The Sunday of Orthodoxy

The first Sunday of Great Lent is called the Sunday of Orthodoxy. The dominant theme of this Sunday since 843 has been that of the victory of the icons. In that year the iconoclastic controversy, which had raged on and off since 726, was finally laid to rest, and icons and their veneration were restored on the first Sunday in Lent. Ever since, this Sunday has been commemorated as the “Triumph of Orthodoxy.”
The Seventh Ecumenical Council dealt predominantly with the controversy regarding icons and their place in Orthodox worship. It was convened in Nicaea in 787 by Empress Irene at the request of Tarasios, Patriarch of Constantinople. The Council was attended by 367 bishops.
Almost a century before this, the iconoclastic controversy had once more shaken the foundation of both Church and State in the Byzantine Empire. Excessive religious respect and the ascribed miracles to icons by some members of society, approached the point of worship (due only to God) and idolatry. This instigated excesses at the other extreme by which icons were taken out of the liturgical life of the Church by the Iconoclasts. The Iconophiles, on the other hand, believed that icons served to preserve the doctrinal teachings of the Church; they considered icons to be man’s dynamic way of expressing the divine through art and beauty.
The Council decided on a doctrine by which icons should be venerated but not worshipped. In answering the Empress’ invitation to the Council, Pope Hadrian replied with a letter in which he also held the position of extending veneration to icons but not worship, the last befitting only God.
The decree of the Council for restoring icons to churches accesses an important clause which still stands at the foundation of the rationale for using and venerating icons in the Orthodox Church to this very day: “We define that the holy icons, whether in colour, mosaic, or some other material, should be exhibited in the holy churches of God, on the sacred vessels and liturgical vestments, on the wall, furnishings and in houses and along the roads, namely the icons of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, that of our Lady the Theotokos, those of the venerable angels and those of all saintly people. Whenever these representations are contemplated, they will cause those who look at them to commenmorate and love their prototype. We define also that they should be kissed and that they are an object of veneration and honour (timitiki proskynisis), but not of real worship (lateria), which is reserved for Him Who is the subject of our faith and is proper for the divine nature. The veneration accorded to an icon is in effect transmitted to the prototype; he who venerates the icon, venerate in it the reality for which it stands”.
An Endemousa (Regional) Synod was called in Constantinople in 843. Under Empress Theodora., the veneration of icons was solemnly proclaimed at the Hagio Sophia Cathedral. The Empress, her son Michael III, Patriarch Methodios, and monks and clergy came in procession and restored the icons to their rightful place. The day was called “Triumph of Orthodoxy.” Since that time, this event is commemorated yearly with a special service on the first Sunday of Lent, the “Sunday of Orthodoxy”.
Orthodox teaching about icons, as defined at the Seventh Ecumenical Council of 787, is embodied in the texts sung on this Sunday.

A Holy Group of Christ’s Disciples

In St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, several of Christ’s “Seventy Apostles” are mentioned. Six of them are on this icon: Stachys, Amplias, Urbanus, Apelles, Aristobulus, and Narcissus. These zealous and dedicated labourers in the vineyard of Christ are all commemorated on the same day on our Church Calendar.

In addition to their connection with the Apostle Paul, these six saints were closely connected with the Apostle Andrew as well. In fact, five of them were ordained bishops by St. Andrew for various Christian communities.

The APOSTLE STACHYS might be viewed as the most prominent of this illustrious group. He was ordained as the first Bishop of Byzantium, which eventually became known as the great city of Constantinople. ST. AMPLIAS became the first Bishop of Odyssopoulos, where he was eventually martyred for the Faith. URBANUS was chosen to be the first Bishop for the region of Macedonia, where he too, suffered martyrdom. NARCISSUS, according to the Tradition of the Church, was ordained by St. Andrew as Bishop of Athens, while ARISTOBULUS received similar acclaim as Bishop of Brittany. Like their fellow apostles, they too gave their lives in the service of the Lord.

