Wednesday, December 14, 2011

The Intercession (Diesis)


Δέησης των αγίων

The Intercession (Diesis)

    


The concept of the intercession of the saints

It is important for us to begin this research through study the texts of the holy bible,


which lead us to the true, that because we are Christians and our fundamental sources come from the bible.


For that, we will refer direct to the texts that indicated to the subject of our research “the intercession”.


Revelation chapter 5th number:8 (Αποκάλυψη 5:8)


καὶ ὅτε ἔλαβεν τὸ βιβλίον, τὰ τέσσαρα ζῷα καὶ οἱ εἴκοσι τέσσαρες πρεσβύτεροι ἔπεσαν ἐνώπιον τοῦ ἀρνίου,


ἔχοντες ἕκαστος κιθάραν καὶ φιάλας χρυσᾶς γεμούσας θυμιαμάτων, αἵ εἰσιν αἱ προσευχαὶ τῶν ἁγίων


And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and twenty four elders fell down before the Lamb,


having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of saints. (Rev 5:8)



1st Timothy chapter 2nd number : 1-3:


2:1 Παρακαλῶ οὖν πρῶτον πάντων ποιεῖσθαι δεήσεις, προσευχάς, ἐντεύξεις, εὐχαριστίας, ὑπὲρπάν των ἀνθρώπων,


2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks,

be made for all men;

2:2ὑπὲρ βασιλέων καὶ πάντων τῶν ἐν ὑπεροχῇ ὄντων, ἵνα ἤρεμον καὶ ἡσύχιον βίον διάγωμεν ἐν πάσῃ εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ σεμνότητι.


2:2 for kings and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all

godliness and honesty.


2:3 τοῦτο καλὸν καὶ ἀπόδεκτον ἐνώπιον τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν θεοῦ,
2:3 for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;

(1st Timo 2: 1-3)


Revelation chapter 8th number 3-4 (Αποκάλυψη 8:3-4)

8:3 Καὶ ἄλλος ἄγγελος ἦλθεν καὶ ἐστάθη ἐπὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἔχων λιβανωτὸν χρυσοῦν, καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ θυμιάματα πολλὰ ἵνα δώσει ταῖς προσευχαῖς τῶν ἁγίων πάντων ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ χρυσοῦν τὸ ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου.

8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer;


and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with


the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.


8:4 καὶ ἀνέβη καπνὸς τῶν θυμιαμάτων ταῖς προσευχαῖς τῶν ἁγίων ἐκ χειρὸς τοῦ ἀγγέλου ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ.


8:4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up


before God out of the angel's hand. (Rev 8:3-4)



There is a big question come from the people


How God accept the prayers of the saints who are dead?


Saints who moved from this life are not dead, So the lord Jesus Christ had said:

LUKE chapter 20th Number 36-38


20:36 οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀποθανεῖν ἔτι δύνανται, ἰσάγγελοι γάρ εἰσιν, καὶ υἱοί εἰσιν θεοῦ, τῆς ἀναστάσεως υἱοὶ ὄντες.

20:36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God,


being the children of the resurrection.


20:37 ὅτι δὲ ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροὶ καὶ Μωϋσῆς ἐμήνυσεν ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου, ὡς λέγει κύριον τὸν θεὸν Ἀβραὰμ καὶ θεὸν Ἰσαὰκκαὶ


θεὸν Ἰακώβ:

20:37 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord


the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.


20:38 θεὸς δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν νεκρῶν ἀλλὰ ζώντων, πάντες γὰρ αὐτῷ ζῶσιν.


20:38 For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.


(Luk 20:36-38)


And to confirmation that “Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels” so we refer to the Transfiguration on the mount


LUKE chapter 9th Number 29-33


9:29 And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.


9:30 And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias:


9:31 Who appeared in glory, and spoke of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.


9:32 But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.


9:33 And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. ( Luk 9: 29-33).


In a short conclusion and summary


In the Transfiguration on the mount, we see Moses and Elijah still alive and they had appeared in glory on the earth, weared like angels.


