Follow Me

Posted on by Fr. Peter

The Reading is from Matthew 4:18-23
At that time, as Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left their boat and their father, and followed him. And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people.

We have now begun the Sundays after Pentecost, what I used to call ordinary time. We jump around a little in the Scriptures but this is a pretty good way to start out this time of year.

Jesus simply asked people to follow him. He did not offer riches or fancy music during the services of even a coffee hour after, he simply asked them to follow him. The Apostles left all, home, work, family, friends and set out to follow this guy that they knew nothing about. And in the end, all but one of these men gave their lives for the Church.

Recently I heard that 18% of unchurched people would attend church is someone just asked them to come to church. 18%, that is a pretty high number. We do not need to be great evangelists or even know much about the church we attend all we need to do is ask someone to come to church. Just walk up to someone and say follow me.

Why don’t we do this? Why don’t we ask people to come? We have been given a command in the Scripture to baptize the world, so why are we not out there doing that?

On Friday night I had the first of what I hope is a monthly gathering of Pub Theology. I have joined up with the minister from a near by church and we meet at the local watering hole for food, suds, and theology. We did not have a topic this time more of a get to know each other time. What we found out was there is far more that brings us together then separates us, we also found out that we are all in the same position, shrinking congregations. We decided that part of the reason for this is that by and large Christians are not an effective witness for ourselves.

I have said before that our best witness is the way we act outside of the church. How do you act when the last song has been sung and you walk out the doors of the church? Do you live the Gospel or do you just carry it?

Orthodoxy is not a religion, faith group, denomination, organization, etc., it is a lifestyle! Orthodoxy is supposed it influence everything we do. My question to all of us is, how does our faith influence us, or does it?

If we want to attract people to what we do we need to be attractive or people will not want to join. We Orthodox say we have the fullness of the faith, why then are people not flocking to us?

Sunday of All Saints of North America

Posted on by Fr. Peter
On the second Sunday after Pentecost, each local Orthodox Church commemorates all the saints, known and unknown, who have shone forth in its territory. Accordingly, the Orthodox Church in America remembers the saints of North America on this day.

Saints of all times, and in every country are seen as the fulfillment of God’s promise to redeem fallen humanity. Their example encourages us to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily besets us” and to “run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1). The saints of North America also teach us how we should live, and what we must expect to endure as Christians.

Although it is a relatively young church, the Orthodox Church in America has produced saints in nearly all of the six major categories of saints: Apostles (and Equals of the Apostles); Martyrs (and Confessors); Prophets; Hierarchs; Monastic Saints; and the Righteous. Prophets, of course, lived in Old Testament times and predicted the coming of Christ.

The first Divine Liturgy in what is now American territory (northern latitude 58 degrees, 14 minutes, western longitude 141 degrees) was celebrated on July 20, 1741, the Feast of the Prophet Elias, aboard the ship Peter under the command of Vitus Bering. Hieromonk Hilarion Trusov and the priest Ignatius Kozirevsky served together on that occasion. Several years later, the Russian merchant Gregory I. Shelikov visited Valaam monastery, suggesting to the abbot that it would be desirable to send missionaries to Russian America.

On September 24, 1794, after a journey of 7,327 miles (the longest missionary journey in Orthodox history) and 293 days, a group of monks from Valaam arrived on Kodiak Island in Alaska. The mission was headed by Archimandrite Joasaph, and included Hieromonks Juvenal, Macarius, and Athanasius, the Hierodeacons Nectarius and Stephen, and the monks Herman and Joasaph. St Herman of Alaska (December 13, August 9), the last surviving member of the mission, fell asleep in the Lord in 1837.

Throughout the Church’s history, the seeds of faith have always been watered by the blood of the martyrs. The Protomartyr Juvenal was killed near Lake Iliamna by natives in 1799, thus becoming the first Orthodox Christian to shed his blood for Christ in the New World. In 1816, St Peter the Aleut was put to death by Spanish missionaries in California when he refused to convert to Roman Catholicism.

