March 3, 7534
Unfortunately, what was once considered natural for believers is today met with profound misunderstanding. Before the Church schism of the 17th century, all Orthodox men in Rus’ did not shave their beards—such an idea, I think, never even occurred to them. Wearing a beard was a common religious and ethical norm. The same was true…
Bishop Mikhail (Semyonov) I began to speak about how one may attain salvation while living in the world. According to the teaching of the Church, the family is itself a little Church… a school of Christian life and Christian love. From this alone it follows that life within the family is in itself a broad…
A man is the head of the woman. How should a man conduct himself so that a woman does not feel demeaned? How can one avoid extremes such as “You’re nothing, and your place is in the kitchen”? This question touches on two critical spiritual truths: the creation of the world and the Fall. St….
Why is a man prohibited from shaving his beard? Why should we so strictly follow the Old Testament today? The strict prohibition against shaving the beard is indeed found only in the Old Testament: “Neither shalt thou mar the corners of thy beard.”(Leviticus 19:27) However, the New Testament does not explicitly address many things, including…
The Family as a Supreme Value: Scholarly Article by I. A. Sedakova on Old Believers’ Attitude Toward Family — Selected Excerpts The article by I. A. Sedakova is based on materials collected from 2006 to 2008 among Russian Old Believers — the Nekrasovites and Lipovans — in Bulgaria (Kazashko village, Varna province; Tataritsa village, Silistra…
By Kiril Mikhailov When comparing Old Belief with other Orthodox confessions, the first thing that stands out is its familialism. All forms of traditional spirituality tend to gravitate toward traditional social structures and patriarchal ways of life—but for Old Belief, this was almost the central issue of its confession of faith [14: 79]. Everyone is…
How can one save a marriage and restore relationships if they married foolishly, out of passion, or without love? Is such an unsuccessful marriage also considered God’s will, requiring humble submission? This question has two parts. What we do is not necessarily done according to God’s will. However, everything we do is allowed by God…
How can one build a happy marriage? Why is marriage a sacrament? What mystical, mysterious events occur during the wedding ceremony? To build something successfully, one must first understand what it is. For example, to construct a building, one needs to know what it is, on what foundation and materials it stands, what dimensions and…
How can one choose a spouse to ensure a happy marriage? What should one look for in a young man or woman? Every young man and woman, especially those raised in Christian families, dreams of a strong, lifelong marriage and a loving spouse. How, then, can one find the person truly meant for them? Unfortunately,…
What hierarchy of values should a Christian family have? What should come first, second, and third? First and foremost, there must be a hierarchy. This is not about establishing equal rights in decision-making, where the husband and wife have equal say in family matters, or where a child’s voice is equal to that of an…