Julian Calendar. Civil Calendar

National Public Radio Broadcast with Blisswood on Orthodox Christmas

NPR Orthodox Christmas Blisswood

Happy Eve of Nativity!

National Public Radio’s (NPR) Morning Edition recently reached out to Blisswood!

I was interviewed for the 3 minute short radio story heard here that aired today January 6th… regarding the traditions of those celebrating Orthodox Christmas using the Julian (Old Style) Calendar.

Some of our parish Youth Choir’s music is heard! A snippet was included of our wonderful Voices of Faith, Hope and Love singing the carol Glory to God in the Highest from their 2020 Virtual Nativity Concert during the pandemic. The whole concert can be heard on Blisswood’s My Music Vids

Another small clip of our music was heard from our Adult Choir’s 2014 Nativity Concert, singing Little Pine Tree also found on Blisswood’s My Music Vids.

This 20 minute interview (condensed into the 3 minute show) with NPR was such an amazing experience and a wonderful opportunity to share our ancient Orthodox Christian Faith!

May the Light of Bethlehem’s Star Illuminate and warm our hearts on this coming Bright Feast of Our Lord’s Holy Nativity!

Prayerfully wishing you God’s Blessings of good health, strength of spirit, and peaceful joy for 2023!

Christ is Born! Glorify Him! Christ comes from heaven, meet ye Him!

With Love in Christ, m Barbara.

Rays of God’s Grace

Each day brings something new. Amazing. Beautiful.

Today, on the old Julian Calendar (Dec 12/25), we celebrate the Wonderworker St. Herman of Alaska.

A recent miracle of St. Herman of Alaska on Mt. Denali.

Life of St. Herman of Alaska

Pilgrimage to St. Herman of Alaska’s Cell on Spruce Island

Today is also the Feast Day of St. Spyridon of Tremithus the Wonderworker.

Whether it’s a mirror or a cover from a tin can, unless the rays of the sun fall upon it, it won’t shine. The Saints were enlightened by the rays of the Grace of God, just as the stars receive the light from the sun. ~ St. Paisios of Mt. Athos (Spiritual Counsels, Volume II, Spiritual Awakening)

Angelic Banquet

The upcoming two week Dormition Fast which (on the civil calendar) begins August 14th, helps us prepare for the Feast Day on August 28th, of the Dormition – which means falling asleep, the repose of our most holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary!

… Fasting possesses great power. To fast is to banquet with angels. ~ St. Athanasius the Great

And indeed that which I am about to say is wonderful, yea it is of those things which are very miraculous; yet not far from the truth, as you may be able to learn from the sacred writings. That great man Moses, when fasting, conversed with God, and received the law. The great and holy Elijah, when fasting, was thought worthy of divine visions, and at last was taken up like Him who ascended into heaven. And Daniel, when fasting, although a very young man, was entrusted with the mystery, and he alone understood the secret things of the king, and was thought worthy of divine visions. But because the length of the fast of these men was wonderful, and the days prolonged, let no man lightly fall into unbelief; but rather let him believe and know, that the contemplation of God, and the word which is from Him, suffice to nourish those who hear, and stand to them in place of all food. For the angels are no otherwise sustained than by beholding at all times the face of the Father, and of the Saviour who is in heaven. And thus Moses, as long as he talked with God, fasted indeed bodily, but was nourished by divine words. When he descended among men, and God had gone up from him, he suffered hunger like other men. For it is not said that he fasted longer than forty days – those in which he was conversing with God. And, generally, each one of the saints has been thought worthy of similar transcendent nourishment. ~ St. Athanasius the Great

May your Dormition Fast be peaceful and fruitful.

A Shamrock Day

Regardless of it being March 30th on the civil calendar today, it’s also March 17th on the Julian calendar – thus, St. Patrick‘s Day again for some. 🙂

Icons of St. Patrick often show him holding a three-leafed shamrock growing on a single stem, he used this to illustrate the Holy Trinity – our One God in Three Persons.

St. Patrick wrote many hymns. Here is an excerpt from a beautiful, longer hymn, the Lorica (Breastplate) of St. Patrick. “I bind unto myself today, the Strong Name of the Trinity! By Invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three!” ~ St. Patrick

St. Patrick’s Lorica Hymn, sung by the GG’s (Abridged Version)