OrthodoxWiki - User contributions [en]

Holy Supper

2007-12-24T18:39:56Z

MariaCrabtree: New page: It is a Russian tradition to have a holy supper on Christmas Eve. Since Christmas is preceded by forty days of fasting, this Holy Supper is the last meal of the fast. The twelve fasting fo...

It is a Russian tradition to have a holy supper on Christmas Eve. Since Christmas is preceded by forty days of fasting, this Holy Supper is the last meal of the fast. The twelve fasting foods usually served are: barley, honey, stewed prunes, pierogi, sauerkraut, potatoes, lima beans, garlic, Lenten bread, mushroom soup and salt. The meal begins with the singing of the Christmas troparion (a hymn) and the lighting of a candle placed in the center of the table. The candle symbolizes the star of Bethlehem. The bread is then broken by the father of the house and given to everyone present. This symbolizes Christ at the Last Supper. The foods range from bitter to sweet to remind us of the bitterness of life before Christ was born and the sweetness of life which comes after His birth. The number 12 symbolizes the twelve apostles. When the meal is finished all attend the Christmas Eve vigil.

The Holy Supper usually takes place in the home with the Father leading the family in the prayer ritual. It begins with the youngest child reading the Nativity account from the gospel of St. Matthew 2:1-12. The Father then starts with an opening prayer asking God to bless the bread wine and food. He then breaks the bread and passes it out to all present.

Some Orthodox churches preserve this family tradition where parishioners bring their favorite Nativity Lenten food and share with all present. This family tradition began because it is in danger of being lost since families no longer live close together and few have the time to cook the necessary dishes. The priest who is the father of the church family performs the prayer ritual.

Priest: O Lord Jesus Christ our God, Who blessed the five loaves in the wilderness and with them You satisfied the five thousand, + bless this loaf, wine, and the food we are about to eat and multiply them in this city, and in all the world, and sanctify all the faithful who partake of them. For it is You, O Christ our God, Who bless and sanctify all things, and to You we ascribe glory, together with Your Father, Who is without beginning, and Your all-holy, and good, and life-creating Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.

People: Amen.
Honey is placed on the forehead with the words:

All: May we love one another as the bee loves honey
The cup of wine in passed around for each to drink:

All: Unite us in Faith and Love
Bread is broken and passed to all. It is then dipped into the honey and eaten:

All: Let us love one another
Garlic is eaten-( not pealed but cracked with the teeth)

All: May God Spare us from all Evil
Twelve Lenten foods are eaten without knives or pepper. Pepper symbolizes arguments and knives the cutting of friendship

Closing Prayer:
Priest: May He who was born in a cavern and lay in a manger for our salvation Christ our true God, through the prayers of the Holy Theotokos, of the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke and of all the saints have mercy on and save us for He is good and loves mankind.

People: Amen

There are a few games which are played. While blindfolded prunes are speared with a fork. If two prunes are speared the single will get married, the married will become pregnant.

A candle is blown out gently. If the smoke rises straight up it means a year of good luck.

In the Russian Orthodox tradition, following 40 days of Nativity Lent, the birth of Christ is commemorated with a final Lenten feast. The placing of hay under the tablecloth is in memory of the manger in which the Holy Child was placed by His Mother at His birth.
Completely Lenten, the supper consists of 7, 9 or 12 courses. A candle is lit and the head of the family leads in prayer. An extra place is always set -- for Jesus, either in Spirit, or in the form of a traveler or stranger, for none are turned away on this day without a warm invitation to partake of this Holy Supper.

The supper begins with a spoonful of the traditional Kutya, a cooked wheat or barley kasha, sweetened with honey, poppy seeds and chopped nuts -- for good fortune!

After supper, it is traditional for all to attend a Vesper Service, following which the choir may begin visiting homes to sing Christmas Carols.

Two may be chosen from each category -- except soup.

APPETIZERS: lkra (caviar), Kutya, Pick-led Mushrooms, Piroshki (with mushroom or sauerkraut filling), Herring (with beet and onion slices), Baklazhan (eggplant caviar).

SOUPS: Mushroom, Barley, Fish (with dumplings), Borscht, Cabbage, Vegetable.

FISH DISHES: Baked Pike, Trout or other, Fried Filet of Sole or Bluefish, Fish in Aspic, Stuffed Carp, Fishcakes, Fried Smelts, Boiled Lobster.

VEGETABLE DISHES: Potato Pancakes, Boiled Potato (with dill), Baked Sauer-kraut, Baked Sliced Beets, Potato Salad (with beets), Cauliflower (with bread crumbs and margarine topping), Lenten Cabbage Rolls, Pickled Baked Cabbage, "Malosolniyeh" Pickles (freshly dilled).

FRUIT & CAKE: Dried-fruit Compote, Cherry or Blueberry Vareniki, Poppy seed Cake or Roll. Nut Pudding, Apple Strudel, Kissel, Fruit Rolls.

BEVERAGES: Wine, Kvass, Russian Tea (served with preserves and lemon slices)

OrthodoxWiki:Suggestions

2007-12-24T18:34:11Z

MariaCrabtree: /* Other Ideas */

This '''Suggestions''' page is for requests for '''new''' articles (requests for help with '''in-progress''' articles should be posted on [[OrthodoxWiki:Help wanted]]). You can post new suggestions here or click on the current ones and begin the work.

If you're stumped for ideas, take a look at some [[OrthodoxWiki:Style Manual (Importing)#Starting_Points|Starting Points]], as well as the [[Special:Wantedpages|Wanted pages]] list.

==Sample suggestions for future development==
===Categories for Development===
*[[:Category:Liturgical Texts and Translations]]
*[[:Category:Parish Resources]]
*[[:Category:Orthodox Folk Traditions]]

===Other Ideas===
*[[Maria of Normanby]]
*Accessibility issues (e.g. service books in Braille)
*Scandinavian Orthodoxy
*Young Adult Links
*[[Holy Supper]]
*Campus Ministry Links
*Local Histories
*[[Homily|Sermons]]
*Groups that Call themselves Orthodox
*[[Orthodoxy and the Environment]]
*Intentional Communties
*Link Farms
*[[Magazines and Publications|Orthodox Periodicals]]
*Orthodox Web Evangelism
*[[Sergius Bulgakov]]
*[[Sophiology]]
*[[Canons of the Orthodox Church|Canon Law]]
*[[Liturgical English]]
*Articles on [[Liturgy]]
*[[Brotherhoods]]
*Church School resources
*Notable Parish Websites
*Anti-Western [[Polemics]]
*Clerical Ranks, Titles, and Awards ([[Major orders]])
*Major resource sites
*[[Liturgical Music]]
*Best Byzantine Chant CDs
*[[Origen]]
*[[Holy Fire|Holy fire]]
*[[Benedict of Nursia]]
*Series of articles on "what you need to bring" for a particular sacrament (if you're the parent, godparent, priest, etc.) including links or full text of the service; these could focus on how the items (baptismal gown, wedding crowns) are used in the ceremony and what they mean, perhaps eventually getting their own articles

*Marketplace:
** [[Internet Products and Software]] (Webhosting, domains, software for churches)
** [[Wood Carving]]

==Regional Links==
*Asia
*Africa
[[Orthodoxy in Africa]]
*Europe
*North America
*South America
*Oceana

==Suggestion for a 'Latest Church news' feature on OrthodoxWiki homepage==
The items under this rubric would be linked to relevant entries in OrthodoxWiki, for example:
* a news item about [http://newsfromrussia.com/world/2005/10/31/66637.html the new primate of the Malankara Church] would be linked to OrthodoxWiki page about that Church (if any exists),
* [http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=22699&cat_id=9 Battle of the Bishops (Cyprus)] -> link to OrthodoxWiki pages about [[Church of Cyprus]] and [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]],
* [http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4473 Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem appeal to High Court against government refusal of recognition] -> link to OrthodoxWiki pages about [[Church of Jerusalem]] and [[Theophilus III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem|Theophilus III]],
* etc.

Format: each listed news item will have a short ~20-word description allowing links to relevant entries from OrthodoxWiki, besides a link to the original news source for full details. For example:

::'''4 Nov 05:''' His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]] visits 'Economist' HQ in London and the London School of Economics and Political Sciences; states that [[Church_of_Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]] could be Europe's bridge with [[Islam]] (original news sources: [http://www.ana.gr/anaweb/user/showplain?maindoc=3551488&maindocimg=2350819&service=100 ana.gr (1)], [http://www.ana.gr/anaweb/user/showplain?maindoc=3556089&maindocimg=3499314&service=100 ana.gr (2)])

Update frequency: ideally daily, but perhaps every 2-3 days or weekly to reduce the burden of editing/updating it

Possible sources: official Church pages, Christian newsagencies, and news aggregators like http://news.google.com (search using suitable keywords, e.g., http://news.google.com/news?&q=bartholomew%20ecumenical - http://news.google.com/news?&q=alexy%20II - http://news.google.com/news?&q=orthodox+church )

Pros: dynamic content that adds life and "up-to-the-minute" currency to OrthodoxWiki; increases visitor retention/repeat visitors' rates; fosters/encourages the building of a strong online community; raises readers' awareness/presents them with an 'agenda for specific prayers' about the universal Church (Church around the world), the one Body of Christ, and the daily affairs and concerns of fellow Christians worldwide, not just in the West or in the country where one lives

Cons: time and deication needed to maintain it

===Ideas===
Hi, the best way to do this would be to simply include RSS feeds from a few different news sources. I have this set up, in a very basic way, at www.orthodoxnewswire.com. Let me check into the possibilities for doing this on OWiki. I'm not sure this feature is available yet, but hopefully in the future. I don't think it makes sense to do this manually. [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

:'''Update:''' This has been implemented at [[Orthodox news]]. [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]] 23:36, November 29, 2005 (CST)
==Parish template==
I'm not very good at manipulating Wiki code here (I fare better on Wikipedia), but I was hoping to add a new template specifically for use on parish pages. It would be in a format similar to [[Template:Diocese]], but with different fields. Any help would be appreciated. [[User:Cholmes75|cholmes75]] 18:24, June 8, 2006 (CDT)

:What topics were you thinking about listing? I think its favorability will depend on its use. [[User:Joe Rodgers|Joe]] 2006-06-08

[[Category:OrthodoxWiki]]

OrthodoxWiki:Suggestions

2007-12-24T18:33:29Z

MariaCrabtree: /* Other Ideas */

This '''Suggestions''' page is for requests for '''new''' articles (requests for help with '''in-progress''' articles should be posted on [[OrthodoxWiki:Help wanted]]). You can post new suggestions here or click on the current ones and begin the work.

If you're stumped for ideas, take a look at some [[OrthodoxWiki:Style Manual (Importing)#Starting_Points|Starting Points]], as well as the [[Special:Wantedpages|Wanted pages]] list.

==Sample suggestions for future development==
===Categories for Development===
*[[:Category:Liturgical Texts and Translations]]
*[[:Category:Parish Resources]]
*[[:Category:Orthodox Folk Traditions]]

===Other Ideas===
*[[Maria of Normanby]]
*Accessibility issues (e.g. service books in Braille)
*Scandinavian Orthodoxy
*Young Adult Links
*Holy Supper
*Campus Ministry Links
*Local Histories
*[[Homily|Sermons]]
*Groups that Call themselves Orthodox
*[[Orthodoxy and the Environment]]
*Intentional Communties
*Link Farms
*[[Magazines and Publications|Orthodox Periodicals]]
*Orthodox Web Evangelism
*[[Sergius Bulgakov]]
*[[Sophiology]]
*[[Canons of the Orthodox Church|Canon Law]]
*[[Liturgical English]]
*Articles on [[Liturgy]]
*[[Brotherhoods]]
*Church School resources
*Notable Parish Websites
*Anti-Western [[Polemics]]
*Clerical Ranks, Titles, and Awards ([[Major orders]])
*Major resource sites
*[[Liturgical Music]]
*Best Byzantine Chant CDs
*[[Origen]]
*[[Holy Fire|Holy fire]]
*[[Benedict of Nursia]]
*Series of articles on "what you need to bring" for a particular sacrament (if you're the parent, godparent, priest, etc.) including links or full text of the service; these could focus on how the items (baptismal gown, wedding crowns) are used in the ceremony and what they mean, perhaps eventually getting their own articles

*Marketplace:
** [[Internet Products and Software]] (Webhosting, domains, software for churches)
** [[Wood Carving]]

==Regional Links==
*Asia
*Africa
[[Orthodoxy in Africa]]
*Europe
*North America
*South America
*Oceana

==Suggestion for a 'Latest Church news' feature on OrthodoxWiki homepage==
The items under this rubric would be linked to relevant entries in OrthodoxWiki, for example:
* a news item about [http://newsfromrussia.com/world/2005/10/31/66637.html the new primate of the Malankara Church] would be linked to OrthodoxWiki page about that Church (if any exists),
* [http://www.cyprus-mail.com/news/main.php?id=22699&cat_id=9 Battle of the Bishops (Cyprus)] -> link to OrthodoxWiki pages about [[Church of Cyprus]] and [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]],
* [http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=4473 Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem appeal to High Court against government refusal of recognition] -> link to OrthodoxWiki pages about [[Church of Jerusalem]] and [[Theophilus III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem|Theophilus III]],
* etc.

