This is so informative. As a Catholic, some things are the same, some have been changed by Catholic Church and some make more sense to me in the Orthodox Christian explanation. I'm learning quite a bit.
This is a beautiful video. I am Roman Catholic and I believe Orthodox and Roman Catholics should be closer and more welcoming to each other. I believe the message of getting us closer is part of my creation. So pass it alone. We, the lay ones, can show to both churches our unity, our love, our brotherhood and respect. Спасибо большое
I am new to Orthodoxy and to say it's been interesting would be an understatement,lol! I would love a video of what you do in your home differently as an Orthodox Christian!
I am evaluating Orthodoxy and you did a great job with the 2 lists you made. I found this very, very helpful. Answers some questions, yet provoked new ones.
I would encourage everyone to further look into the teaching of purgatory. The teaching is that the souls in purgatory can no longer help themselves, (so yes it is the same belief that Holiness can only be achieved while on Earth) so they need the prayers of those on Earth and those in heaven to help them to reach heaven.
I recently learned that we seem to make the sign of the cross differently in each church. We Ethiopians use 2 fingers, the middle finger bent (which we do to make a cross with our fingers, and I've heard others say that the bent middle finger refers to how Christ condescended to our lowly state). Loving this introduction to our Armenian brothers and sisters❤
Greetings from Serbia ☦ In Serbia we also write the names of our beloved ones so that priests can mention them in prayers during the Holy Liturgy. We didn't use to celebrate our birthdays (which came from the west), but we would celebrate our name days as every baptized Orthodox Cristian receives a name after a Saint. In Serbia, we also celebrate our family Holy Protector. We've been passing that tradition from generation to generation and by somebody's last name you can tell which Saint Protector the family celebrates. We also read akathists which I believe is common in every Orthodox church. We also wear a rosary bracelet which is traditionally made of wool colored in black.
Thank you, it was such interesting to hear about Armenian Church in US. I'm Eastern Orthodox from Ukraine, and by the way, we have two main churches, wich celebrate Christmas in different days: UOC in 7th January and OCU in 25th December
@@holasona officially not, unfortunately. But individual parishes doing according to their own conviction. It's more political, but mostly OCU is more liberal
I have loved these videos. part I was so inspirational. Although I am not orthodox, so many of the things you do were inspiring for me to introduce into my own home. Thank you for sharing your faith with us.
Though a protestant, I highly enjoy this content and love learning other viewpoints. I find a lot of the viewpoints surprisingly similar, coming from a high lutheran church but also a lot different. I would love see more content about the difference between the orthodox church calander and the protestant/catholic one. Is the only difference when the christmas is celebrated and the fasting seasons or are there more differences? Specially the first fact kind of surpriced me. I know the orthodox church believe the spirit comes from only the father, but has never heard exactly how you explained it. Best wishes!
Thank you for watching! And thank you for sharing! There are other differences I explain in the first part video: ua-cam.com/video/12gQwcFHbjs/v-deo.htmlsi=vWNCyYRTD1YtVYby
On the "the reason that the Roman church celebrates Christmas on December 25 is to line up with the pagan feast" thing: this is somewhat of a misconception. We have no historical records of what made the early church decide to celebrate on December 25. In addition, we have no historical records of the pagan sun cult at all until about 300 AD, which is just about the same time that there start to be non-Christian historical records of Christianity. It's certainly possible that the pagan sun cult influenced Christianity, but it's also entirely possible that the pagan sun cult started as a misunderstanding of the Gospel message, given how similar they are in many areas. It's definitely something that will require much more research, but it's a fascinating question to consider.
Thank you so much for sharing! Very interesting! All the sources that I had (books, articles, priests talking about it) - they all point out the pagan origin of the December 25th Christmas Celebration. I would really appreciate it if you send me the links of the articles or books that deny this fact.
@@holasona The "following pagan holidays is a misconception" part is pretty well documented. I am expecting to give birth between now and Friday, so it would take me a LONG time to get it for you, but it's not hard to find online. The "the sun cult might have actually been a mistaken attempt at Christianity" thing is a lot less certain. I heard one person talk about it a year or so ago. I might be able to find documentation for you on that eventually, but it will probably take a while.
I’ve been wanting to get in more prostrations in my spiritual practice but not sure where to start. I do the 41 mercy prayer on my rope but it doesn’t include prostrations. What would Ethiopian orthodox recommend for me?
@@gotogd1233 The Holy Spirit proceeds only from God The Father. To believe otherwise is a heresy in our Church,and as far as i know that is the case for the rest of Orthodox Churches(both Eastern and Oriental).
Thank you for your video, I am a life long Catholic, though I pray ultimately for a reunion of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.... now, just a clarification of purgatory... Sins that have been confessed do not contribute to purgatory... in contrast, venial sins that have not been confessed and for which no penance was done are what gets a person in purgatory.... If you are not sure what a venial sin is... it is essentially a sin done without malice for God, think of a child lying because they would get in trouble with their parents for eat candy before dinner.. is it a sin to lie? Sure, but does the child bear the full responsibility? No. Also, I would point out that while we do believe that Mary was conceived immaculately, while we differ on the notion of the meaning of Original Sin... the idea is that Mary received Christ's Grace at conception so that she could be a suitable vessel as the theotokp s....
Thank you for your response! All the sources that I read about Catholic faith point out that the sinner who committed a MORTAL sin, even if he has confessed it, still needs to go through Purgatory to be purified, to be ready for the Kingdom of God. Can you, please, name your sources?
Yes, Mary was conceived without Original Sin IN ADVANCE through the future merits of her Divine Son. Had Mary been born with concupiscence the Lord Jesus, through her, would have been born with it too. He was totally without sin ever, but so His Mother through whom He derived His human nature was conceived and born without it too as His human channel. It is a theological concept. There is Original Sin, and no baby is born without it. One only needs to see babies and little children throwing tantrums, etc to see it. One has to teach children to be nice, etc. They are not born “nice”. One only has to see the sin in the world in every generation and in every nation. So, Our Lord came through an immaculate channel. Had He not, then He would have been tarnished and unable to save the human race. Only someone absolutely sinless at all times could save sinners. Hence, Mary was totally immaculate from the moment of her conception by having been cleansed from it in advance by a deliberate act of God because of the merits gained by her Son’s future passion, death and resurrection, etc.
Sorry Sister, but I have to correct you there, What you said, " Sins that have been confessed do not contribute to purgatory" is wrong. The CCC (Catechism of the Catholic Church) says the following: #1472 To understand this doctrine (Indulgences) and practice of the Church, it is necessary to understand that sin has a double consequence. Grave sin deprives us of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life, the privation of which is called the "eternal punishment" of sin. On the other hand every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory. This purification frees one from what is called the "temporal punishment" of sin. These two punishments must not be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God from without, but as following from the very nature of sin. A conversion which proceeds from a fervent charity can attain the complete purification of the sinner in such a way that no punishment would remain. #1473 The forgiveness of sin and restoration of communion with God entail the remission of the eternal punishment of sin, but temporal punishment of sin remains. While patiently bearing sufferings and trials of all kinds and, when the day comes, serenely facing death, the Christian must strive to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace. He should strive by works of mercy and charity, as well as by prayer and the various practices of penance, to put off completely the "old man" and to put on the "new man. The CCC defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031). The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.
Thank you for these videos! I really appreciate your explanations of some of the unique Orthodox practices, and I also as a Latin Catholic appreciate your update about the Immaculate Conception at the end. I in no way want to try to convince you of our belief, but I would like to clarify that we believe the Holy Mother was preserved from sin through the death and resurrection of her Son; His saving work reverberates throughout time and eternity which is how we believe she could be preserved by His work even before the Passion occurred. It's as though she was washed in the waters of baptism from the moment she began to exist; we see this as making her more, not less, human, because a full and whole humanity is holy and obedient to God. Certainly the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception would not make sense without a theology of original sin. I've never thought about the significance of the locations we touch as we say the name of each Person of the Trinity - the Sign of the Cross is so beautiful and it's so important not to take it for granted but to notice every bit of meaning and symbolism.
