"Woe is me for I am a man of unclean lips," cried the prophet Isaiah, upon seeing "the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up"(Is. 6:1). Despite the profound sense of impurity provoked by this holy vision in the Temple, The Lord, after mystically cleansing the lips of His prophet with a hot … [Read more...]
Clothing the Male Anatomy
February 19, 2013 by · 3 Comments
While my husband, Fr. John, expends his energy raising the spiritual and theological stature of the priests here in Guatemala, it has become my destiny, as an ecclesiastical seamstress, to be concerned with their physical attributes. My students and I have measured the length and girth of every … [Read more...]
PORTRAIT OF A CATECHIST: THE FOOT SOLDIERS OF CHRIST
October 4, 2012 by · 2 Comments
PORTRAIT OF A CATECHIST: FOOT SOLDIERS OF CHRIST Father John Chakos The newly emergent Guatemalan Orthodox Church under the omophorion of Metropolitan Athenagoras faces many challenges, not the least of which is the low number of canonically ordained priests--eight to be exact--who serve the … [Read more...]
Home Again!
October 4, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
I apologize, Dear Readers, for having neglected you for so many weeks. We returned to our Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania home at the beginning of September. The time flew by as we re-aquainted ourselves with family and friends and rejoiced in the birth of our 11th grandchild. While our life in the U.S. … [Read more...]
A ROOM OF MY OWN
August 29, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
In the 1920's, author Virginia Woolf lectured and wrote to advance the cause of women's freedom. In her essay, "A Room of One's Own," she states, "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction." I propose the same to be true If a woman is to sew. As I rode from … [Read more...]
PASTORAL VISIT TO SAN MIGUEL, TOTONICAPAN
August 23, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
PASTORAL VISIT TO SAN MIGUEL, TOTONICAPAN Father John Chakos The Orthodox Church in Guatemala belongs to the indigenous people. They are the Mayans who were conquered by the Spaniards 500 years ago, but who continue to live proudly and nobly in accordance with the customs and traditions of … [Read more...]
ASCENT TO TOQUIAN: AN ETHEREAL PASSAGE
August 19, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
ASCENT TO TOQUIAN: AN ETHEREAL PASSAGE Father John Chakos Our recent missionary journey with Archbishop Athenagoras took us to Toquian, Mexico, a tiny border town perched up high in the verdant, but steep, mountain range that divides northern Guatemala from southern Mexico. Many … [Read more...]
A Fairy-Tale Existence
August 18, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
The mention of a fairy-tale life conjures up visions of glittering castles and beautiful princesses being swept away to a happily-ever-after by charming princes on white stallions. In my youth, I dreamed, as many girls do, that such a perfect life might be in my future. As the years went by, … [Read more...]
THE GREAT ENTRANCE, GUATEMALAN STYLE
August 6, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
THE GREAT ENTRANCE, GUATEMALAN STYLE Father John Chakos How important is it for a bishop to visit his flock in Guatemala? I was soon to find out with our visit to the parish of Todos Los Santos (All Saints) in Cuchumatan. In a welcome, not unlike that given to Jesus on Palm Sunday, we were … [Read more...]
COMING ATTRACTIONS!
July 29, 2012 by · Leave a Comment
Coming soon, to this blogspot near you -- the long awaited, much anticipated chronicle of Fr. John's travels to the highland villages with Metropolitan Athenagoras, complete with dramatic photos. Stay tuned for the premier episode. Coming soon! … [Read more...]
