Category: Uncategorized
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Christ the King Icon Finally Finished!
After many alterations and revisions, I at last now feel satisfied with my effort in depicting the image of our divine Savior. After I finished the icon of our blessed Lady, it was only proper to turn my hand to the One to whom she always points. The inspiration for this icon came from several…
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Traditional Liturgy: The Path to True Ecumenism – Part II
The Second Vatican Council occurred at the heyday of the Liturgical Movement, which ideally sought to inspire a renewed appreciation for the Roman Mass and correct modern abuses that distanced Latin practices from those of the East.[1] But instead of re-harmonizing Latin practices with Greek and Syriac customs, for example by restoring the Sung Mass…
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Traditional Liturgy: The Path to True Ecumenism – Part I
Part I Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. (Ps. 132:1 DRV) Ecumenism is an often invoked but infrequently understood term in the Catholic Church today. The word comes from the Greek oikumene – the inhabited or civilized world – specifically, the area governed by the Roman…
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Some More Thoughts on the Filioque
A deeper issue behind the Filioque debate is the question of divine simplicity. Latin Catholics who follow the Thomist school assert that there is not only a lack of composition in God – that is, He cannot be divided into parts – but in His being there is really no distinction among discrete qualities we…
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Some Thoughts on the Filioque
Yes, I’m going there! But I don’t want to add yet another argumentative voice to this debate. Instead I’d like to non-confrontationally bring up some factors on both sides of the issue that can lead to misunderstandings from the other side. For it is my position that on this topic, as in so many others,…
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Support the Russian Greek Catholics!
My brother-in-Christ Timothy Flanders from The Meaning of Catholic and OnePeterFive is a dedicated advocate for the small but mighty Russian Greek Catholic Church (Russian Orthodox Christians who have come back into full communion with Rome while preserving their own heritage in liturgy, theology, traditions, etc.) and I wanted to give a shout-out for his…
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Byzantine Worship as Corporate Work of Christ’s Body
Latin Catholics can fall into two extremes when it comes to understanding the nature of worship. While the old Roman Rite has been criticized excessively in this respect, it is true that there is a tendency toward “clericalization” in the TLM. And this more clerical focus makes perfect sense in light of the historical and…
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Troparion and Kontakion to the Theotokos of Fatima
O most holy Theotokos and Mother of our God, you appeared in an age of wars and revolutions to warn of worse calamities should mankind not repent of its evils and turn back to the way of truth. But if our fallen race were to be humbled and return to its Maker, you announced a…
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Theotokos of Fatima Icon Finally Finished!
I was temporarily diverted by Holy Week and Pascha (Christos voskrese!), but today I at last got around to put the finishing touches on my icon and here it is! It is both amazing and humbling to see how wonderfully it turned out in the end. I am sure this image did not come from…
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Theotokos of Fatima Icon Almost Done!
After the Holy Father made his act of consecration for Russia and Ukraine, I felt that I should do something in my own small way to commemorate the occasion. For some time now, I’ve been wanting to try my hand at iconography, but have been intimidated by the challenge of it. When I began to…
The Based Byzantine 