Missionary efforts continued in the nineteenth century, with outreach to the native peoples of Alaska. Two of the most prominent laborers in Christ’s Vineyard were St Innocent Veniaminov (March 31 and October 6) and St Jacob Netsvetov (July 26), who translated Orthodox services and books into the native languages. Father Jacob Netsvetev died in Sitka in 1864 after a life of devoted service to the Church. Father John Veniaminov, after his wife’s death, received monastic tonsure with the name Innocent. He died in 1879 as the Metropolitan of Moscow.

As the nineteenth century was drawing to a close, an event of enormous significance for the North American Church took place. On March 25, 1891, Bishop Vladimir went to Minneapolis to receive St Alexis Toth (May 7) and 361 of his parishioners into the Orthodox Church. This was the beginning of the return of many Uniates to Orthodoxy.

St Tikhon (Belavin), the future Patriarch of Moscow (April 7, October 9), came to America as bishop of the diocese of the Aleutians and Alaska in September 1898. As the only Orthodox bishop on the continent, St Tikhon traveled extensively throughout North America in order to minister to his widely scattered and diverse flock. He realized that the local church here could not be a permanent extension of the Russian Church. Therefore, he focused his efforts on giving the American Church a diocesan and parish structure which would help it mature and grow.

St Tikhon returned to Russia in 1907, and was elected as Patriarch of Moscow ten years later. He died in 1925, and for many years his exact burial place remained unknown. St Tikhon’s grave was discovered on February 22, 1992 in the smaller cathedral of Our Lady of the Don in the Don Monastery when a fire made renovation of the church necessary.

St Raphael of Brooklyn (February 27) was the first Orthodox bishop to be consecrated in North America. Archimandrite Raphael Hawaweeny was consecrated by Bishop Tikhon and Bishop Innocent (Pustynsky) at St Nicholas Cathedral in New York on March 13, 1904. As Bishop of Brooklyn, St Raphael was a trusted and capable assistant to St Tikhon in his archpastoral ministry. St Raphael reposed on February 27, 1915.

The first All American Council took place March 5-7, 1907 at Mayfield, PA, and the main topic was “How to expand the mission.” Guidelines and directions for missionary activity, and statutes for the administrative structure of parishes were also set forth.

In the twentieth century, in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, countless men, women, and children received the crown of martyrdom rather than renounce Christ. Sts John Kochurov (October 31) and Alexander Hotovitzky (December 4 and August 7) both served the Church in North America before going back to Russia. St John became the first clergyman to be martyred in Russia on October 31, 1917 in St Petersburg. St Alexander Hotovitzky, who served in America until 1914, was killed in 1937.

In addition to the saints listed above, we also honor those saints who are known only to God, and have not been recognized officially by the Church. As we contemplate the lives of these saints, let us remember that we are also called by God to a life of holiness.

From OCA.org

3 June ~ St. Kevin of Glendalough

Posted on by Fr. Peter
Abbot of Glendalough

St. Kevin was birthed without labor pains to a noble Leinster familiy, as a sign that he was the fulfillment of the prophecy of St. Patrick of the one to come who would evangelize the region of Ireland just south of Dublin…

He was given the name at birth of Coemgen, which meant “beautiful shining birth.” He was taken to St. Cronan of Roscrea who baptized him with the name Kevin, which means “well born.” He was brought to the monastery at age seven to be educated by St. Petroc (June 4). After he came of age, he was ordained priest. He retreated to the solitude of a cave for seven years, until a farmer discovered him and called him out of solitude. He answered that call as from God and evangelized much of that region, many times going head to head with the pagan witches, miraculously defeating them. He established such a large monastic community that it is referred to as a monastic city.

His church still stands in Glendalough, Ireland. He was abbot of that community until his repose circa 618 at 129 years old.

Troparion (Tone 8)

Thou wast privileged to live in the age of Saints, O Father Kevin, being baptized by one Saint, taught by another and buried by a third. Pray to God that He will raise up Saints in our day to help, support and guide us into the way of salvation.

Do You Love Me?