Format: each listed news item will have a short ~20-word description allowing links to relevant entries from OrthodoxWiki, besides a link to the original news source for full details. For example:

::'''4 Nov 05:''' His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]] visits 'Economist' HQ in London and the London School of Economics and Political Sciences; states that [[Church_of_Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]] could be Europe's bridge with [[Islam]] (original news sources: [http://www.ana.gr/anaweb/user/showplain?maindoc=3551488&maindocimg=2350819&service=100 ana.gr (1)], [http://www.ana.gr/anaweb/user/showplain?maindoc=3556089&maindocimg=3499314&service=100 ana.gr (2)])

Update frequency: ideally daily, but perhaps every 2-3 days or weekly to reduce the burden of editing/updating it

Possible sources: official Church pages, Christian newsagencies, and news aggregators like http://news.google.com (search using suitable keywords, e.g., http://news.google.com/news?&q=bartholomew%20ecumenical - http://news.google.com/news?&q=alexy%20II - http://news.google.com/news?&q=orthodox+church )

Pros: dynamic content that adds life and "up-to-the-minute" currency to OrthodoxWiki; increases visitor retention/repeat visitors' rates; fosters/encourages the building of a strong online community; raises readers' awareness/presents them with an 'agenda for specific prayers' about the universal Church (Church around the world), the one Body of Christ, and the daily affairs and concerns of fellow Christians worldwide, not just in the West or in the country where one lives

Cons: time and deication needed to maintain it

===Ideas===
Hi, the best way to do this would be to simply include RSS feeds from a few different news sources. I have this set up, in a very basic way, at www.orthodoxnewswire.com. Let me check into the possibilities for doing this on OWiki. I'm not sure this feature is available yet, but hopefully in the future. I don't think it makes sense to do this manually. [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]]

:'''Update:''' This has been implemented at [[Orthodox news]]. [[User:FrJohn|Fr. John]] 23:36, November 29, 2005 (CST)
==Parish template==
I'm not very good at manipulating Wiki code here (I fare better on Wikipedia), but I was hoping to add a new template specifically for use on parish pages. It would be in a format similar to [[Template:Diocese]], but with different fields. Any help would be appreciated. [[User:Cholmes75|cholmes75]] 18:24, June 8, 2006 (CDT)

:What topics were you thinking about listing? I think its favorability will depend on its use. [[User:Joe Rodgers|Joe]] 2006-06-08

[[Category:OrthodoxWiki]]

Nativity

2007-12-24T18:27:57Z

MariaCrabtree: /* Eve of the Nativity */

[[Image:Nativity.jpg|right|frame|The Nativity of Christ]]
The '''Nativity''' according to the flesh of our [[Lord]], God and Saviour [[Jesus Christ]], also called '''Christmas''', is one of the [[Great Feasts]] of the [[Orthodox Church]], celebrated on [[December 25]].

In the fullness of time, our Lord [[Jesus Christ]] was born to the Holy [[Theotokos]] and Virgin Mary, thus entering into the world as a man and revealing Himself to mankind.

According to the [[Bible]] and to [[Holy Tradition]], Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem in a cave, surrounded by farm animals and shepherds. The baby Jesus was born into a manger from the [[Theotokos|Virgin Mary]], assisted by her husband St. [[Joseph the Betrothed|Joseph]]. St. Joseph and the Theotokos were forced to travel due to a Roman census; the odd location of the birth was the result of the refusal of a nearby inn to accommodate the expecting couple ([[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 2:1-20).

Though three magi from the East are commonly depicted as visiting during the event itself (or, in [[Roman Catholic]] tradition, twelve days thereafter), the Bible records the coming of an unspecified number of wise men as being a few years after Jesus' birth (see [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 2). In either case, these magi came bearing gifts of gold, [[frankincense]], and [[myrrh]] (Matt 2:11). In the hymnography for the feast, these gifts are interpreted to signify Christ's royalty, divinity, and suffering.

Though Jesus' birth is celebrated on December 25, most scholars agree that it is unlikely he was actually born on this date. The choice of December 25 for the Church's celebration of the Nativity is most likely to have been in order to squelch attendance at pagan solstice festivals falling on the same day.

==Celebration of the feast==
===Nativity fast===
The cycle starts with a [[fast]] of forty days that precedes the feast. It is called the Nativity fast or Advent. For the faithful, it is a time to purify both soul and body to enter properly into and partake of the great spiritual reality of Christ's Coming, much like the preparation for the fast of the Lord's Resurrection.

The beginning of the fast on [[November 15]] is not liturgically marked by any hymns, but five days later, on the eve of the Feast of the [[Presentation of the Theotokos]], we hear the first announcement from the nine "Irmoi" of the Christmas Canon: "Christ is born, glorify Him!"

This period includes other special preparatory days announcing the approaching Nativity: [[Apostle Andrew|St Andrew's]] Day, [[November 30]]; [[Nicholas of Myra|St Nicholas]] Day, [[December 6]]; the [[Sunday of the Forefathers]]; and the [[Sunday of the Fathers]].

[[December 20]]th begins the [[Forefeast]] of the Nativity. The liturgical structure is similar to the [[Holy Week]] preceding [[Pascha]]. The Orthodox Church sees the birth of the Son of God as the beginning of the saving ministry which will lead Him, for the sake of man’s salvation, to the ultimate sacrifice of the Cross.
===Eve of the Nativity===
On the [[eve of the Nativity]], the [[Royal Hours]] are read and the [[Divine Liturgy]] of St. [[Basil the Great]] is served with [[Vespers]]. At these services the [[Old Testament]] prophecies of Christ's birth are chanted.

There is also a tradition of Vale or Holy Supper. This is a 12 course lenten dinner served before the family goes to vespers.

===Christmas vigil===
The Vigil of Christmas begins with Great Compline because Vespers has already been served. At Compline there is the singing of the [[Troparion]] and [[Kontakion]] of the feast with special hymns glorifying the Saviour's birth. There are also the special long litanies of intercession and the solemn blessing of the five loaves of bread together with the wheat, wine, and oil. The faithful partake of the bread soaked in the wine and are also anointed with the oil. This part of the festal vigil, which is done on all great feasts, is called in Slavonic the ''[[litya]]'' and in Greek ''[[artoklasia]],'' or the breaking of the bread.

The order of [[Matins]] is that of a great feast. Here, for the first time, the full Canon "Christ is born," is sung while the faithful venerate the [[Nativity icon]].

===Christmas Liturgy ===
Concluding the celebration of the Nativity of Christ is the Liturgy. It begins with psalms of glorification and praise instead of the three normal [[Antiphons]]. The troparion and kontakion mark the entrance with the Book of the Gospels. The baptismal line from Galatians 3:27 once again replaces the [[Trisagion|Thrice-Holy]]. The Epistle reading is from Galatians 4:4-7, the Gospel reading is the familiar Christmas story from Matthew (2:1-12), and then the liturgy continues in the normal fashion.

===Twelve days of Christmas===
The second day of the feast starts a two-day celebration of the [[Synaxis]] of the [[Theotokos]]. Combining the hymns of the Nativity with those celebrating the Mother of God, the Church points to Mary as the one through whom the [[Incarnation]] was made possible. St [[Apostle Stephen the Protomartyr|Stephen]], the First Martyr, is also remembered on these two days.

On the Sunday after Christmas the Church [[Apostle James the Just|James the Brother of Our Lord]], [[David]] the King, and [[Joseph the Betrothed]].

Eight days after the Nativity, is the feast of [[Circumcision of our Lord]].

The period of Christmas rejoicing extends to [[Theophany|Epiphany]] during which time the Christmas songs are sung and fasting and kneeling in prayer are not called for by the Church. Throughout this time, it is the custom of some Orthodox Christians to greet each other with the words: ''"'''Christ is Born!'''"'' and the response: ''"'''Glorify Him!'''"''

==Hymns==
[[Troparion]] (Tone 4) [http://oca.org/FStropars.asp?SID=13&ID=103638]

:Your Nativity, O Christ our God,
:Has shone to the world the Light of wisdom!
:For by it, those who worshipped the stars,
:Were taught by a Star to adore You,
:The Sun of Righteousness,
:And to know You, the Orient from on High.
:O Lord, glory to You!

[[Kontakion]] (Tone 3)

:Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One,
:And the earth offers a cave to the Unapproachable One!
:Angels with shepherds glorify Him!
:The wise men journey with a star!
:Since for our sake the Eternal God was born as a Little Child!
==See also==
*[[Nativity icon]]

==External links==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?FSID=103638 The Nativity of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ] ([[OCA]])
*[http://goarch.org/en/chapel/saints.asp?contentid=352 The Nativity of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ] ([[GOARCH]])
*[http://www.touchstonemag.com/docs/issues/16.10docs/16-10pg12.html Calculating Christmas - A differing opinion of the calculation of the date of Christmas]
*[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/festal/festal.htm#phf04 Icons of the Nativity of Christ]

[[Category:Feasts]]
[[Category:Great Feasts]]

[[ro:Crăciun]]

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church (Mogadore, Ohio)

2007-12-24T18:05:37Z

MariaCrabtree: New page: St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Parish, Mogadore, Ohio For the most part, the Slavic immigrants who came to settle in East Akron, Ohio were from the region of Galicia and Uhor-Russia. They b...

St. Nicholas Orthodox Church Parish, Mogadore, Ohio

For the most part, the Slavic immigrants who came to settle in East Akron, Ohio were from the region of Galicia and Uhor-Russia. They brought with them the customs and religion of the “old country,” where both Orthodox Christian and Uniat (Byzantine Catholic) faiths were practiced, with many people unaware of any significant difference between the two faiths.

In East Akron, the Galician immigrants formed a parish on Ackley Street, but eventually differences of opinion about the status of the parish—Orthodox or Uniat—led to the courts for judgment. In 1917, the parish was ruled to be under Uniat jurisdiction, and the Orthodox Christians found themselves without a parish.

This small, but zealous group of Orthodox Christians decided to form an Orthodox parish. The nucleus of this group was members of the St. Nicholas Russian Brotherhood, which was organized in Akron in 1914. At a parish meeting on March 4, 1917, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was chosen as the patron saint and heavenly protector of the parish. Services were held in parishioners’ homes while plans were being finalized for the construction of a church.

Through much saving and sacrifice, this small group constructed a church on Robert Street. The first Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the new parish in the fall of 1917. It was the center of activity for the Russian Orthodox community.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s the parish continued to expand rapidly and thoughts turned toward constructing a new church to meet the demands of this growing community. In 1946, property was purchased on the corner of Sylvan and Pardee Avenues, ground was broken in 1950, and in May 1952 the new church was consecrated and the first services held.

In November 1963, a new iconostas (icon screen) was completed—the same iconastas that stands in our church today.

By 1964, the parish began to see the need for continued progress, and decided to think seriously about constructing a recreation and school building. Because adequate property could not be found in the city, and because many parishioners were moving into the Akron suburbs, the parish purchased the Mogadore property in 1974 for the new parish complex.

The rectory was completed in 1977 and the social hall in 1979. Ground was broken for the new church in April 1983 and the first Divine Liturgy was held in the new building on January 29, 1984. The new church was consecrated on May 6, 1984.

Much has changed since 1917. A mere handful of Russian immigrants has grown into a thriving community of all ethinic backgrounds dedicated to Christ. What has remained unchanged is our dedication to Orthodoxy and to the mission of our founding fathers and the Apostles over two millennia ago—to spread the Word of God and to bring the world to Orthodoxy.

User:MariaCrabtree

2007-12-24T18:02:38Z

MariaCrabtree:

[[Image:Arlie1.jpg|right|frame|May 22, 2004 Reception]]My name is Maria Crabtree, and I'm a convert to Orthodox Christianity communing at [[St. Nicholas Orthodox Church (Mogadore, Ohio)]]. I previously attended [http://www.wvwc.edu West Virginia Wesleyan College] for two years where I worked towards a B.A. in Christian Education and Environmental Science and minors in Philosophy and Religion. During my career at Wesleyan I was a [http://www.bonner.org Bonner Scholar] where I worked for many nonprofit organizations including: [http://www.redcross.org/ American Red Cross], [http://www.30hourfamine.org/PortalFlash.asp World Vision], Upshur County, WV Parish House under the [http://www.umc.org United Methodist Church], and Academy Primary School in Buckhannon, WV.

During my freshman year of college I met Isaac, the man I was to marry. He transferred after his sophomore year at Wesleyan to [http://www.marshall.edu Marshall University]. I transferred to Marshall a year later, at the end of my sophomore year, to be closer to him and also so we could begin catechism in the Holy Orthodox Church. We were received by chrismation May 15, 2004. I took St. [[Mary of Bethany]] as my patron saint after my middle name Maree. A week later on May 22, 2004 we were married in the Orthodox Church.

I have a wide range of intrests including: event planning, curriculum writing, Tae Kwon Do, and (primarily now) domesticities.

I was born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistersville%2C_West_Virginia Sistersville, West Virginia] in 1983 and currently live in Cuyahoga Falls, OH with my husband Isaac.

