“Do not believe brother, that inner thoughts can be controlled without the control of the body. Fear bad habits more than devils.” ~ St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
Orthodox Church
Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete – First Week of Great Lent
by Chris Banescu –
During the first week of Great Lent, the Great Canon of Saint Andrew of Crete is sung (chanted) in the evening services of the Orthodox Church, from Monday through Thursday. Known as the Great Canon of Repentance, this hymn is the longest canon in all Church services. It is also one of the most moving and transformative liturgical hymns of the Church. [Read more…]
Make the Sign of the Cross for Anything You Do
by Elder Cleopa of Romania –
Do not do anything without signing yourself with the sign of the Cross! [Read more…]
The Violent Love of God
by Fr. Thomas Hopko –
Thus we come to see that as there is no resurrection without crucifixion, there is also no sanctification without suffering, no glorification without humiliation; no deification without degradation; and no life without death. [Read more…]
Nativity of Christ: Sign of God’s Boundless Love and Humility
by Chris Banescu –
The Feast of Christ’s Nativity is not only a cause for celebration that God is with us and true joy has come into the world, but it’s also an eternal reminder of our Lord and Savior’s great humility and boundless love for us. [Read more…]
Man and Woman – An Orthodox Christian Understanding
In Volume I, Doctrine of The Orthodox Faith four book series, Father Thomas Hopko provides a clear and thorough overview of the sources of Christian doctrines and the theology of the Orthodox Church. In the chapter titled “Man” Father Hopko explains how God created man in His “image and likeness” as male and female and gave them dominion over [Read more…]
Living Normal Lives in Troubled Times
by Chris Banescu –
After enduring two years of coronavirus disruptions and madness, we all hoped our lives would return to some semblance of normality. But thanks to Vladimir Putin’s terrible decision to invade Ukraine, the world may be at the brink of World War III. We just reached the end of one global life-changing crisis, only to face an even more ominous, potentially world-destroying, calamity.
How can we live normal lives when insanity spreads all around us? How should we conduct ourselves with potential Armageddon hanging over our heads? How do we preserve our humanity while the world descends into chaos and madness?
Similar questions were asked decades ago, when the arrival of atomic bombs changed the nature of war and forever altered the course of history. [Read more…]