Byzantine, Texas

( Orthodoxy Today ) - by Ronda Wintheiser – Dear Mr. Triantafilou, board of directors, and the staff at IOCC: I did finally receive a response to the email and the letter I wrote recently asking you to reconsider your selection of Senator Sarbanes as an honorary chairman for the upcoming gala planned for May 8th. Thank you for it. The letter read, in part, that: “Senator Sarbanes was selected as an honorary co-chairman for the event for his steadfast commitment and support for IOCC’s ongoing humanitarian mission. While we recognize that you do have concerns about his participation, we hope you will not allow it to overshadow a 20-year legacy of positively impacting the lives of so many people.” I’m sure you hoped that such a carefully crafted letter would smooth this over and make me go away. But it’s Great Lent, and one of the Scripture readings selected by the Church for Clean Monday just happens to be a warning from God about coming to worship Him with blood on our hands (Isa...

Fr. Milovan Katanic recently posted about a new book on his blog Again & Again . Here's a snippet from that post followed by the publisher's info for the book. Lent isn’t only a time we try to find something nourishing to eat so that we might feed our bodies but we also look to feed our souls with something good to read. Luckily for us a new book has just come out which promises to do just that. The book is “ Challenges of Orthodox Thought and Life: Reflections on Christian Foundations and Living Traditions ” by Hieromonk Calinic (Berger). The book is, in fact, a collection of essays which were, as is noted in the preface, “originally published in Solia-The Herald, the diocesan periodical of the Romanian Episcopate of America, where they appeared in the column Orthodox Thought and Life . Here they have been arranged by topic, edited and in some cases, slightly expanded.” And just who is Fr. Calinic? Well, I know him because he’s my neighbor, parish priest of the ...

In 2002 Met. Nicholas assisted in the Consecration of Holy Chrism in Constantinople. JOHNSTOWN, PA ( ACROD ) - The Diocesan Chancery has announced that special memorial services will take place at Christ the Saviour Cathedral and St. John the Baptist Parish in Perth Amboy New Jersey to mark the one year anniversary of the repose of +His Eminence, Metropolitan Nicholas, who Fell-Asleep-In-The-Lord on March 13, 2011. On March 13, 2012 a Parastas Service will take celebrated by Very Rev. Protopresbyter Frank P. Miloro, Diocesan Chancellor at 5:00 pm at Christ the Saviour Cathedral. A lenten meal will follow the service at 6 PM in the Pyramids Lounge near the Cathedral. Those who wish to attend the dinner are asked to contact Fr. Miloro at 814-539-8086 or fpmiloro@atlanticbb.net by March 7, 2012. On Sunday March 18, 2012, His Eminence, Archbishop Demetrios of America, Locum Tenens, will celebrate the Parastas Service at 4:00 pm at St. John the Baptist Church in Perth Amboy, N...

I'll add more as I find resources or you make me aware of them. American Carpatho-Russian Diocese Antiochian Archdiocese Greek Archdiocese Orthodox Church in America

( AFR ) - Fr. Andrew Damick comments on a recent article in Christianity Today by Mark Galli entitled "Giving Up Self-Discipline For Lent." He contrasts the western view of Lent with an Orthodox perspective. Listen to Fr. Andrew's commentary below or read it by clicking on the image.

Just found a great set of instructional materials on the Church year and how to use the books for each. From Holy Transfiguration Monastery Publications . It's a treasure trove. ( HTMP ) - Besides presenting Holy Transfiguration Monastery’s books themselves, this website was conceived to explain and illustrate what the Church books are and how they are used. We begin with The Liturgical Year Introduced, a series of diagrams that show when the Menaion, Triodion, Pentecostarion, and Octoëchos are used throughout the year, the difference between moveable and immovable feasts, and how they work together... Site available here .

