Looking for a way to go deeper into the Orthodox Christian faith through audio and video? Patristic Nectar brings the wealth of Sacred Tradition to your phone — offering hundreds of hours of theological lectures, daily Synaxarion readings (lives of the saints), Scripture, catechism courses, the popular Arena podcast, and a growing library of audiobooks, all from a single app.^1
Built by Patristic Nectar Publications, a non-profit California ministry founded by Fr. Josiah Trenham (Ph.D., University of Durham), the app is designed for both lifelong Orthodox believers and inquirers exploring the faith for the first time. The entire online lecture catalog — including theological lectures, Synaxarion, Philokalia, Psalter, homilies, and conference audio — is available for free, a deliberate decision to remove barriers for seekers.^2 Monthly donors receive access to exclusive content, and all donations are tax-deductible.^3
Fr. Josiah, an archpriest in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, has pastored St. Andrew Orthodox Church in Riverside, California since 1998 and authored Rock and Sand, an Orthodox appraisal of the Protestant Reformation.^4 The ministry's YouTube channel has grown to over 301,000 subscribers and features collaborations with theologians, apologists, and public figures.^5 The app crossed 100,000 downloads in May 2026 — a milestone the ministry celebrated as a gift to the wider community.^14 Patristic Nectar Kids provides family-friendly content with weekly saint stories, children's sermons, and storytime. A podcast for women, produced by Patristic Nectar Family, launched in 2025.^6
The app also includes ebooks with bookmarking and notes, automatic playback resume, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, and an upgraded audio player UI.^7
Why Christians Love It"I've been using this app every day for several hours each day, and it has provided such a great deal of knowledge that I otherwise probably wouldn't have found on my own. My entire family wants to convert to Orthodox Christianity, and until we are officially able to go to church and become catechumen, this has been so lovely and such a blessing."^7
"I am a tower crane operator… I spend 60 to 80 hrs a week isolated in a crane cab. Daily, I listen to your sermons on YouTube, and this has helped me spiritually a great deal. I have been able to also share these with my comrades at work and my family."^8
"I cannot express in words how much your app means to me — keeping my mind occupied with 'things above' as I do my household chores throughout the day."^8
Notable- Non-profit ministry (Orthodox Christian Ministries, Inc.), tax-exempt since 2014^9
- Over 100,000 downloads (May 2026); YouTube channel with 301K+ subscribers^14
- Content catalog of 3,528 items across 544 collections^10
- Hosts annual conferences, including the Christian Life Spring Conference (March 2026) and Marriage: Bedrock of Civilization (October 2025) with Archbishop Cordileone and Jonathan Pageau^11
- Fr. Josiah served as keynote speaker at EAST 2026 (Saint Emmelia Ministries)^12
- Patristic Nectar Kids channel and family podcast content for all ages^6
- Available on iOS and Android with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support; actively maintained^7
