June 21, 2022 Where Does Orthodoxy End and Heresy Starts? A recognized tenet of the faith is a part of the church doctrine, unlike a tenet that has been condemned as heresy. In this…
June 17, 2022 Autocephaly, Autonomy and Self-governance in the Eastern Orthodox Churches Autocephaly Autocephaly is the status of the Church that allows it to govern itself (from the Greek autos – self, and kephalē – head)….
June 17, 2022 When Prayer Trumps Reason: the Salvific Prayers of Saint Monica When we are in difficulty, and someone tells us to pray, we may brush his advice aside as a platitude. But this reaction might…
June 15, 2022 The Hymn to the Theotokos “It Is Truly Meet”: Miracles and the Church Tradition As we continue our exploration of Orthodox liturgics, let us talk about the prayer to the Mother of God that has been said and…
June 14, 2022 Come with Me to Mount Athos. Part 59 Part 58 Our last night on Mount Athos We were trudging toward the hotel. Igor caught up with us in an upbeat mood. We…
June 13, 2022 Day of the Holy Trinity. Pentecost When a traveller sees a distant ray of light in the night, he rejoices and directs his steps towards this light, not questioning from…
June 10, 2022 Why Do Monastics Receive New Names in Tonsure, and Who Gets to Choose Them? In the Orthodox Church, taking monastic tonsure means changing one’s name. For example, Saint Seraphim of Sarov bore the name Bartholomew before he became…
June 9, 2022 Whatever You Do, Work Heartily, as for the Lord: Saints among Cooks In the Orthodox tradition, almost every profession has a patron saint, someone who served God, glorified Him, and perhaps suffered for His sake in…
June 7, 2022 Come with Me to Mount Athos. Part 58 Part 57 A touch of grace When the service was over, we went to the monastic refectory and were impressed by its sheer size…
June 6, 2022 The Feast of the Holy Trinity: Facts about the Orthodox Pentecost The Feast of the Holy Trinity, or Pentecost, commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles that bestowed on them the spiritual…
June 2, 2022 5 Christian Truths about the Feast of the Ascension On 3 June the Church commemorates the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the all-night vigil on the eve of the Ascension, we…
June 2, 2022 Come with Me to Mount Athos. Part 57 Part 56 A sense of homecoming Newcomers to a church typically spend some time looking around before finding a secluded spot where they can…
