February 20, 7534
By Nikifor Zenin On October 27 at 1:30 in the afternoon, Bishop Kir Mikhail, Old Believer Bishop of Canada, passed away in the hospital at the Rogozhskoye Cemetery. The ways of God are unsearchable. Something difficult to foresee — or even miraculous, though sorrowful — led Bishop Kir Mikhail to die in the chief center…
In Orthodoxy, there is no strict dichotomy between the soul and the body, nor any teaching that all physical things are sinful and corrupt, with the soul’s ultimate goal being to escape the “filthy” body. Orthodox Christianity teaches that the body and soul together form a single human being and that Christians living on earth,…
The Apostle Paul says: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful.”\(1 Corinthians 6:12) Thus, we should view the restrictions mentioned not as a denial or violation of the freedom Christ has called us to, but as the Church’s guidance to help us on the path to salvation in Christ. Our…
I would recommend first and foremost reading the Holy Scripture, but always with the commentaries of the Holy Fathers, to avoid straying into self-willed interpretations of its passages, as Protestants and other non-Orthodox often do. It is very beneficial to read the works of St. John Chrysostom, who presents Orthodox teachings about God, the incarnation…
Judging by your question, it seems that you (the author of the question) have recently joined the Orthodox Old Believer Church. This is evident from your use of the term “edinovertsy” to refer to Old Believers, which is not customary among us (this term is typically used by clergy and parishioners of the Moscow Patriarchate…
Indeed, secular people typically celebrate their birthdays by gathering guests for feasting, often with alcohol, music, dancing, and other inevitable attributes of worldly parties. Such people are entirely unfamiliar with the concept of name days or the day of their angel. It is worth noting that about a hundred years ago or more, things were different….
Much depends on the circumstances—whether you are visiting them or they are visiting you. There are numerous Church rules that regulate our conduct regarding heretics. What do these rules say? Looking at their context and interpretations, they prohibit joint prayer with heretics or those excommunicated from the Church, whether at home, privately, or in a…
Theaters, public performances, and other forms of entertainment have long been integral parts of social life. The Christian Church has coexisted with these phenomena for centuries and has documented its experiences in the canons of Ecumenical and Local Councils. These canons are explained by well-known Orthodox canonists such as Zonaras, Valsamon, and Aristenes. If we…
The surrounding world changes, but “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). God’s commandments, which people must follow, also remain unchanged. The values and virtues that we should strive for are constant. The methods for achieving virtues and fighting sin have been described once and for all. Human nature itself does not…
Modern individuals have stopped engaging in many traditional activities and crafts. For instance, many women no longer practice needlework. Does this have any negative consequences, and what were the benefits of women’s needlework and embroidery? Indeed, modern society has largely shifted to urban living. Just a hundred years ago, many activities and skills that seemed…