Each of these saints exhibited a total dedication to our Saviour. This was evident in their ceaseless efforts to foster this new faith called “Christianity” to not only gain a foothold but thrive for centuries to come.

The Orthodox Weekly Bulletin ...... Vestal, Cliffwood, New Jersey ...... Litho in U.S.A.

The Apostle Luke - A Nourisher of the Soul

Apostle Luke is one of the saints that might be described as being “larger than life.” Born in Antioch, Luke was a great student of philosophy, medicine and art. Luke’s life changed one day when he came to Jerusalem and encountered Jesus Christ face to face. After hearing the Saviour’s teachings and witnessing His miraculous works, Luke became a devoted disciple of the Lord. According to the Tradition of the Church, Luke, together with Cleopas, saw the Risen Christ on the road to Emmaus immediately after His Resurrection.

Luke accompanied the Apostle Paul on his second missionary journey. He chronicles their travels to Philippi, Rome, Caesarea and Jerusalem in the Book of Acts, It is thought that he authored the Gospel that bears his name in 60 A.D.

After Paul’s death, Luke preached the Gospel in Italy, Dalmatia and Macedonia. He ultimately suffered martyrdom at the age of 84 when he was hanged from an olive tree in the town of Thebes.

In addition to his other accomplishments and achievements, the Apostle Luke is widely accepted as being the first iconographer of the Church. His works include three icons of the Mother of God as well as icons of the Apostles Peter and Paul.

Luke is also referred to as a historian, for his Gospel dates biblical events by reference to secular history. Since his Gospel was directed mainly at Christians with a Gentile background, it greatly emphasizes the challenge of evangelization for the Church.

The Orthodox Weekly Bulletin ...... Vestal, Cliffwood, New Jersey ...... Litho in U.S.A.

St.Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem

Cyril was born in Jerusalem during the reign of Constantine the Great and died during the reign of Theodosius the Great (315-386). He was ordained a priest in 346 and succeeded to the throne of Blessed Maximus, Patriarch of Jerusalem in 350. On three occasions he was dethroned and sent into exile. Finally during the reign of Theodosius, he returned but was not reinstated. He lived peacefully for eight years and then gave up his soul to the Lord. He underwent two difficult struggles: one against the Arians who became powerful under Constantius, the son of Constantine, and the other during the reign of Julian the Apostate, against this traitor and the Jews. During a period of Arian domination, on the day of Pentecost, the sign of the Cross, brighter than the sun, stretched over Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives, lasting for several hours beginning at nine o’clock in the morning. This phenomenon, seen by all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, was reported in writing to Emperor Constantius, and served greatly in establishing Orthodoxy over the heretics. During the time of the Apostate, still another sign occurred. In order to humiliate the Christians, Julian persuaded the Jews to restore the Temple of Solomon. Cyril prayed to God to prevent this. There was a terrible earthquake, which destroyed all that had been newly built. Then the Jews began restoration anew. Again there was an earthquake, which not only destroyed the newly constructed portion but also overturned and scattered the old stones beneath the ground that supported the Temple. And so the words of the Lord came true: There shall not be left one stone upon another; that shall not be thrown down (Mark 13:2, Luke 21:6). Among the many writing of this Holy Father is his Catechetical Discourses, a first-class work preserved to the present, which confirms the Faith and practice of Orthodoxy. This saint was a unique archpastor and a great ascetic. He was meek, humble, exhausted from fasting, and pale in complexion. After a life of many labours and noble struggles for the Orthodox Faith, Cyril peacefully reposed and took up his habitation in the eternal court of the Lord.

This is the Faith of the Fathers…

In the history of the “One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church: which existed until the Great Schism in 1054 AD, there were 7 occasions when the hierarchs of the Church deemed it necessary to convene what is now referred to as an “ECUMENICAL COUNCIL.” By and large, these gatherings were called to order to deal with important theological matter that posed threats to its unity and well-being.

The seventh and final Ecumenical Council was convened in the year 787 AD during the reign of the Empress Irene. Patriarch Tarasius occupied the Ecumenical Throne inConstantinopleat the time. Some 350 bishops gathered in the city ofNiceato deal with an extremely volatile question: Was it proper to pray before and to venerate icons?

