Articles for category: Sacraments

THE NEED FOR CATECHIZING GOD’S PEOPLE

Fr. Athanasios Mitilinaios talks about the catechism of the early Christians, the implications of not being catechized, and what it means to be a shepherd.

May 17, 2025 by Elder Athanasios Mitilinaios
Elder Athanasios Mitilinaios, Holy Scripture, Sacraments, Sermons, Translations from Greek

[Video] Ordination speech of Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis to the Diaconate (1988)

Fr. Emmanuel: “The priest is called to give witness and to martyr for his faith in Christ.” Holy Cross, Brookline, MA; ordaining bishop: Met. Silas of NJ.

July 21, 2024 by Orthodox Witness
Sacraments, Video

Let’s make the “churching prayers” non-offensive

Many faithful might consider the prayers for the mother in the churching service offensive. It’s time we revisit our prayer books and make some changes.

February 1, 2024 by Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis
Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis, Sacraments

Grant Rest to Your Departed Servant

Why do we pray for the departed? What does “grant rest” mean? How is our prayer related to the Second Coming? by Rev. Protopresbyter Lawrence Barriger

January 13, 2024 by V. Rev. Protopresbyter Lawrence Barriger (+2021)
Sacraments

THE BREAD, THE WINE, THE MODE

Athonite Priestmonk Chrysostomos explains how God “innovates the mode” of bread and wine to acquire Divine properties while retaining their natural properties.

April 3, 2020 by Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis
Divine Liturgy, Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis, Sacraments, Translations from Greek

Let everyone examine himself

Can holy Communion transmit Coronavirus? Orthodox theologians have answered on both sides of the spectrum. We offer a few brief reflections on this issue.

April 1, 2020 by Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis
Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis, Sacraments

Unbaptized spouses: welcome to the Church! –Abp. Elpidophoros

Taking one step closer towards complete apostasy, Archbishop Elpidophoros has declared non-Orthodox spouses to be “100% part of our community”.

February 29, 2020 by Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis
Ecumenism, Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis, Sacraments

A symbol or actual body and blood?

“Do the bread and wine truly become the actual Body and Blood of Christ?” A reader asks to be assured of what the Church has always taught.

January 29, 2020 by Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis
Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis, Sacraments

Repentance: the beginning and end of our spiritual journey

King Manasse, the wicked king of the Jews who repented after a 55 year reign, is just one figure the Church sets before us to show that change is possible.

April 12, 2019 by Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis
Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis, Sacraments, Sermons

There is no “valid” baptism outside the Church — Part 2 of 2

Those who are not reborn by the divine grace in the only ONE HOLY, CATHOLIC AND APOSTOLIC CHURCH, do not belong to any church, either visible or invisible.

December 1, 2018 by Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis
Ecumenism, Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis, Sacraments

+ More

THE NEED FOR CATECHIZING GOD’S PEOPLE

[Video] Ordination speech of Fr. Emmanuel Hatzidakis to the Diaconate (1988)

Let’s make the “churching prayers” non-offensive

Grant Rest to Your Departed Servant

THE BREAD, THE WINE, THE MODE

Let everyone examine himself

Unbaptized spouses: welcome to the Church! –Abp. Elpidophoros

A symbol or actual body and blood?

Repentance: the beginning and end of our spiritual journey

There is no “valid” baptism outside the Church — Part 2 of 2

Were the Disciples deceived, deceiving others or telling the truth? ChatGPT weighs in.

PRISON SCIENCE 101: Selections from the Gulag Archipelago

THE NEED FOR CATECHIZING GOD’S PEOPLE