~Repose and Funeral of Mother Barbara, Nun and Pilgrimess~

On Sunday of Forgiveness, my beloved mother, Mother Barbara, nun and pilgrimess, rested from her long labours and reposed peacefully in the Lord.

Mother Barbara suffered greatly for almost a year, and especially during the last month of her illness. But she did not complain, having her eyes set steadfastly on the promise of our Saviour to give us imperishable crowns in the age to come for patient suffering in this life.

Now she is in our Saviour’s warm embrace, purified like gold with suffering, illumined with Holy Mysteries, blessed with Holy Unction and cleansed with Absolution. 

May our dear Saviour rest the soul of our sweet Mother Barbara with the Saints, and may her memory be eternal. Amen.

***

On Clean Tuesday, we committed to earth our beloved Mother Barbara. She is buried in the church yard of our parish of Dormition in Tbilisi, Georgia, a church that she loved so much and the grounds of which she laboured tirelessly to beautify with trees and flowers. Her grave is right outside the church house where I live when visiting Georgia. So, even after her death, I, her unworthy son, will be blessed to be close to the resting place of her earthly tabernacle. 

It will not be an exaggeration to say that during the wake on Monday and the funeral on Tuesday, hundreds of people came to bid her farewell. Family, relatives, friends, classmates, etc and etc. It shows that she was much loved during her life. But, as I said in the Encomium at her funeral, the bright example of her life is overshadowed by the example of her death, for, Mother Barbara met her end with singular faith, hope and courage. 

May your memory be eternal, dearest Mother, and may you enjoy the good things of the Lord in the land of the living for which you yearned with your whole being. Amen.

+ Gregory, m.

+++

Election of a New Hierarch

Beloved Clergy and the Faithful of our Holy Church,

It is with great joy that I am sharing with you the decision of our Holy Synod about the consecration of a new Hierarch. 

The Holy Synod has chosen Hieromonk John (Zatonski), the Rector of the Parish of Saint Tatiana in New York, to be consecrated as the Suffragan Bishop of Woodside for the Metropolis of Boston. 

God helping us, we are planning to undertake the Consecration at the upcoming Annual Clergy Synaxis of our Church, October 2023.

Below, I attach a small biography that Bishop-Elect John wrote at my request.

May our Saviour grant strength and enlightenment to the Bishop-Elect John in his continued service in His Church, now as a Hierarch. 

AXIOS! AXIOS! AXIOS!

In Christ,

+ Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston

President of the Holy Synod

4/17 February, 2023

Saint Isidore of Pelusium

~A Short Autobiography of Bishop-Elect John of Woodside~

“I was born November 24, 1956 in Elizabeth, NJ to lower-middle-class Catholic parents. I nearly died during birth due to a blood condition.

My father's parents were from Poland; they were not religious at all - however, they both died before I was born. My mother's parents were Uniates from Western Ukraine; Grandma Anastasia was a very pious woman, & a big influence on my mother & on myself. I have one sibling, my older brother Thomas.

I attended Catholic parochial school from grades 1 through 8, & public high school from grades 9 through 12, graduating in 1974.

In college I was variously interested in journalism & social work, but settled on psychology as a major. However, I quickly grew disappointed with the emphasis on Behaviorism that was prevalent in the curricula of the time, dropped out of college, & worked in a factory for 4 years, saving up money while I considered what direction my life should take. 

It's there that I decided upon a complete reform of all aspects of my life & a change into new, healthy directions. Socially, vocationally, nutritionally, spiritually - everything was undergoing change. I'd been reading Russian literature - Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment" made a particularly powerful impression -  & I'd decided, contrary to the secular humanism that was (and is) the spirit of the times, that a serious spiritual life is an absolutely essential part of being human, and that I was going to have one!

I read a great deal, took my time, and not only read but went to see things for myself. 

In 1984 the factory closed, & I moved to New York City & began nursing school, graduating in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. I found that working in psychiatry suited me best. At this point, I was comparing Roman Catholicism, the Ukrainian Catholic Church (Uniates), & Orthodox Christianity. It was at this critical juncture that I began working in the hospital with the man who would become my godparent in Orthodox Baptism. I was baptized by our Fr. Adrian at the ROCOR parish of the Holy Fathers of the Seven Ecumenical Councils on the Feast of Holy Protection, 1989.

