Concering death

"And just as it is appointed for men to die once" (Hebrews, 9:27). These words of St. Paul and the history of all humanity teach us beyond any doubt that we will all die. Exceptions such as the case of the Prophet Elias, who was taken up to the heavens, can only occur by a miracle or by divine intervention. The law is death for all. This, of course, is a result of sin. Man was created immortal. Sin made him mortal. "The wages of sin is death"--spiritual death and physical death (Romans, 6:23).

Everyone thinks about and fears death, for obviously different reasons, but this is the truth. Let us see, though, what death is, and then see if we should fear death or life or even ourselves.

When people think of death they put in their minds catastrophe and the end. This is not how things are. Death is a stage and a starting point. It is neither the end, nor a catastrophe. It is a change of circumstances. It is birth.

Just as the embryo grows in the womb of its mother for nine months and is then born, so too man in his earthly life works for his salvation, and then he dies. In other words, he is born into eternity. The child that is born is born crying. Why? The reason is that it does not know where it is going. It fears the unknown. We who know the reality of the situation do not cry when a child is born, but are happy. The same applies to the person who dies. He cries and thinks about death because he is afraid of the unknown. Christ who "has become the first born from the dead" has told us everything. But then why are Christians afraid of death?

Christians are afraid of death for three main reasons: a) they do not have enough faith in Christ, b) they do not live a holy, but rather a sinful life and are therefore afraid, and c) they know that after death repentance for salvation no longer exists and so they are afraid of death and the uncertainty that it brings for them personally.

Non-christians are afraid of death for the same reasons, if they have some faith, but also because they do not know the things that follow after death. Non-believers are afraid of death because they consider it catastrophe and the end. But it is not. It is, as we said, a stage and a starting point.

Christians should not be afraid of death. More than death they should fear their earthly life. In essence and actuality they should not be afraid of their earthly life. They should fear their bad selves. They should fear their unrepentance and disbelief.

Christ, Who became man for us, were crucified and died on the cross, descended to Hades and were raised up and became "the first born from the dead," Who told us "he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live"(John, 11:25), You, Lord, help us. Give us faith. Teach us about death. Make us not to fear death. Give us Your grace so that we may work out our eternal salvation in our earthly life, be victorious over our sinful selves, and not remain in our sinful state--our unrepentant state. Help us to live and grow in a state of repentance, to think of death for what it is, a stage and starting point for eternity, a birthday in Your heavenly Kingdom, and a return to our fatherly home. We thank You, Lord.

source: http://biserica.org/Publicatii/Catechism/catcondeath.htm

Syrian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem

A video about the Syrian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem.

In my mother’s presence

Psychologists say that a child continues to live in me in spite of my having grown to become an adult. My subconscious mind belongs to the child in me. My conscious mind developed as I grew to become an adult. Although the subconscious mind is hidden deep under, it is what controls my day-to-day life. I often think like an adult, but I often feel life a child because my feelings are mostly governed by my subconscious mind.

The feelings of safety and belongingness are my basic emotional necessities, and being in my mother’s presence, I could easily satisfy these needs. I always felt safe and secure, and I felt a sense of belongingness in my mother’s presence. The child in me still needs my mother to feel safe and secure. My mother accepts me as I am. My very existence depended on my mother’s acceptance of me. When I fell down (in every sense) she ran to me, and helped me to be on my feet again. When others looked down on me due to my handicaps, she always encouraged me to keep going.

I heard from my childhood that parents are visible gods. Today I think I understand what it means. God is my creator and my nurturer. I received the nurturing of God through my parents. When my mother satisfied my physical, mental, and emotional needs, she was acting on God’s behalf. This is true of all mammals. The mothers of all mammals act as a vehicle of God’s nurturing.

A baby is born fully dependant on his/her parents. A human baby cannot survive if no one takes care of the baby. A baby has basic necessities to be satisfied. A baby has physical needs as well as emotional needs. Along with breast milk, a baby also receives love. Love is the food of emotional health. A mother is willing to sacrifice even her own life for an offspring. Such love has its source in God.

My mother is not physically present with me today to satisfy my emotional needs any more, and at times the child in me craves for her presence. When people look down on me because of my handicaps, I crave for my mother’s presence. Whenever I face challenges in life, I crave for the encouraging words of my mother. When I feel sick and whenever I am in pain, I long for the soothing touch and comforting voice of my mother.

This is where the adult in me comes to the aid of the child in me. The child in me, with his subconscious mind, does not know the difference between real and imaginary. Whenever the child in me longs for my mother, the adult in me imagines her presence. This technique in meditation is often called visualization. Thus if the adult in me consciously imagines my mother and myself as a child on her lap, it satisfies the child in me, and my emotional needs will be fulfilled.

Another part of my conscious mind accuses me to be a liar for cheating myself this way. Then a higher part of my conscious mind comes to my rescue arguing that although my mother appears to be no more, she is really alive in another dimension. I am not cheating myself when I imagine myself to be with my mother.

A still higher part of my conscious mind argues that when I imagine my mother, it is really God I am trying to imagine. Even when my mother was alive, she was God’s vehicle through which I received my needs. Now when I imagine my mother, I am really ascribing my mother’s form to the formless God. Someone reading this may ask me: What if my mother is still alive? Can I still ascribe her form to God? My answer is an emphatic “yes” because a mother is a visible God.

What will happen if all people start seeing God in their mothers? We will have a new generation of people who are emotionally healthy. We will have stronger families in which parents are respected and loved, and children are loved and nurtured.

source: http://johnkunnathu.blogspot.com/

What is the Orthodox faith?

What is the Orthodox Faith? Simply put it comes from two words, Orthos meaning true and Doxos meaning glory.

So Orthodoxy is nothing but True Glory, glorification of the Triune God in the True Way.

ALSO READ

WHAT IS ORTHODOXY?

The essential and fundamental dogmas which the Church believes in, are held as the Nicean-Constantinopolian creed

We believe that God is One in substance and Triune in persons. We worship One God in Trinity, and the Trinity in Unity. All creation is the work of the Holy Trinity. The world is not self-created, neither has it existed from eternity, but it is created out of nothing (ex cathedra nihilo) by the Love of God.