Posted on by Fr. Peter

At that time, Jesus revealed himself to his disciples after he was raised from the dead, and he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you would; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish to go.” (This he said to show by what death he was to glorify God.) And after this he said to him, “Follow me.” (John 21:15-19)

In the Gospel passage quoted above, we hear Jesus ask Peter, “Do you love me?” This is not an odd question for Jesus to ask of anyone let alone His Apostle and friend Peter. This event comes after the Resurrection and after Peter’s denial of Christ before His Crucifixion. in many ways this is Jesus trying to rehabilitate Peter for his prior disbelief.

The interesting thing about this passage however is the word love. In English we have one word love and we use it for everything. I love my spouse, and I love toast. It is the same word and some would argue one of the most overused words in English today. However in this passage, in the original Greek, Jesus uses the word, agape, when he asks Peter, “Do you love me?”

Agape is the highest form of this word. This is the all encompassing love that God has for His creation, this is the unconditional, sacrifice all for me kind of love that Jesus is asking here. Peter responds, “Yes Lord, you know I love you. Again, if we read this in English we miss what is happening here. Peter does not use the agape form of love but the philo form of the word.

Philo is the love that one might have with their brother, this is a lesser form of the word that Jesus has used. Maybe Peter misunderstood what Jesus was asking, or he knew what Jesus was asking and he was not ready yet. The agape love is one that develops through a maturing in the grace of God. Remember this is the highest form of the word love, this agape.

Jesus asks Peter again, and Peter responds the same way.

The third time Jesus asks this question he has changed the form of the word from agape to philo. Scripture tells us that Peter was grieved because He asked him a third time. Jesus lowered the sense of the word to meet Peter where he was. Peter realized this fact and was grieved because he was not able to love Jesus with His whole heart, mind, and soul. Not yet anyway.

Jesus asks each one of us, “Do you love me?” and He is using the agape form of the word. Do we truly love Jesus above all else or do we love baseball or football or our job or car or something else more. How many of you reading this today went to church to thank Him for all that He has done for you? He is asking the question, and I believe He like the answer that Peter gave, “Yes, Lord, you know I love you.” Jesus is reaching out His hand to you, and asking you to take it and hold on. Jesus meets us where we are and helps us, through the church and her people, to grow in that love from philo to agape.

What is your answer to Him today?

Sunday of All Saints

Posted on by Fr. Peter
The Sunday following Pentecost is dedicated to All Saints, both those who are known to us, and those who are known only to God. There have been saints at all times, and they have come from every corner of the earth. They were Apostles, Martyrs, Prophets, Hierarchs, Monastics, and Righteous, yet all were perfected by the same Holy Spirit.

The Descent of the Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to rise above our fallen state and to attain sainthood, thereby fulfilling God’s directive to “be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44, 1 Peter 1:16, etc.). Therefore, it is fitting to commemorate All Saints on the first Sunday after Pentecost.

This feast may have originated at an early date, perhaps as a celebration of all martyrs, then it was broadened to include all men and women who had borne witness to Christ by their virtuous lives, even if they did not shed their blood for Him.

St Peter of Damascus, in his “Fourth Stage of Contemplation,” mentions five categories of saints: Apostles, Martyrs, Prophets, Hierarchs, and Monastic Saints (PHILOKALIA [in English] Vol. 3, p.131). He is actually quoting from the OCTOECHOS, Tone 2 for Saturday Matins, kathisma after the first stichology.

St Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain (July 14) adds the Righteous to St Peter’s five categories. The list of StNicodemus is found in his book THE FOURTEEN EPISTLES OF ST PAUL (Venice, 1819, p. 384) in his discussion of I Corinthians 12:28.

The hymnology for the feast of All Saints also lists six categories: “Rejoice, assembly of the Apostles, Prophets of the Lord, loyal choirs of the Martyrs, divine Hierarchs, Monastic Fathers, and the Righteous….”

Some of the saints are described as Confessors, a category which does not appear in the above lists. Since they are similar in spirit to the martyrs, they are regarded as belonging to the category of Martyrs. They were not put to death as the Martyrs were, but they boldly confessed Christ and came close to being executed for their faith. St Maximus the Confessor (January 21) is such a saint.

