The Spiritual Watch

Below, please find the latest issue of The Spiritual Watch, the official publication of the Metropolis of America, published with the blessings of His Eminence, Metropolitan Demetrius of America. In The Spiritual Watch, you will find news and information regarding our Holy Metropolis, as well as spiritual writings.

The Spiritual Watch, Vol VII (New: February 24/March 8, 2024)

Quote From the Fathers

Examine yourself daily in the sight of God, and discover which of the passions is in your heart. Cast it out, and so escape His judgment.
—St. Isaiah the Solitary, On Guarding the Intellect.

Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens and All Greece

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Created on Wednesday, 06 October 2010 15:23
Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens and All Greece

His Beatitude, Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens and All Greece (whose secular name is Constantine Sarantopoulos, and whose parents are Eustathios and Eleni) was born on June 24/July 7, 1946 in Piraeus. He studied Economics in Athens and Medicine at the Aristotelian University in Thessaloniki.

From a young age he placed himself under the spiritual direction of the ever-memorable Archimandrite Kalliopios (Giannakoulopoulos), who later became the G.O.C. Metropolitan of Pentapolis. In 1971 he became a monk under the ever-memorable Elder; Metropolitan Kallistos of Corinth, by whom that same year he was ordained deacon and priest.

In 1979 he was ordained Metropolitan of Achaia and all the Peloponnese. He is the Church of the G.O.C.’s Exarch of Europe, while since 1985 he has been the Locum Tenens of the Ionian Islands and western Greece.

From 1998-2001 he was the President of the General Fund of the Church of the G.O.C. of Greece and under his presidency the cleansing of the economic fund of our Church, which had previously suffered from many hindrances, became achievable. In April of 2010 he was re-elected to the position of President of the General Fund.

As a Metropolitan, His Beatitude Archbishop Kallinikos was the Chief-Secretary of the Holy Synod and a member of the Synodal Committee for Dogmatic and Canonical Issues.

His Beatitude Archbishop Kallinikos’s nameday is on July 29/August 11, Martyr Kallinikos.

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About the Church

The Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians (GOC) of America is The Traditionalist Orthodox Church serving the faithful of North and South America following the old (Julian) calendar. Having its roots in the Diocese of Astoria, founded by Metropolitan Petros (Astyfides) in 1954, it presently consists of two Metropolises (America and Toronto) and two dioceses (Etna and Portland, and Boston), shepherded by five hierarchs, under the Presidency of His Eminence, Metropolitan Demetrius of America.

The Church of the GOC of America is an autonomous Eparchy whose Mother Church is The Holy Synod of the Church of the GOC of Greece, under the Presidency of His Beatitude Archbishop Kallinikos of Athens and All Greece. The bishops belonging to the Eparchial Synod are also members of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece. We resist the heresy of Ecumenism.

Orthodox Awareness

A Miracle of Saint Spyridon

This miracle of Saint Spyridon took place in Mandra, Greece in 1926.

It was 12/25 December, 1926. The state Church of Greece adopted the Papal calendar and with the help of the Greek government persecuted all those who did not accept the Papal calendar. The faithful Orthodox Christians of Mandra woke up and headed to their Church to celebrate the Feast of Saint Spyridon. When they reached the Church they saw that the door to the Church had been secured with chains and the faithful could not enter. Before leaving the Church to return to their homes they stuck their candles on the door. As soon as the last person placed his candles on the door

the chains broke and fell. The faithful, confirmed in their Faith, entered the Church and celebrated the Feast of Saint Spyridon.

The miracle was reported the next day by the newspaper Skrip.

Missions

Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Mission, Tucson, Arizona

Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Church is a beautiful mission parish near downtown Tucson, a city in southern Arizona. It was started in 1997 by Father John Bockman, who was a missionary Priest formerly serving missions in Tennessee and Massachusetts since 1990. Father John served the faithful in Tucson and the surrounding area in his home Chapel until his repose in November of 2000. His wife, Presbytera Valerie, continued to make her home Chapel available for the mission, with clergy from Saint Nectarios Orthodox Church in Seattle and His Eminence, Metropolitan Moses of Toronto (then of Portland), visiting to provide the Divine Services.

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Youth

2025 Youth Conference

Please join us for the 2025 youth conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada! To learn more, visit the conference website.

Ask A Priest

Morning and Evening Prayers

Q. Are the prayers in the blue prayer book [A Prayerbook for Orthodox Christians by the Holy Transfiguration Monastery —ed.] compulsory for everyone? I mean their morning prayers and the service of Small Compline. My confessor gave me a special rule but wasn’t clear about whether this replaced the book prayers or was in addition to them. Read more...