Use the form on the right to contact us.
You can edit the text in this area, and change where the contact form on the right submits to, by entering edit mode using the modes on the bottom right.
20525 Center Ridge Rd. #401
Rocky River, OH 44116
United States
(440) 941-4850
A Pan-Orthodox ministry that displays Christian love, mercy and compassion to the individuals, families and facilities it serves.
5/11: Acts 9:32-42; John 5:1-15
5/12: Acts 10:1-16; John 6:56-69
5/13: Acts 10:21-33; John 7:1-13
5/14: Acts 14:6-18; John 7:14-30
5/15: Acts 10:34-43; John 8:12-20
5/16: Acts 10:44-11:10; John 8:21-30
5/17: Acts 12:1-11; John 8:31-42
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
On May 9, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Prophet Isaiah and the Holy Great Martyr Christopher.
The prescribed readings are Acts 8:40-9:19 and John 6:48-54.
*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be on Monday, May 12, at 8:00am (Eastern). ***
"Just like a shadow follows a body, so does temptation follow good deeds — for no one will enter the Kingdom of Heaven without temptation. Thus, endure without anxiety and pray — the good Lord will reward you for your diligence and patience." --St. Dorotheos of Gaza
"When you pray to God in time of temptation do not say, 'Take this or that away from me', but pray like this: 'O Jesus Christ, sovereign Master, help me and do not let me sin against You...'" --Abba Isaiah
"Do not think that you have a right to complain when your prayers are not answered. God fulfills your desires in a manner that you do not know." --St. Nektarios the Wonderworker
"If we knew at what time we were to depart from this world, we would be able to select a season for pleasure and another for repentance. But God, who has promised pardon to every repentant sinner, has not promised us tomorrow. Therefore we must always dread the final day, which we can never foresee. This very day is a day of truce, a day for conversion. And yet we refuse to cry over the evil we have done! Not only do we not weep for the sins we have committed, we even add to them... If we are, in fact, now occupied in good deeds, we should not attribute the strength with which we are doing them to ourselves. We must not count on ourselves, because even if we know what kind of person we are today, we do not know what we will be tomorrow. Nobody must rejoice in the security of their own good deeds. As long as we are still experiencing the uncertainties of this life, we do not know what end may follow...we must not trust in our own virtues." --St. Gregory the Great
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
On May 8, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy, Glorious, & All-Praised Apostle John the Evangelist and Theologian.
*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be on Friday, May 9, at 8:00am (Eastern). ***
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
On May 5, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Great Virgin Martyr Irene.
The prescribed readings are Acts 6:8-7:5, 47-60 and John 4:46-54.
*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be on Wednesday, May 7, at 6:30pm (Eastern). ***
For healing: Abbot Tryphon, Fr. Daniel, Fr. Emilian, Fr. Gregory, Fr. Joseph, Fr. Theodore, Hierodeacon Gorazd, Fr. Deacon Jorge, Matushka Katherine, Matushka Myra, Monk Meletios, Subdeacon Nicholas, Justin, Steven, Marian, Patricia, Mark, Nikolai, Anastasia, Alice, Kathleen, Denise, Denise, Pamela, Marianne, Ryan, Joanne, Emily, Charles, Hank, Mary Jane, Mary Jo, Clara, Margaret, Susan, Randall, Danielle, Walter, Andrew, Natalie, Arthur, Nicole, Rene, Jennifer, Michael, Marc, Paul, Michael, Daniel, Gerald, Madeline, Marcella, Darina, Philip, George, Carol, Andrew, Jodi, Ilarion, Rita, Kathleen, Elena, William, Andrew, Nestor, Richard, Anna, Tikhon, Michelle, Daria, Mark, Alexis, Nathan, Ann, Herman, Lillian, Michael, Marihiam, Alexandra, Norma, Heather, Daria, Vera, Ava, Petros, Dionisia, Labrini, Michelle, Christopher, Joan, Jeff, Stephen, Tomas, Kim, Ola, Jaime, María, Gonzalo, Isabel, Alberto, Juan, Paloma, Benjamín, Roberto, Andrea, Julieta, Martha, Jorge, Carolina, Cynthia, Constantin, Edward, Gloria, Martha. Amanda
For God’s protection: all who are missing
For God’s protection: all captives; all persecuted Christians throughout the world
For God’s protection: all those in the military; all emergency medical workers, firefighters and police officers
For God’s mercy and peace: those who are in hospice care
For God’s mercy, direction and protection: those who are unemployed, poor, hungry and/or homeless
*** We pray for: those who love us; those who hate us; those who have no one to pray for them; those who have asked us to pray for them, even though we are unworthy. ***
Departed: Alexander, Bruce, Helen, George
“The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Thy most pure Body from the tree…”
As we continue to bask in the radiant joy of the Resurrection, the Holy Church invites us on the Third Sunday of Pascha to contemplate the courage, love, and devotion of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women, as well as St. Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus—figures whose quiet faithfulness bore witness to the mystery of Christ's Passion and Resurrection.
