Can God’s Temple be Duplicated at Home? Over the years I have met people who have chosen not to join a church, choosing, rather, to “worship” at home. Some have convinced themselves church is a waste of time, and feel they can be close to God while staying home on
Author: Abbot Tryphon
I am abbot of All-Merciful Saviour Orthodox Monastery (ROCOR) on Vashon Island, WA. The island is a twenty minute ferry ride from West Seattle, and a fifteen minute crossing from Tacoma.
Surrounded by the Salish Sea, the island is some 87% undeveloped forest, with a rural population of around eleven thousand citizens. If you wish to contact me personally, you can email me at: abbottryphon@vashonmonks.com
The Place of the Holy Virgin in our Lives The Holy Virgin is a stumbling block for many protestants looking into Orthodoxy. The idea that this woman described in the Gospels in such humble terms could be called Mother of God seems unbiblical to them. She was never called Mother
The Church’s Guide: Holy Tradition The Bible can only be understood through the Church, for the Holy Scriptures came forth from the Church. The reformers dumped the papacy only to replace that institution with themselves as the ultimate authority. Since reason and logic ruled, there was no room for the
When Ethnicity becomes a Barrier Over the years I have heard many grief stricken parents and grandparents lament the loss of their children and grandchildren from the Church. Sad as it may be, I’m not usually surprised, for over and over I’ve heard the sad truth behind this exodus from
He Who Does not Love Remains in Death There are those who fear commitment for fear of loss. They fear the other will either leave them, or be lost in death, so they remain aloof from any possible relationship. Some put on a facade of indifference, for fear of
Amy, whose love for her father (a reader of this blog) took the ferry, and walked all the way to the monastery on a Saturday when there was no bus service, to have this photo appear for her dad. Gathered Around the Hearth The recent storms hitting the Midwest and
Although this is not Christmas for those of us on the Old Calendar (we must wait until the 7th of January for our celebration of the Feast of the Nativity), I wish to share the following excerpt from the incredible book, “Tortured for Christ”, by Richard Wurmbrand, a Lutheran
Be a Signpost Pointing Toward a Bright and Happy Future One of the most beloved movies ever made was Frank Capra’s, “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Staring Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, the movie tells the story of an ever optimistic man, who, while facing life’s hardships, set aside his own dreams
The 2011 March for Life, State Capitol, Olympia, WA. “Those who use abortifacients commit homicide.” Saint Clement Cruel and Depraved is the Killing of the Unborn Child We are living in a period of history that has seen the cause of human rights take the forefront as never before. We
Metropolitan Laurus of Blessed Memory A Servant Cannot be Greater than His Master The Sovereign Lord of the Universe came down to earth as a humble servant. He Who sits upon the Wings of the Seraphim, was born to us in a stable. The King of kings came as the