The Great Martyr Barbara lived and suffered during the reign of the Emperor Maximian in the early years of the 4th century. Her pagan father Dioscorus was so protective of her that he placed her in a tower so that she could have no contact with anyone he considered to be unworthy. Alone in her tower, Barbara would often ponder the beauty of creation that she could study from her lofty perch. She was able to reach the conclusion that all of this was the work of the One, True…

     On November 18/December 1, our Holy Orthodox Church commemorates two saints who didn't know each other in life, but who shared the same conviction for standing up for Christ and His teachings. On this day, we commemorate the Martyrs Plato and Romanus.

     Plato lived in the 3rd century in Galatia. At a time when it was dangerous to do so, he openly practiced his Christian faith. He denounced the pagans for their idol worship, for which he was arrested and brought before the…

     In the symbolism of our Holy Orthodox Faith, the Church is often compared to a ship, carrying us through the turbulent ocean of life to our ultimate destination: God's heavenly kingdom. Church buildings themselves are sometimes constructed in a manner that resembles a seafaring vessel. Christ is our "captain" on our journey in life, and if indeed the Church is a "ship" then it must certainly have a rudder, for without this important instrument, it would be virtually impossible to…

     Everyone's heard the old adage, "You can't judge a book by it's over." Simply put, it means that the words printed on the inside of any literarywork are of far greater worth than the richly embossed exterior of a volume. The same holds true for people as well. In today's society, much emphasis is placed on physical appearance. We laud and seek to emulate our athletes, movie stars and other celebrities, as if they possessed something valuable because of their outward…

     When we read about the lives of the early Christians, it is amazing to note how many men and women who the Church reveres as "saints" were prominent members of the pagan Roman society of their time. One such person was the Holy Martyr Callistratus. Callistratus was born into a Christian family in Carthage in the 3rd century. He came from a long line of military men, and when he was old enough, Callistratus also became a soldier in the Roman army. He served the Roman Empire well, quickly…