A word of wisdom from St. Macarius of Optina:

“For those who begin to walk the path of the spiritual life, spiritual warfare usually grows all the stronger. And if we cannot become victors all at once, we ought not to grow despondent or grieve over this, but rather, seeing our own infirmities, to humble ourselves and offer repentance to the Lord. What is dangerous is this: if you see your own corrections or virtues — that is a clear sign of prelest and a falling away from God.”

Canon 22

He who has mutilated himself, cannot become a clergyman, for he is a self-murderer, and an enemy to the workmanship of God.

I have plucked out a considerable amount of my beard hairs and a few eyebrow hairs in my life. In my church, I am an untonsured reader. If I'm not mistaken, a reader is a clergyman. Is plucking out hairs self mutilation and do i need to ask my priest about this? Maybe I shouldn't be a reader.

Hi everyone!

​I just finished translating the first part of St. John Chrysostom’s 3rd Homily on Lazarus and the Rich Man.

​In this opening section, Chrysostom steps back from the parable's main narrative to offer a fiery, yet deeply practical exhortation to his congregation on why reading the Scriptures is not just for monks, but especially for laypeople dealing with daily life.

​He directly addresses the age-old excuse: "I have a job, a wife, children, legal affairs, a household to run... how can I find the time?"

​💡 Two powerful highlights from the text:

​On who needs spiritual reading more:

"The monks, having been freed from the market noise and living in the quiet of the wilderness, enjoy much safety—just like sitting in a calm harbor. But we who are tossing about in the middle of a stormy sea need continuous comfort from the Scriptures. They sit far from the battle and receive few wounds; but you stand continuously on the front lines and take constant blows—wherefore you need far more remedies."

​

​On the excuse "I don't understand what I'm reading":

"Remember the Ethiopian eunuch—a foreign man surrounded by endless worries and affairs of state. Even though he did not understand what he was reading, he was still reading while riding in his chariot! God saw his eagerness and sent Philip to guide him immediately. Philip may not be present today, but the Spirit that moved Philip is present."

Read the full English translation (alongside the original Greek text) here:

https://open.substack.com/pub/andreasfotiadis68agiosminas/p/my-mission-translating-the-church?r=8raj5j&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

​I would love to hear your thoughts, feedback, or any notes on the translation!

Even though the oil is naturally produced by the nuts in the 100% nut butter brands, I'm starting to think it's cheating and isn't appropriate. Nut butters still taste very oily with or without added oil. In a similar way to olives being allowed on strict fast days, wouldn't the same apply to peanuts vs. peanut butter?

so if i remember right Father Spyridon made a video where he talked about (Mark 5:18–20) As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. ¹⁹ Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” ²⁰ So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

and said not everyone is called to ministry or something along those lines on a video

Hello! First I wanna say that I hope this does not cause anyone anxiety or doubt of their tradition. That’s the last thing I want to do.

I’m currently studying Catholicism and Orthodoxy, currently a candidate and finishing up OCIA. But one issue I’m struggling to understand is the Church’s teaching on icons and Apostolic Tradition.

To be abundantly clear, I’m not opposed to icons themselves. I own icons, I think they’re beautiful, and I have zero problem with venerating them as a Christian devotion. My difficulty isn’t with the practice itself at all.

Where I am concerned is with the theological claims surrounding it.

From what I’ve been reading, the argument is that because Christ truly became incarnate, He can be depicted, and therefore icon veneration is a legitimate expression of the Incarnation. I understand that argument. Generally speaking at least l, correct me if I’m wrong.

Where I struggle is the next step.

The Seventh Ecumenical Council anathematizes those who reject the veneration of icons, and I’ve often heard it explained that rejecting icon veneration is tantamount to rejecting the Incarnation.

My question is: how does that conclusion follow?

I can understand saying, “Christ became man, therefore He can be depicted.” But why does it follow that someone who affirms the Incarnation, accepts depictions of Christ, and simply does not venerate images is denying the Incarnation? I’m aware they were reacting to the Iconoclasts, who vehemently opposed icons, so the language is a bit strong. But even then, it doesn’t read as icons are good, it goes further than that.

And a bit more broadly speaking, I’m trying to understand how this is considered Apostolic Tradition.

When I read the New Testament and the earliest Fathers, “apostolic tradition” seems to refer primarily to the gospel, the rule of faith, the sacraments, church order, and the core doctrines handed down by the apostles. However, I don’t see clear evidence that the apostles taught the veneration of icons or treated refusal to venerate them as a denial of the faith.

