A ministry of the Diocese of New York and New Jersey of the Orthodox Church in America , born out of a need to minister—particularly to women—by providing resources for those struggling with unplanned pregnancy, pregnancy loss, infertility, abortion, sexual trauma, or abuse, as well as pregnancy, adoption, and parenting. The ministry also supports clergy, family, and friends seeking to help women in need.

Unexpectedly pregnant?

Below are local pregnancy support resources and contact information:
Zoe for Life: zoeforlife.org/need-help | 216-465-9030 — An Orthodox Christian pregnancy support ministry based in Ohio, which may be able to connect you with help in your area.
Abortion Pill Reversal Hotline: 877-558-0333 | abortionpillreversal.com

Experiencing sexual abuse, trauma, or domestic violence?

RAINN (National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline): 800-656-HOPE (4673) | hotline.rainn.org/online — Connects callers with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233 | Text LOVEIS to 22522

Need Mental Health Resources?

Directory of Orthodox Christian Mental Health Professionals: assemblyofbishops.org /directories/mental-health
24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 or DIAL 988
Immediate Crisis Resources: mhanational.org/crisisresources

Experiencing or grieving a pregnancy loss?

Practical help is available for miscarriage or stillbirth from an Orthodox Christian perspective. Various services, including memorial prayers, pastoral guidance, and recommended books/websites, are available for support and healing.

Experiencing post-abortion trauma?

It’s normal to grieve a pregnancy loss, including the loss of a child by abortion. It can leave a deep hole in the heart, one that feels impossible to fill. You are not alone.
Support After Abortion: supportafterabortion.com | 844-289-HOPE — A phone and text helpline offering referrals through a network of local post-abortion recovery programs. (It is hoped that Orthodox healing materials will become available in the future.)

Experiencing or grieving infertility?

Thinking about adoption? Looking for Orthodox pregnancy and parenting resources? Helpful links, book recommendations, and prayers are provided for various needs and situations.

O Blessed Matushka Olga of Alaska, Northern Light of God’s Holy Church, Quick to help all those in need, All were to you as Christ our God, New Tabitha of the Far North, Reclothe us with true holiness, Midwife and Deliverer of the suffering, Labor with us for the salvation of our souls.
– From the Moleben to Blessed Olga of Alaska

On April 28, at the Sihastria Monastery, the rite of uncovering the holy relics of Venerable Cleopa (Ilie) and Paisie (Olaru) was performed—an important step in the process of their official glorification as saints.

Bishop Veniamin (Goryanu) of South Bessarabia and Bishop Nichifor (Horia) of Botoșani, Vicar of the Archdiocese of Iași, together with a gathering of clergy, performed a special liturgical rite on this occasion. During the service, the relics of Venerable Paisie and Cleopa were reverently exhumed from their resting places, carefully cleansed of soil, and placed in wooden coffins. Items preserved in their graves were collected and stored in specially prepared containers.

At the end of the service, their honorable relics were transferred into the monastery church of Sihastria, where the rite concluded with the chanting of troparia composed in honor of each saint.

The uncovering was carried out according to ecclesiastical regulations, as part of the proper preparation of the holy relics, which will later be enshrined in new reliquaries currently under construction. A formal local canonization of the two saints is expected to follow in the near future.

“This day will remain historic for all of us, forever engraved in our hearts, because we all witnessed God’s work on earth in a time of human weakness. It was a day of consolation, for as you all saw, the earth was wet, and water covered the remains and coffins of both fathers. But when we brought them out of the ground, the entire cemetery was filled with fragrance,” said Bishop Nichifor of Botoșani.

Source:  Orthochristian.com

On 25 April 2025, in the grand hall of the Moscow Theological Academy, a solemn ceremony was held to award an honorary doctorate from this renowned theological institution to His Holiness Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije.

In the presence of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia kyr Kirill, the ceremony was opened by the Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, His Grace Bishop of Sergiev Posad and Dmitrov kyr Kirill, who emphasized: “In the contemporary world, where people's minds and hearts are constantly subjected to information attacks, often of an anti-Christian nature, religious theological thought is being revived in both Russia and Serbia for the benefit of our peoples, who are united by a thousand-year history and who cherish the memory of their ancestors. Both Russian and Serbian students of theological schools are called to convey to the minds of our contemporaries the highest truths of Christian morality, respect for the sacraments of the Church, and the importance of fulfilling Christ’s commandments.” He noted that students from the Serbian Orthodox Church traditionally make up a very significant portion of the foreign students at the main theological schools of the Russian Orthodox Church — the Moscow Theological Academy and the St. Petersburg Theological Academy.

