October 27, 2025, it is indicative that the first Japanese convert to Orthodoxy and the first Orthodox Christian priest from among the Japanese people was a samurai. It is likewise also indicative that in the epoch when Japanese society was doing away with the caste of the samurai in the name of modernization, the first[…]
Author: Chris Purdef
Great-martyr Artemius at Antioch
October 20, 2025, the holy, glorious martyr Artemios came from a noble family and was highly regarded by Emperor Constantine the Great, who promoted him to the rank of Patrician and appointed him Military Governor (dux augustalis) of Alexandria and of all Egypt (c. 330). Despite his high appointment and responsibilities, Artemios did not[…]
The Ascetic Imperative – A Matter of Communion
October 22, 2025, among the more interesting experiences in my life was the two years spent in a Christian commune. It was not West Coast fancy, much less connected to anything historic such as the Bruderhof. It started with two very zealous Jesus freaks (myself and a friend), an apartment, and something of a[…]
The Icon of the Holy Theotokos “Multiplier of Wheat”
October 15, 2025, the icon of the Holy Theotokos “Multiplier of Wheat” – commemorated on 28 October – stands out among all the other images of Her present in the liturgical calendar of our Church. It brings together in a remarkable way the heaven and the earth, the sublime and the mundane. The icon is[…]
Uncovering God’s Image in Ourselves
October 21, 2025, to follow God, one must first see Him. We can only see Him in another human. When we continue to look for Him tirelessly and plead fervently for His mercy, He will reveal Himself to us. We come to Church. We see it as a large workshop, where God restores man[…]
