From your article, can we assume that when the Pentecostals speak in "tongues" that it will be spoken in an ancient dead language as directed by a demonic force?
Fr. Seraphim Rose also wrote an article on Francis of Assissi which I read early on my conversion process, it was tough because my mother was raised a franciscan roman catholic and that was my upbringing, but as I read more and more about our saints, Francis became irrelevant and I was able to get over it.
Gracias Padre le agradezco a usted y a su hermosa familia. Ser un fuerte muro de contención que me ayudó su modelo a seguir en mi familia. Gracias a el Señor Jesucristo y la intercesión de la Theotokos y Los Santos he podido ver que la iglesia ortodoxa es la casa del Señor.
Thank you Father! Your confidence helps me in my confidence in the faith. I’ve been baptized for almost 6 months now and the struggle has been made real especially when it comes to family who are heterodox. So thank you Father for your videos!
I can't pronounce the priest's name that you mentioned in Greece, but God bless him. So many bent the knee to tyranny in the US, at least in the Roman Catholic Church which I'm a member of, for now. Hanging on by a thread.
@@youtubecensorscomments from the Cambridge dictionary, Calumny: the act of making a statement about someone that is not true and is intended to damage the reputation of that person". My statement was true. My statement was not calumny. I encourage you to use your real name on TH-cam. It helps one to grow in the virtues and own up to their comments and accusations. Signing off.
Thank you, father. I’ve only recently been baptized into the Church and I have a lot of papist friends since I’ve attended RC grade & high school. My parents are also papists. Sometimes the relationship with my parents is at the freezing point because of how I fast and because I don’t go to their services with them except for their Easter and Christmas. Now I’ll need to reconsider even those two occasions. Would you say that I can just go there and stand the whole time without doing a thing. However, it’s probably better not to go then since my parents will be even more irritated by the fact that I look totally out of place by not kneeling and “following along”. Until now, I’ve kneeled and prayed Our Father, Great Doxology etc. but didn’t pray only during any prayers with heretical content - this is a big problem and I want to cut it out completely.
Thank you for your comment! Yes it is best to not go as for one, we shouldn’t according to the canons. The second reason being the fact if your family finds your participation disingenuous, it could put them off of Orthodoxy. It’s best to be firm, uncompromising and an example of the faith. But also loving and gentle.
The canons very clearly say that we are forbidden from entering into non Orthodox churches during their worship. We could enter the building to look around when worship isn't going on, but we cannot be there during worship. Some might say that we could violate the canons out of economy. But in order for us to know that economy is acceptable in a situation, we would need to see examples from the Saints. There is not one single canonized Saint in the entire history of the Church who participated in the worship of non Orthodox or who prayed with non Orthodox. This should tell us everything we need to know about whether or not this is acceptable. St Paisios talks about "the good uneasiness" that we must give our non Orthodox family. In a loving way, they need to feel that we are not the same as them. There is no salvation outside of the Church and it is our example that is either going to be a barrier or a help to them becoming Orthodox. We are not helping them by participating in their heretical worship services. But again, we must not beat them over the head about this, it must be done in a loving way. And they may get angry but Christ says clearly that he who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Thank you for helping me understand, I had stopped going to a Bible study service where Mormons attend and try to teach what they feel is agreeable with Christians that are not Mormon, but since studying deeper into Orthodox theology my heart just wasn't into attending that service because I know they believed in another Christ and doctrine and it didn't feel right praying and studying with people who worship unorthodox. Like I felt it violated my walk as an Orthodox believer. And stopped attending and after listening to this teaching it helped affirm I made the correct choice. Being an Orthodox believer you find that your truly walking as a remnant of the world around us. It's okay. We only need Jesus Christ our Lord and God when we feel alone. He is here.
Thank you for making this video Father. My wife and I became Catechumens earlier this month. I am very close to my family, who are all devout protestants. I know excusing myself during mealtime prayers is going to offend/worry them, but I knew converting would not be easy.
Thank you, Fr. Mikhail! Again, very enlightening! And personally for me, the timing of when this video came out was again a true blessing! For me, I see this message most definitely tying into my ongoing situation regarding corrective baptism. Because if praying with the heterodox is not an acceptable practice in the Church, how much MORE unacceptable would it be to consider a heterodox "sacrament" such as "baptism" as anything valid or accepted by our Holy Church? I again thank you for your ongoing ministry! You and your family are in my prayers, and I look forward to when you are able to launch a Patreon. And I hope someday to meet you in person!
My mother is a secular, I'm 15 years old, she's quite disrespectful about my faith, she says as much as she can that I chose it on a whim for no reason, or at least tries to pepper it into her speech as much as she can, and whenever I try to press her on her belief of there being no God, she always just says I'm just saying soundbites, and when I note that doesn't address validity she just repeats what she said, what do I do? Do I try to reason with her about ideas, because all my life I thought, she was the smartest person in the world so I feel like "Oh she can be reasoned with!" but whenever she faces anything that doesn't go with her secular views of the world she just denies it, so I think I shouldn't push her on the secular views she spouts off to everyone about, and so I'm in a cross road of the verses that state we should proclaim God, and the verses that state we must honor our father and mother, and I'm not sure which is more important, to try and defend my faith when she says disrespectful things about the faith, or if I should stay quite and be meek because I should honor my father and mother, this troubles me, and my church is too far away and I've tried calling but it doesn't work and I'm still waiting for them to reply to the email I sent them through the Church's website which I don't think they check often, so I don't think I'm going to be able to ask my priest, and thought I might be able to at least get others insight on the matter. It's been really eating me because I feel I'm doing the wrong thing either way, and when I ask my father to drive me to church he's always very angry for the rest of the day, because he is also secular, so I also don't know if I should just wait in till I'm 18 to be a church goer but I love being in church and I also want to be baptized into the church (never baptized not in one sense) and be a regular church goer, but again I don't know if I should just give up on going to church in till I'm able to drive myself (which I don't think I will have a means of driving in till I'm 18 or at least the future along side the fact I don't know how to drive) or if I should ask for him to drive me, even though it ruins his whole day, and from what my ma told me hes then annoyed and angered when he sees me and when he doesn't see me, so I'm also not sure if I should ask him to drive me to church, or should just wait in till I can drive myself, and there isn't any public transport so sadly not an option. Thanks in advance to any advice.
Thank you, father. Being very new and right now being put in contact with the only Orthodox Church in my country, meaning i'm not officialy a catecumen, shall I too excuse myself when found in heterodox prayer? And aswell, am I allowed at all to lead a prayer if such situation arises in a heterodox setting? I seek to be obedient of all I must, and until recently have I discovered this about prayer with heterodox, beautifuly put video!
I can’t come to grips with not being able to pray with the one person and one Christian I’ve had in my life. The only person that truly cares about me. I’m suppose to just throw that away ??
Two things to remember. If you’re Orthodox, lead the prayers. Teach them how to pray. Don’t let them lead. Second, Christ Himself commands that we are to love Him above all else, and that division is inevitable when it comes to the Truth.
Father Mikhail, I've a question: I'm a Roman Catholic, Dominican, specifically, (due to My Family hailing from Corleone, Sicily, as the rest of Italy is Franciscan.) My Family has been Catholic since before Monte Casino, (We've been Catholic at least 1,500 Years if My math is correct) We were amongst the founders of the Benedictine Order and were present at Monte Casino, and were amongst the Numbers that fought in the Crusades. We were amongst the founders of the Dominican Order that, sadly, were to become the Inquisitors of Seville and Our numbers split yet again, My Family Members that found the Dominicans too lax for Their tastes became amongst the founding members of the Theatines and are the most numerous of Their numbers to this day in Argentina. That all having been said, I'm honestly surprised by this Video. I completely understand what You are saying, I do get it, I'm just shocked that We aren't allowed to say an "Our Father" together, I legitimately thought that Christ explicitly wanted Us all to recite this one prayer together, no matter Our differences. Almost everything else You're saying mirrors what We are taught, ("save for the Caveat of the "Our Father", I'm going to have to bother the Monseigneur about that one) and can understand most of it, save for one thing: Attending each Others' Houses of Worship, I'm afraid I have to disagree with You on this one. I completely agree with not joining the alternate Congregations in Prayer, I agree with this, same as I agree We cannot take Communion in each Others' Churches, again, I agree. What I'm getting at is this: I think We have an actual obligation to at least attend a Mass of a Church that We are trying to open a dialogue with, to not do so is rude, as it smacks of Hubris to not at least observe the how People We are trying to deal with communicate with God. Again, I do understand and agree with You for the most part My goal here was to simply point out what I perceive as an error on the part of belief, as to Me, it seems to go against the teachings of Christ. It makes Me think of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, in all honesty. One thing I will say to You though Father, I do not agree with not observing Catholic Saints as an Orthodinian, as I try to observe the Saints of other Apostolistic Seas as a Catholic. I actively push for the observation of all Saints from every Apostolistic Sea by all Denominations, as to Me They are all Men and Women of God. I'm all for a new Council, We are a Family of Faith, We need to start acting like it, it's been Centuries, Milenia at this point, We need to bury the Hatchet and unify as Christs Family, for Our own sake. I apologize for wasting Your time with these issues given the tone of Your Videos, again I get it, I feel an obligation to point out that We do need to start a dialogue again, as I honestly feel that this would be what Christ would want, if We aren't unified, We at least need to talk to each Other. God bless You Father, have a glorious Day.
I'm trying to learn. In Russia a Russian Orthodox priest told me that it was heresy to teach that all prayer with non-Orthodox is forbidden. I'm a Roman Catholic Christian and when I was in St Petersburg, Russia was in the hospital. My Orthodox friend asked her priest about praying with me (not a Catholic prayer) and he gave his blessing. When I met him his answer to me was that it's heretical to say that the body of Christ can be broken, and that to ban all form of prayer with other members of the body of Christ is attempting to drive nails into the body. Would you say the difference is in the interpretation of whether or not I'm a member of the body of Christ? Or is it something else? Am I a brother in Christ, or not quite. I only recently learned that my Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ are committing "heresy" and it sort of startled me.
It isn’t heresy. In Russia the MP has made certain errors in this regard given their membership on the world council of churches. The apostles wrote the canons forbidding prayer with the heterodox and the Church has not universally discarded this nor will it. Listen to the saints, not this poorly formed academic priests who love their own reason above divine revelation and truth. If you’re not Orthodox, that is, in communion with any canonical Eastern Orthodox Church then one is not a Christian, one is outside the body of Christ. This priest has a backwards understanding of the body of Christ. Even the scriptures disagree with his ignorance. The body can’t be broken. But people and groups can break off from it. His humanistic understanding of the Church is alien to its Theanthropic nature. The body remains whole even when schisms occur. The is priest is not a council and cannot proclaim this heresy as a teaching of the Church. It isn’t.
Lastly, no you’re not in the body of Christ. But you can be. The Orthodox Church is waiting to accept you with open arms and to make you a brother. But this can only be done in Orthodox baptism. One Lord, one body, one bride, one Church. Christ isn’t a polygamist.
Well clearly not all of it is forbidden, as someone who is Orthodox can lead the prayer as per what Fr. Mikhail said. So it's the act of becoming part of their prayer, not physically praying with them as an action, that is forbidden. Honestly it's just bad wording, after the father's explanation though it's quite simple and makes sense.
@@reaperanon979 question. When the Russian Orthodox Church invited Billy Graham to preach in Russia and he opened with prayer, did the church, in your view, make heretics of everyone who attended? I don't mean that as a trick question. I'm watching his preaching in Moscow and it struck me that he led the prayer with tons of people likely Orthodox. Do they get a pass since it was the leadership that made it happen? Did the church leaders involved become and remain heretics if they didn't repent for it? Would it have been worth it if people were inspired to draw closer to faith in Christ? From what I'm watching, he prayed with thousands.
Father, what about with my wife and kids who are not Orthodox? I am recently baptized by my wife does not come to church and I only bring my boys a couple times each month or so to keep the peace. Can I pray at the dinner table?
I'm orthodox married to a protestant. Geeze it's difficult I go protestant church but don't really sing or take communion. Just making effort to keep family well. But I pray every night that my family come orthodox we pray for each other still I do still think christ sees the heart but not using it as excuse. I can't just get a divorce what do you think best thing for me to do...?
