When Hearts Become Flame: An Eastern Approach to the Dia-Logos of Pastoral Counseling (Second Edition) by Dn. Stephen Muse, author of Being Bread (Revised, 2nd Edition) Whatever else he or she does, the pastoral counselor, same as the priest at the Divine Altar, enters into a call and response relationship, invoking God’s presence and seeking to … [Read more...]

The importance of preparing to receive the Holy Mysteries That the Church requires us to prepare to receive the Holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ, prior to the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, by saying the Pre-Communion Prayers, is a given. The Church also requires us to fast from midnight on, abstaining from either food or drink, … [Read more...]

The Holy Scripture is a collection of books written over multiple centuries by those inspired by God to do so. It is the primary witness to the Orthodox Christian faith, within Holy Tradition and often described as its highest point. It was written by the prophets and apostles in human language, inspired by the Holy Spirit, and collected, edited, … [Read more...]

The Elevation of the Holy Cross is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, celebrated on September 14. This feast is also referred to as the Exaltation of the Cross. This is also a popular name day for Stavroula/Stavros (from "stavros" meaning cross). This feast commemorates two events: (1) The finding of the Cross by the Empress Helen … [Read more...]