This was confirmed categorically that the saints are not dead, but they are living in the glory of God, and it was also confirmation about what has wrote in the Revelation about the prayers and intercessions of the saints that they are giving before the throne of God.


Editor: Rev.Spyridon Tanous
Diocese of Leesburg Orthodox Patristic Church- Sweden
www.christ-prayer.org

Thursday, December 8, 2011

The Holy Tradition

The Holy Tradition

The Orthodox church is based in her life on the Holy Tradition which govern the ecclesiastical life.

Today we would answer to the question:  Tradition, Where it comes from?

Five sources of the Holy Tradition:

1-      The Holy Scripture in both parts ( the old and new testament) constitute a major source of the Tradition, in this short article we cannot elaborating where this explanation needs to seminar, and we will arrange for online seminar in the new year. but we can give an example: St. Paul clarifies in Galatians 1:11 that the Tradition of the church  is not according to man, where he mean that it is not a human product but it is revealed by God.


2-      The Liturgy is the second source which mean the common work, so the church come together to be the people of God and worship God, the common worship is the services for various hours of the day, for seven days a week, the feast days and the season of the church and the sacraments of the church.


3-      The Councils is the third source, the councils created the Creed, the canons, described the Holy Scripture, etc.

  

4-      The Saints who are the Fathers of the church are the fourth source, which consist from the life of the Saints and their teaching.


5-      Church Arts are the fifth and final source such as the iconography, images of Christ, His Life, His Mother, the saints , the prophets, etc.
            the ecclesiastical Music the  chants and hymns which sung within the Liturgies.

To the readers, greeting in our Lord Jesus Christ
we would to announce that after the new year, in January 2012, we will launch online Seminars about the Holy Tradition, where we will study the five sources which is:
 1. The Holy Scripture; 2. The Liturgy;  3. The Councils ; 4. The Saints ; 5. Church Arts.

Please Note,  Places across the Internet is very limited
 Who wish to attend please register
 the Seminars are Free of charge.

please follow up the update at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Monastic-of-Orthodox-Patristic-Church/157887940959169



Editor: Rev.Spyridon Tanous
Orthodox Patristic Church- Sweden
www.christ-prayer.org

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Orientalism and Oriental studies

Orientalism or Oriental studies are one of the studies that took an important place in modern history, where the East, and specifically the Middle East Is the starting place for the most important civilizations, and the cradle of three religions, which is called: the heavenly religions.
 And to our current time, it constitute a source of controversy and concern in many cases,
 whereas that we Orthodox Church, which mean eastern Church, and we are through the Faculty of Theology, we have decided to expand in the studies to include Oriental studies and researchs.
in our new section the Oriental researchs, we will provides researchs and studies on the oriental religious ( Jewish, Christian and Islam), and focusing on three points
1- Prophecies and Old testament's events
2- the Patristic heritage from 33 AD until fall of Byzantine Empire. include the sacred tradition, book of Acts. and ecclesiastic art.
3-  Islamic's customs and traditions, the system of succession, and what came of the conquest

Editor: Rev.Spyridon Tanous
Orthodox Patristic Church- Sweden
www.christ-prayer.org

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Glory to the Lord, who promise and fulfills his promises.



In the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, our wonderful God, the Son of the Great Holy Father, and through the support of the Holy Spirit, the Lord, Giver of life, who spokes through the prophets, who is, always, protects and builds the Holy church, which is the heavenly kingdom on earth, the Holy, catholic, and Apostolic church.

I am, the humble servant, Spyridon announce the following :

Today, in greatfully and glee, I declare that the Divine will, which had been declared to me, I am the lowly server in the Lord, has been achieved,

Glory to the Lord, who promise and fulfills his promises.

The promise was," that God will provide, to his servant, a church's bulding in order  to make this holy place, a beacon for bringing the  souls in order to glorify his Holy name, and to receive the sacred gifts, and to be the stone corner for launch the monastic".

Two days ago, a priest from the local church, provided us a church's building, to our mission in Sweden.

Glory to thee our Lord, Glory to thee

Editor: Rev.Spyridon Tanous
Dioces of Leesburg- Orthodox Patristic Church- Sweden
 www.christ-prayer.org