Saint Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church

10/23/2026

A Message From Fr. Sasa ~
May We Remain in the Love of God and Rejoice in His Eternal Kingdom

The greatest joy we, as Christians, should strive for is not found in the praise, recognition, or honors bestowed upon us by people or this passing world, but in the blessed hope that, by the immeasurable mercy of God, we may one day be deemed worthy to enter into the joy of the Heavenly Kingdom and dwell eternally in the love of God.

For everything on this earth passes away, but the love of God endures unto the ages of ages.

Therefore, may our greatest desire be to live in a manner pleasing to the Lord, to keep the faith until the end, and, by His grace, to be found worthy of eternal life in communion with Him.
May our Lord Jesus Christ, Who through His Cross conquered death, shattered the power of evil, and through His glorious Resurrection opened the gates of eternal life, grant us humble and grateful hearts, enlighten our minds with the light of His truth, strengthen our faith, and fill us with a love that does not seek its own, that forgives, and that bears all things.

May there always be room in our hearts for sincere repentance, for prayer, and for giving thanks to God for everything He sends into our lives according to His divine providence.

May the Lord never abandon us, either in days of joy or in moments of trial, but may He strengthen us by His grace, raise us when we stumble, comfort us when we grieve, and lead us back to the path of salvation whenever we stray from Him.

Let us learn to see one another through the eyes of love, to forgive one another as we ourselves ask the Lord to forgive us, to help those who are in need, and to leave no one without comfort, attention, or prayer.

Above all, let us never forget that, no matter how weak or unworthy we may feel, we must never lose hope in the mercy of God.

For the Lord does not reject us when we return to Him with a contrite heart. Rather, like a merciful Father, He welcomes us, heals our wounds, and grants us the strength to begin our journey toward Him anew.
His love is greater than all our sins, His mercy surpasses all our weaknesses, and His doors remain open to everyone who approaches Him with faith, humility, and a repentant heart.

May the Lord grant us all the grace to abide in His love, to be a source of comfort and support to one another, and to walk together along the path of love, faith, and salvation. And may we one day, by His mercy, rejoice together in His eternal Kingdom, where there is no pain, no sorrow, and no sighing, but only everlasting joy and life eternal.

For unto Him belong all glory, honor, and worship: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

With love in Christ our Lord, and with prayers that the Lord may preserve us all from evil in His love and deem us worthy of the joy of His everlasting Kingdom.

With love in Christ,
+Fr. Sasa

10/11/2026

10/10/2026

A Message From Fr. Sasa~
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I hope this message finds you all safe and well.

Thanks be to God, our church property looks good following the storm. I am grateful for your prayers and thank our Lord for His protection. Let us also keep in our prayers all those affected by Hurricane Isaias.

Tomorrow, we will gather in prayer and thanksgiving, with Orthros at 9:00 AM and Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM.

I warmly invite you all to join us.

If anyone needs assistance clearing fallen branches or with anything else, please reach out. Let us continue to care for one another in Christian love.

May our Lord Jesus Christ protect and bless you and your families.

With love in Christ,
+Fr. Sasa Turkic

10/09/2026

A Message From Fr. Sasa …
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ!

I ask everyone to pray for those who will be in the path of Hurricane Isaias.

Lord our God, we pray that Your protecting hand will be over all of the people who will be affected by Hurricane Isaias.

Grant safe passage to all those who have evacuated. Calm their nerves. Provide sustenance.

Grant them safe shelter, and return them safely home after the storm has passed.

For those who will be living in areas affected by this storm, relieve their anxiety and comfort them.

Protect families, homes, churches, and businesses.

Also be with the first responders and rescuers who will be out working and helping others during and after the storm.

Help us, save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by Your grace. Amen.
Please pray! Stay safe!

May Almighty God bless and protect all of us!

Yours in Christ,
+Fr. Sasa

09/14/2026

A Message From Fr. Sasa
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Wishing you all a happy and blessed Feast of the Elevation of the Venerable and Life-Giving Cross of our Lord!

I warmly invite you to join me this evening at 6:00 PM at Saint Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church for the Divine Liturgy as we celebrate this glorious feast.

May the precious Cross of Christ strengthen our faith, guide our lives, and fill our hearts with His love and peace.

