r/OrthodoxChristianity

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By HCHC staff

August 19, 2026

Hellenic College Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology is pleased to announce the launch of a dedicated webpage for The Catechist: The Art of Listening and Teaching, a new Certificate Program in Orthodox Catechism presented by Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology through The Scriptorium Initiative.

The vision for The Catechist program was conceived by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, together with the Most Reverend Members of the Holy Eparchial Synod, in response to the growing pastoral need to prepare qualified lay catechists to assist the clergy in the Church’s apostolic ministry of teaching. That vision was subsequently developed and given academic form by the faculty of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology under the leadership of its Dean, the Rev. Dr. Eugen J. Pentiuc.

The program is co-directed by Fr. Eugen J. Pentiuc and Dr. James C. Skedros.

Designed for lay leaders, parish educators, ministry volunteers, clergy spouses, recent converts, and Orthodox Christians seeking deeper theological formation, the year-long online program combines recorded lectures and assigned readings with weekly live zoom seminars. Its five instructional modules address the foundations of the Orthodox faith, moral theology and eschatology, sacramental and liturgical life, Orthodox spirituality, and catechetical pedagogy.

Participants may enroll in the Certificate Track, designed for those preparing to serve as parish catechists, or the Enrichment Track, for those seeking theological and catechetical formation without certification requirements.

The inaugural program begins October 5, 2026, with Module I: Foundations of the Orthodox Faith:

Oct. 5–9, Divine Revelation, Fr. Eugen J. Pentiuc

Oct. 12–16, Holy Scripture, Fr. Eugen J. Pentiuc

Oct. 19–23, Holy Tradition, Dr. James C. Skedros

Oct. 26–30. “I believe in one God…,” Fr. Demetrios Bathrellos

Nov. 2–6, “And in one Lord Jesus Christ…,” Fr. George Parsenios

Nov. 9–13, “And in the Holy Spirit…,” Fr. Philip Zymaris

The newly launched webpage provides information about the curriculum, five modules, faculty, schedule, Certificate and Enrichment Tracks, and enrollment.

Those interested in taking courses, participating for enrichment, or enrolling in the Certificate Program are invited to visit www.thescriptoriuminitiative.org/the-catechist/.

SOURCE: https://orthodoxobserver.org/hchc-launches-new-webpage-for-the-catechist/

Hi,
Please forgive me as I'm not sure how to start this but I wanted to ask a question. I have self harmed; and I wanted to know if this is something I need to confess to my spiritual father. In my mind it is because I have defaced something made in the image of God.

But I was not sure if this was something to bring up in confession or not.

Thank you.

Hello!

I am a Lutheran. (From Sweden)

I have a friend who is Orthodox, and who talked to me about how he thought that Lutheranism was heretical.

He was really emphasizing that the first two of the 5 Solas are, among other things which I mostly forgot, as our conversation continued about the Solas.

Those two are:

Sola Scriptura | Scripture alone

Sola Fide | Faith Alone

I've been thinking a lot and I want to know if you share this view? And if you do, why?

I don't mean any hostility, I am just curious.

Praised be God.

I also apologize if this is against rule 1, english isn't my first language and google translate was not helping me with it. 🙏

I've been falling into despair alot since last year, I've been getting up and falling down but I'm tired of failing God and I want that relationship with Him again. I've been so lost when it comes to prayers. For example, when I'm walking alone, I used to speak alot, then I started to get repetitive. Now I got to a point where I got nothing to say, so I just stay silent, which pushes me more into despair, and even when im silent, i hear and feel nothing, just a void. Besides those conversations, I of course pray the Jesus prayer, always ask for mercy when I'm convicted, thanking Him for everything, and I just genuinely want to please Him. Any suggestions would be appreciated

Hi everybody! I'm new to Reddit so I'm sorry if I'm doing this wrong lol. I am not Christian but I'm open to it , I do not follow any religion and if I had to choose one to follow it would be Christianity (orthodox). I just don't consider myself a Christian because I struggle to believe and accept some basic teachings. Here is where I need help:

October of 2024 I met the love of my life. At first, he was kinda drawn away from the religion, despite growing up in a religious environment. We took a few steps further into our relationship, which made him feel guilty, considering he grew up seeing it as a bad thing to do before marriage. (we didn't have sex, but as far as I know everything sexual is seen as impure and as a sin before marriage in Christianity.) Him feeling guilty made him gain back his faith , and his faith continued(and still does)to grow stronger every day. I'm not upset about that, I'm actually very happy he has found his happiness and I tried to be supportive of it, and participate in his happiness too, despite not believing.We did argue at first because I got scared that his faith would change him and our relationship.(not in a good way) But eventually ,I grew to love him more and like that in him.

