Byzantine, Texas

( ROC ) - In the newspaper a thorough analysis is made of the homily addressed by Patriarch Bartholomew to a group of Ukrainian Supreme Rada members who were on a visit to Constantinople. The patriarchal address is focused on the notorious Ukrainian problem. A great deal in this speech is reprehensible. In my article here, I will confine myself to its passage, which I believe to be a deception of those who do not possess facts about this unprecedented ecclesiological scandal: “The unity of Orthodoxy by no means is put to test because the Ecumenical Patriarch responded to a request of Orthodox Ukrainians. The Tomos of Autocephaly was an act of responsibility of the Mother Church…” In my previous article in Orthodoxos Typos (“The Orthodox Press”) entitled “Are you are not ashamed, a Patriarch with no fear of God?” I considered another Patriarch Bartholomew’s defiant misconception concerning this topic. At that time, in his interview he said that the pseudo-autocephaly he granted to his p...

 

( Orthodox Times ) - The Orthodox Community of Singapore experienced unique and blessed moments on Palm Sunday, April 25. On this day, Metropolitan Konstantinos of Singapore and South Asia ordained a new Deacon at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ. Deacon Joachim became the first Singaporean clergyman. “We want the prayers of all so that God enlightens him to become a good clergyman and serve God’s people in Singapore,” said, among other things, Metropolitan Konstantinos on Palm Sunday in the Orthodox Community of Singapore as reported by vema.com.au.

I added email subscriptions on a lark some years back. Right now a few hundred people are subscribed. Google is killing that feature this summer, so I am going to find an alternative. Hopefully I can port people over to the new service without any loss of service. 

( Orthochristian ) - The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Greece decided on Wednesday that Pascha services in all churches and monasteries should begin no later than 9:00 PM on Holy Saturday night in order to allow the faithful to attend the services without violating the state curfew. The faithful were not allowed to attend the services at all last year. However, not all are pleased with this compromise solution. Yesterday, the Holy Association of Clergy of Greece issued a press release, emphasizing that, “Once again, we, priests and believers, were surprised by the untrained intervention of the state in purely ecclesiastical matters, and even concerning the heart of Christian worship.” On the one hand, the Association agrees to holding Holy Week services earlier than usual, but on the other hand tates that “we underline our deep opposition to holding the celebration and Divine Liturgy of the Resurrection during the evening hours of Holy Saturday.” As the Association explains, its...

( GOARCH ) - The Christian Education Ministry of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco, together with Saint Paul Greek Orthodox Church in Irvine, CA, are offering A Very Short Course in Orthodox Theology. This six-week series will be held on Wednesday evenings beginning on May 12 and continue through June 16, 2021 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. PST. Dr. Paraskevè (Eve) Tibbs, chair of the Metropolis Christian Education Ministry will be leading this course which is open to all interested adults. Each class session topic is independent, thus you do no need to commit to attending each session – just attend when you are able. The fast moving format is a combination of lecture, visual presentation, discussion, and occasional video, and there is no homework! Supplemental reading will be provided to all participants at no cost through the sharing of PDF documents. Watch this short promotional video to learn more about this course. Register today for this great educational program – you won’t...

( OCA-DOW ) - To the Reverend Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese of the West, The Lord bless!It is with much gratitude to God that we write you concerning the lifting of some of the prior restrictions we have laid down across the diocese pertaining to the coronavirus. By God’s grace the vaccines that protect against infection and serious illness is now more widely available in most places. This is especially welcome as Pascha is around the corner. Given that local restrictions are in constant flux and the size and diversity of the diocese, it is difficult to impose a “one size fits all” policy everywhere. Nevertheless, there are some adjustments that can be made should local conditions and law permit. I believe from Palm Sunday forward we can lift restrictions with regard to how many persons may be present in the temple should the local health policy allow. However, all those present should still wear face masks whether or not they have received the vaccine or not for the time being. W...

 

Every Coptic church should put this video on repeat on all their TVs when they do food festivals.

I also deplore the innovation of wearing black for funerals. Where is your hope the Resurrection? Stop it. ( Catalogue of Good Deeds ) - How might Newton have influenced the liturgical tradition of the Church? The answer is not the apple. It was not the fall of the fruit of the knowledge tree on the scientist’s head. It has to do with the colours and the dispersion of white light. As we know, Isaac Newton made fundamental discoveries in optics. His experiment in the dispersion of white light by a prism is now in most school textbooks in physics. But let us add interpretation to this knowledge by considering the usual colour range of Orthodox vestments. I expect most readers of this text will know which colours are used for which feasts. The dominant colour is white, which represents purity and perfection. However, we now know from Newton that white produces a range of other basic colours by dispersion. It is no accident then that in the Orthodox tradition that white takes the ultimate ...

