Learn about the Tackling Poverty With the Polamalu Family campaign under the auspices of Focus North America (The Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve). Kevin Allen interviews Focus NA board member Theodora Polamalu and her NFL husband Troy.

Bobby Maddex interviews David and Mangala Frost of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies (IOCS) about a new IOCS Orthodox evangelism tool called The Way, now available in the United States exclusively through Conciliar Press.

Ancient Faith Radio presents an interview with Georgia Williams, one of the founders and an administrator of the Russian Orphan Opportunity Fund (ROOF), about this important organization's needs and ministry opportunities.

Ancient Faith Radio presents an interview with Fr. Peter Galadza, the Kule Family Professor of Liturgy at the Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky Institute of Eastern Christian Studies, about the institute's Study Days, which will take place in Ottawa, Ontario, from July 15 through 18.

Bobby Maddex interviews Matthew Namee, Associate Director of the Society for Orthodox Christian History in the Americas and host of the AFR podcast American Orthodox History, about the organization's new academic journal and upcoming symposium.

Metropolitan Jonah presided over the 2012 Sunday of Orthodoxy Vespers held at Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church in Linthicum, MD, and spoke on Orthodox unity in America.

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.

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.

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 Fr. Justin Mathews, the executive director of FOCUS North America, and Theodora Polamalu, a FOCUS advisory board member and the wife of Troy Polamalu, strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers, about FOCUS's new "Tackle Poverty" campaign.

Ancient Faith Radio has been provided this recording of the comments made by Bishop Basil at the funeral of the beloved priest Fr. Alexander Atty. May his memory be eternal.

Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. Frank Papatheofanis, the founder and president of St. Katherine Orthodox College, about the school's new online graduate course offerings.

Ancient Faith Radio presents Frederica Mathewes-Green speaking at the second annual Pan-Orthodox Sanctity of Life Sunday Presentation. The presentation was sponsored by the Orthodox Christian Clergy Association of Greater Chicago and took place at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Cicero, Illinois.

Georgia Mamalakis joins us to talk about a group of women joined together over many miles to pray the Psalms during the Nativity Fast but also during Great Lent.

Bobby Maddex interviews George Matsoukas, the Executive Director of Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL), and Alexei Krindatch, the Research Coordinator of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America, about the upcoming OCL Program Meeting at St. Vladimir's Seminary.

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

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.

Bobby Maddex interviews Chaplain Patrick Tutella and Jason Irwin, the individuals behind both the organization Caring Connections in Corrections and the new book In the Shadow of the Forty-Foot Wall.

Bobby Maddex interviews Alexei Krindatch, the Research Coordinator of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, about his new study on Orthodox generosity and giving to the Church.

In conjunction with the publishing of Heaven Meets Earth, Ancient Faith Ministries, in partnership with Dr. Bradley Nassif, has produced a series of short audio talks on the 12 Great Feasts of the Church. As we begin the Church year, here are Dr. Nassif's thoughts on the Nativity of the Theotokos.

Dr. Frank Papatheofanis joins us to give an update on what is happening at The University of St. Katherine (newly identified as a university). This liberal arts university is founded and rooted in the life of the Orthodox Christian Tradition.

Dr. John Mark Reynolds speaks at the Acton Institute on "Beauty and the Destruction of the Individual." Dr. Reynolds is the President of The Saint Constantine School, a K-college classical Orthodox school in Houston. He is also a Senior Fellow of Humanities at The King’s College in New York City, and a Fellow of the Center For Science and Culture at The Discovery Institute.

We talk with Coptic monk Fr. Anastasi Saint Antony about the Christians in Egypt who are being martyred for their faith in Christ. Find out more about the Coptic Church by visiting the Diocese of Los Angeles web site. The charity Fr. Anastasi mentioned is the Santa Verena Charity.

One of the extremely complicated issues with which Orthodox parents must contend these days is that of homosexuality. How do we talk to our kids about same-sex desires and relationships and how do we do so with the sensitivity, nuance, and frankness that the topic requires? At the request of Carole Buleza, the Director of the Antiochian Department of Christian Education, Bobby Maddex once again interviews Dr. Philip Mamalakis, an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, about how to talk about marriage, intimacy, and homosexuality with your children. This is part two!

OCL Executive Director George Matsoukas and President George Karcazes talk about the 30th Anniversary program.

John Michael Boyer and Dn. John El Massih join us to talk about their new Byzantine chant CD for Nativity - Sun of Justice. This debut release by the ensemble PRÓTO presents traditional chants for the Byzantine celebration of Christmas, including selections from The Royal Hours, Vespers, Matins, and the Divine Liturgy. A deluxe 32-page booklet is included with full texts in Greek, Arabic, and English.

Bobby Maddex interviews Laura Paulus, the Executive Director and Housemother at the Martha and Mary Maternity House in Niles, Illinois.

Bobby Maddex interviews Paula Marchman with the GOA Family Life Ministry in Atlanta and Edna King, one of the individuals behind Woven: An Interactive Book for the Modern Teenage Girl on Orthodox Christianity.

Bobby Maddex interviews Graham Sparkman, a fifth generation mountain musician—and an Orthodox Christian—about his new release Nativity Fire. The album features predominately ancient folk Eastern Christmas carols from Romania, Ukraine, Greece, Czech/Moravia, Serbia, Armenia, and Bulgaria. For more information about this music, please feel free to email Graham at grahamsparkman AT hotmail.com. Or to purchase or stream the new CD, please click on one of the links below: https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/grahamsparkman4 https://music.apple.com/us/album/nativity-fire/1482380111 https://open.spotify.com/album/3SMbnPltu8uouYEoh8Vho5 https://www.amazon.com/Nativity-Fire-Graham-Sparkman/dp/B07ZBKLQ7F

One of the extremely complicated issues with which Orthodox parents must contend these days is that of homosexuality. How do we talk to our kids about same-sex desires and relationships and how do we do so with the sensitivity, nuance, and frankness that the topic requires? At the request of Carole Buleza, the Director of the Antiochian Department of Christian Education, Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. Philip Mamalakis, an Assistant Professor of Pastoral Care at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, about how to talk about marriage, intimacy, and homosexuality with your children.

