Saint Catherine's Vision

05/12/2026

Let us persevere in faith.

The Lord sees us and wants to heal us.

Let us desire this as well.

As we participate in the sacraments of the Church, we open ourselves to receiving the gift of eternal life for the healing of body and soul.

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05/12/2026

05/12/2026

PRESS RELEASE: On October 26 Susan Ketz Arida, a co-founder of St. Catherine’s Vision, was celebrated by the clergy and parishioners of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Boston for her four decades of service there. Immediately following the hierarchical Divine Liturgy, Susan was presented with a certificate of appreciation by His Grace Bishop Benedict of Hartford and New England which read in part:

BY The Grace of God

We wish to express our Archpastoral gratitude by invoking God’s blessing upon Susan Ketz Arida for her many years of devotion and outstanding stewardship to the life and ministry of Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral…

Susan’s life in and outside of Holy Trinity Cathedral has been one of service to others. To a great extent her diakonia has been formed by her immersion into the deep waters of Orthodox liturgical life. Susan’s involvement in reorganizing the church school, her attentiveness to the choir (especially during its difficult times of transition), her concern for continuing the monthly community dinners, and her essential contributions to the Cathedral’s affordable housing project have helped to make the parish a unique community among the Orthodox parishes in the Boston area. Her care for the wellbeing of others has made the Cathedral community a safe place for all who seek the consolation of Christ.

Using her theological training, Susan has authored articles focusing on some of the extraordinary women whose lives are woven into the fabric of salvation history. Her articles, some of which have appeared in the three volumes published by St. Catherine’s Vision, serve as both a source for catechesis and encouragement for Orthodox and non-Orthodox Christians. These and her other articles provide reliable signposts for those desiring to probe more deeply into the role of women who - as deacons, hymnographers, and accomplished theologians – have contributed to the building up the body of Christ.

For almost 20 years Susan was the director of Boston’s YMCA English As a Second Language Programs (ESL) that offered basic skills as well college prep and job readiness. Together with her well trained and dedicated faculty thousands of students of various ethnic, social and religious backgrounds were offered the opportunity to begin new and promising lives. Among her students was a group of single mothers who met at Roxbury Community College. These women had encountered abandonment, homelessness, and in some cases incarceration. Susan prepped the women in navigating the various steps leading to employment including getting and keeping a job. Though burdened and even hardened by the trials of life, these courageous women were led onto a path that not only helped to restore their dignity and self-confidence but also provided the ability to see that life for themselves and for their children was more than an ordeal to survive.

Father Robert M. Arida, her beloved husband wrote:

I am well aware that Susan would not always agree that our life at Holy Trinity Cathedral was a joint ministry. Nevertheless, if I have been able to properly serve our parish, if I have said, done or written anything that has been edifying, it is because of Susan’s loving, firm, and encouraging counsel. She and our five children have taught and continue to teach me what it means to be a priest. Their mentoring has made it possible for me to point out to others the inexhaustible beauty and joy of life conveyed through the high theology of the Church’s liturgy.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers celebrating today! 💙

Today we give thanks for the love, strength, sacrifice, and faith of mothers everywhere. Through the example of the Panagia — the Mother of Christ and the loving mother of us all — may we always be reminded of the beauty of unconditional love and devotion.

May God grant all mothers many years filled with health, peace, and joy. ✨

03/25/2026

Did you know that March 25 is a day of double joy?

March 25 is a day of double joy, not only for Greeks, but for the entire human race. On this day, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Annunciation, when the Archangel Gabriel brings the good news to the Virgin Mary: she has been chosen to bear the Son of God. With her humble and free response, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord,” human history changes forever. God enters the world as human, and the long journey toward our liberation from sin and death begins.

The Annunciation is an announcement of salvation. It is the moment when union with God becomes personal, real, and human. Christ takes flesh, and humanity is lifted up. This is why the Church celebrates even in the middle of Great Lent. The joy is simply too great to contain.

For Greeks, March 25 also marks Greek Independence Day, commemorating the beginning of the struggle for freedom from centuries of Ottoman rule. This historical liberation powerfully echoes the spiritual meaning of the feast. Just as people longed to be freed from physical slavery, all humanity longs to be freed from the deeper bo***ge of sin, fear, and death.

These two celebrations together proclaim one message: true freedom begins when God meets humanity, and humanity responds with faith. Freedom is both a gift and a calling given by God, embraced by faith, and lived with courage. March 25 is a day of thanksgiving, hope, and joy for the entire world.

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01/02/2026

Happy New Year! 2026!

01/01/2026

Did you know a coin in a cake is linked to one of the Church’s greatest Saints?

Each New Year, Orthodox Christians bake and share the Vasilopita (in Greek, Βασιλόπιτα), a special sweet bread or cake made in honor of Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in the 4th century. But this beloved tradition comes from a story of humility, generosity, and a miracle.

According to tradition, a cruel ruler once demanded an unjust tax from the people of Caesarea. To protect the poor, Saint Basil asked the faithful to bring what they could: coins, jewelry, anything of value. But when the tyrant saw their peaceful unity, he was moved and canceled the demand.

Now faced with returning all the treasures, Saint Basil was at a loss. How could he return each item to its rightful owner? So, he prayed and baked the coins and jewels into loaves of bread. When each family received one, they miraculously found exactly what they had offered. From this act, the tradition of the Vasilopita, the “Saint Basil’s bread,” was born.

Today, a coin is placed in the bread before baking. The one who finds it is blessed. We believe that generosity brings grace and that Saint Basil continues to intercede for us. The cutting of the Vasilopita brings joy, gratitude, unity, and a spirit of giving, just like Saint Basil taught.

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→ Have a question you want answered by the DRE Team for Did You Know? DM the Department of Religious Education (DRE) or email: [email protected]

DID YOU KNOW? is your go-to source for concise answers to a wide range of questions about the Greek Orthodox faith. DYK? equips Gen Z and millennials with facts they can trust and easily absorb while scrolling. Clergy, religious educators, and parents can share these nuggets of knowledge with the faithful, students, those inquiring about Orthodoxy, and loved ones.

12/25/2025

Christ is born! Let us glorify Him!

The Gospel of Matthew 1:18-23

Christ Born of Mary

“18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being [a]a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. 20 But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’

22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’”

11/14/2025

November 14 is the feast of St Gregory (ca. 1296-1357), preacher and defender of the uncreated of God.