issuePDF (13) by Orthodox Marketplace

ffk

I' *' N ) t

':b

#;*

*ry* .*{,*.

|n il

s : t

-fRoM rFE $nrl{Ts

6Tr\-t

Can the lover of the marryrs everhaveenough of their memory? The honor qi,re., ro th. righteous,our fellow servants,is-a testimony of the good will of our Common Master. Bless the marryrs heartily, that you may be a ma:qrr by intention. Thus, even though you depart this life wirhout p..r..uror, fi'.. or lash,you will still be forlnj worthy of rhe samereward. -St. Basil

The Mysteriesarecomposedofthe narural(i.e. the visibleand material)and the supernatural (i.e., the spiritual and invisibl.). \fe confess that they are the drasdc meanswhich granr, to the iniriated,the Divine Grace. -Dositlteos Still we honor the relicsof the marryrs, that we may adore Him whose maryrs they are. \7E HONOR the servantsthat their horo, may berefectedupon their Lord who Himself says:"he that receivethyou receivethme.',

The saints,during their earthly life, are filled - St.Jerome wirh rhe graceof the Holy Splrir.Afrer rheir departure the same grace remains in their soulsas in their bodies. The very samegrace is present and active in their sacrediriag.s Cod left us the relicsof the Saintswishins ro e guide us in the samezealthey had. and icons. -St.John of Damascus

-St. John Chrysostom

I do not yenerate the creation oyer Thereis nothing sosacredasa human beine the ro whom God hasimpartedHis nature...EIch Creator, but I venerate the Creator who of us will then truly be able to shine more becamecrearionlike me, and camedown into brightly than the sun, to riseon the cloudsto creation without humiliation and without seethat body of God to be uplifted to Him being debased,in order to glori$zmy narure and make me to b. p"rtJ., oi th! divine fy Him and to 1nd toward Him, to nature. "ppro".h be favorably regardedby Aim. -St, Mcholas Cabasilas

-St.John of Damascus

Winter 2006

page I

This montht issueof Praxisconsidersthe complex and sacredtheme of Holy Relics. The veneration of the Holy Relics is a long-standing tradition of our Holy Orthodox Church, and a few words of introduction to this venerabletradition are both necessaryand appropriate. The term "Holy Relics"refersto a physical object that we venerateas Orthodox Christians, usually a part of a bone of a Martyr or a Saint. The most frequent examplesof the presenceof Holy Relics are the fragments of bones of various Holy Marryrs which are ensconcedin a specialreceptaclein the center of the Holy Altar of every Orthodox Christian Church. Beyond this standard presence,in many parishes,and certainly in Orthodox monasreries throughout the world, Holy Relics are also usually availablefor veneration by the faithful. The history of the veneration of the Holy Relics of Marryrs and Saints by Christians may be traced to the earliestof times. An early example follows the martyrdom of St. Polycarp of Smyrna in the second century, which inspired the local Christians to write, ". . .we took up his bones,what are more valuable than precious stonesand finer than refined gold, and deposited them in a suitable place." Since that time, and most likely even earlier,the veneration of the Holy Relics of the Marryrs has been a reveredpractice by the faithful of the Orthodox Church. Its purpose is to encourageand strengthen the community of believersby affirming that the Martyrs and the Saintscontinue to abide with them in body and in spirit. Indeed, this understanding is echoed by the remarks of His All Holiness, our Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, in his encyclicalone year ago when he reflectedupon the significanceof the return after 800 yearsof the relics of St. Gregory the Theologian and St. John Chrysostom from Rome to Constantinople, when he said, "From now on, physically we will have them both with us. This will be a great support for us, strengthening us, and bringing to us consolation during our tearful and sorrowful days." Of course,any responsibleintroduction or publication that speaksto this venerabletradition of our Church must also emphasizethe true meaning of this tradition. \7e must be mindful that the practice of the veneradon of the Holy Relicsis to remind us that God has worked His power in history through human beingswho were exemplarsof His love and grace. Indeed, He continues to do so. Thus, the practice of venerating Holy Relics is intended to inspire in us genuine faith and acts of selflesslove toward others, for that is what the Saints of our Church embodied during their earthly lives. Our faith must be genuine in all respects,rooted in love of God and neighboq and manifested by servicetoward others who are in need of His mercy. Toward this end, we may and should seekencouragementfrom the Martyrs and the Saints, whose relics are constant reminders of their love of God and servicetoward others. I invite you to consider thesecomments as you read the contents of this issueof Praxis and reflect upon the significanceof the Holy Relics. I furthermore pray that the love of God may be with you, and that you may be granted every comfort and encouragementby His Saints,whose relics remind us that they abide with us in body and in spirit always.

f* r*-'+-J'^.{'* T DEMETRIOS Archbishop of America

(Footnotes) l "T hcMa rtyrd o mo fP o l yc ar p". TheApostolicFalh<lr .l42Tr ans.J.B.Li ghtl bot.Ed.M i c hael W ,H ol m es . ( Bak er l 3ook s .1989) r His All Holiness Ecumenical Patritrch Bartholomew. Universal Encyclical on the Occasion o/ the Renrrn of the Holr Relics of Sts. Gregory the Theologian

page2

Winter 2006

and John Chnsostom,

para. 3, Nor.ember 21,2004.

"When the body touched

Elishas bones, the dead

man came to life and

<f n n r / J(vvv

t t r ' t . \ n r t htrJ i< upvt

fc^ L tr:YL,

2 Kings l3:20-21

The miracle wrought by the Grace-filled bonesof the prophet Elisha (2 Kings 13:2021) provides a powerful scriptural testimony for the Orthodox Christian understanding of Holy Relics. \X/hile some, unfortunately, misunderstand the prayerful veneration of the bone fragments of martyrs and saintsas a deleterioussuperstitiouspractice, a judicious review ofthe aforementionedBiblical account provides more than ample evidence for the customt value and validiry! \X/trilein the processof burying a certain individual, a group oflsraeliteswerefrightened by the sight of a group of oncoming raiders and threw the man's body into Elisha'sgrave. However,when the corpsecame into contact with Elishas bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet (2 Kings 13:20-21). The significanceof this Fascinating accountis very clear: the death of a man of God does not mean the death of the God of the man! The grace of a godly life can bring life to others even after death. The testimony of Elishas holiness exudes such profound sacramental power through his very bones! This issue of PRAXIS seeksto initiate a conscientious conversation concerning the topic of Holy Relics.'W4'ratis the justification for the veneration of relics? How and where are they kept? \7hat is the process for the decorous transFerof sacred bone fragments? \XAile many religious persuasions may be apprehensive or even skeptical when confronted with theseand other uncertainties the essaysand articles printed in this issue of PRAXIS seekto introduce the sacredtradition of Holy Relics to our readership.

from His redemptive power. Like the dead corpse, decaying individuals, families, and Christian nations may experiencespiritual as well as physical restoration from the sacred relics of their holy ancestors;and (3) The lifebestowing grace bestowed through Elishat relics guides the spiritually prudent to honor God. To give life is the highest Divine attribute. It is Godt distinct privilege and should never be directly consigned with the saint or relic through which God choosesto communicate with His creation. It is my hope and prayer that the material contained in this latest issue of PRAXIS will effectively affirm the veneration of Holy Relics as a genuine and most proper expression of the Church's Holy tadition which bestowsgraceupon gracero those who seekto properly dignify the very bones of our holy forefathers and mothers!

Father Frank,

{4-

Executive Editor

The miracle associated with Elishat sanctified bones,provide threeprimary lessons concerning the issueof relics: (1) The event is a powerful affirmation of Godt approval for the prophet; (2) Though a holy man may die, Godt people are never orphaned

Winter2006 I o"r" ,

PRAXTS--

i:l,L -L

-l

,/,' -:9-)

fipGgLg

A publication of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, PRAXIS magazine is published rwice a year. The subscription rate is $15 lor nvo years. Checks, payable to

the Department of Religious Education, should be sent ro:

PMXISCbculation 50 CoddardAvenue Brookline,MA02445 (617)810-l2lB

: l:r'i] it i

$. if,, iil

SUBMISSIONGUIDELINES Submissionsshould be 1,000-2,000 words in length and directlv discusseducation in the rheology and rradirion ofthe Orthodox Christian churches. Lessonaids or graphic enhancementsmay accompanythe articlessubmitted. We alsoencouragethe submissionof phorographsrelevantto parish life (praxis).Pleasealso provide a biographicalsketchofthe author not exceedingfifiy words. Material previously published or under considerationfor publication elsewherewill nor be consideredwithout prior consentofthe editor. We reservethe right to edit for usage and swle; all acceptedmanuscriptsare subject to editorial modification. Articles sent by mail should be accompaniedby an electronic version on CD-ROM in Microsoft Word for \Windows or for Macintosh. Articles in Microsoft Word mav also be emailed as an arrarhmentro frfrank@goarch.org Addresssubmissionsto: Rev.Dr. Frank Maransos and/or ElizabethBorch.

CREDITS i :::l:i::i::::::l:: tr:l:lr;r

Managing Ediror:

Reu.Dr, Frank Marangos Elizabeth Borch

Design and Layout

Tina Millsaps

Cover Photo:

SeminarianConstantinUrsacheuenera!ingthe relicsof rhe monksmayTvpT/ 1arheMonesrarlof Si. Theodosios (phorocourres)t Koinouiarches. ol Tina Millsapst

Inside Cover:

Exahationof theHoly Cross Deparrmenrof Religious Education.Brookline.MA

Inside Back Cover;

Bapt*m ofChrix Dipartmint of ReligiousEducation,Brookline,MA

Back Cover:

Annunciation Departmentof ReligiousEducation,Broohline,MA

Pr_ _i nr _ _ - - i- nq' --D'

Atlantic GraphicSeruices, Inc., Clinton, MA

Executive Editor: .t'

;fi:ii.l

\7e would like to offerspecial thanks to the Office of the Ecumenical Patriarchatefor providingmaterials lor "The Return of the Holv Relics" article. We would like to gratefully acknowledge Mr. photographs appearing in this issue of PRAXIS.

David

Elfering for some of the

tWe would also like to thank the lollowing for submitting their photographs for publication within this issue: Brad Borch, Diaconissa Vassi Haros, Liza Marcus, Tina Millsaps, and Dorothy tmpary.

:ir: .:iiai:1",

The color Icons appearing in this issue of PR{XIS are available for sale lrom the D epartment of R el i gi ousE ducati on (800) 566-1088.

t:riiitial

Scripture quotarions taken from The Holy Bible containing the Old and New Testamentswith the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical books, New King JamesVersion.

MissJaclyn O'Loughlin kissingthe hand of V Reu.Dr. Makris (Holy CrossChaplain). Gerasimos

The views expressedin this magazine are not necessarilythe views of the Department of Religious Education. @2006, Department of Religious Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of A meri ca. IS S N 1530-0595.

-our" o---f--*t."n ro*

9"tterJ Dear Fr. Frank Marangos,

Dear Fr. Frank Marangos,

beginswith ourselves..."So true!Another I lovethat; "Paradise grearwonderfulPRAXISissue...

Thank you for providing this format for sharingthe faith. I have to convertsin our community. givenseveralsubscriptions Fay Kokter, Milwaukee,WI

Thanking you again,I remain gratefullyyours, Fr. Nicholas Vinon Dear Fr. Frank, Dear Haidee,

I teachSundaySchool,Grade9, at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in \Westfield,NJ, and I think that the CANA curriculum is absolutelysuperb.

Christ is in our Midst! Itwas so kind of you to sendme the planner.I especially enjoyedthe PraxisMagazineyou included. I don't believeI haveeverseenour iconsso beautifully reproduced. Bravoto Fr. Frankand his stafffor this fine magazine,and thank you for your work in the Department-oneof the most criticalofices of the Archdiocese.God Blessyou and yours. In Christ, Mary Scoulas

Tltanks, JohnKotsonis,PhD

Dear Fr. Frank, I havebeenviewingyour ISOS classon the GreatCanonof St. Andrew of Creteand havelearnedso much. Thanksfor ISOS. I in 2006. am looking forwardto your classes God Bless, BobKoaacs

Dear Fr. Frank, I havejust beengiventhe link to your lecturesonline and find them most helpful.I am at the moment trying to find out about the Orthodox Church and am finding it so wonderful.

Dear Fr. Frank,

Your lectureshavebeena greathelp in my quest.May God Bless I watchedlast fall'slectureseriesover the past few weeks.I you in all your work. finishedjust in time for the beginningof the GreatFast. Geraldine Note: .Faronlinelectures,uisit ISOS(lnternetSchoolof Orthodox Studies)at www.isos.goarch.org.

Dear Fr. Frank, Just a note to tell you that, although I might not agreewith all of the writings of the contributors to PRAXIS,I do enjoy reading the articles. I find the commentary to be intellectually stimulating, giving rise to much prayerful thought.

Your lectureswere great.I know that you said repeatedlythat you were only scratchingthe surfaceof what could be said on these,but the serieswas a really good tool for me to get into the right frame of mind this week. It alsohelpedme focuson the Canon more. \fle do it in Englishhereeveryyear,but this time it had (and is having) much more meaningfor me. By the way, "here" for me is Alaskaand I go the OCA church. It is really greatto havethe accessto theserypesofthings on the internet. After Pascha,I m going to go back and watch someof the earlier topics. I pray you havegood sffengthfor the Great Fastand a wonderful Pascha. In Christ, Nich Spiropoulos

In Christ, VaseiliDoubas Winter 2006

page5

PRAX]S-

PRAXISVolume 5, lssue2: Relics

Txr SncnnruENTALrry oF THEFnmtv: Pnnr 3 Rev,Fr.FronkMarangos, D.Min.,Ed.D.

Relrcs:A Lrssoru Pr-nru Phyllis Meshel Onest, M.Div.

Txe Rerunru oFrHEHolYRelrcs Courtesyof the EcumenicalPatriarchate

10 Tnr OnrxoDox FAMTLY HisGraceBishopJohnof Amorion

13 Rrlrcs ANDTHETnRrusronmATloN oF rre Wonlo

K rrp rn cS c o n eA NDT RA c K rru PR c ocness: rue oF Lenoensxrp Qunrurrrvlnc Qunlrry A.C.Macris

42 5uruonyor ORrnoooxyANDTxe lrucneolgles AuthorUnknown

Elizabeth Theokritoff

YounCompurER AsnrulrusrnumENT oFGRnce, Pnnve n & Pnrpnnnrroru

ElizabethBorch

Txr VeruennnoN oF Holv Relrcs Rev. Dr.DumitruMacaila

YtnYrns, OuRLrvrr'rc Rellcs

Vicki Cassis

Your'rcCnnonrn ANDPRAYER JennyHaddadMosher

53 lrurse Corupnruy or Snrrurs: RrucsrNTHEEnsreRn ORrxoooxTnnorrroru Dr.BruceBeck

55 GnerxWonoSruov Mrs.lreneAlexandrou

MennYCnnrsruns CrnnlreBnownr Lia Lewis

7he couerpltoto is of seminarian Constantin Ursache of Romania. Upon completion of his undergraduate degreein May 2006from Hellenic College, Constantin will enter Ho$t Cross Greeh Orthodox School of Tbeolog1in pursuit of a Masters of Diuinity uith the hope of becoming a ltriest. He is shoun here uenerating the relics of the monks martyred in tbe Monastery of St. TlteodosiosKoinouiarches. Theserelics are located in the Hofu Cross Chapel in Brookline, MA.

page6

Winter 2006

Rrv.FnnNrMnRnNcos, D.Mrr.r.,Eo.D.

Pleaserefer to PRAXIS magazine Vol 4, Issuesl d" 2 for the frst two installments of this series. We continue with Part II : "The Family"

of the Church as prophet, priest and crowns, the family is summoned to king. These three components of the be a permanent historical reminder of family as church can be connected to the the saving work of Christ. Parents are three most vivid rubrics of the marriage called to be witnesses to their children 3. The Third Afirmation that discloses ceremony, namely the rings, candles, of the salvation in which the sacrament the intrinsic sacramentalnature of the and the crowns. These three elements of marriage makes them sharers. Of of the ceremony should be understood this salvation, the sacramentalnature of fo*ifu concernsits DIAKONIA. as much more than merely liturgical family, like every sacrament,entails three As the Dornestic Church - the diakonia props. The rings, candles, and crowns inter-related components: (a) anamnesis fthe ministrv) of the Christian Familv are sacredliturgical elementsthat reflect (recollection), (b) actuation (activity), mu$ reflecrtlte sauinc work of Christ. the axilogical praxis of marriage and its and (c) divination (expectation). intrinsic family structure. --=-=-IE-*

â&#x201A;Ź@ -â&#x201A;Ź14 (==''t/

)

As anamnesis, the sacramentality of family gives its members the grace and duty of commemorating through education and worship the salvific T H E C o N T E MP o R A R Y actions of God. The rubric of blessing T CHRISTIAN FAMILY the wedding rings both on the Holy ' Gospel and the foreheads of the Bride Through the three sacramental and Groom symbolizes the need for the however, it must become a living icon articles of the rings, candles and family to recollect, and proclaim the

:l: / :::'l'-',J?,':i,T:::

Winter 2006

page7

PRAXI,

of Christ's incarnation, passion and resurrection. The two - the bride and groom - mystically become one flesh (an incarnation) a unity that entails much more than physicality. Such incarnational indissolubility entails that each spouse is prepared to live a life of sacrifice and true selflessnesswhich can only be possible through personal participation in Christ's passion. Finally, by reasonof its associationwith the wider community of marriage throughout humanity, the Christian family bears witness to the hope of a significantly new understanding, a fore-tasteof "new

ffi

X. llrrr DgI

{titr

S &r ,

.r :.,r .r .:r r :i r i ::.

!3{; t- rrt-

::a i l i

1r..*L

\ 1

\ \**.

?1"* sacred actions of God. The couple is invited to develop the mind of Christ. As such, if the newlyweds desire to properly express the intrinsic diakonia of marriage they must strive to faithfully witness the truth of the Gospel to their children, to the extended families within the Church and finally to the historical family of humanity. As actuation, the sacramentality of the family provides the grace and duty of living a praxis of selflesslove, forgiveness and care in their current historical context. The crowns that the bride and groom wear during the wedding ceremony bear witness to two theological truths. As we have seen, apart from expressing the royalty and dignity of marriage, the crowns bear witness to love's sacrificial character, its diakonia! Consequently, the family actuates(activates)its sacramentalnature whenever selfess love, forgiveness and care are expressedin its daily activities.

\,l,

Bride and Groom, (a) proclaim their baptismal identities, and (b) accept the invitation to vigilantly prepare their family for the Coming Kingdom. Like the five wise virgins, the family must always be prepared to properly welcome the Eternal Bridegroom into their midst. Only by assuming such an expectant posture can the family experience the sweetNew \7ine of His Kingdom. Needless to say, much more could be added here concerning these three components of the diakonia (ministry) of the Christian Family. It is vitally important to encourage the contemporary Christian family to strive for spiritual vigilance at a time when postmodernism seeksto deconstruct its sacramentaldignity.

As we have observed thus far, marriage, like the other six major sacraments, is a sacred sign, an "epiphanomenon" of Christ and His It is through anamnesis, Church. Finally, as the actuation and eschatological hope divination, sacramental nature of family provides that each family reveals the grace of the graceand duty of bearing witnessto its sacramental nature. Each spouse the eschatologicalhope and expectation as individual, together as couple, and of the future encounter of the Parousia united through mutual fertility with of Christ's Kingdom. By holding candles their children as family is called to during their wedding ceremony, the faithfully reflect the great mystery

page8

Winter 2006

wine", of eschatological unity through conjugal faithfulness. Family, therefore, and the issue of fertility that it presupposes,embraces much more the notion of procreation. It is a sacred act through which every couple collaborates in the continuation ofthe processofcreation itself. Such an orientation arises from God's creative intention. Through the act of child bearing a couple continues the creative process of God. Consequently, family is the sign, the icon of mankind's cocreative work, synergia with God. In a real sense,the orientation towards fertility and family is intrinsic to marriage itself. It is a sacredconsequenceof the marital dynamic between a man and a woman whose relationship is based on a shared dignity, partnership and sacreddiakonia with God.

4. 7heFourth Afirmation that discloses tlte sacramental nature of the fo*lb concernsits intrinsic Dignily. As wehaueobserued,SaintPauldignif es the institution of mdrriaqe. and. bt extension,the family by referrinq to it as a Great Mystery.

o interprer exactly what Saint Paul refers to by the word "mysterion" - we must

of marriage - and by extension _ the sacramenral dignity of the family. The Messianic Bridegroom calls all married briefly look to rhe wirness couples to make the same choice _ to of Patristic literarure. For the Church freely choose faithfulness and selfess Fathers the term mysrery refers to the Iove the agapeofJesus - as rhe lynch_ entire work of Salvation wrought by God pin of the marital praxis of rheir familial for His enrire Creation. Consequendy, expression. whenever the Fathers examined the issue of the Mystery of the Church 3. Finally, it is throush the they discussed three interdependent Resurrection that the G.."t I4yrt..r, theological conceprs, namely: (a) the and the Dowry of the Vine is made incarnation, (b) the cross, and (c) the permanent. The resurrectionis thereforea resurrection. In order to understand the Cosmic Crowning - which re-introduces true dignity of marriage and family we us ro the pedigree of our original spiritual should examine them in light of these nobility. As such we may now enrer the three theological componenJs. Banquer of the Lamb which is described in the l9'h Chapter of Revelation. Every l. Accordingto theChurch Fathers, marriage.church or secularincludes this the incarnation provides the basisfor the eschatologicalhope. sacramenralindissolubility of marriage. By assuming our human nature, Christ In one of rhe prayers offered by the - "marries us". God takes on our very celebrant during the marriage ceremony, feshl This is the incarnarion .roour"l Cod is revealedas "theAuthor ofmystical of the Messiah and the ne* Isrrel-Hi, and pure marriage" who commurri."r., bride. All sacramenrsare grounded and transformational life ro every couole. are extensions of this Incarnational What is most significant for u, h.r. toi"y economy of God. is not merely the understanding that marriage in the Lord signifies the saving 2. If the incarnation is the espousal, work of Christ, but most importantl| the Cross is the Praxis of the Great - that marriage communicaresgrace ro Mystery for it is an exrensionof the self_ and through the married couile and giving of Christ for His Beloved Bride. through their respectivefamily. This, in Understood in this fashion, the miracle th e 6 n a l a nal ysi s,i s the nobi l i ry - the of Cana prepares humanity for the great dignity of the family. new wine of the Kingdom. Jesusfreely consenrsto the union of His self_giving Final installment will appear in the next on the Cross. His consent to die for His issueof PRAXIS *Excerpts from the SYNAXIS Bride, the Church, is a specific choice. To achievea complete and lasting union, Theological Conference Keynote Address at Golgotha, Chrisr, the new Adam, sleepsin much the same fashion as the October 25,2003 Adam of old slept. From Christt side Chicago, iL however the Holy Church is formed. Consequently, we are all parr of the R e u .D n frn o@ Bride of the bridegroom. of the Department of ReligiousEtlucation of the Greek Orthodox Archdioceseof Ameriia The significanceof this rich patristic and Adjunct ,Assisranrprofessorof fuligious tradition can nor be overstated as it Educationand Homileticsat Holy CrossGreeh is used to weave the very fabric of our OrrhodoxSchoolof Theologt H, ca, b, reached understanding of the sacramentalnature atfuk@ceqeh,ary

"The Messlanic Brldegroom calls all married couples to make the same choice- to freely choose faithfu lness and selflesslove- the agape of Jesus- as the lynchpin of the maital praxis of thelr famillal expression."

