Jerusalem Archives - Saint Sophia

To Love and the Lord Loves Us

10/29/2026

Sermon preached by Dn. James Wilcox on Sunday, June 2, 2024 Acts 11:19-30; John 4:5-42 Today, on this fifth Sunday of Pascha, we come to a text — as you just heard —which happens to be the longest interaction between Jesus and any other character presented to us in Scripture. And the extended dialogue we just heard between Jesus and the Samaritan woman all takes place in what can be considered sacred territory. Long before this episode,

The Holy Apostle James the Just

10/23/2026

Brother of the Lord, First Bishop of Jerusalem, and Author of the Epistle “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (James 4:8) As one of his last blessings of new church communities, His Eminence Metropolitan Philip of blessed memory graciously granted us a charter and name for our church in honor of St. James the Apostle, First Bishop of Jerusalem and the

Venerable Gerasimus the New Ascetic of Cephalonia

10/20/2026

Commemorated on October 20 Saint Gerasimus the New Ascetic of Cephalonia was born in the village of Trikkala in the Peloponessos. As a young adult, he became a monk on the island of Zakynthos. On the Holy Mountain he became a schemamonk and studied with the ascetics of Mt Athos. Receiving a blessing from the Elders, the monk went to Jerusalem to worship at the Life-bearing Tomb of the Savior. After visiting many holy places in

Venerable Chariton the Confessor, Abbot of Palestine

09/28/2026

Commemorated on September 28 Saint Chariton the Confessor was born at Iconium in the province of Lycaonia, and suffered there during a persecution against Christians in the reign of Emperor Aurelian (270-275). The example of the holy Protomartyr Thekla (September 24), who was also a native of his city, encouraged him to confess Christ, since he had a great devotion to her. Saint Chariton bravely denounced the pagan gods and staunchly confessed faith in the one

Fishers of Men

09/17/2026

Sermon preached by Dn. Jeff Smith on Sunday, June 22, 2025 Matthew 4:18-23 As Jesus walked along the sea of Galilee, far away from the city of Jerusalem, way up in the north, the place where “no prophet could arise,” he spied four fishermen casting and mending their nets. Here comes Jesus, gathering his disciples to himself. He called Peter, Andrew, James and John to follow him, and they would soon be calling others; they

Dormition of the Righteous Anna, the Mother of the Most Holy Theotokos

07/25/2026

Commemorated on July 25 Saint Anna was the daughter of the priest Matthan and his wife Mary. She was of the tribe of Levi and the lineage of Aaron. According to Tradition, she died peacefully in Jerusalem at age 79, before the Annunciation to the Most Holy Theotokos. During the reign of Saint Justinian, the Emperor (527-565), a church was built in her honor at Deutera. Emperor Justinian II (685-695; 705-711) restored her church, since Saint

The Way of the Cross is Different

07/23/2026

Sermon preached by Fr. Antony Hughes on Palm Sunday, April 13, 2025 Jesus had done many miracles before raising Lazarus from the dead, but that last one made him a rock star in Jerusalem. The crowds gathered for many other reasons, but the raising of Lazarus excited the crowds to a fever pitch. The prophecies about the coming Messiah in the prophets added fuel to the fire. Still Jesus was not looking for adulation. He

Grant us the Eyes to See

07/21/2026

Sermon preached by Dn. James Wilcox on Sunday, January 28, 2024 Luke 18:35-42; 1 Tim. 1:15-17 Alan Watts in his illuminating book, “Behold the Spirit,” writes the following: In this very moment we are looking straight at God, and he is so clear that for us complex human beings he is peculiarly hard to see. To know him we have to simplify ourselves, and the mind is so dominated by the complexity of pride that

Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel

07/13/2026

The Archangel Gabriel was chosen by the Lord to announce to the Virgin Mary about the Incarnation of the Son of God from Her, to the great rejoicing of all mankind. Therefore, on the day after the Feast of the Annunciation, the day on which the All-Pure Virgin is glorified, we give thanks to the Lord and we venerate His messenger Gabriel, who contributed to the mystery of our salvation. Gabriel, the holy Archistrategos (Leader

Feast Day of the Holy Martyr Procopius

07/08/2026

On July 8, the Greek Orthodox Church commemorates the Feast Day of Agios Procopius. Procopius was born in Jerusalem of a Christian father and a pagan mother. At first, his name was Neanias. Following the death of his father, his mother raised her son completely in the spirit of Roman idolatry. When Neanias had grown up, Emperor Diocletian saw him, took a liking to him, and brought him to his palace for military service. When

Archive

To Love and the Lord Loves Us

The Holy Apostle James the Just

Venerable Gerasimus the New Ascetic of Cephalonia

Venerable Chariton the Confessor, Abbot of Palestine

Fishers of Men

Dormition of the Righteous Anna, the Mother of the Most Holy Theotokos

The Way of the Cross is Different

Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel

Feast Day of the Holy Martyr Procopius

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