Terminology - APOSTLES

APOSTLE – 1)  Literally, “one who is sent.” Apostle is used as a title for the Twelve Disciples who formed the foundation of the NT Church, replacing, symbolically, the twelve tribes of Israel. In order to maintain this symbolism, Matthias was elected to replace Judas (Acts 1:15 26). The word is also used of the… Read More

I Peter 1:3-9 (Vespers, Apostles) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for… Read More

I Peter 1:13-19  (Vespers, Apostles) Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called… Read More

I Peter 2:11-24  (Vespers, Apostles) Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. Therefore submit… Read More

II Corinthians 11:21-12:9 (Apostles) BRETHREN, to my shame, I must say, we were too weak for that! But whatever any one dares to boast of–I am speaking as a fool–I also dare to boast of that.  Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am… Read More

Acts 11:19-26,29-30 (Apostles) (Read on 6/11 for Apostles Bartholomew and Barnabas) IN THOSE DAYS, those apostles who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who… Read More

Matthew 16:13-19 (Church, Apostles) (read on 7/29 for The Holy Glorious and All-Praised Leaders of the Apostles, Peter And Paul, and on 9/13 for Commemoration of the Founding of the Church of the Resurrection -Holy Sepulcher- at Jerusalem)   At that time, when Jesus came into the district of Caesare’a Philip’pi, he asked his disciples,… Read More

The Lord Chooses Twelve Apostles Gradually, the number of disciples of Jesus Christ increased. One day, while in Galilee, Jesus Christ went out into a mountain to pray and continued all night in prayer to God. When it was daylight, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them whom He named apostles,… Read More

The Appearance of the Lord to the Apostles As the apostles were talking with the disciples of Christ, Cleophas and Luke, just returned from Emmaus, the door of the house where they were gathered was locked from fear of the Jews; suddenly Jesus Christ Himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be unto… Read More

The Preaching Labors of the Apostles In a short time the apostles of Christ by their preaching, which was inspired in them by the Holy Spirit, won multitudes of pagans to Christ, simple and unsophisticated people, as well as scholars and even kings. The apostles suffered much difficulty in their holy work enduring much grief… Read More

The Lives of the Apostles The holy foremost-of-the-Apostles Peter (Simon) preached first in Judea and then in Antioch, in Bithynia, in Asia, in Cilicia, also throughout Italy and in Rome itself. In Rome, he was crucified head down by order of the Emperor Nero. The Apostle Peter and the Apostle Paul, as the apostles who… Read More

Psalm 18:4 (Communion Hymn for Thursday; Apostles, St Nicholas) (Psalm 19:4 – Hebrew Numbering) Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

SAINT ANDREW THE FIRST CALLED –  St. Andrew was a Galilean fisherman of Bethsaida and was the first called of the Apostles of Christ (John 1:37-40), to whom he brought his brother Simon, called Peter. According to Church tradition, he suffered martyrdom at Patras in Achaia on an X-shaped Cross (St. Andrew’s Cross). Another tradition… Read More

The Saints – Holy Tradition

^{By Fr. Thomas Hopko}

The doctrine of 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” ^{(Lev 11:44; 1 Pet 1:16)}. The lives of the saints bear witness to the authenticity and truth of the Christian gospel, the sure gift of God’s holiness to men.

In the Church there are different classifications of saints. In addition to the holy fathers who are quite specifically glorified for their teaching, there are a number of classifications of the various types of holy people according to the particular aspects of their holiness.

Thus, 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 confessors who suffer for the faith and the martyrs who die for it. There are the so-called “holy ones”, the saints from among the monks and nuns; and the “righteous” those from among the lay people.

Sources of Christian Doctrine

^{By Fr. Thomas Hopko}

Revelation

Every morning at its Matins Service the Orthodox Church proclaims: “God is the Lord and has revealed Himself unto us; blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” ^{(Ps 117[118]:26-27)}. The first foundation of Christian doctrine is found in this biblical line: God has revealed Himself to us.

God has shown Himself to His creatures. He has not disclosed His very innermost being, for this innermost essence of God cannot be grasped by creatures. But God has truly shown what men can see and understand of His divine nature and will.

The fullness and perfection of God’s self-revelation is found in His Son Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the gradual and partial revelation of God in the Old Testament. Jesus is the one truly “blessed… who comes in the name of the Lord.”