I converted to Orthodoxy 2 years ago. My husband is still a Protestant. I will not attend (support) any of his “church” services, but he has come to Liturgy with me a time or two. I think your presence in their community gives a subtle affirmation or confirmation that they are not doing anything wrong by practicing a false religion. You can still be loving toward your family, but the Truth is the Truth, and Truth matters. ☦️🙏🏻
Dearest to Christ Adam, That is a difficult situation you’re in. May God help you. The best thing is to do is to avoid going to the Church. Pray with your family and lead them in prayer (as this is your job as a husband and father), God does hear the prayers of everyone. It’s important not to get a divorce. Maintain the marriage and try your best to model the faith.
Thanks for the reply I just feel like doing that, it creates disunity in the family house hold. Also agree gigi. It was annoying wanted to get married in orthodox church or do 2 weddings To be fair. But she didn't want to she's strong evangelical. Priest said not too as she would of kept it from her parents. N said when she is ready they can ceremony but that was over 2 years ago. Now I have a new born n my family orthodox but wouldn't say live orthodox everyday. But I love it. N there serious about baptism so am I. It's going to cause disunity and anger n parents brothers be annoyed as no compromise from my wife. I totally get it if I knew this from beginning I wouldn't of gone through it all. But deep down I feel she may come orthodox. But the best advice is to be the leader and pray orthodox way. In house hold n live orthodoxy In house hold which I do got orthodox bible. Icon cross next to my bed. Put my self hard situation but I'll keep praying 🙏 my christ guide me and my family
@@ilovechrist914 Listen to father, he's giving you sage advice. I knew a man whose conversion was a terrible disruption to his marriage. He remained faithful; saying his prayers, attending Divine Services, and keeping the fast as best as he was able without overly scandalizing his wife. He just kept the faith and prayed for her. After what was close to 10 years his wife, almost out of the blue, became a catechumen and is now Orthodox! You must understand, she HATED Orthodoxy for some reason. I know it wasn't easy for him, many times it felt like he would have to choose between the two things. Sometimes he did better than other times. But he didn't lose hope. That's what I would tell you. Don't lose hope!
Father you said the leading the prayer with heterodox is ok but Fr Peter Heers said an example of St Païsios who refused to pray at all with Roman Catholics when they came to visit him. Why did he completely refuse if it’s ok to lead a prayer? I’ve heard other examples of saints and elders that did the same where they completely refused so I’m a bit confused on what is actually permitted. Thank you
@@MJO294 prayers like the Lord’s Prayer are perfectly safe. When it comes to prayer time, be with them, silently pray and give thanks for them. They love you and the best way to win them over is to show them love and respect
For me, I will not go to a hederodox church. But if I am having dinner with someone and they want to say grace thank God for food I will join them. I just consider that to extremely disrespectful to say sorry I can’t pray with you in that setting. I may as well just cut them out of my life cause that would certainly just break the friendship anyways
Sorry to bug Father for a very fast blessing regarding a HEAVY prayer to God, and I want to respect God commensurate to this video but my entire life has only gained friends & sometimes even opportunities from very pagan people and ostensibly like occultic signs too but a HUGE btw is the chants really attracted me to Orthodoxy opposed to Protestantism and I've dropped astrology and all that of course. it even seems like God sent me pagans friends and Gomers too and I have tried to talk about the Lord and I've vainly tried to drag God's favor into my mistakes but my whole point is as a person trying to decide between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, ... it's not that I care if Orthodoxy costs me more accumulated loneliness and lack of allies and stuff but it almost seems like God wants me to be Catholic because it seems to have blessed me or helps me to be more friendly or stabilize good willed conversation and to be somewhat more relatable with all my surroundings and I hope it's not bad like Abraham's nephew Lot or something all surrounded by idolaters being compromised and I think some of these fellow sinners of mine are actually oblivious like how Nineveh could change but.... I don't know if it's cool with the Lord to go Catholic because it's more copious to me regionally and helps me be more relatable but I would thus advocate amongst them that maybe the Orthodox have a point(s). Nonetheless I am so unworthy to pollute God's house and I hope I am not a Simon Magus demonized person wasting ppls' time because I come from a horrible background and thus kinda desperately asking that quick prayer to God that I know for sure is at least half His will ☦🛐 but pertaining to the topic at hand; I'm not in a good spiritual state Father, I have a potential/long standing bad showdown over natural territorial honor over a woman i loved like Jacob's main wife with the same name and it's probably going to sabotage my prayers and I really appreciate you and I'll have my dad pray for Your ministry and more. God bless Father Sir ☦🛐 Ironically that girl is so beautiful it made a Romanian Orthodox brief friend of mine, Issac jealousy stop talking to me and He needs more prayer than I, he lives obscure and morbidly depressed but had much zeal and I never really heard what ☦ was before Him Edit * spelling
Father, please do not interpret this as a challenge, but as an honest question: must we decline heterodox wedding invitations? Must we refrain from attending heterodox funerals, even for loved ones?
That’s a great question and one that has a difficult answer. The answer is yes, I’ve been in this position myself. One could go for the visitation and burial but the services of the heterodox should not be attended.
@@living_orthodox I and my family began our journey from papism to Orthodoxy only after, sadly, my Aunt’s decline into dementia had progressed significantly. She could no longer convert even if she would have in her right mind. We were her caretakers and my ostensibly still papist cousins didn’t want the responsibility, so we attended a full Roman service one last time for her sake, so to lay her down with as much dignity and piety as modern papism can muster, such as it is. I was happy to find a priest with the balls to fight the Covid hysteria with a threat of a civil suit if the hospice idiots didn’t allow him to administer last rites, as we were cruelly not allowed to touch her as she was dying. His courage is a good example for Orthodox to follow.
I’ve been deeply moved by the Orthodox Church, but it seems like this is a step backwards from the teachings of our Lord. If St. Paul has the audacity to say “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” cannot we say something tame in comparison? That being: “There is neither Protestant nor Orthodox…”. I cannot help but think something fundamental in the scriptures - in the very heart of God - has been misunderstood.
@@josiahalexander5697 if “love” becomes more important than tradition (which isn’t the right term for this), then one is placing human reasoning and emotions above the commandments of Christ. It was our Lord in the Gospel of Matthew who said “He who loves mother and father more than me, isn’t worthy of me.” Love of Christ and obedience of Him and the Holy Spirit who guides the Church is what is most important. Remember that our Lord also cautions us to not be Lukewarm.
Father now im worried, my aunt a couple weeks ago wanted to pray with me and well i lead the prayer and she was just closing her eyes im not sure if she was praying or just listening. Is this ok or not?
Help. What should I do? I raised my family in the Protestant faith. 24 years later I became an E. Orthodox Christian. I visit my wife’s Protestant church to keep the peace in our marriage. I don’t participate in their communion or prayer. I explained why to my wife who now is gonna tell me grown kids and is offended. I’m gonna lose what friends I have and possibly my family relationship with my wife and kids. What do I do?
God bless you and help you in your struggles. I would recommend having a gentle discussion with her and to help her realize that all you want is to follow Christ and that Christ did establish a Church that never disappeared. Because you have faith in Him and know that whatever He established could never fail or need human intellectual intervention. Both the Protestants and Catholics err in this way of thinking.
Father bless, listening to this I can’t help but wonder if the Ecumenical Patriarch violated the canons when praying at the Holy Sepulchre with the Roman Pope?
So here's my question. What if someone had a family member that passed away and that person was catholic, so they had a funeral in the Catholic church. Would it be inappropriate to attend the funeral?
Father, would say that in terms of "leading prayer" with the non Orthodox being permissible, that if such a thing were to be OK, it'd have to be clear that we are not praying together in the sense that we're both equally Christian? Something like that? I honestly was unaware of this principle and I've always just told non Orthodox family that we cannot pray with them in any way whatsoever.
It’s best to not pray with the heterodox. However, recall the example from St. John’s life. In certain cases one could lead the prayers. After all the heterodox will often visit an Orthodox parish and choose to convert based on experience.
Christ is still at the table even when Judas dips his hand in the dish. You stay for Him, but when and if you can, find another community. ROCOR or anywhere else.
If I convert to orthodoxy will Ihave to stop praying with my protestant family? Even if its with my little sister who loves God and prays to the same triune God? And when im with my protestant friends who helped me grow in my relationship with God, will God really be mad at me for praying with them even if they only pray for good things like for their sanctification or for their/our protection etc... ? I can understand maybe not going to their service or taking communion but even prayer? 😢
Bless, Father: Yes. What if those catholics are your children who haven't yet converted and who pray in an unobjectionable manner and in line with our beliefs? Speaking of course about prayer at the dinner table, not Mass. It shows that you replied to the original question, but there's nothing when one clicks to view the response.
@@diarmaidobaoill4141 that’s because of the fact that there was another reply that for some reason, isn’t here. The best thing to do in certain circumstances like these, is to withdraw (mentally) and pray the Jesus prayer. There are times where we in away, can be held hostage. The biggest thing to avoid is entering a heterodox church.
@@living_orthodox I’ve recently joined a men’s spiritual therapy group for special men’s issues, but I’m the only Orthodox and the others are all Protestant. Normally I wouldn’t put myself in this position, but they have expertise in dealing with all too common men’s struggles these days. I don’t enter their primary service hall, but the meetings take place in a small game room nearby. Orthodox need a similar sort of program, but as things are, I don’t know what else to do except look of a similar Trad Catholic group is operating nearby, as that would at least be a step or two up.
What I find interesting is that despite the “Heretical Doctrine of the Catholic Church by the Orthodox faith God stills provide such grace and providence to Catholic Christ followers through Saints, incorrupt saints, stigmata recipients. And communal bleeding of the host that had defined the blood group of Jesus. Can someone elaborate on this.
It’s not easy to say. While I cannot affirm anything outside the Orthodox Church, it is ultimately a mystery and God can save and help who ever He wills.
@@living_orthodox Not if they are heretics as the Orthodox Church claims. Our Church does not fully understand His word. One man’s desire (Pope) and the structure of a church does not dictate or bestow a heretical status on those believers who follow Christ. If any man commits a crime does his family also go to jail. One leaders desire to structure a church to his interests does not condemn the entirety of the church, Christs home. Is the Orthodox Church perfect? God performs miracle where it is right and just even to Catholic or Protestant believers, and we through pride and ignorance dismantle His glory through limited human tradition.
@@living_orthodox If the Orthodox religion deeply studied the life of Catholic faithful they would come to a new understanding as to what constitutes heresy. I’m sorry I don’t agree with you. There are structures in our orthodox faith that don’t have strong grounds for this argument. If God provides miracles in the Catholic Church they are not a heresy because their Pope set a clerical structure that doesn’t agree with our structures. We cannot defame all Catholic Christ followers because of a leaders personal choice in church structure. Our faith lacks the totality of our Father in heaven. And say we do not know whyGod blesses them. We need to search and find out. Let’s not be too proud or confident that we have it right. JESUS never rejected people, he went to the worst ones. To say not to have prays with other denominations is against his teachings. Many have come to Orthodoxy by virtue of praying with other denominations who seek a deeper understanding and connection to our Lord.
Is it correct that the leading cause of the schism concerns the origin of the Holy Spirit? After that, it's original sin. Do Orthodox deny original sin or do you have another name for it (such as toll houses instead of purgatory)?
The first noticeable schism (with Coptics and other Monophysites as well as the Nestorians), was over the two natures of Christ and His divinity. This happened around the 4th century. The leading cause of the schism between the east and west (the great schism) was over the hypostatic origin of the Holy Spirit. We view original sin through a model called Ancestral sin. The key difference being that we do not believe that mankind has inherited the guilt of Adam’s sin, but more so it’s side effects. Toll Houses are also very misunderstood. They’re not another name for purgatory. They’re a much older concept going much further back in Church history. The location and what occurs in the Toll Houses also differs greatly from the Latin Purgatory which has had several doctrinal revisions since it’s inception.
Original sin was never a doctrine in question during the time of the Great Schism. The Church received Augustine and inherited guilt, though we do not say that we receive the "personal guilt" of Adam; we receive "natural guilt". This is taught by St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Gregory Palamas, and St. Msximus the Confessor. The so-called doctrine of "ancestral sin" that says "innocent" infants die an unjust death is the product of a heretic named Fr. John Romanaides who hated Augustine despite never having read him.