Winter2006

e"sur

PRAXI

THe ReruRN oFTHeHoLYReucs

Graceandpeacefrom God to thosewho will readit, belouedbrethrenand childrenin the Lord. "I waslongingforyu, children,and equally!0u werelongingforme...I camebacktoyou. I left byforce,yet I came These are the wordsof Saint Gregorythe Tlteologian, Arcbbishop backnot byforce, but willingly and spontaneously." "to in hisspeech himself to tbepeopleand to theshepherdtwhenbecamebackfrom tlte country." of Constantinople, the throneof Constantinople, SaintJohn Chrysostom, Now, referringnztto himselfonly but alsoto his successorto he repeatstodaythesamewords. Thoughbothhad departedfromherebyforce,theyalwayslongedfortbeir children,asaho thechildrenof theMother Churchlongedforthemtoo. Today,howeuer,theycamebackto us not byforce,but willingly andjoyfully, bringing greatjoy, delightand satisfactizn,a part of which we oweto thegentleandfriendly attitude d;spkyedby the most witb brotherlyloueto our requestfortbe return of holy brotherPopeof the olderRomeJohnPaulII, who responded the holy relicsof the two great saintsto Constantinople,which theypastoredin a wa1 that pleasedGod. Eachoneof us, Clergl and Laity, joyfulfor the return of the holy relicsof the two great hierarchsand ecumenical uPznthe return of his relicsto Constantinople addressthesamewordsspobento Chrysostom teachers, from Cucusus "Receiue From tltrone, holy man." now 0n, euen physicalfu we will haue them both ago: back your sixteencenturies us,and bringingto us consolation during our tearful and with us. Thiswlll bea greatsupportfor us,strengtltening sorrowfuldays. And we utter, "Glory be to Godfor euerytbing,"We utter thesewordsin the samewaJ/as the diuine Chrysostom uttered them beforehis blessedfallingasleepin the Lord, An expression of ourjoy and dellght,throughtbe useofpaper and ink, is in your hands,of which we wish to make inuokethe blessings you, the belouedreaders,equalparticipants,lou beingthe onesfor uthomwe wholeheartedly in theApostolictbroneof the First-Called,Gregorythe Theologian, of thegreatfathers and our predecessors John May the mercyand thegraceof thegreat Godand SauiourJesusChristbeabundant, Chrysostom. 22,2004. November

L pagel0 I

Winter2006

years" and as "a great contribution for the normalization of the relations and the creation of appropriate climate of brotherly love" between the two Churches. Finally, the Patriarch underlined the fact that "the natural and rightfulposition" of the Holy Relics "is in the Sacred Patriarchal Cathedral of Constantinople, of which they were Archbishops." On 27 October, Pope John Paul II, responded to the Ecumenical Patriarch with a letter written for the first time in Greek, in which he accepted the return of the Holy Relics "with joy as a sign of brotherhood and of a complete union to which we are called constantly more and more." He underlined the meaning of these two saints for Christianity, by saying that "the two Holy Patriarchs of the East, pillars of faith, are beaconsfor the entire Church and teachers for the was discussed among the other things. CouRresvor Tse EcumENrcRr PRrnrRncu knowledge of the \X/ord of God and of As far as the Ecumenical Patriarchate the tiadic mystery." Finally, he looked had known the Holy Relics were in the into the future by saying that "the return Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. of the relics to their home country...will become a new bridge between us." CardinaltWalterKasper,the President IS ALL HOLINESS, of the Pontifical Council for Promotion The Holy Relics of the Saints, ECUMENiCAL of Christian Unity sent a letter to Patriarchs of Constantinople, Gregory P A T R I AR C H the Ecumenical Patriarch on 15 Juiy Theologian the and John Chrysostom, i N confirming the information concerning B A R T H OL OME \7 his continuation of the tradirion of the presence of the Holy Relics in St. placed in alabaster relic queries, in the fellowship and dialogue between the Peter'sCathedral but clarifying that the Vatican Basilica of St. Peter, during Churches that are in a state of schism, final decision for their return was under the service of their transmission to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. visited the Church of Rome last June the authority of the Pope. during the Feast Day of the Throne of His All Holiness, Ecumenical the Church of Rome in order to celebrate Thereafter, on 2I Jr,ly, His All the 40 year anniversary of the meeting Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarch PatriarchBartolomew,with His Holiness, between the ever-rememberedPatriarch "with a synodal decision" sent an the Presiding Hierarch of Rome JohnPaui II, in the Vatican Basilica of St. Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI in official request to Pope John Paul II, Peter,during the serviceof transmission Jerusalemin 1964.This meetingsignaled "for the return of the Holy Relics of the the beginning of a new era of fellowship aforementioned Saints to the Church of to Patriarch Bartholomew of the Holy and dialogue between the Orthodox and Constantinople, to which they ethically Relics of His predecessors,Patriarchs of Constantinople, Gregory the Theologian the Roman Catholic Churches. belong." This pan-orthodox request, and John Chrysostom(27I Il I 2004). which had been expressed through framework In the of the Patriarch Bartholomew, was justified His All Holiness Ecumenical conversations that took place during as a promotion for the "restoration of the visit of Patriarch Bartholomew in some traumatic experiences that were Patriarch Bartholomew reciprocateswith Rome iast June the issue of the return due to historical adventures of oast a kiss of peace with His Holiness the Presiding Hierarch of Rome John-Paul of the Holy Relics of these two saints

Tne ReouEsr

Winter 2006

page | |

II in, in the Vatican Basilica of St. Peter, during the serviceof the transmission of the Holy Relics.

Tr+eRecEProN In a special sessionof the Holy and Sacred Synod that was convened by His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew on 27 October, a special Synodal Committee was appointed and chaired by His Eminence Metropolitan Evangelosof Perge,in order to take the responsibility of organizing the events of the reception of the Holy Relics during the Feast Day of the Throne of the Church of Constantinople on 30 November. During the same sessionit was also decided that: Patriarch Bartholomew himself together with their EminencesArchbishop Gregorios of Thyatira and Great Britain and Metropolitans Chrysostomos ofMyra and Anthemos ofAlexandroupolis would accompany the Holy Relics from Rome to Constantinople on 27 November. The reception of the Holy Relics would have a pan-orthodox character, as it is fitting for such a historical event, and for that reason representativesof all the Autonomous and Autocephalous Orthodox Churches would be invited. The panegyric would be delivered by His Eminence Metropolitan John of Pergamon, member of the Academy of Athens and representativeofthe Church of Constantinople in the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church. Special Dismissal Hymns (Apolytikia), as well as a special prayer would be composed for the occasion of the translation of the Holy Relics.

The Holy Relics would be placed in the left nave of the Sacred Patriarchal Cathedral, near the holy icon of the Virgin Mary "the Faneromeni" (the One who has appeared), where the chapel of the Three Hierarchs is situated. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew venerates the Holy Relics of the Saints, His Predecessors, placedon the Throne of the Most Venerable Patriarchal Church. "Take back Your throne, Holy Man," says Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew standingon the adjacentThrone, honoring the Holy Relics of His Predecessors, which are placed on the Throne of the Most Venerable Patriarchal Church of St. George the tophy-Bearer. His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew with His Eminence Cardinal \Talter Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, in the MostVenerablePatriarchalChurch, on 30 November, in front of the Holy Relics, at the end of the Patriarchal Hierarchical Divine Liturgyfor the Patronal Feastofthe

Ecumenical Patriarchate, which occurred with the participation of representatives of the Orthodox Patriarchates and AutocephalousOrthodox Churches.

Courtesy of the Ecumenical Patriarch, Allphotos includedin the article hauebeen reprintedwitb p ermission.

Il i

i: :!.i l:::a',

HrsGuce BrsuopJoHn orAvonrox HE FAMILY IS \rHERE \TE basic unit of society. It is this institution ALL BEGAN OUR LIVES- that takes weak, helplesshuman beings first where we experience ourselves in relationship to other

human beings and to God. It is there within the family structure that we learned how to eat, how to love, how rhe Lotd.' -bor the'nuioano rs rl'eador the wife, as also Christ is head of the church;and He is the Saviorof the body. Therefore,just asthe church is subjectto Christ, so let the wivesbe to their own husbandsin everything.Husbands,love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gaveHimself for her,that He might sanctify and cleanseher with rhe washing of water by the word, that He might presenther to Himself a glorious church, not having spor or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.So husbands ought to love their own wives as their

eager+

Winter 2006

and converts them, little by little, into civilized persons. So much so, that the family is not only the basic unit of our society, but is also the future of the world. this basic.rlnit, *hi.h iithe foundationl stone of society. In order to do this, we must be ready to study and understand fully the social and cultural situations in which the family finds itself The unchangeablenessof the messagethat, 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8) will require the services of all as we bear witness thereto, for Christianity is a movement into the world and not a movement away from it, as is evidenced by Christ coming into the world.

The basis for a viable Orthodox

Family is the relatlonship of young,the pressures of peergroupson teen-agers, the. serious consideration of abortion by some, and the general acceptanceof contraceptivesas a viable and respectedway of avoiding childbirth by those who are unmarried. Another factor that has a negative impact on the family are rhe press and television. George F. \7ill in his article, "This Bank Deserves to Fail," which appeared in the July 22, 1982 issue of the "'Washington Post" observes rhar "The founders of a 'sperm bank' for smarties

own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishesit, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless l et each one oF you i n particular so love his own wife as himsell and let the wife seethat sherespectsher husband. of the deep; and the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters." Marriage and the family are ordained by Christ Himseli for His first miracle was performed at the Marriage in Cana where He changed the water to wine, having bestowedHis blessingupon thosejoined in Holy Matrimony. (Ephesians5:20-33) "Brethren: giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord JesusChrist, submitting to one another in the fear of God. Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore,just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gaveHimself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanseher with the washing of water by the word, that He might presenther to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ousht to love their own wives as their

page 14

Winter 2006

In keeping with God's plan (Matthew 19:5-5) "For this reason a man shall leave his father and morher and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh So then, they are no longer two but one fesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." In these times, when many forces and agencies(asin the U.S. Supreme court) seek to undermine and destroy the family unit, the Christian community has the sacredresponsibility of guarding, protecting, and enforcing this basic unit, which is the foundationstone of society. In order to do this, we must be ready to study and understand fully the social and cultural situations in which the family finds itself. The unchangeabienessof the messagethat, "JesusChrist is the sameyesterday,today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8) will require the services of all as we bear witness th e re to ,for C hri sri ani ry i s a movemenr into the world and not a movement away from it, as is evidencedby Christ coming into the world.

As we Iook at the American family today, we see that it is beset by the ever increasing divorce rate. Marriage and remarriage rates continue to decline. Pre-marital and extramarital relations are on the rise. The rraditional role of the family, i.e., husband, wife, and children, continueto decline.Insteadwe seepeople living by themselvesor with others with whom they have no kinship. There is a breakdown in the family structure. More and more women are in the workforce and placing the home asa secondprioritv. As a consequence,and at the same time, it should be noted that the birthrate in the U.S.A. is continuaily dropping and families are getting smaller as opposed to the surplus population growth in rhe underdevelopednations of the world. In the American scene,whether one is married or not, there is an ever-growing tendency for the individual to maximize his or her own personal happinessin "doing one's own thing," which is not the Christian way. Peopie lavish money on material objects,pleasures,and travei, constantly in search of excitement or in fulfi lling one'sfantasy. Other negativefactorsto be observed in the American family are the lack of respect for the authority of parents by their children, rhe failure of imparting the basic moral and social values to the young, the pressuresof peer groups on teen-agers, the serious consideration of abortion by some, and the general acceptanceof contraceptivesas a viable and respectedway of avoiding childbirrh by those who are unmarried. Another factor that has a negative impact on rhe family are the pressand television. George F. \7ill in his article, "This Bank Deservesto Fail," which appeared in the July 22, 1982 issue of the "\Tashington Post" observes that "The founders of a 'sperm bank' for smarries

want to take some surprisesout of life by planning procreation. But surprise!The first baby born with that bank's help was born to a mother, who like her current husband, served a prison term for fraud and lost custody of two children by a previous marriage after allegations of child abuse."The sperm bank is another manifestation of the 'quality of life ethic,' which is opposed to the 'sanctity of life ethic.' The supremeCourt, which rationalized its 1973 abortion decision in favor ofinfanticide is ofgreat, devastating consequence."

of the mutual love of both the husband and wife is children who are a gift from God. As such, they become the family of God.

Also, noted from (Genesis 2:23) are Adam's words, "This is now bone of my bones and fesh of my fesh." This new relationship between a man and a woman in the Judeo Christian context requires that it be similar to Christ for the Church.

family The Christian being cognizant of what it is, must fulfill its mission in becoming what it is - a community of love. This community of The love of a man for his wife as the love is that of a husband and wife, aswell Mother of their children and love for as, that of parents and children. Only the children, per se, is an expressionof when love is the chief characteristic of fulfilling onet fatherhood. Our sociery the family can it have life, grow and has for far too long reduced his status to witness its "reasonfor being." The family that of a "bread-winner." Now, that the has the responsibility to protect, share, mothers have entered the workforce, his These symproms are an expression and witness this love to others. Parents unique role in the family as a role model of the abuseof the principle of freedom, are qualified spokesmenof the Christian and educator of the young musr be ignoring Godt plan for marriage and family by virtue of the Divine Grace, manifested more viably. A father has a family, so as to serve one's selfish, well- which was imparted upon rhem by very important mission to fulfill and he pleasingdesires. the Holy Spirit when they were joined should not shirk this responsibility due together in the Sacrament of Holy to social or cultural mores. The American family has Matrimony. As a consequence of this experienced cultural shifts, as well as Divine Grace, the celebrant evokesupon The love between a husband and that from a strong church-centered them a blessing, "God blessed them a wife must be exclusive and unique, family life to a more fragmented secular and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and constantly growing in every way. God life, that is, Iife organized apart from multiply, and fill the earth and subdue through the celebrant Bishop or Priest God as if God did not exist, Theseare, it"'. (Genesis1:28) at the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony unfortunately, the signs of the time. confers positions of great dignity upon a man and a woman. The man becomes The Prophetic role Having viewed the dismal status a husband-a king; the woman becomes of today's American family, let us now a wife-a queen. Mutual respect and of the family is to God's plan for go back in time esteem for the dignity of one another marriage and the family. As we know, should always be honored. Conjugal expressed by the God createdman in His own image and loves presupposes and requires that a likenessout of love. He createdman out man have a profound respecr for the sharing of knowledge of love, because "God is love." flohn equal dignity of his wife. St. Ambrose of the Orthodox Faith 1:4-8) \X/hat unites god and mankind of the second century wrote, "You are is love. By the same token, what unites not her master, but her husband; she and witnessing it. a man and a woman into the state of was not given to you to be your slave, Holy Matrimony is love. As a further but your wife (Hexaemeron V, 7,19). expressionof God's love for mankind, in Yes,and equal dignity and responsibility the fullness of time, He allowed His only Again, in (Genesis2:18),it says'And of women with men. A husband is begotten Son, JesusChrist, to assumea the LORD God said, "It is not good called upon to ensure the harmonious human nature. "God so loved the world that man should be alone; I will make and united development of all the that he gave His only begotten Son, so him a helper comparable to him." These members of the family. In fulfilling that whoever believesin Him shall not words are repeated twice in the prayers his responsibilities, he promotes unity, perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16) recited by the celebrant Bishop or Priest harmony and stability within the family, God's love was fully revealed in the in the Greek Orthodox Church during and the living example of a committed Incarnation of Jesus Christ. A product the Sacrament of Holv Matrimonv. Christian.

Winter 2006

page 15

i. t t '

CANFINDA VIRTUOUS VIFE! '.i,r

will hovenolackof goin. So,,he ,,r.,.,.,,, 1,... :...':'rr:i:: $ie doeshimgoodondnolevil " All thedaysol herlit'e. ':,,::,.,, Sheseekswoolandflox, Andwillinglyworkswilhherhonds. Sheislikelhemerchant ships, Shebringsherloodt'romat'or. Shealsoriseswhileil is yelnighl, Andprovides loodt'orherhousehold, Anda portiont'orhermaidservonls. Sheconsiders ot'ieldondbuysit; Fromherprolitssheplonlso vineyord. Shegirdsherseffwilhslrenglh, herarns. Andslrenglhens is good, Sheperceives lholhernerchondise Andherlompdoesnolgooulby nighl. Sheslrelches oulherhsndslo thedislot'f, Andherhondholdslhespindle. herhandlo lhepoor, Sheexlends oulherhandslo lheneedy. Yes,shereqches Sheisnolat'roidol snowt'orherhousehold, Forall herhousehold is clolhedwilhscarlel. lapeslry Shemakes for hersef; Herclolhingisfinelinenondpurple. Herhusbond is knownin lhegales, llhenhe silsomong theeldersofthelond. garmenls Shemokes linen andsellslhem, soshes lhe Andsupplies tor merchonls. Slrenglh andhonororeherclolhing; in timelo cone. Sheshollrejoice Sheopenshernoulhwilhwisdom, Andonherlongueis thelaw ofkindness. Shewolches overlhewoysol herhousehold, Anddoesnoleolthebreadol idleness. Herchildrenriseupondcollherblessed; her: Herhusband olso,ondheproises 'Manydaughlers havedonewell, Bulyouexcelthemoll." ondbeoulyispassing, Chqrmis deceilt'ul Bula womonwholeorslheL)RD,sheshollbepraised. Giveheroflhelruitofherhonds, Andlel herownworkspraiseherin lheqales.

l-,r",;--_*t*,.zo*

As regards God's order for the wife, the biblical source ought to be (Ephesians5:21-24) "submitting to one another in the fear of God. $/ives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Chrisr is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore,just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." $7hat do you think about the church being "subject" to Christ -is it a good thing or a bad thing? Do you feel the sameway about a wife being "subject" to her husband? In (Colossians3:18),what basicareasdoesthe Apostle Paul cite for a wife's obedience to her husband? "\7ives, submit to your own husbands,as is fitting in the Lord." Also, in (I Peter 3:I-4) what is a wife's best tactic toward a husband who has no interest in spiritual things? "\7ives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observeyour chasteconduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely 6u1\M21d-2rranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. In (Proverbs 3I:10-2I) we read what rewards a faithful wife can hope to receive. Does the submissiverole of the wife prohibit her from holding, voicing, strong opinions? At what point should a wife differ to the judgment of her husband? Is there a limir to a wife's obedience to her husband? \fhat are some probable effects on children when the husband/wife roles are confused and reversed?\What can a wife do if her husband will not assumeleadershipin the home? God's order for children, are enumeratedin (Ephesians 6:1-3) "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother," which is the first commandment with promise: "that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth." \fhat specific promise is made to the obedient child? What is the basis for a fathert authority over his child, according to Proverbs 23:22? Also, what would you sayto a child who says,"\fhy should I respect and obey my father, when he is mean, unfair, wicked, etc.? In Proverbs4:l-27, what basic reason does the father give for the son to obey him? Like Jesus,

children are to grow "in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and Man." (Luke 2:52) At this point, I would like to quote H.I. Marron who writes, "Christian education of children, through which they learned to share in the rreasury of the faith, to submit to a healthy discipline in the matter of morals, was the parents' fundamental duty. There was more in this than was contained in the Roman tradition: it was essentially a continuation of the Jewish tradition, which emphasizedthe importance of the family in the deveiopment of religious consciousness.And this duty could not be delegated;the early church would have had sharp words to sayabout "Christian" parenrs of today who think that they have done all that is required of them when they have passed their children over to a teacheror an institutionl

can teach about religion, but you cannor teach people faith. For many today, Christian religion as taught in our Church Schools stands between them and God."

4. Mom was ar home. 5. This was a Parish-centeredfamily deriving its educational, athletic, social and spiritual life from the Parish.

Fr. Andrew Greeley found thar 6. There was regular church the religiousnessof adult behavior was attendanceon Sundays. strongest when upbringing was in a 7. There was fruitful attendance ar family where the faith atmosphere was the Catechism School and Greek aiive. "If our data from the pasr are LanguageSchool. a n y i n d i cati on of rhe presenrsi ruati on, Catholic education is virtually wasted 8. Therew as much na r enr - child on three-fourths of those in Catholic contact. schools because of the absence of a 9. Parentshad strict control over sufficiently religious family milieu." influences of their children. ("THE EDUCATTON OF CATHOLTC A M ER ICA N S " 1968, page 116). Fr. 10. There was a slower pace of life. Andrew Greely in his book: The New I 1. The ultimate judgement of this Agenda 1975, pg. 242, states, 'An family was the religious ourcome of analysis of the parochial school data by the children. my colleague \Tilliam McCready leaves n o d o u b t at al l rhar rhe mosr i mporranr 12. Fami l yw as rhe pro r ecr iveagency predictor of religious performances of againstoutside adversitiesand value The Christian family is at the heart chiidren is the religious behavior of their systemswhich endangeredthis of the church's mission ro rhe world. parents (and particularly their fathers) institution. Ferdinand Klostermann, regarding the and the quaiity of the relationship role of parents wrote: "It is only because between their mothers and fathers..." Whereas, todav's Greeh Orthodox hmih has the folloutin of the faith of its own family that a The study, "Religion and American characteristics: child can be baptized at all. The child's Youth." By Potvin, Hoge and Nelson faith is an oflshoot of the faith of the concludes, "Nonetheiess there appears l. It might have 2 parents. parents, and it is their faith which is to to be no substitute for a religious 2. In slightly more than half of todayt nourish the newborn faith until it grows home enviornment and for religious Greek Orthodox families both parents are ro remai n and reachesmaturity. If the family does i n s rru c ti on i F adol escents are Orthodox. not fulfill this charge, either because committed to their religious heritage." 3. There are fewer children. faith is lacking or becauseof indolence (pg.21) Michael Novak in his article on "Harper's the family which appeared in and laxity, then the faith of the child 4. Mom will work outside the home Magazine," likewise concludesthat "The sometimesduring the child-rearing will normally fail to mature into a truly years. family is a stronger agency of educational personal faith and will remain instead in an infantile state only to be rejectedlater successthan the school." 5. The Catechism School continues to have grearerattendancethan the or gradually to disappear. The religious Greek LanguageSchool. attitude and practice of young people In retrosDect, let us looh at wltat is influenced by the family far beyond constituted a sood Greeh Orthodox 6. There are many more activiries to engagein outside the Parish. their early school years,far more than by famil! some 25 lears ago: companions or even one'swork milieu." 7 . Peerpressureoftentimes replaces 1. It had both parents. parents' authoriry. \Testerhoof, in his book "\7ill Our 2. Both parents were Greek 8. Parenrsand childrenexperience a Children Have Faith?"in distinguishing Orthodox. growing feeling of boredom, aparhy, religion from faith observesthat, "You and emptiness. 3. There were 3 or more children.

