An Icon of the Archangel Michael Dated May 1, 856 AD

Four years ago somewhere on the island of Lesvos archaeologists discovered an icon of the Archangel Michael which bears the date of May 1, 856. They gave it to the Manufacturer of Carved Icons Mr. Michael Demetriou. He is the one who makes the swords and shoes of the miraculous icon of Taxiarchi of Mantamadou also in Lesvos (see image below). The two images bear an uncanny resemblance.

The above photo was taken when the icon was restored to its original appearance.


Source

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Saint Joseph the New of Cappadocia

St. Joseph the New of Cappadocia (Feast Day - Sunday After Theophany)

St. Joseph was born between 1820 and 1830. He hailed from Kermir, in Cappadocia (near Caesarea), and his name was Joseph Kioseïrkoglou.

Tall, slender, pale, very handsome, and of Angelic countenance, he would wear a long garment like a rason and a small vest when censing.

The holy Joseph was a peddler and a pilgrim—a great man of prayer who sowed the word of God wherever he went.

On one of his journeys, he suddenly reposed around the age of thirty. After his burial, the Turks set a guard so that the Christians would not steal his Relics, since a light frequently appeared above his grave.

The relatives of the blessed Joseph instinctively knew that he was a Saint. For this reason, some time later, they decided to take possession of the Holy Relics of the sanctified peddler, in order to honor them and keep them as a blessing. The removal and transferal of these Relics took place in a miraculous way one night: They carefully dug as the guard slept, whereupon, with a light snap, the sacred bones all joined together of their own accord, so that the Saint’s relatives were easily able to gather them up with two shovels and depart.

Though pursued by the guard, who had awoken and understood what had happened, the Grace of the Saint helped them to escape unharmed with the invaluable treasure.

Having returned to Caesarea, his hungry and beleaguered relatives went to sleep somewhere on the road, saying:

“If you are a Saint, show us a sign!”

Suddenly, his five relatives were awakened by a slap on their faces... and there before them lay five fresh loaves of bread!

The family of St. Joseph divided his Holy Relics among themselves, honoring them and glorifying God for this great blessing.


Apparitions and miracles

One of the Saint’s relatives, who kept this priceless treasure at her house, frequently witnessed miraculous events.

When she would return home after working outdoors, she would try to open the door to enter, but was not, strangely enough, able to do so. She would then hear the sound of a censer inside, just like at the Divine Liturgy! Finally, when she would enter, the room where she kept the Holy Relics was filled with a Divine fragrance!

The Saint would distinctly appear both to this relative and to other devout visitors. Once, as soon as this relative entered her house, she found herself before a young man, who said to her:

“Do not be afraid! I am the Patron Saint of your house! I have come to tell you that such and such a neighbor vowed to bring me a container of oil, but did not bring it.”

And the youth immediately vanished.

She told her neighbor what had taken place, and the latter, staggered, confessed that she had indeed made such a vow.

Apart from his apparitions, the Saint also healed the infirmities of many faithful who came to the house and venerated his Holy Relics with faith.

After the death of this relative, the precious treasure was inherited by her daughter, whose sister-in-law once removed one of the Saint’s fingers. Her hands immediately broke out in pimples, but the doctors were unable to do anything to help her. The sacrilegious sufferer then saw the Saint in a dream telling her to return his finger. As soon as she had returned it, she became completely well.

It is also noteworthy that, during a great epidemic that struck Cappadocia, many people, including Turks, were healed using water blessed by the Saint’s sacred Relics.

Constantinople to Athens

After the catastrophe in Asia Minor, in 1922, St. Joseph’s relative moved to Constantinople, where she continued to preserve and honor the priceless treasure, which her pious daughter inherited after her death.

Once, her house’s Iconostasis caught fire and all of the Icons were burned. Though the fire advanced menacingly, as soon as it reached the wooden box containing the sacred Relics, it suddenly went out on its own!

Another time, when burglars broke into the house, turning everything upside down to find valuable objects, strangely enough, they did not see the gold jewelry laid out on the table! This was attributed to the protection of St. Joseph.

This protection was vividly evident again in 1978, when the relative decided to leave Constantinople and move to Athens. Greeks were strictly prohibited from bringing bones of the reposed into Greece. The Saint’s relative, however, could in no way separate herself from the invaluable family treasure. She then ardently prayed to St. Joseph, and the miracle happened: At the Turkish and Greek custom-houses, though the officers examined all of the luggage, they miraculously did not open, or even touch, the bag with the Relics!

On December 1, 1981, this relative reposed in the Lord and her pious niece, Nike Chatzatoglou, decided to offer the priceless treasure to the Holy Monastery of Sts. Cyprian and Justina, Phyle, Attica.

The Monastery had the especial blessing of receiving the Grace-filled Relics of the newly-revealed St. Joseph of Cappadocia on the Sunday after Theophany in the year of Salvation 1982 (January 11/24).


Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Having been well-pleasing to Christ through thy virtuous life, when thou didst complete thy course thou becamest a companion of the Saints in the Heavens; wherefore, as thou dost enjoy the glory on high, O Joseph, intercede with the Master of all, we implore thee, that He grant us forgiveness of sins.

Kontakion in the Second Tone
As thou didst pass thy life in a God-pleasing manner, thou dost participate in the splendor of the Saints; with them, O Joseph, entreat that those who celebrate thy memory with love may be delivered from all corruption and necessity.

Megalynarion
Rejoice, O all-renowned Joseph, who wast distinguished on earth for thine irreproachable life; rejoice, thou who in glory art equal in honor with the Saints, with whom do thou beseech Divine mercy for us.

Source

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Holy Martyr Polyeuctus of Melitene, Armenia

St. Polyeuctos or Polyefktos the Martyr (Feast Day - January 9)

Saint Polyeuctus was the first martyr in the Armenian city of Meletine. He was a soldier under the emperor Decius (249-251) and he later suffered for Christ under the emperor Valerian (253-259). The saint was friend also of Nearchos, a fellow-soldier and firm Christian, but Polyeuctus, though he led a virtuous life, remained a pagan.

When the persecution against Christians began, Nearchos said to Polyeuctus, "Friend, we shall soon be separated, for they will take me to torture, and you alas, will renounce your friendship with me." Polyeuctus told him that he had seen Christ in a dream, Who took his soiled military cloak from him and dressed him in a radiant garment. "Now," he said, "I am prepared to serve the Lord Jesus Christ."

Enflamed with zeal, St Polyeuctus went to the city square, and tore up the edict of Decius which required everyone to worship idols. A few moments later, he met a procession carrying twelve idols through the streets of the city. He dashed the idols to the ground and trampled them underfoot.

His father-in-law, the magistrate Felix, who was responsible for enforcing the imperial edict, was horrified at what St Polyeuctus had done and declared that he had to die for this. "Go, bid farewell to your wife and children," said Felix. Paulina came and tearfully entreated her husband to renounce Christ. His father-in-law Felix also wept, but St Polyeuctus remained steadfast in his resolve to suffer for Christ.

With joy he bent his head beneath the sword of the executioner and was baptized in his own blood. Soon, when the Church of Christ in the reign of St Constantine had triumphed throughout all the Roman Empire, a church was built at Meletine in honor of the holy Martyr Polyeuctus. Many miracles were worked through the intercession of St Polyeuctus. In this very church the parents of St Euthymius the Great (January 20) prayed fervently for a son. The birth of this great luminary of Orthodoxy in the year 376 occurred through the help of the holy Martyr Polyeuctus.

