So many parts of the life of Fr. Nicola Yanney as described in Apostle to the Plains sound like an Orthodox version of the stories from the books of Laura Ingalls Wilder. From immigrating to the United States in deplorable conditions on steam ships, to working as a peddler, to farming in the plains of Nebraska and living in a sod house, the accounts of his life are a historical snapshot of the life of immigrants and pioneers in the early 1900s. The sheer fortitude displayed by Fr. Nicola, his family, and his Bishop, St. Raphael of Brooklyn, seems impossible and even super-human at times - a quality many of us associate with those early American trailblazers & missionaries that lived in and traversed much of the new landscapes of a growing country. Apostle to the Plains not only serves as a snapshot of early American pioneers, but it also documents the growth and challenges that the fledging Orthodox Church experienced in America.

Apostle to the Plains was a perfect book to read during the current COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. I found myself moved to tears of solidarity by several accounts in the book. Before he was ordained, Nicola and his wife hadn’t been to church after their arrival in the United States because there simply were no Orthodox churches available to them in the areas of Nebraska where they settled. It is a particularly touching moment when the visiting Bishop Raphael (exhausted and ill from his travels all the way from New York) arrived at the Yanney sod house in the middle of the night and is greeted by Nicola and his wife with much joy and enthusiasm. The Yanneys would finally be able to have their children baptized and would receive Holy Communion after 8 years.

The inability to attend church is not the only parallel to the 2020 pandemic, however. So selfless and relentless was the ministry of Fr. Nicola that it led to his death from the Spanish Flu during the pandemic of 1918. Despite the quarantine measures in Nebraska, Fr. Nicola bravely continued to minister to the sick and perform funerals. It ultimately caused his repose at just 44 years old. He never even got to meet his first grandchild who was born shortly after his death.

This audiobook narrator, an anonymous monk from the St. Raphael Clergy Brotherhood, has a wonderfully soothing voice, just the right speed and never hard to understand. The book was maybe a challenge to narrate because there are lengthy passages that list the itinerary of that Fr. Nicola including the stops he made city after city. Although these passages might seem slightly boring and unnecessary, for me as an Orthodox Christian, I found it fascinating that there were so many pockets of Syrian Orthodox in the US during the early 1900s. It is also important to hear all the stops Fr. Nicola made because the territory he visited year after year was so staggeringly large and varied. He travels (by uncomfortable train and horse and wagon, no less) more than any of us modern readers can claim in our lifetimes.

Apostle to the Plains is a fascinating piece of the life of the Orthodox Church in the United States and of the lives immigrants alike. The legacy of Fr. Nicola lives on to this day - the church he established, St. George in Kearney, Nebraska, is still an active parish and it is estimated that he baptized over 1000 Orthodox Christians from Nebraska, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, to the rural areas of Tennessee. Fr. Nicola’s
life and work is truly an example of the sacrifices early American Orthodox men and women made to spread the beauty and truth of the Orthodox Faith in North America. May his memory be eternal!

As a watercolor artist, I am always looking for inspiration for my annual Christmas card, which usually features an angel! These wonderful simple, but beautiful pictures really fired my imagination. Thank you.

Beautiful and educational! Great for kids and adults alike.

This wasn't what I was hoping for. It didn't have full services with all prayers. It had things like "priest says prayer here" but not the actual prayer and it was organized in a confusing way. I returned it.

My grandchildren loved it!

Excellent book with lots of stories that will stick.

Beautifully decorated wooden eggs with a resurrection icon that are special for the Paschal season. Excellent quality and craftsmanship. Recommend this product highly.

Well made, beautiful bookmark

Excellent, engaging and practical! 5 Stars for sure!

Having had the opportunity to meet the Elissa previously at a women's retreat, so hearing her voice made me feel transported back to that special day!

It was so easy to get caught up in all that she was sharing. What Elissa and Caleb have done so fluidly is weave Orthodox theology, with a variety of traditions and advice on how to apply it in your home, while acknowledging that every home will be a little different and find it's own unique application. Therefore her advice is neither too rigid that it feels unattainable, nor too vague that you are left uncertain where to begin. As a busy parent I really appreciate feeling like every bit of time listening to this audiobook was time well spent. She also intersperses with humorous anecdotes so that even if my kids overhear the recording they find themselves charmed into listening too!

As an adult convert, I often feel like there is just SO MUCH that I don't know, about our rich theology and traditions, it is daunting to know how to begin instructing my kids when I still have so very much to learn. This book has really helped give me so many ideas and tools for ensuring that I not only live my faith on a daily basis for my own spiritual growth, but so that I am doing all I can to raise my children to have a deep faith and personal relationship with God.

Fr Nicola is our future Saint.
I come from his native village Fi’eh, North Lebanon
I lectured about him in Arabic
on February 8th 2020 during my visit to Lebanon.
There were around 200 attendants including Metropolitan Efrem Kyriakos of Tripoli and Koura Archdiocese.
The Yanney Family in Fi’eh we’re among attendants.
Georges Karam

Perfect gift for our High School graduates

Book is excellent!

Beautifully written and illustrated to be enjoyed by all ages.

I find Matthew the Poor's "sermons" spiritually nourishing and practical. He truly is like one of the ancient Desert Fathers.

Beautifully made. Suggest clip be larger to accomodate thick auto visors.

Each year I look forward to the Ancient Faith Store Holiday Catalogs so I can order cards that I can share the legacy of our faith. "Death Defeated," is a keepsake with a front cover Icon aling to Eastern Orthodox Christians and contains a inlay Icon appealing to Western Christians. Kudos to Ancient Faith Publishing for their labors of love in Antiochian Orthodox Ministries.

My daughter (4) and my son (1.5) both LOVE this book. They rarely have the same favorites, but this is one that they both adore.

This is my go to book for prayer, and I love the readings and prayers throughout. I lost my first copy and promptly bought another.

We absolutely love this book and plan on reading it frequently! Even as an adult reading it to my children, I have benefited from the simple truth of this book. I would absolutely recommend it!

It is a good production, although there was some technical issues with the DVD about half way through.
I enjoyed it very much, informative, yet something we encounter all the time as we meet people. Happy for Basil - hope he knows that Bozhidar means God's gift :)
Very happy to have purchased this film.