The Head of the Orthodox Church is our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Church was instituted through the power of the Holy Spirit, and the Church is held to be One, Holy, Apostolic and Catholic; The Church is ONE because our Lord Jesus Christ founded not many, but only one Church; HOLY because her aim, the salvation of all through the grace of the sacraments, is holy; APOSTOLIC because she was "built upon the foundation of the Apostles and CATHOLIC because she is above local limitations and is Universal in her scope.

As such Orthodoxy holds that the eternal truths of God's revelation are preserved in the living and Holy Tradition of the Church under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

What then is Holy tradition?

Tradition as a word means this: it is that which is "passed on" and "given over" from one to another. Holy Tradition is, therefore, that which is passed on and given over within the Church from the time of Christ's apostles right down to the present day. "the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints" (Jude 1:3), "stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter" (II Thess. 2:15)

One orthodox writer says it well thus; We preserve the Doctrine of the Lord uncorrupted, and firmly adhere to the Faith He delivered to us, and keep it free from blemish and diminution, as a Royal Treasure, and a monument of great price, neither adding any thing, nor taking any thing from it. [8] as St Paul says "Timothy,guard what has been entrusted to you" ( 1 Timothy 6:20)

Metropolitan Mar Gregorios, Paulos of our church identifies three major components,
1. Scripture
2. Liturgy
3. The traditions of the Holy Saints, fathers and the Ecumenical Councils.

Although containing many written documents, Holy Tradition is not merely a body of literature. It is, on the contrary, the total life and experience of the entire Church transferred from place to place and from generation to generation. Tradition is the very life of the Church itself. All of the elements of Holy Tradition are organically linked together. None of them stands alone. None may be separated from the other or from the wholeness of the life of the Church. All come alive in the life of the Church in every age, in every time and in all place

SCRIPTURE

The central written part of this tradition is the writings of the New Testament in the Bible. The gospels and the other writings of the apostolic church form the heart of the Christian tradition. The church gives enormous importance to scripture; readings from the OT, the Psalms, the Epistles and the Gospels are very important in the liturgical life of the Church. The Orthodox Church is perhaps the only one to include so much of scripture in its day to day life.

LITURGY

When the Church, which means literally the gathering or assembly of people(ecclesia) who are called together, assembles as One to worship, this gathering is called the liturgy of the Church. As a word liturgy means the common work of a particular group of people for the sake of all. Thus the divine liturgy of the Christian Church means the common work of God done by the people of God.

The liturgy of the Old Testament people was the official worship in the temple of Jerusalem according to the Mosaic Law, as well as the annual feasts and fasts and the private prayers and services held in the synagogues.

From the basic foundation of the Old Testament liturgy, the Church developed its own sacramental life with baptism, Chrismation, Holy Communion, marriage, repentance, healing and the priesthood. In addition, a great wealth of prayers, hymns and blessings have been developed, together with feasts and celebrations in remembrance of events and saints. The connection with the worship of the First Temple can be especially seen in the Syriac liturgy in its vestments, the curtain, the sanctuary and the profuse use of incense.

In the liturgy of the Church, the Bible and Holy Tradition come alive and are given to the living experience of the Christian people.

THE HOLY COUNCILS, FATHERS AND SAINTS

The first church council in history was held in the apostolic church to decide the conditions under which the gentiles, that is, the non-Jews, could enter the Christian Church (see Acts 15). From that time on, all through history councils were held on every level of church life to make important decisions. The Malankara Orthodox Church as part of the Oriental Orthodox Communion accepts the First Three Ecumenical Councils as binding.

Nicea	325 A.D.	Formulated the First Part of the Creed, defining the divinity of the Son of God
Constantinople	381 A.D.	Formulated the Second Part of the Creed, defining the divinity of the Holy Spirit
Ephesus	431 A.D.	Defined Christ as the Incarnate Word of God and Mary as Theotokos

The Church comes alive in the lives of the true believers, the saints. The saints are those who literally share the holiness of God. ("Be holy, for I your God am holy�) The lives of the saints bear witness to the truth of the Christian gospel, and the gift of God's holiness to men.

In the Church there are different classifications of saints.

There are the apostles who are sent to proclaim the Christian faith, the evangelists who specifically announce and even write down the gospels, the prophets who are directly inspired to speak God's word to men. There are the martyrs who die for it and the confessors who suffer for the faith. There are the so-called "holy ones", the saints from among the monks and nuns; and the "righteous" those from among the lay people.

Following Hebrews 13:7 "remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you, consider the outcome of their life and imitate their faith", the Church venerates her saints.

There are in the Church a number of theologians and teachers who defended and explained the doctrines of the Christian Faith. These saints are called the Holy Fathers of the Church and their teachings are called the patristic teachings (partum being from father)

The writings of the Church Fathers are not infallible, and it has even been said that in any given one of them some things could be found which could be questioned in the light of the fullness of the Tradition of the Church. Nevertheless, taken as a whole, the writings of the Fathers which are built upon the biblical and liturgical foundations of Christian faith and life have great authority within the Orthodox Church and are primary sources for the discovery of the Church's doctrine. So when using the writings of the Fathers, the Church seeks the consensua partonum, or the consensus of the Fathers.

Not all of the holy fathers were defenders against falsehood and heresy. Some of them were simply teachers of the Christian faith, developing and explaining its meaning in a deeper and fuller way. Others were teachers of the spiritual life, giving instruction to the faithful about the meaning and method of communion with God through prayer and Christian living. Those teachers who concentrated on the struggle of spiritual life are called the ascetical fathers, asceticism being the exercise and training of the "spiritual athletes"; and those who concentrated on the way of spiritual communion with God are called the mystical fathers, mysticism being defined as the genuine, experiential union with the Divine. Among such fathers, the most delightful and respected are the Desert Fathers, who populated the deserts of the Holy land and Egypt. The Church especially remembers St Anthony, the founder of monasticism who was the role model for our beloved St Gregorios of Parumala.

All of the holy fathers, whether they are classified as theological, pastoral, ascetical or mystical gave their teachings from the sources of their own living Christian experience.

