St. Matthew Orthodox Christian Church
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese
Torrance, CA

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Welcome to Our Parish!

Thank you for visiting the St. Matthew Orthodox Christian Church website. We invite you to join us for one of our liturgical services – services that have been part of the worshipping tradition of apostolic Christianity since the era of the “early Christian Church."

St. Matthew is a parish strongly committed to the belief that the Holy Orthodox Church is the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles. Our parish is part of the ancient Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch where St. Luke in the Book of Acts tells us the believers were first called “Christians” (Acts 11:26). We are part of the global Eastern Orthodox Church community which includes national churches in traditionally Orthodox countries like Russia, Greece, Romania, Serbia, Cyprus, and the Middle East, but also in Japan, China, India, the Philippines, throughout Europe including Germany, France, Poland, Finland, across the British Isles, throughout the African continent including Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, South Africa, and across North, Central and South America.  There are over 250 million Eastern Orthodox Christians in the world today and over 1 million in the United States. 

Our parish is more than just a place where people come to worship the living God (although it is first and foremost that!). St. Matthew is a vibrant faith community of people of all ages and backgrounds who are working out their faith together and raising their families in accordance with the commandments of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the sacred norms for spiritual life of the ancient Holy Eastern Orthodox Church.

Many of our congregants journeyed to the Orthodox Church from other Christian faith traditions and denominations and some non-Christian religious and spiritual traditions. Whether you are “on a journey” or just wanting to visit a local Orthodox parish you will be welcome at St. Matthew. We are always honored to have visitors join us for prayer and worship.

If you have any questions about our church, or about Eastern Orthodoxy, feel free to contact Fr. John (Mahfouz)

We are located in the South Bay area of Los Angeles county. We are close to both the 110 Harbor Freeway and the 405 San Diego Freeway. Get directions.

Come and see how the Ancient, First Church has been worshipping God for over 2,000 years! May God bless you.

 

What's Happening at St. Matthew

Daily services are offered Tuesday - Sunday. The times of these services and other special services can be found on our Services and Calendar page.

We have one of the oldest and largest Orthodox bookstores in Southern California. Stop in and find what you need.

To learn more about Orthodox Christianity and the process of becoming an Orthodox Christian, call the office for more information. 

House Blessings

If you would like Fr. John to bless your home (house, condo, apartment, etc) or business, please contact him directly.
For a description of what to expect during the house blessing, please go to our
 Activities and Ministries page. 

 

The Holy Apostle & Evangelist Matthew

St. Matthew was the son of Alpheus. From the Hebrew his name means the Gift of Jehovah. He was also known as Levi the Publican, a tax collector for the government of Rome in the Judean town of Capernaum.

St. Matthew wrote the first book of the New Testament, the Gospel According to Saint Matthew. Here he wrote of the coming of Our Lord, the birth of Jesus Christ, the years of His preaching, the story of the Sermon on the Mount and the Passion and Resurrection. It is known that St. Matthew wrote the Gospel in the last quarter of the first century.

St. Irenaeus and St. Clement of Alexandria tell us that after Our Lords Ascension, St. Matthew preached the Gospel in Judea for fifteen years. Tradition says he also preached in Persia and Ethiopia and stories of his martyrdom exist.

Troparion for St. Matthew
O Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, intercede with our merciful God to grant our soul forgiveness of sins.

You did hear the divine voice and received the light of faith, abandoning the office of publican. You proclaimed the Good News of the ineffable Kenosis of Christ, O Apostle Matthew and now you intercede that they who praise you be granted forgiveness of offenses and great mercy.

Commemorated on November 16

Today's Commemorations
Sergius & Bacchus the Great Martyrs of Syria, Polychronios the Martyr, Julian the Presbyter & Caesarius the Deacon, John the Hermit of Crete, Jonah of Manchuria
Today's Scripture Readings
ST. PAUL'S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS 4:28-31; 5:1-10
Brethren, we, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now. But what does the scripture say? "Cast out the slave and her son; for the son of the slave shall not inherit with the son of the free woman." So, brethren, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman. For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Now I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love. You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine; and he who is troubling you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.
LUKE 7:36-50
At that time, one of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house, and took his place at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "What is it, Teacher?" "A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he forgave them both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, to whom he forgave more." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house, you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."
Today's Thought

“Both honor and dishonor, both life and death – all are the same to him who seeks the Heavenly Kingdom.” – Ss. Sergius and Bacchus