I had a lovely evening at Newport Beach, CA with the vicar of my parish in Sunland, CA Very Rev. Dr. Joseph Tarzi, his wife Ms. Juliet Tarzi and the president of the Board of Elders of the parish Rev. Dn. Elias Afram and his wife Ms. Nadia Afram. The day was concluded with seafood dinner at Beach Front Dining and tea at Afrem residence. A video is uploaded to YouTube.
My Day at Mission San Juan Capistrano
21 Oct 2013 Leave a comment
in My Life Tags: San Juan Mission, Yuhanon Meletius Travels
A video report is uploaded to my YouTube channel about my visit to Mission of San Juan
Mission of San Juan, a Spanish Catholic Franciscan called Giovanni da Capistrano, was established on November 1st, 1776. This is the oldest building in California still in use. A chapel, the Serra’s chapel, was built in 1782. Main objective of the mission was to convert Native Americans to Christianity. Though they had to face oppositions, still they were able to convert a good number of people between 1776 and 1847.
This was a self sustaining community were artisans produced tools, cloth and prepared hides. The farms produced melons, pumpkins, grapes and peppers. Outside the mission compound Native Americans produced maize, beans, squash, sweet potato and sugar. They also had sheep and cattle at a distant location. They were able to supply these produces to the local household. But in 1821 when Mexico got liberated from French, they did not want to have the mission active. The property was bought in auction for $710 to Don Juan the brother in law of the governor of Mexico. But further when the journalist Charles Lummis tried to restore the mission.
Though initially this was part of Mexico, on September 1850 through a treaty between Mexico and United Stated that was signed in February 1848.
Small Pox epidemic (1862), 1891 roof collapse, lack of permanent priest (1886), severe flooding (1915) etc. caused the downfall of the mission. Father Arthur J. Hutchinson worked hard to revive the mission and bring it to the lost glory. In 1937 the National Parks department of United States took up the mission of preserving the site. But this met a set back with the 1987 earth quake. Now it is made a historical monument and thousands of people visit the site every year and the entrance fee collected helps them keep it up.
Very Rev. Corepiscopo Dr. Joseph Tarzi, vicar of St. James Orthodox Church (under my Episcopal care), his wife Juliet Tarzi, Mr. Abel Iwas, president of the board of trustees of the Church and his wife Rachael Iwas accompanied me. The day ended with dinner at El Adobe De Capistrano Restaurant
Sermon on Luke 16:9 ff
18 Oct 2013 1 Comment
in Theology and Life Tags: Yuhanon Meletius Sermon
My sermon delivered at St. Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral, Philadelphia on October 6, 2013 is uploaded to YouTube with pictures. The text was St. Luke 16: 9 ff. It was the fourth Sunday after the fest of the Cross according to the lectionary of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
Sermon on Matthew 23 1 ff
14 Oct 2013 Leave a comment
in Theology and Life Tags: Yuhanon Meletius Sermon
I have uploaded a video with pictures of an audio file of my sermon at St. Gregorios Orthodox Church, Union City, San Francisco, CA on the Gospel text St. Matthew 23: 1 ff.
My Day in Manhattan
03 Oct 2013 Leave a comment
in Travel
I have uploaded to my Youtube channel a video about my day in Manhattan, NY visiting Times Square, Broadway and Intrepid Museum with space shuttle Enterprise.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHAF9xI061c&feature=c4-overview&list=UU8bQDT0tJ9YZoyBxN4WdUgw
Sermon on Mark 2 23ff
01 Oct 2013 2 Comments
in Theology and Life Tags: Yuhanon Meletius Sermon
This is the video presentation of the audio file of my sermon at Sts. Baselius – Gregorios Orthodox Church, Plainfield New Jersey (9 Mercer Ave Plainfield, NJ 07060) on Sept. 29, 2013.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52PCEo98hWc&feature=c4-overview&list=UU8bQDT0tJ9YZoyBxN4WdUgw
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