So, I am curious here, though my curiosity may turn into a real need to know in the near future. My mother's family are almost entirely Mormons. I was raised that way, before leaving about 33 years ago. After a long and winding road, I found myself in the Church at last. I am striving in every way I know how to be faithful and diligent about my faith and I want to only grow deeper every day for the rest of my life. Now, having said all that ... My mother is quite elderly and her health is beginning to fail. Sooner or later, as all of us must, she will die. She will have her funeral in a Mormon chapel near her home. I have not yet been given any official instructions on the matter (though I have asked). Would I be absolutely forbidden to attend her funeral? Or would I be allowed to go, but not to pray their prayers, and just pull out my chotki and say the Jesus Prayer throughout (or something substantially similar)? Obviously, this is a matter that my priest is attempting to assist me with. We have not heard from the archdiocesan offices yet, nor from the dean, as far as I know. I will follow their guidance if an when it comes. However, I am curious if there is a common or traditional practice that is used in such circumstances?
I don’t know if anyone has responded, but I would say to find the closest church and if possible travel to it maybe once per month. Meet the priest and develop a relationship. He can help you develop a reader service to do at home other times of the month. And more than anything pray to God about helping to bring you closer to a church or bring a church closer to you. I have seen many people in your situation and they were faithful in the little things like I listed above. God knew their desire and he eventually blessed them with a small mission church. We live in a time of being able to “participate” in services virtually. Covid made this much more common and many churches continue to stream their services. This will NEVER be a replacement for being physically present, but it can help bridge the gap for people like you while you are working toward a longer term plan. Good luck to you and God bless!!!
Keep the focus on Christ. He is the one who you must be most concerned with not offending. Pray for your family and friends. Lead the prayers if you find yourself in an unavoidable situation. But don’t participate and don’t affirm the errors. Silence can be the best option in such cases.
DEAR Father I liked your video on the Halloween. I was an exmuslim.... now catholic. I WANT TO FOLLOW OTHRODOXY THE TRUE CHURCH . BUT I WAS BAPTIZED CATHOLIC WHEN I BECAME CHRISTIAN. FATHER IS THAT A PROBLEM .... AND CAN I CONVERT TO OTHRODOXY ? WE ARE IN A MUSLIM MAJORITY PLACE AND THE MAJORITY OF CHURCHES ARE PROTESTANT AMD CATHOLIC.... SO IS THERE A WAY ?
Anonymous Man, pray, fast, cry out to the Lord to show you the Way (He is the Way) & to bring you to His one, true Church. Be patient, trust the Lord & keep praying. Trust that the Lord will find you an Orthodox Church at which to be baptized into Him & in which to grow in Him unto salvation, which is a process, a life long process. Papist "baptism" isn't true baptism.
The Lord, Who is the Way, will finf you a way. Trust Him, cry out to Him with all your heart and soul, keep praying, persist, & it will be granted to you. We too will pray for you.
I know this is late but what if I took communion from Protestant churches multiple times and worshipped with them while still being orthodox? I didn’t know it was heretical, please tell me the next step now that I know to not do that.
@@living_orthodox I thank you, 😊 I didn’t know I could get chrismated twice 🙏 Also I am younger and my parents are Greek Orthodox but don’t go to church besides on holidays so is it better I go to no other type of church? I thought a Protestant church would be better than no church but should I just wait till I can drive?
@@King_Leonidas723 wait till you can drive. The canons written by the holy apostles forbid us from praying in the churches of heretics. Better to read the daily reading, pray Orthodox prayers at home and read the lives of saints.
How do we join a local Parish, in a small community where only a few exist, if the Father has become modernized, or seems willing to compromise in some of these schismatic ways? It seemsnthese small schism's are quite normal to find in America, from what I'm discovering. I was a spiritual Father, and Godparent who is true to the ancient faith.
Insee so many online Parishes with women not wearing head covering's, and even further, wearing immodest dresses, makeup, etc. How can the Archdiocese allow this?
I agree. But as Fr. Kosmas has said, it’s to make it clear who we are talking about. People who are new to Orthodoxy won’t necessarily understand the term ‘Monophysite’ and all it entails.
Marriage is a complicated issue because mixed Christian marriages are usually allowed in most denominations. It really depends on the bishop of the diocese
I have a question. If praying with the heterodox is wrong, how is the current Church still filled with grace when most patriarchates / leaders of the church are taking communion with catholics, including the Pope. And also metropolitans who are freemasons? How can you call this to still be the body of Christ? Or am I missing something.
Hi fr I had a q How do u explain to the average joe that oriental orthodox are heretical and that the eastern orthodox are the true church. All the explanation ive seen are hour long videos of in depth theology that a lot of people just wouldnt understand. The oriental orthodox dont deny the humanity of jesus but apparently they describe it in the wrong way? If u could help me out that would be nice, because I don't understand how God who wants ALL people to be saved would make it so difficult to distinguish between oriental and eastern orthodox. How would u tell a oriental orthodox with a low iq to be eastern orthodox?
wow ,hope the holy spirit open your heart,,,and intelligence,,, i consider what you are saying pure heresy,,,, were is your charity,,,, keep praying the jesus prayer and ask for mercy....you really need it......
I think you really need to work on that judgment and not delude yourself into treating the Jesus prayer like magic. It isn’t charity to confirm others in error. Not once did I encourage cruelty. But you might want to assess who you love more. Was Jesus uncharitable when He said “He who loves mother and father more than me isn’t worthy of me?” Was He cruel when He said “I didn’t come to cast peace upon the earth, but a sword?” Don’t judge the apostles. It’s their canons you’re at odds with. If you consider that heresy, you my dear brother, don’t know what heresy is and you’re using the term falsely as an attempted pejorative. The irony of your statement betrays the pride which guided your hand in writing it.
This is like watching two brothers who got into an argument when they were 15 and haven’t spoken to each other since. Now they’re both 98 years old and refuse to reconcile.
Willful ignorance isn’t going to be an acceptable defence before God. We must simply bear our crosses and do not what is easy, but what is profitable for salvation.
@@living_orthodox „Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.“ (John 9,41) „For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.“ (I Corinthians 2,2) „Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.“ (I Corinthians 3,18) I run with these verses. I come from a protestant background, found error in all denominations , begged the Lord sincerely to show me where truth is. He gave me these verses and in faithfulness guided me out of protestantism into orthodoxy. However, I lost my trust in manmade doctrines after being deceived for such a long time. So I stick to this and rely fully on Christ to guide me as a blind person.
@@yasminpanasjuk682 except you’ve now run into the greater error of delusion. When Jesus says if you were blind, He doesn’t mean the way you are interpreting it. To say you’ve found error in all denominations is correct. The Orthodox Church isn’t a denomination as the body of Christ cannot be divided into a common denominator. When one reads the Bible and thinks they’ve been the only one to study it and understand it, that is a delusion born of satanic pride. Many others studied more intensively and in the original language of the gospels which you don’t know. Paul speaks to Christ being the only Way to Salvation and the Truth in that verse. So your attempts do arbitrarily quote Bible verses out of context in order to suit your own ignorance is deceptive. Let no one deceive themselves. Except what you’ve done is admit to that by choosing to be ignorant. You don’t even know how salvation works or why the incarnation occurred for it isn’t mere knowledge that saves man. This is prelest you’ve fallen into. Even the scriptures warn to discern and to consult your elders in the Church. Which you have not. Either realize your error and that you’ve placed yourself above the saints and the body of Christ or I’ll simply block you so you do not commit the further sin of deceiving the less imitated in the faith. You’re still a Protestant in phronema and haven’t become Orthodox in mind or practice. You reject the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the grace filled saints and elders of the Church and made yourself your own spiritual father. This is the path to ruin and if you don’t humble yourself before a spiritual father, God will humble you and you don’t want that. The arrogance to claim the Church is “man-made doctrine”. The Bible was written by divinely inspired men. God didn’t possess the writers of scripture and induce automatic writing as the those who worship demons do. Lastly to warn you against the demonic deception you’ve fallen into (for even Satan quoted the psalms to Christ and also without proper context), these canons forbidding prayer with the heterodox were written by the APOSTLES of Christ themselves. You think you know better than them? Then truly you have been deceived by an Angel of light preaching a different gospel. You cannot divide the Church and Christ as the body of Christ is the Church. It is His bride and you have divorced the two in your mind. What a tragic error. This Nestorian ecclesiastical outlook is deadly for the soul and I will not permit you to comment again on this channel if you persist and insist.
@@living_orthodox yes sorry I should have finished video, but I did see. What if I am at a funderal for a family member or friends and their is a minister that says a prayer. Can I just sit and not participate?
@@TwinCitiesOxygen yes. It’s not easy to deal with these sorts of questions (I have lots of non-orthodox family), just be sure to pray for God to have mercy on them.
No sadly. The apostolic canons make it clear that being in a heterodox place of worship/prayer when these things are happening, is participating in the act.
Father, bless! Thank you for making this video! In the instance of this question and a remark in the video, I must admit that I drew a different conclusion when translating the book. The author qualifies the definition of common prayer with some exceptions that include the possibility of being in a heterodox house of worship for "cultural, scientific, or social reasons." Our "whole manner" has to show that we intend to pray in common. Accepting a wedding invitation and attending but not praying along and not saying, "Amen" comes to mind. The verbiage of the Holy Canons tends to include the phrase "to pray," which reinforces this distinction. A comment of yours elsewhere in this thread says it would be better not to go while this comment is unequivocal. The author also illustrates the converse visiting scenario typified by the visitors to Hagia Sophia who went on to lead to the conversion of Rus--not common prayer but a 'visit.' Some of your comments capture this spirit. I found the example from the life of St. John of Krondstadt to be particularly edifying. Any other examples like that would be very instructive to paint a broader picture in my own understanding of this difficult topic. Also, regarding martyria, the book stipulates that we may visit the tombs or relics of Orthodox Saints presently in the possession of the heterodox. Thank you. Humbly yours in Christ, Daniel Houlis
I am coptic orthodox christian and I proud we don't believe monophsiys heresy we don't believe Jesus christ has only one nature it is heresy we believe Jesus christ is fully God and fully man we believe 2 nature divinty and humanity don't mixing and changing and I proud to be coptic orthodox ☦️☝️
How many wills does Christ have. How many energies. Your own apologists have collapsed (repeatedly) into either Monophysitism, monothelitism, or the Nestorianism it was made to refute. Acceptance of Chalcedon is the key to reunion. Otherwise, it isn’t in spirit and truth we are unified but rather, it would be humanism and worldly ambition.
@@living_orthodox Christ is one person who holds two natures within the divine and human natures, and you ask, Do we believe in one nature only? I said, No, this is heresy and heresy, if you don't believe it, this is your business with the will of Christ. Jesus does everything by his human nature and by his theological nature. Jesus walks by his theological and human nature together, but because human nature is united by divine nature without mixing or changing. Human nature has never left God on earth. He is Christ. That's what all the Orthodox Coptic in the world believe, if you don't accept that, that's your problem.☦️☝️
@@Coptic_orthodox1 your problem is pride. I specifically asked, how many wills and energies does Christ have. Human nature and divine nature are forever enhypostatized by the Logos (Christ). He has two natures, which we both agree. I am asking you to define what nature is, and if Christ possess a human will and a divine will, and human energy and divine energy. The official position of your Church is that He doesn’t. And if that has changed, then forthrightly embrace Chalcedon.
@@living_orthodox I thank God you're convinced we don't believe in monophysiological heresy. I answered how many wills Jesus had, of course, Christ had a divine and a human desire, but in one thought, that was Christ thought, that Jesus was one person doing everything by his human nature and by his theological nature, but he had two divine desires it is our belief as coptic orthodox christian ☦️☝️
@@Coptic_orthodox1 you’re still confusing terms. Desire and will aren’t the same thing. He has one human will and one divine will. Not two divine wills. If you belief in two natures, you’re unique amongst the Coptics. Either way, until your church as a whole, adopts Chalcedon union cannot happen until then.