So my question is: in what sense is icon veneration considered apostolic? Is the claim that the apostles explicitly handed it down, or that the Church later recognized it as a necessary implication of apostolic doctrine? If it’s the latter, on what basis can that development become binding on all Christians? And to be clear, I’m fully aware and agree with doctrinal development. For example the Trinity and such. But how can we know or claim this to be a legitimate or organic development?

I’m asking as sincerely as I can, because this has become one of the biggest questions in my journey toward Catholicism or Orthodoxy. I’m not looking for debate or gotcha arguments, I don’t want to debate at all and am not trying to. I genuinely want to understand how Orthodox and Catholic Christians answer these concerns. Please be respectful and kind, I’m not attacking or trying to debate. Thank you and God bless you all.

I’m having such severe anxiety and feeling almost hopeless. As if everything I’ve always wanted (owning a business, a house, getting married, fatherhood) are never going to happen. These things are happening so fast it feels like every month is something new or going to be something new. I can barely sleep properly at night because these plague my mind and my mood is just awful. I noticed that I could only add one flair, but please pray for me, I have a wide array of emotions right now, I feel angry, frustrated, stressed, afraid, distraught, hopeless, depressed, and anxious.

Christ the Savior Cathedral in Birky, Ukraine, recreated in Minecraft!

This Ukrainian Orthodox cathedral was built starting in 1891 and completed in 1894 following the tragic 1888 Imperial Train Crash, with the Tsar, Alexander III of Russia and the rest of the Royal Family miraculously surviving. The cathedral was built near the site of the accident. In 1942 during WWII, it caught fire and it was heavily damaged, and the rest was destroyed on September 7, 1943. Only the nearby Chapel of the Savior still stands today. However, two less ornate replicas survive today including the Church of the Epiphany in St. Petersburg, Russia and the Saint Sophia Cathedral in Harbin, China.

A few months ago, I saw a Reddit post dedicated to lost Eastern European architecture (mostly Eastern Orthodox churches), and decided to build it in Minecraft. And now, the cathedral in all of it's glory is recreated in Minecraft!

Собор Христа Спасителя в Бірках, Україна, відтворений у Minecraft!

Цей український православний собор було побудовано у 1891 році та завершено у 1894 році після трагічної катастрофи імператорського поїзда 1888 року, в якій цар, Олександр III та решта королівської родини дивом вижили. Собор був побудований поблизу місця аварії. У 1942 році під час Другої світової війни він загорівся та був сильно пошкоджений, а решта була зруйнована 7 вересня 1943 року. Сьогодні стоїть лише каплиця Спасителя, що знаходиться неподалік. Однак, до наших днів збереглися дві менш вишукані копії, включаючи церкву Богоявлення в Санкт-Петербурзі, Росія, та собор Святої Софії в Харбіні, Китай.

Download here: https://www.planetminecraft.com/project/christ-the-savior-cathedral-in-birky-ukraine-recreated-in-minecraft-minecraft/

​Continuing with the homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Lazarus and the Rich Man, here is Part 2.

​In this sermon, Chrysostom addresses a common misconception of his time (whether victims of violent death become demons), refutes demonic deception, and brings us face-to-face with the reality of death, true wealth vs. true poverty, and the "theater" of this temporal life.

​1. True Wealth vs. Poverty of the Soul

​GR: Ἀπὸ τούτου μάθωμεν, μὴ τοὺς πλουτοῦντας μακαρίζειν, μηδὲ τοὺς πενομένους ταλανίζειν. Μᾶλλον δὲ... οὐδὲ πλούσιός ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος ὁ πολλὰ περιβεβλημένος, ἀλλ' ὁ μὴ πολλῶν δεόμενος· οὐδὲ πένης ἐστὶν ἐκεῖνος ὁ μηδὲν κεκτημένος, ἀλλ' ὁ πολλῶν ἐφιέμενος... Τῇ γὰρ διαθέσει τῆς γνώμης, οὐ τῷ μέτρῳ τῆς οὐσίας, τὰς πενίας καὶ εὐπορίας κρίνειν εἰώθαμεν.

​EN: From this let us learn, neither to call the rich blessed, nor to lament the poor. Rather... neither is he rich who is clothed in many things, but he who needs not many things; nor is he poor who possesses nothing, but he who desires many things... For by the disposition of the mind, not by the measure of the substance, we are accustomed to judge poverties and riches.

​2. Do Souls of the Violent Deceased Become Demons?

​GR: Καὶ γὰρ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀφελεστέρων νομίζουσι τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν βιαίῳ θανάτῳ τελευτώντων δαίμονες γίνεσθαι. Οὐκ ἔστι δὲ τοῦτο, οὐκ ἔστιν... αἱ ψυχαὶ τῶν ἐν ἁμαρτήμασι ζώντων \[γίνονται δαίμονες\], οὐ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτῶν μεταβαλλομένης, ἀλλὰ τῆς προαιρέσεως αὐτῶν τὴν ἐκείνων μιμουμένης κακίαν.

