(The following is a conversation between St. Iakavos of Evia and his spiritual child[ren]):
St. Iakavos: "“When we put on the cassock, we begin with the goal of sanctifying our soul. Care is necessary, however. For love of the world’s honor and glory, our egotism can make us lose our soul, rather than sanctify it... Priests shouldn’t cut their hair....
"The priest's cassock is the flag of the Church of our Christ: for this reason we must try hard to honor it, we who wear it, with a holy life, so that those who don't wear it will honor and respect it." - St. Amphilochios of Patmos
Source: H. Middleton, Precious Vessels of the Holy Spirit: The Lives and Counsels of Contemporary Elders of...
“There are still reports being received from various places that infectious disease is spreading across our country, and that it is carrying away to the grave many thousands of people. It is not surprising that in the face of this frightful phenomenon people are brought to anxiety and are striving to think of any means whereby they may avoid the impending thunderstorm. But this is our grief –...
“"Father, do not officiate tomorrow. It is very dangerous!"
"Silence, silence!"
"Elder, please! The situation has worsened. Every day bombs fall around us. We are afraid to leave the house. We are worried about you too."
Unperturbed, Fr. Ieronymos listened to the people who in the last few days arrived anxiously at the Simonopetra Metochi of the Ascension in Byron, Attica. They...
"Theodore of Mopsuestia (ca. 350-428) wrote a book titled Against the Defenders of Original Sin which Saint Photios the Great read and reviewed in his Bibliotheca (177). It is often said that Theodore was the only eastern bishop who not only spoke about but also against Original Sin as formulated in the West, but with this review we see that Saint Photios does as well. The chief defender of the doctrine...
“Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they havehidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.” - Ezekiel...
"A certain Abba of the monastics, with great boldness and tears, asked God that He reveal to him some of His judgments on men: judgments which they do not recognize, but mistake for extraordinary events. For a long time God did not show him anything (for men can never fully know and understand the mysteries of God), but the ascetic did not cease from that prayer day and night. One day, God, wishing to...
The Kollyvades Fathers and St. Hilarion (Troitsky)
We now come to one of the most crucial time periods and to perhaps the most important patristic interpretation as to the identity and boundaries of the Body of Christ, especially as it pertains to the present challenge to the Church posed by contemporary, syncretistic ecumenism.
In Lesson 7 we will look at the teachings of the so-called...
We will narrow our examination at this point in order to properly focus and benefit from those theological and historical signposts which are more relevant and beneficial for us in our time.
To this end we have chosen to focus on the other two great “pillars of Orthodoxy,” besides St. Photios the Great (see Lesson 5), namely, St. Gregory Palamas and St. Mark of Ephesus, before we move on, next...
The Church in the post-Iconoclast age and pre-schism period, in the Eighth Oecumenical Council under St. Photios the Great and at the end of the first millennium and the eve of the Great Schism and beyond.
The fifth lesson of our 10 week course, "Orthodox Ecclesiology: The One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and the Pan-Heresy of Syncretistic Ecumenism" will also look at the 1st-2nd Council...
We will begin the lesson by briefly looking at some aspects of St. Augustine’s stance vis-a-vis the Donatists and also St. Hypatios’ reaction to Nestorius, but we will move on to cover aspects of the readings for week 4: The Church in St. Maximus the Confessor’s theology, the condemnation of Pope Honorius, the Church in St. John of Damascus and the 1st and 95th canons of Trullo, as well as St. Tarasius’...
The Unity of the Church and the Mystery of Baptism
This is the second lesson of our 10 week course, "Orthodox Ecclesiology: The One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and the Pan-Heresy of Syncretistic Ecumenism".
This is the second lessson of a 10 week course, which also includes - for all patrons - a separate 2 hour Q&A session every Thursday @ 9 PM EST, 6 PM PST. (To become a patron...
The first lesson of our 10 week course, "Orthodox Ecclesiology: The One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church and the Pan-Heresy of Syncretistic Ecumenism" is now available.
Recorded on TUE., Feb. 16th @ 9 PM EST
This is the first lessson of a 10 week course, with a separate Q&A every Thursday @ 9 PM EST.
First Lesson will be live-streamed right here on...
The Managing Editor of Orthodox Ethos is John Coffman.
Born on his family farm in Central Illinois, John always had an interest in Scripture, theology, and history which God used to lead him to Holy Orthodoxy. He was baptized into the Body of Christ at Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church in Yakima, Washington, in 2010. After some years he was asked by several clergy to enter into the Antiochian House of Studies, at which his projects focused on catechetical work, culminating in a catechetical analysis of the Wisdom of Sirach in the form of daily readings during Great Lent. After spending about a year of struggle at St. Anthony’s Greek Orthodox Monastery in Arizona and Philotheou Monastery on Mt. Athos, he received a blessing to return to the world, marry and finish his Master’s work by writing a thesis entitled: Orthodox Catechism in a Neo-Pagan World: Catechizing Today’s Idolatrous World Following the Example of our Holy Fathers. The text is soon to be published by the Antiochian House of Studies Press. In October of 2020, John became the Assistant General Manager at Uncut Mountain Press. Shortly thereafter he became a senior editor at The Orthodox Ethos. He is now tasked with the launch of the new Uncut Mountain Press website and book releases, while also developing, editing and publishing articles based upon or by the saints, elders, and ascetics of our time for the benefit and upbuilding of the faithful.
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Orthodox Ethos is a collective effort of nearly a dozen Orthodox Christians, ordained and lay. Our purpose is to present and support the Orthodox truth, way and life, which is Christ Himself.
