New Year’s Eve 2008

Most of us do at least some looking back (retrospecting) around the end of the year. What went wrong, what went right, what do we want to change in the new year, and will we really carry through with those changes?
We mostly don’t do that unless there were some real BIG disasters. Generally, the Ol’ [...]

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Giving Thanks

One of the interesting things about Orthodoxy is the richness and depth of each day. For instance, on this day, in the Russian typicon (book that determines what celebrations are for each day), today is the day we commemorate:
Eve of the Nativity Fast.
Holy and All-praised Apostle Philip (1st c.).
New Hieromartyrs Demetrius, Alexander, Victor, Alexis, Michael, [...]

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Hymn to Christ on Easter Day – St. Gregory Nazianzen

HYMN TO CHRIST ON EASTER DAY
(AFTER LONG SILENCE),
Cristi anax, se prvton, epei logon heri dvka,
dhnaion katecwn, fqegxom apo stomatwn,
(Dactylic hexameter, and pentameter.)
O Christ the King! since breath pent up so long
I have outpoured, Thou first shalt be my song;
May this my word, the current of my mind,
If lawful thus to speak, acceptance find,
And unto Thee [...]

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[Excerpt] Leo the Great of Rome, Homily 59: On the Holy Passion of Christ

. . . From Sermon LIX, given in Wednesday of Holy Week.
St Leo the Great (pope of Rome from 440-461, reposed in the Lord AD 461) was bishop in one of the more controversy-ridden periods of Church history. He was engaged in the Christological controversy that consumed the fifth century, and his great Tome was [...]

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A Hymn at Night, After Failure to Keep Vow – St. Gregory Nazianzen

A HYMN AT NIGHT, AFTER FAILURE TO KEEP VOW.
eyeusamhn se thn alhqeian, loge,
(Iambic trimeter.)
O Thou, the Word of truth divine!
All light I have not been,
Nor kept the day as wholly Thine;
For Thou dark spots hast seen.
The day is down: night hath prevailed:
My Lord I have belied;
I vowed, and thought to do, but failed;
My steps did [...]

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Psalms of St. Ephraim the Syrian

What follows is a selection of Psalms by St. Ephraim the Syrian. They can be found in the book A Spiritual Psalter, published by St. John of Kronstadt Press. This little book is very edifying and uplifting, and is highly recommended.
How to Relieve the Conscience of Inner Anxiety
O Lord and Master! O God of heaven [...]

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Hymn to His Own Soul – St. Gregory Nazianzen

TO HIS OWN SOUL.
ti soi qeleiV genesqai;
(Iambic dimeter catalectic.)
1.
O soul of mine, repining,
What wouldst have done for thee?
Speak, great or small defining:
Granted thy wish shall be.
2.
Of all bright things, prized highest,
Beneath the rolling sun,
Tell that for which thou sighest;
For thee it shall be done.
3.
Wouldst thou assume the measure
Of Gyges, Lydia’s king,
To hide or show at [...]

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My Eucharistic Theology is Orthodox!

As tomorrow (Tuesday) will be a long and harrowing day, I’m posting a day early. Thursday we’ll get back on track!
= = = = =
Thanks to Steve for the reference to this lovely quiz!!

Eucharistic theology
created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as OrthodoxYou are Orthodox, worshiping the mystery of the Holy Trinity in the great liturgy whereby [...]

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Hymn to Christ – St. Clement of Alexandria (c. 220)

HYMN TO CHRIST.
basileu agiwn, loge pandamatwr
(Anapaestic dimeter.)
O Thou, the King of saints, all-conquering Word,
Son of the Highest, wisdom’s Fount and Lord,
The prop that doth uphold through toil and pain;
The joy of ages through immortal reign;
Yet born of mortal flesh for life’s brief span,
O Saviour Jesus, Shepherd, Husbandman;
Helm Thou to guide, and bridle to restrain,
Wing of [...]

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From a Friend –

“Christ told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, “Give me [...]

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An Evening Hymn – Gregory Nazianzen

AN EVENING HYMN.
Se kai nun eulogoumen,
(Semi-iambic.)
1.
And now again at night,
O Christ, the living Word,
Thou Light of the Eternal Light,
Be Thou by us adored.
2.
Thou dost the Spirit give,
Third Light, in glory one;
His grace, by whom alone we live,
Thou dost refuse to none.
3.
Thou didst the darkness scatter,
Thou mad’st the light to shine,
That now through all primeval matter
Might [...]

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A Hymn to Christ – St. Gregory Nazianzen –

Gregory Nazianzen.
I. HYMN TO CHRIST.
Se ton afqiton monarchn
(Dimeter ionicus.)
1.
O Thou, the One Supreme,
O thou, the deathless King,
Be Thou my only theme:
Grant me Thyself to sing.
To Thee the hymn, to Thee the praise,
Celestial choirs for ever raise.
2.
For Thee the ages run
In order as was given;
For Thee shines forth the sun,
The day-born eye of heaven:
For Thee the [...]

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