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The Purpose and Goals of My Writing
I’ve enjoyed writing since I was little, and I have written for a variety of reasons. Writing is an interactive process for me; I am as excited to see the reaction to and engagement with what I produce as I am to produce it in the first place. Sometimes I write for personal reasons, such […] -
Excerpt from “The Elder Ieronymos of Aegina” on How the Elder Returned to the Old Calendar in August, 1942
Please Note: This is an excerpt from the work The Elder Ieronymos of Aegina, published by Holy Transfiguration Monastery, and under copyright. Please support the monastery’s translation work by purchasing this book. I’ve read it and highly recommend it. CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Lover of Tradition The region of Anatolia, Cappadocia in Asia Minor, where he lived […] -
Just One More Step…
For many people, converting to the Orthodox Christian Church is a tough process. Whether coming from a secular background and having to deal with basic questions of faith, or coming from a Western Christian background and having to give up previous ways of thinking and familiar hymns and practices, the transition is often difficult. Add […] -
Uncanonical
Part of my ongoing Correspondence series, featuring replies to people who contacted me and asked questions, mostly when I served as a priest (2008-2013). Dear V., The Calendar was changed in 1924, and that was a big event in Greece. At that time, about 25% of the people rejected the change, by some accounts. Monks from Mount […] -
Orthodox Notes on Baptism
The following are some notes and citations I gathered for use during my discussions with Protestants about Orthodox Christian beliefs and practices. Baptismal Regeneration John 3:5: “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 2:38: […] -
Holy Saturday: the Forgotten Day of Holy Week in the West
Holy Saturday is a day that is under-emphasized in the Christian West. I am not suggesting that traditional Western Christianity does not have references to what we commemorate today, but rather that in the popular imagination and experience, it is not realized. As a child in the Lutheran Church, we always went to Church on […] -
Jesus Is Not Always Nice
During Holy Week, we are preparing for Pascha (Easter), the glorious Resurrection. We celebrated the joy of Palm Sunday, when the Lord came to Jerusalem in glory, and we look forward to Christ rising from the dead. For those of us who don’t attend Church frequently or read the Bible with any regularity, it’s easy […] -
TOC Author V. Moss Shocks World by Approving of Church Union
Disclaimer: The following is a work of satire. My goal is not to make fun of the individual in question, but to illustrate a serious problem which his writings convey: sectarianism. While he certainly makes valid points here and there, the spirit of his essays overall is divisive and I believe counter-productive to the True […] -
My Joy Over the Recent Church Union
This week, traditional Orthodox Christians rejoiced as a 30-year division ended; the Synod in Resistance united with the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece. This union is something I had prayed for and hoped would happen, but the many obstacles to it made me think that it would only be a dream. I […] -
Concerning the Lack of Posting
Dear Readers, Since I haven’t posted anything new since May 2013, I wanted to take a moment to give you an update. I absolutely love writing, but there have been some other priorities that I have had to take care of that prevented me from producing anything new. I’m now living in Reston, Virginia, having […]