be granted Paradise, and may you be granted long life.

Increasingly, Christians worldwide are complaining about the erosion of their religious liberties. Is religious freedom really in peril or is it just so much empty whining? Join nationally syndicated columnist Terry Mattingly and Orthodox priest Fr. Hans Jacobse as they discuss this important topic on the next Ancient Faith Today with Kevin Allen (12/8).

December 6th is the celebration of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and the name's day of His Grace Bishop Nicholas. May God grant him many years!

Apolytikion of St. Nicholas, Tone 4

The truth of things revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, a model of meekness, and a teacher of temperance. Therefore thou hast won the heights by humility, riches by poverty. Holy Father Nicholas, intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

Troparion, Tone 4

The truth of things revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, a model of meekness, and a teacher of temperance. Therefore thou hast won the heights by humility, riches by poverty. Holy Father Nicholas, intercede with Christ our God that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion, Tone 3

Thou wast a faithful minister of God in Myra, O Saint Nicholas. For having fulfilled the Gospel of Christ, thou didst die for the people and save the innocent. Therefore thou wast sanctified as a great initiator of the grace of God.

Learn more: 

• The Feast of St. Nicholas by Fr. Thomas Hopko
• The Holy Hierarch Nicholas by Ginny Nieuwsma
• Listen to The Life and Miracles of St. Nicholas on Ancient Faith Radio, read by Dr. Chrissi Hart
• For more resources regarding the Nativity season, please visit our Nativity section

On this special edition of "Hearts and Minds," Fr. John Oliver, the priest of St. Elizabeth Orthodox Christian Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, speaks at a symposium titled "God's Books: Reading Scripture in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam" that was held at the Murfreesboro Mosque this past November.

Sponsored by the Center for Family Care of the GOA, the 2013 Family Ministry Conference, which was hosted by St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, focused on rooting and grounding our families in Christ and His Church. Listen here to the lecture by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios.

Monastery of St. Thekla, Maloula, Syria (Bernard Gagnon/Wikimedia Commons)The following report was issued by the National News Agency of Lebanon on Dec. 3:

Orthodox Patriarch Yuhanna Yazegi on Monday leveled a heartfelt cry for the world to mobilize to free a dozen of Lebanese Syrian nuns that were evacuated in the historic Christian town of Maaloula in war-torn Syria. 

"Our cry is addressed to the international community and the world's government to release Saint Taqla's nuns and orphans detained since yesterday," the Patriarch said. 

"Detaining the nuns is a blatant offensive to people's dignity and the voice of peace throughout Syria and the entire Levant," he indicated. 

Update: See also this report from the Associated Press.

Kevin Allen interviews Abbess Aemiliane of the Sacred Monastery of St. Nina about her miraculous rescue in Kansas City when a Sky Walk came crashing down on the public on July 17,1981.

MEMORY ETERNAL!

March 13, 1951 - November 19, 2013

David Alexander Tait, beloved father, husband, son, professor, friend, and devoted member of St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in Oklahoma City, died tragically on November 19, 2013, while he was ministering to a community of friends in Chandler, Oklahoma. David was born on March 13, 1951, in Washington, D.C., and was the oldest of five children born to Charles and Katharine Tait. He spent his childhood between the United States and England, as well as Uganda, where his parents were missionaries.

He completed high school at St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire, before earning a Bachelor's degree in Public Relations at Boston University. It was there that he met his future wife, Laura Hubbs Tait, while she was a graduate student. They were married in Boston on June 26, 1976 and shared 37 wonderful years together.

Since 1996, he had been a beloved faculty member in history and political science at Rogers State University in Claremore, Oklahoma. He served as a mentor to countless students and as a dear friend to the dozens of colleagues who love him and valued his intellect, unfailing sense of humor, and infectious human spirit. He was a tireless advocate for students, faculty, and staff, and a gifted, passionate teacher.

David was baptized at age four and spent his adult life bringing Christ's love to others, especially those who needed Him most. In 2005, he was ordained as a subdeacon at St. Elijah, and he served in that capacity there and at St. James in Stillwater. He and his wife Laura rejoice in a host of godchildren. Since January 2011, he led a weekly Bible study for a small community of Christians in Chandler, Oklahoma. He deeply loved this community and cherished every moment with them. He fell asleep in the Lord ministering to this group of people he loved so much.

He is survived by his parents, Charles Tait of Seattle, Washington, and Katharine Tait of Cornwall, England, as well as four siblings - Anne Tait (and husband Bob Bonner), John Tait (and wife Katherine), Andrew Tait, and Ben Tait (and wife Laura). He is also survived by his two children, Aaron, 31, and Aidan, 28 (and fiance Felipe Vasconcellos), as well as his wife, Laura. He is much loved by all and will be terribly missed. Services were held at St. Elijah Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church on Saturday, November 23 at 1:00 p.m.