St Polyeuctus was also venerated by St Acacius, Bishop of Meletine (March 31), a participant in the Third Ecumenical Council, and a great proponent of Orthodoxy. In the East, and also in the West, the holy Martyr Polyeuctus is venerated as a patron saint of vows and treaty agreements.

The Polyeucte Overture of French composer Paul Dukas is only one of many pieces of classical music inspired by the saints. It premiered in January of 1892. French dramatist Pierre Corneille has also written a play, Polyeucte (1642), based on the martyr's life.

Source

The Church of Saint Polyeuctus in Constantinople

The Church of St. Polyeuctus was dedicated to him at Constantinople by Anicia Juliana in 524-527. The excavations undertaken in the 1960s revealed that, at the time of Justinian's ascension to the throne, the basilica was the largest in Constantinople and that it featured some remarkably ostentatious display of wealth, such as gilded reliefs of peacocks, as well as much oriental detail.

Read more on this church here and here.

HYMN OF PRAISE: SAINTS NEARCHUS AND POLYEUCTUS

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Nearchus and Polyeuctus, soldiers of Caesar,
Became soldiers of the Heavenly King,
One baptized with water, the other by his blood,
The second surpassed the other and became the first.
Oh, blessed be this competition,
This heroic rushing to Christ's' kingdom!
Polyeuctus rejected all by which the earth spoils
Everything, as a wind that comes; as the wind, passes,
And for these urgent sufferings, purchased the everlasting kingdom;
This trade, for him, turned out radiant:
For eternal life, let the grass be mowed!
For transitory suffering, eternal glory!
Pray for us, O soldier of Christ,
That, not one of your souls perish!

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone
Thy Martyr Polyeuctus, O Lord, in his courageous contest for Thee received the prize of the crowns of incorruption and life from Thee, our immortal God. For since he possessed Thy strength, he cast down the tyrants and wholly destroyed the demons' strengthless presumption. O Christ God, by his prayers, save our souls, since Thou art merciful.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
When the Saviour bowed His head within the Jordan, there He crushed the dragons' heads; as for His trophy-bearing Saint, when Polyeuctus's head was cut off, he put to shame the deceiver and wily foe.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

New Converts Flocking To An Ancient Church

Orthodox traditions dating back centuries attract members.

Neannie Kever
January 9, 2011
Houston Chronicle

Like many of his parishioners, Father Richard Petranek came to the Orthodox church in search of the past.

After 30 years as an Episcopalian priest, Petranek converted to the Antiochian Orthodox Church and leads a new but growing parish in west Houston, filled almost entirely with converts to the ancient faith.

"Most people come for the stability," he said. "The same thing that is taught today in the Orthodox church was taught 500 years ago, was taught 1,000 years ago, was taught 1,500 years ago."

At a time when most mainline Christian churches are losing members, Eastern Orthodox churches — which trace their beliefs to the church described in the New Testament - are growing, both in Houston and across the United States.

The numbers are still small: the 2010 U.S. Orthodox census estimates there are about 32,000 active Orthodox churchgoers in Texas and just more than 1 million nationally, although other estimates are higher. But the number of U.S. Orthodox parishes grew 16 percent over the past decade.

In Houston and its suburbs, the growth has been more dramatic, fueled by immigration from Eastern Europe, the Middle East and elsewhere, along with an increasing number of converts.

The Orthodox tradition includes Greek Orthodox, Antiochian Orthodox, Russian Orthodox and the Orthodox Church in America, among others.

"We were amazed the church still existed, and it had never changed," said Lana Jobe, who with her husband, Lloyd, left a Baptist church to join Petranek at St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church four years ago. "That was so important to us."

A focus on tradition

To outsiders, the first hint of what lies within is often the architecture; many of the churches are built in a neo-Byzantine style, capped by gold domes and other flourishes, standing out in a city of sleek skyscrapers, strip shopping centers and ranch houses.

Traditions vary from church to church, but in many congregations, members stand for much of the service. The priest faces the altar for long stretches of time, with his back to the congregation. (All Orthodox priests are male.)

Members make the sign of the cross throughout the service, they kiss icons of Jesus and the saints and, sometimes, the Communion chalice and the priest's robes.

"It's pretty freaky for people from the nontraditional churches," said Father John Salem, pastor of St. George Antiochian Christian Church in West University. "If you come from a non-liturgical background, it can be pretty overwhelming."

But to many converts, the traditions are the main attraction.

"People are tired of the mixture of worship and celebrity culture," said Frank Schaeffer, a writer and novelist who converted to Orthodoxy 20 years ago from the evangelical faith of his childhood.

"People are tired of these worship services that look closer to MTV or the Disney channel than something that goes back into the past," said Schaeffer, son of Christian theologian Francis Schaeffer and the author of books including Dancing Alone: The Quest for Orthodox Faith in the Age of False Religion and Patience With God: Faith for People Who Don't Like Religion (or Atheism). "In the Orthodox church, people are not there for the priest, but for the liturgy."

Jobe points to something else:

"You see churches today splitting over doctrinal issues," she said. "In the Baptist church, there's the Southern Baptists. There's the Texas Baptists. There are controversies over Biblical truths or inerrancy or homosexuality; all kinds of issues come up, and the church wants to vote on it. We don't have to vote on anything, because it was settled from the very beginning."

Spiritual healing

Ben and Connie Harrison were lifelong Episcopalians but began looking around after that church was divided over the ordination of a gay bishop in 2004.

As they learned about the Orthodox church, Ben Harrison said, "it became less of a moving away from and more of a moving towards. It just felt right, going to the original Christian church."

Converts account for much of Orthodoxy's growth, making up more than half of the membership in some branches.

But Alexei Krindatch, research consultant to the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas, said immigration is part of it, too, along with the fact that children raised in Orthodox churches are more likely to remain in the faith than those from many other churches.

Father John Whiteford, pastor of St. Jonah Orthodox Church in Spring, said converts account for about half of his congregation.

He converted, as well, after meeting an Orthodox priest while he was studying to become a Nazarene pastor.

Many new members came from evangelical churches, where Whiteford said they weren't satisfied.

"It's all modern, basically whatever they want to do," he said of some evangelical churches. "That has a rootlessness to it that makes people uncomfortable."

Not everyone feels that way, of course.

Megachurches such as Lakewood Church and Fellowship of the Woodlands have grown dramatically with high-tech outreach, sophisticated music ministries and contemporary services, and evangelical churches report faster growth than other denominations.

But Salem said Orthodox churches, with their rituals and icons and sacraments, can offer spiritual healing for those so inclined.

"The beauty of the church, that's part of it, too," he said. "People come in and say, 'Wow.' "

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Book: In Search of St. Demetrios and Byzantium

Cheryl Purdey
January 9, 2011
Edmonton Journal

Prodigal Daughter: A Journey to Byzantium

Myrna Kostash, University of Alberta Press

337 pp; $35.25

With the simple but provocative declaration, "I'm Greek," Myrna Kostash embarks on a unique journey. It was something she said as a Grade 4 student growing up in Edmonton when she was ashamed and confused about her Ukrainian background.

As an adult, she is still fascinated with the Greek or Byzantine origins of her heritage, and her curiosity motivates this book. Part spiritual quest, part scholarly inquiry, part travel memoir, Prodigal Daughter is as richly layered as the civilization she explores. A self-described secular humanist, Kostash nevertheless has a deep interest in the Orthodox Church, and the result is an intellectually vigorous study.

