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QUESTION 1 |
Many allege that during the Annunciation,
the Mother of God conceived Christ after smelling a lily which was
offered to her by the Archangel. This fact is not found in any of
the Gospels, but is depicted in Icons. Moreover, the lily is
strongly regarded as a symbol of virginity. Is this fact true or is
this an innovation?
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QUESTION
2 |
According to the sacred canons of our
Church, Clerics are not allowed to take secular or political
positions. But in contemporary history we have examples of clerics
(Archbishop Macarius of Cyprus, Damascenos of Athens ect.) who it is
clear have violated these canons. Was this permissible?
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QUESTION
3 |
In Turin of Italy, the Roman Catholic
Church safeguards a sheet which is considered by her priests as the
sheet that Joseph wrapped the Body of our Lord after it was taken
down from the Cross. What is the Orthodox view on the authenticity
of the Shroud?
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QUESTION
4 |
From various historical sources, we are
informed that Constantine the Great was guilty of many murders and
other grave crimes. Was his recognition as a Saint by the Church
correct?
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QUESTION
5 |
The holy light of Jerusalem does not reach every church of the Orthodox
world. What is the origin of the light which is distributed by the priests
who have not received the holy light and how can it be considered as
consecrated?
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QUESTION
6 |
Why do people call
the Holy Saturday Morning service as the First Resurrection and the
Midnight service as the Second Resurrection? Are there two Resurrections?
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QUESTION
7 |
In St. Chrysostom's Easter Sermon we read: "Ye who have fasted and ye who
have not, rejoice this day." Some Christians believe that St. Chrysostom
allows us to receive the Holy Communion on Easter without any preparatory
fasting. Is this interpretation correct or does the Holy Father mean something
else?
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
8 |
Should the faithful kneel during the consecration of the Precious
Gifts? Some say that it is permitted to kneel everyday except on
Sundays while others say that it is completely forbidden. What
ultimately is correct?
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
9 |
According to a local custom, Christians who live in Macedonia walk on
burning coals on the feast of St. Constantine in order to honour him. Some
people claim that this custom has idolatrous roots and therefore it is not
acceptable. Is it permitted by our faith or not?
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
10 |
I
came across your wonderful website and noticed that you have a
Sister Mariam at your Church as a Deaconess. Is she a properly
Ordained Deaconess as St. Nectarius had in Aegina? I have heard that
the Church of Greece has been thinking of reinstating this Order to
the Church just as she had in Ancient times.
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
11 |
It
is claimed that the human race was reproduced through incest between
Adam and Eve's children. Is that true according to the scriptures?
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
12 |
We
maintain a list of Greek Orthodox namedays in Greek and English. We
have visited your site... some of the names that you include have troubled us since
they are not included in the Orthodox synaxarium. You have included names that are not canonised by the
Orthodox hierarchy and thus your list is invalid. Could you please
enlighten us.
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
13 |
In the General
Epistle of St. James, we read that Christians are not allowed to take
oaths. In spite of this, the Church performs oaths in her services which
are also included in her Liturgical books. How can something like this be
justified?
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
14 |
Some priests who took an active part in the wars of 1918 and 1940
kept on
performing the Divine Liturgy and other holy services despite the
fact they
had killed enemy soldiers. How could this be acceptable?
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
15 |
The Sacraments of the
Western Churches are seen by the Orthodox Church as non valid except
that of baptism. In the case where people return to the Orthodox
Church, they are received only though the Mystery of Holy Chrism.
But on what does the difference between the sacraments rest? Either
Divine Grace acts on all or does not accomplish any.
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
16
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For what reason did Judas receive the 30
pieces of silver to betray Christ? As Christ had developed an
extensive social activity, it was impossible for the Scribes and the
Pharisees not to recognize him so as to arrest him.
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
17 |
Christ preached the people to have love for
all men and to forgive each other. God in the Old Testament
proclaims “an eye for an eye”. Is this not a contradiction?
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
18 |
Many
Christians show a special devotion to the bread and wine used in
their diet (they avoid disposing them etc.) because they see them in
some way as being “blessed” because of the Mystical Supper. Others
pay special reverence or anoint the oil from vigil lamps which are
lit in front of Icons or on the Holy Table. Lastly, some believe
that the flow of blood after partaking of the Holy Gifts results in
a desecration or loss of the Lord’s Blood which they see as flowing
in our veins after having Holy Communion.
Which of all these is true and which an exaggeration or rejectable?
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
19 |
According to our faith the sins that are confessed to a priest are
considered as non-existent and the person that has committed them is
fully forgiven. Despite of that, certain sins prevent someone from
becoming a priest. Why does this happen even after absolution?
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ANSWER ►►► |
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QUESTION
20 |
In which way and according to what
criteria was the separation of the canonical from the apocryphal
text done by the fathers? If the apocryphal gospels are not
canonical, why did the Church rely on them to formulate certain
feasts of the Mother of God such as the Dormition and Entry?
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ANSWER ►►► |