Thank you for your comment! I am sorry there are no Orthodox churches near you! I would recommend reading Orthodox Literature, the creations of the Holy Fathers that interpreted the Holy Scripture. Listen to the video and audio records of the Divine Liturgy. There are also books of prayers written by Orthodox Saints. How far is the nearest Orthodox Church from you? I know, it must be very difficult not to have one close by, but do you think you could travel a few times a year to other cities to take part in the Divine Liturgy?
Just to further preface what she already said, Armenian Orthodox Church is not the EO (Eastern Orthodox). Historically the EO considers the Oriental very heretical. This is very important as many people are interested in the EO especially in America and do not know the difference. Personal opinion after reading about the military campaigns the EO approved of against the Oriental has made me extremely sympathetic to the Christians of the OO. Beautiful people That have been discriminated against especially by other Christians.
I am looking into different forms of Christianity and appreciate this informative video. However, you may not be right about Dec.25th being chosen to replace a pagan holiday. It is exactly 9 months after the annunciation, which was celebrated by the ancient church. Ancient Faith ministries has a good blog post that addresses this and other arguments sometimes used to label Christmas pagan.
Thank you! Some Orthodox churches celebrate Annunciation on March 25, others on April 7. Also, christians back then knew very well that a full term pregnancy is almost 10 months, not 9. So it is very debatable whether December 25 is more realistic than January 6.
@@holasona I didn’t realize some churches celebrate Annunciation on different dates when I commented. That would make a difference. I am not trying to argue that Dec. 25 is better than Jan 6 as a date for Christmas! I just don’t think that a pagan holiday was the reason Dec. 25th came to be celebrated in the west. Our months are 4.3 weeks long on average. Full term pregnancy is 38 weeks from conception on average, which divided by 9 is 4.2.
January 7 is actually December 25 of the Old (Julian) calendar. As the Julian calendar is a few minutes longer than the Gregorian, in time it has shifted the dates later according to the Gregorian. In another couple millennia, Christmas will be much later in January. The feast of Yule in the pagan year is the birth of the sun. December 25 was selected for the Christ Mass to celebrate the birth of the Son of God. It allowed the Church to commemorate the Nativity on its own day, and also be a bit easier to allow former pagans to adapt to a new tradition. Over time, the old ways slipped away and the Feast of the Nativity remains. The date for Pascha is, by canon, computed using the old star calendar in use at the time of Our Lord's time with us, basically the Julian calendar, so all Orthodox jurisdictions celebrate Pascha on the same day.
As a traditional Roman Catholic I really enjoy listening to your synopsis of your acts of Faith and reasoning. Thank you soo much! Iv always wondered about the ways you celebrate and venerate the Sacraments. And I was under the impression that Orthodox did not go to Confession on a regular basis and thought it was a rarity! Relieved to hear that it is not. Maybe I thought this because you dont have Confessionals... lol idk. The 2 most popular differences that I was aware of were 1. the Filoque 2. Purgatory - just as you made obvious. While I completely understand that you have firm belief in your teachings, I beg to ask : 1. As to how you come to believe that the Holy Spirit does not come from BOTH the Father and Son? It just does not make any logical sense to me as to how such a strong Faithful could conclude that the Holy Spirit does come from the Son as well? Most obviously because we know without any possible doubt that our Lord is the MOST HIGH and sits at the Right Hand of the The Father therefore there is no possible way for the Holy Spirit to proceed only from The Father if they are enthroned together.. It just does not make any sense to me whatsoever how this could be an argument or cause of debate. Because we both know without doubt that The Father is in The Son and the The Son is the exact same representation as the Father. Moreover, the Son only does the Will of the Father... therefore there is no way in my perspective that the Holy Spirit only resides/comes forth from the Father - AND it is because they are ONE. It would be as though The Father is keeping secrets from Iesu to logically conclude that the Holy Spirit only proceeds from ABBA. Does this reside with you in any manner? 2. Purgatory for Catholics in general, not just Roman Rite, is same as the Tolls as taught by Orthodox in my perspective. I see no differences. Otherwise, there would be no need to pray for the Dead because their Souls would be maturely developed and they would be able to ascend after Death. So while I understood your take on things, your use of different definitions/terms to explain them, they are still the same. And while I won't beg to differ on teachings of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Mother, I just need to emphasise that, NO, as Roman Catholics, we do not believe Mother Mary is/was 'Immaculate' in flesh as you mentioned. We believe The Lord formed her soul to perfection so that HE could reside within her during conception/conceivement. Also, so that she could spiritually acknowledge HIS divinity and be able to relate to HIS mission/teachings/practices etc. We do not believe she could have ascended without HIM and/or HIS sacrifice either... To conclude, we heartily believe in Angel Gabriel, being that she was truly "Blessed" among women because her Soul was Immaculately created... specifically for Iesu!
OH! I also wanted to make you aware that many traditional Roman Rite Catholics bless themselves with 3 fingers... and for the same reasoning you mentioned. I also feel the necessity to hi-five you and all of our Orthodox faithful, Coptic alike, for being able to Fast so devoutly🏆... And as a firm believer in the One True Faith, I thank you graciously😘.. "Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa" - {Iv never had good self discipline and I tend to give in to my belly, ugh}
With all respect, as you mentioned Jesus sits at the right of the Father, being the Most High, but Jesus is Not the Father and never wanted to be the Father. Satan wanted to be the Father. It is a very dangerous and delicate point. Jesus is the incarnated Speech of the Father, so Father through Jesus could be heard by humans. The Father Is In His Son. Apart from that, Jesus always spoke in total respect of His Father. The Father placed the Son in His right. Jesus didn't take this place by Himself. Also, if the Holy Spirit derived from the Son, during His Baptism, It would come from Jesus and spread outwards. But we know that the Holy Spirit came to Jesus as a pigeon. (May sound childish, but is so simple). Just watch an icon of the Baptism.
@@vasantirin2389 Just curious as to where you came up with the idea that I asserted that Jesus is the Father? I clearly made the distinctions- at least 3 times. Never heard that 'Jesus was incarnated speech of the Father' either.... weird. Now you seem to come across as though you are the person acclimating Jesus to the Father. No. Jesus is NOT the Father. Now if you go back to very beginning of THE WORD, ie as in Genesis 1.26. It clearly states that GOD is plural, ie 'made in OUR image and in OUR likeness'. ANd I never asserted the Holy Spirit derived from the Son either... I hope you have time to re read what I said. It wasn't complicated and it was very clear. And then you could answer my questions? But let's not put words in each other's mouths- we are farrrrr beyond linguistic barriers as that of 1,000 yrs ago. No Latin barriers here!
@@vasantirin2389 FYI: The Holy Spirit is NOT derived. GOD has always existed and is NOT created. We assert and believe that the HOLY SPIRIT 'proceeds' from BOTH, the Father and the Son.. not 1 or the other. I hope that makes sense.
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine just recently switched to the Gregorian Calendar. The Ukrainian church was granted autocephaly in 2018, which has lead to schism between Moscow and Constantinople.
We ethiopians do not believe that saint mary Have any kind of sin. She is sinless . Yes God saved her and everyone. Who are we to say the mother of God have a sin.