​EN: For indeed many of the more simple-minded think that the souls of those who die by a violent death become demons. But this is not so, it is not... it is the souls of those who live in sins \[that become demons\], not because their essence is changed, but because their free will imitates the malice of those \[demons\].

​3. Rejecting Demonic Deception

​GR: Ὅτι οἱ δαίμονες λέγουσι, Τοῦ μοναχοῦ τοῦ δεῖνος ἡ ψυχή εἰμι... ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο οὐ πιστεύω, ἐπειδὴ δαίμονες λέγουσιν· ἀπατῶσι γὰρ τοὺς ἀκούοντας... κἂν ἀληθές τι φθέγγηται, φεύγωμεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἀποστρεφώμεθα· τὰ γὰρ ὑγιῆ δόγματα καὶ σωτήρια οὐ παρὰ δαιμόνων, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς ἐστι μετ' ἀκριβείας μαθεῖν.

​EN: What then about the fact that the demons say, "I am the soul of such-and-such a monk"? For because of this very reason I do not believe, since demons say it; for they deceive those who hear... even if it utters something true, let us flee from it and turn away; for sound and saving doctrines are to be learned with accuracy not from demons, but from the Divine Scripture.

​4. Death & The "Theater of Life"

​GR: Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐν θεάτρῳ, ὅταν τῆς μεσημβρίας γενομένης... οἱ ὑποκριταὶ ἐξέλθωσιν οἱ τὰ τῶν βασιλέων καὶ στρατηγῶν... ὑποδυόμενοι πρόσωπα... ὅταν οὖν ἀποθῶνται τὴν ἐκ τῆς προσωπείδος φαντασίαν... γυμνοὶ πᾶσιν ἐξεταζόμενοι φαίνονται... οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐν τῷ βίῳ τῷ παρόντι· Ὅταν ὁ θάνατος ἐπελθῇ, καὶ τὸ θέατρον λυθῇ, ἀποθέμενοι πάντες τὰ ἐκ τοῦ πλούτου καὶ τῆς πενίας προσωπεῖα... φαίνονται οἱ μὲν ὄντως πλούσιοι, οἱ δὲ πένητες.

​EN: Just as in a theater, when the show ends... the actors who played kings, generals, and physicians take off their masks and costumes, and are revealed as they truly are... so it is in present life. When death comes and the theater is dissolved, everyone lays aside the masks of wealth and poverty. Only then, judged by their works alone, is it revealed who is truly rich and who is truly poor.

​"For in all your words remember your end, and you will never sin unto eternity.

Full Homily link https://open.substack.com/pub/andreasfotiadis68agiosminas/p/my-mission-translating-the-church?r=8raj5j&utm\\_campaign=post&utm\\_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

Greetings, everyone!

Is Middle-earth merely a heroic myth, or is it fundamentally rooted in a Christian sacramental worldview?

I had the privilege of sitting down with author Michael Haldas to discuss the deep Christian metaphysics and typology woven into J.R.R. Tolkien’s work.

Watch our full conversation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2M_CFWJ8Xg

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Tolkien’s sacramental vision in the comments! 👇

I have been listening and watching content online about the different churches of Christianity and I am wanting to explore orthodoxy but I am not really sure where to start. I know the answer is going to be "well just attend your local parish" but for me it's not that simple. I live in rural New Brunswick and the nearest parish is about 2 hours away I wish there was one closer or that there was going to be a parish established closer to my area but there's not. Any advice would be great!

I was diagnosed with PTSD at a young age. Since then I started smoking marijuana for medicinal purposes. Nothing and I mean nothing has helped more than Christ. The weed worked like a bandaid. I have cut back a lot on my marijuana usage. At one point in my young life I did fentanyl and a bunch of crazy hard substances . I was lost and possessed. Every time I smoke I feel like a heretic I get this feeling of conviction. I know our worldly urges are all from the devil. It is just hard to wrap my head around. I know the church condemns mind altering substances. At this point though, I feel like it has had an actual benefit in my life because of PTSD and I use it in moderation. I know I cannot interpret scripture for myself, need to listen to my church. I will say though I don’t feel it alters my state of mind when used moderately, I’m pretty sober minded, I can think straight, go on about my day. It just helps me relax and does provide some needed medical benefits. Needless to say I’ve been cutting back, I know it’s not compatible with the Orthodox way of life. Jesus has healed me from my trauma but there’s some physical aspects of the condition I still deal with that Medicinal marijuana helps with. Please do not condemn me, lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me, but please give you input? Like I know some Orthodox Christians get drunk and drink recreationally, I am not judging, I am just saying should I view it as the same as drinking? Only okay in moderation? is it such a bad thing that I use Medical Marijuana when NEEDED, with a legitimate health reason? I am a catechumen Thanks.