A Gospel of Courage and Love
The Gospel reading for this Sunday comes from Mark 15:43–16:8, which recounts how Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the Sanhedrin and a secret disciple of Christ, went boldly to Pilate to ask for the Body of Jesus. This act alone was dangerous, risking both his reputation and safety. We then read of the Myrrh-Bearing Women—Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, Joanna, and others—who came to the tomb early on the first day of the week, bringing myrrh to anoint His body.
“And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here.’” — Mark 16:5-6
Though the Apostles had scattered in fear, these faithful women stood by the Cross and journeyed to the tomb while it was still dark. Their actions remind us that love casts out fear (cf. 1 John 4:18) and that true discipleship often takes quiet, steadfast form.
The Hymnology of the Day
The Church’s hymnography exalts these saints with deep reverence and poetic beauty. The Apolytikion (Troparion) for the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women proclaims:
"The noble Joseph, when he had taken down Thy most pure Body from the tree, wrapped it in fine linen and anointed it with spices, and placed it in a new tomb. But Thou didst rise on the third day, O Lord, granting the world great mercy."
Another hymn extols the bravery of the women:
"The angel came to the myrrh-bearing women at the tomb and said: 'Myrrh is fitting for the dead, but Christ has shown Himself a stranger to corruption! So proclaim: The Lord is risen, granting the world great mercy!'"
These hymns do not merely recall history; they invite us into active participation—to imitate the boldness of Joseph, the devotion of the women, and the unshakeable hope in the risen Christ.
Words from the Saints
Saint Gregory the Theologian reminds us of the paradox of strength found in gentleness:
“They [the Myrrh-Bearing Women] came, seeking the dead, and found the Living; they came mourning, and returned rejoicing… They were the first to see the Resurrection, apostles to the Apostles.”
Saint John Chrysostom praises Joseph for his bravery:
“When even the disciples had fled, this man went in and was very bold… He exposed himself to death, taking the risk for what he loved.”
Their example shows that resurrectional faith is not passive. It is courageous and sacrificial. It risks everything for the sake of Christ.
A Lesson for Us Today
In honoring the Myrrh-Bearers and St. Joseph of Arimathea, we are reminded that the call to discipleship is often quiet, humble, and hidden. Yet in their simplicity, these saints became the first proclaimers of the greatest truth in human history: Christ is Risen!
In a world still marked by fear, confusion, and the sting of death, the Church raises up their memory to show us that love—steadfast and fearless—finds Christ, even at the tomb.
Let us ask their intercessions today, that we too may walk with faith and devotion in the light of the Resurrection.
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
5/4: Acts 6:1-7; Mark 15:43-16:8
5/5: Acts 6:8-7:5, 47-60; John 4:46-54
5/6: Acts 8:5-17; John 6:27-33
5/7: Acts 8:18-25; John 6:35-39
5/8: Acts 8:26-39; John 6:40-44
5/9: Acts 8:40-9:19; John 6:48-54
5/10: Acts 9:19-31; John 15:17-16:2
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
On May 2, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Translation of the Relics of St Athanasius the Great and of Ss Boris and Gleb.
