The Orthodox Church celebrates Easter on April 19-21, 2009.
This year comes with some minor financial problems for all the world, but hopefully and with God's help we shall overcome all the challenges.
For the Orthodox Easter is an occasion for repentance, forgiveness and joy. Christ is risen and all the world has the chance to come back to life, to light and eventually to salvation.
Happy Easter!
CHRIST IS RISEN!
The traditional wedding service in the Greek Orthodox faith is an ancient and gorgeous ceremony that's continued unchanged for centuries.
It's also a ceremony full of symbolism. And it amounts to a great experience if you've never attended one before, because it's likely to be quite different from other weddings you've been to.
Many people find the service itself rather unique. The bride and groom don't make vows to each other — it's understood that standing together in the church shows they're serious about getting married.
How it All Begins ...
In most cases, the wedding guests wait with the groom outside the church until the bride arrives (a few sneaky wedding pros will go into the church early to secure a good seat). In summer, when most weddings take place, it's not unusual for ceremonies to be scheduled back to back. So the wedding guests will often hang around with those who've just attended the previous wedding as they prepare to leave. The crowd's professional wedding commentators will get to talk over at least two and maybe even three brides as they leave the church (bargain)!
Meanwhile, the nervous groom waits for the bride at the entrance to the church, often holding her bouquet. He hands it to her as they meet. Then they stroll inside together, followed by the guests. There's no dividing guests into those "for the bride" or "for the groom" — everyone sits together, and in the case of small churches, many people actually prefer to stand somewhere that offers a great view of the proceedings.
Service of Betrothal. The wedding ceremony itself takes place in two parts: the Service of Betrothal, and the Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage. The Service of Betrothal focuses on the ring exchange. The priest blesses the rings by holding them in his right hand, and makes the sign of the cross over the the bride's and groom's heads. He then places the rings on the third fingers of their right hands.
The "Koumbaro," the couple's religious sponsor, then swaps the rings three times between the bride and groom's fingers. A number of rituals in the ceremony are repeated three times, which symbolizes the Holy Trinity.
Ceremony of the Sacrament of Marriage. This Ceremony consists of several key parts. First, the priest leads several prayers. Then, as they come to an end, he joins the right hands of the bride and groom. Their hands remain joined until the wedding ceremony ends, which symbolizes their union.
The Crowning.
The bride and groom are crowned with flowered crowns, or "stefana", which are joined by a white ribbon and have been blessed by the priest. The crowns symbolize the glory and honor bestowed on them by God, and the the ribbon signifies the couple's unity. The "Koumbaro" then exchanges the crowns three times between the couple's heads.
The Common Cup.
The priest follows the crowning with a Gospel reading, which tells of the marriage of Cana at Galilee. It was at this wedding that Jesus performed his first miracle, changing water into wine and offering the result to the married couple. Repeating this ritual, the priest gives wine to the couple. They each drink from the cup three times.
The Ceremonial Walk.
The priest now leads the stafana-crowned couple three times around the altar, which amounts to their first steps as a married couple. The "Koumbaro" follows close behind, holding the stefana place.
At this point the couple (and anyone standing nearby) is usually pelted with rice, which ushers handed out earlier to the guests. The rice throwing can get pretty wild — and it's not unusual to catch the priest warding off the rice assault with his Bible.
The Removal of the Crowns.
When the Ceremonial Walk ends, the priest then blesses the couple, removes the crowns and separates their previously-joined hands with the Bible, reminding them that only God can break the union they've just entered into.
Wedding Traditions and Where They're Headed.
Much of the information available on Greek Orthodox wedding traditions is slightly outdated, and sometimes gives the impression that every Greek couple who marries still follows them. Some of these waning traditions include:
- Rolling a baby on the marital bed to encourage fertility.
- Throwing money onto the marital bed.
- Pinning money on the bride (and sometimes the groom) at the wedding reception.
