Every day, Christians pray “deliver us from evil,” not knowing that the Greek original reads “the evil,” that is, “the evil one.” The New Testament Scriptures are full of references to the malice o[...]

IN THE RENOWNED AND GOD-inspired work, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, St. John Climacus makes an amazing and disturbing statement: ?He who dabbles in theology while still in the passions is like one who[...]

GeographyThe geographical character of the district north and north-east of the elbow of Orontes makes it the natural centre of Syria, so long as that country is held by a western power; and only Asia[...]

1. What is the Sacrament of Confession?Confession is part of the process of "repentance" -- which is the essence of the Christian life. Repentance is a change of heart usually with correspo[...]

A Catechism on Confession When preparing to go to confession, every Orthodox Christian should try to remember all the sins that he has committed, whether voluntary or involuntary, and should examine h[...]

Question: “Why should I go to Confession? I have no special sins! Let those who have murdered, stolen, raped or committed some other sin go to Confession.” Answer: This objection [...]

He who is accustomed to give account of his life at confession here will not fear to give an answer at the terrible judgment-seat of Christ. It is for this purpose that the mild tribunal of penitence [...]

If We Confess Our Sins: Scriptural Witness to ConfessionThe holy apostle John, in defending the Faith from Gnostic heretics and providing answers to very practical questions existing in the first cent[...]

The dreaded time had finally come.  My whole desire was to be an Orthodox Christian, yet I have to admit I dreaded this moment with almost the same intensity—my first Confession.So many thoughts ran t[...]

The Mysteries of the Church are grace-filled.  They are life producing.  Outside the Orthodox administering of the Sacraments there is illness, corruption, sin, and death.  “But,” some might say, “are[...]

from Eusebius? Ecclesiastical History: (c. A.D. 260-340)CHAPTER XXVII. That after reflecting on the Dawn fall of those who had worshiped Idols, he [Saint Constantine] made Choice of Christianity. Bein[...]

Sermon on The Divine LiturgySunday, August 2, 2009Christ the Savior Orthodox ChurchIn the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. A Protestant pastor approached a pious Orthodox Prie[...]

We have seen that the goal of Christian life is union with God, which can only exist when our hearts have been purified of sinful passions, and our spiritual eye (the nous) is illumined by the Grace o[...]

We live in an information age.? We are barraged daily by messages ? whether written, verbal, or pictorial ? competing for our attention, all claiming to be important and essential.? Our obsessi[...]

The disciplines of obedience and self-denial are the real challenge. Obedience means to "listen thoroughly." One embraces obedience on one hand, as an act of love and respect, and on the o[...]

Go Fast From Food and Change the WorldJohn Kapsalis (from Orthodoxytoday.org)Admit it, no one likes to fast -- especially not for a week and definitely not for forty days. Anything past a day or two a[...]

SAFELY HOME TO HEAVENA Letter from an Orthodox Nun to a Former Calvinist(from the Orthodox Journal, "Road to Emmaeus")The following letter from an Orthodox nun to a troubled layman is a warm[...]

A Radical Shift in the Political Scene in the West: Summary:From the 4th-5th centuries, various Germanic tribes began taking control of the western part of the Roman empire.? In the 8th century, in ex[...]

The Source and Foundation of the ChurchThe radical assertion of the Man, Jesus of Nazareth, is that He alone perfectly bears witness to God, and by nature has God as Father.? During His earthly minist[...]

The Rise of Organized MonasticismMonasticism is often presented as something that ?began in the fourth century.?? This, however, betrays an understanding of both monasticism and the Church Herself.? T[...]

For the past 10 years I have been writing, off and on, about the disintegration of Yugoslavia and that has led to me having a large and growing number of Serb readers. I got interested in the[...]

The Iconoclastic controversy lasted from 726, when Emperor Leo III (717-741) began an attack on the use of religious images, until 843 when The Empress Theodora allowed their restoration. The two peri[...]

Now, as we are talking of images and worship, let us analyse the exact meaning of each. An image is a likeness of the original with a certain difference, for it is not an exact reproduction of the ori[...]

Romania is endless?Romania is boundless?Romania is timeless.? My son (Maximos) and I discovered just how endless, timeless and boundless on our recent pilgrimage from August 19th through September 4th[...]

Each culture has its own “language,” its own mindset, its own “idiom,” if you will. Orthodoxy also has its own “language,” one that can be and is expressed in many different tongues. Some peo[...]

What does it mean to be an Orthodox Christian?  Is it something one is born with?  Is it a philosophical belief in a Divine Being?  Is it all about following certain rules which make us a good perso[...]

Where in the world did the ?Divine Liturgy? come from?? Is it something that came about suddenly in the fourth century when Christianity was officially legalized?? Was it a ritual that developed when [...]

How many of us have gone grocery shopping without a shopping list?? And how many of us have forgotten at least one item we were supposed to obtain...even when we only had to remember four or five item[...]

