In the spiritual experience of the Russian Church, veneration of the holy Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica is closely linked with the memory of the defense of the nation and […]
Category: Article
Why Do We Address the Cross in Prayer?
By Archpriest Andrei Nikolaidi For many Orthodox Christians, beginning to explore the treasury of Christian prayer and trying to delve into the meaning of the prayers, upon reading the prayers to […]
Rings on the Wrong Hand?
This Sunday I will have the pleasure of performing a wedding. Weddings are always happy events, and I always look forward to performing them. Orthodox weddings are especially beautiful, and it’s actually […]
OCA Guidelines for Confession and Reception
The following Guidelines for Clergy (Orthodox Church in America, 1998), approved by the Holy Synod, address various issues surrounding Confession (the Mystery of Penance) and are considered normative in the […]
Why Do We Celebrate Pascha in the Middle of the Night?
The Simple Answer The simple answer is that the Resurrection occurred in the middle of the night. Of course, no one knew it had happened until Mary Magdalene and the […]
“The Grammar of Faith” by Fr. Stephen Freeman
On February 10, 2016 we had a wonderful evening with Archpriest Stephen and Mat. Elizabeth Freeman from St. Anne’s Orthodox Church in Oak Ridge, TN. Fr. Stephen spoke on […]
Miracle at Copco Road
It was the 31st day of July, 2014. I was making my usual trek to town. When I came up out of the hollow there was a plume of black […]
On Kissing the Priest’s Hand
A few of our new inquirers have asked about the practice of kissing the priest’s hand. For people outside of the Orthodox Tradition (and even for some of the Faithful), […]
Using A Prayer Rope
When praying, the prayer rope is normally held in the left hand (leaving the right hand free to make the Sign of the Cross). When not in use, the prayer […]
The Apostles’ Fast
“The Apostles almost always fasted.” – Saint John Chrysostom (Sermon 57 on the Gospel of Matthew) The Apostles’ Fast begins tomorrow (the second Monday after Pentecost) and lasts until the Feast […]