Cycles of the Orthodox calendar (and why they matter)
The end of September marks the start of a somewhat quieter time, liturgically speaking. The next of the major feast days isn’t until 21 November (Presentation of the Theotokos) and there are no major fast periods until that of Nativity, starting on 15 November. Don’t get me wrong, there’s lots of good stuff happening in the Church between…
23 September: a Conception, a Caesar and an Equinox
On September 23rd, we commemorate the conception of St. John the Baptist, who paved the way for Christ’s message of salvation. In Orthodox circles, he’s often called the Forerunner, i.e. the precursor, to Christ. Although St. John is a pretty big deal, his conception is prone to falling off our annual radar—it’s not preceded by a fast, it’s not…
Where do we begin? Practical thoughts to navigate the Orthodox year
Greetings, and happy fore-feast of the Elevation of the Cross on September 14! (Read more about that here.) Since starting the Time Eternal podcast nearly a year ago, a number of listeners have requested a list of practical resources to help them stay in sync with the Church year. I’ve hesitated for a few reasons. First, I think…
(Re)learning to Wait: the Nativity of the Theotokos and other September Feasts
On September 8, we commemorate the nativity—or birth—of the Theotokos. It’s the first of the twelve major feasts of the Orthodox calendar following the start of the ecclesiastical new year on September 1st. With this particular feast, the annual narrative of Christ’s life, death and resurrection begins anew. The previous Church year, which concluded with the falling asleep…
Indiction: Beginning a Year in Gratitude
As I announced earlier, today marks the beginning of a new series within Time Eternal that focuses on the liturgical year. Welcome to “A Year in Time”! And welcome to a New (ecclesiastical) Year! On September 1st, we also enter into a new ecclesiastical year in the Orthodox Church–a fitting “time” to start thinking anew about time and…
A Year in Time
Tomorrow is the first day of September–Καλό μήνα, or happy [first day of the] month! Not to mention, happy (early) Church New Year! The beginning September also marks the start of a series within Time Eternal—here on the blog and the podcast. We’ll be embarking upon a year-long journey through the underpinnings of the Orthodox liturgical year. I’ve called it “A Year in…
Welcome to Time Eternal!
Some of you are already familiar with my podcast of the same name, which has been on Ancient Faith for the better part of a year. I’m thrilled to open up this new avenue of content. Here, I’ll share abridged versions of my episodes in written form, as well as other thoughts that don’t quite make it into…