Baptism – Holy Sacrament of the Orthodox Church

Baptism - Holy Sacrament of the Orthodox Churchby Fr. Thomas Hopko –
The practice of baptism as a religious symbol did not begin with Jesus. Baptism, which means literally the immersion in water, was practiced among the people of the Old Testament as well as the people who belonged to pagan religions.

The universal meaning of baptism is that of “starting anew,” of dying to an old, way of life and being born again into a new way of life. Thus, baptism was always connected with repentance which means a moral conversion, a “change of mind,” a change in living from something old and bad to something new and good.

Thus, in the Gospel we find John the Baptist baptizing the people as a sign of repentance in preparation for the Kingdom of God which was coming to men with Christ the Messiah. [Read more…]

All Mount Athos Monasteries Denounce Scandalous Conduct of Elpidophoros on Baptism for Gay Couple

All Mount Athos Monasteries Denounce Scandalous Conduct of Elpidophoros on Baptism for Gay CoupleMonks and Abbots of Mt. Athos –
It is clearly foreign to the teaching of the Gospel and the Orthodox ethos to allow it to be understood that a “same-sex couple” can be considered as a family and to recognize the right of such a couple to adopt children

On the occasion of recent public appearances and positions taken by members of the clergy of the Church, including hierarchs, who have created the impression that it is possible for the Church to accept any other form of family, apart from the one established by the Holy Gospel, the Holy Community of Mt Athos wishes to respond publicly.

The Holy Mountain, as a place of prayer and asceticism, in an unbroken liturgical and spiritual continuity, [Read more…]

OCA Synod Categorically Rejects Same-Sex Unions and Homosexual Self-Identity

We reject any attempt to create a theological framework which would normalize same-sex erotic relationships or distort humanity’s God-given sexual identity.
OCA Synod Categorically Rejects Same-Sex Unions and Homosexual Self-Identityby OCA Synod –
The Orthodox Church teaches that the union between a man and a woman in marriage reflects the union between Christ and His Church (Eph. 5). As such, marriage is by this reflection monogamous and heterosexual. Within this marriage, sexual relations between a husband and wife are an expression of their love that has been blessed by God. Such is God’s plan for male and female, created in his image and likeness, from the beginning, and such remains his plan for all time. Any other form of sexual expression is by its nature disordered, and cannot be blessed by the Church in any way, [Read more…]

Reasons Why The Orthodox Church Cannot Baptize Surrogate Children of Homosexual Couples

Reasons Why The Orthodox Church Cannot Baptize Surrogate Children of Homosexual Couplesby Fr. Antoine Melki –
There were many reactions in the news and on social media to the Baptism celebrated by Abp. Elpidophoros, the head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, of two children from a surrogate mother, whose paternity is claimed by two men who declare an association in a same-sex marriage. Some of these reactions are serious while some others are emotive, for or against the act. The discussion of the legality of what happened is not the concern of this article, although the form required for the Baptism in the Orthodox Church was not respected.

Regardless of the political and social effects of this Baptism or the scandal that it provoked among believers, the aim here is to respond to the emotional reactions and questions that some people raise, whether out of ignorance or bad intention, such as whether any priest has the right to refuse the Baptism of any child; what about the children of fornication; and other questions. [Read more…]

The Beauty of Holiness Carries Surprises

Orthodox Nuns The Beauty of Holiness Carries Surprisesby Fr. Gabriel Rochelle –
The beauty of holiness is in the face of a nun. Beauty untouched by any artificial, chemical, or cosmetic means can stun you, especially if costuming prevents you from viewing the rest of the body. When you are limited to the face you see with an intensity that eludes you if there is more to observe. It’s like being deprived of one of your senses, which accentuates and heightens and sensitizes the remaining senses. If you see a figure robed in black except for the oval of her face you see more than were she clothed in is called normal attire.

