Celebrating Lazardan

This was my first time celebrating Vidovdan or specifically, Lazardan or the Feast day of Sveti Knez Lazar/Saint Prince Lazar, the Great martyr of Serbia that protected Kosovo till the very end against the Ottoman empire. It wasn't an earthly defeat but it was God's victory.

It wasn't easy though because of time constraints and it fell on a Tuesday but to commemorate his martyrdom and holiness, I bought a bread and a candle, have it blessed to the priest the night before. I have to wake up very early to say the prayers for Lazardan/Vidovdan and the desk. I placed the bread, wine, candle, Sv. Knez Lazar's ikone in the desk and start immediately.

The prayers I mentioned were:

"In the name of the Father and of the son and of the holy spirit. AMIN".

"Oče Naš"

"Christ among us! He is and he shall be."

"I raise this glass and drink the Holy Slava!"

"To Saint Prince Lazar"

"Let Slava save us all, and let us celebrate it as we have done it so far!"

"Whoever drinks wine on this Slava-day, may God help him!"

"O Lord and the Holy Slava, my patron saint Sveti Knez Lazar, you can help me, so help me!"

I was filming myself but forgot to cross the ikone with the incense, even if it was running. But the important thing is that I commemorated how my patron saint sacrificed his life for God's heavenly kingdom than an earthly one. May the next celebration of Krsna Slava, I will have friend here or my own family.

Srećan Slava!

My first Veliki Petak with Pravoslavna Crkva

Later, I will go to the church for the Veliki Petak service in the Orthodox Church. It will be my first as well, so it will be new to me this day. I am fasting(thankfully) from meat and rice since I don't have work until May 8. I will eat any meat again by Sunday morning during the Easter dinner.

So, getting to my article.

Every Veliki Petak, I recount all the sins I have committed and how I can become a much better person. This is the day the Lord died for our sins. How do we think when we commit sins? Of course, I do sins but makes sure to limit it because I want to change, knowing the error of my ways.

It's our conscience that makes us go to confession and our free will. How many times we sin is nothing, when God sees our hearts and we, humans makes sure we will not sin more often.

While writing this article, I kinda think of those around me and how I want to give them my effort and become the reminder that God is with us no matter how hard life is and all the temptations we face. That's why Jesus became man and saved us from our sins.

 That's the essence of Good Friday. Remembering the Death of our Lord and God Jesus Christ.

The day of Christ's death is the day of sin. The sin which polluted God's creation from the breaking dawn of time reached its frightful climax on the hill of Golgotha. There, sin and evil, destruction and death came into their own. Ungodly men had Him nailed to the Cross, in order to destroy Him. However, His death condemned irrevocably the fallen world by revealing its true and abnormal nature. - See more at: http://lent.goarch.org/holy_friday/learn/#sthash.SpbTFFKT.dpuf

The day of Christ's death is the day of sin. The sin which polluted God's creation from the breaking dawn of time reached its frightful climax on the hill of Golgotha. There, sin and evil, destruction and death came into their own. Ungodly men had Him nailed to the Cross, in order to destroy Him. However, His death condemned irrevocably the fallen world by revealing its true and abnormal nature. - See more at: http://lent.goarch.org/holy_friday/learn/#sthash.SpbTFFKT.dpuf

The day of Christ's death is the day of sin. The sin which polluted God's creation from the breaking dawn of time reached its frightful climax on the hill of Golgotha. There, sin and evil, destruction and death came into their own. Ungodly men had Him nailed to the Cross, in order to destroy Him. However, His death condemned irrevocably the fallen world by revealing its true and abnormal nature. - See more at: http://lent.goarch.org/holy_friday/learn/#sthash.SpbTFFKT.dpuf

The day of Christ's death is the day of sin. The sin which polluted God's creation from the breaking dawn of time reached its frightful climax on the hill of Golgotha. There, sin and evil, destruction and death came into their own. Ungodly men had Him nailed to the Cross, in order to destroy Him. However, His death condemned irrevocably the fallen world by revealing its true and abnormal nature. - See more at: http://lent.goarch.org/holy_friday/learn/#sthash.SpbTFFKT.dpuf

Veneration of the Cross

The third Sunday of Lent: veneration of the cross. It reminds us that our salvation is Jesus Christ. If there is something that will remind me of the triumph of God, it's the miracles he gave me. All the trials I experienced the past year were the reasons he is merciful and gives me the right people at the right situation.