The prescribed readings are Acts 5:1-11 and John 5:30-6:2.
*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be on Monday, May 5, at 8:00am (Eastern). ***
"Many have fought in various ways against circumstances; but without prayer and repentance no one has escaped evil." --St. Mark the Ascetic
"If someone shuts a snake and a scorpion up in a bottle, in time, they will be completely destroyed. So it is with evil thoughts: they are suggested by the demons; they disappear through patience." --St. Poemen
"A wise man is one who accepts advice, especially that of a spiritual father counseling him in accordance with the will of God." --St. Thalassios the Libyan
"Every sin is a war against God. But - O infinite gift of God's love to men! - When we had fallen so low by having sinned against the Creator, when we had fallen from life into death, by turning away from God, our Life; when we had corrupted ourselves by sins, and when everlasting death threatened us - God sent upon earth the Redeemer of the World, His own Only-begotten Son, in flesh like ours, to suffer for our offenses and thus cleanse us from sins, through repentance and faith in Him, and bring us again to His Father, from Whom we had fallen away. Let us value this, God's greatest benefit to us, and let us not 'neglect so great a salvation'! Let us constantly remember our sinful corruption, and the means of grace offered by the Church for our regeneration." --St. John of Kronstadt
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
On May 1, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Prophet Jeremiah. .
*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be on Friday, May 2, at 8:00am (Eastern). ***
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
On April 28, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Nine Holy Martyrs of Cyzicos.
The prescribed readings are Acts 3:19-26 and John 2:1-11.
*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be on Wednesday, April 30, at 6:30pm (Eastern). ***
For healing: Abbot Tryphon, Fr. Daniel, Fr. Emilian, Fr. Gregory, Fr. Joseph, Fr. Theodore, Hierodeacon Gorazd, Fr. Deacon Jorge, Matushka Katherine, Matushka Myra, Monk Meletios, Subdeacon Nicholas, Justin, Steven, Marian, Patricia, Mark, Nikolai, Anastasia, Alice, Kathleen, Denise, Denise, Pamela, Marianne, Ryan, Joanne, Emily, Charles, Hank, Mary Jane, Mary Jo, Clara, Margaret, Susan, Randall, Danielle, Walter, Andrew, Natalie, Arthur, Nicole, Rene, Jennifer, Michael, Marc, Paul, Michael, Daniel, Gerald, Madeline, Marcella, Darina, Philip, George, Carol, Andrew, Jodi, Ilarion, Rita, Kathleen, Elena, William, Andrew, Nestor, Richard, Anna, Tikhon, Michelle, Daria, Mark, Alexis, Nathan, Ann, Herman, Lillian, Michael, Marihiam, Alexandra, Norma, Heather, Daria, Vera, Ava, Petros, Dionisia, Labrini, Michelle, Christopher, Joan, Jeff, Stephen, Tomas, Kim, Ola, Jaime, María, Gonzalo, Isabel, Alberto, Juan, Paloma, Benjamín, Roberto, Andrea, Julieta, Martha, Jorge, Carolina, Cynthia, Constantin, Edward, Gloria, Martha
For God’s protection: all who are missing
For God’s protection: all captives; all persecuted Christians throughout the world
For God’s protection: all those in the military; all emergency medical workers, firefighters and police officers
For God’s mercy and peace: those who are in hospice care
For God’s mercy, direction and protection: those who are unemployed, poor, hungry and/or homeless
*** We pray for: those who love us; those who hate us; those who have no one to pray for them; those who have asked us to pray for them, even though we are unworthy. ***
Departed: Alexander, Bruce, John, Julia, Gerald, Marcella
St. Thomas Sunday, celebrated on the second Sunday of Pascha, holds a profound and encouraging message for Orthodox Christians. Also known as Antipascha, this day commemorates the Risen Christ's appearance to the Apostle Thomas and the deepening of faith through encounter and revelation.
