[Lansing, NY] - On the Saturday after Theophany, January 11, the faithful of Holy Apostles Mission in Lansing, NY, gathered with guests from nearby parishes to honor a cherished annual tradition: the Great Blessing of Water. Led by Father Joel Brady, the congregation braved the chilly shores of Cayuga Lake for this solemn and joyful occasion.

[Sea Cliff, NY] – On Sunday, January 12, 2025, the parishioners of Our Lady of Kazan Church processed from their church to Tappen Beach at Hempstead Harbor in Long Island Sound to celebrate the Great Blessing of Waters. This cherished ritual, which had been on hiatus for several years, was joyfully revived in the presence of the community.

The Acting Rector of the parish, Presbyter Paul Hunchak, emphasized the profound significance of water in his pre-service remarks. He reflected on the many ways water brings blessings, including its vital role in supporting life and aiding in the fight against the devastating wildfires currently impacting communities in the Los Angeles area.

The Diocese of New York and New Jersey is excited to announce the Level 1 Catechist Formation Course: Part A for Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), scheduled for June 9th-13th, 2025, at St. Tikhon’s Seminary. This transformative program offers a unique opportunity for adults to deepen their spiritual lives and enrich their ability to guide children in forming a profound relationship with God.

On the Sunday after the Theophany, the faithful of Mother of God Church in Princeton NJ blessed the brook's waters on their property. The area has been dedicated as a meditation/prayer space and a picnic area for people to enjoy and reflect on the words of the Psalmist: "O Lord, how manifold are Your works! In wisdom have You made them all: The earth is full of Your riches." (Ps 104:24) The newly dedicated area was an Eagle Scout project of Nicholas Stivala, a member of Mother of God. After, the parish church school children enjoyed a pizza party.

Eugenia June Nehrebecki (née Yankovsky) ended her earthly sojourn on January 2, 2025, surrounded by her loving family and the prayers of the Church. Born on April 30, 1930, to the late Archpriest Elias and Euphrosinia Trembach Yankovsky in Portage, Pennsylvania, Eugenia was predeceased by her four older siblings, Vladimir, Olga, Luba, and Leo.

[Watervliet, NY] - St. Basil Orthodox Church, Watervliet, NY, celebrated its Parish Feast Day of St. Basil the Great  with His Eminence, Archbishop MICHAEL on January 1, 2025.  Serving with the parish rector, Archpriest Peter Olsen, was Priest Paul Fedoroff and parish deacon Jason Gagnon.  Subdeacons were Benjamin Goes and Andrew Karlgut.  A festive meal and fellowship was enjoyed by all in the parish hall.

The Orthodox mission of Saint Olga of Alaska in Plattsburgh, NY, continues to flourish, with an inspiring turnout at the Divine Liturgy on November 23, 2024. The community gathered in joy and fellowship, as seen in the vibrant group photo, which features faithful attendees of all ages — from babies in arms to seasoned parishioners. The spirit of unity and gratitude is palpable!  This growing mission demonstrates the vitality of Orthodoxy in the region and the dedication of its members to fostering a strong and welcoming community of faith.

Experience a festive celebration of Scripture readings, enriched with hymns and carols from the cherished traditions of both the Eastern and Western Churches. Join us for a heartwarming old-fashioned Christmas carol sing-along and immerse yourself in the spirit of the season!

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13th - 7:30 PM
Holy Spirit Orthodox Church
102 Route 284, Wantage, NJ

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SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15th - 4:30 PM
Holy Trinity Orthodox Church
46 Seymour St., Yonkers, NY

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Jersey City, NJ – The Saints Peter & Paul Orthodox Cathedral, in collaboration with the Blüthner School of Music in Hoboken, proudly announces its upcoming Christmas Gala Concert, an evening of extraordinary classical and sacred music performed by world-renowned artists. This event is part of the Saints Peter & Paul Concert Series, under the artistic direction of Gleb Ivanov.

The Choir of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church of East Meadow will present its Annual Christmas Concert at 7:00 PM on Saturday, December 7, featuring choral music of the Orthodox Church and traditional carols from both East and West.  It will be also livestreamed on https://www.facebook.com/htocem.  Refreshments will follow the concert.  Admission and refreshments are both free of charge.  Vespers (evening prayer) will be held at 6:00 PM.  The church is located at 369 Green Avenue, East Meadow.  For more information, call 516-483-3649, email htocem@gmail.com, or visit Facebook or www.htocem.org.