Although these rituals are seen as traditional, fewer and fewer young people are adopting them — they seem rather old-fashioned, just as the Dollar Dance seems somewhat outdated to some American brides.
After all, many couples don't want to put their guests through the ordeal of having a monetary gift put on public display. Although money's still a very common (as well as practical and appreciated) wedding present, guests often give it to the couple ahead of time, or hand it to someone like the best man at the reception for safekeeping.
Greeks living in the more remote parts of Greece and abroad, who often feel more strongly about doing things the traditional way, are more likely to follow these traditions than a young couple living in Athens. Still, like weddings everywhere, Greek weddings are changing. At the time of this writing, there's a growing fashion to go and get married on an island, and I recently heard someone say that he was looking into getting married in a ski resort.
Not everyone is leaping head first into nontraditional weddings, however. As his friend wisely pointed out, "You'd better first ask the priest if he wants to perform a marriage up a mountain!"
It's been a real surprise for me to find on Elisabeth and Craig's blog these pictures - I hope they don't mind me taking these pictures from their post on their trip in Australia.
This church is situated in Cobber Pedy
"Coober Pedy
846km North of Adelaide. Coober Pedy - the opal capital of the world is Australia's unique "underground town". Half its 3,500 people from over 45 different nationalities live underground to escape the summer heat.
The cosmopolitan capital of Australia's opal mining towns has numerous interesting features including historic mines, dugout homes, shops, churches, the colourful Stuart Range and - of course - OPAL! It has been described as looking much like the surface of the moon."
(from here)
The Orthodox calendar mentions Saint Valentine, actually more than one Valentine. It depends on the country and on the decisions of the Patriarch and the synod (council).
For example the Romanian Orthodox Church celebrates a St. Valentine on April 24. This saint lived in Moesia in Durostorum. He was martyred because he was a Christian and refused to worship the pagan gods.
In the Romanian Orthodox calendar there is a Saint Valentine celebrated on February the 16. (Sfantul Valentin 16 februarie). This Saint Valens lived in Caesarea Palestine (or Caesarea Maritima). Valens was martyred during the persecution begun by Diocletian in 303. Another Saint Martyr executed on the same day is Saint Pamphilus - Christian scholar whose most important disciple was Eusebius of Caesarea - for further reading go to GOARCH.
A full list of the saints celebrated on February 16 is available on OrthodoxWIKI.
Martyrs Pamphilus the presbyter, Valens the deacon, Paul, Seleucus, Porphyrius, Julian, Theodulus, Elias, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Samuel and Daniel, at Caesaria in Palestine; Saint Maruthas, Bishop of Martyropolis in Mesopotamia, and the Persians martyred with him; Martyr Romanus of Mount Athos; New-Martyrs Priest Elias and Priest Peter Lagov; Saint Flavian the hermit; Saint Flavian, Archbishop of Antioch; Saint Flavian the Confessor, Patriarch of Constantinople; Saint Romanos the Younger; Virgin-Martyr Juliana of Naples. Other events: repose of Metropolitan Macarius of Moscow, Apostle to the Altai.
The Roman Catholic Church celebrates on February 14th Saint Valentine. There are three saints - all martyred - named Valentine, Valens or Valentinus in the Catholic calendar. It is said that he was a priest who lived during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius II - 3rd century AD. The Emperor outlawed the marriage of young men because he wanted them to join the army and not no be concerned with the daily life of a family. Valentinus continued to perform marriages and defied the decree. The Emperor found put and ordered the execution of Valentine.
It seems that in fact the Catholic Church tried to adapt and adopt the pagan rituals which were still very popular in the early years of Christianity.
It is said that St Valentine is the patron saint of lovers and love. People give presents to the loved ones on this day. "Will you be mt Valentine?" and the handwritten love notes are very popular especially in the western countries and the are becoming increasingly popular with lovers all over the world.
A very interesting article about St. Valentine and the modern celebration of this saint may be found here.
