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# Metr. Saba Calls for Renewal of Orthodox Prayer Life
- URL: https://uoj.news/news/87044-metr-saba-calls-for-renewal-of-orthodox-prayer-life/
- Published: 2026-05-02T19:30:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-25T16:10:01.000Z
- Description: Metr. Saba warns that both clergy and faithful share responsibility for reviving prayer and spiritual life in the Church.
- Author: Tobias Straney
- Tags: #Category: News, Metropolitan Saba (Isper), Encyclical, Antiochian Archdiocese of North America

**ENGLEWOOD, NJ —** Metr. Saba has called for [renewed attention](https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/2791) to prayer and shared spiritual responsibility in the life of Orthodox believers, warning against a decline in what he describes as the “sanctifying dimension” of faith.

In the second part of his reflection, His Eminence emphasizes that responsibility for spiritual life does not rest solely on clergy but also on the faithful. While acknowledging the pressures placed on priests, he stresses that believers themselves must actively cultivate prayer and spiritual discipline within the home and parish.

[![](https://uoj.news/content/images/2026/04/86931-metr-saba-warns-against-intellectualized-christianity-8c29437b7faf.jpg)On this topicMetr. Saba Warns Against “Intellectualized” Christianity](https://uoj.news/news/86931-metr-saba-warns-against-intellectualized-christianity/)

The Metropolitan highlights the richness of the Byzantine liturgical tradition, noting its comprehensive presence throughout all stages of life — from birth to death — and its abundance of feasts, services, and prayers. Despite this, he observes that many believers participate only in the Divine Liturgy, often neglecting services such as Vespers, Orthros, and daily prayers.

He further points to cultural and social distractions that can overshadow spiritual priorities, urging a return to practices such as family prayer, use of icons, and home-centered devotion as essential to authentic Christian formation.

Previously, the [UOJ reported](https://uoj.news/news/87009-metr-saba-leads-historic-induction-ceremony/) that Metr. Saba led a historic induction ceremony.