For centuries, sacred images of Christ, His Blessed Mother and the Saints adorned churches everywhere. In 726 AD. However, a faction in the Church called “iconoclasts,” felt that paying homage to icons was a form of idolatry, and in direct conflict with the second Commandment:” Thou shall not make unto thyself any graven image.” With the blessing of Emperor Leo III, icons were often forcibly removed from their place of prominence in churches and destroyed. When the 7th Ecumenical Council met, it was St. John of Damascus who made a passionate plea in defense of the use of icons: “Concerning the charge of idolatry, icons are not idols, but symbols. Therefore, when a Christian venerates an icon, he is not worshipping the symbol, but merely venerating it. Such veneration is not directed towards wood, paint or stone, but towards the person depicted. Therefore, relative honor is shown to material matter.” I do not worship matter, but the Creator of matter.” The words of St. John of Damascus touched the hearts of the other Church Fathers. The Council decreed that the veneration of icons was not idolatry.

Learning about God

Dear Son,
Have you noticed how obsessed we have become in doing things quickly? We have express lines in supermarkets, express lanes at toll booths – you can even find restaurants with express buffets! From morning to night, we find ourselves rushing around, constantly checking our watches so that we aren’t late for our next appointment. It has rightly been said that we are all in a hurry to get nowhere!
There is one area of our lives, however, where our pace needs to slow down a bit, and that is in the practicing of our Faith. Practicing our Faith properly takes time. We cannot rush through our morning and evening prayers and expect to derive any benefit from them. There is no “Reader’s Digest” version of the Divine Liturgy and other liturgical services of our Holy Orthodox Church. Their lengthy and often repetitious hymns have been so constructed to enable us to “lay aside all earthly cares” and to transport us to a timeless place.

Nowhere is this need to “take our time” spiritually more important than when we read the Sacred Scriptures. The Bible is not a book that lends well to “speed reading!” Its holy books were written centuries ago, and they reflect the culture and values of another era. In studying the Word of God, it is imperative that we take care that we digest every verse so that we fully understand its intended message. In Psalm 119:15, it is written: “I will meditate on Your precepts and contemplate Your ways.” What a perfect way to experience the Scriptures: slowly and deliberately.

It’s probably too late for us to quit “living life in the fast lane.” But it is NOT too late for us to “drive in the slow lane” as we travel the path that leads to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Love,
Dad

Deeds of Love Count A Lot

Dear Son,
Although the Holy Fathers praised monasticism as the angelic state, and although many of the greatest saints lived their lives and attained perfection in the soundless and lifeless desert, nevertheless, the Orthodox Church does not recommend the tonsure to all the faithful. “Neither were all those in the desert saved nor were all those in the world lost,” said one saint. To a city dweller who, with no inclination for monasticism, desired to enter the monastery, St. Niphon said: “My child, a place neither saves nor destroys a man, but deeds save or destroy. For him who does not fulfill all the commandments of the Lord, there is no benefit from a sacred place or from a sacred rank. King Saul lived in the midst of royal luxury and he perished. King David lived in the same kind of luxury and he received a wreath. Lot lived among the lawless Sodomites and he was saved. Judas was numbered among the apostles and he went to Hades. Whoever says that it is impossible to be saved with a wife and children deceives himself. Abraham had a wife and children, 318 servants and handmaidens and much gold and silver, nevertheless, he was called the Friend of God. How many aristocrats and soldiers! How many artisans and field-workers! Be pious and be a lover of men, and you will be saved!”

