On the evening of March 9, 2025, the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago became a beacon of living faith and Orthodox unity. Faithful from across the Metropolitan area, together with their hierarchs and clergy, gathered to venerate the holy icons and participate in a solemn Pan-Orthodox service, marked by deep emotion and unwavering faith in the triumph of Orthodoxy. This celebration served as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by the martyrs who gave their lives in defense of the rightful veneration of holy icons, reinforcing the spiritual connection between past and present.
This solemn feast was graced by the presence of seven distinguished hierarchs: His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael, of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago; His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas; His Eminence Archbishop Daniel, Archbishop of Chicago and the Midwest for the OCA; His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian, Romanian Orthodox Bishop of Canada; His Grace Bishop Vicar Timothy of Hexamilion of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis; His Grace Bishop Serafim of Kostajnica, Vicar Bishop of the Serbian Diocese for Midwestern America; and His Grace Bishop Alexei, Bishop of Sitka and Alaska (OCA).
Over 40 priests from various Orthodox jurisdictions reverently and solemnly carried the holy icons, proclaiming in one voice the Orthodox Creed and reaffirming the decision of the Seventh Ecumenical Council of 787:
"As the Prophets have spoken, as the Apostles have taught, as the Church has received, as the Fathers have dogmatized, as the entire Christian world has agreed, as grace has shone forth, as the truth has been revealed… so do we speak, so do we proclaim: This is the faith of the Apostles, This is the faith of the Fathers, This is the faith of the Orthodox."
The sermon was delivered by His Grace Bishop Alexei, Bishop of Sitka and Alaska, who emphasized that in order to be triumphant in our own spiritual struggles, we must cultivate two fundamental Christian virtues: patience and hope. Holy patience in all trials that come upon us, and the hope that God will not allow us to endure them alone but will guide us to victory.
This service was a profound testimony to the unity and strength of the Orthodox faith, reminding all present of the sacrifices of the saints and martyrs who defended the truth of the Church. The Sunday of Orthodoxy, or the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, commemorates the victory of the true faith over iconoclasm and all heresies, recalling the events of Constantinople on March 11, 843, when, through a synod, the veneration of holy icons was restored, and the doctrinal decisions of the Seven Ecumenical Councils were ratified.
As the warm glow of the chandeliers illuminated the sacred faces of the saints depicted in the icons, the faithful experienced a profound sense of communion, feeling that, beyond time and space, they were part of the same living Church. Every prayer uttered, every icon carried with reverence, was a testimony of unwavering faith, strengthening the spiritual bond that unites all Orthodox Christians. With uplifted souls, the participants left the cathedral filled with joy and gratitude, determined to carry forward the spiritual heritage they had received, in love, unity, and truth.
Fr. Ștefan Drăgoi
