The Order of St.Ignatius of Antioch

05/24/2026

The 7th Sunday of Pascha, also known as the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, holds a significant place in the Orthodox Christian liturgical calendar. This day commemorates the gathering of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea in 325 AD, where the Church Fathers convened to address the A***n controversy and affirm the true divinity of Jesus Christ. This council was pivotal in establishing the Nicene Creed, a fundamental statement of Christian faith that articulates the belief in the Holy Trinity and the full divinity and humanity of Christ. The 7th Sunday of Pascha serves as a bridge between the joy of the Resurrection and the anticipation of Pentecost, reminding the faithful of the unity and truth of the Church’s teachings. It is a time to reflect on the importance of sound doctrine and the courage of the early Church leaders who defended the faith against heresy. This Sunday invites believers to deepen their understanding of the mysteries of the faith and to live in the light of the Resurrection, guided by the wisdom and teachings of the Holy Fathers.
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05/15/2026

On Saturday, the 9th of May, The Order of Saint Ignatius of Antioch celebrated a momentous occasion: the induction of ten new members and one member upgrade, held at the historic Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Little Falls, New Jersey.
This blessed induction was dedicated in honor of a singular and joyous achievement the elevation of Father Nicholas Belcher to the venerable rank of Archimandrite, a recognition of his devoted and faithful service to the Church and to his community. It was a fitting tribute that this celebration of new beginnings should be intertwined with such a distinguished honor.
The sacred ceremony was conducted with reverence and solemnity by His Eminence Metropolitan Saba, alongside His Grace Bishop John, whose presence lent the occasion both spiritual gravity and hierarchical distinction.
Welcoming the newly inducted members into the fellowship of The Order was the North American Chairman, Dr. Ramzi Khairallah, whose warm and gracious reception reflected the spirit of brotherhood and service that lies at the very heart of The Order’s mission.
Among the new inductees was a junior member, along with a number of other young members a heartening reflection of a nationwide trend that has seen young men and women across the country answer the call to service, charity, and faith by joining the ranks of The Order of Saint Ignatius of Antioch. Their enthusiasm and commitment represent a bright and promising future for The Order.
“Give, and it will be given to you” Luke 6:38

05/13/2026

Joy filled St. George Orthodox Church Little Falls, NJ on Saturday, May 9, as His Eminence Metropolitan Saba elevated the church’s pastor, Fr. Nicholas Belcher, to the dignity of archimandrite. Joining them that morning were His Grace Bishop John; area clergy; Mr. Fawaz El Khoury and Mr. Salim Abboud from the Archdiocese Board of Trustees; and a capacity crowd of believers.

Archimandrite Nicholas is also chairman of the Archdiocese’s Dept. of Youth and Young Adult Ministries. His Eminence selected this day for the elevation to allow for more people to attend without having to miss divine services on a Sunday. May 9 also happens to be the feast of the translation of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from Myra to Bari.

During the homily in the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy, Bishop John explained that the rank of archimandrite is given to priests who will oversee, supervise, guide and protect the monastics, clergy and faithful entrusted to his care by Metropolitan Saba.

To exhort him, Bishop John shared words from given to him by Metropolitan Philip: “Don't ever look back. Keep your eyes looking forward.” He also shared words given to him by Archimandrite Roman Braga: "John, trust God." His Grace reminded the new archimandrite that, according to the day's Gospel reading (John 8:31-42), freedom comes from walking in truth. It is detachment from sin. It is life in the Kingdom of Heaven. And his duty is to show his people how to have that freedom, and God will shower him with blessings, guide him and protect him.

At the end of the liturgy, His Eminence inducted or upgraded 11 members in The Order of St.Ignatius of Antioch, the philanthropic arm of the Archdiocese, thanking them for their financial support of a host of ministries.

Afterward, the parish gave a luncheon in honor of Fr. Nicholas, where many gifts of love and appreciation were presented to him, as well as beautiful speeches, the most notable given by his son, Andrew Belcher. He praised the humility and faithfulness of his father in both raising him from infancy as a widower, while continuing to serve the Church with love and devotion.