I find it fascinating that the Catholic Church has been attempting to reunify with the Orthodox Church, but hearing an Orthodox priest say we can't even pray together when we share the exact same God and the same understanding of God. I know some EO leaders want to end the schusm, but how can they have this desire if this is what the Orthodox Church teaches on prayer?
I am becoming an Orthodox catechumen so I’m not claiming to be an expert, but even from my previous evangelical paradigm I could understand why the Orthodox would not accept the advances of the Roman Catholics. For example- our God is not the same god as the Muslims, which is what the Pope and other leaders in the RC church have communicated in his words and actions. For this and many other reasons, there can be no reunion without major repentance on the part of the RC church. It is not loving to allow people to continue in sin, confusion or lies. You can love and care about people and a group without compromising. Sadly from what I’ve heard, there are high up leaders in the Orthodox Church that are very interested in reuniting with Rome without the necessary repentance and major changes that would be required on their part to be in communion. Lord have mercy!
@@GuitarJesse7you are right! I dont know how this guy imagine union will happen. Orthodox will acept pope or pope will acept loosing his power? I dont see this will ever happen whatever some church ecumenist talk. I live in Orthodox country and every priest who speak that ecumenical things loose credibility for people. We see them as a great danger to our faith. Greeks and Bratolomey has biggest ecumenical desires unfortnately.
No. You do. In many ways. I am not the one caps lock flipping out online. You deny Him in holy communion (Eucharist), that is denying Him. If you’re Orthodox and think He’s divided among those who were anathematized or hold anathematized beliefs it’s because they deny Christ via twisting the truth. Go have some tea and look into this matter deeper. I am not giving my opinions. Just stating what has been taught since the disciples.
@@living_orthodox Really? You said, "You deny Him in holy communion (Eucharist), that is denying Him...." and that this "has been taught since the disciples." -- No it hasn't. There is nothing that the early disciples wrote that says Holy Communion is ONLY good if it is done by the Eastern Orthodox Church. .... And then I have to ask you, WHICH ONE? Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Coptic, Armenian, Syrian?? Or are they all good? What about the church in India started by Thomas the Apostle of Christ? Or are you going to say that they are wrong about that too? (Because they all go way back, while it seems that all you guys do is argue among yourselves as to who is right based on questionably inspired teachings outside of scripture, and then condemn everyone who is not exactly like you.) And who said that the rest of the church denies the Niacene creed? (4:07) 25% of the World is WITHOUT the Gospel AT ALL! And yet you prefer to sit here and argue over minute strands of differences in doctrine, while the rest of the world WITHOUT the Gospel goes to Hell without Christ. Most (but not all) of those various adherents to different strands of Christianity follow the basic teachings of the Bible and most read it regularly. We should be uniting to bring Jesus to the rest of the world. Not bickering over minute differences in Church history.
@@d2westruth your arguments are anachronistic, stupid and a waste of time. To be clear, I don’t think you’re stupid. I think hit arguments are. It’s easy to answer your questions, but you’re not looking for answers. You’re looking for a fight. I can easily ask what makes you think the Gnostic and borderline perennialist Ecclesiology of the Protestants. Yes the Church in India is in heresy. They believe Christ has one nature and one will. We see this isn’t the case when we examine the gospels. As for your “which one” crybaby argument, the Greeks, Russians and the whole of the Eastern Orthodox communion is one Church. Armenians are again, Monophysites like the Copts and the Indians. The Syrians are Nestorians and believe in two Christs-the man and the Logos. They believe the Logos essentially possessed the man as an organ. All of which lead to soteriological issues. Yes it has been taught by the disciples, or do you deny the words of Christ in John 6, St Paul’s warnings in 1 Corinthians or even his Eucharistic statements in Romans? You don’t believe in the gospel. You’re a Gnostic who ultimately is worshiping the European Spirit of humanism. There is one Truth, one Christ and one Church. Neither of which you’ve managed to come to on account of your wilful ignorance and arrogance. May God help you, but I won’t allow you to continue sputtering about on here and wasting my time. So again we cannot unite in error and falsehood. Lest you reduce Christianity to the philosophy you already have, for everyone else. There can be no union with Nestorians, Arians, Monophysites and those who espouse the Filioque. There can be no union with the Protestants who made their man Mande, man centred “churches” founded on post “enlightenment” ideas. There’s a reason all the reform countries are astoundingly atheist. You’re right that the world goes to hell and is hell without Christ. You best be working on overcoming your personal comforts and pull yourself out of the world and the worldliness that underlies your thoughts. God help you dear one. But like I said, you’re done wasting yours and my time here.
@@living_orthodox I have a question. If praying with the heterodox is wrong, how is the current Church still filled with grace when most patriarchates / leaders of the church are taking communion with catholics, including the Pope. And also metropolitans who are freemasons? How can you call this to still be the body of Christ? Or am I missing something.
@@alix.aconspi essentially that would be donatism you’re proposing. Their souls are in danger, but unless they’re defrocked and excommunicated they still can confer the mysteries. It isn’t us clergy who do it, but it is God through us who does.
Yes. She birthed Christ who is God. God is also the God of living not the dead. Heaven isn’t a place of death but of life and she is far holier than you, or I will ever be. If you have an issue with Orthodoxy then go somewhere else. No one is making you do anything. If you feel convicted or uncomfortable because you don’t have the truth and believe in a tradition less than 500 years old in most cases, then I urge you to look into Church history.
@@living_orthodox then I will gladly be called a heretic by you, as I consider Jesus Christ the one mediator between myself and God, so I will pray to him alone. Goodbye.
@@markdoherty754 that has nothing to do with prayer. That’s verse pertains to Him being fully God and fully Man, mediation occurring between the two in His person. There’s nothing to be proud of. It’s not me calling you a heretic but the criterion laid out by the apostles and their successors.
@@markdoherty754 You believing that those in Heaven are dead are flirting with soul sleep at this point. 1 Timothy 2:5 is talking about Christ unique Mediation between man and God the Father. When we ask the Theotokos and the saints to intercede for us it is always to Christ God.
Catholics are excommunicated by us and this also pertains to those not in communion. It’s clear from your comment that you didn’t understand the content of the video. Rewatch it and do some reading on the topic. You can find the apostolic canons online.
First of all I am Orthodox Can you tell me where jesus said if you're not orthodox you can't pray with other christians I don't want to hear what some man said I want to hear what jesus our lords said I bet you dollars to doughnuts you're not going to find it By the way was saint peter the first catholic pope
He was chief of the apostles and Jesus has said not to cast pearls before swine. The Bible doesn’t say a lot of things in plain or modern terms. You don’t find the word Christian till later on in Acts either. The phrase I’m which Jesus said “it’s better to give than receive” is also never said by Christ in the gospels. Nor is his freeing of the captives in hades. This is found later in St. Peter’s epistles. Honestly Chris, a lot of these things can be answered with a Google search or spending $20 on a book that has the canons of the apostles. Which by the way, it is the apostles who explicitly said one mustn’t pray with the non-orthodox. The approach you’re taking is Protestant in its ethos, and disregards the authority Christ gave to His disciples. If you question their authority (especially in the councils which is the voice of the Holy Spirt) then you don’t understand the scriptures.
@Living Orthodox was St Peter a bishop of Rome first pope of Rome? Wasn't there reform between the east and west the same as Catholics and Protestants my question is why do Christians have to be divided pray to the same God Our Savior Jesus Christ? And all this fighting about who was first Catholic or orthodox but wasn't the first Christian called nazarenes.
@@living_orthodox I question everything man says or does maybe if Eve would have questioned the serpent things would have been different instead of just following blindly
@@chrisnukem2133 if you think yourself able to judge Adam and Eve, or somehow more enlightened, then you don’t understand. The devil isn’t a “man”. He’s a fallen Angel and isn’t someone you can remotely compare to the Holy Fathers who inherited sacred tradition. Tradition was in place before the NT and is what guided the Church until 40 AD when St. Matthew wrote his gospel. It would also behoove you to recall that even St. Paul commends the Corinthians for holding to sacred tradition. You’re arguing with a priest. One who was a former Protestant and is well aware of these faulty arguments and who has been seminary trained. Spend less time on this and read the Truth of our Faith by Elder Cleopa. He answers these exact questions. The first man you should question is yourself.
Father I apologize for doubting your direction. All Christians believe in one God. As people are different different ways can lead all of us to God. Why can't we pray our prayers along side of each other. We are asking / inviting to pray with us in our way. A priest once said it is worse to insult a host by pointing out you can't eat what they have prepared to keep the fast.
This refers to fasting. It’s not me your doubting, but the apostles and the canons of the Church. Be wary of humanism which seeks to make human logic and reasoning the highest truth. A counterfeit could look exactly like the original, but it’s unbacked, disingenuous and as a result, devoid of the value of the original. We shouldn’t fill our hearts with or minds, with the poison of heretics which is mingled with the gospel in order to make it more palatable. Read the saints. St Paisios, St. Arsenios the Cappadocian and St. John of Kronstadt to name a few, all speak against this humanist and ecumenist position which would have Christians become spiritual polygamists, rather than maintaining fidelity to the bride of Christ and the teaching of the holy fathers.
The apostles themselves wrote these canons. Not everything they wrote did they consider holy scripture as we know it. Rabbinic Judaism doesn’t have much, if anything in common with us. It’s a baseless assertion to make.
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Here is the article I wrote for Orthodox Ethos on this matter. www.orthodoxethos.com/post/why-are-orthodox-christians-forbidden-to-pray-with-heterodox
From your article, can we assume that when the Pentecostals speak in "tongues" that it will be spoken in an ancient dead language as directed by a demonic force?
@@mityakatya not always. Sometimes it’s just the delusion and this it’s purely gibberish.
Important video 🙏
Fr. Seraphim Rose also wrote an article on Francis of Assissi which I read early on my conversion process, it was tough because my mother was raised a franciscan roman catholic and that was my upbringing, but as I read more and more about our saints, Francis became irrelevant and I was able to get over it.
How did your family accept your conversion?
@@Gregori-mi2vy8nc6y My mother (memory eternal) and father were happy and came to my baptism, my wife was disappointed I did not become evangelical.
Thank you Father. This is a tough one but only because of my ecumenistic upbringing in the evangelical church. Thank you for bringing clarity.
You made a great point!
If every priest did as that priest did, things would have turned out far better. Churches should have been open 24/7.
He’s truly an example to us all
The Power of Orthodoxy supersedes the Canadian’s urge to be polite. Truly amazing.
Truth matters more than feelings.
Gracias Padre le agradezco a usted y a su hermosa familia. Ser un fuerte muro de contención que me ayudó su modelo a seguir en mi familia. Gracias a el Señor Jesucristo y la intercesión de la Theotokos y Los Santos he podido ver que la iglesia ortodoxa es la casa del Señor.
Thank you Father! Your confidence helps me in my confidence in the faith. I’ve been baptized for almost 6 months now and the struggle has been made real especially when it comes to family who are heterodox. So thank you Father for your videos!
I can't pronounce the priest's name that you mentioned in Greece, but God bless him. So many bent the knee to tyranny in the US, at least in the Roman Catholic Church which I'm a member of, for now. Hanging on by a thread.
@@youtubecensorscomments from the Cambridge dictionary, Calumny: the act of making a statement about someone that is not true and is intended to damage the reputation of that person". My statement was true. My statement was not calumny. I encourage you to use your real name on TH-cam. It helps one to grow in the virtues and own up to their comments and accusations. Signing off.
@@youtubecensorscomments but it's not calumny. Be bold. Use your real name.
Using your real name is totally a good way to have your identity stolen.
Thank you, Father. Orthodox a year, this was so helpful and very timely.
Thank you, father. I’ve only recently been baptized into the Church and I have a lot of papist friends since I’ve attended RC grade & high school. My parents are also papists. Sometimes the relationship with my parents is at the freezing point because of how I fast and because I don’t go to their services with them except for their Easter and Christmas. Now I’ll need to reconsider even those two occasions. Would you say that I can just go there and stand the whole time without doing a thing.
However, it’s probably better not to go then since my parents will be even more irritated by the fact that I look totally out of place by not kneeling and “following along”. Until now, I’ve kneeled and prayed Our Father, Great Doxology etc. but didn’t pray only during any prayers with heretical content - this is a big problem and I want to cut it out completely.