You are mistaken about the reason for why Nativity is celebrated on December 25. There is no record of this pagan "Sol Invictus" feast prior to Christianity. It is not that we moved the holiday to compete with the pagans, but rather that the pagans invented a new feast to compete with the Christians. Note also that the winter solstice in not on the 25 - it usually on the 21st or 22nd. People today, either because of an anti-Christian agenda, or simply because Greco-Roman paganism is long dead like to attribute all sorts of Christian things to the pagans. However, in the 4th Century, Greco-Roman paganism was a living religion competing with Christianity (and losing) for the hearts and minds of the people of the oikumene. It was not a static religion/philosophy at the time, and its adherents were not just content to fade away quietly. There was even an Emperor who tried to re-institute paganism as the state religion (Julian the Apostate - r. 361-63). People assume that the feast of Sol Invictus had always existed in Greco-Roman paganism, and because paganism pre-dates Christianity, they conclude that Sol Invictus also pre-dates Christianity then jump to the conclusion that the Church set the date of Christmas because of this pagan feast. It doesn't occur to them that there was a period of time when paganism and Christianity co-existed (in the sense of both existing, not necessarily getting along), and there is no reason to believe that former was not also influenced by the latter. The reason why Nativity is on the 25th is because Annunciation is on March 25th. It is possible to calculate the date of the Resurrection because we know that Jewish Passover is on 14 Nissan, and this led the Church to conclude that in the year Christ was crucified, 14 Nissan began on a Thursday evening (because we know that the Last Supper took place on a Thursday evening). The Church was therefore able to calculate that the Friday on which Christ was crucified was March 25. There is a pious Jewish belief that prophets enter and leave the world on the same day; applying this to Christ, if Good Friday was March 25, then the Anunciation was also on March 25. December 25 is nine months after March 25, so that was the date set for the feast of the Nativity. One holiday that might have been set on a day of a previously existing pagan feast would be Halloween. Certainly, contemporary Halloween traditions owe much of their flavor to the Celtic pagan feast of Samhain. However, there could be as more pedestrian reason for this. Originally, the Feast of All Saints was celebrated in the West on the Sunday after Pentecost, as it still is in the East, so why was it moved? It is possible it was moved to encourage people from the countryside to go to Church since they would be in the cities to sell the fruits of the harvest - the harvest having occurred sometime in September or October. It is safe to assume that the countryside held on to paganism longer than the cities because the word "pagan" itself comes from the Latin word "paganus," meaning "rural" or "rustic." If all these people from the countryside were going to be in town anyway, why not use the opportunity to evangelize by celebrating an important, non-geographically specific (individual saints die somewhere in particular and the Pope would have wanted a feast that was relevant to people regardless of where they were from) feast in impressive fashion. Obviously, the dates of the feasts having to do with Christ's life, and that of feasts derived from those feasts couldn't be moved, but All Saints could. Note also that the feast itself is the Feast of All Saints on November 1. The word Halloween reflects its connection to this feast - All Hallows (i.e. saints - sacred - hallowed, like "hallowed ground") Even (evening - the day before). The Latins then made a special important feast for the souls of the faithful departed, All Souls Day, and reasonably connected it to All Saints Day by placing it the day after (in the east, special feasts for the dead are spread out to several Saturdays during the Triodion and Pentecostarion periods). It is therefore also possible that Halloween's occurrence with Samhain is a lucky accident. As for celebrating Christmas and Easter on different dates than the West, there is a reason for this as well. Note first, that on the Julian Calendar, Nativity is also celebrated on December 25, but is 13 days after Western Christmas because the Julian and Gregorian calendars are not in synch with each other. By the 14th Century, scholars in Constantinople had realized that the date prescribed as the vernal equinox, June 21, was falling behind the astronomical equinox. There was an effort to reform the calendar to get these back into alignment, but the guy who was tasked with doing this, Nikephoros Gregoras, ended up on the wrong side of the Hesychast controversy, so his work was not adopted. A couple centuries later, when the Pope Gregory XIII of Rome wanted to reform the calendar for the same reasons scholars in the West came up with a solution, and thus we have the Gregorian Calendar. The problem is largely due to leap years. The earth completes its orbit around the sun in 365.24291 days. This is roughly 365.25 days, so the Julian Calendar has a leap year every four years. Because this is not exact, however, by the late 16th Century, this had resulted in a drift of 10 days. The Gregorian Calendar has a leap year every year in which the year date with the number 4 as a factor, but not if 100 is also a factor, but if 400 is a factor, it remains a leap year. The new calendar was put into effect (in Catholic countries, anyway) in 1582, in which October 4 was followed by October 15 that year, thereby eliminating the drift and allowing the new calculation to keep the date of September 21 in line with the astronomical equinox. In 1600, 1700, and 1900, therefore, it was a leap year on the Julian Calendar but not on the Gregorian Calendar, leading to 13-day difference in the 20th Century. However, the year 2000 is divisible by 400, so it was a leap year on both, meaning that the difference will remain 13 days for the rest of this century. All of this matters because the Vernal Equinox is important for calculating the date of Easter. The formula set forth at the Council of Nicea is that Pascha will be celebrated on the first Sunday, after the first full moon, on or after the Vernal Equinox, defined as March 21. The Council also prescribes that we are not to celebrate Pascha "with the Jews." It seems in the West, they took this to mean that 14 Nissan is irrelevant to the calculation; in the East, it means that Pascha may not be on 14 Nissan, and if it is, Pascha is bumped back a week. Both the East and the West use this formula, but because they are working from different days dated as "March 21," the dates can coincide, be off by a week, or be off by around a month. If the first full moon (also determined by formula, not by actual astronomical observation) falls after both Gregorian and Julian March 21, East and West will celebrate Pascha on the same day, unless this day falls before 14 Nissan on the Jewish Calendar, in which case they will be off by a week. However, if the first full moon occurs is the (currently) 13-day period between Gregorian March 21 and Julian March 21, then that full moon is not actually on or after March 21 on the latter, meaning that the first full moon will be the next one, roughly a month later, and so the celebrations of Western Easter and Orthodox Pascha will be off by about a month.
Thank you for such a detailed commentary! There were many interesting points here! All the Orthodox sources I read insist on January 6 being moved to December 25 because of the pagan feast that needed to be overridden. However, they also state that in the fourth century paganism and Christianity coexisted in Roman Empire, Christians were merely trying to win more people and erase as many pagan feasts from their memory as they could. In Armenia this tactic was not relevant, because king Tridates III had already proclaimed Christianity as the state religion of Armenia in 301. So, paganism was more or less dead in Armenia at that time. Of course, there were still individuals practicing it, but the majority of the population was Christian. As for the Annunciation, many Orthodox Churches - Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Coptic, Armenian celebrate it on April 7. Besides, I truly believe that people back then knew very well that full term pregnancy is almost 10 months, not 9. So it is impossible to accurately calculate the exact day of the Annunciation and the day of the Birth of Christ.
@@holasona "As for the Annunciation, many Orthodox Churches - Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Coptic, Armenian celebrate it on April 7." I don't know about the Copts, but the date prescribed for the feast of the Annunciation in the Orthodox Church is March 25. However, until the end of the century, Julian March 25 occurs on Gregorian April 7. The Churches that are on the Old Calendar therefore still celebrate it on Julian March 25, but to one using the Gregorian calendar, it would happen 13 days "late." As for the 40-week human gestation period, it is my belief that the traditional term of 9 months is a matter of epistemology. The occurrence of successful conception can be known (without technological aid) when the woman misses the next period of menstruation. It's not as though the ancient Romans could go down to the drug store a buy a 5-minute pregnancy test the morning after or something like that. Depending on how much a husband and wife like each other, the date of conception could be traced back to a particular day or there might be too many possibilities to be sure. Thus, we have estimated the gestation period of 9 months because, while biologically it occurred earlier, we can know for sure that it happened about nine months prior to the due date. Therefore, the Church places feasts of conception (of Christ, the Theotokos and John the Forerunner) onto the calendar 9 months prior to the feast of the birth.
@@holasona Full-term pregnancy isn't almost 10 months. As I write this, it is August 7. 40 weeks from now is May 12--9 months and 5 days from now. And truth be told, those 40 weeks are counted from the last menstrual cycle, so pregnancy is actually about two weeks less than that, making it a little less than 9 months.
@deelea the majority of healthy first pregnancies go to week 41-42 naturally. Lots of research demonstrating this. Up to 50% reach 42 weeks. 42 weeks is 9.8 months.
I do not. I used to, at some point, but now I, mostly, read prayers, occasionally, I hold rosary when I pray. But I am not sure I say the right prayers for the rosary. It was given to me by a wonderful friend!
Interesting and informative!!! if possible Please make a video on each Orthodox church in detail, Please start with Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahido Church just after Armenia, thank You.
I would recommend finding an Orthodox priest who you can talk to about Orthodox faith. If you chose to go to Armenian Church, I can recommend a priest to you. I was lucky to be born and be brought up in countries where the majority of the population is Orthodox, but even if that was not the case, I think I would find my way to Orthodoxy.
@@holasona there are two Orthodox churches nearby one is Greek one just says Orthodox.i have some hang ups and questions but Im open to learning. Im really disappointed with the modern church and the popes etc. Thanks for the comment.
