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This post comes from an email in the "Walk Through the Church Year" series which goes out to folks who sign up to receive two emails per month about major feasts and selected commemorations in the liturgical calendar. To receive these emails in your inbox, sign up here. The original email was sent out in September of 2024. by Brendan Byrd Happy New Year! Welcome to the beginning of the nearly two thousandth year celebrated by the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church as established by the …

The Creation account is read four times each year in the Orthodox Church: on the eves of the greatest feasts of the Lord Jesus—the Nativity, Theophany, and Pascha—and during the first week of Great Lent. It seems like a fitting visual meditation for the start of the new liturgical year, as well. Read more about this icon by Georgi Chimev. Dear Reader, Do the feasts and commemorations of the church sometimes sneak up on you? The Church in her wisdom gives us cycles of repetition by whic …

Sunday, October 15 Commemorates the Seventh Ecumenical Council at which icons were restored to the Church as a confirmation of the centrality of Christ's Incarnation in Orthodox theology and a necessary aspect of worship. Saint John of Damascus was a key figure in this restoration and in his defense of icons, Apologetic Treatises against those Decrying the Holy Images, he lists seven functions of iconography. Saint John is commemorated On December 4, and so over the next couple months we will pr …

Introduction: Sunday, October 15 commemorated the Seventh Ecumenical Council at which icons were restored to the Church as a confirmation of the centrality of Christ's Incarnation in Orthodox theology and a necessary aspect of worship. St John of Damascus was a key figure in this restoration and in his Defense of Icons, he lists 7 functions of Iconography. This post is part of a series on these functions we hope will be educational and inspirational, and lead you further towards our Lord and Sa …

Introduction: Sunday, October 15 commemorated the Seventh Ecumenical Council at which icons were restored to the Church as a confirmation of the centrality of Christ's Incarnation in Orthodox theology and a necessary aspect of worship. St John of Damascus was a key figure in this restoration and in his Defense of Icons, he lists 7 functions of Iconography. This post is part of a series on these functions we hope will be educational and inspirational, and lead you further towards our Lord and Sav …

Introduction: Sunday, October 15 commemorated the Seventh Ecumenical Council at which icons were restored to the Church as a confirmation of the centrality of Christ's Incarnation in Orthodox theology and a necessary aspect of worship. St John of Damascus was a key figure in this restoration and in his Defense of Icons, he lists 7 functions of Iconography. This post is part of a series on these functions we hope will be educational and inspirational, and lead you further towards our Lord and Sav …

The Theotokos, the pattern of every virtue. Icon from St Paul's Cathedral, London.Introduction: Sunday, October 15 commemorated the Seventh Ecumenical Council at which icons were restored to the Church as a confirmation of the centrality of Christ's Incarnation in Orthodox theology and a necessary aspect of worship. St John of Damascus was a key figure in this restoration and in his Defense of Icons, he lists 7 functions of Iconography. This post is part of a series on these functions we hope w …

Introduction: Today, December 5, we celebrate St. John of Damascus, who was a key figure in the restoration of Holy Icons as a confirmation of the centrality of Christ's Incarnation in Orthodox theology and a necessary aspect of worship. St. John lists 7 Functions of Iconography as useful to our worship. This post is the last in a series on these functions we hope will be educational and inspirational, and lead you further towards our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Function 7 according to St Jo …

The iconography in the nave of Saint George Orthodox Cathedral in Wichita, Kansas provides many opportunities for education and contemplation.Sunday, October 15 commemorated the Seventh Ecumenical Council at which icons were restored to the Church as a confirmation of the centrality of Christ's Incarnation in Orthodox theology and a necessary aspect of worship. St John of Damascus was a key figure in this restoration and in his Defense of Icons, he lists 7 functions of Iconography. This post is …

Saint Gregory Palamas lived in the 14th century. Born in Asia Minor, he was raised in the imperial court of Constantinople and later left to enter the monastic life on Mount Athos. He subjected himself to extreme asceticism so severe that he was forced to travel to Thessalonica for medical treatment.In 1341, Saint Gregory was present at a council that was convened against Barlaam of Calabria. Saint Gregory had previously held discussions with Barlaam about the Orthodox theology of …