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ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ! CHRIST IS RISEN! Bright Wednesday: The Senselessness of Suffering and Death

By Fr. Stephen Freeman, November 11, 2017  I recently posted a note on social media in which I said that Christ’s death and resurrection changed the “senseless” character of death. Therefore, Christians need no longer fear it. I got a bit of push-back. What is senseless about suffering and death? There are two aspects of suffering and death that are particularly felt to be senseless. The first is suffering that seems to have no purpose:

The Twenty-Second Day of Christmas Advent: The Real Santa Claus – Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra

By Fr. Luke A. Veronis, December 19, 2021 Sinter Klaas, the Dutch name that we Americans transliterated into Santa Claus, obviously refers to Saint Nicholas, one of the most beloved of all saints throughout the world, and whose memory is actually celebrated today on December 6th/19th. Travel across Europe and you can literally find thousands of churches named in honor of St. Nicholas. Greece and Russia look upon St. Nicholas as the patron of their

The Twenty-Second Day of Christmas Advent. The Life of St. Nicholas.

More than 1,600 years ago, in the year 270 AD, St. Nicholas was born not far from Myra, in what is now modern day Turkey. At that time, Orthodox Christians were persecuted for their faith. Many of them were tortured and executed because of their belief in Jesus Christ. Nicholas was taught by his parents to love the Lord with his whole mind, heart, soul, and with all his strength. When they died he inherited

The Twenty-Second Day of Christmas Advent. The Feast Day of Saint Nicholas of Myra

The Feast Day of Saint Nicholas of Myra AS WE WAIT FOR GOD TO BECOME INCARNATE, we look to the whole body of Christ, past and present, for models of embodied faith. The commemoration of saints has been a part of Christian worship since the second century. Today we remember Saint Nicholas, who was the Bishop of Myra in the province of Lycia during the fourth century. Very little is known about his life, but

The Twenty-Second Day of Christmas Advent. Celebrating St. Nicholas: When Santa Went to Jail

By Andrew Estocin The Nativity Fast has begun and Christmas is just around the corner. Trees are soon to be decorated. Children around the world will make lists, check them twice and anxiously await the arrival of Santa Claus. However, parents beware! Jolly old St. Nick served time in prison. I’m not kidding! The man who slides down your chimney with a bag full of presents went to jail for assault. Should parents be concerned?

The Thirty-Seventh Day of Christmas Advent. Sharing the Good News

And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid, for I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people.” -Luke2:10 Many years ago, when we lived in Connecticut, we hosted a priest from Africa (Uganda) for Christmas in our home. When I picked him up from his seminary dorm room on December 23, I saw that he didn’t have much in the way of belongings. He told me

The Twenty-Second Day of Christmas Advent. The Life of St. Nicholas

More than 1,600 years ago, in the year 270 AD, St. Nicholas was born not far from Myra, in what is now modern day Turkey. At that time, Orthodox Christians were persecuted for their faith. Many of them were tortured and executed because of their belief in Jesus Christ. Nicholas was taught by his parents to love the Lord with his whole mind, heart, soul, and with all his strength. When they died he inherited

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra

SAINT NICHOLAS HAS COME A LONG WAY: from being a fourth century bishop in the distant Roman province of Lycia, through  innumerable pious legends, until he became “Sinter Klaas,” which  is older Dutch for Saint Nicholas; in our day Americans have turned him into Santa Claus, patron saint of the seasonal commandment to shop until you drop. What should Christians do about Santa Claus? Reject him or reclaim him? I suggest we reclaim him. The