== Articles I have contributed to ==
*[[Mary of Bethany]]
*[[Angels]]
*[[Exorcism]]
*[[Slava]]
*[[Susanna]]
*[[Basil and Theodore]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Education Commission]]
*[[Frank Schaeffer]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Fellowship]]
*[[John Meyendorff]]
*[[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]
*[[Parish]]
*[[Pope]]
*[[Ordination]]
*[[Holy Unction]]
*[[John the Baptist]]
*[[Igumen]]
*[[Trisagion]]
*[[Holy Saturday]]
*[[Klobuk]]
*[[Apostle Parmenas]]
*[[Book of Philemon]]
*[[Tonsure]]
*[[Apostolos]]

{{acceptrevised}}

== External Links ==
My Live Journal: [http://www.livejournal.com/users/arlie/ Reflections...]

AIM: ChicaDeFarlie

[[Category:User Pages|{{PAGENAME}}]]

User:MariaCrabtree

2007-12-24T18:01:03Z

MariaCrabtree: /* Articles I have contributed to */

[[Image:Arlie1.jpg|right|frame|May 22, 2004 Reception]]My name is Maria Crabtree, and I'm a convert to Orthodox Christianity communing at [[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]. I previously attended [http://www.wvwc.edu West Virginia Wesleyan College] for two years where I worked towards a B.A. in Christian Education and Environmental Science and minors in Philosophy and Religion. During my career at Wesleyan I was a [http://www.bonner.org Bonner Scholar] where I worked for many nonprofit organizations including: [http://www.redcross.org/ American Red Cross], [http://www.30hourfamine.org/PortalFlash.asp World Vision], Upshur County, WV Parish House under the [http://www.umc.org United Methodist Church], and Academy Primary School in Buckhannon, WV.

During my freshman year of college I met Isaac, the man I was to marry. He transferred after his sophomore year at Wesleyan to [http://www.marshall.edu Marshall University]. I transferred to Marshall a year later, at the end of my sophomore year, to be closer to him and also so we could begin catechism in the Holy Orthodox Church. We were received by chrismation May 15, 2004. I took St. [[Mary of Bethany]] as my patron saint after my middle name Maree. A week later on May 22, 2004 we were married in the Orthodox Church.

I have a wide range of intrests including: event planning, curriculum writing, Tae Kwon Do, and (primarily now) domesticities.

I was born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistersville%2C_West_Virginia Sistersville, West Virginia] in 1983 and currently live in House Springs, Missouri with my husband Isaac.

== Articles I have contributed to ==
*[[Mary of Bethany]]
*[[Angels]]
*[[Exorcism]]
*[[Slava]]
*[[Susanna]]
*[[Basil and Theodore]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Education Commission]]
*[[Frank Schaeffer]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Fellowship]]
*[[John Meyendorff]]
*[[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]
*[[Parish]]
*[[Pope]]
*[[Ordination]]
*[[Holy Unction]]
*[[John the Baptist]]
*[[Igumen]]
*[[Trisagion]]
*[[Holy Saturday]]
*[[Klobuk]]
*[[Apostle Parmenas]]
*[[Book of Philemon]]
*[[Tonsure]]
*[[Apostolos]]

{{acceptrevised}}

== External Links ==
My Live Journal: [http://www.livejournal.com/users/arlie/ Reflections...]

AIM: ChicaDeFarlie

[[Category:User Pages|{{PAGENAME}}]]

User:MariaCrabtree

2007-12-24T17:53:07Z

MariaCrabtree:

[[Image:Arlie1.jpg|right|frame|May 22, 2004 Reception]]My name is Maria Crabtree, and I'm a convert to Orthodox Christianity communing at [[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]. I previously attended [http://www.wvwc.edu West Virginia Wesleyan College] for two years where I worked towards a B.A. in Christian Education and Environmental Science and minors in Philosophy and Religion. During my career at Wesleyan I was a [http://www.bonner.org Bonner Scholar] where I worked for many nonprofit organizations including: [http://www.redcross.org/ American Red Cross], [http://www.30hourfamine.org/PortalFlash.asp World Vision], Upshur County, WV Parish House under the [http://www.umc.org United Methodist Church], and Academy Primary School in Buckhannon, WV.

During my freshman year of college I met Isaac, the man I was to marry. He transferred after his sophomore year at Wesleyan to [http://www.marshall.edu Marshall University]. I transferred to Marshall a year later, at the end of my sophomore year, to be closer to him and also so we could begin catechism in the Holy Orthodox Church. We were received by chrismation May 15, 2004. I took St. [[Mary of Bethany]] as my patron saint after my middle name Maree. A week later on May 22, 2004 we were married in the Orthodox Church.

I have a wide range of intrests including: event planning, curriculum writing, Tae Kwon Do, and (primarily now) domesticities.

I was born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistersville%2C_West_Virginia Sistersville, West Virginia] in 1983 and currently live in House Springs, Missouri with my husband Isaac.

== Articles I have contributed to ==
*[[Mary of Bethany]]
*[[Angels]]
*[[Exorcism]]
*[[Slava]]
*[[Susanna]]
*[[Basil and Theodore]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Education Commission]]
*[[Frank Schaeffer]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Fellowship]]
*[[John Meyendorff]]
*[[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]
*[[Parish]]
*[[Pope]]
*[[Ordination]]
*[[Holy Unction]]
*[[John the Baptist]]
*[[Igumen]]
*[[Trisagion]]
*[[Holy Saturday]]
*[[Klobuk]]
*[[Apostle Parmenas]]
*[[Book of Philemon]]
*[[Tonsure]]
*[[Apostolos]]

{{acceptrevised}}?
== External Links ==
My Live Journal: [http://www.livejournal.com/users/arlie/ Reflections...]

AIM: ChicaDeFarlie

[[Category:User Pages|{{PAGENAME}}]]

Hermitage of the Holy Cross (Wayne, West Virginia)

2005-12-06T21:16:23Z

MariaCrabtree:

'''The Hermitage of the Holy Cross''' is a [[monastic]] community for men in the [[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia]]. It is located in Wayne, West Virginia.

The community was founded in September 1986 by Hieromonk Kallistos as an English-language dependancy on [[Holy Trinity Monastery (Jordanville, New York)|Holy Trinity Monastery]] in Jordanville. It presently holds 16 monks, all converts.

The community consists of men living the monastic tradition of a Christ-centered prayer life for the monastic members. To support the community the monks, by hand, write icons and make soap, incense, icon shelves, prayer desks and other liturgical items.

{{monastery|
name=Holy Cross Skete|
jurisdiction=[[Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia|ROCOR]]|
type=Male Monastery|
founded=1986|
superior=[[Archimandrite|Archim.]] [[George (Schaeffer)|George]], spiritual father|
size=16|
hq=Wayne, West Virginia|
language=English|
music=[[Russian Chant]]|
calendar=[[Julian Calendar|Julian]]|
feasts=[[September 14|14/27 Sep]]|
website=[http://www.holycross-hermitage.com/ Official Website]
}}
==Brief History==
*1986 Sep: Holy Cross Hermitage founded by Hieromonk Kallistos in House Springs, Missouri.
*1992: Hieromonk Kallistos reposes.
*1999: Brotherhood has doubled in size since founding; all cells are filled. Monastery could not expand due to surrounding city development.
:Summer: Surrounding city development solves its own problem for the monastery, with authorities requiring a major highway to go through the monastery. An alternate piece of land is offered in West Virginia.
*2000 May 25: Move to Wayne, West Virginia, accomplished.
*2005: Igumen George, spiritual father of hermitage, elevated to Archimandrite.

==Daily Life==
*3:30am: Arise
*4:00am: Midnight Office, Matins, First Hour, Third Hour, Sixth Hour, Divine Liturgy.
*7:00am: Quiet time (for prayer rule or spiritual reading)
*8:00am: Breakfast
*8:30am: Morning work period
*Noon: Lunch
*1:30pm: Afternoon work period
*5:00pm: Ninth Hour, Vespers.
*5:45pm: Supper
*6:00pm: Compline

==External links==
*[http://www.holycross-hermitage.com/ Official homepage]
*[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/01newstucture/pagesen/news05/wayne.html Hermitage marks 1700th anniversary of martyrdom of St Panteleimon]
*[http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/01newstucture/pagesen/news04/celebinskit.html Hermitage pilgrimage 1999]

[[Category:American Monasteries]]
[[Category:Monasteries]]
[[Category:ROCOR Monasteries]]

Iconographers

2005-09-21T04:35:55Z

MariaCrabtree:

{{stub}}
'''Iconographers''' translate revealed scripture and divine truths into visual images, writing--not painting the icon with consecrated brushes, paints, and materials. Ideally, they should be pious individuals trained by holy fathers. Monks and nuns, therefore, have traditionally been the primary source of icons. Most iconographers utside of monasteries today have commercialized the sacred art of iconography.

Iconographers should pray, fast, and avoid worldly excitement during their work. Individual interpretation should be kept to a minimum as their task is to pass on tradition by replicating previous icons within prescribed limits. Works should remain anonymous, but if signed, be inscribed with the words, "By the hand of [name]."
==Archpriest Andrew Tregubov==

A notable Russian-American iconographer and author, and lecturer, Fr. [[Andrew Tregubov]] has been writing icons for twenty-five years.

== Fr. Paul Akmolin ==
Fr. Paul is an iconographer in the Jordanville school and is the priest of [http://www.christthesavior.net Christ the Savior Orthodox Mission in Wayne, WV]. You can view his iconography and commission icons from him through his site [http://www.christthesavior.net/iconpage/icon_index.html Orthodox hand-painted icons]

==Fr. Anthony Salzman==
Fr. Anthony is currently pastoring a small community, St. Philothea, in Athens, Georgia, where he is continuing to paint icons for churches and individuals including Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Augusta, Georgia. He is also teaching Byzantine icon-writing at the University of Georgia through the Continuing Education department. Fr. Salzman has a Masters of Divinity from [[Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (Brookline, Massachusetts)|Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology]], and studied Byzantine Iconography and Byzantine Art History for six years in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Fr. Salzman is available for slide lectures and demonstrations on the history, theology, and art of Byzantine [[iconography]]. Email him for more information; his email address is on his site.

His website is [http://www.mindspring.com/~frantonios/ Image and Likeness Iconography].

==Bridget Julia Hayes==
[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/bridget.htm Bridget Julia Hayes] is an iconographer living in Tshwane, South Africa.

==Matthew Kalamidas: Byzantine Studio==
[[Image:IC_ARCHMICH.gif|right]]Matthew Kalamidas developed an interest in art at a young age, attending NYC's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art & The Performing Arts in New York City, concentrating on fine arts. He later received a Bachelor's Degree in Advertising Art & Design and Visual Communications from SUNY at Farmingdale.

While his schooling concentrated on the fine arts, he never received formal instruction in Byzantine iconography, and is essentially self-taught. Close observation of many historically important Byzantine icons, which he had the opportunity to view while travelling in Greece and throughout the Holy Lands, helped him in learning to use and develop the traditional techniques used to create these unique paintings. The icons are handcrafted with great care using 22kt. German gold leaf and the highest quality acrylic pigments. Icons are created on panels with a raised border and murals are painted on canvas which can then be adhered to the wall surface. Along with samples of traditional iconography in the gallery, you can also view samples of glass and marble etchings.

In his artwork, Matthew employs many different painting techniques, producing completed artworks in various genres ranging from Byzantine icons, to traditional oil paintings. He is currently an accomplished professional graphic artist, working as Art Director at a major publishing house in the United States.

His website is [http://www.byzantinestudio.com www.byzantinestudio.com].

[[Image:Mary2.jpg|thumb|Virgin Mary]]
==Vivian Karayiannis==
*[http://www.heavenlyart.net www.heavenlyart.net]

[http://heavenlyart.net/Icons/Lady_Joys.gif] '''Icon of "Our Lady of Joy" with St. Christopher and St. Francis of Assisi'''

Vivian has a true love for her vocation and she is trying to bring spiritual stimulating artwork into the churches. Her diversity as a painter makes it easy to define a specially designed work for any church. She’s creating small to wall scale paintings on wood panels or canvas. Vivian's icons are evoking works of fine art and also visual aids that lead those who view and venerate the icons deeper into the spiritual life of the church.

Born in Greece, she moved to North America in 1990 and since 1991 she has lived in Houston, TX, with her husband and two daughters. She studied Byzantine iconography and had her apprenticeship in the [[atelier]] of Mr. Hantzaras, one of the leading iconographers in Greece. She continued her studies in art at the University of Houston. During the past 20 years, she painted in many mediums including oils, acrylics, watercolors, but her primary medium is the egg tempera, one of the oldest and most versatile mediums.