With love in Christ,
+Fr. Sasa

09/07/2026

A Message From Fr. Sasa
My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ,

Tomorrow evening, Tuesday, September 8, at 6:00 PM, I warmly invite you to join me for the Divine Liturgy as we celebrate the glorious Feast of the Nativity of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary.

This feast is one of the great feasts of our Orthodox Church. We are not simply celebrating the birth of a child; we are celebrating the birth of the woman whom God, in His divine providence, prepared to become the Mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Through her, the Word of God would take flesh and enter into our world for the salvation of mankind.

According to Holy Tradition, the parents of the Theotokos were the righteous Joachim and Anna. Joachim was a descendant of King David and belonged to the tribe of Judah, while Anna came from a priestly family of the tribe of Levi, traditionally being described as the daughter of Matthan the priest and related to the family of Aaron.

Joachim was traditionally a wealthy shepherd and keeper of flocks. Yet his wealth was not something he kept selfishly for himself. He was known for his generosity, offering generously to God and giving to the poor. Joachim and Anna lived a life of prayer, righteousness, and devotion to God.

For many years they remained childless. In the society of their time, this brought them great sorrow and even humiliation. Yet they did not turn away from God. They continued to pray and place their hope in Him.
And God answered their prayers.

In their old age, God blessed them with a daughter—Mary, the one whom we call the Theotokos, the Mother of God.

The name Mary comes from the ancient Hebrew name Miryam (Μαριάμ/Maria in the biblical tradition). Its exact linguistic origin is ancient and has been understood in several ways. In the tradition of the Church, the name is beautifully associated with meanings such as “Lady” or “Sovereign,” and the Church's hymnography continually honors her as the Lady of all creation because of her relationship to Christ, the Lord and King.

There is a profound mystery and beautiful theology in this tradition. Joachim comes from the royal lineage of David, while Anna comes from the priestly lineage of Levi. In their daughter, Mary, God's providential preparation for the Incarnation reaches a beautiful fulfillment. From her would come Christ, the promised Messiah, the King and eternal High Priest, who would take flesh for our salvation.

The canonical Gospels do not give us the names, genealogies, or professions of Joachim and Anna. These details are preserved in the Holy Tradition of the Church and in ancient Christian writings, especially the Protoevangelium of James.

The Church has preserved this tradition because it helps us understand the sacred history surrounding the coming of Christ.

The Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos is celebrated on September 8. It is one of the ancient Marian feasts of the Church and became firmly established in Constantinople by the seventh century. The feast is important because the birth of Mary marks the beginning of the immediate preparation for the Incarnation of the Son of God.

The Church beautifully proclaims:
“Thy Nativity, O Theotokos, has proclaimed joy to all the world.”

Why? Because from Mary would come Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, who would destroy death, overcome the power of sin, and open the way to eternal life.

The story of Joachim and Anna also speaks directly to our own lives. They waited. They prayed. They suffered. They trusted God when their prayers seemed unanswered. And in God's perfect time, their sorrow was transformed into joy—not only for themselves, but for the entire human race.
Let us therefore come together tomorrow evening as one church family. Let us bring our families, our children, our hopes, our struggles, and our prayers before God.

Let us rejoice in the birth of the Mother of God and ask the Most Holy Theotokos to intercede for us, for our families, for our children, and for our beloved parish.

Come and celebrate.
Come and pray.
Come and give thanks to God for the gift of the Mother of God, through whom Christ came into the world for our salvation.

I look forward to seeing you tomorrow evening at 6:00 PM for the Divine Liturgy.

With love and prayers in Christ,
+Fr. Sasa

08/19/2026

A Message From Fr. Sasa

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” — these are the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from the Holy Gospel, and they have a deeper meaning.

In today’s world, we hear many voices telling us that there are many different paths to God, that we can choose the path that suits us, and that all paths are the same. But as Orthodox Christians, we must listen to the words of Christ Himself. He does not say, “I am one of the ways.” He says, “I am the Way.”

Christ does not merely show us the way — He is the Way. When the Lord says, “I am the Way,” He does not mean that He is simply one path among many. He makes it clear that He is the true and only Way that leads us to the Father and to eternal life.

Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ is not merely one of many ways. He is the only Way. He is not merely the One who teaches the truth. He is the Truth. And He is not merely the One who gives life. He is the Life.

