The Albanian Archdiocese of the Orthodox Church in America is one of the three ethnic dioceses within the OCA. Its origin is traced back to the start of the autocephalous Church of Albania as both had a common beginning in the United States in the early twentieth century.
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Faithful from the four parishes in Massachusetts and beyond gathered together the evening of Friday April 19, 2024 at Assumption of the Virgin Mary Church in Worcester. His Grace Bishop Nikodhim, along with Father Mark Doku and Father John Daly, led the faithful in this prayer of protection and thanksgiving which dates back to the 7th century. At the conclusion of the service, His Grace offered a few words before everyone went to the hall for a wonderful meal hosted by the parish.
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Each March we mark two important occasions in the history of our diocese, days of note drawn from our spiritual ancestry: 13 March 1965 as the date of repose, the falling asleep in the Lord, of our first hierarch, the ever-memorable Theophan (Noli) and 22 March 1908 as the Sunday on which the first ever Divine Liturgy was offered in the Albanian tongue, intoned and prayed in Boston, Massachusetts by Noli and by the faithful founders of what would become this archdiocese.
With our prayers, we take up each this profound responsibility of bearing the history of our people, their struggles and sacrifices, our inheritance. With our prayers, we turn our faces now toward the future, bound together and purposed toward a common cause, which is that Christ’s freedom and victory, His holiness mystically shared with us, be not ours alone but ours together, entrusted to us that we may bring this to others.
His Grace celebrates the Canon of Saint Andrew in the St John the Baptist Chapel at St George Cathedral. Around the world, Orthodox faithful gather together the first days of Lent to read the Canon of Saint Andrew.
On the weekend of February 24-25, 2024, His Grace Bishop Nikodhim visited the faithful of St John Chrysostom parish in Philadelphia. On Saturday evening, they prayed the Vespers service together, followed by a light repass. The next morning, His Grace celebrated the Divine Liturgy with Father Kai, rector of the community, and Father Dennis, Secretary of the Archdiocese. During the service, His Grace ordained David Brook to the minor order of Reader, and at the conclusion of the service, awarded the Archdiocesan medal of Herald of Constantine and Helen to both Susan and Vladimir Melnik.
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On January 30, His Grace, Bishop Nikodhim joined His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon and the newly ordained Bishop Benedict of Hartford and New England at Saint Vladimir's Seminary to celebrate the Feast of the Synaxis of the Three Holy Hierarchs, the seminary's chapel feastday. In the evening of the same day, the Mid-Year Commencement and 41st Annual Fr Alexander Schmemann Memorial Lecture took place.
See the photo gallery and watch the lecture recording on the seminary's website.
In his recent pastoral letter to the faithful of the Archdiocese, His Grace asks each community to honor the Albanian tradition of Konizmat, or "Icon Sunday," in their parishes in remembrance of the ransoming of the churches and the icon auctions in the past.
The practice stems from a time when Albania and the Orthodox Church were under Ottoman (Turkish) suzerainty (1468-1912). Sometime in the period between the 17th and 19th century the local pasha came up with a particularly oppressive means to tax the local parish. When parishes could not (or would not) pay the yearly tax, the pasha, or his minions, took whatever items were in the church and held them for ransom from the faithful. Items ranged from the sacred vessels to the icons.
The practice was carried over into the United States as a means of challenging the faithful by the words of the Gospel: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” For more, please visit here.
On Sunday, January 14, His Grace joined the faithful of St George Church in Trumbull to celebrate the Divine Liturgy honoring the Leavetaking of the Theophany of our Lord. At the conclusion of the service, long-time servant of God, Bill Kovachi, was awarded the Knight of Saint George for his many years of service to both the parish and the Archdiocese.
His Grace joins the faithful of St George Cathedral to celebrate the Nativity of our Lord.
May the Lord bless and keep you during this blessed season.
Krishti u lind! Christ is Born!
On Wednesday December 6, we honor St Nicholas of Myra in the Church. His Grace Bishop Nikodhim is celebrating St Nicholas three times this.
In addition to the day itself at the Cathedral, he traveled to Long Island on Sunday December 3 to serve the faithful of St Nicholas Church in Jamaica Estates. See all of the photos on the parish's Facebook page.
Coming up on Sunday December 10, he will travel to Southbridge to serve with the faithful of St Nicholas Church there.
Click photo for more pictures.
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In addition to his very busy parish visitation schedule, His Grace Bishop Nikodhim participated in the ordination of the next Bishop of New England. On Friday evening December 2 and Saturday morning December 3, he joined Metropolitan Tikhon and three other ruling bishops of the OCA (Archbishop Benjamin of the Diocese of the West, Archbishop Melchisedek of the Diocese of Western PA, and Archbishop Michael of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey) to ordain Archimandrite Benedict (Churchill) to the episcopacy and install him as the Bishop of Hartford and the Diocese of New England. The Holy Synod members were joined by Bishop John of Diocese of Worcester and New England of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, Bishop Irijej of the Eastern Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Bishop Andrei of Cleveland and Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth. Additionally, Archpriest Mark Doku, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, concelebrated with Chancellors of the OCA, the Diocese of New England and the Diocese of the South.
Resuming his very busy schedule, His Grace left immediately following the Divine Liturgy to drive to St Nicholas Church on Long Island to celebrate St Nicholas Day with the Faithful there on Sunday.
His Grace Bishop Nikodhim joined the faithful of St. George Albanian Orthodox Cathedral in South Boston celebrating Flag Day. On Sunday November 26, St George hosted a luncheon and special program in the Auditorium in honor of Albanian Flag Day, celebrated annually around the world on November 28.
Watch the video of the day's celebration on the parish's Facebook page.
St. George is extremely saddened to learn of the repose of Prifteresha Elisabeth (Lisa) Bouteneff, beloved wife of Fr. Sergei Bouteneff, on Saturday, November 25th. Their ministry together faithfully served our parish of Saint George beginning in 1989 for 21 years, and most recently over the past 5 years in their retirement, filling in during our parish priest vacancy.
We extend our deepest condolences to the Bouteneff family. Click onto the following link to view an In Memoriam. May her memory be eternal! I përjetshëm kujtimi!
On Saturday September 16, 2023, in historic Saint George Cathedral, Metropolotian Tikhon, Archbishop of Washington and All America and Canada, along with six other ruling diocesan bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, ordained Archimandrite Nikodhim to the episcopacy with the words of the Holy Gospel and the Apostolic Succession of laying on of hands. Read more
Current fundraising project of the Archdiocese.
The restoration of the Church of the Life-Giving Spring (Burimi Jetëdhënës) in Korce, Albania.
Please support this worthy cause!
Click here to learn more
