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
Before we get into the Gospel story… Tonight at the end of the Aposticha we hear the Hymn of Kassiane, a Ninth Century nun and hymnographer. She was one of several young women interviewed by Emperor Theophilos as a prospective bride. The story says he was so flummoxed by Kassiane’s beauty that he said something […]
Read More »Troparion of Bridegroom Matins: Kievan chant, sung by “Archangel Voices” Behold, the Bridegroom comes at midnight, And blessed is that servant whom He shall find awake, But unworthy is the servant whom He shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul, do not be weighed down with sleep, Lest you be given up to death, and lest […]
Read More »Exaposteilarion from Bridegroom Matins, chanted in Arabic and then in English, by the Choir at Our Lady of Balamand Monastery, El Koura, Lebanon, Holy Week 2011 Gospel Reading: Matthew 22:15-46; 23:1-39 In tonight’s Gospel, the confrontation between Jesus and the authorities continues. They must stop this Man. Killing Him was the last option. The […]
Read More »As on the weekdays of Lent, so on the ordinary weekdays of Holy Week: There is no celebration of the full Divine Liturgy. The Anaphora (the consecration of the Holy Gifts) is omitted, and Holy Communion is received from that which was blessed previously. “presanctified” – in this case on Palm Sunday. Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:3-35 […]
Read More »Introduction In our churches, Matins/Orthros is normally sung in the morning. So why, you may ask, are we now suddenly having it in the evening? Also and even odder, why during Holy Week do we have Vesperal Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (obviously an evening service) in the morning? I’m really sorry you asked those questions. […]
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