As some may have noticed, the ROCA.org hosted Orthodox America Archives were previously down for some time. After the repose of Fr. Mark Gilstrap, there were some technical issues and the hosting was lost. We have restored all of the files, and redirects should be in place, but if you find something out of place or receive an error, please contact us!

These archives are hosted by St James Orthodox Church

We are happy to be able to share the archives of this foundational English-language periodical, Orthodox America.

 © 1998-2006 by Nikodemos Orthodox Publication Society


 …y sobre esta roca edificaré mi iglesia...

St James Orthodox Church

a Russian-American parish under the Holy Metropolis GOC

When our Lord Jesus Christ asked his apostles and disciples, ”Who do men say that I am?” the Apostle Peter confessed, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And straightway Christ answered, saying, “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood have not revealed it to thee, but My Father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail over it” (Matt. 16, 15-19).

The rock upon which Christ built His Church is precisely that confession of the truth which the heavenly Father revealed in the Person of Jesus Christ, His Son and Word. This confession binds the Church together and makes her one body, receptive of divine illumination, able and sufficient to assemble at the Eucharistic table.


NEW Expanded Edition

“Grand Duchess Elizabeth of Russia

New Martyr of the Communist Yoke”

by Lubov Millar


Click for a graphical aid to help understanding the relationships between Christian churches.

The above picture of woven grass from Pentecost also coincidentally acts as commentary on the same (see Venn Diagram)

coming soon:  text of the History of the Old Calendar Church by +Hieromonk Lawrence (Williams) – keep reminding me!


Please consider supporting these worthy organizations:

Haitian Orthodox Mission

School and Orphanage of San Juan de Kronstadt in Chile


Montreal Myrrh-Streaming Icon of the Portaitissa

Almost 10 years ago, after the rapid changes (leading to Union with Moscow) had for some time affected the Russian Church Abroad  (not yet fully “ROCOR”),  the Church Abroad Synod of Bishops made this statement:

“This icon, by pouring forth its miracle-working myrrh for 15 years, consoled our Russian Church Abroad, appeared as a visible and tangible symbol of the merciful intercession of the Mother of God towards us sinners… Did we take advantage of this visit by the Mother of our Lord to benefit our souls? And is it not our common sin, having grown cold towards this holy icon and towards prayer, towards acts of piety and witness of the Orthodox faith, that caused the disappearance of this holy icon by the allowance of God?…”

And now we have seen the disappearance of the glorious Russian Church Abroad herself,  while the memory of this “convert” phenomenon is largely forgotten or relegated to irrelevancy.