Winter 2006

page 17

This onenessin love as family being "it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives Iived, as a consequence is witnessing in me." (Galatians 2:20). Ye know that both in word and deed the Orthodox God loves families based on the biblical faith believed by all its members, as St. account of Noah and his family (Genesis Vincent of Lerins states "ubique, quod 7:1) as well as, the jailer of Phillippi who semper, quod ab omnibus creditum was saved.(Acts 16:31).Small children est" -"\fhat has been good believed can enter into a spiritual experiencewith everywhere, always and by all." Christ, for Jesus said, 'Assuredly, I say \Titnessing and evangelizing one's faith to you, unless you are converted and Parents have little control over begins at home. By praying together, become as little children, you will by no influenceson children today.Although by reading Holy Scriptures and the means enter the kingdom of heaven." parents remain the primary infuence, Church Fathers together, by living the (Matthew lB:3), and "\Thoever causes peer pressuretakesover after the ageof sacramentallife together, -this sharing of one of these little ones who believe in 12 and television remains the second these religious experiencesand practices Me to sin, it would be better for him if most pervasivechild shaper today. achieves communication on all levels a millstone were hung around his neck, within the family. The prophetic role of and he were drowned in the deoth of the 10. The ultimate judgment of today's the family is expressedby the sharing of sea."(Matthew 18:6). Greek Orthodox familv is their career knowledge of the Orthodox Faith, and accomplishments. witnessing it. Only if we as individuals and as families commit ourselvesin love to Jesus However, I do not want to leave you The extended family is the Parish Christ will we be spiritually enriched with the impression that the Orthodox family by striving for unity of faith in love and will be able to have a religious family is no longer able to utilize its and concord, as it becomes a sanctified impact on our society,so that a spiritual spiritual and religious resources,so as to community. The sanctified community transfiguration, a theosis of the entire confront and combat the current trends becomesvisible as it engagestogether in world will come to pass wherein the which seek to undermine and bring a dialogue with God through prayer and nations of the world will live in peace, about the breakdown of the family. The love, through Holy Communion and love and harmony. God bless you, one Orthodox family not only has spiritual living our Orthodox Faith according and all! resources at its disposal, but, must to His commandments. The sanctified witness and evangelize and share them community is a community of service with other families, as it has been done to God and to others as is required by His Eminence BishopJohn ofAmorion was in the past. us by Jesus Christ \Who gave us the the frx American born bisbop in the Greek He was ordained to the "commandment of love." The Parish OrthodoxArchdiocese. diaconate in 1955, and later becamethefrst The Orthodox family as every family must bear witness of its onenessBishooof theAtlanta Dioceseand seruedthere family is God's family, for we are all unity truly asan Ecclesia,one body made for 9'mire yearsin that role.He hasalsoserued created in the image and likeness of up of many parts. Unless people can see aspresidentof the St. PhotiosShrine. Bishop God. \7e are all brothers and sistersof that the Parish family is one body in love Amorion is nou retired and liuesin Atlanta, our heavenly Father who is God. As a with JesusChrist, and with one another, Georgia. family, we are members of the Kingdom the Orthodox Faith will not be credible of God, which St. Paul says in Romans to them as a viable life-style. Although I4:I7, "for the kingdom of God is not the Church is one, "we have many parts eating and drinking, but righteousness in the one body, and all these parts have and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." different functions." (Romans 12:4) You cannot createthis peaceand joy. But you can discover it and experienceit in In conclusion, the basis for a viable your spouse,your parents,your children, Orthodox family is the relationship of your brothers and sisters. Here we see one another with JesusChrist - wherein the priestly and kingly mission of the truly each member of the family can say, Eccl e siain ir s f ulles tdi m en s i o n . 9. There is an ever-decreasingamount of parent-child contact. Divorce, working mothers, absenteefatherhood becauseof job demands,televisionand increasedactivity schedulesoutside the home by children severely cuts down parent-child time together. Eighth grade boys average 15 minutes alone with their fathers in a 2-week period.

page 18 i

Winter 2006

AIVD THE TRANSFIGURATIOIV OF THE WORLD ELrznerrH TseorRrrorr

ESPITE THE BE,ST E,FFORTSOF carefully to avoid charges of superstition. But perhaps less PARENTSAND TEACHERS,thereis obviously, relics also help us explain the Christian faith in a a depressinglitany of reasonswhy people brought up as Christians later abandon their faith. It is alleged, for instance, that it is primitive and superstitious. Or, conversely,that it is too 'spiritualized'; it devaluesmaterial creation, and so contributes directly to our disastrousabuseof the world around us. Or that it is drearily moralistic, lacking the spiritual depth and power supposedly found in New Age sectsor Eastern religions.

way that explodesthe other two myths as well.

How does the veneration of relics fit into this oicture?\7e may think of it as something that has to b. ."pl"ined very

The remarkable insights thar relics can provide may be summarized under three headinss: the true nature of

When the Church oflers us relics for venerarion, it is telling us that a sliver of bone or a square of cloth associated with a holy person can be filled with the power of God. This invites us to explore the wild and dizzying heights of our human calling in Christ. And it shows that as we ascendto these heights, we take the entire material creation with us.

Winter 2006

page19

holiness;holiness and material creation; the value of our bodies. On all counts' these insights Present a dramatic challenge to the uninspiring nursery Christianity which too many people grow up mistaking for the real thing.

T ne r n u E N ATU R EoF H O L I NESS \fhen we think of our relationshiP with the saints, we often think of them as examples,heroes,models for our lives. This is not untrue, nor is it trivial' But it doesnot capture the essenceofsanctity or fully explain its importance to us. After all, many people of other religions or none provide us with truly inspiring and humbling examples. They may embody the whole range of human virtues, including sacrificial love. To recognize someone as holy is to affirm something them. Through the totality of their life more than their fine characterand deeds, and death, but perhaPs most starklY or even their depth offaith and prayer: it through their relics, the saints remind us is to recognizethat here is a human being what our calling to holiness means. Our become transparent to God. \7e might vocation is not simply to become a'good not always be very aware of this when person,' but to become god. \When we we read or hear a saint's life. stand before his or her relics, however, H o u N ess AND M ATERIAL CREATION we are confronted with this reality in see we Here waY. the most immediate St. Basil the Great strikinglY nothing of the saint's deeds or words or teachings. \7e seeonly a mortal creature describedthe human being as'an animal like us, offesh and blood and bone: and commanded to become god'" This this 'earthen vessel'has become a vessel of the Holy Spirit. Sanctity has no other meaning; relics have no other rationale' 'The saints during their earthly Iives were filled with the Holy Spirit,' writes St John of Damascus; 'and when theY fulfill their course,the grace of the Holy Spirit does not depart from their souls or

means that deification affects the whole of our compositenature' our'animal'or physical aspectno lessthan our'spiritual' aspect. The Holy Spirit penetrates not only our soul but our very [qns5 - xnd, as holy relics often remind us' may extend outwards even to our clothing or other properties.Trying to make senseof

their bodies in the tombs.."t

this takes us deep into the implications of our faith and practice' implications that affect the entire cosmos.

The essenceof our relationship with a person of holiness' whether living or departed, is that we are not relating however simply to an individual, impressive. \7e relate through them to the God who fills them, who lives in

The obvious starting Point For our exploration is the transfiguration of Christ, when 'His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white

as light' (Ml I7:2)' Here we have the same process of extension, first to the physical body, and then beYond the body to other physical things' The fact that this is possible at all teaches us something very profound about the nature of material creation. According to the insight of one of the Church's greatest theologians, St. Maximus the Confessor,the clothing resplendentwith 'dazzling whiteness' reveals that the deep structure of creation, the 'essential principles' or logoi of everything that exists, are fulfilled and summed up in the Person of the \7ord (Logo$ of God incarnate.3This area of patristic thought is extremely complex, but one central point needsto be emphasized:the notion that all createdthings are connectedto each other and to the power that created them, and the belief that all things are consequently God-friendly, are ideas that Orthodox Christians can rightfully claim asour own. Theseareno dangerous and seductive claims dreamed uP bY people touting New Age spiritualities. The 'ineffable, supernatural and divine fire' is indeed 'present in the being of everything that exists, as in a burning

bush': and that fire is none other than God the \ford,a through whom and for whom all things were made. So matter has the potentiality to be transformed, filled with God. But this potentiality is not something static; we do not need simply to become aware of it. Rather, we have the responsibility, as 'hybrids' of matter and spirit, to manifest this potentialiry and bring it to fullfilment. For the transfigurarion of Christ does not only reveal His divine 'glory as of the only begotten of the Father'; it equally reveals the glory of the resurrection, of which we are all to be heirs. And it is precisely this eschatological glory that the sainrs are manifesting by anticipation when they 'sanctify not only their own bodies but the material objects round them.'5

who died in 1994. He had an acure senseof the presenceof God in all His creation; he could speak of the grass as an icon, or pluck a leaf and give it to a visitor as a blessing. And there were times when the transparency of creation was made manifest in his presenceeven to others: a disciple of his recounts how a group ofvisitors were taking their leave of the Elder when 'everything around us began to emanatean exquisitefragrance. Old Paisios immediately sensed what was happening and urged us to leave immediately...'6A similar experience of fragrance is sometimes observed near the grave of St. Herman of Alaska on Spruce Island - the memory of a saint is preservedin the land, where his relics remain, in the words of a contemporary Athonite, as'sacredcomposr.'7 Far from belonging to primitive superstition, the 'ripple effect' of human holiness is considerably easierto understand in the light of contemporary scientific knowledge. In the great marrer exchange which is our universe, how could a human body suffused with God not have an eflect on the whole? As the French theologian Olivier Cl6ment puts it eloquently, '\fhat is our body but the form that our "living soul" impresseson the universal "dust" whlch constantly penetratesand passesthrough us...?'8

Holy relics, be they bodies or properties of saints, provide a powerful example of material creation sancrified through the human being. But we may also seethe same processar work in holy people while they are alive. There are people in every age, our own included, who live already in a transfigured world, and the Orthodox tradition is full of their stories. It is important to tell and retell these stories, especially the more recent ones which are sometimes first hand accounts. Such accounts provide a contâ&#x201A;Źxt for listening receptively to older THe vnluE oF THEBoDy lives ofsaints; thus even storiesthat have clearly received some embroidering will This brings us to a conclusion that not be dismissed out of hand as pious may be startling: our bodies play a legend, but recognized as containing a central role in God's work of uniting the germ oftruth. entire cosmos in Himself. This surely throws light on an aspecr of Christian 'Well-known are the stories of St. values that often puzzles people today: Seraphim of Sarovradiating the light and whereasmodern societiesare inclined to warmth of the Holy Spirit as he spoke regard treatment of our own bodies as a to Nicholas Motovilov, or sitting in his private matter ('it doesnt harm anyone forest clearing like Adam in paradise, else'), Scripture clearly shows particular calmly stroking a bear. But similar abhorrencefor 'sinning against our own stories abound, for instance, concerning body' (cf. 1 Cor. 6:18). il by diverting Fr. Paisios, the renowned Athonite Elder our body from glorifying God, we

"There are people in every

age, oLJrown tncluded,

who llve already rn a

transfigured world, and

the Orthodox tradltronrs

full of their stories,"

Winter 2006

]

eaSe2 t

PRAX],

deprive the entire universe of the first fruits of its transfiguration, then the abhorrencesurely makes perfect sense. Valuing the body means very different things in the Church and in secular society. To the Christian understanding, fitness clubs, cosmetics, fashion, etc. are essentiallya distraction - not becauseit is somehow more pious to be ugly, dowdy and out of shape, but because all these forms of attention to the body are powerless against death. That is what we mean by saying of a saint such as Mary of Egypt that she 'despised the fesh, becauseit passesaway.'If Mary abandoned the beauty treatments of her misspent youth, it was becauseshe had discovered a form of exerciseinfinitely more lasting in its effects- the exercise, ascesis,of the Church's tradition, which preparesthe body for resurrection. This is the test of the way we use our bodies, in everything from sexual behavior to nose studs: are we preparing ourselves, body and soul, for resurrection? Cive the body toning, tanning, cosmetics or health foods, and the body is still for the worms. But 'give the body discipline,' as one of the Desert Mothers teaches,'and you will see that the body is for Him who made it.'e It is His chosenworkshop for the transfiguration of the world. 'Reverencefor relics is not the fruit of ignoranceand superstition,but springs from a highly developed theology of the body.'1oAnd this 'theology of the body' provides us with an invaluable catecheticaltool. It enablesus to present the demands of the Christian way of life in a fresh and liberatin g way. It explains our calling to holinessas an adventure of body, soul and mind into the luminous unknown of divine life. And it allows us to articulate and communicate a truly Christian vision of material creation as integrally interconnected, all of it destined for glory through the mediation of man.

page zz I

Winter2006

Elizabeth Theobritoff holds a doctorate in liturgical theologyfromOxford, and hastaughr at Hofu CrossGreebOrthodoxSchoolofTheology as well as the Institutefor Orthodox Christian scholar Studiesin Cambridge.An independent of theo logical writings, andfreelancetranslator sheis theauthorof numerousarticles.

(Notes) 1. Johr of Damasctts,First Apologt, 1,9; tr. David Andejrson, On the Divine Images (Crestwood:St. Vladimir's SeminaryPress, 1980), p.27 . 2. Gregory the Theologian, Panegyric on St. Basil, 48. 3. Cf. Archim. Aimilianos, "The Experienceof the Transliguration in the Life of the Athonite Monk", in Fr. Alexander Gohtzin, The liNing Witnessof the Holy Mountain ( South Canaan: St Tikhon's Press,1996)p. 200, drawing on Maxim:ls, Ambigua 28, Patrologia Graeca 9l: 1 1 2 8 B -D .. 4. St. Maximus, Ambigua, PG 91; 1148D. 5. Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia, 'The Transfiguration of the Body' in A.M. Allchin, ed.,Sacrament and Image; Essays in the Chris tian under standing of man (London; Fellowship of St Alban and St. Sergius,1987), p . 3 4 , n.40. 6. Kyriacos Markides, The Mountain of Sl/ence(New York; Doubleday, 2002), p.88. 7. Cf. Archimandrite Vasileios of Iviron, Kalos kai Hesychia stin Ageiroritiki Politeia (Iviron Vo n a stery.l qqg).P . 81. 8. O. Clement, "L'homme dans le monde", Ve r b umC aro X II;45 (1958),pp. 11-12. 9. Benedicta Ward, tr., The Sal,ingsof the Desert Fathers; The alphabetical collection (London;Mowbrays,1975),pp.71-2 (Theodora, 4). 10. Bishop Kallistos of Drokleia, ibid.

rHE VEIVERATIOIV

Rrv.Dn.DuvrrRuMRcnrn

"Do you not know that your bodyis the The very fact that the bodies ofthe saints templeof the Holy Spirit who is in you, are kept in a state ofincorruptibility is a uhomyou hauefromGod,andyou arenot foretaste, an anticipation of their future (I Cor.6:19) incorruptibility after resurrection and your own?"

al tt tl --l tvtJ

i r-< t ral u/,uJ

A rov q/

A u

rl a= r

LICOI

after their full theosis,deification. "But we all," writes St. Paul to the Corinthians, "with unveiled face, beholding as in a

HIS N ONE OF MASTERPIECES, ORTHOD OX mirror the glory of the Lord, are being DOGMATIC THEOLOGY\ Fr. transformed into the same image from Dumitru Staniloae, consideredby many scholarsone of the greatestmodern Orthodox Christian theologians, points out that while the Church venerates the relics of the saints, at the same time She honors the saints, with whom her militanr members are in communion.

anticlpatron of the

glory to glory, just as by the Spirit ofthe Lord" (II Cor.3:18).

tra nsfig ured body after T h e bodi es of the sai nts remai n incorruptible because the divine power that dwelt in them when they were united with the soul still dwells in them.

un iversaI resurrect Io n.

Winter 2006

page23

PMXI,

Moreover, stressesFr. Staniloae, in the holy relics, the state of accentuated deification of their soulsthat was reached in this life, is prolonged after their falling asleepin Christ. This is so, becausethe divine grace that dwelt in the saint'ssoul and sanctified it, doesn'tforsakethe body after death; it remains in the body and sanctifies it through incorruptibility to consummate deification. Holy relics are a clear anticipation of the transfigured body after universalresurrection.

Maximos the Confessor who said that the saints "are those who express the in themselves."He writes Holy tinity that deifcatizn, t/tezsis,as an organic and personal union between God and man, is a constant theme in St. John's Gospel, in St. Paul's Epistles, and more so in St. Peter'swell known versefrom his second universal Epistle: "By which have been given to us exceedinglygreatand precious promises,that through theseyou may be partakers of the divine nature, having escapedthe corruption" (II Peterl:4). St. Here is how St. Paul theologizes John Damascene,a.k.a. the theologian about universal resurrection: "So also is of the holy icons, emphasizesthat when the resurrection of the dead. The body the Holy Scripture speaks abov God, is sown in corruption, it is raised in it doesn't speak about divine nature or incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it essence, because that is unknowable. is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, The word God refers to the uncreated it is raised in power. It is sown a natural divine energies, i.e., the grace of God body, it is raised a spiritual body. There that we can perceive in this world, and is a natural body, and there is a spiritual is "channeled" particularly through the body...For this corruptible must put holy Mysteries in the life of the Church. on incorruption, and this mortal must To quote St. Athanasios' very terse and put on immortality" (I Cor.15:42-44; familiar phrase "we become by grace 53). Notice that, in his unique way, what God is by nature." Deification takes St. Paul realizes a contrast between the place when Godk grace interpenetrates natural body, (Greek ocrrpc Quolrov), our humanity. and the spiritual body, (Greek orrrtrrc nvsupcfirKov). Natural body is the Our love of God present body, and the spiritual body is the deified body.

is made manifest Fr. Staniloae goes on to say that the bones of the saints, by remaining incorruptible, show us that their personal souls and the grace of the Holy Spirit remain in a special connection with their bodies. That is why, while giving veneration to the holy relics and praying before them, we do not address the relics, we address the saint. Our veneration is passedover to the person, something similar to the veneration of the holy icons. Bishop Kallistos \Vare, in his 6ook Tbe Orthodox Cburch, quotes St.

page24

Winter 2006

through our love of neighbor. Writes Bishop Kallistos \7are: "Deification is something that involves the body. Since man is a unity of body and soul, and since the Incarnate Christ has savedand redeemedthe whole man, it follows that man's body is deified at the sametime as his soul...Thebodiesof the saints will be outwardly transfigured

by divine light, as Christ's body was transfigured on Mount Tabor" (7ht Orthodox Church, pp. 237-23$. It is becauseofthe transfiguration ofthe body together with the soul that the Orthodox Christians venerate the relics of the saints. Christ took on a human body to redeem nzt onb our fallen humanity, but the whole creation, to realize a cosmic redemption. "\7hat is of the earth remains earthly, and when fire consumes matter, it returns to the dust from which it came. But the divine fire neither destroys nor annihilates. The miracle of the burning bush is perpetuated in eternity. The fire will kindle the whole world. The entire creation will some day be permeated by divine rays" (7heLiuing God, p.9l). That Christ took on a human flesh to redeem not only our fallen humanity, but the whole creation, is crystal clear from St. Paul's words: "because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage ofcorruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs until now" (Rom.8:2I-22). Further or, Bishop Kallistos makes six excellent points; these points may help those who have a hard time understanding the notion of deification of the body and the cosmic redemption from an Orthodox point of view. He stresses,first, that theosis is intended as the ultimate goal for every human being, for every true Christian. tue, we shall be completely deified at the Last Day, but the processof deification begins now. It begins at Baptism when one receivesthe new nature from Christ. From the very moment of Baptism, so Iong as one struggles to love God and obey His commandments, no matter how weak one may be, to some degree he is deified.

Secondly, even if one is being deified, it does not make him immune ro sin. Deifcation presupposes continuous rePentance.No matter how deified a saint may be, he never loses sight of his sinfulness: "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (l Co r.l0: I 2) . " No one c a n s ro p s i n n i n g simply by deciding that he will no longer do so. Even if a man became 'perfect' through his own efforts, he would risk being very far from God and complacent in his virtue. Proud of his conquest - of his victory over his body, over human nature - he would fall into the sin of pride. Only love and a heart open to God, to His grace and to that uncreated Light which He gives to us can make us like God" (TheLiuing God, p, 89). St. Sisoesthe Great, a great man of unceasing prayer,who is commemorated on July 6, begged the angels who came to take his soul to allow him one more hour to pray; he did this becausehe was not certain that he repented enough.