( HTS ) - On February 4–5, 2012, a small group of instructors and students from Holy Trinity Seminary visited the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Erie, Pennsylvania. The parish was formerly a priestless Old Believer congregation which was received into the Russian Church Abroad but still maintains the typikon of the medieval Russian Church. The group from Holy Trinity, having studied the history of the Old Believer schism in the classroom, was interested in experiencing Old Rite liturgics firsthand and learning more about the Old Believer movement from people within it. The last group of seminarians from Holy Trinity came to Erie in 2009. The visitors arrived on Saturday afternoon. Archpriest Pimen Simon, the parish rector, welcomed them into his home and gave a short history of the parish: Priestless Old Believers from Russian Poland founded the church in the early 20th century. Fr Pimen, upon becoming the leader (nastavnik) of the congregation, felt a need for the fullness...

A look at the liturgical language of the Forgiveness services and their iconography from the blog A Reader's Guide to Orthodox Icons . Adam sat opposite Paradise and, lamenting his nakedness, he wept, ‘Woe is me ! By evil deceit was I persuaded and robbed, and exiled far from glory. Woe is me ! Once naked in my simplicity, now I am in want. But, Paradise, no longer shall I enjoy your delight; no more shall I look upon the Lord my God and Maker, for I shall return to the earth whence I was taken.Merciful and compassionate Lord, I cry to you, ‘Have mercy on me who am fallen’. - Doxastikon of the Stichera - Tone 6 A composition of Icons and portions of Saturday vespers and the Sunday hymns on the theme of Forgiveness Sunday: The Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise From Saturday Vespers: The Lord, my Creator, took me as dust from the earth, and with the breath of life He gave me a soul and made me a living creature. He honoured me as ruler on earth over all thing...

( mospat.ru ) - On February 9, 2012, Archbishop Mark of Yegoryevsk, director of the Moscow Patriarchate’s office for institutions abroad, who is on a visit to Thailand, consecrated the church dedicated to the Dormition of the Mother of God at the Monastery of the Dormition in Ratchaburi. With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Fr. Seraphim Raicha of St. Nicholas’s in Bangkok was ordained in the newly-consecrated church as hieromonk to continue his service in Thailand. Present at the service were pilgrims from various parishes in the country, officials of the Russian Embassy in Thailand and the head of the local administration. His Eminence Mark presented Rev. Danai (Daniel) Vann with a patriarchal award, a golden pectoral cross. The right to wear it was granted to the first Thai Orthodox priest for his zealous work for the good of the Church and the Thai translation of Archpriest Seraphim Slobodskoy’s Bible chairs. Archbishop Mark also ...

( NBC-DFW ) - Dallas County Judge Tonya Parker says she won't perform marriage ceremonies until homosexuals can be wed. During a Feb. 21 meeting, Parker told the Stonewall Democrats of Dallas that while she has the power to perform legal marriage ceremonies in her court, she will not. “I use it as my opportunity to give them a lesson about marriage inequality in this state because I feel like I have to tell them why I’m turning them away,” Parker said. “So I usually will offer them something along the lines of, ‘I’m sorry. I don’t perform marriage ceremonies because we are in a state that does not have marriage equality, and until it does, I am not going to partially apply the law to one group of people that doesn’t apply to another group of people.’ And it’s kind of oxymoronic for me to perform ceremonies that can’t be performed for me, so I’m not going to do it." "I do not perform [marriages] because it is not an equal application of the law. Period," Parke...

( boston.com ) - Walking down the platform at the Beverly Depot train station around 8 this morning, Lyndsy Stopa paused with a puzzled look on her face in front of a folding table with an A-frame sign that read “Ashes to Go.” “Sure, what the heck,” Stopa said after being offered the traditional Ash Wednesday blessing by a lay Eucharistic minister from Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church. She told the minister: "It’s a great thing you’re doing.” The Beverly church, for the first time, joined Episcopal parishes in a dozen states today — which marks the beginning of the holy season of Lent — in bringing ashes to the masses. Priests and lay people from Beverly, Chicago, St. Louis, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Baltimore, Newark and other cities and suburbs around the country marked foreheads with the sign of the cross at train stations, subway stops, coffee shops and street corners. About 35 people stopped for the brief prayer between 5:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. this morning, ...

