General Christianity
Can you tell us a true story about the “Friendship of the Saints”?
This story is true and was written by one of our priests serving abroad, to nourish our minds and hearts with the beauty of faith. I got to know this lady closely at one of the churches where I served abroad. She is a young woman who is pleasant to deal with, beautiful in appearance, […]
Why does the priest circle the altar once with the gospel and the cross after the Gospel reading?
This act symbolizes the spread of the gospel to all creation. The priest holding the gospel book resembles Simeon the Elder holding the infant Jesus. Hence, the priest recites, “Now, Lord, you let your servant depart in peace according to your word…”
What is the significance of Jesus’ response to the thief “Today you will be with Me in Paradise”?
The Right Thief asked to be with the Lord Jesus in His kingdom, saying to Jesus: “Remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43). This verse signifies the following: • The soul remains alive after the death of […]
What is the Feast of the Transfiguration?
• In ancient times, God granted life to the clothes of the Israelites during their time in the wilderness; their clothes did not wear out but grew with their bodies. How much more, then, did He grant life to His own clothes, which He wore? He bestowed life upon them, causing them to shine with […]
What did God mean by the law of “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” in the Torah? And how did Christ fulfill this law in the Gospel?
It is written in the Book of Exodus: “If men quarrel and hit a pregnant woman, causing her to give birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, […]
Why are the Psalms not recited in the Divine Liturgy until the Lamb is present?
The Psalms contain prophecies about the incarnation of Christ (represented by the Lamb), and with the presence of the Lamb, these prophecies are fulfilled.
What is the scientific/historical response to the allegation that the Torah and the Gospels were forged?
Scientific Evidence for the Authenticity of the Scripture: God did not reveal His scriptural revelation for humans to manipulate it whimsically. Below are the key scientific evidences that, along with the Quran, confirm the scripture. These are results of modern archaeological discoveries. 1. *Dead Sea Scrolls*: Discovered in 1947 in Qumran, near the Dead Sea […]
Why were Moses and Elijah with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration?
• Of course, the answer we all learned when we were young is that Moses represents the law and Elijah represents celibacy… (Let’s be patient with that). In reality, there are many similarities between Moses and Elijah, including the following: • Moses met with God on Mount Sinai, and Elijah also met with God on […]
Was this law only applied in the case of the pregnant woman?
No, in Leviticus, God generalizes this law: “If anyone injures their neighbor, whatever they have done must be done to them: fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The one who has inflicted the injury must suffer the same injury.” This teaches that what one sows, one also reaps, and that evil brings […]
Why is the number of bread loaves (prosphora) in the offering dish an odd number?
This practice reflects the unique nature of Christ, “the Only Begotten.” The odd number also symbolizes: • 3: The Holy Trinity and Christ, who is one of the Trinity and became the sacrificial Lamb. It also symbolizes humans’ body, soul, and spirit, as Christ shared in our nature except for sin. • 5: The five […]
The Testimony of Mutawatir (Consecutive Transmission)
History tells us that the eminent scholars of religion, who were contemporaries of the apostles or their successors in the care of the church, quoted from the sacred books, particularly the Gospels, in their sermons and writings. This was due to their conviction that these books were divine and inspired by God, with no falsehood […]
Can you explain the creatures mentioned in Chapter 13 of the Book of Revelation?
Why hasn’t Satan died? If the wages of sin are indeed death, then why hasn’t Satan, the main instigator of sin and the source of all sin in the world, died? So why wasn’t he punished by God as Adam was? Or why wasn’t he atoned for as Adam was?. Was Paul the first to […]
Was this law always enforced in the Old Testament?
No, its enforcement was rare and specific, with God intervening through leaders or kings, such as when Joshua executed Achan for betraying Israel, or when David executed the young man who claimed to have killed King Saul.
: Why does the priest cross his hands when selecting the Lamb?
This action is reminiscent of Jacob blessing Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, with crossed hands.
What are the reasons for the wide spread of Heresies these days?
1. Anxiety about the future encourages the emergence of “false prophets” who promise universal salvation projects and set dates for signs of the times and the end of the world, trapping those who seek reassurance. 2. Economic problems drive individuals, fleeing from a consumer society, to seek a spiritual alternative. In an age of speed, […]
What are the various names of God in the Bible?
The word “God” in Hebrew is represented by terms like “Elohim,” “El,” “Elyon,” “Shaddai,” and “YHWH,” and in Greek, it is “Theos.” Initially, all the names of God denoted His attributes, but the original meanings of many have been lost over time, necessitating the search for new meanings: 1. General Names: One of the oldest […]
Why did God give this law to the Jews if He knew it would be difficult to implement?
As previously mentioned, this was during humanity’s spiritual infancy in the Old Testament. God gave them a law that brought them closer to righteousness and justice. This law taught them that sin is costly and harmful, that revenge must be limited, and that they should submit to priests and judges, who represented God. When Christ […]
What does the bible say about same-sex marriage, homosexuality, and tattoos?
The Church does not refer to same sex as marriage but as sexual perversion. As the Bible says: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites.” (1 Corinthians 6:9) This sin leads to the lake […]
Is modesty for women only? “Modesty is Wisdom”!
(From the weekly bulletin “My Parish” issued by the Metropolis of Mount Lebanon for the Greek Orthodox Church). “I hope women understand that the church’s insistence on modesty is not a despotic stance. It is merely a recognition that a woman is not alone in the church, and that man is her partner in chastity. […]
How did Saint Augustin describe his mother?
The most beautiful words said by Saint Augustine (the Son of Tears) about his mother, Saint Monica: “My mother was a woman in her appearance… A man in her faith… An elder in her wisdom… A mother in her tenderness… A Christian in her piety… After all this, is it too much for me to […]
Why do we pray towards the East?
1. The Glory of the Lord Came from the East: The star of the nativity appeared in the East. “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the […]
