The Mameluke

The Mameluke Becomes a Marine

2009-04-05T19:05:00.003-04:00

It's done. I'm a Marine officer now. I am currently attending The Basic School in Quantico, VA. For the last three months, this place has been my home:

I graduated Officer Candidates School and received my commission on March 20th. My parents and my brother drove down from Ithaca, NY to see me graduate, and my grandpa drove north from Charlottesville, VA to be there for me. It was good to see my family after three months of hard times, but as I look ahead to six months of TBS, I realize that there will be fewer opportunities to see them as my Marine Corps career continues. I am looking forward to a 4-day weekend coming up next month, at which time I will definitely head home to see everybody.

The Desert Fathers

2009-03-15T10:17:00.004-04:00

I came across the writings of the Desert Fathers at Borders last weekend. I started reading it as part of my readings for Great Lent. More to come.

Death to the World

2009-03-15T10:08:00.003-04:00

Take a look at this site and let me know what you think. Is the Last True Rebellion truly to be dead to this world? Given my calling, and realizing that my place is in the world, should I ever expect to be truly dead? Since the early fourth century, Orthodox Christians have been active members of society, participating in the functions of politics and government, serving in the military, and doing all other things in the world alongside their pagan counterparts. I guess this Rebellion isn't for everyone...

3rd Battalion 1st Marines

2009-01-06T22:25:00.001-05:00

One of the best motivational Marine videos out there:

Theophany of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

2009-01-06T20:16:00.003-05:00

I celebrated the Divine Liturgy for the Theophany today at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in Rochester, where I was chrismated. I had to take care of some business in Rochester early today, so I decided to swing by the Annunciation and see my Godmother and Spiritual Father. I took home several bottles of holy water, which I will use to bless my icons.

Holy Transfiguration Monastery

2008-12-30T23:05:00.007-05:00

I was blessed to be able to visit the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Brookline, Massachusetts yesterday while traveling
home from Boston after a visit with family friends. The monastics here are Old Calendar Greek Orthodox. One of the most impressive of the holy objects found inside the monastery was a stone from Golgotha, which has a distinct fragrance said to be a manifestation of the grace of God:

These bells were made from German bombs dropped during World War II:

The monastery gave me this icon as a blessing. This is St. Eustathius the Great Martyr:

Alternate History

2008-12-30T22:20:00.004-05:00

I got into the genre of alternate history during my last semester of college. This is Code Guardian, a cool two-part movie made with computer-generated imagery:

Another cool film that is currently in production is Iron Sky, which bills itself as a "scifi comedy," but looks like another excellent alternate history story:

I also enjoyed Paolo Parente's Dust, of which there only appears to be one volume at this time:

St. Catherine Greek Orthodox Church

2008-12-21T21:33:00.001-05:00

My home parish.

Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God of the Sign

2008-12-16T02:33:00.005-05:00

Last summer I had the opportunity to see the Wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God at St. Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania. Discovered in 1295, this icon is attributed to many miracles.

St. Raphael & Tobias Icon

2008-12-16T01:57:00.006-05:00

I received this icon as a Christmas gift from my Godmother. She wrote,

For my Godson Robert,

It is an honor and a blessing to be your Godmother for your Christening into the Orthodox Christian Faith.

The icon is the Archangel Raphael with Tobias as they journey to find Tobias a wife. The name Raphael means, "God heals." Raphael's ministry to Tobit's family is that of a guardian angel. In Tobit 12:12-14, Raphael carries Sarah's prayer before the Lord, the angel is present with those he serves, and he is sent by God to bring healing. As you remember when we read the Book of Tobit, the Archangel Raphael, who identified himself as Azarias and a relative of Tobit, was hired to accompany young Tobias to Rages (near modern day Iran) to find a wife who would eventually be Sarah. I thought this icon would be a nice reminder of our reading the Holy Scriptures together. Notice the dog :) (inside joke). Tobias is also carrying the fish that Raphael told him to catch. The fish served as food, and its liver and heart were set aside to cast out a demon that plagued Sarah. The gall was used as a medicine that would later bring a cure to Tobit's 8 years of blindness.

