A journal of byzantine digressionS
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Anglophilia
https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/041nXAAn714&source=uds And did those feet in ancient timeWalk upon England’s mountains green:And was the holy Lamb of God,On England’s pleasant pastures seen!And did the Countenance Divine,Shine forth upon our clouded hills?And was Jerusalem builded here,Among these dark Satanic Mills?Bring me my Bow of burning gold;Bring me my Arrows of desire:Bring me my Spear: O clouds…
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A Church in Exile
I’m Eastern Orthodox. In my lifetime… members of the Church were killed for confessing their faith by Communists. Members of the Church were expelled from their schools by Turks. Members of the Church had their communities bulldozed by Israelis. We get tax benefits form the state that we refuse to give up.We get payments to…
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Guard Your Peace!
A FRIEND OF MINE who is a Priest reported in a homily that once he was talking to a friend of his, who is a Bishop: not his own Bishop, mind you, but rather a trusted friend and mentor. My friend, the priest, was complaining about all kinds of things until it went from simply…
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St Vincent and Development of Doctrine
Is there to be no development of doctrine in Christ’s Church? Certainly there should be great development. Who could be so grudging towards his fellow men and so hostile to God as to try to prevent it? But care should be taken to ensure that it really is development of the faith and not alteration.…
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Humans Being Human Beings
So I think I finally got it – or at least had it for a moment – it comes and goes. Sitting in a hotel room in Manila being bored off my backside (I hear it now, only boring people can be bored) and wondering what to do when the Maid gets here to clean…
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Corpus Christi
A reading from the works of St Cyril of AlexandriaHe that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood, saith the Lord, dwelleth in me, and I in him. If a man take two pieces of wax and melt them, and pour the one into the other, they necessarily mingle ; so also, he that receiveth…
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Once a Century Birthday Bleg
Birthday number half-a-century coming up in August. So fifty and one to grow on thanks to Amazon and any generosity you may feel inclined to claim…
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Maple Bacon Chips!
OMG Yum. Now: let me be honest, these things don’t really taste like bacon. But they do very much taste like all the best parts of the Salty/Sweet goodness of bacon and pancakes. It’s like the essence of the experience. Totally worth the purchase. But not very bacony.
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Ecumenism
If one Patriarch refuses to commemorate or commune with another because of a power struggle – eg, Jerusalem and Antioch – how long before that excommunication (which is what it is) becomes Schism? If one synod declares another invalid – eg, ROCOR and Moscow – how long before that Schism becomes irreparable? Rome : Constantinople…
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First Lessons from Living Alone
If you’re interested in how to get odd habits living alone: click here. It’s well worth it: and it agrees with some of what follows: 10 Things I’ve Learned in Only One Week of Living Alone! Bye-Bye Claustrophobia! The easiest way to avoid claustrophobia when living alone is to leave the bathroom door open. Hearing…
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Ordo for May 2014
My deepest apologies for being late: with the insanity of Pascha, followed by the Insanity of domestic relocation, I’ve not been posting the Daily Office. May of 2014 has been added to the Rite of St Tikhon although it is only good from this evening (10 May) forward. I do not even have internet at the…
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Heretics or Just Schismatics?
#ProtestantConvertHangover#AmericanAntiRomanism#NotReallyOrthodoxy#justsaying
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Paschal Hours
Christ is Risen! In the Eastern tradition, regular hourly prayers are suspended through bright week (from Pascha until the following Saturday). During that time the following Paschal Hours are read for all the “minor” hours – The midnight office, Prime, Terce, Sext and None and Compline – during the day (Matins, Vespers are also in…
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Paschal Tropar set to Dixie?
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The Victor
Just look, the gates of hell: they’re falling! Crumbling from the inside out! He’s bursting through the walls with laughter – Ha! Listen to the demons shout! https://youtube.googleapis.com/v/Wil0PBylyW0&source=uds It is finished! He has done it! Life conquered death! Jesus Christ Has Won!
Orthoparadoxy 