Upcoming Events

Since earliest times, women’s fingerprints have been found throughout the Church. From the icons which adorn our walls, to the wood carvings, vestments and curtains of the liturgies, to the lives of the female martyrs, it is through those who have walked before us that we are woven into the living tradition of the Body of Christ.

On April 18th, join us in exploring how the tangible presence of women’s witness become beautiful examples of the power of faith in Christ. Through church architecture, iconography and martyrdom texts, Historical Theologian and Professor Ani Shahinian will guide us through an exquisite weekend together visiting three Orthodox churches, examining what they tell us about the theological and spiritual power of beauty and its witness to our lives as Orthodox women today.

This one-day retreat includes:

• Private coach tour of three Orthodox churches in the San Diego area
• Dynamic, experiential teaching by a leading scholar
• Catered lunch
• Hands-on Byzantine mosaic afternoon workshop with a treasured keepsake to bring home
• Optional evening Vespers
• A chance to connect with Orthodox women in the San Diego area and experience the healing power of beauty.

There will be an optional Friday night meet and greet on April 17th - appetizers and drinks on us!

Early Registration Price: $179

Regular Registration Price: $199

For anyone traveling to attend this event, a block of rooms has been reserved at Courtyard San Diego Old Town. Contact axia@axiawomen.org to receive the booking link!

Several student scholarships available! Apply here.

We hope you will join us for this one-of-a-kind weekend together as Orthodox women across jurisdictions!

REGISTER

About our Speaker

Ani Shahinian, D.Phil./Ph.D., is the Assistant Professor in Armenian Christian Art and Theology, at St. Nersess and St Vladimir’s Theological Seminaries in New York. Shahinian holds a doctorate in History and Theology from the University of Oxford. Shahinian is driven and inspired by people. She has had a lifelong curiosity in people across cultures, societies, languages, and time. Her journey to explore the depth of the human soul has taken her across many countries and degrees in the fields of human rights, criminal law, philosophy, theology, history, religion, and politics. Her insights continue to develop a more holistic understanding of what it means to be a human person in today’s world. You can learn more about Ani's journey through our recent Woman of the Week interview here!

RSVP Here

(Orthodox women only, please)

Join us for this full-length Preaching and Teaching Course with Dr. Teva Regule and take a deep dive into the feast of the Annunciation and the life of St. Mary of Egypt, and what they can teach us today. We’ll study biblical narratives, patristic writings and tradition, iconography, and the hymnography of the feasts to explore what we can learn from two women who said yes to God in ways that dramatically changed their lives as well as their inner worlds.

At the end of the course, you’ll walk away with the skills to conduct biblical research and exegesis, learn sermon methodology, and put together a talk or sermon that can be used in a wide variety of settings. Past participants have used what they learned to craft Sunday homilies, church school lessons, as well as talks to women's groups, parishioners at coffee hour, and more.

Based on your feedback from our mini-course this past July, we’ve extended the sessions to eight weeks. Mark your calendars for Thursdays from January 15 - March 5 (7–9 pm Eastern) and join us!

Details:

Thursdays 7-9PM Eastern

January 15-March 5

Online

Cost:

Early Registration (through Dec 15th): $259

Full Registration (through January 5): $299

This course is now full. Add your name to the waitlist here!

Reach out with any questions to axia@axiawomen.org!

(Orthodox women only, please.)

Axia Women would like to invite you to join us for a Meet & Greet Networking event for Orthodox women!

Come join us for appetizers and good conversation.

We'll provide those appetizers - all you need to bring is yourself, and maybe a friend!

Friday, December 19 | 5-7PM

Let us know you're coming by RSVPing HERE.

We hope to see you there!

Bring your cocktails or mocktails and join us for a happy hour celebration of Susan Ashbrook Harvey’s new book, Ministries of Song: Women's Voices in Ancient Syriac Christianity.

Each attendee will receive a free digital download of the book during the event.

When: Thursday, December 11 | 7:30PM Eastern

We hope to see you there!

(Orthodox women only, please.)

RSVP HERE

Join us for a webinar and Q&A on the ways we find healing and transformation through our wounds. Registered therapist Eleni Opperwall and trauma-informed coach and author Nicole Roccas will guide us in a two-part webinar on Sunday, October 19th, 7pm Eastern.

