Deacon Raphael reviews two books: 1) When Women Were Priests :Women’s Leadership in the Early Church and the Scandal of Their Subordination in the Rise of Christianity 2) The Gospel According to Women: Christianity’s Creation of the Sex War in the West. A worthy read. Again, go HERE! With this week, the Fifth Week of the Great Fast, upon us, I commend THIS ARTICLE about the Great Canon of St Andrew of Crete, Life of St Mary, and our common... Read more

We are coming up on the Fifth week of the Great Fast where the service of Compline with the entire Canon of St Andrew of Crete, along with the life of St Mary of Egypt, is served in Orthodox parishes around the world. The following article speaks of the Great Canon per use in First Week and Fifth Week. The author is Archpriest Victor Potapov of the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St John the Baptist in Washington, DC. I have... Read more

Saute until tender:3 Tbsp oil1 lg onion (diced)2 med green peppers (diced) Add:3 c. tomato sauce1 1/2 Tbsp chile powder (or more)1/8 tsp black pepper1 Tbsp soy sauce1 Tbsp (salad) mustard1 Tbsp honeySimmer together over low heat about 20 minutes. Brown in another skillet:3 Tbsp oil1 1/2 lbs firm tofu (crumbled)5 Tbsp tamari When tofu is well browned and has absorbed flavoring, add tomato sauce.Serve on buns (or rice). I like these better than the meat kind. Kids also approve! Read more

1 c. mashed sweet potatoes1/2 c. vegetable oil1 c. sugarMix together. Add:2 c. flour1 1/2 tsp baking soda1/2 tsp salt1 1/2 tsp nutmeg1/2 tsp cinnamon1 c. raisins (dust w/ flour so they don’t sink to the bottom of batter) Pour into 9″ X 13″ pan; bake @ 350 for 25-30 min. After baking, drizzle glaze all over the top. Glaze:1/4 c. confec. sugar2 Tbsp hot water Cut into squares when cool. Yummy! Yummy! Yummy! Read more

VATICAN CITY — His All Holiness, BARTHOLOMEW, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, today became the first Orthodox Christian to be elected Pope of Rome since the Great Schism of 1054. BARTHOLOMEW was secretly made a Cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003. The rule for qualification states only that the candidate be an unmarried male of the Catholic faith. As the Church of Rome views the Eastern Orthodox as valid members of the Catholic faith, this... Read more

“[He] dedicated his life to studying the history of the goddess, and nothing has done more to erase that history than the Catholic Church” (p.46). Can you say “hooey?” I thought you could.See previous posts Part 1, Part 2, Addendum, Part 3. “The fleur-de-lis … the flower of Lisa … the Mona Lisa” (p.114). This one caught by breath. My mind went, “Really?” Having been, once upon a time, of the High Church camp as an Anglican, I was taught... Read more

When hatred for someone becomes enflamed in your heart, believe with all your heart that it is a matter working in the heart of the devil; come to hate its origin, and it will leave you. — St. John of Kronstadt Evil thoughts come from one thinking that he is living well, or praying diligently, while he is judging others. — Venerable Makary of Optina Love and mercy cannot exist without humility, and humility cannot exist without mercy and love.... Read more

May 13th, 1981, I was a college sophomore and “running the board” at the local radio station, WATA, in Boone, North Carolina. In those days, back before PCs & Internet, the news came to the Media over the AP Wire (or Reuters, UPI, etc). This was a black box, about the size of your CPU, which noisily, clumsily, and continuously spat out paper (news, sports, entertainment, stocks, etc). There was a bell on the machine which would ring if there... Read more

QUESTION:Today, I had a brief conversation with a work college about Easter. It stemmed from the question I asked him, “How was you Easter” — assuming he celebrated on the Gregorian date. He responded that he doesn’t celebrate “Easter” because it is based on pagan rituals. He proceded to show me literature on where he based his claims. He also said that the Resurrection is supposed to be celebrated continually, and not just on a one day of the year.... Read more

Ss Cyril & Methodius Pie1 graham cracker crust21 oz (1 1/2 pkg) firm silken tofu1 cup vegan chocolate chips, or dark chocolate, melted (in microwave: give 1 min, stir, then +10 sec, stir, +10 sec, till melted) 1 pkg (4 serving size) INSTANT chocolate pudding mix1 ripe banana (optional)3/4 c. peanut butter In a food processor or with electric mixer, blend tofu, melted chocolate, pudding mix, and peanut butter for at least 1 full minute or until nice and creamy.... Read more