The Catalog of Good Deeds

Question: Explain to me, please, why women may not enter a church when they are unclean (during menstruation)? After what period of time after the completion of these days may they venerate holy things and Commune? How should one behave if during this time one finds oneself on a pilgrimage? I’ve heard that such a prohibition has not always existed, and comes from the tradition of the ancient Syrian Church. Please explain.

Answer: In agreement with the statutes of the Divinely-reveled Old Testament religion, cleanliness (spiritual-moral and physical) is an essential requirement for approaching all things holy. Sin leads to inner uncleanliness. Physical uncleanliness in the books of Law in the Old Testament included: leprosy, purulent discharge, carnal emissions, the time of cleansing after childbirth (forty days for a boy, eighty days for a girl; Lev. 12), female bleeding (monthly and pathological), touching a decaying body (corpse). According to the religious understanding of ancient cultures, uncleanliness was not a sin, but it was genetically related with it. It is with this meaning that the holy prophets used it: Isaiah (6:5), Ezekiel (22:5), Zechariah (13:2). The word “clean” is also etymologically connected with a moral condition. It means luminous, emitting light (Job 17:9; Isaiah 50:12). The New Testament Church abolished ritual uncleanliness. The primary condition for our union with God is inner purity: “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Mt. 5:8). The New Testament Church of Christ, in abolishing the Old Testament statutes of ritual purity, simultaneously preserved restrictions for women during childbirth and during menstruation. The second canon of St Dionysius of Alexandria (third century) reads: “Concerning menstruous women, whether they ought to enter the temple of God while in such a state, I think it superfluous even to put the question. For, I think, not even themselves, being faithful and pious, would dare when in this state either to approach the Holy Table or to touch the body and blood of Christ. For not even the woman with a twelve years’ issue would come into actual contact with Him, but only with the edge of His garment, to be cured. There is no objection to one’s praying no matter how he may be or to one’s remembering the Lord at any time and in any state whatever, and petitioning to receive help; but if one is not wholly clean both in soul and in body, he shall be prevented from coming up to the Holy of Holies.”

Source: http://ishmaelite.blogspot.com/2010/06/menstruation-and-communion.html

Led by the renowned precentor Nun Juliania (Denisova) the Monastic Choir of St. Elisabeth is considered to be one of the best Church choirs in Belarus. Recently the choristers toured several European capitals including Berlin and London. They undoubtedly have their loyal listeners in many countries today. Those of us who were not lucky enough to attend the choir’s performances have a chance to get familiar with its concert programme listening to the CD Album “Our Faith”.

The tracks presented in the album are structured according to their significance. At the beginning there are several chants that are sung during the service in the Orthodox Church. We can listen to both East Slavic and South Slavic tunes in this part of the album. Liturgical chants are followed by several folk songs which comprise Belarusian, Russian, and even French cultural tradition. One of the songs “Haze over Water” tells a touching story about a girl who prefers a monastic cassock over bridal dress.

The rest of the songs are, for the most part, the fruits of labour of contemporary poets and composers. One of them is the famous Russian poet Archpriest Andrew Logvinov whose poems address such universal themes as compassion, mercy, forgiveness, patriotism and others. At the end of the album we can listen to “You Simply Have To Love”, which is probably one of the most recognized songs created by Nun Juliania (Denisova).

At first glance, the album’s name “Our Faith” seems to suggest that apart from liturgical and spiritual chants no other music genre should be present in the current CD. In that context, one might ask, “Why are there so many folk songs in the album? How are they related to the Christian Faith?” However, we should not be surprised since there has always been a deep connection between the Church and folk music. In conclusion, I would like to quote Stepan Smolensky (1848 – 1909), a choir director and scholar of the ancient Russian chant, “The Russian spiritual singing is cognate with the folk song, and thus, it represents the purest and deepest expression of the spiritual life of the people”.

Listen to a preview of the "Our Faith" album in the Catalog of St. Elisabeth Convent.

By Vladimir Sypchu,

a chorister from the parish of

the Entry of the Most Holy Mother of God into the Temple

in Minsk

The Catalog of Good Deeds, 2018

Today, the Church uses priest and temple vestments of various colors. There is even a full-fledged system of liturgical colors where each holiday has a prescribed color. Where does this practice come from?

Originally, all vestments were white, based on the following verses from the Revelation of St. John the Theologian, “[the righteous] have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14). White vestments are mentioned by St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory the Theologian.

