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"But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Hebrews 5:14.God has given us physical senses whereby we may perceive the things of the physical world-- sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. It should not seem strange, then, that for each of these physical senses there is also a corresponding spiritual sense whereby we may discern the things of the spirit. This can be demons …

We just delivered food stuff to the family as we promised. All this work of love is through your support in donations.. Please Pray for us. At St Barnabas orphanage and school, you can make a difference today by giving a small portion of yourself and what our Dear LORD Jesus Christ has blessed you with, and it is for our Christian Orthodox Missions in Africa. The difference is so important that each and every young child is praying every day for even the smallest of gifts. This …

Most are the time we get what we say. Our words becomes self-fulfilling prophecies. If you allow your thoughts to defeat you, giving in to negative ideas through your words, your actions will follow suit.That is why we should be careful of what we say. Our words have tremendous power, and whether we want to or not, we will live according to what we’re saying, either good or bad.Many people in our days live because of their words. They say things such as: “Nothing good ever happen …

The Dormition or falling-asleep of the Virgin Mary and her translation to heaven are not recorded in the pages of the New Testament. This is a stumbling block to some while they overlook the fact that the New Testament likewise does not record the circumstances of the deaths of any of the apostles except James the brother of John. However, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary is revealed by the Holy Spirit in the types and shadows of the Old Testament. Mary's role as Theotoko …

When I was a little boy back in the 60s I was fascinated by photos of my ancestors taken a century before. I often wondered why they looked so different from modern people. When I inquired about it, I was told that was just the way styles change, or that it was colder in those days and they needed to wear more clothing.When I came to know Christ in my 20s, I pondered the question anew. I understood that my ancestors were devout Christians, but I viewed them as repressed by Purit …

We welcome a new contributor to our blog, Fr. Methodius Jm Kariuki, director of the St. Barnabas Orphanage and School in South Kinangop, Kenya.Most people do not realize there is a financial expense associated with serving Divine Liturgy. There are candles on the altar. There is flour and yeast needed to make the bread for prosphora and communion. Wine is needed for the chalice. Many churches purchase their own supplies, but more churches accept donations from the people.God giv …

This past weekend, we celebrated the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord. In this post Sam Granger looks at how the Transfiguration "sheds some light" on the Orthodox, on iconography, and on our understanding of Christ.The Feast of the Transfiugration is a big deal for Orthodox Christians, because it's the feast dedicated to Christ's glory. The name "orthodox" comes from two Greek roots: orthos (ὀρθός) meaning "right" or "correct" and doxa (δόξα) meaning "glory." Orthodox Chr …

The following document is part of an official record of actions taken against a house church in the town of Cirta* in Algeria during the Diocletian persecution. It provides a description of both the church hierarchy of the Ante Nicene period (consisting of a single bishop, as well as priests, deacons, subdeacons and readers as it is in the Orthodox Church to this day) as well as an inventory of material possessions (including gold, silver, and bronze liturgical items, as well as …

On August 16 we celebrate the Icon of Our Lord "Made Without Hands." This icon, also known as the Holy Face, the Holy Napkin, or the Mandylion, portrays the face of Christ on a piece of cloth, carried by the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. According to Christian legend, King Abgar of Edessa wrote to Jesus, asking him to come cure him of an illness. Jesus declined the invitation, but sent a disciple with a miracle-working image of Jesusthe first icon. The "Made Without Hands" …

Ezekiel 44: 1-3 “Then he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east; and it was shut. And he said to me, "This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it shall remain shut. Only the prince may sit in it to eat bread before the LORD; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall go out by the same way."Ezekiel 46:3 “ Likewise the people of …