Introduction
: At this section you can find pictures and thoughts relative to Christian Churches I visit during my trip. My goal is to attend the Sunday Holy Liturgy at the nearest Orthodox Christian church available around me. I am also interested in visiting churches of other Christian denominations, and even mosques and other spiritual places, but this would be in terms of curiosity and not some kind of multi-spiritual approach.
The very reason for this page being here is because I am interested in the different expressions of the Christian Orthodox faith. I believe that Orthodoxy is (and should be) something ecumenical (that is, for all, and by all). Not restricted to ethnic orientation of any kind. When I first attended the Divine Liturgy in English I was amased and my horizons were broadened realising that going to such a church or doing this and that in the Sunday Service is not something Greek, it’s not something Russian or Serbian or I don’t know – It’s just Orthodox..
Apart from pictures of the Churches and some thoughts on the Service, at the end of every post you can find and listen to an audio file of the Service attended. This can be the whole Divine Liturgy or part of it, Matins (Orthros), Vespers, Compline etc. The reason why I upload audio files as well, is because someone may be interested in listening how the Orthodox Service sounds like in an other language.
Map of the Churches
SOUTH AMERICA
Holy Trinity, Quito, Ecuador - Sunday, July 31, 2016 The church is located at the “Casa de Moscu” (The House of Moscow), at the very heart of the Ecuadorian capital. The building is not used as a whole, but the church at the top floor hosts a lively community of Russians. There are some locals too, but Russians are the… Continue reading Holy Trinity, Quito, Ecuador 
Saint Andrew the Apostle, Cali, Colombia - Sunday, May 15, 2016 In Cali I was hosted by an Orthodox family, as father Chrisostomo from Pereira had made all the arrangements in order to feel like home in Cali too. As for the Divine Liturgy… I was very touched as it was more like early Christians did it. One simple room served as the temple… Continue reading Saint Andrew the Apostle, Cali, Colombia 
Nativity of the Theotokos, Pereira, Colombia - Holy Week 2016, I was very fortunate and blessed indeed not only to attend a part of the Holy Week in Pereira, but also to be hosted by Father Chrisostomos at his place. A small church with plastic walls situated at the patio of the Father´s house. This was all that the locals and myself needed… Continue reading Nativity of the Theotokos, Pereira, Colombia 
Annunciation of the Theotokos, Bogotá, Colombia - Sunday, April 3, 2016 Honestly I didn´t expext to find a church looking like this in Latin America. I attended the service for three consecutive Sundays there. The first time I arrived during the Matins service, and father Mijail came out of the altar in order to greet me and welcome me. He also gave me… Continue reading Annunciation of the Theotokos, Bogotá, Colombia
U.S.A
Firstly and most importantly I would like to express my feelings in regard to the spiritual journey I had in the States. Very full on a personal level, and very happy for the state of the Orthodox Church as I experienced it for 3 months in the North America, attending Services in Bulgarian, Antiochian and Greek Orthodox Churches.
Full and happy because I loved the following:
In the majority of the Churches I had been in the States, there was massive participation in the Holy Communion. It is very beautiful to see that the ones who participate in the Service are focused on the core and on the very reason why we have the Service, and this is no other than the the Eucharist -receiving Christ.
In the majority of the Churches I had been, the Divine Liturgy was mainly in English. While I adore the Divine Liturgy in Greek (as I consider it a poetic masterpiece), the simplicity of the English language and the ability to understand absolutely everything is not to be underestimated.
In the majority of the Churches I had been, there was a beautiful order. Upon the entrance there was usually some parishioners that would give you a leaflet with the readings of the day. Usually they would also facilitate the process of receiving the Holy Communion orderly – guiding the faithful, line of seats after a line. The congregations were silent and peaceful. According to my understanding, the people were focused on what’s going on. It was clear that they were there. I don’t recall any incidence of being annoyed by people talking to each other and there was, in the majority again, nice, devout environment (especially in the smaller temples).
In all of the Churches I had been, there was very vivid and powerful sermons. To-the-point, direct, related to everyday life, without pompous terms all the time, with a bit of fun and with lots of examples, analogies, allegories.
In the majority of the churches I had been, there was coffee and some food (sweets usually) after the Service. Which was nice, because you get to know better your fellow parishioners.
In half of the churches there was a choir with females and males, and not just 2-3 persons chanting. I enjoyed this a lot as I fancy a more participatory singing, even if the chants are not only in Byzantine.
St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church, Boca Raton - Sunday, February 28, 2016 Impressive and very bright church! Lots of people and big choir too! The Divine Liturgy was in English and Greek and there was coffee and sweets after the Service. 
St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine, St Augustine - Sunday, February 21, 2016 St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine is “an institution of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America … dedicated to the first colony of Greek people who came to America in 1768. The Shrine consists of exhibits depicting the life of early Greeks in America and the development of the Greek Orthodox… Continue reading St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine, St Augustine 
St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, Jacksonville - Sunday, February 21, 2016 A very big and beautiful church. The divine liturgy was in English and Arabic. I really enjoyed the chants in Arabic ( an example at 02:39:37 ) and also the company of my friend Majd who is the Youth director in St. George and hosted me in Jacksonville.
