St. John the Divine Orthodox Christian Church-Wheeling, WV

06/07/2026

05/13/2026

Glykeria the Virgin-Martyr: Glykeria was the daughter of a Roman governor. Becoming impoverished after her father's death, Glykeria settled in Trajanopolis in Thrace. At a heathen festival, when Sabinus the Prefect was offering sacrifice, Saint Glykeria entered the temple and declared herself to be a handmaid of Christ. She traced the sign of the Cross on her forehead, and when the Prefect asked where her lamp was (for all of them carried lamps in their hands), Glykeria pointed to the Cross on her forehead and said: "This is my lamp." As a result of her prayer, lightning struck the idol and smashed it to pieces. The prefect became angry and ordered her flogged and thrown into prison. He sealed the doors to the prison, determined to starve the virgin to death. However, an angel of God appeared to Glykeria and supplied heavenly food to her. After some time, when the prefect thought that the virgin must have died from hunger, he opened the doors of the prison and was astonished to see her healthy, radiant and joyful. Witnessing this miracle, Laodicius the jailer confessed Christ the Lord and was immediately beheaded. After that, Glykeria was thrown into a fiery furnace but remained unharmed by the fire. Standing in the midst of the fire and remembering the miracle of the three youths in the Babylonian furnace, Glykeria praised the Lord. Finally she was thrown to the lions. While praying to God, this holy virgin gave up her soul to the Lord, for Whom she had bravely endured many tortures. She suffered honorably in the year 177 A.D. A healing myrrh [oil] flowed from her relics, which healed the sick of the gravest diseases.

05/01/2026

How can one reconcile John 6:48-69 with an elimination of the Eucharist from Christian life and/or the denial that it is the actual Body and Blood of Jesus Christ necessary for salvation?

John 6:48-69: "I am the bread of life. "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. "This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world." The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?" Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. "For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. "This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever." These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum. Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, "This is a hard saying; who can understand it?" When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, "Does this offend you? "What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. "But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, "Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?" But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. "Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

04/23/2026

HYMN OF PRAISE TO SAINT GEORGE THE GREAT MARTYR

Saint George, with a hero's heart,
Distributed all his wealth to the poor,
And rejected the honor and glory of the world
For the sake of the name of Christ the Victor.
Sufferings he embraced, and to sufferings consented.
His body was crushed for the sake of his soul's salvation.
With his goodness he indebted God Himself;
With a wreath of glory God repaid him.

George the Saint and Victory-bearer
Walks even now with a cruciform spear.
Justice he defends, injustice he punishes.
Whoever invokes him with faith and tears,
Whoever prays to him with a repentant soul--
To his aid flies George the Saint.
With his goodness George indebted God Himself;
With a wreath of glory God repaid him.

-By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

04/16/2026

"A Pascha that is Great!" Here's a glimpse into the timeless worship of Orthodox Christians on the Day of The Resurrection. Ohio Valley residents seeking a transformative Christianity, feel free to join us at St. John's.

04/12/2026

3:30AM Resurrection Celebration! Why do so many youth and young adults stay to celebrate into the middle of the night after a nearly three-hour midnight Liturgy? They've come to love the Lord's Pascha and they know its joy. Christ is Risen!

04/11/2026

Destruction of Hades' Gates 🍃

04/11/2026

Holy Friday Lamentations Homily

Let us attend!

04/11/2026

Holy Friday — Lamentations at the Tomb of Christ

Holy Saturday services:
* Destruction of Hades’ Gates at 10:30AM
* Great and Holy Pascha at 11PM

Come and see!

04/10/2026

Taking Down from the Cross…

Join us for the Lamentations at the Tomb @ 7PM tonight ☦️