Meatfare and Cheesefare: the Basics Great Lent is fast approaching. This Sunday is Meatfare and the following week is Cheesefare. I think these Sundays are really unique. In the Roman Catholic Church, these Sundays will merely be the 7th and 8th Sundays of Ordinary time. Boring, right? We Byzantine families are taking the time to …
The Presentation Explained On February 2nd, we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation in the Temple. We also call this day The Meeting of our Lord with Simeon and Anna. Other names for this feast include: Presentation of the Lord, Encounter of Our Lord, the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and Candlemas. It is the final of the …
On January 6th we celebrate Theophany, which is the Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan. Theophany is one of the Feasts of Light (alongside the Nativity, and the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple). Western Christians primarily celebrate this day as when the Magi arrived to present their three gifts to Jesus. Both traditions …
Christmas Eve has always been one of my favourite nights of the year. As a child I loved going to Church, and then coming home knowing that after a short sleep I would wake up to opening presents! In my early teens we even added opening one present Christmas Eve. Both going to church and …
The Best Nativity Fast/Advent Music Having trouble finding music to listen to this season? Our Little Fox loves music. Whenever we start playing something she begins her version of dancing and if there is words she tries to sing along. Malls and other stores have already started playing Christmas music. But it is not Christmas …
St. Nicholas The Feast of St. Nicholas is a super beautiful day for Byzantine Catholics. He is actually one of the most popular saints in the Eastern Churches. Today on TheByzantineLife.com we talk about the history of St. Nicholas, traditions, and what our family is doing with Santa Claus. Who is St. Nicholas? Google lists …
The Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos While all Marian Feasts are awesome, wonderful, and special, the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos has a special place in my heart. It is my firstborn daughter’s day of birth (Little Fox). Also called the Assumption of Mary, the feast of Dormition falls on the 15th …
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tomb, giving life! Byzantine Catholics have a rich and joyous tradition for celebrating Easter. We greet each other, in church or on the street, by saying “Christ is risen” and responding “Indeed He is risen.” We sing the Paschal troparion. …