Orthodox Engagement Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick and Ancient Faith Radio

Fr. Andrew interviews two of the nuns of the Monastery of St. John the Baptist in Essex, England, who share with him the life and teachings of St. Sophrony (Sakharov), who founded the monastery. The interview was conducted on-site in the personal study of St. Sophrony at the monastery.

Fr. Nicholas Palis joins Fr. Andrew in the studio to tell him stories about his own encounters with five canonized saints—Paisios the Athonite, Gerasimos Mikragiannanitis of Athos, Ephraim of Katounakia, Porphyrios of Athens, and Sophrony of Essex—as well as other holy people—Fr. Nikodimos (Nicholas) Kossis and Fr. Eustathios Giannakidis and his wife. His moments with these holy people contain wisdom, wit, sorrow and joy, and warmth from the Savior Christ.

Dr. David Ford, Professor of Church History at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, author and editor of multiple books, has a special love for St. John Chrysostom. He tells the story of how he became an Orthodox Christian, his life as a professor at St. Tikhon’s Seminary, his emphasis on writing about marriage and married saints, and his new volume of the works of the golden-mouthed preacher from Antioch.

During a pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain of Athos, Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick collected interviews with pilgrims, talking about their purpose for going to the mountain and what they received while they were there. Included along with these short interviews is a longer conversation between several of the pilgrims and a holy elder living in Kelli Marouda, a small monastic settlement near Karyes, the center of the Athonite world.

Coloratura soprano Dr. Fotina Naumenko, Professor of Voice at Shenandoah University and the daughter of a Russian Orthodox priest, tells the story of becoming a professional classical singer while remaining a faithful Orthodox Christian, as well as her passion for teaching people how to pronounce Russian arias. Spectacular virtuosic hi-jinks included.

Archpriest Pimen Simon, pastor of the Russian Orthodox Old Rite Church of the Nativity of Erie, Pennsylvania, tells the story of the Old Believer movement and how he led his parish from being priestless Old Believers to receiving the priesthood from the Russian Orthodox Church.