The writings of some of those fathers who have received the universal approval and praise of the Church through the ages are of particular importance, such as those of SS Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeus of Lyons, Athanasius of Alexandria, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory of Nazianzus, John Chrysostom, Cyril of Alexandria, and those of the ascetical and spiritual fathers such as Anthony of Egypt, Macarius of Egypt, Ephraim the Syrian, Isaac the Syrian and others. In the Syriac tradition we remember especially SS Severus of Antioch, Philexenos of Mabbug, Dionysius Bar Salibi, Moshe Bar Kepha and Timothy Aereleus. The reading of the Fifth Tubden remembers the Holy Fathers who preserved the Deposit of the Faith at great cost and who are so beloved to the Church.

Nothing written about Orthodoxy can be exhaustive; we can only hope to touch the surface; Orthodoxy is perhaps never meant to be studied or read about, all the books in the world itself cannot express its beauty. The prayers, the litanies, the rising incense and the glorious Halleluias can only be experienced and felt within the depths of the soul.

-Compiled by Suraj Iype, Secunderabad

References:
The Orthodox Faith, V Rev Fr Thomas Hopko of the OCA, webpage.
The Orthodox Way, Bp Kallistos Ware.
The Orthodox Church, Bp Kallistos Ware
The Orthodox faith, The Greek Archdioces of NA, webpage.

source: http://www.icon.org.in/church_faith.icon

Dreams come true

Modern technology, the Internet, lets you meet people all over the world. It also lets you share in the adventures and their joys. One of my Internet friends is Shinosh Geevarghese Philip (Ponpally), Kuwait. He was able to live one of his deams which he recounts in the following article.

Dreams Come True Visiting nations and communicating with people, has been a desire that I cherish. Being a member of the Syriac Orthodox Church, to be able to meet with the Spiritual Head of the Church, had been my dream. Ever since childhood, my desire to meet with HH, deepened. During the Apostolic visit of His Holiness 1982, I was not born. Nevertheless, as and when I listened to my mother’s narrations and read souvenirs published on HH’s historic visit, I used to wish and wistfully pray that our Holy Father might visit Malankara once again to bless his spiritual children. In 2000, when HH visited Malankara to attend to the Bishopric Golden Jubilee of the Chief Metropolitan of the East, for me it was a dream come true. The great meeting organized at Puthenkurizhu turned out to be the venue where Almighty let me see HH, for the first time when I was a seventeen years old. As one of the Hundred and One members of the ‘Syrian Melodies choir’ under the patronage of Kottayam Diocesan Bishop H.E. Thomas Mor Themotheose , Almighty granted me the grace to sing a welcome song to HH on that day. Though I was not able to witness the Mass led by HH and 16 other celebrants (Pathinezinmel Qurbana) that took place at Chingavanam, the only solace was listening to the audio recording of the Mass. I have heard this recording at least five hundred times. Even after the blessed meeting in 2000, my thirst to meet with HH was not quenched. ‘If the ‘Bava’ were able to stay in Malankara for ever’ I craved like a juvenile lad. The year 2004 turned to be another blessed year when HH visited India. In spite of the fact that I was at the zenith of my personal grief at that time having lost my beloved father and Brother in law, my inner desire to meet with HH drove me to Marine Drive Ernakulum and to the premises of Morth Mariam Church Manarcad where HH was honoured. In Ernakulum I overwhelmingly watched HH lighting the lamp that marked the Silver Jubilee of his ascension to the Patriarchal Throne. At Manarcad, when HH offered the Holy Mass and declared Morth Mariam Church, the mother church of Kottayam Diocese, as a Cathedral and as an International Marian Pilgrim Centre, it was yet another occasion when my heart was filled with adoration and thankfulness to HH for his acts of sanctity and love for his children in Malankara. I, in particular, remember HH’s great oration protesting abortion and his words on Holy Mother Mary, who bore and gave birth to Jesus in spite of the fact that she had conceived at a time when she had not known a man, still ring in my ears. Four years passed by. HH, the angel of peace, visited Malankara once again to participate in the concluding meeting that commemorated the Priesthood Golden Jubilee Celebration of HB Catholicose of India. Since, I had left India for Kuwait to assume a career; I was not able to witness this historic apostolic visit of HH. Nevertheless, accessing Internet Radio Malnkara of our ever growing church, through other web portals, TV media and through the almost daily reports of my close friends, I kept hearing and watching the great event remotely, though. Even during those days, my heart whispered that I should meet with HH in person, one day…… Christmas 2008 As for me, Christmas 2008 turned out to be the most unforgettable and blessed commemoration of our Lord’s Holy birth. On Christmas day at 11:30 I got an opportunity to leave for Syria along with Monachachen, in whom I find my elderly brother. From the moment the Jazeera Airways took off from Kuwait Intl. Airport, my heart started pounding with excitement thinking of the great places I was about to see, for the first time in my life. I felt as if I were in a dream world. As the pilot chose to fly at a low altitude and as I had a side seat, I was able to have a clear view of the scenes below through the aircraft window. We landed at Syrian time 12:50 in the Damascus airport. The airport looked very old fashioned. It took a very long time for us to complete the formalities and collect our baggage. We had made pre arrangements for a guide to pick us up from the airport. It was quite easy for him to spot the two Indians emerging from the airport. He took us straight to Maaloula, an antique village nestled down in a mountainous region of Syria. The mountain tops on the way looked really unusual. We felt that they were petrified human faces, in a row. The populace of Mallolah claim to be one of the few communities that keep, Aramaic, the language presumably spoken by our Lord, alive. For the same reason, stepping into the ancient village of Maaloula, was quite an experience, as if stepping into a distant past. The caves on the hillsides and the ancient buildings scattered on the slopes add antiquity of the village. We had an opportunity to visit St. Serges and St. Bakos Church, one of the oldest churches in the world. A lady explained to us about the traditions of the Church and concluded her speech by reciting our Lord’s Prayer in Aramaic. Another remarkable experience was a walk through a very narrow ravine, apparently formed by splitting of the mountain. Tradition has it that the mount was split by a divine intervention to let St. Tekla disciple of St. Paul, escape from the clutches of her own father who chased to kill her for embracing Christianity. Thin water courses gurgled on our sides and I posed in a cave for a photo. At the other end of the ravine, our guide and driver had been waiting for us. We did some shopping in a souvenir shop and soon were on our way to Seydnaya. Seydnaya, is a suburb of Damascus city. Before night fall, we had to reach our destination. On the way to Seydnaya, we had opportunity to visit ancient Churches and passed by villages where you still could feel antiquity. The Churches and the residential areas were brightly lit to commemorate Christmas. Finally we reached Seydnaaya, where the five storied Patriarch’s palace is located. I felt like kneeling down and kissing that blessed ground. Nonetheless, I did not dare to do that. Finally, I had reached my dreamland. That thought itself was a gratification. We entered the reception area of the grand palace. The hall was decorated with Christmas lights, a nativity scene and a huge Santa Claus. We waited for Deacon Markose from India, who currently serves as Malankara affairs Secretary to HH the Patriarch of Antioch. From the time we reached Damascus, we had been in touch with the Deacon who had arranged for our accommodation in Seydnaya. Deacon turned up with a smile and warmly welcomed us. In spite of the fact that we had been in touch with him only though phone and emails and had never met him before in person, we were astounded at his friendliness and concern. Deacon Markose, who used to be an engineer chose a monk’s life and currently learns Syriac at the seminary within the palace. When I listened to him fluently communicating with the Priests, Monks, Deacons and Nuns in impeccable Syriac, I was literally stunned for my knowledge had been Syriac is liturgical rather than communicative. The most interesting fact is that the Deacon does not speak Arabic and the inhabitants of the Seminary who know Syriac, mostly speak Arabic and hardly any English. In such an environment, Markose Deacon’s linguistic skills in Syriac works perfect in mingling with them. Deacon took us to the Guest House where he let us choose spacious rooms to stay and gave us a vivid account of the building. We were surprised to note that he had thoughtfully carried along with him Arabic bread, packets of coffee, tea, sugar and an electric kettle for our use. Asking us to join him for dinner he left. At 7:30 we met him at the reception of the Patriarch’s palace. Deacon guided us to the Dining Hall that was at the basement of the building. Along with the friendly monks we had dinner that chiefly comprised Arabic versions of sandwiches, chips and soft drinks. We were told that HH lives on the third floor of the five storied building. In the same floor, we came to know that there is a chapel named after Mor Aprem (known as the harp of the Holy Spirit). On the 26th at 6:00 PM, Deacon had scheduled a meeting for us with HH. In the morning we attended a solemn service at the chapel in commemoration of St. Mary, mother of our Lord. The Rev. Fr. Yuyakim Remban conducted the service under HE Mor Savarios Sakka, who has now retired from active services. The driver had promised to collect us at about 8:30. Hence towards the end of the service, we left the building. While waiting for him, we had an opportunity to visit the Church that is located next to HH’s palace the main attraction of which is the golden Throne of St. Peter – the seat of HH. It is a small, yet, magnificent Church. Soon we were on our way to Homs, an antique city. The main purpose of this journey was to visit an ancient Church where, St .Mary’s girdle is preserved. The driver, though an experienced person, lost his way after reaching the city area. He had to repeatedly seek assistance of the city men to guide him to the Church. Probably in panic, he wrongly entered a one-way street and ended up paying a penalty. Interestingly enough, the policeman after penalizing our driver, guided him to reach the Church. And finally, we reached our destination. It being Christmas season, the Church compound was fully decorated. A large nativity scene stole the show. People in turn were posing for photographs before the nativity scene. We had our turn too. We entered the ancient Church built of stones. On the stone walls of the Church, hung ancient paintings out of which one painting of St. Mary and Infant Jesus took us by surprise. The digital camera we carry has a function to identity human faces. While focusing, it shows a rectangular yellow outline around each human face. If focussed to an inanimate object or even an animal this line will not appear. Nevertheless, while focussing to this particular painting, surprisingly, a green outline appeared around the face of St. Mary and Infant Jesus. Why did it happen so. We have no explanation…….We then visited the holy area where St. Mary’s girdle is kept within a glass chamber. Beside this Holy remaining, there is a certification issued by the archaeological evidencing that the girdle is 2000 years old. We sat in area where there is seating arrangement and spent time in silent prayers. As for me, as an ardent devotee of St. Mary, this was a great moment in my life. Shortly we left the Church building. The Church compound happens to be the Head Quarters of Homs Hama Diocese whose Head HE Mor Silvanos Patros was present in its office on that day.