Let us turn our eyes toward Him, trust in Him, and faithfully follow Him. Even when the path becomes difficult, let us not turn away from Him, because the One who is the Way walks with us.

May our Lord Jesus Christ guide our steps, strengthen our faith, forgive our sins, and lead us on the true path toward His eternal Kingdom.

With love in Christ,
+Fr. Sasa

05/24/2026

A Message From Fr. Sasa

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council, the 318 God-bearing Fathers who gathered in the city of Nicaea in the year 325. This great and holy council was called by the holy and equal-to-the-Apostles Emperor Constantine, who desired peace and unity in the Church after years of terrible persecution against Christians.

But a great danger had arisen from within the Church itself. A priest named Arius began teaching falsely that Jesus Christ was not truly the eternal Son of God, but merely a created being. This false teaching threatened the very foundation of our salvation and caused confusion throughout the Christian world.

The Holy Fathers, filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, rose up to defend the truth handed down from the Apostles. Among them stood the great Saint Athanasios, who at that time was still a young deacon. Though young in age, he spoke with wisdom, courage, and unwavering faith, defending the truth that Christ is “true God of true God,” eternally begotten of the Father.

Holy Tradition also tells us that Saint Nicholas, the great bishop of Myra, was present at the Council. Hearing the blasphemies of Arius against Christ, Saint Nicholas was overcome with zeal for the truth and struck Arius across the face. The Church does not remember this to glorify anger, but to show the deep love and burning faith the saints had for Christ and His truth.

From this Council came the beginning of the Nicene Creed, which we still proclaim at every Divine Liturgy: “I believe in one God…” The Creed is not simply a statement of ideas; it is the confession of the living faith of the Church. It proclaims that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, the Savior of the world.

The Church places this feast between the Ascension and Pentecost because these holy days reveal the fullness of the mystery of Christ. The One who ascended into heaven in glory is not merely a teacher or prophet, but the eternal Son of God who took flesh for our salvation. Through His Ascension, Christ lifted our human nature to the right hand of the Father, opening the path of eternal life for us.

Today many people still speak of Christ only as a wise man or moral teacher. But the Holy Fathers remind us that if Christ is not truly God, then there is no salvation, no victory over death, and no eternal life. Only God Himself could conquer death and restore fallen humanity.

The Fathers of Nicaea defended this truth not only with words, but with holy lives of prayer, fasting, sacrifice, humility, and love. They teach us that Orthodoxy is not merely something we believe intellectually, but a life we must live daily in Christ.

As we prepare for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, let us remain faithful to the Orthodox faith handed down by the Apostles and preserved by the Holy Fathers throughout the centuries.

May the prayers of the holy Emperor Constantine, Saint Athanasios the Great, Saint Nicholas of Myra, and all the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council strengthen and guide us always.

Holy Fathers of Nicaea, pray to God for us! Amen.

+Fr. Sasa

05/16/2026

It’s not too late to join us Tomorrow for the 25th Annual St. Athanasios Golf Classic.

An afternoon of Golf, Fun & Delicious Greek Food!!!

Individual Players &
Walk ups welcome !!!

Saturday, May 16, 2026
Glen Lakes Golf Club
9530 Clubhouse Dr. Foley, AL

Registration, Open Range & Light Lunch - 10:00 am
Tee Time - 11:00 am
Dinner, Awards & Prizes-3:30 pm

Click link below for details & to print your registration form.
https://www.stathanasios.al.goarch.org/news/golf-tournament

Become A Sponsor or Need More Information?
Call Mark Tampary- 251.752.5000
Angelo Adams-
251.689.3036

Hosted by Saint Athanasios Greek Orthodox Church
https://www.stathanasios.al.goarch.org

05/13/2026

Join us for an afternoon of Golf- Greek Food - Lots of Fun!!!

This Saturday, May 16th
Glen Lakes Golf Club

Sunny & Blue Skies Are In The Forecast!⛳️☀️

Call Your Friends & Register Today!!! Click link below
https://www.stathanasios.al.goarch.org

Questions…. Call Mark Tampary at 251.752.5000 or Angelo Adams at 251.689.3036

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Like & Share with friends & family! Help us make this the biggest year yet!!
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