On the Third Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Services include a special veneration of the Cross, which prepares the faithful for the commemoration of the Crucifixion during Holy Week. - See more at: http://lent.goarch.org/sunday_of_the_cross/learn/#sthash.WZhjIFYO.dpuf

 On the Third Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Services include a special veneration of the Cross, which prepares the faithful for the commemoration of the Crucifixion during Holy Week.

On the Third Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Services include a special veneration of the Cross, which prepares the faithful for the commemoration of the Crucifixion during Holy Week. - See more at: http://lent.goarch.org/sunday_of_the_cross/learn/#sthash.WZhjIFYO.dpuf

On the Third Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Services include a special veneration of the Cross, which prepares the faithful for the commemoration of the Crucifixion during Holy Week. - See more at: http://lent.goarch.org/sunday_of_the_cross/learn/#sthash.WZhjIFYO.dpuf

On the Third Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Services include a special veneration of the Cross, which prepares the faithful for the commemoration of the Crucifixion during Holy Week. - See more at: http://lent.goarch.org/sunday_of_the_cross/learn/#sthash.WZhjIFYO.dpuf

On the Third Sunday of Great and Holy Lent, the Orthodox Church commemorates the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Services include a special veneration of the Cross, which prepares the faithful for the commemoration of the Crucifixion during Holy Week. - See more at: http://lent.goarch.org/sunday_of_the_cross/learn/#sthash.WZhjIFYO.dpuf

Of course, due to language barriers I can't know what is the sermon but I am taking everything by heart. Situations like what I got were the reasons as well I feel more closer to God and will strive hard not to commit much worse mistakes or unintentionally be a part of it.

While there's the opportunity, we need to learn how to use that free will to come back to God and learn what God gave to us. Our cross is our cross and it symbolizes God's triumph against Satan and our sins.

It's not just during LENT we sacrifice

So, Lent started this Monday but because of my work, I have to stay fit or eat properly. I may or may not fast because of it too. Hope God sees my prayers and how I struggle to become a better person.

But I ponder that, we should not just sacrifice this Lent but most of all, everyday. We don't know what may happen but we have to be ready because God gives us challenges we will overcome. When I mean sacrifice, it's not just refraining from meat or cheese but also trying your best not to say foul words or thinking something bad or a lot of negative traits. Because one thing is sure, God sees us whether we do good or bad things. At Judgement Day, he will see whether we are deserving of his kingdom.

Of course I am praying for it but it's God's will to test me more. We are all sinners but because there is God, we will realize the error of our ways and will strive hard to change for the better while we dedicate everything to him. That's why we pray often the Jesus Prayer along with our personal and from-the-book prayers.

We can fast anytime, help the poor or the needy, forgive our enemies and pray sincerely. That's not just restricted to Lent, so it's what God gave us. The free will to live our lives as a true Christian.

Have a blessed Lent to everyone. God be with us all. +++

Attending Orthodox Christmas

December 25(Julian Calendar) or January 7(Gregorian Calendar), it's Christmas. It's not what it is called in the West as the time to promote secularist Christmas or a dayoff spree for most people. It's the day where we celebrate Christ's birth and the essence of how Christianity really means for us Christians.

It's my first time and was the most memorable of all because I served in the altar alone and was too nervous because even if there's not much people that attended, I felt being slow but good thing the flow was smooth. And the last thing I never expected was, a good friend of mine gave me a Prayer Book that is a direct translation from Russian to English and I will use it every night. Such a blessing I have people that will make me close to God more and more. That's a blessing I will not count but to enrich more. Blessings do come unexpectedly.

I felt blessed and important. God does heed my call no matter what.