( GOARCH-Chicago ) - Yesterday, February 20, 2012, His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, delivered a monumental presentation to a sub-commission of the inter-party Constitutional Reconciliation Commission in Istanbul, Turkey, demanding equal rights for minorities within the Republic. Following Christ’s words, “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you,” His All Holiness came to the table as an advocate for reconciliation, not incrimination for past deficiencies. Setting the tone in a positive light, the Patriarch said “There have been unjust practices against minorities. Those unjust practices have been slowly corrected. A new Turkey is being born, and we don’t want to be second class citizens anymore…” His All Holiness understood the historic nature of the invitation to speak before the commission, noting that it was the first time that religio-ethnic minoriti...

( Vimeo ) - This video is produced by the Diocese of New York and New Jersey (Orthodox Church in America) as part of an educational series: "Lessons in Our Faith." In this installment, Bishop Michael discusses "Fasting" by offering seven common questions and seven concise answers based on the life of the Church and the Bible.

( ACROD ) - Are you looking for something different to do with your Spring Break? Come and experience the life of Christ the Saviour Seminary in Johnstown, Pennsylvania! As you stay at the Seminary, you will fully participate in the daily life of the students, both spiritual and academic. You will attend daily services, sit-in on classes, have fellowship with the seminarians and faculty, and have personal “down time” for prayer, reflection, reading, etc. Worship will also take place at our celebrated Christ the Saviour Cathedral. Since Western Pennsylvania has several well-known Orthodox sites such as Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Ellwood City and Antiochian Village in nearby Ligonier, other visits and excursions may be planned as well. The Seminary is open for any Spring Break schedule (February 12 - March 31), and men aged 18 and over are invited. There is no cost; meals and activities are fully provided. Guests are limited to stay for one week, and are responsible for tr...

Moscow, February 17 ( Interfax ) - The Moscow Patriarchate official one more time assuaged rumors that the Church sold tobacco and vodka in 1990s. "No vodka was sold. There was a humanitarian help, sometimes it came in form of wine and cigarettes. It was transferred to secular organizations. Secular organizations did with it whatever they wanted - perhaps, someone sold it, someone threw it out, I don't know," head of the Synodal Department for Church and Society Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin said in his interview with the Svobodnaya Pressa Publishing House. According to him, there were even "stranger things then." "I remember that students of the Moscow Theological Schools received humanitarian help where they found cigarettes and condoms," the priest said. Once, he further said, the Church got several thousands fridge engines, "unnecessary things were often sent."

There is quite an interesting set of articles (two parts published so far) on the Coptic Church and the history of circumcision. If you're interest in their practices and how they were affected by contact with crusaders, Christian groups, and Islam, I recommend a read. The first post is here and the second here .

http://www.melkiteconvention2012.com/

( OMHKSEA ) - A new page opened in the history of the Orthodox Church in South Asia. The Enthronement of His Eminence Metropolitan Konstantinos of Singapore and South Asia was held at Chijmes Hall in Singapore on Sunday, February 12th, 2012.

( ROCOR ) - The first person to preach the Gospel in Japan was a Spaniard, Francis Xavier, a Catholic monk of the Jesuit order. The first missionary labors of the Catholic monk and his fellow Jesuit strugglers were crowned with success, and many people accepted Christianity, including the Japanese princes Onugo, Arima and Omura (in the year 1582). However, as the Jesuits focused more on the external, ritualistic aspects of the Faith, on violence and threats, and didn’t focus on the spirit of love and humility in their apostolic preaching, they were not able to strengthen the Japanese Christians in the Catholic faith, so that many of them, deep down, remained pagans. Unfortunately, the Jesuit missionary movement was accompanied by politics and intrigue, that is, by a clear and ardent desire to make Japan submit to the Vatican. This caused a negative influence in the hearts of the Japanese, and also led to the harsh persecution of those newly-converted men and women, who had sincerel...