His faith grew so strong, that he broke up with me a little over a week ago. After almost 2 years of being together. I can't say I did everything right, and at first when he started to believe more I didn't react the way I should have, but I changed and I tried to do my best. He left because the church strongly discourages couples with different religions. And the moment he was told that he immediately made it into a personal standard — "I need a wife who shares my faith".

I have tried to see things from his perspective, and I understand it to some extent. But I always come to the conclusion, that he also could have stayed.

Do you guys agree with the church? Do you think he'll come back? Our relationship meant a lot to me, every day that goes by I realize even more that he was my person. I don't want you to feed my delusions, but I want to know, you being a Christian, how do you think he'll handle this? Also just to make it clear, we both really loved each other! it's not that he got tired or bored. Thank you for your time.

Hello, my husband and I have been going to a GOC for almost a year now and became catechumens about 6 months ago. (Both grew up protestant) We travel a lot of weekends to see family and aren’t the best at making it to the studies.

I have a few reasons I can’t seem to decide and wonder if I’ll ever be ready to convert. The saints is one, which I keep hearing “just give it time”.

The second is everyone saying to just “ask the priest” and there’s a lot of questions nobody can answer. I like how the priest doesn’t claim to know everything but something about this just seems strange. I want a mentor for me and my husband and the organization of the church maybe doesn’t allow for that because the priest is the highest and knows best. And during the Bible studies the priest leads, he seems to talk down to people and shoot down questions. He’s also just said some things that I don’t agree with that seem opinionated not biblical. And so many of the questions just end in “we will never know. Nobody knows.”

As for the women’s Bible study, we go through different books that are about Orthodox faith. However every time it just turns into an hour and a half of us all comparing Catholic Churches and Protestant churches to Orthodox churches. And then them digging on Protestant churches. At first this was amusing and eye opening but now I’m kind of sick of it. I want more community, not division, and I want tools to help me get closer to God and live out my faith more. I don’t want the whole time to just be comparisons.

Lastly, there are maybe 60-100 people and not many young adults. Theres about 6 young adults that are sociable and all late, late 20s or 30s. I’m in my early 20s and am struggling with wanting more of a social life. They also rarely talk about their faith. The events are just hang outs and talk of pop culture.

My husband wants to stay, the older people are very friendly. The liturgy is a nice fellowship and he’s pretty sick of trying different churches. My parents always church hopped and that’s become normal for me. I know I can’t agree with everything a church/pastor says but in the Orthodox Church it seems you really have to believe everything they say before converting and that makes me feel like I’ll never convert.

Do I just try out other churches for awhile? How do you stop being a catechumen? And why have I lost the spark to learn more?

Hello everyone. Today I broke up with my boyfriend of more than 1 year. He was muslim and although he was the best and the most loving and caring person I still decided that we had to end it all. I had to choose God. I've been crying for more than 3 hours and I am deeply hurt. I wanted to be with this person and still do but I realized that it won't work. God's word and my church have to be number one for me no matter how hurt I will be.

Please guys pray for my healing and pray for my ex. May God open his heart and save him. Please pray for my love and maybe if God wills, we will be together again.

Hello. I recently was sharing the gospel, and I encountered someone who was very hateful towards to the Christian god because she was r*ped at 6 years old.

I honestly didn't know how to respond to this, and it left me very questioning.

I do know that everything that God allows serves a purpose, but how does that apply to non-christians and especially non-christians this young in age?

Is it because of a reason that I cant comprehend due to Gods omnipotent ability?

I ask in good faith to address situations like these better if it occurs as I meet a lot of people with similar backgrounds while sharing the gospel.

