“The harvest is plentiful…and it’s not all wheat.” Reverend Presbyter Nikolas Delaveris opened his session on the Saint Anastasia Fellowship, an Addictions Ministry and Support Group within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, with the words of a mentor from his days as a seminarian chaplain. What this means, he said, is that the resources of an addictions ministry must be accessible to all— even if not everyone wants or is prepared to engage it— and this includes people suffering from addiction, as well as their friends, family, and loved ones. While the Fellowship does not serve as a substitute for other treatment options, it does combine Orthodox Christian ontology with modern clinical insights in a profound integration of our faith into the realm of recovery. Indeed, Fr. Nikolas engaged the packed room through precisely this theological and clinical question of discerning the workings of the inner life.
The Fellowship’s support groups aim to address the complexities of addiction by establishing a localized, confessional community; group meetings are usually 45 to 60 minutes and are paired with the attendance of a Paraklesis service. The Fellowship’s approach necessitates a communal response to addiction, and it helps people enter into the liturgical services of the Church, where the sacramental life is lived. There are currently six active, in-person Support Groups across the country— proctored, or guided, by someone with either ten or more years in recovery or with a clinical background— as well as group leader training seminars. The Fellowship is also always working on spreading awareness of addiction and increasing its outreach; to that end, it also hopes to recruit a new Program Manager (preferably with a clinical background), develop a standardized curriculum for support groups, and establish a digital platform.
The goal is to make the Saint Anastasia Fellowship accessible to any parish seeking its incorporation, fostering a transformative bridge between ancient faith and contemporary recovery models. If you are interested in starting a group at your parish, getting involved, or being in touch, please email Fr. Nikolas at fathernikolas@prophetelias.org or addictionministry@gmail.com . You can also follow the Saint Anastasia Fellowship on Instagram: @saintanastasiafellowship
Photos: GOARCH