Her journey, both geographic and spiritual, is complicated: she crisscrosses the Balkans, that polyglot of nations, nation-states, ethnicities and religions all stirred up during the post-Communist political upheavals of the past two decades. The connecting thread throughout her travels is St. Demetrius, a fourth-century Christian martyr of Thessalonica, Greece. Discovering his icon in a book during a visit to a Benedictine monastery in Saskatchewan, Kostash adopts him as "my Demetrius."

During numerous visits to the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean, she chases down any lead where he is worshipped, venerated or honoured. She visits monasteries and museums, churches and cafes, talking with priests, monks, scholars, students and personal friends.

Was Demetrius a saint for the Slavs (Kostash's background) or the Greeks? She soon learns that Demetrius represents many things to many peoples and cultures. He was speared through the heart for spreading the Gospel, and his cult has spread far and wide throughout eastern Europe.

In Macedonia, no church is without its image of the saint. He protected the people of Thessalonica for more than 1,600 years against the barbarians or Slavs. Sometimes he is depicted on a red horse, in full regalia as a Roman soldier, sometimes paired with St. George.

This book, however, is more than a search for Demetrius. It's a closer look, both scholarly and personal, into Byzantium, which, for a thousand years after the fall of Rome in the fifth century, was civilization itself. From its centre in Constantinople, the Byzantine culture radiated wealth, power and splendour around the eastern Mediterranean. And yet this world is dismissed as "an inferior culture at the borderland of the normal" by western scholarship.

As she travels, Kostash sees what war and political unrest have done to the region. In Bulgaria, for instance, drug addiction is a growing scourge and illiteracy is on the rise, due to lack of teachers and schools. "Bulgarians illiterate? The very people to whom the Cyrillic alphabet had been gifted, and from them to my Ukrainian ancestors? Even I feel humiliated." In Serbia, she witnesses grinding poverty and high unemployment as the number of refugees soars and the best and brightest leave the nation in droves. A Byzantine expert in Sofia, Bulgaria, echoes the view of most people in the Balkans with the observation that the "terrible" wars in the former Yugoslavia resulted in the "nationalist genii let out of the bottle to create nation-states in an orgy of bloodletting."

In coffee shops and libraries and tiny kitchens in remote monasteries, Kostash learns more about her own religious and ethnic history. The Orthodox Church, she observes, is the "mother country" for the Slavs. As a monk in Bulgaria tells her: "We are not separate nations in the Church, we are Orthodox together."

Demetrius remains elusive. One priest chides her not to be too obsessed with one saint; a professor in Thessalonica tells her he believes that there was someone named Demetrius, but his personality was probably the stuff of legend. Others see Demetrius as an ecumenical saint. So her search continues, right back to her childhood church in Alberta, St. John's Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church. The journey itself, like many quests that writers undertake for self-examination and reflection, is more important than reaching conclusions. As Kostash observes during her participation in the holy week of St. Demetrius in Thessalonica: "I was surrounded by his images, but Demetrius himself, I felt, was elsewhere."

The award-winning Kostash, whose All of Baba's Children examined the Ukrainian-Canadian roots of a Prairie community, weaves all of her themes of religion, Byzantine and Slavic history and the diversity of the Balkans into an engrossing and richly informative story. Anyone interested in any or all of these themes will enjoy Prodigal Daughter.

Read also: Kostash takes spiritual 'journey to Byzantium'

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Video: Mark Twain, Censorship and Political Correctness

Read also: Don’t Make Us Slaves to Political Correctness

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Video: Traces of Shamanism in Russia's Far East

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Why Jesus Fasted After His Baptism

By Elder Daniel Katounakiotis

Without fasting will neither pure prayer be attained nor chaste virginity achieved, nor will the Christian not subjugating his body through the suitable means of fasting be able to bear the cross of our Savior Jesus and follow Him.

He, our Savior Jesus, fasted forty days and nights as an example for us. And when? After His baptism. This shows us that all baptized Christians are obliged to fast according to their strength.

From Contemporary Ascetics of Mount Athos (vol. 1) by Archimandrite Cherubim, p. 313.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Hieromartyr Isidore and 72 Others at Yuriev, Estonia

St. Isidore and the 72 Martyrs With Him of Estonia (Feast Day - January 8)

Saint Isidore was priest of St Nicholas church in the city of Yuriev (Derpto, at present Taru in Estonia). According to the terms of a treaty concluded in 1463 between the Moscow Great Prince Ivan III and the Livonian knights, the latter were obligated to extend every protection to the Orthodox at Derpto. But the Livonian knights (who were German Catholics) broke the treaty and tried to force the Orthodox to become Roman Catholics.

The priest Isidore bravely stood forth in defense of Orthodoxy, preferring to accept a martyr's crown rather than submit to the Catholics. The Latin bishop and the Roman Catholic nobles of Yuriev had been told that St Isidore and the Orthodox population of the city had spoken against the faith and customs of the Germans.

When St Isidore and seventy-two of his parishioners went to bless the waters of the River Omovzha (or Emaiyga, now Emajogi) for the Feast of Theophany, they were arrested and brought before the Latin bishop Andrew and the civil judges of the city. Pressure was brought on them to convert to Catholicism, but the saint and his flock refused to renounce Christ or the Orthodox Faith. Enraged by this, the authorities had them thrown into prison.

St Isidore encouraged his flock to prepare themselves for death, and not to fear torture. He partook of the reserved Gifts he carried with him, then communed all the men, women, and children with the Holy and Life-Giving Mysteries of Christ.

Then the bishop and the judges summoned the Orthodox to appear before them once more, demanding that they convert to Catholicism. When they refused to do so, they were dragged back to the river and pushed through the hole in the ice that they had cut to bless the water. So they all suffered and died for Christ, Who bestowed on them crowns of unfading glory.

During the spring floods, the incorrupt bodies of the holy martyrs, including the fully-vested body of the hieromartyr Isidore, were found by Russian merchants journeying along the river bank. They buried the saints around the church of St Nicholas.

Although people began to venerate these saints shortly after their death, they were not officially glorified by the Church until 1897.

Source

Read also: Holy Hieromartyr Isidore and the 72 with Him in Yuriev of Livonia

Kontakion of the Akathist to St Isidore

Come you faithful, and let us praise in hymns the Hieromartyr Isidore and with him the 72 martyrs who suffered in our city for the Holy Orthodox Church, to confirm us in her true and holy faith, to urge us to obey the teachings of our fathers and for us to live in accordance with the Lord's commandments and so, having completed this life, to obtain eternal life with the hymn: Rejoice, Isidore, firm guardian of the Orthodox faith!

Ikos I

In Yuriev, the city of Livonia, which was founded by Prince Yaroslav the Godly-Wise, there were constructed two Cathedrals: In honour of the Hierarch and Wonderworker Nicholas and the Holy Great-Martyr George. The priests Isidore and John, fervently dedicated to the Orthodox faith, served God in them. Seeing their blessed lives and loving observing their strong faith, wishing to emulate them, we sinners joyfully sing:

Rejoice, Isidore, our good shepherd!

Rejoice, O teacher of the true faith!

Rejoice, icon of the Christian life!

Rejoice, calm and holy pastor!

Rejoice, all-wise leader of our people!

Rejoice, indicating the way of life to youth!

Rejoice, great leader of men and women!

Rejoice, support and joy of the elderly!

Rejoice, Isidore, firm guardian of the Orthodox faith!

Source

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Egyptian Muslims Serve As Human Shields For Copts On Christmas

Muslims turned up in droves for the Coptic Christmas mass Thursday night, offering their bodies, and lives, as “shields” to Egypt’s threatened Christian community.