He understood that the road to final transfiguration is called, "repentance". That is why either from the pulpit or in some of my previous articles many a time I identified this holy Mystery with the very "seal" of our salvation. \(/oe unro rhose who expunged it from their "Christian" life! I have in mind not only those who do not have this holy Mystery in their "Christian" denomination, but those who are nominal Orthodox Christians,also! Thlrdly, Bishop Kallistos \Vare points out that, there is no secret about what one must do in order to be deified. The man who approached Christ with the question: "Good Teacher,what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?" received the answer: "You know the commandments..." Yet, this proved not to be enough, becauseChrist admonished him: "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heavenland come, take up the cross,and

follow Me" (Mark10:17,19,21).So, keep the commandments, and practice your faith, do whatever your faith exhorts you to do. In other words, be a troe, not a nominal Orthodox Christian! Fourthly, in order for one to be dei fi ed,one has ro l i ve i n a com m unit y. Our love of God is made manifest through our love of neighbor. St. John the Theologian makes this point plainly, straightforwardly: "If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?" (I John4:20). "Man, made in the image of the tinity, can only realize the divine likeness if he lives a common life such as the BlessedTrinity lives: as the Three Persons of the Godhead 'dwell' in one another, so a man must 'dwell' in his fellow men, living not for himself alone, but in and for others," writes on Bishop Kallistos (The Ortbodox Churcb, p.24I). Theologian Thomas Hopko is known

Winter 2006

page25

PMXI

+I lf someontr

qa\,/q ''l love

J VJ

God," and hates his brother

he is a llar: for he who does

not love his brother whom

he has seen, how can he

love God whom he hasnot

seen?

to have coined the phrase that the only place one may go alone is called hell. In loving onet neighbor with a Christly love, is the safestway for one to attain deification. Fifthly, love of God and love of neighbor must be practical. True, deification implies deep mystical experience, but it must be followed by actions to make it "flourish." It was out of their mystical experiencethat the greatesr saints of the Orthodox calendar did not avoid the sick, the underprivileged and the poor of this world. It is an historical fact that even the great hermits used to come back to the cities at least once a year to make their mystical experiencein the heart of the wilderness fourish. Last but not least, deification presupposeslife in the Church. It means that one avails oneselfof the holy Mysteries, as divinely establishedchannels by which the grace of God is poured into our souls.Christ purchased the Church with His own blood to offer us the means by which we may be sanctified to attain to divine likeness,deification. The most irrefurable biblical foundation for the veneration of the holy relics is found in the Old Testamenr. After Elisha, Elias' disciple, died, "It

aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseasesleft them and the evil spirits went out of them" (Acts 19tll-12). So, the Orthodox Church, basedon Holy Scripture and Sacredtadition, has given due veneration to the holy relics. She collected and preservedthe remains of the saints as far back as the second century. One early Church eyewirness gives a vivid testimony while describing the martyrly death of St. Ignatius the God-Bearer, Bishop of Antioch (+115), in Rome: "Of what remained from his body (he was torn to piecesby beastsin the circus), only the firmest parts were taken away to Antioch and placed in a Iinen as an invaluable treasure of the grace that dwelt in the martyr, a treasure left to the holy Church." AIso, after St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna (+1!6), has been burned to death by the Roman proconsul, his followers "gathered his bones as a treasure more precious than precious stonesand purer than gold, and placed them...for the celebrationof the day of his martyrly birth, and for the instruction and confirmation of future Christians."

Moreover, the Church has shown honor to holy relicsby solemnlyuncovering came to pass,astheywere burying a man, and translating them, by building that, behold, they spied a band of men; churches over them, by establishing feasts and they cast the man into the sepulcher in memory of their uncovering and of Elisha: and when the man was let translation, in adorning their tombs and down, and touched the bones of Elisha, encouraging pilgrimages to them, and he revived and stood up on his feet" (II most importantly, in the constant rule Kingsl4:21). In the New Testamenr we of the Church to place holy relics at the read that, "believers were increasingly dedication of altars, as well as to place added to the Lord...so that they broughr them in the holy antimension which is the sick out inro the streets and laid indispensable for the celebration of the them on beds and couches,that at least Divine Liturgy. the shadow of Peterpassingby might fall on some of them" (Acts5:15).Also, "God The holy Fathers of the "one, holy, worked unusual miracles by the hands catholic, and apostolic Church" have of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or testified beforetheir focks ofthe miracles

page26

Winter 2006

occurring from the holy relics, and many times they have called their faithful to be witnessesof the truth of their words. \7e mention among them some of the most prominent saints: St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Ephraim the Syrian, St. John Chrysostom, St. Ambrose, Blessed Augustine. \7e have to mention) also, that, the holy relics, (Greek rcl l"tniJCIvo; Latin reliquiae, meaning "what is left"), are veneratedeven iF rhey are nor incorrupr. out of respect for the saintly life or the martyrly death of the saint. In fact, the local Synod of Moscow of 1667, among some other synods, has forbidden the recognition of the reposed as saints solely by the sign of the incorruption of their bodies. This does not mean that the incorruption of the saints' bodies is no longer unanimously seen as one of the divine signs of their sanctity. The veneration may become more accentuatedwhen there are evident signs ofhealing by prayer to the saintsfor their intercessionwith Cod. I cannot concludewithout mentioning the idea advanced by Fr. Michael Pomazansky, with which I am fully in agreâ&#x201A;Źment.In his book OrtbodoxDogmatic Tbeology,in one of the footnotes he writes that, "One may say that the incorruption ofa dead body is no gudtutntee ofsanctity: examplescan be given of Oriental swamis whose bodies were incorrupt long after death (whether by some natural means related to their asceticlife, or by a demonic counterfeit); and of some great Orthodox saints (for example, St. Seraphim of Sarov, St. Herman of Alaska) there remain only bones. The relics of St. Nectarios of Pentapolis (+1920) were incorrupt for several years, and then quickly decayed, Ieaving only fragrant bones" (pp. 326-

"Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who (BTBLTOGRAPHY) . Pr. Prof. Dr. Dumitru Staniloae, is in you, whom you have from God, Teologia Dogmatica Ortodoxa, vol. 3, and you are not your own?" asks St. Editura Institutului Biblic si de Misiune of Paul (I Cor.6:79; see also II Cor.6:16). BisericiiOrtodoxeRomane,1978. He wants his Corinthian disciples to o Timothy Ware, 7he Orthodox Church, understand that every individual whose PenguinBooks,1991. nature was renewed by Christ through the bath of Baptism is a dwelling place . 7he Liuing God, A Catechismfor the of the Holy Spirit. Shortly after Baptism, Christian Faith, tanslated from the French the newly illumined receives his/her by Olga Dunlop, St. Vladimir's Seminary Press,1989. personal Pentecost,the holy Mystery of Chrismation. The saints succeeded in I FatherMichael Pomazansky,Orthodox perpetuating the Church's Pentecost,and Dogmatic Theology, translatedand edited by their incorrupt relics are living witness of Hieromonk SeraphimRose,Saint Herman of AlaskaBrotherhood,1994. the presenceof the Holy Spirit. It is with deep theoiogical meaning that our bimillenary Orthodox Church celebrates all of the known saints, but especially those who are known only by God, on the first Sunday after Pentecost,a. k. a. Sunday of All Saints. They attained to God's likenessby allowing God to reign on the only place where God cannot "reign without our consent," on the throne their own heart. They became by grace what God is by nature, the only goal set to every human being though Christ's Incarnation, the only goal of a true follower of Chrisr.

Macaila is the pastor Reu, Dr, Dumitru of SS. Constantine Cy Helen Greek Orthodox Church in Swansea,Illinou. * Romanian title of Fr. Staniloae's book is Teologia Dogmatica Ortodoxa, and was published in three volumes In \978 at Bucharest, Romania. First volume was already translated into English, in two volumes, with the title The Experience of God. For the introductory paragraphs I used volume 3 of the book printed in Romanian language,pp.349-350.

1)7\

Wi nter 2 006

page27

buNa

ILDKAI

"For euery ran/e of person, and euery degreeof drauing near to God, ltas its oun Praler and its oran rules." St. Theophan the Recluse HnoonoMosnrn JeNNv ET US TAKE SERIOUSLYTHE ECONOMY OF CHILDHOOD. Let us wrestlewith the truth that I ' I afrildhood, Iike adulthood,hasits own pruyerand its rules. are intenselyp."cti."i theological l/":" ,There reasons ro do this - the mysteryof childrenis, accordingto our Savior,the mysteryof salvationitself: "Unlessyou turn and becomelike little children,you will neverenterthe kingdom (Matthew18:3). of heaven," Herewe will focuson youngchildren,infantsthroughsix. This agerangeis often particularlymystifying or frustrating

*-t

ll"'",*

ro adults because the child is pre-rational and, for much of the period, pre-verbal. Many parents wonder, given these developmental limitations and the seeming inability of most chiidren in this age group to be still, whether the young child is capable of prayer. Prayer, in an adult Orthodox context, can seem all about stillness and order. Similarly, the value of church attendanceor of pursuing religious education with this age group is sometimes seriously questioned. Consequently, some parents choose to leave their young children at home. Some parishioners, annoyed by the noise children inevitably introduce into a service, wish all parents would follow suit.

Many church school programs refect this ambivalence by either not having organized classesavailablefor this age group, or having programs that amount to glorified baby-sitting. \7e should not be surprised by this confusion - not too long ago, the same was believed about seculal sdu6x1l6nyoung children were assumed incapable of learning anything worthwhile during the first yearsof their life. Now the benefits of early stimulation for infants and preschool educational opportunities (formal or otherwise) are well documented and widely encouraged for the long-term academic and psychosocial positive development of children. Religious educators are following suit and thinking seriouslyabout how children's spiritual lives might be substantivelynurtured. Perhapssome of the best work in this area has been done by Sophia Cavelletti and her "disciples" in the creation of the Monressori-inspired Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. In Cavelletti's foundational work, The Religious Potential of the Child, we find these thoughts about the spiritual life of the child: In a document published by the Italian Episcopal Conference, it is stated: "The religious world of the child presentsitself with a physiognomy all its own"; and G. Milanesi writes: "The religion of the child is specific;it cannot be evaluatedin comparison with the religion of an adult." The world of the child's religion is a different world from that of the adult. And thus Cavalletti and her sourcesecho St. Theophan in affirming the existenceof an economy of childhood and the wisdom of the Orthodox tradition about the nature of prayer. What is an Orthodox understanding of genuine prayer and how might we encourage its authentic expressionin a young child? -What then is prayer?Prayer is the raising of the mind and heart to God in praise and thanksgiving to Him and in supplication for the good things that we need, both spiritual and physical. The essenceof prayer is therefore the spiritual lifting of the heart towards God. The mind in the heart stands consciouslybefore the face of God, filled with due reverence,and begins to pour itself out before Him. This is spiritual prayer, and all prayershould be ofthis nature. External prayer, whether at home or in church, is only prayer'sverbal expressionand shape;the essenceor the soul of prayer

is within a man's mind and heart. All our Church order of prayer, all prayers composed for home use, are filled with spiritual turning to God. Anyone who prays with even the least part of attention cannot avoid this spiritual turning to God, unless he is completely inattentive to what he is doine. Honesty compels us to discern at leastone important truth from St. Dmitri's description of prayer - true, or spiritual prayer can never be created, caused or coerced in another person. For who can lift or turn the heart of another towards God? How can we create "the soul of prayer" in another person when it is a constant battle to createit within ourselves? 'W'e cannot compel a child to pray. \7e can require words or stanceor minutes spent in silence,but none of thesewill result necessarilyin "inner spiritual prayer," without which "there is no prayer at all, for this alone is real prayer, pleasing to God." So, Iet us lay asideany thoughts of compelling children to pray. In addition to the dubious ethics of such an arrempt, the futility of it should be clear. How then do we encouragetrue prayer in children? I believe that the same passagefrom St. Dmitri gives us hope that such encouragementis possible,and that that possibility begins in the nature of children themselves and in the nature of God. In his description of prayer as "the raising of the mind and heart to God in praise and thanksgiving to Him and in supplication for the good things that we need, both spiritual and physical," St. Dmitri, interestingly enough, is describingan orientation very similar to the natural orientation of children. From the earliest days of its life, it is the all-consuming drive of any healthy human being to communicate. It is the specific drive of the child to seek out its earthly parents in exactly the way St. Dmitri describes.From the very start, a child searches for the face and voice, the person of the parent, in need and appreciation of physical, emotional and spiritual sustenance. It is increasingly clear from child development researchthat, stereotypesabout babies only eating and sleeping aside, the meeting of physical needsis actually not the prime motivation of a child's communication: It is interesting to consider that all the effort the newborn and proverbial child spend in trying to communicate with the environment is not only for asking for food or physical care. Of course, these are necessaryand provide basic welfare, but they are never the major concern of a child at any age.All the

Winter 2006

page29

efforts to communicate are aimed at producing an emotional and cognitive response from the environment. In other words, all efforts to co mmunic at e ar e at te mD ts to c o n v e n e re l a ti o ns hips . So the mechanisms for the attention and crying out to another person, for seeking relationship, the mechanisms for prayer, are hard-wired into the human child. Children will communicate and form relationships when given the chance. All that remains is to introduce the child to the person with whom we wish them to communicate and form a relationship - Cod - and, to the best of our ability, to createthe conditions under which attachment and love are fostered. Introducing a child to the person of God is a processthat follows many of the same rules as introducing a child to any other person. The first and primary rule is presence.\7e can never attach to or love that which we never meet. It is the faith of the Church that the presenceof God is found most assuredly in the Eucharist, but also hopefully in the wider context of the Divine Liturgy and the Body of Christ, the local congregation. Therefore it seemsreasonablethat the central element of a child's spiritual nurture, from the very starr, will be to take children to church and to the chalice often. This seems the simplestof advice, but it is often ignored. It is not alwayseasyto haveyoung children in church. \X/hile it is obvious from the way they "play" church after the serviceis over that children absorb much more (proportional to their level of comprehension)than the averageadult does in the same amount of time, they often do so with all the sound and movement that accompaniestheir other activities. Many parents, embarrassedby the display and unsure of what children could possibly be "getting out of it," are tempted to leavetheir child at home instead of persevering through the challenge of keeping both their child and the congregation h"ppy. And herein an ugly reality rears its head: encouraging children to pray truly is not the priority of most adults in any given congregation. I witnessed a stellar example of this truth at the 13th All-American Council in Orlando, FL. At a "lunchbag discussion" about children in Church, it quickly

page30

Winter 2006

became clear that there were rwo kinds of people in attendance. There were parents, sincerely asking "how can I help my child become a better Orthodox Christian?" and there were the others, seeking ways to ensure that children did not disrupt church services.The force of argument and, honestly, vitriol used by the second group meant that most of the first group left with their question redefined, Regardlessof what they had come inro the discussion thinking, they had been told in no uncertain terms that their actual task and responsibility as parenrs was to figure out what their children neededro stay quiet, still and undistracting to adults in Church. Now, there seems to almost be a logic to this madness: most pious Orthodox adults are, in the context of a service, quiet, still and undistracting ro the other adults in Church (though every congregation has its infamous exceprions).But, one's stance in church says nothing about the condition of one's prayer and whether or not it is genuine or acceptableto God. And then we have that unforrunare fact of Orthodox life here in America, that very few Orthodox children grow into pious Orthodox adults. And most possible explanations for why they leavethe church can be condensedinto a single one: they never fell in love and into a relationship with God there. Prayer never grew for them past its external manifestations, never took root as an inner reality, never bore substantivefruit. For the most part, it would seem rhar the form of spiritual direction in prayer that most parishes have been providing children in America, consisting largely of forced conformation to adult behaviors, has not worked. Cavalletti has important insight into this phenomenon: If we want to help children's prayer we should first of all become aware of how they pray. The diversity between the religious life of adult and child, which we have already mentioned forbids us to impose our own prayer guidelines on children. \X/e risk leading them along a path that is not theirs. \We risk extinguishing the spontaneousexpressionof their relationship with God and give rise to the idea that when we pray we say certain fixed things, without necessarilyadhering to them within ourselves.tVe could separateprayer from life in children.

The perfect is often the enemy of the good. In spite ofrvhat it may do to the overall level of decorum of our liturgies, the truth is this - if we want our children to know and love God, we must take them to Him. Surely, to do this is simply being faithful to the command of Christ: "Let the children come unto me, and do not hinder them" (Matthew 19:14).And the one place (though not the only place) where we know we will find him is in the Divine Liturey. And when we do find Him, His presenceis compelling. \7e must trust that it will also be so for our children. Again, St. Demitri speaks,echoing countlessothers in the tradition: All our Church order of prayer, all prayers composed for home use,are filled with spiritual turning to God. Anyone who prays with even the least part of attention cannot avoid this spirituai turning to God, unlesshe is completely inattentive to what he is doins. God inhabits the prayers of His people and draws us to Himself through them. If we resist His overtures, it is most often because we are not truly present to them, instead distracted by earthly cares.Here is an areain which the average child has a clear advantage over the averageadult. A child's life is not as complicated as an adult's, their mental landscape less cluttered. For instance, children rareiy spend the Divine Liturgy wringing their hands over their parents' behaviorl levels of mental comprehension, spiritual feelings and senses Cavalletti wisely observes: from adults in our parishes?Do we require that an adult "prove" to us that these things are happening in their lives in order for The adult no longer has that open and peaceful them to be acceptedas a valued part of the church family? Of relationship with God which is natural to the child; course not. Neither should we expect such things of children. for the adult, the religious life is sometimes strain The mysteriesof relationship with God are just that, mysteries. and struggle. For the adult the immediate reality at \With the expansion of vocabulary does not necessarilycome all times acts as a screen to the transcendent reality improved relationship with God. Communication can occur that seemsto be so apparent to the child. And above without any vocabulary at all. ail, the adult has lost in his relationship with God the essentiality that is one of the most characteristic Communication, in the wider senseof the word, is aspectsof the religious personality of the child. The establishing a relationship. Human beings are always younger the child the more capablehe is of receiving able to communicate with their environment and with great things, and the child is satisfied only with the themselves.[. . . .] Communication should be viewed great and essentialthings. The child's interior life is as a quality of life that is present at any level and that deeply seriousand without trappings. makes life possible.To communicate is to live! The skepticwho has never beenwitness to the gleam of "the This is the starting place - bringing our children into great and essentialthings" in a child may accuseCavelletti of the presence of God and trusting that He will reveal himself descentinto the fantastical. In what ways do adults document to them in a way discernable to them and that they have a their interactions with the living God? Do we (or if we do, should we) expect certain kinds of emotional responses, built-in capacity to receive,communicate and commune with Winter 2006

page3 |

PRAXI,

him. In addition, there are other kinds of spiritual ,,input', or "direction" that a parent can give a child that will give them the tools to respond to the presenceof God with true inner Prayer.

\fhile rhe "shape" of their pnyer at this time is not particularly understandable to us, if the inner Draver it contains is real, God surely honors it. \7e, amused, ."ti i, "playing church." I suspectthat adults play church more often than young children do.

Training, then, must also be twofold, outer and inner: outer in reading books, inner in thoughts of God; outer in love of wisdom, inner in love of God; outer in words, inner in prayer; outer in keennessof intellect, inner in warmth of spirit; outer in technique, inner in vision.

There are also the words we give children in compelling books, movies or music about the faith - all of which, in this multi-media day and age, fall into the caregory of ,,training in reading books." Here in the modern \(/estern world, with our over-abundanceof media for children, a reliance on popular Again, let us acknowledge that all the inner aspects of media as a source of spiritual input and food for prayer is a spiritual training listed here, a parent has no control over, possibility for children as well. In fact, I would argue thar it excepr as they may occur becausea child is brought by the is a necessity.In twenty-first century America, our children parenr into church. God is the giver of these graces, the child are incessantly exposed ro popular media on every subject has sole control over their expression(or non-expression).But imaginable. Unless their faith receivesar leasrequal .,air time,, so-called "ourer" training affords several opportunities for a in midst of this btzz, it will become quickly marginalized in conscientiousparenr, godparent or church school teacher,and their lives as something uninteresting, unchallenging and not we shall examine each one in turn, though not in St. Dmitri,s worth spending resourceson. original order. Training "in words" is the supplying of the child's imagination and consciousnesswith the words and images of prayer availablein the Tradition. To rerurn to St. Dmitrit definitions, the words of specificprayersallow children to give their inner prayer, the encounter and relationship they will have if brought into Godt presence,"verbal expressionand shape."Adults can help children find thesewords in a number of places.There are the actual experiencesand words of liturgy of course. \7e are often amazed at how much of a service even a toddler can recire once a processionbegins around the playground. This complex outpouring of external prayer that knows nor the bounds of rationality and is quintessentially "6yzantine" - this is what children absorb while held in church, during those times we think they are either "zoning out,, or "goofing off." The intensity and duration of ir can sometimes be astounding - rhe toddler who cannot sit still for two minutes can somerimes spend upwards of two hours in his icon corner, dressedin a Christmas rree skirt robe, interceding for the world. Often, once a rhythm is begun, the chlldren will begin to "ad-lib," creating their own prayers from a mix of "church words" and their own. Cavelletti's observations confirm this:

Of course,if the aim is to feed the spirit of the child so asto foster prayer, the quality and content oia book or video should be excellent - and it does not take much time in the averase "Christian bookstore" to realize that providing a child wiih "religious" resourcesthat present the Tradition with integrity is a challenge. But it is a challenge worth meering. From all the hundreds of books published for children every year, to even glean an annual handful that will give a child words and images and narratives that will help give shape to their inner prayer is invaluable. The source may nor be conventionally "Orthodox" but be perfectly capableof encouraging Orthodox prayer in an Orthodox child. I know a child who, when he was feeling emphatic in a time of "play" prayer,would often segue into dramatic snatchesof Mendelssohn'sElijah oratorio: ,As God the Lord of Israel liveth, before whom I standl,' \7hat elsecould have supplied him with a better "shape" for what his spirit was trying to expressat that moment?