Together, we'll explore what it means to be human after trauma through honest, hopeful conversations. Springboarding off of their recently launched Re-Creation Podcast, Nicole and Eleni will draw from Orthodox Christian tradition, personal experiences, and their professional work, sharing insights and stories to support healing and spiritual integration around the wounds of life.

Evening Program:

45 min Talk

5 min Break

30 min Q&A

Cost: $12

(If cost is an obstacle, please let us know!)

About Our Speakers

Eleni Opperwall is a registered social worker and psychotherapist with nearly two decades of experience supporting parents, children, and families. She holds advanced training in perinatal mental health, trauma recovery, EMDR, and attachment-focused therapies, and has worked in both community settings and private practice. Learn more about Eleni’s work at www.eleniopperwallcounselling.com.

Nicole M. Roccas is a writer and trauma-informed writing coach based in Southern Ontario. She is the author of several books, including Time and Despondency: Regaining the Present in Faith and Life. Although she wears many professional hats, she most cherishes the ones where she gets to find words for the paradoxical, “bright sadness” of human existence; empower others to find their God-given voice and choice; and help cultivate greater wholeness in an often fragmented, disconnected world. Learn more about Nicole at https://nicoleroccas.com.

Register Here

We hope to see you there!

Orthodox women only, please.

Our recent panel, Women Sharing the Good News: Teaching and Preaching,  sparked such excitement that we knew we couldn’t stop there. So, we’re taking it to the next level! Join us for Tuesdays in July—July 8–29—for a dynamic four-week mini-course with the inspiring Dr. Teva Regule, and discover how you can teach and preach Christ with confidence and grace.

By the end of the course, you’ll be ready to deliver a compelling sermon or give an engaging coffee-hour talk on the Feast of the Transfiguration. You’ll learn how to craft your message using Scripture, patristic insights,and  its liturgical context, including iconography, and hymnography—drawing from the rich wellsprings of Orthodox tradition.

This hands-on experience includes:

• Inspiring two-hour lectures
• A one-on-one tutorial
• Weekly reflection exercises
• Interactive workshop sessions

We’ll meet  weekly (online) throughout July, wrapping up just in time for the Feast of the Transfiguration. As an extra bonus, if you’d like, you can record your sermon at the end of the course—Axia will choose at least three to feature on our platforms!

We can’t wait to hear what you have to say. Let’s bring the Good Word to life—together.

All levels welcome.

About the Instructor:
 Dr. Teva Regule brings a scholarly mind and a pastoral heart to theology and liturgical life, shaped by a lifelong journey within the Orthodox Church. Raised in the faith and actively involved ever since, she combines heartfelt commitment with scholarly excellence. Teva earned her Master of Divinity from Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in 2007, graduating with highest distinction, and went on to complete her PhD in Systematic Theology at Boston College.

Her academic interests center on the vibrant traditions of Orthodox worship, with a particular focus on liturgical theology and history. Beyond the classroom and church, Teva is a dedicated advocate for the voices of women and young people in the life of the Church. In her home parish women preach during Women’s History Month, and Teva has consistently brought its participants into a rich and engaging perspective on the living tradition of Orthodox Christianity.

Details
July 8, 15, 22, 29th | 7pm Eastern

Early Registration (until June 14): $179

Full Registration (ends on July 1st): $199

Register here!

Space is limited to 20 students, as participants will receive personal coaching and feedback. We recommend signing up early!

Orthodox women only, please.

Join Axia Women and St. Phoebe Center for the Deaconess for a new webinar, “Women Sharing the Good News: Teachers and Preachers.” Hear from four panelists on their experiences in presenting our faith:

• Nadieszda Kizenko, PhD, historian and professor at the University of Albany (OCA and ROCOR)
• Sherry Shenoda, MD, pediatrician and author who has testified before Congress (Coptic Orthodox)
• Sarah Byrne-Martelli, MDiv, D.Min, board-certified chaplain and author (AOCA)
• Dina Zingaro, MDiv/JD candidate at Harvard Divinity School and Harvard Law School (GOA)

Panel will be moderated by Teva Regule, MDiv, PhD.

When: March 23, 7:00 - 8:30 pm EDT

Online via Zoom.

This is a free event and open to all.

Donations welcome!

Register here!

