Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: and crowns are of a circular shape, and we decorate our house of prayer, i. e. the church, on feast days, with wreaths and garlands of flowers. A circle is significant of something without an end, i. e. eternity. It also denotes joy. CHAPTER III. THE TEMPLE AND ITS DIVISION IN PARTS. The Church, or, proper, the Temple, is divided into three parts: 1. The Sanctuary (for the Clergy); 2. The Nave (for the Faithful); 3. The Porch (for the Catechumens and the Penitents). The Sanctuary must be at the east side of the building. It is separated from the body of the auditorium by a screen or wall, called the Iconostasis. This is a Greek word, and signifies a place for pictures or images. There are three doorways in the Iconostasis, which are furnished with doors opening inwards, the central ones being double, and called the Royal Gates. The latter are not solid throughout, and behind them hangs a curtain, which is drawn and withdrawn as the ritual requires. In the middle of the Sanctuary stands the holy table (Altar), vested, first, with a linen covering, and over this with one of rich brocade. Behind the Altar there stands a candlestick with seven lights. Upon .the holy table is kept an ark or casket, often in the shape of a temple, and usually made of metal, which contains the Holy Sacrament, reserved for the Communion of the sick (and sometimes for the absent), or for the Liturgy of the Presancti- fied, which is sung in the days of Great Lent. At the Celebration of the Liturgy, a cloth containing Relics,called the Antirnins, is spread upon the Altar, and upon this are placed the sacred vessels with their coverings or veils. The Antimins are blessed only by the Bishop, and by him they are distributed among the churches. The holy Liturgy is offered over them in respect to t...

This is a group of spiritual short stories. Some of them are true, others are true in part, the rest are fiction. Each story contains a certain idea to deliver a spiritual lesson. In these short stories we tried to convey some of the fathers' philosophy in asceticism, dying to the world and how they rejected the pleasures of life, to be filled from Christ and ultimately unite with Him This is an opportunity for the reader who could not visit the monasteries to learn about the monastic life, the struggle of the fathers and the wars of the devil.

Orthodoxy is a book by G. K. Chesterton that has become a classic of Christian apologetics. Chesterton considered this book a companion to his other work, Heretics. In the book's preface Chesterton states the purpose is to "attempt an explanation, not of whether the Christian faith can be believed, but of how he personally has come to believe it." In it, Chesterton presents an original view of Christian religion. He sees it as the answer to natural human needs, the "answer to a riddle" in his own words, and not simply as an arbitrary truth received from somewhere outside the boundaries of human experience (wikipedia.org).

The Chrysostom Bible Commentary Series is not so much in honor of John Chrysostom as it is to continue and promote his legacy as an interpreter of the biblical texts for preaching and teaching God's congregation. In this volume, the author, Paul Nadim Tarazi, explains that Romans, "the one gospel meant for all the nations living in the Roman empire East and West," was addressed to the capital city and positioned at the beginning of the Pauline corpus to emphasize the universality of St. Paul's teaching. Not only Romans, he argues, but all of Paul's epistles were meant to be read at church gatherings everywhere, "together with the Old Testament." The V. Rev. Dr. Paul Nadim Tarazi is Professor of Biblical Studies and Languages at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary. He is the author of a three volume Introduction to the Old Testament, a four volume Introduction to the New Testament, Galatians: A Commentary, I Thessalonians: A Commentary, Land and Covenant, and the Chrysostom Bible, Genesis: A Commentary and Philippians: A Commentary. His Audio Bible Commentaries on the books of the New Testament are available online through the Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies (OCABS). >

Of all the stories of the resurrection of the Orthodox Church in formerly communist lands, Albania's may be the most dramatic. Having been almost exterminated by the atheist government, the Church of Albania has arisen, under the leadership of Archbishop Anastasios, to become a vibrant and growing member of the world Orthodox community. Fr. Luke Veronis and his family served as missionaries to Albania during some of the most crucial years of this resurrection. In these pages, Fr. Luke shares stories of those years-stories of desperate poverty and of heroism, of setbacks and triumphs, of heartbreak and miracles-and calls us all to answer the Lord's Great Commission: Go Forth!

This is the first biography in English of an extraordinary polymath whose great genius was stifled and finally extinguished by the Soviet Union. "Pavel Florensky: A Quiet Genius" is the first biography in English of an extraordinary polymath whose genius was stifled and finally extinguished by the Soviet Union. Today Pavel Florensky is often referred to as the Russian da Vinci. Florensky was, at one and the same time, a supremely gifted philosopher, mathematician, physicist, inventor, engineer and theologian. He was also a poet and wrote studies of history, language and art. Although he taught philosophy for most of his working life, his interests were wide-ranging and profound and included the study of time and space, the theory of relativity, aspects of language, and the properties of materials and geology. His book "The Pillar and the Ground of Truth" is widely seen as a masterpiece of Russian Orthodox theology. Eminent Russian scholar Avril Pyman looks at Florensky's life, from his childhood as the son of a railroad engineer to his mysterious death, and provides a populist perspective on his achievements. "Pavel Florensky: A Quiet Genius" celebrates the life of this unjustly forgotten victim of the Soviet Union.

