Warren Farha, Beloved Orthodox Christian Bookseller, Reposes at 70
The founder of Eighth Day Books, known nationally for his carefully curated Christian and literary bookstore, passed away May 20. Funeral services will be held at St. George Orthodox Cathedral.
WICHITA, KANSAS — Warren John Farha, founder and owner of the renowned Wichita bookstore Eighth Day Books, fell asleep in the Lord on May 20, 2026, the Leavetaking of Pascha, at the age of 70 following a brief illness.
Farha became widely known among Christian readers, clergy, theologians, and academics for building one of the country’s most distinctive independent bookstores — a place especially treasured for its deep collection of Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, and classic literary works. Through Eighth Day Books, Farha cultivated a national following that extended far beyond Kansas, attracting figures such as Metr. Kallistos Ware to visit.
"My goal was to lay the best of each tradition side by side," Farha told OYM (Orthodox Youth and Young Adult Ministries) in 2025. "I believe that by doing so, the Orthodox tradition shines all the brighter. Customers trust that I’m not trying to proselytize — I’m simply laying it out there, letting them make their own decisions. But they will be aware that the best of Orthodoxy is available on the table."
Photo: theoym.org
Founded in 1988, the bookstore was named after the “Eighth Day,” a Christian expression referring to eternity and the new creation in Christ. Farha once described the store as an attempt to create “the perfect bookstore” — one filled only with books he believed articulated truth, beauty, and wisdom.
“It’s like putting together my best constellation of books,” Farha told The New York Times in a 2015 profile of the store. “I worry from time to time if the bookstore is just a collection of my tastes. I hope it’s bigger than that.”
A lifelong resident of Wichita, Farha came from a Lebanese Orthodox Christian family whose roots in Kansas stretched back to the 1890s. He attended St. George Orthodox Cathedral as a child and later returned to the Orthodox faith while studying religion and classical studies at Wichita State University following a brief pit stop as part of the evangelical Jesus Movement.
Farha endured profound personal tragedy in 1987 when his first wife, Barbara, and their unborn child, Matthew, died following an automobile accident. Six months later, his father also passed away. The following year, he married his childhood acquaintance Chris Farha and opened Eighth Day Books, beginning what would become a decades-long vocation as bookseller, curator, and conversationalist.
Known for his humility and personal devotion to the store, Farha continued to vacuum the floors, clean the bathrooms, and personally select inventory even as the bookstore gained national recognition. The store ultimately carried approximately 25,000 titles, including extensive collections of patristics, monastic writings, theology, philosophy, literature, poetry, and children’s books.
Photo: Craig Hacker/New York Times
Reflecting on the purpose of the bookstore and whether or not he saw it as a Christian mission, Farha stated:
“I just think by definition, if you have books that articulate truth, that it’s going to be a de facto Christian mission, because I don’t think you can separate different truths from each other. They’re all connected.”
In a reflection posted by Matthew Namee of Orthodox History, Namee drew parallels between Farha and Metr. Dimitrios of Xanthos who reposed earlier this year, citing them as two important figures in contemporary Orthodoxy who many have never heard of. Namee continued:
"But hundreds of people credit Warren as a pivotal influence in their journey to Orthodoxy, and everyone who ever met the man could sense something special about him, something wise and kind and even holy. I'm not just saying this after the fact, in light of his repose. When I was a kid, my dad would tell me, 'Warren doesn't say many words, but listen to every word he says, because he's full of wisdom.' At that point, Warren was still in his 30s. He got wiser as the years went by, and every interaction with him left me edified."
According to his obituary, Farha was preceded in death by his parents, Bus and Ruth Farha; wife Barbara and unborn child, Matthew; and sister, Karen (Richard) Bratude. He is survived by his loving wife of 37 years, Chris Farha; children, Rachel (Mark) Chrisman, Nathan (Vanessa) Farha, and Timothy (Danielle) Farha; siblings, Glen (Valerie) Farha, and Lori Kirby; and grandchildren, Lucas and Lila Chrisman, Sophia, Lucia, Raphael, Roman, Isabelle, and Juliana Farha; and many extended family and friends.
Trisagion and funeral services will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26, at St. George Orthodox Cathedral. Burial will follow at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 27, at Kensington Gardens.
Eighth Day Books has announced that an open house will be held Monday, May 25, from 6-8 p.m. for all those who wish to gather in remembrance of Farha.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Metr. Dimitrios of Xanthos had reposed in the Lord.
