Javascript Menu by Deluxe-Menu.com

All mail and correspondence should be sent to:  6 Lansing Ave Watervliet NY 12189-1845

Phone: (518) 273-6262   E-Mail:  kaolsen2410@gmail.com  Please do not send text messages.  Thank you.

 

OUR MISSION/VISION STATEMENT

  • ST. BASIL'S CHURCH WILL STRIVE TO GLORIFY GOD THROUGH 

ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN WORSHIP,

SINCERE LOVE AND CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER,

AND SERVICE TO THOSE IN NEED AROUND US

 

St. Basil's, a parish of the Orthodox Church in America, is a Christian community of people from various ethnic and social backgrounds sharing a common commitment to the Lord, each other, and the Apostolic Faith. We warmly welcome all families, couples, and individuals who are looking for a deeper experience of the salvation offered in Jesus Christ. Come and see!

**All services are in English                  

Welcome! It is always an honor and a privilege when we have visitors worship with us at St. Basil’s.  Please consider filling out a “Visitor’s Card” at the Candle Desk and joining us for Coffee Hour after the liturgy. Please keep in mind that we have certain traditions and practices that perhaps you may not be accustomed to.  For example, modest and proper attire should be worn.  We do not practice so-called "Eucharistic hospitality" or "inter-Communion."  Only Baptized Orthodox Christians who have been to Holy Confession recently may receive Holy Communion.  If you are an Orthodox visitor and plan to receive Holy Communion, please call Fr. Peter ahead of time (518-273-6262).  ALL SERVICES ARE IN ENGLISH!

Sacraments are scheduled only by Baptized Orthodox Christians who go to church, go to Confession, and receive Holy Communion on a regular basis.  Please note that in order to schedule a sacrament, you must be a member in good standing of St. Basil's.  If you are a member of another Orthodox Church, you must bring a letter from the Parish Priest stating that you are a member in good standing of that parish and that he gives you his blessing to request a sacrament in our church.  All Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals must be scheduled ahead of time with Fr. Peter.  Please keep in mind that not all days and times are permitted.  All canonical, traditional and liturgical practices of the Orthodox Church must be followed and adhered to.  All Baptisms must be discussed with the parents of the child ahead of time, and all couples seeking to be wed in our church must themselves discuss this request with the priest.  Thank you!

Confession is a soul-proftitable Mystery (Sacrament) of the Church.  It is a gift to us from God in our struggle to be cleansed from our sins and to have inner peace in our hearts and souls.  It is the practice of the Orthodox Church to go to Confession before receiving Holy Communion.  If we are frequent communicants (receive Holy Communion on a weekly basis), it is the guidance of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America to go to Confession once a month.  Confessions are generally heard at St. Basil’s on Saturday evening after Great Vespers.  Confessions are generally not heard on Sunday morning before Divine Liturgy because there is little time, as the priest must do the proskomedia before the liturgy.  Exceptions for worthy reasons can be made.  Confessions are also heard on other days and times by appointment.  Occasionally (RARELY) Confessions may not be scheduled on a particular Saturday.  Please check our weekly bulletin for our schedule.  Please see Fr. Peter if you would like further guidance or reading material explaining Confession, as well as how to prepare for Confession and Holy Communion.  Children begin going to Confession at seven years of age.

Таинства назначаются только крещеным православным христианам, которые регулярно ходят в храм, исповедуются и причащаются. Обратите внимание, что для того, чтобы запланировать таинство (крещение ребенка, венчание, отпевание, и.т.д.); вообще Вы должны быть членом церкви Св. Василия.  Если Вы являетесь членом другой православной церкви, Вам необходимо принести письмо от приходского священника, в котором будет указано, что Вы являетесь членом этого прихода и, что Вы получили благословение священника того храма, чтобы попросить у нас соблюдать таинство.  Все крещения, свадьбы и похороны необходимо согласовывать заранее с о. Петром.  Имеете ввиду, что не все дни и часы разрешены.  Необходимо соблюдать все канонические, традиционные и литургические практики Церкви.    Все крещения необходимо заранее обсудить с родителями ребенка. Спасибо за внимание!

St. Basil's celebrated its Parish Feast Day of St. Basil the Great  with His Eminence, Archbishop MICHAEL on January 1, 2025.  Serving with the parish rector, Archpriest Peter Olsen, was Priest Paul Fedoroff and parish deacon Jason Gagnon.  Subdeacons were Benjamin Goes and Andrew Karlgut.  A festive meal and fellowship was enjoyed by all in the parish hall.


We encourage you to visit the official website of the Diocese of NY and NJ, www.nynjoca.org

 It includes information about various Diocesan activities:  Teen Retreats, Altar Servers Retreats, Mens and Womens Retreats, Family Fun Days, the Bishop’s schedule, etc.. 

Diocesan Guidelines and other vital documents are also available.  News about parish events and activities throughout the Diocese are also posted.

518-273-6262

kaolsen2410@gmail.com


OUR RELIQUARY

LIFE AT ST. BASIL'S

(42 images)



Ancient Faith Radio

Orthodoxy in America

SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Sunday - June 8 - HOLY PENTECOST - DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - 9:10 am - Hours and Divine Liturgy. Vespers of Pentecost with kneeling prayers. Coffee Hour.  Fast Free Week.  

Saturday - June 14 - 5:30 pm - Great Vespers. Confssion

Sunday of All Saints - June 15 - 9:10 am - Hours and Divine Liturgy. Coffee Hour.  1:00 pm - Panikhida and Blessing of Graves at St. Basil's Cemetery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                       

                                                         

 

Home | Back | Print | Top
BLESSED MATUSHKA OLGA OF ALASKA MINISTRY

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

ROMANIAN CHURCH UNCOVERS THE RELICS OF VEN. CLEOPA AND PAISIE

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

  •  

PAT. PORFIRIJE OF SERBIA RECEIVES HONORARY DOCTORATE

 

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

 

 

 

" data-"1500"]; ?>" data-offset="150"><"fas fa-chevron-up"n']; ?>" style="line-height: 48px;">