St Anthony Orthodox Church Bergenfield, NJ

06/01/2026

50 days after Pascha in the Orthodox Church, we celebrate the Descent of the Holy Spirit — the Feast of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles as tongues of fire, transforming fishermen into bold preachers of the Gospel (Acts 2:1–4). This Feast is the fulfillment of Christ’s promise — that the Holy Spirit would come to comfort and guide us, His Church, into all truth.

"We have received this Feast from the Hebrew Bible, for just as the Hebrews celebrate their own Pentecost because they received the Law fifty days after the Passover, so also do we, fifty days after Pascha, receive, instead of the Law, the All-Holy Spirit, Who guides us into all truth." - The Synaxarion

"When seed is sown, the power of warmth and light must descend upon it to make it grow. When a tree is planted, the power of the wind must come in order to make it strong. Our Lord Jesus Christ has sown a most select seed in the field of this world. The power of the Holy Spirit had to descend in order to warm and sanctify that seed, so that it would grow and prosper. God the Son planted the tree of life in the overgrown field of death. The mighty wind of God the Holy Spirit had to sweep through, in order to strengthen the tree of life. The Divine Bridegroom chose a Bride for Himself, the Church of pure souls, and the Spirit of eternal joy had to descend, so that heaven and earth might be betrothed, and the Bride adorned in white garments." - St. Nikolai Velimirovich

O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art in all places, and fillest
all things, Treasury of good things, and Giver of life, come, and abide in us, and
cleanse us from every stain; and save our souls, O good One.

Blessed Feast!

05/21/2026

Today, the 40th day after Holy Pascha, we celebrate the Great Feast of the Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (1:3-11), and is also mentioned in the Gospels of Mark (16:19) and Luke (24:50-53).

Our icon of the Ascension expresses the sovereignty of Christ over His Church - represented at the bottom by the Theotokos and the Apostles. He is its Head, its guide, its source of inspiration and teaching; it receives its commission and ministry from Him, and fulfils it in the power of the Holy Spirit. 10 days from now we will celebrate the Descent of the Holy Spirit at the Feast of Holy Pentecost.

"Human nature, which had fallen by corruption, you raised up, O Christ, and by your ascension you exalted and glorified us with yourself." - St. John of Damascus

"This is He Who descended to Sheol and ascended, that from [the place] which corrupts its sojourners, He might bring us to the place which nourishes with its blessings its dwellers; even those dwellers who, with the possessions, the fruits, and the flowers, of this world, that pass away, have crowned and adorned for themselves there, tabernacles that pass not away." - St. Ephrem the Syrian

"God is gone up in jubilation, the Lord with the voice of the trumpet, to raise the fallen image of Adam, and to send the Comforting Spirit to sanctify our souls." - Vesperal Doxastikon

Blessed Feast!

05/09/2026

What does it look like to turn away from the passing things of this world and towards the Fountain of Life, that we may never thirst again?

This fifth Sunday of Pascha, we commemorate the conversation our Lord had with the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:5-42)

After accepting the “living water” offered her by Christ Himself, she was baptized Photini, meaning "the enlightened one" and became a great saint, being one of tthe first to proclaim the Gospel. All her life, she would continue to draw from this well of life and shared this living water with others, evangelizing to and converting many others. She reposed as a martyr and is called "Equal-to-the-Apostles." She is also commemorated on February 26th in the Orthodox Church.

"At Jacob’s well, Jesus met the Samaritan woman. He Who screened the earth with clouds asked water of her. What wonder, that He Who rideth on the cherubim converseth with an adulterous woman. He asked water Who suspended the earth on the waters. He seeketh water Who caused the springs of water and their lakes to overflow. Yea, that He may draw to Him the truth ensnared by the contending enemy, and give her water to drink who was inflamed with ugly vices; for He alone is compassionate and the Lover of mankind." - Vesperal Doxastikon

04/26/2026

What can we learn from the women who went early in the morning to anoint our Lord's body after His Passion?

On this Third Sunday of Pascha in the Orthodox Church, we celebrate these Myrrhbearing women, a few of the names we know include: Mary Magdalene; Mary the Mother of James and Joses; Joanna the wife of Chuza; Salome the mother of the sons of Zebedee; Susanna; and Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, and our Most Holy Mother, the Theotokos.

We also celebrate Joseph of Arimathea, a secret disciple, and also Nikodemos, a disciple by night.

They are all examples to us of faith, love and courage enacted even when it seems to us in our weakness that all is lost and unclear.