I was immediately directed to go & chant in the choir; in 1991 I became choir director & was tonsured a reader by Bishop Gregory Grabbe in 1992. 

In 1999, Fr. Adrian left ROCOR & joined HOCNA. He had told me that he'd known the fathers at Holy Transfiguration Monastery literally his entire adult life, that everything they said was based on the Holy Fathers, & that they were always kind to everyone even when they were injured & slandered. So I followed Fr. Adrian without hesitation. I helped him establish our Holy Ascension Skete, but didn't stay there; instead I returned to New York City, continued hospital work, & began serving as reader & chanter at St. Tatiana's in Queens. 

I was tonsured into monasticism at the monastery by Fr. Isaac on August 7 (Old Style) 2005, & 3 weeks later ordained a hierodeacon by Metropolitan Ephraim at St. Tatiana's on Sunday, August 29 (Old Style). I served as deacon at St. Tatiana's until January 1, 2018 (Old Style), when I was ordained a priest at St. Mark's, & have served as a priest at St. Tatiana's since then. I retired from nursing in 2020, and from 2022 I began visiting prisons & bringing Holy Communion to prisoners.”

A New Priest in Greece

 

On Sunday after Theophany, January 9/22, 2023, at the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Tbilisi, Georgia, Presbyter Sotirios Prasinos from Athens Greece was received into our Church. 

Father Sotirios knows our monastery in Boston since 2015. He belonged to the New Calendar Church of Greece but had the desire to be part of our Church, because of our Confession of Faith and because of the right spirit that he found in our Church with regard to many contemporary issues in the Orthodox world. 

Father Sotirios has eight children (he was accompanied in Georgia by his eldest son Apostolos). He also has faithful back in Greece that are waiting for his return in order to be received by him into the Holy Church.

God grant Father Sotirios strength to faithfully serve in the Church of Christ for many years to come. Amen. 

Axios! Axios! Axios!

~ Photo Collection of Father Sotirios’ Visit to Georgia ~

The Presence of our Church on the Internet

Beloved Faithful,

After successfully creating our YouTube channel that allows us to upload videos (both long and short), and even to write and share with subscribers text posts with photos, from now on we will be actively using YouTube.

But our new presence on YouTube will in no way supplant what, in our estimation and for our particular needs, is the best social media out there—the Telegram app. Our Telegram channels have been immensely helpful and tremendously successful in keeping our Church connected, in bringing us reports with photos and videos from the parishes and missions near and far, in sharing edifying materials and in even in running an online Theological School, So, Telegram will remain our main means of communication within our Church. 

However, in order to reach out “those outside”, we shall start using, as said above, our YouTube channel too, because it provides an excellent opportunity of sharing to the wider public the information that we post among us on Telegram. Plus, the YouTube’s new tool of Community Posts allows us to share not only the videos, but even posts with texts and photos.

Therefore, Telegram and YouTube will be our means of communication, the former for those mainly within our Church and the latter for reaching mainly the wider public outside our Church. 

On top of that, we also have our traditional internet website where we keep our extensive archive of articles, documents, encyclicals, etc. 

As for the Metropolis Facebook Page, its use will be discontinued permanently. We will archive  its contents for the sake of the past postings, but it will no longer be be active.

So, here are the spaces of our Church’s presence in the virtual world. Join, subscribe and bookmark respectively: 

Our Telegram: t.me/HOMBoston

Our YouTube: youtube.com/@MetropolitanGregory

Our Website: http://www.homb.org

In Christ,

+ Gregory, metropolitan

Tonsure of Mother Barbara

​

Beloved Faithful,

On January 2/15, 2023, the Feast of Saint Seraphim, the Wonderworker of Sarov, my dear mother was tonsured into monasticism and became Mother Barbara, nun and Pilgrimess.

Her tonsure was a very joyous occasion for the whole Parish of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Thank you all for your prayers, that I lived to see my dear mother become a nun!

Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston

~Photos and Videos of the Tonsure~

​2023 Church Calendar and Scripture Lectionary

~ Scripture Lectionary ~

~ Church Calendar ~

NATIVITY ENCYCLICAL, 2022

PREFACE

Beloved Orthodox Christians,

Over the past year, I have had discussions with many of you about the canonical text of the Old Testament, which is called the Septuagint, or the Translation of the Seventy, the Greek translation of the Old Testament made three centuries before Christ, which is the only version accepted and used in the Orthodox Church.