==External links==

===Icons For Sale===
* [http://www.byzantinestudio.com/ Byzantine Studio: Hand-crafted byzantine icons, murals, marble and glass etchings and other Byzantine art poducts]
* [http://www.thyra.com/Tsagalakis/ Hand painted icons by Tom Tsagalakis]
* [http://www.heavenlyvisions.com/ Heavenly Visions Byzantine Icons]
* [http://www.roca.org/Vladimir/ Icons Handpainted by Vladimir Baranov]
* [http://www.mindspring.com/~frantonios/ Image and Likeness Iconography by Fr. Anthony Salzman]
* [http://thesilvericon.com/ The Silver Icon Catalogue]
* [http://www.skete.com/ St. Isaac of Syria Skete - Orthodox Byzantine Icons]
* [http://www.lukedingman.com/ Fr. Luke (Rolland) Dingman] - An icon writer
* [http://www.heavenlyart.net/ Sacred Art by Vivian Karayiannis]

[[Category:Icons]]
[[Category:Links]]
[[Category:Marketplace]]

Exorcism

2005-09-13T18:10:18Z

MariaCrabtree:

== External Links ==
[http://paranormal.about.com/library/media/Russian_Exorcism_0001.wmv Video of Russian Orthodox Exorcism]

User:MariaCrabtree

2005-09-13T18:09:23Z

MariaCrabtree:

[[Image:Arlie1.jpg|right|frame|May 22, 2004 Reception]]My name is Maria Crabtree, and I'm a convert to Orthodox Christianity communing at [[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]. I previously attended [http://www.wvwc.edu West Virginia Wesleyan College] for two years where I worked towards a B.A. in Christian Education and Environmental Science and minors in Philosophy and Religion. During my career at Wesleyan I was a [http://www.bonner.org Bonner Scholar] where I worked for many nonprofit organizations including: [http://www.redcross.org/ American Red Cross], [http://www.30hourfamine.org/PortalFlash.asp World Vision], Upshur County, WV Parish House under the [http://www.umc.org United Methodist Church], and Academy Primary School in Buckhannon, WV.

During my freshman year of college I met Isaac, the man I was to marry. He transferred after his sophomore year at Wesleyan to [http://www.marshall.edu Marshall University]. I transferred to Marshall a year later, at the end of my sophomore year, to be closer to him and also so we could begin catechism in the Holy Orthodox Church. We were received by chrismation May 15, 2004. I took St. [[Mary of Bethany]] as my patron saint after my middle name Maree. A week later on May 22, 2004 we were married in the Orthodox Church.

I have a wide range of intrests including: event planning, curriculum writing, Tae Kwon Do, and (primarily now) domesticities.

I was born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistersville%2C_West_Virginia Sistersville, West Virginia] in 1983 and currently live in House Springs, Missouri with my husband Isaac.

== Articles I have contributed to ==
*[[Mary of Bethany]]
*[[Angels]]
*[[Exorcism]]
*[[Slava]]
*[[Susanna]]
*[[Basil and Theodore]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Education Commission]]
*[[Frank Schaeffer]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Fellowship]]
*[[John Meyendorff]]
*[[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]
*[[Parish]]
*[[Pope]]
*[[Ordination]]
*[[Holy Unction]]
*[[John the Baptist]]
*[[Igumen]]
*[[Trisagion]]
*[[Holy Saturday]]
*[[Klobuk]]
*[[Apostle Parmenas]]
*[[Book of Philemon]]
*[[Tonsure]]
*[[Apostolos]]

== External Links ==
My Live Journal: [http://www.livejournal.com/users/arlie/ Reflections...]

AIM: ChicaDeFarlie

Talk:Orthodox Prayers

2005-09-07T20:30:52Z

MariaCrabtree:

Should these links be transfered to [[prayer]] instead? This article seems a little redundant.--[[User:MariaCrabtree|Arlie]] 16:30, 7 Sep 2005 (EDT)

Slava

2005-09-01T18:52:01Z

MariaCrabtree:

A '''Slava''' is the celebration of the family's patron saint. It's primarily known as a Serbian custom: when the disciples of Sts. Cyril and Methodius were converting ancient Serbia, they replaced the pagan custom of the household divinity with a family patron saint. However, this is not an exclusively Serbian custom, as it is also known among the Bulgars, the Albanian, and even in parts of Greece and Romania. A saint was determined by the day on which the household was baptized. Serbs do not celebrate a family Slava instead of an individual nameday (onomastik), but rather in addition to their namedays. The most common Slavas are St. [[John the Baptist]], St. [[George]], and St. [[Nicholas]].

The Serbs in particular, but also many Albanians, Bulgars, and even Romanians and Greeks, observe not only their individual nameday (onomastik), but also their family patronal feast, which is dedicated to saint of feast commemorated on the day in which their first ancestor was baptized. Families keep with great honor an icon of this saint or feast which is passed from generation to generation, and observe the day with a Krsna Slava Service at home, which is lead by the priest, or in his absence, by the domachin (head of the family).

== External Links==
[http://www.serbianorthodoxchurch.net/historyofchurch/book2/ Serbian Patron Saint (Krsna Slava)]

User:MariaCrabtree

2005-09-01T18:42:54Z

MariaCrabtree:

[[Image:Arlie1.jpg|right|frame|May 22, 2004 Reception]]My name is Maria Crabtree, and I'm a convert to Orthodox Christianity communing at [[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]. I previously attended [http://www.wvwc.edu West Virginia Wesleyan College] for two years where I worked towards a B.A. in Christian Education and Environmental Science and minors in Philosophy and Religion. During my career at Wesleyan I was a [http://www.bonner.org Bonner Scholar] where I worked for many nonprofit organizations including: [http://www.redcross.org/ American Red Cross], [http://www.30hourfamine.org/PortalFlash.asp World Vision], Upshur County, WV Parish House under the [http://www.umc.org United Methodist Church], and Academy Primary School in Buckhannon, WV.

During my freshman year of college I met Isaac, the man I was to marry. He transferred after his sophomore year at Wesleyan to [http://www.marshall.edu Marshall University]. I transferred to Marshall a year later, at the end of my sophomore year, to be closer to him and also so we could begin catechism in the Holy Orthodox Church. We were received by chrismation May 15, 2004. I took St. [[Mary of Bethany]] as my patron saint after my middle name Maree. A week later on May 22, 2004 we were married in the Orthodox Church.

I have a wide range of intrests including: event planning, curriculum writing, Tae Kwon Do, and (primarily now) domesticities.

I was born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistersville%2C_West_Virginia Sistersville, West Virginia] in 1983 and currently live in House Springs, Missouri with my husband Isaac.

== Articles I have contributed to ==
*[[Mary of Bethany]]
*[[Angels]]
*[[Slava]]
*[[Susanna]]
*[[Basil and Theodore]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Education Commission]]
*[[Frank Schaeffer]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Fellowship]]
*[[John Meyendorff]]
*[[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]
*[[Parish]]
*[[Pope]]
*[[Ordination]]
*[[Holy Unction]]
*[[John the Baptist]]
*[[Igumen]]
*[[Trisagion]]
*[[Holy Saturday]]
*[[Klobuk]]
*[[Apostle Parmenas]]
*[[Book of Philemon]]
*[[Tonsure]]
*[[Apostolos]]

== External Links ==
My Live Journal: [http://www.livejournal.com/users/arlie/ Reflections...]

AIM: ChicaDeFarlie

Ephraim (Moraitis) of Philotheou

2005-08-22T16:20:56Z

MariaCrabtree:

== Writings ==
''Counsels from the Holy Mountain: Selected from the Letters and Homilies of Elder Ephraim.'' By Elder Ephraim. Florence, Arizona: St Anthony's Greek Orthodox Monastery, 1999. Price $35.00 (HB), $22.00 (PB). (ISBN 0966700031)

Xenia of St. Petersburg

2005-08-19T16:10:35Z

MariaCrabtree:

Blessed St. [[Xenia of St. Petersburg]] (c.1719-30 - c.1803) was a "fool-for-Christ."

The only record of "vital statistics" which has been left us concerning Blessed Xenia is the epitaph on her gravestone: IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, SON AND HOLY SPIRIT. HERE RESTS THE BODY OF THE SERVANT OF GOD, XENIA GRIGORIEVNA, WIFE OF THE IMPERIAL CHORISTER, COLONEL ANDREI THEODOROVICH PETROV. WIDOWED AT THE AGE OF 26, A PILGRIM FOR 45 YEARS, SHE LIVED A TOTAL OF 71 YEARS. SHE WAS KNOWN BY THE NAME ANDREI THEODOROVICH. MAY WHOEVER KNEW ME PRAY FOR MY SOUL THAT HIS OWN MAY BE SAVED. AMEN.

== Life ==

== Hymns ==
*[[Troparia]]
*[[Akathist]]
== Sources ==
From the Life published by Holy Trinity Monastery

Talk:Monk

2005-08-19T15:51:49Z

MariaCrabtree:

Maybe this should just be a redirect to [[Monasticism]] instead of another article?--[[User:MariaCrabtree|Arlie]] 11:51, 19 Aug 2005 (EDT)

Monks

2005-08-19T15:45:55Z

MariaCrabtree:

== See Also ==
*[[Monasticism]]

Islam

2005-08-17T20:21:27Z

MariaCrabtree:

Followers of '''Islam''', known as Muslims, believe that God (or, in Arabic, All

Islam

2005-08-17T20:21:13Z

MariaCrabtree:

Followers of '''Islam''', known as Muslims, believe that God (or, in Arabic, All

Islam

2005-08-17T20:20:19Z

MariaCrabtree:

Followers of '''Islam''', known as Muslims, believe that God (or, in Arabic, All

Prayer rule

2005-08-17T20:13:55Z

MariaCrabtree:

A '''prayer rule''' for one who is on the path of a God-pleasing life. Memorizing the Psalms. Replacing long prayers with short ones. The prayer rope.

You ask about a prayer rule. Yes, it is good to have a prayer rule on account of our weakness so that on the one hand we do not give in to laziness, and on the other hand we restrain our enthusiasm to its proper measure. The greatest practitioners of prayer kept a prayer rule. They would always begin with established prayers, and if during the course of these a prayer started on its own, they would put aside the others and pray that prayer. If this is what the great practitioners of prayer did, all the more reason for us to do so. Without established prayers, we would not know how to pray at all. Without them, we would be left entirely without prayer.

However, one does not have to do many prayers. It is better to perform a small number of prayers properly than to hurry through a large number of prayers, because it is difficult to maintain the heat of prayerful zeal when they are performed to excess.

I would consider the morning and evening prayers as set out in the prayer books to be entirely sufficient for you. Just try each time to carry them out with full attention and corresponding feelings. To be more successful at this, spend a little of your free time at reading over all the prayers separately. Think them over and feel them, so that when you recite them at your prayer rule, you will know the holy thoughts and feelings that are contained in them. Prayer does not mean that we just recite prayers, but that we assimilate their content within ourselves, and pronounce them as if they came from our minds and hearts.

After you have considered and felt the prayers, work at memorizing them. Then you will not have to fumble about for your prayer book and light when it is time to pray; neither will you be distracted by anything you see while you are performing your prayers, but can more easily maintain thoughtful petition toward God. You will see for yourself what a great help this is. The fact that you will have your prayer book with you at all times and in all places is of great significance.

Being thus prepared, when you stand at prayer be careful to keep your mind from drifting and your feeling from coldness and indifference, exerting yourself in every way to keep your attention and to spark warmth of feeling. After you have recited each prayer, make prostrations, as many as you like, accompanied by a prayer for any necessity that you feel, or by the usual short prayer. This will lengthen your prayer time a little, but its power will be increased. You should pray a little longer on your own especially at the end of your prayers, asking forgiveness for unintentional straying of the mind, and placing yourself in God's hands for the entire day.

You must also maintain prayerful attention toward God throughout the day. For this, as we have already mentioned more than once, there is remembrance of God; and for remembrance of God, there are short prayers. It is good, very good, to memorize several psalms and recite them while you are working or between tasks, doing this instead of short prayers sometimes, with concentration. This is one of the most ancient Christian customs, mentioned by and included in the rules of St. Pachomius and St. Anthony.

After spending the day in this manner, you must pray more diligently and with more concentration in the evening. Increase your prostrations and petitions to God, and after you have placed yourself in Divine hands once again, go to bed with a short prayer on your lips and fall asleep with it or recite some psalm.

Which psalms should you memorize? Memorize the ones that strike your heart as you are reading them. Each person will find different psalms to be more effective for himself. Begin with Have mercy on me, O God (Psalm 50); then Bless the Lord, O my soul (Psalm 102); and Praise the Lord, O my Soul (Psalm 145). These latter two are the antiphon hymns in the Liturgy. There are also the psalms in the Canon for Divine Communion: The Lord is my shepherd (Psalm 22); The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof (Psalm 23); I believed, wherefore I spake (Psalm 115); and the first psalm of the evening vigil, O God, be attentive unto helping me (Psalm 69). There are the psalms of the hours, and the like. Read the Psalter and select.

After you have memorized all of these, you will always be fully armed with prayer. When some disturbing thought occurs, rush to fall down before the Lord with either a short prayer or one of the psalms, especially O God, be attentive unto helping me, and the disturbing cloud will immediately disperse.

There you are; everything on the subject of a prayer rule. I will, however, mention once again that you should remember that all these are aids, and the most important thing is standing before God with the mind in the heart with devotion and heartfelt prostration to Him.

I thought of something else to tell you! You may limit the entire prayer rule just to prostrations with short prayers and prayer in your own words. Stand and make prostrations, saying Lord have mercy, or some other prayer, expressing your need or giving praise and thanks to God. You should establish either a number of prayers, or a time-limit for prayer, or do both, so that you do not become lazy.

