ORTHODIXIE ... Southern, Orthodox, Convert, Etc.

[A painting] depicting Hagia Sophia, in the twelfth century, during an Orthodox Liturgy, purportedly during a visit by King Richard the I, Coeur de Lion (the Lionhearted). This is a rare glimpse of this Mother Church of Christianity, which was completed in the early sixth century (537) on the site of two earlier Churches dedicated to Holy Wisdom. It was the largest Church in Christendom for nearly a thousand years.

Almost all of the modern pictures and photographs of the Church depict it as a mosque, into which it was transformed after the Islamic conquest of Constantinople in the fifteenth century. It was also taken by the Latins for a short period of several decades, after the sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade in the thirteenth century.

Thanks to Archbishop Chrysostomos of Etna (pic and text), who adds:

A number of you have asked me in the past for a depiction such as this, so I am very pleased, at last, to provide it. I am only sorry that I do not yet have any further information about the painting itself. I cannot call the present occupiers of the edifice, now a museum, exactly knowledgeable about, or forthcoming with, accurate information about the Great Church's Christian past.
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Our recent Advent Retreat (November 15th) at St George with Fr David Barr, Pastor of St Elias, Austin, is now available online:

HERE

Part One - "Life as Mystery"
Part Two - "The Mysteries of the Church"
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Having recently signed on with The Orthodox Speakers Bureau, here's a preview of their roster:

Chris Banescu

Fr. Daniel Byantoro

Scott Cairns

Rod Dreher

John Granger

Fr. Joseph Huneycutt

Fr. Hans Jacobse

Vera Faith Lord

Frederica Mathewes-Green

Terry Mattingly

Fr. Michael Massouh

Metropolitan Jonah ... not much info provided (yet); were I a betting man, I'd bet this man's hands are, for the foreseeable future, uh, full.

Fr. John A. Peck

Fr. Peter-Michael Preble

Fr. Wayne Wilson
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If you ever wanna make a priest jump … about 5 minutes before Matins/Orthros begins (that’s the service that comes before Liturgy in most churches, by the way) – just before it begins, about a half dozen of you guys start goin’ something like this …

EEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee …

Oh,don’t really; I’m just kidding … church ain’t no place for practical jokes. But, believe me, there’d most likely be a head peering out the Angel door or through the curtain, eyes wide with bewilderment.

Nothing quite excites a priest like a Bishop’s visit … particularly one that is not planned!

One Russian bishop once told me that there’s a saying in Russian: The favorite thing a priest ever sees is ...

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

(Or, listen right here.)

As mentioned in a this week's podcast, we've been blessed lately with multiple hierarchical visits at St George, Houston. Here's a few pics and links:


Bishop BASIL praying the prayer for the elevation of Fr John Salem to the rank and dignity of Archpriest.


From left: Deacon Joseph Carter, Archpriest John Salem, me and my shadow.



Bishop BASIL delivers a powerful message on the elevation of an archpriest, the struggles of the priesthood and the cross that a priest's family bears.

Listen HERE.

More podcasts from Houston - here.



Front row, left to right: Priest Michel Pavez, Mother Melania (Fr John's sister), Archpriest John Salem, Archpriest Thomas Zain, Archpriest Constantine Nasr.

Back row, left to right: Deacon Joseph Carter, Priest Joseph Huneycutt, Bishop BASIL, Archpriest Joseph Shahda, Archimandrite Michael Evans.




When's your birthday, Sayidna?


There's over 200 pics of the Hierarchical Liturgy with Bishop BASIL - here.

And, over 200 pics of the Hierarchical Liturgy with Bishop LUKA and Patriarch IGNATIUS - here.

Pics and links thanks to Hatem Khalaf of Kingwood Photo Lab.
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A Statement of the Orthodox Christian Bishops of California, issued earlier this fall, in support of Proposition 8:

(See also the 2003 SCOBA statement on the moral crisis in our nation - here.)

A Constitutional Amendment to Restore the Definition of Marriage

The decision of the California Supreme Court on May 15, 2008, unilaterally redefines the sacred institution of marriage in a manner unprecedented in human history — and alien to our Christian tradition. We, the Orthodox Christian bishops of California, were saddened by this decision which constitutes a direct attack upon the longstanding role and freedom of religion in American life. A majority of the justices declared not only that same-sex couplings must be allowed to exist at those couples’ discretion as “marriages,” but that the state of California is forbidden to refer to these couplings as anything but “marriages.”

Orthodox Christianity holds in high regard the God-ordained institution of marriage and the family. The Orthodox Church must and shall remain true to its faith and tradition, and affirm that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, given by God to one another for mutual support, encouragement, love and the ability to bear children.

