Humility and Justice – Week One of our Great Lenten Retreat. Great Lenten Retreat Last year we did a great decluttering challenge for Lent, to focus on detachment. This year we are going to do a seven week series on the virtues! We will start with the four cardinal virtues and a relatable virtue for …
Nativity of Christ: Byzantine Christmas One of the obvious differences in how the East and West celebrate the Nativity is the Calendar day. The Gregorian calendar, which is also the current calendar used by the secular world, places the date of Christmas on December 25th. And the Annunciation on March 25th, and so on. The …
We celebrate the five companions, Eustratios, Auxentius, Egenius, Mardarius, and Orestes on December 13th. These five companions, Martyred during the reign of Diocletian, the five companions are alternatively called Eustratius, Auxentius, Eugene, Mardarius, and Orestes. Either way, their names are quite the mouthful! So what do we know about these five companions? Eustratios/Eustratius and Auxentius …
We celebrate our venerable and God-bearing Father Sabbas the Sanctified on December 5th. So right before the Feast of St. Nicholas! Father Sabbas the Sanctified St. Sabbas is also known as Sabas, and is pronounced [Sava]. He was the son of an army officer, and was left in the care of his aunt and uncle …
We celebrate Saint John Chrysostom (c.347 – 407) on November 13th. (In the west it is in September) It is his Divine Liturgy we celebrate most days of the year. So no wonder St. John Chrysostom is called the Golden-Mouthed! St. John Chrysostom is one of our most popular saints in the East. He is …
Heavenly powers, bodiless powers, heavenly hosts or angels. There are many names for the great and holy beings we celebrate on November 8th. The Feast of the Synaxis of Michael the Archangel and Other Heavenly Powers. Sometimes this feast is also called Michaelmas. This feast day was established before the 1st Ecumenical Council, at the …
Demetrius, the Great-Martyr, is celebrated in the Byzantine Churches on October 26th. Although, I didn’t know much about this saint – actually, only that he existed. So I thought that I’d learn and share his story, as well as ways to celebrate this great martyr’s feast day! The Holy and Glorious Great-Martyr Demetrius, from Whose …
Apostle James Son of Alpheus We celebrate James, the apostle and Son of Alpheus, on October 9th. It is difficult to say what we know about this James. Particularly because there are many other people named James (or as it should be translated, Jacob) in the New Testament. Some people theorize that James Son of …
The icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is one of my favourite icons. So much so that when I picked our wedding icons I chose a set with Our Lady of Perpetual Help for the Marian icon. And that is why this icon is our topic for today! The Icon The Our Lady of …
When I entered a Byzantine Catholic Church for the first time, the iconostas took my breath away. Just wow! A glimpse of the beauty and glory of God. Now during Divine Liturgy, I love to reflect upon the images. Especially during prayers to the Theotokos, when I look at one of the icons of Mary. …