@@joea.9969 Many Orthodox Churches simply use "Orthodox" as a way of shedding an aura of ethnicity as many parishioners are converts and are not from traditional ethnic areas where Orthodoxy is prevalent. These parishes may have an ethnic tradition, as the Orthodox Church in America has a Russian tradition, but is overwhelmingly filled with many different converts from all backgrounds. The Antiochian Orthodox Church also uses simply Orthodox in it's name in some parishes. We ALL are Orthodox and and in communion with each other. We welcome you among us.
@@oOIYvYIOo husbands are the shepards of their families. They are the head of the household who is discerning. You're the one who sounds like a heretic.
As a Greek Orthodox from Greece, I can say that the crucifix is not really common. I've never actually seen any Greek wearing a crucifix. I first saw this jewelry from Orthodox Syrian people. In Greece also we don't wear a veil at church. We celebrate Christmas together with the Catholics on December 25th whereas we kept the old tradition for Easter later than them.
@@holasona from what I know this was never a thing as even in my grandmother's generation they didn't wear one. Maybe this was a very old tradition when women in general wore some kinds of veils in public globally.
I have good Greek Orthodox friends. We agree on so much. What separates the East from the West is, I believe that we Western Catholcs had to deal with the Heretical Protestants. There was no Reformation in the East. So, you stayed pure, we got tainted. We had to react, and we're tainted by it. But we still have Catholic beliefs. I shall remain where I am, but let us be friends as we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Non voglio risultare sgarbata, ma non ho ben capito la dottrina sull'aldilà: voi Ortodossi credete solo nel giudizio universale o anche in quello particolare come noi Cattolici? Se credete solo in quello universale, non credete nel purgatorio e credete che la santità si raggiunga solo nella vita terrena, allora perché pregare per le loro anime? Voglio dire, se una volta defunti, le nostre anime aspettano il giudizio universale così come prospettato in Matteo 25, quindi sono già destinate o all'inferno o al paradiso e tutto ciò che abbiamo fatto sulla terra ha già determinato la salvezza o la pena eterna, è inutile che i vivi preghino per noi. Anche noi cattolici preghiamo per i morti, ma per le anime di quelli che stanno in purgatorio, per abbreviare la loro permanenza lì; non per quelle che stanno già in Paradiso né per quelle che sono già all'Inferno, perché né le une né le altre ne hanno bisogno. La mia non vuole essere una critica della fede ortodossa per difendere a tutti i costi quella cattolica, è solo una ricerca di conoscenza genuina, perché vorrei capire veramente qual è la Chiesa più fedele agli insegnamenti trasmessi dagli Apostoli. Ti ringrazio se troverai il tempo di rispondere o se mi indicherai le fonti o le risorse per trovare queste risposte. P.S. Anch'io non condivido totalmente la dottrina sulle indulgenze e il fatto che anche pentendosi e confessando tutti i peccati mortali non si vada direttamente in paradiso. Condivido invece che se si muore non in peccato mortale, ma non totalmente in grazia di Dio, allora possa essere necessario un periodo di purificazione prime di accedere al Paradiso (Mt 5, 25-26)
I was asked "what Church do you belong to" I asked what did they mean. They said "well, Bapitse, Orthodox, methodist etc" I replied "none of them, I follow Jesus" I read the Bible and go with scripture, pray to God, talk to God throughout the day. I don't belong to (A) Church, I belong to (THE) Church.
Thank you for sharing. Church is the only place where you can receive Holy Communion and become One with God. Only there you can follow His commandment: "Take, eat; this is My body” and " “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."
@@holasona Where does it state a church is the only place you can receive Holy Communion? The church are the people, not the building. And where in the Bible does it's say that is the only way you can follow Christ? You really need to not just read the Bible but study it. Are you saying because I don't go to a building with other people I won't be excepted? If so, you have it all wrong. Stop giving your opinions on the Bible please.
Why are you not saying that you belong to the Armenian Orthodox church which Belongs to the Oriental Orthodox church (non-Chalcedonic) and is different from Eastern Orthodox Church. Because obviously you are confessing a different style of Holy Trinity whcih the Other churches sees that a bit heretical.
I did state and explain that I belong to Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church in the beginning of the first video: “Things I do differently as an Orthodox Christian”. I also say in the beginning of this video that these 10 things are common to both Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches. We do not confess “a different style of Holy Trinity”. Beliefs of the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches coincide on the matter of Holy Trinity.
In addition to this, as an orthodox chrstian, as Saint & apostle paul wrote, it is better to cover your Head & most of your body with an appropriate cloth properly, Even when you make this kinde of video too.
Armenian, Syriac, Coptic, Ethiopian churches are Oriental Orthodox Churches, as I mentioned in my previous video. Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches are not in communion with each other, unfortunately. There is common misconception in the Eastern Orthodox Church that Oriental churches are monophysites. Monophysitism is considered a heresy in all Oriental churches. We are MIAphysits who believe that Divinity and Humanity in Jesus are united in one physis, united without separation, without confusion, and without alteration. We believe that Christ is fully divine and fully human, in one nature.
Why do you think that Armenian and Syrian aren't Orthodox? A quick Google search shows me they are part of the Oriental Orthodox Church. Are you maybe thinking she was saying they were part of the Eastern Orthodox Church? If so, go check the first part video where she explains this. :)
This is so informative. As a Catholic, some things are the same, some have been changed by Catholic Church and some make more sense to me in the Orthodox Christian explanation. I'm learning quite a bit.
Thank you! I am so glad the videos are helpful!
Thank you for your videos. As a Protestant Christian who is considering converting to Orthodoxy, I find them very insightful! God bless. ❤️☦️
Thank you so much! I am glad they are helpful! God bless you too!
This is a beautiful video. I am Roman Catholic and I believe Orthodox and Roman Catholics should be closer and more welcoming to each other. I believe the message of getting us closer is part of my creation. So pass it alone. We, the lay ones, can show to both churches our unity, our love, our brotherhood and respect. Спасибо большое
Thank you for your kind words! I would love that! 🙏
So elegant it is to dress modestly and cover the hear in a beautiful way.
I am new to Orthodoxy and to say it's been interesting would be an understatement,lol! I would love a video of what you do in your home differently as an Orthodox Christian!
Thank you for your kind words! Will do!
Yes please keep making videos about Orthodox Christianity. I would love to learn more.
Thank you for your encouragement!
I am evaluating Orthodoxy and you did a great job with the 2 lists you made. I found this very, very helpful. Answers some questions, yet provoked new ones.
Thank you for your kind words! I am glad it was helpful!
Yes I would also appreciate an at home video. We are recently converted and I would like to know more about Orthodox education for children.
Thank you! I would be happy to share that in my next video!
very informative Sona! Thank you for your clear explanations. Yes a video about Orthodox home practices seems like a good idea.
You are explained very well,
God bless you
Joseph Paul
India, Kerala
God bless you too! Thank you for watching!
I would encourage everyone to further look into the teaching of purgatory. The teaching is that the souls in purgatory can no longer help themselves, (so yes it is the same belief that Holiness can only be achieved while on Earth) so they need the prayers of those on Earth and those in heaven to help them to reach heaven.
The Roman Catholic Church also used to have memorial masses on those special days and then they threw it all in the trash
Indian church also take off shoes because God told Moses, "Remove your shoes for you are standing on holy ground"
Greetings from an Egyptian orthodox mother. I love your content ❤
Greetings! Thank you for your kind words!
Yes would love to see the home and what you do!
Thank you! Will do!
Thank you, Sona! I was baptized into the Orthodox Church in June, and am so grateful. Glory to God!
And yes, I would love to see a video about the Orthodox home 🙏🏻 God bless you!
Congratulations! Thank you for the feedback! God bless you too!
This is important, is it Oriental Orthodox or Eastern Orthodox?
I recently learned that we seem to make the sign of the cross differently in each church. We Ethiopians use 2 fingers, the middle finger bent (which we do to make a cross with our fingers, and I've heard others say that the bent middle finger refers to how Christ condescended to our lowly state). Loving this introduction to our Armenian brothers and sisters❤
Thank you for sharing! And thank you for watching!
@@holasona There is also the Old Believer Church, they use two fingers, pressing three to the palm. This is also a canonical sign of the cross.
I’m very new to Orthodoxy! Thank you for sharing, would love a video on the home prayer life!
I would love this too 🙏
Thank you for the feedback! I am working on that video.
Greetings from Serbia ☦
In Serbia we also write the names of our beloved ones so that priests can mention them in prayers during the Holy Liturgy.