My parents want me to throw away my Orthodox icons and say that I have changed ever since I started going to an Orthodox church. They say that I believe “too much” and that I am different because I fast and take my faith seriously.

My parents are Roman Catholics from an ethnic minority background. I would describe them as somewhat agnostic, although they still attend Mass every other Sunday or sometimes every Sunday.

They also point to things such as the Holy Fire, myrrh-streaming icons and reports of Orthodox priests being attacked.

They say that Orthodoxy is a cult especially because Orthodox services during Pascha was very late at night.

They also tell me to live my life, don’t focus on religion too much and worry about your education and future rather preparing the soul.

My Orthodox Name is Moses ☦️❤️

The Readings for August 18th, 2026, 12th Tuesday after Pentecost, Forefeast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, Dormition Fast were these:

2 Corinthians 5:15 - 21

Mark 1:16 - 22

Reflection on the Readings

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen. Glory to Thee, o God, Glory to Thee.

Beloved new creatures and fellow ambassadors for Christ, my siblings and friends; we see now a most excellent display of philotimo in these passages, today. A great and pure example of what it means to be called a Christian, a little Christ by His grace.

We see our Christ, God in the Flesh, Who said: “I judge no man. And if I do judge, My judgment is true: because I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent Me.”

And again, we see the purpose of His being sent, namely: “reconciling the world to Himself,” giving to us “the word of reconciliation.”

All the while, our Lord preaching and teaching, healing and showing forth mercy, He was “not imputing to them their sins.”

This is the All-good nature of the Good Physician! He knows that we are to blame for our sins, but He knows all too well that to condemn us does not provoke us to seek His mercies.

Rather, when we are condemned, our ego flares up, and we rebel. So for the sake of our health and communion with Him, in His great love, He instead teaches us to seek out reconciliation, never condemning us, but our sins.

And the consequence of our self-will, our departure from the source of life, our ingratitude, our disobedience, namely, death; He has taken it upon Himself! What we were unable to do, behold, He has done it!

In being Crucified, the Blameless One has made us able to become blameless. He that is the source of health has gone to the source and end of our sickness, that He may grant us true health in Him!

For these things how can we not be grateful? We ought to respond as the Apostles, leaving all to follow after Him. Of course, we should do this within reason, and hear our spiritual fathers on how to do this.

For example, a husband or a wife should not think it pleasing to God to abandon their family to supposedly serve Him. Even the beloved and Holy Apostle Peter was the husband of one wife, and we know that he pleased God.

But this willingness to love God and His creation, let us hold fast to it, thank God for such a gift, and pray that He matures us in it, guiding us on how to do so.

It may be that this example of the Apostles leaving all to serve Christ, though their former life seemed blameless within the text presented this day, shows us how we ought to leave the life of passions that rule us, and become children of God in Christ.

Truly, if these would have ignored the request and invitation of Christ, then they would have borne the blame. And it is true of us also, if we do not turn from our earthly ways to Him, then we will remain sick, and perish.

But the Lord takes no pleasure in our perishing, desiring us to turn to Him and live with Him forever! Not only so, but when we return, He makes us His ambassadors, to go out with peace, and to show forth His abundant mercy to all.

As our beloved St. Seraphim says: “Acquire a spirit of peace, and thousands around you will be saved.”

It is not that we go preaching, but that we focus on loving God and His creation, turning to Him always; being attentive and worshipful, being reverent and compassionate, merciful and humble, grateful and dutiful, joyful peacemakers; essentially, relying on God's grace, without Whom we can do nothing.

As our beloved Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica reminds us: “He who has the Kingdom of God within himself will imperceptibly pass it on to others. People will be attracted to the peace and warmth in us; they will want to hear us, and the atmosphere of heaven will pass on to them. It is not even necessary to speak to people about this. The atmosphere of heaven will radiate from us even when we keep silent, or talk about ordinary things. It will radiate from us even though we may not be aware of it.”

And this is the Holy Spirit working in us, and our cooperation; not that we may boast of ourselves, but glorify God together with one voice. It is His good pleasure to make us His co-laborers, fellow lovers of His creation working to reconcile all in Him and to Him.

May it be according to His will for us, through His own grace and compassion, through the prayers of His Body both in Heaven and on earth, especially of our glorious Lady Theotokos, and of all who love Him!

