Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America
The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America was founded in 1973 through the vision of His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP Saliba as an organization of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. Its purpose is to develop a spirit of Christian leadership, awareness, and commitment; to foster a genuine expression of love and service through works of charity; and to instill a sense of fellowship and a deeper understanding of the heritage and traditions of the Orthodox Church.
The Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America brings the women of the Antiochian Archdiocese together for prayer, charitable works, and mutual support as we strive to fulfill our calling in Christ through serving others. The Antiochian Women are organized according to region, but come together for communication and collaboration through the North American Board (NAB), which consists of officers and delegates from each region. The Antiochian Women communicate through this web page, with information on programs, such as a scholarships for women who wish to continue their education and spiritual resources such as the lives of women saints. Back issues of DIAKONIA and SOPHIA, print newsletters that keep the members of Antiochian Women inspired and informed, can also be found here in PDF format.
We are encouraged by the words of His Grace Bishop JOSEPH who, when addressing the General Assembly once said: “When everyone left our Lord Jesus Christ alone on the cross, the women were there. Can you see how important the women are? You are the myrrh-bearing women.”
Antiochian Women Publishing CD Collection of Orthodox Saints
For two thousand years, the Orthodox Christian Church has been blessed with a plethora of materials on women who have been called by God to a life of holiness. Now, for the first time, the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America has compiled this information into one, easily accessible resource – Holy Women of the Orthodox Christian Church.
The CD-ROM will be initially be available for purchase at next month's Archdiocese Convention in Desert Springs, and is based on the Antiochian Women's online collection of female saints, accessible here.
Message from the Diocesan Spiritual Advisor
by Fr. Edward Hughes
from DIAKONIA Summer 2009
The Ladies are the very foundation of the Orthodox Christian Church. There is no doubt that this has been true from the very, very beginning. When our Lord was about his public ministry, traveling and preaching all over the Eastern shore of the Mediterranean, the Scriptures tell us that there were "Many women… which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto Him." (Mt. 27, 55). At the Cross, besides these women from Galilee, there were "Many other women which came up with Him unto Jerusalem." (Mk 15:41) Among these women were those blessed women who were the first to know of the glorious Resurrection. It was they who evangelized the Apostles, telling them the good news which they had learned first from the Angels.
Report from the Midwest Antiochian Women 4th Annual Retreat
Roberta Royhab writes:
Dormition of the Mother of God Orthodox Monastery, in Rives Junction, MI, is “a place that serves the spiritual needs of the Orthodox Christian community in the United States,” their website reads.
Dormition was a perfect place—a holy place, a “retreat” from the stress of the secular world—for the Midwest Antiochian Women’s retreat that was held there the weekend of May 15-17. The monastery for women is located on 120 acres in a rural area of south central Michigan.
His Grace Bishop MARK of the Diocese of Toledo and the Midwest joined us on Friday and for a half day on Saturday. Fr. John Abdalah of Pittsburgh, PA, Spiritual Advisor for Antiochian Women-North American Board, served as Retreat Master.
Antiochian Women's Month
Please visit our newly-revised Antiochian Women web page!
Sermonette for Antiochian Women's Month
2009 Antiochian Women's Month brochure (PDF)
The month of March has been designated as Antiochian Women’s Month by His Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP. During the month of March every year, women are encouraged to express the fullness of their ministry in the Church. Sponsored by the Antiochian Women, each local chapter is encouraged to hold activities during the month of March and to participate in the Liturgy by reading the Epistle, delivering the homily, and ministering to the parish, the archdiocese, and the community.
Especially during the month of March, women are encouraged to minister to the needs of the poor, infirm and aged, engage in local charitable and humanitarian works, and raise funds for the Project of the Antiochian Women.
Who Are the Antiochian Women?
by Lucy Hanna, NAB Dir. of Public Relations
The Antiochian Women of North America: Who are they? And what is their Focus and Purpose?
The answer to the first question is simple: Every Orthodox woman 18 years or older who is a member of a parish of the Antiochian Archdiocese of North America-- regardless of ethnicity and whether or not her parish has an organized chapter—she belongs to Antiochian Woman!
The answer to the second question, while also simple, is a bit more lengthy. Women have a natural capacity to love and nurture. This is what His Eminence Metropolitan PHILIP recognized when he founded the National Organization of Antiochian Women in 1973. Then, to help us in our ministries he established a focus and purpose for our organization as a roadmap to guide us in a spirit of Christian leadership, awareness and commitment, fostering love through charitable acts and creating a sense of fellowship and understanding of our heritage and traditions.
