Orthodox Christian Fellowship at Williams College
Beautywill savethe world
Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Idiot
Красота спасёт мир
EnterBackground: the mosaic interior of an Orthodox church, with incense rising through the light.
The Orthodox Church
The Church of the apostles, still praying the same Liturgy
The Orthodox Church traces an unbroken line to the apostles and the Church of Pentecost. Today it is a family of self-governing churches, among them the Greek, Russian, Antiochian, Serbian and Romanian, held together by one faith, one sacramental life and one worship.
Its center is worship. Its teaching, the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation and theosis, our union with God by grace, is prayed before it is explained, which is why the best way to understand Orthodoxy is to come to the Divine Liturgy and see.
“He was made man that we might be made god.”
“The glory of God is a living man; and the life of man consists in beholding God.”
“For that which He has not assumed He has not healed.”
“Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you.”
“Acquire a peaceful spirit, and thousands around you will be saved.”
“Keep thy mind in hell, and despair not.”
Look into Orthodoxy
Where to start reading, praying and following the Church’s year
Calendar and readings
- GOARCH Online ChapelThe Greek Orthodox Archdiocese calendar of saints and feasts, with each day’s readings
- OCA daily readingsThe Orthodox Church in America’s Scripture readings and lives of the saints
- Digital Chant StandThe full texts of the services, to follow along on Sunday
Books to start with
- The Orthodox ChurchTimothy (Kallistos) Ware
- The Orthodox WayKallistos Ware
- For the Life of the WorldAlexander Schmemann
- On the IncarnationSt. Athanasius the Great
- The Way of a PilgrimAnonymous, 19th-century Russia
Learn online
- Our FaithIntroductions to Orthodox teaching and worship from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese
- The Orthodox FaithThe OCA’s handbook on doctrine, worship and the Church year
- Orthodox Christian FellowshipThe national campus ministry, with retreats and College Conference
- Ancient Faith MinistriesOrthodox podcasts, radio and talks
Who we are
Orthodox Christians at Williams, and friends who want to know the faith
We’re Williams students who grew up in many different Orthodox traditions, along with friends who are meeting the faith for the first time. We pray together, study together, keep the great feasts and share a lot of meals. When we can, we go on pilgrimage, most recently to New Skete Monastery and Hellenic College Holy Cross.
- Sundays
- Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas, PittsfieldWe carpool from campus for the 9:30 Liturgy and stay for coffee hour. Next: Sunday, November 1.
- Wednesdays
- The Scripture Reading SeriesThe Gospels with the Fathers of the Church, on campus.
- Feasts
- Vespers, feast days and mealsWe keep the Church’s year together, from the Nativity fast to Pascha.
Scripture Reading Series
The four Gospels, read with the Fathers of the Church
Every Wednesday on campus we read a passage of the Gospels together, then read what the Fathers of the Church said about it: the homilies and commentaries the Church has prayed with for centuries. We began on October 28 with the first chapter of Matthew, and from there we’re reading straight through Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, 89 chapters in all, at the pace of the conversation.
Where we began
Matthew 1
The genealogy of Christ and His birth
- St. John ChrysostomHomilies on Matthew 2–5, preached in Antioch around 390
- Blessed Theophylact of OhridExplanation of the Gospel of St. Matthew, around 1100
“…as soon as ever we get home, to take our Bible into our hands…”
St. John Chrysostom, Homily 5 on Matthew
Next reading: Wednesday, November 4