The Holy Orthodox Catholic Church in the Philippines

The Holy Orthodox Catholic Church in the Philippines We are Western-rite Orthodox with communities spead across East & Southeast Asia.

St. Mark is a beloved Apostle and Evangelist, honored by our Church as the founder of the African Church in ancient time...
25/04/2026

St. Mark is a beloved Apostle and Evangelist, honored by our Church as the founder of the African Church in ancient times! St. Mark, pray for us!

St Mark the Evangelist, 1657, by Emmanuel Tzanes, on the Google Art Project By Bp. Joseph Boyd ( Ancient Church of the West ) Introductio...

25/04/2026

✠ THE DIVINE LITURGY OF ST. JAMES ✠ ACCORDING TO THE USE OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE WEST ✠ SECOND SUNDAY AFTER EASTER ✠ ✠ THE PREP...

22/04/2026

St. George and the Dragon, by Raphael Edited by Bp. Joseph ( Ancient Church of the West ) Today, April 23rd, we celebrate the memory of S...

✠ Pananalita sa Kapistahan ng Banal na Dakilang Martir San Jorge na Mapagtagumpay ✠Sa maningning na liwanag ng panahon n...
20/04/2026

✠ Pananalita sa Kapistahan ng Banal na Dakilang Martir San Jorge na Mapagtagumpay ✠

Sa maningning na liwanag ng panahon ng Pasko ng Pagkabuhay, muling inilalagay ng Iglesia ni Cristo sa harapan natin ang larawan ng banal na Dakilang Martir na si San Jorge, ang maluwalhating Mapagtagumpay, na nagpakitang siya’y tunay na kawal ni Cristo. Sa kanya, ating minamasdan hindi lamang ang isang tauhan ng kasaysayan, kundi isang buhay na ikon ng tagumpay ng biyaya ng Diyos laban sa takot, karahasan, at kamatayan.

Si San Jorge, na tinatawag na Mapagtagumpay, ay larawan ng pakikibakang espirituwal—isang pakikibakang hindi laban sa laman at dugo, kundi laban sa kadiliman ng sanlibutang ito. Ang kanyang sibat na tumatagos sa dragon ay hindi lamang tanda ng lakas, kundi sagisag ng pananampalatayang dumadaig sa sanlibutan. Gaya ng itinuro ng Apostol: “Ito ang tagumpay na dumadaig sa sanlibutan, ang ating pananampalataya.” (1 Juan 5:4)

Para sa mga mananampalataya sa Pilipinas, ang banal na si San Jorge ay tumatayo bilang isang huwaran ng katapangan at katapatan sa gitna ng mga pagsubok ng ating panahon. Bagaman hindi siya katutubong santo ng ating lupain, ang kanyang halimbawa ay malalim na umaangkop sa karanasan ng sambayanang Pilipino—isang bayang kilala sa pananampalataya, pagtitiis, at pag-asa sa gitna ng kahirapan, sakuna, at mga pagsubok sa lipunan. Tulad ng mga sinaunang Kristiyano, tayo man ay tinatawag na maging matatag sa pananampalataya, kahit sa harap ng pangamba at kawalan ng katiyakan.

Sa ating konteksto, ang larawan ni San Jorge na lumalaban sa dragon ay maaaring maunawaan bilang pakikibaka laban sa kasamaan sa ating sariling buhay—laban sa kasalanan, kawalang-katarungan, katiwalian, at kawalan ng pag-ibig. Ang kanyang tagumpay ay nagpapaalala sa atin na sa pamamagitan ng biyaya ng Diyos, ang kasamaan ay hindi kailanman mananaig.

Ang kapistahan ng mga banal sa ating bayan ay kadalasang ipinagdiriwang nang may masiglang debosyon—sa pamamagitan ng mga panalangin, prusisyon, awit, at sama-samang pagsamba. Sa ganitong diwa, ang pagdiriwang kay San Jorge ay maaaring maging isang pagkakataon upang pagtibayin ang ating pananampalataya, hingin ang kanyang panalangin, at ialay ang ating buhay sa paglilingkod kay Cristo.

Sa ating panahon, na puno ng mga hamon—sa pamilya, sa lipunan, at sa Iglesia—tinatawag tayo ni San Jorge sa katapangan, katapatan, at hindi matitinag na pag-asa. Ang kanyang buhay ay nagpapaalala na ang tunay na tagumpay ay hindi matatagpuan sa lakas ng tao, kundi sa kapangyarihan ng Krus; hindi sa tagumpay ng mundo, kundi sa kaluwalhatiang walang hanggan.