As members of the Church and as citizens of this great land, we cannot withdraw from the society in which we live. Our parishes and our faithful are called upon to be “salt and light,” to paraphrase Christ, and as such, they engage with their neighbors in acts of charity and love. We will continue our charitable works, and our engagement with society — including to faithfully teach the truth about Christian principles of living.

The Orthodox Church in the United States thrives and grows, in many respects, because of the enduring principles upon which this great country was founded. Our definitions of basic institutions such as marriage, shaped by the unfathomable forces of love and nature coupled with the experience of all recorded human history, rightly derive from what the Founders of our country knew as the “natural law” of “nature and nature’s God”.

It is in this light that the Orthodox Christian bishops of California reject the decision of the California Supreme Court in In re Marriage Cases. The institution of marriage emanates from something transcending our passing political institutions, and cannot be unilaterally altered in this way. We therefore must act when that promulgation directly contradicts our faith — and threatens the very foundation of Orthodoxy’s flourishing in America.

Therefore, we, the Orthodox bishops of California, call upon the faithful, as responsible and concerned citizens of California, to overturn this ruling by the California Supreme Court by voting in favor of Proposition 8 this coming November. This proposition is a regrettably necessary measure to restore the true definition of marriage in the eyes of our state. A state that believes same-sex couplings constitute “marriage” implicitly — and sooner or later, explicitly — denies the role of the Church and all faiths that adhere to traditional values in public life. Please exercise your citizenship and vote in November. The passage of Proposition 8 is an imperative.

With Archpastoral blessings,














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Funny. Just days after the newly consecrated [Orthodox] Bishop of Fort Worth was made Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church in America, the [Episcopal] Diocese of Fort Worth voted to split from the Episcopal Church in America, seeking refuge under the Southern Cone.

NEW YORK - The theologically conservative Diocese of Fort Worth voted Saturday to split from the liberal-leaning Episcopal Church, the fourth traditional diocese to do so in a long-running debate over the Bible, homosexual relationships and other issues.

God help us.

I'm glad to see Fort Worth [finally] run from heresy. But, please forgive my fantasy, wouldn't it have been nice to [finally] welcome them home to Orthodoxy?

Oh well. As you were.

The Story.
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The Houston highways are notorious for organized, lightning fast, chaos -- which can often lead to unorganized, tortoise slow … chaos. Thanks to the host of 18-wheelers making their way through the spaghetti junctions that surround the nation’s 4th largest city, accidents happen often. Then there’s the inordinate amount of debris that flies off the backs of some of those vehicles …

So much so that one radio station has an on-air game (of sorts): “Name That Debris.” That is, the announcer will state that there’s some sort of debris on a given highway and invite callers to phone in guessing just what that debris might be and, thereby, winning the right to be right about a big ol’ wrong.

All this mess came to mind – very vividly – when I had the opportunity to stare out at all the traffic from the 6th floor window of the endodontist’s office. Endodontist? you ask.

Yes …

That’s where one goes to get a root canal.

I’ve never been a big fan of dentists. I mean, who is?

Growing up I had a dentist that, I’m sure of it, must have learned his craft in auto mechanic school and, no doubt, moonlighted as a psychotic killer on the side. There is no way I can do justice to the horror (I get all teary-eyed just thinking about it).

Arrrrrghh!

And then, after subjecting my young little self to the jack-hammer, the pick axe, and the chain saw … (seriously, y’all, I’m ‘bout to cry!) … after it was all said and done, I got to choose ...

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

(Or, just listen right here.)



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Many years to the newly-elected Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church in America, +JONAH !

Thanks to speedy news via Ancient Faith Radio.

More Info.

Even more.

UPDATE --

Bishop Hilarion congratulates Metropolitan-Elect Jonah

On 12 November 2008, following the election of Bishop Jonah (Paffhausen) as the Archbishop of Washington, Metropolitan of All America and Canada, Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria sent him the following letter:

Your Beatitude, dear Metropolitan-elect Jonah,

It is with special joy that I learned today about your election as the Archbishop of Washington and New York, Metropolitan of All America and Canada. Axios, axios, axios!

From all the extraordinary circumstances surrounding your election it is clear that the Lord’s providence is behind the popular vote which elevated you to the primatial office. Truly, vox populi vox Dei.

I am convinced that under your spiritual guidance the Orthodox Church in America will speedily recover from turbulence and will enter a period of renewal and spiritual prosperity.

I wish you many blessed years and pray to our Lord Jesus Christ for the success of your archpastoral ministry.

UPDATE: Ancient Faith Radio has the first interview with the newly-elected Metropolitan JONAH ... HERE.
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Here in Houston we were blessed recently with the visit of three bishops in one week.