The Gospel reading for this day (John 20:19-31) recounts how the Apostle Thomas, absent during Christ's first appearance to the disciples, expressed doubt about the Resurrection. "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe" (John 20:25). Eight days later, Christ appears again, offering Thomas the evidence he sought. In response, Thomas proclaims with conviction: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). Through this encounter, Christ blesses not only Thomas but all who believe without seeing: "Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed" (John 20:29).
This Sunday reminds us that faith is not a static condition but a dynamic relationship with the Risen Lord. Thomas's journey from doubt to belief mirrors the spiritual struggles many face. His honest questioning was met not with condemnation but with the compassionate invitation of Christ to "come and see." This encounter reveals that Christ meets us where we are, drawing us closer through His mercy and love.
In the life of the Church, St. Thomas Sunday also initiates the continuation of Paschal joy. The bright vestments, the chanting of "Christ is Risen," and the Paschal greeting continue to resound, reminding us that the Resurrection is not an isolated event but an enduring reality. This day is a call to experience the living Christ and to carry the light of Pascha into the world.
Moreover, St. Thomas is a model for those who seek truth. His doubt led to one of the clearest confessions of Christ's divinity in the Gospels. For us, his story encourages a sincere and open-hearted pursuit of faith, trusting that Christ will reveal Himself in our lives.
As we celebrate St. Thomas Sunday, let us embrace both the joy and the challenge of faith. May we echo Thomas's confession, proclaiming with our lives: "My Lord and my God!" and remain steadfast in the hope and promise of the Risen Christ.
4/27: Acts 5:12-20; John 20:19-31
4/28: Acts 3:19-26; John 2:1-11
4/29: Acts 4:1-10; 1 Corinthians 15:39-57; John 3:16-21; 5:24-30
4/30: Acts 4:13-22; John 5:17-24
5/1: Acts 4:23-31; John 5:24-30
5/2: Acts 5:1-11; John 5:30-6:2
5/3: Acts 5:21-33; John 6:14-27
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
Tonight we will be chanting Vespers with hymns of the Resurrection in Tone 8.
*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be on Monday, April 28, at 8:00am (Eastern). ***
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
Tonight we will be chanting Vespers with hymns of the Resurrection in Tone 6. On April 25, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark.
The prescribed readings for Vespers are James 1:1-12; James 1:13-27 and James 2:1-13.
*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be tomorrow, April 25, at 6:30pm (Eastern). ***
"Through the Cross joy has come into all the world. For the enemy was defeated, and death was slain, and Christ is risen." --St. Basil the Great
"Christ is risen! What joy, what sweetness, what peace! No other word in any language brings such gladness." --St. Nikolai Velimirovich
"The Resurrection of Christ is the foundation of our faith, the light of our hope, and the joy of our hearts." --St. Seraphim of Sarov
"He has become man, that we might become divine; He has risen from the dead, that we might rise with Him." --St. Athanasius the Great
"The Savior's death procured life for the world, for He did not remain among the dead, but rose again and ascended to the Father." --St. Cyril of Jerusalem
"The Resurrection is not a myth--it is the very heart of the Church’s life. It is the triumph over death and corruption." --St. Justin Popovich
"Pascha is the beginning of the eternal day, the radiant dawn that never sets, shining from the empty tomb." --St. Sophrony of Essex
"The Lord’s Resurrection is not a past event--it is the continual rising of the soul in God through grace." --St. Gregory Palamas
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
Tonight we will be chanting Vespers with hymns of the Resurrection in Tone 5.
*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be tomorrow, April 24, at 6:30pm (Eastern). ***
Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
Tonight we will be chanting Vespers with hymns of the Resurrection in Tone 4. On April 23, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Great-martyr, Victory-bearer, and Wonderworker George.
The prescribed readings for Vespers are Isaiah 43:9-14; Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9 and Wisdom of Solomon 4:7-15.
*** Our next live broadcast on Facebook will be tomorrow, April 23, at 6:30pm (Eastern). ***