Today is a Great Day: On Baptism in Prison

Juwann stands at the front of the prison chapel, dressed in the same jumpsuit he has worn for the past ten years as an inmate of the Pennsylvania state corrections system. But this is no ordinary day. Beside him is Rassophore Monk Michael, a monastic of the nearby St. Tikhon’s Monastery, and soon to be godfather. Before him are three Orthodox priests in white and gold vestments, for today is the day Juwann will be baptized into Christ. “Let us pray to the Lord,” one priest intones, before the other thirty people in attendance, most of them in the same clothes as Juwann, answer, “Lord, have mercy.”

Imagine what the opening prayer of this service means to someone sentenced to spend the rest of their lives amidst a constant threat of violence. In Thy Name, O Lord of truth, and in the Name of Thine Only-begotten Son, and of Thy holy Spirit, I lay my hand upon Thy servant, who has been found worthy to flee unto Thy holy name, and to take refuge under the shelter of Thy wings. Remove far from him his former delusion, and fill him with the faith, hope and love which are in Thee; that he may know that Thou art the only true God…Inscribe him in Thy Book of Life, and unite him to the flock of Thine inheritance…Let Thine eyes ever regard him with mercy, and let Thine ears attend to the voice of his supplication.

Read the whole story here

Ask a Priest: How Do I Find a Spouse?

Father, bless! I am struggling. I’m so despondent. I desperately want to find a wife, but absolutely every relationship I start (when I can find one!) is a complete and total disaster. I’m giving up. Clearly, God doesn’t want me to be married! Help… if you can. Your son, K—

A Struggle for Freedom or a New Maidan? – The Protests in Serbia from the Perspective of Serbian Orthodox Church Believers

In an editorial recently published by UOJ-Serbia, readers are shown the opinions of Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) faithful regarding the current events in the country and the role of the SOC in all of it. The editorial team offers full support to the SOC in its desire to preserve peace and stability in the state.

The Doubling Down of Pat. Bartholomew

A look at the “apostolic visit” that at times felt more like a business trip in which Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew stood firm on all the wrong things.

The Feast of Pokrov – a Prayerful Remembrance of the Mother of God’s Heavenly Protection

The Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated in memory of the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God at Blachernae in Constantinople, as a sign of Her protection over Christians.

Why Is Israel Purging Jerusalem of Armenians?

The Armenian Quarter in Jerusalem, a historic Christian enclave, faces existential threats from the Jerusalem Municipality. Backed by property developers and radical Zionists, the city government seeks to oust the 1,600-year-old Armenian Christian presence. And how have Western governments and Christian communities responded? With silence.

A Russian Chrysostom: The Life and Testament of St. Metrophanes of Voronezh

Old Paths Press brings to light a long-overlooked saint of Russia, whose life and writings speak powerfully to today’s Orthodox faithful.