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Showing posts from January, 2015

Theophany Activities

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Try putting the words of the Theophany troparion in order in this interactive activity, offered free to all online. http://www.hamatoura.com/GreetingCard/Greetings.php?subject=Theophany%20of%20Jesus%20Christ&link=07JesusTheophany-En Also, refresh your knowledge of this feast by watching this great resource in English: Do you know what the ax means in the tree? What were the poignant words of St John the Baptist? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cE6jI6jPXqE#t=91

Colors of Orthodoxy

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Now is a good time of year to pay close attention to color in the Orthodox Church, and how it's used to underline the moods appropriate to the season or special feastday. Many changes have probably already occurred in your local parishes to signify the Lenten season. This is a good opportunity to review the significance of the colors with your teens and children to enhance their experience and understanding. On evenings like Forgiveness Vespers and Holy Saturday, the change of color can be seen mid-service! In the Orthodox Church, there are typically six liturgical colors used: white, green, purple, red, blue, and gold. (Later, black vestments also came into use, and in various regions scarlet orange or rust as well) Most typikons/rubrics for our Orthodox jurisdictions seem to specify either "dark" or "bright" colors according to what the priest or parish might have available, but there are some common practices for the major feasts we can look at. Changes ca