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Priesthood
Read more: PriesthoodFr. Andria Saria The ministry of the shepherd of Christ’s Church, the priest of the Most High God, is truly righteous, holy, and full of responsibility. In a sense, it is a unique service, set apart from all ordinary human roles. God Himself willed that the transmission and protection of His divine grace, as well…
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Pastoral Clarifications on the Holy Sacrament of Anointing
Read more: Pastoral Clarifications on the Holy Sacrament of AnointingBy His Eminence Metropolitan Saba (Isper) The Sacrament of Holy Unction, or the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, is a liturgical sacrament celebrated through a special service of prayer over oil, which is then used to anoint the sick “for the healing of soul and body,” as the service itself states. This sacrament…
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God and the World
Read more: God and the WorldFr Andria Saria Today we will not talk about dance, music, games, or William Shakespeare’s works. I will try to make the topic a little more complex, more philosophical, and speak about God and the world. Before, we spoke about the first part of the Creed, about God as the Creator. I try to make…
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Mark (Chapter 10:34-45)
Read more: Mark (Chapter 10:34-45)Fr. Andria Saria In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit! Good morning, brothers and sisters, Today’s Gospel reading from Mark (10:32–45) reminds us of a truth we often, the desire to be first, to have the highest place, can quietly enter our hearts and lead us away…
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Apostle Thomas
Read more: Apostle ThomasIn the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit! The episode of the Apostle Thomas makes us reflect on many things. On one hand, it reminds a person of oneself. I remember there was a time when I was reading many theological books and began to doubt, is all…
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Lazarus
Read more: LazarusFr. Dr Andria Saria Peace be with you, dear people Today we remember the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem. But before this event, Christ raised Lazarus from the dead. This miracle is not only about Lazarus. It is also about us. Sometimes our soul becomes like a dead body. Not physically, but spiritually. We…
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The Sanctifying Dimension, Part One
Read more: The Sanctifying Dimension, Part OneBy His Eminence Metropolitan Saba (Isper) Once, a woman said to me, with the tone of someone who had just discovered something incredible: “At your request, the parish priest came to our home and offered the Service of the Sanctification of Water. Truly, the evil spirit has left the house, Your Eminence, and we are…
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Doxa
Read more: DoxaTerms, the Resources of the Church, and the Understanding of the Bible Fr. Dr. Andria Saria In the history of Christian literature, one of the main terms that we must examine in order to continue our discussion is the meaning of dogma and doxa. Earlier, we spoke about dogma and economia. The word dogma has…
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The Triumph of Orthodoxy
Read more: The Triumph of OrthodoxyFr. Dr. Andria Saria In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. One God, Amen. The Triumph of Orthodoxy may sound like a celebration of victory over someone, but this is not the case. We do not rejoice in defeating others. Christ teaches us to love everyone, to…
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Forgiveness
Read more: ForgivenessIn the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit! After the Divine Liturgy, when we take a short break, we will have the Vespers service, which is actually called the Forgiveness Service. In the past, this service was only in monasteries. Monks often lived very far from each other,…
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What Does Fasting Mean?
Read more: What Does Fasting Mean?Fr Dr. Andria Saria Great Lent is Fasting with a capital “F.” It is so important that when people used to say “the Fast,” they automatically meant Great Lent. If they meant another fast, they had to explain which one. Even the church services are different during Great Lent. The whole atmosphere changes. For example,…
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Terms, the Resources of the Church, and the Understanding of the Bible
Read more: Terms, the Resources of the Church, and the Understanding of the Biblephoto by Valentin Balan In the history of Christian literature, one of the main terms that we must examine in order to continue our discussion is the meaning of dogma and doxa. Earlier we spoke about dogma and economia. The word dogma has often been misunderstood because it has received many different interpretations. This is…