Love,
Dad

Two Monks Sharing the Same Spiritual Qualities

In January, our Holy Orthodox Church honours two monastic saints who lived in different centuries and in different centuries and in different parts of the world. It is fitting to remember them together on the same day, since they both lived remarkably similar ascetic lives. PAUL of THEBES was born in Egypt during the reign of the emperor Decius. He and his sister each inherited half of their parents’ property when they died. Paul’s pagan brother-in-law threatened to reveal to the local authorities that he was a Christian if he did not give him his share of the family inheritance. Paul did so willingly – not out of fear – but rather out of conviction for following the monastic way of life. He went out to the desert and spent the rest of his life living as a hermit. Even the renowned monastic St. Anthony the Great visited him in the desert and reported back to his fellow monks at this monastery the spiritual heights that had been reached by Paul. Paul of Thebes died in 341 AD, having lived over 100 years.

JOHN the HUT-DWELLER was born into a wealthy family in Constantinople in the early 5^th century. Unimpressed with the riches of the world, he fled from home at an early age and settled in a monastery, where he stayed for six years. Tempted by the devil to return home and live a life of luxury, John left the monastery. Indeed, he went back to his parents’ house, but returned dressed as a beggar. Not recognizing their son, John’s parents gave the “beggar” permission to live in a hut on their property. For three years, he spent his time praying for his parents. When he ultimately became gravely ill, John revealed his identity to them by showing them a precious Gospel they had given him as a child – his only earthly possession. This humble saint passed into eternity in 450 AD.

St. Barbara - A Saintly Example of Purity

The great martyr Barbara lived and suffered during the reign of the Emperor Maximian in the early years of the of 4th century. Her pagan father Dioscorus was so protective of her that he placed her in a tower so that she could have no contact with anyone he considered to be unworthy. Alone in her tower, Barbara would often ponder the beauty of creation that she could study from her lofty perch. She was able to reach the conclusion that all of this was the work of the One, True God.

When Barbara became old enough to marry, her father brought her many suitors, whom she rejected one by one. Thinking she might change her mind if she was exposed to the world outside her tower, Dioscorus allowed her to leave and mingle with others. Little did he realize that many of the new people she met were Christians! Soon Barbara became one of them herself.

Upon returning from a trip, Dioscorus was furious to find that Barbara had cut a cross into one of her marble walls. When she told him that she was a Christian, he tried to kill her with his sword. Barbara was able to flee and hide on a nearby mountain, but the next day, her father captured her and took her to the local governor for execution. She willingly submitted to brutal torture and ultimately to martyrdom, understanding that this was the greatest way she could show her love for Christ. Before dying, Barbara prayed to God that everyone who would remember her in prayer should not be subjected to a sudden death and deprived of receiving the Sacrament of Holy Communion.

She met her end by the merciless hand of her father. Divine justice prevailed though, as Dioscorus was struck down and killed that same day.

For The New Day

Dear Son,

One person thought she was too busy for prayer in the morning until a friend told her that she time her three-minute egg each morning by twice repeating the Lord’s Prayer and the 23^rd Psalm. As we shower, have or dress, we can repeat some simple prayer or Bible verse we just read, or simply abide in the Presence, longing for an even greater presence.

Evagrios, one of the desert fathers, used to say to his disciples, “May the sun, on rising, find you with a Bible in your hand.” Dr. Paul Tournier, the eminent Swiss psychiatrist writes, “One day, almost a year ago, I realized I was doing myself harm because I had begun to read the newspaper before my morning meditation, the time when God was asking me to listen to Him before listening to the world. Correcting that was simple, but it was enough to brighten again the climate of my life.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “For Christians the beginning of the day should not be burdened or oppressed with besetting concerns for the day’s work. At the threshold of the new day stands the Lord who made it. All the darkness and distraction of the dreams of the night retreat before the clean light of Jesus Christ and his wakening Word. All unrest, all impurity, all care and anxiety flee before Him.”

Love,

Dad

Saint Stylianus - "Let the little children come to me ..."