Similarly, it is a challenge to explain and condense the faith for children in the formal educational context. But it is a challengeworth tackling. Judgement Day will surely reveal that the minds of mediocre Christians are filled with mush fed to them by Sunday School reachers, because the truth was deemed either to hard to explain or to understand. Or, It is a fact that children have an extraordinary capacky worst of all, rhe "rruth" was nor actually believed.Let this not for prayer, as regards duration as well as spontaneity be our fatel Taking seriously the task of conveying the faith and dignity of expression.Theirs is a prayer of praise to children in integrity and completenessis a humbling but and thanksgiving, which expressesthe nearnessand absolutely essenrialministry. The possibilities for ,.*"od "r. great, for both the child and the teacher,as Cavalletti notes: transcendenceof God at the same rime.

their "essentialities,"as Cavalletti calls them, become clear, that we might pass them on. There is no worthy substitute for this process!Too often the writers of curriculum rely on developmental formulas in presenting material and thereby suck the life out of it. One curriculum for preschoolers, has an entire lesson about how receiving the Eucharist makes us happy. Never at any point is a child told the simple yer awesome, lifesustaining truth that in the Eucharist, Jesusfeeds us. \With all the elemental power and relevancesuch an image can have for a child, why would you ever passit by for an abstraction that even the youngest child, having been glared at for talking in the communion line, knows is not alwaystrue? \Which of these "interpretations" would inspire an adult to a closerrelationship with Christ? Let us not settle for handing out some poppsychology version of the Gospel, but instead seek out that truth that inspires true prayer. Surely we will reap for ourselves at least as much as we wili sow for our children's sake. \fhen we do this for children we model for them the next two aids to prayer,"love of wisdom" and "keennessof intellect." "Love of wisdom" is an orientation of life expounded upon in the Scriptures at great length. It is the quest for God and his good, expresslyat the expenseofall the other gods and goods \7e cannot deny that it is preciselythe greatestrealities we might be tempted to spend our lives pursuing. It is, as with that we neglect to give the child; we hardly touch on the acceptanceof God's will and fear and love of Him them, taking them for granted. However, we should Job, aboveall else.Its mode of transmission to our children can be, ask ourselvesif it is actually superfuous to announce once again, through stories,or a child's collection of proverbs, that God is unfailing love, that Christ is truly risen. but the most effectivemethod will be through our modeling of To what degree are we ourselvesconvinced of these it in our lives. \fhen our children seeus making choicesthat realities? Moreover, there is the conviction, often reveal the priority of the Church and our faith in our lives, it unexpressedverbally, that the child is not capable of will make an impression. receiving such great realities. I believe the truth to be otherwise: It is we who have not managed to transmit The young child is, spiritually, in the developmental stage these realities to children with that essentialitywhich is necessary,and the assumedincapacity of the child generally called "belief." Using the most scientific kind of becomes an excuse to cover our ignorance and to impartial observation,he is building a picture of the world and exempt us from further and deeper research. It is how it works, and somewhere into that picture he will insert easierand lessdemanding for us to speak to the child God and the Church. Exactly where he places it will depend about a guardian angel than of Christ, \Who died and on where he seesit on the map of our lives. If he seesadults is risen. Theology, in the serioussenseof the word, is driven by love of Holy \Wisdom, he will label this behavior "normative" and this love, this relationship, this kind of prayer not knowledge for the elite. will become, at the very foundation of his being, the standard for an adult. The fruit of true theology, quite simply, is knowiedge of God and thus an invitation to love and, thereby, fodder for taining "in keennessof intellect" is the drawing of the prayer. The better children know God, the more they can life of the mind, in ever-increasingdegrees,into a person's love Him. We must be willing as teachersto let the sources relationship with God. It is a necessary,ongoing progression,if of the tadition, our theology, "simmer" within us until

Winter 2006

page33

PRAXI,

beliefis everto mature into faith, and from faith into genuine understanding. As we watch our children grow and achievenew levelsof mental development,we need to look for ways to engageeach new faculty of their mind with the life of God. For instance, as their capacity for critical thinking develops, we need to model for them how the1. can apply criticism with charity, and with the goal of clarity of understanding, not philosophical grandstanding. tVe need to encourage them to use all of their talents - heart, mind, soul and strength - in ways that honor God and serve the Church. Only when all parts of our being and our lives are allowed to be in relationship with God and are part of our prayer to God, can we mature evenly in our faith. "in technique" is like taining much like training "in words." It is the language, not of the mouth and mind, but of the body that we teach them expiicitly and by example. It is the pause before the icon. It is the sign of the cross. It is the reverent kiss, the prostration, or the standing in silence. But it is profoundly not simply "how to behave."As children watch and practice our techniques, they are in fact busy expanding their spiritual vocabulary to a completeness well-suited to the heaven-and-earthmix that man is as the mid-point of creation. They are adding "words" - not those that they will ever know precise theological definitions for, but oneswhich they define and interpret with learned motions and sounds and emotions (hopefully positive). The toddler dictionary is visual and physical - "ln the fear of God" means "lift the chalice high." He manifests the fact that prayer, even inner prayer, is not an ethereal reality in man. It is done by a physical, chemical body, built by God in His own image, for His purposes. The Infant Martyr in the icon -

page34

Winter 2005

the manger or in a martyred mother's arms in China, Persia, or Russia - is not an artist's embellishment. It is a particular window on a righteousness, equal in value and insight to the haloed adult depicted beside it. But how do we read that image? How do we recognize and nurture its possibility in the children around us?Before all else,with humility, in recognition ofthe truth that, beforehe stood and read asa man in the synagogue, Our Lord JesusChrist cried as an infant, ran as a toddler and laughed out loud as a child. Surely it earned him contempt also, but that is not to our credit.

(Bibliography) I Cavalletti, Sofia. The Religious Potential oF rhe C hi l d: E xperi enci nsSc ri prureand Liturgy with Young Children. Chicago: Liturgy Tiaining Publications, 1992.

o Montanaro, M.D., Silvana Quattrocchi. U ndersrandi ngrhe H uman B ei ng: The Importance of the First Three Yearsof Life. Mountain View, CA: Nienhuis Montessori

usA,1991. I God, Mv Friends and Me. Orthodox Christian Education Commission, 1982.

Explaining this text ["the kingdom of God is within you"l, St. Makarios of Egypt writes: "The heart is a small vessel,but all things are contained in it; God is there, the angels are there, and there also is life and the Kingdom, the heavenly cities and the treasuresofgrace. Our children, also small vessels, contain no fewer wonders. If we bend ourselves to their service, perhaps they will teach us how to pray.

Jmny Haddad Mosber hasa BA in History, an MA in Relrytonfrom YalzUniuersityand is pursuingan MTh at St. Vkdimir's Seminary. preschool churchschool and teaches Sheworships Church, New Ti'ansfguration Orthod.ox at Holy (OCA) husband Father where her Hauen, CT Joshuais an intern. She is the tnother of three !0ungsons.

. St. Dmitri of Rostov, The Inner Closet of the Heart.

I Found in course packet, original source unclear.

"Faith is to belieueultat ue do not see.and the thisfaith is to seeu,ltat ue belieue." --St. Augustine

In this issuewe will continue our studv of Greek words with the word "ptisteuo."

NE OF THE, COMMON \rORD. CONCEPTSOF THE BIBLE IS FAITH OR BELIEF. It has been fundamental to man's relationship with God from the beginning. This one word that is translated as faith or belief occurs about 550 times and possibly constitutes the most frequent instruction/ command found in the New Testament. It would seem probable from such textual emphasis that faith would be one of the best-understoodChrisdan concepts. If any word readily could be defined and explained,faith would seem to be that word. However, such is not true. \(/e must not assumethat we understand a Bible verse unlesswe know the meaning or meaningsof the words in the verse,and understand those words in their contextual definitions. If any rypical Bible classwas asked,"What is faith?" A predictable responsewould be that faith is belief. \fhen askedwhat belief is, the response would be, that belief is faith. Since neither word is defined from another source,the result is a non-definition.

conviction (of religi religious teacher),especially the system of religious (Gospel) truth itselfi assurance,belief, believe, faith. Notice the subtle shadesof meaninq which are unlocked in the amplified translations: "Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, reiies on) Me, although he may die, yet he shall live" (John II:25). "For God so greatly loved the world that He gave up His only begotten Son, so that whoever believesin (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Pistevois a good examplewhere a word for word translation that does not do justice to the true meaning of passagesin the Bible. \X/hat is normally conveyed by this rich language gets lost, and without careful study, the word of God becomes simplified.

Irene Alexandrou liues in Boca Raton, Florida where sheserueslts The Greek word, which is translatedasfaith, ispistis (noun) president of the Hellenic SocietyPaideia of South Florirla. She also and believe,is translated from pisteuo(verb). The word believe teachesModern Greek at Florida Atlantic Uniuersity, and directs (Greek ver6 "pisteuo"),according to Strong'sGreek Dictionary, and teachesat the afiernoon GreekSchoolof herparish, St.Mark. means: to have faith (in, upon, or with respectto, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust, (especiallyone's spiritual well-being to Christ.) believe,commit, (to trust), put in trust with. "Pistevo" comes from the Greek noun "pistii'

Winter 2006

page35

PRAX]S

,,lS llT ilS:,:f, IRTUL ,:lH \lNf$. f.. OFsAnlTSRILICS A STUDY

Prvlus MessrlONesl,M.Dtv,

LESSON FOCUS whyRelics whatareRelics, A studyof Saints' Relics explaining inMiracles, and whyandhowRelics areinvolved arevenerated, howRelics Church. areusedintheOrthodox

STYLES LTARiIER

Levellll: Somestudents willhaveprogressed further and willbeableto: Listdifferent Types of RELICS. Define andANTIMENSION. CATACOMBS

VOCA'ULARY

liturgical clothon whichthe Reading Buddies, Used within thislesson: Storytelling, Question Antimension:A consecrated Eucharist is Stamped Antimension is the celebrated. on the Lecture. andAnswer, p. past icon of burial Christ. 31]Inthe intheGreek [Patrinacos, Tradition, and still in the Slavic Tradition, SAINTS' RELICS are l-Youngest intothreeagegrouplevels; Thislessonis divided in for ihe sewn a oocket made Antimension. lll-Older ll-Middle or Middleand Olderstudents, students, students. willbeableto: students Levell: Attheendofthelesson RELIC, Define MARTYR, andSAINT. Levelll: Somestudents willhavemadeasmuchprogress andwillbeableto: MIRACLES. Define ldentify howRELICS areusedinchurches. Exolainthe connections betweenRELICSand MIRACLES. VENERATE RELICS AND TellwhyOrthodox Christians ICONS

page35

Winter 2006

Catacombs:Underground cemeteries usedby Christians to burythe MARTYRS duringtheyearsof the persecutions. The Liturgy/Eucharist wasservedon the tombstones of the pp.7 MARTYRS. 0 1] [Patrinacos, -7 whowerepersecuted Confessors:Christians for witnessing theirfaithinChrist andlived. Martyrs:Christians whowerepersecuted forwitnessing their faithinChrist anddied. Miracles:Extraordinary events thatarebeyond whatweknow physically canhappen andcannot beexplained bythelawsof nature. As Christians, we understand Miracles to betheresult

forthe"purpose of of Godintervening in timeandnature p. enlightening, teaching, or benefiting man." [Patrinacos, 2541 death Relics:Thematerial remains of a saintafterhis/her and/orthesacredobjects or clothing thathavebeenin rernarns include: the contactwithhis/herbody.Material entireuncorrupted body,uncorrupted bodyparts,bones from differentpartsof the body,or bonefragments. pp.31 7] 6-31 [Patrinacos, living holy Saints:People wholivedlikeJesusrequested, praying, for lives,serving etc.Someweremartyred others, theirbeliefin JesusastheSonof God;othersweregteat teachers,preachers, healers,performers of miracles, almsgivers, asexamples forustofollow. or piouspeople

r SarnfNecfarlos ofAeginabyEuphemia Briere, Press,Seattle, St. Nectarios WA,2001.$7.00To purchase http:/lwww.orthodoxpress.org/catalog/ default2.htm r Pictureof Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco consecrating John the Baptist St. Church (Las Vegas)inserting SAINT'SRELICSin the Altar.www.goarch.org I News& Events I Orthodox Archives Observer I August 2005,p. 23./ Enlarge prrnting. before . Anypictures or postcards of Saintswhose bodiesare uncorruot that can be located- ex. (Corfu), Saints Spyridon Gerasimos of Cephalonia, Dionysius ofZakynthos.

givento (du/4): Thehonorandreverence Veneration Worship Saints, theVirgin Mary(Theotokos) andto lcons. veneration and imitation is reserved for GOD and $atreia), pp.330-331] isfortheSAINTS. [Patrinacos,

I Tradition AnANTIMENSION, if yourChurch's placesRELICS in theAntimension, the Teaching "Divine Pics/ Liturgy" Pic#16shows theAntimension. Teaching Picsareavailable fromtheDepartment of Religious Education at:(800) 566-1088.

atAeKoRfiilo hFrKMAf[F{ Rr$flmc[s MATERIALS FORTIIELE$SOII: I A Dictionary byRev, of GreekOrthodoxy fromtheDepa(ment of NiconPatrinacos, Available Religious Education at:(800)566-1088.

r r

o "ThePlaceof HolyRelics in theOrthodox Popovich www.orthodoxphotos. Church" bySt.Justin Relics. com/Holy from Thefollowing arepictures of relicsthatcanbe printed www.orthodoxphotos.com/holyrel ics: r Alongleftmargin "Relics", clickonSt. under JohnMaximovitch. Scrolldownthepageto his photos. Print#2. I CtickonSt.JohntheBaptist. Scroll downand p r in#t 1,#2,& #4, r

Clickon"vafious" andprintthefollowing: r St.Gregory (Row1,#2), I (Row1,#3), SS.Cosmas & Damian r St.Catherine (Row2,#3), I (Prologue from Bishop Nicholas (Row4,#2), Ochrid author I GreatMartyrDimitrios (Row4,# 4).

I I 1 r I

Chalk board orDryboard BibleStoryBook,preferably withpictures of inthislesson. thefourmiracles Bibles, laidoutbefore class Paper, Pencils or Pens, laidoutbefore class AnyRELICS belonging totheParish Enough copies of theHymnlPrayer foreach (opt) student Throughout thislesson, explanatory wordsare inparentheses.

BEFORE CLASS: Teacher of theolderstudents shouldwritethefour Biblecitations on the chalkboard. Allowspaceto writethenameof theperson andtheiteminvolved inthemiracle. PRAYER: OPENING Afterthe teachertakes attendance, theteacher, oneofthe students orthestudents inunison canreadthefollowinq hymn. . ODE8: ALLSAINTS MATINS SUNDAY. Rejoice,Martyrs,Prophets,Apostles,honored

Winter 2006

]

A.S. lZ

PRAXIS-.

people - St.Paulhealed by touching godlychoirof theJust, 1. Acts19:11J2 Priesis, of Martyr company giving them handkerchiefs that he touched. them or by (Monks who all Nuns) and Teachers, Ascetics & of (singhymns) withtheMyrrhbearing makemelody people, priests, praise; Acts5:12-16 - St. Peterhealedpeopleas his youths, highly women: bless; passed bythesick. shadow to all theages. Archimandrite exaltHim(Jesus) Eohrem Elisha's bones, the Elijah's mantle/cloak, handkerchiefs St.Paultouched arecalled RELICS. themintodav's lesson. Wewilltalkmoreabout

LESS0rl

printistext MIDDLE Regular aredirections. NOTE: ltalicized words ANDOLDER STUDENTS forthe wordsarevocabulary to useor adapt.Captialized I Therearefourspecific miracles in the Bible tesson. thatwe will examine today. Assrgneachpairof oneof the fourBiblecitations writtenon sfudenfs I = Younoer students, thechalkboard. & Older; ll = Mid; orMiddle

t Givefhe sfudenfs10-15minutes to comnlete text;one the followingfasks:/ocafethe assigned studentis to readfheversesaloud;theotherretells theperson themkacleinhis/herownwords;identify and item involvedin the miracle,and writethe information onthepaper.

lll = Olderstudents people anditems through GodworksMIRACLES orheld. thatSAINTS havetouched What is a MIRACLE? lWriteanswerson the questions to complete Askadditional chalkboard. thedefinition.l What are SAINTS?[Write answerson the questions, to complete Askadditional chalkboard. thedefinition.l YOUNGER STUDENTS tellsthefour Theteacher [1]readsor [2]preferably miracles usinga BibleStorybook. Biblical Forexample inthe,., OldTestament mantleto - ElishausedElijah's 1. 2 Kings2:11-14 River. seoarate thewateroftheJordan touched the A manbeingburied 2. 2 Kings13:20-21andwastevived. oftheprophet Elisha bones weretheonlypart whyElisha's bones Mayneedtoexplain leftof himinthegrave. NewTestament TheApostles alsohealedpeoplein the nameof Jesus, into andafterHeascended whileJesus walked ontheearth, Heaven.

page38

Winter 2006

t After10-15minutes, selecffour pairsto report theirfindingsfo lhe c/ass:retellthe miracle,then identifythe personanditemin eachmiracle.Write the nameof the personsand itemsinvolvedin Reviewthe items themiracleson the chalkboard. used, r Elijah'smantle/cloak, Elisha'sbones,the RELICS. handkerchiefs St.Paultouched arecalled Wewilltalkmoreabout themintoday's lesson.

Onlyreadthelevelthatpertains toyourclass. I Noteveryone believed thatJesusdiedandrosefromthe Son.TheChristians, thepeople deadandthatHeisGod's inJesusChrist, weretakenbysoldiers whobelieved and putinprison andpunished. ll During Persecution, whenit was theyearsof Chrisiian illegal to believe in Christ andto worship as a Christian, thosewhowouldnotdenyJesusistheSonof Godwould huri/tortured bephysically orkilled. Withtheoldersfudenfs, theteacher maychoose tomention meansof oersecution. a feworallof thefollowine

SomeoftheMailyrswere: r Whipped o Flayed (St.Haralambos) o Dragged byhorses r Burned byfire o Burned byoil o Fedto lions r Beheaded (St.Paul) o Crucified (St.Andrew) . Speared r Putonthespiked wheel(St.Katherine) r Fought intheRoman Coliseum theGladiators in Jesusand I Thosethatdiedbecause theybelieved MARTYRS. wouldnotchange theirminds arecalled theywouldnot ll Thosewhowerepersecuted because Those denyChristandlivedare calledCONFESSORS. whowerepersecuted anddiedareMARTYRS. l-ll Thefamily tooka MARTYR'S body(ll-or andfriends parts, prepared it with body it forburial), andthenburied greatrespect. of l-ll ForOrthodox Christians theBodyis theTemple with respect, whether theHolySpiritandis always treated alive unborn, ordead. wasanillegal religion forthefirst300 ll SinceChristianity years,Christians hadto worship insecret. ll ln largecitieslike Rome,theyworshipped in the as CATACOMBS, andusedthetombstone of a MARTYR thealtartable.[DefineCatacombs]. l-ll As I saidearlier, theBody(ll or bodyparts)as well andBishop-Saints, or as anyVestments of Priest-Saints clothing or otheritemsthe SAINTSmayhaveheldare referred to asRELICS. l-ll Honoring began earlyinthe theRELICS oftheSAINTS history oftheChristian Church. for hadmemorial ll Asearlyas156ADChristians services Bishop of Smyrna overhisRELICS. St.Polycarp, asistheir l-ll SomeoftheMARTYRS areknown byName, Dateof Death.

l-ll TherearealsoSAINTS whowerenotMARTYRS, like St,Nektarios whodiedina hosoital in 1920. l-ll Manymiracles areconnected tocertain SAINTS while theywerealivebecause oftheirholylives,likeSt.Pauland St.Nektarios. gotoiheplaces ll Aftertheydied,Christians would where thoseSAINTS wereburiedto pray,andtheycontinued to help./Godwork asktheSaintto behealedor forhis/her theSAINTtohealsomeone.l through l-lf St.Nektarios willbeourexample. Depending onthe timethatis available, telloneorbothof thefollowing sfodes of Sf.Nekfanbs. o Whenhewasalive:"Oneevening a peasant knocked Aegina onthedoorof HolyTrinity Convent on andsaidto "Please thenunwhoanswered, asktheAbbotto prayfor rain.Ouranimals arenearly deadwiththirstandcanfind nothing to eat."Thenunwenttothesaintandtoldhimthe "WeshallpraytoGod man's request. replied, St.Nectarios thatthe requestof the peasant be fulfilledaccording to hisfaith."Thenheliftedhishandsin prayer. An hourlater a stormburst,andit rainedall night.(SarnfNecfanbs of p.25.) Aegina byEuphemia Briere, r Afterhedied:"ln1920, father thishumble wascalled to restin theLord.At themoment of hisrepose, theentire hospital wasfilledwitha beautiful anddivinefragrance! wasplacedupona An articleof SaintNectarios' clothing paralyzed for manyyears,and sickmanwhohadbeen immediately thismanwashealedl Thusbegantheeverflowingstreamof healingsbroughtaboutby the holy RELICS of St.Nectarios, andbyhisintercessions withthe Lord."(SarnfNecfarios of Aeginaby Euphemia Briere,p. 23.) lf the Teacher hasaccessto pictures of REL/CSfroma Monastery or Churchin Greece/Europe,usethemalong with thosefromwww.orthodoxphotos.com as he or she talksaboutfheRELICS. Enlargepictures beforeprinting. RawsandtVumbers referto thetwowebpages listedin the RESOURCES Section. YOUNGER STUDENTS: I (Row1,#3) Various - Ss.Cosmas & Damian ) GreatMartyrDinitrios(Row4,# 4)

Winter 2006

o*" ,,

MIDDLE STUDENTS: plus Theprevious, I Brshop (Prologue Nlchoias fromOchrid author) (Row 4#2). t At theteacher's plcfures fromthenext discretion. levelcanbeadded, OLDER STUDENTS: plus Alloftheprevious, o St Gregory (Row 1,#2) . Sf.Catherine (Row 2,#3) 0 Sf.JohnMaximovitch (Row1,#1), (Row1,#2| (Row 2,#4)

giveoffa sweet l-ll TheRELICS of someSAINTS smell,hundreds of yearsaftertheirdeath;others produce or oozea typeof liquidor myrrhusedto anoint thesick.TheRELICS of St.Nicholas andSt. Demetrios ofThessalonika aremyrrh-bearing. Letus examine thesepictures. the whole bodv RELIC IShow picturesl

IIOTIi{TIRE RILICS TI{ATART AONE$

liflfy D0Es Tl{lslfAppril? As you proceedthroughfhls secflon,askif anyonehas traveled to Greece / Europeor Monasteries hereor abroad andvisitedanyof theseholysites.If so,askhim/herto talk abouttheexperience. l-ll Godchosetoworkmiracles through thebodies of certain SAINTS whiletheywerealivebecause they livedlikeJesustoldus to live.Theywerefilledwith theHolySpirit. continues towork GodtheHolySpirit miracles through theRELICS oftheSAINTS afterthey dietoteachus,tohelpus,andtohealusofsickness, allforourbenefit. ll Whathappens tothebodies ofanimals andhumans afterwedie?Waitforresponses, hoping togetdecay, decompose, rot,returnto dust,dust-to-dust. ll Thatiswhatweexpect totheSAINTS,but tohappen theentirebodies of someSAINTS havenotdecayed: ex.St.Spyridon, Corfu;St.Theodora theEmpress, Corfu; St.Gerasimos of Cephalonia; St.Dionysius of theislandZakyinthos, in San St.JohnMaximovitch Francisco, St.AlexisTothat St.Tikhon's Monastery, S.Canaan, PA.Thisisa miracle itself! I Onlyshowthepicture of St.Demetrios. ll Showthepictures of alltheSAINTS withincorrupt Bishop bodies. Nicholas, St.Gregory, 3 of St.John Maximovitch

page40

Winter 2006

Periodically askthesfudenfs if theyhavetraveled andseen theseREL/CS or similar ones. ll TheHeadof St.Andrew theApostle is in Patras, Greece in theChurch of the12domes. Theheadis withgoldto remind covered entirely usof howspecial it is. ll Bonesof theFingers, Arms,Legs,andHandsAfterthe bodydecomposes, thesebonesremain. Theyareusually encased insilver orgoldboxes. ll Sometimes bodypartsareincorrupt, suchas the handof St.Catherine. lt hasthemuscle andskinstill onit. ll Bonefragments are the mostcommon. These are usedin (a)AltarTablesand (b)Antimensia in some OrthodoxTraditions. Christians haveworn (c)Reliquary Crosses thatopento insert a relic.(SS. Cosmos & Damian) - Although l-ll Clothing St.Spyridon's bodyisintact, eachyearhisredslippers arereplaced because they are"wornout."Howcanthatbe?Weunderstand that prayers SAINTS answer the of Christians alloverthe world,sometimes evenappearing in dreams. lt is a "walks" mystery, butit seemsSt.Spyridon to do his miracles, thuswearing outhisslippers. l-ll Theoilfrom theoillampabove a SAINT'S RELICS isusedtoanoint thesick.Theoilfromtheoillampover St,Nektarios ontheisland ofAegina hasbeenknown to healpatients withcancer andotherillnesses.

r{t01{U01fTS REVTEW TrfE 0FlrfEUSSoil

l-ll Another important relicistheCrossuponwhich was lt is inlargepieces. On Jesus crucified. nolonger in YOUNGER theChapel altarat HolyCross School ofTheology STUDENTS: Brookline, MAsitsa largesilver cross. Ontheback, Whyandhowdoessomeone become a MARTYR? What with beeswax. Underthe is an opening covered isa SAINT? Whatdoesa RELIC havetodowithSAINTS? isa pieceofJesusCross. beeswax MIDDLE STUDENTS: l-ll BothRELICSand lconsare VENERATED lnaddition HowRELICS totheabove: areusedinchurches? (kissed)and withgreatrespect because both treated Whereelsedo we findRELICS? DefineCATACOMBS. holypeople close toGod.The arerelated toSAINTS, MIRACLES andANTIMENSI0N. iseither theSAINT himlherself oranitemthe RELIC we OLDER Whenwevenerate a RELIC, SAINT heldorwore, STUDENTS: lcons totheSAINT. showhonor andrespect directly (1)Listdifferent Inaddition totheabove: Types of RELICS. or aneventinthelifeof areholypictures of a SAINT (2)Explain whyOrthodox Christians VENERATE RELICS theTheotokos, A NDI CO NS ourLordJesusChrist or hismother, theVirgin Mary. Whenwevenerate/kiss anlcon,we Praise thesfudenfs forthegoodjob theydidtoday. pictuted inthe andresoect totheSAINT showhonor lcon. Whenyourparents ask,"Whatdidyoulearnin Church you today?" havesomething to tellthem?Point School do to differentsfudenfs for answers. lt is important to share fheir/essons.