Thank you for your comment! Yes it is best to not go as for one, we shouldn’t according to the canons. The second reason being the fact if your family finds your participation disingenuous, it could put them off of Orthodoxy. It’s best to be firm, uncompromising and an example of the faith. But also loving and gentle.
The canons very clearly say that we are forbidden from entering into non Orthodox churches during their worship. We could enter the building to look around when worship isn't going on, but we cannot be there during worship. Some might say that we could violate the canons out of economy. But in order for us to know that economy is acceptable in a situation, we would need to see examples from the Saints. There is not one single canonized Saint in the entire history of the Church who participated in the worship of non Orthodox or who prayed with non Orthodox. This should tell us everything we need to know about whether or not this is acceptable. St Paisios talks about "the good uneasiness" that we must give our non Orthodox family. In a loving way, they need to feel that we are not the same as them. There is no salvation outside of the Church and it is our example that is either going to be a barrier or a help to them becoming Orthodox. We are not helping them by participating in their heretical worship services. But again, we must not beat them over the head about this, it must be done in a loving way. And they may get angry but Christ says clearly that he who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Thank you for helping me understand, I had stopped going to a Bible study service where Mormons attend and try to teach what they feel is agreeable with Christians that are not Mormon, but since studying deeper into Orthodox theology my heart just wasn't into attending that service because I know they believed in another Christ and doctrine and it didn't feel right praying and studying with people who worship unorthodox. Like I felt it violated my walk as an Orthodox believer. And stopped attending and after listening to this teaching it helped affirm I made the correct choice. Being an Orthodox believer you find that your truly walking as a remnant of the world around us. It's okay. We only need Jesus Christ our Lord and God when we feel alone. He is here.
Thank you for making this video Father. My wife and I became Catechumens earlier this month. I am very close to my family, who are all devout protestants. I know excusing myself during mealtime prayers is going to offend/worry them, but I knew converting would not be easy.
God be with you and strengthen you!
Just lead the prayer.
Thank you for this Fr Mikhail. I just bought a Kindle copy. This looks very interesting! David Robles.
Thank you for this video. May God bless you and grant you many years!!
Thank you, Fr. Mikhail! Again, very enlightening! And personally for me, the timing of when this video came out was again a true blessing! For me, I see this message most definitely tying into my ongoing situation regarding corrective baptism. Because if praying with the heterodox is not an acceptable practice in the Church, how much MORE unacceptable would it be to consider a heterodox "sacrament" such as "baptism" as anything valid or accepted by our Holy Church?
I again thank you for your ongoing ministry! You and your family are in my prayers, and I look forward to when you are able to launch a Patreon. And I hope someday to meet you in person!
You might not be able to pray with the heterodox, however you can always pray for the heterodox.☦ After all, it's part of the liturgy.
Amazing! Thank you! Love your calming voice also :)
Thank you! I am glad the video was helpful!
The example of St. John of Kronstadt with the Muslim family was very powerful.
Love this book , taught me alot
Protopresbyter Anastasios Gotsopoulos 's eight month sentence was suspended.
You’re such a breathe of fresh air
My mother is a secular, I'm 15 years old, she's quite disrespectful about my faith, she says as much as she can that I chose it on a whim for no reason, or at least tries to pepper it into her speech as much as she can, and whenever I try to press her on her belief of there being no God, she always just says I'm just saying soundbites, and when I note that doesn't address validity she just repeats what she said, what do I do? Do I try to reason with her about ideas, because all my life I thought, she was the smartest person in the world so I feel like "Oh she can be reasoned with!" but whenever she faces anything that doesn't go with her secular views of the world she just denies it, so I think I shouldn't push her on the secular views she spouts off to everyone about, and so I'm in a cross road of the verses that state we should proclaim God, and the verses that state we must honor our father and mother, and I'm not sure which is more important, to try and defend my faith when she says disrespectful things about the faith, or if I should stay quite and be meek because I should honor my father and mother, this troubles me, and my church is too far away and I've tried calling but it doesn't work and I'm still waiting for them to reply to the email I sent them through the Church's website which I don't think they check often, so I don't think I'm going to be able to ask my priest, and thought I might be able to at least get others insight on the matter. It's been really eating me because I feel I'm doing the wrong thing either way, and when I ask my father to drive me to church he's always very angry for the rest of the day, because he is also secular, so I also don't know if I should just wait in till I'm 18 to be a church goer but I love being in church and I also want to be baptized into the church (never baptized not in one sense) and be a regular church goer, but again I don't know if I should just give up on going to church in till I'm able to drive myself (which I don't think I will have a means of driving in till I'm 18 or at least the future along side the fact I don't know how to drive) or if I should ask for him to drive me, even though it ruins his whole day, and from what my ma told me hes then annoyed and angered when he sees me and when he doesn't see me, so I'm also not sure if I should ask him to drive me to church, or should just wait in till I can drive myself, and there isn't any public transport so sadly not an option. Thanks in advance to any advice.
Thank you, father. Being very new and right now being put in contact with the only Orthodox Church in my country, meaning i'm not officialy a catecumen, shall I too excuse myself when found in heterodox prayer? And aswell, am I allowed at all to lead a prayer if such situation arises in a heterodox setting? I seek to be obedient of all I must, and until recently have I discovered this about prayer with heterodox, beautifuly put video!
I can’t come to grips with not being able to pray with the one person and one Christian I’ve had in my life. The only person that truly cares about me. I’m suppose to just throw that away ??
Two things to remember. If you’re Orthodox, lead the prayers. Teach them how to pray. Don’t let them lead. Second, Christ Himself commands that we are to love Him above all else, and that division is inevitable when it comes to the Truth.
@@living_orthodoxFather regarding this, so if we lead the orthodox prayer and a heterodox is present that’s ok?
Thank you and God bless
Stefan
I asked everybody to pray that everything that exists is covered in the holy blood of Christ everyday I think it's the only way we're going to make it
That is on true priest, gods will before the worlds
Father Mikhail, I've a question: I'm a Roman Catholic, Dominican, specifically, (due to My Family hailing from Corleone, Sicily, as the rest of Italy is Franciscan.) My Family has been Catholic since before Monte Casino, (We've been Catholic at least 1,500 Years if My math is correct) We were amongst the founders of the Benedictine Order and were present at Monte Casino, and were amongst the Numbers that fought in the Crusades. We were amongst the founders of the Dominican Order that, sadly, were to become the Inquisitors of Seville and Our numbers split yet again, My Family Members that found the Dominicans too lax for Their tastes became amongst the founding members of the Theatines and are the most numerous of Their numbers to this day in Argentina.
That all having been said, I'm honestly surprised by this Video.
I completely understand what You are saying, I do get it, I'm just shocked that We aren't allowed to say an "Our Father" together, I legitimately thought that Christ explicitly wanted Us all to recite this one prayer together, no matter Our differences.
Almost everything else You're saying mirrors what We are taught, ("save for the Caveat of the "Our Father", I'm going to have to bother the Monseigneur about that one) and can understand most of it, save for one thing: Attending each Others' Houses of Worship, I'm afraid I have to disagree with You on this one.
I completely agree with not joining the alternate Congregations in Prayer, I agree with this, same as I agree We cannot take Communion in each Others' Churches, again, I agree.
What I'm getting at is this: I think We have an actual obligation to at least attend a Mass of a Church that We are trying to open a dialogue with, to not do so is rude, as it smacks of Hubris to not at least observe the how People We are trying to deal with communicate with God.
Again, I do understand and agree with You for the most part My goal here was to simply point out what I perceive as an error on the part of belief, as to Me, it seems to go against the teachings of Christ.
It makes Me think of the Parable of the Prodigal Son, in all honesty.
One thing I will say to You though Father, I do not agree with not observing Catholic Saints as an Orthodinian, as I try to observe the Saints of other Apostolistic Seas as a Catholic.
I actively push for the observation of all Saints from every Apostolistic Sea by all Denominations, as to Me They are all Men and Women of God.
I'm all for a new Council, We are a Family of Faith, We need to start acting like it, it's been Centuries, Milenia at this point, We need to bury the Hatchet and unify as Christs Family, for Our own sake.
I apologize for wasting Your time with these issues given the tone of Your Videos, again I get it, I feel an obligation to point out that We do need to start a dialogue again, as I honestly feel that this would be what Christ would want, if We aren't unified, We at least need to talk to each Other.
God bless You Father, have a glorious Day.
I'm trying to learn. In Russia a Russian Orthodox priest told me that it was heresy to teach that all prayer with non-Orthodox is forbidden.
I'm a Roman Catholic Christian and when I was in St Petersburg, Russia was in the hospital. My Orthodox friend asked her priest about praying with me (not a Catholic prayer) and he gave his blessing.
When I met him his answer to me was that it's heretical to say that the body of Christ can be broken, and that to ban all form of prayer with other members of the body of Christ is attempting to drive nails into the body.
Would you say the difference is in the interpretation of whether or not I'm a member of the body of Christ? Or is it something else? Am I a brother in Christ, or not quite.
I only recently learned that my Orthodox brothers and sisters in Christ are committing "heresy" and it sort of startled me.
It isn’t heresy. In Russia the MP has made certain errors in this regard given their membership on the world council of churches. The apostles wrote the canons forbidding prayer with the heterodox and the Church has not universally discarded this nor will it. Listen to the saints, not this poorly formed academic priests who love their own reason above divine revelation and truth. If you’re not Orthodox, that is, in communion with any canonical Eastern Orthodox Church then one is not a Christian, one is outside the body of Christ. This priest has a backwards understanding of the body of Christ. Even the scriptures disagree with his ignorance. The body can’t be broken. But people and groups can break off from it. His humanistic understanding of the Church is alien to its Theanthropic nature. The body remains whole even when schisms occur. The is priest is not a council and cannot proclaim this heresy as a teaching of the Church. It isn’t.
Lastly, no you’re not in the body of Christ. But you can be. The Orthodox Church is waiting to accept you with open arms and to make you a brother. But this can only be done in Orthodox baptism. One Lord, one body, one bride, one Church. Christ isn’t a polygamist.
Well clearly not all of it is forbidden, as someone who is Orthodox can lead the prayer as per what Fr. Mikhail said. So it's the act of becoming part of their prayer, not physically praying with them as an action, that is forbidden. Honestly it's just bad wording, after the father's explanation though it's quite simple and makes sense.
@@reaperanon979 question. When the Russian Orthodox Church invited Billy Graham to preach in Russia and he opened with prayer, did the church, in your view, make heretics of everyone who attended? I don't mean that as a trick question. I'm watching his preaching in Moscow and it struck me that he led the prayer with tons of people likely Orthodox. Do they get a pass since it was the leadership that made it happen? Did the church leaders involved become and remain heretics if they didn't repent for it? Would it have been worth it if people were inspired to draw closer to faith in Christ? From what I'm watching, he prayed with thousands.
As a Roman Catholic who is discerning Orthodoxy, can I come to pay with the Orthodox at the Divine Liturgy or Vespers?
Saint John of Kronstadt prayed with a muslim women that her husband would be healed from sickness, and he was. They both converted to Orthodoxy.
Watch the whole video. I made mention of this.
Did he pray with her or pray for her & her husband?
@@agiasf7330 for her and her husband. He did this to show her who has the True God.
Once again Thank you Fr for these hard but necessary truths may God reward you!
Father, what about with my wife and kids who are not Orthodox? I am recently baptized by my wife does not come to church and I only bring my boys a couple times each month or so to keep the peace. Can I pray at the dinner table?
I'm orthodox married to a protestant. Geeze it's difficult I go protestant church but don't really sing or take communion. Just making effort to keep family well. But I pray every night that my family come orthodox we pray for each other still I do still think christ sees the heart but not using it as excuse. I can't just get a divorce what do you think best thing for me to do...?
I converted to Orthodoxy 2 years ago. My husband is still a Protestant. I will not attend (support) any of his “church” services, but he has come to Liturgy with me a time or two. I think your presence in their community gives a subtle affirmation or confirmation that they are not doing anything wrong by practicing a false religion. You can still be loving toward your family, but the Truth is the Truth, and Truth matters. ☦️🙏🏻
Dearest to Christ Adam,
That is a difficult situation you’re in. May God help you. The best thing is to do is to avoid going to the Church. Pray with your family and lead them in prayer (as this is your job as a husband and father), God does hear the prayers of everyone. It’s important not to get a divorce. Maintain the marriage and try your best to model the faith.
