St. Raphael Orthodox Christian Mission

06/02/2026

We Did It! Matching Grant Goal Exceeded! ✨

Glory to God and thank you to our incredible community! We have officially wrapped up Phase 1 of our matching grant, and we are thrilled to announce that we didn't just meet our $25,000 goal; we exceeded it!

Together, we raised a total of $26,254. Because your donations are matched dollar-for-dollar by our generous donor, we now have $52,508 in matched funds dedicated to enhancing our building and beautifying our temple!

With this critical funding secured, we are ready to move forward with adding iconography to our space. Here is the upcoming schedule for the iconography project:

July: Our iconographer will arrive for his first week-long visit. He will draft a realistic, long-term iconography map for the entire temple. He will also begin the work scoped out behind the altar: installing the icons of Christ Enthroned and the liturgical hierarchs, writing "More Spacious than The Heavens" around the Platytera, and adding the stars and cross to the arch.

October: The iconographer will return for a second, longer visit. The specific details and focus of this trip will be guided by the work completed in his first visit and by the master iconography map he creates.

Thank you for your overwhelming generosity, love, and support of St. Raphael of Brooklyn. We cannot wait to watch this vision come to life in our space!

06/01/2026

We are very blessed today to celebrate the high school graduation of Gregory Klyukovski, who for many years has been a faithful altar server at St. Raphael of Brooklyn parish.

God Grant You Many Years, Gregory!

05/24/2026

Thanks to your incredible generosity, we’ve already raised $17,549 toward our first of two $25,000 matching grants!

We need just $7,451 more by June 1st to max out this amazing opportunity. Because every single donation is matched dollar-for-dollar, closing this gap will unlock a total of $14,902 for our parish! Your gift right now truly has double the impact.

This phase of funding is dedicated entirely to enhancing our temple with iconography. The project includes:

☦️ Installing icons of Christ Enthroned and the liturgical hierarchs, alongside a decorative motif, on the altar's back wall.
☦️ Having our iconographer write "More Spacious than The Heavens" around the Platytera icon of the Theotokos on the arched wall.
☦️ Adorning the area beneath the arch above the Platytera with stars and a cross (time permitting).

Will you help us reach our $25,000 milestone and bring this beautiful iconography to life?
Donate here:
https://www.orthodoxquincy.org/tithing
Designate your donation
“Building Fund - Matching Grant”
Deadline: June 1, 2026

Thank you for your continued love and support of St. Raphael of Brooklyn!

05/22/2026

What a joyous blessing for our youth! 🇬🇪✨

Three of our young parishioners from St. Raphael of Brooklyn are currently on a beautiful spiritual pilgrimage to the ancient, holy land of Georgia.

Led by His Grace, Bishop Gerasim of Fort Worth, this journey is an incredible opportunity for them to step fully into the history of the Church and deepen their Orthodox faith. Along the way, they are spending their days:

Visiting historic monasteries
Venerating sacred relics
Immersing themselves in deep, communal prayer

We are so thrilled they get to experience this life-changing trip! Please keep our youth, Bishop Gerasim, and all the pilgrims in your prayers for a safe and spiritually fruitful journey back home.

05/04/2026

This past weekend we walked in the dog parade. Thanks for everyone who showed up and helped!

04/19/2026

Thank you so much for your support! We’ve raised $17,133 toward our $25,000 matching grant goal.

With the June 1, 2026 deadline coming up, we still need $7,867 to reach the full match. Every gift helps us get closer!

Thank you for your generosity and prayers!

04/14/2026

Christ is Risen!

The Troparion of the Resurrection, from the Nocturns of PaschaByzantine Tone 2Arr. Basil Kazan"When Thou didst submit Thyself unto death, O Thou deathless an...

04/11/2026

Tonight, join us for readings from the Acts of the Apostles from 7pm onward. Paschal Nocturns begin at 11:30pm.

"Arise, O God, and judge the earth, for to Thee belong all the nations!"

"Today Hell cries out groaning:

I should not have accepted the Man born of Mary.

He came and destroyed my power.

He shattered the gates of brass.

As God, He raised the souls I had held captive.

Glory to Thy cross and resurrection, O Lord"

- Vesperal Liturgy of Holy Saturday

Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, from the Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil on Great and Holy Saturday"Let all mortal flesh keep silent, and in fear and trembl...

04/11/2026

Great and Holy Saturday is the day between the death and Resurrection of Jesus. Two opportunities to worship with us today: 9am Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil, and at 11:30pm Nocturns, Paschal Procession, Matins, and Divine Liturgy.

While the tone of this week has grown more solemn, as you can hear in the below choir excerpts from last night’s service, today we begin to feel the tension between mourning and celebration that characterizes Great Lent and Holy Week. This is a day of watchful expectation for us as we anticipate the victory of eternal life overcoming death.

☦️

Noble Joseph

https://youtu.be/YOnrWdp9zE4

Come Let Us Bless Joseph

https://youtu.be/71bQfVSVThI

The Noble Joseph, from Great and Holy Saturday (served Friday evening)Bulgarian Melody"The Noble Joseph, when he had taken down Thy most pure body from the t...

04/10/2026

Tonight, 6pm.

Today He who hung the earth upon the waters is hung on the tree,
The King of the angels is decked with a crown of thorns.
He who wraps the heavens in clouds is wrapped in the purple of mockery.
He who freed Adam in the Jordan is slapped on the face.
The Bridegroom of the Church is affixed to the Cross with nails.
The Son of the virgin is pierced by a spear.
We worship Thy passion, 0 Christ.
We worship Thy passion, 0 Christ.
We worship Thy passion, O Christ.
Show us also Thy glorious resurrection.
- 15th Antiphon of Great and Holy Friday