Ancient Faith Radio travelled to Ellwood City, PA, to capture this warm and wonderful conversation with the widow of Fr. Alexander Schmemann, Matushka Juliana Schmemann. Get a glimpse into the personal side of Fr. Alexander as well as Matushka's thoughts about his greatest legacy.

Syria is in the news a lot these days but what kind of work is being done by the Church in light of the current circumstances. You may be surprised. Listen as we talk with Samer Laham, the Director of the Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development for the Patriarchate of Antioch in Damascus. Samer also coordinates the humanitarian work of IOCC in the country. In the meantime we grieve the loss of Fr. Basilious Nasser who was shot by terrorists in the city of Hama on January 25. May his memory be eternal.

Bobby Maddex interviews Costas (Constantinos Athanasopoulos), the Director of Distance Learning at the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies in the UK, and Michael Basham, a recent graduate of this distance-learning program.

AFR interviews Mickey Homsey, Board Chair of IOCC, after his recent trip to Syria to learn more about the work of IOCC in that troubled country.

John Maddex talks with Fr. Joseph Allen and Dn. Peter Boulukos about the great opportunities to further your Orthodox education through the world renowned Antiochian House of Studies.

John Maddex talks with IOCC Director of Programs Mark Ohanian about the relief work being done in war-torn Syria.

Programs Director Mark Ohanian gives us an update on war-torn Syria and the humanitarian aid being given by IOCC (International Orthodox Christian Charities) in cooperation with the Department of Ecumenical Relations and Development (DERD) at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East (GOPA).

Bobby Maddex interviews George Matsoukas, the Executive Director of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL), which will be celebrating 25 years of service this coming October 24 through 27. The video below recounts the history of OCL.

Bobby Maddex interviews Erin Moulton and Jodi Elliott, the president and vice president, respectively, of the Orthodox Christian Translation Society Board of Directors.

John Maddex interviews Fr. Thomas Zain, Vicar General of the Antiochian Orthodox Church of North America, about the falling asleep in the Lord of His Beatitude Ignatius IV of Antioch and All the East.

A report from Ancient Faith Radio on the background, qualifications, and personality of Patriarch-Elect John X, who was elected on December 17 by the Holy Synod at the Balamand Patriarchal Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos.

Mark Ohanian is the Director of Programs for the International Orthodox Christian Charities and he just returned from Damascus where he saw first hand the work of IOCC and also met with Patriarch-Elect John X.

Fr. Caleb Abetti is the Chair of the Contemporary Issues Implementation Team for the OCA and he talks to us about an coming event in White River, VT, called Holy Conversation - Marriage and Sexuality.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. John Mefrige, a professional Marriage and Family Therapist from San Antonio, Texas. From February 15 through 18, Fr. John will be leading a marriage preparation seminar at Antiochian Village in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. The registration deadline for this retreat is February 1.

On April 5, 2013, Fr. James Early presented a paper at the International Conference on Medieval and Renaissance Thought at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. The topic of Fr. James' paper was "Theodore of Tarsus: The Syrian Archbishop of Canterbury." St. Theodore was the only Archbishop of Canterbury whose native language was Greek and who hailed from Syria. His feast day is September 19 in the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Anglican Churches.

On this special episode of “Ancient Faith Presents,” Bishop John Abdalah, an auxiliary bishop for the Antiochian Diocese of Worcester and New England, offers the first keynote address at a conference at Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology titled “Pastoral Challenges in Marriage: O God, Replenish Their Life with All Good Things.”

Bobby Maddex interviews Frederica Mathewes-Green, host of the AFR podcast "Frederica Here and Now," about her book Mary As the Early Christians Knew Her: The Mother of Jesus in Three Ancient Texts, which was just released in paperback by Paraclete Press.

His Grace Bishop Louka is auxiliary to His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch. He visited the US and gave us this brief interview about Syria, the kidnapped bishops, and the so-called Arab Spring.

Bobby Maddex interviews Maria Sheehan, the manager of the new Patriarch Tikhon Choir, an American professional choir dedicated to the performance of Orthodox Christian sacred music that is conducted by Maestro Vladimir Gorbik.

IOCC Director of Programs Mark Ohanian updates us on the work of IOCC in Syria where the refugee population is rapidly growing as the result of the civil war.

Bobby Maddex interviews Vladimir Morosan, the director of the professional Orthodox choir Archangel Voices, about the choir's new CD Panagia: Orthodox Hymns to the Mother of God.

We talk with Roy Azar, Project Coordinator for IOCC, who just returned from Damascus. He reports on the continued work of IOCC in providing humanitarian aid for the refugees and displaced families but also calls for prayer for the abducted nuns from Maaloula.

AFR talks with Dr. Maria Khoury about what it is like to live as a Christian within the barricaded walls of the West Bank of Israel. Visit the web site of her parish - St. George Greek Orthodox Church of Taybeh.

Fr. John Finley interviews Fr. Jon-Stephen Hedges, a director with the St. Brigid Fellowship and a chaplain with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department, about his role on the scene at the sites of the recent string of murders in Isla Vista, California.

Bobby Maddex interviews Amal Morcos, a particularly good friend of Ancient Faith Radio, about a recent trip she took to Lebanon and what she learned about the Orthodox Christians there.

