Florence, Arizona, September 22, 2026
Photo: Uncut Mountain Press
Well-known hierarchs, clergy, monastics, and laymen from around the world will gather in Florence, Arizona, this December for a conference presented by the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Uncut Mountain Press, “Apologia: A Gathering of Orthodox Apologists.”
The conference, to be held December 3–5, will feature a number of talks and roundtable discussions on various aspects of Orthodox apologetics today, the first-ever celebration of the feast of St. Cleopa of Sihăstria in English, and a visit to St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery.
As knowledge of Orthodoxy continues to spread in America and throughout the Orthodox diaspora, largely through online apologetics, the Apologia conference aims to bring apologists and catechists together to work towards a common approach, rooted in the Orthodox Patristic ethos.
Participants include:
● His Eminence Metropolitan NICOLAE of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolia of the Americas
● His Eminence Archbishop ALEXEI of Alaska
● His Eminence Metropolitan NEOPHYTOS of Morphou, Cyprus
● Fr. Josiah Trenham, Rector of St. Andrew’s Orthodox Church, Riverside, CA.
● Fr. John Whiteford, Rector of St. Jonah Orthodox Church, Spring, TX.
● Fr. Peter Heers, Rector of Sts. Paisius of Mt. Athos and Cleopa of Sihăstria Orthodox Church, Florence, AZ.
● Fr. Jonathan Ivanoff, St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, Shirley, NY
● Fr. Seraphim Holland, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church, McKinney, TX
● Fr. John Valadez, St. Timothy Orthodox Church, Lompoc, CA
● Fr. Turbo Qualls, St. Mary of Egypt Orthodox Church, Kansas City, MO
● Fr. Sebastian Craffey, St. Gregory Palamas Orthodox Church, Sedona, AZ
● Dcn. Patrick Mitchell, St. John the Baptist Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Washington D.C.
● Dcn. Ananias Sorem Ph.D, Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church, Butte, MT
● Monk Filotheu Bǎlan, Petru Voda Monastery, Romania
● Rdr. Paul Trinca, Sts. Theodore Orthodox Church, Williamsville, NY
● Constantine Zalalas, St. Nikodemos Publications, Bethlehem, PA
● Jay Dyer, jaysanalysis.com
● David Patrick Harry Ph.D., Church of the Eternal Logos Podcast
● Alex Sorin Esq., Orthodox Podcaster and Apologist
● Seraphim Johnson, Counterflow Podcast
● BM Langlois, American Orthodoxy podcast
For more information and registration details, see the conference page at Uncut Mountain Press.
Watch the conference trailer:
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