This plugin is designed to provide simple access to the XML daily data feed that is generated by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America website’s Online Chapel. Data made available through this plugin includes: lectionary title for the day, icon for the day, fasting rule for the day, scripture readings and commemorated saints and feasts for the day.
This plugin provides a widget and shortcodes that can be used in posts and pages.
When using the plugin widget to display information, you can choose your own static widget title, choose to use the lectionary title as the widget title, or leave both options blank for no widget title. You may then check any boxes you wish to display the information you want to show. It is possible to place multiple copies of this widget within different areas – if, for example, you’d like to put the daily icon and lectionary title in one place on your web page and the readings on another.
There is no performance penalty, as a cache for both the xml feed output and daily icon are saved and replaced as needed. Icon image files are saved locally for reuse, while the xml feed output is downloaded and saved once daily. These materials can be found in the /cache directory of the plugin.
Shortcodes are also included that allow you to display any data found in the widget in any order and at any location. Shortcodes include a class parameter should you wish to change the CSS for the element. The shortcodes supported are as follows:
- [oc_lectionary_title] – displays the name of the day as presented in the lectionary.
- [oc_fasting] – provides the fasting rule for the day.
- [oc_icon] – displays icon as an img tag. Optional parameter: class.
- [oc_readings] – displays hyperlinked readings with leaders in a div. Optional parameters: reading_type_class, reading_class.
- [oc_saintfeasts] – displays hyperlinked daily feasts and saints in a div. Optional parameter: class.
To install this plugin, simply upload the zip file using the WordPress > Plugins > Upload a File option. Alternatively, you can unzip goarch-online-chapel-daily-xml-feed-parser.zip in your plugins directory on your server. Once installed, simply activate. No database tables are created.