Byzantine, Texas

This whole video made me smile. From Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Christian Church in Salt Lake City, UT.

Lift up your gates, O ye princes! And be lifted up, O ye everlasting gates, and the King of glory shall enter in. Who is the King of Glory? The Lord of hosts; He is the King of Glory.

Having spoken to current seminarians and clergy close to the ground, all signs have pointed to multiple attempts to have Fr. Metropulos leave. He reportedly rebuffed those efforts. Given the numerous financial, accreditation, and organizational problems Holy Cross is having, I'm surprised more swift and comprehensive changes haven't been enacted in the wake of this very public meltdown. Let me forestall the person who will assuredly post something along the lines of "Why does Orthodoxy need more than one seminary?!" As someone who attended more than one seminary myself, I can say that each of them has a characteristic that would be lost should we lose it. St. Vlad's needs a St. Tikhon's. And just as true - the Greeks need non-Greek seminaries to exist. Whether the very expensive HCHC system in place right now is worth it is another discussion entirely. ( GOARCH-Boston ) - Dear HCHC Community, Hellenic College Holy Cross President, Father Christopher Met...

( Romfea ) - The Ukrainian issue was the occasion for their meeting in Cyprus, but the Patriarchs of Antioch and Jerusalem have reached a compromise on the subject of Qatar. The difference that divided them, according to Romfea.gr’s exclusive information, seems to have been bridged. The Primates, John X of Antioch and Theofilos III of Jerusalem, after a long conversation, to all appearances, ended up in agreement… Romfea’s information indicates that the Patriarchate of Jerusalem is seriously considering withdrawing Archbishop Makarios from Qatar. Another issue that has been dealt with is the change of the title, so that there will be no reason to dispute over issues of ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

( Seattle Times ) - A 33-year-old man suspected of punching a 72-year-old monk at a Burien gas station was arrested Saturday, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office. The Russian Orthodox monk was pumping gas on the morning of April 16 when a man came up to him, made a statement about President Donald Trump and punched him in the face, said sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Ryan Abbott. “He said, ‘how’s Trump?’ and I presume he meant President Trump and I said, ‘well I don’t know,’ ” the victim told KOMO-TV. “And all of a sudden he just sucker-punched me right here, and he did it with such force I did not see it coming.” Detectives are still investigating the man’s motive for the unprovoked attack, Abbott said. The suspect was arrested by the Seattle Police Department in connection with an unrelated attack, Abbott said. Seattle police recognized the suspect from a photo released by Burien Police Department. On social media, the monk said he suffered some hearing loss and body p...

apophthegm - A terse, pointed saying, embodying an important truth in few words Greek ἀπόϕθεγμα something clearly spoken, a terse saying, < ἀποϕθέγγ-εσθαι to speak one's opinion clearly, < ἀπό forth + ϕθέγγεσθαι to utter a sound, speak. Normally we catch this word as part of the larger "Apophthegmata Patrum" which almost everyone knows as the "Sayings of the Desert Fathers" which every self-respecting Christian should read. Wikipedia describes it thus: The collections consist of wisdom stories describing the spiritual practices and experiences of early Christian hermits living in the desert of Egypt. They are typically in the form of a conversation between a younger monk and his spiritual father, or as advice given to visitors. Beginning as an oral tradition in the Coptic language, they were only later written down as Greek text. The stories were extremely popular among early Christian monks, and appeared in various forms and collections. ...

THESSALONIKI ( TNH ) – An appeals court in the northern city of Thessaloniki has upheld the bombing convictions of a monk and the abbot of a 1,000-year-old monastery deemed schismatic by the Greek Orthodox church, and cut their sentences from 20 to 17 years. The decision followed a firebomb attack in 2013 on a court bailiff and his brother trying to evict the monks from a building in Karyes, capital of the Mt. Athos monastic community. Neither man was hurt. The court convicted Antypas, one of the Esphigmenou Monastery’s 118 monks, of throwing firebombs and Abbot Methodios of incitement. Another six monks, sentenced to 10 years as accessories, had their terms cut Thursday by seven months. None were present in court. All were free pending the appeal trial, and are being sought by police. And also... ( Romfea ) - 17 years’ imprisonment and a fine of EUR 600. This is the ruling of the Mixed Jury Court of Appeal of Thessaloniki to the instigators and perpetrators of the Molotov co...