Saint Stylianus was born in Pamphlagonia in Asia Minor some time between the 4th and 6th centuries. Like many of the early saints, Stylianus inherited a great fortune when his parents died. He could have lived out his life in luxury, never wanting for anything. Instead, he chose to give everything away so that he could “take up his cross” and follow the Lord. Stylianus left the city to live in a monastery, where he zealously practiced the ascetic virtues. When the other monks became jealous of his pious life, Stylianus left the community and went to live in a wilderness cave, constantly spending his days in prayer and fasting.
Word soon spread of the exemplary life that Stylianus was living. Many inhabitants of his home town of Pamphlagonia would conme to hear his teachings and seek his wise counsel. It is said that his healing prayers were powerful, and many people were cured of their illnesses through his prayers.

St. Stylianus was known to care strongly for children. It seemed that his healing prayers were most successful when sickly children were brought to him. When St. Stylianus died, his face shone radiantly, and an angel appeared to take his soul to heaven. Even after his death, many parents continued to pray to him to intercede on behalf of their little ones. When a child became ill, it was quite common for parents to have an icon of St. Stylianus painted and hung over the child’s bed.

St. Stylianus is remembered as a protector of children and a patron saint of childless women. This is the reason he is depicted holding a child.

St. John Chrysostom (the Golden-Tongued), Patriarch of Constantinople

He was born in Antioch in the year 347, his father’s name being Secundus and his mother’s Anthusa. Studying Greek philosophy, John became disgusted with Hellenic paganism and turned to the Christian faith as the one and all-embracing truth. John was baptised by Meletius , Patriarch of Antioch, and after that, his parents were also baptised. After their death, John became a monk and began to live in strict asceticism. He wrote a book: “On the Priesthood”, after which the holy Apostle John and Peter appeared to him, prophesying for him great service, great grace, and also great suffering. When the time came for him to be ordained priest, an angel of God appeared at the same time to Patriarch Flavian (Meletius’s successor) and to John himself. When the Patriarch ordained him, a shining white dove was seen above John’s head. Renowned for his wisdom, his asceticism and the power of his words, John was, at the desire of Emperor Arcadius, chosen as Patriarch of Constantinople. He governed the Church for six years as Patriarch with unequalled zeal and wisdom, sending missionaries to the pagan Celts and Scythians and purging the Church of simony, deposing many bishops who were given to this vice. He extended the Church’s charitable works, wrote a rite for the Holy Liturgy, put heretics to shame, denounced the Empress Eudoxia, interpreted the Scriptures with his golden mind and tongue and left to the Church many precious books of sermons. The people glorified him; the jealous loathed him; the Empress twice had him sent into exile. He spent three years in exile, and died on Holy Cross Day. September 14th, 407, in a place called Comana in Armenia. The holy Apostle John and Peter again appeared to him at the time of his death, and also the holy martyr Basilisius (May 22nd), in whose church he received Communion for the last time. “Glory to God for everything!” were his last words, and with them the soul of Chrysostom the Patriarch entered into Paradise. Of his relics, the head is preserved in the Church of the Dormition in Moscow, and the body in the Vatican in Rome.

St.Sergius

Dear Son,
A saint is not remarkable on the surface. All his riches are internal, in his soul. A peasant came a long way to the monastery to see St. Sergius. When he asked for the abbot, he was told that he was working in the garden. The peasant went off to the garden and saw a man there in poor and dirty clothing, hoeing along with the other workers. The peasant returned to the monastery dissatisfied, thinking within himself that the monks were making fun of him, and repeated, that there might be no mistake, that he wanted to see the famous holy father, Sergius. Sergius arrived back at the monastery just then, and welcomed the peasant, serving him at the table. The saint looked into the heart of his guest, and saw there the thoughts about himself. To quieten him, he told him that he would see St. Sergius if he waited a little. Just then, a prince arrived at the monastery with his nobles. Both the prince and the nobles bowed low to Sergius and asked his blessing. The monks then removed the peasant from the room to make room for the new guests, and this peasant looked with wonder from afar, and peered to see whom he had spurned the sight of one from nearby. He chided himself for his ignorance and was deeply ashamed. When the prince had departed, the peasant quickly went up to the saint, fell at his feet and asked his forgiveness. And the great saint was gentle with him, and said: “Don’t grieve, my son; you thought a true thing of me, reckoning me as nothing, while others are deluded in thinking me something great.”

