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…
During our worship in Church and rituals in houses and cemeteries, the priest burns incense in a censer. Incense is a mixture of spices and gums, that is a material used to produce a fragrant smoke when burned causing clouds of smoke to go heavenward, the prayer of God’s people 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…
May my prayer be set before you like incense!May the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice! The Censer (Phirmo in Syriac; Thumiaterion in Greek; Machtah/MiqTereth in Hebrew; Thurible in West; Encensier /Thuribulum – Latin) is a highly symbolic object used for burning incense. Traditionally, the censer 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…
The Holy Church observes five feasts of BVM every year, including May 15, in the honour of St. Mary for the blessing of spikes, as the first step of harvesting. There was a time when the entire efforts linked with the agriculture, were submitted to the care and protection of 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…
Thou hast Ascended in glory, O Christ our God, Granting joy to Thy disciples by the promise of the Holy Spirit. Through the blessing they were assuredThat Thou art the Son of God, The Redeemer of the world! The Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven is one of the most Read more…