“Greek Orthodox Christian Church - Birmingham, Alabama”

Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej






Sunday of The Holy Cross

The Measure of Our Lives
March 19, 2023

- Fr. Gregory Edwards, Ph.D -


Today in the Orthodox Church is the Sunday of The Holy Cross. It marks the mid-point of Lent. The Church places the Cross of Jesus Christ before the faithful for refreshment and encouragement. The Gospel lesson comes from Mark 8:34-38;9:1. Therein, Jesus says, if we wish to come after Him, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow. Father Gregory shares two types of crosses Christians take up in life. The first is involuntary crosses, which we do not choose for ourselves but carry. The second is a voluntary cross similar to the one Jesus and 11 million martyrs took up. Orthodox Christians should voluntarily take up the cross of our enemies and the unrighteousness. Through disciplines of fasting and almsgiving, we can learn to make even involuntary crosses voluntary and measure our lives by the Cross of Christ.



The Rev. Fr. Gregory Edwards, Ph.D., was raised in Virginia and eastern Pennsylvania, and became a member of the Orthodox Church while studying for his Bachelor's degree ...[more]
“Greek Orthodox Christian Church - Birmingham, Alabama”

Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej

Sunday Morning Divine Liturgy - 9:30

307 19th Street South, Birmingham, Alabama 35233 | Fr. Gregory Edwards, Dean | 205.716.3080





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The Rev. Fr. Gregory Edwards, Ph.D., was raised in Virginia and eastern Pennsylvania, and became a member of the Orthodox Church while studying for his Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies at Brown University. After completing a Master's Degree in the New Testament and early Christianity at Florida State University, he conducted doctoral studies in Greece at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, graduating summa cum laude in 2012. Ordained in 2007, he served parishes in Thessaloniki and Volos for 9 years. He and his wife Presvytera Pelagia lived in Greece from 2006-2016, where their four children were born. He has served as Assistant Professor of Missiology at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary in New York since 2014. Before coming to Birmingham in March 2019, Fr. Gregory served St. George Greek Orthodox Church in New Port Richey, FL from 2016-2019.