Yasmine El-Rashidi
January 7, 2011
Ahram Online

Egypt’s majority Muslim population stuck to its word Thursday night. What had been a promise of solidarity to the weary Coptic community, was honoured, when thousands of Muslims showed up at Coptic Christmas eve mass services in churches around the country and at candle light vigils held outside.

From the well-known to the unknown, Muslims had offered their bodies as “human shields” for last night’s mass, making a pledge to collectively fight the threat of Islamic militants and towards an Egypt free from sectarian strife.

“We either live together, or we die together,” was the sloganeering genius of Mohamed El-Sawy, a Muslim arts tycoon whose cultural centre distributed flyers at churches in Cairo Thursday night, and who has been credited with first floating the “human shield” idea.

Among those shields were movie stars Adel Imam and Yousra, popular preacher Amr Khaled, the two sons of President Hosni Mubarak, and thousands of citizens who have said they consider the attack one on Egypt as a whole.

“This is not about us and them,” said Dalia Mustafa, a student who attended mass at Virgin Mary Church on Maraashly. “We are one. This was an attack on Egypt as a whole, and I am standing with the Copts because the only way things will change in this country is if we come together.”

In the days following the brutal attack on Saints Church in Alexandria, which left 21 dead on New Year’ eve, solidarity between Muslims and Copts has seen an unprecedented peak. Millions of Egyptians changed their Facebook profile pictures to the image of a cross within a crescent – the symbol of an “Egypt for All”. Around the city, banners went up calling for unity, and depicting mosques and churches, crosses and crescents, together as one.

The attack has rocked a nation that is no stranger to acts of terror, against all of Muslims, Jews and Copts. In January of last year, on the eve of Coptic Christmas, a drive-by shooting in the southern town of Nag Hammadi killed eight Copts as they were leaving Church following mass. In 2004 and 2005, bombings in the Red Sea resorts of Taba and Sharm El-Sheikh claimed over 100 lives, and in the late 90’s, Islamic militants executed a series of bombings and massacres that left dozens dead.

This attack though comes after a series of more recent incidents that have left Egyptians feeling left out in the cold by a government meant to protect them.

Last summer, 28-year-old businessman Khaled Said was beaten to death by police, also in Alexandria, causing a local and international uproar. Around his death, there have been numerous other reports of police brutality, random arrests and torture.

Last year was also witness to a brutal parliamentary election process in which the government’s security apparatus and thugs seemed to spiral out of control. The result, aside from injuries and deaths, was a sweeping win by the ruling party thanks to its own carefully-orchestrated campaign that included vote-rigging, corruption and rife brutality. The opposition was essentially annihilated. And just days before the elections, Copts - who make up 10 percent of the population - were once again the subject of persecution, when a government moratorium on construction of a Christian community centre resulted in clashes between police and protestors. Two people were left dead and over 100 were detained, facing sentences of up to life in jail.

The economic woes of a country that favours the rich have only exacerbated the frustration of a population of 80 million whose majority struggle each day to survive. Accounts of thefts, drugs, and violence have surged in recent years, and the chorus of voices of discontent has continued to grow.

The terror attack that struck the country on New Year’s eve is in many ways a final straw – a breaking point, not just for the Coptic community, but for Muslims as well, who too feel marginalized, persecuted, and overlooked, by a government that fails to address their needs. On this Coptic Christmas eve, the solidarity was not just one of religion, but of a desperate and collective plea for a better life and a government with accountability.

See also: Egypt Muslims to act as "human shields" at Coptic Christmas Eve mass

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Israeli Baptism Site to Open Near Dead Sea

The new tourist facility opposite Jericho and adjacent to the Jordanian baptismal site (aka “Bethany beyond the Jordan”) is scheduled to open in less than two weeks. From ICEJ News:

"Kasr al-Yehud, the probable site where John the Baptist baptized his cousin Jesus of Nazareth, will be opened to the public with a special ceremony on January 18 after 42 years as a closed military zone which pilgrims could only visit after coordinating with the Civil Administration for Judea and Samaria.

The site is located in the Jordan Valley in the West Bank, but starting on the 18th it will be operated by the jurisdiction of the Israel’s Nature and Parks Authority, after Israeli authorities invested millions of shekels to build facilities there to handle a large number of tourists.

The 18th is significant because it is the traditional day when Greek and Russian Orthodox Christians make an annual pilgrimage to the site to celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany.

Vice Premier Silvan Shalom, who was instrumental in the project, said he hoped Kasr al-Yehud would become a symbol for cooperation among Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority, as it would be a major attraction for tourists who would also want to visit other Biblical sites in the area."

We’ve mentioned this site before exactly one year ago, but apparently it did not open as planned last spring. In May Ferrell Jenkins posted a photo of the area as seen from the Jordanian side.

Source

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Anger Towards God Linked With Poor Mental Health

Stephanie Samuel
Christian Post
January 6, 2011

A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology revealed that people are often angry with God in the face of difficult situations.

In the two-year study of 5,472 university students, two out of every three respondents reported being angry with the Judeo-Christian God. Anger against God was found both inside and outside of the religious community. The results of the study mirror those of a 1988 General Social Survey which reported that 63 per cent of Americans said they sometimes felt anger towards God.

Julie Exline, the lead researcher of the 2010 study, entitled “Religious and Spiritual Struggle”, observed that 50 per cent of those feeling resentment towards God said those feelings were prompted by a distressing event or an event resulting in poor adjustment.

The study also revealed distinctive differences in how certain people cope with anger.

“People who are more religious don't get as angry. They may be more likely to think God caused the troubling event, but they're also more likely to put good intentions on the event, saying things like, 'God is trying to strengthen me,'" Exline told the Health Day news.

Exline, who is also an associate professor of Ohio's Case Western Reserve University, reported that atheists and those questioning the existence of the divine are mostly likely to harbour more frequent, prolonged feelings of ill will towards God when compared to believers.

Youths are also more likely to experience more anger towards God than those who are older. Exline believes this finding is because older people were often taught not to question God’s power, compared to the younger generation.

Distressing events are now commonplace among Americans who are unemployed. November 2010 labour statistics revealed that there are nearly two million unemployed people in the United States who are dependent on unemployment benefits.

The inflation in the price of gas, predicted to reach prices of $100 a barrel this year, may also force many struggling financially to make hard adjustments.

John Piper of Desiring God ministries acknowledged that instances of great suffering and loss, be it financial, disease or death, can lead many to question and become angry with God.

However, he shared in a 2002 study that the appropriate response is to confess those feelings to God. Similarly, Exline’s research showed that therapeutic tools to rebuild trust in God include prayer and meditation on texts emphasising the positive attributes of God.

"When people trust that God cares about them and has positive intentions toward them, even if they can’t understand what those intentions or meanings are, it tends to help to resolve anger," Exline found.

The research showed dire effects for those who continued to harbour anger against God. Those who harboured anger towards God were linked with poorer medical recovery, the study revealed. Anger at God was also associated with poor mental health.

Through her research, Exline recommended that those who are angry with God move towards forgiveness. Similarly, Piper encourages those angry with God to seek forgiveness and trust in His goodness and wisdom to find relief from the hate.

See also: "Angry with God?!" ["Who me?! Never! I love God!!!"]

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

The Miracle of the Holy Forerunner John in Chios in 1740

On the 7th of January, the Holy Church commemorates the miraculous event of the Forerunner John in Chios in 1740

By Saint Athanasios of Paros

John, the Honorable Forerunner of Christ, performs many miracles from time to time, one of which is the following. In 1740 the great Forerunner and wondrous right hand of the Highest wrought a superb and wonderful miracle, which is commemorated and heralded everywhere, as it was recorded with the utmost exultation by those who were eyewitnesses and participated in the events of that time.

