The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) has published a special thanksgiving service to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, encouraging Orthodox faithful to mark the milestone with prayer, gratitude, repentance, and renewed commitment to Christian values.

The liturgical text, approved by the Holy Synod of Bishops during its Spring 2026 session, will be used throughout the anniversary year in OCA parishes, monasteries, theological schools, and other church institutions. Alongside the service, the Synod released a pastoral message calling on believers to observe the national anniversary not only through worship but also through acts of charity, spiritual renewal, and service to others.

Church leaders said the new service is based on a text originally composed for the United States Bicentennial in 1976. It has been revised to reflect contemporary circumstances while preserving its central theme of giving thanks to God for the freedom to practice the Christian faith and offering prayers for the nation, its people, and its leaders.

In its statement, the Holy Synod noted that over the past two and a half centuries the United States has become a country in which the Orthodox Church has been able to take root and flourish. The bishops emphasized the importance of religious liberty, describing it as a foundation that has enabled Orthodox communities to worship openly, raise their children in the faith, and proclaim the Gospel.

The Synod also reflected on the history of Orthodoxy in North America, recalling that it began with the missionary efforts in Alaska and that the Orthodox Church in America received autocephaly in 1970. Today, the OCA includes faithful from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, including descendants of immigrants from Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, as well as Indigenous peoples of North America.

At the same time, the bishops stressed that the anniversary should be more than a celebration. Their message states that the history of every nation includes both achievements and failures, and that gratitude should therefore be accompanied by repentance, a commitment to peace, mutual respect, and care for one's neighbor.

The Holy Synod also called on all dioceses, parishes, monasteries, and church institutions to organize thanksgiving services, charitable initiatives, educational programs, and other events throughout the anniversary year in honor of the United States' 250th anniversary.