Wichita Chancery, 1559 N. Woodlawn, Wichita, KS, 67208-2429
316-687-3169 (phone); 316-687-3327 (fax)
Welcome to the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America, part of the Self-Ruled Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese in America. The Diocese of Wichita is led by His Grace Bishop BASIL and includes more than 45 churches and missions in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.
Click here for a directory of all the parishes in the Diocese of Wichita.
Click here for a map of the Diocese of Wichita.
Click here to learn more about Bishop BASIL.
To contact Bishop BASIL electronically, email editor@antiochian.org with "Bishop BASIL" in the subject line.
Many Years to our Father Bishop BASIL!
January 1st is the celebration of St. Basil the Great and the name's day of our father Bishop BASIL. May God grant him many years!
Apolytikion of St. Basil, Tone 1
In all the earth that received thy sayings, thy melody did resound, O righteous father, through which thou didst go about and proclaim, as worthy of God, the nature of creatures, cultivating the character of mankind, O thou of kingly Priesthood, Basil. Wherefore, plead thou with Christ God to save our souls.
Basil Esper: Memory Eternal!
Bishop BASIL writes:
Dear to Christ, Fathers and Brothers:
Blessings.
Basil Esper of the Syrian port city of Lattakiya, the father of His Eminence Metropolitan SABA of Bosra-Hauran, fell asleep in Christ on Saturday, December 13th. Please join me in praying a rope for the repose of his soul, saying, "O Lord Jesus Christ, grant rest to the soul of Thy departed servant."
May his memory be eternal, and may you be granted long life.
In Christ Who is our Resurrection and our Life,
+ B A S I L
Bishop of Wichita and the Diocese of Mid-America
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
Dec. 15 + St. Eleftherios, Patron Saint of Diocese of Wichita
The Holy Hieromartyr Eleftherios
From a good tree comes good fruit. This wonderful saint had noble and greatly eminent parents. Eleutherius was born in Rome, where his father was an imperial proconsul. His mother Anthia heard the Gospel from the great Apostle Paul and was baptized by him. Having been left a widow early, she entrusted her only son for study and service to Anicetus the Bishop of Rome.
Seeing how Eleutherius was gifted by God and illumined by the grace of God, the bishop ordained him a deacon at the age of fifteen, a priest at the age of eighteen, and a bishop at the age of twenty. Eleutherius's God-given wisdom made up for what he lacked in years, and this chosen one of God was appointed Bishop of Illyria with his seat in Valona (Avlona), Albania.
St. Saba the Sanctified + December 5
Troparion, Tone 1
Sanctified from youth, O righteous Saba, thou wast a summit of righteousness equal to the Angels. Thou didst lead a heavenly life, and guide thy flock to godliness by word and deed. And they cry to thee with faith: Glory to Him who hath strengthened thee; glory to Him who hath crowned thee; glory to Him who through thee worketh healings for all.
Read about the life of St. Saba
Many years to Metropolitan SABA of our Sister Diocese of Bosra Hauran in southern Syria, who keeps this as his Name's Day!
DOWAMA's 2009 College Mission Trip: Bosra-Hauran
As part of the sister diocese relationship between the Archdiocese of Bosra-Hauran and the Diocese of Wichita and Mid America, Father Richard Petranek of St. Paul Church and Father Matthew MacKay of St. Joseph Church of Houston, Texas, have been blessed by Metropolitan PHILIP of New York, Metropolitan SABA of Bosra, and Bishop BASIL of Wichita to lead a group of eighteen college age students from the Diocese of Mid- America on a Mission Trip to the ancient Archdiocese of Bosra in southwest Syria.
The purpose of the two week Mission Trip (May 24th-June 7th, 2009) is to join with Metropolitan SABA and his clergy and laity who are valiantly laboring to rebuild the church temples, shrines and ministries of the Archdiocese. Our group will assist in refurbishing some of the church temples and properties of this ancient See. In addition, the group will go on pilgrimage to several of the most famous monasteries, shrines and historical sites of the Patriarchate of the Great City-of-God Antioch and all the East.
In addition to work projects, the young people will also make pilgrimage to many of the most revered holy sites within our Patriarchate, including the house chapel of St. Ananias where the Holy Apostle Paul was baptized and the Patriarchal Cathedral and residence in Damascus, the women's monasteries of Our Lady in Saydnaya and St. Thekla in Ma'aloula, the men's monastery of St. George Al-Humayrah in the "Valley of the Christians," the reliquary shrine of the Martyr and Unmercenary Healer St. Julian (Mar Ilyan) in Homs. The group will return to the U.S. in time to attend our Parish Life Conference in Wichita where they, along with Metropolitan SABA, will share their experiences with us.
Cost is $2,000.00 per person (including round-trip airfare from Houston, lodging and meals).
It is our hope that we will have young people from every DOWAMA Deanery on this trip!