Fr Abd el-Mesih el-Habashi is one of the twentieth century's great ascetics who lived in the Egyptian desert. His life is a witness to the continuity of the desert spirituality of the 4th century. He was man who was not concerned about anything or for anyone. His only concern was for the One. His eyes were directed towards eternity. He was content with enough food sufficient to keep him alive and enough clothing to cover his nakedness. He chose God as his way as well as his means. He unintentionally attracted us to him through sharing and exchanging the many tales that thousands of people have experienced in mixed feelings of wonder, joy, and deep contemplation. The multitude of people who saw him and dealt with him have all attested to that lion who has the heart of a child. He had a clear vision and a way of life. He did not act haphazardly but his behavior was a result of deep spiritual understanding. Fr Abd el-Mesih's character combines the weakness of the human nature and the strength of the spiritual personality. He was not of a special breed of people, like anyone he was agitated, tasted pain, and suffered trials. He left all these experiences for us as an example in persevering in trials. He lived an austere ascetic life and experienced many hardships. The devil waged many wars against him but he escaped them all. All the information in this book are documented in either voice recordings or written accounts of Metropolitans, Bishops, Priests, Monks, or Lay people, who gratefully shared their stories and photos that they had for this great father.

Based on his popular blog and Ancient Faith Radio podcast, Orthodixie, Fr. Joseph Huneycutt presents a humorous look at the pluses, minuses, joys, pitfalls, and struggles of perpetual conversion within an Orthodox Christian worldview. Within these pages you'll find all those familiar characters you've encountered in exploring American Orthodoxy-but with a hilarious twist: the Orthodox Christian anarchist, the Orthodox white boy, and that incomparable superhero, Ortho-Man. You'll be introduced to the lighter side of fasting, theosis, living a holy life in a secular world, and the struggle to understand those on the other side of the cradle/convert divide. For those days when acquiring the mind of Christ seems impossibly serious and, well, just plain impossible, a quick dip into "We Came, We Saw, We Converted" will restore your sense of humor and help you get up and try again.

Subtitle: The Spiritual Journey of Charles Sydney Gibbes Charles Sydney Gibbes travels abroad in a crisis of faith, and his world is changed forever when he becomes a tutor to the children of the Russian royal family. Gibbes eventually returns to Great Britain, there dedicating his life as an Orthodox priest to the memory of the Imperial Family and the faith he discovered in their distant homeland.

The Chrysostom Bible Commentary Series is not so much in honor of John Chrysostom as it is to continue and promote his legacy as an interpreter of the biblical texts for preaching and teaching God's congregation. In the first book of this series, the author, Paul Nadim Tarazi, presents a discussion of the Book of Genesis, which, he argues, sets the tone, defines the vocabulary, and introduces the plot of the biblical story. "In a sense," Tarazi writes, " Genesis is] the institutional or constitutional scriptural book...first and foremost a literary story that has a beginning and an end beyond which one may not venture backward nor creatively push forward." The V. Rev. Dr. Paul Nadim Tarazi is Professor of Biblical Studies and Languages at St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary. He is the author of a three-volume Introduction to the Old Testament, a four volume Introduction to the New Testament, Galatians: A Commentary, and I Thessalonians: A Commentary. His Audio Bible Commentaries on the books of the New Testament are available online through the Orthodox Center for the Advancement of Biblical Studies (OCABS).

The wit and wisdom of Gilbert K. Chesterton continues to astonish new readers. Presented as his 'spiritual autobiography,' this monumental work shows just how clearly Mr. Chesterton anticipated future developments in philosophy as well as how Christianity would continue to resonate with individual seekers. Atheism, materialism, modernism... still lack the romance embodied in Christianity. This edition includes an index to help run down the memorable quotes you recall Chesterton said, but not where he said it.

This important volume remains a valuable aid to scholars seeking a basic knowledge of Eastern Orthodox rites. A selection of offices, especially those under theological controversy in their time, is presented in the original Greek with an English translation.

It is a disconcerting fact that decisions for Orthodox Christians living in North America are currently dictated by interests of foreign governments and patriarchates, all which contribute to spiritual indifference among the faithful. This collection of essays explores the loss of autonomy and unification within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese and offers ways to create an all-encompassing church that respects cultures and philosophies.

