Fr. Seraphim Rose (1934-1982), a convert to Orthodoxy and whose story mirrors that of many Americans looking for a way out of the superficiality that characterizes much of the American religious landscape, left writings that guide pilgrims even today. Fr. Seraphim was a child of the West who knew its riches along with its soul-destroying pitfalls and marshaled this knowledge … [Read more...] about Orthodoxy in the USA: Its Historical Past and Present
History & Tradition
What is the Difference Between Orthodoxy and the Western Confessions?
The irreducible difference between Orthodox Christianity and the Western Confessions (Roman Catholicism and Protestantism) writes Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky) is that the former understands Christianity first as ascetic effort and the latter perceives it as moral perfection. The differences are grounded in conflicting views of Christ's atoning work. Where Orthodoxy … [Read more...] about What is the Difference Between Orthodoxy and the Western Confessions?
Holy Tradition is a Living Voice of Revelation: An Interview with Elder Cleopa of Romania
God speaks to man writes Elder Cleopa and His living voice is the means of His self-revelation to man. God’s word was first passed on orally and constitutes what we call Holy Tradition and only later was written as scripture, both Old and New Testaments. Holy Tradition then constitutes more than the written word of scripture. This does not weaken the authority of … [Read more...] about Holy Tradition is a Living Voice of Revelation: An Interview with Elder Cleopa of Romania
Amazing Letters of German Princess Who Was Slain By Bolsheviks and Became Russian Saint
Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna was a Lutheran who married into Russian nobility and eventually converted to the Orthodox faith. When her husband was assassinated by revolutionaries in 1905 she became an Orthodox nun. In 1918 she was arrested and killed by the Bolsheviks at the start of the Russian Revolution. Elisabeth was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in … [Read more...] about Amazing Letters of German Princess Who Was Slain By Bolsheviks and Became Russian Saint
One Hundred Years Since the Murder of the Russian Royal Family
July 17, 2018, marks the centennial of the killing of the Russian royal family. On that date a hundred years ago, the last tsar of Russia, Nicholas II, his wife the tsarina Alexandra, their five children and four retainers, were ushered into a basement in the city of Yekaterinburg in the early hours of the morning, for an execution that would mark a turning point in … [Read more...] about One Hundred Years Since the Murder of the Russian Royal Family