Patriarchal Encyclical for Christmas 2013

Many centuries ago, the Prophet foresaw and announced with enthusiasm and joy the birth of the child Jesus from the ever-Virgin Mary. Naturally, even then, there was no period of census by Augustus Caesar, no place to stay for the safety of the Holy Virgin who was carrying a child by the Holy Spirit. So the holy Joseph as her betrothed and protector was obliged to lead her to a cave, a manger with animals, “in order to give birth to a child.”

Christmas 2013

Behold a new and wondrous mystery. My ears resound to the Shepherd’s song, piping no soft melody, but chanting full forth a heavenly hymn. The Angels sing. The Archangels blend their voice in harmony. The Cherubim hymn their joyful praise. The Seraphim exalt His glory.

Fasting as an Ecclesiastical Notion

The Greek word for fasting, “νηστεία”, is complex. It consists of the particle “νη”, which indicates deprivation, and the verb “εσθίω”, which means “eating”. So the Greek word for fasting means total abstinence from all food. Today, however, fasting means abstaining from certain foods. This led to the creation of two words: νηστήσιμος (pro-fasting) and αρτύσιμος (non-fasting). That is, there are foods we can eat during a fast which are called νηστήσιμες, and there are foods we can’t eat which are called αρτύσιμες.

November 15: The Nativity Fast Begins

Today we enter into the period often called Advent. This is the period set aside for us to prepare for the coming of Christ. Our way of preparing for the significant events in the life of Christ is to fast. The Advent, or Nativity fast, is seen as a lighter fast than Great Lent, but especially today it is a most important one. Why? Because of the craziness of the period that precedes Christmas. It is filled with secular images and activities so that too often we lose the notion that we are dong all this to prepare for the Nativity of our Lord and God and Savior is lost.

The Great Feast of Theophany

Theophany is the Feast which reveals the Most Holy Trinity to the world through the Baptism of the Lord (Mt.3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22). God the Father spoke from Heaven about the Son, the Son was baptized by the St John the Forerunner, and the Holy Spirit descended upon the Son in the form of […]

The Blessing of Saint Basil’s Pie in Hong Kong

On Tuesday, January 1st, Metropolitan Nektarios of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia, after the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, presided over the Doxology for the beginning of the New Year and blessed the traditional Saint Basil’s Pie.  

January 1st: Blessed the New Year 2013

 On January 1st we commemorate the Circumcision of Our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ; and, Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea.   Apolytikion of the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ (Mode 1)   In essence being God, most-compassionate Master, You assumed human nature without transmutation. Fulfilling the Law, of Your own […]

Basil the Great and Disfigured Christianity

I want to speak on Saint Basil, but I don’t want to say what is commonly told by those who write about this truly “Great” saint. Especially some theologians who are educated by the Franks, who don’t care at all about his holiness or his wisdom according to God, but rather his “classical” wisdom, his […]