George Matsoukas, Executive Director of Orthodox Christian Laity in West Palm Beach, Florida and an active member of his local parish, diocese, and archdiocese, chronologically presents personal essays that respond to regression in the life of the church during a seven-year period. He encourages constructive change through effective communication and a partnership between the church and the laity, ultimately resulting in a church that is able to meet the spiritual needs of all its members. Matsoukas provides insight on such topics as:

Transitions within administrative structures Relationships with mother churches Parish life including the role of women in the church

Matsoukas is passionate about creating a unified transformation and makes a well-informed case for a increasing the laity's role in the Orthodox Church in America and for the simultaneous liberation of this church from its historical oversight in various mother countries.

Orthodox Christianity at the Crossroad: A Great Council of the Church - When and Why

The purpose of publishing the papers presented at the Twentieth Annual Meeting of Orthodox Christian Laity is to improve "lay and clergy literacy" on the conference topic of "The Need for a Great and Holy Council." The papers are presented with the hope that the information will motivate the faithful to participate in the conciliar decision-making process that moves the Church forward on the issue of developing the council or another appropriate meeting. The forces, factors, and history that inhibit calling a council are presented in these papers. The hope of what can be accomplished when brothers work in synergy with each other and the Holy Spirit is also evident.

The renewal of Orthodox Christianity and the renewal of its witness in the contemporary world of global religious pluralism depend on such a meeting. The calling of a council free of worldly, political, power, turf, ego and ethnic considerations will renew the "Living Tradition" of Orthodoxy, which is its Apostolic calling. The world is looking for this "Living Tradition," which cannot be well-expressed by a fragmented Orthodox Church. A council is a step toward renewing the Church and making it whole in order to teach this "Living Tradition."

It is interesting to note-as this collection of papers points out-that the children of Orthodox Christians living in America have come together as Americans, in order to remain Orthodox, through campus ministry programs that they are developing. The young adults are leading the way to Orthodox unity. Is it not time for the Church elders, the hierarchs, the clergy, and the faithful to look at the example of unity that the youth are providing and move ahead to do what is necessary to renew the Church through this conciliar council?

ABOUT THE EDITOR
George E. Matsoukas, Executive Director of Orthodox Christian Laity since 2000, recently published "A Church in Captivity, The Greek Orthodox Church of America." He co-authored and edited "Project for Orthodox Renewal" and continues to publish articles in various journals, newspapers and local history publications. He is an active member of his church and community.

Mission of OCL
Orthodox Christian Laity (OCL) is a national, voluntary movement dedicated to syndiaconia (co-ministry) of clergy and laity who are concerned with the spiritual renewal, accountability, and transparency in Church governance. OCL encourages the laity to exercise its legitimate responsibilities as part of the conciliar governance process. OCL advocates the establishment of an administratively and canonically UNIFIED SELF - GOVERNING Orthodox Church in North America, which is in keeping with the theology and tradition in fulfilling its Apostolic mission.

Originally published in the Journal of the American Oriental Society, this English translation of The Life of Saint Simeon the Stylite is a fascinating account of the prototypical pillar saint-the first of those strange holy athletes who took their stand atop a high column. Of unknown authorship, this vita was originally written in Syriac and was most likely penned shortly after Simeon's death in AD 459. Much of Simeon's biography consists of mystical events, miraculous cures, piety rewarded, depravity punished, divine and satanic interventions in the lives of men. But the vita also contains a wealth of information about monastic and penitential practices and provides dozens of vignettes chronicling daily Christian life and the many hardships faced by ordinary citizens of the late Roman Empire in the East. This book also includes an another article originally published in the Journal of the American Oriental Society by Charles C. Torrey entitled, "The Letters of Simeon the Stylite." This article offers English translations of several letters purportedly written by Simeon, along with a useful discussion of the controversy over the saint's opinion of the Council of Chalcedon.

Acclaimed author Frederica Mathewes-Green takes us through a typical Divine Liturgy in her little parish of Holy Cross in Baltimore, setting of her well-loved book "Facing East." Interspersed with reflections on the liturgy and the Orthodox faith are accounts of adventures around the country. In all the places she visits and all the people she meets, Frederica finds insights about faith, American life and what it means to be human and she shares these insights with the wit, pathos and folksy friendliness that have made her one of the most beloved spiritual writers in America.Listen to Frederica's podcast, i]Frederica Here and Now /i], at www.ancientfaith.com.Frederica Mathewes-Green is an Eastern Orthodox author and speaker on the subjects of religion and abortion. She holds a BA in English from the University of South Carolina and an MA in Theological Studies from Virginia Theological Seminary. Her husband, Fr. Gregory Mathewes-Green, is an Eastern Orthodox priest. Her writing has been compared to Erma Bombeck and Garrison Keillor.

