Tag Archives: Divine Services

The Orthodox Way of Life

By Fr. Luke | Published: October 4, 2010

Orthodoxy is not merely a ritual, or belief, or pattern of behavior, or anything else that a man may possess, thinking that he is thereby a Christian, and still being spiritually dead. It is rather an elemental reality or power which transforms a man and gives him the strength to live in the most difficult [...]

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Behavior During Divine Services

By Fr. Luke | Published: March 3, 2010

Q: “How should Christians stand in church during services, how should they pray, and what duties do they have when they go to church?” A: Christians should stand in church with faith, fear of God, and attention. They should force themselves as much as possible to pray without distraction and with feeling of heart. Also, [...]

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Why do we have our homes blessed?

By Fr. Luke | Published: January 19, 2010

Orthodox Christians have prayers of blessing for just about everything. From religious articles such as icons and vestments, to things like fields, flowers, barns, and animals. We even bless cars, boats and journeys. It is also our custom to bless our homes each year. Buy why? Certainly everything that our All-good God created was good—in [...]

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Things to remember for house blessings at Theophany

By Fr. Luke | Published: January 18, 2010

If possible every member of the family should gather, properly attired, for the Priest’s visit. At your home altar, or on the dining room table place a clean cloth, a lit candle and a Theophany icon or icon of Christ. You may also have incense prepared and ready if you like. Many people also like [...]

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More on Church Attendance

By Fr. Luke | Published: December 24, 2009

Don’t be tempted to indulge yourself in not coming to church at the beginning of the service or leaving before it is over. Remember, each service is a complete unit and it can provide its full benefit only in its entirety. Just as food is tasty only when it is fully seasoned, so the service [...]

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Church Attendance

By Fr. Luke | Published: December 14, 2009

When the time comes, and especially the time put aside for God and His temple, a Feast Day or the hour of Divine Services, hurry to tear your self away from business and worldly cares and voluntarily and zealously offer yourself to God in His church. When you enter the church bring to mind the [...]

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Great Vespers as preperation for Divine Liturgy

By Fr. Luke | Published: December 5, 2009

We properly begin the weekend cycle of Divine Services with attendance at Great Vespers on Saturday evening. In order to understand what Feast or Saint is being commemorated at the Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning, it is absolutely necessary to attend the Vespers Service and hear the hymnody which both praises and describes the meaning [...]

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The Virtue of Punctuality

By Fr. Luke | Published: December 5, 2009

The time to arrive for any Divine Service is before it is scheduled to begin. Sadly, it has become the custom of most Orthodox Christians to come to Church late. We are not speaking here, about occasional tardiness due to unforeseen circumstances, but the habitual practice of being late due to a lack of concern [...]

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Some Practical Reminders Concerning Holy Communion

By Fr. Luke | Published: December 4, 2009

When we receive the Immaculate Mysteries, we should always make sure that the communion cloth is held carefully under our chin, that our head is slightly tilted back and that our mouth is opened well enough in advance for the Priest to place the Spoon in it easily. We then close our lips on the [...]

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