What do I do if there’s no Orthodox Church near me?   When our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ was asked, “teach us to pray”, he started with the words “Our Father”. He did not say “my father”. In this way he was teaching us that it is not “God and me”, rather it is “God and us”. Common worship means coming together as a group and worshipping God, with prayer, doxology, song, with our hearts, our minds and our bodies, together in one space. This is a foundational aspect, not only of the Orthodox Church, but of the whole [...]

St Ambrose of Milan (Commemorated 7th December)   St Ambrose of Milan was a profoundly inspiring Bishop who was well loved by the people of Milan and by the Byzantine emperors who sought his guidance. He was born in 340AD at Trier and became well-educated, having learnt both Greek and Latin. He was appointed Governor of Milan and ruled with the Christian virtues of love and fair justice, being attributes with which he was raised. He was so loved that he was elected as Bishop by the people of Milan, and was not baptised until after his election! As Bishop [...]

The Power of Optimism   The Second World War ended with the United States of America victors over the Japanese. To mark the event, a spectacular celebration was organised in Los Angeles. Over 100,000 people were present in an enormous stadium which was entirely converted into a theatre of war. The ground shook as grenades exploded, tanks fired, various armours of war went off. Aircraft above the crowd made daring movements, causing fear but also generating a strong feeling of pride for the victorious nation. Flood lights of different colours added a realistic picture of what war can be like. [...]

From Christmas to Theophany   How many feast-days, each one of Christ’s mysteries, there are for me! All of which have one culmination, my perfection and renewal and return to the state of the first Adam. (St Gregory the Theologian, Sermon 38.16, On the Theophany, or Birthday of Christ) As Christmas and Theophany approach, we too share in the grateful awe of St Gregory the Theologian’s child-like exclamation. The appearance of God amongst men, both with the Incarnation of the Word and the revelation of the Holy Trinity at Christ’s baptism in the Jordan River, far surpasses human logic and [...]

The Way of a Pilgrim Hope Publishing House, 2nd Edition 1989   The Way of a Pilgrim is an all-time classic much loved by generations of teenagers and adults. It chronicles the travels of an anonymous nineteenth century Russian Christian, and his adventures, spiritual inquiries, and inner change along his eye-opening and extraordinary journey. The pilgrim sets out with nothing but a Bible, a rosary, and some dried bread. Various incidents arise during his journey: he meets his spiritual elders, he learns the Jesus prayer, he encounters a forester, he gets a job as a church watchman, he plans for [...]