We didn't use to celebrate our birthdays (which came from the west), but we would celebrate our name days as every baptized Orthodox Cristian receives a name after a Saint.
In Serbia, we also celebrate our family Holy Protector. We've been passing that tradition from generation to generation and by somebody's last name you can tell which Saint Protector the family celebrates.
We also read akathists which I believe is common in every Orthodox church.
We also wear a rosary bracelet which is traditionally made of wool colored in black.
Please keep making more videos on this. I am a catechumen and I am learning so much from your videos. Thank you!!!
Thank you for your encouragement! I am so glad the videos are helpful!
Thanks for the video! Yes, a video about what you do differently in your home would be interesting!
Thank you for watching! Noted!
i love your traditions thanks for sharing. God bless
Thank you! God bless you too!
Thank you such a beautiful share❤
@@SashaLipskaia Thank you for your kind words!
Thanks for another video. Now I finally understand that aspect about crossing oneself.
Thank you! I am glad it was helpful!
Well done. Thank you 🙏 God bless you. 🎉
Thank you! God bless you too!
Thank you for this video. Very interesting!
Thank you for watching!
Thank you for the wonderful and informative content for us young new families. May God continue to bless you in your work. 🙏🏻
Thank you so much for your kind words! God bless you and your family! ❤️
Thank you, it was such interesting to hear about Armenian Church in US. I'm Eastern Orthodox from Ukraine, and by the way, we have two main churches, wich celebrate Christmas in different days: UOC in 7th January and OCU in 25th December
Thank you! I forgot to mention that! They are still not in Communion with each other, right?
@@holasona officially not, unfortunately. But individual parishes doing according to their own conviction. It's more political, but mostly OCU is more liberal
@@valoranimois the OCU the one that's connected to the Russian government?
I have loved these videos. part I was so inspirational. Although I am not orthodox, so many of the things you do were inspiring for me to introduce into my own home. Thank you for sharing your faith with us.
This was a good video. I learned a lot. Thank you 💯☦️
I appreciate it! Thank you for watching!
WoW! At 8:00 it is MY own temple, where I go every week - the cathedral in honor of the Feodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God in St. Petersburg!
So great that you recognized your church! Thank you for sharing!
Please do make a video about the Orthodox home 😊
Thank you for the feedback! Will do!
Excellent video, thanks very much for fhe post 👏
My pleasure! Thank you for watching!
10q for sharing
Thank you for watching!
Fantastic videos! Please make more videos on the Orthodox Church!! ❤
Thank you for your kind words! Will do! 🙏
God bless ☦️🙏🏿
God bless you too!
Thank you Sona!
Though a protestant, I highly enjoy this content and love learning other viewpoints. I find a lot of the viewpoints surprisingly similar, coming from a high lutheran church but also a lot different. I would love see more content about the difference between the orthodox church calander and the protestant/catholic one. Is the only difference when the christmas is celebrated and the fasting seasons or are there more differences?
Specially the first fact kind of surpriced me. I know the orthodox church believe the spirit comes from only the father, but has never heard exactly how you explained it.
Best wishes!
Thank you for watching! And thank you for sharing! There are other differences I explain in the first part video: ua-cam.com/video/12gQwcFHbjs/v-deo.htmlsi=vWNCyYRTD1YtVYby
On the "the reason that the Roman church celebrates Christmas on December 25 is to line up with the pagan feast" thing: this is somewhat of a misconception. We have no historical records of what made the early church decide to celebrate on December 25.
In addition, we have no historical records of the pagan sun cult at all until about 300 AD, which is just about the same time that there start to be non-Christian historical records of Christianity. It's certainly possible that the pagan sun cult influenced Christianity, but it's also entirely possible that the pagan sun cult started as a misunderstanding of the Gospel message, given how similar they are in many areas.
It's definitely something that will require much more research, but it's a fascinating question to consider.
Thank you so much for sharing! Very interesting! All the sources that I had (books, articles, priests talking about it) - they all point out the pagan origin of the December 25th Christmas Celebration. I would really appreciate it if you send me the links of the articles or books that deny this fact.
@@holasona The "following pagan holidays is a misconception" part is pretty well documented. I am expecting to give birth between now and Friday, so it would take me a LONG time to get it for you, but it's not hard to find online.
The "the sun cult might have actually been a mistaken attempt at Christianity" thing is a lot less certain. I heard one person talk about it a year or so ago. I might be able to find documentation for you on that eventually, but it will probably take a while.
bowing to God 41 times every day I go down on knee while praying. that's how we practice in Ethiopia Orthodox
Amazing! I have a lot of admiration for Ethiopians and Ethiopian Orthodox Church!
Do Ethiopian Orthodox believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds only from the Father? Or from both, the Father and the Son?
@@gotogd1233 both. and to receive Holy Sprite you must stop any sinful activity then bowing down pray u will get it.
I’ve been wanting to get in more prostrations in my spiritual practice but not sure where to start. I do the 41 mercy prayer on my rope but it doesn’t include prostrations. What would Ethiopian orthodox recommend for me?
@@gotogd1233 The Holy Spirit proceeds only from God The Father. To believe otherwise is a heresy in our Church,and as far as i know that is the case for the rest of Orthodox Churches(both Eastern and Oriental).
Thank you for your video, I am a life long Catholic, though I pray ultimately for a reunion of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches.... now, just a clarification of purgatory... Sins that have been confessed do not contribute to purgatory... in contrast, venial sins that have not been confessed and for which no penance was done are what gets a person in purgatory.... If you are not sure what a venial sin is... it is essentially a sin done without malice for God, think of a child lying because they would get in trouble with their parents for eat candy before dinner.. is it a sin to lie? Sure, but does the child bear the full responsibility? No. Also, I would point out that while we do believe that Mary was conceived immaculately, while we differ on the notion of the meaning of Original Sin... the idea is that Mary received Christ's Grace at conception so that she could be a suitable vessel as the theotokp
s....
Thank you for your response! All the sources that I read about Catholic faith point out that the sinner who committed a MORTAL sin, even if he has confessed it, still needs to go through Purgatory to be purified, to be ready for the Kingdom of God. Can you, please, name your sources?
Yes, Mary was conceived without Original Sin IN ADVANCE through the future merits of her Divine Son. Had Mary been born with concupiscence the Lord Jesus, through her, would have been born with it too. He was totally without sin ever, but so His Mother through whom He derived His human nature was conceived and born without it too as His human channel. It is a theological concept. There is Original Sin, and no baby is born without it. One only needs to see babies and little children throwing tantrums, etc to see it. One has to teach children to be nice, etc. They are not born “nice”. One only has to see the sin in the world in every generation and in every nation. So, Our Lord came through an immaculate channel. Had He not, then He would have been tarnished and unable to save the human race. Only someone absolutely sinless at all times could save sinners. Hence, Mary was totally immaculate from the moment of her conception by having been cleansed from it in advance by a deliberate act of God because of the merits gained by her Son’s future passion, death and resurrection, etc.
Sorry Sister, but I have to correct you there, What you said, " Sins that have been confessed do not contribute to purgatory" is wrong.
The CCC (Catechism of the Catholic Church) says the following:
#1472 To understand this doctrine (Indulgences) and practice of the Church, it is necessary to understand that sin has a double consequence. Grave sin deprives us of communion with God and therefore makes us incapable of eternal life, the privation of which is called the "eternal punishment" of sin. On the other hand every sin, even venial, entails an unhealthy attachment to creatures, which must be purified either here on earth, or after death in the state called Purgatory. This purification frees one from what is called the "temporal punishment" of sin. These two punishments must not be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God from without, but as following from the very nature of sin. A conversion which proceeds from a fervent charity can attain the complete purification of the sinner in such a way that no punishment would remain.
#1473 The forgiveness of sin and restoration of communion with God entail the remission of the eternal punishment of sin, but temporal punishment of sin remains. While patiently bearing sufferings and trials of all kinds and, when the day comes, serenely facing death, the Christian must strive to accept this temporal punishment of sin as a grace. He should strive by works of mercy and charity, as well as by prayer and the various practices of penance, to put off completely the "old man" and to put on the "new man.