Dreams come true

One of the Rembans (Monk), his name was Betros, led us to HE. The moment HE saw us HE recognized us to be people from Kerala and asked as “Sukham Aano?” It was hilarious to hear Malayalam from a Syrian Bishop’s lips. I said “Sukam Thanne” The Remban, on our request, took our pictures along with HE who was kind enough to pose with us. After spending some time in friendly conversation, we left the church compound. We visited another ancient Church named Mor Elian, a beautiful small church bedecked with ancient paintings on the walls and within its sky dome. In an interior part of the Church, lies remaining of St. Elian, within a raised tomb. Our Homs visit had come to an end. Once again, we were on our way back to Seydnaya.

We travelled through the mountainous roads that stretched through miles. The sand dunes glistening in the sun, the rows of pine trees and olive trees took me to a realm of serenity. Since the road crossed Maaloula, we had an opportunity to gaze once again at the ancient village nestled down in the mountains. Before evening, we reached Seydnaya.

Fulfilment of my desire
The hour had come. At 6 pm, Deacon Markose took us to the third floor of HH’s palace. At that time, we were told that a meeting HH had with the Metropolitan of Beirut HE Daniel Mor Cleemese was still going due to which we had to wait a little longer. We spent some time with Deacon Markose in the Chapel discussing on the maiden book ‘Trails of the Shepherd’ which Mohan Achachen has written. The book shortly will be released from New York. At 6:30, we were beckoned to HH’s Office Room. Exhilarated, I was rather in a dream world at that moment – I gazed at the Spiritual Head of my Church transfixed whom I had so far seen only at distance on the occasion when he visited India. I did not know what to say for words seemed to have clogged in my throat. The moment my childhood dream had come true -- a blessing that does not come the way to thousands, an occasion to personally meet with the vicar of our heavenly father on earth, to kiss the arms of the blessed Holy Father. First HH wished “ Merry Christmas” Then HH gently asked from where we are. The realization that we were from Kuwait, made HH ask whether the Church in Kuwait was functioning well. It was clear evidence how concerned and how loving HH is about his spiritual children. When we talked about the new book, HH blessed Mohan Achachen and graciously assured him of his prayer support for the success of the book. It was a time for my big brother to be overwhelmed with joy, tasting the goodness of HH.

