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Today's feasts

November 12:

Saint John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria; Saint Nilus the Faster of Sinai; Prophet Ahijah (Achias); Blessed John the Hairy, Fool-for-Christ at Rostov; Saint Leon, Patriarch of Constantinople; New-Martyr Sabbas Nigdelinus of Constantinople; New-Martyr Nicholas of Constantinople; Saint Nilus the Myrrh-gusher of the Great Lavra on Mount Athos; Saint Martin, Bishop of Tours (also called Bishop of Tarakine, of the Franks; see also November 11); Martyrs Antoninos, Nikephoros, Zebinas, and Germanos of Caesarea in Palestine; Saint Machar, Bishop of Aberdeenshire; Saint Lebuin, monk of Deventer; Saint Emilian of Vergegio; Saint Cadwaladr the Battle-Shunner, King of Wales; synaxis of New-Martyrs of Optina: Anatole, Barnabas, Dositheus, Nektary, Nikon, Panteleimon, and Vincent; repose of Righteous Cosmas of Birsk and Fr. Hilarion of Valaam and Sarov; commemoration of the righteous monks and laymen buried at Optina Monastery

Featured article

Protopresbyter Georges Florovsky was a prominent 20th century Orthodox Christian priest, theologian, and writer, active in the ecumenical movement. His writing is known for its clear, profound style, covering subjects on nearly every aspect of Church life.

Florovsky was born in Odessa in 1893 as the fourth child of a priest. Inspired by the erudite environment in which he grew up, he learned English, German, French, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew while still a schoolboy. At eighteen, he started to study philosophy and history. In 1925, Florovsky was appointed professor for patristics at the St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute in Paris. In this subject, he found his real vocation. Patristics became for him the benchmark for Orthodox theology and exegesis, as well as a source for many of his contributions and critiques of the ecumenical movement. In 1932, Florovsky was ordained to the priesthood.

In 1949, Florovsky moved to New York City to take a position as Dean of St. Vladimir's Seminary. Florovsky's oversight of the development of the theological curriculum led to the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York granting the Seminary an Absolute Charter in 1953. He was fired as Dean in 1955 and thereafter taught at Harvard Divinity School (1956-1964), teaching patristics and Russian religious thought, and later at Princeton (1964-1972), teaching Slavic languages and literatures. He died in 1979.

Recently featured: Theodoros II (Choreftakis) of Alexandria, Paschal Homily, Pachomius the Great, Seventh Ecumenical Council, Chrismation. Newly featured articles are presented on Saturdays.