Mir Božiji Hritos se Rodi, Vaistinu se Rodi +++
Christ is Born, Glorify Him +++

Holy Communion is important

Ever since my conversion to Orthodox Christianity, I am striving harder to become a better person in and out of my church life. I have a long way to go but because of my will to repent for my sins that I commit everyday, I will never turn away the grace of Confession and Holy Eucharist.

The Eucharist is at the center of Orthodox Christianity. In practice, it is the partaking of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in the midst of the Divine Liturgy with the rest of the church. The bread and wine are believed to become the genuine Body and Blood of the Christ Jesus through the operation of the Holy Spirit. Communion is given only to baptized and chrismated Orthodox Christians who have prepared by fasting, prayer and confession. The priest will administer the gifts with a spoon, called a "cochlear", directly into the recipient's mouth from the chalice. From baptism young infants and children are carried to the chalice to receive holy communion. Because of the Orthodox understanding of mankind's fallen nature in general those who wish to commune prepare themselves in a way that reflects mankind in paradise. First, they prepare by having their confession heard and the prayer of repentance read over them by a priest. They will increase their prayer rule, adding the prescribed prayers in preparation for communing. Finally, they will fast completely from food and drink from the evening of the previous day (usually sunset on Saturday if communing on Sunday). The Orthodox Church uses leavened bread for, according to the Gospel of Saint John, Last Supper and Passion, took place during the evening, night and day time of Passover Day, therefore leavened bread was eaten in Last Supper. According to the synoptic Gospels, last Supper, Lord's trial and crucifixion took place during next day, the first Day of Unleavened Bread feast, but according to Lev 23:7, any work on that Day was forbidden. Clearly, the synoptic Gospels are in error on the day of Last Supper and Passion.

Of course, our sincere repentance is needed when making a confession. Partaking always with the Eucharists are truly important and means your heart is with God and not just on the earthly church.  I am starting to know why the breaking of the bread and preparation of the wine becomes the body and blood of Christ. That's why I am following the directions told to be me by the priest on how confession and communion will happen and since I have difficulties with Japanese, I write it my sins of the week on a paper. And I can serve on the altar.

When God's grace is showing unto you, grab in and don't delay it. What God gives us is the loop whole of salvation we are given through the church and it is what we truly need: Partaking with the laypeople and all the saints as the Holy Spirit is blessing the holy gifts.

The Jesus Prayer/Isusova Molitva

The Jesus prayer or Isusova Molitva is one of the most effective ways to sincerely let God know what your heart feels. Once you get used to praying it every night, you will never cease praying it. It's one of the basic prayers in every Orthodox Christians and also, what we, Christians should do because we sin often whether intentionally and unintentionally.

Prayer is an effective weapon against Satan's trap and the Jesus prayer is just one of the basic prayers that we, humans need since it is taught by the apostles to the current priests we have. We shall not take this basic prayer for granted because all our lives, God is with us and never gives us a challenge we will never survive. Of course we will be challenged in every aspects!

We, sinners everyday but once we find the courage to utter this not just by the mind but by the heart, we will never lose faith to God.

Pentecost/Nedelja Pedesetnice

Jovan Glava 7:37-52
A u poslednji veliki dan praznika stajaše Isus i vikaše govoreći: Ko je žedan neka dođe k meni i pije.  Koji me veruje, kao što pismo reče, iz njegova tela poteći će reke žive vode.A ovo reče za Duha kog posle primiše oni koji veruju u ime Njegovo: jer Duh Sveti još ne beše na njima, jer Isus još ne beše proslavljen. A mnogi od naroda čuvši ove reči govorahu: Ovo je zaista prorok. Drugi govorahu: Ovo je Hristos. A jedni govorahu: Zar će Hristos iz Galileje doći? Ne kaza li pismo da će Hristos doći od semena Davidovog, i iz sela Vitlejema odakle beše David? Tako raspra postade u narodu Njega radi. A neki od njih hteše da Ga uhvate; ali niko ne metnu ruku na Nj. Dođoše pak sluge ka glavarima svešteničkim i farisejima; i oni im rekoše: Zašto ga ne dovedoste? A sluge odgovoriše: Nikad čovek nije tako govorio kao ovaj čovek. Tada im odgovoriše fariseji: Zar se i vi prevariste? Verova li ga ko od knezova ili od fariseja?  Nego narod ovaj, koji ne zna zakon, proklet je. Reče im Nikodim što dolazi k Njemu noću, koji beše jedan od njih: Eda li zakon naš sudi čoveku dokle ga najpre ne sasluša i dozna šta čini?  Odgovoriše mu i rekoše: Nisi li i ti iz Galileje? Razgledaj i vidi da prorok iz Galileje ne dolazi.