The CCC defines purgatory as a “purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven,” which is experienced by those “who die in God’s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified” (CCC 1030). It notes that “this final purification of the elect . . . is entirely different from the punishment of the damned” (CCC 1031).
The purification is necessary because, as Scripture teaches, nothing unclean will enter the presence of God in heaven (Rev. 21:27) and, while we may die with our mortal sins forgiven, there can still be many impurities in us, specifically venial sins and the temporal punishment due to sins already forgiven.
Thank you for these videos! I really appreciate your explanations of some of the unique Orthodox practices, and I also as a Latin Catholic appreciate your update about the Immaculate Conception at the end.
I in no way want to try to convince you of our belief, but I would like to clarify that we believe the Holy Mother was preserved from sin through the death and resurrection of her Son; His saving work reverberates throughout time and eternity which is how we believe she could be preserved by His work even before the Passion occurred. It's as though she was washed in the waters of baptism from the moment she began to exist; we see this as making her more, not less, human, because a full and whole humanity is holy and obedient to God. Certainly the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception would not make sense without a theology of original sin.
I've never thought about the significance of the locations we touch as we say the name of each Person of the Trinity - the Sign of the Cross is so beautiful and it's so important not to take it for granted but to notice every bit of meaning and symbolism.
Thank you for your feedback! I will do some more research on the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Is there a book or article you recommend?
What advice do you have for people who cannot attend orthodox (what is it called?) services?
Thank you for your comment! I am sorry there are no Orthodox churches near you! I would recommend reading Orthodox Literature, the creations of the Holy Fathers that interpreted the Holy Scripture. Listen to the video and audio records of the Divine Liturgy. There are also books of prayers written by Orthodox Saints. How far is the nearest Orthodox Church from you? I know, it must be very difficult not to have one close by, but do you think you could travel a few times a year to other cities to take part in the Divine Liturgy?
Just to further preface what she already said, Armenian Orthodox Church is not the EO (Eastern Orthodox). Historically the EO considers the Oriental very heretical. This is very important as many people are interested in the EO especially in America and do not know the difference.
Personal opinion after reading about the military campaigns the EO approved of against the Oriental has made me extremely sympathetic to the Christians of the OO. Beautiful people That have been discriminated against especially by other Christians.
We call Chalcedon "the Ominous" because it was the first time those calling themselves Christians persecuted those who call themselves Christians
I am looking into different forms of Christianity and appreciate this informative video. However, you may not be right about Dec.25th being chosen to replace a pagan holiday. It is exactly 9 months after the annunciation, which was celebrated by the ancient church. Ancient Faith ministries has a good blog post that addresses this and other arguments sometimes used to label Christmas pagan.
Thank you! Some Orthodox churches celebrate Annunciation on March 25, others on April 7. Also, christians back then knew very well that a full term pregnancy is almost 10 months, not 9. So it is very debatable whether December 25 is more realistic than January 6.
@@holasona I didn’t realize some churches celebrate Annunciation on different dates when I commented. That would make a difference. I am not trying to argue that Dec. 25 is better than Jan 6 as a date for Christmas! I just don’t think that a pagan holiday was the reason Dec. 25th came to be celebrated in the west. Our months are 4.3 weeks long on average. Full term pregnancy is 38 weeks from conception on average, which divided by 9 is 4.2.
January 7 is actually December 25 of the Old (Julian) calendar. As the Julian calendar is a few minutes longer than the Gregorian, in time it has shifted the dates later according to the Gregorian. In another couple millennia, Christmas will be much later in January. The feast of Yule in the pagan year is the birth of the sun. December 25 was selected for the Christ Mass to celebrate the birth of the Son of God. It allowed the Church to commemorate the Nativity on its own day, and also be a bit easier to allow former pagans to adapt to a new tradition. Over time, the old ways slipped away and the Feast of the Nativity remains. The date for Pascha is, by canon, computed using the old star calendar in use at the time of Our Lord's time with us, basically the Julian calendar, so all Orthodox jurisdictions celebrate Pascha on the same day.
As a traditional Roman Catholic I really enjoy listening to your synopsis of your acts of Faith and reasoning. Thank you soo much! Iv always wondered about the ways you celebrate and venerate the Sacraments. And I was under the impression that Orthodox did not go to Confession on a regular basis and thought it was a rarity! Relieved to hear that it is not. Maybe I thought this because you dont have Confessionals... lol idk.
The 2 most popular differences that I was aware of were 1. the Filoque 2. Purgatory - just as you made obvious.
While I completely understand that you have firm belief in your teachings, I beg to ask :
1. As to how you come to believe that the Holy Spirit does not come from BOTH the Father and Son? It just does not make any logical sense to me as to how such a strong Faithful could conclude that the Holy Spirit does come from the Son as well? Most obviously because we know without any possible doubt that our Lord is the MOST HIGH and sits at the Right Hand of the The Father therefore there is no possible way for the Holy Spirit to proceed only from The Father if they are enthroned together.. It just does not make any sense to me whatsoever how this could be an argument or cause of debate. Because we both know without doubt that The Father is in The Son and the The Son is the exact same representation as the Father. Moreover, the Son only does the Will of the Father... therefore there is no way in my perspective that the Holy Spirit only resides/comes forth from the Father - AND it is because they are ONE. It would be as though The Father is keeping secrets from Iesu to logically conclude that the Holy Spirit only proceeds from ABBA.
Does this reside with you in any manner?
2. Purgatory for Catholics in general, not just Roman Rite, is same as the Tolls as taught by Orthodox in my perspective. I see no differences. Otherwise, there would be no need to pray for the Dead because their Souls would be maturely developed and they would be able to ascend after Death. So while I understood your take on things, your use of different definitions/terms to explain them, they are still the same.
And while I won't beg to differ on teachings of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Mother, I just need to emphasise that, NO, as Roman Catholics, we do not believe Mother Mary is/was 'Immaculate' in flesh as you mentioned. We believe The Lord formed her soul to perfection so that HE could reside within her during conception/conceivement. Also, so that she could spiritually acknowledge HIS divinity and be able to relate to HIS mission/teachings/practices etc. We do not believe she could have ascended without HIM and/or HIS sacrifice either... To conclude, we heartily believe in Angel Gabriel, being that she was truly "Blessed" among women because her Soul was Immaculately created... specifically for Iesu!
OH! I also wanted to make you aware that many traditional Roman Rite Catholics bless themselves with 3 fingers... and for the same reasoning you mentioned.
I also feel the necessity to hi-five you and all of our Orthodox faithful, Coptic alike, for being able to Fast so devoutly🏆... And as a firm believer in the One True Faith, I thank you graciously😘..
"Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa" - {Iv never had good self discipline and I tend to give in to my belly, ugh}
With all respect, as you mentioned Jesus sits at the right of the Father, being the Most High, but Jesus is Not the Father and never wanted to be the Father. Satan wanted to be the Father. It is a very dangerous and delicate point. Jesus is the incarnated Speech of the Father, so Father through Jesus could be heard by humans. The Father Is In His Son. Apart from that, Jesus always spoke in total respect of His Father. The Father placed the Son in His right. Jesus didn't take this place by Himself. Also, if the Holy Spirit derived from the Son, during His Baptism, It would come from Jesus and spread outwards. But we know that the Holy Spirit came to Jesus as a pigeon. (May sound childish, but is so simple). Just watch an icon of the Baptism.
@@vasantirin2389 Just curious as to where you came up with the idea that I asserted that Jesus is the Father? I clearly made the distinctions- at least 3 times.
Never heard that 'Jesus was incarnated speech of the Father' either.... weird. Now you seem to come across as though you are the person acclimating Jesus to the Father. No. Jesus is NOT the Father.
Now if you go back to very beginning of THE WORD, ie as in Genesis 1.26. It clearly states that GOD is plural, ie 'made in OUR image and in OUR likeness'.
ANd I never asserted the Holy Spirit derived from the Son either...
I hope you have time to re read what I said. It wasn't complicated and it was very clear. And then you could answer my questions? But let's not put words in each other's mouths- we are farrrrr beyond linguistic barriers as that of 1,000 yrs ago. No Latin barriers here!
@@vasantirin2389 FYI: The Holy Spirit is NOT derived. GOD has always existed and is NOT created. We assert and believe that the HOLY SPIRIT 'proceeds' from BOTH, the Father and the Son.. not 1 or the other.
