Over the last thirty years or so, we have often spoken of lifting the curse of Normanization from England and English life. Indeed, it was we who first coined the word ‘Denormanization’ to describe this process. But what exactly does it mean? First of all, Denormanization means returning to communion with the Universal Orthodox Church, with which our distant English ancestors were in communion. This was before the Normans cut off our more recent ancestors from Her and then began assaulting Her, whether here, in southern Italy, in Wales and Scotland, or in the Near East during the Crusades and then in Ireland. Hence, our interest in the Church history of the early English period and its saints. Hence, above all, our interest in the living reality of the Orthodox Church of today’s world.
The Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Andrew Kentish Town Road, London NW1 9QA - Tel: 020 7485 6385/0198 - Fax: 020 7485 9972 Sundays and major Feast Days 9.00am – 12:30pm Other Weekday feasts and Saints’ Days 9.00am – 11.30am Saturday Vespers 5.30pm – 6.30pm Weekday Vespers (where applicable) 5.00pm – 6.00pm
الختن، كلمةٌ سريانيةٌ تعني في اللغة العربية (العريس). نسمع هذه الكلمة مراتٍ عديدة في ليتورجيتنا، وخاصةً في صلاة نصف الليل، وصلاة الختن في الأسبوع العظيم من الصوم الأربعيني المقدس أيام (الأحد -- الاثنين - الثلاثاء) فنسمع: "ها هوذا الختن يأتي في نصف الليل، فطوبى للعبد الذي يجده مستيقظاً....". وهذه الطروبارية مأخوذة من مثل العذارى في إنجيلي متى ولوقا، الذي طرحه السيد المسيح كأنموذجٍ للنفس البشرية في اختيارها طريق اليقظة والسهر الروحي من خلال اقتناء (الزيت) الذي هو الفضائل والأعمال الصالحة، حيث نسمع في المثل عن العذارى العشر اللواتي خرجنّ للقاء العريس (دلالة المجيء الثاني للسيد المسيح)، خمس عاقلات، وخمس جاهلات، أما العاقلات فكان معهن زيتاً كفاية، ليستقبلن فيه العريس الذي جاء في منتصف الليل (دلالة على قدوم السيد المفاجئ)، فكن متيقظاتٍ واستحققن أن يستقبلن العريس، ويأخذنَّ الطوبى. عكس العذارى الخمس الجاهلات اللواتي جاهدنَّ، ولكن ليس كفايةً، فلم يستحققنَ لقاء العريس وبقينَّ خارج العرس أي خارج الملكوت. من هنا، فالكنيسة تحث المؤمنين على عدم الاستغراق في النوم، أي عيش اليقظة الدائمة التي من خلالها ننتبه إلى حياتنا وتصرفاتنا في حفظ وصايا الرب، ونكون متيقظين حتى نستحق في النهاية أن نستقبل يسوع (الختن)، في قلوبنا ليملك عليها، ولنكون مثل العذارى الخمسة اللواتي دخلن مع يسوع إلى العرس الإلهي.
"Behold the Bridegroom comes in the middle of the night; and blessed is the servant whom He shall find watching, but unworthy is he whom He shall find in slothfulness. Beware, then, O my soul, and be not overcome by sleep, lest thou be given over to death and shut out of the Kingdom. But return to soberness and cry aloud: Holy, holy, holy art Thou, O God: through the Mother of God have mercy upon us."
The Hymn chanted in Bridegroom Matins as the Priest carries this icon through the Church (Tone 8)
Behold the Bridegroom comes in the midst of the night; and blessed is the servant, whom He shall find vigilant; and unworthy is he, whom he shall find heedless. Beware, therefore, O my soul, that you will not be overcome by sleep, lest you be given up to death, and be shut out from the Kingdom. Wherefore, rouse yourself, crying out: "Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, our God, through the protection of the Heavenly Hosts save us." (Sunday evening) "Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, our God, through the intercessions of the Forerunner save us." (Monday evening) "Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, our God, through the power of Thy Cross save us." (Tuesday evening) "Holy, Holy, Holy art Thou, our God, through the Theotokos save us." (all three evenings)
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. (2) And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. (3) They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: (4) But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (5) While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. (6) And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. (7) Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. (8) And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. (9) But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. (10) And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. (11) Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. (12) But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. (13) Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Mat 25:1-13)
* 'Among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, just as the others'.
Ephesians 2:3
* 'That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God'.
1Peter 4:2
* 'For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error'.
2 Peter 2:18
* 'Jesus answered and said unto her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink; you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water"'.
John 4:10
* "You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come".
John 7:34
* 'The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw".
John 4:15
* "He that believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water".
John 7:38
* "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you"".
Luke 11:9
* "And you will seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart".
Mar 10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
The Lords Prayer in Aramaic
Journey To Orthodoxy | The Orthodox Christian 'Welcome Home' Network for Converts
Old English Church, Greek: nēpsis, 'nepsis', 'nipsis', ‘sobriety’: in Eastern spiritual theology a crucially important virtue. It is a state of alert vigilance, of freedom from obsession; not merely the absence of drunkenness but the opposite of drunkenness. Drunkenness narrows attention, dulls self-control, fuddles thought, induces indulgent sentimentality and mawkish self-pity: nipsis involves sharpened attention, resolute self-control, clarity of thought, wakeful awareness and steadiness of judgement. (nipsis, nepsis)
THE NEPTIC AND HESYCHASTIC CHARACTER OF ORTHODOX ATHONITE MONASTICISM THE BRITISH ORTHODOX CHURCH AND THE OLDE ENGLISH CHURCH
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