The last speech was given by His Eminence, during which he spoke warmly of Fr. Nicholas, and how he saw in him, upon meeting him three years ago, a true shepherd, the kind that we need in the Church today. His Eminence remarked that we don't need religious businessmen as our priests. We need spiritual fathers and mothers in our parishes to shelter us under their wings, just as is written many times in the Psalms.

At the end of his speech, His Eminence bestowed a pectoral cross on Fr. Nicholas that belonged to Metropolitan Philip, who is much beloved by Fr. Nicholas.

Story by Sh. Kim Whiteside. More photos from Victoria Ayoub, Michelle Handal and Dn. Sophrony Strickland at https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/2806.

05/12/2026

The Governing Council of The Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch convened on May 2, 2026, at the Antiochian Village to highlight a period of significant growth and expanded charitable impact.

Under the leadership of its chairman, Dr. Ramzi Khairallah, The Order announced it is increasing its annual contribution to the Archdiocese ministries and budget by 20 percent, reaching a total of $1 million. This financial strength is supported by endowments that have consistently outperformed market trends through disciplined investment.

The organization is currently focused on empowering local parishes through shared service projects, such as packing food kits for schools and raising funds for camp scholarships to support their youth in the parishes.

Recent recruitment efforts have been highly successful, with 51 people joining or upgrading their memberships at St. Nicholas Cathedral in Los Angeles, plus another 11 at St. George Church in Little Falls, N.J., alongside a strategic push to attract younger adults through Antiochian Village camp staff reunions and new social media initiatives. These digital platforms have already reached over 60,000 views in the last 90 days, signaling a steady start for The Order's modernized outreach and its mission to foster life-long service within the church.

05/11/2026

Christ is risen! Indeed, He is risen! ☦️
This Mother’s Day falls on the Sunday of the Samaritan Woman and the connection is no coincidence. Both stories are about selfless love that points others toward Christ.
As Bishop Thomas reminds us, our mothers have given us a living icon of God’s love sacrificing comfort, sleep, and self so that we might be nourished. St. Paisios captures it beautifully: a mother stays hungry to feed her children, yet she is the one fed spiritually through the joy of giving.
Just as the Samaritan Woman left her water jars behind to go tell the world about the One who knew her fully and loved her anyway our mothers do the same. They lay down their lives daily, quietly, without applause.
As members of the Order of St. Ignatius, we honor our mothers by following their example sacrificing material comfort for those most in need, proclaiming through our lives the same steadfast love of God that calls all people to Himself.
💐 To all our beloved mothers: your love has shown us the face of Christ.
Inspired by a letter from Rt. Rev. Bishop THOMAS (Joseph), Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America

05/07/2026

Meet our Administrator!

Zlata Ryan
Administrator of The Order of St. Ignatius (2017–Present)
Home Parish: St. Michael church, Greensburg, PA
Rank: Dame
Member of The Order since 2025

A Little About Zlata
Originally from Russia, Zlata came to the United States in 1993 as an exchange student studying English and German philology. She later settled in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, with her late husband and daughter, just a few miles from Antiochian Village. Her professional background includes work as a paralegal and as an administrator for a business consulting professional in the nuclear waste management industry. She began her role as Administrator for The Order when its office was relocated to Antiochian Village in 2017.

Why The Order Is My Call to Serve
“I long hoped for an opportunity to work for the Church. When I learned that The Order of St. Ignatius of Antioch was seeking a new Administrator and the office will be at the Antiochian Village, my heart skipped a beat. The Patron Saint of The Order is also my Patron Saint, as St. Ignatius’ Feast falls on my birthday. So, this opportunity felt especially meaningful. I prayed to St. Ignatius of Antioch and asked my parents to also offer prayers. I am grateful that St. Ignatius interceded on my behalf it truly feels as though I received a call to make this my vocation; to me it is a blessing and an added responsibility. I hope and pray I will continue to serve Him through The Order by the intercessions of St. Ignatius of Antioch.”

05/03/2026

04/30/2026