Then came a bigger surprise. HH invited us to join him at his personal table, for dinner. I thought I would lose my consciousness at that point, for it was quite a rare privilege.

We were guided to the inner room. The table was small that could accommodate only four chairs around it. HH sat on one of the chairs. On the opposite chair sat Isaac Mor Savarios. HH asked us to sit on the remaining two chairs. If we had sat, it would have meant two other Bishops, HE Daniel Cleemese and HE Mathias Filaxinos, who were in the room, have no option but to sit on the back seats in the room. We politely told HH that we would rather sit in the back seats and let the bishops occupy the two chairs. Our request was granted. We sat on the back seats along with Deacon Markose. HH’s prayed the Lord’s Prayer in Syriac. After the prayer H.E. Mathias Filaxinose served food to HH and to H.E. Isaac. Offering us plates, the young bishop gently asked “Can I serve you food?” ‘Goodness gracious, in which world am I in, who am I to be served food by a bishop?’ Plunged in those thoughts I must have swayed my head in consent. H.E. served us food. Then H.E. looked at my plate again and said “Excuse me. I served you less food. With your permission, shall I serve you a little more” There was no way for me to say no to H.E.’s affectionate gesture. More food was served. It was a rice dish with nuts and meat in it, served with gravy. One spoonful of the food filled my stomach for I was still in the dream world. HE Filaxinose closely watched whether we were comfortably eating. Probably because of the excitement, the food clogged in my throat. Realizing my predicament, H.E. served me bottled mineral water which helped me to swallow what was stuck in my throat. I, somehow, ate the food. After food, came another request from H.E. “Can I take your plate” For a moment I thought of the incident when our Lord washed the feet of His disciples in the Upper Room of Sehion. H.E. collected the plates from us. It was yet another convincing gesture that H.E. Filaxinose, who holds the position of the Principal of Mor Aprem Seminary which operates within the Patriarch’s palace, by all means, is a chosen High Priest who has responded to the call of our Lord to be a shepherd to exemplify the love of Jesus through his deeds and words. The instruction of HH to give us sweets, was immediately obeyed by the young Bishop. H.E. served us Arabic sweets and then fruits. After the food, HH prayed once more after which walked to the Visitor’s Room. We were invited to the room. HH with deep interest asked our whereabouts and background. HH, the ambassador of God on high, placed hands on our heads and blessed us. Before parting, HH sincerely asked to visit him again. Once again kissing on the holy hands, we parted with HH Ignatios Zaka Iwas the First, descendant of St. Peter the Father of Fathers and Shepherd of Shepherds.

In the lower floor of the palace, we had a conversation with Deacon Markose from whom I learned about the ecumenical visits of Patriarchs of other Churches to Aprem Seminary and about HH’s return visit to their offices. In addition, I heard from Deacon Marcose that HH is very well respected in Syria even by the political leaders. Once a year, either the Syrian President visits HH in his Palace or HH pays visit to the President’s House. HH equally pays attention to the downtrodden and the oppressed. About 3000 Iraqi refugees are given accommodation near the Palace, under HH’s patronage. I felt extremely happy when I heard that HH personally pays attention to the well being of those refugees who had to leave their motherland on grounds of religious persecution. HE Isaac Zaka Mor Savorios of whom I have mentioned earlier, making use of his international connections, supports HH collecting funds for the refugees and helping them to migrate to European nations. While HH graciously accepted the rasheesa we offered for the refugeses’cause along with an icon of Ponpally Punniyalachen as keep sake, I kept praying for long life of HH.

We retired to the guest house near the palace. After a peaceful sleep we got up early in the morning. Deacon Markose had promised to accompany us till Damascus. Our guide came on time with his car and our return journey started. We entered the ancient city. With him, we had brisk visits to a few significant locations. We visited a huge mosque which used to be a Church. After Muslim seizure, they turned the Church to Mosque. In spite of the attempt of the captivators to wipe out signs of Christianity, three relics still remain indelible. The first one is a baptismal place located within the mosque. Attempt to demolish this Christian sign was blocked by a divine intervention. It is said that upon each attempt of the captivators, blood started gushing out from the floor and finally out fear, they gave up their attempt. The second is a monument under which St. John’s head is buried. This remnant, as well is located within the mosque. The third sign is writing in Greek language, in one of the exterior roofs of the Mosque that proclaims that Jesus, our Lord, will come again. The existence of these three signs draw lot of Christians to this, otherwise Muslim Centre.

We did some more shopping from a souvenir shop located near the mosque.
Our next visit was to an ancient market place. As we walked through the market, once again I felt as if I were stepping into a distant past.
We continued our journey to the ancient walls of Damascus. On our way, we visited the Head Quarters of HH where Deacon Maarkose had some work to do.
The next spot was the House of Annanias, the very place where Annanias prayed for St. Paul after having become blind at the sight of Jesus on His way to Damascus to seek permission to destroy Christians. We spent silent moments in the house which is partly underground, remembering conversion of Saul to Paul. God transformed the life of a man whose intention was to destroy Christianity to a man whose mission turned a life for Christ.
At the gate of Damascus Deacon bade farewell to us. His affection and care shall remain in our lives always.
Our driver took us to the airport. Within two hours, as the plane took off I gazed at the disappearing landmarks of Syria beneath, with a silent prayer that I should come back again.

Epilogue
Our journey to Syria turned to be a pilgrimage for us during which we met many a number of great personalities who have given their lives to serve the Lord. The Rambans in Aprem Seminary do not crave for luxuries or for the position of bishops. What I have seen in them is the compassion of Jesus and what I have heard from their lips are praises to the lord. I must say, the Rambans in Aprem Seminary are role models. I wish to write, in particular, about a Ramban whose name is Sleeba. Every morning he takes a tractor and goes to the olive orchards in the Palace compound and work for long hours tending to the olive trees. I must relate another incident; the act of HE Mathias Mor Filaxinose, who with a smiling face, was found re-arranging the chairs after a programme, on the day we had first arrived at the Bishop’s palace. It was this same bishop who had served us food in HH’s chamber. All of them, the monks and sisters who live in HH’s palace display humility through their deeds and words. Their central point pretty much, is HH at whose feet, I humbly place this travelogue.

source: http://www.melthodhaye.com/default.asp?itemID=302

DEVOTIONAL ON FIRST SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

By: Very Rev. K. Mathai Cor-Episcopa

The gospel passage selected for reading in the Holy Communion is from St. John 6: 26-35.

