by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher The Orthodox practice of the Christian Faith includes fasting as an essential aspect of its tradition.  The earliest Christian writing outside of the New Testament states: “And your fastings, let them not be with the hypocrites; for they fast on the second and fifth days of the week (i.e., Monday and Thursday; see Lk. 18:12), but you, fast on the fourth day and on the preparation” (i.e., Wednesday and Friday; Didache, 8.1; ca. 100 A.D.).  Likewise, Christians always fasted for a season connected with the yearly … [Read more...]

by Fr. Jonathan Cholcher In the Western, Roman Catholic Christian tradition, the Feast of our Lord’s Birth on December 25 is followed by the Feast of Epiphany on January 6, sometimes called the Gentile Christmas as it commemorates the visit of the Magi to worship Christ (Matt. 2:1-12). Thus there are 12 days between these two feasts, the 12 days of Christmas. In the Orthodox tradition which precedes the Western reckoning, the Feast of Christmas is likewise followed by another great feast on January 6 called Theophany (also, Epiphany), or … [Read more...]

by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher Demons are real, and they’re scary.  We Christians know quite a lot about demons.  This knowledge is crucial for our spiritual well-being and for the salvation of would-be Christians.  The major, if not main, aspect of Jesus Christ’s ministry is the exorcism of demons and destruction of the power of the demons’ leader, the devil.  “[Christ] Himself likewise shared in the same [flesh and blood], that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil…For this purpose the Son of God … [Read more...]

Christ, the Son of God, gave us Himself and His holy life as a model, as we saw earlier: “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (John 13:15).  Let us picture in the eyes of our soul this pure mirror and see in it whether our life is in conformity with the life of Christ.  It is absolutely necessary that it be in conformity. ”As was the man of dust (the first Adam), so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man (the new Adam Jesus Christ), so also are those who are heavenly.  And as we … [Read more...]

by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher Believe it or not, Halloween originated as a Christian observance emerging from its western European, Roman Catholic cultural context.  Halloween is literally the eve of All Saints (Hallows) Day kept on November 1, a tremendously important day in the medieval western European Church calendar.  Martin Luther nailed his famous 95 Theses on the Wittenberg church door on Halloween (October 31, 1517) because he knew most people would be in church to see them the next morning for All Saints Day.  Thus the Lutherans … [Read more...]

by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher The goal of the parish is to contribute to the salvation of souls.  Because there is a correlation between salvation and spiritual health, a parish is “successful” if it is conducive to spiritual health.   How much the people love God: how well they keep Christ’s commandments, and how strong their faith, prayer, humility, and reverence are;   How much the people love their neighbors: in the degree of unity in the parish so that “one soul is seen in many bodies” (St. Basil the Great), and in … [Read more...]

By Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher This liturgical phrase occurs in the closing prayers of the services of sunset (Vespers) and early morning (Matins), and as a refrain in certain Canons (i.e., extended prayers based on nine Biblical songs).  It is both a statement and a petition for the Virgin Mary to help us. Consider that God is not the only subject of the verb to save.  St. Paul writes: “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Cor. 9:22).  To Timothy: “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine.  Continue … [Read more...]

by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher “The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.  Jesus answered him, ‘I spoke openly to the world.  I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing.  Why do you ask Me?  Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them.  Indeed they know what I said.’” (John 18:19-21) Christianity, like many religions, can be characterized by its doctrine, its particular teaching(s).  One of the earliest Christian documents beside the … [Read more...]

by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher The term dormition is one of those words commonly used in the Orthodox Church which is very uncommon anywhere else.  Other examples include Theotokos (lit., Birthgiver-of-God, a title of the Virgin Mary) and consubstantial (of the same essence, referring to the three Persons of God the Holy Trinity). Dormition comes from a Latin root – dormio – meaning “asleep.”  Thus the English word dormitory means “a place for sleeping”; it’s English equivalent from a Greek root is cemetery (lit., koimētērion, from koimēsis … [Read more...]

by Fr. Jonathan H. Cholcher Metamorphosis (Gk., met-a-MOR-phō-sis) refers to a process of change from one form to another, that is, a transformation.  Most school children are familiar with this process as illustrated in the life cycle of a butterfly: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (cocoon), adult.  The organism that emerges at the end of the cycle differs dramatically from the organism that begins the process, usually changing from a non-descript entity to a highly specialized, intricate, and beautiful creature. God designed life in this … [Read more...]