Can we faithfully and with any confidence transpose the life of St Anthony the Great, of St John Chrysostom, of St Gregory Palamas onto a subway car in Manhattan, or a park bench in Cedar Rapids? What would it be like to live a fully Christian life, here and now, in the twenty-first century? What would a truly Christian life look like in our time—the life of an authentic … [Read more...] about Closer Than My Own Father: Elder Paisios and His Spiritual Children, Parts I & II
Hagiography
“Pray for Our Loved Ones who Are Beyond!”: Canon of Supplication to St Varus
The Orthodox Church considers prayers for the dead to be of the greatest importance. As stated by St Theophen the Recluse: “The lot of the departed is not considered decided until the general Last Judgment. Until then, we cannot consider anyone as finally judged; and on the basis of this we pray, convinced in our hope in God’s immeasurable mercy!” But what … [Read more...] about “Pray for Our Loved Ones who Are Beyond!”: Canon of Supplication to St Varus
How Not To Be An Accidental Iconoclast
The Triumph of Orthodoxy, which we celebrate on the first Sunday of Lent, entails both an affirmation and a negation. It commemorates the restoration, in the year 787, of icons to Orthodox temples and homes, and at the same time it commends what the Seventh Ecumenical Council called their “veneration and honor (timitiki proskynisis)” while reserving their "real … [Read more...] about How Not To Be An Accidental Iconoclast
The Life of Our Venerable Mother Mary of Egypt
This Life of Our Venerable Mother Mary of Egypt was written down in the seventh century by Saint Sophronios, Patriarch of Jerusalem, some hundred years after the repose of the holy Mary, who fell asleep in the Lord April 1, 522. It is one of the most beautiful and edifying lives of a saint. Its obvious and stated purpose is to glorify God and to feed the souls of its … [Read more...] about The Life of Our Venerable Mother Mary of Egypt
St. Mary of Egypt: Hagiography, Hymn, and Reflection
The Fifth Sunday of Lent normally commemorates St Mary of Egypt, once a harlot in sixth century Alexandria, but by the grace of God, one of our most endearing and enduring saints. This year, however, this date of her commemoration coincides with the date of the Annunciation of the Theotokos, and the brilliance of the light shining from this latter event will eclipse … [Read more...] about St. Mary of Egypt: Hagiography, Hymn, and Reflection