I dare to quote: "And St. Valentine demonstrated this love when he died for his friends, and for his faith in Christ. This is the kind of love that Valentine's Day is really all about. And this is what his Feast Day of Feb. 14 should bring to our minds. May God help us to have that same kind of love for others, and that same kind of commitment and faithfulness to Christ, even in the face of death, until the Lord calls us home."
Today January 30th the Orthodox Church celebrates The Three Great Hierarchs and Holy Fathers: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom.
Introduction
During the reign of the Emperor Alexius Comnenus (1081-1118), a controversy arose in Constantinople (today Istanbul in Turkey) among men learned in Faith and zealous for virtue about the three holy Hierarchs and Fathers of the Church, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. Some argued for Saint Basil above the other two because he was able, as none other, to explain the mysteries of the Faith, and rose to angelic rank by his virtues. Organizer of monastic life, leader of the entire Church in the struggle with heresy, austere and demanding shepherd as to Christian morals, in him there was nothing base or of the earth. Hence, said they, he was superior to Saint Chrysostom who was by nature more easily inclined to absolve sinners.
The partisans of Saint Chrysostom retorted that the illustrious Archbishop of Constantinople had been no less zealous than Saint Basil in combating vices, in bringing sinners to repentance and in raising up the whole people to the perfection of the Gospel. The golden-mouthed shepherd of matchless eloquence has watered the Church with a stream of homilies in which he interprets the divine word and shows its application in daily life with more accomplished mastery than the two other holy Doctors.
According to a third group, Saint Gregory the Theologian was to be preferred to the others by reason of the majesty, purity and profundity of his language. Possessing a sovereign mastery of all the wisdom and eloquence of ancient Greece, he had attained, they said to such a pitch in the contemplation of God that no one had been able to express the dogma of the Holy Trinity as perfectly as he.
With each faction setting up one of the Fathers against the other two in this way, the whole Christian people were soon caught up in the dispute, which far from promoting devotion to the Saints in the City, resulted in nothing but ill-feeling and endless argument. Then one night the three holy Hierarchs appeared in a dream to Saint John Mauropus, the Metropolitan of Euchaïta (5 Oct.), separately at first, then together and, speaking with a single voice, they said: “As you see, the three of us are with God and no discord or rivalry divides us. Each of us, according to the circumstances and according to the inspiration that he received from the Holy Spirit, wrote and taught what befits the salvation of mankind. There is not among us a first, a second or a third, and if you invoke one of us the other two are immediately present with him. Therefore, tell those who are quarrelling not to create divisions in the Church because of us, for when we were on earth we spared no effort to re-establish unity and concord in the world. You can conjoin our three commemorations in one feast and compose a service for it, inserting the hymns dedicated to each of us according to the skill and knowledge that God has given you. Then transmit it to the Christians with the command to celebrate it each year. If they honor us thus as being with and in God, we give them our word that we will intercede for their salvation in our common prayer.” At these words, the Saints were taken up into heaven in a boundless light while conversing with one another by name.
Saint John immediately assembled the people and informed them of this revelation. As he was respected by all for his virtue and admired for his powerful eloquence, the three parties made peace and every one urged him to lose no time in composing the service of the joint feast. With fine discernment, he selected 30 January as appropriate to the celebration, for it would set the seal to the month in which each of the three Hierarchs already had a separate commemoration (Saint Basil – January 1; Saint Gregory – January 25; Saint John (translation of relics) – January 27).
The three Hierarchs—an earthly trinity as they are called in some of the wonderful troparia of their service—have taught us in their writings and equally by their lives, to worship and to glorify the Holy Trinity, the One God in three Persons. These three luminaries of the Church have shed the light of the true Faith all over the world, scorning dangers and persecutions, and they have left us, their descendants, this sacred inheritance by which we too can attain to utmost blessedness and everlasting life in the presence of God and of all the Saints.