Bobby Maddex interviews Presbytera Renee Ritsi, Assistant Teams Director and Healthcare Coordinator for the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, about some mission team opportunities for both this year and 2015.

Today on the program we feature a lecture by Fr. Stanley Harakas, the Archbishop Iakovos Professor of Orthodox Theology, Emeritus, at Holy Cross, given at the first annual Anne and Theodore Phillips Paschal Lecture Series in Chicago, Illinois.

Meet Fr. Dale Brown, pastor of the Church of the Advent in Atlanta, an Anglican parish on the way to Orthodoxy. Learn about their journey but also about Save Christians Now, a grass roots effort to bring attention to the plight of persecuted Christians.

Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. David Frost, the principal and administrator of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies, about a number of exciting developments at IOCS, including a new scholarship, a new PhD program, and an important addition to the institute's Distance Learning Program.

Bobby Maddex interviews author Katherine Hyde about her recently released children's book Lucia, Saint of Light, published by Ancient Faith Publishing.

Bobby Maddex interviews Presvytera Kerry Pappas, the Coordinator for Seminarian and Clergy Couple Care of the Center for Family Care of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, about an upcoming conference on marriage titled "Oneness: Growing and Protecting the Blessed Communion."

This past Sunday, a video titled “A Message Signed With Blood to the Nation of the Cross,” released by the media arm of Islamic State, showed the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians on a beach in Libya. We talk with Egyptian native and Antiochian Orthodox priest Fr. Nabil Hanna who just returned from Egypt. The interview closes with a prayer for the martyrs, their families, and the end to violence.

Bobby Maddex interviews Craig Hella Johnson, the director of the Conspirare choir, and Vlad Morosan, the founder and president of Musica Russica who helped select the songs that Conspirare sing on their 2015 Grammy-award winning CD The Sacred Spirit of Russia.

Bobby Maddex interviews Erin Moulton, Alexandra Weber, and Symeon Magnusson of the Orthodox Christian Translation Society.

On Thursday, March 19, 2015, Juliana Taimoorazy, the Founder and President of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, spoke at Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church in Warrenville, Illinois. The talk was sponsored by The Fellowship of St. James, publisher of Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity, the Daily Devotional Guide, the St. James Calendar, and Salvo magazine, and the title was “Crucible of the Assyrians.”

We interview Fr. Moses Berry about the annual Ancient Christianity conference sponsored by The Brotherhood of St. Moses the Black. The dates are May 30 - Jun 1 in the Ash Grove/Springfield, MO, area.

Fr. John Parker joins us to talk about the position of the Orthodox Church on same-sex marriage as well as an upcoming March for Marriage in Washington DC. For more information about the Orthodox participation in the march, visit the Crown Them With Glory website.

Mr. Samer Laham, Director of Ecumenical Relations for the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch in Damascus, Syria, joins us today to share a firsthand account of the dire situation inside his homeland. Learn how IOCC is working with the Patriarchate to bring relief.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Justin Mathews, the Executive Director of Reconciliation Services, and Tewfi Mulatu, the Project Manager of Reconciliation Services' new Digital Reconciliation Project.

Fr. Joe Allen joins us from the Antiochian convention in Boston to talk about the 35th anniversary of the Antiochian House of Studies and the new Coptic module.

Bobby Maddex interviews Yianni Gagianas, the chairman of the student leadership board of Orthodox Christian Fellowship, about all things OCF. If you're not yet familiar with this campus ministry organization, then this is the perfect place to start.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Dustin Lyon, the priest at St. Elias the Prophet Orthodox Church in Dubuque, Iowa. St. Elias finds itself in great need this fall, and Fr. Dustin is here to tell you how you can help.

Fr. Chrysostomos Onyekakeyah (priest-monk) of the Orthodox Diocese of Nigeria (Greek Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa) tells us about a need to publish two Orthodox books in his country and how we all can help. We have set a goal of raising $2,400 to publish 1,000 copies each of two books. One is titled Sacraments and Sacramentals: An Orthodox Approach; and the other is Orthodox Faith in Catechism. Donate HERE and be sure to designate your gift for "Nigeria."

Bobby Maddex interviews Nicholas Muzekari, the publisher and editor of Aletheia Writing Magazine, a new literary publication geared toward Christian teens.

Our guest is Dr. Maria Khoury who talks about the plight of Christians living in the Holy Land. She is the author of books for both adults and children including Witness to the Holy Land and the Christina series.

International Orthodox Christian Charities, or IOCC, is one of the largest relief networks inside Syria and one of only a few still reaching those in need. Joining us today is IOCC Programs Director, Mark Ohanian, who recently returned from the region and shares his firsthand account of this crisis.

Bobby Maddex interviews Alexei Krindatch, the Research Coordinator for the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America and the editor of the new book Atlas of American Orthodox Christian Monasteries.

Bobby Maddex interviews Timm Wenger, the Ancient Faith Store web manager, and the manager of the Orthodox Christian Ebooks website, which is a new service of Ancient Faith Ministries.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Dragos Herescu, the acting principal of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies—located in Cambridge, England—about some new developments at the school.

Bobby Maddex interviews Sr. Faith Riccio, the author of a new book from Paraclete Press titled Icons: The Essential Collection.