Author: St. Andrew's

We greet you warmly in the joy of the feast of our Lord’s Nativity. We hope that, having sojourned through the Nativity Fast, you will have a joyful and spiritually enlivening celebration with your loved ones. The archpastoral letter of His Eminence, Archbishop Michael on the feast of Nativity may be found here.

The Festal Vigil of Nativity will be celebrated Thursday, December 24, at 7:00 PM, followed by Christmas carols in the narthex

The Festal Liturgy will be celebrated Friday, December 25, at 10:00 AM.

How many times do we say these words:  “Lord have mercy,” “Lord have mercy”?  We repeat them during Liturgy, in private prayer, times of stress, and as part of the Jesus Prayer.  Why so much?  After all, we are “good people.”  We pray, we help others; we’re charitable, kind, and hospitable.  We don’t gossip, lie, or steal.  So, it seems all the boxes have been checked.  

Despite all the above, the Church teaches we are still unable to gain eternal life.  We are unable to save ourselves and open the gates to God’s Kingdom.  There is still a need for a Savior.  The Grace of God and His mercy accomplishes everything.

It is a humbling thing to realize that in the final analysis, “Lord have mercy” is our bottom line.

– Ginger Jerosh

With great sadness, we announce the repose of +Olga Gavrilova, the mother of Julia Gavrilova, who fell asleep in Our Lord on Monday, October 19, 2020. Olga, who resides in St. Petersburg, Russia, had been visiting Julia here in New York and had been unable to return home due to Covid-19 related travel restrictions. She had suffered a blod clot in her lung last week, but had been discharged from the hospital. We are shocked by her sudden repose, and we mourn this sudden loss with Julia and her family.

Grant rest eternal in blessed repose, O Lord, to the souls of all those who perished in the attacks of September 11th, and make their memory to be eternal!

Below is a list of those Orthodox Christians who are known to have died in the attacks, compiled by Fr. John Peck of Phoenix, Arizona.