Fund For Assistance is matching donations this month towards construction of this new temple. Pitch in if you can - more information available here .

Photo H/T: Christ is in Our Midst Lit candles and Icon lamps (lampadas) have a special symbolic meaning in the Christian Church, and no Christian service can be held without them. In the Old Testament, when the first temple of God was built on earth the Tabernacle services were held in it with lamps as the Lord Himself had ordained (Ex. 40:5, 25). Following the example of the Old Testament Church, the lighting of candles and of lampadas was without fail included in the New Testament Church's services. The Acts of the Apostles mentions the lighting of lamps during the services in the time of the Apostles. Thus, in Troas, where Christ's followers used to gather on the first day of the week (Sunday) to break bread, that is, to celebrate the Eucharist, there were many lights in the upper chamber (Acts 20:8). This reference to the large number of lamps signifies that they were not used simply for lighting, but for their spiritual significance. The early Christian ritual of c...

I'm quite a fan of One Magazine . In this article they outlined the history and makeup of the OCA. Many of the photos are sampled from the OCA photo section itself. I've even used many of them here myself (the one below for example). ( One Magazine ) - North America is a mosaic of ethnic groups and religions. Orthodox Christians are a tiny minority — about 0.65 percent — and include no more than three million of an estimated 459 million people living in Canada, Mexico and the United States. What they may lack in volume, however, North American Orthodox Christians make up in variety. They comprise immigrants and their descendants from Asia Minor, the Balkans, Europe and the Middle East, as well as Alaska Natives and recent converts, especially from the reformed churches. The ancient rites of the church of Byzantium unite these Orthodox Christians. Rooted in the New World for more than a century, these North American churches retain strong bonds with the Old World, are di...

Moscow ( AsiaNews ) - After two years of experimentation, from next September, the fundamentals of religion will become a compulsory subject in all Russian schools. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin approved the decree that introduced the teaching of religion throughout the country following a trial that took place only in some regions. The elementary and middle school students may choose to study either the history of one of the four religions termed 'traditional' - Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism - or more general courses on "foundations of religious culture" or "Fundamentals of public ethics ". So far the lessons have been concentrated in only a quarter of the school year, but the Orthodox Church has asked it be extended over the whole year in 2012. Banned during the Soviet period, religion returned to schools in April 2010 but only in 19 regions, with an initiative strongly supported by the Patriarch of Moscow and blessed by the Kreml...

( The Times Tribune ) - The mood was appropriately solemn, the faithful quiet and orderly in their movements. Fragrant myrrh filled the air. The encounters with the centers of attraction were quick, but the reactions were indelible. Some came away shaken and streaming tears. A few talked of a wave of peace and calm coming over them. Others described a sense of divine providence. In uncertain times, people want something, anything, to believe in. The spiritually inclined often look to the heavens for answers, and when they get what they think is a sign, they embrace it wholeheartedly. For the past 17 weeks, St. George's Orthodox Church in Taylor has been hosting services centered on two icons of the Blessed Mother of the Theotokos. The faithful believe the icons seep myrrh, a heavily perfumed oil, for reasons St. George's officials are leaving unexplained. The church has sought no publicity for the services, but each week, entirely through word of mouth, standing-room-o...

H/T: Orthodixie ( Russian Life ) - A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life. Faith & Humor caused a sensation when it was published in Russia. As Kucherskaya writes in her introduction, “At one convent, the book was burned at the stake. Meanwhile, at a Seminary in another small town, it was added to the curriculum that helps future priests understand problems within the Church.” Author Maya Kucherskaya artfully mixes fact and fiction, myth and history to offer a compelling, loving picture of a world of faith that is often impenetrable to outsiders. Yet Faith & Humor is not simply a book about the Orthodox ...

