Holy Protection Universalist Orthodox Community

05/07/2026

Since the beginning, patriarchy has been one of the more harmful interpretations of human status. Rather than reflecting Jesus’ teaching of equality, it imposes inequality and, in doing so, diminishes the fullness of love.
The tradition of referring to God in the masculine—especially through the Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father”—can be partly explained by history. Ancient language lacked a singular genderless pronoun, and Roman culture placed the father as head of the household. In that sense, “Father” can be understood more as a title than a statement of gender identity.
In reality, who or what God is lies beyond human comprehension. This is reflected in Moses’ encounter with God, where God simply declares, “I am who I am”—a name that resists limitation. Scripture also teaches that humanity is made in God’s image: suggesting that God’s nature cannot be confined to one gender.
Jesus himself acknowledges human diversity, saying, “there are eunuchs who have been so from birth” (Matthew 19:12). Even within creation, we see a wide diversity of expression. This suggests that male and female are not rigid limits, but more like bookends, with a richness of being in between.

03/02/2026

Today is the Sunday of Holy Orthodoxy where the Church celebrates the victory of Orthodoxy over the iconoclasts.

This is one of my favorite feast days of the Church, but I get the sense that this wonderful celebration is often accompanied by much spiritual chest-pounding "We are the Orthodox!" "Look at the beautiful churches we build!" "Listen to our beautiful chant! No one else has hymns like us!"

It is important on this day to remember our forerunners who endured horrible persecutions, who were tortured, maimed and killed for their veneration of holy icons. Let us take care that on this day, we remember that the most precious icons are the ones not made by human hands, our own fellow human beings. How dare we venerate the painted icons at liturgy and go forth and ignore the suffering around us, especially in this day.

02/12/2026

02/11/2026

02/03/2026

No one actually knows very much about who or what God is. As Metropolitan Anthony Bloom observed, only rigid rationalists assume that the ancient stories and myths we live by must be taken as literal facts. What truly matters is not proof, but how we love. If biblical stories were fully testable, faith would cease to be faith. Love itself rests on trust, not evidence, and religion is grounded in that same trust. The presence of conclusive proof would not strengthen faith—it would undo it.
Much doubt has been created not by honest questioning, but by attempts to manufacture certainty. Forgeries and false proofs, meant to eliminate doubt, have only clouded the waters further as modern science exposes their falseness. Human beings are imaginative and creative, so religion and theology inevitably carry elements of story, symbol, and interpretation across all traditions and denominations.
God would never oppose discernment, especially when God so often remains silent. When Moses asked for God’s name, the answer was simply, “I Am that I am”—in effect, I’m me! work the rest out yourselves. With so many beliefs and interpretations, it is inevitable that people carry false notions of God, many of which have been shaped by fear and used as tools of control and judgment.
Deconstructing threatens those systems, not God. God would not be angered by doubters or wrestlers. On the contrary, God would honor them—trusting them to help strip away fear and illusion, and participate with them to bear witness to the greatest truth of all: love and grace.

08/04/2025

Beloved in Christ,

Some months ago, after much prayer, reflection, and wise counsel, I discerned that it was time for the ministry of Holy Protection to step away from the Convergent Catholic Communion (CCC). This decision was not made in haste, nor out of any conflict, but purely in the hope of better serving those whom God has entrusted to our care.

We give thanks for the season we spent within the CCC, and for the friendships and partnerships that continue even now. In particular, I am grateful to His Eminence Metropolitan John-Gregory, whose kindness and pastoral care have deeply shaped my own journey. The clergy of the CCC remain beloved colleagues and friends, and I am touched by their continued support and encouragement as we move forward in ministry.

This step of faith—while not without uncertainty—has created space for Holy Protection to grow into the ministry God is calling us to become. It is with great excitement that I share with you that Holy Protection has found a new ecclesial home.

Following months of prayerful conversation with Fr. Micah Lazarus of Saint Photini Universalist Orthodox Church and Bishop Kristina Rake of the Catholic Church in Exile, we are pleased to announce the revitalization of the Universalist Orthodox Church, originally founded by Metropolitan Olga in 2017. Holy Protection will now serve as a ministry within the Universalist Orthodox Church, under the omophorion of Her Excellency Bishop Kristina Rake, who has graciously accepted our request to serve as presiding bishop.

Bishop Rake has long supported our work, participating in the consecration of Metropolitan Olga, and her heart for unity, compassion, and inclusion reflects the very spirit of what we hope to build. Our shared vision is one of East and West walking side by side—not blended or diminished, but distinct and whole, allowing the Church once again to breathe with both lungs.

There is still much discernment ahead and many details to be thoughtfully and prayerfully ironed out, yet we all stand in the common purpose of spreading the radically inclusive love of Jesus Christ to the Orthodox world and beyond.

Please keep Bishop Rake and Father Micah in your prayers as we walk forward together into this next chapter, and know that we carry each of you in ours as we move forward—always, always—with love.

Yours in Christ,

-Hilaria