Especially V. 35 which says, “I am the bread of life.” is worthy of our attention.

Jesus said “I am the bread of life” (V.35). He also said “If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (V.51).

Jesus asked his disciples, Peter and John, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” (LK 22:8). Jesus said, taking bread in his hands at the Passover table, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (LK 22:19). He also said, taking the cup, “The cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (LK 22:20).

All these statements of Christ shown above, point out to the one central theme which is Divine Liturgy. Obeying the Lord’s command the Christian church faithfully and with utmost respect has been doing it without any break from the first century A.D. The Divine Liturgy in our terms is known as Holy Qurbana or Holy Communion.

Holy Qurbana is one of the sacred Sacraments, one of the spiritual means to eternity. It has the deepest spiritual effects on life, and offers four-fold benefits to the faithful partakers of.

(1) Those who take in Holy Qurbana, the body and blood of Christ, are entitled to be abiding in God. Jesus said, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in Me, and I in him” (Jn 6:56). It is a state of life together with God, and a privilege of an intimate relationship with the Almighty.

(2) The partaking of Holy Communion is an act of grafting, as it is done with the trees to bring out a new brand of tree for more yields. A specific tree of better quality is grafted with another tree, which remains in its stead capable of producing more fruits. It may be called transplantation. In animals the process is be called “cloning.”

These terms and methods of “grafting” and “pruning” (cleaning) have been already explained in the Holy Bible even before the modern scientific inventions have come forth. It says in St. John 15:2, “He (God) cuts off every branch in me (Christ) that bears no fruits, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” St. Paul in Romans 11:17, says, “..and you (Christians), though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive, do not boast over those branches.”

Spiritually, grafting means that the weak and sinful human nature shares the power of the divine nature through the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ made available in Holy Qurbana. The objective of the spiritual grafting is abundant Christian life and to bring forth the fruits of Christian character and witnessing.

(3) By receiving Holy Communion a faithful is eligible for three-fold blessings: Salvation, Remission of sins and Everlasting life. Salvation is a free gift. Remission of sins is obtained through repentance and confession at the time of Holy Communion. St. Johns Says, “and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It promises everlasting life.

(4) The Holy Communion is a renewal of our covenant with God. St. Paul says, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, do this whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me……you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes ” (1Cor. 11:24-26).

A covenant literally means a coming together, signifying a mutual undertaking between two parties or more, each party binding himself/herself to fulfill the obligation. Here the parties of the covenantal deal are God and men. In Holy Baptism we have individually committed to God agreeing to live under His lordship. At the time we have said, “I accept Christ and forsake Satan and his forces.” The same agreement to live under the lordship of Christ is renewed every time we receive Holy Communion.

source: http://www.stgregoriosphila.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=58&Itemid=186

What is Orthodoxy?

What is Orthodoxy? - By Rev.Fr.Dr.V.C.Samuel

A word of Introduction

It is indeed a joy for me to write this article in connection with the nineteen hundredth anniversary celebrations of St.Thomas the Apostle who, as we

believe, brought, Christianity to India. In its essence Christianity is a life which men and women seek to live as members of community in the midst of the realities of existence in the world, on the basis of faith. The faith gives each member of the community and the community itself a character, with the inner strength, which they need in their everyday life and a hope for the future. Christianity believes that the faith, which holds, can offer a direction in life for men and women everywhere and in every generation. This is why the Church feels obliged to carry on its missionary activities in the world.

Ever since its founding in the first century of the Christian era, Christianity spread in the world incorporating in to its adherence individual men and women as well as human communities belonging to various cultures, intellectual backgrounds and social conditions.In fact, it is in the setting of the Greco ? Roman civilization and culture of those ancient times, including their intellectual and spiritual thought forms and heritage, that Christianity acquired its historical character. In this way they're developed two great ecclesiastical traditions. One of them consists in the Roman Catholic Church within its Western Latin outlook and mentality,from which the churches of the Protestant reformation broke off since the sixteenth century. The other comprises the eastern churches,which have inherited the legacy of the Greek culture and civilization mingled with the Hebrew religious heritage. This latter form of Christianity expanded to several Eastern people and adopt the name 'ORTHODOX', while the first tradition prefers to be called as 'CATHOLIC'.

We shall discuss one point and its implications referring to these Eastern Churches, without necessarily implying that the emphases contained in them are possible to be found in varying degrees in the Western Churches also, whether Catholic or Protestant. It should also be made clear that we do not mean to suggest that the Eastern Churches agree in all the things , or that the Syrian Orthodox Church of India should conform to the traditions of any one or more of the other Eastern Churches in order to be Orthodox. Infact, the claim of autonomy which we make for our Church on the strength of its apostolic founding has no real meaning unless we develop a character our own. The central issue discussed in this paper is, in fact, how as a Church we can and should develop that character.

Orthodoxy as a worshipping community

Orthodoxy is primarily a community, which has inherited the Christian faith as the raison de etra of its existence in the world. In order to have the faith made a dynamic reality in the lives of its members one of the important means adopted by Orthodoxy is its worship. Infact, in Orthodox worship, liturgy and theology are so combined that the latter is made part of the devotional life of the people throughout the former. This fact may be illustrated by referring to four ideas repeatedly noted in Orthodox worship.