On the outskirts of the city in the vicinity known as Atzike, a short distance from the countryside, there was a church dedicated to the honorable and glorious Prophet John the Forerunner and Baptist. In the surrounding area there were many minarets of the Ottomans, near which there was no mosque. By necessity, the Muslims were made to travel to the countryside, where there were mosques, in order to say their prayers. In Islam, one is compelled to fulfill this, especially at the times of Ramadan and Bairam. This presented a hardship to them, especially during the winter, when the weather was very cold and the rains heavy.

Therefore, what did these wicked neighbors of the divine Baptist scheme in their minds? The foolish ones plotted to take the holy church by force, for the purpose of converting it into their own sacrilegious mosque. These were not common or insignificant citizens belonging to the lower class. They were among the foremost of the Ottoman citizenry, better known as aghas (military and civil officers) and beys (district governors), totaling seven in number. They slyly determined that the lawless deed, which they were about to perpetrate, should not be executed arbitrarily. In order to have the seizure appear legitimate, they sought imperial support by decree.

They sent letters to the Kapitan-Pasha and to other prominent Chiotes (citizens of Chios) who were members of the royal court, in order to obtain with their cooperation the desired firman (mandate) to suit their insidious purpose. However, two of the aforementioned seven beys did not concur with the method. They even attempted to dissuade their coreligionists, admonishing them, "Do not commit such an act. You might suffer ridicule in the end." Furthermore, they refused to sign the letters, which the others drafted, but their objections went unheeded. The letters were sent by sea with a trusted passenger. It seemed as if these accursed ones would have succeeded in their impious endeavor had not God intervened from on high; for He is the Helper of the helpless and of victims of injustice. Moreover, He is the Protector of our Holy Faith, Who foiled the desecrator's godless scheme in the following paradoxical manner. (Therefore, I pray thee, brethren, give proper attention.)

It was the evening of the sixth of January, which is the Synaxis of the great Forerunner and the feast day of the aforesaid church which was under attack. When this Christian holy day coincided with a religious holiday of the Turks, the above-mentioned beys rode to the countryside on horseback, in order to observe the festival according to their custom. That very night, there was a frightening earthquake. This caused great panic in the church of the divine Baptist, so that the priest, sacristans, and congregation were utterly terrified; for it seemed to them that the roof of the church would surely collapse. With these fearful signs the great Forerunner demonstrated that he would zealously guard his sacred church from defilement on that night of his hallowed feast. As the beys returned from the country, six of them stopped at the tower, the one near the bridge, where they conducted all their meetings. This time, however, it was the seventh dignitary who did not share in their opinion. He continued on this way, even though the others pressed him to ride along with them. Though not persuaded, he yet answered them, "I will go to my house, leave my horse, and return."

The tower was three stories high. The severe winter cold forced them to stay on the first floor, which was the warmest. In the company of those six dignitaries was the other one who objected to the original plans of the five to confiscate the church. They sat pridefully and joyfully inside the tower as they boasted about what they had done. One of them dared to brag in a haughty tone that he would climb to the top of the church and deliver the impious sermon of their religion. At that moment, before the first objector came back - behold, thy great and mighty power, O honorable Forerunner! - the three floors suddenly collapsed and fell on top of the five audacious ones, crushing them to death. They all descended into Hades alive, perishing on account of their iniquities, while no one else was harmed in that building. (According to Islamic custom, the women's quarters were kept separate.) It is obvious, therefore, that the collapse of that building was the work of divine wrath in that only the men's side collapsed and not the women's (which was filled with innocent women and children). More paradoxical than this (apparently the work of divine wrath), two great slabs of stone fell edgewise, joining to form a vault. Beneath these, the one who had been opposed to the impious plan of the others was preserved unscathed. When rescue efforts began to recover the bodies, the man shouted from beneath the rubble that he was still alive. He was rescued and found to have suffered no harm, not even the slightest damage to his clothing.

What evidence is greater that this? The divine Forerunner sent the five impious ones to destruction, while the innocent Turk, who took his horse home, lived for thirty more years. The other Turk, whose name was Toptzibasis, was also spared. He was found safe in the tower and lived to a venerable old age. Toptzibasis was hailed by all that he had escaped miraculously. As for the other villainous ones, divine justice dealt with them. The godless letters were lost at sea, and the messenger was drowned. Thus, the divine Forerunner completed his work. It would have been an easy task for the enemies of the Faith to distort the truth, for they could have said that he was drowned by the Christians. To this end, divine providence plunged the entire ship to the bottom of the sea with its crew, extinguishing the hopes of the godless ones. The following day, news reached the countryside concerning the fate of those grossly irreverent ones, thereby causing two emotions to emerge. Among the infidels there could be found great mourning, lamentation and sorrow, mixed with intense shame and humiliation; while amidst the Christians the contrary truly existed - happiness, joy and exultation.

The result of all this was that the words of the Psalter came to pass: "For wrath is in His anger, but in His will there is life; at evening shall weeping find lodging, but in the morning rejoicing" [Ps. 29:5]. The designs of the infidels were evident, as they revealed their plan with haughtiness; but the divine Forerunner frustrated and thwarted them, since it was impossible to prevent the schemes of the lawless ones by human means. Divine wrath was so pronounced that to this very day the tower remains desolate with only four walls standing in testimony to the Scriptural verse: "The Lord scattereth the plans of the heathens" [Ps. 32:10]. Likewise, the Davidic prophecy, or imprecation, was made manifest: "Let their habitation be made desolate, and in their tents let there be none to dwell" [Ps. 68:30]. For the pious Christians this was a pleasant and welcome sight; yet, at the same time, mourning and everlasting shame befell the unbelievers. There are additional indications which attest to the truth of this splendid miracle. Nevertheless, we do not wish to exceed our bounds. Hence, after confining our account to the details already mentioned, which have been proven irrefutable, we bring this account to a close, glorifying the Worker of wonders, Jesus Christ, and His great Forerunner and Baptist John, to the ages of ages. Amen.

From the New Leimonarion.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Video: Christ Reborn In Post-Soviet Russia

See also this slideshow of Orthodox who celebrate Christmas according to the Old Julian Calendar in 2011.

Read also:

In Russia, New Year's Celebrations Last 10 Days

Orthodox Christmas Celebrations Begin in Russia

Christmas in Russia

Majority of Russians Celebrate Christmas Despite Communist Past

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Two Wondrous Miracles of St. John the Forerunner in the Life of Elder Isaac of Dionysiou

1. The Miraculous Deliverance

To strugglers who are purified and sanctified by monastic asceticism, God gives wonderful gifts, great signs of His love.

Fr. Isaac (+ 1932) of Dionysiou Monastery was not lacking in these gifts of the living presence of God, as is revealed to us by many marvellous incidents from his life.

When he was still a young man, he served as cellarer (keeper of the food supplies) in the Monastery's house in Karyes. He lived together with the representative of the of the Monastery, Elder Gelasios, who came from Lakonia. One winter day - it was the month of February - some urgent matter came up, and it was absolutely necessary for Fr. Gelasios to contact the Monastery. In those days there were no telephones or other means of communication. Therefore it was necessary for someone to travel to the Monastery on foot, in spite of the hazardous weather. Elder Gelasios called his disciple, Fr. Isaac, and sent him to the Monastery with some letters. Fr. Isaac made a prostration, took his staff and mailbag and set out on the journey.