St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, Myrtle Beach - Sunday, February 2, 2016 Such a beautiful congregation! The Divine Liturgy was only in English. There was a nice choir at the back of the Church. The priest was very clear and focused on his words. Pure joy! Oh! I almost forgot how impressed I was by the order and the great participation in the… Continue reading St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, Myrtle Beach 
St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Washington - Sunday, January 17, 2016 Magnificent church and Divine Liturgy (in Greek and English)! Enjoy the wonderful Byzantine hymns in the audio below! (I was in a very crucial point those days as I had a very intense pain in my knee and I was really worried as to what should I do. Thank God, for… Continue reading St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Washington 
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, New York - Wednesday, January 6, 2016 A beautiful Divine Liturgy, in Greek and English! It was a great pleasure for me that my father saw me in the church during the Service as all of the services are broadcast via live-stream! You can listen to the audio track below the very nice chanting and also you can see this video to… Continue reading Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral, New York 
Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of New England, Boston - Friday, December 25, 2015 – Christmas! Christmas!!! The Divine Liturgy was mainly in Greek and I enjoyed it a lot, since there were months without attending a Service in Greek. Right after the Service there was coffee offered in a big hall under the church. There were exhibits and photos relative to the history of… Continue reading Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of New England, Boston 
Holy Resurrection Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Boston - Sunday, December 20, 2015 My first Service in the States was such a blessing. I had been working on my computer all night, so in early Sunday morning I decided I ‘ll go to the nearest Orthodox Church, even if I had no sleep at all. Thank God I did. z This Divine Liturgy was……magical! Or,… Continue reading Holy Resurrection Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Boston 
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Wilmington - Sunday, January 31, 2016 Well, there are no words to describe how blessed and fortunate I was those days. It’s Friday night the 29th, I am at Ocracoke (Outer Banks, North Carolina) when I google “orthodox church near me”. I realise that the closest (and at my route) church is 230 km (143 miles) far…! Saturday… Continue reading St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Wilmington
EUROPE
Serbian Orthodox Church of St. Sava in Paris, France - Wednesday, December 16, 2015 Unfortunately, I didn’t manage to go to the Divine Liturgy in Paris and I went instead to the Small Compline.. 
St. Demetrius Orthodox Church in Zurich, Switzerland - Sunday, December 6, 2015 A beautiful modern church with a loooot of people of all ages – mostly Greeks. After the Service there was coffee, sweets and more under the church. Enjoyed it a lot as I was with my brother and his wife 🙂
The Orthodox Cathedral of San Giorgio dei Greci in Venice, Italy - Monday, November 30, 2015 I enjoyed this Service a lot! We were few but it was so vibrant and powerful. ( I prefer the church being with less people that actually want to be there and participate, rather than a church being full of people that are physically there but in essence they are everywhere… Continue reading The Orthodox Cathedral of San Giorgio dei Greci in Venice, Italy 
Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Zagreb, Croatia - Sunday, November 22, 2015 This Sunday I didn’t know what time the Service begins at and I had slept only for a couple of hours the previous night and I got lost several times until I find the church. Result? I got into the church right at the end.. The 2 minutes of chanting that… Continue reading Serbian Orthodox Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Zagreb, Croatia 
Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina - This is the most beautiful church I have seen so far in this trip. It’s also among the prettiest churches I have ever seen in my life.
Nativity of the Theotokos Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Sunday, November 15, 2015 The thing with going to Church while you are abroad is that you can’t always know if there is a Service taking place or at what time it starts. So, I was at the church at 8 o’clock but the service begun at 10! Something intriguing is that one of the… Continue reading Nativity of the Theotokos Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina 
Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Cathedral of Tirana - Sunday, November 8, 2015 At this beautiful and very special church I was very happy to celebrate my name-day. The temple was pretty big and imposing. It was full of people, and among the faithful you could see a lot of young people. Something intriguing was the fact that there were a lot of people… Continue reading Resurrection of Christ Orthodox Cathedral of Tirana 
The Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Ardenica, Albania - A very beautiful and old monastery built by Byzantine Emperor, Andronikos II Palaiologos in 1282 (!) At the moment there are 2 monks residing there. I am grateful to these monks as they hosted me for one night, they prepared dinner for me and show me around despite that the monastery normally doesn’t host and also not knowing… Continue reading The Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos in Ardenica, Albania 
A day in the Church Boarding House and School of the Holy Cross in Gjirokaster, Albania - This Church Boarding House & School is run by the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Gjirokastër. At the moment there are 23 high school boys. I was hosted there for 5 days and I really enjoyed children’s company and the daily schedule that was very rich. Every night, right after dinner, there is a Compline Service that… Continue reading A day in the Church Boarding House and School of the Holy Cross in Gjirokaster, Albania 
St. Spyridon – Igoumenitsa - Sunday, November 1, 2015 This was my first Divine Liturgy for the whole trip. It was emotionally intense and very much enjoyed. The priest was one of those priests that really feel what they do and say during the Service, and this was touching. The Service was beautiful and quiet. You can find an audio… Continue reading St. Spyridon – Igoumenitsa
A.W.E.S.O.M.E 