The family prefers that David be commemorated through memorial contributions to those who serve the people he loved, particularly the Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry. Additionally, David worked with Hand Up Christian Prison After-Care for Men and Women. Send donations to: Hand Up Ministries, P.O. Box 892006 Oklahoma City, OK 73189-2006.

by Archdeacon Saed Rihani

View the photo gallery of the celebration

It was a weekend like no other! For months we prepared for this special event, the highlight of this year, and our entire existence as a parish. Between September 27-29th, 2013, we were about to celebrate our 50th Anniversary as St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cicero!

Excitement built up when we knew that our beloved Metropolitan, His Eminence Sayidna Philip, would be presiding over the weekend's activities. We were also blessed with the presence of His Grace Bishop Antoun, Bishop of Miami and the Southwest, as well as His Grace Bishop Anthony of our diocese. We were also honored to have Subdeacon Rassem Massih, who accompanied the Metropolitan on this visit. Everyone from all ages were thrilled to be part of this historic celebration; a celebration of a parish that has faced obstacles in its history, but overcame them with faith and hard work!

The weekend began with a private dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Mansour Rayan. Mansour, Archdiocese Board of Trustees Member, and his gracious wife Wafa, were hosts at this private dinner to kick off the events. We enjoyed an evening of fellowship and music, an evening which began with a prayer service in the Chapel. Our sincere thanks to Mansour and Wafa for their gracious hospitality and for an evening of fellowship and fun!

Our children were very excited about this celebration and came to the church on Saturday morning to greet our hierarchs, and to receive their blessing. Sayidna enjoyed meeting our children and answered their questions on this special day that was designed with them in mind. They enjoyed making a craft as they waited for Sayidna to join them later in the fellowship Hall. Afterwards, an elegant dinner was prepared especially for the children and enjoyed by all in the hall following the gathering. Our sincere thanks to the entire Sunday School family, led by Karen Nawas, our principal.

A day would not be complete without Sayidna meeting with our organizational heads. On Saturday evening, we enjoyed a gathering at a local restaurant, The Grotto. Over 70 persons, including officers of SOYO, The Fellowship, The Ladies Guild, chanters, as well as Parish Council and the Order of St. Ignatius members, broke bread together and enjoyed an evening of fellowship. It was an opportunity to receive Sayidna's blessing at this small gathering, and for Sayidna to say a few words of encouragement to our leaders. Thanks to Elie Haj and Johnny Massih for organizing this event.

The highlight of our celebration finally arrived! The hierarchical Divine Liturgy began with Matins, and the arrival of His Eminence Metropolitan Philip at St. George, Shrine of the Icon of The Miraculous Lady of Cicero. Our pastor, the Economos Fr. Nicholas Dahdal, along with Archdeacon Saed Rihani and Deacon Bassam Al Sweis were honored to welcome that morning, along with our beloved hierarchs, the Economos Fr. Antony Gabriel (pastor of St. George in Montreal) , one of the first full time pastors of St. George (1966-1975). Also joining us were clergy from the local Antiochian Parishes: Holy Transfiguration in Warrenville, All Saints in Chicago, and Saint Mary in Palos Heights.

The Divine Liturgy was most beautiful and elevated everyone's spirits to prayer and celebration. At the end of the Divine Liturgy, our Deacon Saed was elevated to Archdeacon, honoring his 25 years of service to the Church. Also, we honored our Head Chanter, Mr. Jameel Haddad, for his service to our community for over 40 years. Subdeacon Mazen Khalifeh was also honored for his service also of over 40 years to the St. George Community. Both were given the Certificate of Meritorious Service by the Metropolitan.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, Sayidna inducted eighteen members of the community into the Order of St. Ignatius; 15 new members, and 3 upgraded to life members. Thanks be to God!

You would think that the weekend was over, but not quite yet! Our social highlight was the Grand Banquet held on Sunday evening at the luxurious Drury Lane in Oak Brook Terrace. Over 650 persons were in attendance at this celebration. It included brief presentations of the founding pastor; 2nd Pastor, the recently departed servant of God, Archimandrite Fr. Athanasios Emmert; our current Pastor, Economos Fr. Nicholas Dahdal, Parish Council Chairperson, and a brief pictorial presentation of the parish over the past 50 years. Others were recognized who served this community over the past 50 years. The highlight, of course, was the address by Sayidna Philip.

Sayidna spoke of the importance of this parish's growth over the years, its vitality and the hard work by all its clergy. At the conclusion of his address, Sayidna recognized the only surviving founder of St. George, Mr. Nicola Haddad, a life member of the Order of St. Ignatius and an avid supporter of St. George. Sayidna bestowed upon him the Antonian Silver Medal for Service. It was a surprise and moving moment when Sayidna bestowed upon our pastor, the Economos Fr. Nicholas Dahdal the Antonian Gold Medal for his unselfish and tireless service to the community; for his 27 years as pastor who has taken this church through a fire, and rebuilt not only the church building, but the community as well! Everyone cheered, and the hall echoed with Axios...He is Worthy...Mustahiq!

