The Early Church Fathers taught that the New Testament is hidden in the Old and the Old Testament is revealed of fulfilled in the New. Let us examine few facts about Cross, embedded and foreshadowed in the Holy Scriptures. In the middle of the Garden of Eden, God planted two Read more…
Incense is part of the joy and beauty of Orthodox Worship. The sight and smell of incense is one of the defining characteristics of liturgical worship in the Orthodox Church. Physical symbols are an important part of Orthodox worship and incensing is a symbol of our prayers ascending to God Read more…
The liturgical calendar of the Malankara Indian Orthodox Church commemorates the first Friday following the Feast of Pentecost as the Golden Friday ‘Swarna Velliyazhcha’ remembering the healing of the lame man, aged over forty years (Acts 4: 22), lame from his mother’s womb. This is the first miracle, by the Read more…
‘KURIE ELEISON’ – is frequently repeated word in our worship in Churches and in our personal prayers. They are repeated in litanies, which consist of short petitions, each of which ends with the words ‘KURIE ELEISON’. There are many other services during which “Lord have mercy on us” is repeated Read more…
Pentecost is one of the Great, high-ranking Feasts of the Orthodox Church, with the inexpressible richness of divine gifts and life-giving forces. On the Pentecost Day we commemorate, recall, and re-experience the Descent of the Holy Spirit, just 50 days after the Glorious Resurrection, on the Holy Apostles and all those gathered with Read more…
HOLY SPIRIT is third Person of the Holy Trinity. Orthodox Christians repeatedly confess, “And I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life, Who proceeds from the Father, Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified…” Our Church believes that the Holy Spirit Read more…
On the fortieth day after Victorious Holy Resurrection, our Holy Church celebrates Christ’s Glorious Ascension into heaven. On the Sunday, ten days later, on the Feast of Pentecost, the Church celebrates the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Before ascending into the heaven, our Lord Jesus Christ’s final promise and last Read more…
“Pray fervently and fruitfully along with the disciples in the Upper Room“ On the Sunday, after ten days, on the Feast of Holy Ascension, the Church celebrates the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Before ascending the heaven, our Lord Jesus Christ’s final promise and last order to the apostles and Read more…
‘And He rose again from the dead on the third day, according to the Scriptures. . .’ Christ is risen from the dead! This is the main proclamation of the Christian faith and the heart of Christian belief. It forms the heart of the Church’s preaching, Core of our worship, and Read more…
To obtain light and understanding – Psalm 119: 130 To be purified and sanctified – John 15: 3; 17: 17; Psalm 19: 7 To more fully obey God – Rom. 12: 2 To be strengthened and encouraged – Acts 20: 32; Rom. 15: 4 To be approved of God – Read more…