The beauty of holiness is evident in all ages. Age has not only its privilege but also its unique beauty. This is also true, then: the holiness of beauty may be seen in the face of a nun – and it is ageless. [Read more…]

Celebrating Abnormal Behavior Always Makes Things Worse

Celebrating Abnormal Behavior Always Makes Things Worseby Anthony Esolen –
Some years ago, in Defending Marriage: Twelve Arguments for Sanity, I wrote, as the ninth argument, that “to celebrate an abnormal behavior makes things worse, not better, for those inclined to engage in it.” I believe that that statement, right now, would be quite uncontroversial in any other area of human choice but the sexual; though it is precisely the sexual that illustrates its truth most clearly, as we see in our midst, so obviously that only our own moral compromises, or a kind of ideological idolatry, can prevent us from telling ourselves what we do see.

For back in 2014, those halcyon days at what most people thought was the floor of a crater below which we could not continue to fall, no one thought that drag queens in see-through garb would be encouraging little children in public libraries to stick dollar bills in their underwear, [Read more…]

Met. Seraphim of Piraeus Denounces Heretical Conduct of Elpidophoros on Baptism for Gay Couple

Met. Seraphim of Piraeus Denounces Heretical Conduct of Elpidophoros on Baptism for Gay Coupleby Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus –
Consequently, this particular Hierarch … preferred the “modern gospel” of the serpent to the teaching of the Church and is now under the curse of the Holy and God-bearing Fathers

We have emphasized in many of our interventions that the Church, the Body of Christ according to the heavenly Apostle Paul (Eph 1:23) is the land of converted sinners, and the revealed God Word declared “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17). The proclamation of the same Apostle of the Nations (1 Tim 1:15-16) is significant, as he claimed only one first place, that of the first of sinners. This is why the Church of Christ has always surrounded the fallen man with infinite love, because there is no sin or crime that cannot be healed and restored by the unfathomable patience of the Holy Creator of life and man. [Read more…]

Met. Antonios of Glyfada was Deceived by Elpidophoros on Baptism for Gay Couple

Met. Antonios of Glyfada was Deceived by Elpidophoros on Baptism for Gay CoupleMetropolitan Antonios of Glyfada released a public statement indicating that he was deceived by Abp. Elpidophoros regarding the kind of baptism that was going to be performed in his church in Greece. Elpidophoros failed to mention he was going to baptize surrogate children of “married” homosexuals in order to get Metropolitan Antonios’ approval.

As reported by Helleniscope from an “Espresso” interview with Metropolitan Antonios of Glyfada:

“The Archbishop sent me a document, asking me for permission to baptize the two children of the Busis expatriate family of Chicago. In this letter he did not give me any other information, therefore I considered that it was a baptism like all the others, and so I gave him, as I owed, the permission” stated Metropolitan Antonios and added: “I was informed by the rest by the priests in this Church late on Saturday afternoon, after the sacrament had taken place. Elpidophoros never contacted me again.” [Read more…]

Elpidophoros Baptizes Surrogate Children of “Married” Homosexuals

Elpidophoros Baptizes Surrogate Children of Married Homosexualsby Nick Stamatakis –
AB Elpidophoros took an unannounced trip to Greece and proceeded to legitimize gay marriage by baptizing the children of a famous gay couple (born by surrogate mother)!!

I am truly incredulous writing these lines as this initiative by the Archbishop is something that should never have happened in Orthodoxy, where all such serious decisions are made democratically – synodically.

Yet, for one more time, AB Elpidophoros chooses to shove down our throats whatever novelty pleases his globalist masters.

From the Greek Reporter (Orthodox Editors’ Note): [Read more…]

Bold Faith in a Secular World: Be on Fire for God’s Holy Word

Bold Faith in a Secular World: Be on Fire for God's Holy Wordby Jackie Morfesis –
Realign your priorities with God’s law. Be on fire for His Holy Word.

Eastern Orthodox Christianity is timeless, beautiful, and profoundly critical, crucial and relevant in today’s world as a testament to God’s eternal love and glory. It is also in dire and critical need of a reset. Yes. A reset. And not a reset to conform to the mores and ways of our modern and secular world, but a rejuvenation, reconnection and reestablishment of our very foundation.

As Orthodox Christians, we cannot afford to become enmeshed in the ways of the world because in doing so, our faith is being diluted day by day. We dangerously become Orthodox in name only but not in spirit. How can I make such a bold accusation? [Read more…]