( Patriarchate of Antioch ) - Statement - Meeting of the Primates of the Orthodox Churches in the Middle East Their Holinesses and Beatitudes, the Primates of the Orthodox Churches in the Middles East, held a meeting that gathered Theodoros II, Patriarch of Alexandria, John X, Patriarch of Antioch, Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem and Chrysostomos II, Archbishop of Cyprus, at the Cypriot’s Archbishopric Headquarters, on April 18, 2019. In their meeting, they prayed for peace of the whole world, and for the stability of the local holy Churches, especially in the Middle East, the region which is going through many trials. They also supplicated God to establish and strengthen the people of this region, that the believers may continue their Orthodox witness for the Risen Christ, especially in this blessed land on which the feet of Christ and His holy and glorious apostles have trodden, and in the whole world, which is longing for the message of the Gospel and for the hope of ...

I'm frankly very surprised to see the Patriarchs of Antioch and Jerusalem in a room together. It bodes well for progress on warming relations strained by the Qatar issue . But on the matter at hand - Ukraine - four primates meeting is not a lunch date for coffee, it is a very big deal. ( Romfea ) - At this moment, a summit of four Primates takes place in Cyprus on the unique topic of the Ukrainian issue and how to deal with it, according to exclusive information by Romfea.gr. At the meeting, the Patriarchs Theodore of Alexandria, John of Antioch, and Theophilos of Jerusalem, participate at the invitation of Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus. There is a possibility, according to ecclesiastical sources, even to issue a joint statement on the issue of recognition of the new autocephalous Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

( The Morning Offering ) - I should be filled with rage against a brute who could perpetrate such an unwarranted attack against me, especially since I’d smiled at him, just prior to the sucker punch. In my mind I assumed he was approaching me with a request for money, or wanting to know what I was. Since I try, with God’s help, to be kind to everyone, even trying to bring a smile on a strangers face by saying something self-effacing in an attempt to put them at ease, I was totally caught off guard by what he did to me. Instead, I find myself filled with compassion and love for the poor tortured soul who was driven to commit such a heinous act. That a young man would sucker punch an obviously old man, and a stranger to him, is truly hard for me to comprehend. Even more, I am praying for my attacker. The reason is this: Although I am imperfect, and a terrible sinner, I am graced to live a fulfilling and fruitful life, assured of God’s love for me and surrounded by people who love m...

The Saint Constantine School in Houston, TX has several openings for faculty. My children went here for a time and the effects of this education continue to resonate. Maybe you want to help form young minds as well? The Saint Constantine School provides classical, Christian education so that students will grow in wisdom, virtue, and joy. The Saint Constantine School is dedicated to providing a comprehensive formational education in harmony with the Eastern Orthodox Church. Guided by a commitment to the timeless traditions of the Christian Church, mind, and worldview, The Saint Constantine School educates students for the Church, the city of Houston, the United States, and the world. Current open positions.

My wife and I went to France to visit family for our honeymoon. Notre Dame was of course one of the places we visited. As such I've always associated it with the beginning of my marriage and so this conflagration feels much more personal than I would have anticipated. On commenting: Let's leave the anti-French or Catholic bashing for another day.

Of late, some people have sent in some donations for the blog (using the sidebar link). As there aren't a steady stream of such, it's always a surprise and always very much appreciated. What does a donation go to? Right now it's blue vestments. So if this were a fundraiser, "Thanks, Mr. Επιμάνικα and Mrs. Поручи Cuffs for your kindness!"

( Daily Mail ) - A Russian priest has been barred from entering a cathedral and banished to a remote village after his wife won a beauty pageant. Oksana Zotova, 32, has faced brutal criticism and threats after being crowned 'Miss Sexuality' in the contest in Magnitogorsk, Russia. Her husband Sergiy Zotov has been banned from officiating in Magnitogorsk Orthodox Cathedral - and has been exiled to a remote and sleepy village church 43 miles away. The 31-year-old cleric has been told he has no way back because of the 'scandal', unless his wife - a beauty therapist with her own salon - 'repents'. The exiled priest said that his wife 'understands her mistakes (and) knows what she did wrong' - yet she has not repented, and instead criticised the church. Meanwhile Fr. Zotova said his wife faced 'threats, abuse, and other angry messages' - and said he planned to call the police. Mrs Zotova received a barrage of criticism for her '...

