Kulich / Pascha (Russian Easter Bread) The Pascha bread, known in Juneau as “Russian Easter Bread,” is a rich egg bread filled with raisins and decorated with frosting and candy. It is traditionally round, and is symbolic of Christ, who is the true Bread of Life. It is worth noting that in some traditions, the […]
Do You Want to be Healed
Do You Want to be Healed: Unction, Sickness, and Sin “Do you want to be healed?” (Jn. 5.6 – RSV) We hear these words from Christ to the man at the pool of Bethsaida every year on the forth Sunday after Pascha. The Church has seen fit to place these words before us every year […]
Lessons on the Creed
Lessons on the Nicene Creed With Bishop Alexei of Sitka & Alaska His Grace has released a series of instructional videos on the Nicene Creed that are well worth your time. Fr Simeon https://youtu.be/aEoyJ_hrm0E
Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann: Two “Nos” and One “Yes”
Protopresbyter Alexander Schmemann: Two “Nos” and One “Yes” by Fr Thomas Hopko This article is taken from a sermon delivered by Fr Thomas Hopko in 1983 upon the death of Fr. Alexander. Fr. Schmemann was the Dean of St. Vladimir’s Seminary from 1963 until 1982 and his teaching left a large mark on the Orthodox […]
Archpastoral Letter for Nativity 2020
Archpastoral Greetings at the Nativity of Christ Archpastoral Epistle of His Grace, Bishop ALEXIS for the 2020 celebration of the Great Feast of Nativity in the flesh of Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ Prot. No. 1 To the Honorable Clergy, Venerable Monastics, and Pious Faithful of the Sacred and God-protected Diocese of Sitka […]
Letter to the Clergy & Faithful from Bp Alexis
First Letter from Bishop Alexis To the Clergy and Faithful of the Diocese of Sitka and Alaska November 23/December 6Saint Amphilochius, Bishop of lconium Beloved Clergy and Faithful of the God-protected Diocese of Sitka and Alaska, May the blessing of the Lord be upon you through His grace and love for mankind always now and […]
Starring/Slaaviq
Starring (Slaaviq) This afternoon, Fr. Simeon found an interesting old document about “Starring” in the files. Starring is a Carpathian tradition that was adopted in many places in Alaska. The closest equivalent we have in America is Caroling. The document was an unattributed photocopy that Father has reproduced below. The Story of Starring (Slaaviq) The […]
Economia and the Spiritual Hospital: a Closer Look at Trullo’s Canon 102
Economia and the Spiritual Hospital Fr. Simeon initially wrote this reflection at St. Vladimir’s Seminary as part of Canon Law 101 taught by Father Alexander Rentel in September 2009. At the time, he was struck by how the terms economia (οἰκονομία) and akriveia (ἀκρίβεια), which are central to Orthodoxy’s understanding of Canon Law, were originally medical terms. […]
Orthodox Practice and Tlingit Identity
Orthodox Practice and Tlingit Identity By Fr. Simeon B. Johnson Most of our Tlingit people adopted Orthodox Christianity in the late 1880s and early 1890s. They did not adopt Orthodoxy from the Russians under threat of Russian Colonial pressure, but they adopted Orthodox Christianity after many elders received visions of St. Nicholas telling them to […]
The Home Church & an Icon Corner
Support St. Nicholas Fr. Simeon B. JohnsonApril 5, 2020 (N.S)Martyrs Agathopodos the Deacon, Theodoulos the Reader & their companions During the COVID-19 crisis that has closed all of our church to the public, I hear a lot of questions asking how do we set up a “home church” like so many people are talking about. […]