This is necessary, because there is a certain incomprehensible peculiarity about us. When, for example, we go about some outward activity, hours pass as if they were a minute. When we stand at prayer, however, hardly have a few minutes gone by, and it seems that we have been praying for an extremely long time. This thought does not cause harm when we perform prayer according to an established rule; but when somebody prays and is just making prostrations with short prayers, it presents a great temptation. This can put a halt to prayer that has barely begun, leaving the false assurance that it has been done properly. Thus, the good practitioners of prayer came up with prayer ropes so that they would not be subject to this self-deception. Prayer ropes are suggested for use by those who desire to pray using their own prayers, not prayers from a prayer book. They are used as follows: Say Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner, and move one bead between your fingers. Repeat the prayer again and move another bead, and so on. Make a prostration during each repetition of the prayer, either a partial one from the waist or a full one to the ground, as you prefer; or, for small beads, make a prostration from the waist, and for large ones, a full one to the ground. The rule in all of this consists in having a definite number of prayer repetitions with prostrations to which are added other prayers in your own words. When deciding on the number of prostrations and prayers, establish a time limit, so that you do not deceive yourself as to haste when you perform them. If haste creeps in, you can fill up the time by making more prostrations.

How many prostrations should be done for each prayer is set down at the end of the Psalter with sequences in two categories, one for diligent people and the other for lazy or busy people. The elders now living among us in sketes or special kellia in places such as Valaam or Solovki serve the entire service according to this. If you would like to, now or some other time, you can perform your own prayer rule in this manner. Before you do this, however, get used to performing it in the manner prescribed for you. Perhaps you will not need a new rule. In any case, I am sending you a prayer rope. Try it! Note how much time you spend at morning and evening prayer, then sit down and say your short prayers with the prayer rope, and see how many times you go around the rope during the time usually required for your prayer. Let this quantity be the measure of your rule. Do this not during your usual prayer time, but at some other time, although do it with the same sort of attentiveness. The prayer rule, then, is carried out in this way, standing and making bows.

After reading this, do not think I am driving you into a monastery. I first heard about praying with a prayer rope from a lay person, not a monk. Many lay people and monastics pray in this way. It should be suitable for you, too. When you are praying with prayers that you have memorized and they do not move you, you may pray that day using the prayer rope, and do the memorized prayers another day. Thus, things will go better.

I will repeat once again that the essence of prayer is the lifting of the mind and heart to God; these little rules are an aid. We cannot get by without them because of our weakness. May the Lord bless you!

== Source ==
The Spiritual Life and How to Be Attuned to It (Platina, CA: St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, 1996), Ch. 47, pp. 204-209.

[http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/prayrule.aspx A Prayer Rule by St. Theophan the Recluse]

Prayer rule

2005-08-17T20:10:55Z

MariaCrabtree:

Islam

2005-08-17T20:09:03Z

MariaCrabtree:

Followers of '''Islam''', known as Muslims, believe that God (or, in Arabic, All

Poverty

2005-08-17T20:07:15Z

MariaCrabtree:

'''Poverty''' is the state of being without, often associated with need, hardship and lack of resources across a wide range of circumstances. For some, poverty is a subjective and comparative term; for others, it is moral and evaluative.

Missionary

2005-08-17T20:05:19Z

MariaCrabtree:

A '''missionary''' is a propagator of religion, often an evangelist or other representative of a religious community who works among those outside of that community. The English word "missionary" is derived from Latin, the equivalent of the Greek-derived word, "apostle". Although missionaries can be sent by any religion, the word is most often used to refer to Christian missionaries.

Hermitage

2005-08-17T20:04:07Z

MariaCrabtree:

'''Hermitage''' can have many meanings:

* The habitation of a hermit or group of hermits--such as a monastery or abbey.
* A place where one can live in seclusion; a retreat.
* The condition or way of life of a hermit.

Skete

2005-08-17T19:52:35Z

MariaCrabtree:

Typically, the '''skete''' style of community in its earliest form had a small [[chapel]] surrounded by [[monastic]] kellia or cells where the [[monk]]s lived and did their private [[prayer rule]] or cell rule, and some handiwork. A spiritual father or [[abbot]] guided the spiritual endeavors of the monks of this community.

{{stub}}

==Source==
*[http://www.skete.com/about_community.cfm Skete.com: About Us]

==See also==
*[[Monastery]]
*[[Mount Athos]]

[[Category:Monasteries]]

Gregory the Theologian

2005-08-17T19:05:47Z

MariaCrabtree:

Gregory the Theologian a great Father and Teacher of the Church was born in 329 in Arianzus, a village of the second district of Cappadocia, not far from Nazianzus. His father, who later became Bishop of Nazianzus, was named Gregory (commemorated Jan. 1), and his mother was named Norma (Aug. 5); both are among the Saints, and so are his brother Caesarius (Mar. 9) and his sister Gorgona (Feb. 23). At first he studied in Caesarea of Palestine, then in Alexandria, and finally in Athens. As he was sailing from Alexandria to Athens, a violent sea storm put in peril not only his life but also his salvation, since he had not yet been baptized. With tears and fervour he besought God to spare him, vowing to dedicate his whole self to Him, and the tempest gave way to calm. At Athens Saint Gregory was later joined by Saint Basil the Great, whom he already knew; but now their acquaintanceship grew into a lifelong brotherly love. Another fellow student of theirs in Athens was the young Prince Julian, who later as Emperor was called the Apostate because he denied Christ and did all in his power to restore paganism. Even in Athens, before Julian had thrown off the mask of piety; Saint Gregory saw what an onsettled mind he had, and said, "What an evil the Roman State is nourishing" (Orat. V, 24, PG 35:693).

After their studies at Athens, Gregory became Basil's fellow ascetic, living the monastic life together with him for a time in the hermitages of Pontus. His father ordained him presbyter of the Church of Nazianzus, and Saint Basil consecrated him Bishop of Sasima (or Zansima), which was in the archdiocese of Caesarea. This consecration was a source of great sorrow to Gregory, and a cause of misunderstanding between him and Basil; but his love for Basil remained unchanged, as can be plainly seen from his Funeral Oration on Saint Basil (Orat. XLIII).

About the Year 379, Saint Gregory came to the assistance of the Church of Constantinople, which had already been troubled for forty years by the Arians; by his supremely wise words and many labours he freed it from the corruption of heresy, and was elected Archbishop of that city by the Second Ecumenical Council, which assembled there in 381, and condemned Macedonius, Archbishop of Constantinople, the enemy of the Holy Spirit. When Saint Gregory came to Constantinople, the Arians had taken all the churches and he was forced to serve in a house chapel dedicated to Saint Anastasia the Martyr. From there he began to preach his famous five sermons on the Trinity, called the Triadica. When he left Constantinople two years later, the Arians did not have one church left to them in the city. Saint Meletius of Antioch (see Feb. 12), who was presiding over the Second Ecumenical Council, died in the course of it, and Saint Gregory was chosen in his stead; there he distinguished himself in his expositions of dogmatic theology.

Having governed the Church until 382, he delivered his farewell speech - the Syntacterion, in which he demonstrated the Divinity of the Son - before 150 bishops and the Emperor Theodosius the Great; in this speech he requested, and received from all, permission to retire from the see of Constantinople. He returned to Nazianzus, where he lived to the end of his life, and reposed in the Lord in 391, having lived some sixty-two years.

His extant writings, both prose and poems in every type of metre, demonstrate his lofty eloquence and his wondrous breadth of learning. In the beauty of his writings, he is considered to have surpassed the Greek writers of antiquity, and because of his God-inspired theological thought, he received the surname "Theologian." Although he is sometimes called Gregory of Nazianzus, this title belongs properly to his father; he himself is known by the Church only as Gregory the Theologian. He is especially called "Trinitarian Theologian," since in virtually every homily he refers to the Trinity and the one essence and nature of the Godhead. Hence, Alexius Anthorus dedicated the following verses to him:

Like an unwandering star beaming with splendour,

Thou bringest us by mystic teachings, O Father,

To the Trinity's sunlike illumination,

O mouth breathing with fire, Gregory most mighty.

== Hymns ==
Apolytikion: (First Tone)

:The pastoral flute of your theology conquered the trumpets of orators. For it called upon the depths of the Spirit and you were enriched with the beauty of words. Intercede to Christ our God, O Father Gregory, that our souls may be saved.

Kontakion: (Third Tone)

:O Glorious One, you dispelled the complexities of orators with the words of your theology. You have adorned the Church with the vesture of Orthodoxy woven from on high. Clothed in this, the Church now cries out to your children, with us, "Hail Father, the consummate theological mind."

== Source ==
www.goarch.org

Gregory the Theologian

2005-08-17T19:04:28Z

MariaCrabtree:

Gregory the Theologian a great Father and Teacher of the Church was born in 329 in Arianzus, a village of the second district of Cappadocia, not far from Nazianzus. His father, who later became Bishop of Nazianzus, was named Gregory (commemorated Jan. 1), and his mother was named Norma (Aug. 5); both are among the Saints, and so are his brother Caesarius (Mar. 9) and his sister Gorgona (Feb. 23). At first he studied in Caesarea of Palestine, then in Alexandria, and finally in Athens. As he was sailing from Alexandria to Athens, a violent sea storm put in peril not only his life but also his salvation, since he had not yet been baptized. With tears and fervour he besought God to spare him, vowing to dedicate his whole self to Him, and the tempest gave way to calm. At Athens Saint Gregory was later joined by Saint Basil the Great, whom he already knew; but now their acquaintanceship grew into a lifelong brotherly love. Another fellow student of theirs in Athens was the young Prince Julian, who later as Emperor was called the Apostate because he denied Christ and did all in his power to restore paganism. Even in Athens, before Julian had thrown off the mask of piety; Saint Gregory saw what an onsettled mind he had, and said, "What an evil the Roman State is nourishing" (Orat. V, 24, PG 35:693).

After their studies at Athens, Gregory became Basil's fellow ascetic, living the monastic life together with him for a time in the hermitages of Pontus. His father ordained him presbyter of the Church of Nazianzus, and Saint Basil consecrated him Bishop of Sasima (or Zansima), which was in the archdiocese of Caesarea. This consecration was a source of great sorrow to Gregory, and a cause of misunderstanding between him and Basil; but his love for Basil remained unchanged, as can be plainly seen from his Funeral Oration on Saint Basil (Orat. XLIII).

About the Year 379, Saint Gregory came to the assistance of the Church of Constantinople, which had already been troubled for forty years by the Arians; by his supremely wise words and many labours he freed it from the corruption of heresy, and was elected Archbishop of that city by the Second Ecumenical Council, which assembled there in 381, and condemned Macedonius, Archbishop of Constantinople, the enemy of the Holy Spirit. When Saint Gregory came to Constantinople, the Arians had taken all the churches and he was forced to serve in a house chapel dedicated to Saint Anastasia the Martyr. From there he began to preach his famous five sermons on the Trinity, called the Triadica. When he left Constantinople two years later, the Arians did not have one church left to them in the city. Saint Meletius of Antioch (see Feb. 12), who was presiding over the Second Ecumenical Council, died in the course of it, and Saint Gregory was chosen in his stead; there he distinguished himself in his expositions of dogmatic theology.

Having governed the Church until 382, he delivered his farewell speech - the Syntacterion, in which he demonstrated the Divinity of the Son - before 150 bishops and the Emperor Theodosius the Great; in this speech he requested, and received from all, permission to retire from the see of Constantinople. He returned to Nazianzus, where he lived to the end of his life, and reposed in the Lord in 391, having lived some sixty-two years.

His extant writings, both prose and poems in every type of metre, demonstrate his lofty eloquence and his wondrous breadth of learning. In the beauty of his writings, he is considered to have surpassed the Greek writers of antiquity, and because of his God-inspired theological thought, he received the surname "Theologian." Although he is sometimes called Gregory of Nazianzus, this title belongs properly to his father; he himself is known by the Church only as Gregory the Theologian. He is especially called "Trinitarian Theologian," since in virtually every homily he refers to the Trinity and the one essence and nature of the Godhead. Hence, Alexius Anthorus dedicated the following verses to him:

Like an unwandering star beaming with splendour,

Thou bringest us by mystic teachings, O Father,

To the Trinity's sunlike illumination,

O mouth breathing with fire, Gregory most mighty.

== Hymns ==
Apolytikion:

First Tone

The pastoral flute of your theology conquered the trumpets of orators. For it called upon the depths of the Spirit and you were enriched with the beauty of words. Intercede to Christ our God, O Father Gregory, that our souls may be saved.
Kontakion:

Third Tone

O Glorious One, you dispelled the complexities of orators with the words of your theology. You have adorned the Church with the vesture of Orthodoxy woven from on high. Clothed in this, the Church now cries out to your children, with us, "Hail Father, the consummate theological mind."
Reading:

Skete

2005-08-17T19:01:30Z

MariaCrabtree:

Typically, the '''skete''' style of community in its earliest form had a small chapel surrounded by monastic kellia or cells where the monks lived and did their private rule of prayers or cell rule, and some handiwork. A spiritual father or abbot guided the spiritual endeavors of the monks of this community.