Thanks for the reply I just feel like doing that, it creates disunity in the family house hold.
Also agree gigi. It was annoying wanted to get married in orthodox church or do 2 weddings To be fair. But she didn't want to she's strong evangelical. Priest said not too as she would of kept it from her parents. N said when she is ready they can ceremony but that was over 2 years ago. Now I have a new born n my family orthodox but wouldn't say live orthodox everyday. But I love it. N there serious about baptism so am I. It's going to cause disunity and anger n parents brothers be annoyed as no compromise from my wife.
I totally get it if I knew this from beginning I wouldn't of gone through it all. But deep down I feel she may come orthodox.
But the best advice is to be the leader and pray orthodox way.
In house hold n live orthodoxy In house hold which I do got orthodox bible. Icon cross next to my bed.
Put my self hard situation but I'll keep praying 🙏 my christ guide me and my family
@@ilovechrist914 Listen to father, he's giving you sage advice. I knew a man whose conversion was a terrible disruption to his marriage. He remained faithful; saying his prayers, attending Divine Services, and keeping the fast as best as he was able without overly scandalizing his wife. He just kept the faith and prayed for her. After what was close to 10 years his wife, almost out of the blue, became a catechumen and is now Orthodox! You must understand, she HATED Orthodoxy for some reason. I know it wasn't easy for him, many times it felt like he would have to choose between the two things. Sometimes he did better than other times. But he didn't lose hope. That's what I would tell you. Don't lose hope!
@@ilovechrist914 you cannot go go that Church. don't try to rationalize it. stop going immediately and admit this mistake in confession.
My Grandpas funeral is this Friday but it’s a Catholic one I can’t miss it what do we do in this situation?
Don’t join in prayer and don’t commune. I pray God comforts you and your family throughout this time
Father you said the leading the prayer with heterodox is ok but Fr Peter Heers said an example of St Païsios who refused to pray at all with Roman Catholics when they came to visit him. Why did he completely refuse if it’s ok to lead a prayer? I’ve heard other examples of saints and elders that did the same where they completely refused so I’m a bit confused on what is actually permitted. Thank you
Im 15yr and i converted to Orthodox..my family is Protestant. What should I do?
@@MJO294 prayers like the Lord’s Prayer are perfectly safe. When it comes to prayer time, be with them, silently pray and give thanks for them. They love you and the best way to win them over is to show them love and respect
what is the music in your intro, its absolutely beautiful
You can find it in the videos section of my channel. Uploaded the whole song :)
@@living_orthodox thank you Father, excellent video by the way!
For me, I will not go to a hederodox church. But if I am having dinner with someone and they want to say grace thank God for food I will join them. I just consider that to extremely disrespectful to say sorry I can’t pray with you in that setting. I may as well just cut them out of my life cause that would certainly just break the friendship anyways
What I do is bow my head and say an Orthodox meal prayer silently in my head instead of praying with them.
Sorry to bug Father for a very fast blessing regarding a HEAVY prayer to God, and I want to respect God commensurate to this video but my entire life has only gained friends & sometimes even opportunities from very pagan people and ostensibly like occultic signs too but a HUGE btw is the chants really attracted me to Orthodoxy opposed to Protestantism and I've dropped astrology and all that of course.
it even seems like God sent me pagans friends and Gomers too and I have tried to talk about the Lord and I've vainly tried to drag God's favor into my mistakes but my whole point is as a person trying to decide between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, ... it's not that I care if Orthodoxy costs me more accumulated loneliness and lack of allies and stuff but it almost seems like God wants me to be Catholic because it seems to have blessed me or helps me to be more friendly or stabilize good willed conversation and to be somewhat more relatable with all my surroundings and I hope it's not bad like Abraham's nephew Lot or something all surrounded by idolaters being compromised and I think some of these fellow sinners of mine are actually oblivious like how Nineveh could change but....
I don't know if it's cool with the Lord to go Catholic because it's more copious to me regionally and helps me be more relatable but I would thus advocate amongst them that maybe the Orthodox have a point(s).
Nonetheless I am so unworthy to pollute God's house and I hope I am not a Simon Magus demonized person wasting ppls' time because I come from a horrible background and thus kinda desperately asking that quick prayer to God that I know for sure is at least half His will
☦🛐
but pertaining to the topic at hand;
I'm not in a good spiritual state Father, I have a potential/long standing bad showdown over natural territorial honor over a woman i loved like Jacob's main wife with the same name and it's probably going to sabotage my prayers and I really appreciate you and I'll have my dad pray for Your ministry and more.
God bless Father Sir
☦🛐
Ironically that girl is so beautiful it made a Romanian Orthodox brief friend of mine, Issac jealousy stop talking to me and He needs more prayer than I, he lives obscure and morbidly depressed but had much zeal and I never really heard what ☦ was before Him
Edit * spelling
Father, please do not interpret this as a challenge, but as an honest question: must we decline heterodox wedding invitations? Must we refrain from attending heterodox funerals, even for loved ones?
That’s a great question and one that has a difficult answer. The answer is yes, I’ve been in this position myself. One could go for the visitation and burial but the services of the heterodox should not be attended.
@@living_orthodox
I and my family began our journey from papism to Orthodoxy only after, sadly, my Aunt’s decline into dementia had progressed significantly. She could no longer convert even if she would have in her right mind. We were her caretakers and my ostensibly still papist cousins didn’t want the responsibility, so we attended a full Roman service one last time for her sake, so to lay her down with as much dignity and piety as modern papism can muster, such as it is. I was happy to find a priest with the balls to fight the Covid hysteria with a threat of a civil suit if the hospice idiots didn’t allow him to administer last rites, as we were cruelly not allowed to touch her as she was dying. His courage is a good example for Orthodox to follow.
At one point does love become more important than tradition?
I’ve been deeply moved by the Orthodox Church, but it seems like this is a step backwards from the teachings of our Lord. If St. Paul has the audacity to say “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” cannot we say something tame in comparison? That being: “There is neither Protestant nor Orthodox…”. I cannot help but think something fundamental in the scriptures - in the very heart of God - has been misunderstood.
@@josiahalexander5697 if “love” becomes more important than tradition (which isn’t the right term for this), then one is placing human reasoning and emotions above the commandments of Christ. It was our Lord in the Gospel of Matthew who said “He who loves mother and father more than me, isn’t worthy of me.” Love of Christ and obedience of Him and the Holy Spirit who guides the Church is what is most important.
Remember that our Lord also cautions us to not be Lukewarm.
Father now im worried, my aunt a couple weeks ago wanted to pray with me and well i lead the prayer and she was just closing her eyes im not sure if she was praying or just listening. Is this ok or not?
You’re fine. Don’t worry so much.
good video!
Help. What should I do? I raised my family in the Protestant faith. 24 years later I became an E. Orthodox Christian. I visit my wife’s Protestant church to keep the peace in our marriage. I don’t participate in their communion or prayer. I explained why to my wife who now is gonna tell me grown kids and is offended. I’m gonna lose what friends I have and possibly my family relationship with my wife and kids. What do I do?
God bless you and help you in your struggles. I would recommend having a gentle discussion with her and to help her realize that all you want is to follow Christ and that Christ did establish a Church that never disappeared.
Because you have faith in Him and know that whatever He established could never fail or need human intellectual intervention. Both the Protestants and Catholics err in this way of thinking.
Father bless, listening to this I can’t help but wonder if the Ecumenical Patriarch violated the canons when praying at the Holy Sepulchre with the Roman Pope?
So here's my question. What if someone had a family member that passed away and that person was catholic, so they had a funeral in the Catholic church. Would it be inappropriate to attend the funeral?
Attend the funeral but sit in the back. Don’t commune and don’t join in the prayers.
Father, would say that in terms of "leading prayer" with the non Orthodox being permissible, that if such a thing were to be OK, it'd have to be clear that we are not praying together in the sense that we're both equally Christian? Something like that? I honestly was unaware of this principle and I've always just told non Orthodox family that we cannot pray with them in any way whatsoever.
It’s best to not pray with the heterodox. However, recall the example from St. John’s life. In certain cases one could lead the prayers. After all the heterodox will often visit an Orthodox parish and choose to convert based on experience.
What do we do if all the priests in our community believe in ecumenism? How do we commune?
Christ is still at the table even when Judas dips his hand in the dish. You stay for Him, but when and if you can, find another community. ROCOR or anywhere else.
If I convert to orthodoxy will Ihave to stop praying with my protestant family?
Even if its with my little sister who loves God and prays to the same triune God?
And when im with my protestant friends who helped me grow in my relationship with God, will God really be mad at me for praying with them even if they only pray for good things like for their sanctification or for their/our protection etc... ?
I can understand maybe not going to their service or taking communion but even prayer? 😢
I still pray with my Protestant sister.
So are we allowed to lead a prayer with the heterodox but not participate if we aren't leading?
What do I do when I have dinner with catholics around,Should I pray before eating?
Bless, Father: Yes. What if those catholics are your children who haven't yet converted and who pray in an unobjectionable manner and in line with our beliefs? Speaking of course about prayer at the dinner table, not Mass. It shows that you replied to the original question, but there's nothing when one clicks to view the response.
@@diarmaidobaoill4141 that’s because of the fact that there was another reply that for some reason, isn’t here. The best thing to do in certain circumstances like these, is to withdraw (mentally) and pray the Jesus prayer. There are times where we in away, can be held hostage. The biggest thing to avoid is entering a heterodox church.
That’s always an option. Also be sure to cross your food.
@@living_orthodox Thank you, batiushka. That's excellent advice. It's refreshing to hear Orthodox teaching. May your channel be blessed.
@@living_orthodox
I’ve recently joined a men’s spiritual therapy group for special men’s issues, but I’m the only Orthodox and the others are all Protestant. Normally I wouldn’t put myself in this position, but they have expertise in dealing with all too common men’s struggles these days. I don’t enter their primary service hall, but the meetings take place in a small game room nearby. Orthodox need a similar sort of program, but as things are, I don’t know what else to do except look of a similar Trad Catholic group is operating nearby, as that would at least be a step or two up.
Are we allowed to observe another service in person?
No. The rare times that’s done is for study and with a blessing. Even then, it’s ill advised
What I find interesting is that despite the “Heretical
Doctrine of the Catholic Church by the Orthodox faith God stills provide such grace and providence to Catholic Christ followers through Saints, incorrupt saints, stigmata recipients. And communal bleeding of the host that had defined the blood group of Jesus. Can someone elaborate on this.
It’s not easy to say. While I cannot affirm anything outside the Orthodox Church, it is ultimately a mystery and God can save and help who ever He wills.
@@living_orthodox Not if they are heretics as the Orthodox Church claims. Our Church does not fully understand His word. One man’s desire (Pope) and the structure of a church does not dictate or bestow a heretical status on those believers who follow Christ. If any man commits a crime does his family also go to jail. One leaders desire to structure a church to his interests does not condemn the entirety of the church, Christs home. Is the Orthodox Church perfect? God performs miracle where it is right and just even to Catholic or Protestant believers, and we through pride and ignorance dismantle His glory through limited human tradition.
@@living_orthodox If the Orthodox religion deeply studied the life of Catholic faithful they would come to a new understanding as to what constitutes heresy. I’m sorry I don’t agree with you. There are structures in our orthodox faith that don’t have strong grounds for this argument. If God provides miracles in the Catholic Church they are not a heresy because their Pope set a clerical structure that doesn’t agree with our structures. We cannot defame all Catholic Christ followers because of a leaders personal choice in church structure. Our faith lacks the totality of our Father in heaven. And say we do not know whyGod blesses them. We need to search and find out. Let’s not be too proud or confident that we have it right. JESUS never rejected people, he went to the worst ones. To say not to have prays with other denominations is against his teachings. Many have come to Orthodoxy by virtue of praying with other denominations who seek a deeper understanding and connection to our Lord.
Let’s all pray for one another in love of Jesus Christ
Is it correct that the leading cause of the schism concerns the origin of the Holy Spirit?
