Maslenitsa - A pagan holiday?

One often hears that Maslenitsa [1] is a pagan holiday and that it is not good for Christians to participate in such festivities. Is this so? There is not a simple answer to this question and many similar questions that meet at the intersection of Christianity and pre-Christian pagan culture and customs. The answer to this question is complex. That is to say, it consists of several parts. ...more

How Will the Upcoming Russian Church Unity Affect the Youth of Our Diocese?

It is hard to think of a more momentous occasion than the reunification of the Russian Church. Yet it is very likely that ordinary parish life and the life of the youth in particular will remain largely unaffected, at least on the surface. ...more

On the Psychology of Schism

Behold how good it is for brothers to dwell as one.(Ps. 133:1) Unity and one mindedness (edinamisli) are important aspect of the Christian life. ...more

The Golden Compass: “Not all is gold that glitters”

We have come to that time of the year when Hollywood presents its annual “Christmas” offerings, in the form of various films that open in December ...more

The Orthodox World-View

A talk delivered by Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose) at the St. Herman Pilgrimage, August 1982, St. Herman of Alaska Monastery, Platina, California.

Before beginning my talk, a word or two on why it is important to have an Orthodox world-view, and why it is more difficult to build one today than in past centuries. ...more

"The faith of a Christian is with love; faith without love is that of the devil"

We can define Orthodoxy in no better way than in the words of the great 18th-century Russian Father, St. Tikhon of Zadonsk — a Saint whose fervent spirit is needed very much today by Orthodox Christians. We should read him more and practice what he teaches. St. Tikhon calls Orthodoxy "the true Christianity," and he wrote a whole book under this title. But "true Christianity" does not mean just having the right opinions about Christianity — this is not enough to save one's soul. ...more

“People from Russia inspire those of us who grew up abroad”

The Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad are on the threshold of reuniting. Already, very soon after the two leaders of the two branches of the Russian Church do so, we shall be able to partake Holy Communion from the same chalice, which is the most important thing for a Christian. But what do we know about each other? For the young generation of the faithful as well for the greater part of the older our mutual acquaintance is only beginning. Here we are publishing an interview with Natalya Kotar, the spouse of Archpriest Alexis Kotar of the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in the city of Seattle. Last year, Matushka Natalya, who was born and grew up in the United States, and her mother visited Russia for the first time. We asked them to tell us something about the life of the Russian emigres and their descendents abroad. ...more

“The Church’s Helmsman, Both Then and Now, is the Almighty Spirit of God”

25 questions regarding the process of re-establishing the unity of the Russian Church, the IV All-Diaspora Council, ecumenism, and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

The following article came out of a desire to explain to those with questions about the currently unfolding process of healing the division between the two parts of the Russian Church – in Russia and abroad. Many of the subjects touched upon in this article, especially those in the realm of ecclesiology and canon law, are not simple ones. For that reason, a question-and-answer format was chosen as the format most accessible. We will attempt to answer the questions clearly and concisely in a manner comprehensible to the reader.
...more

Reflection on the Reunion

Extra Ecclessiam salus non est! Outside the Church there is no salvation! St. Cyprian of Carthage wrote these words to St. Pope Stephen after the Diocletian persecution in the third Century. ...more

Fall Pastoral Conference, October 24-27, 2005 (Vancouver, Canada)

A Pastoral Retreat for the clergy of the Western American Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia took place from October 24-27 this year in Vancouver, British Columbia. Clergy came from various states of the USA: California, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and the Hawaiian Islands. They were joined by the clergy of the western part of the Canadian Diocese, from Vancouver itself and from Victoria, Calgary and Winnipeg. Thanks to the hospitality and organizational skills of our hosts, all of the guests were blessed with a sincerely joyous reception in that distant northern corner of the Pacific Northwest. For the first time in the history of the western portion of the Canadian Diocese was there so many clergy present (over 30). ...more