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 »Ukraine I’m writing this article on Holy Monday morning, in sorrow. Have Ukraine’s Orthodox brothers and sisters in Russia given them a break for Holy Week? No, they have not. Their missile strikes and and shelling have in fact increased. Have they allowed time this Week for innocent Ukrainian civilians to escape the horrors of war? No, […]
Read More »Exaposteilarion hymn for Bridegroom Matins (from “Orthodox Christian Chants” site) 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 better way, the cleanest way, was still to outwit Him, discredit Him. They’d had no success at […]
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 – in this case on Palm Sunday. Gospel Reading: Matthew 24:3-35 In […]
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. (If you […]
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