Registration is now open for the 2026 OCA-Wide Clergy Wives Retreat, hosted by the Office of Pastoral Life of the Orthodox Church in America.

The retreat will take place July 27–30, 2026, at the Antiochian Village Conference and Retreat Center in Bolivar, Pennsylvania. The theme for this year’s gathering is “Come Away and Rest.”

“This retreat marks the first OCA-wide gathering of its kind for clergy wives across the whole Church,” said Matushka Carrie Foley, program director of the Clergy Wives Ministry of the Office of Pastoral Life. “It will bring clergy wives and widows together for prayer, encouragement and connection. Set within the peaceful grounds of the Antiochian Village, the retreat will offer time to step away from the ordinary demands of parish life, build relationships, share wisdom and be strengthened for the life of ministry before them.”

The Office of Pastoral Life’s Clergy Wives Ministry, continues to develop intentional opportunities for clergy wives to gather, learn from one another, and support the health of clergy households and parish communities.

The retreat will include worship, presentations, small-group conversations, and time for rest and fellowship.

Parishes are encouraged to support the participation of their clergy’s wives by assisting with registration and reasonable travel expenses whenever possible. Healthy clergy households help strengthen parish life, and the participation of clergy wives in this retreat is a meaningful investment in the broader health of the Church.

Matushka Carrie emphasized that parish support is not only practical, but also a meaningful expression of love and gratitude. “Clergy wives pour out their lives for the church. They support their husbands’ ministries in a myriad of ways both seen and unseen. They do not seek acknowledgement, let alone awards, for what they do. We’re already seeing a deep desire to attend, and we want to make sure no one is turned away for financial reasons. When parishes and individuals help underwrite this retreat—whether by sponsoring a participant or contributing to scholarships—they become part of that care. It’s a beautiful, tangible way to honor their ‘little mothers’ who give so much. I’ve been deeply encouraged by the generosity we’ve already seen, and I’m hopeful others will join in making this possible for even more women.”

Individuals who wish to support this first OCA-wide Clergy Wives Retreat are invited to make a contribution toward the cost of the gathering. To garner support from the broader church, a Sponsorship Menu has been established. Gifts will help make the retreat more accessible and strengthen the Office of Pastoral Life’s growing work with clergy wives across the Church.

For more information, contact:
Office of Pastoral Life
Orthodox Church in America
clergywives@opl.oca.org

Who This Retreat Is For

• Wives of priests and deacons in the Orthodox Church in America
• Clergy widows
• Women new to clergy life
• Retired clergy wives

About the Office of Pastoral Life

The Orthodox Church in America’s Office of Pastoral Life supports the well-being of clergy and their families, the foundation of parish life across North America. Believing the health of the Church is inseparable from the health of her clergy, the Office offers programs that build resilience, connection and pastoral joy. Programs include Thriving in Ministry peer-learning groups, Financial Health Initiatives, quarterly Synaxis Gatherings, Retreats and Clergy Wives Ministry. In partnership with bishops, dioceses, parishes and our generous donors, the Office of Pastoral Life helps create sustainable conditions in which priests, deacons and their families of the Orthodox Church in America can flourish spiritually, vocationally and personally through every season of parish ministry.

On Monday, May 4, 2026, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon received Deacon Marek Simon, Executive Director of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF), and Mr. Andrew Boyd, Chairman of the OCF Board of Directors, at the temporary Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America in Springfield, VA. Also present for the meeting was Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America.

During their visit, Deacon Marek and Mr. Boyd provided an update on the ongoing work of OCF, highlighting the continued growth of this vital pan-Orthodox campus ministry throughout the United States. They spoke of the development of new chapters and campus centers, as well as the strengthening of existing ministries that serve Orthodox college students across the country.

Particular attention was given to OCF’s Campus Missionary Initiative, which seeks to establish a consistent Orthodox presence on college campuses through trained missionaries who support student leaders, foster community life, and facilitate connections between students and local parishes. This initiative continues to play an essential role in expanding the reach of Orthodox ministry to young adults and in nurturing their spiritual formation during their college years.

The conversation also included discussion of the upcoming Real Break 2026 pilgrimage to the country of Georgia, which will take place later this month under the leadership of His Grace Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth. This program, which combines service, pilgrimage, and spiritual reflection, remains one of OCF’s most impactful offerings for Orthodox college students.

