Antiochian Widowed Clergy Wives Endowment Surpasses $2 Million

ENGLEWOOD, NJ — The Widowed Clergy Wives Endowment of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese has surpassed $2 million, providing an expanding source of long-term financial support for women whose husbands served as clergy in the Archdiocese. The endowment was established to help widows meet expenses such as housing, medicine, and other necessities after the death of their husbands.

The initiative began in 2023 when, with the blessing and encouragement of Metr. Saba, the Antiochian Women dedicated their signature service project to building the endowment. Parish women raised more than $639,000 through bake sales, dinners, and other events over three years. Matching grants from the Orthodox Vision Foundation added $530,000, while a transfer of Archdiocesan funds helped the project exceed its initial $1 million goal.

Additional support from benefactors subsequently accelerated the fund's growth. An anonymous donor contributed $600,000 through gifts made in 2025 and 2026, helping push the endowment beyond $1.8 million. Combined with continued contributions and investment growth, the fund has now exceeded $2 million. The Archdiocese said the fundraising effort ranks among the most successful National Archdiocesan Board project campaigns in the 52-year history of the Antiochian Women.

The principal of the endowment remains invested, with distributions now made from investment income rather than from the fund itself. During its first year, 10 percent of the funds raised was distributed directly to widowed clergy wives; subsequent assistance has come from investment earnings. The Antiochian Women administer the distributions, and the Archdiocese said tens of thousands of dollars have already been provided to widows.

With the endowment now above $2 million, Metr. Saba has blessed the Antiochian Women to direct their fundraising efforts toward a new project while continuing to welcome gifts for the widowed clergy wives fund. The Archdiocese has established a long-term goal of $5 million, saying a larger principal will generate greater annual income and expand the assistance available to widowed clergy wives.

Previously, the UOJ reported that clergy wives are to gather for a retreat in Pennsylvania.