Welcome to our NEWS PAGE
July 19-23, 2010 - the Sixteenth Biennial Clergy Symposium of the Antiochian Archdiocese was hosted at the Antiochian Village.
The clergy worshipped together, attended addresses, workshops and enjoyed fellowship with their brother priests. This year's theme was "The Priesthood: Diakonos, Presbyteros, Episcopos." Speakers included His Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP; His Eminence, Metropolitan EPHRAIM Kyriakos; His Grace, Bishop MICHAEL Dahulich; Fathers John Chryssavgis and Nicholas Apostola.
In the above left photo, His Eminence, Metropolitan PHILIP is in the center. In this photo, to the left of Sayedna PHILIP is His Grace, Bishop BASIL and His Grace, Bishop ANTOUN; to the right of Sayedna PHILIP is His Grace, Bishop JOSEPH and His Grace, Bishop ALEXANDER. In the above right photo is His Grace, Bishop MICHAEL of the Orthodox Church in America delivering a presentation on the Episcopos.
June 13, 2010 - "Community Day" at the Antiochian Village
It was a splendid “Community Day” at our Antiochian Heritage Museum on Sunday afternoon. Visitors enjoyed the colorful new exhibit, “Spirit and Whimsy: the art of Niko Chocheli,” as well as delicious refreshments and horse-drawn carriage rides with Ernie Alwine of Misty Haven Carriage.
June 11-13, 2010
This weekend at the Antiochian Village, we welcome the men attending the Pan-Orthodox Men's Retreat: Exploring the Passions that Drive Us and the Virtues that can Save Us.
Paul Karos is the Guest Speaker.
For more biographical information, the brochure is available on our site.
Also, more flowers arrived...
and Debra and Barli are discussing the many possibities!
June 2, 2010
Summer has arrived! We are excited to host our guests scheduled to be here with us at the Antiochian Village in the coming months. We are also thrilled that the Antiochian Bookstore and Gift shop is now online! You may access the store by clicking on the new button with link to http://store.antiochianvillage.org/
here 
or on our main directory page.
April 21,2010
SAVE THE DATE for this year's
St. Thekla Pilgrimage from September 24-26, 2010!
A press release was posted at http://www.antiochian.org/sainttheklaconvent
April 16, 2010
A fast paced storm passed through the Antiochian Village in the early evening on Friday, April 16, 2010. The weather service recorded wind speeds up to 86mph. A short video of the Antiochian Village Tempest can be viewed on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU-1Ic6Gp9c
April 14, 2010
Two articles recently appeared in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
"Exhibition Captures Illustrator's Spirit" about our new exhibit, Spirit & Whimsy: The Art of Niko Chocheli, at the Antiochian Heritage Museum.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10104/1050098-437.stm
and "Theology in Color," an interview about iconography featuring Mother Alexandra, Abbess of the Convent of St Thekla here at the Antiochian Village.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10094/1047845-455.stm
From March 19-21, 2010,
four Christian groups were hosted at the Antiochian Village.
One of these was the Antiochian Women of the East
who came for their annual Lenten retreat and Spring delegates meeting.
To the left is a picture of the Antiochian Women of the East who were on retreat. Below are pictures from their retreat and the blessing and installation of an icon in memory of Kh. Joanne Abdalah.
Mother Alexandra presented a retreat entitled, "Are You Ready For the Resurrection?" in two parts: an inventory of our Lenten toolbox and our struggle with spiritual warfare, based on Psalm 67; and a reflection on the Paschal Canon.
Mother Alexandra, the Retreat Director, presenting; and Father Don Shadid, the Spiritual Advisor for the AWE and Pastor of St. Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, offering some words of wisdom.
On Saturday, the day began with Matins. ... "O Lord save Thy people!"
The weather and the retrat schedule allowed for private and group walks. Some made a pilgrimage to the grave of St. Raphael and the shrine of St. Thekla, while others gathered for a visit to the building site of the Convent of St. Thekla.
After Vespers on Saturday, Father Don blessed the new icon of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women. The Antiochian Women commissioned Kh. Erin Kimmett to write this icon in memory of Kh. Joanne Abdalah.
After the icon was blessed, there was a procession and installation of the icon in the hall that leads to the Antiochian Heritage Library. In her many years of service to our Lord, Kh. Joanne had offered her time and talents as the first librarian at the Antiochian Village, as President of the Antiochian Women of the East, and as President of the North American Board of Antiochian Women from 1997-1999. She fell asleep in the Lord in May of 2008.
.jpg)
Father Don led all in a memorial. Maria Abdalah is standing near Father. After the memorial, the newly blessed icon was venerated.
Closeup of the icon.
From March 11-14, 2010, the Homeschooling Conference was held at the Antiochian Village.
Over 160 participants traveled from several states.
On Sunday, March 14, the weekend concluded with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy followed by brunch. His Grace, Bishop THOMAS, delivers the sermon to many attentive young listeners.
More pictures from the weekend follow....
