Source: Religion News Service Why those removed from the world should refrain from declarations on marriage and family. By John Chryssavgis (RNS) — In the Orthodox Christian world, few places are better known or more lovingly venerated than Mount Athos, the 10th-century Greek monastery legendarily dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Composed of 20 citadels scattered over a peninsula of exceptional beauty in northern Greece, boasting magnificent manuscripts and icons, Athos is home to some 2,000 monks. Among them, as in every society, there are saints and sinners, sane and strange. I have visited countless times and have been blessed to engage…
Browsing: family
Source: Orthodox Observer Center for Family Care Definition of a few terms used in this reflection: *Symantron– a large wooden plank held in the player’s left hand and rhythmically struck with a wooden mallet, calling the monastic family to worship *Koumboskini– a prayer rope made up of woven knots, with each knot corresponding to one Jesus prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, sinner.”) In the first of this short series of reflections on the connection of the monastic family and the family living in the world, I focused on the primary function of the family,…
Source: Pravmir Metropolitan Vladimir of Chisinau and All Moldova encouraged Christians to give birth to as many children as possible, promising personally to baptize every fourth child in a family. According to the RIA News agency, Metropolitan Vladimir spoke about this during a major campaign for family values. The campaign was designed to demonstrate “the defense of holy values,” and its participants responded negatively to a LGBT parade that had taken place the week before. “I encourage Christians to give birth to as many children as possible. I will personally baptize the fourth and following children in a family at…
Source: The National Herald BY GEORGE E. MATSOUKAS The theme of the 42nd Clergy Laity Congress “The Orthodox Christian Family: A Dwelling of Christ and A Witness of His Gospel,” is very appropriate for us in this time of transition. For it is truly within the home that the Orthodox faith will be learned, and will survive and grow by the example and actions of each of us. However, for many, parish life and archdiocesan settings are an antithesis to the theme of the 42ndCongress. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE On September 18, 1999 His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios was enthroned as the sixth Archbishop…