Love always,
Dad

Theotokos

The word Theotokos for “Mother of God” expresses the faith of all the Fathers and faithful Christians throughout the ages concerning Christ’s divinity. There is no room for error here. It was none other than the Second Person of the Holy Trinity who was born of the Virgin. Theotokos: Mother of God.
The identity of Christ is still being questioned today. That is why some bristle when they hear the word Theotokos. How can Mary be the Mother of God? They ask. Was the eternal, always existing God born of a human being? Yes, the Church answers. Mary did not give birth to two persons but to one divine Person who received His humanity from Mary. She is indeed not Christotokos, Mother of a human being named Christ, but Theotokos, Mother of God.

Theotokos is a treasured word for Orthodox Christians – a word that perfectly expresses ad safeguards our faith that the true God became true man for our salvation. Theotokos is a title given to Mary not in order to exalt her but in order to protect the identity of her son and to guard and protect the security of our salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Source: Daily Vitamins for Spiritual Growth Volume 1, by Anthony Coniaris

Reflection on Alms Giving

Dear Son,
If you give alms to the poor, know that inasmuch as you do good works for your neighbour, so much and more do you do for yourself. St. Anthony says: “Both life and death come to us from our neighbour.” St. Peter Damascene writes: “As the poor should give thanks to God and love the rich who do them good, even more should the rich give thanks to God and love the poor; for they are saved by the providence of God, both now and in the future age, because of their alms. For without the poor, they not only cannot attain the salvation of their souls, but they also cannot avoid the temptations of wealth.” Alms which are given out of vanity or with disdain are of no benefit. In earlier times, the wealthy would bring gold to the hermits and beg them to accept it. It was a rare occurrence for the hermits to accept alms gladly, and when they did, it was out of compassion for the rich. The most destitute of men received alms out of compassion!

Love you son,
Dad

St. Mary Magdalene

One of the myrrh-bearing women and equal to the apostles, Mary was born in the town of Magdala, along the shore of Lake Gennesaret, of the tribe of Issachar. She was tormented by seven evil spirits – from which she was freed by the Lord Jesus and made whole. She was a faithful follower and servant of the Lord during His earthly life. She stood beneath the Cross on Golgotha, and grieved bitterly with the All-holy Theotokos. After the death of the Lord she visited His sepulcher three times. When the Lord rose again she saw Him on two occasions: once by herself, and once with the other myrrh-bearing women. She traveled to Rome and appeared before Tiberias Caesar, presenting him with a red egg, and giving him the salutation: “Christ is Risen!” She also denounced Pontius Pilate to Caesar for his unjust condemnation of the Lord Jesus. Caesar accepted her accusation, and transferred Pilate from Jerusalem to Gaul where, in disfavour with the emperor, this unjust judge died of a dread disease. After this, she returned from Rome to Ephesus, to assist St. John the Theologian in the work of preaching the Gospel. With great love toward the resurrected Lord, with great zeal for the Faith and as a true apostle of Christ, she proclaimed the Holy Gospel to the world. She died peacefully in Ephesus. According to tradition, the cave she was buried in was the same cave in which the Seven Youths (August 4) later slept a wondrous sleep for hundreds of years, then came to life and again died. The relics of St. Mary Magdalene were later transferred to Constantinople. There is a beautiful Russian Orthodox convent dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene near the Garden of Gethsemane.

Hymn of Praise - Saint Mary Magdalene

Magalene was shrouded in dark sorrow

Because of the bloody death of the Son of God.

Sorrow from love is most bitter sorrow –

She had neither consolation nor friend in the world.

Her tears were her comfort, and pain was her only friend.

For St. Magdalene, the world was turned to darkness

As a weak human, she sought light,

And Mary groped in the darkness, without hope.

Even His tomb to her was light – but lo! The tomb is empty!

“He has been stolen,” she thought, “naked and unanointed!”

Bitterly she wept, and there was no end to her weeping.

Then she heard the voice of a man beside her:

Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?

