by Fr. Lawrence Farley The service of Vespers is, I think, dramatically under-appreciated today. The temptation for us busy people is to reduce our church-going to Sunday mornings only, and let everything else slide. Since we under-appreciate Vespers, it often tends to slide with other things we deem relatively unimportant. But Vespers warrants a second look, and a renewed appreciation. The word “vespers” comes from the Greek ἑσπέρα (hespera) and the Latin vesper, both meaning “evening”, because it is the evening service of the Church. Christians are to pray to God not just on Sunday mornings, but constantly, sanctifying time by offering prayer throughout the day. In the eighth chapter of … [Read more...]
Axios! Ordination of Reader Joseph Scott MacPherson to the Holy Diaconate
It is a great joy for any parish when one of their own is raised to Holy Orders and service to the Holy Altar. On Sunday, August 21, 2022 the ordination of Dcn Joseph MacPherson took place at Holy Virgin Cathedral in San Francisco, the resting place of the relics of St. John Maximovitch. The MacPherson family, Matushka Mary, and their children Juliana and Seraphim, all travelled to witness this glorious event. Here is the link to the entire service (the diaconal ordination begins at 1:48:02). Here is the link to to the service starting with the diaconal ordination (at 1:48:02) To Dcn Joseph, Mka Mary, and their entire family - AXIOS! Enjoy these photos, some of them are positively … [Read more...]
Upcoming Classes and Seminars at ASONA
This fall, we will be holding several classes and seminars designed to help you advance in the spiritual life, train your children, and serve the Church. If you have interest in any of these, please inform Fr. John by September 1st. Thanks! The "Spouse" Class Date and Time TBD by interest For those looking to become future husbands and wives. Life lessons, questions and answers from a successful Orthodox Christian married couple What will we talk about? Dating, Courting, Marriage, Finances, Being Happy (!), Intimacy, Sex, and what questions you have. [/one-half] [cl] … [Read more...]
Need a Reason for Embracing Orthodoxy?
by Abbot Tryphon One of the most powerful reasons for embracing Orthodoxy is to be found in the Church’s insistence that she holds to the evangelical and apostolic doctrine of the Ancient Church. In an age when everything is up for change, there is a certain security and stability when one institution (the Church) stands firm in her Apostolic Authority, and refuses to allow popular culture or political correctness to influence her rightful role as hospital for the soul. “It is not lawful to differ even by a single word from the evangelical and apostolic doctrine, or to think otherwise than as the blessed Apostles and our fathers learned and taught concerning the Holy Scriptures," (Saint … [Read more...]
Historic Visit of Bishop James of Sonora to Arizona’s Satellite Missions
During the week of the feast of Ss. Peter and Paul, his grace, James, Bishop of Sonora visited Arizona and made an historic tour of the state's northern satellite missions. Beginning at ASONA/Christ the Savior Church in Youngtown, AZ, Bishop James celebrated the hierarchical liturgy on the feast of Ss. Peter and Paul with the local clergy and laity. Celebrants were Fr. Christopher Horsley, Fr. John A. Peck, and Dcn. Joseph Peck. Once Liturgy was done, His Grace immediately began the journey to Show Low in the White Mountains, where was welcomed with parish girls throwing flower petals before his path up to, and into, the church building. Fr. Michael and Mka. Georgia Vallecillo with … [Read more...]
Conservative Vs. Liberal Clergy?
by Fr. Geoffrey Korz A well-known and esteemed American priest recently spoke on the topic of the use of appropriate terminology for describing Orthodox clergy, both priests and bishops. Since many issues from secular society present themselves in the life of the Church, it has also become common to use secular labels (all too familiar in political discourse) to describe views expressed by the clergy. This priest was pointing out, quite wisely, that while it is certainly appropriate and necessary for the Church and Her clergy to speak to many political issues which face Orthodox faithful, the political labels of “conservative” and “liberal” do not in fact have any meaning in the Orthodox … [Read more...]
“Tomorrow, My Children…” by Elder Athanasios Mitilanios
Tomorrow, my children, you do not know what laws will be enacted—in a few years who knows what kind of laws will be passed? There might be laws which will make it illegal for us to go to Church. What will we do then? Will we start to take into account the laws of the state when the impinge upon our faith? Do not forget the martyrs, most importantly the ones who were soldiers, who fought on behalf of the Emperor. Whenever the Emperor’s decrees impinged upon their faith they said: “The first in order is the Heavenly King, and then the earthly.” [...] That is why I am telling you always to be ready and on guard, for we do not know what tomorrow will bring. I will only tell you this, the … [Read more...]
Historical Sources for the Miracle of St. Euphemia at the Fourth Ecumenical Synod
The Fourth Ecumenical Synod of 451 took place in the Church of Saint Euphemia in Chalcedon, where her sacred relics were kept. The Patriarch of Constantinople at this Synod was Anatolios, while the Pope of Rome was Leo the Great. Information about the miracle of Saint Euphemia comes from two letters: one from the the Synod to Pope Leo and the other from Patriarch Anatolios to Pope Leo. Though the passages are a bit obscure about the miracle, it says that the definition of faith was delivered by Saint Euphemia as her own confession of faith and confirmed by the holy Fathers present. It seems clear that Pope Leo already knew of the miracle, or it was common knowledge by the time these two … [Read more...]
The Miracle of St. Euphemia the All-Praised at the 4th Ecumenical Council
The holy Great Martyr Euphemia (September 16) suffered martyrdom in the city of Chalcedon in the year 304, during the time of the persecution against Christians by the emperor Diocletian (284-305). One and a half centuries later, at a time when the Christian Church had become victorious within the Roman Empire, God deigned that Euphemia the All-Praised should again be a witness and confessor of the purity of the Orthodox teaching. In the year 451 in the city of Chalcedon, in the very church where the glorified relics of the holy Great Martyr Euphemia rested, the sessions of the Fourth Ecumenical Council (July 16) took place. The Council was convened for determining the precise dogmatic … [Read more...]
Martyrdom in the Holy Land
From September 28, 2021 - another example of the weakness of Islam. A woman from Northern Israel was strangled to death by her own son last month for converting from Islam to Orthodox Christianity. According to the indictment, the murder of 46-year-old Rasha Muklasha by her 27-year-old son Muad Hib was premeditated, with Hib arranging a meeting with her near Nazareth on August 5 with the intention of killing her and disposing of her remains, reports the Times of Israel. Muklasha left her husband and severed ties with her five children in 2006, later converting to Orthodoxy. Having learned of the death of her ex-husband, she resumed contact with her children, but they were angered by her … [Read more...]
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