Saint Sophia Blog (All Categories)
Entering the Mystery of Christmas »
December 12th, 2019 Posted in Daily Meditations
By Fr. Stephen Freeman, December 9, 2017 Orthodox Christianity is deeply associated with the word “mystery.” Its theological hymns are replete with paradox, repeatedly affirming two things to be true that are seemingly contradictory. Most of these things are associated with what is called “apophatic” theology, or a theology that is “unspeakable.” This same theological approach is sometimes called the Via Negativa. This is easily misunderstood in common conversation. An Orthodox […]
Figures of the Nativity—The Angels »
December 11th, 2019 Posted in Daily Meditations
By Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis, December 7, 2018 If we can supposedly find ourselves in all the figures of the Nativity, how can we possibly be angels? The answer is simple. What is the role of an angel? Well, there are two roles actually—Angels praise God, and angels are God’s messengers, and we are capable of doing both. How do we praise God? Well, the same way the angels did. With […]
The Morality of Christmas »
December 10th, 2019 Posted in Daily Meditations
By Fr. Stephen Freeman, December 5, 2017 Morality is tricky business in what is an extremely moral society. I pray my readers to be patient with me as I explain what I think is the problem. First, I will note that morality is all that is left when the most fundamental grounds of a culture have been destroyed. We indeed live in just such a time, hence the rise of a vehemence […]
Figures of the Nativity—The Shepherds »
December 9th, 2019 Posted in Daily Meditations
By Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis, December 5, 2018 No parent in Bethlehem two thousand years ago hoped that their child would grow up to be a shepherd. Being a shepherd was a dangerous, lonely and nomadic life. It was dangerous, because sheep were often prey for wolves and other dangerous animals. Shepherds were armed with staffs, not guns, and could easily be hurt or worse by animals preying on the sheep. […]
The Ordination of Bishop-Elect Joachim Cotsonis, PhD, as Bishop of Amissos »
December 2nd, 2019 Posted in In the News
The Ordination of Bishop-Elect Joachim Cotsonis, PhD, as Bishop of Amissos Saint Sophia Cathedral, Washington, DC Sunday, December 22, 2019 On Wednesday, November 27, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America received with much gratitude the official announcement from the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate that His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, together with the Holy and Sacred Synod, welcomed the proposal of the Holy Eparchial Synod of our Archdiocese […]