by Grace Hibshman | ελληνικά Facebook celebrity Hyperdox Herman has offered ten satirical reasons for banning men from the priesthood, including: “The physical features of the structure of the male body indicate that the man was created for hard work, and not for serving in the temple, which does not require great physical strength.” “Men…
Continue readingThe Christmas Glow of “God with Us”
by V.K. McCarty All this took place to fulfill what had been said by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him “Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”—Matt. 1:22-23 May the Lord bless you with peace, and good will, and joy. From Matthew’s…
Continue readingEntering the Temple with the Mother of God
by V.K. McCarty “Today Anna bequeaths joy to all instead of sorrow by bringing forth her fruit.Today with joy she brings to the Temple of the LordThe true Temple and pure Mother of God the Word.” (Troparion in Tone 4) As faithful Orthodox navigating a tumultuous world, what does the upcoming Feast of the Entry…
Continue readingBaptism à la Carte: Or Why the Orthodox Need to Discuss Human Identity Seriously
by Nikolaos Asproulis | български | ქართული | ελληνικά | Română | Русский | Српски It was a normal Greek summer day in July 2022, before an Orthodox baptism provoked a fervent debate, or another episode in the “culture wars,” regarding the requirements (are there any?) of a child being baptized in the Church. Although Greeks are accustomed to reading about Church activities…
Continue readingTo Baptize or Not: God’s Love and Image
On July 9, 2022, Archbishop Elpidophoros, the primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, baptized the children of celebrity fashion designer Peter Dundas and Evangelo Bousis in a church near Athens. Reactions to the news of the baptism of children of a same-sex couple were predictable. The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of…
Continue readingThe Origins of Anti-Jewish Rhetoric in the Hymns of Good Friday
by George Demacopoulos | български | ქართული | ελληνικά | Română | Русский | Српски The oldest-surviving Christian hymns designed exclusively for Holy Week are a set known as the Idiomele. In the modern Orthodox Church, they are sung during the Royal Hours service of Good Friday morning (the final hymn is sung during two…
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