TlfEC]{URC1{ D0UrrH w]{ATDoE$ RELICS?

CLOS]NO PRAYER/IIYMN

Chrisiians ll Remember whenthe oersecuted worshipped in the CATACOMBS, using the asthealtartable?As tombstones of theMARTYRS themanyChristian MARTYRS, a wayto remember a Church, he places whena Bishopconsecrates intheALTAR. RELICS of MARTYRED SAINTS

rnunlson Theteacher, or thestudenfs oneof thesfudenfs canreadtheHymn.

MATINS. ALLSAINTS SUNDAY. ODE8 Apostles, Rejoice, Martyrs, Prophets, honored company of godlychoirof theJust,of Ascetics (Monks MartyrPriests, (singhymns) whoallmakemelody andTeachers, prayers, he places & tVuns) ll As theBishop recites special with the Myrrhbearing women:youths,bless;priests, in anopening of theRELICS onthetopandcenter praise; people, highlyexaltHim(Jesu$to all theages. withwarm,soft theAltar,thencoverstheopening Ephrem lf youhavepiclures of the consecration Archimandrite beeswax. of showthemalongwiththepicture of yourparish, Gerasimos. Metropolitan goldor l-ll RELICS arealsoplacedin decorative Somemay silverboxesfor usto seeandvenerate. giveoffa pleasant fragrance. lf theparishhasrelics, showthemnow.

Phyllis Meshel Onest, M.Diu. has seruedthe Metropolis of Pitxburgh as rbeDirector of ReligiousEducationfor oaer12years joined the staf of theArchdiocese\Centerfor Family and recently Her taorkfor the Metropolis is Life - www.familyaschurch.org. Phyllisis inuited auailableon her websiteat wwtu.phyllisonest.com. by Orthodox parishesthroughout the countrT to lead Teacher and speahon OrthodoxFamily Life. She is Training rYorbshops also one of thefrst uomen to graduatefrom Holy CrossGreek Orthod.oxSchoo/of Tbeology,Clnssof 1977.

9YTl{ETEACI{ER FIiIALCOMMEiITS

haveanyquestions orwanttosay l-ll Doesanyone today?Waitfor a *Materials marked with an asteriskare availablefor anything aboutwhatwe learned forany purchasefrom the Department of Religious Education, Lookat thefacesof thestudents response. looks. ouzzled (800)566-1088.

Wnter 2006

o*" o'

PRAXIS

K EEPTNG ScoRE &

PRoGRESS TnAcKTNG Quantifying the Quality of Leadership Part 4

A.C.Mecnrs EASUREMENT IS AN IMPORTANT Ovenvrew oF PREvrousARTTcLES COMPONENT in almost any process. Leadership is no different. \We can have all the greatestideas on leadershipand leadership development, but if there are no tangible outcomes for the better, what good is it all? The important word here is process. There is a srrong potential to think of leadershipmeasurement as evaluating the leader. When I speak of leadership measurement I am referring to the process and the way we, as a church community, implement the process.This is not a measurementsystem for individual leaders. Before getting into measurement, I wili outline the previous articles, and establishthe framework from which the concepts are developed. This article discussesmeasurement and it answersthree questionsspecifically for our church: What is the proper framework for a measurement ' . .

pase42

system? W hat t o m ea s u re ? How to measure?

Winter 2006

, ..r ....

.:l

The previous articles advanced concepts on leadership developmentwithin the Orthodox Church. \7e explored a new leadership model I refer to as Contextual Leadership where we identified five key areasessentialto advancing the level of leadership- those are: . Commitment Education ' . Enlightenmenr . Teamwork . Role Models tWe ended the last article with a vision for an Orthodox Leadershi pl nsti rutebei ng: . An environment where orthodox Christians can candidly identify and discuss issuesof leadership as they pertain to operational and spiritual growth; . A place where future leadersof our Archdiocese gain insights into how they can better help their churches;

a church context is quite different than in a businesscontext. Yes our church leadershave businessissuesto deal with and we should measure the appropriate aspect of businessissues, . but measuring leadership effectivenessis difficult to relegate to solely tangible measuressuch as balance sheets,buildings and additions, etc. Leadership is much more than that. The as a whole benefits. tangibles result from the intangibles. If a church leader is Advancing concepts, and creating visions for the future "good" (and I will examine that distinction) then the outward are all essentialcomponents of establishing a new framework. signs of the leadership are the tangibles. What make those One of the most compelling challengeswith leadership and tangibles possible involves the environment, culture, values leadership development is finding out if a real difference is and level of commitment that is embraced by the organization being made. Measuring leadershipand identifying leadership (church community) as a whole. successremains a challenge for academicsas well as real world companies. We face an even more significant challengewithin \7here the best thinkers can meet to address the challenges facing our parishes and religious communities; A place where clergy and laity can exchange ideas, experiencesand lessonslearnedso that the Archdiocese

o u r religiousor ganiz a ti o n s .

Wunr ro MEASURE

Fnavrwonr M easuneMENT

Measuringleadershipunder conventional secularsituations is dificult in itself. Defining a leadershipmeasurementmodel for the Orthodox Church, we find the challenge is even more

The important considerationis that if we do not know how well we are doing, how will we know what to change or how to improve. Therefore to make our new leadershipframework a lasting and valuable endeavor, measuring our "leadership

dauntine.

Contextual variables infuence the degree to which individual differences are related to leadership success. effectiveness"is critical. -Without measurement,there will be Contextual variablesinclude: . The type of work that the group or organization is no advancement,improvement and/or ultimate benefit to our engaged in. For the businesscommunity this might churches,metropolis, and archdiocese.\fith this said let'slook include the extent to which there are standard at leadershiomeasurement. operating procedures to accomplish tasks, objective indicators of how well the task is being performed, are four system there a measurement setting up -Vhen dimensions of the work that are stressfulor dangerous, measure: fundamental categoriesto . and interdependenciesamong work groups. These Activity are not directly related to our Orthodox community, Results ' . but the point here is the context of the entity. \7e Tangibles . need to understand the work of the greater church Intangibles (Archdiocese)as well as our local church community. . Characteristics of the followers. Once again for the Perhaps the easiest of these categories to deal with is business model the characteristics might include activity. There is a tendency to measure activity because their experience or maturity, personal commitment people generally are good at that and it is straightforward. For to the work, trust and cooperation with each other, example, defining tasks and the things that need to get done. and expectations of the leader. These are directly There is rurely aproblem finding and/or identifying things that transferableto our church. need to get done. Accomplishing these lists of tasks is what I . The resources available to the leader. -Vhen we refer to as "did-he-do" thinss. refer to resources we mean, resources needed by the group to accomplish their work, interpersonal \Tithin the model of new thinklng on leadership we networks (position power) in the organization. should be measuring effectiveness and results. The big Power is an interesting term when we refer to the This is where effectiveness? is what constitutes question the church community. There are many types of contextual processcomes in again. Measuring effectivenessin

Winter 2006

page43

PMXI,

power; unfortunately power is sometimes narrowly understood as 'coercive power.' This is not what I mean. Another more appropriate type of power is 'referent power.' Referent power means that there are a consistent set of values, goals and ways of getting there even if some people don't agreewith the person in power. Referent power means that followers will follow you as long as there exists a consistent set of values. Resourcesneeded to accomplish work can be transferred to the church example directly. Finally, interpersonal networks can be an extremely valuable resourceor a very destructive one. For contextual variables,the following four types of leader behavior variablesare used to predict leadershipsuccess: . Supportiur: Expressing concern for the needs and welfare of subordinates and creating a positive work culture. . Directiue: Providing subordinates with clear expectations, guidance, rules and procedures; and scheduling and coordinating work. . Participatiue: Involving subordinates in decisions and taking their views and suggestionsinto accounr. . Achieuementoriented: Setting challenging goals and performance standards and showing confidence that subordinateswill attain them.

L e v e l l: lr u r lu e Nc Eo N t NDt v t DUAL s Leadershipeffectiveness/success asmeasuredon individuals include may such things as: . Church attendance . Spirituality of the community . Religious education programs . Support for church activities/attendance . Donations of money and expertise . Growth in membership and facilities An interesting aspect of this is the relationship between the clergy and laity leaders.\7hen the relationship is healthy, the spiritual leader and laity leaders porentially have a very significant infuence on the individual church members.

Furthermore, research suggeststhere are three levels at which leadershipcan me measured: . Level I - the leaders infuence on individuals and individual performance . Level II - infuence on groups . Level III - infuence on the organization In the context of the Orthodox Church I suggest the following adaptation of the three levels. . Level i - how laity and clergy leaders infuence the church faithful . Level II -how laityand clergyleadersinfuence groups within the church community . Level III - how laity and clergy leadersinfuence the larger organization of the Metropolis and Archdiocese and Orthodox community at large

L e v e l ll: lNr lu e Nc Eo N G Ro u p s 'W'hen

we explore the church groups we have a very interesting dynamic. There are groups such as the religious education, philanthropic and administrative groups. Specifically groups such as Philoptochos, the Parish Council To extrapolate this concept we examine the effectiveness and the religious education department fall into this category. of our leader'sinfuence in the broadest range on the church But there are fraternal groups such as AHEPA and Daughters the supporting groups and the Orthodox community. of Penelope that also supporr the church, albeit in different ways. Leadership effectivenessof laity and clergy leaders is

keenly important here too. Since the majority of individual church members belong or participate in one or more of these groups the overall leadership effectivenesstends to ripple The consequences of throughout. good and bad leadership is manifested throughout. The interesting dynamic here is the influence that the leadersof these groups have within a church community. They may reinforce or conflict with each other which further challenge the clergy's leadership and effectiveness. This begs the question -Is the overall environment such that conflict resultsor an environment where cooperation and collaboration exist? Creating this harmonious environment is a measureof a leader'seffectiveness.In this casethe leaderwho createsthe environment is the parish priest. To be more specific, group leadershipmeasuresmight include: . . .

Each group's contribution to the benefit of the church community Degree of harmony and cooperation within and between groups Level of support provided by the lay and clergy leaders Degree to which these groups project a positive image of their religious community Each group's ability to attract quality members who are supportive of the church and its mission T he env ir onm e n tth a r s u p p o rtsc o n s tru c tivecri ti ci sm and or critical evaluation

LEVEL Level lll: lNplueNcEoN THEBRoADEST

watched by people like financial analysts and stockholders. \What is important to note is that short term financial gain can be shown at the expenseof the intangible health of the organization. I have heard people refer to this type of leadership as "mortgaging" the company. An example of mortgaging the company is when commercial nuclear power companies were competing for the longest operation between outages. The operations departments could keep the plants running to gain positive publicity aswell as demonstratea high level of performance to investors,but the iong-term effectson plant equipment were costly. Typically these costs did not fully reveal themselvesuntil those who reaped the glory were long gone, leaving their successorswith significant leadership i ssues. Regarding our Orthodox church we look to our bishops and our archbishops for leadership. \fhile the church does not have stockholders we do have stakeholders. \(/e have tangible measuresand real world financial issues,but I submit many of our senior leadershipmeasuresfall into the intangible category. Health of our church involves measuring the following: . Spirituality . Effectivenessof missionary efforts . Spiritual guidance . Education . Administration and administrarive oolicies \fhile this list is shorter than the others, these items represent huge responsibilities, and require significant leadershipskill.

This level of leadership infuence is most intriguing. Expectations tend to be the highest, results are diffused and followers are least familiar with the issuesaffecting decisions, Ho w r o M E A S URE and their perceptionsofleadership'sperformance.In measuring Actually measuring leadership effectiveness presents performance at this level successis evidencedby the health of other challenges. Going back to the Individual, Group the organization. and Organizadonal infuence along with the tangible and Health of the organization means different things intangible measures,the complexities become apparent. The depending on the context. In general there are tangible and tangible measuresare relatively straightforward in the form of intangible measures. Leaders are typically driven toward financial reports, membership numbers, church attendance, the tangibles such as financial results, stock performance etc. This article will suggest methods for measuring the depending on the industr;r, etc. These are measuresthat are intangibles. More importantly, we must keep in mind that for

Winter 2006

page45

a complete picture of leadershipeffectivenesswe must integrate the tangible and intangible results. If we don't integrate them, then we are setting ourselvesup for focusing on the tangibles, setting aside the intangibles, resulting in a skewed picture and making no improvement over the status quo, When measuring the intangible contributions that lead to effective leadership, the best way is to gain a rounded yet structured perception of the leader'sability to lead from the followers, peers and superiors. This is more commonly known asa 360'assessment. In addition we must measurethe infuence the leader has on his organization and the subsequenteffects. It is suggestedthat the 360' methodology be instituted cautiously. This instrument, in the religious context is not one for broad application, but it is valuable and should be used based on a well thought out pian with appropriate monitoring and analysis. On a broader level, surveying methods are one of the more widely used techniques for measuring the intangibles. The issuehere is the design and distribution of the survey, followed by the analysis, and then reporting of 6ndings. People tend to think that surveysare simple to design and straight forward to administer. In the realm of leadershipeffectiveness,measuring this impression is the farthest from the truth. Surveys to measureleadershipeffectivenessneed to be carefully designed, distributed, analyzedand then reported. lVhen done correctly extremely valuable information can be gleaned and then feed back to individual leaders,organizations, etc. In addition, the information in the right hands can be the basisfor ongoing and continuous improvement. Examples of a few survey questions at this level include: [a few of these need to be tailored to the church context] 1. The extent to which the Archdiocese and Metropolis communicate the church's values and soiritual expectationsof the laity. 2.

The extent ro which the Archdiocese and Metropolis provide structured mechanisms for laity involvement in decision making for all members of the Archdiocese and Metropolis.

The extent to which the Archdiocesan organization supports and enhances its efFortsto administer its mission and buiid the type of religious organization that can effectively meet future challenges.

l["* i *r.".*

The extent to which the Archdiocese and Metropolis give priority to religious education and demonstrates their commitment to the priority.

The extenr to which the goals and objectives of the Archdiocese and Metropolis are translated into specific performance expectations at all levels.Also, are there performance measures in place to provide feedback to all levels of performers regarding how well they are doing?

WHnr ro Do wrrH THEFTNDTNGs Analyzing the findings of performance measuremenr is the topic of a whole other article, centering on continuous improvement methods. Rather than offering superficial comments I prefer to address the issue in a separate article. -JTithout follow up on the findings from the measuremenr of leadershipeffectivenessand successsendssignificant and telling signalsabout the leadership. \When I started writing this series, the whole perspective was ro look at leadership in a holistic manner; a way of affecting positive changewithin the structure and traditions of our Holy Orthodox Church. If we, as an Archdiocese and religious community make a commirment ro

leadership development and measurement, we are accepting no excusesand only results. The alternative is to deal with leadership when it is convenient or in vogue which is worse than not even acknowledging the topic. Unfortunately the cat is out of the bag and as most of you who read these columns know that I have been calling for a level of commitment that is unprecedented in the past. Now is the time, we have the framework, we have the tools, now we need to make it happen.

Nore: Performancemeasurementis a complex and sensitiveissue. Knowing how to do it the right way is essential. Measuring leadership quality and effectivenessis even more difficult. The perspectives and views advanced in this article are more than this authort perspectiveon the issue. To be of value this work has to be grounded in research and proven performance in the area of measurement. To that end I want to thank my colleague and longtime friend, Anthony Ameo. Tony is a performance measurement professional who has studied at the University of Maryland, which is renown in performance measurement and has applied that learning by designing and implementing measurementsysremsin various organizarions. Tonyt contributions and critical evaluation have increasedthe value of this article significantly. Thank you, Tony.

A,C. Macris

is theprincipal of A.C. Mauis Consubants,a pratice that on organizational and management consuhing. He attends St. focuses Sophiaparish in New London, Connecticut where he chairs the St.John Chrysostom Oratorical Festiual. Earlier installments of this serieson leadership are available in back issuesof PRAXIS magazine,availablefor purchase through the Department of Relisious Educarionar www.religioused.eoarch.org. or call (800) 566-1088.

Winter2006

e"s"+z

SUNDAYOF ORTHODOXY

THETNcLEDTB LES A LE S S O N PLAN

Mouie

Mr. and Mrs. Incredible (two of many "Supers") were heroes in their time and saved the lives of people who were in trouble.

Mr. and Mrs. Incredible have kids and instruct them not to use their special powers that were passeddown through the blood-line because of how society viewed these powers.

Church

During the earlyyearsof growth of the Church, many Church livesweresavedthrough faith in Christ the Lord. The period of the iconoclasts infected the Church (from

Mouie

about the year 730-843) and subsequent generations of new Christians were told not to use the icons that were so specialto Christians before them.

Some of Mr. Incredible's acts of courage and methods of protecting the people were misunderstood by society. As a result, he and all the other "Supers" were forbidden Mouie from expressingtheir specialpowers - society thoughr Violet, the Incredibles' daughter, has trouble generating it was too dangerous. her force-field becauseshe cannot openly exerciseher special powers. She is frustrated, selFconscious,hurr Church Icons were misunderstood by society. The faithful used and unsure of her self. She was forced to hold back her true potential. them as aids in their worship (Iconoducles) to further venerate the people and events depicted in the icons. Church There were others who view icons as objects of worship The faithful feel a void in their faith becauserhey can (Iconoclasts) and fought to remove icons from the not openly use icons in their worship. This caused the churches and forbade the Orthodox Christians from sar,nereaction that Violet experienced. The Church was expressingtheir faith. forced to hold back her true potential.

page+8

Winter 2006

Mouie Mr . I nc r edible i s g e tti n g a c h a n c e to fi n a l l y use hi s powers again by carrying out secret missions for his new employer (a mysterious woman). Th. mysterious woman's master betrays her because of her favoritism towards Mr. Incredible, captures him and holds Mr. Incredible hostage.

Church

God is using EmpressTheodora to return to the Church its true worship potential. Sheencouragesthe Church to stand up for what is right and joins the fight to rescuethe faithful from the erroneousthinking of the lconoclasts. The Church is strengthened by the ,Jr,r.n of the icons to the Churches (putting on the Incredible's mask). Icons were finally brought back into the Church in the year 843, as celebratedas the tiumph of Orthodoxy. This is celebratedevery year during the First Sunday of Great Lent as the "Sunday of Orthodoxy."

For a period of time, the Church was allowed to use icons in her worship after the Empress Irene stopped the persecutionsof the lconocludes. The 7'h Ecumenicai council in787 upheid this position by oficially approving the use of icons again. Unfortunately, a succeeding \fhat were the true icons that were brought back into iconoclastic Emperor (Leo V) betrayed the decision of the Church? THE PEOPLE EmpressIrene and the Ecumenical Council and resumed the oersecution of the Orthodox Christians.

Yoware Liuinq lcons Mouie Mrs. Incredible realizesthere is a problem and goes out to rescueher husband. She finally realizesthe only way to save Mr. Incredible is to allow her family to finally exercisetheir powers to fight the evil that is behind her husband's captivity - the character Buddy. EmpressTheodora, Leo V's daughter in law who is now taking charge, seeksto rescue the Church by restoring the icons. Convicted by the Holy Spirit, Empress Theodora realizesthe Church needs to exerciseits faith by allowing icons to be veneratedand to fight against the enemy-The lconoclasts.

-incredible quotes from Mrs. Incredible as she is giving advice to here daughter (play DVD at chapter 19; time 73:20 ro a5:40). Could God Himself be giving you the same advice? o"Your identity is your most valuable possessionprotect it." r"And if anything goeswrong, use your powers." ."These bad guys will kill you ifthey get the chancedon't give them that chance." r"I'm counting on you, be strong." o"You have more power than you realize...it'sin your blood."

Mouie Mrs. Incredible encouragesher children to hold fast, be The editors would iike tt-r thank the unknown author of this courageousand to usetheir powersto protect themselves lesson plan for submitting it to the Department of Religious as she ventured out to rescuetheir father. Violet finally Education. ie"li"., what she must do and embraces her powers to fight the bad guys. All throughout the movie, her hair is covering half of her face- this is a sign of her frustration and selFconciousness. Once she is encouraged to use her powers to stand up for what is right, she puts on her mask and is now ready to engagein the battle. For the rest of the movie, Violet's hair is always pulled away from her eyesas a symbol of her new courage and selfrealization as a "Super." In the end, the family works together to rescueMr. Incredible and the evil "Buddy" is defeated.

