Monastic Social Workby Father Dale A. Johnson
For much of my adult life I have studied eastern monasticism. Originating in the mountains and deserts, solitary monastics migrated to the cities in the lands between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers between the 4th and 6th centuries. It was a migration born out of conflict and persecution. Persian armies and theological rivals hounded the once peaceful life of the monks. John of Ephesus and John of Tella write emotive accounts of the harsh persecutions suffered by the monks.
Prayer
by Corepiscopa (Dr.) Mani Rajan
Prayer is an inseparable and prominent aspect of Christian life. But there are fundamental questions about the content and nature of prayer. Prayer cannot be reduced to the outpouring of one’s impulses. There are several verses in scripture that reveal about prayer. However, the sacred tradition of the Church which is a living transmission of the Holy Spirit should also be known to the faithful.
Life is Eternal in Christ
by Fr. George Varghese Vayaliparambil
Life is eternal in Christ. Jesus says, “Those who believe in the Son of Man have the eternal Life”. Syrian Orthodox Church believes that life is eternal in Christ. The short period of life in this earth is a part of the long span of eternal life in Jesus Christ. Here is an attempt to explain the historical and biblical understanding about the life, death and resurrection of mankind.
FROM PREVIOUS EDITION
How
Syriac Christians almost Conquered Rome
Father Dale A. Johnson
In a brief span of 54 years bridging the 7th-8th centuries five Syrian Popes ruled Rome. How did men of Syrian origin from an oriental environment and heritage find their way to Rome? These were not western men of Italy, Gaul, or Germany. They brought with them Syriac liturgical traditions and prayers such as the Agnus Dei which was completely unknown to Roman Christianity. Processions to the churches, a practice embedded in the traditions of Syriac speaking Christians in Jerusalem and Antioch, appeared in Rome with the arrival of these Syrian Popes.
The
Historical Mission of Pantenus in South India
Dn. Prince Paulose Mannathoor
The origin of Christianity in Malankara is closely connected with the evangelization of India by St.Thomas. According to the Apostle Thomas landed on the Malabar Coast in A.D. 52, preached the Holy Gospel and he established Christian communities in India. Before the end of the second century, these Christians came into closer contacts with Alexandria(1). The main after effects of this contact, the Alexandrian Church sent a missionary to India for Pastoral care and spiritual guidance. That missionary, Pantenus came to India and he gave the spiritual knowledge to the Malankara people. We have only a few historical documents to get information about the works of Pantenus.
Dreams
Come True
Shinosh Geevarghese Philip
Visiting nations and communicating with people, has been a desire that I cherish. Being a member of the Syriac Orthodox Church, to be able to meet with the Spiritual Head of the Church, had been my dream. Ever since childhood, my desire to meet with HH, deepened. During the Apostolic visit of His Holiness 1982, I was not born. Nevertheless, as and when I listened to my mother’s narrations and read souvenirs published on HH’s historic visit, I used to wish and wistfully pray that our Holy Father might visit Malankara once again to bless his spiritual children. In 2000, when HH visited Malankara to attend to the Bishopric Golden Jubilee of the Chief Metropolitan of the East, for me it was a dream come true.