• 1. The worship invariably begins and ends with the Trinitarian affirmation of God's nature. It begins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and it ends with the Trinitarian benediction. Besides, God the Holy Trinity is remembered and invoked or glorified on various occasions in the course of the worship itself. This repeated remembrance of the Holy Trinity should, whatever it may imply otherwise, enable the people to commit their lives to God, who included in Himself the foundation of fatherhood, sonship and the love that binds them together. In this way the Trinitarian understanding of God's nature would lead us to realise our task in building up our human community. Created in the image of God, amen reflect His Creator and grow into His perfection, and this is to be accomplished in a community.
• 2. Orthodox worship is Christ-centered. God the eternal son has redeemed us by His incarnation making His saving grace available to us through His death and resurrection. We are called upon to receive this grace in faith, both spiritually and sacramentaly and lead life worthy or our calling. Here the doctrine of incarnation is taken seriously and, like the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, its value for everyday living is proclaimed. Orthodox worship recognised the fact in the historical realm man needs salvation, which has been given to us by God in His eternal son throughout the death and resurrection endured in His incarnation.
• 3. There is no worship in Orthodoxy, which does not include `the Communion of Saints'. Saints on earth and saints who have gone behind the veil are commemorated, praying to God to them and asking for their prayers. By so doing, it is the reality of the Churches fullness, in which the local congregations is a part, that is brought to the mind of the worshipping the congregation for their contemplation. Through his death and resurrection Jesus Christ has brought in to being in His own Person, a new human community, in which the entire human race is expected to participate.
• 4. In the context of these ideas. Orthodox worships presents our life on earth, its need and problems to the Triune God.Prayers are offered to God, asking for His blessings all that we do and beseeching Him to direct our steps so long as we leave in this transitory world. Those in sickness or any kind or human trouble as well as those who have fallen in evil ways are remembered. So also the wider community with rulers and leaders as well as the world of nature are committed to God's care and protection.

Orthodox worship is thus aimed to strengthen the community in the faith, inorder that the community as a whole and its members individually may become confirmed in the Christian calling and character.

Orthodoxy and Priesthood

Orthodoxy as hierarchy comprising the three orders of bishop, Presbyter or Priest and Deacon, who place lives primarily in leading the worship. The rank of the Bishop included the various dignities of Patriarch or Catholicose, Archbishop or Metropolitan and Bishop or Episcopa. If any one of these dignitaries be present at a worship service, he is defacto its leader. Normally, it is the Priest who leads the worship. Deacons assist the Bishop and the Priest in the fulfillment of their functions. The hierarchy is thus in the community, with the special responsibility of building it up.

As leader of worship the various orders of the hierarchy have the responsibility also of teaching and preaching. Worship by itself is not sufficient to educate the community in the faith and in its implications. Teaching and preaching are also equally important from this point of view. Orthodox worship and Orthodox religious education do, in fact, go together. They aim at leading the community to grow in to the likeness of Christ Himself through the Holy Spirit on the one hand, and to be a servant community the world on the other. Christians are called to be the `salt of the earth', in the sense of maintaining of quality of life which the world cannot afford to ignore or lose. In conserving this quality of life and in wowing it forth in the world, the hierarchy as a preeminent role to play.

The basis of the hierarchies' appointment leadership in the Church is the commission of our Lord to the Apostles ? `As the Father has sent to me even so I sent you'. Taking this commission seriously, we can say that the members of the hierarchy should make themselves servants in the three ways. They should, in the first place, be servants of Jesus Christ. We live in a world full of tensions of various kinds. These are their even in the Church itself. In the face of this hard reality, the world craves for the message of the love and reconciliation, which Jesus Christ has brought to us, and it is the Church lead by the hierarchy that should give it both to its members and to the world outside. Secondly, they should be servants of the community over which they have been appointed leaders. It is a fact that a large section of the Christian community does not really know of a quality of life, which is different from what they see in the world around them. They should be helped with this knowledge. Thirdly, the members of hierarchy are also servants of the wider community, whether it be Orthodox or non-Orthodox, or Christian or non-Christian. In this third area of service the hierarchy should have with them their communities. In this way the Christian community as whole will be a servant community.

This is indeed a very difficult task to carry out. Infact, the Christian way promises victory only after the Cross-. St.Thomas the Apostle, whose mission we celebrate at the Master Himself would expect this of us. What is difficult for man is not so for God.

Orthodoxy and Change

If Orthodoxy is basically a community, its attitude towards renewal deserves some discussion. Many people both within the Church and outside think that Orthodox consists merely in keeping to existing customs and practices, without permitting any change whatsoever. In fact a good friend of mine told me recently that Orthodoxy meant for him the maintenance of the prevailing ethos of the community. The word `Orthodox' as it is usually taken to mean may suggest this concept. But if this were the truth, Orthodoxy would lead to archaism, and the character of Orthodoxy as a living community with a message for the moral and spiritual progress of men every where and in every time would be lost. If Orthodoxy is to be meaningful and relevant, it should become contemporary, and this would be possible only when change and growth take place.

What we mean here may be explained further. If Orthodox worship and religious education are meant to build up the community in the faith and to help the Church in the fulfillment of its Christian task in the world, the worship and the religious education which Orthodoxy maintains should be such that they will serve the purpose effectively. The same way customes and practices which are in vogue in the Church, whether they are noted in the accepted Canon Laws or not, so long as they are not based fundamentally on some principle of the faith, if they are found to create unavoidable hindrance and problems in the lives of its members, the Church should take them up for a fresh evaluation and appropriate modification.

This can be done, however, only by drawing a distinction between what is essential and what is not essential. In judging, a custom or practice too indispensable or changeable, the criterion should be its relation the Churches' norms of the faith. As a community living in the world the Church has customs and practices accumulated over the centuries. Many of them may have had justifications at some time in the Church's history, but have lost them in course of time, some others may have been developed in the light of a distorted interpretation of certain basic principles. Costumes of these two kinds cannot be regarded as binding on the Church. Therefore, if they are found to offer moral or spiritual obstacles in the lives of any section in the Church, it is the moral responsibility of the Church to change them.

In performing this duty the hierarchy, particularly those of the rank of the Bishops, has a significant role to play. As the leaders of the community they should be sensitive to the problems which the clergy and the members are facing, and they should take the initiative in offering solutions to them.

Orthodox Church in India

As we have noted above, the Orthodox Churches of the East received the historical character against the intellectual and spiritual background of ancient Greeko-Judaic situation. During the first four centuries this eastern form of Christianity was extended to various peoples of Asia, Europe and Africa. In this way their came to be established the Churches of Syria and the Orient, Egypt, the Mainland of Greece, Armenia, Ethiopia and our own Indian Sub continent. Among these Eastern Churches, our church is in many ways an exception. The other Churches were able to receive each of them its own character within the geographical areas of their existence, even supplanting existing civilization and cultures. But our Church, at present, although we claim to have St.Thomas as our Apostle, as existed in India as a branch of the Syrian Church of the Middle east, all through this centuries, without ever feeling the need for a real confrontation with the great intellectual and spiritual tradition of India. Consequently we have not acquire an Indian character in the religious and spiritual spheres. We have all along been satisfied with our Indian Identity in this social, economic and political life only.

