Turkish TV gameshow looks to convert atheists ISTANBUL (Reuters) – What happens when you put a Muslim imam, a Christian priest, a rabbi and a Buddhist monk in a room with 10 atheists? Turkish television station Kanal T hopes the answer is a ratings success as it prepares to launch a gameshow where spiritual guides from the four faiths will seek to convert a group of non-believers. The prize for converts will be a pilgrimage to a holy site of... Read more

The tragic martyrdom of Tsar Nicholas, his family, and all intimately related to him was the signal wave of an in-rushing tide of barbarous secularism that would sweep over Holy Russia in the years after Ekaterinburg. For a century before the royal murders, wise Russian souls forecast a flood of materialist humanism, with brutal cynicism, utilitarian philosophy, and utter disdain for life and the sacred. Satan’s hatred skillfully manipulated, distorted, lied, and deceived, unleashing a fury of bloodletting appalling to... Read more

Ancient Faith Radio’s June donation budget was $8,000 and as of this last day in June (2:10 PM), they are $1,286 short short. UPDATE: As of 10:40 PM — only $800 short of the goal! If you can help, please go to their Donations Page now. The thermometer on the left side of their home page represents the budgeted donation amount for each month. This amount will vary from month to month taking into consideration the slower summer months as... Read more

This faded face, with a pointed beard and furrowed brow, is believed to be the oldest image in existence of St Paul the Apostle. Vatican archaeologists uncovered the fresco in a catacomb beneath Rome with the help of a laser, which cleared away centuries of grime, clay and limestone. The image was created in the 4th century, according to Barbara Mazzei, the director of work at the catacomb. Oops! Wrong image. (But, Peter & Paul are often pictured together, similarly,... Read more

A while back, a Russian television crew was in Texas filming a segment for the popular Russian news show “Orthodox Encyclopedia”. The film crew spent an afternoon at St George, Houston. This link will take you to a 24 minute video segment, in Russian, which begins at the state capitol in Austin. At about 10:22 into the segment, Fr John Salem shows the host of Encyclopedia, Fr Alexey Uminskiy (Протоиерей Алексий Уминский), our church. I come in a little later,... Read more

I recently sat down with Fr Matthew MacKay (St Joseph, Houston) and Fr Richard Petranek (St Paul, Houston), both American Converts, and spoke with them about their recent mission trip to Syria, their meeting with the Patriarch, the holy sites, Syrian hospitality, and a hospital where it can be said of the doctor, “Father knows best.” PICTURE: Fathers Matthew and Richard and their DOWAMA mission team (pictured behind the clergy, L-R: Dwayne, Ruth, Wes, Salvatore, Andrew, Ron, Rene, and Marilee)... Read more

What would it take for this reconciliation to occur? The Metropolitan [JONAH] was explicit: Full affirmation of the orthodox Faith of the Apostles and Church Fathers, the seven Ecumenical Councils, the Nicene Creed in its original form (without the filioque clause inserted at the Council of Toledo, 589 A.D.), all seven Sacraments and a rejection of ‘the heresies of the Reformation.” His Beatitude listed these in a series of ‘isms’; Calvinism, anti-sacramentalism, iconoclasm and Gnosticism. The ordination of women to... Read more

First things first, let me just say that I hope you all have a wonderful honeymoon! And may God grant you many years! You are preparing for the HONEYMOON, yes? Remember? June 23rd is what’s known as Midsummer Night’s Eve. It’s also called St John’s Eve. It is the eve of the Feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist, June 24th. St John the Baptist, Scripture tells us, lived in the Wilderness where he subsisted on a diet... Read more

Ladies and Gentlemen … Welcome to the inaugural edition of my new Orthodox radio program: Hot Rockin’, Flame Throwin’, But Old Timey! Gone will be that sweet ol’ homey Orthodixie Podcast show intro, swapped out for a hipper & edgier sound. Ready? (Oh, I can’t wait to debut this!) Here goes: [insert Hot Rockin’, Flame Throwin’, But Old Timey show intro] This will be a radio talk show where I not only have callers, but will also be airing some... Read more

Back in the day, the DJ would say: “Be the 97th caller to win!” You don’t think he actually answered the phone for 96 losers do ya? Nope. In my experience we’d answer and say, “You’re caller 3” … “Your caller 10” … “Caller 25” … etc. [I mean, what if listeners were lazy or few and the same gal kept hearing “You’re caller number one!” Then, “You’re caller two!” … etc.] I have no idea how it works with... Read more