Our Metropolitan Ephraim has dedicated several articles explaining the importance of the use of the Septuagint, as opposed to the translations of the much later, doctored versions that all the Protestant denominations use.

As I was going through some of our late Metropolitan’s Encyclicals, I came across his last Nativity Encyclical, written in 2011 (from 2012 onwards, he asked me to write the Nativity and Paschal Encyclicals), where, in his characteristically deep yet concise way, concentrating on one central prophecy related to our Saviour’s Nativity, he explains exactly this: why the use of the Septuagint is a must for Orthodox Christians.

Therefore, instead of tiring you with my usually long-winded Encyclicals, this year I will let you delight in the composition of the hand of a “swiftly writing scribe” (Ps. 44:1), which our dear Metropolitan Ephraim certainly was, with his short and succinct way of writing.

Below, attached is the last Nativity Encyclical of Metropolitan Ephraim.

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

With love in our new born Saviour,

Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston

Nativity of Christ, 2022

“My being while it was still unformed Thine eyes did see.” Psalm, 138:15

 

~ Statement on the SCOTUS Decision ~

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

~ Paschal Encyclical, 2022 ~

THE TRIODION

Since our founding in 1961, the Holy Transfiguration Monastery has had it as our mission to bring into English all the liturgical books needed to chant the full cycle of services of the Orthodox Church. Beginning with the Psalter in 1974, we have printed the Pentecostarion, the Great Horologion, the complete Menaion, Holy Week, the bilingual Holy Week and Pascha, and the Octoëchos.

Today, on February 10, we received from the printers the first shipment of the Triodion, which was the first of the liturgical books to be translated by us, and the last to be revised and published.

 

This edition of the Triodion is meant to be used with our edition of Holy Week.

 

The Triodion contains all the complete services from the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee through Matins and the Sixth Hour of Friday before Palm Sunday; Holy Week contains the services from Lazarus Saturday through Holy Saturday. Together, these two books provide everything in the modern Greek editions of the Triodion.

 

Printed in red and black throughout, and bound in a durable library binding, in the same size and format as the twelve volumes of our Menaion, the Pentecostarion, the Octoëchos, and Holy Week.

 

Visit the monastery webpage to place an order, or to download PDFs of the first page of the Introduction, explaining the division into two books, the Triodion and Holy Week, and the Table of Contents of the Triodion.

https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/products_id/997

2022 Wall Calendar & Scripture Reading Booklet

 

~ Church Calendar 2022 ~

~ Scripture Reading Booklet 2022 ~

“O Lord, I have loved the beauty of Thy house and the place where Thy glory dwelleth” Ps. 25:8

An Eulogy pronounced by Metropolitan Gregory of Boston at the funeral of Metropolitan Andrew of Toronto 

clyp.it/mdgxdur5

For photos and videos of the funeral of Metropolitan Andrew, please visit our Telegram channel:

t.me/HOMBoston/258

NEW HIERARCH

On Sunday of the Prodigal Son, February 15/28, 2021 at Saint Mark of Ephesus Cathedral in Boston, His Eminence Spyridon was consecrated as the Bishop of Saint Petersburg.

May our Saviour grant many years to the new hierarch in his service of shepherding the flock entrusted to him. Amen.

Axios! Axios! Axios!

~ Photos and Videos of the Consecration ~

HIERARCHICAL CONSECRATION

Beloved Clergy and the Faithful of our Church,

As you may remember, last year the Holy Synod elected Archimandrite Spyridon as the Bishop for the flock in Russia. His hierarchical consecration was planned to take place in October, during the Annual Clergy Synaxis. However, because of the pandemic and the lockdowns, we had to cancel the Synaxis and postpone the consecration.

Now, I would like to inform you that with God’s help, Bishop-Elect Spyridon will be traveling to Boston next month. The Holy Synod, therefore, decided to use this opportunity to go ahead with the planned consecration.

God willing, the consecration of His Grace Spyridon, Bishop-Elect of Saint Petersburg, will take place at Saint Mark of Ephesus Orthodox Cathedral of Boston, on the Sunday of the Prodigal Son, February 15/28, 2021.

I ask for your prayers for the Bishop-Elect Spyridon, and especially for his safe travel from Russia to the United States.

