Altus Prosator, Columba & Celtic Orthodoxy: What's Good or Bad within it?

[ArmyMatt]

I think it's starting to change slightly. I know the monasteries here by Elder Ephraim are very much pro Western pre schism saints, and the Greek Cathedral in Bethlehem, PA has a side chapel with more Slavic saints than Greek ones.

but you are totally right that there is a ways to go.

 

[FireDragon76]

I am partial to St. Columba and Iona. If one reads prayers of saints such as Patrick or Columba, there is a lot of similarity to Eastern Orthodox spirituality

The issue is that for most EO, Orthodoxy is Eastern. And western converts mostly seems satisfied with that (because frankly many don't seem interested, having wrote off a lot of western Christian history anyways), and cradle Orthodox for the most part do not care.

Most of the interest in Celtic Christianity I have encountered seems to come from Anglicans and Episcopalians and, to a lesser extent, Presbyterians.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I think it's starting to change slightly. I know the monasteries here by Elder Ephraim are very much pro Western pre schism saints, and the Greek Cathedral in Bethlehem, PA has a side chapel with more Slavic saints than Greek ones.

but you are totally right that there is a ways to go.

I at times wonder if the time lag could be accelerated somehow ...

 

[Mary of Bethany]

You all might find this interesting. I'd like to be able to support this effort monetarily. Maybe someday soon!

THE ORTHODOX MONASTERY OF ALL CELTIC SAINTS

Mary

 

[Gxg (G²)]

You all might find this interesting. I'd like to be able to support this effort monetarily. Maybe someday soon!

THE ORTHODOX MONASTERY OF ALL CELTIC SAINTS

Mary

Many thanks for the resource you gave on the issue, as it has been very engaging and thought-provoking in the scope of work they are trying to do.

How did you come across it?

 

[Mary of Bethany]

I don't remember if I just came across it on google or fb, but I'm very interested in the history of the Church in Britain, so I was excited to see it. I'd love to visit one day.

Mary

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I don't remember if I just came across it on google or fb, but I'm very interested in the history of the Church in Britain, so I was excited to see it. I'd love to visit one day.

Mary

That's cool to know - I would love to visit as well and I do hope that more awareness comes on the issue. With initiatives such as the one you brought up in existence, it's quite amazing to consider how so many in the EO world (from what I've seen) seem to assume that anything Western in view must somehow be against the early Church.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Well, I'm mostly Anglo-Saxon, and a bit of an Anglophile so I was excited when I first became aware that many of the Saints from that area of the world are actually Orthodox.

Mary

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Well, I'm mostly Anglo-Saxon, and a bit of an Anglophile so I was excited when I first became aware that many of the Saints from that area of the world are actually Orthodox.

Mary

That's wonderful. Did you have it at your parish where it seemed there were Orthodox who were not really concerned with others in that part of the world?

Anglo-Saxon culture can be so fascinating when seeing the differing aspects of it historically.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

"The Church in The British Isles will only begin to grow when She begins to again venerate Her own Saints"
(Saint Arsenios of Paros †1877)

May it be so!

We have a lot of American converts, and several have chosen British Saints as their patrons, so I think we have a great love overall for them, although they're still not as well known as our North American Saints.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I am partial to St. Columba and Iona. If one reads prayers of saints such as Patrick or Columba, there is a lot of similarity to Eastern Orthodox spirituality

The issue is that for most EO, Orthodoxy is Eastern. And western converts mostly seems satisfied with that (because frankly many don't seem interested, having wrote off a lot of western Christian history anyways), and cradle Orthodox for the most part do not care.

Most of the interest in Celtic Christianity I have encountered seems to come from Anglicans and Episcopalians and, to a lesser extent, Presbyterians.

oh I know that is how it used to be, but it seems to be changing. we have 1000 years of Western saints that, as folks in the West that are converting, are generating great interest. my priest at Ft Campbell converted to Orthodoxy because of what he read in Celtic Christianity and even paganism, seeing how close the Celts were to the Truth. Fr John Parker, the head of evangelism for the OCA, tells folks at talks to emphasize being Orthodox and NOT being Eastern as much.

after all, St Patrick, St Benedict, St Irenaeus, etc are our saints.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

oh I know that is how it used to be, but it seems to be changing. we have 1000 years of Western saints that, as folks in the West that are converting, are generating great interest. my priest at Ft Campbell converted to Orthodoxy because of what he read in Celtic Christianity and even paganism, seeing how close the Celts were to the Truth. Fr John Parker, the head of evangelism for the OCA, tells folks at talks to emphasize being Orthodox and NOT being Eastern as much.

after all, St Patrick, St Benedict, St Irenaeus, etc are our saints.

I wonder if perhaps things will change in regards to emphasizing the Orthodox side of things more so than the emphasis on EASTERN if things were to happen in a much more aggressive manner since things are aggressively pushed toward the Eastern side being dominant - even though, as you noted, St. Patrick and St. Irenaeus are our saints.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I am partial to St. Columba and Iona. If one reads prayers of saints such as Patrick or Columba, there is a lot of similarity to Eastern Orthodox spirituality

The issue is that for most EO, Orthodoxy is Eastern. And western converts mostly seems satisfied with that (because frankly many don't seem interested, having wrote off a lot of western Christian history anyways), and cradle Orthodox for the most part do not care.

You may wish to investigate the following concerning what you noted...

Abba Seraphim: Alter Orbis: British Christianity & the Roman Imperium - YouTube

 

[Gxg (G²)]

Abba Seraphim: Alter Orbis: British Christianity & the Roman Imperium - YouTube

• The Missiology of St. Patrick

 

[ArmyMatt]

I wonder if perhaps things will change in regards to emphasizing the Orthodox side of things more so than the emphasis on EASTERN if things were to happen in a much more aggressive manner since things are aggressively pushed toward the Eastern side being dominant - even though, as you noted, St. Patrick and St. Irenaeus are our saints.

I think so as more people from the West connect with their Orthodox roots. the Eastern is used to distinguish from the RC, Protestant, OO, and other heterodox groups.

 

[FireDragon76]

Celtic Christianity as a distinct spirituality pretty much came to an end soon after the Synod of Whitby in the 7th (I believe) century, when the king there decided to go with the Roman rites and customs against the monks at Iona. After that Britain became much more like the rest of the west and implicitly recognized the authority of the Pope.

I would argue a lot of the spirituality survived, even the Protestant years. Festivals such as Martinmass and Midsummer continued. The British Christians do not need to become Eastern Orthodox to recognize their own heritage.

 

[ArmyMatt]

The British Christians do not need to become Eastern Orthodox to recognize their own heritage.

I think we would say that they need to see that their heritage IS Orthodox, just uniquely and wonderfully British and Celtic.

 

[Gxg (G²)]

I think we would say that they need to see that their heritage IS Orthodox, just uniquely and wonderfully British and Celtic.

Agreed....

 

[Gxg (G²)]

​

Orthodox parishes dedicated to St. Patrick - patron saint of Ireland who is worshipped both in the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, may open in Russia.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Orthodox parishes dedicated to St. Patrick - patron saint of Ireland who is worshipped both in the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, may open in Russia.

glory to God!

(and I think it should say venerated. worshiped is too heavy a word nowadays.)