Kaya’t sa ating pagninilay sa kanyang banal na ikon, tayo’y lumapit sa kanya nang may pananampalataya at pag-ibig:

Tropario, Ika-4 na Tono:

Tagapagpalaya ng mga bihag at tagapagtanggol ng mga dukha,
manggagamot ng mga maysakit at tagapagtanggol ng mga pinuno,
O mapagtagumpay na Dakilang Martir San Jorge,
manalangin ka kay Cristo Diyos upang maligtas ang aming mga kaluluwa.

✠ Слово на свято святого великомученика Юрія Переможця ✠

У світлому сяйві Пасхального часу Церква Христова знову підносить перед нами образ святого великомученика Юрія, славного переможця і страстотерпця, що виявив себе істинним воїном Христовим. У ньому ми бачимо не лише історичного мученика, але живу ікону перемоги Божої благодаті над страхом, насильством і смертю.

Святий Юрій, прозваний Переможцем (Трофеоносцем), є образом духовної боротьби, яка ведеться не проти плоті і крові, але проти темряви цього світу. Його спис, що вражає змія, є не лише символом сили, але знаком віри, що перемагає світ. Як навчає Апостол: «Оце перемога, що перемогла світ, — віра наша» (1 Ів. 5:4).

Для українського народу постать святого Юрія має особливе значення. Від княжих часів Київської Русі він був покровителем воїнів, державності і християнського життя. Його ім’я носили князі, його образ прикрашав міста, а його молитви укріпляли народ у часи випробувань. Весняне свято Юрія (Юріїв день) знаменувало початок нового життя, благословення землі, вихід стад на пасовища, і освячення праці людської під покровом Божої благодаті.

У народному благочесті цей день супроводжувався молитвами за врожай, окропленням полів свяченою водою, співом духовних піснеспівів і радісним прославленням святого, який є охоронцем життя і переможцем зла. Усе це є свідченням того, що пам’ять святого Юрія живе не лише в літургії, але й у самому диханні християнської культури.

Сьогодні, коли світ знову переживає часи боротьби, постать святого Юрія закликає нас до мужності, вірності і незламної надії. Його життя нагадує, що істинна перемога не в силі меча, але в силі хреста; не в земній славі, але в небесному вінці.

Тому, споглядаючи його святу ікону, звернімось до нього з вірою і любов’ю:

Тропар, глас 4:

Як визволитель полонених і оборонець убогих, лікар недужих і поборник царів,
побідоносче великомученику Юрію,
моли Христа Бога спастися душам нашим.



✠ A Word for the Feast of the Holy Great Martyr George the Victory-Bearer ✠

In the radiant light of the Paschal season, the Church of Christ once again sets before us the image of the holy Great Martyr George, the glorious Victory-Bearer, who revealed himself to be a true soldier of Christ. In him, we behold not merely a figure of history, but a living icon of the triumph of divine grace over fear, violence, and death.

Saint George, called the Trophy-Bearer, stands as an image of the spiritual warfare waged not against flesh and blood, but against the darkness of this world. The spear with which he strikes the dragon is not only a sign of strength, but a symbol of faith that conquers the world. As the Apostle declares: “This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).

For the Ukrainian people, the figure of Saint George holds a place of particular honor. From the princely age of Kyivan Rus’, he has been venerated as a patron of warriors, of righteous governance, and of Christian life itself. Princes bore his name, cities were adorned with his image, and his intercessions strengthened the faithful in times of trial. The spring feast of Saint George—Yurii’s Day—marked the renewal of life, the blessing of the land, the leading forth of flocks, and the sanctification of human labor under the grace of God.

In the piety of the faithful, this feast has long been accompanied by prayers for the harvest, the sprinkling of fields with holy water, the singing of sacred hymns, and the joyful glorification of the saint who guards life and overcomes evil. Thus, his memory lives not only within the liturgical life of the Church, but within the very fabric of Christian culture.

In our own age, marked again by struggle and uncertainty, Saint George calls us to courage, fidelity, and steadfast hope. His life proclaims that true victory is not found in the power of the sword, but in the power of the Cross; not in earthly glory, but in the crown of heaven.

Therefore, contemplating his holy icon, let us turn to him with faith and love:

Troparion, Tone 4:

As the deliverer of captives and defender of the poor,
physician of the infirm and champion of kings,
O victorious Great Martyr George,
intercede with Christ God that our souls may be saved.

