Source: Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America
July 21, 2026
This year's annual day of recognition for our brothers and sisters behind bars, as designated by the Assembly of Bishops, is Sunday, July 26. Visit the website of Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM) to learn more about how to join hundreds of Orthodox parishes of every jurisdiction this summer in increasing awareness of Orthodox prison ministry nationwide. The following testimony from a young woman named Amanda recounts her journey from repeated incarcerations to being a prison ministry volunteer.
I am a product of prison ministry. I often try to distance myself from my past; however, I do not want to be like the healed leper who, after he is healed, does not share what the Lord did for him. I want people to know what Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry can really do for people like me.
I was experiencing hell on earth. I felt completely separated from God. I was Portland's fugitive of the week. I was sleeping in alleyways and giving fake names to police officers because of a warrant out for my arrest. For a long time, I had struggled with severe mental illness, inappropriate trauma responses, and a drug addiction. I was mad at God, my family, and everybody else I came into contact with.
Once I was finally arrested and extradited to county jail, facing felony charges and inevitably a lengthy prison sentence, I was terrified, hopeless, and alone. Before this arrest, I had already experienced previous incarcerations and several inpatient and outpatient treatment programs, but nothing seemed to work for me. I felt broken.
... Read the rest at Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.
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