On behalf of the Orthodox Church in America, His Beatitude expressed his continued prayers, support, and gratitude for the work of OCF. He noted the importance of this growing ministry not only in supporting Orthodox students during their college years, but also as a powerful witness of the Orthodox faith on campuses, where many young people encounter the Church for the first time.

The Orthodox Christian Fellowship serves as the official campus ministry of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, working to support Orthodox students and connect them more deeply to the life of the Church. Through its programs and outreach, OCF continues to play a critical role in fostering the next generation of faithful Orthodox Christians.

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, meeting in its regular Spring 2026 Session under the presidency of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, announces that it has accepted the request of His Eminence Archbishop Alexander to retire from his responsibilities as Archbishop of Dallas and the South.

His Eminence’s retirement from the Diocese of the South will take effect on July 23, 2026, upon the conclusion of the regular Diocesan Assembly of the Diocese. At that time, His Eminence will be relieved of his duties as diocesan bishop of the South. He will, however, continue to serve as the ruling bishop of the Bulgarian Diocese.

Archbishop Alexander has served the Church with distinction over many years of faithful ministry. Born in Burbank, California, in 1948, he was raised in the Orthodox faith and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Divinity from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. He continued his studies at the University of Oxford under Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) and spent time in monastic formation, including at Simonos Petras Monastery on Mount Athos.

He was consecrated to the episcopacy in 2012 as Bishop of Toledo and the Bulgarian Diocese, succeeding Archbishop Kyrill, and was later elected Archbishop of Dallas and the South in 2016, succeeding Archbishop Dmitri of blessed memory. In 2017, he was elevated to the rank of Archbishop. Throughout his episcopal ministry, His Eminence has been known for his theological depth, his commitment to the liturgical and spiritual life of the Church, and his faithful pastoral care of the clergy and faithful entrusted to him.

The Holy Synod expresses its profound gratitude to Archbishop Alexander for his years of devoted service to the Diocese of the South and to the Orthodox Church in America. The hierarchs assure His Eminence of their continued prayers as he is relieved of his responsibilities in the Diocese of the South while continuing his archpastoral ministry in the Bulgarian Diocese.

Further information regarding the administration of the Diocese of the South following His Eminence’s retirement will be provided in due course.

The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America has begun its regular Spring 2026 Session under the presidency of His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon.

The hierarchs are gathered in Springfield, VA, where they will meet to address matters concerning pastoral care, administration, and the ongoing life of the Orthodox Church in America.

On Wednesday, April 29, the members of the Holy Synod will travel to Washington, DC, where they will gather at the Primatial Cathedral of Saint Nicholas for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. The Liturgy will be presided by His Grace Bishop Benedict of Hartford and New England. Local clergy and faithful are welcome to join the bishops for Liturgy.

Further information regarding the work of the Holy Synod will be shared in due course.

Christ is Risen! Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and the Diocese of the Midwest of the Orthodox Church in America are humbled and excited to announce a bold and creative partnership intended to form and train a select cohort of qualified men for the Priesthood in the Chicagoland area over the next three years.

Born of creative discussions between His Eminence Archbishop Michael, Rector of Saint Tikhon’s Seminary, and His Eminence Archbishop Daniel, and undergirded by a multi-faceted Lilly Grant of nearly $1,000,000, the Chicago Program intends to grant an accredited Master of Divinity, the degree of preparation for ordained ministry.  The Cohort, who will follow the same program offered in residence at Saint Tikhon’s, will be taught by highly-qualified instructors local to the Diocese of the Midwest in classes combining synchronous online instruction and in-person intensives, making use of Diocesan-appointed and trained mentors for parish internships and liturgical formation.  The Cohort will spend additional intensive time in residence at St Tikhon’s each of the three years of the program.

The concept meets a demographic need not previously possible:  those long-established in the Orthodox Faith, who for reasons blessed by His Eminence, Archbishop Daniel himself, are not able to relocate to seminary for the customary three-year residential formation.  Both the Seminary and the Diocese of the Midwest note the following with clarity:  We remain absolutely committed to residential formation for ministry as the long-standing, gold standard of formation.  This special cohort is not open for applications.  It is an episcopally hand-selected group of married men, well-known to their communities, and long-serving in the Orthodox Tradition.  The Chicago Program is an effort to add additional clergy to the roster through creative, formal spiritual, theological, liturgical, and pastoral formation, at a time when our churches are bursting at the seams and more clergy are urgently needed.