Please join me in prayers for His Eminence! ( OCA-DOW ) - Beloved in Christ:The Lord bless.Recently, I have been noticing a tremor and other symptoms that may indicate Parkinson’s Disease.  After a battery of tests, I was indeed diagnosed with the initial stages of Parkinson’s.  At this juncture, I do not expect it will adversely impact my ability to fulfill my duties as bishop.  However, as always, I am grateful to His Grace, Bishop Daniel, for his assistance and no doubt will require his help more and more as the disease progresses.  I ask for your prayers as I move forward.With gratitude to God for all things; †Benjamin Archbishop of San Francisco

( Pravmir ) The first Orthodox prayer book in Portuguese (“Devocionário Ortodoxo”) was published in Portugal, reports the website of the Spanish and Portuguese diocese. The prayer book, like the service book issued earlier, was published with the blessing of Archbishop Nestor of Madrid and Lisbon. Hegumen Peter (Prutyanu) and Hierodeacon Jerome (Tomaz), clerics of the parish in honor of St. John Chrysostom in the city of Cascais, worked on the translation and publication of the text. The Prayer Book was published by the Portuguese-Brazilian Catholic publishing house Paulus, which will promote the distribution of the publication in bookstores in Portugal and Brazil. In addition to morning and evenin g prayers, the prayer book contains canons, akathists, as well as prayers before Holy Communion, psalms and hymns that are included in the main church services. The 230-page prayer book is designed in two colors and is available in hardcover and paperback. “We hope that this work will be us...

( OCA ) - A Call for Monastic Vocations, on the Anniversary of the Monastic Tonsure of His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon From a Monastic of the Orthodox Church in America Enter eagerly into the treasure-house that lies within you, and so you will see the treasure-house of heaven; for the two are the same, and there is but one single entry to them both. — Saint Isaac the Syrian Today on April 7th, the commemoration of the repose of Saint Tikhon of Moscow, the faithful of the Orthodox Church in America congratulate His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, on the liturgical anniversary of his monastic tonsure. We extend to him the greeting given to every newly-tonsured monastic: “May you be saved in the angelic life!” What is this “angelic life”? The life of every monastic rests upon the four pillars of chastity, poverty, obedience, and stability. These are the ascetic disciplines undertaken by the monk that redirect his love of self and the world to love of God and neighbor. These are the pil...

( Antiochian ) - Holy Week and Pascha Directives from His Eminence Metropolitan JOSEPH  Beloved Hierarchs and Reverend Clergy,  Greetings and blessings to you all during this holy season of Lent! ​ As we approach the days of Holy Week and Pascha, we understand the desire for our people to experience the fullness of the divine services after having been deprived of them last year. As the country continues to open up in the coming weeks, we would like to give the following update as promised in our last directives before Lent.  Given the greatly varying local conditions, we advise the pastors, in consultation with their parish councils, to use their best pastoral judgment allowing as many people as possible to attend the services of Holy Week and Pascha in a safe manner. In order to safely include as many of the faithful as possible, we must continue with appropriate cleaning and use of face coverings. Again, using your pastoral discretion, you may plan for processions as n...

( UKRHEC ) - How do Orthodox Christians observe and experience the most holy season of the year? Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha are festivals of song, art, and ritual. How do Orthodox Christians observe and experience the most holy season of the year? Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha are festivals of song, art, and ritual. The holy icons and ritual actions reveal the deeper meaning of this season. Deacon Nicholas Denysenko of Valparaiso University explains how participation in the sacred rituals of this season prepare faithful for a joyous encounter with their Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. The presentation features selections of icons and other works of art from the middle-Byzantine and Ukrainian traditions. Rev. Deacon Nicholas Denysenko serves as Emil and Elfriede Jochum Professor and Chair at Valparaiso University. He previously taught at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles (2010-2017). Denysenko is a graduate of the University of Minnesota (B.S. in Business, 1994), St. Vladimir’s Orthod...

As I have said in the past, murkiness on this topic leads to real world "shopping" for the answer couples want. I know people who have gone from priest to priest looking for a clergyman who will give them the "go" for what they want to do. Our technological abilities continue to outstrip our ability to articulate moral guidelines and boundaries on bio-ethical topics. It is issues such as this that the Church should come together on and find some agreement because, in the absence of a clear decisions, we no longer provide a compass or map to our people. Instead, we give unclear hand gesture-level directions more akin to how to get to the local Target than real guidance anyone can rely on. ( ROC ) - Pastoral necessity has forced a conversation within the Church on the permissibility of modern biotechnology and practices, as well as the examination of other issues on bioethics, believes the metropolitan of Volokolamsk Hilarion. In speaking on the Church and the World T...

 

( YouTube ) - This 8-week course is team-taught by Dr. Roberta Ervine and Sdn. Andrew Kayaian.  Participants explore issues that faced Armenia's nascent Christianity, the situations and people that drove those issues, and the solutions attempted by the Church's first hierarchs.

... or, if in a photograph, behind thee either.