This Year's Theme

The theme of our eighth annual retreat is Communion.

• What is happening to us when we partake in communion and accept Christ dwelling within us?
• What does it mean to be part of a Eucharistic community?
• How do we participate in Divine Liturgy?

We look forward to exploring these questions and more with four fantastic speakers.

Speaker Sessions

Lift Up Your Hearts! • Khouria Frederica Mathewes-Green

What does receiving Communion do to us–both changing us on a personal level, and also fitting us into an eternal worshiping community? What is our destiny, and how does Communion prepare us for that fate?

Frederica Mathewes-Green has published 11 books and almost 900 essays, in such diverse publications as The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Smithsonian, First Things, and The Wall Street Journal. She has been a regular commentator for National Public Radio (NPR), a columnist for Religious News Service, WORLD, and Christianity Today, a podcaster for Ancient Faith Radio, and has appeared as a speaker almost 700 times. She and her husband, the Rev. Gregory Mathewes-Green have 3 children and 15 grandchildren.

Taste and See: the Holy Eucharist and Finding God in the Mortal World • Matushka Melissa Elizabeth Naasko

We don't get to see God, or to otherwise sense His presence, but He chooses to give us ways to know Him. Our physical five senses are limited but in His mercy, God gives us ways to find Him with these. He gives us things to see, and to hear, and to smell, and to touch, and even to taste. The greatest of these is the Holy Eucharist.
Melissa Elizabeth Naasko is the wife of a Russian Orthodox priest. They have eleven children and a hobby farm in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Melissa writes and speaks on Orthodox fasting and parenting and is the author of Fasting as a Family and Hospitality for Healing and a major contributor to Seven Holy Women. Melissa is a host for the Saint Emmelia Homeschool Podcast and is currently writing a personal memoir on moving to her husband’s family farm.

Fostering Local Eucharistic Communities • Gabriela Hoppe

What is a local Eucharistic community? There are eight attributes that a healthy community manifests. These attributes are: eucharistic life, community life, Christian formation, stewardship, governance, evangelism, philanthropy, and cultural incarnation. In order to be a vibrant Christian community, it is important to develop and manifest all of the attributes.

Gabriela Hoppe is a mission specialist with OCMC serving the Orthodox Church of Albania. She inspires, trains, equips, and leads Albanians to proclaim the Gospel and make disciples in Albania through supporting the ministry of Central Children’s Office of the Orthodox Church of Albania. The key to this process is planting and fostering the life of healthy, vibrant, local Eucharistic communities. She holds two bachelor degrees, in Theology and in English, and a master’s degree in Children and Family Ministry.

Father Lucas Christensen • Session Description and Bio coming soon

The Schedule

Check-in for the event opens at 3 pm on Thursday, November 12th. Programming begins with Vespers in the afternoon, followed by dinner and a welcome session. Friday and Saturday will be filled with lecture sessions from our speakers, church services, meals, free time, trivia night, and small group gatherings. On Sunday, November 15th, we will celebrate liturgy and enjoy brunch together. There is no other programming on Sunday. The building will close after check-out at 1:00 pm. A detailed schedule will be released to registrants when finalized.

Event FAQs

Please direct questions to the Ancient Faith Events Team after reviewing the information below.

Who’s Invited: The Ancient Faith Women’s Retreat is for Orthodox women who are college-aged and up! This is an openly, joyfully Orthodox event. You do not have to be Orthodox to attend—if you want to be there, we want you there.
Roommates: Ancient Faith does not arrange roommates. You are responsible for finding your roommate and arranging to purchase your registration together.
Lodging Information: Lodging for the retreat is located at the conference center, not the camp. Rooms are configured like typical hotel rooms. For more information on accommodations and amenities, click here. For Antiochian Village's Guest Info sheet, click here.
Driving: There is plenty of free parking at Antiochian Village, so if you’re within reach, this is a great way to come.
Airports: If you intend to fly, your best bet is Pittsburgh International Airport (1.5-2 hours drive from Antiochian Village). There is a closer, smaller airport in Latrobe, but airlines, flights, and transport are limited.
Airport Transportation: You must organize your own transportation between Antiochian Village and the airport if you intend to fly. There is no shuttle or transportation organized by Ancient Faith. Ridesharing apps (Uber, Lyft, etc.) do not serve the area.
What to Wear: This retreat is a come-as-you-are party! Please feel free to wear comfortable clothes. The weather will be chilly, so dress accordingly, especially if you’re someone who likes to go out for a walk during her free time. We will be celebrating Divine Liturgy together on Sunday morning, so pack “church clothes."

Allergies & Dietary Restrictions: Registration includes all meals from Thursday dinner to Sunday brunch. For information on accommodating allergies or a medically necessary diet, please click here. You must submit via Antiochian Village's website by October 11, 2026 at 5 PM CT in order to be accommodated. Please submit through Antiochian Village's form and forward the confirmation to the Ancient Faith Events team (events@ancientfaith.com)—thank you!

Cancellations & Refunds: Cancellations will be accepted and refunded until October 11, 2026 at 5 PM CT. No refunds will be issued after this date. To cancel and receive a refund, email the Ancient Faith Events team (events@ancientfaith.com).
Ticket Transfers: Tickets are nontransferable. If a ticket holder is unable to attend, they may seek a refund before October 11, 2026 at 5 PM CT.

Questions: Please don’t hesitate to contact the Ancient Faith Events team at events@ancientfaith.com with any questions.

Before Registering

• Review the details above regarding travel and transportation, ticket refunds and transfers, and dietary restrictions.
• On "Order Summary," Zeffy automatically adds a suggested donation in order to keep their platform free for nonprofits, but you may remove this charge completely. Select "Other" and enter 0 to remove the fee. Ancient Faith cannot take responsibility if you do not remove the fee. If you do not remove the fee, Ancient Faith has no way of refunding you and you will need to contact Zeffy directly.
• Please have your roommate(s)'s contact information prepared when you register (email address and phone number). This is essential so all registrants receive important event information. Splitting registration fees between roommates is the guests' responsibility.