by Fr. John A. Peck “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). The following is an excerpt of a talk on Suicide in Christian History given at the 3rd Annual Orthodox Bioethics Conference held in Daly City, CA and sponsored by the Vicariate for Palestinian/Jordanian Orthodox Christian Communities in the […]
The Ancient Western Way of Making the Sign of the Cross
April 17, 2018 By
The sign of the cross is a beautiful gesture which reminds the faithful of both the cross of salvation while invoking the Holy Trinity. The early Church Fathers attested to the use of the sign of the cross. Tertullian (d. 250) described the exceptional frequency of the sign of the cross being made: “In all […]
How do you know that the Orthodox, not the Iconoclasts, preserved the more ancient Christian view of Icons?
November 6, 2017 By
For one thing, Iconoclasm would have thrived in Islamic dominated territory… but it didn’t. The first out break of Iconoclasm began in Moslem territory, though this was not Christians destroying images, but Moslems destroying Christian images (Pelikan, p. 105). There is also reason to think that Moslem influence inspired the Iconoclastic Emperors (for one, all […]
The Reason Orthodox Christians Cross Themselves from Right to Left
September 27, 2017 By
Orthodox cross themselves from right to left. first we will describe the mechanics of making the cross, then explain why it is indeed important that we make the sign of the cross correctly. Placing the cross on oneself 1) We place our thumb and first two fingers together in a point, and our last we […]
The Fathers of the Orthodox Church on Abortion
February 8, 2017 By
The following represent the teaching of the Orthodox Church on abortion from the [early] second century through the fifth century…. Note that penalties, when they are given, are neither civil nor criminal, but ecclesiastical and pastoral (excommunication for the purpose of inducing repentance). Also note that the these quotes deal with both surgical and chemically […]
On Orthodox Spiritual Leaders
November 6, 2016 By
by St. Symeon the New Theologian Plead God with prayers and tears for Him to send you a guide who is dispassionate and holy. At the same time, also study the divine Scriptures by yourself and particularly the practical writings of the Holy Fathers; so that by cross-examining the teachings and works of your teacher and […]
Why Must an Orthodox Church have an Iconostasis and a Curtain over the Royal Doors?
August 30, 2016 By
by Fr. Andrei Chizhenko In an Orthodox church there is no thing or action which does not carry meaning of spiritual weight. Even the iconostasis and curtain over the Royal Doors are full-fledged “participants” in the Divine services. What is the significance of the iconostasis and curtain in the microcosm of an Orthodox church? The architecture […]
Mental Imagery in Eastern Orthodox Private Devotion
August 29, 2016 By
Is mental imagery good or bad in spiritual life? Fr. Sergei answers the question for Orthodox Christians, and anyone else who needs to know, once and for all. By Fr. Sergei Sveshnikov Just as there can be a properly trained voice, there can be a properly trained soul. —Fr. Alexander Elchaninov This presentation is based […]