( Basilica ) - Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on Wednesday lit a candle and laid flowers at the closed gate of the Patriarchate’s entrance at the Phanar as a homage to his predecessor, Hieromartyr Saint Gregory V, who was hanged in this place 198 years ago. According to the Patriarchate’s press office, His Holiness prayed for a few minutes at the sacred location for the present and future of the Great Church of Christ, for the spiritual advancement of his flock, for protection of the Christian populations and all the persecuted residents of the Middle East, and for the relief of tensions and the prevalence of peace in the world. After celebrating the Easter Divine Liturgy, while still in full patriarchal vestments, Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople was hanged by the Ottomans on April 10/22, 1821, being left for two days on the main gate of the Patriarchate compound, all by order of the Sultan. On the 100th anniversary of his martyrdom, Patriarch Gregory was canonized by...

O Champion General I your city now inscribe to you triumphant anthems as the tokens of my gratitude, being rescued from the terrors, O Theotokos. But since you have the dominion unassailable, from all kinds of perils free me so that unto you, I may cry aloud: Rejoice, O Bride unwedded. ( GOARCH ) - About the year 626, the Persians, Avars, and Slavs came with a great host and besieged the imperial city of Constantinople while the Emperor Heraclius and the main body of the Byzantine army were absent in the East. Enemy ships filled the sea, especially the Golden Horn, and on land the adversaries were ready for attack with foot-soldiers, horses, and engines of war. Though the citizens courageously withstood them, yet they were few in number and would be unable to repulse the attack of such a great host. Hence, they could not count on any other means of salvation, except the protection of the Theotokos. And truly, suddenly a violent tempest broke up all the ships and submerged them, an...

From Legacy Icons , a fun video on how they make them.

I think one could easily find 5-10 "hit pieces" on the OCU (i.e. the formerly UOC-KP/UAOC now EP-backed disputably autocephalous church) posted every day. There are sites that used to post with great variety who have now turned almost exclusively to an anti-OCU agenda. Some of the rancor is well earned. One could write several books cataloguing all the vagaries of the men who populate these schismatic groups or the political aspirations of those who have supported them. All of that to say this: I'm not going to post every grenade thrown from Kyiv or Moscow over the border. I'm not going to post stories whose entire purpose is to spew bilious rage on the other party. I will post stories with corroboration that point to how this whole thing is going to settle after the dust clears. My earlier post on this Slovenian story looked at whether the OCU was going to honor the restriction to maintain a presence only inside the borders of Ukraine. The story - as presented in m...

For some context, see this older post . ( ROEA ) - We are happy to report that the Michigan Court of Appeals recently decided in favor of the Episcopate in the civil court case against Ascension Monastery (also known as Holy Trinity Monastery) and Adrian M. Lupu-Leica. The decision of the Court is available at the following link: https://roea.org/files/Legal/MI_Court_of_Appeals_Decision.PDF. With blessings and all good wishes, +Archbishop Nathaniel

( Pemptousia ) - Great Lent is the most holy and the most conservative time in the liturgical year. Among the ancient ritual customs during this period is the particular arrangement of the readings of extracts from books of the Old Testament. In the 7th century, such readings formed the structural basis for the first part of the Divine Liturgy, or the Liturgy of the Word as that part of the service was commonly known. Three extracts were read then, one from the Old Testament and two from the New, that is an Epistle and Gospel. From the 8th century, the Old Testament reading was moved to the Vespers service, because of monastic influence.  The use of the Old Testament in modern Church worship is especially in evidence during the time of the Triodio, that is during Great Lent and Holy Week. This is due to the ancient liturgical custom of reading the whole of the Old Testament during this time. Today’s system of reading the Old Testament is the result of this way of doing things. I...

From the blog Out of Egypt ... The Reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Mark. (9:17-31) Today’s reading is given to us on this, the fourth Sunday of Great and Holy Lent. This day we commemorate the memory of our father among the saint John Climacus. He is most well known for the spiritual classic which he wrote called “The Ladder of Divine Ascent”. In this powerful book, he outlines steps of the spiritual life as rungs of a ladder that lead up to heaven. As we climb and gain new virtues through God’s help, we ascend further towards the Kingdom. This book is so highly regarded that it is often the main lenten reading in monasteries around the world. This of course makes great sense when you realize that this book was written for monastics and from a monastic mindset. Nevertheless, it has many wonderful treasures for the average layperson who eagerly studies it with some guidance from their priest and spiritual father. At the beginning of the book, St. John has some i...

