495. The Entrance of the Virgin Mary into the Temple: Is it Scriptural? Did it actually happen?

Notice above: In iconography for this Feast, the Virgin Mary is always depicted symbolically as a three year old “adult”, already full-grown spiritually. Before we talk about this lovely celebration, first let’s demolish a couple of objections to it. 1  It’s not Scriptural. This is the big Protestant objection. It troubled me before I became […]

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482. Why do we honor Mary? Because the Bible says so: Part Two

During August, we’re doing reruns of a few of the more popular Posts from years past – very slightly revised. Last week we saw how often the Virgin Mary is mentioned in the New Testament. Nobody except her Son comes close. Then… well, go back and read it for yourself. We stopped in the middle […]

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481. Why do we honor Mary? Because the Bible says so: Part One

My mind is taking August off. We’re repeating some of the most popular Posts from previous years, improved just a bit. Those of you who were raised Orthodox or Roman Catholic cannot imagine how hard it was for most of us former Protestants to accept the Mother of God. I know, because when we try […]

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401. Blessed Musa, Child of Rome, and Saint Brendan the Navigator

Here are two saints commemorated together on May 16. However, other than that they could not be more different. One a little girl called Home early. The other a builder and adventurer, forever on the move. Blessed Musa of Rome This is a story both very sad and very beautiful. Musa lived in Rome in […]

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376: Three approaches to the Annunciation

  I can think of three possible ways this article might go: 1 I knew a young Protestant couple who were interested in Orthodoxy. They saw that a local Orthodox church was having services on the Friday evenings of Lent, so they went to check it out. The priest met them at the door and welcomed […]

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