Orthodixie

The St George Seniors Group made their annual spring pilgrimage to St Paraskevi Monastery yesterday. I’ve been blessed to join them on the past two trips; yesterday we were also joined by Fr John Salem.

(Click pics to enlarge.)

Shot from a distance, here’s a pic of the newly completed Temple dedicated to Saint Paraskevi.

The housing for the female monastics.

This is a new fountain on the walkway toward the entry of the nuns’ quarters.

Aha! The secondary reason for the annual trip … the Texas Bluebonnets.

Bluebonnets are scattered throughout the monastery’s property.

Here’e the entry way to the Temple …

One of the woodcarvings portraying a scence from St Paraskevi’s life, found on the doors leading from the narthex into the nave.

A view toward the iconostasis with the Akathistos icon still decorated with flowers.

Faithful pilgrims from St George joined in the prayers of the community — a Supplicatory Service to St Paraskevi.

Fr John Salem says: “I want one of those on our church property!”

A water tower and a windmill?

… in West University?

(Nah … I think he was referring to a bell tower.)

Our Gang.

Click here for pics from past pilgrimages.

Forgive me but … too funny.

Forgive me.

An important message from Byzantine Dixie …

As you may be aware the Southern Woman is actively discouraged from wearing white shoes after Labor Day and before Easter. I actually think this may be codified in certain city, county and state ordinances … at least one gets that idea if she tries wearing white shoes out of season!

However, please note, these ordinances were written on the basis of Western Easter dating. Therefore, it is fully acceptable for the Southern Orthodox Woman to …

HERE.

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Bonus – Song Snippet

As we head toward the end of the Lent and the beginning of Holy Week, the Orthodixie Podcast begins a series based on the book DEFEATING SIN – Overcoming Our Passions and Changing Forever — taken from a retreat hosted by St George Church, El Paso, Texas.

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

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The following is from John over at Notes from a Common-place Book.

Among American Orthodox, if you are susceptible to being twisted into knots over machinations at the top, or jurisdictional squabbles, or intra-jurisdictional infighting, then there are certainly developments out there to view with alarm.

The OCA has come through a rough patch, much better positioned going forward, but not out of the woods just yet.

The Antiochians are currently undergoing their own turmoil, the full ramifications of which, I am afraid, have not yet come to pass.

And then, if that wasn’t enough, the Ecumenical Patriarch’s representative just lobbed a theological grenade into the midst of American Orthodoxy — during Great Lent, no less.

But there will be no links, here, for that stuff is easy enough to find if you are seeking it. It is not that these things don’t concern me. They do. But it is like fretting about the budget deficit, there is little enough you and I can do about it, and in the meantime, life goes on. We never really “solve” anything, but we do muddle through, somehow. By focusing on these larger concerns, if we are not careful, we may miss the real news here. In my view, this is the formerly hothouse flower of American Orthodoxy beginning to take root in American soil, and — slowly — taking on an indigenous nature. Admittedly, we are still well under the radar screen. Our numbers are small, and will probably remain so. But Orthodoxy is patient, and takes a long view of things. The Church is digging in for the long haul. Evangelism is on-going. The webs of connectedness between far-flung parishes, missions and monasteries are in place.

I can’t speak for other parts of the country, but it seems that the South is one of the most receptive regions of the country. Several bloggers I follow (religiously, in fact) have commented recently on the course of Orthodoxy in the South …

Read it all (and comment) – H E R E.