Brooke Gregory is a writer, editor, and blogger deeply interested in feminism, social justice issues, Eastern patristics, and ecumenism. She is currently working on a novel and building a poetry portfolio.
In many Eastern monastic communities, it is tradition for one monk to be tasked with going round to each of his fellow monks in their daily duties, stop them, look them in the eye, and say “Brother, we are going to die.” Far from being as morbid as it seems, this strange practice constantly refocuses …
The Feast of the Archangels is upon us, a time to reflect on these often mysterious messengers of God, and the help they never cease to provide to us in our spiritual struggle. While there are innumerable “bodiless powers” in heaven, the Church celebrates three in particular for the integral roles they have played throughout …
9 Fascinating Facts About the Archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael Read More »
So you know your way around a Byzantine liturgy, but do you really know how things roll in the Eastern Orthodox Church? Love0
When Katharine Drexel was born to a wealthy Philadelphia couple in 1858, it was expected that she would someday marry a suitably wealthy husband, inherit a slice of her father’s $400 million estate, and perhaps engage in some quiet and respectable philanthropy. Few could predict that she would become a religious sister; no one thought …
From the patriarchy deliver us, O Lord. 1. When Judith broke bad for the good of the Jewish people The Jews were in a tight spot. The notoriously bloodthirsty Assyrians were invading led by the most notoriously bloodthirsty Assyrian, Holofernes, and no one had the stones to do anything about it. So your girl …
6 Times The Saints Made Catholic Feminists Say “YAAAASSS” Read More »
Spiritual abuse is an unfortunate reality for millions of people of almost every religious affiliation. It is a source of deep spiritual, psychological, and even physical trauma that can cause a lifetime of distrust, pain, and turmoil. How can we, as Christians, respond to people who have been hurt when our religion has been used …
Saints like King Louis of France and King Edward the Confessor are well-known for their illustrious and holy reigns, and the Church celebrates its kingly saints with great fervor. However, the Church’s queen-saints were also pious and able rulers in their own right. They used their power to help the poor, spread the faith, and …
We’re often called “Christianity’s best kept secret.” Ask your average Western Christian of any denomination what they know about the Eastern Churches and they’re quite likely to say that they didn’t even know the Eastern Churches existed! Many Catholics want to learn more about their brothers and sisters in the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic …
5 Ways To Learn More About Byzantines and Eastern Orthodoxy Read More »
In 21st century America, the prospect of martyrdom is unthinkable for most Christians. We’re free to go to church, catechize our children, and practice our religion without fear of reprisal or violence. If we think about martyrdom at all, we usually think of the persecutions that countless Christians like St. Polycarp and St. Barbara suffered …
“It Doesn’t Matter, They’re Christian”—The Coptic Orthodox Church’s New Martyrs Read More »
Big names like Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine of Hippo are go-tos if you want to do some spiritual and theological reading. But why not add some variety to your spiritual diet by turning to some heavy-hitters from the East? These Church Fathers haven’t quite made as big an impact in the Latin world as …
5 Eastern Fathers You Need To Put On Your Reading List Read More »