The Grand Banquet continued with lovely Arabic entertainment. Everyone who attended enjoyed the reminiscing about old times, spending time with old friends, and making new ones! Each one of us could relate to one or more decades of our life at St. George, and the impact Church life has had on their families. Whether you belonged to SOYO, The Fellowship , the Ladies Guild or Parish Council, each person at the Banquet, and those who participated in this weekend's festivities felt a part of the St. George History. And as we concluded this weekend, we begin to climb another peak, a peak which will take us to our next celebration .... Our 60th! Our 75th ... and, God willing, our 100th anniversary!

Thank you, Sayidna Philip, for your blessings this weekend. You have touched the lives of all of us at St. George of Cicero, and we thank God for you. God bless you Sayidna, and may God grant you many many years! May God also watch over our parish of St. George of Cicero, previously in Oak Park, for what we pray will be more blessed days ahead.

 

When blessings are temporary, sadness follows thankfulness. But does God want our blessings to be so short-lived? Steven Christoforou answers this question and others in a new episode of the video podcast "Be the Bee," a joint presentation of AFR and the GOARCH Department of Youth and Young Adult ministries.

The month of December every year is designated as Order of St. Ignatius month, in conjunction with the feast day of St. Ignatius on December 20. The Order is the philanthropic arm of the Antiochian Archdiocese and one of its most vital lay ministries, under the guidance of Metropolitan Philip and the Archdiocese Board of Trustees. Currently, there are nearly 4,000 members supporting approximately 38% of the Archdiocese's budget, as well as a host of other worthy causes including: camping and college conference scholarships, married seminarian assistance, Antiochian Village, Teen SOYO Special Olympics, theological and religious education, clergy retirement, Project Mexico, International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC), The Treehouse Family Ministry, and Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF).

Dr. Elias K. Hebeka, the North America Vice-Chair for the Order, wrote in December 2012's The Word magazine that the Order's Governing Council "is a group of volunteers, elected or appointed members of our Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, that has the responsibility to make many of the important decisions for the Order. 

They are hard-working and dedicated parishioners from all of our dioceses across North America....They travel all over the U.S. and Canada (at their own expense) to attend meetings and to accompany our diocesan bishops during their visits to the various parishes."

Dr. Hebeka added, "If you want to learn more about the Order, please ask your pastor or talk to the Order Ambassador in your parish or to a member of the Order. If you are not a member, I hope you will join us and enjoy seeing the fruit of your contribution to the Order of St. Ignatius. Perhaps eventually you will become part of the Governing Council, and get to meet the wonderful brothers and sisters I have described."

Notes The Very Rev. Joseph Antypas, Chaplain of the Order, "The Order invites the faithful of our Archdiocese to a special ministry and a special way of life. Christianity calls all faithful to a life of genuine personhood in Christ. This gift of life is modeled not after human or social forums and gatherings; it is founded on the life of the Triune Godhead. It is characterized by joy and a perpetual movement of love." (Read a reflection by Fr. Joseph on St. Ignatius' call to unity.)

Read stories about Order of St. Ignatius members in action, in "Works of the Order."

By Christopher Holwey, Department of Sacred Music Chairman

Read Metropolitan Philip's letter of support for Choir/Chanter Appreciation Sunday

On December 8th, the second Sunday of the month, our Antiochian Archdiocese will be celebrating Choir/Chanter Appreciation Sunday. While we appreciate our choir and chanters many other times throughout the year, for all the liturgical services they beautify and make possible with their singing and chanting, this is one Sunday that we especially acknowledge them particularly throughout the Archdiocese, and thank them for their ministry in the parish.

I’ve often been asked what we can for them on that Sunday? Here's some suggestions:

• have the parish sing “Many years” to them
• host a special coffee hour in their honor
• invite one of them to offer the homily or a short talk on music in the Church
• use it as a time to focus on music as a ministry, inviting others to join the choir or learn chanting 

You could also remind them that we have a Department of Sacred Music in the Archdiocese that offers many opportunities to grow in our understanding of sacred music through our Sacred Music Institutes held each at the Village and out west, or through our yearly workshops in our dioceses and parishes and conferences; that we have music available for small and large choirs, chanters, children and teens; and that we have a Sacred Music Coordinator in each of our dioceses who is willing and able to help with all of this.

So, thank you for whatever you might do for your choir and chanters and however you wish to honor them. If you need any further information, or help at any time, please do not hesitate to contact me, or one of our Diocesan Coordinators. Also, please remember that our next Sacred Music Institute will be held at St. Mark Orthodox Church, Irvine, CA, from February 20-23, 2014.

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