St. Mark the Deaf

We know very little of Saint Mark the Deaf (some calendars have him as Mark the Deaf Mute) other than what is written in the Synaxarion, probably from the 13th century on his feast day of January 2nd:

“Saint Mark the Deaf was an ascetic who lived a righteous life and died in peace.”

The following stanza is written as well:

“Mark did not hear an earthly word, and before he left the earth, his earthly ears were extracted.”

In Rethymno, Crete, there exists the only church dedicated to Saint Mark the Deaf, not only in all of Greece, but in the entire world. It is located on the grounds of the Holy Monastery of Saint George Arsaniou. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew visited this chapel in 2003 and celebrated a Divine Liturgy here, praising the fact that the Service was conducted in sign language.

Though Orthodoxy has many deaf saints, Saint Mark the Deaf has become the patron saint of the deaf. Among other saints who were deaf, there is St. Cadoc (Cadfan) Llankarvansky (+580), St. Drogo (Drew) (+12th cent.), St. Meriadoc (Meredith) (7th cent.), and St Owen Ruensky (Eugene) (+684). Other Orthodox churches in Greece and around the world also offer services in sign language, especially in Russia. Among them is the Simonov Monastery in Moscow.

Through the prayers of St Mark the Deaf, may our Orthodox community come together and grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Why form the OCDA?

Board of Directors

Savannah Foster

Leads and represents OCDA, setting vision and goals. Oversees programs, coordinates with the board, and ensures the organization fulfills its mission by promoting accessibility, inclusion, and engagement for the Deaf Orthodox community.

President

Fr. Jason Foster

Manages day-to-day operations and ensures accountability. Maintains financial integrity, supports ministry initiatives, and communicates with leadership and clergy to keep the organization running smoothly.

Executive Director / Administrator
Secretary / Treasurer

Donna Greening

Keeps OCDA’s official records and manages finances. Ensures both administrative and financial operations run smoothly and transparently.

Deaf Committee

Advocates for Deaf and hard-of-hearing members, promotes ASL and visual communication, and supports leadership and collaboration within OCDA.

Greg Coogan

Lola Beno

Dn. Tigran Khachikyan

Emily Hart

Fr. William Bennett

Lexicon Team

Creates, maintains, and expands a dictionary of signs, words, and prayers to help the Deaf community communicate in the Orthodox Church. Partners with the Assembly of Orthodox Bishops (AOB) to make sure the signs work across all jurisdictions.

Members: Dn. Tigran Khachikyan, Greg Coogan, Lola Beno, Hannah Mann, Irene Tunanidas, Fr. Davade Thompson, Fr. William Bennett, Emily Hart, Karen Bartz, Deanna Patel, Mah-rya Proper, and Savannah Foster.

Our Work

Interpreters

We are connected to many interpreters throughout the United States. If you’re interested in working with us, please fill out the request form below.

ASL Interpreter Interest Form

Question & Answer

  • Estimates from the SIPP (The Survey of Income and Program Participation) indicate that 1 in 20 Americans are currently deaf or hard of hearing. In round numbers, nearly 10,000,000 persons are hard of hearing and close to 1,000,000 are functionally deaf. How many of these are Orthodox Christians? We do not know. Currently, there is no organization in North America that focuses on uniting and serving the Orthodox deaf community. Moreover, how is the Orthodox Church in North America reaching out to the deaf and hard of hearing with the Gospel? The OCDA was formed to assist the Church in uniting, serving, and reaching out to the Orthodox deaf and others in the Name of Christ. 

  • If you know anyone who is deaf or hard of hearing that is either Orthodox, interested in Orthodoxy, inquiring about Christianity, or other hearing Orthodox individuals that know ASL, please encourage them to join the OCDA today or contact us for more information. Eventually, we hope to connect with Orthodox deaf around the world!

  • Once we identify and connect Orthodox deaf Christians and those that sign with each other through the OCDA, we will continue to develop resources based on the needs of the community and the local churches who serve or seek to serve the Orthodox deaf. Also, our hope is to work with each jurisdiction to plan events in conjunction with their annual regional and national gatherings. 

  • There is no cost to join the OCDA. Membership is free!

  • First and foremost, please keep the OCDA and our Orthodox deaf in your prayers. In the near future, there will be items for sale (T-shirts, decals, stickers, etc.) to help cover the various cost of the association. If you desire to make a financial contribution, please contact our Administrator, Priest Jason Foster, at frjasonfoster@gmail.com or 318-455-4219 to discuss the best way to process your donation. 

  • Please feel free to contact our President, Savannah Foster, with any questions you may have at orthodoxdeaf@gmail.com