The formal announcement then followed, declaring the decision to confer the honorary doctorate in theology upon His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije “for his recognized scholarly and educational contributions to the development of theology and the strengthening of ties between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Serbian Orthodox Church.” The diploma for this academic title was presented to the Head of the Serbian Orthodox Church by His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia kyr Kirill.

“With deep respect, gratitude, and humility, I receive this extraordinary honor — the honorary doctorate awarded to me by the famed and respected Moscow Theological Academy at the Holy Trinity–St. Sergius Lavra. I see this recognition as one of the most significant milestones on the path of my many years of theological and scholarly research work, as well as in my pedagogical and educational service,” said Patriarch Porfirije. 

Thanking His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije for his substantial address, the Head of the Russian Orthodox Church emphasized how important it is for words demanding not only spiritual reflection but also intellectual inquiry to be heard within the walls of theological schools. In his further remarks, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed the challenges affecting religious consciousness, beginning from the era of the Renaissance and Baroque, through the Modern Age, and up to recent historical periods. Even then, the prevailing view was that a priest could not avoid being a philosopher — that is, someone who contemplates what is most important in life, who poses (both to himself and to others) profound questions. He must be prepared to answer those who ask such questions, and not only them but also those who might attempt to challenge certain claims or discuss given topics, including followers of various philosophical schools and tendencies. Every clergyman must be a thinker to the extent that his gifts and talents allow. Highlighting that a pastor’s words must correspond to current events and challenges, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia kyr Kirill stated:

“Of course, this does not mean that we should boast about or pride ourselves on some modern knowledge or appropriate someone else’s linguistic style. Absolutely not! We must speak in our own language, use our own concepts, but it is essential to frame what we speak about today in such a way that our words genuinely bring about a change of consciousness in people, strengthen their faith, and nurture virtues in the highest sense of the word — and, if you will, help create a philosophy of the contemporary Orthodox person in our land. Pastoral preaching must aim to assist the modern man, to help him become aware of and recognize the problems that stand before him.”

In this context, His Holiness reminded everyone — starting from students, teachers, professors, clergy, bishops, and even the patriarch himself — of the importance of asking questions: Is everything truly as it appears? Is it right? What else needs to be done? “I am not sure how accurate the answers we give to these questions are, nor how much they can truly impact the proper development of church life, but I deeply believe that without posing such questions, we will too quickly and easily become like a withered fig tree. Outwardly everything will appear polished, but inwardly, in essence, there will be nothing,” he said. At the end of his address, His Holiness Patriarch kyr Kirill concluded: “I am very pleased to be here today in this room together with my beloved brother, who heads the fraternal Serbian Orthodox Church. May the Lord help all of us — in Russia, Serbia, and in other countries — to be able to respond to these questions, these challenges, and the dangers facing the Church of God today.”

The solemn event was attended by members of the delegation of the Serbian Orthodox Church: Archbishop of Novi Sad and Metropolitan of Bačka kyr Irinej, Archimandrite Hariton, Hegumen of the Kovilj Monastery; Protopresbyter Đorđe Stojsavljević, Head of the Cabinet of the Serbian Patriarch; Protodeacon Radomir Vrućinić, Rector of the Saint Sava Seminary in Belgrade; Protodeacon Radojica Žagran; Hierodeacon Justin, a monk of Kovilj Monastery; Deacon Ivan Vasiljević; and Subdeacons Dejan Nakić and Vladimir Jelić.

Among those present at the ceremony were also: Metropolitan of Voskresensk kyr Grigory, Administrator of the Moscow Patriarchate and First Vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia for the City of Moscow; Archbishop of Odintsovo and Krasnogorsk kyr Thomas, Head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Moscow Patriarchate; Protopresbyter Nikolai Balashov, Advisor to His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia; Protopresbyter Igor Yakimchuk, Deputy Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations; Hegumen Theophan, Head of the Protocol Sector of the Department for External Church Relations; Andrey Y. Koshev, Officer of the Secretariat of the Department for External Church Relations for Inter-Orthodox Relations; staff of the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Moscow; as well as faculty and students of the Moscow Theological Academy.

Source:  Official website of the Serbian Orthodox Church