Η ορθοδοξία στα αγγλικά: Orthodox Christianity with St.Georges Antiochene Orthodox Church (Βίντεο)

Orthodox Christianity with Father Fouad Sabah and layman Robert Sweiss from St. Georges Antiochene Orthodox Church famous for the weeping Our Lady of Cicero. This was a general discussion and interesting conversation on Orthodox Christianity and Christians in the Middle East. St. George is a Orthodox Church in the Antiochene tradition which celebrates the Divine Liturgy according to Saints John Chrystostom and Basil. There is a brief introduction to Icons and the mystical art of the Orthodox Christian Church. There is a discussion on the Sacraments especially Holy Communion. The Blessed Virgen Mary plays a special role in the Orthodox Christian Church with the title of Theotokos (the Greek word for Godbearer). St. Georges Antiochene Orthodox Temple is a vibrant faith community with food pantry for the poor, hall rental for the community, and a life centered around liturgy and prayer especially in the Syrian and Greek Traditions of St. John of Damascus and St. Isaac of Syria. 

The Orthodox Christian community is known for their "smells and bells" and a mystical worship and liturgical style that is prefigured in the New Testament Book of Revelation in the Bible and Ancient Hebrew Temple worship with chant and incense as some examples. The Divine Liturgy and the Real Presence of Jesus in the Bread is the center of the life of the Church and communion with God but aspects of the architecture which acts as a teacher, bowing, incense, and outside the liturgy the Jesus Prayer and the Heychastic mystical movement are party of the practices that are unique in the West. 

St. George Orthodox Church is a traditionally Middle Eastern immigrant origination (Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Egypt) but is open to all and has Hispanic, Caucasian American and African American parishoners as well as Orthodox Indian and Greek members. The center of Orthodoxy is in the person of Jesus Christ who is True God and True Man and the goal of man is to unite with that God-Man. There is also a discussion on persecution of Christians in the Middle East in Israel, currently in Iraq, the Gulf States, Iran and Egypt with the Copts. There is a history lesson and personal message and a Blessing at the end from Fr Sabah.

Tony Joyce Producer