This special program was blessed by the Holy Synod of Bishops at their Autumn 2025 meeting in Springfield, Virginia.  Presently, the leadership team, which includes Fr John Parker, Dean of St Tikhon’s; Fr Paul Witek, Academic Dean of St Tikhon’s; and Dn Timothy Heinbokel, Chicago Program Director; are working through the academic and practical specifics, as well as the accreditation details, which are pending.  With awaited approval from the ATS and pending participation in the relevant interstate distance education agreement (SARA), the program is anticipated to begin in Fall 2026, with the cohort graduating in Spring/Summer 2029.

For more information or to help provide much-needed scholarships for this unique effort, please write to us directly at dean@stots.edu, indicating “Chicago Program” in the subject line. 

Glory to God for all things!

Beginning on Holy Monday, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon celebrated the services of Holy Week, Pascha, and Bright Saturday at St. Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral, the Primatial Cathedral of the Orthodox Church in America, in Washington, DC.

Throughout the week, His Beatitude presided at the full cycle of services commemorating the saving Passion and Resurrection of our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. Concelebrating with His Beatitude were Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino, Chancellor of the Orthodox Church in America and Dean of St. Nicholas Cathedral; Priest David Bozeman, Secretary of the Orthodox Church in America and Associate Priest of the Cathedral; and Archpriest Valery Shemchuk, Associate Priest.

On Holy Thursday, prior to the celebration of the Vesperal Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, His Beatitude ordained Reader John Hartman to the subdiaconate.

On Great and Holy Friday, at the conclusion of Great Vespers, His Beatitude reminded the faithful:

“Today, we have already entered into that silence, not for the sake of an outward quiet, but so as to find the stillness of heart that will enable us to behold the present mystery not as a defeat but as a victory: the victory of light over darkness, of truth over falsehood, of life over death. (…) For just as the earth cannot remain dark when the created sun begins to shine upon it, so it is that even hell and death cannot withstand the uncreated Light and Life of Christ.”

Read the full text of His Beatitude’s homily

On Holy Saturday, before the Vesperal Divine Liturgy, the Cathedral community welcomed ten new faithful into the Orthodox Church through the Holy Mysteries of Baptism and Chrismation.

The services of Holy Week and Pascha were marked by prayerful and joyous participation, with hundreds of faithful and visitors gathering at the Primatial Cathedral, especially for the celebration of the Feast of Feasts.

Reflecting on the celebration of Pascha, His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon noted, “In these holy days, we are reminded that the Resurrection of Christ is not simply an event of the past, but the very life of the Church. In the midst of the trials and uncertainties of our world, we proclaim with unwavering faith that Christ is risen, and in Him, life has already triumphed.”

On Bright Saturday, in accordance with the custom of the Archdiocese of Washington, His Beatitude presided at the celebration of Paschal Matins and the Divine Liturgy concelebrated by the clergy of the Archdiocese. Faithful from across the Archdiocese were in attendance, joining in the festal celebration. The liturgical responses were sung by the Archdiocesan Choir.

On Saturday, March 28, 2026, the Orthodox Church in America’s Office of Pastoral Life, through its Clergy Wives Ministry, hosted an online Lenten retreat for widows of reposed clergy. The Very Rev. Dr. Steven Voytovich presented on the theme, “Blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it,” reflecting on the life of the Mother of God through Scripture, the writings of the Church Fathers, the Church’s hymnography, and the liturgical services that proclaim the mystery of her life. He also invited participants to reflect on her dogmatic title, “Theotokos,” and on her maternal relationship to the Body of Christ.

Additionally, Father Steven led a group discussion with the widows, which focused on the significance of the Virgin Mary’s place in the Church as a fervent and dependable intercessor. At the conclusion of the retreat and discussion, Father Steven served an Akathist to the Virgin Mary for the widows gathered via Zoom.

Father Steven serves as Chancellor of the Diocese of New England (OCA), Director of the OCA’s Office of Institutional Chaplaincy and Rector of Holy Transfiguration Church in New Haven. He is a seasoned priest, educator, and pastoral leader with decades of experience in parish ministry, seminary formation, and institutional chaplaincy. He holds advanced degrees from Saint Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary and Fairfield University, including a Doctor of Ministry focused on Orthodox pastoral education.

By Matushka Deborah Belonick