( Virtue Online ) - An investigation into the practices of recruitment of Anglican clergy by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia's (ROCOR) Western Rite Vicariate (WRV) has uncovered findings that might be a surprise to their own bishops. "Western Rite Orthodoxy" refers to a project to convert Western Christians, by several different Eastern Orthodox churches, through offering them a "Western Liturgy" to use in worship, while adhering to Eastern Doctrines. Western Orthodoxy has seen rapid growth in recent years, fuelled mainly by Anglican converts, although its history and status is controversial, with a number of Orthodox faithful believing Western Riters are not true Orthodox. In 2013 an extraordinary session of the Synod of ROCOR removed the heads of their WRV, and passed a decree that Western Rite communities should be assimilated into their mainstream Eastern Liturgical practices. Although this decision has never been officially reversed, ROC...

( Sophia Globe ) - The Bulgarian Orthodox Church’s governing body says that while a meeting between Patriarch Neofit and Pope Francis is possible during the Pope’s May 2019 visit to Bulgaria, the church will not participate in any joint services or prayers. The decision was announced by the governing body, the Holy Synod, on April 3. The Holy Synod said that it had decided to write to Anselmo Guido Pecorari, the Apostolic Nuncio to Bulgaria, saying that because the invitation to Pope Francis to visit Bulgaria had come from the state authorities, it was appropriate for the main events related to the visit to be co-ordinated with them. Patriarch Neofit and the members of the Holy Synod were prepared to receive Pope Francis for a meeting at the Holy Synod’s headquarters on May 5, as envisaged in the draft programme. A visit to Alexander Nevsky cathedral was “possible”, the Holy Synod said, “but we would like to emphasise that any form of shared liturgical or prayer service, as we...

( Romfea ) - Α delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate met Archbishop Ieronymos in order to discuss the position intended to be taken by the Church of Greece on the issue of autocephaly of the Ukrainian Church. The meeting lasted more than an hour, and the only issue delegated by the Patriarch to be discussed was the autocephaly issue. Metropolitan Emmanuel of France and Metropolitan Amphilochios of Adrianople discussed with the Archbishop, exchanging views on the matter and expressing their concerns on both sides. Archbishop Ieronymos assured them that he was paying close attention to the issue and the next plenary meeting of the Hierarchy would decide what would be the official position of the Church of Greece.

( AROC-WE ) - A delegation, composed of Archpriest Alexander Fostiropoulos (London), Archdeacon Vsevolod Borzakovsky (Rome) and Professor Cyrille Sollogoub (Paris) was warmly received by His Holiness the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, in the presence of Metropolitan Emmanuel of France . The delegation handed over to H.H. the Ecumenical Patriarch the letter written by the Council of the Archdiocese, following the Extraordinary General Assembly of 23 February 2019, which refused to accept the dissolution of the Archdiocese by nearly 93% of the votes. A constructive exchange has begun; it is planned to continue this consultation to consider the future of the Archdiocese.

( ROC ) - Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia, professor at Oxford University, chairman of the board of directors of the Institute for Orthodox Christian Studies in Cambridge, and Honorary President of the Orthodox Association of Theological Schools (Oxford, UK), disagrees with the decision of Patriarch Bartholomew to interfere in the church affairs in Ukraine and believes the way out of the situation lies in a pan-Orthodox discussion. A hierarch of the Church of Constantinople, he stated this in his interview to the Ukrainian Inter TV channel as reported by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church information-education department. ‘I believe that today’s situation in Ukraine is extremely serious and affects not only the Orthodox Christians in Ukraine but the Orthodox Church in its entirety”, the archpastor stressed. He noted that although the Patriarchate of Constantinople granted, as it maintains, autocephaly to ‘the Orthodox Church of Ukraine’, it is not recognized by either Moscow...

In keeping with the Constantinopolitan understanding of the "diaspora" being the exclusive preserve of the Ecumenical Throne, the tomos granting autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) stipulated that the parishes outside of Ukraine (e.g. UOC-KP and UAOC churches) would fall under direct EP control and that the OCU would not open churches outside her canonical territory. ( Kyiv Post ) - The Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) began its operations in Slovenia on March 31, the Ukrainian embassy to this country reports, adding that the first Holy Liturgy took place in the church of Saint Urh. “The Orthodox Church of Ukraine began its operation in Slovenia on March 31. Ambassador Mykhailo Brodovych and his wife, embassy staff and representatives of the Ukrainian community in Slovenia visited the first Holy Liturgy of St. Basil the Great, which was served in the church of St. Ur h,” the Ukrainian Embassy to Slovenia said on Twitter on March 31.