Worship development saw the use of vestments of other colors. However, the number of colors and their practical usage was different in various places. According to St. Symeon of Thessalonica, just two colors—white and purple—were used during the late Byzantine era. Eugene Golubinsky, a Russian church historian, writes that the early Russian Church inherited that practice, too. The Church in Russian lands used only three colors—white, crimson, and yellow—for a long time. White was used on Sunday, great holidays, for baptisms and funerals. Yellow was the color for ordinary services. Clerics wore crimson robes mainly during the Great Lent or on holidays dedicated to the Lord’s Cross.

However, this system had quite a few caveats, too. If there was a richly adorned set of vestments in a cathedral, they used those vestments even if they weren’t of the required color.

The Typikon, compiled in mid-17^th century, contains just two rules regulating vestment color: Priests have to put on white vestments on Great Saturday before reading the Gospel during the Liturgy; and they also must wear “all-brightest robes”, i.e., all white, on Easter Day. We find one more rule regulating the color of clerical robes in the Lenten Triodion: “the priest changes his robe at the Vespers when Lord I Have Cried is being sung, leaves the sanctuary, and censes the church.” Thus, rubrics don’t specify how exactly this or that color is to be used.

A more or less consistent system of liturgical colors in Russia emerges only in the 17^th-18^th centuries due to growing Western influence. The final five-color system was approved by Pope Pius V in the 2nd half of the 16^th century. It was due to Roman Catholic influence that the idea of various colors corresponding to various holidays gained traction. Nevertheless, there wasn’t a unified system until the 20^th century.

Each bishop or monastery had their own system of liturgical colors. We know of a system developed and used by Saint Philaret (Drozdov). For instance, Saint Philaret used blue vestments on Sundays of the Great Lent, on Great Thursday, on Christmas and Theophany Eve. He celebrated Easter Matins wearing red vestments, and Easter Liturgy and all services during the Bright Week in white. Similar approaches were practiced in monasteries, too. St. Sebastian of Karaganda, heir to Optina Elders, described the pre-Revolution practice in Optina Pustyn. He remarked that red was the ordinary color, green was used on lenten days, and blue was used on days of commemoration of holy monks.

It was only in the 20th century that the system of liturgical colors gained its contemporary form and was recorded in the Clergy Handbook. Notwithstanding this fact, some dioceses and parishes still use their own color system.

Other Local Orthodox Churches may have different color systems or have no designated liturgical colors at all (e.g., Greek Orthodox Church). The Orthodox in various countries use vestments according to their local customs and traditions.

Therefore, the contemporary system of liturgical colors belongs to the sphere of tradition rather than strict rules, and can vary from one parish to the other. This liturgical diversity isn’t inherently bad, for, according to Saint Athanasius Sakharov, “Church laws strongly oppose monotonous banality.”

By Alexander Adomenas,

a PSTGU graduate, BTh

Translated by the Catalog of Good Deeds

Source: https://pravlife.org/ru/content/otkuda-vzyalis-cveta-cerkovnyh-oblacheniy

“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:7-8).

The Orthodox Church has always been reach on various images and examples of holiness. Even in the first centuries of Christianity, the apostolic range, the limitless army of martyrs and hosts of fathers and mothers flourished in the Church with their piousness. The Church knows also such a degree of holiness as gratuitous healing: the saints of the Church cured corporal and spiritual diseases without taking any charge following the words of the Lord – “Freely you have received, freely give”.

There are many unmercenary doctors mentioned in the menology of the Orthodox Church and we honor a lot of names of God's faith healers such as St. Panteleimon, St. Ermolai, Ss. Sampson and Dyodim, Ss. Kyr and John, Ss. Photius and Anikita, St. Luke of Crimea, St. Agapitos of Pechora Caves and many others. Among them there are also Ss. Cosmas and Damian, but there is an interesting fact about them – the Church tradition tells about several pairs of saints with such names. We know about Cosmas and Damian from Asia (November 1), about the saints with the same names from Rome (July 1) and about the unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian from Arabia (October 17). It is very easy to mistake them especially due to the facts that their icons look similar, they have the same names and they all were honored as wonderworkers and healers.

