There’s one thing avid readers and occasional readers can agree on: books are getting expensive! That’s why we were thrilled when the public library came to Mother Macaria (our bookstore manager) and asked for a list of recommended books they could purchase for the library. Since then, she has sold quite a few books to […]
Martyred for Instructing Children in Christian Piety
Who is Martyr Babylas? During his reign as emperor (284-305), Maximian renewed persecution against Christians. Saint Babylas was denounced as someone who was instructing children in Christian piety, which is defined by Merriam-Webster as “fidelity to natural obligations (as to parents) and dutifulness in religion.” When Babylas was brought before the emperor, he confessed faith […]
Moses the Black
Our featured person this week was a murderer, adulterer, and robber. Wait a minute. Aren’t we supposed to be writing about saints in the Orthodox Christian Church? I am – keep reading! St. Moses lived in Egypt during the fourth century. While still a slave, he committed murder and his master banished him. He soon […]
One Person’s View
After arriving in Indianapolis and attending Joy of All Who Sorrow, I discovered the people in this church are a true reflection of what it means to be a community. After each Sunday morning Divine Liturgy, we make our way to the hall for a group lunch. This routine helps to get to know people […]
Dormition of Theotokos
We have begun the Dormition Fast in honor of the Theotokos (Mother of God) and in preparation for the feast of Her Falling Asleep, or Dormition on the August 28th. An ancient account, preserved in Christian history, recounts some of the words which the Mother of our Lord said before she herself was about to […]
An appeal to St. Herman of Alaska
An appeal to St. Herman of Alaska, an 18th century Russian monk serving as a missionary in Alaska. O Almighty God, we praise and glorify Thee, Our Lord and Creator. All the earth and everything within it acknowledges Thee as Creator, the Eternal Father. Heaven and Earth, Angels and Men, together, praise and glorify Thee, […]
Summer Storm
Summer Storm (St. Pachomius Skete) Afternoons like this can never be long enough – We wait on the porch for the promised storm, Beneath the booming of Ozark thunder, Wait for the wind to push the torpid air From us, disperse the sour humors drawn out By poultice of stillness. The hardwoods begin to wave […]
I Confess
As a recent convert to Orthodoxy, I make a habit of looking up the various occasions during which we fast or celebrate to learn more about them. At the beginning of the Apostles Fast, I found “What is the Apostles Fast?”, an excellent article by Fr. Brendan Pelphrey. With permission, I share a paragraph from […]
Visiting St. John Maximovich
The week I was scheduled to move from California to Indianapolis, I found out about St. John Maximovich. Over the phone Mary L. encouraged me to go “visit” him in San Francisco. “Visit” was a strange choice of words to me because the man was dead (or as I later learned to say, “reposed”). Not […]
Celebrate!
Joy of All Who Sorrow has been awarded a Historic Preservation Education Grant from Indiana Humanities and Indiana Landmarks in cooperation with the National Endowment for the Humanities. This is a big deal! The grant will enable us to produce 4 short (up to 5 minutes each) educational videos, each depicting a different historic preservation project […]