Happy Easter Everyone

[Guest Gilvisto]

How spiritual does your family make holidays?

When I was little, the spiritual facts of holidays were not heavily emphasized, but now, as I grow older, I find that the candy isn't quite so entrancing as contemplating Ressurection.

Oh well.

Happy Easter Everyone!

-Gil out

[begood2]

Gilvisto,

Thank you! I hope that you had an enjoyable Easter as well.

[Acez]

thank you very much and everyone have a happy and safe easter holidays.....

[DarkRose_f]

I hope that u will have a great Easter.

[Christos]

Christos Anesti!

Christ is Risen (the above is Greek)

I don't like easter eggs, and the candy associated with Easter.

Easter is the most important and essential fesitval in the Christian calendar. If it weren't for the resurrection of the Christ, we would be Jews!

Christ is Risen from the Dead! Trampling down Death, by Death! And on those in the Tombs, bestowing life!

Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

I love holy week and the Easter festivities.

As for festivals I don't like, I can't stand Christmas. It is such a waste of time. It wouldn't be so bad if the shops didn't commercialist it.

I prefer to celebrate the nativity and not exchange presents, Christmas isn't a very important festival.

As for festivals that I think are under rated.

The Annunciation of the Theotokos. (theotokos means, God Bearer and is Greek in origin, though it has become an everyday church word)

It is the day that the virgin Mary was told that she was going to bear God as her son. It was a day that fulfilled one of the greatest prophesies. I am not a woman but if I were I don't think I'd be able to even consider bearing the Christ.

Another festival would be The Festival of the Transfiguration of the Lord. (August 6).

And the day of Pentecost

And Epiphany

These other festivals and many many more are observed by the more Eastern churches and are of extreme importance.

I don't like this sort of dual festival idea that we have in western churches. Easter and Christmas are so far apart, and Christmas is of little importance.

I do get the impression that Christianity is an Eastern faith that is misinterpreted by the West.

[Christos]

Hve I frightened everyone away

[Jason]

I don't like easter eggs, and the candy associated with Easter.

Easter is the most important and essential fesitval in the Christian calendar. If it weren't for the resurrection of the Christ, we would be Jews!

Actually, no. We would be pagans worshipping the gods of our fathers. B)

Christ is Risen from the Dead! Trampling down Death, by Death! And on those in the Tombs, bestowing life!

Im pretty sure it's "And upon those in the tombs bestowing life."

Allelujah! Allelujah! Allelujah!

Indeed. Praise the pagan desert god Jah! Praise his desert-lordship! Amen!

I love holy week and the Easter festivities. As for festivals I don't like, I can't stand Christmas. It is such a waste of time. It wouldn't be so bad if the shops didn't commercialist it.

Nonsense. Christ-mass has always been a festive time, back when it was still the worship of Lord Mithras and Sol Inivictus. It was a festival to bring back the power of the might Sun-god. When Christianity imposed the birth of Yeshua onto this date (as well as a number of god-like attributes) the festivites continued, and all that changed was the name of the god who was being celebrated!

I prefer to celebrate the nativity and not exchange presents, Christmas isn't a very important festival.

Thus sayeth the Bishops of the Orthodox Church. Shall we be judged of them?

As for festivals that I think are under rated.

The Annunciation of the Theotokos. (theotokos means, God Bearer and is Greek in origin, though it has become an everyday church word)

Theotokos is a title given Mary by the theologians. She never called herself that. Christotokos is just as appropriate, and was much more commonly used by early theologians....until they decided that it just wasn't awe inspiring enough.

It is the day that the virgin Mary was told that she was going to bear God as her son. It was a day that fulfilled one of the greatest prophesies. I am not a woman but if I were I don't think I'd be able to even consider bearing the Christ.

It's not the day. It is a day chosen to cover up a pagan holiday at random. We actually have no flippin idea just when any of this actually took place.

Another festival would be The Festival of the Transfiguration of the Lord. (August 6).

And the day of Pentecost

And Epiphany

See my last comment.

These other festivals and many many more are observed by the more Eastern churches and are of extreme importance.

I don't like this sort of dual festival idea that we have in western churches. Easter and Christmas are so far apart, and Christmas is of little importance.

Again, the opinions of a few bishops and priests are not binding upon the Orthodox Church.

I do get the impression that Christianity is an Eastern faith that is misinterpreted by the West.

Actually, all of the Middle East (Including Egypt) is considered a part of the West. It's only when you get to India that the East is actually considered East.

Have I frightened everyone away

Nope.

[Christos]

Thanks for the somewhat interesting reply .

Unless Judaism hadn't come to England, I would probably be pagan. :)

I am aware that Christmas day falls upon (not by coincidence) the pagan festival of light.

We Christians liked to do that in the early days

Cast out the heresies by pain of torture (gotta love the spanish inquisition )

Actually I think it is optional to say either "upon" or "on". It has the same meaning and the extra syllable can really help with some of the chant tones.

Yes, Christotokos is the same in meaning but I think that Theotokos may have been (I haven't researched) adapted because of some heretical churches that considered Christ entirely human or a mere prophet.

As Christ is God and Mary bore Christ, that would make Mary the Bearer of God...thus the Theotokos....though the Roman church does take it a few steps further .

I dion't know if my personal opinons are shared by bishops of the Orthodox church but if they are, all I have to say is....Cool!

If you assumed that I am an Orthodox Bishop, I say.....mega cool!

I am actually not Orthodox, I haven't been Christmated yet, and I don't really intend to be for a few years. Till then, I am teechnically still in communium with the anglican church. I will probably be Chrismated when I go to university and I am independant from my family.

[Jason]

No Christos....didn't think you were a Bishop. I was waiting on your chrismation first (unless you go to an Ultra-Orthodox Church, and you'll have to be re-baptised. Those guys don't accept chrismation.)

[Christos]

My Priest accepts my baptism.

Like him I am protestant in background.

Though he was charismatic and I was high anglican.

My past church was really orthodoxesque....it even has icons, unaccompianied male four part choir and similar processions.

Chrismation is the joining of a catechumen to the Orthodox communium, regardless of parish....besides, if I was visiting an Orthodox church elsewhere (after Chrismation), no one is going to ask as I am partaking of the Eucharist "so, are you from one of those new fandangled orthodox churches that accept ex-protestants?!?! If so, we cast thee out!"