18/04/2026

LITURGICAL PROPERS FOR THE FIRST SUNDAY AFTER HOLY PASCHA IN THE LITURGY OF SAINT JAMES IN THE USE OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH OF THE WEST INTROIT...

17/04/2026

П’ятниця Світлої Седмиці
Ікони Пресвятої Богородиці «Живоносний Істочник»

Христос Воскресе!

У світлі Пасхальної радості Церква сьогодні прославляє Пресвяту Владичицю нашу Богородицю і Приснодіву Марію як Живоносний Істочник — джерело благодаті, що подає світові Христа, істинну Воду Живу.

Цей святий образ нагадує нам про древнє чудо поблизу Константинополя, де через заступництво Богородиці було явлено цілюще джерело води, що приносило зцілення хворим і втіху скорботним. Але ще глибше — він відкриває богословську істину: від Неї народився Христос, Який Сам сказав: «Хто питиме воду, яку Я дам йому, не матиме спраги повіки» (Іоан 4:14).

Як джерело води наповнює землю життям, так Пречиста Діва стала посудиною Життя, через Яку у світ увійшло Спасіння. Тому і ми сьогодні приступаємо з вірою, черпаючи не лише воду, але благодать Святого Духа, що зцілює душу і тіло.

Нехай же Пресвята Богородиця, Живоносний Істочник, напоїть нас водами спасіння, укріпить у вірі, і приведе до вічного життя у Воскреслому Христі.

Воістину Воскресе Христос!

Friday of Bright Week
The Icon of the Mother of God, the Life-Giving Spring

Christ is Risen!

In the radiance of Paschal joy, the Church this day glorifieth the Most Blessed Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, as the Life-Giving Spring — the wellspring of grace, who hath given unto the world Christ, the true Living Water.

This sacred icon calleth to mind the ancient wonder wrought near Constantinople, where, through her intercession, a healing fountain was revealed, granting restoration to the sick and consolation to the afflicted. Yet more profoundly, it proclaimeth the mystery of our salvation: that from her was born Christ our God, Who saith, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst” (St. John 4:14).

As a spring refresheth the earth and bringeth forth life, so the Most Pure Virgin became the vessel of Life, by whom Salvation entered into the world. Therefore we draw near in faith, receiving not water only, but the grace of the Holy Ghost, which healeth both soul and body.

May the Most Holy Theotokos, the Life-Giving Spring, refresh us with the waters of salvation, strengthen us in the Faith, and lead us unto everlasting life in the Risen Christ.

Indeed, He is Risen!

#ХристосВоскресе

12/04/2026

✠ PASCHAL GRAMMATA ✠

Of His Eminence, ++Rogelio
By the Mercy of God, Presiding Metropolitan of Manila and Luzon

To the Most Reverend Hierarchs, Reverend and Beloved Clergy, Honored Monastics, and all the Christ-loving Faithful of the Holy Orthodox Catholic and Apostolic Church of the Philippines, the Orthodox Archdiocese of America, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in East Asia, and the Ancient Church of the West:

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

Beloved in the Lord,

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

With one heart and one voice, we proclaim the victory which no power of earth or hell can overthrow: “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.” (Matthew 28:6). Christ is risen from the dead, and by His rising He has trampled down death, despoiled Hades, and restored our fallen nature to life and incorruption. The Apostle testifies, “Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.” (Romans 6:9).

This mystery is not a remembrance only, but a present and living participation. For as many as have been baptized into Christ have been baptized into His death and raised into His life; and in the Holy Eucharist we partake of His glorified Body and Blood, becoming by grace what He is by nature. Thus the Resurrection is the very life of the Church, the fountain from which all grace flows.

Therefore, with the holy Fathers, we cry aloud in the joy of Pascha. Hear the voice of the golden-mouthed Chrysostom: “Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free… O death, where is thy sting? O hell, where is thy victory?” In these words the Church does not merely rejoice; she proclaims the overthrow of the last enemy and the liberation of mankind.

This same victory we encounter and receive in the holy and apostolic Liturgy entrusted to us. In the ancient rite of St. James, the inheritance of the undivided Church and the fountain of all liturgical tradition, we proclaim with boldness that Christ “hast destroyed death by Thy death, and hast given life unto the world.” This sacred worship, preserved and restored among us, is no innovation but the living continuity of the Apostolic Church, handed down in faithfulness and offered now in our own tongue and culture, yet unchanged in its essence . Here heaven descends to earth, and the faithful are lifted into the heavenly places, becoming truly “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4).