India, as is well known to nay one, has a religious and philosophical heritage as profound as, if not profounder than, that of Greece and Rome. But we have never made any contact or acquaintance with it. There is one reason why we have not produced a theologian or religious poet of the caliber of the many renowned figures who have adorned the Churches of the Orient. In fact, it was through the labors of such men that the Syrian, Coptic, Greek, Armenian, Roman, and Ethiopian Churches had, each of them been able to develop centuries ago theological and liturgical traditions for itself, on the basis of a common foundation inherited from early times. In this way each of these Churches acquired its own ecclesiastical character in relation to, but not depending upon, the other Churches. We, on the contrary, have never developed one of this. By autonomy and the autocephalous status we have meant only a kind of administrative independence.

The two reasons can be adduced for this plight of ours. In the first place, till recently we have been isolated group of Christians, with no intimate contact with the Eastern or Western world. Our knowledge of Orthodoxy had consisted of a kind of smattering acquaintance with the Syrian tradition gained through our limited relation with the Patriarch of Antioch. Since a study of theology, history and other related subjects in depth has somehow never attracted our attention, our knowledge of ultimate questions had been confined to what the Syrian people arrived here intermitedly and had told us, and we ourselves never undertook an investigation of such issues. We have received a great deal of the Syrian liturgical texts, some of which we use in our worship without knowing the meaning of it. In fact, as an autonomous Church what we really needed was a clear grasp of the common Eastern Orthodox tradition in theology, liturgy, and so on, in order that on its basis we could work for an indigenous Indian identity. This, however, escaped our thinking and we continued in our deeply influenced by the Roman Catholic and Antiochene Churches, without realising these facts. On this account we have often taken purely Roman Catholic ideas and emphases for the teaching of Orthodox Church.

In saying all this we do not all imply any idea of downgrading the Syrian or Roman traditions. On the contrary, against the background of a serious study of the Syrian fathers and of a fair amount of knowledge of other eastern traditions, we can say the very precisely that the former are in no way inferior to the latter. The point made here is only that the Syrian traditions constitutes only one among more than five respectable eastern traditions, and that we as an autonomous Christian community in India cannot feel gratified about the greatness of the Syrian heritage. While claiming an apostolic founding for our Church, we should seek to find equally an Indian ecclesiastical identity for our Church.

What is meant here should be further clarified. In preferring to the other Eastern Churches, we noted that each of them acquired its own character and theological and liturgical traditions, and that we should also work for evolving an Indian character and identity. The point we aim at may be stated by distinguishing the theological tradition from the liturgical tradition. In theology, for instance, the Orthodox Churches of the East have received on the whole a common basic tradition. This tradition needs to be explained to every generation in its own language and thought-forms, facing questions and problems raised by it. When this is done with a view to build up the community in the faith, there is bound to be growth in theological thinking, and I believe that if an Indian Christian theologian is able to confront the religious tradition of India, he would be led to interpret the Christian faith in a way that would contain a contribution towards the development of an Indian Christina theology. This precisely what the fathers of the Eastern Church, notably those of the Alexandrine School and there successors, had done with the intellectual and spiritual heritage of Greece in ancient times.

The question of liturgical tradition is also similar in many ways. It is not necessary for us to give up the Syrian liturgical forms which we have taken over. But we should select from them whatever is useful and intelligible to us in the present century Indian situation for the maintenance of an intelligent worship. To this, we should make suitable additions of our own making. It should be admitted that the production of literary materials for liturgical worship is not an easy task, and that only persons can undertake it with a natural gift for it. At the same time, without proper encouragement, such development cannot take place. An expert committee should carefully scrutinize whatever is produced in this way and officially approved by the Holy Synod of the Church before it is given for use in public worship. If this task is handled responsibly with a knowledge of the spiritual and theological traditions of Orthodoxy in general on the one hand and our Indian back ground in life on the other; our Church will be able to have a liturgical tradition of its own, a tradition which is Indian and which at the same time includes all the basic elements of Orthodox liturgies anywhere else in the world. As we celebrate the nineteen hundredth anniversary of St.Thomas the Apostle, we can on no account neglect this duty and claim to be an autonomous and autocephalus body within Eastern Orthodoxy.

In this connection a word should be said about our ecumenical task in India. It is a fact that there are various ecclesiastical traditions, both Eastern and Western in our country. As the Apostle of India St.Thomas is the spiritual father of all of them, and as such they all are brethren. We should be able to seek and find them, so that they and we are found together in the ONE CHURCH of India. This is the vision which we should see, in the light of which we should enter in to a theological and spiritual dialogue with the other Churches in the years to come, with a view to gaining a closer understanding of them as they exist and function in the Indian context. This will require of us a spelling out of our positions on the one hand, and listening to what they have to say about themselves on the other. If we take up this responsibility with the seriousness it demands, we shall be lay to the foundation for the coming together of the different ecclesiastical traditions in our country and the eventual formation of the ONE CHURCH OF INDIA.

A word in conclusion

The witness of Orthodoxy lies, in a word, in seeking to build up the community on the basis of the Christian faith. A visible Head on the historical plane does not govern this community. It has a hierarchy, which constitutes more liturgical and spiritual leaders than men endowed with the authority to rule. It can have local variations in liturgical practice and even in theological explanations. So long as there is agreement in essentials.

The word 'Orthodox' implies two ideas. In the first place, it prefers to the belief that these Churches call to the faith as our Lord through the Apostles has handed it down and as it has been maintained the Church under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Secondly the faith does not lie in the intellectual realm of theological formulation only, but is also made real in life through the worship.

The fact that our church was founded originally by St.Thomas, one of the Apostles of our Lord, does not give us any special credit. The coming of St.Thomas to India indicates the bringing into our country of the Christian Church as a "Servant community". As we celebrate the nineteen hundredth anniversary of the Apostle, may God open our hearts and mind to see the many tasks that lie before us, and may He enable us to fulfill our responsibility in the years to come.

source: http://www.icon.org.in/church_whatisorthodoxy.icon