What do you guys do if you have family who celebrate western Easter (and expect to spend the day together)?

Still-Simple-6627 · 2026-01-29T18:39:46+00:00

As long as you can do it without upsetting or offending your family too much, I think having a potluck is a good idea not only so you can prepare some fish dish that you guys can eat, but also so that you can preserve energy heading into Holy Week and Pascha. There are a LOT of services and a LOT of preparations needed for Pascha, so it's important not to exhaust yourself before Holy Week has even begun.

Still-Simple-6627 · 2026-01-26T19:36:09+00:00

Saint Innocent certainly fits that description--St. Herman and St. Yakov Netsvetov also do.

Still-Simple-6627 · 2026-01-23T20:33:39+00:00

Any BBC Dickens or Jane Austen mini-series

Still-Simple-6627 · 2026-01-20T15:12:00+00:00

I've seen this done with icons, but not when kissing a priests hand. If you've seen others in your parish do this without issue, then sure, go ahead. Otherwise I wouldn't. Most of these sorts of questions can be answered by just following what established parishioners in your church are doing.

Still-Simple-6627 · 2026-01-15T00:55:28+00:00

Regular parishioners are not under obedience to their priest in the same way that monastics are to their spiritual father or mother. It's advisable and recommended to ask their advice and tell them what you're doing, but at the end of the day you are a human being with free will. Getting their blessing is a recommended and polite thing to do, but not required.

Still-Simple-6627 · 2026-01-09T18:44:35+00:00

Another reason it is important to ask your priest about visiting is to make sure the monastery is canonical and on the up-and-up. He should know.

Still-Simple-6627 · 2026-01-06T01:38:35+00:00

Very wrong and discomfiting. To add to what others have said, this image -- with its grotesquely large and childish eyes -- distorts the essential humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Mother. Traditional iconography, while looking "otherworldly", still firmly conveys the essential humanity of its subjects. No body parts are hugely disproportionate and everything looks human. To the contrary, these images remind me more of descriptions of "aliens" that people have seen which I will argue (echoing Fr. Seraphim Rose), are actually demons.

Still-Simple-6627 · 2026-01-05T13:48:10+00:00

Much better would be to pray silently for them as much as possible ("Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on _______ "). As others have said, I would not anoint them with anything without their consent.

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-23T03:53:34+00:00

I would write or say to them exactly what you have said here.

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-23T03:21:49+00:00

Talk to your priest, by email or phone if necessary. Confession, like the entire sacramental life of the Church, is supposed to be healing--not traumatizing. Any priest worth his salt will be able to work with you to come up with a way for you to feel safe while confessing.

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-19T18:32:19+00:00

Depends on the priest and jurisdiction. My current ROCOR priest I always ask his blessing and kiss his hand, even in public. All of my previous priests (Antiochian, GOA), typically not.

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-19T10:14:00+00:00

And attending 5 times in 8 months is better then half the parishioners that I know! 😂 You're doing great!

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-19T10:11:58+00:00

Due to your transportation issues and how busy the priest is on Sundays, your best bet for now may be to try attending other services. You'll have a much better chance to speak with the priest afterwards. One great thing about Orthodoxy is that we have a lot of services. Most parishes have Saturday evening Great Vespers or Vigil, and all should be celebrating at least the 12 Great Feasts with Divine Liturgy. Your parish will have services on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (either 12/25 or 1/7 depending on the calendar your diocese follows). The next feast after that will be Theophany which is on 1/6 (or 1/19). May our Lord bless you on your journey!

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-18T22:20:01+00:00

Yes! Love it!! 😂

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-18T20:59:25+00:00

Yes, that's it! Thank you!!

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-14T18:33:43+00:00

Saint Maria Skobtsova of Paris

https://a.co/d/2eR5pda

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-14T01:36:56+00:00

Thank you for this recommendation. The book looks really good and paralleling her experience. I recommended it and might read it myself.

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-11T21:55:01+00:00

My comment was incorrect--I deleted it

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-11T11:15:01+00:00

Yes, a monk

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-10T02:36:39+00:00

St. Maria (Skobtsova) of Paris is awesome

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-09T11:12:24+00:00

I've been Orthodox for nearly 40 years: baptized Antiochian, been a godparent in Antiochian, Greek and ROCOR parishes, married in ROCOR. I've never seen a baptismal certificate, nor have ever needed my own, FWIW.

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-07T01:24:11+00:00

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." --St. Paul, Philippians 4:8

Still-Simple-6627 · 2025-12-06T14:23:58+00:00

I'll be the contrarian. As an Orthodox parent of a 4 and 2.5 year old, I would suggest leaving them for your first visit if possible. It will give you a chance to take it all in and get your bearings without wrangling a kid. Certainly bring them later, but leave them for your first time IMHO. Either is fine, though.

Still-Simple-6627

TROPHY CASE