The order of these six types of saints seems to be based on their importance to the Church. The Apostles are listed first, because they were the first to spread the Gospel throughout the world.

The Martyrs come next because of their example of courage in professing their faith before the enemies and persecutors of the Church, which encouraged other Christians to remain faithful to Christ even unto death.

Although they come first chronologically, the Prophets are listed after the Apostles and Martyrs. This is because the Old Testament Prophets saw only the shadows of things to come, whereas the Apostles and Martyrs experienced them firsthand. The New Testament also takes precedence over the Old Testament.

The holy Hierarchs comprise the fourth category. They are the leaders of their flocks, teaching them by their word and their example.

The Monastic Saints are those who withdrew from this world to live in monasteries, or in seclusion. They did not do this out of hatred for the world, but in order to devote themselves to unceasing prayer, and to do battle against the power of the demons. Although some people erroneously believe that monks and nuns are useless and unproductive, St John Climacus had a high regard for them: “Angels are a light for monks, and the monastic life is a light for all men” (LADDER, Step 26:31).

The last category, the Righteous, are those who attained holiness of life while living “in the world.” Examples include Abraham and his wife Sarah, Job, Sts Joachim and Anna, St Joseph the Betrothed, St Juliana of Lazarevo, and others.

The feast of All Saints achieved great prominence in the ninth century, in the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Leo VI the Wise (886-911). His wife, the Holy Empress Theophano (December 16) lived in the world, but was not attached to worldly things. She was a great benefactor to the poor, and was generous to the monasteries. She was a true mother to her subjects, caring for widows and orphans, and consoling the sorrowful.

Even before the death of St Theophano in 893 or 894, her husband started to build a church, intending to dedicate it to Theophano, but she forbade him to do so. It was this emperor who decreed that the Sunday after Pentecost be dedicated to All Saints. Believing that his wife was one of the righteous, he knew that she would also be honored whenever the Feast of All Saints was celebrated.

From OCA.Org

Final Message of the Episcopal Assembly

Posted on by Fr. Peter

We glorify the name of the Triune God for gathering us at this first Episcopal Assembly of this region in New York City on May 26-28, 2010 in response to the decisions of the Fourth Pre-Conciliar Pan-Orthodox Conference held at the Orthodox Center of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Chambésy, Switzerland, from June 6-12, 2009, at the invitation of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.

Gathered together in the joy of the Feast of Pentecost, we humbly recognize our calling, in our unworthiness, to serve as instruments and disciples of the Paraclete, who “holds together the whole institution of the Church” (Hymn of Vespers of Pentecost).

We honor and express gratitude to the Primates and Representatives of the Orthodox Autocephalous Churches who assembled at the Ecumenical Patriarchate from October 10-12, 2008 to affirm their “unswerving position and obligation to safeguard the unity of the Orthodox Church” (Chambésy Rules of Operation, Article 5.1a) and emphasized their will and “desire for the swift healing of every canonical anomaly that has arisen from historical circumstances and pastoral requirements” (Message of the Primates 13.1-2)

We call to mind those who envisioned this unity in this region and strove to transcend the canonical irregularities resulting for many reasons, including geographically overlapping jurisdictions. For, just as the Lord in the Divine Eucharist is “broken and distributed, but not divided” (Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom), so also His Body comprises many members, while constituting His One Church.

We are grateful for the gift of the doctrinal and liturgical unity that we already share, and we are inspired by our leaders, the Heads of all the Orthodox Churches throughout the world, who proposed that which we painfully yearn for in this region, i.e., the “swift healing of every canonical anomaly” (Message of the Primates 13.2). We are also grateful that they established a fundamental process toward a canonical direction and resolution.

We are thankful to almighty God for the growth of Orthodoxy, for the preservation of our traditions, and for the influence of our communities in this region. This is indeed a miracle and a mystery.