Beloved, in this radiant season we give thanks with trembling joy, for the Lord has not left His Church without witness in our days. We behold with our own eyes the signs of His resurrectional power at work among us. Many souls, long scattered in confusion and spiritual hunger, have come home to the Apostolic Faith. Communities once small and hidden have grown into living parishes, shining as lamps in their cities. The monastic life has taken root and begun to flower, offering unceasing prayer before the throne of God. Our Holy Synod abides in unity and charity, not by compulsion or worldly order, but through the grace of conciliar love. Doctrine has been clarified, and canonical order strengthened, not as a burden, but as a healing medicine for the Body of Christ, for the canons themselves are given as instruments of restoration, guiding the faithful into communion and wholeness.

These things are not of man. They are the work of the Risen Christ in His Body. They are the signs that life has conquered death.

We must also recognize the hour in which we stand. The world around us is at once newly pagan and deeply wounded by a forgotten Christianity. In some places Christ has never been known; in others He has been obscured or abandoned. Yet the truth remains unchanging: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8). In such a time, the calling of the Church is neither to conform nor to retreat, but to manifest the life of Christ with clarity and peace. The faith once delivered to the saints must be lived in its fullness, neither diluted nor distorted, but embodied in such a way that every culture may receive it, be purified by it, and be transfigured through it.

For the Church is not bound to one land or language, but is the living Body of Christ extended into every nation. As our theological inheritance teaches, the divine life flows outward from God, through Christ, in the Holy Spirit, drawing all creation back into communion. Thus every people and culture may be baptized into this life, not erased, but fulfilled in Christ.

In this light, we give thanks for the restoration of our Western Orthodox patrimony. What we have received is not novelty, but continuity—the faith of Ambrose and Augustine, the worship of the ancient Western and Celtic Churches, the clarity of the Caroline Divines, and the fidelity of the Non-Jurors. We have not invented a new way, but returned to the old paths, as the Prophet commands: “Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein.” (Jeremiah 6:16). What God has revealed, the Church receives; what the Church has received, she faithfully transmits.

Therefore, beloved children, let us not grow weary in well-doing. Let each of us enter more deeply into the life which has been given. Let prayer be constant upon your lips, repentance ever present in your heart, and charity the bond of your life together. Approach the Holy Mysteries with reverence and faith, for in them is life everlasting. Let your homes be sanctified by prayer, your families strengthened in love, and your communities bound together in truth and peace. If we have been raised with Christ, let us seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1).

And now, in this most holy and radiant feast, we proclaim again the invitation of the Church to all mankind: “Enter ye all into the joy of your Lord; receive your reward, both the first and the last.” Let none despair of mercy; let none remain in darkness; let none fear death. For Christ is risen, and in Him all things are made new.

May the Risen Lord Jesus Christ, who by His death hath destroyed death and by His rising hath restored life, grant unto you peace of heart, steadfastness in faith, unity in love, and perseverance unto the end. And may the Holy Spirit guide and preserve this growing communion of Churches, that we may remain faithful to the Apostolic Tradition, radiant in holiness, and fruitful in mission, until we behold the glory of His Kingdom.

Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!

Given under our hand and seal,
in the holy and radiant season of Pascha,
from Manila and Luzon,

++Rogelio
Presiding Metropolitan

11/04/2026
10/04/2026

GOOD FRIDAY

Today the Church stands in silence before the Mystery of the Cross.

There is no triumph. There is no easy answer to relieve the weight of this hour. There is only the Lamb of God, who gives Himself willingly for the life of the world. He who created heaven and earth stretches out His hands upon the Tree; He who breathed life into man receives the breath of death.

“It is finished”—not as a cry of defeat, but as the fulfillment of love.

On this day, we see the truth about man and the truth about God. Man betrays, denies, and flees. And God does not turn away, does not destroy, does not judge in wrath, but endures, forgives, and gives Himself to the end. The Cross reveals not only the sin of the world—it reveals the immeasurable mercy of God.

The Good Thief, hanging beside Christ, sees what the wise and powerful of this world could not see: a Kingdom that comes through suffering, and a King who reigns through love. His simple prayer—“Jesus, remember me…”—becomes the doorway to Paradise.

And today, we stand beside him.

In our own suffering, in our losses, in our struggle with sin and fear, we recognize this Cross. Yet it is here, in the darkness of Good Friday, that the light of Pascha begins to dawn. For the love that descends into death is the love that conquers death.

Let the silence of this day teach us repentance.
Let the Cross of Christ teach us humility.
And let the word of the Savior open to us hope:

“Today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

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