Bobby Maddex interviews Fr. Samuel Seamans, the founder of the Orthodox Christian Anxiety and Depression Support Group.

Bobby Maddex interviews Reader Nicholas Chapman, Dn. Paul Siewers, and Kh. Frederica Matthewes-Green about the new title from Holy Trinity Publications, Healing Humanity: Confronting Our Moral Crisis. Listen in as they discuss the conference that inspired the book as well as timely topics such as sexuality, freedom, theosis and the challenges that Christians face as they stand for traditional values. This incredible title can be purchased directly from Holy Trinity Publications here.

Bobby Maddex interviews Konstantine Pandolfi, Archimandrite Maximos Weimar, and The Reverend Deacon Dr. Pavlos Siewers about The Holy Orthodox Order of Saint George the Great Martyr. The Holy Orthodox Order of Saint George the Great Martyr is an international, religious, pan-Orthodox, confraternal order of Christian chivalry. Its mission is to help peacefully defend, sustain and preserve the continued existence and wellbeing of the Orthodox Christian Faith within the Holy Land, the Middle East, and wherever the Orthodox Church and her faithful are either persecuted or in need. Learn more about the order and how to get involved here!

Bobby Maddex, the Director of Digital Media for Ancient Faith Ministries speaks with Dr. Andrei Psarev, a professor of Russian church history and Canon Law at Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary. Dr. Psarev shares about his new project; This Day in the History of the Orthodox Church. Please visit https://www.patreon.com/rocorstudies for more information.

Bobby Maddox, the Director of Digital Media for Ancient Faith Ministries, interviews Fr.Patrick Viscuso, the president of the brand new Orthodox Canon Law Society of North America. Pleae visit www.oclsna.org to learn more about the Orthodox Canon Law Society of North America

Due to some unforseen events, we missed a couple days last week. Sorry about that! All is better and we appreciate the readers who reached out.

Israel reportedly says any attacks on Iran will target its military, not nuclear or oil facilities. / CNN

Republican campaigns spend more money at Shake Shack and Jimmy John's while Democrats eat at Sweetgreen and Le Pain Quotidien. / The Washington Post [+]

People whose homes were damaged by recent storms are likely to be forced to "build up or move out." / Heatmap

Related: Emergency workers in North Carolina were withdrawn for fear of trucks of armed militia "saying they were out hunting FEMA." The local sherriff's office says otherwise. / The Guardian, Citizen Times

Nepalese teenager Nima Rinji Sherpa breaks the record for the youngest mountaineer to summit Earth's 14 highest peaks. / BBC News

A team finds the remains of one of the first climbers to attempt Mount Everest. / National Geographic

Prior to the 20th century, oyster reefs covered more than 1.7 million hectares across European oceans. / Bloomberg [+]

Do more people die from heat or cold? Cold, but most die from "moderate cold." / Sustainability by numbers

The amount of tents on the streets of San Franicsco is down 60% since July 2023. / The San Francisco Standard

New Yorkers deploy "anti-influencer architecture" in neighborhoods popular with TikTokers. / Curbed

See also: A nonprofit called Mothers Against Media Addiction aims to follow the model of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. / The Information

Fitness bros on TikTok participating in "locktober" may not know the term's history as a chastity kink. / Them

Author Rumaan Alan's solution for his midlife crisis is to get tattooed with things he doesn't want to forget. / Esquire

An argument for skipping wellness and personal development for "wasteful intervals of pure, delicious nothingness." / The Good Question

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Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick journeys into the hollers of central Appalachia and encounters one of the least-known forms of American Protestant religion, exploring their faith, their music and one of their churches, through the eyes of an Orthodox priest raised in that tradition.

In this special documentary, Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick goes on pilgrimage to encounter Fr. Nicola Yanney, an early 20th century Orthodox missionary in America and the first priest ordained by St. Raphael of Brooklyn, whose missionary territory included most of the Great Plains. Join Fr. Andrew as he explores the life of this holy man through interviews, research and prayer in Kearney, Nebraska, asking the question: Is Fr. Nicola a saint? Included with this documentary are 9 bonus tracks of extra interviews and other material that was not included in the main documentary.

In this new audio documentary, exclusive to Ancient Faith Radio, Bobby Maddex takes a trip to the Hogar Raphael Ayau Orthodox Orphanage in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Learn how the orphanage came to be, what takes place there on a daily basis, and why it is truly miraculous beyond measure.

Fr. Pat explains that Pascha is not about the resurrection of a god, but rather about the resurrection of a Jew who lived and breathed and ate with us here on earth.

Fr. Pat places the theme of Christian unity and peace in our present historical context.

Fr. Pat again addresses the "transcendentals," this time explaining how the Incarnation is the manifestation of truth, goodness, and beauty.

Fr. Pat reflects on goodness, beauty, and truth in Jesus's encounter with Photini of Samaria.

Fr. Pat explains that prayer is the highest of all human activities.

Fr. Pat discusses the meaning of Christian discipleship.

Fr. Pat continues his discussion of discipleship.

Human beings are complex; grace is time insensitive; and we are coworkers with God.

Fr. Pat examines the three persons of the Holy Trinity.