PRAXTS-

,:.,:il.:lttir..

r:r:riilrililii:lir.,r

r ' r't:;:r::llrr.r, .lli.aail, rallltll:::

, :r r t,:ti ,,r i.,, . t::tititi::a:::iartr:

lir:illr.riiiip'I

: _\t

,rlll:::r.,

..:.

.,i,i:i,t::t::i::t::: 'a.r:i,r:::t::tarii:i:,

s YOUR COI'IPUTER

Tia*G IN,, lI|E,ll ST.RU ,,,,::,',:':,'.

PRAYERANDPRTPARATIO

ELrznserH Boncn

Hou easyit is to say, "My LordJesus, boue merc)/ ott me! I bless irl-readand clo this rvork or not. In a velv practical r'r'av,once we make this choice, we can gr:rcl,rallvfill ourselvesu;r rvith Thee,my LordJesus; help me!" - St. Macarius of Egypt the practiceof good things, which leavesiessroom in our lives ro be consumed bv lesserrhir-rgs.It doesn'thave to be bie. or W H v r s rHrs so H A R Dro oo? occup)-our entire drrr'.but u'e necd to start, be faithful to it, and allow Clod to provide the increase.The saints"filled" their UR LI V E , S A R E , IIU L L OF D IST R A(]TION S , lives r.vith holy living ro the degrce that thcv became saints complexitr'. lo somedegree,this is ,r n-ratterof r.r.ithu'or-rdcror.orking br-rsiness, relics.Thlor-rghGod\ gr'.rce, we all have ignore? Everr focus rvhnt we r'vhat rve on, do choice, do this samepotential. if our livcs are chaotic and busy, our minds clon'thave to be. We need to require ourselvesto lefocus our .rtteutiotr on olrr spilitunrl,inner life. \ile have the preciotrs tools of frrsting,almsgiving.Thesc tools are Orthodox praxis; pra1rs1t, Ir,{anyof us are recluiredto usc a computer to accon'rplish to stayspirituallv fit. How do that we r.reed the cltrcial exercises our regular r'vork,r,vhvr.rotutilize the computer for holy work with the n-rultitudeof demands we irccomplishspiritual fitr-ress computer can be an "instrument" of irs lr.ell?Your persor-ra1 on or-rrlives? grace, the bells, if yor-rrvill, calling you to prav, and e.'en prompting you by providing thc text easily.The comfruters \7e must take control of-our choices,slow our n.rindsand reliabilitv rnakes it a perfect renrinder to sa\.your personal hearts,and take the time to offer prayers.It is our choiceto qo

Pnnven

page50

Winter 2006

prayers following the direction of your spiritual father. What you are looking to do, is to establish a "set it and forget it" system. In this section, I have listed a few websitesthat have prayers and daily readings. The simplest way to accessthem regularly is to bookmark them to your toolbar, or set them as your home page when you open up your internet browser. Require yourself to visit this areafirst each day. After you have prayed, then begin your day of work. If you keep a browser window open on your computer, you might enjoy the website from Mt. Athos that allows you to light a virtual candlel \X/hat an encouragementto glance at throughout the day! http://www. goarch.org On the top menu bar, if you click on the online chapel, you will seea button, "Daily reading and daily saints,"On the right side at the bottom ofthe online chapel page, you can sign up to have this delivered to you as a free daily e-mail service.

many) by dragging and dropping them onto the virtual candlestand. This would make a pieasant browser to leave open on your desktop during the workday, since the candles do burn down, you may replacethem periodically, and thus say another prayer! During the day, if you are routinely at your computer when it is time to pray, a simple alarm clock feature can remind you to say prayers,and then with a click on your bookmark, your prayerscan be displayed.The computer doesn't do the praying for you, but it is able to remind you and even open up the bookl If you do not have internet access,but still work on a computer, you could creatâ&#x201A;Ź a document of prayers using any word processing program, and open that document at your prayer time. This would be a bit more labor intensive initially, but then, you would have prayers accessiblein a file, on your workstation.

If you click on Liturgical texts, which is located in the middle towards the bottom of the main page, you will get a One idea for a Church "family night" could be a computer list of numerous services,prayersand sacraments,accessed setupnight! As a group,everyonecould setup their own machines with just a click of the mouse. Theseare also availableat the very bottom of each document as a printer friendly version. http://www. antioch ian.ors/orthodox-Drayers Morning, midday, evening and occasional prayers are availablehere, also availablein a printer friendly format. http://www.oca.ors/OCSelect. asp?SID =2 A selection of morning, evening and occasional prayers. Available in a printer friendly format. http://www.myriobiblos.grltexts/en glish /prayerbook/main. htm This website, provided 6y Holy tinity Monastery, NY has an listings of and extensive prayers Jordanville, services. http:// biserica.org/Publicatii/ServiceBook/Pra)'ers/index. htm Here is a large index of prayers,both for specifictimes of the da,v,and various needs. 04004&c= 1 htto://www. i nathos.erlathos/en/athos.asp?m= You will need Macromedia shockwave to operate this website. (This is available as a free download at http:// www. macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download. cgi?P1-Prod-Version=ShockwaveFlash.)Here you will see a chapel on Mt. Athos, and be able to light a candle, (or

Winter 2006

page5 |

PRAXTS_

orwatch someonedemonstratethis. Invite children, reens,and adults, encouraging everyoneto use their computers for their s p i ri rualenhancemenr.

context, there is also a personalitv invenrory for the betrorhed ro fill out and examine. This tool can help the coupleto identify and discusspotenrial confficrs (and thus hopeFuLlyavoid

PRepRRRloru

them). Another handy tool in this CD is a customizablebulletin insert. This template allows you ro creare a preformatted, personalized bulletin, that includes a wrirren introducrion/ explanation to the marriage service. Since many non-Orthodox wiil likely attend a friend's wedding, this helps rhem to understand what is happening, and teach them abut the Orthodox faith.

We have the

conventronal tools of our

faith, as wellas some

unexpected ones to help

us on our path,

The sacramentsand servicesof the Orthodox faith are concentrated with significance and beauty. In order to deepen ones understanding of what is g o i n g o n duri ng rheservi ceor sacramenr, one can prepare oneselfby reading more about it beforehand. As noted above, on the GOA site, the full text of many servicesare availableif you would like to pre-readthe serviceor print it out to rake In addition to educaring oneself or along. By reading the epistleand Gospel a church school class, all of"these make lessonofthe day beforeservices,one can very good gifts for growing Godchildren, be ready to absorb the iessonmore fully catechumens or family members who when ir is read in church. are about to encounter one of these evenrs.Since they are independent ofthe Several CD's of instructional interner, the information is accessible material are available throush the just a computer. with Department of Religious EdJcation. These do not require internet access, 'A monk was once asked, '.\fhat making them workable on mosr do you do there in the monastery?',He compurers that are equipped with a CD "\7e fall and get up, fall replied, g.t Rom drive. ".,d up, fall and get up again." -Tito Colliander (20,h Century) Tlte Rryal Road - This is a thorough overview of Great Lent. Each week We will fall down in our spiritual explored chronologically, lending l i fe. B ur w e are nor al o ne or wit hour irself to regular use, as Grear Leni help. Ve have the convenrional tools of progresses.This would be ideal for use our faith, as well as some unexpected in most age groups as a Lenten study ones ro hel p us on our par h. O ur . hoi. . tool, or the framework for a Lenten is to follow rhe path, and continue ro qer srudy. up when we fall. Ba?tism and Chrismation - This CD wouid be excellent gift for new parenrsor an adult catechumen of the Orthodox faith. Thesesacramentsare expiained. Croun them u.,ith Gloty and Honor (Maniagd - In addition to information about what marriage is in an Orthodox

page 52

Winter 2006

Elizabeth north@ Praxis magazine.Sheis married to Holy Cross seminarian,Brad Borch,and hastwo chi/dren whosephotos occasional/yappear in praxis magazine.She is also a registerednurse who works with cardiac telemetrypatients at St. Elizabeth\Medical Centerin Brighton,MA.

OUR L IV I

RE LICS VrcrrCassrs

LTHOUGH THE STORIESTHEY PASS FROMGENERATIONTO GENERATION sometimesdon't seemimportant in our modern society, Yiayias are precious gifts. I wish for everyone to have a yiayia, and rhat they would listen to her. For me, the lessonsthat I learned from my yiayia would be repeated over the years to my own children, and to my church school students. While preparing to teach church school a few yearsago, I recalled the many lessonsI learned from my Yiayia. There were beautiful icons in her room, religious srories, heavenly incenseburning in her home, and the kondili or red 'With vigil light that always burned. my Yiayia, we heard and practiced church etiquette and learned the hand kneading of prosforo. Her green thumb allowed her to grow plants that were needed for the church's services.She made our name day or saint's day very special. One of the most memorable stories Yiayia told was of finding the Life-giving cross.As I sat in fronr of a group of first gradersone particular Sunday, I tried ro convey ro them what I knew about Tou Stavrou, or the Elevation of the Cross. I wanted to bring to life the day's procession,the meaning of the Life-giving Cross, and much more. I went on to tell the classabout Saints Constantine and Helen. The children sat quietly as I told them about this mother and son and their intent search for the cross upon which Jesuswas hung. I turned to an adult sitting with me in the class,and to my surprise, she did not know what I was going to say-she had nev,erheard the storyl Winter 2006

page53

PRAXI,

I continued with the srory, explaining rhat SS. Consranrine and Helen were seeking rhe cross, and had searched over a large territory of land in Jerusalem when Empress Helen told her son, the Emperor Constantine and his crew, ro starr digging where a fresh, sweet-smelling,greenplant was growing. The plant was sweer basil. This iswhy the cross sits on a rray surrounded by basil during rhe feasrof the Holy Cross.

in the Orthodox sense, rhe qrace rhat resulted from the embodime"nt of her faith, makes this aspectof her life worth imitating. Today I realize how special my yiayia Sophia was and how precious those momenrs were! These lessonsconrinue to affect those who, directly or indirectly, have been taught by her and all yiayias that teach their families to understand our faith. I know that we need these stories to be told to us, we need to hear them with the love and understandine of the many generarionsrhar came beior. us, and we need to continue to pass them along. \Wecling ro her memories as an important legacy to guide us in our lives.

This is a wonderful story to retell just as my Yiayia told it to me. How she would relish in talking about the precious cross of September 14! It is especially nice when parishioners can grow the basil to share in the tradition and celebrate the purity of this day. As place, like a mini church. \fe knew that the children prepared to process with Yiayia prayed every morning and night handcrafted crossesthat we had made (maybe more). When she left her parents For all the many days we called togerher in class; I recalled the lesson and family to begin a new life in a .rew Yiayia on her name day and wished her yiayia. At the country, that I was taught by she brought with her these "Chronia Polla!" we thought we helped -y was given some end of Liturgy everyone beautiful traditions. They are precious to her to live to her 9B,hyear- But orr.. ,h. basil to take home. us, and we don't want to lose them. had died, her stories came to a different level-a brighter and more important I especially recall the spiritual As my family reflects on our memory. The holiness of the Elevation of "life" in her voice when she ,el"ved rhi, memories of Yiayia, what was important the Cross, will be with me always. Three information. All of this made to her has become clearer to us. Her first years ago my Yiayia died on September -. "*"r. of how important our oral traditions are grandson recalls that, when he was a 14. Shewas buried on SeptemberlZ rhe to us. This is how we transmit so much teenager, a priest visited our church for feast day of St. Sophia, and her name of the richnessin our Orthodox faith. iVeek Holy (yes, Yiayia wenr ro every day. \7e shall not call her again to tell service). Yiayia remarked abour th. her "many years," but we will always Yiayia taught us many things, visitor, "He eyen walks like a Driest.', remember. particularly church etiquette. She taught This incident made a lasting impression us how to dress and sir r.spectably, ,r,d on that reen, who cherished it. That to be attentive. 'After all, we are in God,s teenager is today a Greek Orthodox Vichi Cottitffi house," she would say. priest, and that priest is now a bishop in Church Schoolfor hany years at Holu our holy Orthodox Church. Trinity GreehOrthodox Ciruh in Gran? Yiayia's tradition of taking the Rapids, Michigan. Recently,she returned incense burner throughout her house The dictionary defines a relic as to college.Shehas threechildreruand loohs every Saturday night affected all of us. "something the importance that has suryived the passage fory.uardtu communicating She had her red kondili (vigil light) lit of time, and our naditions. Her'email is: especially an object o. .rrr.ol "ffo*lb vickicassis@sbcglobal. near rhe icons on the wall in her bedroom. whose net. original culrure has disappeared, It was originally lit with oil and later something cherished and kept as a was converred to an electric lamp. There memenro or, "a religiou. Th. were more icons on the dresser.The large memories -.rnori"l.', ofher actions which reflect the Theotokos icon is especially love of Christ, "survived the passageof as it made the area into a -emor"bl. tinn holy time." \fhile her memory is not a relic p"g.5+

winter2006

St.Katherine

,N THE COMPANY OF THE SAINTS

St.John Chrysoxom

OnnroDoxlnno,r,oN ReucsrNTHEEnsrrRN

St.Mark

St.John of Damascus St.Mary Dn.BnucrBrcr

l N rnoouc roN N A,D. 787. IN THE, AFTERMATH OF THE ICONOCLASTIC CONTROVERSY and the ultimate "triumph of Orthodoxy," the Second Council of Nicaea anathematizedall those who despisedholy relics and set forth the canon that no church should be consecratedwithout them. St. John of Damascus (whose feast day is December 4 along with St. Barbara) was an ardent defender and champion of the veneration of both relics and icons againstthose rvho believed that this practice was idolatrous (the Iconoclasts). The Iconoclastsapplied the

sameprinciple to relicsas they had demonstratedwith icons, breaking open shrinesand burning the bodies of saintsburied in churches. St. John saw clearly,as did the Iconoclasts,the inherent connection berween relics and iconsl in fact, he arguesfor the use of icons by showing their similariry to the bones of the saints, thus showing that icons and relics are similar in nature. They both belong to the larger category of holy objectsthrough which God works wonders (like the rod of Moses).St. John wrote, Tell me, is it not fitting to worship the saints,rather than to throw stonesat them as you do? ... And if the bones of

Winter 2006

page55

the just are unclean, why were the bones of Jacob and Joseph brought with all honour from Egypt? ... If God works wonders through bones, it is evident that He can work them through images,and stones,and many other things.... The physical remains of the Saints of our Church are foundational for the consecrationofour sanctuariesand in the liturgies celebratedtherein. Throughout the world, wherever Orthodox Christians gather to celebrate the Eucharist, the altar entombs the blessedrelics of one or more Saints, whose presenceabides among the faithful. \7hat then makes the practiceof the veneration of relics,including their entombment within the altars, so important for Orthodox praxis? \fhy do we as Orthodox Christians take every opportuniry to touch and kiss material objects endued with holiness, such as icons, the hand of a priest, or the tomb or relic of a saint? This article will hopefully shed light on this important aspectof our Holy Tiadition, by giving voice to some of our most reveredChurch Fathers on the subject of relics and their importance in our spiritual lives.

OrrcnvEwoF Rilcs rNTHECxuncnFenrm A good definition of "relics" (in Greek ta leipsana)is "the mortal remains of holy persons,or objectssanctifiedby contact with them." The first relicsveneratedby Christians were those of the martyrs. Secondaryrelics are things such as instruments of Christ's or the martyr's passion,articles of clothing, etc. The first post-biblical Christian reference to relics may be found in the Martyrdom of Polycarp. After attesting that Polycarp'sexecution (A.D. 156-157) was attended by many miracles, the Christians of Smyrna go on to describe how they removed his remains after his corpse had been cremated according to the custom of the Romans: Thus we, at last, took up his bones, more precious than precious stones and 6ner than gold, and put them where it was meet. There the Lord will permit us to come together according to our power in gladnessand joy, and celebratethe birthday of his marryrdom, both in memory of those who have already contested, and for the practice and training of those whose fate it shall be. ]n this mid-second century account of the veneration of the relics of Polycarp, we learn that there was a practice memorializing the saint at his tomb at least annuaily, and that

page56

Winter 2006

they served to not only remember the life of the saint, but also to embolden and renew the resolveof the Church during frequent persecutionsby the Romans. S t. C yri l of A l exandri a (+ 444), i n a w o r k def ending Christianity addressedto the Apostate Emperor Julian, attested to the practiceofveneration ofrelics, and clarified the difference between their worship and veneration. He wrote, "'W'eby no means consider the holy martyrs to be gods, nor are we wont to bow down before them adoringly, but only relatively and reverentially." St. Cyril is answering the charge of idolatry against the Christian practice of venerating the relics of the martyrs, makesthe distinction betweenworship and veneration of the saints that is picked up again four centurieslater during 'S7e will see further below that the Iconoclastic controversy. veneration is not worship of the saint, but rather worshipping God in the company and cornmunion of the saint through proximiry to his or her holy relics. St. Gregori' of Nyssa gives us a most vivid witness to the veneration ofrelics from the fourth century in his eulogy ofthe martyr St. Theodore. He exhorts the worshipper to approach the tomb of a marryr "believing that to touch it is itself a sanctification and a blessingand if it be permitted to carry off any of the dust which hassettledupon the marryr'srestingplace, the dust is accountedas a great gift and the mould as a precious treasure." Through his briefwords here, St. Gregory highlights rwo more aspectsof relics; first, the believer who touches the tomb of the martyr not only "memorializes" his or her death, but receives "sanctifcation and a blessing"from touching this holy object; and second, the holiness spreadsfrom its source to everything that it comes in contact with. So, the righteous soul of the saint, by its living in the body, thus sanctifiesthe body even after the soul has departed. Then, the saintt body sancrifiesthe tomb in which it is held; the tomb even passesits holiness "contagion" onto the dust or mold that settleson it. The believertakeswith him or her some of this sanctification as they return to their cities and homes. This is a frequent theme in the Fatherswhen the saintsand the veneration of their relics are discussed.

REucsrNHoLYScRrprune The belief in the power of holy objects, particularly the tombs and bodies of the holy people, was not new to the Christian faith. According to the Gospels, Jesus points to the practice in Jerusalem of building up the tombs of the

patriarchs and the prophets, and states that those who do this thereby "testify" to their deeds and martyrdom.s Much earlier in II Kings, the power of relics is depicted vividly when aecorpse is thrown into the same grave as the great prophet Elisha and when it comes into contact with Elisha's corpse, the man is brought back to life (while Elisha's body remains unchanged).10

the dead. Why? Becauseif Eliseus had arisen, the deed would have been ascribedto his soul alone, and to show that even in the absenceof the soul there is a mysteriousPouer in the body of the saints, becauseof thejust soul which dwe/t in it so many years and usedits ministrjt. Ler us not foolishly disbelieve,asthough this had not happened; for if the application to the sick of handkerchiefsand aprons,11mere appurtenancesof the body, raisedthem up, how much more should the Prophet'sactual body raisethe dead. ''

This resurrection event narrated in II Kings, which so clearly depicts the residual sanctity and charisma of a holy person's body after death, attracted the attention of several Church Fathers in their teaching and preaching about relics. Here St. Cyril of Jerusalem explains why this miracle For example, St. Cyril of Jerusalem,in his catecheticallecture happened the way it did; why the Prophet was not raised, but about the resurrection of the dead, refers to this account, rather oniy the corpsethat touched the prophet'ssoullessbody. saying: It was in order to teach us that "there is a mysterious power in the body ofthe saints" due to the fact that a righteous soul I have passedover Elia and the widow's son whom he dwelt in that body for so long. The body is transformed; its raised, and Eliseus, who rwice raised from the dead, transformation changesthe natural course from corruptible to once while he was living and once after his death. incorruptible, from inert decay to radiating sanctification and 'When alive, he wrought the resurrection through his healing power. St. Cyril wants his catechumensto understand soul. But not only to honor the soulsof the just, but (and we would be weli to heed as well): let us not foolishly alsoto instillfaith in thepower inherent in the bodiesofthe disbelieve that the relics of the saints are inert or "merely just, when the corpsecast into the sepulcherof Eliseus symbolic;" they contain "the power inherent in the bodies of touched the dead body of the Prophet, it came back the just" and can provide sanctification and blessings to us to life. The dead body of the Prophet performed the who believe. function of the soul, and his buried corpse quickened the dead, itseli after imparting life, remaining among

martyr's bones, but even their tombs and chestsbrim with a great deal of blessing." He advises to take the oil that has touched the martyrs' relics and anoint the whole body with In the fourth century and onwards, relicswere often placed it.1e Elsewhere,he describesthe benefits of relics to be for "the in a martyrium, a building containing one or more tombs of healing of fevered bodies and forgivenessof sins, removal of martyrs. St. John Chrysostom, in his sermon On Holy Martyrs, evil, treatment of diseasesof the soul, incessant prayer, bold encouraged his flock to spend time in such mar4,ria, so that speech with God - everything spiritual and brimming with by being "in the company of the saints" they could receive heavenly blessings."2O St. Gregory of Nazianze mentions "the spiritual refreshment. Here is an excerpt from his sermon: chasing away of demons, the curing of the sick, the causing of

BerrucrNTHECovparuY oF THESnrxrs

\Thenever the crowd of affairs and multitude of dayto-day worries ... spreadsa thick darknessover [your] mind ... leave fyour] house, exit the ciry say a firm farewell to theseconfusions and go offto a marqzrium, enjoy that spiritual breath of fresh air, forget [your] substantial preoccupation, luxuriate in the peaceand quiet, be in the companyof the saintr, ... pour out much supplication and, when lyou] have shed the weight from [your] consciencethrough all ofthese actions,go back home with considerablerefreshment.L3 In addition to being "in the company of the saints," St. John here mentions that being close to the saint's relics makes it an ideal place to pray intensely. Though he does not expiicitly sayit, he implies that the supplicationsare assistedby the saint'spresenceand may also involve asking for the saint's assistanceand intercessions. Elsewhere in the same sermon On Holy Martys, St. ]ohn is awed by the efficacy of the saints' presence at the martyrium, noting that his congregation is more responsiveto the silence of the saints than the sounds of his own sermonsl In particular, he notes that "the image of the martyr itself and the memory of all their good deeds" at the martyrium produces "copious fountains of tears" and enthusiasticprayers.ta There are many examples of healings taking place at the tombs of the saints, where their presenceis mysteriously distilled or concentrated.'5 The oractice of "incubation" is a good example of this ph..ro-..ronl this is the practice of sleepingin the Church sanctuary,often near the saint'stomb, in order to receivehealing or a blessingthrough the intercessions or actions of the saint(s).16Martyria often functioned as places of incubation, as St. Gregory of Nyssa'sSecondHomily 0n t/1e Forty of Sebastetestifes,lT Touching relics had many other salutary effects on the faithful. St. Basil wrote, "He who touches the bones of a martyr partakes in the sanctity and grace that reside in them."r8 Similarly, St. John Chrysostom says "Not just the

page58 I

Winter 2006

visions and predictions of the future" as some of the benefits bestowedto those who veneraterelics.2l St. Asterius ofFersanother summary of the beneficial uses of the martyrium of St. Phocasin Sinope; he writes, The thoroughfaresfrom everycountry arefull ofpeople coming to this place of prayer. This splendid shrine is a place of relaxation for the affiicted, a resourceof the needy, a surgery for the sick, and Egypt for the hungry. ... As when in wintertime the doves through need of food fly to the recently sown land and gather there, so the host of wandering poor assembleson the Isthmus of Sinope as ar a common storehouse.22

Let me offer one final excerpt from St. John Chrysostom on the benefits of venerating the physical remains of the saints and spending time in their midst: Marryrs' coffins are nothing else but safe harbours and fountains of spiritual streams and inexhaustible warehousesof abundance that are never embarrassed. Indeed, just as harbours render safe the ships they receive swamped by numerous waves, so too do the martyrt coffins render our souls quite calm and safe when they receive them swamped by day-ro-day affairs. And just asthe fountains of cold streamsrevive bodies that are worn out and burning up with fever, so too in fact do these coffins cool souls infamed by inappropriate passions. From sight alone they quench inappropriate desireand consuming enr.1z and seething rage.. ..'3

St. John describes at least three characteristics of relics in this portion of his sermon: first, the biessingspouring our from relics are inexhaustible, even if they are divided and distributed; second, the "sight" of the coffin or relic has a real

$::rlfa: ,::r'::::::i:.:

!i*.:{tr, i i l f

or metaphysicaleffect on the faithful seer. This theology of the metaphysical effects that reiics have on those who approach them can perhapsbe seenbest by looking at a negativeexample, -- how demons react around relics. In another sermon by St. John, he describesvividly the repulsiveefFectsa martyr's bones have on those who are demon possessed:"without a doubt you'11seethem jumping back and feeing. For they instantly leap right out of the front doors as if about to set foot on hot coals,and they don't dare to look directly at the coffin itself."2a The demon possesseddon't even have to look at the coffin to feel its effects,to be repulsedby the "magnetic 6eld of hoiiness" emanating from the relics. So great is the power of the ashesof the saints that it doesn'tjust sit inside the remains, but extends beyond them and repels the unclean powers and abundantly sanctifiesthose who approach with faith."15 A third aspect of relics that St. John mentions briefy here, but elsewhereat some length, is the inexhaustible and contagious nature of their powers and blessings. He often, as here, compares relics to a fountain whose source is endless, supplying abundantly to all who come and dip their vesselsin its waters;it flows out of the hollow of the spring and effectsone thing after another that it comes in contact with. John recalls from Scripture (Acts 19:12)how the healing power emanating from the apostleswere sent out to those in need of healing.

