December 21, 2016 6302 5 The Orthodox Tradition of Long Hair and Beards Anyone looking at photographs and portraits of clergy in Greece, Russia, Rumania, and other Orthodox countries taken in the early twentieth century will notice…
November 30, 2016 370 1 When Are We to Fast: Midnight-to-Midnight, or Vespers-to-Vespers? I have been confused about the fasting regulations; I understand them with regard to what we can or cannot eat on certain days, but…
November 22, 2016 8942 1 Why Do We Burn Incense in the Orthodox Church? In our Orthodox church, we burn incense in a metal vessel that hangs on three chains and has a sliding cover to regulate the…
November 1, 2016 151 0 The Orthodox Priest: An Icon of Christ In this holy season you could have a child ask you, “why was Jesus born as a boy? Why couldn’t St. Mary have had…
September 29, 2016 1655 1 14 Types of Ancient Christian Crosses Today every Orthodox Christian wears a cross. It is not just the sign, which demonstrates our faith and religion, but it is the symbol…
June 29, 2016 103 0 The Importance of Fasting and Its Observance Today (From the Official Documents of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church) 1. Fasting is a divine commandment (Gen 2:16-17). According…
June 10, 2016 103 0 Wisdom and Answers to Your Questions about Weddings Summer is sweet and blossoming and is a perfect time for weddings. We have prepared some information about the Sacrament of Matrimony for you…
June 8, 2016 436 2 Origins of Orthodox Vestments: Ancillary Vestment Pieces Having surveyed the origins of the most significant pieces of Orthodox liturgical vesture, it now remains to consider a few auxiliary garments. Zone (Belt)…
May 25, 2016 79 0 Our Feelings “Dear Father Andrew, dear brothers and sisters! I would like you to explain to me the relation between the mind and the heart, between…
May 17, 2016 832 0 Origins of Orthodox Vestments: Orarion, Epitrachelion, Omophorion From “The History of Vestments” It is with the omophorion that we come to one of the most debated topics in the study of…
