Byzantine, Texas

I was appalled to read a recent editorial insisting that all people wanting to return to mass (it was an at least ostensibly Catholic publication) must first be vaccinated with these new treatments. A surprising pronouncement considering that even our military personnel aren't being compelled to do so. And yet even some of our Orthodox camps are discussing "requirements" for counselor and staff positions this summer. I pray the Episcopal Assembly takes up the below wording as a pan-Orthodox level. ( OCA-DEPA ) TO BE READ FROM THE PULPIT, PUBLISHED IN THE BULLETIN AND POSTED ON PARISH WEBSITES Dear to God, Christ is in our midst! Greetings as we begin the third week of Great Lent. I pray your Lenten Journey is proving fruitful. The past year has truly been a rollercoaster ride for all of us and we need to be mindful and considerate of those suffering from isolation, fear, anxiety, depression, substance abuse and loneliness, as well as those who have lost loved ones. Additi...

( EA ) - We, the Executive Committee of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the United States of America, affirm that all human beings should be treated with dignity and respect, as all are made in the image of God. Indeed, the principle of human equality has its origins in Christianity and is enshrined in the Constitution of the United States, which rightly prescribes that every person must receive equal treatment under the law. Consequently, we are deeply concerned about the proposed federal “Equality Act,” which would erode religious liberty for both individuals and organizations, including Orthodox Christian jurisdictions, parishes, and faithful. The supporters of this Act, in their desire to promote equality, ultimately infringe upon the religious liberty of Americans to live according to their faith – a right protected under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Throughout the United States, Orthodox jurisdictions and parishes have ministries, organizations, and...

( SOC ) - The Holy Synod of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church submitted objections and opinions on the draft law on same-sex unions to the Government of the Republic of Serbia in a timely manner and within the period prescribed by law. The mentioned bill for the Serbian Orthodox Church is unacceptable, because the vast majority of the proposed provisions are in contradiction with the Gospel of Christ and the overall experience and practice of the Church on which our Serbian people, as well as the entire European civilization, are spiritually and morally based. It is inadmissible to legally equate same-sex unions with marriage and the family, as stated in the text of the Draft Law, because marital union is discriminated in this way, as a Christian and legally protected value. The Church respects the freedom that God has given us and understands the human aspiration to express its freedom in different ways. The Holy Synod of Bishops agrees that there is a need to exercise certain pe...

The mission of Ann Arbor Orthodox Classical Academy is to provide a classical education in an Orthodox Christian environment, allowing our students to grow to their full human and spiritual potential, with the ability to engage society as mature followers of Jesus Christ. Find out more here .

Many years ago I had  If— by Rudyard Kipling written up with illustrations from a friend of mine in Dallas. The large framed work sits in our boys' room and brings a smile to my face when I read a bit of it in passing. In a similar vein, my godfather often speaks about the need to read Proverbs daily. In much the same way waves will make their impressions felt on the shore, quotidian Proverbs reading does much good for the soul of man. I ordered this bit of calligraphy from EleniSigns  on Etsy (I even ordered a few extras for upcoming Baptismal gifts). She allows for quite a bit of customization and it got to me quite speedily. So, if you'd like to support an Orthodox woman bringing a bit of beautifully appointed wisdom to the world, give her a try.

( SOC ) - The text of the Synodikon of Orthodoxy has been much altered over the centuries, chiefly by the addition of material and names that postdate the Restoration of the Icons in 843. This is the case with the text that is printed in the current Triodia. Some of the more zealous contemporary Orthodox even include condemnations of such things as the ‘pan-heresy of Ecumenism‘. It is probably impossible to reconstruct the original text exactly. However the British Library possesses a manuscript, (BL. Additional 28816) written in 1110 or 1111 by a monk Andrew of the monastery of Oleni in Moraea, which may give some idea of the scope and contents of the original. In the opinion of Jean Gouillard, the editor of the critical edition of the Synodikon, ‘the London manuscript is certainly one of the best witnesses to the primitive and purely Constantinopolitan form of the Synodikon’. The manuscript was unknown to him when he prepared his edition and has in consequence been generally neglecte...

( Basilica ) - A Franco-Norwegian team led by Romanian archaeologist Victor Ghica discovered in Egypt the oldest archaeologically attested monastic site in the world. The site is 370 kilometers sud-west of Cairo and it dates back to the 4th century. The discovery made at Tall Ğanūb Qaṣr al-‘Ağūz, in the al-Bahariya oasis, certifies that Christian monasticism was born in the Egyptian Desert, as the Tradition of the Church has always taught. The archaeologists discovered “six sectors constructed predominantly of basalt blocks and mud” and “a number of buildings which are dug partially, or completely, in the bed-rock,” including “clusters of living spaces for monks.” Four of the six buildings complexes that compose the site were found in an exceptional state of preservation, with all the walls intact. The walls of four of the rooms, including the walls of one of the churches, are completely covered with religious texts written in Greek, including a passage from Evagrius and another one f...

