2+ week, 3+ day ago (383+ words) Saint John Chrysostom, whose memory the Orthodox Church honors today on November 13th is one of the most brilliant and beloved figures in the history of the Church. Born in Antioch, Syria, around 349 AD. His father died young, and he was raised by his pious mother, Anthusa (venerated as a saint herself). He received a superior education, studying rhetoric under the famed pagan sophist Libanius. Chrysostom earned the epithet "Chrysostom" (meaning "Golden-mouthed") due to his unparalleled eloquence, the clarity of his message, and the compelling spiritual depth of his sermons. In 398 AD, he was brought'against his will'to Constantinople to become the Archbishop. There, he used the archdiocese's immense wealth to establish hospitals, poorhouses, and institutions for the needy, dramatically curbing the lavish lifestyle traditionally associated with the episcopal seat. Chrysostom's ministry was defined by his fierce commitment to justice, charity, and…...

3+ day, 1+ hour ago (322+ words) The Orthodox and Catholic ways of making the sign of the cross gradually diverged over many centuries, transforming a shared Christian gesture of faith into two distinct traditions. Despite these differences, both forms are intended as the same basic act: a brief, physical prayer invoking the Trinity and recalling Christ's cross and resurrection. On the other hand, most Catholics use an open or loosely joined hand and move their hand from their forehead to the chest and then their left shoulder and on to the right. Many Eastern Catholics of Byzantine tradition, such as Ukrainian Greek Catholics, follow the Orthodox right'to'left pattern, reflecting their Eastern liturgical heritage even while remaining in communion with Rome. Early Christians in both the East and West originally made the sign of the cross from top to bottom and then right to left, often joining…...

3+ week, 3+ day ago (44+ words) The Vatican has ruled that Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus, should not be described as the "co-redeemer" of the world. The decision was issued in a new decree approved by Pope Leo and released on ... Vatican rejects co-redeemer title for Mary...

2+ day, 12+ hour ago (392+ words) One thousand seven hundred years after the Church was first united by a common Creed and nearly a millennium after it fractured in the Great Schism of 1054, Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I are convening in Nicaea (modern-day "znik, Turkey) for an unprecedented joint celebration. The event, marking the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (325 AD), is the spiritual centerpiece of the Pope's trip to Turkey, signaling a powerful renewal of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches' commitment to unity. By coming together at the ancient site, the two leaders are striving to "revive the spirit of Nicaea," leveraging the Church's shared past to bridge the Christian divide. The move demonstrates the Pope's focus on unity, a choice that contrasts sharply with his diplomatic decision to omit a visit to Hagia Sophia. The choice of Nicaea is not…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago (330+ words) For the first time in Dutch history, Orthodox Christianity will be taught in public schools as part of the national curriculum, beginning with the 20252026 school year. This groundbreaking development reflects the growing recognition of Orthodox believers within the Netherlands and marks a major step toward religious inclusivity in the education system. The initiative is being rolled out through OrthodoxopSchool.nl, which is working closely with the Dutch Ministry of Education. The program will run as a three-year pilot and target primary school students aged 6 to 12. Each class will consist of weekly, 45-minute sessions, and can begin when at least three students express interest. This effort follows the Dutch government's decision to classify Orthodox Christianity as the nation's eighth official religious group, a move that also opened the door for Orthodox chaplains to serve in military and correctional institutions. " UOJ America…...

5+ day, 2+ hour ago (327+ words) The Orthodox Church commemorates the Feast Day of Saint Catherine (Agia Ekaterini) of Alexandria, the Great Martyr and All-Wise, annually on November 25th. She is one of the most revered saints in Orthodoxy. Saint Catherine, born in Alexandria in the 3rd century to an aristocratic family, is celebrated for her profound wisdom, eloquence, and unshakeable faith. From a young age, Catherine displayed rare intellectual gifts. She was educated in all the knowledge of the time, reportedly mastering philosophy, rhetoric, astronomy, medicine, and Greek literature to a degree few men could match. Tradition holds that despite her extensive knowledge of poets, sophists, and great Greek philosophers, she recognized "the true Wisdom" immediately upon hearing the teachings of Christ. During the persecutions under the Roman Emperor Maximinus (or Maxentius), Catherine publicly dared to confront the emperor, rebuking him for sacrificing to idols. Stunned by…...

4+ week, 1+ day ago (903+ words) Hecate was a goddess for ancient Greek religion and mythology, and not a witch as some associate her with Halloween. She is most often shown holding a pair of torches, a key, or snakes, or accompanied by dogs, and in later periods depicted as three-formed or triple-bodied. Halloween can be spooky fun for modern Greeks, expats and tourists. Think of costumes, parties and trick-or-treating " but for sheer terror, the ancient Greeks had gods and goddesses so frightening that they were rarely named, lest the speaker draw attention to himself. It was much safer to call Hades, who was god of the Underworld, "the notorious one" or "he who receives many." Another dark divinity was Ares, the god of war. His battlefield shriek would freeze the blood of all who heard it. There was also Hekate, a goddess who was not…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago (541+ words) The Garden of Eden shares many similarities with the Garden of the Hesperides from Greek mythology. The Hesperides were a group of nymphs (a class of inferior female divinities) who represented the evening, the golden light of sunsets, and the far west. The ancient Greeks believed that they had a special garden in that direction. Some records place it in the region of Atlas the Titan. Some believed that it was near the Atlas Mountains in North Africa. Pliny the Elder placed it in Morocco, while Strabo believed it was in Tartessos in the Iberian Peninsula. In any case, the Garden of the Hesperides was the special orchard of the Greek goddess Hera. Records vary, but either a single tree or a grove grew there. The branches of this tree or this grove produced special golden apples unlike anything seen…...

2+ week, 1+ day ago (891+ words) Ancient Greeks, Romans and Early Christians used olive oil not only as a staple of daily life but as a sacred and medicinal substance, shaping rituals, healing practices, and spiritual traditions that still influence the modern world. Today, olive oil is often hailed as helping to protect against disease, but beliefs in its medicinal or even sacred properties date back millennia. Olive oil was used for healing and purification and associated with important rituals from at least the second millennium BCE, in ways which still influence practices today. Mid 2nd millennium BCE texts from the capital of the Hittite empire (in what is now Turkey) describe the anointing of a newborn child and the mother to ward off the dangers of birth. In ancient Syria the high priestess of the god Baal was initiated with an anointing of "fine oil of…...

6+ day, 21+ hour ago (827+ words) Of all the mysteries of ancient Greece, the Orphic Mysteries based on the myth of Orpheus are the most intriguing, as they delve into the subject of the soul and its life after death. The Orphic Mysteries derive from the mythical poet and musician Orpheus, a tragic hero and also the greatest musician and lyricist of Greek mythology. His music charmed wild beasts, trees, stones, and even gods. The mysterious cult of Orphism was a secret sect that followed the practices and writings of Orpheus. Like all secret cults in ancient Greece, only those initiated into the cult learned the full truth of the group's practices and beliefs. The cult's followers believed in reincarnation and original sin. Orphism was guarded by educated elites. Those who followed Orphism were called Orphics, and they held their yearly mystery festival on the Eleusinian…...