“Your church is nearer to the prison system than you think.” This striking—and sobering—claim opened Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry (OCPM)’s reflection for Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday, July 27, 2025.
Each year, OCPM invites parishes across the country to mark this day in prayer and action for those impacted by incarceration. This year, their reflection points to a single, staggering statistic: 113 million adults in the United States have an immediate family member who has been to prison or jail.
The number comes from the 2024 “big picture” report by the Prison Policy Initiative, a widely-respected organization focused on criminal justice research and reform. OCPM’s response urges Orthodox Christians not to see this as a distant, abstract policy concern, but as a pastoral and spiritual reality already present in our parishes.
“113 million adults means, more likely than not, someone in your church has been personally affected by the U.S. prison system,” writes the OCPM team. It might be someone sitting beside you at coffee hour, or quietly lighting a candle during Vespers.
If this possibility seems unlikely, OCPM asks us to “consider the lengths someone might go toward keeping this part of their family history a secret, especially among his or her church community.” From shame to silence, the experiences of families impacted by incarceration often remain hidden–especially in church, where fear of judgment can discourage openness. OCPM notes that when a parishioner is arrested, many priests feel at a loss for where to turn. Families may struggle alone through the pain of separation, overwhelm and uncertainty about trials, or the stigma that still surrounds incarceration.
As the official prison ministry of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States, OCPM exists to meet this need with compassion, consistency, and Christ-centered service. One of its key programs is the Prisoner Spiritual Support Manager (PSSM) initiative: a team of full-time case managers meeting the needs of those in prison and their loved ones, offering spiritual guidance, practical help, and connection to the Church.
OCPM also trains Orthodox clergy and lay volunteers to serve in local facilities. These efforts go beyond short-term outreach: they include sacramental ministry inside prisons, catechesis, and sustained relationships that honor the dignity and spiritual needs of those behind bars.
The organization’s perspective, however, is that not only can Orthodox Christians bring Christ into prisons, but that we find and encounter Him there. Christ did not shy away from the imprisoned, but identified with them–“I was in prison and you came to Me” (Matthew 25:36) isn’t simply a metaphor, but an invitation.
This July 27, 2025, Orthodox parishes across the country once again observed Prison Ministry Awareness Sunday by praying for prisoners, remembering their families, and supporting the ongoing ministry of OCPM. OCPM relies on the faithful support of individuals and parishes alike to continue this vital work. To learn more, access parish resources, or support OCPM, visit theocpm.org/pmas.