( OMSGSA ) - On the same day, we commemorate the banishment of Adam, the First-formed man, from the Paradise of delight. Let the world lament bitterly with our first ancestors, for it fell together with those who fell by a sweet repast. Our Holy Fathers appointed this commemoration before the Holy Fast, as if to show in actual fact how beneficial the medicine of fasting is to human nature, and also how great is the shame of gluttony and disobedience. Passing over all the individual sins committed in the world on account of him, as being without number, the Fathers set forth how much evil Adam, the first-formed man, suffered from not fasting even for a brief time, and how much evil he thereby brought upon our race, clearly pointing out also that the virtue of fasting was the first commandment that God gave to mankind. Not keeping this commandment, but yielding to his belly, or rather, through Eve, to the deceitful serpent, Adam not only did not become God, but also incurred death and tr...

I found this homily to be quite readable. I even sampled from it last Sunday. Often the Phanar puts out festal messages laced with words that exist in English, but only just. Not so here. This one is very approachable. Give it a read. ( GOARCH ) - "By God’s mercy Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome And Ecumenical Patriarch to the plenitude of the Church, May the grace and peace of our Lord and savior jesus christ, together with our prayer, blessing and forgiveness be with you all" Most honorable brothers and blessed children in the Lord, With the good-will and grace of God, the giver of all good things, we are entering Holy and Great Lent, the arena of ascetic struggles. The Church knows the labyrinths of the human soul and the thread of Ariadne, the way out of all impasse – humility, repentance, the power of prayer and the sacred services of contrition, fasting that eliminates the passions, patience, obedience to the rule of piety. And so the Church invites us once again t...

Bless Thine Inheritance is a short film that captures stories of the foundation, challenges, and future of the Diocese of Miami and the Southeast. By capturing these stories, we can both preserve and learn from our past, and set a vision for our future. For more information, visit DOMSE.org .

 From a favorite blog of mine Again & Again, a post entitled " Priest Vows ." Orthodox Tradition , a periodical of the Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies in Etna, California (Vol. XXXIV, No. 3, p34-35) published the following “examination” which St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco would give to potential candidates for ordination. Besides the personal information required, the candidate was to affirm the following statements: I have no physical infirmities which would be an impediment to my sacred service, nor do I have any contagious illness or incurable disease. I am of the Orthodox faith and have no relationship with schismatic or heretical groups. I am in a first marriage with [name], daughter of [parent’s names], a virgin of Orthodox faith, blameless and of virtuous conduct. I accept ordination to [rank of Priesthood] only for the glory of God and the salvation of souls, of my own free will, and with the sincere intention to serve the holy Church, and not ...

Recently the heads of the OCA and Antiochian Archdiocese came together to issue a joint declaration . In it they spoke against fundamentalism. "We strongly condemn extremism and fundamentalism, whether in the Church or society, and call to repentance those who would perpetrate acts of violence or hatred against any of our brothers and sisters in our communities or in society.​" And it reminded me of a debate between Fr. John Whiteford and Dr. Demacopolous (available here ) hosted by Kevin Allen (of blessed memory) on that very topic. It's worth listening to because not a lot has changed in the years since it was released. By all appearances the word has taken on two very different meanings. On the one side it seems to mean: Taking everything to extremes. A punctilious and observably slavish devotion to the letter of the law without any visible deference to the spirit of the Christian ethos of mercy. An almost childlike affinity for proof-texting topics without understand...

( Antiochian ) - Beloved in Christ,  I commend you for your ministry during this tumultuous time, as most of you have been cooperative to our directives. It has been and remains an ever-changing situation, yet with God's help, we will continue to work together based on the best information we have. I am dedicated to provide the best directives possible for your spiritual and physical well-being.  With that in mind, as we begin our journey to Pascha, I offer the following directives as we move forward. These supersede all previous directives for both the clergy and faithful:  1. First and foremost, we must focus on Christ and His Resurrection. This past year has been a divisive and passionate one. The goal of the fast is to be dispassionate and focused on our own sins. By being obedient to Christ and the Church we share in God’s grace instead of our pride and self-direction. Let us be good examples to our faithful and teach them to do the same. Let’s heal our divisions and...

Sister Anastasia and father Oleg answering questions during live stream. Great Lent and preparation for Easter. Live stream will take place on 13 March at 8 pm Minsk time (9 am PST, 12 pm EST, 5 pm GMT).

( Britannica ) - Nestorianism, Christian sect that originated in Asia Minor and Syria stressing the independence of the divine and human natures of Christ and, in effect, suggesting that they are two persons loosely united. The schismatic sect formed following the condemnation of Nestorius and his teachings by the ecumenical councils of Ephesus (431 CE) and Chalcedon (451 CE). Originally, Nestorianism envisaged the divine Word as having associated with itself at the Incarnation a complete, independently existing man. From the orthodox point of view, Nestorianism therefore denied the reality of the Incarnation and represented Christ as a God-inspired man rather than as God-made-man. Since the 5th century all the principal branches of the Christian church have united in condemning Nestorianism and have affirmed that Christ is a single person, at once wholly human and wholly divine. The modern Nestorian church is not Nestorian in the strict sense, though it venerates Nestorius and refuses...

And if you'd like to compare the above to what a "normal" Liturgy looks and sounds like, you can watch this.

