“Greek Orthodox Christian Church - Birmingham, Alabama”

Photography Credits: Beth Hontzas - Music: Presbytera Katerina Makiej






The Holy Transfiguration

New Exodus
August 06, 2023

- Fr. Gregory Edwards, Ph.D -


Today we commemorate a Major Feast, the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ. The Gospel reading from Matthew 17:1-9 narrates when Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain and was transfigured before them revealing His Divinity. Moses and Elijah appear and speak with Jesus leading Peter to ask if he should build three booths for them. Father Gregory encourages us to know scripture and reflects on the Old Testament readings from the previous night's Vespers, two taken from Exodus and the other from Leviticus. They speak of the Hebrews wandering for forty years on their way to the promised land, Moses from the cleft of a rock seeing God's back and the establishment of feasts. Peter, through his Epistle, reflects on the meaning of booths. Our bodies are temporary booths or huts on the way to a gloried body in the Kingdom of God. The purpose of life is to move toward a transfigured body and life. God's purpose for the Transfiguration was to strengthen the Apostles and let them know He was with them, just as He is with us.



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.