During our gathering, and in accordance with the rules of operation of Episcopal Assemblies promulgated by the Fourth Pan-Orthodox Pre-Conciliar Conference, we established:

1. A registry of canonical bishops (Article 6.1)

2. A committee to determine the canonical status of local communities in the region that have no reference to the Most Holy Autocephalous Churches (Article 6.2)

3. A registry of canonical clergy (Article 6.3)

4. Committees to undertake the work of the Assembly, among others including liturgical, pastoral, financial, educational, ecumenical, and legal issues (Articles 11 and 12)

5. A committee to plan for the organization of the Orthodox of the region on a canonical basis (Article 5.1).

In addition to the above, we agreed that a directory would be created and maintained by the Assembly of all canonical congregations in our region.

We as Episcopal Assembly understand ourselves as being the successors of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), assuming its agencies, dialogues, and other ministries.

Moreover, at the formal request of the Hierarchs who have jurisdiction in Canada, the Assembly will submit to the Ecumenical Patriarch, in accordance with the rules of operation (Article 13), a request to partition the present region of North and Central America into two distinct regions of the United States and Canada. Additionally, at the request of the Hierarchs who have jurisdiction in Mexico and Central America, the Assembly will likewise request to merge Mexico and Central America with the Assembly of South America.

As Orthodox Hierarchs in this blessed region, we express our resolve to adhere to and adopt the regulations proposed by the Pan-Orthodox Conferences and approved by the Autocephalous Orthodox Churches, and to do everything in our power by the grace of God to advance actions that facilitate canonical order in our region.

We confess our fidelity to the Apostolic Orthodox faith and pledge to promote “common action to address the pastoral needs of Orthodox living in our region” (Chambésy, Decision 2c). We call upon our clergy and faithful to join us in these efforts “to safeguard and contribute to the unity of the Orthodox Church of the region in its theological, ecclesiological, canonical, spiritual, philanthropic, educational and missionary obligations” (Article 5.1) as we eagerly anticipate the Holy and Great Council.

The Assembly concluded with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy on Friday, May 28, 2010 at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Archdiocesan Cathedral in New York City. During the Liturgy prayers were offered for the repose of the eleven victims of the current ecological disaster in the Gulf Coast, for the consolation of their families, for all those adversely affected by this catastrophe, as well as for all people living under conditions of war, persecution, violence, and oppression.

Of the sixty-six Hierarchs in the region, the following 55 were present at this Assembly:

Archbishop Demetrios, Chairman
Metropolitan Philip, Vice Chairman
Archbishop Justinian, Vice Chairman
Bishop Basil, Secretary
Archbishop Antony,Treasurer
Metropolitan Iakovos
Metropolitan Constantine
Metropolitan Athenagoras
Metropolitan Methodios
Metropolitan Isaiah
Metropolitan Nicholas
Metropolitan Alexios
Metropolitan Nikitas
Metropolitan Nicholas
Metropolitan Gerasimos
Metropolitan Evangelos
Metropolitan Paisios
Archbishop Yurij
Bishop Christopher
Bishop Vikentios
Bishop Savas
Bishop Andonios
Bishop Ilia
Bishop Ilarion
Bishop Andriy
Bishop Demetrios
Bishop Daniel
Bishop Antoun
Bishop Joseph
Bishop Thomas
Bishop Mark
Bishop Alexander
Metropolitan Hilarion
Bishop Iov
Bishop Gabriel
Bishop Peter
Bishop Theodosius
Bishop George
Bishop Ieronim
Metropolitan Christopher
Bishop Maxim
Archbishop Nicolae
Bishop Ioan Casian
Metropolitan Joseph
Metropolitan Jonah
Archbishop Nathaniel
Archbishop Seraphim
Bishop Nikon
Bishop Tikhon
Bishop Benjamin
Bishop Melchisedek
Bishop Irineu
Bishop Irinee
Bishop Michael

Bishop Mark of Toledo Comments on the Episcopal Assembly

Posted on by Fr. Peter
(St. Andrew House)

Dear to God,
Christ is in our midst!

By the grace of God we have completed our First Episcopal Assembly, chaired by His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North America and attended by 57 of the 65 Hierarchs of North and Central America. He is truly a gracious, loving and patient man and certainly a gift to our Church in North America. May God grant him good health and many years!

