The Church Father’s High View of Marriage
The Church Fathers’ High View of Marriage Two votes at the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.) underscored the Church Fathers’ devotion to marriage. The first vote maintained clerical marriage relationships, (1) the second defended surviving spouses’ remarriage. Though the latter was a clear indication of their esteem for the institution, in that they provided for widows and widowers who yearned for a new mate, it was actually a moderating vote. So high was the Church’s regard for a couple’s original vows that such prominent figures as Hermas, Justin Martyr, and Athenagoras argued that the bond outlasted death itself. (2) In the ...
Why Christ’s Resurrection Matters
by Eric Simpson On Pascha, Orthodox Christians everywhere sing, "Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life." We affirm boldly and with great joy our belief in Christ's real, historical resurrection from the dead, which is the basis for our faith and hope. Reared on happy consumerism, one might feel satisfied to view holidays such as Easter (or Pascha) in isolation, a special day that is set apart to celebrate an event that has significance for us only insofar as it appeals to our sense of ...
Passover to Pascha
by William J. Tighe On the Origins of the Primary Feast of the Christian Church, from the man who brought us the stellar article, Calculating Christmas. For all Christians today who observe a “liturgical year,” the high point of that year is the annual commemoration of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection at the end of Holy Week. Good Friday recalls to the faithful the Lord’s suffering and death, and in most Christian traditions is a day of ascetical practices, particularly fasting. Holy Saturday ...
The Days of Holy Week
Each day in Holy Week is devoted to a particular theme, and since they pass quickly, here they are for your meditation in advance. PALM SUNDAY: The Entrance of our Lord into Jerusalem is one of the Twelve Great Feasts of the Christian Faith, and celebrated with great honor. We commemorate his entrance into His saving Passion for us, and like the Apostle Thomas, prepare ourselves to “go and die with Him,” following the services of Holy Week which follow. A grand procession of palms will take place at the end this Sunday’s service. HOLY WEEK BEGINS: On Palm Sunday evening the Services ...
Ten Tips for Holy Week and Pascha
I saw these last year on Fr. Peter Preble's blog, and thought they were excellent to bring into focus what is really important during this sacred season. 1. Make participation at the Services a priority. This is especially crucial for those families with children. They must experience as much of Holy Week and Pascha as possible with their parents. 2. In our homes we should strive to “keep out the world” and enter into the peace, solemnity, and theology of the events of the last days of our Lord. 3. Be sure to read the last chapters of the Holy ...
Education
The Days of Holy Week
Each day in Holy Week is devoted to a particular theme, and since they pass quickly,...
The Days Before Us
Each Day in Holy Week is devoted to a particular theme, all designed for us to draw...
About the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete
During the first four days of Lent (Feb. 27, 28, 29 & March 1) the penitential...
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News
One Real Leader Makes a Big Difference
Georgia’s Patriarch Baptizes 400 Babies From the American Orthodox Institute. Patriarch...
1,300 Year Old Monastery Found in Scotland
From the Scotsman Online. Experts hail Pictish Royal Monastery find Aerial photographs...
2012 Encyclical for the Feast of Annunciation
Dearly Beloved, “Today is the beginning of our salvation, the revelation of...
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General
Contemporary Lessons From Byzantium
George Ostrogorsky in his magisterial History of the Byzantine State shows how the people of Byzantium rose time and again to create wealth, cultivate their intellectual capital, and achieve military success. Ultimately, though, they could not overcome the bad policy decisions that, made over the course of generations, ran counter to the proven path... [Read more of this review]
The Church Father’s High View of Marriage
The Church Fathers’ High View of Marriage Two votes at the Council of Nicaea (325 A.D.) underscored the Church Fathers’ devotion to marriage. The first vote maintained clerical marriage relationships, (1) the second defended surviving spouses’ remarriage. Though the latter was a clear indication of their esteem for the institution, in that they... [Read more of this review]
Five Reasons Christians Should Continue To Oppose Gay Marriage
by Kevin DeYoung Yesterday, to no one’s surprise, President Obama revealed in an interview that after some “evolution” he has “concluded that for me personally it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same sex couples should be able to get married.” This after the Vice-President came out last Sunday... [Read more of this review]
Why Christ’s Resurrection Matters
by Eric Simpson On Pascha, Orthodox Christians everywhere sing, “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.” We affirm boldly and with great joy our belief in Christ’s real, historical resurrection from the dead, which is the basis for our faith and hope. Reared on... [Read more of this review]
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