A Reading from the Epistle of St. Jacob. How often have you heard that at Church? Well, if you attend Church with readings done in Ukrainian on weekdays you might have heard it. Because – get this – James is an awkward translation of the Greek Iacobus. Back when John Wycliffe made his English translation …
The Immaculate Conception, the motherhood/maternity of St. Anna, or The Conception of Saint Anna, is the feast when we celebrate St. Anna conceiving the Mary, the Theotokos. This feast is generally celebrated in Eastern Churches in December 9th. However, Roman Catholics celebrate this feast on December 8th. And in countries such as the United States, …
One important mark of a Christian life is praying for others. We pray for our family and friends, and ask friends and family to pray for us all the time. Sometimes we forget that we have even more family in heaven, in the saints! This week’s article is a quick exploration of why it is …
September 1st is the beginning of a new Church year for Byzantines. What are your plans for growing your faith this year? And what does a new year really mean for the church? September 1st: A History Beginning of the Indiction, i.e. the Liturgical New Year September 1st seems an odd time to start a …
Tomorrow we celebrate Jesus’ love for us, in both Eastern and Western churches. In the East, this Friday is called Christ, Lover of Mankind and in the West it is called the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart and is traditionally celebrated on the Friday 19 days after Pentecost. This Friday we focus upon the image …
This week’s article comes from a request from one of our patrons on Patreon. We were asked about how to incorporate Eastern Traditions into one’s home while remaining Roman Catholic. Our Mixed Tradition Family In order to give you a clear idea of where we are coming from, let me give you the basic rundown …
Great Lent While there are several differences between the way Roman Catholics and Byzantine Catholics and Orthodox families celebrate Lent, the three pillars remain the same: prayer, alms, and fasting. The goal of this period is to repent and prepare for celebrating the Resurrection of Christ. It is a time to deepen our relationship with …
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 …
In a few short months, we will get to meet our Little Badger baby outside my womb! And more exciting than the impending birth is her reception into the church. (I mean, labour isn’t exactly a fun activity to look forward to). I remember when Little Fox was born, I felt anxious about her not …
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 …