After that, it's original sin. Do Orthodox deny original sin or do you have another name for it (such as toll houses instead of purgatory)?
The first noticeable schism (with Coptics and other Monophysites as well as the Nestorians), was over the two natures of Christ and His divinity. This happened around the 4th century. The leading cause of the schism between the east and west (the great schism) was over the hypostatic origin of the Holy Spirit. We view original sin through a model called Ancestral sin. The key difference being that we do not believe that mankind has inherited the guilt of Adam’s sin, but more so it’s side effects. Toll Houses are also very misunderstood. They’re not another name for purgatory. They’re a much older concept going much further back in Church history. The location and what occurs in the Toll Houses also differs greatly from the Latin Purgatory which has had several doctrinal revisions since it’s inception.
Original sin was never a doctrine in question during the time of the Great Schism. The Church received Augustine and inherited guilt, though we do not say that we receive the "personal guilt" of Adam; we receive "natural guilt". This is taught by St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Gregory Palamas, and St. Msximus the Confessor. The so-called doctrine of "ancestral sin" that says "innocent" infants die an unjust death is the product of a heretic named Fr. John Romanaides who hated Augustine despite never having read him.
So, I am curious here, though my curiosity may turn into a real need to know in the near future.
My mother's family are almost entirely Mormons. I was raised that way, before leaving about 33 years ago. After a long and winding road, I found myself in the Church at last. I am striving in every way I know how to be faithful and diligent about my faith and I want to only grow deeper every day for the rest of my life. Now, having said all that ...
My mother is quite elderly and her health is beginning to fail. Sooner or later, as all of us must, she will die. She will have her funeral in a Mormon chapel near her home. I have not yet been given any official instructions on the matter (though I have asked). Would I be absolutely forbidden to attend her funeral? Or would I be allowed to go, but not to pray their prayers, and just pull out my chotki and say the Jesus Prayer throughout (or something substantially similar)?
Obviously, this is a matter that my priest is attempting to assist me with. We have not heard from the archdiocesan offices yet, nor from the dean, as far as I know. I will follow their guidance if an when it comes. However, I am curious if there is a common or traditional practice that is used in such circumstances?
Father, can you send me the link of the song at the begining? God bless
th-cam.com/video/lf22wzskaI0/w-d-xo.html
Petar S, it's not a song! It's a prayer. We chant praises to God & prayers. We don't sing songs. This one is a Psalm.
It is from the Hagia Sophia (don't have exact title in front of me) album done by Capella Romana.
Hello, anyone knows what to do if there are no orthodox churches where u live ?
I don’t know if anyone has responded, but I would say to find the closest church and if possible travel to it maybe once per month. Meet the priest and develop a relationship. He can help you develop a reader service to do at home other times of the month. And more than anything pray to God about helping to bring you closer to a church or bring a church closer to you. I have seen many people in your situation and they were faithful in the little things like I listed above. God knew their desire and he eventually blessed them with a small mission church. We live in a time of being able to “participate” in services virtually. Covid made this much more common and many churches continue to stream their services. This will NEVER be a replacement for being physically present, but it can help bridge the gap for people like you while you are working toward a longer term plan. Good luck to you and God bless!!!
This sucks because my family is protestant and my best friend is roman Catholic
Keep the focus on Christ. He is the one who you must be most concerned with not offending. Pray for your family and friends. Lead the prayers if you find yourself in an unavoidable situation. But don’t participate and don’t affirm the errors. Silence can be the best option in such cases.
DEAR Father I liked your video on the Halloween.
I was an exmuslim.... now catholic. I WANT TO FOLLOW OTHRODOXY THE TRUE CHURCH . BUT I WAS BAPTIZED CATHOLIC WHEN I BECAME CHRISTIAN. FATHER IS THAT A PROBLEM .... AND CAN I CONVERT TO OTHRODOXY ? WE ARE IN A MUSLIM MAJORITY PLACE AND THE MAJORITY OF CHURCHES ARE PROTESTANT AMD CATHOLIC....
SO IS THERE A WAY ?
Anonymous Man, pray, fast, cry out to the Lord to show you the Way (He is the Way) & to bring you to His one, true Church. Be patient, trust the Lord & keep praying. Trust that the Lord will find you an Orthodox Church at which to be baptized into Him & in which to grow in Him unto salvation, which is a process, a life long process.
Papist "baptism" isn't true baptism.
The Lord, Who is the Way, will finf you a way. Trust Him, cry out to Him with all your heart and soul, keep praying, persist, & it will be granted to you.
We too will pray for you.
I know this is late but what if I took communion from Protestant churches multiple times and worshipped with them while still being orthodox? I didn’t know it was heretical, please tell me the next step now that I know to not do that.
You need to find a solid priest and get Chrismated. When one does such things that is how this issue is healed.
@@living_orthodox I thank you, 😊 I didn’t know I could get chrismated twice 🙏 Also I am younger and my parents are Greek Orthodox but don’t go to church besides on holidays so is it better I go to no other type of church? I thought a Protestant church would be better than no church but should I just wait till I can drive?
@@King_Leonidas723 wait till you can drive. The canons written by the holy apostles forbid us from praying in the churches of heretics. Better to read the daily reading, pray Orthodox prayers at home and read the lives of saints.
How do we join a local Parish, in a small community where only a few exist, if the Father has become modernized, or seems willing to compromise in some of these schismatic ways? It seemsnthese small schism's are quite normal to find in America, from what I'm discovering. I was a spiritual Father, and Godparent who is true to the ancient faith.
Insee so many online Parishes with women not wearing head covering's, and even further, wearing immodest dresses, makeup, etc. How can the Archdiocese allow this?
*want, not was
autocorrect or typo's :/
The Monophysites are not Orthodox. Calling them Oriental Orthodox causes needless confusion.
I agree. But as Fr. Kosmas has said, it’s to make it clear who we are talking about. People who are new to Orthodoxy won’t necessarily understand the term ‘Monophysite’ and all it entails.
If this is the case then why are some Orthodox Churches allowing Catholic/Orthodox Marriages?
Marriage is a complicated issue because mixed Christian marriages are usually allowed in most denominations. It really depends on the bishop of the diocese
I have a question. If praying with the heterodox is wrong, how is the current Church still filled with grace when most patriarchates / leaders of the church are taking communion with catholics, including the Pope. And also metropolitans who are freemasons? How can you call this to still be the body of Christ? Or am I missing something.
Hi fr I had a q
How do u explain to the average joe that oriental orthodox are heretical and that the eastern orthodox are the true church. All the explanation ive seen are hour long videos of in depth theology that a lot of people just wouldnt understand. The oriental orthodox dont deny the humanity of jesus but apparently they describe it in the wrong way? If u could help me out that would be nice, because I don't understand how God who wants ALL people to be saved would make it so difficult to distinguish between oriental and eastern orthodox. How would u tell a oriental orthodox with a low iq to be eastern orthodox?
Oh great
wow ,hope the holy spirit open your heart,,,and intelligence,,, i consider what you are saying pure heresy,,,, were is your charity,,,, keep praying the jesus prayer and ask for mercy....you really need it......
I think you really need to work on that judgment and not delude yourself into treating the Jesus prayer like magic. It isn’t charity to confirm others in error. Not once did I encourage cruelty. But you might want to assess who you love more. Was Jesus uncharitable when He said “He who loves mother and father more than me isn’t worthy of me?” Was He cruel when He said “I didn’t come to cast peace upon the earth, but a sword?” Don’t judge the apostles. It’s their canons you’re at odds with. If you consider that heresy, you my dear brother, don’t know what heresy is and you’re using the term falsely as an attempted pejorative. The irony of your statement betrays the pride which guided your hand in writing it.
Can I have dinner with my catholic friends at their house?
Yes. Don’t pray with them or, lead the prayers. But ideally avoid praying with them.
@@living_orthodox Okay, thank you.
Can someone upload the link of his discord server ?
discord.gg/kgMkU4jdfS
This is like watching two brothers who got into an argument when they were 15 and haven’t spoken to each other since. Now they’re both 98 years old and refuse to reconcile.
The less I know, the safer I am.
Willful ignorance isn’t going to be an acceptable defence before God. We must simply bear our crosses and do not what is easy, but what is profitable for salvation.
@@living_orthodox
„Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.“
(John 9,41)
„For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.“
(I Corinthians 2,2)
„Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.“
(I Corinthians 3,18)
I run with these verses. I come from a protestant background, found error in all denominations , begged the Lord sincerely to show me where truth is. He gave me these verses and in faithfulness guided me out of protestantism into orthodoxy. However, I lost my trust in manmade doctrines after being deceived for such a long time. So I stick to this and rely fully on Christ to guide me as a blind person.
@@yasminpanasjuk682 except you’ve now run into the greater error of delusion. When Jesus says if you were blind, He doesn’t mean the way you are interpreting it. To say you’ve found error in all denominations is correct. The Orthodox Church isn’t a denomination as the body of Christ cannot be divided into a common denominator. When one reads the Bible and thinks they’ve been the only one to study it and understand it, that is a delusion born of satanic pride. Many others studied more intensively and in the original language of the gospels which you don’t know.
Paul speaks to Christ being the only Way to Salvation and the Truth in that verse. So your attempts do arbitrarily quote Bible verses out of context in order to suit your own ignorance is deceptive.
Let no one deceive themselves. Except what you’ve done is admit to that by choosing to be ignorant. You don’t even know how salvation works or why the incarnation occurred for it isn’t mere knowledge that saves man. This is prelest you’ve fallen into. Even the scriptures warn to discern and to consult your elders in the Church. Which you have not. Either realize your error and that you’ve placed yourself above the saints and the body of Christ or I’ll simply block you so you do not commit the further sin of deceiving the less imitated in the faith. You’re still a Protestant in phronema and haven’t become Orthodox in mind or practice. You reject the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the grace filled saints and elders of the Church and made yourself your own spiritual father. This is the path to ruin and if you don’t humble yourself before a spiritual father, God will humble you and you don’t want that.
The arrogance to claim the Church is “man-made doctrine”. The Bible was written by divinely inspired men. God didn’t possess the writers of scripture and induce automatic writing as the those who worship demons do.
Lastly to warn you against the demonic deception you’ve fallen into (for even Satan quoted the psalms to Christ and also without proper context), these canons forbidding prayer with the heterodox were written by the APOSTLES of Christ themselves. You think you know better than them? Then truly you have been deceived by an Angel of light preaching a different gospel. You cannot divide the Church and Christ as the body of Christ is the Church. It is His bride and you have divorced the two in your mind. What a tragic error. This Nestorian ecclesiastical outlook is deadly for the soul and I will not permit you to comment again on this channel if you persist and insist.
So if I’m at my house and I’ve a no orthodox guest I can’t say a prayer and bless the food in their presence?
You can lead the prayers. They cannot. The video does discuss this topic.
@@living_orthodox yes sorry I should have finished video, but I did see.
What if I am at a funderal for a family member or friends and their is a minister that says a prayer. Can I just sit and not participate?
@@TwinCitiesOxygen yes. It’s not easy to deal with these sorts of questions (I have lots of non-orthodox family), just be sure to pray for God to have mercy on them.
Can you stay and not participate in the prayer of a Heterodox?
No sadly. The apostolic canons make it clear that being in a heterodox place of worship/prayer when these things are happening, is participating in the act.
Father, bless!
Thank you for making this video! In the instance of this question and a remark in the video, I must admit that I drew a different conclusion when translating the book. The author qualifies the definition of common prayer with some exceptions that include the possibility of being in a heterodox house of worship for "cultural, scientific, or social reasons." Our "whole manner" has to show that we intend to pray in common. Accepting a wedding invitation and attending but not praying along and not saying, "Amen" comes to mind. The verbiage of the Holy Canons tends to include the phrase "to pray," which reinforces this distinction. A comment of yours elsewhere in this thread says it would be better not to go while this comment is unequivocal.
The author also illustrates the converse visiting scenario typified by the visitors to Hagia Sophia who went on to lead to the conversion of Rus--not common prayer but a 'visit.' Some of your comments capture this spirit. I found the example from the life of St. John of Krondstadt to be particularly edifying. Any other examples like that would be very instructive to paint a broader picture in my own understanding of this difficult topic. Also, regarding martyria, the book stipulates that we may visit the tombs or relics of Orthodox Saints presently in the possession of the heterodox. Thank you.