Schism

2005-08-17T18:59:42Z

MariaCrabtree:

The word '''schism''', from the Greek σχισμα, schisma (from σχιζω, schizo, "to split"), means a division or a split, usually in an organization. A schismatic is a person who creates or incites schism in an organization or who is a member of a splinter group. Schismatic as an adjective means pertaining to a schism or schisms, or to those ideas, policies, etc. that are thought to lead towards or promote schism.
[edit]

Usage within Christianity

The words schism and schismatic have found perhaps their heaviest usage in the history of Christianity, to denote splits within a church or religious body. In this context, schismatic as a noun denotes a person who creates or incites schism in a church or is a member of a splinter church, and schismatic as an adjective refers to ideas and things that are thought to lead towards or promote schism, often describing a church that has departed from whichever communion the user of the word considers to be the true Christian church. These words have been used to denote both the phenomenon of Christian group splintering in general, and certain significant historical splits in particular.

Thus, within Christianity the word schism may refer to:

* The offense of inciting divisions among Christians.
* The event of two groups of Christians ceasing to be in communion with each other, so that, whereas they formerly could worship together, they decide they must worship separately because of disagreements between them. See also orthodoxy.
* The Great Schism; either of two rifts within the Christian church.
* See Old believers and Raskol for schism within the Russian Orthodox Church.
* Any Christian communion or sect that has left the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Which church constitutes the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church has long been disputed: for instance, the Roman Catholic Church claims that title and considers the Eastern Orthodox Communion to be in schism, while the Eastern Orthodox Communion also claims that title and holds that the Catholic Communion is schismatic and heretical; meanwhile, the Protestant movement considers them both to be in error, as does the Restorationist movement, also including the Protestants in that error.

In the early centuries of Christianity, schism was considered by many Christians to be as serious or more serious than heresy. Within the Roman Catholic Church schism is still an act that incurs automatic excommunication as a penalty.

== Source ==
Wikipedia

Schism

2005-08-17T18:58:48Z

MariaCrabtree:

Schemamonk

2005-08-17T18:57:41Z

MariaCrabtree:

A '''Schemamonk''' is a rare step taken in monastic life and is seldom approved by the Abbot or Bishop. The Schema, goes beyond carrying the Cross of Christ. Like our Lord Jesus Christ, he must be willing to surrender his life to totally save peoples souls. He must in fact be willing to be nailed to the cross he has been carrying. The Schemamonk is in essence, an Elder among the monastic, He is a monk who has aspired to a spiritual level that transcends worldly desires. It is a life of constant prayer. He is a walking icon of our Lord Jesus Christ. A Schemamonk is sought after by religious of all ranks, monastic and lay people for spiritual advice and comfort, as well as other Spiritual and religious matters. The Schemamonk will again take a new Name in Christ to show he has totally given up his worldly life.

Laity

2005-08-12T17:06:33Z

MariaCrabtree:

In religious organizations, the '''laity''' comprises all lay persons collectively. This can mean either any person who is not a member of the clergy or of any monastic order or, within such an order, a monastic who is not a priest (c.f., lay brother). In recent centuries, the term is often used more generally, in the context of any specialized profession, to refer to those who are not members of that profession.

Virtues

2005-08-12T17:03:23Z

MariaCrabtree:

'''Virtue''' (Greek α

John the Forerunner

2005-08-12T16:59:31Z

MariaCrabtree:

Prophet and Forerunner '''John the Baptist''' is also refered to as '''John the Forerunner''' because he was the forerunner of Christ. He was an ascetic and great prophet, who baptized [[Christ]] and became one of the most revered saints in the [[Orthodox Church]]. John is a cousin of Christ through his mother Elizabeth who was the daughter of Zoia. Zoia is the sister of Christ's grandmother. He was later beheaded by Herod in the first century to statisfy the request of his stepdaughter, Salome, and wife Herodias. Because he baptized Christ, he is the [[patron saint]] of [[godparents]].

Isaiah 40:3-5 is commonly read as a prophecy of John. His father, [[Zacharias]], was a [[priest]] of the course of Abia (1 Chr. 24:10), and his mother, [[Elizabeth]], was of the Daughters of Aaron (Luke 1:5). John held the priesthood of Aaron, giving him the authority to perform baptisms of God.

His birth took place six months before that of Jesus, and according to the Gospel account was expected by prophecy (Matt. 3:3; Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1) and foretold by an angel. Zacharias lost his power of speech because of his unbelief over the birth of his son, and had it restored on the occasion of John's circumcision (Luke 1:64).

John was a [[Nazarite]] from his birth (Luke 1:15; Num. 6:1-12). He spent his early years in the mountainous tract of Judea lying between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea (Matt. 3:1-12). He led a simple life, wearing rope (gamla) fiber clothing and eating "locusts and wild honey" (Matt. 3:4).

As an adult John started to preach in public, and people from "every quarter" were attracted to his message. The essence of his preaching was the necessity of repentance and turning away from selfish pursuits. He denounced the Sadducees and Pharisees as a "generation of vipers," and warned them not to assume their heritage gave them special privilege (Luke 3:8). He warned tax collectors and soldiers against extortion and plunder. His doctrine and manner of life stirred interest, bringing people from all parts to see him on the banks of the Jordan River. There he baptized thousands unto repentance.

The fame of John reached the ears of Jesus in Nazareth (Matt. 3:5), and he came from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized by John, on the special ground that it became him to "fulfill all righteousness" (3:15). John's special office ceased with the baptism of Jesus, who must now "increase" as the King come to his kingdom. He continued, however, for a while to bear testimony to the Messiahship of Jesus. He pointed him out to his disciples, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God." His public ministry was suddenly (after about six months probably) brought to a close by his being cast into prison by Herod, whom he had reproved for the sin of having taken to himself the wife of his brother Philip (Luke 3:19). He was shut up in the castle of Machaerus, a fortress on the southern extremity of Peraea, 9 miles east of the Dead Sea, and here he was beheaded at the instigation of Herodias; later tradition also implicates Salomé. His disciples, having consigned the headless body to the grave, went and told Jesus all that had occurred (Matt. 14:3-12). John's death occurred apparently just before the third Passover of Jesus' ministry.

Jesus himself testified regarding John that he was a "burning and a shining light" (John 5:35). John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a bridge figure between that period of revelation and Jesus. They also embrace a tradition that, following his death, John descended into Hell and there once more preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming.

== Feast Days ==
The Orthodox Church remembers Saint John the Forerunner on six separate feast days, listed here in order of the church year which begins on September 1:

*[[September 23]] - Conception of St. John the Forerunner

*[[January 7]] - The Commemoration of St. John the Forerunner (main feast day, immediately after Epiphany on January 6)
*[[February 24]] - First and Second Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner

*[[May 25]] - Third Finding of the Head of St. John the Forerunner

*[[June 24]] - Birth of St. John the Forerunner

*[[August 29]] - The Beheading of St. John the Forerunner

== Relics ==
*St. Demetrios Church, Neo Phaleron, Piraeus

*Benaki Museum, Athens

*Topkapi Museum, Constatinople

* Umayyad Mosque in Damascus, Syria

Boniface

2005-08-12T16:39:35Z

MariaCrabtree:

Saint '''Boniface''' (Latin: Bonifacius), (c. 672 - June 5, 754 or 755), the Apostle of the Germans, born Winfrid or Wynfrith at Crediton in Devonshire, was a missionary who propagated Christianity in Germany during the 8th century.

He was of good family, and it was somewhat against his father's wishes that he devoted himself at an early age to the monastic life. He received his theological training in the Benedictine monasteries of Adescancastre, near Exeter and Nursling between Winchester and Southampton, under the abbot Winbert, taught in the abbey school and at the age of thirty became a priest. He wrote the first Latin grammar produced in England.

In 716 he set out on a missionary expedition to Frisia, intending to convert the Frisians by preaching to them in their own language, his own Anglo-Saxon language being similar to Frisian, but his efforts were frustrated by the war then being carried on between Charles Martel and Radbod, king of the Frisians. He returned to Nursling.

Winfrid again set out in 718, visited Rome, and was commissioned in 719 by Pope Gregory II, who gave him his new name of Boniface, to evangelize in Germany and reorganize the church there. For five years he laboured in Hesse, Thuringia and Frisia, and on November 30, 722, he was elevated to bishop of the German territories he would bring into the fold of the Roman Church.

In 723, Boniface felled the holy oak tree dedicated to Thor near the present-day town of Fritzlar in northern Hesse. He built a chapel from its wood at the site where today stands the cathedral of Fritzlar, and later established the first bishopric in Germany north of the old Roman Limes at the Frankish fortified settlement of Büraburg, on a prominent hill facing the town across the Eder river. The felling of Thor's Oak is commonly regarded as the beginning of German christianization. In 732, he traveled again to Rome to report, and Gregory II conferred upon him the pallium as archbishop with jurisdiction over Germany. Boniface again set out for Germany, baptized thousands and dealt with the problems of many other Christians who had fallen out of contact with the regular hierarchy of the Catholic church. During his third visit to Rome in 737/38 he was made papal legate for Germany. In 745, he was granted Mainz as metropolitan see.

After his third trip to Rome, Boniface went to Bavaria and founded there the bishoprics of Salzburg, Regensburg, Freising and Passau. In 742, one of his disciples, Sturm (also known as Sturmi, or Sturmius), founded the abbey of Fulda not too far from Boniface's earlier missionary outpost at Fritzlar. Although Sturm was the founding abbot of Fulda, Boniface was very involved in the foundation. The initial grant for the abbey was signed by Carloman, the son of Charles Martel.

The support of the Frankish Mayors of the Palace (maior domos) and later, the early Pippinid and Carolingian rulers, was important to Boniface's program of forcible conversion. The Christian Frankish leaders desired to defeat their rival power, the Heathen Saxons, and to take the Saxon lands for their growing empire. Boniface's destruction of the indigenous Germanic faith and holy sites was an important part of the Frankish campaign.

Boniface balanced this support and attempted to maintain some independence, however, by attaining the support of the papacy and of the Agilolfing rulers of Bavaria. In Frankish, Hessian and Thuringian territory, he implanted the dioceses of Büraburg, Würzburg and Erfurt. He also organised provincial synods in the Frankish Church, and maintained a sometimes turbulent relationship with the king of the Franks, Pepin, whom he may have crowned at Soissons in 751. By appointing his own followers as bishops, he was able to retain some independence from the Carolingian rulers, who most likely were content to give him leeway, as long as Christianity was imposed on the Saxons and other Heathen folk by whatever means.
Bonfiace,Missionary to Germany
Enlarge
Bonfiace,Missionary to Germany

He had never relinquished his hope of converting the Frisians, and in 754 he set out with a small retinue for Frisia. He baptized a great number, and summoned a general meeting for confirmation at a place not far from Dokkum, between Franeker and Groningen. Instead of his converts, however, a group of armed inhabitants appeared who slew the aged archbishop. His remains were eventually buried in the abbey of Fulda. The forcible conversion of Germany up to the Elbe river was completed by Charlemagne, who destroyed Saxon independence in the last decades of the 8th century.

A famous statue of St. Boniface stands on the grounds of Mainz Cathedral. A more modern rendition stands facing the cathedral of Fritzlar.

His feast day is June 5 in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

== Source ==
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Boniface Wikipedia: Saint Boniface]

Elijah

2005-08-12T16:23:14Z

MariaCrabtree:

'''Elijah''' (

Zosima

2005-08-11T20:31:53Z

MariaCrabtree:

== Hymns ==
[[Troparion]] (Tone 1)[http://www.comeandseeicons.com/mgo02.htm 1]
:Let us the faithful praise Zosimas the offspring of the wilderness, the angel in the flesh and boast of monks. And with him let us also acclaim holy [[Mary of Egypt]] whose life transcended the limits of nature; and let us cry to them: Glory to Him Who strengthened you; glory to Him Who made you holy; glory to Him Who through thee works healings for all.

Ascension

2005-08-11T17:39:19Z

MariaCrabtree:

[[Image:Ascension.jpg|right|frame|The Ascension of Christ]]
The '''Ascension''' of [[Jesus Christ]] is one of the [[Great Feasts]] of the [[Orthodox Church]], celebrated forty days after [[Pascha]] (and thus always falling on a [[Thursday]] -- ''see'' [[Paschalion]]).

Forty days after the [[Resurrection]], while blessing His [[apostles|disciples]] ([[Gospel of Luke]] 24:50-51), Christ ascended into heaven, taking His place at the right hand of the [[Father]] ([[Gospel of Mark]] 16:19 and [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]]).

{{stub}}

== Hymns ==
Troparion - Tone 4

O Christ God, You have ascended in Glory,
Granting joy to Your disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit.
Through the blessing they were assured
That You are the Son of God,
The Redeemer of the world!

Kontakion - Tone 6

When You did fulfill the dispensation for our sake,
And unite earth to Heaven:
You did ascend in glory, O Christ our God,
Not being parted from those who love You,
But remaining with them and crying:
I am with you and no one will be against you

taken from oca.org

[[Category:Feasts]]

Annunciation

2005-08-11T17:37:41Z

MariaCrabtree:

[[Image:Annunciation.jpg|right|frame|The Annunciation to the Theotokos]]
The '''Annunciation''' (or Evangelismos in Greek) to the [[Theotokos]] is one of the [[Great Feasts]] of the [[Orthodox Church]], celebrated on [[March 25]]. Greeks also celebrate [[Greek Independence Day]] this day. This is one of only two days during [[Great Lent|Lent]], the other being [[Palm Sunday]], when fish is permitted.