First, there was our own Father in Christ -- His Grace, Bishop BASIL, of Wichita and Mid-America. (Pics from that visit forthcoming.)
You may listen to that Hierarchical Liturgy here ... or, especially, you should listen to Sayidna's homily on the occasion of the elevation of an archpriest (and priests and their families in general) -- HERE.

Then there was a surprise visit by His Beatitude, IGNATIUS, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East -- the 170th patriarch after St Peter.

Patriarch IGNATIUS was accompanied by His Grace Bishop Luka Khoury (vicar bishop of the Patriarch; Bishop of Saydnaya). Sayidna LUKA celebrated the Hierarchical Liturgy with His Beatitude, to the side, on the throne. To listen to His Beatitude's message to the people of St George click HERE.

Here's a few pics ...






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The following comment was left on this blog in reference to this old post (note - the link for the bumper sticker has expired).

For the sake of peace and tolerance we should read books of other faiths. Quran is the only book with its original text intact. It is the only book that confirms and respects Jesus and Moses (and other biblical prophets as well). Knowledge never hurts. Intolerance does and it comes from lack of knowledge. God bless all my christian brothers and sisters. There is old testament, there is new testament and there is final testament and just as jesus said I have come to revive the law. The book given to Jesus was injeel, in Aramaic. Unfortunately it is not available anywhere. Oldest bible is in ancient greek in museum. Present bible is according to mark,mathew, john and lukes but not according to Jesus. Quran is that revival of law that Jesus refers to. Muhammad was last prophet sent to do the work that was left incomplete.

-- Muhammad

Only charitable comments dealing with errors in content, not grammar, will be accepted.



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Here at the Orthodixie Headquarters we are blessed, from time to time, to receive letters – emails – from the Ancient Faith faithful.

Just for fun, here’s a few …


Dear Fr Joseph,

I am new to Orthodoxy, having converted last Pascha, and since that time I’ve heard the phrase “back in the Old Country” many, many times.

Just what does this mean – the old country – and, I feel stupid asking … just where is it?

Lost in Indiana


Dear Fr Joseph,

My sister goes to a church – not an Orthodox church – that is very contemporary & politically correct; they even say the Lord’s prayer beginning with the words “Our Mother, who art in heaven” … And, of course, they have a woman priest. Do you see such innovations coming to Orthodoxy?

Sally in San Antonio


Greetings Abouna,

I need some clarification. Like many good people, I receive a plethora of forwarded emails on a daily basis – many of which, lately, have involved politics and the candidates running for election.

For instance, some have said that George Bush was the devil.

Others warn that Barack Obama is the devil.

And, still others claim that Sarah Palin is Ol’ Scratch.

What say ye?

Tim in Tennessee



Dear Fr Joseph,

Oxford University just released their list of top ten irritating phrases, things like:

At the end of the day

I personally

At this moment in time

With all due respect

and … 24/7

Are there any words or phrases, within Orthodox parlance, that you find irritating?

Sincerely,

Sean in Cheyenne


For the answers to these questions, tune in ...

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

(Or, just listen right here.)

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From the past ... or is it the future? Hey, what time is it?

This week's Orthodixie Podcast rebroadcast
was
shall be

is ...

all about time

We cannot talk about time without participating within time and using phrases that speak of time.

And we live in a country that is obsessed with time …

Time is running out!

Sale ends Saturday!

The Five Day forecast is calling for …

News at Eleven …

Kickoff time set for 6:45

If our pizza isn’t at your door in 30 minutes or less …

Isn’t it about time you bought our life insurance?
Car?
Home?
Diet Plan?
Candidate?

Next time, choose ...

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

(Or, just listen right here.)
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Of course, this Batman is nothing compared to the authentic look of this one -- but, hey, when you got it, you got it. (Pictured here: Batman Salem.)


Last night was the annual All Saints Party at St George, Houston. What a turnout!


These, contrary to appearances, are real men. Real furry men; but, real nonetheless.


The size of the crowd may be attributed to the fact that there was a Bishop in the house ...


Uh, that would be the one in the middle. (Fr Michael Evans, Atlanta; Bishop BASIL, Wichita; and Fr Gabriel Karam, Sugar Land.)


This princess, dressed here as St Helen, allows me to share her castle.


Security was assured, should trouble occur during the festivities: thus, a peaceful Knight was experienced by all.


Cleopatra. Still stunning after all these years!


What would a costume contest be without a little cheering!


And the winner is: Jesus! Elvis! (Only in the South.) Here's last year's incarnation of "the King" --




Looks like Elvis has left the building, but swooning fans may require medical attention ...


... or heavenly intervention.


Wait! There's Elvis now! Ooops, come to think of it, it's just a little Elvis impersonator. (Y'all, that's my son with an odd mask. It is, look closely, a little Elvis. See the legs, arms, hands and feet -- just below the head?)

Thank ya very much.
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