The New Testament, unlike many ancient biographies, remains silent on the physical description of Jesus Christ. For the Gospel writers, it seems, His teachings and actions held far greater weight than His outward appearance.
The Great Lent is the longest fasting season of the year for the Orthodox. We all know about the importance of prayer, almsgiving and fasting. But what are the rules of fasting? Are there some things, we should not do during the Lent?
The Dreadful Judgment — why is it called dreadful, and who should dread it? In today's “post-Christian” world, this concept may not hold significance, except for those few who still strive to follow Christ as best they can.
John (Shahovskoy), the Archbishop of San Francisco and the Western United States, emerged as a beacon of hope after the Russian Civil War. His life was a testament to resilience and faith amidst adversity.
Many believe that to live by faith and to fulfil God's will requires grand gestures. Yet, it is in the small, seemingly trivial acts of kindness, in resisting the slightest inclinations towards evil, that our spiritual life flourishes.
The Orthodox Church approaches the Great Lent which will start on March 18th according to the Julian calendar. In order to prepare for the Lenten journey, the Church gives us four pre-lenten weeks to help us understand why we fast.
Today, the Orthodox Church boasts over two million faithful, with some of the most beautiful Orthodox churches in America. Approximately two-thirds of these adherents are part of the OCA, Greek, and Antiochian jurisdictions.
Let us take a deeper look at the history and meaning behind one of the most important texts in Orthodox Christianity.
Today, we wish to share with you seven facts about how Christians celebrated Christmas in ancient times. Our hope is that you discover the roots of your Christian heritage from those Christians who celebrated before us.
The ceremony of Worship in the Orthodox Church has been a cornerstone of faith since the Church's inception, tracing its roots back to the days of Christ and His Twelve Apostles.
The calendar of the Church humbles our proud minds. It returns us to the truth of God the Creator of all things, including time, and thus its rightful master.
He is remembered for his great modesty and humility, and also for the grace and forgiveness with which he reacted to false accusations of having career ambitions.
On November 8 (21 in the new calendar), the Church commemorates the Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the other Bodiless Powers. This feast was established after the fourth century Council of Laodicea
The Nativity Fast sanctifies the last part of the year and is established so that by the day of the Nativity of Christ we will purify ourselves by repentance, prayer and abstinence. As a result, we could piously meet the Son of God who came…
The Apostle Luke is mostly known as one of the four Evangelists. In fact, he told us more than the other three about our Lord’s childhood, as well as about His mother Mary.
Demetrius parental Saturday is a day of special commemoration of the dead in the Russian Orthodox Church. This is a memorial Saturday before the remembrance day of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki (October 26 / November 8).
Looking at the life of our Lord Jesus Christ from a totally human perspective, we might see the Holy Cross just as an instrument of His martyrdom. But in the spiritual sense, it is the weapon of a magnificent spiritual victory.
Simple events in the biography of Father Sophrony point to the universal, all-embracing nature of his personality. On Easter in 1924, he experienced a vision of the Uncreated Light, a Divine visitation bestowed, perhaps, only on a few people…
On September 8th, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. This wonderworking icon is one of the most venerated in Russia and, according to tradition, dates from the dawn of Christianity.
On 28 August the Church commemorates the Dormition of the Theotokos. The Holy Mountain, the realm of the Mother of God, celebrates this feast with special joy. Here are five examples of the Holy Virgin's intercession for different people.