I hope that makes sense.
@@gotogd1233 The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father for Orthodoxy and of course The Father always existed.
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine just recently switched to the Gregorian Calendar. The Ukrainian church was granted autocephaly in 2018, which has lead to schism between Moscow and Constantinople.
Thank you! Good to know!
We ethiopians do not believe that saint mary Have any kind of sin. She is sinless . Yes God saved her and everyone. Who are we to say the mother of God have a sin.
We know she was the only human God chose to be His mother:)
You are mistaken about the reason for why Nativity is celebrated on December 25. There is no record of this pagan "Sol Invictus" feast prior to Christianity. It is not that we moved the holiday to compete with the pagans, but rather that the pagans invented a new feast to compete with the Christians. Note also that the winter solstice in not on the 25 - it usually on the 21st or 22nd. People today, either because of an anti-Christian agenda, or simply because Greco-Roman paganism is long dead like to attribute all sorts of Christian things to the pagans. However, in the 4th Century, Greco-Roman paganism was a living religion competing with Christianity (and losing) for the hearts and minds of the people of the oikumene. It was not a static religion/philosophy at the time, and its adherents were not just content to fade away quietly. There was even an Emperor who tried to re-institute paganism as the state religion (Julian the Apostate - r. 361-63). People assume that the feast of Sol Invictus had always existed in Greco-Roman paganism, and because paganism pre-dates Christianity, they conclude that Sol Invictus also pre-dates Christianity then jump to the conclusion that the Church set the date of Christmas because of this pagan feast. It doesn't occur to them that there was a period of time when paganism and Christianity co-existed (in the sense of both existing, not necessarily getting along), and there is no reason to believe that former was not also influenced by the latter.
The reason why Nativity is on the 25th is because Annunciation is on March 25th. It is possible to calculate the date of the Resurrection because we know that Jewish Passover is on 14 Nissan, and this led the Church to conclude that in the year Christ was crucified, 14 Nissan began on a Thursday evening (because we know that the Last Supper took place on a Thursday evening). The Church was therefore able to calculate that the Friday on which Christ was crucified was March 25. There is a pious Jewish belief that prophets enter and leave the world on the same day; applying this to Christ, if Good Friday was March 25, then the Anunciation was also on March 25. December 25 is nine months after March 25, so that was the date set for the feast of the Nativity.
One holiday that might have been set on a day of a previously existing pagan feast would be Halloween. Certainly, contemporary Halloween traditions owe much of their flavor to the Celtic pagan feast of Samhain. However, there could be as more pedestrian reason for this. Originally, the Feast of All Saints was celebrated in the West on the Sunday after Pentecost, as it still is in the East, so why was it moved? It is possible it was moved to encourage people from the countryside to go to Church since they would be in the cities to sell the fruits of the harvest - the harvest having occurred sometime in September or October. It is safe to assume that the countryside held on to paganism longer than the cities because the word "pagan" itself comes from the Latin word "paganus," meaning "rural" or "rustic." If all these people from the countryside were going to be in town anyway, why not use the opportunity to evangelize by celebrating an important, non-geographically specific (individual saints die somewhere in particular and the Pope would have wanted a feast that was relevant to people regardless of where they were from) feast in impressive fashion. Obviously, the dates of the feasts having to do with Christ's life, and that of feasts derived from those feasts couldn't be moved, but All Saints could. Note also that the feast itself is the Feast of All Saints on November 1. The word Halloween reflects its connection to this feast - All Hallows (i.e. saints - sacred - hallowed, like "hallowed ground") Even (evening - the day before). The Latins then made a special important feast for the souls of the faithful departed, All Souls Day, and reasonably connected it to All Saints Day by placing it the day after (in the east, special feasts for the dead are spread out to several Saturdays during the Triodion and Pentecostarion periods). It is therefore also possible that Halloween's occurrence with Samhain is a lucky accident.
As for celebrating Christmas and Easter on different dates than the West, there is a reason for this as well. Note first, that on the Julian Calendar, Nativity is also celebrated on December 25, but is 13 days after Western Christmas because the Julian and Gregorian calendars are not in synch with each other. By the 14th Century, scholars in Constantinople had realized that the date prescribed as the vernal equinox, June 21, was falling behind the astronomical equinox. There was an effort to reform the calendar to get these back into alignment, but the guy who was tasked with doing this, Nikephoros Gregoras, ended up on the wrong side of the Hesychast controversy, so his work was not adopted. A couple centuries later, when the Pope Gregory XIII of Rome wanted to reform the calendar for the same reasons scholars in the West came up with a solution, and thus we have the Gregorian Calendar.
The problem is largely due to leap years. The earth completes its orbit around the sun in 365.24291 days. This is roughly 365.25 days, so the Julian Calendar has a leap year every four years. Because this is not exact, however, by the late 16th Century, this had resulted in a drift of 10 days. The Gregorian Calendar has a leap year every year in which the year date with the number 4 as a factor, but not if 100 is also a factor, but if 400 is a factor, it remains a leap year. The new calendar was put into effect (in Catholic countries, anyway) in 1582, in which October 4 was followed by October 15 that year, thereby eliminating the drift and allowing the new calculation to keep the date of September 21 in line with the astronomical equinox. In 1600, 1700, and 1900, therefore, it was a leap year on the Julian Calendar but not on the Gregorian Calendar, leading to 13-day difference in the 20th Century. However, the year 2000 is divisible by 400, so it was a leap year on both, meaning that the difference will remain 13 days for the rest of this century.
All of this matters because the Vernal Equinox is important for calculating the date of Easter. The formula set forth at the Council of Nicea is that Pascha will be celebrated on the first Sunday, after the first full moon, on or after the Vernal Equinox, defined as March 21. The Council also prescribes that we are not to celebrate Pascha "with the Jews." It seems in the West, they took this to mean that 14 Nissan is irrelevant to the calculation; in the East, it means that Pascha may not be on 14 Nissan, and if it is, Pascha is bumped back a week. Both the East and the West use this formula, but because they are working from different days dated as "March 21," the dates can coincide, be off by a week, or be off by around a month. If the first full moon (also determined by formula, not by actual astronomical observation) falls after both Gregorian and Julian March 21, East and West will celebrate Pascha on the same day, unless this day falls before 14 Nissan on the Jewish Calendar, in which case they will be off by a week. However, if the first full moon occurs is the (currently) 13-day period between Gregorian March 21 and Julian March 21, then that full moon is not actually on or after March 21 on the latter, meaning that the first full moon will be the next one, roughly a month later, and so the celebrations of Western Easter and Orthodox Pascha will be off by about a month.
Thank you for such a detailed commentary! There were many interesting points here! All the Orthodox sources I read insist on January 6 being moved to December 25 because of the pagan feast that needed to be overridden. However, they also state that in the fourth century paganism and Christianity coexisted in Roman Empire, Christians were merely trying to win more people and erase as many pagan feasts from their memory as they could. In Armenia this tactic was not relevant, because king Tridates III had already proclaimed Christianity as the state religion of Armenia in 301. So, paganism was more or less dead in Armenia at that time. Of course, there were still individuals practicing it, but the majority of the population was Christian. As for the Annunciation, many Orthodox Churches - Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Coptic, Armenian celebrate it on April 7. Besides, I truly believe that people back then knew very well that full term pregnancy is almost 10 months, not 9. So it is impossible to accurately calculate the exact day of the Annunciation and the day of the Birth of Christ.
Great read, thanks for posting
@@holasona "As for the Annunciation, many Orthodox Churches - Russian, Ukrainian, Georgian, Coptic, Armenian celebrate it on April 7."
I don't know about the Copts, but the date prescribed for the feast of the Annunciation in the Orthodox Church is March 25. However, until the end of the century, Julian March 25 occurs on Gregorian April 7. The Churches that are on the Old Calendar therefore still celebrate it on Julian March 25, but to one using the Gregorian calendar, it would happen 13 days "late."