The purpose of the story is to reveal how God has been working throughout history to bring man out of the darkness and sin and into the glorious light of Christ for the Salvation of mankind, and this is revealed in the icon with images of people being lead by the Archangel over land, sea, and air on the road leading toward salvation, indicated by the path and the Garden of Paradise in the upper right hand corner of the icon. It is said that Archangel Raphael protects the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. The Archangel Raphael is the divine healer of God and he protects the innocent, particularly travelers.

As you enter into the service of the Marines and travel on the path of your life, may the Archangel Raphael and the Lord's blessed saints guide, protect, and intercede with the Lord for your health and safety all the days of your life.

Love and blessings,

Christine

The icon, which is from the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Brookline, MA, has a special significance to me as I head off to serve in the Marine Corps. St. Raphael protects those who travel by air, land, and sea.

"From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
We fight our country's battles
In the air, on land, and sea;
First to fight for right and freedom
And to keep our honor clean;
We are proud to claim the title
Of United States Marine"
- The Marines' Hymn

Prosopon School of Iconology

2008-12-16T01:32:00.006-05:00

I painted my first icon under the guidance of this man, master iconographer Vladislav Andrejev. His website has an interesting short film about his work.

Monastery Blend Coffee

2008-12-16T00:20:00.010-05:00

I gave this coffee as a Christmas gift. It was a hit! This coffee comes from the All Merciful Savior Orthodox Monastery in Vashon Island, WA, and is sold through their online store. I am told the Dark French Roast is excellent, Apparently these monks got sued by Starbucks some years ago over copyright issues...

Fullness of the Faith Orthodox Christian T-shirts and Gear

2008-12-16T00:03:00.008-05:00

I just found this. Check it out.

The Jesus Prayer

2008-12-09T17:24:00.003-05:00

St. Nicholas the Wonderworker

2008-12-06T00:00:00.005-05:00

Today, the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Myra:

Reading:

This Saint lived during the reign of Saint Constantine the Great, and reposed in 330, As a young man, he desired to espouse the solitary life. He made a pilgrimage to the holy city Jerusalem, where he found a place to withdraw to devote himself to prayer. It was made known to him, however, that this was not the will of God for him, but that he should return to his homeland to be a cause of salvation for many. He returned to Myra, and was ordained bishop. He became known for his abundant mercy, providing for the poor and needy, and delivering those who had been unjustly accused. No less was he known for his zeal for the truth. He was present at the First Ecumenical Council of the 318 Fathers at Nicaea in 325; upon hearing the blasphemies that Arius brazenly uttered against the Son of God, Saint Nicholas struck him on the face. Since the canons of the Church forbid the clergy to strike any man at all, his fellow bishops were in perplexity what disciplinary action was to be taken against this hierarch whom all revered. In the night our Lord Jesus Christ and our Lady Theotokos appeared to certain of the bishops, informing them that no action was to be taken against him, since he had acted not out of passion, but extreme love and piety. The Dismissal Hymn for holy hierarchs, The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock ... was written originally for Saint Nicholas. He is the patron of all travellers, and of sea-farers in particular; he is one of the best known and best loved Saints of all time.

Apolytikion in the Fourth Tone

The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith, an icon of meekness, and a teacher of temperance; for this cause, thou hast achieved the heights by humility, riches by poverty. O Father and Hierarch Nicholas, intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Kontakion in the Third Tone

Saintly One, (St. Nicholas) in Myra you proved yourself a priest; for in fulfilling the Gospel of Christ, venerable One, you laid down your life for your people and saved the innocent from death. For this you were sanctified as One learned in divine grace.

St. John of Damascus

2008-12-04T00:00:00.002-05:00

Today, the Holy Orthodox Church commemorates John the Righteous of Damascus.

Reading:

Saint John was born in Damascus about the year 675, the son of wealthy and pious parents, of the family of Mansur. He was reared together with Saint Cosmas. who had been adopted by John's father Sergius, a man of high rank in the service of the Caliph of Damascus. Both of these young men were instructed by a certain monk, also named Cosmas, who had been taken captive in Italy by the Arabs and later ransomed by John's Father. Saint John became a great philosopher and enlightener of the age in which he lived, and was honoured by the Caliph with the dignity of counsellor.