According to the [[Gospel of Luke]] 1:26-38, the [[Archangel Gabriel]] appeared to [[Theotokos|Mary]] to announce to her that she would conceive and bear a son, even though she "knew no man." According to holy tradition Mary had come home to her parents when she was only fifteen when she was visited by Gabriel.

This date was selected by the [[Church Fathers]] to be exactly nine months ahead of [[Nativity|Christmas]], indicating that Christ was conceived in perfection at that time "of the [[Holy Spirit]] and the [[Theotokos|Virgin Mary]]," as stated in the [[Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed]].

Many men and women in Greece are named for this event and celebrate their name day on this date.
*Greek: Evangelia (f) and Evangelos (m)

*English Evangelilne (f) and Evan and Angelo (m)

== Greek Traditions ==
Many people make a [[pilgrimage]] as a special tribute to the [[Theotokos]] on the island of Tinos. Thousands of pilgrims jam the docks and city streets to visit the [[Church of Evangelistria (Tinos, Greece)]] that safeguards a miraculous healing [[icon]] of the [[Theotokos]]. Revealed in a vision, it was found buried in a field in 1823, and the church was built to house it. Pilgrims bring items of precious metals and other gifts to leave at the church. On [[August 15]] ([[Dormition]] of the Theotokos) and [[March 25]] the icon is carried through town in a grand procession.
{{stub}}

== Hymns ==

Troparion - Tone 4

Today is the beginning of our salvation,
The revelation of the eternal mystery!
The Son of God becomes the Son of the Virgin
As Gabriel announces the coming of Grace.
Together with him let us cry to the Theotokos:
Rejoice, O Full of Grace,
The Lord is with You!

Kontakion - Tone 8

O Victorious Leader of Triumphant Hosts!
We, your servants, delivered from evil, sing our grateful thanks to you, O Theotokos!
As you possess invincible might, set us free from every calamity
So that we may sing: Rejoice, O unwedded Bride!

taken from www.oca.org

[[Category:Feasts]]

Mount Tabor

2005-08-11T17:27:14Z

MariaCrabtree:

'''Mount Tabor''' is a hill in the Holy Land near Nazareth. It is believed by many to be the site of the [[Transfiguration]] of Christ.

Transfiguration

2005-08-11T17:23:26Z

MariaCrabtree:

[[Image:Transfiguration.jpg|right|frame|The Transfiguration of Christ]]
The '''Transfiguration''' of Christ is one of the [[Great Feasts]] of the [[Orthodox Church]], celebrated on [[August 6]].

[[Jesus Christ|Jesus]] had gone with his disciples [[Apostle Peter|Peter]], [[Apostle James (son of Zebedee)|James]], and [[Apostle John|John]] to [[Mount Tabor]]. Christ's appearance was changed while they watched into a glorious radiant figure. There appeared [[Elijah]] and [[Moses]], speaking with Jesus. The disciples were amazed and terribly afraid.

This event shows forth the divinity of Christ, so that the disciples would understand after his Ascension that He was truly the radiant splendor of the [[Father]], and that his Passion was voluntary ([[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 9:2-9). It also shows the possibility of our own [[theosis]].

This event was the subject of some debates between [[Gregory Palamas]] and [[Barlaam of Calabria]]. Barlaam believed that the light shining from Jesus was created light, while Gregory maintained the disciples were given grace to perceive the uncreated light of God. This supported Gregory's larger argument that although we cannot know God in His ''essence'', we can know Him in his ''energies'', as He reveals Himself.

Accounts of the Transfiguration are found in the [[Bible]]: [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 17:1-8, [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]] 9:2-9, and [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 9:28-36.

== Traditions ==
In Greece the harvest season traditionally began on the Transfiguration. Grapes, in particular, were not eaten before August 6. In some parishes, the first grapes would be brought to church for a blessing and distributed to parishioners.

== Hymns ==

Troparion - Tone 7

You were Transfigured on the Mount, O Christ God,
Revealing Your glory to Your disciples as far as they could bear it.
Let Your everlasting Light shine upon us sinners!
Through the prayers of the Theotokos, O Giver of Light, glory to You!

Kontakion - Tone 7

On the Mountain You were Transfigured, O Christ God,
And Your disciples beheld Your glory as far as they could see it;
So that when they would behold You crucified,
They would understand that Your suffering was voluntary,
And would proclaim to the world,
That You are truly the Radiance of the Father!

hymns taken from www.oca.org

[[Category:Feasts]]

Alexander Hotovitzky

2005-08-11T16:45:13Z

MariaCrabtree:

{{orthodoxyinamerica}}
Our [[righteous]] father '''Alexander Hotovitzky''' (or Hotovitsky), [[hieromartyr]] of the Bolshevik yoke, [[Missionary]] of America, was a Russian who came to the United States in the 1890s as a lay missionary and was [[ordain]]ed to the [[priest]]hood while there. He was active as a [[missionary]] among the emigrated [[Uniate]]s in the northeastern United States before returning to Russia in 1914. In Russia he was active among the [[Orthodox Karelians]] before his assignment to [[Christ the Savior Cathedral (Moscow)|Christ the Savior Cathedral]] in Moscow in 1917. After the Bolshevik coup he was subjected to the cruelties by the ungodly revolutionists as he defended the Orthodox faith, his people, and church property. Subjected to many arrests and exile Father Alexander serviced his beloved Church as best he could through these tumultuous times until after a final arrest he disappeared from history other than oral reports of his [[martyr]]dom. His [[glorification]] is celebrated on [[December 4]].

==Missionary in the United States==
Alexander Hotovitzky was born on [[February 11]], 1872, in the city of Kremenetz in Volhynia. His father, Alexander, was a [[priest]] who was the rector of the Volhynia Theological [[Seminary]]. Fr. Alexander was educated at the Volhynia Seminary before entering the [[St. Petersburg Theological Academy]]. Upon graduation from the academy in 1895 with a master's degree he was sent to the Diocese of the Aleutians and North America as a lay [[missionary]] and as [[reader]] at the St. Nicholas Church in New York City. He was ordained a [[deacon]] after his marriage to Maria Scherbuhina, who was a graduate of the [[Pavlosk Institute of St. Petersburg]]. [[Bishop]] [[Nicholas (Ziorov) of San Francisco|Nicholas (Ziorov)]] [[ordained]] Fr. Alexander to the [[priesthood]] on [[February 25]], 1896, at the diocesan [[cathedral]] in San Francisco.

A week later he returned to New York to become the pastor of [[St. Nicholas Church (New York, NY)]], where he had been a [[reader]]. During the ensuing years, Fr. Alexander was successful in his missionary activities among the emigrees from Galicia and Carpatho-Russia as well as representing the Orthodox Church before American religious institutions and meetings. He was instrumental in the establishment of many new Orthodox [[parish]]es, including those in Yonkers, Passaic, and Philadelphia. He edited the journal of Orthodox activity, the ''[[American Orthodox Messenger]]''. He actively participated in establishing an [[Orthodox mutual aid society]], including serving in various management positions. Through his initiative and active participation a new architecturally majestic St. Nicholas Cathedral was built to replace the small parish church in New York City, traveling throughout the United States, and even to Russia, soliciting funds for its construction. In 1903, the new edifice became the diocesan cathedral.

For eighteen years he served in America under Bishop Nicholas; the future Patriarch of Moscow, St. [[Tikhon of Moscow|Tikhon]]; and Archbishop Platon; the now [[Archpriest]] Alexander returned to Russia on [[February 26]], 1914.

==Russia and Martyrdom==
After his arrival in Russia Fr. Alexander was assigned as a priest in Helsinki, then a part of the Russian Empire. Here, as assistant to his archpastor, [[Sergius I (Stragorodsky) of Moscow|Sergius (Stragorodsky)]], he defended the Orthodox minority against the proselytizing activities of the expansionist Finnish Lutherans. Then in August 1917 he was transferred to Christ the Savior Church in Moscow as an assistant priest to once again serve under his old archpastor from America, the future St. Tikhon.

He also arrived as two historic events were to unfold, the [[All-Russia Church Council of 1917]] and the Bolshevik coup of October 1917. He was an active participant in the Church Council and assisted St. Tikhon in the administration of the Moscow diocese. With the loss of state funding, the Church and the Cathedral had to look to other sources of funds. Fr. Alexander, with Fr. Nicholas Arseniev, the rector of Christ the Savior Cathedral, aided the establishment of a brotherhood that appealed to the Orthodox flock to defend and preserve the Cathedral, and to aid the starving.

Fr. Alexander's activities defending the Church naturally brought him the enmity of the Bolsheviks and led to his arrest for brief periods in May 1920 and November 1921 for violating decrees concerning church relationships. In 1922, the next stage of Bolshevik antagonism began as Church property, including [[icon]]s and [[sacred vessels]], were confiscated on the pretextof helping the poor and starving. Although St. Tikhon encouraged the Church's donation of funds for this purpose, this was not enough for the Bolsheviks. So, St. Tikhon issued a decree based on [[canon law]] that the [[clergy]] in Russia were not to surrender sacred vessels for non-ecclesiastical use. This brought St. Tikhon's arrest and numerous court trials in which the servants of the Church were accused of counterrevolutionary activity. These trials intensified the Bolshevik attacks and the increased shedding of blood of the clergy and faithful who defending God's Church.

Fr. Alexander was in the forefront of those who implemented the Patriarch's instructions. He took part in meetings to draft a resolution for a general parish meeting of the Christ the Savior parish about the state decrees. This resolution, drafted by Fr. Alexander, was presented at a general meeting of the parish by Archpriest Nicholas Arseniev on [[March 23]], 1922. Fr. Alexander had already been placed under arrest. The final resolution contained demands of guarantees from the state that all donations by the Church are used for saving lives of the starving. However, the drafting of this resolution was considered a further example of counterrevolutionary activity. This led to further trials and executions of hieromartyrs and martyrs. Then a new high-visibility trial was convened in Moscow on [[November 27]], 1922, during which 105 clergy and [[laity]] were accused of "attempting to retain in their hands possession of church valuables and, through the resulting starvation, to topple the Soviet Regime."

In this trial the state prosecution portrayed Fr. Alexander as a central figure in the activities surrounding the preparation of the resolution. Under questioning, Fr. Alexander did not admit to wrongdoing and tried to protect the other defendants. In his final words as a defendant, Fr. Alexander defended the meeting as an ordinary meeting without any counterrevolutionary intent. On [[December 13]], 1922, the verdicts were announced. As a surprise the penalties were milder than earlier bloody verdicts. Fr. Alexander and two others were given ten-year sentences in prison, loss of their personal property, and loss of civil rights for five years. The others were given lesser sentences, but appeals for pardons were turned down by the Supreme Central Executive Committee on [[February 16]], 1923.

Then, surprisingly, in October 1923, Fr. Alexander and others were granted amnesty. However, with his freedom he was not assigned to a parish but served by invitation in Moscow churches. Then on [[September 4]], 1924, the State Political Directorate recommended administrative exile of thirteen clergy and church leaders including Fr. Alexander. After further interrogation, Fr. Alexander was exiled to the dreaded northern Turuhan region for three years. After return from exile he was elevated to the rank of [[protopresbyter]] and was assigned as an assistant to the Deputy [[Locum-Tenens]] of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Sergius. In the 1930s, he went on to serve as rector of the Church of the Deposition of the Robe on Donskoy Street.

Then in the fall of 1937, Fr. Alexander was again arrested. No records have been found of his further life, but oral reports have been received of his martyred death. The place of his burial is unknown.

==Sources==
* Alexis Liberovsky, Ed., ''[http://www.sspproc.org/hotovitsky.html The Life of Saint Alexander Hotovitzky, New Hieromartyr of Russia, Missionary to America]'', Alive in Christ, 1995-2, (Fall 1995).

==External Links==
*[http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=103471 Glorification of the Priestmartyr Alexander Hotovitzky]
*[http://63.127.196.87/process/place/images/04-stalexanderhotovitsky.jpg Icon of St. Alexander Hotovitzky]
*[http://www.holy-trinity.org/history/1896/02.25.ZiorovToHotovitsky.html New-Hieromartyr Alexander Alexandrovich (Hotovitsky)] including "Speech Delivered at the Ordination of Priest Alexander Hotovitsky"
*[http://www.3saints.com/history1.html#11 Father Alexander Hotovitsky] including photograph
*[http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050311/NEWS06/50311043&SearchID=73201834198436 Russian priest instrumental in signing of Portsmouth treaty]

[[Category:American Saints]]
[[Category:Martyrs]]
[[Category:Missionaries]]
[[Category:Russian Saints]]

Susanna the Virgin

2005-08-11T15:44:59Z

MariaCrabtree:

The Holy Martyr Susanna the Virgin was the daughter of Presbyter Gavinius and a niece of the Holy Bishop Caius of Rome (283-296). She was raised in strict Christian piety and in her youthful years dedicated herself to God. The family of the saint was related to the emperor Diocletian (284-305), who heard reports of her virtue and beauty.

Having decided to give St. Susanna in marriage to his co-ruling emperor Maximian Hercules (284-305), Diocletian sent his own kinsman, the dignitary Claudius, to the priest Gavinius, and then his own brother Maximus. Both of them, together with the wife of Claudius Prepedigna and her sons Alexander and Cythius, accepted Baptism after conversation with the pious family. Having learned that the entire family of his relatives had been converted to Christianity, Diocletian sent them into exile.