The road over the mountain from Karyes to Dionysiou is a panoramic wonder. The footpath passes through wild vegetation and dense, high chestnut forests. As a rule, the journey takes five hours.

The good disciple willingly set out on his obedience, even though the sky was darkening, and he could see a snowstorm was threatening - one of those that often scourges Mount Athos. In about fifteen minutes he had reached the "Cross", the summit of the mountain. Quickly he took the footpath, which from the mountain-ridge leads to the road of the Monastery. Then he encountered his enemy, the snow. He had set out from Karyes at about 1:00 p.m. (7:00 p.m. Byzantine time*). At 3:00 p.m. he had reached the boundary of Simonopetra at the cold spring called "Bousdoum". Up to this point, he could still make out the path. Now, however, everything had become covered with snow. He strove by every means to make out his direction. Calling on the sweet name of Jesus, he continued walking until he could no longer move his feet in the snow.

The storm had broken out with force, and the swirling snow beat on him from every side. Unable to go forward, he stood still. He tried to take a few steps, but it was in vain - he only worked himself further into the snow-drifts. The road was lost, the cold severe, the thick-falling snow continued to mount around him. He could not hope for human help or of any kind of shelter. Time was passing, and the dark was closing in. There was no salvation anywhere. Little by little, the snow would completely cover hm, and this night would be his last.

When all hope seemed lost, Fr. Isaac raised his hands and eyes, and with warm, undoubting faith cried: "O Lord Jesus Christ, O God, by the prayers of my Elder save me in this hour! O Holy Forerunner, grant me to reach the Monastery in good health!"

And lo! The words of the Prophet Isaiah came to pass: "Yet I am near thee when thou speakest." At that instant, some invisible force seized him and, in a twinkling of an eye, deposited him outside the Monastery, in front of the shrine by the gate!

It was about 4:30 p.m. (10:30 p.m. Byzantine time). The fathers had just risen from the table. The gatekeeper was preparing to close the Monastery gate when he was startled by seeing Fr. Isaac before him.

"Where did you come from, Abba? How did you manage to get through such a storm?" he asked.

The gatekeeper's perplexity increased as he looked for footsteps on the path from Karyes, and saw absolutely none. His surprise was shared by the other fathers. They all asked what had happened. Fr. Isaac, not wanting to reveal the miracle, only gave them a few token explanations. "With the help of the Holy Forerunner," he said, pointing to his icon, "I completed my obedience safely."

Some time passed, and the miraculous incident of the aerial transport of Fr. Isaac was revealed for the glory of God by his spiritual father, to whom the Abba had told everything exactly.

We encounter similar miracles of instantaneous transportation from place to place in various Lives of Saints. It is one manifestation among many others of a grace-filled life and the Lord's special favor.

* According to the Byzantine time reckoning which prevails on the Holy Mountain, the day begins at sunset. When the sun goes behind the peak of Athos, the clocks are set to 12:00.

From Contemporary Ascetics of Mount Athos (vol. 1) by Archimandrite Cherubim, pp. 353-355.


2. The Short Supply of Flour

Among all his other obediences, Elder Isaac also passed through the prosphora bakery. There too Elder Isaac left legends, not only about his willingness and hard work, but also about an exceptional miracle.

Customarily, forty to fifty prosphora are baked at the Monastery every week, using about seventy-five pounds of flour. Fifteen prosphora are used by the Monastery and its house in Karyes. The remaining ones are given as a "blessing" to the ascetics, from New Skete to as far as Kavsokalyvia. That year, however, the flour was in short supply. The Monastery counsel measured the amount of wheat left in February, and figured that it would only barely last until the next harvest. Therefore they summoned Fr. Isaac and told him:

"Fr. Isaac, our flour supply is low. If we're very economical, it will last. Keep in mind that we have only one vessel left. There's not enough to give any of the ascetics. Plan your course of action carefully."

This fell like a thunderbolt on the blessed soul of Elder Isaac. He said nothing, but he was greatly distressed. He thought: "What am I to do now? Surely the council is right - there's only one vessel of flour left. But how can we deprive the ascetics of the blessing of the Holy Forerunner in order to serve Liturgies for the glory of God and the remission of sins? My soul is not at peace."

Prayer was his only recourse. He went to the icon of the Baptist which was next to the prosphora bakery, and made three prostrations, devoutly kissing the Saint's feet and begging him with his whole heart to enlighten him as to what he should do. Elder Isaac loved St. John very much, and when he prayed to him he spoke with great simplicity and faith, like a small child talking to his older brother. After this prayer he arose with his heart strengthened in its resolve. He addressed the Saint with great faith: "Holy Forerunner, I am not going to stop giving the blessing to the ascetics. In your holiness perform a miracle so that the flour will last until the new harvest."

And the miracle happened. The four in the vessel did not diminish. The bread was baked as it had always been, until June 22, two days before the Monastery's feast day.* On that day a ship sailed into the harbor, loaded with wheat from the Metochion at Kalamaria!

One can imagine Elder Isaac's joy and gratitude to the Holy Forerunner, who had showed him his help in such a difficult situation.

* June 24 - the Feast of the Birth of St. John the Forerunner and Baptist.

From Contemporary Ascetics of Mount Athos (vol. 1) by Archimandrite Cherubim, pp. 358-359.

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Synaxis of Saint John the Forerunner and Baptist

By St. Nikolai Velimirovich

Because John's main role in his life was played out on the day of the Epiphany (Theophany), the Church from earliest times dedicated the day following Epiphany to his memory. To this feast is also linked the incident with the hand of the Forerunner. The Evangelist Luke desired to remove the body of John from Sebaste, where the great prophet was beheaded by Herod, to Antioch his place of birth. He succeeded though, in acquiring and translating only one hand which was preserved in Antioch until the tenth century after which it was transferred to Constantinople from where it disappeared during the time of the Turks.

Feasts of St. John are celebrated several times throughout the year, but this day, January 7, has the most Svecara. [That is, those Orthodox Serbs who honor St. John the Baptist as their Krsna Slava - Patron Saint. The Krsna Slava is the day that the Orthodox Serbs commemorate the baptism of their ancestors into Christianity]. Among the Gospel personalities who surround the Savior, John the Baptist occupies a totally unique place by the manner of his entry into the world as well as by the manner of his life in this world, by his role in baptizing people for repentance and for his baptizing the Messiah and, finally, by his tragic departure from this life. He was of such moral purity that, in truth, he could be called an angel [messenger] as Holy Scripture calls him rather than a mortal man. St. John differs from all other prophets especially in that he had that privilege of being able, with his hand, to show the world Him about Whom he prophesied.

It is said that every year on the feast of the saint, the bishop brought the hand of St. John before the people. Sometimes the hand appeared open and other times the hand appeared clenched. In the first case it signified a fruitful and bountiful year and, in the second case, it meant a year of unfruitfulness and famine.

HYMN OF PRAISE: SAINT JOHN THE FORERUNNER AND BAPTIST

Thirty years of fasting and silence!
This, not even the mountain beasts can endure.
The lion alleviates his hunger with the music of roaring,
And the tree rustles when the wind approaches
And, you do not rustle neither roar nor moan,
Neither your lament nor your song through the wilderness echoed!
Tell me, are you a man? What is your name?
Will you ever want to speak with someone?
Voice, voice, voice, I am the voice; but the Word of God, He is,
To the children of Israel, I was sent to cry out:
Repent, O people, behold, He comes,
Bring forth good fruit, each according to your strength.
Behold, behold He comes; O Wonder of Wonders,
In the midst of the water, from heaven, a hidden fire!
Behold, the Lamb of God, among the wolves, walks;
Wolves, your lupine temper, in the water, cleanse!
Thirty years of silence and fasting,
Of your body, what remains; except your voice?
Your withered body is but a shadow of your voice,
Which proclaims the news: Behold, God comes to us!
Your withered body, a reed; that Herod broke
But the voice continues, continues; no one to silence it.
Whose voice is that? From whom even the centuries tremble?
A hungry lion! No, No - a man of faith.

