Thursday, November 30, 2006

Pope Benedict XVI pleas for the bringing together of Catholicism and Orthodoxy


In his third day visiting Turkey, a country with a Muslim majority, Pope Benedict XVI pled in Istanbul for the reuniting of Christianity, naming the divergences that separate the two major Christian rites, almost 1000 years since the Great Schism (1054), which he called "a scandal in the eyes of the entire world": "The divisions that separate the Christians are a scandal for the entire world", said the Pope at the end of a joint service together with Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of more than 250 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.

However, the Pope's visit is not free of contradictions. His statements allow for a large degree of "interpretation", especially since he claimed that Europe should return to its Christian roots; in light of Turkey's recent suspension of integration negotiations because of the problems with Cyprus, the Pope raises a very delicate issue.

Can and will the Church (Catholic and Orthodox) remain out of politics?

What do you think?

Iulia

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Feast of Holy Apostle Andrew, the First Called - 30th of November





The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was the first of the Apostles to follow Christ, and he later brought his own brother, the holy Apostle Peter, to Christ (John 1:35-42).

After the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, St Andrew went to the Eastern lands preaching the Word of God. He went through Asia Minor, Thrace, Macedonia, he reached the River
Saint Andrew by El Greco (D. Theotokopoulos) 1606, oil on canvas


Danube, went along the coast of the Black Sea (Pontus
Euxinus), through Crimea, the Black Sea region and along the River Dniepr he climbed to the place where the city of Kiev now stands.

Saint Andrew is considered to be the "Protector of Romania", and as testimony, the abundance of children baptized Andrei or Andreea each year :-) His Beatitude Teoctist, the Patriarch of Romania wears white habits, in honor of Saint Andrew, of whom the legend tells that arrived in Thrace (present day Bulgaria) and Dacia (present day Romania) wearing a white tunic.

Romanians believe that Saint Andrew was the first who preached Christianity in Scythia Minor, modern Dobrogea, to the native Dacians (ancestors of Romanians). There is an additional "detail": as Romanians celebrate their national holiday on December 1, the day following the feast of the Apostle Andrew, with greater reason that he is so revered and loved; among the elderly it is often said that he is the one who "made possible" the union of the three Romanian provinces in 1918. There are toponyms and numerous old traditions (such as carols) related to Saint Andrew, many of them probably having a pre-christian substratum. There also is a cave where it is believed that he preached. Moreover, in Romania, the feasts and traditions at the end of November and beginning of December correspond to old Dacian and Roman traditions. Thus, Saint Andrew has not entered the christian consciousness alone. The new holiday keeps to this day some of the old Dacian rites and magical practices, that usually take place on the night of the 29th to the 30th of November...

Monday, November 20, 2006

Nativity Fast 15th of November-24th of December



Up to what level should we fast? To what extent can we relinquish our pleasures?
Until we can handle our character...
The times in which we live do not help us fast in the same way as our ancestors in the old days. Our spiritual state can no longer match the one of our grandparents. Our state of spirit and state of mind are shaped by the continuous desire for glory, satisfaction, material fulfillment...
Rarely do we attain peace for the spirit. And here comes the question: until what level are we able to fast? Christ's Nativity should be a motive for joy for the entire Christendom. It is the merriest holiday. It continues to remind that year after year, one has the chance to become better, a better person, a person with a pure heart. It reminds one that there still is time to love more, to forgive more. With each year it gives humanity the hope to grow in its faith.
But each maturity requires sacrifice. To give and receive. Receive at least as much as you give. Rarely are gifts repaid....by humans. But, for a Christian, to give, to forgive, and to love are intrinsic.
To what level should we fast?
Until we feel so pure within, that the joy of the Nativity of Christ becomes the most beautiful gift. To the point where we can hear the angels sing.
To prepare. To mature. To make an exercise with ourselves.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Saint Nectarios the Thaumaturge of Aegina - 9th of November



St. Nectarios was born on October 1, 1846 in Selymbria, Thrace, to a poor family. His given name was Anastasios Cephalas. At the age of 14 he moved to Constantinople (Istanbul) to work and further his education. In 1866 he left to the island of Chios to take a teaching post. He then became a monk at the age of thirty.

