-
The Mystery of Holy Unction (Soborovanie)
Read more: The Mystery of Holy Unction (Soborovanie)A Christian places his full trust in the Lord, attributing both health and illness to His saving providence. Yet the desire to preserve health, and to restore it when lost, is natural to all people, including Christians. The body is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and caring for it is a natural human…
-
On the Holy Mysteries. -Bishop Mikhail (Semyonov)
Read more: On the Holy Mysteries. -Bishop Mikhail (Semyonov)Bishop Mikhail (Semyonov) The question of the Mysteries (Sacraments) is the most essential in the dispute between sectarianism and the Church worldview. “The Mysteries,” they say, “are superstition, sorcery, magic, harmful witchcraft” (Tolstoy). “Some sort of external act of incantation is performed, terrifying formulaic spells are recited, and some kind of superstitious folk-healer actions are…
-
The Sacraments of the Church
Read more: The Sacraments of the ChurchThe Church, like a loving mother, accompanies a person throughout their entire life, blessing, comforting, and strengthening them. For any significant undertaking, a Christian comes to God’s temple seeking a blessing. Behind the priest’s words, “God bless,” lies profound meaning: from that moment, God Himself is invisibly present in our endeavors. However, not everything may…
-
On How Synodal Theologians and Religious Figures Fought Against the Two-Finger Sign of the Cross
Read more: On How Synodal Theologians and Religious Figures Fought Against the Two-Finger Sign of the CrossThis article provides a brief overview of the writings of the main religious polemicists of Synodal theology regarding the form of the sign of the cross. Let us begin with the former Patriarch Nikon. Patriarch Nikon is one of the most controversial figures in the history of the Russian Church. The wide range of opinions,…
-
The Sign of the Cross. -F.E. Melnikov
Read more: The Sign of the Cross. -F.E. MelnikovThe sign of the Cross is a gesture made with the fingers of the hand arranged in a specific way. According to apostolic tradition, to make the sign of the Cross one must join together three fingers of the right hand—the thumb, ring finger, and little finger—as a sign of faith in the Holy Trinity….
-
“Even as Christ Himself…” The Two-Finger Sign of the Cross and the “Pinch”: Two Consciousnesses. -George Neminuschy
Read more: “Even as Christ Himself…” The Two-Finger Sign of the Cross and the “Pinch”: Two Consciousnesses. -George NeminuschyBy George Neminuschy In the mid-17th century after the birth of Christ, the Russian authorities, led by Patriarch Nikon and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, undertook the infamous reforms of the Church order. According to some sources, these reforms were not without the influence of the Roman Catholic Jesuit order. The goal of these reforms was to…
-
Why do Old Believers make the sign of the cross with two fingers?
Read more: Why do Old Believers make the sign of the cross with two fingers?Every Christian arranges the fingers of their right hand for the sign of the cross as follows: three fingers (thumb, ring finger, and little finger) are joined together, symbolizing faith in the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The other two fingers (index and middle) represent the two natures of Christ—divine…
-
Does the Stoglav Council command us to place our hand on our chest or naval?
Read more: Does the Stoglav Council command us to place our hand on our chest or naval?The Stoglav Council of 1551 decreed that the sign of the cross, after touching the forehead, should be made upon the chest, where the heart is, and that those who do not cross themselves in this manner, according to chapter 32 of the Stoglav, should be excommunicated from the Church. Why, then, do we place…
-
When did the two-finger sign of the cross and the veneration of the eight-pointed cross originate?
Read more: When did the two-finger sign of the cross and the veneration of the eight-pointed cross originate?The sign of the cross is a “hidden apostolic tradition,” as stated by St. Maximus the Greek. We believe that from the very beginning, the sign of the cross took the form of the two-finger gesture (dvoeperstie), as affirmed by Orthodox Church Fathers, including Blessed Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus; St. Peter of Damascus, hieromartyr and…
-
Superstition — A Sign of Spiritual Ignorance. -Met. Korniliy (Titov)
Read more: Superstition — A Sign of Spiritual Ignorance. -Met. Korniliy (Titov)Faith is one of the cornerstones of our salvation from sin and of attaining eternal life with Christ. The spiritual life of every person, all knowledge of God, begins precisely with faith. Without faith, there are no truly good deeds; without faith, there is no sincere prayer; without faith, communion with God is impossible —…