As for the 40-week human gestation period, it is my belief that the traditional term of 9 months is a matter of epistemology. The occurrence of successful conception can be known (without technological aid) when the woman misses the next period of menstruation. It's not as though the ancient Romans could go down to the drug store a buy a 5-minute pregnancy test the morning after or something like that. Depending on how much a husband and wife like each other, the date of conception could be traced back to a particular day or there might be too many possibilities to be sure. Thus, we have estimated the gestation period of 9 months because, while biologically it occurred earlier, we can know for sure that it happened about nine months prior to the due date. Therefore, the Church places feasts of conception (of Christ, the Theotokos and John the Forerunner) onto the calendar 9 months prior to the feast of the birth.
@@holasona Full-term pregnancy isn't almost 10 months. As I write this, it is August 7. 40 weeks from now is May 12--9 months and 5 days from now. And truth be told, those 40 weeks are counted from the last menstrual cycle, so pregnancy is actually about two weeks less than that, making it a little less than 9 months.
@deelea the majority of healthy first pregnancies go to week 41-42 naturally. Lots of research demonstrating this. Up to 50% reach 42 weeks. 42 weeks is 9.8 months.
Can you explain what you mean by not crossing legs?
When you are sitting cross-legged. Outside of church, it can mean that the person is either relaxed or defensive.
Do you do a daily rosary
I do not. I used to, at some point, but now I, mostly, read prayers, occasionally, I hold rosary when I pray. But I am not sure I say the right prayers for the rosary. It was given to me by a wonderful friend!
Interesting and informative!!! if possible Please make a video on each Orthodox church in detail, Please start with Ethiopian and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahido Church just after Armenia, thank You.
I am a Catholic who is dejected and considering orthodox.
What can you tell me?
I would recommend finding an Orthodox priest who you can talk to about Orthodox faith. If you chose to go to Armenian Church, I can recommend a priest to you. I was lucky to be born and be brought up in countries where the majority of the population is Orthodox, but even if that was not the case, I think I would find my way to Orthodoxy.
@@holasona there are two Orthodox churches nearby one is Greek one just says Orthodox.i have some hang ups and questions but Im open to learning.
Im really disappointed with the modern church and the popes etc.
Thanks for the comment.
@@joea.9969 Many Orthodox Churches simply use "Orthodox" as a way of shedding an aura of ethnicity as many parishioners are converts and are not from traditional ethnic areas where Orthodoxy is prevalent. These parishes may have an ethnic tradition, as the Orthodox Church in America has a Russian tradition, but is overwhelmingly filled with many different converts from all backgrounds. The Antiochian Orthodox Church also uses simply Orthodox in it's name in some parishes. We ALL are Orthodox and and in communion with each other. We welcome you among us.
Which Orthodox Church do you attend?
I attend Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church.
Did you had the blessing of your Father to speak on youtube about Orthodoxy?
@@oOIYvYIOo or the blessing of her husband...
Did you two ask your bishop for permission to comment here? Are you both clergy? Or just chat rats?
Lord have mercy
@@bradleyheissmann4538 we are not heretic muslims
@@oOIYvYIOo husbands are the shepards of their families. They are the head of the household who is discerning. You're the one who sounds like a heretic.
As a Greek Orthodox from Greece, I can say that the crucifix is not really common. I've never actually seen any Greek wearing a crucifix. I first saw this jewelry from Orthodox Syrian people. In Greece also we don't wear a veil at church. We celebrate Christmas together with the Catholics on December 25th whereas we kept the old tradition for Easter later than them.
That's a shame. No wonder so many Greeks are only cultural Orthodox.
Thank you for your comment! Do you know when Greek women stopped wearing veil at church?
@@holasona from what I know this was never a thing as even in my grandmother's generation they didn't wear one. Maybe this was a very old tradition when women in general wore some kinds of veils in public globally.
The western church just wanted to find a reason to separate themselves for the purpose of earthly power and politics
I have good Greek Orthodox friends. We agree on so much. What separates the East from the West is, I believe that we Western Catholcs had to deal with the Heretical Protestants. There was no Reformation in the East. So, you stayed pure, we got tainted. We had to react, and we're tainted by it. But we still have Catholic beliefs. I shall remain where I am, but let us be friends as we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Of course! I would love all the Apostolic Churches to be in Communion!
There are also Western Orthodox
Western Orthodoxy is a congregation within the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Non voglio risultare sgarbata, ma non ho ben capito la dottrina sull'aldilà: voi Ortodossi credete solo nel giudizio universale o anche in quello particolare come noi Cattolici? Se credete solo in quello universale, non credete nel purgatorio e credete che la santità si raggiunga solo nella vita terrena, allora perché pregare per le loro anime? Voglio dire, se una volta defunti, le nostre anime aspettano il giudizio universale così come prospettato in Matteo 25, quindi sono già destinate o all'inferno o al paradiso e tutto ciò che abbiamo fatto sulla terra ha già determinato la salvezza o la pena eterna, è inutile che i vivi preghino per noi. Anche noi cattolici preghiamo per i morti, ma per le anime di quelli che stanno in purgatorio, per abbreviare la loro permanenza lì; non per quelle che stanno già in Paradiso né per quelle che sono già all'Inferno, perché né le une né le altre ne hanno bisogno. La mia non vuole essere una critica della fede ortodossa per difendere a tutti i costi quella cattolica, è solo una ricerca di conoscenza genuina, perché vorrei capire veramente qual è la Chiesa più fedele agli insegnamenti trasmessi dagli Apostoli. Ti ringrazio se troverai il tempo di rispondere o se mi indicherai le fonti o le risorse per trovare queste risposte.
P.S. Anch'io non condivido totalmente la dottrina sulle indulgenze e il fatto che anche pentendosi e confessando tutti i peccati mortali non si vada direttamente in paradiso. Condivido invece che se si muore non in peccato mortale, ma non totalmente in grazia di Dio, allora possa essere necessario un periodo di purificazione prime di accedere al Paradiso (Mt 5, 25-26)
Girl, get yourself a good mic. Put down some carpet for those reflections.
Thank you for the feedback! Right now, I am making things work with waterer equipment I have at home.
Sound is great to me! I see no issues with any reflections, at least not enough to complain about it.
I was asked "what Church do you belong to"
I asked what did they mean.
They said "well, Bapitse, Orthodox, methodist etc"
I replied "none of them, I follow Jesus"
I read the Bible and go with scripture, pray to God, talk to God throughout the day.
I don't belong to (A) Church, I belong to (THE) Church.
Thank you for sharing. Church is the only place where you can receive Holy Communion and become One with God. Only there you can follow His commandment: "Take, eat; this is My body” and " “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."
@@holasona Where does it state a church is the only place you can receive Holy Communion? The church are the people, not the building. And where in the Bible does it's say that is the only way you can follow Christ? You really need to not just read the Bible but study it.
Are you saying because I don't go to a building with other people I won't be excepted? If so, you have it all wrong.
Stop giving your opinions on the Bible please.
Why are you not saying that you belong to the Armenian Orthodox church which Belongs to the Oriental Orthodox church (non-Chalcedonic) and is different from Eastern Orthodox Church. Because obviously you are confessing a different style of Holy Trinity whcih the Other churches sees that a bit heretical.
I did state and explain that I belong to Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church in the beginning of the first video: “Things I do differently as an Orthodox Christian”. I also say in the beginning of this video that these 10 things are common to both Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches. We do not confess “a different style of Holy Trinity”. Beliefs of the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches coincide on the matter of Holy Trinity.
@holasona they do not actually.
@holasona they do not actually.
In addition to this, as an orthodox chrstian, as Saint & apostle paul wrote, it is better to cover your Head & most of your body with an appropriate cloth properly, Even when you make this kinde of video too.
Armenian or Syrian are not otorhodox!!!!!! Where did you learn about Orthodoxy???????
Armenian, Syriac, Coptic, Ethiopian churches are Oriental Orthodox Churches, as I mentioned in my previous video. Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches are not in communion with each other, unfortunately. There is common misconception in the Eastern Orthodox Church that Oriental churches are monophysites. Monophysitism is considered a heresy in all Oriental churches. We are MIAphysits who believe that Divinity and Humanity in Jesus are united in one physis, united without separation, without confusion, and without alteration. We believe that Christ is fully divine and fully human, in one nature.
Why do you think that Armenian and Syrian aren't Orthodox? A quick Google search shows me they are part of the Oriental Orthodox Church. Are you maybe thinking she was saying they were part of the Eastern Orthodox Church? If so, go check the first part video where she explains this. :)