Ss. Cosmas and Damian of Rome were skillful doctors and cured a lot of people who came to them for help. They managed to persuade some of those people to turn to Christ, the Only true Healer of our souls and bodies. Many of those who were cured by them believed then and joined the Holy Church. Roman authorities could not but learn about that, and a group of warriors was sent to the saints. When Cosmas and Damian were brought to emperor Carin (283-285), they confessed the name of Jesus Christ and refused to bring sacrifices to the pagan idols. By the prayers of the brothers, Carin himself was stricken with a severe illness, and only by their prayers he was healed then by God. The brothers were released and managed to avoid the death from the Roman authorities. However, they could not avoid martyrdom. The doctor who once had taught them medical science, was jealous of the young unmercenaries and their fame. Under the guise of gathering some rare herbals, he brought them to a high mountain and there he beat them to death with stones.

Ss Cosmas and Damian of Arabia were the contemporaries of the Roman saints and were born in Arabia, where they were practicing medicine, too. The brothers had the gift of healing other people. However, they performed their feat of martyrdom not in Arabia but in Cilicia, where they were brought by the local ruler. When they refused to bring sacrifices to pagan gods, they were subjected to torture, but God’s angel protected them from any harm. The saints were slayed with a sword as well as several other Christians who suffered with them.

On November 1, the Church commemorates Ss. Cosmas and Damian of Asia. Their pagan father died early and the kids were brought up by their mother who was a pious Christian. Later she sent her children to school where they were studying various arts and especially medicine. Soon, they became well-known as doctors all over the province of Asia. Once it happened that Damian accepted a gift from a woman whom he had cured, despite their promise not to accept anything for their help. However, he could not reject her kindness for the sake of Holy Trinity. That made Cosmas very upset, who even willed then that they would be buried separately. Only the Lord’s miraculous interference explained later the true reason of what Damian did. Cosmas and Damian died a natural death and were buried in Mesopotamia. Many healings happened near the holy relics of the Asian unmercenaries, who did not cease their prayers to God for all the people asking them for help, even after their death.

The icon of Ss. Cosmas and Damian in St. Elisabeth Convent

Already in the ancient times there was a confusion with the images of the unmercenaries. People just could not understand which icon belonged to which saints. Moreover, in the West the episodes from the lives of the Arabian and Asian healers were mixed, and some of such mistakes were even reflected in the well-known images by Fra Beato Angelico.

So, to distinguish the holy unmercenaries we need to look closer at the Orthodox icons depicting them. Cosmas and Damian of Asia are depicted with beards, holding the feathers in their right hands, which is the sign of their great education, and the open vessels with cure in their left hands. The unmercenaries from Rome are depicted as young men who are holding the crosses in their right hands as the sign of martyrdom and the vessels in their left hands since they are the healers of Christ. The Arabian doctors, according to the ancient Slavic life story, are similar to Ss. Florus and Lavrus: St. Cosmas is depicted with a short beard while Damian is looking like a young man with the short hair. What is more, we should point out that they can be also depicted wearing turbans, since their homeland was hot Arabia. In this case it is quite easy to distinguish them from other unmercenaries.

The fact that the faith healers from Rome, Arabia and Asia glorified God with their feats and mercy towards people in different parts of the Roman Empire (in the West, east and South) means that gratuitous healing was not a specific virtue that revealed in one single country - it proves the universal character of the Church of Christ. As Cyril of Alexandria said, “all over the world, the Church of God heals the sins of any kind, committed either with soul or body. Everything that is called virtue in our deeds, words and spirituality is gained in the Church”.

Let us address these God’s servants, who became the true followers of God both in Spirit and Truth, asking for their prayers, keeping in mind numerous miracles performed by their prayers and remembering the apostolic words of St. James: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16).

Holy unmercenaries and wonderworkers Cosmas and Damian of Asia, Rome and Arabia, pray the Lord for us!

By John Nichiporuk,

a Bachelor of Theology,
specialized in Biblical Studies.

The Catalog Of Good Deeds, 2018

Once upon a time there was a rich King who had four wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best and was always concerned for her well-being.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another. He kept a tight hold on her.

He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidant and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could go to her, and she would help him get through the difficult times. She brought him a sense of joy and made him laugh whenever he was with her.

The King’s 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her and gave her no food or clothing.

One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, “I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I’ll be all alone.”

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, “I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I’m dying will you follow me and keep me company?” “No way!”, replied the 4th wife, and she walked away without another word. Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.

The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, “I have loved you all my life. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No!”, replied the 3rd wife. “Life is too good! When you die, I’m going to remarry!” His heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, “I have always turned to you for help and you’ve always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?” “I’m sorry, I can’t help you out this time!”, replied the 2nd wife. “At the very most, I can only send you to your grave.” Her answer came like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.

