Author: Abbot Tryphon

Faith without works is dead The very moment faith enters the soul is that moment when we turn toward God in repentance and recognize we can not live without Him. As we grow in our faith we come to realize we must remain in a continual state of repentance, for

The Christian struggle for purity Sins of a sexual nature are common among many people today. Much of the struggle is directly related to the fact that people do not take advantage of having a spiritual father. If you are your own guide the struggles with sexual passions can be

We should accuse only ourselves We see people’s sins, but we don’t know whether they have made peace with God. We don’t know if the person who has sinned regrets it, but we are not called to judge them, but only to forgive them. As we become aware of our

Honor and love him, and refrain from judging him Parish priests feel pressures that are found in no other profession. The type of man that generally is drawn to the holy priesthood is one who has a heart for serving others, yet priests are often expected to do far more

The saints are alive in Christ Jesus Vigil lights are placed before the icons of the saints, according to Saint Symeon the New Theologian, as a way of showing that without the Light, Who is Christ, the saints are nothing. It is only as the light of Christ shines on

The veneration of the Holy Virgin in the Ancient Church The biblical practice was to refer to all cousins as siblings, and none of the early Christians believed Mary had born any children other than Jesus. This modern protestant idea that she had many children was simply unthinkable to the protestant reformers,

Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco Today the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia celebrates the Feast of Saint John the Wonderworker. Saint John’s holy relics reside in the nave of Holy Virgin “Joy of All Who Sorrow” Cathedral in San Francisco. As he is the patron saint of our

True loyalty is never based on blind obedience The Byzantine Court was filled with sycophants, busying themselves with building alliances that would help them rise in status and influence. Many emperors were tricked into believing these sycophants were truly their friends, and could be trusted, when in actuality they were

The healing medicine for what ails us Eternity is an everlasting banquet (the Divine Liturgy) that takes place in the heavenly realm. Every time we participate in the Divine Liturgy we are transported into a place where there is neither time nor space, and participate in that very banquet. As

The transformational power of a Faith unchanged In an age when many Christian denominations are trying to appear relevant and modern, I am finding that large numbers of people are drawn to the Ancient Faith by the beard and robe. I am constantly thanked for dressing as I do by