On Saturday, November 9, 2024, Fr. Peter Olsen baptized ten year old Nalayna Ferrara-Chavasse at St. Basil’s Orthodox Church, Watervliet, NY. Nalayna has been attending St. Basil’s services and Church School. It was after Nalayna viewed the movie “Man of God,” the life of St. Nektarios Kephalas, Metropolitan of Pentapolis, that her heart led her to be baptized. Her patron saint is St. Helena, Equal-to-the-Aposles, the mother of St. Constantine the Great. We congratulate the newly illumined Nalayna, her sponsor Anna, and her parents Aidan and Maria. Many years!

WAYNE, NJ – The faithful of Holy Resurrection Orthodox Church celebrated the 60th anniversary of their parish’s founding on November 2 and 3, 2024. The celebration began with Great Vespers on Saturday, followed by a Panikhida for the founders, benefactors, and faithful of the parish who have fallen asleep in the Lord.

The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, led by His Eminence, Archbishop Michael, and concelebrated by the parish’s Rector, Archpriest Stephen Evanina, along with Archpriest John Kluchko, Archpriest Samuel Kedala, Archpriest Volodymyr Zablotskyy, and Deacon Stephan Karlgut, was celebrated on Sunday.

Hannah Holowach, a parishioner of St. Basil’s Orthodox Church in Watervliet, NY, and her fellow Navy ROTC cadets from RPI in Troy, NY, recently won the trophy for Best Drill Team in a competition held on October 26, 2024, at Cornell University. They defeated the U.S. Naval Academy and West Point. We congratulate Hannah and her fellow cadets on their hard work and their service to our country! God bless them!

At this year’s Christian Education Workshop, Connecting Our Youth To Their Faith By Serving Others, we asked, “How do our children grow a servant’s heart?” Our presenter, Andrea Danko-Barna of the Neighborhood Resilience Project (NRP) took a deep look into this question through the teachings of St. Theophan the Recluse, as well as St. John Chrysostom, St. Maximos the Confessor, and other Church Fathers. She presented a three-part talk: The Life of the Church, Suffering & Trauma, and Raising Them Right.

Fr. Peter Baktis, representing the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) on the Theology Task Force of the Interreligious Convening Table of the National Council of Churches (NCC), has shared two recently approved statements by the NCC’s governing board. These statements highlight critical issues of concern to Orthodox Christians and all people of faith.

On Sunday, October 20, Our Lady of Kazan Orthodox Church in Sea Cliff, New York, celebrated its annual Feast Day with a Hierarchical Liturgy presided over by His Eminence, Archbishop Michael. The concelebrating clergy included Very Reverend Father John Bartholomew of Our Lady of Kazan Church in Sea Cliff, NY, the Very Reverend Volodymyr Zablotskyy of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Yonkers, NY, and Archpriest John Hopko of Saints Cyril and Methodius Church in Terryville, CT., Decon Stephan Karlgut of Saint Athanasius Chapel in Bronxville, NY.

St. Gregory the Theologian Orthodox Church in Wappingers Falls, NY, completed the year-long celebration of their 60th anniversary on Saturday, October 19, 2024, with a Primatial Liturgy with His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, and His Eminence, Archbishop Michael. The Primatial Liturgy included the Chancellor of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey, Mitred Archpriest Joseph Lickwar, the Dean of New Jersey Deanery, Archpriest Gary Breton, Archpriest John Hopko representing the Hopko family who grew up in the parish, and Rector Archpriest Eric George Tosi. Seminarians from St. Vladimir's Seminary also were present to serve and sing the Liturgy.

Join us for a thought-provoking online seminar exploring the theological foundation of Orthodox Christian unity in the U.S., as it relates to the vital ministry of Inter-Parish Associations (IPA).

After years of effort, the parish of Christ the Savior is overjoyed to receive a new iconostasis! Designed originally in 2016 by architect Andrew Gould, the iconostasis project was paused due to the pandemic, restarted again in 2021. The parish finally completed its redesign of the altar space in 2023, crowned with our new iconostasis now in October of 2024. The woodwork was done by Priest Dimitri Kulp and the icons by John Jurewicz. We are grateful to God for this beautiful work that will bring inspiration and beauty to our divine services!

The clergy and faithful of the Diocese continue to mourn the tragic losses of life, the needless acts of violence, the divisions among races, and the civil strife which plague many of our cities and countrysides...