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages, Amen.

(8/19/26)

I find solace in being weird and strange, it is something that lets me cope with the suffering of this world.

It's alienating, sure, but it's a way to justify myself not being in tune with the way the world lives. I think this is not the best coping mechanism, that's why I am asking my fellow Christians - what do you think?

By "being strange" I mean hating the way the world works, despising worldly success, social institutions, feeling the stupidity of it all and being generally nihilistic towards a lot of stuff in this world, except God.

I don't really have a desire to 'stick it to the man', I just hate the way things are, I hate that it makes me suffer so much and how little genuineness there is, how everything is so artificial.

That's why I subscribe to a lot of nihilistic thinking found in angsty music, for instance. I wish I would stop filling myself with hate, but I just don't see it happening.

I am a Christian and I don't wanna go hand in hand with worldly success, but I am conflicted because, at the end of the day, I am simply jealous.

That's the thing - I can't really distinguish my sinful disdain from righteous Christian disdain, that certainly has some place.

How do you cope with the things I've mentioned?

Please don't be too harsh on me, I am already quite miserable.

Hello,

I've been inquiring for about 3 months, and attending every Liturgy that I've been in town for (travel has been a bit more frequent this summer, though I've made my efforts to attend Liturgy in any area I've traveled to if I was missing the one at my home parish), and I have a smaller question which I haven't found an answer to on my own.

On the first Liturgy that I attended, the priest at my local church asked me to fill out a card with my information so that he can contact me. I still haven't received any correspondence from him, and am not sure if I should go ahead and initiate a conversation with him. During coffee hours, he is very attendant with the older folks in the parish, so I feel like I would be bothering him if I tried to pull him aside to speak then.

Should I email the priest, or pull him aside during coffee hour to discuss my intention to join the Church? Or should I just continue to attend and hope that he reaches out?

I grew up in a Methodist parish, and knew the pastors very well so I never had to sort of introduce myself to clergy before. And the deacon at this Church is very kind and we have spoken many times. He even gave me a book to learn more about the ins and outs of Orthodoxy. Very sweet person. Just not sure how I should approach the priest, if at all.

Sorry for the long-winded post.

God Bless you all.

So my recent posts here are about the 3rd book of Ezra (the prophet) which I decided to read recently. Much of the information which is written there seems contradictory or incompatible when compared to both the 1st and the 2nd book of Ezra. The main thing is that Ezra should have lived over 150 years in order to have been both deported from Jerusalem to Babylon and return back over a century later. Although he is mentioned as the son of Seraiah who died around 586 B.C. it seems difficult to me to believe that Ezra survived that long. Many people say that this work is classified as pseudepigrapha and that it was written much later (even after the New Testament was written) but it is still included in some bibles of the Orthodox Church. There is also an icon I've seen with a quote from that book and the title "prophet" ascribed to Ezra regardless of the fact that in the other books he is considered merely a priest and a scribe. Is the said book accepted by economia even though we know it's not factually right compared to the information we get from the other 2 books?

Please pray for me Brothers and Sisters. I am an inquirer in the Orthodox Faith, I’ve been attending a Orthodox parish since April and I had been researching and reading about it for around a year before that. I come from a non denominational/ Baptist background. As a baby I was “dedicated to God” in the Church of God but not baptized, just to provide some context. Lord Willing I will become a catechumen in the Orthodox Church soon. In a week or so I am going to be attending a free will baptist university with required chapel services several times a semester, the vibe I got from the tour I received was that people are stand offish and a bit confrontational, getting comments about wearing a dead person on my neck and thinking he’d hear any of my prayers (St Herman of Alaska) . Throughout my life I didn’t know about Orthodoxy but I seen a lot of Protestants saying outright hateful things and disgraceful things to Catholics. Being that there’s a massive conversion for many to Orthodoxy, I’m sensing this will be no different and in some ways worse since Protestants feel they’re losing their reach on many. I am looking for some advice navigating this time, I am also an older (30) student using my gi bill so there’s a few dynamics mixed in here and I’m trying my best to stay focused on my faith and my goals, but I’m really nervous thinking about all that I will deal with and hear coming from 99% Protestant circles in my classes and around the university. Can someone give me some advice? Maybe someone that has been in my situation? Thank you very much, God Bless.