With the feast of the three Hierarchs at the end of January—the month in which we keep the memory of so many glorious bishops, confessors and ascetics—the Church in a way recapitulates the memory of all the Saints who have witnessed to the Orthodox faith by their writings and by their lives. In this feast we honor the whole ministry of teaching of the holy Church, namely, the illumination of the hearts and minds of the faithful through the commemoration of all the Fathers of the Church, those models of evangelic perfection which the Holy Spirit has raised up from age to age and from place to place to be new Prophets and new Apostles, guides of souls heavenward, comforters of the people and fiery pillars of prayer, supporting the Church and confirming her in the truth.
(source Greek Orthodox Archiodiocese of Amercica - GOARCH)
Troparion
Let us who love their words gather together
And honor with hymns the three great torch-bearers of the triune Godhead:
Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom.
These men have enlightened the world with the rays of their divine doctrines.
They are sweetly-flowing rivers of wisdom filling all creation with springs of heavenly knowledge.
Ceaselessly they intercede for us before the Holy Trinity!
Kontakion
O Lord, You have taken up to eternal rest
And to the enjoyment of Your blessings the divinely-inspired heralds,
The greatest of Your teachers,
For You have accepted their labors and deaths as a sweet-smelling sacrifice,
For You alone are glorified in Your saints!
Further reading
OCA
Orthodox Wiki
Darwin and his theory seem to fall especially after Leakey discovered that many things previously supposed correct and universally true are in fact doubtful.
Anyway I think a joke such this one is a piece of good humour.
One day Adam was walking in Eden.
Adam says to God: "Why did you make woman so beautiful?"
God says:
"So you would love her."
"But God," Adam says, "Why did you make her so dumb?"
God says:
"So she would love you."
Nothing else has made me recently exclaiming "How beautiful is that" or "Oh, look at that". Nothing else but the astonishing monuments one can admire and visit in Greece (Ελλάς - Ellas in Latin letters), in Athens to be more precise. After leaving home with a little concern about the trip - which was indeed very long (27 hours)- I arrived in Athens in the morning. I cannot describe how did I feel when entering this city.
Narrow streets, orange trees - a magic smell that somehow resembles the jasmin -, people everywhere, sun, beautiful people (the Greeks are really beautiful and very elegant people) and above all the feeling that I step on thousands of years of history and civilisation.
I heard stories about the Mediterranean sun, I heard stories about the people of Athens, I heard stories about the monuments but nothing can really describe Greece as it is. One should go there and discover it in his or her own way.
The Acropolis with its temples and the Agora made me feel, you know, small in front of one of the greatest achievements of the humankind. Stepping on the Sacred Rock of the old gods and seeing Athens in its full splendour is simply breathtaking.
Lycavittos - the hill at the centre of the city that is thought to be a rock dropped by the goddess Athena from the sky - is the other landmark on the horizon of Athens.
I have seen with my own eyes the famous Evzones - the guards in front of the Monument of the Unknown Soldier - in Syntagma Square. In summer it must be a tough job to stay in the sun but at least the guard is changed every one hour.
The tavernas couldn't have missed from my visit to Athens. Small but intimate and comfortable they offered me the chance to see the Greeks and not only having a cup of coffee or just chatting with friends. I cannot forget mentioning the Greek food - I recommend those who are visiting Greece 'souvlaki' and 'gyros' and of course some salad.
Do not imagine that Athens is a place where people just look at the ruins and do nothing else. The Greeks are very proud of the past but at the same time they value the present. The Greeks are Orthodox and they are very proud of that. The national flag consists of a cross and orizontal blue and white stripes.
As far as the public transport is concerned I can tell you it is very civilized and it works perfectly. Modern buses, trolleybuses and trams take the locals and the tourists in all the four corners of the city. The metro is ... perfect, it shines with cleanliness - I thought it may be transformed into a hospital one day :)). A tip - buy a 10 euro ticket that is valid one week on all means of transport and on all lines, except the express lines to the international airport.
Visiting Athens even if the time was too short has been the best decision I have made lately. It's been a unique occasion to see with my own eyes the place where the modern western culture originated from.
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