Passion Archives - Page 7 of 8

The Great and Holy Monday: The Services of the Bridegroom (Part I)

04/25/2016

Sunday through Monday Evening Introduction Beginning on the evening of Palm Sunday and continuing through the evening of Holy Tuesday, the Orthodox Church observes a special service known as the Service of the Bridegroom. Each evening service is the Matins or Orthros service of the following day (e.g. the service held on Sunday evening is the Orthros service for Holy Monday). The name of the service is from the figure of the Bridegroom in the

The Fifth Thursday of Great Lent: The Faithfulness of the Whore who Married the Governor & Detach Passion from the Image

04/14/2016

The Faithfulness of the Whore who Married the Governor Abbot John the Dwarf said: ‘If a king wanted to capture the town of his enemy, first of all he would cut off its water supply and prevent food from getting in. The enemies, dying of hunger, would surrender. In the same way we should treat the passions of the flesh. If someone lives in fasting and hunger, in a short while the enemies of his

WHEN YOU FAST: A REFLECTION ON GREAT LENT (Part I)

03/23/2015

By George Parsenios PhD What appears to happen in the Passion of Christ and what actually happens are not at all the same. What appears to happen is not that extraordinary. The Romans crucified a Jewish man in order to keep public order. During their long rule over Judea, the Romans had killed many Jews, making the death of Jesus one among these many. But, only in appearance. The reality was very different. The Paschal

Journey to Pascha

03/16/2015

Desiring to commune with the Divine Pascha . . . let us pursue victory over the devil through fasting. (First hymn of the aposticha for Vespers, Thursday of the first week of Lent) Having thus been encouraged and inspired by the memory and veneration of the Cross on which Christ suffered for our sakes, we are persuaded to continue our own Lenten effort, to carry on bearing our cross for His sake, and to walk

THE SUNDAY OF THE CROSS

03/13/2015

Having passed beyond the middle point in this holy season of the Fast, with joy Let us go forward to the part that still remains, anointing our souls with the oil of almsgiving. So may we be counted worthy to venerate the divine Passion of Christ our God, and to attain His dread and holy Resurrection. (Third troparion of Vespers, fourth Sunday of Lent) 12 THE THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT is dedicated to the Cross.

WHY DO WE SING THE AKATHIST HYMN EVERY LENT?

02/26/2015

The Akathist Hymn is a service full of poetry and theology in praise of the Mother of God, the Theotokos. Thus today’s Gospel reading takes us back to Christmas, to the good news that was given to the Theotokos that she would bare God in her womb and become His mother. This is another feast we celebrate every Lent, on the 25th March, the Annunciation. But why do we sing this Akathist Hymn, this song to

The Fortieth Day of Christmas Advent (Eve of Christmas): From the Manger to the Grave

12/24/2014

THE CHURCH TEACHES US the theology of the Scriptures not only with hymns, but also with images. Iconography is one of the “languages” into which Scripture is translated. Thus many of our icons also contain allusions and references to Old and New Testaments. Of particular interest is the icon of the Nativity. We have touched upon a comparison between the birth and the burial of Christ in the katavasia concerning Jonah. This comparison is made

Great and Holy Friday

04/18/2014

Comments on the Main Themes On Great Friday the Church remembers the ineffable mystery of Christ’s death. Death -tormenting, indiscriminate, universal – casts its cruel shadow over all creation. It is the silent companion of life. It is present in everything, ready to stifle and impose limits upon all things. The fear of death causes anguish and despair. It shackles us to the appearances of life and makes rebellion and sin erupt in us (Heb

Palm Sunday

04/13/2014

At the outset of His public ministry Jesus proclaimed the kingdom of God and announced that the powers of the age to come were already active in the present age (Lk 7.18-22). His words and mighty works were performed “to produce repentance as the response to His call, a call to an inward change of mind and heart which would result in concrete changes in one’s life, a call to follow Him and accept His

Destiny and Eros: Monasticism, the Fulfillment of Eros, Obedience, Chastity, Poverty

10/23/2013

Like John lying on his Master’s breast at the Last Supper, and later, in old age, seeing the dazzling face of the Lord of the universe, the monk is fascinated by the incomparable beauty of the Risen Christ. In him eros is altogether robed in the beauty of love and light, all the more beautiful because it shines through the disfigurement of the Passion and the Cross. There is no more room here for another

Archive

The Great and Holy Monday: The Services of the Bridegroom (Part I)

The Fifth Thursday of Great Lent: The Faithfulness of the Whore who Married the Governor & Detach Passion from the Image

WHEN YOU FAST: A REFLECTION ON GREAT LENT (Part I)

Journey to Pascha

THE SUNDAY OF THE CROSS

WHY DO WE SING THE AKATHIST HYMN EVERY LENT?

The Fortieth Day of Christmas Advent (Eve of Christmas): From the Manger to the Grave

Great and Holy Friday

Palm Sunday

Destiny and Eros: Monasticism, the Fulfillment of Eros, Obedience, Chastity, Poverty

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