I know this is going to be a lot, but please bear with me. I am not part of any EO church right now, and I do not know any EO priests. I know many people are going to say that I need to talk to a priest or that I am overthinking all of this when I am not even part of the Church yet. I understand that, and I would eventually love to talk to someone, but right now I am really just looking for guidance, opinions, and answers from people who may have been in a similar situation.
I am a 20-year-old woman, and my boyfriend is a 20-year-old man. We both come from Protestant backgrounds and have been together for about 2.5 years. We have always dated with the intention of marriage.
Before I met my boyfriend, I prayed to God not to let anyone into my life unless they were meant to be there. Throughout our relationship, especially during the beginning of our courting, I prayed every day for guidance and often prayed that God would remove him from my life if he was not someone God wanted me to be with.
About a year ago, my boyfriend began telling me that he felt spiritually lost and was searching for a church that he felt God was leading him toward. I have been praying for him throughout that process.
Last May, I visited him at school since we attend college in different places and are currently long distance. During that visit, he told me that he believed Eastern Orthodoxy was the Church he felt pulled toward. This may not sound like a huge deal, but I was completely blindsided because I had not really been included in this process before that point. I was upset and felt left out, although I have explained that to him since then and he has told me he will include me more because this is such an important part of both of our lives.
That same weekend, I attended a Russian Orthodox Divine Liturgy with him. I honestly felt very alienated, but of course it was completely different from anything I had experienced before. I still cannot tell whether I actually did not like it or whether I was just uncomfortable because it was so unfamiliar.
Since then, I have done research, but it has been difficult because we have been long distance all summer and have not been able to really sit down and talk through everything in person. I know it has only been a few months, but I feel like I need more time to wrap my head around some things, while he seems to be having a much easier time with them.
I am starting to understand the role of the saints, but I still struggle with asking saints for intercession. Salvation in the Orthodox Church also seems different from what I have always known, and Holy Tradition and its relationship with Scripture is something I am having a hard time understanding. I think my boyfriend is really drawn to the history, the saints, and the fruits of the Church, and I can absolutely see why. I think I have a harder time with some of the traditions and practices because they feel so different from what I have known.
I have also started thinking about what this would mean for our future marriage. We have always intended to marry, and we are both saving intimacy for marriage. Because of that, I have looked into some aspects of Orthodox married life, but I feel like I am getting overwhelmed.
Is it true that married couples are expected to abstain from intimacy during fasting periods? If so, is that every fast or are there specific fasts? How is this actually practiced within marriage?
I am also worried about family planning. My boyfriend and I will have been together for about five years by the time we get married. We are also not planning to live together or travel together until marriage, so I personally feel like I would want time to build the foundation of our married life before introducing children.
That does not mean I think children are bad or that I do not want them. I absolutely believe children are a blessing, and I would love to have them in the future. I just also recognize that they are a huge responsibility and commitment. I want to work after I graduate, and I am currently in nursing school because I feel called to help people heal. Eventually, I would love to further my education so I can help people even more.
I also struggle with body image and have always been concerned about the physical toll pregnancy could take. I know I cannot predict what pregnancy would be like for me, and I already have medical concerns that make me nervous about it. Again, I am not saying I never want children. I just want to be thoughtful about when I have them and how many children we are prepared to care for.
Are Orthodox couples allowed to intentionally try to space or limit the number of children they have? I have seen people say this is something that must be discussed with a priest, which is another thing I struggle to understand. Why is a priest so involved in decisions that I have always believed were between a husband, wife, and God?
When I attended that Divine Liturgy, I actually cried. Maybe it was hormones, but I also think it was because I truly believe God put my boyfriend in my life, and I believe that he may genuinely feel called toward Orthodoxy. At the same time, I do not know if I currently believe that Orthodoxy is for me, and I know what that could mean for us.
This whole subject has always made my heart feel heavy, and I have prayed a lot for discernment. When we first had a serious conversation about this, my boyfriend made me feel like we would figure it out together and that God would lead us toward what was right for us.
The last time we talked, though, he seemed much more certain. He was talking about getting more involved in the Orthodox community, which scares me. Not because I think the community is a bad thing, but because he is far away from me and I feel like I have no real way to be part of it or even know what is happening. It makes me feel like we are no longer walking toward something together.
He told me he would love for us to both be Orthodox before we got married. Part of me wants to agree that it would be best for us to be united in our faith before marriage, but I also do not want to rush into something this important just to make our relationship easier. By the time I graduate, I would potentially need to start catechumen classes, but I feel like I have not even had enough time to truly experience Orthodoxy and figure out what I believe.
I also worry about what this would mean for our wedding. I have always pictured a traditional Western Christian wedding, and I honestly have no idea what an Orthodox wedding ceremony even looks like. I know that may sound superficial compared to the larger theological issues, but marriage is something I have always thought deeply about.
I also have a difficult time with how involved a priest seems to be in marriage and family life. I have always believed that my marriage would be between my husband and me under God. I understand the idea of receiving pastoral guidance, but I struggle with understanding where guidance ends and spiritual authority begins.
I do not know if I am explaining all of this well. I am not trying to attack the Orthodox Church, and I am not asking anyone to tell me to leave my boyfriend. I love him, and I genuinely believe that God has brought us into each other’s lives. I also do not want to pretend that I believe something just because he does. If I ever become Orthodox, I want it to be because I truly believe it is true and because I believe God is leading me there, not because I am afraid of losing my relationship.
I am just scared of the possibility that God may be leading him somewhere that I am not currently sure I am being led. I want us to figure this out together, but I also know that I cannot force him to stay Protestant and he cannot force me to become Orthodox.
I guess I am looking for guidance from people who have been in similar situations, especially converts or people who came into Orthodoxy from a Protestant background. How did you handle being in a relationship when one person was more certain about Orthodoxy than the other? What does Orthodox married life actually look like in regard to fasting, intimacy, family planning, and the role of a priest? And how do I discern whether I am genuinely being called toward Orthodoxy or whether I am only considering it because the person I love is?
Please be kind. I know this is long and I know I probably sound like I am overthinking everything. I just feel like faith, marriage, and having children are some of the biggest decisions of my life, and I do not want to make any of them without truly understanding what I am saying yes to.
Also, is there anything that you would recommend that could help me learn more about the Church and discern this for myself? Since I do not currently have a priest or an Orthodox community nearby that I am connected with, I am not sure where to start beyond researching on my own. Are there books, podcasts, videos, online resources, or even specific questions you think I should focus on? I do not want to learn about Orthodoxy only through arguments online or through my boyfriend’s perspective. I want to genuinely understand the Church for myself and figure out what I actually believe.

