Jesus – Page 3 – Faith Unto Ages

The Early Church Fathers: Were they Miaphysite?

A common misconception about the Oriental Orthodox Church is that it’s Christology is ‘Monophysite’, meaning, that She followers the erroneous teachings of Eutyches of Constantinople that Jesus’ humanity had disappeared into His Divinity.

On the contrary, the Church teaches that Jesus Christ is Fully God and Fully Man; but One Concrete and Composite Nature from Two. This form of Christology is known as ‘Miaphysitism’, which has its basis in the teachings of the Early Church Fathers.

Below is an explanation of our Church’s Christology is more detail by His Holiness Pope Shenouda the Third, followed by a Florilegium on this dogmatic teaching.

Lenten Reflection: What the Censor can Teach Us about Ourselves

A vessel which is used within the Divine Liturgies of the Orthodox Church is the Censor. It has various other names as well, such as Thurible, Shoria, Tsena, and Poorvar.

It has its origins in the Old Testament Levitical offerings, with God commanding through Moses that Aaron “shall then take a censer full of burning coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, with his hands full of the incense compound, beaten fine, and bring it inside the veil. He shall put the incense on the fire before the Lord, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat on the testimonies, lest he die” (Leviticus 16:12-13).

[REPOST] The Eucharistic Miracle of Fr. Daniel Youhanna

[This post was originally on the Facebook page ‘Orthodox Saint Stories’]

One day a group of people submitted a formal complaint that Fr. Daniel Youhanna was not proficient in memorizing the liturgical prayers in Coptic, and he was summoned by Metropolitan Thomas so he may personally investigate the matter. The day after receiving the metropolitan’s order to appear before him, Fr. Daniel saddled his donkey to journey and meet him. His wife baked him a loaf of bread, wrapped in a handkerchief, in case he became hungry on the journey. He began the ride to the diocese headquarters in Al Minya.

Along the road, he began to review and practice the liturgical prayers in Coptic, so when he was tested by the metropolitan, he would be able to display his proficiency.

The metropolitan, seeing Fr. Daniel walk into his office, was shocked to see, in the priest’s possession, a handkerchief soaked in blood!