And how can I tell? These are the questions every future priest must ask. The first and most important thing is - you don't do it alone. You aren't sending yourself into the work of the Church. Your call must be tested. Confirmed. Validated. If a man believes that Christ is calling him, he owes … [Read more...]
The Three Degrees of Priesthood
by Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos From a study of the sources, chiefly patristic literature, it seems clear that the degrees of priesthood (deacon, priest, bishop) are closely connected with the three basic degrees of the spiritual life. This means that as a man progressed in healing he ascended … [Read more...]
Maybe Not Rock Stars
from the blog Breathing Exercises One of the very interesting things to me about Christian communities is that they are in some way meant to be a priesthood. Strange, when we’re used to thinking of priests as a specialized class of people, set apart for special duty within the church. It’s … [Read more...]
Man As Priest Of Creation
by Fr. Christopher Foley I came to discover Orthodoxy during a time in my life where I was very heavily involved in performing and writing music. Growing up as an Evangelical Christian and attending a small liberal arts Evangelical College in Northeast Georgia, I struggled for a number of years … [Read more...]
On The Holy Priesthood
by St. Symeon of Thessalonica St. Symeon's treatise on the Priesthood, is addressed to a newly ordained monk as “a word of reminder” (Λόγος ύπομνήσεως), of what the Priesthood is all about and of its importance in serving the saving Mystery of Christ to humanity. The Priesthood is, indeed, a basic … [Read more...]
On The Mystery Of Ordination
by St. Nikolai Velimirovich "And when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them" (Acts of the Apostles 6:6). By laying their hands on the chosen faithful, the apostles consecrated bishops, priests and deacons. It is apparent from this that the Christian Faith is not only a teaching, but … [Read more...]
Between Heaven and Earth: Pastoral Reflections on the Psychodynamics of the Clergy Family
by the Rev. Vasileios Thermos, M.D., Ph.D. Our family is a special gift of God in our lives. It is through our family that we struggle for salvation, for personal integration, for well-being. The apostolic tradition of a married priesthood should be considered an invaluable blessing of God in … [Read more...]
