by St. Cyril of Alexandria What shall we do against these evils, we who have been entrusted by God with the doctrine of the mystery, against whom on the day of judgment those who are introduced into the mysteries will certainly testify? For they will say that they kept the faith as they … [Read more...]
Bishops: Successors of the Apostles
Although the Apostles are often referred to as the first 'bishops' of particular areas, there is a significant difference between Apostles and bishops. Apostles, personally commissioned and sent by our Lord Jesus Christ, have apostolic authority wherever they went. Bishops, appointed as their … [Read more...]
Heeding the Call
How do I know when I am called? All the baptized are incorporated into the Church and so called to be holy. The struggle is to determine which call is truly ours amid the many vocations God has for his people. One way to think more carefully about whether or not you are called to the priesthood is … [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...]
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...]
Basic Pre-requisites For Ordination
by Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos It is certain that the apostles transmitted this priesthood of Christ through a definite sacrament called the Sacrament of Holy Orders. The Church also fixed the canonical prerequisites for anyone to receive this great grace and to exercise this highest … [Read more...]