March 13, 2010
Saturday was a full day of workshops and fun which culminated in a Carnival for the children.
Many THANKS to the Teen SOYO Chapters of St Mary Orthodox Church in Johnstown, PA and St. Michael Orthodox Church in Greensburg, PA [left] who set up and worked the Carnival for the benefit of many happy children. [right]
Activities included the dart throw, dice roll,
duck catch, put out the candle challenge,
hula hoop contest, pin the tail on the donkey,
fish bowl toss, butterfly hunt,
and the one of a kind, infamous, "Bible Guy!"
Remember... "No one stumps the Bible Guy!"
March 12, 2010
On Friday, the Homeschooling Conference continued...
with visits to the Antiochian Village Bookstore and Giftshop and the Homeschooling Vendors Hall,
workshops for all ages....
where the children had a blast getting to know each other, making crafts,
performing skits, and drawing with Niko Chocheli.
The participants of the Homeschooling Conference also gathered for worship: Vespers, Presanctified Liturgy, Akathist to the Theotokos, Supplication to St. Raphael, Orthros and Hierarchical Divine Liturgy with His Grace, Bishop THOMAS.
Sayedna THOMAS with his helpers.
March 11, 2010
Thursday evening marked two openings: the St. Emmelia Homeschooling Conference and the Antiochian Heritage Museum's new exhibit - Spirit and Whimsy, THE ART OF NIKO CHOCHELI.
Homeschooling Conference gathering and introduction from Niko Chocheli prior to the opening of the exhibit Spirit and Whimsy, featuring his art.
His Grace, Bishop THOMAS, with the children before the blessing and opening of the exhibit.
His grace vesting, surrounded by attentive youth; and then blessing the new exhibit.
.jpg)
Children at the blessing; and Julia Ritter, the Heritage Museum Curator, with Niko Chocheli.
Niko signed his books for the children.
March 9, 2010
We are preparing a new exhibit:
Spirit and Whimsy,
THE ART OF NIKO CHOCHELI.
Please visit our Antiochian Heritage Museum page for more details.
Shirley, Julia and Adam are hard at work!
March 3, 2010
At the edge of the Village property, we had an unexpected, out of the ordinary visitor!
That's him in the tree, and the Game Commissioners helping him out.
The bear has a mask on to protect his eyes and mouth while being moved. The Game Comissioner confirmed that this is out of the ordinary. After examination, it is clear that this young bear is ill and thin. He came out of hibernation early, and finding no food, he tried to locate some in the neighbor's garbage.
The Game Commission assured Mother Alexandra that sleeping beauty will be medicated, fed, and released somewhere good for bears.
February 25, 2010
Thanks to John Ritter for sending some pictures from the Marriage Enrichment Retreat at the Antiochian Village from February 13-14, 2010.
Retreat leader, Presbytera Kerry Pappas was inspiring and enjoyed by all.
There was a candlelight dinner in the Heritage Center with a wonderful meal prepared by Chef Tim and staff. The newly elevated Archpriest Gregory Long, his family and friends were invited to continue their celebration at the dinner. May God grant him many more years in our Lord's service!
February 10, 2010
Thanks to Ron Royhab, who was at the Antiochian Village for the Mid-Winter Meetings, for sending these pictures from last weekend.
February 5-7, 2010
Several organizations of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America convened at the Village for Mid-Winter meetings: Antiochian Women, Christian Education, the Fellowship of St. John the Divine and Teen SOYO.
Liturgy on Soul Saturday
memorial with koliva
meetings, dining and fellowship
General session
The blizzard arrived!
Antiochian Women preparing needed items for IOCC and His Grace, Bishop THOMAS
Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on Sunday
February 4, 2010
Today, at the Antiochian Village Bookstore and Giftshop, our new retail management equipment and software arrived! Stephen and Sean from Automated Data Instruments of Johnstown, Pennsylvania [www.adionline.com] installed our system and provided some initial training.
February 1-3, 2010
Clergy from a local Christian Church attended the Antiochian Village for a retreat and enjoyed worship services in our lovely chapel.
January 27, 2010
We hosted the Men in Black luncheon in appreciation of the service our Orthodox Clergy offer the Church, and in order to introduce them to the upcoming Pan-Orthodox Programs at Antiochian Village.
His Grace, Bishop MELCHISEDEK, was among the 16 clergy who attended, representing the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, the Orthodox Church in America, and the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Diocese.
SAVE the DATE 
for the next appreciation luncheon on February 22, 2011
January 21, 2010
Today, we finished our Christmas takedown. It is time. The feasts of Nativity and Theophany have passed and we are preparing for the season of Great Lent.
January 14-15, 2010
The Village Conference Center hosted a national College Campus Ministry organization for staff training and some winter fun!
Who's there overlooking the sledding hill?
..... our new snow person
snow person's view of the Heritage Center and ridgeline
January 8, 2010
The Village has been enjoying the recent snowfall especially some interesting natural snow sculpture. Click on the following link to see a video of our Mount Crumpet. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebICDct6HW0