In Christ our Saviour,

+ Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston

January 1/14, 2021
Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord
Saint Basil the Great

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

~ Nativity Encyclical, 2020 ~

 

 

2021 Wall Calendar & Scripture Reading Booklet

 

~ Wall Calendar ~

~ Scripture Reading Booklet ~

Baptisms in Brazil

On Saturday, September 20/October 3, 2020, in the Mission of the Entry of the Mother of God into the Temple, Luziania, Brazil, seven catechumens that had been catechized by Father Joaquim Sena, were baptized by Metropolitan Gregory of Boston.

Thanks be to our Saviour Who allowed that even in these difficult times, faithful should be added to His flock and that our missions should receive pastoral care.

Please keep our Father Joaquim, his parish and especially our newly illumined brothers and sisters in Brazil in your prayers.

Glory be to God for all things. Amen.

~ Photo & Video Album ~

Consecration of a New Hierarch

~ Announcement from the Holy Synod ~

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

~ Paschal Encyclical 2020 ~

Concerning the Current Epidemic

~ Pastoral Encyclical from the Holy Synod ~

~ Roman Icon of the Mother of God ~

~ Islands of Holiness ~

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

~ Nativity Encyclical ~

Church Calendar and Scripture Readings 2020

~ Church Wall Calendar 2020 ~

~ Scripture Reading Booklet 2020 ~ 

PASCHAL ENCYCLICAL 2019

Beloved Faithful,

Christ is Risen!

In blessed memory of the newly-reposed Metropolitan Ephraim of Boston, we offer his first Paschal Encyclical, issued thirty years ago, as this year’s encyclical. 

+ Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston

~ PASCHAL ENCYCLICAL ~

Letter of Elder Panteleimon about Metropolitan Ephraim of Boston

~ LETTER ~

Father Panteleimon wrote this letter in 2012,
but asked it to be opened and read after Metropolitan Ephraim's repose

Funeral of Metropolitan Ephraim of Boston

~ PHOTO REPORT ~

Eulogy of our beloved Father and Hierarch Ephraim, Metropolitan of Boston, 1939-2019

clyp.it/zmq0iyfy

Delivered at his funeral by Metropolitan Gregory of Boston Holy Transfiguration Monastery, Boston January 13/26, 2019

Metropolitan Ephraim, ​1939-2019

Today our beloved Metropolitan Ephraim peacefully reposed in the Lord. The funeral and burial will take place at Holy Transfiguration Monastery on Saturday, January 13/26, following the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, which begins at 7:00AM. Eternal be the memory of our beloved Father and Shepherd! Amen.

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

~ NATIVITY ENCYCLICAL ~
of
His Eminence Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston

Digital Church Calendar 2019

WALL CALENDAR
~

SCRIPTURE LECTIONARY

~

ANNUAL NEWSLETTER & APPEAL

Clergy Synaxis, 2018

Yet another successful and edifying Annual Clergy Synaxis of the Holy Orthodox Church in North America was held in Boston on October 5-7, 2018.

Six hierarchs and over twenty clergy from North and South America, as well as from our affiliated communities in East Africa and Georgia were present to hear the talks and participate in discussions on theological and pastoral topics.

The concelebration on Sunday, October 7, at Saint Mark of Ephesus Orthodox Cathedral of Boston carried a most festive spirit at which the Lord's Prayer was recited in nine different languages, reflecting the Church's calling to be local and universal at the same time.

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

~ PASCHAL ENCYCLICAL ~

of

His Eminence Gregory, Metropolitan of Boston

From the Holy Synod

~ PASTORAL ENCYCLICAL  ~

Concerning the Spread of the 
Ecclesiological Errors of Metropolitan Cyprian

Ordination in Boston

On Sunday, January 1/14, 2018, the Feasts of the Circumcision of our Saviour and of Saint Basil the Great, Hiorodeacon John (Zatonski) of Saint Tatiana's Orthodox Church in New York, was ordained to the priesthood by Metropolitan Gregory of Boston at Saint Mark of Ephesus Orthodox Cathedral.

Father John has faithfully served the parish in New York as a Deacon for many years. Let us pray that our Saviour may strengthen him to continue his service to the parish, now in the capacity of a Presbyter. Amen.

AXIOS! AXIOS! AXIOS!