All Saints of North America Church

Russian Orthodox Vestments: Their Meaning, Symbolism, and Prayers

Clothed in Christ: The Theology of Orthodox Vestments In the Russian Orthodox Church, vestments are far more than ceremonial garments. They are visible signs of the grace of Holy Orders and the sacred ministry entrusted to those who serve in the Church. Every vestment has a practical purpose, a theological meaning, and a prayer that accompanies its being put on. These prayers remind the clergy and servers

The Ancient Western Way of Making the Sign of the Cross

The sign of the cross is a beautiful gesture which reminds the faithful of both the cross of salvation while invoking the Holy Trinity. The early Church Fathers attested to the use of the sign of the cross. Tertullian (d. 250) described the exceptional frequency of the sign of the cross being made: “In all our travels and movements, in all our coming in and going out, in putting on our shoes, at the

Why Satan attacks Orthodox Christians

by Elder Sampson “One must always remember the difference between the emotional, the spiritual, and the physical: the life of the spirit, the life of the soul (that is, the senses and emotions, and the life of the body. This is exactly where there is so much confusion. By the way, the Western [Christan] denominations . . . all have precisely this confusion between the spirit and the soul. The mother