U.S.A., June 6, 2025
Photo: Kickstarter
A new publishing venture called Sabiduría Editorial is working to address a significant gap in Orthodox Christian literature for Spanish-speaking communities through a crowdfunding campaign.
The initiative, founded by John and Rachel Meese alongside Samuel Vélez-Ramirez, aims to professionally translate Orthodox Christian books into Spanish for international distribution. The campaign runs through the end of June on Kickstarter, and has thus far raised $1,250 towards its $10,000 goal. As an all-or-nothing, the new venture will only receive the funding if the full amount is raised.
Addressing a Growing Need
According to the founders, Orthodox Christianity is experiencing rapid growth in Spanish-speaking countries and communities, yet there remains a shortage of Orthodox Christian books available in Spanish. The project seeks to serve what they describe as half a billion Spanish-speaking individuals who currently have limited access to Orthodox theological resources in their native language.
“There are half a million Orthodox Christians who speak, dream, and pray in Spanish who are deprived of the rich wisdom absent in their native tongue,” the founders state in their campaign materials.
Initial Book Selection
Photo: Kickstarter
The publishing company has secured rights to translate three books originally published by Ancient Faith Publishing:
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Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy by Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick – A guide for those exploring religious ideas and Orthodox Christianity's distinctive characteristics
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The Religion of the Apostles by Rev. Dr. Stephen De Young – An examination of early Christian understanding of Scripture, worship, and theology
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Surprised by Christ by Fr. James Bernstein – A personal testimony with a deep examination of the uniqueness of Orthodox Christianity
Founders’ Background
The Meeses (left) and Vélez-Ramirezes (right). Photo: Kickstarter
John Meese was raised in an Orthodox Christian family and served in campus ministry with Orthodox Christian Fellowship after college. He became a tonsured reader and later protopsaltis, training others in Byzantine Chant. Rachel Meese converted to Orthodox Christianity in 2014 after encountering the faith during a study abroad program in Santiago, Chile.
The couple initially founded a mission church in Tennessee before moving to Puerto Rico to support Orthodox mission work there. It was in Puerto Rico that they identified the significant shortage of Orthodox Christian resources in Spanish and began developing their publishing concept. Samuel Vélez-Ramirez joined the project after marrying John’s sister, Rebekah.
Campaign Structure
The Kickstarter campaign offers various reward levels, including physical and digital copies of the translated books. The funds raised will support three phases of development:
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Completing professional translations and finalizing book formatting and publication
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Distributing copies to campaign backers and Spanish-language Orthodox missions worldwide
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If sufficient funds are raised, hiring a Chief Operating Officer to work on future translations and establish an online bookstore at sabiduria.org
The founders report that translation work is already underway, and they have established a licensing agreement with Ancient Faith Publishing. They have also begun discussions with St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press regarding future translation projects.
John Meese brings publishing experience as a bestselling author with an established international print-on-demand network, which the team plans to utilize for this Orthodox Christian publishing initiative.
The campaign, including a video with more information from the Meeses, can be found on Kickstarter.
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