Fr. Bill's Orthodox Blog – Orthodoxy from the Third Coast
Saints, Seasons, Society, Sins, plus Travels mostly to Greece and who knows what next? by Father Bill Olnhausen
Introduction Yesterday we celebrated the raising of Lazarus which was, as we sang, the “prefiguring of the General Resurrection”, when all mankind will be raised from death. “Those who have done what is good will rise to life, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.” John 5:29 Christ was demonstrating, […]
Read More »Now we begin our twice-daily commentaries on the services and themes of Holy Week and Pascha – based on talks I gave at these services during the twenty-five years when I was Pastor of Saint Nicholas Church, Cedarburg. Each year I’ve altered them just a bit as I’ve come across new information, to correct […]
Read More »Holy Pentecost For my ancient commentary about Pentecost, you might want to go back to Posts 66, 67 and 68. Just scroll down on the far right to May, 2018. The Kneeling Prayers I do not understand. Pentecost is one of the Great Feasts, a beautiful day in and of itself. We celebrate Pentecost Week […]
Read More »Here is the most peculiar part of the Ascension story: At the end of his Gospel account of the Ascension, Luke tells us that afterwards the apostles “returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God.” Luke 24:52-53 That’s the last thing we would have expected. I mean, Jesus […]
Read More »Christ is risen! Truly He is risen! Last week, we utterly demolished all skeptical objections to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Then we began to tell the full story of the Resurrection – much of which is never heard at Sunday Liturgy in the Orthodox Church. Yet, we are often called “The Church of the […]
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