Recommendations were made to separate Mexico and Central America from our Episcopal Assembly as their needs linguistically and culturally are quite different. Hopefully, Mexico and Central America will be absorbed into the Episcopal Assembly of South America. Likewise the Bishops of Canada asked to form their own Episcopal Assembly and both requests will be forwarded to the Ecumenical Patriarch per the procedures outlined in the Chambésy Documents.

The agencies of SCOBA were received by the new assembly which considers itself the successor of SCOBA. Monthly updates to a database will assist in identifying Canonical Bishops, Priests, Deacons and Parishes. Joint Committees have been identified to ad-dress the common needs of the Orthodox Church here in the United States which will assist us in uniform articulation, discipline and expression of the One Orthodox Faith.

When building a new house, the most difficult aspect can be assessing the soil and digging deep down to find the bedrock upon which to lay a strong foundation. His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios commented that when one looks at a beautiful building, one rarely considers the effort that went into creating a sufficient foundation for the building. By the grace of God we hope we have begun to lay an unyielding foundation upon which to bring the living stones, the faithful in Christ from our various jurisdictions, for the building up of a beautiful Church in North America to the Glory of God. May the All-Holy Spirit direct and guide our Hierarchs as they seek to do Lord’s will.

Your unworthy father in Christ,
+ Mark, Bishop of Toledo and the Diocese of the Midwest

Free Speech

Posted on by Fr. Peter
A recent story on CNN.com outlines a problem in the Massachusetts town of Walpole. It would seem that a resident, whose property is located next to the high school in the town, is flying the Confederate Flag. The story continues that the sports teams at Walople High School used to be known as the Rebels and their symbol was the Confederate Battle Flag. Several years ago the School Committee in the town adopted a new symbol and the flag went away.

People have all sorts of feelings about this flag. Some say it stand for racism and others it stands for a time when things were not so clear in this country, and other say it stand for the ultimate freedom that we have as Americans to express ourselves as we see fit.

Any student of history will say that the American Civil War was begun not simply over one issue but over a complex set of human rights issues, economic issues, and states rights issues, and far more I am sure. I am not trying to down play the slavery issue but that was not the sole reason for the Civil War.

We cherish our freedoms here in the USA the same way other free societies cherish theirs. Freedom comes with responsibility and we need to use those freedoms with much care. For example do we have the freedom to yell fire in a move theater if there is no fire? I would say no. Someone once said the freedom to swig your fist ends where my nose begins. As long as your freedom does not infringe on my freedom I say go for it… That last point is kind of funny if you think about it.

Here in Southbridge we are gearing up for a town election. We have 12 citizens running for 3 seats on the Town Council. Our town, like most towns, has some pretty serious issues facing it in the next few years. We need serious people on the Town Council. One of the bloggers in town, who until now has done a wonderful job reporting the news that no other outlet is reporting, has chosen to make fun of one of the candidates signs. Makes no comment on the politics but has dedicated two posts to making fun of the signs. I recently responded to the post calling it childish and petty and his response was it was his right under free speech to make fun of the sign. Okay he is right, silly, but right. Freedom comes with responsibility.

Back to the Confederate Battle Flag. We cannot deny our history anymore than Germany can deny it’s Nazi history or Russia it’s Communist history. History is who we are, and we need to learn from that history so as not to make the same mistakes. Freedom was one of the reasons we fought the Civil War. Freedom from slavery, economic freedom, and the freedom to determine ones own destiny. The flag is a symbol, some would say it is a symbol of the new found rebel in all of us, and some would say it is a symbol of the war that freed untold numbers of people from slavery.

What say you? Should this home owner remove his flag? What is our responsibility toward this freedom that we hold so dear?

Your Turn

Hats

Posted on by Fr. Peter

One thing for sure, the Orthodox like their hats. We wear them for all sorts of occasions including Liturgy. We have special hats for special occasions and different ethnic groups have different styles of the same hat. You church geeks out there like me will love this!

The picture below comes from the Armenian Church at a recent ordination. I kind of like the hats the guys being ordained are wearing but check out the mitre on the bishop. Way Cool!

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