WESTCHESTER, IL ( OCA-DOMW ) - Over the years, the annual "Celebration of Books" sponsored by the Metropolis of Chicago at Holy Apostles Greek Orthodox Church here has become a much anticipated lenten event for Chicago-area faithful. This year’s celebration will be held March 11-18 at the church, located at 2501 South Wolf Road, Westchester, IL. Thousands of Orthodox Christian books and resources will be available for purchase daily between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Three evening lectures on this year’s theme -- "These Things We Believe In" -- will be offered in conjunction with this year’s Celebration. The speakers represent Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, South Canaan, PA and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Brookline, MA. *** Sunday, March 11. 6:30 p.m. Vespers, 8:00 p.m. presentation by Dr. Christopher Veniamin. A graduate of the School of Theology in the University of Thessalonica, Dr. Christopher Veniamin undertook doctoral...

PHILADELPHIA ( Times Union ) — Looking for a wild-and-crazy time at college? Don't sign up for Justin McDaniel's religious studies class. The associate professor's course on monastic life and asceticism gives students at the University of Pennsylvania a firsthand experience of what it's like to be a monk. At various periods during the semester, students must forego technology, coffee, physical human contact and certain foods. They'll also have to wake up at 5 a.m. — without an alarm clock. That's just a sample of the restrictions McDaniel imposes in an effort to help students become more observant, aware and disciplined. Each constraint represents an actual taboo observed by a monastic religious order. "I've found in the past that students take this extremely seriously," said McDaniel, who has taught the class twice before. "I've had very few people who try to get away with things, and you can always tell when they are." Th...

CHICAGO, IL ( OCA-DOMW ) - "Spirituality" will be the focus of the first in a new cycle of courses in Chicago in the Diocese of the Midwest's Catechist and Diaconal Vocations Program. Taught by Priest Elijah Mueller, Director of Catechist and Diaconal Vocations for the diocese, the first class session will be held on Saturday, February 25, at Saint Makarios Mission, Hyde Park. Classes will meet on the second Saturday or Sunday of every month, while locations may vary. According to Father Elijah, the course will survey five major aspects of Orthodox Christian spirituality, including prayer and the inner life in Orthodox Christian Tradition, the understanding of the human being from a theological perspective, the use of Scripture and Liturgy in understanding the human person's approach to God, traditional images and ideas used to understand progress and regress in spiritual life, and the manner in which one engages in ascesis. Individuals who complete the ...

H/T: Orthocath ( Vimeo ) - What's the real meaning of sex? Is it about power? Is it about love? Frederica Mathewes-Green, Eastern Orthodox author and speaker, discusses the real meaning of sex, a conversation that has become more and more important in modern society.

From the blog Lessons from a Monastery , a worthwhile read. The Theological Presuppositions of the Orthodox Iconographer: With a Foundation in the Canons of the Stoglav Council (Moscow, 1551) Why I chose this topic: For years I have been interested in the theology of icons, and in particular the role the iconographer has in conveying the Orthodox faith and life in Christ through holy icons. Learning of professor Demetrios Tselingidis doctoral work on the theology of icons, Εικονολογικές Μελέτες (Studies in Iconology) Ι was eager to study with him. Thankfully he was willing to take me on as yet one more Master’s student. When compared to the “old countries” the art of iconography is still relatively new in North America. Thus, I was inspired to work on a theme that has particular significance for the new generation of North American iconographers in the Church today. With the help of my advisor, and with a basis in the local Russian council the Stoglav Sobor (Moscow, 1551),...

The new website is quite good looking. Still no RSS, but it's certainly a welcome improvement.

( Holy Cross Monastery ) - The Romanian Orthodox Church demonstrated their faith with a "tour de force" procession to the site of their future Cathedral of the Nation's Salvation with the relics of their national patron saint, St. Andrew the Apostle. More photos available here .