I've heard about this concept mainly in Roman Catholic contexts. For those unaware, it is the concept that being in some places or being with some people can cause you to sin by virtue of human weakness to sin. For example, a man entering a strip club would be entering into an occasion of sin, even if he had no money to purchase any 'services' there.

On Wikipedia, it is said that this concept is taught in Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism and Methodism. Since I find this concept quite interesting and spiritually helpful, my questions are:

• Is this concept also taught in Orthodoxy?
• Did any Church Fathers or saints discuss this concept, directly or indirectly?
• Where can I read more about it in a Orthodox context?

Thanks in advance!

I’m am surrounded by love and god and happiness, yet I am so sad
I feel so alone and scared and I can’t make any sense of this
I’m so excited and happy I’m pregnant and my baby is healthy
But I feel so disconnected sometimes with god.
I’m having to work so much my job is very demanding
And I’m very sick with this pregnancy I’m throwing up multiple times a day throughout the day I’m so fatigue and so drained for work
I feel like I can’t concentrate on my concentration with god or my pregnancy
I’m so scared to bring my child into this world with how everything is atm
At the end of the day when I’m in heaven with god my job will not matter the money I make will not matter but my family my children.
I really want to leave my job but I’m entitled to paid maternity leave so I don’t want to miss out on this and be a burden on my partner and our family, i feel I’ll be judged for not working and carrying my own weight by my family and his. I’ve been told my by dad I need to women up and get throw this pregnancy and I’m not the first person to be pregnant.
But this is my first pregnancy and I feel like the magical of pregnancy is being taken from me and I’ve still got 6 months to go.
I really don’t know what to do