Donate to St. Phoebe Center | Donate to Axia Women

How do we hunger for righteousness?

Join author Phoebe Farag Mikhail and Axia Women for a hybrid book launch event celebrating Phoebe’s new book, Hunger for Righteousness: A Lenten Journey Towards Intimacy with God and Loving Our Neighbor.

Just in time to prepare for Lent, come explore the familiar traditions and practices of Lent, Holy Week and Easter from the perspectives of modern and ancient Christian heroes – some familiar, others less well-known. Phoebe Farag Mikhail’s new book brings together surprising and challenging reflections, familiar concepts of almsgiving, prayer, fasting, repentance, reading of Scripture, forgiveness, and pilgrimage are given fresh insight. Come meet the author and learn more about how to draw closer to God and share the love of Christ with your neighbors. After the event, Phoebe will be available to sign books.

Monday, February 17th | 7PM ET

In-Person in collaboration with St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, New York

Metropolitan Philip Auditorium, Rangos Building, 575 Scarsdale Road, Crestwood, NY 10707

Online via Zoom (link to come).

This is a free event. (Orthodox women only, please.)

RSVP here!

Sunday, November 17

6-7:30pm Eastern

Tired at the end of the day? Having leftover thoughts and worries in the evening, which block you from being fully present with your dear ones or connecting deeply with God in prayer?

Join us for our upcoming workshop with Dr. Ioana Popa from Team For The Soul®, an expert in spiritual renewal. She’ll work with us on how to refresh at the end of the day through brief rituals, to separate and release from the cares of the day and experience that “peace that surpasses all understanding.” 

To give you a sense: in her last Axia workshop on Boundaries, Dr. Ioana Popa addressed those of us who are feeling overwhelmed and constantly juggling work, church, relationships, caretaking, and personal life. She gave us tips and advice to avoid health issues and burnout. This is all the harder for those of us in the church because we assume that, in order to by Christ-like, we must say “yes” to whatever is asked of us. 

She shared several psychological group phenomena that impact all of us at work, church, and family. 

One of them is “Social Loafing,”  which is the tendency for many people in a group to work less, because they know someone else will show up to help.

Another one is  “Social Compensation,” which states that the most conscientious members of a group will be the one who bears the brunt of the work.

She identified the tendency many of us have to promise ourselves that we’ll do it “just this time,” only to find that promise becoming a cycle and a feedback loop. She asked the question, “What if we just wait?” 

Sometimes if we decide NOT to say “yes,” we can give a gift to someone else to access their own resourcefulness and gifts in Christ.  And we might be pleasantly surprised to find out who rises to the occasion because they are called by God for that work!

$12   (Let us know if cost is a barrier.)

Sign up here!
 (Orthodox women only, please.)

Join Us for an Inspiring Women's Retreat

Explore the profound impact of beauty on our lives through meaningful conversations, insightful talks, and enriching activities.

Healing Beauty

A conversation about the importance of Beauty in our lives.

Featuring a Compelling Team of Speakers

1. Dr. Pia Chaudhari, MSc, PhD–Art, Aesthetics, Depth Psychology

“Healing Beauty” 

Pia holds a doctorate in theology from the department of Psychiatry & Religion at Union Theological Seminary in New York. She spent two years working as a chaplain intern in a psychiatric hospital, and has trained and worked extensively in Jungian psychoanalysis. She is a founding co-chair of the Analytical Psychology and Orthodox Christianity Consultation (APOCC) which was started in order to promote dialogue across the fields of Orthodox theology/pastoral care and analytical psychology after Carl Jung. 

Pia is the founder and principal at Pia Cameron Interiors, an interior decorating firm. She is also the author of Dynamis of Healing; Patristic Theology and the Psyche (Fordham University Press 2019), as well as numerous articles, including on marriage and theosis, the unconscious and prayer, and healing and the Theotokos. Her research interests include theological anthropology, depth psychology, processes of healing, the feminine, aesthetics and beauty.  

