June 8, 2017 The First 40 Days after Death Explained by St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco Limitless and without consolation would have been our sorrow for close ones who are dying, if the Lord had not given us eternal life….
May 26, 2017 An Orthodox Approach to Food and Eating Disorders At first glance, considering food in the context of Orthodox spirituality and practice may seem inappropriate. But closer examination indicates, in fact, a…
May 26, 2017 The Stages of Monastic Life Where do Orthodox Monks and Nuns Come From? Orthodox monks and nuns come from all walks and manner of life. In former times…
May 23, 2017 The Meaning of the Analavos of the Great Schema The Great Schema in the Orthodox Church requires the traditional monastic vows, plus special spiritual feats. According to Archpriest G. S. Debolsky: “In the…
May 17, 2017 Elder Sophrony on What We Should Know Approaching the Jesus Prayer I propose to devote this chapter to setting out as briefly as possible the more important aspects of the Jesus Prayer and the…
May 12, 2017 Advice on Ways to Form an Orthodox Conscience Here are the ways in which we can cooperate with God’s grace and form this conscience within ourselves: 1 . We are to have…
May 4, 2017 The History of the New Testament Canon from the Apostolic Church to the Present All Christians agree that Scripture is the heart of the Christian tradition. However, what they mean by this affirmation often differs. To shed light…
April 26, 2017 A Look at the Symbolism of Orthodox Vestments Visitors to an Orthodox church service may ask why it is that our clergy wear such seemingly peculiar garments. Accustomed to the sight of…
April 13, 2017 The Great and Holy Thursday: Establishing the Perfect Eucharistic Life Two events shape the Liturgy of the Great and Holy Thursday: the Last Supper and the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. The Last Supper…
March 27, 2017 Proper Clerical Dress and Attire In issue no. 6 of The Russian Pastor, an article by Archpriest Boris Kizenko, “Do not associate yourself with this age,” was printed. There…
March 23, 2017 A Forgiveness Sermon on Forgiveness Sunday The Great Lent begins. It is the most important period of the church life, as well as the spiritual life of a faithful person….
March 20, 2017 The Origin of the Slanted Crosswise Bar in Orthodox Crosses The question is a very common one, and misinformation about the origins of the three-barred Orthodox Cross abounds even in scholarly studies. This Cross…