“You ask Whom I seek? Do you wish to calm me?

If you have taken His body, tell me where you have put it.”

Jesus looked upon her as she wept and sorrowed

And called to her in a sweet voice: “Mary!”

Light shone forth in Mary’s heart:

O voice now recognized, incomparably sweet,

O voice overflowing with life and power!

With this voice the Lord healed the sick,

With this voice He raised the dead.

O life-giving voice – O wondrous voice!

Mary sprang up and turned around:

“Rabboni!” she cried as the sun rose.

For Mary and for the world, a new Day dawned.

St. Veronica

St. Veronica is remembered on July 12. Veronica is the woman with the issue of blood whom the Lord healed (Matthew 9:20). Out of gratitude to the Lord, her Healer, Veronica ordered a statue of the Lord Jesus be made for her, before which she prayed to God. According to tradition, this statue was preserved until the reign of Emperor the Apostate, who altered the statue so that it became an idol of Zeus. This is one of the rare instances in which holy statues have been used in the Eastern Church. As is known, this later became a common practice of the Western churches. St. Veronica remained devoted to the Faith of Christ until her peaceful repose.

Ecumenical Coucils recognized by the Orthodox Church

The seven Ecumenical Councils recognized by the Orthodox Church are:

Nicea I (AD. 325) This Council was called to deal with the heresy of Arianism - the teaching that the Word and Son of God is a created being. The first part of the Nicene Creed was drafted here. The hero of Nicea I was St. Athanasius of Alexandria, whose theology was decisive even though, as a deacon at the time, he could not vote.

Constantinople I (AD. 381) This Council expanded and completed the Nicene Creed and affirmed the divinity of the Holy Spirit. The theology of the Cappadocian Fathers - St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian, and St. Gregory of Nyssa - was particularly influential here.

Ephesus (AD. 431) This Council condemned the teachings of Patriarch Nestorius of Constantinople, who refused to accept the unity of humanity and divinity in the person of Christ and who refused to call the Virgin Mary Theotokos. St. Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria, was the hero of this Council.

Chalcedon (AD. 451) This Council was called to combat the opposite heresy of Nestorianism: Monophysitism. According to the Monophysites, Christ's divine nature swallowed up His human nature, leaving Him with only one nature. The bishops accepted the Tome of Pope St. Leo the Great along with the theology of St. Cyril of Alexandria as the standard of Orthodox thought concerning the person of Christ. The Council decreed that in Christ the divine and human natures exist without "mixture, confusion, division, or separation."

Constantinople II (AD. 553) This Council further elaborated on the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon. In addition, some of the teachings of Origen of Alexandria, such as the pre-existence of souls, were condemned.

Constantinople III (AD. 681) This Council condemned the heresy of Monothelitism, which held that Christ had only one will. The bishops affirmed that Christ has a perfect human will as well as a perfect divine will, thus affirming His full humanity. Pope Honorius of Rome was condemned as a heretic for his support of the Monothelites.

Quinisext (AD. 692) This Council, also called the Council in Trullo, is considered a continuation of the Fifth and Sixth Councils and not a separate Council unto itself. Among other things, it reaffirmed the condemnation of the teachings of Origen.

Nicea II (A.D.787) This Council was called to decide the appropriateness of using icons in the Church. The bishops decreed that the veneration (not worship) of icons was necessary to preserve a proper understanding of the Incarnation.
Source: The Faith …… Author Clark Carlton