Reuc oF rHEHor-vCnoss Let me mention briefy the fact that some relics are objects that were used by or came in contact with Christ, a marryr, or a saint. The most celebratedexample of a relic of this type is the All Holy and Life-Giving Cross, upon which our saviour died and through which the world was saved. Its veneration dates to at least the fourth century. \7e learn from St. Cyril of Jerusalem(before A.D. 350) that the wood of the Cross was already distributed throughout the world. St. Gregory Palamas,in his treatise On the Holy lcons writes, "You should venerate not only the icon of Christ, but also the similitude of His cross.For the cross is Christ's great sign and trophy of victory over the devil and all his hostile hosts; for this reason they tremble and flee when they seethe figuration of the cross. This figure, even prior to the crucifixion, was greatly glorified by the prophets and wrought great wonders."26 The cross came to not only refer to the event of Jesus' crucifixion, and all the import of this historical event for rhe world, but also came to be venerateditself as a material object.rt The Holy Friday liturgy demonstrates this transformation quite clearly.

Winter 2006

page59

SnNcrrncATroN oF THE

BooYDunrncLrre The body rs transformed;

its transformatton chanqes

the natural course from

Corruptible to incorruptible

Before concluding, I want to return to the teaching of St. Cyril ofJerusalem on the sanctity of the saint's body. He taught thar "there is a mysferiousplwer in tbe body of tbe saints, becauseof thejust soul which dweh in it so many years and usedits ministry."28 Severalof the Fathers build on this idea of the sanctification of the body by the soul, seeing it as a processthat occurs during the course of the saint's life rather than after his or her death.

To Gregoryof Nyssa"the body of the asceticbeginsalreadyon earth to Iive the life beyond procreation and nutrition it will have in heaven.... We must begin (in this life) the journey

relics of his sisterwho was still alive. He writes about his sisrer, "For the image I had seen was indeed true - the relics of a holy martyr which had been dead in sin, but now were resplendent with the indwelling power of the Spirit."3r Since the processofsanctification ofthe body begins during the life of the saint, some of the Fathers stressedalso to all the faithful that they should take care of how they treat their bodies and what they do with them. Cyril ofJerusalem instructs his catechumens that they should "trear rhis body with care, I pray yov, and understand that with this body you will rise from the dead to be judged."32

Co t t c lu s t o N

The tombs and relics of the saints serve as physical mediarors between heaven and earth and therefore are the convictions in this regard: 1) that focus of mortal pilgrimage and prayer, asceticism on earth would be reflected The relics of saints retain traces of their in the heavenly body, and 2) that his righteous soul while they were on earth, sisterMacrina'sand brother Basil's and therefore touching them or being physical remains were relics, as much as in their presence affords the believer a host of benefits,including sanctification, ih. ,".r.d remains of any marryr. blessings, the gift of ardent, heart-felt prayer,healing, and peacethat the world In St. Gregory's Life of St. Macrina, cannot give. May we be able to see the heresolvestovisithissisterMacrinaafter coffins and altarsofthe saints.and receive a period of about eight years apart. On spiritual refreshment from having been the way, St. Gregory had a dream which made him anxious about the future; he in the company of the saints. dreamed that he was carrying relics in Throughout the world, wherever his hands that shone forth like brilliant Orthodox Christians gather to celebrate rays reflecting from a mirror facing the the Eucharist, the altar entombs the sun.30 After he visited with his sister who was very ill, and having retired to blessedrelicsofone or more Saints,whose his room, the secret of his dream was presenceabidesamong the faithful.

frominertdecay to :Jl*,:::i.Ti:g":H;lr'rfflT: radiating sanctification and

healing

pOWef.

revealed to him. Gregory saw that the relics which he had beheld in his dream were not that of the martyrs who had already passedon to the next life, as he had previously supposed, but rather the

So, the righteous soul ofthe saint, by its living in the body, thus sanctifiesthe body even after the soul has departed.

The body is transformed; its transformation changes the natural course from corruptible to incorruptible, from inert decay to radiating sanctification and healing power. Since the processof sanctification of the body begins during the life of the saint, some of the Fathersstressedalso to all the faithful that they should take care of how they treat their bodies and what thev do with them.

Dr. Bruce Bech is AssociateDirector of the PappasPanistic Institute of Hob Cros Greek Orthodox Schoolof Theology. He is a graduate of Haruard Diuinity Schoolwith a 7hD in New Testamentand Early Christian Studies. He resides in Newburyport,Massachusetttw/tere he is a memberof AnnunciationGreekOrthodoxChurch. (Notes)

' "Relics," OxfordDictionary of the Christian Church,p. 1170. '?St. John of Damascus,,4pologiaAgainst Those'VhoAttach the Diuine Images,no. 1, par.45 in online text http://w.ccel.org/ccel/damascus/ icons.ii.html. 3 "Relics,"The Oxford Dictionaryof Byzantium,vol.3, p.7779. a 7heMartyrdom of Polycatp,18.2-3, 7heApostolicFathers,trans. Kirsopp Lake, vol 2 (Cambridge:Harvard Universiry Press,I976) p. 337. 5 AgainstJulian,vi, PG. L)OOil, 812; trans. "Relics", websiteNewAduent, hrrp : / / w . n e w a d v e n r . or g /ca th Ie1n2 - 3 4 a .h m . 6 PG., XLVI, 735-48; trans."Relics",website/\'/rn Adaent,http://w. newadvent.org/cathenI L2734a.htm. 7 lbid, co|.740. 8 Seeparticularlythe wording of Lrke11:47-51: alsoMat23:29. e 2 Kings 13:21; similarly, seealsothe miraclesxsociated with the mantle of Elijah in 2 Kings 2:14. t0A referenceto Acts 19:12 where the handkerchiefsand apronsofthe Apostle Paul were brought to the sick to heal them. 11Lecturei8 par. 16, "On the Words:'Ard in One Holy CatholicChurch: and in the Resurrectionofthe Flesh,and in Life everlasting,"'TheWorksof Saint Cyil ofJerusalem,voI.2, translatedby Leo P McCauley and Arthony A. Stephenson(\X/rohington:The Catholic University ofAmerica Press), p. 12 9 . p PG 50, 649, 4-78 translatedJohan Leemanset d, 'Let us Die That \X/e May Liue:' GreekHomilies on Christian Martlrs fom ,4siaMinor, Pdlestine and Syriac. AD 350-AD 450 (London:Routledge,2003),pp 10-11. 1r St. John Chrysostom,I Homily on the Holy Martys, Leemans,p. 120. t1 For example,seeSt. Basil'ssermonOn the Forty Marryrs of Sebaste 8 (PG 31, 523), andSt. Gregoryof Nyssa,On Thedore(GNO X, 1/2, 70-71); cited alongwith other examplesin "Let U Die ThatWeMay Liue:" GreehHomi/ieson ChristianMartyrsfrom -hia Minor, Palestineand Syria c. AD 350-AD 450, JohanLeemanset al.,p. 48, fn.27. '5 Most often the sanctuarieswere dedicatedto a saint lvho is known for their healing powers,such as to Sts.Cosmasand Damiar 16 GregoriiNyseni OperaX,l12,166-167. nrSt. Bmil, Homifi on Psalm115 (PG 30, 112);cited by Leemanset a[. p.

John Chrysostom,OnJulian,PG 50,673; cited in Leemanset al, p. 12. '0 Leemans,etal, p. 12; St. Gregoryof Nazianze,AgainstJulianI,69. 2rSt.Asterius,On Phocas 9.2-3. 2r St. John Chrysostom,I Homily on theHolTMar4,rs,Leemans,p. 121. '?r St. John Chrysostom,,4 Homily onJulian theMartyr, trans Wendy Mayer,p. 133, in Leemanset al 2a'WendyMayer, John Chrlsostom,p. 87. 2tText quotedfrom http:l/q.wrv.rlon:rcLos.net/parristics/lalarnas on ieons.shtrnl. 26Nathan D. Mitchell, "The Crossthat Spoke," TheTiddition of the Cros, p.72. ':- St. Cyril of Jerusalem,TheVorks of Saint CJril ofJerusdlem,Lectwe 18 par. 16,vol . 2, p.129. 28 St. GregoryofNyssa,On theSouland Resunefiion,PG46, cols.97cofthe BodTin 98c; quoted from Caroline \(alker Bynum, 7heResurrection WesternChristianiry,200 - 1336 (New York: Columbia University Press, 1995),p.84. '?eThe Life of Macrina, text from Lowther Clarke, \(K., TheLife of St. Macrina, (London: SPCK, 1916). Headingsprovidedby Paul Halsall,as part ofthe Internerl4edievalScrLrce llool (December1997),online f,rtp.,'i mrv.fordham.edulhalsrlllbrsislmacrila.html.The section is "G regory Resolvesto Visit His Sister." 3o lbid, section "She Sends Gregory Away to Rest Himself." See also description of St. Julian by St. John Chrysostom,A Homily on Julian the Marryr, trans Mayer, p. 132, in Leemanset al. 3' Cyril ofJerusalem, Oration 4, par.30; compareOration 18,par 20 where the stainsofsin remainin the body (the oppositeofbodily sanctification).

'8 St.John Chrysostom,I Homily on Matyrs, (PG 50, 664); translation 'WendyMayer and PaulineAllen , John Chrlsostom(London: Routledge, 2000 ) .p . 9 6 .

Winter 2006

page6 |

PMXI, ',]

..::1 \.

' 1. ,: ,..-.'..,: ,.

.,,i,,i, , "'*.t.:,

:. : .

'':. 1.,,i

/ztry

i' :.d:

Ltn Lewts

HRISTMAS HAS COME AND GONE ONCE AGAIN. Everyyear we give pricey gifts to our friends and family. IWe give to the less fortunate, the poor, the homeless. And once this special seasonis over, we return to our usual lives. That is, we go about our lives and consider the other eleven months of the year as that "unspecial" and "routine" time of year. During this special time, we seem to be happier and more friendly to our neighbors. There are myriads of television Christmas specialsshowing the positive side of humanity. It's just unfortunate that we behavelike Ebenezer Scrooge the rest of the year and not like Jesus Christ. Christmas is the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is the beginning of the fulfillment of Godt Promise to His children: eternal life. Christmas is only a step in our journey towards The point of Christmas is the Resurrection. to embracethis Promise all year and not just in December. A Promise is an act by a person to fulfill a bargain of sorts or a task. The Promiser (in this case, God) follows through for the Promisee (in this case,us). Ve confuse Christ's birthday with His sacrificefor us. His birth is the beginning of the fulfillment of Godt Promise to His children, "'For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlastinglife" John

t,i.,l,i 'li,:r ,

, ,,,11, :!:. l'

.ir!..i , !:.I, .^. ;ii.;#.ij I '

it"l

i ,:,:i::l:

!i'. .. .11r.,1

;:;lil

Charlle Brown! During Christ's "birthday" season,we pray for peace. However, "peace and good will toward all" becomesa happy memory on January 2"d (the officiai end of the Christmas season). tWe forget that "peace and good will toward all" should be practiced all of the time. \7e talk about the magic of the seasonas if we could wave a wand or saya magic speil and conjure up that peace. \7e give until our wallets bleed and bandage them on January 2"d and think we've done our Christian duty. tWhen in fact, we should give of our time, energy and talents that God has given all of us until our neighbors are really free from pain and at peace. Instead,we get caught up in the commercialism at the local department store and fret over which toy to buy for our children rather than tending to the needsofour neighbor. An apt microcosm of our world at Christmas is the animated tale, A Charlie Brown Christmas. Charlie Brown is the lovable loser. He's the kid some of us were in grade school. In the cartoon, he is given the task of organizing the Christmas pageant for the group. Also, he's in charge of finding and buying the biggest, "bestest" Christmas tree for the pageant. Charlie Brown finds a lonely and pitiful little tree for their event. During their rehearsalfor the Christmas Pageant,the Peanutsgang gets caught up in the hustle and bustie of commercialism of Christmas and forget the true meaning of God's Promise. tVhen they see what kind of tree Charlie Brown has bought, they laugh and humiliate him. Charlie Brown walks away with his pitiful tree in disgrace.

the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was wirh the angel a multitude of the heavenly host prai si ngC od and sayi ng: "Glory to God in the highest,And on earth peace, goodwill toward menl" The Peanuts gang in their humility, hear Linus and they seek out Charlie Brown and show him their "peace and good will." (They help make the sad little tree a beautiful tree through their love oftheir friend). If onlywe could be like the Peanutsgang and love each other with the same passion that his friends showed Charlie Brown when they decorated the little tree. More importantly, if only we couid be as forgiving as Charlie Brown is towards his friends. It's Christmas time again. It is the fulfillment of God's Promise that He gave to us. God's Promise is realized at the Crucifixion and then at the Resurrection. Let's live that all of the time and not iust in December.

Lia Leuis graduatedfrom Holy CrossGreekOrthodox At this point, Linus takes the Peanutsgang to task Seminarl in Brookline,MA in 2001 with a Mastersof Diuinity degree.She is employedby tbe Uniuersityof by quoting to them Luke 2:8-74: Now there were in the samecountry shepherds Medicinedt"Dentistryof NewJersey. living out in the fields, keeping watch over their fock by night. And behoid, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of

Winter 2006

page63

DIpNnTMENT OF

RrrrcrousEnucnrroN Menru,tct CD-ROM i.sn,,;it-;.t:i; f rtitrror

smw&

diaCD-ROM

This interactivemultimediaCD-ROM is a wonderfulresourcefor anyonewishingto explorethe rich tradition of the Sacramentof Holy Matrimony.Theprogramcontainsa wealthof information, including the text of the entiremarriageservicewith commentary and video clips;narratedreadingsfrom Scriptureand the Fathers; over | 50 articles;and severalpuzzles. In addition,it includesan extensivemarriagequestionnaire with a printablereport suitablefor couplesplanningmarriageor printablemarriagebrochureto alreadymarried;acustomizable, giveto gueststhat describesthe marriageservice,and a feature that allowsusersto createand savetheir own "pathways"through for a couplecontemplating the CD.ThisCD-ROM is appropriate marriage,in a church-schoolsetting,or by an individualor family wishingto learnmore aboutthis sacrament.

Explore the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony and its importance for all believers! The program is priced at $39.95 (plus s/h). To order, call the Department of Religious Education at (800) 566-1088.

YES! I would like to subscribe to

PR,4XIS M"gaztne!

Pleaseencloseyour check along with the lower portion of this page and mail to:

PRAXIS Magazine Department of ReligiousEducation 50 Goddard Avenue Brookline, MA 02445, USA

For a singlesubscription (4 issues),pleasesenda check in U.S. funds payableto: Department of ReligiousEducation (US$): SuescmprroNRATBs W r r r r r Nr r r n U.S.:....$rs.oo CeNaoeecMsxrco: . gr8.oo INrnnNerroNAL: .......$4o.oo

is (pleasecheckone): This subscription !

for me

a gift (paidfor by:

Name (on subscription): Address:

City:

State/Province:

Country:

ZiplPostalCode:

P ho n en u m b e r : Faxnumber: Home ParishName & City: E-MailAddress:

LearnByzantineChantis a webenabtedmultimediapresentation that inctudes futtyinteractive presentations of the hymns for over twenty of the most importantOrthodoxfeasts.You can seeand heareachof these hymns,sungin both Greekand performedby bothmate Engtish, andfematevoices.

DIpNnTMENTOF

RrucrousEnucerroN ByzNNTINECUENI

CD-ROtrzt

Eachhymnhasfutty interactive controls,and inctudes informationon the feast:lcon,Theology,HistoryRubrics,Scriptures, and Canons,and an interactive puzzle. Youcan print out each hymnvindividuatty, or print a[[ 42 hymnsat once. Thisprojectis made possiblethroughthe effortsof the faculty of The HotyCross Schoolof Theotogy, membersof the NationalForumof Greek Orthodox ChurchMusicians,and other dedicated individuatsinterestedin the promotionof Byzantine music. The project director is Rev. Dr. Frank Marangos,Director of RetigiousEducationfor the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America,and Adjunct Professor of ReligiousEducation and Homiteticsat Hoty Cross GreekOrthodoxSchoolof Theology. The project is funded by a generousgrant from The WabashCenter for Teaching and Learningin Theotogyand Retigionto promoteand study the useof technotogy in teachingtheotogy.

(;RLIK ORTIIODOX \RCHDt(X:l:Slior,{\tlRItl,\ r"""'-

Windows

& Macintosh* Multimedia CD-ROM

lnteractivelylearn21 Orthodoxhymns, presentedin Greekand [ngtish "

LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY IN A LL W I S DO M , T E A CHI NG A N D ADM O NI S HI NG O NE ANOTHER IN PSALMSAND HYMNS AND SPIRITUAL S O N G S ,S I NG I NG W I T H GRACE IN YOUR HEARTSTO THE LORD. ColossIRNS 3:16

Orderyourfree copytoday!Contactthe Department at of Retigious Education retigioused@goarch.org 1088 or 800-566(S/Hfee appties).

w ffi

# w

w ffi ry

REIorcrNGrN ONs

LoRp,JrsusCHrusr

.r:

w re ^%

Educationis pleasedto announce The Departmentof Religious the releaseof Grade 9, Unit I of the CANA Curriculum,the Departmentof ReligiousEducation'sHigh-Schoolcurriculum. This publicationis the first in the seriesthat,when completed, will includethree unitseachfor grades9 through 12.Eachunit directions, and will containa full set of lessonplans,easy-to-follow order,call (800)566-1088and extensivesupportingmaterials.To re q u eslttem#90l , $ 17.95 .

ffiffi -e

ffi

PRAXIS READER SURVEY Dear Praxis Reader, The Department of Religious Education of the Greek Orthodox Archdioceseof America is committed to providing the best tools for teaching and learning the Orthodox faith. In order to sustainthis obligation, the editorial staffof PMXIS will include a short questionnairethat will evaluatean aspectof the educational processin every issue. The following questionnaire invites our readersto provide input on the content of PRAXIS magazine.The data obtained from this survey will help the DRE to better serveyour needs.

Pleasetake a mzment to completethis suruey,and mail or fax it to:

How much time doesyour parish allocate 3. weekly for Religious Education?

tr E E E 2.

1 or morehours ll2 to t hour 0 to 30 minutes None

tr Videos/DvD's D Interactive CDk

Please checkthe groupingsof formal that your ReligiousEducationclasses parishcurrentlyoffers. E Preschool E Kindergarten E Elementary(grades1-6)

tr MiddleSchool(grades 7-9) tr tr tr E tr tr

tX/hat types of media doesyour parish currently use in Religious Education classes? E PrintedMaterial

Highschool(grades10-12) CollegeAge SingleAdult MarriedAdults Sr. CitizensGroup All Adults

E Audio Recordings cassette/CD tr Internetlectures/downloads 4.

\7hat is your parishs averagestudent/teacher ratio?

tr 5:l tr 10:1 tr 15:1 tr 20:1 orgreater 5. Pleasetell uswhat you think would be the mosthelpful materialsfor your ReligiousEducationprogram.

Praxis Survey Department of Religious Education Greek Orthodox Archdioceseof America 50 Goddard Ave., Brookline, MA 02445 Fax: (617) 850-1489 Thank you for your assistance!

E* *{l

'*l

15:

4 E:

i;:

,g: t:

=i%* .F,s

lt L I

',/ f1,.*'' .)

Tr$lffiqtE

Clrurr<C)rrHoDox

ARcrrotocl(r orAM ERICA FDLrr;'t: rttN [)[t,Attf MlNTof RlLlcr(]tJs lo ( l()f)DARD.\\ir,. l'ilr()oKLINr. Nl-\ 02.145

I Xo" pron.Clg.

U.S. Postage PAID Leominster,MA Permit No. 17