Soon they burned the martyrs at Ostia, not far from Rome, and threw the ashes into the sea. They took the holy virgin Susanna to the palace, and the empress tried to persuade her to submit. But the empress, secretly a Christian, supported the martyr in her intention to preserve her virginity for the sake of the Lord. She explained to the emperor about the virgin's unwillingness to enter into marriage with a pagan. Diocletian gave permission to his co-ruler to defile the holy virgin, but an angel defended her.

Macedonius began to urge the martyr to offer sacrifice to the idols. "I offer myself in sacrifice to my Lord," she answered. Then Macedonius cut off the martyr's head. The empress secretly buried the body of the saint. The room where the murder occurred was consecrated into a church by the holy Bishop Caius. Soon the father of St. Susanna, Presbyter Gavinius, accepted a martyr's end, as did St. Caius in the year 296.

User:MariaCrabtree

2005-08-11T15:44:47Z

MariaCrabtree:

[[Image:Arlie1.jpg|right|frame|May 22, 2004 Reception]]My name is Maria Crabtree, and I'm a convert to Orthodox Christianity communing at [[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]. I previously attended [http://www.wvwc.edu West Virginia Wesleyan College] for two years where I worked towards a B.A. in Christian Education and Environmental Science and minors in Philosophy and Religion. During my career at Wesleyan I was a [http://www.bonner.org Bonner Scholar] where I worked for many nonprofit organizations including: [http://www.redcross.org/ American Red Cross], [http://www.30hourfamine.org/PortalFlash.asp World Vision], Upshur County, WV Parish House under the [http://www.umc.org United Methodist Church], and Academy Primary School in Buckhannon, WV.

During my freshman year of college I met Isaac, the man I was to marry. He transferred after his sophomore year at Wesleyan to [http://www.marshall.edu Marshall University]. I transferred to Marshall a year later, at the end of my sophomore year, to be closer to him and also so we could begin catechism in the Holy Orthodox Church. We were received by chrismation May 15, 2004. I took St. [[Mary of Bethany]] as my patron saint after my middle name Maree. A week later on May 22, 2004 we were married in the Orthodox Church.

I have a wide range of intrests including: event planning, curriculum writing, Tae Kwon Do, and (primarily now) domesticities.

I was born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistersville%2C_West_Virginia Sistersville, West Virginia] in 1983 and currently live in House Springs, Missouri with my husband Isaac.

== Articles I have contributed to ==
*[[Mary of Bethany]]
*[[Angels]]
*[[Susanna]]
*[[Basil and Theodore]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Education Commission]]
*[[Frank Schaeffer]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Fellowship]]
*[[John Meyendorff]]
*[[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]
*[[Parish]]
*[[Pope]]
*[[Ordination]]
*[[Holy Unction]]
*[[John the Baptist]]
*[[Igumen]]
*[[Trisagion]]
*[[Holy Saturday]]
*[[Klobuk]]
*[[Apostle Parmenas]]
*[[Book of Philemon]]
*[[Tonsure]]
*[[Apostolos]]

== External Links ==
My Live Journal: [http://www.livejournal.com/users/arlie/ Reflections...]

AIM: ChicaDeFarlie

Basil and Theodore

2005-08-11T15:43:24Z

MariaCrabtree:

The Hieromartyrs Theodore and Basil of the Caves pursued asceticism in the eleventh century in the Near Caves of Kiev. St. Theodore distributed his riches to the poor, went to the monastery and settled into the Varangian Cave, adjoining the Caves of St. Theodosios. He dwelt here many years in strict temperance.

When the enemy aroused sorrow in him for giving away his possessions, St. Basil comforted him: "I implore you, brother Theodore, do not forget the reward. If you want to have possessions, take everything that is mine." St. Theodore repented and dearly loved St. Basil, with whom he lived in the cell.

Once, St. Basil was on an errand outside the monastery for three months. The devil, having assumed his form, appeared to St. Theodore and indicated that there was a treasure hidden somewhere in the cave by robbers. The monk still wanted to leave the monastery to buy possessions to live in the world. When St. Basil returned, the demonic illusion disappeared. From that time, St. Theodore started to be more attentive to himself. In order not to be distracted by idle thoughts during moments of inactivity, he set up a millstone, and by night he ground grain. Thus, by long and zealous ascetic action he freed himself from the passion of avarice.

A report reached Prince Mstislav Svyatopolkovich that St. Theodore had found much treasure in the cave. He summoned the monk to him and commanded him to show him the spot where the valuables were hidden. St. Theodore told the prince that indeed he had once seen gold and precious vessels in the cave, but fearing temptation, he and St. Basil had buried the treasure, and God took from him the memory of where it was hidden.

Not believing the saint, the prince gave orders to torture him to death. They beat St. Theodore so much, that his hair-shirt was wet with blood, and then they hung him head-downwards, lighting a fire beneath him. In a drunken condition the prince commanded them to torture St. Basil also, and then to kill him with an arrow. Dying, the martyr Basil threw the arrow at the feet of Prince Mstislav and predicted that he himself would soon be mortally wounded by it. The prophecy was fulfilled on July 15, 1099 during an internecine war with David Igorevich. On the wall of the Vladimir fortress, Prince Mstislav was suddenly struck in the chest by an arrow through an opening in the timbers, and on the following night he died. Recognizing his own arrow, the prince said: "I die because of the monastic martyrs Basil and Theodore."

User:MariaCrabtree

2005-08-11T15:43:09Z

MariaCrabtree:

[[Image:Arlie1.jpg|right|frame|May 22, 2004 Reception]]My name is Maria Crabtree, and I'm a convert to Orthodox Christianity communing at [[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]. I previously attended [http://www.wvwc.edu West Virginia Wesleyan College] for two years where I worked towards a B.A. in Christian Education and Environmental Science and minors in Philosophy and Religion. During my career at Wesleyan I was a [http://www.bonner.org Bonner Scholar] where I worked for many nonprofit organizations including: [http://www.redcross.org/ American Red Cross], [http://www.30hourfamine.org/PortalFlash.asp World Vision], Upshur County, WV Parish House under the [http://www.umc.org United Methodist Church], and Academy Primary School in Buckhannon, WV.

During my freshman year of college I met Isaac, the man I was to marry. He transferred after his sophomore year at Wesleyan to [http://www.marshall.edu Marshall University]. I transferred to Marshall a year later, at the end of my sophomore year, to be closer to him and also so we could begin catechism in the Holy Orthodox Church. We were received by chrismation May 15, 2004. I took St. [[Mary of Bethany]] as my patron saint after my middle name Maree. A week later on May 22, 2004 we were married in the Orthodox Church.

I have a wide range of intrests including: event planning, curriculum writing, Tae Kwon Do, and (primarily now) domesticities.

I was born in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sistersville%2C_West_Virginia Sistersville, West Virginia] in 1983 and currently live in House Springs, Missouri with my husband Isaac.

== Articles I have contributed to ==
*[[Mary of Bethany]]
*[[Angels]]
*[[Basil and Theodore]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Education Commission]]
*[[Frank Schaeffer]]
*[[Orthodox Christian Fellowship]]
*[[John Meyendorff]]
*[[St. John Chrysostom Russian Orthodox Church (House Springs, Missouri)]]
*[[Parish]]
*[[Pope]]
*[[Ordination]]
*[[Holy Unction]]
*[[John the Baptist]]
*[[Igumen]]
*[[Trisagion]]
*[[Holy Saturday]]
*[[Klobuk]]
*[[Apostle Parmenas]]
*[[Book of Philemon]]
*[[Tonsure]]
*[[Apostolos]]

== External Links ==
My Live Journal: [http://www.livejournal.com/users/arlie/ Reflections...]

AIM: ChicaDeFarlie

Iconoclasm

2005-08-11T02:33:01Z

MariaCrabtree:

Literally, '''iconoclasm''' is the destruction of religious icons and other sacred images or monuments, usually for religious or political motives. In Christian circles, iconoclasm has generally been motivated by a literal interpretation of the second of the ten commandments, which forbids the making and worshipping of "graven images".

People who engage in such practices are called iconoclasts, a term that has come to be applied to any person who breaks or disdains established dogmas or conventions. Conversely, people who revere or venerate religious images are called iconodules.

Iconoclasms can be carried out by people of a different religion, but are often the result of sectarian disputes between factions of the same religion.

== The first iconoclastic period: 730-787 ==

Emperor Leo III the Isaurian (reigned 717–741) banned the use of icons of Jesus, Mary, and the Saints and commanded the destruction of these images in 730. The Iconoclastic Controversy was fueled by the refusal of many Christians resident outside the Byzantine Empire, including many Christians living in the Islamic Caliphate, to accept the emperor's theological arguments. St. John of Damascus was one of the most prominent of these. Ironically, Christians living under Muslim rule at this time had more freedom to write in defense of icons than did those living in the Byzantine Empire. Leo was able to promulgate his policy because of his personal popularity and military success — he was credited with saving Constantinople from an Arab siege in 717–718 and then sustaining the Empire through annual warfare.

Leo III's son, Constantine V (reigned 741–775) was challenged at once by a general who used Iconophilic ("Icon-favoring") propaganda, but his military success against this threat cemented his own position.

The first Iconoclastic period came to an end when Leo IV (Constantine V) died and his widow, Empress Irene came into power. An iconophile, she initiated the Second Council of Nicaea in 787, where the veneration of icons was affirmed, although the worship of icons was expressly forbidden. Among the reasons were the doctrine of the Incarnation: because God the Son (Jesus Christ) took on flesh, having a physical appearance, it is now possible to use physical matter to depict God the Son, and to depict the saints. Icon veneration lasted through the reign of Empress Irene's successor, Nicephorus I (reigned 802-811), and the two brief reigns after his.
[edit]

== The second iconoclastic period: 813-843 ==

Emperor Leo V (reigned 813–820) instituted a second period of Iconoclasm in 813, which seems to have been less rigorously enforced, since there were fewer martyrdoms and public destructions of icons. Leo was succeeded by Michael II, who was succeeded by his son, Theophilus. Theophilus died leaving his wife Theodora regent for his minor heir, Michael III. Like Irene 50 years before her, Theodora mobilized the iconodules and proclaimed the restoration of icons in 843. Since that time the first Sunday of Lent is celebrated in the churches of the Orthodox tradition as the feast of the "Triumph of Orthodoxy".
[edit]

== Islamic iconoclasm ==

Because of the prohibition against figural decoration in mosques — not, as is often said, a total ban on the use of images — some Muslim groups have on occasion committed acts of iconoclasm against the devotional images of other religions. A recent example of this is the 2001 destruction of frescoes and the monumental statues of the Buddha at Bamiyan by the radical Muslim sect and nationalist group, the Taliban.

Historically, despite a religious prohibition on destroying or converting houses of worship, conquering Muslim armies would on occasion replace local temples or houses of worship with mosques. An example is the Hagia Sophia, Church of the Holy Wisdom, in Istanbul, formerly Constantinople which was converted into a mosque 1453, when its mosaics were covered with plaster. The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is said to have been built on top of the remains of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Some ultra-religious Jewish messianic groups believe that only by similarly demolishing the Dome of the Rock and rebuilding the Jewish Temple, can the messiah come to earth. This has led to frequent tension between Jews and Muslims over the site.

Similar acts of iconoclasm occurred in parts of north Africa.

In India, a number of former Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples were conquered and rebuilt as mosques. In recent years, right-wing Hindu nationalists have torn down some of these mosques, such as the famous Babri Masjid, and attempted to replace them with Hindu Temples.
[edit]

== Reformation iconoclasm ==

Some of the Protestant reformers encouraged their followers to destroy Catholic art works by insisting that they were idols. Huldrych Zwingli and John Calvin promoted this approach to the adaptation of earlier buildings for Protestant worship. In 1562, some Calvinists destroyed the tomb of St. Irenaeus and the relics inside, which had been under the altar of a church since his martyrdom in 202, though iconoclastic riots took place in Zürich (in 1523), Copenhagen (1530), Münster (1534), Geneva (1535), Augsburg (1537) and Scotland (1559).

The Seventeen Provinces (now the Netherlands and Belgium) were hit by a large wave of Protestant iconoclasm in the summer of 1566. This is called the Beeldenstorm and included such acts as the destruction of the statuary of the Monastery of Saint Lawrence in Steenvoorde after a Hagenpreek, or field sermon, by Sebastiaan Matte; and the sacking of the Monastery of Saint Anthony after a sermon by Jacob de Buysere. The Beeldenstorm marked the start of the revolution against the Spanish forces and the Catholic church. See Flanders for more on its history.

In England, Bishop Joseph Hall of Norwich described the events of 1643 when troops and citizens, encouraged by a Parliamentary ordinance against superstition and idolatry, behaved thus:

'Lord what work was here! What clattering of glasses! What beating down of walls! What tearing up of monuments! What pulling down of seats! What wresting out of irons and brass from the windows! What defacing of arms! What demolishing of curious stonework! what tooting and piping upon organ pipes! And what a hideous triumph in the market-place before all the country, when all the mangled organ pipes, vestments, both copes and surplices, together with the leaden cross which had newly been sawn down from the Green-yard pulpit and the service-books and singing books that could be carried to the fire in the public market-place were heaped together'.

== See also ==

* Iconography