Archive

The Fall of Constantinople, [573] years ago (May 29th, 1453 – [2026])

~Konstantinos Holevas, Political Scientist Five hundred and [seventy-three] years have gone by since that accursed day, 29 May 1453. When the cry “The City has fallen” rang out and the Reigning City, the City of Saints, Emperors and legends passed into the occupation of the Ottoman dynasty. Thus began the years of Turkish rule. The Greek nation survived, but Constantinople and Ayia Sofia (The Church of Holy Wisdom) remain in foreign hands. Today we honour

Bright Friday: Theotokos of the “Life-Giving Spring”

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! CHRIST IS RISEN! The feast of the Life-giving Spring has its origins in the fifth century. It commemorates the consecration of the Church built next to it outside of Constantinople. The very large and beautiful church named in honor of the Theotokos of the Life-giving Spring was built by the Emperor Leo the Great (457-474) in Valouki, west of Constantinople (now Balıklı, Istanbul). Emperor Leo (January 20), before his ascension to the throne, had encountered a blind

The Fourth Tuesday of Great Lent. St Patrick: Revealer of the Holy Trinity

St Patrick is not only a saint for the Irish or for Roman Catholics. He is verily an Orthodox Saint and celebrated on March 17. He lived from the late 4th Century until the late 5th Century. Patrick was actually from Wales, not Ireland but was taken captive by pirates to Ireland. He was actually sold as a slave and made a herder of swine. It was during his time as a slave that he

Cultivating Creative Listening: Homily on the Sunday of Gregory Palamas

~Sermon preached by Claire Koen, PhD Candidate, Fordham University, on Sunday, March 31, 2024 Glory to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen. Over the last few weeks of Antiochian Women’s month we have heard about forgiveness and healing, mercy and judgment, and the sacraments that the church offers us to aid us in our paths towards theosis. Today, on the Sunday of Gregory Palamas, we remember this great saint and his

St Theodore and the Miracle of the Kollyva

On the 1st Saturday of Great Lent, we commemorate St Theodore the Tyre and the miracle of the kollyva (κόλλυβα). St Theodore has his own feast, February 17 which is the date of his repose. However, there is a great miracle associated with him that is celebrated every year on that 1st Saturday in Great Lent. St Theodore the Tyre was a soldier in the region of Pontus, in Asia Minor. Tyre is the Latin

Barns Filled with Nothing

~Sermon Preached by Fr. Antony Hughes on Sunday, November 18, 2007 Luke 12:16-21 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one God. Amen. Glory to Jesus Christ! There is a misconception that the Christian life is supposed to be miserable. Why, if that is not true, would the Church ask us to fast, to sacrifice and to deny ourselves the pleasures and goods of this life? But

The Synaxis of the Three Hierarchs

As the close of January draws near, a month filled with feasts commemorating prominent Church Fathers of the Orthodox Faith, comes to an end with the Feast of the Three Hierarchs. The Three Hierarchs are none other than: St Basil the Great, St John Chrysostom and St Gregory the Theologian. Each of these great Fathers have their own feast day: St Basil on January 1, St John Chrysostom on November 13 and January 27 and St Gregory

Memory of Saint Timothy the Apostle

The Church commemorates Saint Timothy the Apostle. Saint Timothy was a faithful disciple of Saint Paul the Apostle and is addressed as the recipient of the First and Second Epistles to Timothy. These two books are a group of three books of the canonical New Testament, which are called pastoral epistles, because they addressed not to Christian communities but to spiritual shepherds-bishops with pastoral oversight of local churches, such as Timothy, who shepherded with ardor

Venerable Maximus the Confessor

Saint Maximus the Confessor was born in Constantinople around 580 and raised in a pious Christian family. He received an excellent education, studying philosophy, grammar, and rhetoric. He was well-read in the authors of antiquity and he also mastered philosophy and theology. When Saint Maximus entered into government service, he became first secretary and chief counselor to the emperor Heraclius (611-641), who was impressed by his knowledge and virtuous life. Saint Maximus soon realized that

Venerable and God-bearing Father Anthony the Great

Saint Anthony the Great is known as the Father of monasticism, and the long ascetical sermon in The Life of Saint Anthony by Saint Athanasius (Sections 16-34), could be called the first monastic Rule. He was born in Egypt in the village of Coma, near the desert of the Thebaid, in the year 251. His parents were pious Christians of illustrious lineage. Anthony was a serious child and was respectful and obedient to his parents.