2.  Jennifer Nahas, MMHS–Pilgrimage and Outdoors Specialist

“Contemplative Prayer Walk”

“I believe that it’s in the wild, untamed and natural places that we find our best selves and can see and hear God. I work with people interested in modern-day pilgrimages and the benefits of long-distance walking toward personal growth through mental, physical, and spiritual challenges. I have walked the Camino (the 500-mile pilgrimage across Spain) and Wainwright’s Coast-to-Coast trek across England, and I can see why our early Christians took to the road to unburden, reflect, and re-center. As St. Augustine writes, ‘Solvitor ambulando’ (it is solved by walking).”

Jen is a founding member of Axia Women and continues to write about women and the Eastern Orthodox Church. A certified ski instructor and an outdoor mediative guide trained in spiritual facilitation and accompaniment, Jen has made it her mission to inspire others to awaken to the outdoors as a means of experiencing the peace and love of God.

3.  Laura Josephson, CCH–Classical Homeopath

“In the Footsteps of the Holy Myrrhbearers” workshop

Laura is a board-certified classical homeopath practicing in Nyack, New York, since 1992. She graduated from the New England School of Homeopathy, attended the New York School of Homeopathy and the Atlantic Academy of Classical Homeopathy, and has studied with many leaders in the field worldwide. She is a former New York State Homeopathic Association (NYSHA) president, an experienced speaker and teacher, and supervisor to aspiring homeopaths. Her original interest in homeopathy grew from her study of herbal medicine plus her artistic activity exploring the healing properties of pigments, color, and form.  She is the author of  “A Homeopathic Handbook of Natural Remedies” (Random House/Villard Books 2002), a quick-reference guidebook for the self-treatment of common ailments at home. 

Her workshop will be an immersive experience delving into essential oils, the life-blood of plants and one of humankind's first medicines. Guided meditation and discussion in the presence of the scent of the precious oils are intended to help us open ourselves to their gifts of beauty and healing. A small sampling of oils will be yours as a gift to take home.

Activities Include:

• Two sessions on Healing Beauty with Dr. Pia Chaudhari 
• Contemplative Prayer Walk with Jennifer Nahas
• Interactive Workshop with Laura Josephson
• Time for Personal Reflection and Connection

All attendees will receive a special takeaway to continue bringing healing beauty into their own lives and homes. They are designed to remind you of the day’s themes and your personal journey toward healing through beauty.

Registration Information 

Cost: $85 (Orthodox women only, please)

Register here

Join Poustinia Pilgrimage & Axia Women for their first Orthodox women’s pilgrimage to Patmos, Greece!

A time set apart to focus on stillness and being with God, sharing our experiences as women, immersed in the holy wisdom and tradition of the Orthodox faith and  walking in the footsteps of a newly canonized saint.

Share in daily gatherings • Pray in St. John’s cave • Contemplative walking on ancient footpaths • Make a handmade prayer journal • Venerate relics on Leros Island • Fall in love with your prayer life • Small group of up to 20 pilgrims.

The island of Patmos, Greece - a holy place, blessed by Saint John the Beloved, Saint Amphilochios the lover of trees, Metropolitan Kallistos Ware, and recently canonized Saint Gavrilia, the “ascetic of love.” Patmos has been a spiritual pilgrimage site for generations, known to Christians throughout the ages as ‘The Jerusalem of the Aegean’.

Cost: $3250, excluding airfare

Pilgrims will meet at the Athen’s airport on August 27th, spend 10 glorious days together, and be returned back to the airport on September 6th.

You can find more details and the application to attend here.

Make your deposit here.
Make your final payment here.

Not sure when to set boundaries and when to just give to others? Did Christ even have boundaries? Join us in hearing from Dr. Ioana Popa in this interactive workshop on Friday, June 7th at 2pm Eastern. We’ll discover 2 mindset shifts to navigate this fine balance, with God at our core. 

$12   (Let us know if cost is a barrier.)

Sign up here!
 

(Orthodox women only, please.)

Join us to learn from Dr. Ioana Popa--psychiatrist, spiritual advisor, theologian--on how to use your environment to support your rituals and spiritual goals. Axia is offering this as a special event with the Institute of Orthodox Christian Studies in Cambridge.

We hope you can join us!

$5 (Orthodox women only, please.)

If cost is a barrier, please let us know at axiawomen@gmail.com.

Register here!

​Are you interested in a walking pilgrimage? Not sure how to get started? 

Jennifer Nahas was a pilgrimage instructor at REI for seven years and has also been on two full Camino walks of over 500 miles. 