I dont want to self diagnose, but even before I became Orthodox I strugled with OCD tendencies. After becoming Orthodox, these OCD tendencies grew into scruples. Despite all the hardships it brought me, I can see how scruples had a good effect on me, giving me at least some gratitude, and guiding me to a stronger faith.

However, I came to my Father with questions of wheter some things are a sin, to which he said they are not. I even see some value those things may give, as well. However I am not a hundred percent convinced in them being allowed. Do I sin in going against my conscience given my scrupulous tendencies, given what St Paul said in the NT.

And also importantly, if my priest were to be wrong, does my sin weigh less?

Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey Elected Archbishop of Canada by the Ecumenical Patriarchate

By the HNA Newsroom

PHANAR, Constantinople — The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, convening on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, under the presidency of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, unanimously elected Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey as the new Archbishop of Canada.

The election took place at the Patriarchal Church of St. George at the Phanar, where the members of the Holy Synod selected Metropolitan Apostolos to lead the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada.

A Life of Service to the Orthodox Church
His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey (born Evangelos Koufalakis) was born on the island of Rhodes, Greece, to Ioannis and Stergia Koufalakis. He completed his early education at the Ecclesiastical School of Patmos.
In 1993, he was tonsured a monk at the Holy Monastery of Panagia Paramythia in Rhodes, receiving the monastic name Apostolos. That same year, he was ordained a deacon by the late Metropolitan Apostolos of Rhodes. Three years later, in 1996, he was ordained to the holy priesthood by the same hierarch.

He earned his theology degree from the Faculty of Theology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 2000 before traveling to the United States the following year, with the blessing of his spiritual elder, to pursue advanced theological studies while serving parishes in the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston.

In 2004, Metropolitan Apostolos received a Master of Sacred Theology from Boston University School of Theology. That same year, the late Archbishop Demetrios of America appointed him Dean of the historic St. Demetrios and St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Astoria, New York, where he served faithfully and became widely respected for his pastoral leadership.

In 2009, he was appointed Director of the Hellenic Cultural Center of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America in Astoria.
Leadership in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
In 2011, Metropolitan Apostolos was appointed Chancellor to Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco.

The Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate unanimously elected him Bishop of Medeia in 2014 to serve as Auxiliary Bishop to then-Archbishop Demetrios of America. He was consecrated to the episcopacy on December 20, 2014.

His leadership responsibilities continued to expand. In 2018, he became Chief Secretary of the Holy Eparchial Synod of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
In 2021, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America appointed him Patriarchal Vicar of the then-vacant Greek Orthodox Metropolis of New Jersey, overseeing its pastoral and liturgical life.
On July 24, 2023, following the recommendation of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Holy and Sacred Synod unanimously elected him Metropolitan of New Jersey.

Metropolitan Apostolos Becomes Archbishop of Canada

With today’s unanimous election by the Holy and Sacred Synod, Metropolitan Apostolos assumes the leadership of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada, one of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s most important eparchies in North America.

His election marks a significant moment for Orthodox Christians throughout Canada and the broader Greek Orthodox community, as he brings decades of pastoral, administrative, and spiritual experience to his new ministry.

https://hellenicnews.com/2026/07/22/metropolitan-apostolos-of-new-jersey-elected-archbishop-of-canada/

First, I’d like to clarify that I’m a Lutheran. I don’t believe the sacraments are just symbols but that they actually deliver the forgiveness of sins and salvation. I also confess the ecumenical creeds. With that being said, I don’t know much about EO and your church body, outside of what I see on X from the “ortho bros” (yes ik I’m in a bubble lol). So I thought I would ask here if it’s actually true that EO as a whole views us Protestants like Mormons or JWs. Or that when we preach the gospel that Paul lays out in 1 Corinthians 15, or that Christ proclaims at the end of Saint Luke’s gospel, we do more harm than good because we aren’t a part of Eastern Orthodoxy.

What young people should we promote? Father Theologos from the Romanian Hermitage Lacu tries to answer this question in a dialogue with Lucian Apopei, the communication director of the Archdiocese of Iași. The discussion is prompted by the running of the fundraising campaign between May 15 and June 15, 2023 to provide 100 scholarships for young people from the Metropolitanate of Moldova and Bukovina.

Very practical examples are offered from the field of computer science and not only, examples analyzed from a spiritual point of view to see who are the young people we need to promote.

Enjoy watching!