Tue@2
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May 5, 2026
My dear Brothers in the Lord,
I pray this message finds you well..
The following forms have been updated. Please discontinue using the ones sent in February and replace with these:- Freedom to Marry: Click here for the Freedom to Marry Transcript, in English
and Click Here for the Freedom to Marry Transcript, in Greek
- Baptism: Click here for the Baptismal Transcript, in English
and Click Here for the Baptismal Transcript, in Greek
- Certificate of Marriage: Click Here for the Marriage Certificate Transcript, in English
and Click Here for the of Marriage Certificate Transcript, in Greek
As of today all official requests for Certificates of Marriage, Baptism, or Freedom to Marry must comply with these standard templates--otherwise we will be unable to process the request.
May our Lord bless and keep your families during the Great Lenten Fast
Faithfully yours,+Very Rev. Fr. George Tsahakis
Chancellor - Freedom to Marry: Click here for the Freedom to Marry Transcript, in English
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We Are Privileged to Hold the True Light on behalf of our Lord, Jesus Christ
My dear Brother Clergy,
With the above words of my title in mind, on behalf of His Eminence Metropolitan Sevastianos, I humbly remind you of the awesome responsibility we have as clergy holding the Light of Christ to let it so shine in our pastoral ministry as to attract people from darkness to His Light.
In today's world, many things are being posted on the Internet and social media that oftentimes confuse and divide our Lord's Holy Church. This time last year, at the Clergy-Laity Assembly in San Diego, our Archbishop mentioned this very fact in his Clergy Breakfast Remarks: “…I am not saying that we cannot use the technological toolkits that are available to us. In fact, we have to use them, but use them in ways that are consistent with our theology, with the Holy Fathers, with the canonical order of the Church, and with Holy Tradition.” Following up on this wise thought, we also need to be on guard, carefully examining which social media posts and blogs are really ways for the Evil One to cause discord in Orthodoxy.
For this reason, I'm asking you to prayerfully consider what you write—not only in your sermons, but also on social media, and on blogs belonging to other individuals. If we consider all these media different teaching opportunities, we need to be sure that whatever we preach lifts the light of Christ and does not cause darkness or diffusion.
I encourage you with our Lord's assurance: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)
Faithfully yours with brotherly love,
Fr. George Tsahakis
Chancellor, Metropolis of Atlanta -
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July 8, 2025 Reminders for Wedding PlanningMy dear Brother Clergy,
Thank you for sending in your wedding paperwork to our Registry Office at least four weeks in advance of the sacrament. Some clergy report they have difficulties with this and to help, we recommend they not confirm the date of the wedding with the bridal couple until the ecclesiastical paperwork is completed, just as they are used to doing when they reserve and make deposits for their reception venue.
Also, our Registry Office has been receiving calls related to planning delays as follows:
1) If an Orthodox is getting married abroad, the "Freedom to Marry Form" must be affirmed by our Metropolitan well in advance to ensure the destination clergy fulfill their local ecclesiastical obligations.
2) Our parishioners planning a re-marriage after a Civil Divorce need your help in obtaining an Ecclesiastical Divorce before any wedding dates are confirmed for a subsequent marriage. Proactively educating your parishioners that our Orthodox practice is that every parishioner who has received a Civil Divorce should not wait until re-marriage, but immediately begin seeking to return to be in good ecclesiastical standing. (This last point is unknown by many and we can help our faithful by offering our help much earlier.)
This message's aim is to support and remind our clergy that the Registry Office seeks to issue "Episcopal Licenses to Marry" quickly and efficiently. Your help with the above further assists this goal. We thank you.
For ongoing questions, feel free to contact JoAnne Mertzanis, jmertzanis@atlanta.goarch.org, who oversees the Registry Office. You also can email me if needed.
Faithfully yours,
+Fr. George Tsahakis
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Chancellor Message - 9.14.26
On this sacred Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross, we rejoice in witnessing a significant milestone in the ongoing development of the Panagia Chapel at the Alexios Retreat Center in Salem, South Carolina. As these newly installed icons begin to adorn the holy space, we give thanks to God for the realization of a long-held dream of His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios.The beautiful iconography depicted in this photo collage marks an important step toward the completion of a chapel that will serve generations of faithful Orthodox Christians seeking prayer, spiritual renewal, and communion with God. These sacred images proclaim the Gospel in color and form, reminding all who enter that heaven touches earth through the worship of the Church.On this feast day, the Holy Cross also reminds us that great accomplishments are rarely achieved alone. The continued growth and beautification of the Alexios Retreat Center stand as a testament to what can be accomplished when our Metropolis family works together in faith, love, and unity.Through the prayers, stewardship, vision, and sacrificial support of our 75 parishes, ministries, clergy, and faithful throughout the Metropolis of Atlanta, we are able to accomplish far more together than any one of us could achieve individually.This achievement is also a beautiful reminder of continuity in leadership and purpose. The visionary dream planted and nurtured for many years by His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios continues to flourish under the leadership of His Eminence Metropolitan Sevastianos.Faithfully building upon the strong foundation established by his predecessor, Metropolitan Sevastianos remains committed to bringing the long-term vision of the Alexios Retreat Center to completion, ensuring that this sacred place will continue to inspire and serve future generations of Orthodox Christians.As we behold these sacred icons, we offer heartfelt gratitude to God, to His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios for his enduring vision, to His Eminence Metropolitan Sevastianos for his steadfast leadership in carrying that vision forward, and to all who continue to support this holy endeavor.May the Lord grant strength, wisdom, and abundant blessings for the completion of this sacred project, and may the Panagia Chapel become a beacon of prayer, peace, and spiritual transformation for countless souls in the years to come."By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)May the power of the Holy Cross continue to guide and unite us as we labor together for the glory of God and the building up of His Holy Church.As today's iconography installation beautifully demonstrates, when we work together as one Metropolis family, Christ enables us to accomplish far more than any of us could ever achieve alone.Glory to God for all things!+Fr. George TsahakisFaithfully yours,
On Tuesday, September 15th, His Eminence Metropolitan Sevastianos and our Metropolis staff welcomed the four iconographers to the Metropolis Office before their departure to Greece.
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Check back next Tuesday at 2:00 p.m.
Every Tuesday at 2:00 p.m., this page is updated to remind clergy of pending requests from Metropolitan Sevastianos and our Metropolis Office. check this page once per week after Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. to ensure you are aware of important notice asking for your help.