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Pentecost is one of the Orthodox Great Feasts and is considered to be the highest ranking Great Feast of the Lord, second in rank only to Easter/Resurrection Sunday/Passover. The service is celebrated with an All-night Vigil on the eve of the feast day, and the Divine Liturgy on the day of the feast itself. Orthodox churches are often decorated with greenery and flowers on this feast day, and the celebration is intentionally similar to the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which celebrates the giving of the Mosaic Law.

Just this afternoon, a parishioner told me that it is the 50th day after Pascha and  it is that start of the ancient church we knew today.

The Orthodox icon of the feast depicts the Twelve Apostles seated in a semicircle (sometimes the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) is shown sitting in the center of them). At the top of the icon, the Holy Spirit, in the form of tongues of fire, is descending upon them. At the bottom is an allegorical figure, called Kosmos, which symbolizes the world. Although Kosmos is crowned with earthly glory he sits in the darkness caused by the ignorance of God. He is holding a towel on which have been placed 12 scrolls, representing the teaching of the Twelve Apostles.

Without this event of the Sunday of Pentecost, the current church we have are not in place. God indeed makes the better things and never sways from his words. It is us, that continue the tradition of the ancient church into the contemporary period.

The ancient church since the Pentecost started with the remaining apostles not just one and they expanded to other preachers that dedicated their whole lives to the true teachings of Christ, thus naming the next batch of apostles as the ''Equal to the Apostles''.

Moj Iskrs Iskustvo-My Easter Sunday Experience

 

I feel blessed. I felt more than just earthly religion but most of all, the essence of true Pascha or Easter Sunday, away from commercialism and my troubles in life. I recently went to the Eastern Orthodox style Easter, it is like I am in heaven. I feel not just everything but I am with God. 

I felt shy because there are a lot of people there and I am the only one that is not yet baptized in the Orthodox church but it was honor that I am there. Look at the bright side. What is important in going to church is making us think that we are not alone despite the fact that we are feeling something wrong and also, it gives us the feeling that we are never giving up for God and our sake as well.

For a guy like me, it was like the feeling of a hope for the future, no matter how hard I have some personal issues.

We should not take it for granted because we are given the freedom of practicing our faith. We should look that this is not just a guide but also the way of life. We should thank God for the blessings and the forgiveness we are given because without it, we can't have that salvation or the loophole for our salvation.

Hristos Voskrese!!-Vaistinu Voskrese!!
Christ is Risen!!-Indeed he is risen!!

One Blessed Experience

Yesterday, me and my girl went to the church for the transferring a part of Saint Nicholas of Japan(Sveti Nikola Japanski)'s relics in the Nagoya church, with the Metropolitan Bishop Daniel Nushiro leading the Divna Liturgija. It was one of the most surprising moments for me to meet someone whom i saw only in the internet webpages but i wasn't able to get a blessing, since my girl can't stay for long, citing her developing womb.

That's the first time i saw an Orthodox bishop face to face and it was an honor. I wish i could have more but time constraints and that next time i am looking forward will still happen.

I wish also two of my close friends have arrived as well but i am sure to meet either of them in the mere future. God is truly merciful and recognizes our good hearts and forgives us, because we truly are repentant.

How far your faith can lead you?

I am continuing to raise questions to awaken everyone. Whether they are of this faith or not. Of course, it is better to ask than to be totally ignorant. I maybe waiting for that day because of some circumstances i had but one thing is for sure, i will convert and this is what God gave me. The power to choose my faith because i know God will lead me into that promised day.