Homily: St. John's Submission To the Will of God

"Your will be done, on earth as in heaven" (Matthew 6:10).

Blessed be John the Baptist, for he fulfilled the Good News before the arrival of the Good News! Going into the wilderness, he gave himself up completely to the will of God, both body and soul. The will of God was carried out in his body on earth as well as in the heaven of his soul. Neither hunger nor wild beasts did harm his body throughout the many years that he spent in the wilderness. Neither was his soul harmed by despair because of loneliness, nor pride because of heavenly visions. He did not seek from man either bread or knowledge. God granted him everything that was necessary for him because he gave himself up completely to the will of God.

Neither did he direct his footsteps in the wilderness nor away from the wilderness. An invisible rudder from on high steered his life. For when it was necessary for him to depart the wilderness and go out to meet the Lord, it is said: "The Word of God came to John" (Luke 3:2). As an innocent youth, in this manner John spoke simply about his communication with the powers of heaven: "And I did not know Him [Christ] but the One Who sent me to baptize with water told me, `On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, He is the One Who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' Now I have seen and testified that He is the Son of God" (John 1: 33-34).

How tenderly and simply he speaks about heavenly things! How he is as awesome as a lion when he speaks out against the injustice of men, against Herod and Herodias! The lamb and the lion dwell in him together. Heaven is as close to him as a mother is to her child. The will of God is as accessible and clear to him as the angels in heaven.

O Lord, Most-wise, direct the lives of us sinners in the wilderness of this life according to Your will as You directed the life of St. John the Baptist. To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.


Apolytikion in the Second Tone
The memory of the just is celebrated with hymns of praise, but the Lord's testimony is sufficient for thee, O Forerunner; for thou hast proved to be truly even more venerable than the Prophets, since thou was granted to baptize in the running waters Him Whom they proclaimed. Wherefore, having contested for the truth, thou didst rejoice to announce the good tidings even to those in Hades: that God hath appeared in the flesh, taking away the sin of the world and granting us great mercy.

Kontakion in the Plagal of the Second Tone
The Jordan accepted Your presence in the flesh and reversed its course in fear. John, fulfilling the spiritual ministry, fell back in awe. The ranks of Angels, seeing You in the flesh, baptized in the river, were amazed, and all who were in darkness were filled with light, praising You who appeared and enlightened all.

Prayer on the Synaxis of St. John the Baptist

Thou who didst baptize Christ, preacher of repentance, despise not us that repent: but, together with the host of Heaven, pray to the Master for us unworthy ones, in our despondency, weakness and sorrow: for we have fallen into many troubles, weighed down by the stormy thoughts of our minds. For we are become a den of evil works, having no end to our sinful habits: our mind is nailed to worldly things.

What we shall do, we know not, and nor to whom we shall flee, that our souls might be saved, save unto thee, holy John, who art named for Grace, whom we know to be greater than any, but the Theotokos, that are born before the Lord: for thou was found worthy to touch the head of Christ the King, Who taketh away the sins of the world, the Lamb of God: to Whom pray thou for our sinful souls, that at least from henceforth in the eleventh hour, we may bear the good burden and receive our reward among the last.

Yea, O thou who didst baptize Christ, thou revered Forerunner and last of the Prophets, first of the Martyrs according to Grace, mentor of fasters and those who fled to the desert, teacher of purity and close friend of Christ, we pray thee, we flee to thee for refuge: cast us not away from thy protection, but rather raise us up who are fallen in many sins: renew our spirit through repentance, as it were by a second baptism, washing away sin, and preaching penitence unto the cleansing of the ill deeds of each: wash us, indeed, who are stained with sins, and cause us to enter that place where nothing impure hath entry, into the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen.

Source: Book of Canons, Kiev, 1762. Reprinted in "Polny Sbornik Molitv", p. 72

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Troy Polamalu Says 'Kala Christougena!'

Christmas arrives today for many Orthodox Christians around the world.

Ann Rodgers
January 07, 2011
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The most famous Orthodox Christian in Pittsburgh, if not the nation, has a greeting for his fellow believers today:

"Kala Christougena!" said Steelers safety Troy Polamalu. That's Greek for "Merry Christmas!"

Mr. Polamalu and his wife, Theodora, actually celebrated Christmas 13 days ago, but they keep the same Orthodox traditions as those who observe today. Most Orthodox celebrate on Dec. 25, but many Slavic churches tie liturgy to the old Julian calendar, which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar. The Greek Orthodox Church and some others have adopted the Gregorian calendar -- except at Easter.

"We all celebrate Easter on the same day," said Mr. Polamalu, 29. Orthodoxy is the Eastern wing of the earliest Christian church, which split into the Orthodox and Catholic churches in 1054.

He and Theodora converted to Orthodoxy about five years ago. His background was Catholic and Protestant, hers Muslim and Protestant. They were Christians in search of a deeper, more consistent experience of God.

"Orthodoxy is like an abyss of beauty that's just endless," he said. "I have read the Bible many times. But after fasting, and being baptized Orthodox, it's like reading a whole new Bible. You see the depth behind the words so much more clearly."

That fasting is a Christmastime difference between Eastern and Western Christians. While many Americans pile on the food from Thanksgiving to Christmas, Orthodox Christians start fasting Nov. 15 or 28.

"Christmas Lent" or "Winter Lent" lasts 40 days, broken by a feast on Christmas, said the Rev. Stelyios Muksuris, administrative assistant to Metropolitan Maximos of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Pittsburgh and professor of liturgy and theology at Ss. Cyril & Methodius Byzantine Catholic Seminary. Slavic Orthodox keep a strict fast, abstaining from meat, dairy products, oil and fish for 40 days. Greeks usually permit fish, cheese and oil for the first few weeks, then fast strictly for the last two, he said.

Mr. Polamalu is of Samoan heritage, and belongs to the Greek church, but fasts like a Russian.

His consists of a "fast from dairy, from meat and from oil for 40 days -- as well as from sex," he said. "It's to prepare you for the birth of Christ, of God incarnate."

Fasting doesn't affect his football fitness, he said. "When you fast, you can eat extremely healthy by eating a lot of light food, like fruits and vegetables."

There are other aspects to fasting.

"Maybe not watching as much TV, or not getting caught up in idle talk or different things, in order to keep you spiritually healthy," he said.

The most important Orthodox fast is Great Lent, for 50 days before Easter.

When he has kept longer fasts "I have never felt more spiritually strong," he said. Referring to great theologians of the early church, he said, "The church fathers have said that when you eat gluttonously or you eat a lot of meat, your passions get stronger, so your inclination toward sinning becomes stronger. ... [Fasting] really does soften your passions. It gives you spiritual insight."

In Orthodox theology "passions" are negative impulses -- such as sadness or greed -- that can harm the soul.

He doesn't claim that practicing the faith improves athletics. The player known for crossing himself on the field has seen his faith grow more from his injuries than his interceptions.

"When I got injured, I learned so much from it spiritually, just thanking God for the health that I had when I was healthy," he said.

