Welcome!
We are a Western Rite Orthodox church located in Silver Spring, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, DC. As a congregation of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, we are part of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East (“…the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” Acts 11:26). While we share the faith of all Orthodox Christians around the world, as a Western Rite congregation we are blessed by our bishops to use the ancient forms of Western worship. Most of us are converts from many different backgrounds who have come to Orthodoxy in search of authentic Christianity and a place where we may grow in knowledge and love of God. In the Orthodox Church we have found the “pearl of great price” and we rejoice to share what we have discovered. We hope that you will explore our web site and join us in worship.
Sermons by Fr. Nicholas Alford
A Sermon for the First Sunday in Lent
"Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation (II Cor. 6)." We are now in a time of preparation for Pascha, when the love of God destroyed the ultimate power of sin and death. The Church calls us to increased prayer and fasting, to increased almsgiving, to self-examination and confession. We are called to prepare … More...
The Lives of the Saints
St. Mary of Egypt, Penitent
(Feast Day ~ April 2) Mary of Egypt left her parents when she was twelve years of age. It was during the reign of the Emperor Justin. She entered Alexandria, and was a sinner in that city for seventeen years. Having visited Jerusalem, and, it being the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, having endeavored to enter the church of Calvary, … More...
Latest News
March Newsletter
There are three holy days in March for which we will have services: on March 5, Ash Wednesday, the blessing and imposition of ashes will mark the beginning of Lent on the Western calendar. On March 11, we will celebrate the feast day of our patron, St. Gregory. We will celebrate the eve of the Feast of the Annunciation … More...
The Good News of Orthodoxy
From a Sermon by St. Melito of Sardis
There was much proclaimed by the prophets about the mystery of the Passover: that mystery is Christ, and to him be glory for ever and ever. Amen. For the sake of suffering humanity he came down from heaven to earth, clothed himself in that humanity in the Virgin's womb, and was born a man. Having then a body capable of suffering, he took the … More...