Watch the second annual symposium online here . ( Florovsky Society ) - Princeton University & Princeton Theological Seminary Friday, February 10, 2012 at 12:30 p.m. to Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. Inspired by Fr. Georges Florovsky's well known essay, "Le corps du Christ vivant: Une interprétation orthodoxe de l’Église," as well as Florovsky's many other writings on this topic, we will examine the doctrine of the Church in some of the same authorities upon which Florovsky relied: St. Irenaeus of Lyon, St. John Chrysostom, St. Augustine, St. Maximus the Confessor, and others. We will also look at Fr. Florovsky's own writings on the Church, as well as those of the great Romanian theologian, Fr. Dumitru Staniloae. This symposium is organized by the Fr. Georges Florovsky Orthodox Christian Theological Society at Princeton University and the School of Christian Vocation and Mission at Princeton Theological Seminary.

From the blog The Orthodox Clergy Wife by Presbytera Anonyma, a solid list for the priest-wife-to-be. I wish I had this before we started seminary (I say "we" as this whole enterprise is a joint venture). A brave woman, my wife, as this list illustrates. Before you head off on your husband-search to seminary or to a choir concert featuring eager young men in black singing liturgical music, make your way through the following checklist: v Do you love being at church? A lot? Not just on Sundays? v Have you established a prayer rule and regular confession? Now is the time to do this, before husband and children come along to complicate your routine. Also, you will likely have to find a new confessor once you move to a new parish, and make it a priority to go regularly, possibly traveling some distance. Be ready for your prayer rule to change, too. Every seminary does things a little differently. Don't be surprised when your husband starts  changing things aroun...

You might also enjoy an interview with Mr. Allen on the Antiochian archdiocesan website (see here ). ( AFR ) - Introducing Ancient Faith Radio’s new flagship national program—Ancient Faith Today with Kevin Allen. What is Ancient Faith Today? Ancient Faith Today is what Ancient Faith Radio and Orthodox Internet radio have been missing—a live interactive conversation program. Now that void has been filled! Ancient Faith Today will stream live, with call-ins from around the world, twice a month on Sunday nights at 8:00 pm Eastern/5:00 pm Pacific on Ancient Faith Radio’s Talk Station. Topics cover all of life through the lens of Scripture and the teaching and canonical tradition of the Holy Orthodox Church. Ancient Faith Today’s host Kevin Allen talks with knowledgeable guests about social issues, global events, politics as they affect matters of faith (from a non-partisan perspective), war and peace, aging, death and life, church affairs, interfaith affairs, current events, jo...

( mospat.ru ) - On February 7, 2012, the 2nd talks between representatives the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church in Lithuania were held at the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations in Moscow. The first meeting for such talks took place in January 2011 in Kaunas and was devoted to the theme ‘Christians in face of the challenge to the institution of family’. The theme of the 2nd talks was ‘Current problems in teaching religion in the secular school’. From the Russian Orthodox Church, key reports were made by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the department for external church relations, and G. Demidov, head of the Basic Orthodox Culture section of the department for religious education and catechism. The Roman Catholic Church in Lithuania was represented by Archbishop Sigitas Tamkjavichus of Kaunas, president of the Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference, and Bishop Jonas Ivanauskas, Vicar General of Kaunas. In his report, Metrop...

( SVOTS ) - Join us for an exquisite evening of liturgical music sung in the traditional styles of Orthodox Christian churches worldwide. In a multi-media program that interweaves luminous icons, sacred texts, and a rich a cappella sound, the St. Vladimir's Seminary Chorale will perform ORIENT: Sacred Song and Image at the famous St. Malachy's," The Actors' Chapel ," in the heart of Manhattan, at 239 West 49th Street, New York City. This stirring concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. The concert program will include pieces from the broader Orthodox tradition sung in their original languages— Greek, Georgian, Estonian, Slavonic—as well as choral music by Orthodox composers written for the concert hall. Two visual projections—one of images of Orthodox icons and the other of translations of musical texts—will run simultaneously as the chorale sings. Icons, music, and text will expound one another, just as they do within the Orthodox liturgy. The concert will combine ...