by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher [This article is the fourth of four explaining the Orthodox Christian meaning of important topics and practices commonly misunderstood by the non-Orthodox.  The four topics are: 1. Praying to Saints, 2. Prayers for the Departed, 3. The Veneration of Icons, and 4. The Sinlessness of the Virgin Mary.] From the outset, one must be clear that the Orthodox meaning of The Sinlessness of the Virgin Mary does not refer to an unchangeable state of sinlessness or incapability of sinning pertaining to the Virgin Mary.  … [Read more...]

[In the Icons above, with Greek abbreviations Jesus (IC) Christ (XC) is identified as God, He Who Is (O wN; Exodus 3:14).  Likewise the Virgin Mary is identified as Mary (MP) Theotokos (OV), literally, the Birthgiver-of-God.] by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher [This article is the third of four explaining the Orthodox Christian meaning of important topics and practices commonly misunderstood by the non-Orthodox.  The four topics are: 1. Praying to Saints, 2. Prayers for the Departed, 3. The Veneration of Icons, and 4. The Sinlessness of the … [Read more...]

by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher [This article is the second of four explaining the Orthodox Christian meaning of important topics and practices commonly misunderstood by the non-Orthodox.  The four topics are: 1. Praying to Saints, 2. Prayers for the Departed, 3. The Veneration of Icons, and 4. The Sinlessness of the Virgin Mary.] Prayers for the Departed are prayers offered to God on behalf of persons departed this life, that is, they have died a bodily death.  Bodily death occurs when the soul, or spirit, of a person departs their body and … [Read more...]

by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher [This article is the first of four explaining the Orthodox Christian meaning of important topics and practices commonly misunderstood by the non-Orthodox.  The four topics are: 1. Praying to Saints, 2. Prayers for the Departed, 3. The Veneration of Icons, and 4. The Sinlessness of the Virgin Mary.] Much of the misunderstanding of the practice of Praying to Saints comes from a restriction of the definition of the English word “pray.”  For instance, in Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary the verb “pray” means the … [Read more...]

by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher Fasting heals gluttony.  This is a spiritual law.  Because gluttony is an ever-present temptation and common malady among us sinners, fasting must be an ever-present practice in the war against sin.  Make no mistake about it, as Christians we are engaged in a war against sin, and this is a struggle to the death, either the death of sin or our spiritual death and separation from the eternal life given by God in Jesus Christ. “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war … [Read more...]