If some people might wonder why i am still showing how i loved God and my Christian faith, i am even if very few people saw it. It is through the Orthodox church that i prayed again and valued my faith so much. Maybe, God sent me those knowledge and by heart through my history and religious books.

There is a thing also. You can't have neither faith by heart and faith by knowledge. It is like denying the other existence or it is like, denying God's man and divine persona or denying either one of the Holy spirit. That's from my heart and not from what other people would say.

It is easy to be Catholic or Protestant this new era but when i get baptized to Orthodoxy, it could mean new adoptations and new learnings but i am on that situation a lot of times and God will guide me through it all. I don't waste opportunities just because of time period i must wait for that day. I don't even believe in this typical Filipino phrase:"you born a Catholic, die a Catholic." Because if your faith is not really for you and God has plan for your true faith, then it shall be.

I am not scared to take the risks of converting and being rejected by my family members in the future because i know it could hurt at first but, time will heal and because of that healing, no more pain will be felt.

Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Unity is much better to realize

Ya, it doesn't make sense to me why the Roman Catholic church is asking for unity. Would those who believe in the Orthodox church want that kind of scenario if that is on the basis of theology? If for everyone, it could. But for theological purposes, it will not.

I would raise the question now. Would it make sense if the Eastern and Oriental churches reunite and that they set aside their theological differences, territorial disputes and minor problems?

For me, I thought on that subject even years before. No political pun intended. What is that matter that makes this two seperated Orthodox groups to unite in the future? 

Belief-they have almost the same doctrines.

Religious identity-intact for almost a two thousand years without breaking what the apostles had taught them.

Social identity-Secularly, they are a much better citizen because what good we hoped is what most of them envisioned for the future generations.

Of course, this is just my idealism. But when these two Orthodox groups put an end to its division and truly unite as one, a beacon of hope would be felt on the other major Christian groups that all Christians would come back to the church of Peter, Paul and the rest of the apostles.

My faith

As many of you know, i am still Roman catholic. But i desire to be an Eastern Orthodox Christian. What brings me to that faith is something unsual. It doesn't even concern my current views, making myself a proponent of Christian unity only through the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchs.

When i was around grade school, i am reading some almanacs around the letter B. And then some pages were torn or couldn't be recognized by my young eyes. Yet, i came to the page were the Byzantine Empire section was located. It enchanted me when i saw icons of Christ, religious relics, icons and of course, the downfall of Constantinople. It made me become curious more about Christianity. During a holy week, i asked dad what is Eastern orthodox church and he anwsered: ''just another false church''. Yet, i was hungry for the truth. These time, in High School, i am reading something about the byzantine Empire and Greek history. I stumbled upon that faith that made me curious and search for what is the origin of Christianity. Since that day, i wanted to know it till i saw that church was just 30 minutes away from home via a jeep and another 5 minutes for a motorcycle ride. As i went there, i saw that church i longed for, went inside and asked questions amongst the two priests(one returned to Greece) and i felt my faith got revived. When i returned home, i told my older sisters i want to be an Orthodox. It met strong criticism from my family clan(Garcia's of Paranaque descending from Spanish-Filipino through my paternal grandfather and Japanese through my paternal grandmother) especially from my parents when they were able to talk to me via yahoo messenger. Since that day, dad cannot forgive me because he is a strong Roman Catholic and most Filipino Roman catholics think that any Christian sect outside of RC and Mainstream Protestantism is like a cult or nonsense. Since i am optimistic those days, i had many icons blessed, a priest gave me prayer books and he taught me good things and told me to be careful of other things that is why i am aware even on my own family. Yet, when i went to Japan and left my icons and other church paraphernalia there, i thought my faith would get stagnated and if my parents would have a vacation, the will dispose my holy icons of Lazar, Isus Hristos, Bogorodice(Bogorodica Ljeviška) and some incense which they did. Since that day, i am secretive if my plans to pursue what God wants for me to discover.

Currently, i am attending divine liturgies, vespers, matins, complines or simply going there and praying to God for forgiveness and help for my future challenges. I know it will not be a secret one day but when i get that freedom, i will practice my faith to the fullest. I assure everyone.