When Emperor Leo the Isaurian (reigned 717-741) begin his war on the holy icons, John wrote epistles defending their veneration. Since the Saint, being under the Caliph of Damascus, was beyond Leo's power, the Iconoclast Emperor had a letter forged in John's handwriting which invited Leo to attack Damascus, saying the city guard was then weak; Leo then sent this letter to the Caliph, who in his fury punished John's supposed treason with the severing of his right hand. The Saint obtained the Caliph's Permission to have his severed hand again, and that night prayed fervently to the most holy Theotokos before her icon. She appeared to him in a dream and healed his hand, which, when he awoke, he found to be healed in truth. This Miracle convinced the Caliph of his innocence, and he restored John to his office as counsellor. The Saint, however, with many pleadings obtained his permission to withdraw from the world to become a monk. He assumed the monastic habit in the Monastery of Saint Sabbas. Then he had as elder a very simple and austere monk who commanded him neither to write to anyone, nor to speak of the worldly knowledge he had acquired, and John faithfully obeyed. A monk grieving over his brother's death, however, after insisting vehemently, prevailed upon John to write a funeral hymn to console him for his brother's death. When John's elder learned of his transgression of the rule he had given him, he cast him out of his cell, and would only accept him back after John had humbly, with much self-condemnation and without murmuring consented to clean all the latrines in the lavra. After his elder had received him back, our Lady appeared to the elder and sternly charged him not to hinder John any longer from his writings and composition of hymns.

In his writings he fought courageously against the Iconoclasts Leo the Isaurian and his son Constantine Copronymus. He was also the first to write a refutation of Islam. The time he had spent as a counsellor in the courts of the Moslems of Damascus had given him opportunity to learn their teachings at first hand, and he wrote against their errors with a sound understanding of their essence. Saint John was surnamed Chrysorroas ("Golden-stream") because of the eloquence of his rhetorical style and the great abundance of his writings; this name - Chrysorroas was also the name of the river that flows by Damascus. In his writings he set forth the Orthodox Faith with exactness and order. In his old age, after his foster-brother Cosmas had been made Bishop of Maiuma, John also was ordained presbyter by the Patriarch of Jerusalem. Having lived eighty-four years, he reposed in peace in 760. In addition to his theological writings, he adorned the Church of Christ with metrical and prose hymns and composed many of the prosomia used as the models for the melodies of the Church's liturgical chant; he also composed many of the sacred hymns for the feasts of the Lord Saviour and the Theotokos. The life of Saint John of Damascus was written by John, Patriarch of Jerusalem. See also June 28.

Apolytikion in the Plagal of the Fourth Tone

You are a guide of Orthodoxy, a teacher of piety and modesty, a luminary of the world, the God inspired pride of monastics. O wise John, you have enlightened everyone by your teachings. You are the harp of the Spirit. Intercede to Christ our God for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion in the Fourth Tone

Come, O ye faithful, let us praise the hymn-writer, the Church's luminary and wise instructor, the hallowed John, who cast down all her enemies; for since he took up the Cross of the Lord as a weapon, he drave off the heresies, with their every delusion. And as our fervent champion with God, he granteth all the forgiveness of trespasses.

George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation

2008-11-27T14:52:00.017-05:00

A Thanksgiving Blessing from Fr. Gregory of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America:

Glory to Jesus Christ!

To All of You,
who are Dear to Christ Jesus our Lord:

On this day of Thanksgiving, which was set apart by the civil authorities* of our nations for the purpose of pausing in the midst of our secular life to give thanks to Almighty God, I now pause and give thanks to God for each of you. I ask you to forgive me my faults and weaknesses, and to bear me up by your devout prayers and charitable forbearance.

May God (YHWH) -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - grant us the Grace to be truly thankful for all of the blessings bestowed upon us (both manifest and unseen) and to love each other with the Divine Love that our Lord, Jesus Christ, has revealed to us.

I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Gregory, unworthy presbyter of the Lord

* George Washington, Thanksgiving Proclamation, Oct 3, 1789:

"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be."