Christos Anasti

by Robdar 4 Replies latest jw friends

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  Robdar

  Christos Anasti! (Christ has risen!)

  I went to the Greek Orthodox celebration of Pascha/Easter last night and got home about 4 this morning. What a great time. I really have to hand it to the Orthodox, they know how to celebrate Easter.

  The ceremony was beautiful with incense, candles, singing, the Greek language, the rituals, and for the members, communion. Because I had fasted that day, the ceremony took on trippy proportions. It is amazing the rush you will get when you are light headed from being hungry and you smell the incense and hear the chanting in Greek.

  I spoke with the priest last night and am thinking of joining the church. I must say, this is the first time that I have really considered joining any church since I left the JWs. The Greek Orthodox are unlike any other religion I have encountered, including the Russian Orthodox, who are in communion with them.

  Are there any other Orthodox out there? Care to share your experiences with me? I plan on talking to the priest again next Sunday.

  Love,

  Robyn
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  Vivamus

  I've stepped into a Russian Orthodox Church once, in Russia. The singing, the incense, there was almost a haze of holyness there. But then I got creeped out by the people bowing and kissing the ground three times before kissing hands, feet and face of the icons ...

  But the songs were beautiful, I can imagine those, combined with incense, can give you a feeling of peace and harmony.

  Do what makes you happy Robyn, but keep an open mind to everything.
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  Ravyn

  I dont know if this will make a difference to you or not. but after 5 intense years of searching xtianity--I decided that I could not even consider any form of xtianity but catholicism. so I checked out the various forms of catholicism. I went to a Greek Orthodox church and enjoyed myself very much. I was even accepted as a catechist and they also allow anyone so inclined to take of the communion bread after the service(it becomes 'poor bread' and is a blessing). Only thing that stopped me--was the fact that it was hours away from where I lived, and so far out in the countryside that I was humming the theme to Deliverance by the time I found it, and I did not feel ethnically connected. I wish I was greek! So anyway, long story short--I ended up converted to the Roman church because my husband's family was RC and we needed a church wedding to get them off our backs. I still do not believe in xtianity the way 99.9% of xtians do...I think it is total myth(but not an invalid myth!) and I am considered Catholic even when I read tarot cards for the other parishioners! But I would go to another Greek church if it was convenient and friendly. So by all means--check them out! It is a beautiful and rich tradition, the ritual is very satisfying. and about as far as you can get from JWs as the North and South Poles are from each other!

  Ravyn
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  cruzanheart

  My mom is Greek and my grandfather was a Greek Orthodox priest. Mom, as the only girl in the 4-child household, grew up hating men, priests, beards, and black clothes. I'm sure there's more to it than just male dominance, but she wouldn't or couldn't elaborate. She did say that her father was raised in a monastery in Aegea (outside of Athens) and the monks' favorite pastime was tying walnut shells to cats' feet and then putting them on the sloping tile roof and watching them scrabble madly as they fell to their death off the mountain on which the monastery was perched. She also told me that during Lent her father would absolve himself but make everyone else fast while he ate.

  Having said that, I would very much like to attend a Greek Orthodox service just to see what it is like. I was tempted to do the Easter thing but the time frame put me off (I'm not very awake after 10:00 p.m., which is when the service started). The Greek heritage is rich and fascinating, and occasionally very, very humorous, so, Robdar, ENJOY!!! OPA!!!

  Nina
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  Robdar

  Hi everybody, I have been wanting to post but my modem went down so I am at the library. Sigh.

  Do what makes you happy Robyn, but keep an open mind to everything.

  Viv

  Good advice as always. I am trying hard not to get carried away by the beauty of the mass. I want to study a little more before I join up.

  But I would go to another Greek church if it was convenient and friendly. So by all means--check them out! It is a beautiful and rich tradition, the ritual is very satisfying. and about as far as you can get from JWs as the North and South Poles are from each other!

  (((Ravyn)))

  Yes! the ritual is very satisfying. If I join, I will have to be re-baptized because the JWs do not believe in the trinity. North and South poles, indeed.

  and the monks' favorite pastime was tying walnut shells to cats' feet and then putting them on the sloping tile roof and watching them scrabble madly as they fell to their death off the mountain on which the monastery was perched.

  (((Cruzanheart)))

  With all due respect, what a bunch of bastards!!! Stories like that really bother me. So far, everybody including the priest seems very loving and kind. But I will keep my ears perked for evil content. I quit going to the Russian Orthodox with my soon to be X because those people were hateful and talked badly about anybody that wasnt a member. Heck, they even bad mouthed their members. It seemed nobody got along and I decided the congregation wasnt for me. They didn't have love for one another.

  Thanks for showing me the darker side of the GO.

  Thanks everybody for posting.

  Love,

  Robyn