Many people regarded St. Nectarios as a Saint during his lifetime because of his prayerful life, his humility, his purity and other virtues, his writings, as well as the miracles he performed. St. Nectarios also had the gift of prescience.

St. Nectarios died on the evening of 9 November 1920 at the age of 74, following hospitalization for prostate cancer. His body was taken to the Holy Trinity Convent, where he was buried by a Priest-Monk named Savas, who later painted the first icon of St. Nectarios.

The relics of St. Nectarios were removed from the grave on 2 September 1953 and gave out a beautiful fragrance. Official recognition of Nectarios as a Saint by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople took place on 20 April 1961.

The Feast Day of St. Nectarios is celebrated every year on November 9. Thousands of miracles have been attributed to his intercession.

Read more at http://www.saintnectarios.org/

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Christian Orthodox Vespers at Mead Chapel


We are very grateful to Father Mark Sherman and to those who accompanied him tonight from Saint Jacob of Alaska Church in Northfield Falls!

What a great joy for the COA to have a Vespers service celebrated within the Religious Life Awareness Month!



Many thanks to all of you who came today, and took part in this special celebration!





As you know, on November 8, we celebrate the feast of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, and of all angels,




and on November 9 we celebrate the feast of Saint Nectarios the Thaumaturge of Aegina.

"SEEK GOD daily. But seek Him in your heart, not outside it. And when you find Him, stand with fear and trembling, like the Cherubim and the Seraphim, for your heart has become a throne of God. But in order to find God, become humble as dust before the Lord, for the Lord abhors the proud, whereas He visits those that are humble in heart, wherefore He says: "To whom will I look, but to him that is meek and humble in heart?"
THE DIVINE LIGHT illumines the pure heart and the pure intellect, because these are susceptible to receiving light; whereas impure hearts and intellects, not being susceptible to receiving illumination, have an aversion to the light of knowledge, the light of truth; they like darkness... God loves those who have a pure heart, listens to their prayers, grants them their requests that lead to salvation, reveals Himself to them and teaches the mysteries of the Divine nature." http://www.orthodoxphotos.com/readings/nektarios/writings.shtml


Saturday, November 04, 2006

Virtual Tour of an Orthodox Church Interior

If you want to explore the interior of an Orthodox church, you should visit this website:

http://www.goarch.org/ and then follow the link to "Virtual reality". Enjoy the tour! It is amazing!

Icons


First of all, I would like to thank to those of you who came to our open door meeting tonight! It was a fruitful exchange that made me think more in depth at the meaning of icons. However, since we cannot touch such a broad and vast theme as the icons in a few hours, I hope that you will find the opportunity to take it from where we started it tonight and continue our discussion online.

As far as I am concerned, icons are, as Rachel beautifully expressed it, "tools" that facilitate and at the same time deepen our connection with God.

As I went home, I remembered I had once, not such a long time ago, read a book by Saint John of Damascus, "On the Divine Images", in which he defeats the icons in front of those who rendered them idolatrous, during the Iconoclastic period (read more at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iconoclasm):" An image is a likeness depicting an archetype, but having some difference from it; the image is not like the archetype in every way. The Son is a living, natural and undeviating image of the Father, bearing in himself the whole Father, equal to him in every respect, differing only in being caused. For the Father is the natural cause, and the Son is caused; for the Father is not from the Son, but the Son from the Father"

He makes a very strong argument, also, when he further mentions all the "matter" that is present in our veneration of God, apart from the icons: "If the image of Christ is Christ [...] then the power is not divided nor the glory shared, but the glory of the image becomes that of the one depicted in the image". "If you say that God should only be apprehended spiritually, then take away everything bodily, the lights, the fragrant incense, even vocal prayer, the divine mysteries themselves that are celebrated with matter, the bread, the wine, the oil of chrismation, the form of the cross. For these are all material: the cross, the sponge, the reed the lance that pierced the life-bearing side."


What do you think?

Iulia