"People have this idea that the more pious and devout I am, the more successful I am. Which is very dangerous. If you look at faith in that way, you're bound to fail at both -- spiritually and in your career."

As the Polamalus build Christmas traditions for their children, Paisios, 2, and Ephraim, 3 months, "It's become less about Santa Claus and more about the birth of Christ and the celebration of the Virgin birth," he said.

They spent Christmas Eve at an Orthodox monastery. The service lasted several hours, ending at 1 a.m. It was entirely chanted.

"Orthodox chanting is non-emotional, it's very monotone," said Mr. Polamalu, who also calls it "the most beautiful thing."

"It's the perfect environment for prayer," he said. "Chanting in Greek ... is like a beautiful opera, but way better. You have candles, not [electric] lights. It's dark. You have the women sitting on the left and the men sitting on the right. Everything is to keep your mind focused on God. ... To me the most beautiful thing anyone on earth can experience, other than maybe marriage and child-bearing, would be the Orthodox Liturgy."

Before he became Orthodox, he said, songs in church sometimes moved him to tears. He now distrusts those passing feelings.

"I'd start crying and feel 'This is awesome.' If I'd had a Red Bull, I'd feel it even more. If I'd had breakfast, I'd feel good. If I didn't have breakfast, I didn't feel anything, I was grumpy," he said.

"It was a very superficial experience. I was thinking, 'God, why did I not feel you today?' because I wasn't feeling the music today. Orthodoxy is very sensitive to that, to take the emotion out of it, to really go after the heart."

The difference between the heart and emotion, he said, is like the difference between the deep love he has for his wife and their daily ups and downs.

"I could say, emotionally, I'm mad and sad with my wife. But that has nothing to do with how much I love my wife within my heart," he said.

"Before we were Orthodox we were able to separate our spiritual lives and our daily lives. Now that we're Orthodox, because of the prayer life that is required ... and the fasting, it consumes your life. It's the number one thing in your life."

Tweet

Share on Tumblr

Theophany 2011: The Orthodox World Celebrates

It is a common practice for Orthodox to bless water not only in church on Theophany, but to go to their nearest local body of water or even well and bless those waters also. The blessing is normally done twice: once on the Eve of the Feast — usually at a Baptismal font inside the church — and then again on the day of the feast, outdoors at a body of water. Following the Divine Liturgy, the clergy and people go in a Crucession (procession with the Cross) to the nearest body of water, be it a beach, harbor, quay, river, lake, swimming pool, water depot, etc. (ideally, it should be a body of "living water"). At the end of the ceremony the priest will bless the waters. In the Greek practice, he does this by casting a cross into the water. If swimming is feasible on the spot, any number of volunteers may try to recover the cross. The person who gets the cross first swims back and returns it to the priest, who then delivers a special blessing to the swimmer and their household. Certain such ceremonies have achieved particular prominence, such as the one held annually at Tarpon Springs, Florida. In Russia, where the winters are severe, a hole will be cut into the ice so that the waters may be blessed. In such conditions, the cross is not cast into the water, but is held securely by the priest and dipped three times into the water. The water that is blessed on this day is known as "Theophany Water" and is taken home by the faithful, and used with prayer as a blessing. People will not only bless themselves and their homes by sprinkling with Theophany Water, but will also drink it. The Orthodox Church teaches that Theophany Water differs from regular holy water in that with Theophany Water, the very nature of the water is changed and becomes incorrupt, a miracle attested to as early as St. John Chrysostom (Homily on Christian Baptism in P.G., XLIX, 363).

Most of these articles are in Greek, but are accompanied with pictures.

See also: Theophany 2010: The Orthodox World Celebrates

1. Theophany at the Phanar in Constantinople and the Cross throwing in the Golden Horn which was banned by the Turks for many years but restored into pratice 9 years ago. See two videos below and read here.





2. Theophany in Tarpon Springs, Florida where its 105th celebration took place and 78 young men jumped into the waters. 105 doves were released in honor of the 105 years of celebration in Tarpon Springs. See more in the videos below. Read more here and see two videos below.

Sacred celebration has backdrop of loss: MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

Epiphany cross goes to Pappas family: MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

3. Theophany in Khartoum, Sudan was celebrated by Metropolitan Emmanuel at the Annunciation Church.

4. Theophany in Oropos, Greece

5. Theophany in Austria (which in the 300 year history of Orthodoxy in Austria, the Cross throwing ceremony has taken place for the past 5 years in a row in the waters of the Danube in Vienna).

6. Theophany in Messolonghi, Greece where Metropolitan Kosmas of Aitolia preached the following in the Cathedral of St. Spyridon: "Today, the day of Theophany, we contemporary Christians must believe stronger in the Holy Trinity. We must bring the Holy Trinity into our lives, to bring the Holy Spirit that He may illumine us by His Grace, then all will be blessed in our lives."

7. Theophany in Kyparissia, Greece where Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Trifylia gave the winner of the cross throw in the cold waters a gift of a golden cross.

8. Theophany in Kastoria, Greece where two cross throwing ceremonies took place - one at lakeside area of "Stavros" where five children dove for the cross, and one at the Monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa which was established in 1080 AD and next to which other children dove for the cross.

9. Theophany in Langadas, Greece where there were two cross throwing ceremonies and both winners received as gifts a golden cross and a diptych icon of Christ and the Virgin Mary, while the rest of the divers received icons of Panagia of Tinos.

10. Theophany in Igoumenitsa, Greece

11. Theophany at the Patriarchate of Alexandria where Patriarch Theodoros is the only Patriarch that has been able to convince the Egyptian government to allow for the Cross throwing ceremony to take place in public for the past six years. Despite the recent attacks on New Years against the Copts by the Muslims in Egypt, the Patriarch expressed his sorrow while also emphasizing the good relationship between Greece and Egypt as well as Muslims and Christians in the region.

12. Theophany in Cyprus was celebrated in all its free area, with the cross throwing ceremonies taking place in the major harborside cities such as Lemessol, Larnaka, Paphos, and Agia Napa.

13. Theophany in Volos, Greece

14. Theophany in Tripoli, Lybia

15. Theophany in Eleftheroupolis, Greece

16. Theophany in Rhodes, Greece where at the cross throwing ceremony a professor of Aegean University retrieved the cross. See more in the video below.



17. Theophany in Piraeus, Greece was celebrated by Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece in the presence of many politicians of Greece.

18. Theophany in Serres, Greece

19. Theophany in Corinth, Greece where over forty divers tried to retrieve the cross.

20. Theophany in Thessaloniki, Greece where there were over twenty divers, two of whom were girls.

21. Theophany in Timisoara, Romania had an interesting ceremony take place when the huge reservoir supplying the city of 300,000 was blessed so the holy water can be supplied by tap.

22. Theophany in Kalymnos, Greece. In the video below the Divine Liturgy at Holy Trinity Church in Vathi is shown together with the cross throwing ceremony and the procession to the sea.



23. Theophany in Florina, Greece



24. Theophany in Hong Kong



25. Theophany in Adelide, Australia

26. Theophany in Kefallonia, Greece

27. Theophany in Kalamata, Greece

28. Theophany in Bowling Green, Kentucky

29. Theophany in Nanticoke, Pennsylvania

30. Theophany in Sugar House Park, Utah

31. Theophany in Bavaria

32. Theophany in Glyfada, Greece



33. Theophany in Mantineia, Greece

34. Theophany in Ermoupoli, Greece

35. Theophany in Frankston & Rye, Australia

36. Theophany in Elia, Mykonos



37. Theophany in Geneva, Switzerland

Tweet

Share on Tumblr