The Holy Archangel Gabriel

This great archangel of God is commemorated on March 26. On July 13, however, his appearances and miracles throughout the entire history of man’s salvation are celebrated. It is believed that this celebration was first established on the Holy Mountain in the ninth century, during the time of the Emperors Basil and Constantine Porphyrogenitus and Patriarch Nicholas Chrysoverges, and was occasioned by the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel in a cell near Karyes, where the archangel wrote with his finger on a stone tablet the hymn to the Theotokos “It Is Truly Meet.” Because of this event, the cell was called, and is called to this day “It is Truly Meet.” Together with this occurrence, the other appearances of the Archangel Gabriel are also commemorated: the archangel’s appearance to Moses while he was tending the flock of Jethro, when he related to this great one called of  God how the world was created and all the rest that Moses later recorded in the Book of  Genesis; his appearance to the Prophet Daniel, revealing to him the mystery of future kingdoms and of the coming of the Saviour; his appearance to St. Anna and the promise that she would give birth to a daughter,  the All-blessed and All-pure Virgin Mary; his repeated appearances to the Holy Virgin while she was living in the Temple in Jerusalem; his appearance to Zachariah the High Priest with the tidings of the birth of John the Forerunner, and the punishment of dumbness upon Zachariah because he did not believe the archangel’s words; his appearance once again to the Holy Virgin, in Nazareth, with the Annunciation of the conception and birth of the Lord Jesus Christ; his appearance to the righteous Joseph; his appearance to the shepherds near Bethlehem; his appearance to the Lord Himself in the Garden of Gethsemane, when he strengthened the Lord, as a man, prior to His passion; his appearance to the myrrh-bearing women, and so on.

Ecumenical Councils

During the early years of the Church, when a dispute arose concerning whether or not gentile converts should be circumcised, the Apostles met together in Jerusalem to resolve the issue (Acts 15). This council set the precedent for all future gatherings of the Church’s leaders.

As the Church grew and spread throughout the Roman Empire, it became necessary for the bishops of Churches in a given area to meet together on a regular basis to address issues of common concern. Apostolic Canon 34 provides for the creation of a regional synod. The bishops of a given area were to gather together twice a year. The meetings were to be chaired by the bishop of the major city in the area, the metropolis. The bishop of this city became known as the metropolitan.

Each bishop was responsible for the governance of his Church. Issues of common concern, however, were brought before the regional synod and decided by all of the bishops. The metropolitan did not “rule” the synod, but he did have veto power over the synod’s decisions. Just as nothing within a given Church could be done without the bishop’s approval, so nothing could be done in a region that affected more than one Church without the approval of the metropolitan. The metropolitan, then, served as the principle of unity within the synod.

Some issues, however, such as doctrinal questions, involved more than the Churches of a particular region, to deal with issues pertaining to the universal Church. The largest and most important of these gatherings are called the Ecumenical Councils.

The Ecumenical Councils were originally convened by the Roman Emperor and presided over by a senior bishop. The Orthodox Church recognizes seven councils as being Ecumenical.

It is important to note that not all large councils are considered Ecumenical Councils. We often speak of Ecumenical Councils as being “infallible,” but there was no guarantee at the beginning of any of these Councils that they would be considered infallible. Only after the decisions of a Council have been received by the consciousness of the whole Church can it be called Ecumenical and infallible.

When the bishops meet together in council, they do not invent new doctrines. Rather, their job is to express the mind and life of the Church. A specific situation, such as the challenge of a new heresy, may necessitate the development of the Church’s vocabulary or a change in the way the Church expresses a particular idea. Nevertheless, it is the duty of the bishops to elaborate upon what the Church has always believed and experienced, not to invent new teachings.

When, however, bishops in council did deviate from the faith once delivered and made decrees contrary to the faith and life of the Church, the Body of the Church throughout the world rejected the decisions. A council held in Ephesus in 449 had a greater number of bishops in attendance than many Ecumenical Councils, yet its decisions were rejected by thee Church at large. It has gone down in history as the “Robber Council.”

The purpose of a council, whether a regular meeting of a regional synod or a gathering of all of the world’s bishops, is to express the mind and heart of the Church as a whole. No single bishop, not even a patriarch, can claim exclusive rights to the Holy Spirit. The bishops are answerable to the whole Church for their decisions.

It is this conciliar process, reflecting the conciliar nature of the All-Holy Trinity, which is the supreme expression of authority within the Church. It is for this reason that the Church cannot and will not accept the claims of the bishop of Rome to be infallible and to rule over the entire Church.

Excerpt from: The Faith ...... Author: Clark Carlton