​In this webinar, she will cover the spiritual, physical, and practical (gear!) aspects of preparing for a walking pilgrimage, using walking the Camino as a case study. 

We hope you can join us!

$12 (Orthodox women only, please.)

If cost is a barrier, please let us know. 

Register here!

Girls’ Participation in the Liturgy, Part 3: The third panel in this series co-sponsored by Axia Women and the St. Phoebe Center on January 28th, 2024, at 7pm Eastern.

Everyone is welcome!

We will hear from four diverse panelists who will focus on integrating girls into our liturgical celebration, addressing this issue from various perspectives—from those who plan and coordinate this ministry, to the perspectives of parents, and to the perspective of clergy on how this ministry has been received in their parishes and its value for the parish.  

We’ll hear from: 

• Anna Kallis, MDiv - the founder of the Myrrh-bearer ministry at St. Peter and Paul

• Kristina Baktis, MPS, LCAT, LPAT - co-founder of a ministry for young girls at her parish 

• Andy Nosal, PhD - a parent whose daughter participates in this kind of ministry

• Fr. Peter Baktis, DMin. - a parish priest

The panel will be moderated by Dr. Teva Regule, a liturgical scholar, and an expert on lay participation in the liturgy. The event will include short presentations explaining the panelist’s respective ministries, responses from other panelists, and a Q+A time for those attending the meeting.

You can register for the event here.   

Missed Parts 1 and 2? Over the past few years, the St. Phoebe Center in partnership with Axia Women has sponsored two webinars/zoom meetings focusing on the participation of women and girls in the liturgical assembly.

You can watch the videos on the St. Phoebe Center YouTube channel:

1) Integrating Girls (and boys) into the Liturgy: How and Why (sponsored by Axia)  

2) Liturgical Service by Girls and Women

Please note that when you register for this event, you will be added to St. Phoebe Center’s newsletter mailing list. They do not sell or share their lists. You will not be bombarded with unnecessary emails. You may unsubscribe at any time.

St. Phoebe Center plans to record portions of this event by photo, video, and audio. By registering for this event, you consent to SPC taking, using, reproducing, altering, and publicizing photographs, audio, or video for publicity, advertising, and promotion.

We hope to see you on January 28th! 

Interested in unplugging and creating a space to experience the presence of God more deeply? Then consider setting your sights on a pilgrimage. Out of all the possibilities, there is one out there for you! 

On October 15th, Axia will be hosting a pilgrimage panel to explore the many ways we can be a pilgrim.  Our panel will cover the emotional, physical and spiritual benefits that come from traveling to and/or creating a sacred place to worship and experience the presence of God. Through the stories and lived experience of four different women, we will work through a broad definition of what it means to be on pilgrimage - whether alone or with others; virtually or physically; staying put in a sacred place or a walk that is just as important as the destination. 

We will be making a special announcement during the panel discussion—you don’t want to miss this!

https://app.aplos.com/aws/events/pilgrimage_101

About Our Panelists

Arpi Nakashian: After growing up in the Old City of Jerusalem, where she encountered pilgrims from across the world, Arpi went on to lead both in-person and virtual pilgrimages, eventually inspired by the pilgrims’ faith to establish her own pilgrimage ministry, Holy Land Lights.

Jennifer Rich: The author of 'Prayer Spa: Ancient Treatments for the Modern Soul’ and member of the Orthodox Speakers Bureau, when not tending her flock of sheep and stationery business Oblation Press in Portland, Oregon, Jennifer leads pilgrimages such as her recent tour with Frederica Mathewes-Green to Greece, focused on stillness in prayer.

Jen Nahas: An REI guide certified in both spiritual accompaniment and outdoor meditative walks, Jen’s adventurers all prepared her for the Camino de Santiago, one of the many pilgrimages she has sauntered.  

Teva Regule: Among her contributions as President of the Orthodox Theological Society of America, Teva was one of the motivators behind the creation of the annual New Skete pilgrimage in New York and hopes to be an example for anyone else who would like to create a pilgrimage place for their own community.

STORIES WANTED!!!

Starting September 1, Axia's church year will be focused on PILGRIMAGE.