Then a voice called out: “I’ll leave with you and follow you no matter where you go.” The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was so skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the King said, “I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!”

In truth, we all have 4 wives in our lives:

Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it will leave us when we die.

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.

Our 2nd wife is our worldly pleasures – all the things that seem to help us escape the problems in life. No matter how we have relied on such pleasures, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

And our 1st wife is our Soul… often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power, and pleasures of this world. However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.

As we consider what important things we should try to accomplish, this parable helps put things in perspective. Certainly our bodies are important and we should take good care of ourselves. We are also called to be good stewards of our wealth and possessions. And, there is nothing wrong with enjoying some of the good pleasures of life like a vacation or dining out.

But each of these things pale when we consider what is of eternal importance. May we be strengthening our souls with spiritual exercises, being good stewards of our souls by setting aside proper time each day to nourish it, and experiencing the joys of seeing our souls flourish through our wonderful Sacramental life (Holy Communion, Holy Confession, etc.).

Remember those 3 wives that abandoned the King when he needed them the most. Only one was of eternal worth. May we all take better care of that one while we can!

With much love and prayers,

Fr. Stephen Powley

Source: https://upwordglance.com/2016/01/06/the-four-wives/

“And thou shalt make an altar of shittim wood… make for it a grate of network of brass.” (Exodus 27:1,3)

It was God who planted the feeling of liturgical beauty and the splendor of the House of God into the hearts of people since the Old Testament Tabernacle times. Christians have always lifted up their hearts in common prayer and wanted to decorate their churches with the best that nature and human craftsmanship can offer.

The Rev. Paolo Ferrazzo, an Italian priest and a rector of one of the biggest and the most vibrant parishes in Venice in honor of St. James, son of Zebedee, asked us at St. Elisabeth Convent to make a worthy reliquary for the right hand of Apostle Luke, which is preserved in his parish.

Rev. Paolo Ferrazzo

The relics of Apostle Luke are known to have been stored in a Benedictine abbey in honor of Holy Martyr Justina in Padua since the 8th century. They were likely transferred there from Constantinople during the iconoclastic crisis. However, the city of Padua came under the rule of the Republic of Venice in the early 15th century. Venetians, noted for their appreciation of holy relics, moved the right hand of the Apostle and Evangelist Luke into one of their city churches, where it remains until today.

The Rev. Paolo Ferrazzo wrote to the Catalog of the Good Deeds, “Our old glass reliquary was broken during a hurricane. I’d like to have a reliquary that the Evangelist deserves.” He also ordered a smaller reliquary for a small particle of relics.

Our Non-Ferrous Metals Workshop set out to work and soon enough, they finished both reliquaries. God willing, the reliquaries will soon arrive in Venice, in the parish of Holy Apostle James, son of Zebedee. The honorable relics of the great Apostle and Evangelist Luke, the “beloved doctor” (cf. Colossians 4:14), will be preserved in the magnificent reliquary made by our craftspeople.

Father Ferrazzo had ordered a painted icon of Christ the Pantocrator from us in the past. He knows that there is an Icon Painting Studio in St. Elisabeth Convent for more than a decade now. That is why, on behalf of his parish and with the blessing of his diocesan bishop, he decided to endow our Convent with a particle of the relics of Holy Apostle Luke who, according to the Church tradition, painted the first icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary and is therefore remembered as the heavenly patron of all icon painters.

That was how, relishing the opportunity to venerate the holy apostle by making a reliquary for his holy relics—which is already a great honor for us—we unexpectedly received this sacred object as a gift. May the Apostolic blessing of Evangelist Luke, the tireless companion of Holy Apostle Paul, reside upon our Convent! May his holy relics and his prayerful intercession inspire our icon painters in their hard but blessed and God-pleasing work of creating amazingly profound Orthodox icons, revealing the celestial beauty to the world, and calling everyone into the Kingdom of Christ!

By John Nichiporuk,

a Bachelor of Theology,
specialized in Biblical Studies.

The Catalog Of Good Deeds, 2018

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The Problem of "Unclean" Women and Holy Communion

“Our Faith”: Harmonious Combination of Liturgical and Folk Music

Where Do Liturgical Colors Come From?

Three Stories of Ss. Cosmas and Damian: Who Were They and How to Distinguish Them?

The Four Wives of the King and How They Are Connected with Everyone of Us

A Reliquary for St. Luke: a Unique Order Made by the Workshop of St. Elisabeth Convent

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