Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou The service of Great Saturday is effectively a funeral service for Christ, and yet it is the most colourful service of Holy Week, because we have already begun to celebrate the Resurrection. The Epitaphios which represents the tomb of Christ, is adorned with an array of Read more…
Have you ever tried to find something in the dark? Have you walked around in pitch black? Maybe you stumbled into things. Maybe you tripped and fell. Maybe you tried to hold onto something that would help you find your way. It’s hard to find our way when we don’t Read more…
Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou If we have missed the opportunity to live Great Lent in an acceptable manner and there is only one week left, how can we enter into the joy of the Resurrection? The Lord says to the holy Apostles, ‘Ye are they which have continued patiently with Read more…
‘Lord, the woman who had fallen into many sins…fulfilled the task of a myrrh-bearer and, lamenting, brought you sweet-smelling oil before your burial’. The Tropario (Hymn) of Kassiani dominates the service of matins for Great Wednesday. A sinful woman, a harlot in her body, realizes the state she’s in, undertakes Read more…
Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou Holy Week is the heart of the Christian Orthodox Faith and the centre of the yearly cycle of Christian Feasts. Every year our churches are packed at Holy Week and, come the last three days, they are bursting at the seams with both people who attend Read more…
Metropolitan Panteleimon of Antinoes Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four canonical Gospels. (Mark 11:1–11, Matthew 21:1–11, Luke 19:28–44, and John 12:12–19). In many Christian churches, Palm Sunday Read more…
Fr. Lev Gillet Strictly speaking, Lent ends on the Friday which follows the fifth Sunday of Lent: the period of forty days is then over. The time of the Passion lasts from the end of Lent until the Resurrection, anticipated on Holy Saturday. It therefore comprises the Saturday which Read more…
Do I have to fast from food or can I fast from social media? This is a very common question and sometimes makes sense to a lot of us, because social media can be more distracting to our spiritual life than food. How about if I am vegetarian does that Read more…
Join myOCN Interactive Virtual Community on Let’s Talk, Thursday, April 22nd at 7pm EST with Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis and Fr. Christopher Metropulos as they share the many ways people approach this special week of the year. Join for some guidance on how to get the most out of this year’s Read more…
Rent Now. Άγιος Ιωσήφ ο Ησυχαστής from Pemptousia on Vimeo. This is a follow up post to our Let’s Talk Virtual Discussion with Jonathan Jackson who plays Elder Joseph in the movie. Watch it and encourage your family and friends to do likewise. It is a testimony to worshiping the Read more…