If you've taken part in a pilgrimage recently or long ago, we'd love to hear about it!  It could be a journey to a monastery, a weeks-long trek on the Camino or other established trail, or a trip to a place that is holy to you, or some other sacred travel. The piece should be between 500 and 1500 words long. Send to axiawomen@gmail.com with the subject line "My Pilgrimage Story." We'll be picking at least six for our new blog series over the coming months. 

We can't wait to read what you write!

(Orthodox women only, please.)

Join us to learn from Dr. Ioana Popa --psychiatrist, spiritual advisor, theologian--on how to use your environment to support your rituals and spiritual goals.

6 pm eastern | 5 pm central | 4 pm mountain | 3 pm pacific

$12 (Let us know if cost is an issue.)

Register here!

(Orthodox women only, please.)

We are delighted to offer a webinar by Carrie Frederick Frost, PhD,  author of The Church of Our Granddaughters, with a special focus on menstruation. 

In many parishes and areas of the Orthodox world, women and girls are excommunicated during their periods. Sometimes they are instructed not to venerate icons, light candles, kiss the cross, bake prosphora, or engage in other acts of worship, and sometimes they are even prohibited from coming to church at all. Dr. Frost will discuss how these popular practices–though widespread–diverge from core Orthodox theology related to women, the human body, and the Incarnation, and suggest ways to bring this particular set of practices in line with our theology.

If you want to read the book before the webinar, it is available from Cascade Books and Amazon.com.

Register here ($12--let us know if cost is an issue)

(Orthodox women only, please.)

Sunday, June 25, 2023

7 PM-8:30 PM Eastern on Zoom

Moderated by St. Phoebe Center Board Member Dr. Teva Regule

Co-sponsored with Axia Women, Dr. Patricia Fann Boutneff

Greater participation of girls and women in the liturgical assembly of the Orthodox Church benefits the entire community. This event, co-sponsored with Axia Women, will offer the perspective of Orthodox women who have experienced these ministries as girl altar servers and tonsured readers or chanters. Topics explored will be how to encourage the expansion of these ministries and how they do, and do not, connect with the revival of the ordained order of deaconesses.

Register here!

Nurses wear many hats as caregivers for patients. They care for patients, explain situations to families, collaborate with other medical professionals, and pursue their own professional development. Very often, they also have family and parish responsibilities! Axia Women offers this networking opportunity to bring any nurses in our community together and connect! Share your experiences, your tips for multitasking, and some relaxed time in one another’s company.

Our facilitator will be Miho Ochiai Ealy, a trained chaplain and matushka of a parish in Dayton, Ohio.

June 11 at 8:30pm Eastern/ 7:30 Central/ 6:30 Mountain/ 5:30 Pacific

(Orthodox women only, please.)

Register here!

Sign up here!

Christ is risen! 

Good things happen when Orthodox women come together!

Many of us celebrate the Myrrhbearing Women this coming Sunday. And with these courageous women in mind, we launch our second annual Axia Myrrhbearing Women fundraiser. We will send all those who donate from today through May 7 a small gift that commemorates these beloved saints. Better yet, a former Woman of the Week has generously offered to match all donations up to $1000, so your gift will have extra impact!

Axia’s patron saints were a community of disciples who came together to serve Christ. They remind us that faith, perseverance, and courage—particularly when the future seems dark and uncertain–can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles. While Axia’s ventures are nowhere near so risky as theirs, the Myrrhbearing women remind us to show up to be ready for the good news. The Holy Spirit will guide and provide.  

When Axia started four years ago, our future was unclear. But we knew that if we brought women together across Orthodoxy’s incredible diversity, good things would happen. Our programs now include: 

• Woman of the Week series

• Craft ‘n’ Sip fellowship 

• Webinars featuring recognized experts

• Panel discussions with speakers from across the Eastern-Oriental Orthodox divide

• Lenten prayer services 

• Ask An Expert Q&A sessions 

• Women on Women Saints series

• Blog posts by a wide variety of writers

And we have plans to expand into in-person gatherings in four communities across the US–but we need your help. Will you donate now to help us engage increasing numbers of Orthodox women in prayer, service, and community?

Yours in Christ, 

Patricia Fann Bouteneff
Amber Schley Iragui
Jennifer Nahas
Miho Ochiai Ealy
Tenbit Mitiku 

"Appearance of Christ" by Ukrainian artist Ivanka Demchuk, used with permission.