Humbly yours in Christ,
Daniel Houlis
I’m orthodox and my parents are Catholic. Am I allowed to attend their funerals when they pass?
I am coptic orthodox christian and I proud we don't believe monophsiys heresy we don't believe Jesus christ has only one nature it is heresy we believe Jesus christ is fully God and fully man we believe 2 nature divinty and humanity don't mixing and changing and I proud to be coptic orthodox ☦️☝️
How many wills does Christ have. How many energies. Your own apologists have collapsed (repeatedly) into either Monophysitism, monothelitism, or the Nestorianism it was made to refute. Acceptance of Chalcedon is the key to reunion. Otherwise, it isn’t in spirit and truth we are unified but rather, it would be humanism and worldly ambition.
@@living_orthodox Christ is one person who holds two natures within the divine and human natures, and you ask, Do we believe in one nature only? I said, No, this is heresy and heresy, if you don't believe it, this is your business with the will of Christ. Jesus does everything by his human nature and by his theological nature. Jesus walks by his theological and human nature together, but because human nature is united by divine nature without mixing or changing. Human nature has never left God on earth. He is Christ. That's what all the Orthodox Coptic in the world believe, if you don't accept that, that's your problem.☦️☝️
@@Coptic_orthodox1 your problem is pride. I specifically asked, how many wills and energies does Christ have. Human nature and divine nature are forever enhypostatized by the Logos (Christ). He has two natures, which we both agree. I am asking you to define what nature is, and if Christ possess a human will and a divine will, and human energy and divine energy. The official position of your Church is that He doesn’t. And if that has changed, then forthrightly embrace Chalcedon.
@@living_orthodox I thank God you're convinced we don't believe in monophysiological heresy. I answered how many wills Jesus had, of course, Christ had a divine and a human desire, but in one thought, that was Christ thought, that Jesus was one person doing everything by his human nature and by his theological nature, but he had two divine desires it is our belief as coptic orthodox christian ☦️☝️
@@Coptic_orthodox1 you’re still confusing terms. Desire and will aren’t the same thing. He has one human will and one divine will. Not two divine wills. If you belief in two natures, you’re unique amongst the Coptics. Either way, until your church as a whole, adopts Chalcedon union cannot happen until then.
I find it fascinating that the Catholic Church has been attempting to reunify with the Orthodox Church, but hearing an Orthodox priest say we can't even pray together when we share the exact same God and the same understanding of God.
I know some EO leaders want to end the schusm, but how can they have this desire if this is what the Orthodox Church teaches on prayer?
I am becoming an Orthodox catechumen so I’m not claiming to be an expert, but even from my previous evangelical paradigm I could understand why the Orthodox would not accept the advances of the Roman Catholics. For example- our God is not the same god as the Muslims, which is what the Pope and other leaders in the RC church have communicated in his words and actions. For this and many other reasons, there can be no reunion without major repentance on the part of the RC church. It is not loving to allow people to continue in sin, confusion or lies. You can love and care about people and a group without compromising.
Sadly from what I’ve heard, there are high up leaders in the Orthodox Church that are very interested in reuniting with Rome without the necessary repentance and major changes that would be required on their part to be in communion. Lord have mercy!
@@GuitarJesse7you are right! I dont know how this guy imagine union will happen. Orthodox will acept pope or pope will acept loosing his power?
I dont see this will ever happen whatever some church ecumenist talk. I live in Orthodox country and every priest who speak that ecumenical things loose credibility for people. We see them as a great danger to our faith. Greeks and Bratolomey has biggest ecumenical desires unfortnately.
How judgmental!! Not everyone who is outside of the Orthodox church DENIES CHRIST! (2:25) Get a Grip!
No. You do. In many ways. I am not the one caps lock flipping out online. You deny Him in holy communion (Eucharist), that is denying Him. If you’re Orthodox and think He’s divided among those who were anathematized or hold anathematized beliefs it’s because they deny Christ via twisting the truth. Go have some tea and look into this matter deeper. I am not giving my opinions. Just stating what has been taught since the disciples.
@@living_orthodox Really? You said, "You deny Him in holy communion (Eucharist), that is denying Him...." and that this "has been taught since the disciples." -- No it hasn't. There is nothing that the early disciples wrote that says Holy Communion is ONLY good if it is done by the Eastern Orthodox Church. .... And then I have to ask you, WHICH ONE? Russian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Coptic, Armenian, Syrian?? Or are they all good? What about the church in India started by Thomas the Apostle of Christ? Or are you going to say that they are wrong about that too? (Because they all go way back, while it seems that all you guys do is argue among yourselves as to who is right based on questionably inspired teachings outside of scripture, and then condemn everyone who is not exactly like you.)
And who said that the rest of the church denies the Niacene creed? (4:07)
25% of the World is WITHOUT the Gospel AT ALL! And yet you prefer to sit here and argue over minute strands of differences in doctrine, while the rest of the world WITHOUT the Gospel goes to Hell without Christ. Most (but not all) of those various adherents to different strands of Christianity follow the basic teachings of the Bible and most read it regularly. We should be uniting to bring Jesus to the rest of the world. Not bickering over minute differences in Church history.
@@d2westruth your arguments are anachronistic, stupid and a waste of time. To be clear, I don’t think you’re stupid. I think hit arguments are. It’s easy to answer your questions, but you’re not looking for answers. You’re looking for a fight. I can easily ask what makes you think the Gnostic and borderline perennialist Ecclesiology of the Protestants.
Yes the Church in India is in heresy. They believe Christ has one nature and one will. We see this isn’t the case when we examine the gospels. As for your “which one” crybaby argument, the Greeks, Russians and the whole of the Eastern Orthodox communion is one Church. Armenians are again, Monophysites like the Copts and the Indians. The Syrians are Nestorians and believe in two Christs-the man and the Logos. They believe the Logos essentially possessed the man as an organ. All of which lead to soteriological issues.
Yes it has been taught by the disciples, or do you deny the words of Christ in John 6, St Paul’s warnings in 1 Corinthians or even his Eucharistic statements in Romans? You don’t believe in the gospel. You’re a Gnostic who ultimately is worshiping the European Spirit of humanism. There is one Truth, one Christ and one Church. Neither of which you’ve managed to come to on account of your wilful ignorance and arrogance. May God help you, but I won’t allow you to continue sputtering about on here and wasting my time.
So again we cannot unite in error and falsehood. Lest you reduce Christianity to the philosophy you already have, for everyone else. There can be no union with Nestorians, Arians, Monophysites and those who espouse the Filioque. There can be no union with the Protestants who made their man Mande, man centred “churches” founded on post “enlightenment” ideas. There’s a reason all the reform countries are astoundingly atheist. You’re right that the world goes to hell and is hell without Christ. You best be working on overcoming your personal comforts and pull yourself out of the world and the worldliness that underlies your thoughts. God help you dear one. But like I said, you’re done wasting yours and my time here.
@@living_orthodox I have a question. If praying with the heterodox is wrong, how is the current Church still filled with grace when most patriarchates / leaders of the church are taking communion with catholics, including the Pope. And also metropolitans who are freemasons? How can you call this to still be the body of Christ? Or am I missing something.
@@alix.aconspi essentially that would be donatism you’re proposing. Their souls are in danger, but unless they’re defrocked and excommunicated they still can confer the mysteries. It isn’t us clergy who do it, but it is God through us who does.
I deny the doctrine of praying or talking to Mary, a dead woman. Does that make me a heretic?
Yes.
She birthed Christ who is God. God is also the God of living not the dead. Heaven isn’t a place of death but of life and she is far holier than you, or I will ever be. If you have an issue with Orthodoxy then go somewhere else. No one is making you do anything. If you feel convicted or uncomfortable because you don’t have the truth and believe in a tradition less than 500 years old in most cases, then I urge you to look into Church history.
@@living_orthodox then I will gladly be called a heretic by you, as I consider Jesus Christ the one mediator between myself and God, so I will pray to him alone. Goodbye.
@@markdoherty754 that has nothing to do with prayer. That’s verse pertains to Him being fully God and fully Man, mediation occurring between the two in His person. There’s nothing to be proud of. It’s not me calling you a heretic but the criterion laid out by the apostles and their successors.
@@markdoherty754 You believing that those in Heaven are dead are flirting with soul sleep at this point.
1 Timothy 2:5 is talking about Christ unique Mediation between man and God the Father. When we ask the Theotokos and the saints to intercede for us it is always to Christ God.
no where in your doctrine those it state the Catholic Church, those doctrines where made by the church for other religions not it’s own religion
Catholics are excommunicated by us and this also pertains to those not in communion. It’s clear from your comment that you didn’t understand the content of the video. Rewatch it and do some reading on the topic. You can find the apostolic canons online.
First of all I am Orthodox Can you tell me where jesus said if you're not orthodox you can't pray with other christians I don't want to hear what some man said I want to hear what jesus our lords said I bet you dollars to doughnuts you're not going to find it By the way was saint peter the first catholic pope
He was chief of the apostles and Jesus has said not to cast pearls before swine. The Bible doesn’t say a lot of things in plain or modern terms. You don’t find the word Christian till later on in Acts either. The phrase I’m which Jesus said “it’s better to give than receive” is also never said by Christ in the gospels. Nor is his freeing of the captives in hades. This is found later in St. Peter’s epistles. Honestly Chris, a lot of these things can be answered with a Google search or spending $20 on a book that has the canons of the apostles. Which by the way, it is the apostles who explicitly said one mustn’t pray with the non-orthodox.
The approach you’re taking is Protestant in its ethos, and disregards the authority Christ gave to His disciples. If you question their authority (especially in the councils which is the voice of the Holy Spirt) then you don’t understand the scriptures.
@Living Orthodox was St Peter a bishop of Rome first pope of Rome? Wasn't there reform between the east and west the same as Catholics and Protestants my question is why do Christians have to be divided pray to the same God Our Savior Jesus Christ? And all this fighting about who was first Catholic or orthodox but wasn't the first Christian called nazarenes.
@@living_orthodox I question everything man says or does maybe if Eve would have questioned the serpent things would have been different instead of just following blindly
@@chrisnukem2133 if you think yourself able to judge Adam and Eve, or somehow more enlightened, then you don’t understand. The devil isn’t a “man”. He’s a fallen Angel and isn’t someone you can remotely compare to the Holy Fathers who inherited sacred tradition. Tradition was in place before the NT and is what guided the Church until 40 AD when St. Matthew wrote his gospel. It would also behoove you to recall that even St. Paul commends the Corinthians for holding to sacred tradition. You’re arguing with a priest. One who was a former Protestant and is well aware of these faulty arguments and who has been seminary trained. Spend less time on this and read the Truth of our Faith by Elder Cleopa. He answers these exact questions.
The first man you should question is yourself.
@@living_orthodox What do you mean holy fathers? Didn't God say there is no one holy not 1?
Now I know how to get an annoying Orthodox out of the room.
That’s okay, we bring our icons and the heterodox usually dash.
Father I apologize for doubting your direction. All Christians believe in one God. As people are different different ways can lead all of us to God. Why can't we pray our prayers along side of each other. We are asking / inviting to pray with us in our way.
A priest once said it is worse to insult a host by pointing out you can't eat what they have prepared to keep the fast.
This refers to fasting. It’s not me your doubting, but the apostles and the canons of the Church. Be wary of humanism which seeks to make human logic and reasoning the highest truth. A counterfeit could look exactly like the original, but it’s unbacked, disingenuous and as a result, devoid of the value of the original. We shouldn’t fill our hearts with or minds, with the poison of heretics which is mingled with the gospel in order to make it more palatable.
Read the saints. St Paisios, St. Arsenios the Cappadocian and St. John of Kronstadt to name a few, all speak against this humanist and ecumenist position which would have Christians become spiritual polygamists, rather than maintaining fidelity to the bride of Christ and the teaching of the holy fathers.
Rabbinic Judaism for gentiles.
The apostles themselves wrote these canons. Not everything they wrote did they consider holy scripture as we know it. Rabbinic Judaism doesn’t have much, if anything in common with us. It’s a baseless assertion to make.