Holy and Great Wednesday The theme of Holy and Great Wednesday is the commemoration of the sinful woman who anointed Jesus before his Crucifixion and Burial; a second theme is the agreement to betray Jesus made by Judas Ascariot. The day begins with the celebration of the Presanctified Liturgy on
The Bridegroom Bridegroom Matins is a service specific to the first three evenings of Holy Week: Sunday evening (in anticipation of Monday,) Monday evening (in anticipation of Tuesday), and Tuesday evening (in anticipation of Wednesday.) On Wednesday evening we celebrate Matins for Holy Thursday, but it is not a “Bridegroom”
Holy and Great Monday On Holy Monday, the Orthodox Church remembers the cursing of the fig tree. This event is a display of Christ’s divine power and of God’s judgment upon those who do not follow Him. Also on this day, the Church remembers the patriarch Joseph. The Old Testament
Beholding our King on Palm Sunday On Palm Sunday we believers greet our king, the Word of God made flesh. Christ is greeted not simply as the One who came to us once riding on a donkey, but as the One who is always present with us, coming to us
The tradition of the Paschal Egg There is a beautiful tradition within the life of the Church for believers to have as their last meal before beginning the Great Lenten Fast, to eat a hard boiled egg, white in color. This egg represents our sinful nature, and we eat this
Metaphysical philosophy and pure theology There are only a few Orthodox saints who’ve been given the honor of being called, “theologians”. Saint John the Theologian, and Saint Symeon the New Theologian, to give two examples, were declared Theologians by the Church because their theology was the result of their having
Divine-Human Oneness Sobornost is a word that means spiritual harmony based on freedom and unity in love. It is a necessary component in our membership within the Body of Christ, for if we are not bound together in love, our freedom becomes our enemy, separating us from others, and, ultimately
We must be images of Christ to our neighbor When we are surrounded by people who always take the moral high road, and who are honest in their business practices and respectful in the way they treat other people, our own adherence to the commandments of God is made easier.
The Orthodox Christian response to the poor As many conservative members of Congress continue to press for cutbacks in programs such as food stamps, medical coverage for all, and housing subsidies for the poor and the elderly, all of which have been a lifeline for countless poor families, it would
Authenticity and the authority of the Church If she be true to herself, the Church acts with an authority that is grounded in love. She holds within her realm the authority to make her people the children of God. She has the authority to forgive, and the capacity to love.