( Romanian-CA ) - On February 22 and 23, 2021, His Grace Bishop Ioan Casian met with the priests, teachers and coordinators of the Sunday Schools within the Diocese. "This year is the Homage Year of the Pastoral Care of Romanians abroad in the Romanian Patriarchate, and right now all of us are called to pay special attention to the religious education and the planting of the Orthodox Christian values ​​in the diaspora," said Bishop Ioan Casian. Priests, teachers and coordinators of Sunday Schools in the three Deaneries of Canada, presented and discussed the current situation, the difficulties of a year marked by restrictions and with a very high impact on children and young people. The methods and alternatives used to continue religious education among the youth of the Diocese were also discussed. Sharing the experiences of previous years and observing current trends and realities, the option of virtual schools alternating with the traditional school (in person) was widely di...

ENGLEWOOD, NJ ( Antiochian ) - On Thursday, March 4, 2021, His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America welcomed His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of the Orthodox Church in America to the headquarters of the Archdiocese in Englewood, NJ. The two hierarchs met and held a fraternal discussion on a wide array of issues of common concern. Above all they gave thanks to God for allowing them to meet in person for the first time since the pandemic, and for bringing them and their church through this difficult time in good health and safety.  In the course of their discussion, they reviewed the work of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America, and the state of Orthodox unity in America. They also considered the state of theological education, both the work of the seminaries and the late-vocations programs, and the pressing vocational challenge facing the Orthodox Church. The two primates also spoke cand...

( OCA-DOW ) - To the Reverend Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese of the West, Recent days have brought promising news concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects it has on society. There seems to be a hope that all Americans can be vaccinated within the next few months. Numbers of reported cases are on the decline and the death rate has shown a significant decrease as well. However, we must remain cautious as we move forward. Until we are “back to normal,” the protocol and procedures which I have blessed for the Diocese of the West (masks, social distancing, the use of hand sanitizer, etc.) remain in force, with some adaptations and the lifting of some restrictions as noted below.  In a little over a week, we will enter the period of Great Lent, a time of renewal and restoration. In preparation for the spiritual journey that lies ahead of us, the Holy Synod issued a statement on March 3, 2021 which addresses the changes that we hope to see. The following excerpt is particularl...

( St. Athanasius College ) - Are you interested in learning how to live a life of service year-round? That's what the St. Athanasius Summer Internships are all about. We have three locations available for 2021. Interns will be taught how to be a catalyst for change. These internships are a combination of service and training.​ All three locations will begin on June 7th (arrival day) and end on August 7th (departure day). The cost for the summer is $1,600. We recommend fundraising this amount within your church and network of friends and family. Do you need help fundraising? We can help. Just let us know. This internship is for those who are 18-28 years old. To reserve your spot, apply now. Canon City, CO (guys only): Abbot Theodore is offering eight weeks of asceticism at The Monastery of Our Lady and St. Laurence in the Colorado Rockies. Interns will serve guests at the retreat center and be led by Abbot Theodore on what it means to be an Orthodox man. Abbot Theodore and the mona...

I fail to see the distinction between using the cells of our aborted children in vaccines and using them to test those vaccines. In both situations they were used to make the vaccine. That the product of a nefarious act was done in room A and not in room B doesn't negate that the act happened. It just makes it easier to ignore when you happen to not be in room A. We seem to be willing to accept the fruits of malign actions as long as the perceived benefits of the juice are worth the pains of the squeeze. How convenient. WASHINGTON ( USCCB ) – On March 2, Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Doctrine, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued a statement on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine recently approved for use in the United States.  “The approval of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in t...

( GOA-BOSTON ) - On the evening of Tuesday, February 16th, over 200 participants comprised of clergy, parish council members, and ministry leaders from the 62 parishes of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston met for the first meeting of an introductory series for the Metropolis of Boston’s new Thriving Congregations Initiative. Over the course of the evening, members of the Thriving Congregations Parish Teams met to discuss this five year initiative to revitalize parish life and embrace the call to, “go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:18) Participants who enthusiastically responded to the opportunity to strengthen the spiritual fabric of New England will gather over the next two months to learn more about this project and about what it means to be a thriving congregation. For more information about the Thriving Congregations   Initiative, see below. In order to assist 62 Greek Orthodox New England parishes with the knowledge necessary to thrive in a rapidly-chang...

( OCA ) - The Department of Liturgical Music and Translations is expanding offerings to support the liturgical life of parishes and missions. Father Thomas Soroka, Project Manager for the Departments of the Orthodox Church in America, noted, “The DLM is committed to providing open access to free resources, ensuring that clergy and church musicians have the music and texts they need to sing the Divine Services. We are responding to numerous requests to equip parishes and missions with comprehensive and high-quality materials. We look forward to continuing to serve the needs of the Church.” Newly posted resources include:  Complete rubrics for the upcoming Saturday evening/Sunday morning cycle of services. This will be expanded to include great and vigil-ranked feasts. Horologion service texts (in progress). Resurrectional Ochtoechos Troparia, Kontakia, and Dismissal Theotokia are now available in each tone in Thee/Thou and You/Your formats; “Lord, I Call” Resurrectional stichera ...