"They had loved Him when He was alive, and they showed Him their eager tenderheartedness even when He was dead. Their deed points to something that must be done in our holy Church." - St. Gregory the Dialogist

"Thou Who coverest Thyself with light as with a garment, when Joseph with Nicodemus took Thee down from the Tree and beheld Thee dead, naked and unburied, he struck up a compassionate dirge, and with mourning he said: Woe is me, O sweet Jesus! When but a short while ago the sun beheld Thee hanging upon the Cross, it shrouded itself in darkness, and the earth quaked with fear, and the veil of the Temple was rent asunder. And behold, now I see Thee willingly submitting unto death for my sake. How shall I bury Thee, O my God? Or how shall I wrap Thee with winding sheets? With what hands shall I touch Thine un defiled Body? Or what dirges shall I sing at Thy departure, O Compassionate One? I magnify Thy Passion; I praise Thy Burial and Resurrection, and I cry out: O Lord, glory be to Thee." - Doxastikon at the Aposticha

04/18/2026

Attend this year’s International Orthodox Christian Charity fundraiser!

It is hosted and held at St Anthony's, on Saturday April 25th at 7pm, following Vespers at 5:30pm.

Enjoy tastings of various wines and beers along with gourmet hors d'oeuvres and live music! You will also learn what the IOCC is doing in various countries throughout the world.

To donate or purchase tickets, visit IOCC.org/northjersey

04/10/2026

04/07/2026

Holy Week begins in the Orthodox Church with the Bridegroom Matins or Orthros services, which gets its name from the well-known parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13).

This icon of "Christ the Bridegroom" is processed out while the troparion “Behold the Bridegroom comes...” is chanted.

Holy Week iconography and hymnography is full of apparent paradoxes, contrasts between extreme opposites, and warnings of how we must be watchful and vigilant, for all how who we truly are inwardly will be revealed outwardly when the Lord finally comes to judge the living and the dead.

The Bridegroom icon shows our God, our Lord, our King, Creator of all, condescending down to us in extreme humility as Suffering Servant, the Great Lover of mankind - voluntarily going to His Passion and death to save us, His Bride.

Holy Monday commemorates our Forefather Joseph whose humiliation in Egypt led to his glory, prefiguring Christ. Another theme is the cursing of the thriving fig tree that bore no fruit, signifying hypocritical and fruitless faith.

Holy Tuesday focuses on the vigilance of the wise virgins - as opposed to the five foolish virgins, left outside of the bridal chamber.

Finally, Holy Wednesday centers on the sinful woman who repents (Matthew 26:6-13). She is contrasted to Judas - the chosen apostle who is lost. One gives her wealth to Christ and kisses His feet; the others betrays Him for money with a kiss. (The famous Hymn of Kassiani is chanted here.)

"Today the Holy Passion shines forth upon the world with the light of salvation; for Christ in His love hastens to His sufferings. He who holds all things in the hollow of His hand consents to be hung upon the Tree, that He may save mankind."

04/04/2026

How does the Orthodox Church prepare us for Holy Week, "having completed the forty days that bring profit to our soul?"

Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday give us a joyous reprieve, as we prepare to enter Jerusalem with Christ, for his betrayal, passion and Resurrection.

The miraculous raising of Lazarus from the dead is a mighty testament to His divine power and prelude to His own resurrection. Christ tells us, "‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” (John 11:25)

We celebrate this victory over death, foreshadowing the Paschal mystery. At Christ’s command, “Lazarus, come forth,” the stone is rolled away, and life is restored. This miracle reveals not only Christ’s authority over life and death but also His boundless compassion for those who mourn.

"From that day on, they plotted to kill him." (John 11:53)

By entering Jerusalem on a c**t in this most humble manner, Christ fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9. Welcoming Him with palm branches and laying their garments on the ground before Him, the people cried out; “Hosanna! Blessed is he that comes in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel!” (John 12:13)

On this day, we too receive and praise Christ as our Lord and King as He voluntarily submits Himself to death for our sake.

"Christ, the true joy, the longing, the light of all,
the life and the resurrection of all,
has appeared in His goodness to those on earth;
and He has become the image of our resurrection, granting divine forgiveness to all." - Kontakion, Tone 2

12/17/2025

St. Anthony Delicious Frozen Food Available for Order NOW! Just in time for holidays. Order today, pick up on Sunday. While supplies last. https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/st-anthonys-frozen-food-fundraiser

10/23/2025

Memory Eternal!

He was the founding pastor of St. Ignatius Church of Florida, N.Y. and hierarchal assistant to Metropolitan Philip at the Archdiocese Headquarters.