"Deep in a northern Russian forest of jade and brown, far from any hint of civilization, Valaam Monastery sinks into the seasons of the year as it has for a thousand years before. . . ." So begins the story of John Oliver, a young evangelical American on a journey of discovery-a journey that leads him to an ancient Russian monastery, a place of peace and a place of struggle. For on Valaam, he encounters Orthodox Christianity and is reminded that the Christian life is not for the faint of heart. And on Valaam, the treasure of stillness requires a fierce guarding. Foreword by Fr. Jonah Paffhausen, abbot of the Monastery of St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco, in Northern California. Excerpts from book reviews: Lyrically, eloquently, and with great wisdom, this book speaks to the soul. Part spiritual autobiography, part penetrating description of what Orthodox spirituality can and should be, John Oliver's words evoke in the reader's mind and heart a longing for God, at once fierce and tender. "Great art, great architecture," he says, "always leads us inward and upward." This marvelous book does no less. It leads us inward and upward, until, for a moment at least, we even touch heaven. -Fr. John Breck, Author, professor of biblical interpretation and ethics at St. Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute in Paris Touching Heaven is a lovely book, quiet and contemplative, and full of peaceful revelations. -Frederica Mathewes-Green, Author of Facing East, National Public Radio commentator This is a gripping and finely written account of what drew John Oliver into the deeper waters of Christianity and made him an Orthodox Christian. -Jim Forest, Author of Praying with Icons, lecturer

The Church of the Holy Spirit, written by Russian priest and scholar Nicholas Afanasiev (1893-1966), is one of the most important works of twentieth-century Orthodox theology. Afanasiev was a member of the "Paris School" of emigre intellectuals who gathered in Paris after the Russian revolution, where he became a member of the faculty of St. Sergius Orthodox Seminary. The Church of the Holy Spirit, which offers a rediscovery of the eucharistic and communal nature of the church in the first several centuries, was written over a number of years beginning in the 1940s and continuously revised until its posthumous publication in French in 1971. Vitaly Permiakov's lucid translation and Michael Plekon's careful editing and substantive introduction make this important work available for the first time to an English-speaking audience.

One of the less formal but most important functions of parish ministry entails providing counseling to parishioners in need of sympathetic hearing and understanding advice from someone they personally know and trust. "Jesus Wept" provides a theological, psychological, and doctrinal foundation of the Eastern Orthodox Christian view of death that counselors can pass along to help the bereaved place the decedent's passing into proper spiritual context. It also discusses the psychological, functional, and spiritual aspects of the Eastern Orthodox funeral services. Author Gregory P. Wynot, Sr. focuses on the especially traumatic circumstances connected with the death of a family member or loved one and details the stages of dying and the grieving process. He also discusses how to diagnose and categorize different kinds of grief as well as how best to approach specific situations. Finally, Wynot looks at the impact of bereavement counseling on the counselor, who must find a delicate balance between being a "spiritual father" and psychological "caregiver." Also included are resource appendices and a bibliography for further reading. "Jesus Wept" is an invaluable resource that can ease the burden of what is certainly one of the most challenging tasks any counselor is called upon to perform.

"Holy Fathers, Secular Sons" is the first study of the Orthodox clergy's contribution to Russian society. Prior to the 1860s, clergymen's sons were not allowed to leave the castelike clergy in large numbers. When permission was granted, they responded by entering free professions and political movements in droves. Challenging the standard view of educated pre-revolutionary Russians as largely westernized, secular, and patricidal, Manchester demonstrates that the clergymen's sons did retain their fathers' values. This was even true of the minority who became atheists. Drawing on the clergy's commitment to moral activism, anti-aristocratism, and nationalism, clergymen's sons believed they could, and should, save Russia. The consequence was a cultural revolution that helped pave the way for the 1917 revolutions.Using a massive array of previously untapped archival and published sources - including lively first-hand autobiographical writings of over two hundred clergymen's sons - Manchester constructs a composite biography of their childhoods, educations, and adult lives. In a highly original approach, she explores how they employed the image of the clerical family to structure their political, professional, and personal lives. Manchester's work provides a window into an extremely significant but little-known world of Russian educated culture, while also contributing to histories of lived religion, private life, and memory, as well as to debates over secularization, modernity, and revolution. "Holy Fathers, Secular Sons" powerfully challenges the assumptions that radical change cannot be inspired by tradition and that the modern age is inherently secular.Those interested in Russian history, the history of religion, and the relation of religion to politics will appreciate this important study.