Saints Peter and Paul Bulletin, May 18, 2003Preparing the HeartThe time spent prior to attending Church Services will have an effect on your ability to experience God's presence through the Liturgy an[...]

As we enter into the forty days of the Paschal season ??the celebration of the Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ ??it is a good time to reflect upon the meaning of the Divine Liturgy, which is f[...]

St. Theodore and the kollyvaJulian the Apostate, knowing that the Christians purify themselves by fasting most of all during the first week of the Fast -- which is why we call it Clean Week -- planned[...]

Guests are always welcome, and even encouraged, at most Orthodox monasteries.? Many observe the ancient practice of three days of hospitality.? Remember, however, that a monastery is primarily [...]

The Balance Beam of RighteousnessReflections of a Journey to the Holy Mountain of AthosThe Journey BeginsIt was the opportunity of a lifetime for one born in the heartland of America, never having tra[...]

The cycle beings?with the Nativity Fast -- the 40 days before the celebration of our Lord's birth in the flesh -- in order to cleanse and focus our hearts for His coming anew to and in us personally.?[...]

Check out this eye-witness account of the Orthodox Pascha Service?in Dachau Concentration Camp?in Nazi Germany?in 1945:?The room was bare, save for a wooden table and an icon of the Theotokos.? A crea[...]

It is common to feel a "let down" after Pascha, because of the blessed discipline and intensity of prayer we find by the end of the Great Fast.? The let down can also reflect our missing the[...]

A Word from the SaintsSt. Theophan on Peace with GodYou are making strenuous efforts to attain the habit of the Jesus Prayer. May the Lord bless you! You must believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is wit[...]

It is not an exaggeration to say that without Orthodox monastics, there would be no Holy Orthodox Church today.? Time and time again in the course of Christian history, monastics have risen to defen[...]

I just wanted to alert you to several quotes I put up on?our website regarding prayer for the departed.? The practice of prayer for the dead is typically misunderstood or misstated.? The later Roman e[...]

Christ is Risen!!!  Indeed He is Risen!!! Glory to God for all of your efforts and prayers during this Great Lenten season, and for our dedicated chanters, servers, and participants in the prayer life[...]

Question: Why do Orthodox Christians stand during most of their Church services? Why are there traditionally no pews in Orthodox churches?Answer: Pews were introduced into non-Orthodox churches only[...]

Man of God: Papa Dimitri Gagastathis The diary of a recent saintly priest of Greece whose faith in God overcame Nazis, Communists, and a nagging wife.? Great for both kids and adults, it re[...]

REPENTANCETo repent is not merely to induce a restoration of lost innocence but to transcend the fallen condition.Repentance is not a self-contained act: it is a passing over, a Pascha from death to l[...]

???? "The River of Fire" was the keynote address delivered at the Orthodox? Youth Conference sponsored by the parish of St. Nectarios American Orthodox Church at Seattle, Washington during J[...]

The church of Rome held a special place of honor among the earliest Christian churches.? It was first among the communities that recognized each other as catholic churches holding the orthodox faith c[...]

Recent Events surrounding the Indonesian Orthodox Church & Fr. Daniel Byantoro   President and Founder of The Indonesian Orthodox Church   (Immediately following i[...]

The Emergence of the New Testament Canon by Daniel F. Lieuwen All Christians agree that Scripture is the heart of the Christian tradition. However, what they mean by this affirmation often differs[...]

            Often, in conversations with Christians of other traditions, I find myself explaining the Orthodox view of sin.  For most Western Christians, sin is a matter of doing bad things, which [...]

Some Things You Should Know While In ChurchBy Fr. David Barr(adapted for use at Christ the Savior)Standing vs. SittingThe traditional posture for prayer and worship in the Orthodox Church has been to [...]

The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus1 We have set forth as was necessary that part of the discourse which relates to the spiritual gifts, all that God, right from the beginning, granted to people acc[...]

The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus1 We have set forth as was necessary that part of the discourse which relates to the spiritual gifts, all that God, right from the beginning, granted to people acc[...]

We said in the last article that Byzantine music was the attempt not only to preserve the divinely inspired words of Orthodox hymnography, but also, the very heavenly sound of those hymns.  This sou[...]

The Path of Repentance By: Father Meletios Webber             First it is necessary to discover what a “path of repentance” actually means.  The English word “repentance” has a rather [...]

[Jesus said,] ?The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.?? Then He said to them all, ?If anyone d[...]

A talk delivered at the Annual Lenten Clergy Confession of the New Gracanica Metropolitanate and the Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Jackson, California, March 4/17, 2004.The [...]

What do monks do?? This is a common and very important question.? For many in our production-driven society, it would appear that the monastic vocation is simply a ?waste of time.?? After all[...]

Each year in December, the Parish Council nominating committee begins the search for potential new members to serve on the Council.  However, oftentimes, little thought is given to the qual[...]