The Blessing

“And without all contradiction, the less is blessed of the better.”— Hebrews 7:7 The word “blessing” (благословение) is composed of two parts: “blago” (good) and “slovo” (word)—that is, speech, teaching, and in this case also consent or permission (for a particular “good”). Thus, in modern terms, a blessing is consent and authorization for a specific, God-pleasing and salvific action. And…

Sources of Church Canons in Ancient Orthodoxy

Archpriest Vadim Korovin Our Lord Jesus Christ founded His Church, of which He Himself is both the Cornerstone and the Head, and He summoned all nations “unto the marriage feast” in this Church. The word Church means “assembly.” The Church of God, as defined by Saint Arseny of the Urals, is “the voluntary reception and retention of…

In the Snares of Heresies and Anathemas. -F.E. Melnikov

(On the Contemporary Disputes over the Names of God)[Moscow, 1913] Introduction A wondrous fate befell the creation of the former Patriarch of Russia, Nikon. The reforms he instituted resemble, in many respects, that house of which Christ speaks in the Gospel—“and great was the fall of it.” “Everyone who heareth these sayings of Mine,” the…

The Church Destroyer. -Bishop Mikhail Semyonov

Recently, Bishop Alexei of Taurida, a hierarch of the “dominant church,” declared in a public speech that all is well within the Church: “Our temples are full; the efforts of journalistic lackeys to sow discord in the Church have been unsuccessful.” Clearly, the bishop rejoices that the prophecy of one such “lackey,” V. V. Rozanov,…

Why is the new rite considered heresy?

To answer this question, we must first examine the meaning of the word “heresy.” Often, words lose their original meanings over time, and people use them in new contexts, leading to confusion. This has also happened with the word “heresy.” Today, it is often used to mean “nonsense” or “absurdity.” For example, one might hear,…

Do Old Believers and New Ritualists share the same faith?

Salvation can only be attained by uniting with Christ. And one can unite with Christ only by becoming part of His mystical Body—the Church. The Heavenly Church and the earthly Church together form one single Body. Such a Body can only be one. “He is the head of the body, the Church.”(Colossians 1:18) Just as…

Are Seraphim of Sarov and Matrona of Moscow not saints in the Old Believer tradition? How can that be? I want to convert to the Old Faith, but these saints are very dear to my heart.

The first thing every believer must understand is that Christ is our Savior. We call Christ the Savior because no one but Him can save us. The Church is the Body of Christ. Our task is to find the Church that is inseparably connected to the ancient Church of Christ, which is the true Body…