The recipes in here have saved my Lenten cooking efforts multiple times. Buy it, even if just for the Vegan Smoked Parmesan recipe which can turn plain pasta into a complete meal that won't leave you hangry.

An absolute treasure of a book! I remembered Fr. Tom Hopko mention this book in one of his podcasts and I finally picked it up. Boy do I wish I had done so years ago! It's an excellent book that goes line by line through the Divine Liturgy explaining everything with commentary from our church fathers along with excellent footnotes and scholarship. A must have for anyone interested in our worship, it's development, and meaning.

The Prayer of a Broken Heart is a must read. It's a hard read if one has looked the other way, away from the history of Black Americans. You may find in this book things that are too much to digest. Sit with it. Sit with the pain described in the lives of the people in this book. Maybe allow the words of Fr. Paul and the stories of these past slaves to break your heart as you read about the broken hearts of my earthly family and ancestors. Yes I'm a black man. However I identify as a Christian first. With that identity I endeavor to daily access the Grace that St Titus says has appeared to us to enable me to say no to unforgiveness for the wrong that's been done to black people. Once you begin to read the first chapters you'll immediately understand why the heart is broken and how prayer became the norm or should I say the way of escape from the cruelty of the day. You'll read how others that have been treated far more cruel than I will ever be treated accessed Grace through prayer as well, enabling them to endure the pain and suffering and to say no to unforgiveness. It truly is remarkable and sobering to crawl into the skin of these beautiful slaves to see the world from their perspective. Fr. Paul supplies a number of opportunities for the reader to do just that. You will need time with this book. Don't just allow it to be a history book. That would be a disservice to you, Fr. Paul and the people he writes about. Take the time to travel back in time to when and where the events described in this book happened. Then allow what you find to drive you to prayer. Please read this book.

This is a must for the Orthodox Lenten journey. It is full of faith building scriptures, hymns and details of the lives of the Saints. If you are looking for a great audio book to encourage you in your walk in Christ, specifically in your understanding of the cross, I highly recommend!

Great way to better understand and fulfill the marriage in a Godly manner

I highly recommend this amazing work by Dr.Jeannie!

This book on the crucifixion of the King of glory will definitely become a Christian classic over time. Dr.Jeannie does an amazing job breaking down the events leading up to the crucifixion of Christ! Not only will this books provide you with a detailed account of those events but it will certainly answer questions you did not even have concerning Jesus and the crucifixion. Dr.Jeannie does this by capturing the historical facts of the first century and she engages in exegesis as well. The way she expounds on the meaning and interpretation of certain gospel passages is absolutely amazing. She navigates through certain text in the gospels with some much precision. You will find Dr.Jeannie quoting St.John Chrysostom and some other church father's to show us how the Church has understood these text that refer to the crucifixion of Christ.

I hope to read or listen to this yearly during lent. I would purchase this and buy copies and give it away. It is definitely one of our best modern day works on this particular subject.

The Crucifixion of the King of Glory is written in a different manner from its predecessor. It is more ‘fact’ based in medicine and history.

In this book, Dr Jeannie Constantinou describes the vast beauty of the Temple; the levels of priests and their functions; the Jewish and Roman trials and legal systems; Christ’s last words on the Cross and their symbolism; and so many other beautiful details of His walk to Golgotha. The first half of the book, and the last few chapters are amazing! I loved them. Other than some repetitive phrases, there is so much to learn about the symbolism and history of Christ’s walk to the cross.

A big critique and hesitation I have of this book, however, is her vivid explanation of Christ’s crucifixion and theories surrounding it.

She is sure to make clear that Christ did not have a cause of death, citing His words from John 10:17-18. 👍🏼She then goes on to discuss the various theories of how His body died in graphic detail. I personally do not feel comfortable contemplating the physiological death of Christ, it is among our Mysteries. I have not experienced these vivid details in any other Orthodox teachings so far, and it reminded me a lot of “Passion of the Christ,” or the Catholic “Stations of the Cross.” It’s my understanding in our Faith that these kinds of details don’t necessarily benefit us to contemplate; His Death conquered death, and that should be our focus - not the details of His Body dying. If you’re like me, I recommend lightly reading those chapters, or skipping them all together.

With this said, I don’t think the whole book should be disregarded, as there is a lot of beauty.

I recommend this book for the skeptic: she addresses a lot of valid questions and doubts in this book. Also, the Christian who wants to better understand Christ’s walk to the cross and each detail and significance along that road. This is also for the scientifically-minded; and for the Jew for whom He first came to save. Overall, I do recommend this book, and will be adding it to my Lenten reading arsenal.

I do recommend discussing with your priest any new information you may learn from Dr Constantinou in this book. We do have a lot to learn from her! But he will be your best guide.

Love the holy land collection. Thank you.

Wonderful.

“Renewing You” has changed my life. Fr. Nick and Dr. Roxanne did an amazing job utilizing faith, scripture and psychology to guide the reader on how to live a better life. This book is very uplifting as it is filled with optimism in making a positive change in our lives. From the moment I started to read this book, I could not put it down. I found myself using post-Its to mark the areas for later reference. I read the book over the summer but I still go back and reread the parts that I struggle with on a daily basis. I have read many spiritual growth books and self-help books but this is the first book that gives the reader both aspects which is why I love this book so much.
The chapter on “Remodel Your Mind” is profound, and has helped me understand my behavior as well as that of others. The section on thinking errors is very useful! "Tend to Yourself" taught me to let go of the guilt that comes with selfcare without making feel that I am compromising my faith. Another chapter that encouraged me was the “Turning our Trials into Triumph.” I especially found the section on worry very helpful. I found the prayer along with questions for discussion or personal reflection that are placed at the end of every chapter very useful.
I bought a copy of the book for my daughter and she ordered the audio version where listens to it as she commutes to work.
I keep this book nearby -- to read and reread frequently. I highly recommend "Renewing" You to anyone who wants to live a healthier life and develop a deeper relationship with God. A must read for all paths of life!

Christians and Same Sex Attraction written by Father Thomas Hopko is written to show the Orthodox view of same sex attraction, and what is acceptable in the eyes of the church. Unlike other books Ive seen Father Hopko doesnt condemn anyone. He gives a good reminder that unmarried heterosexual couple are to follow many of the same guidelines that homosexual couples do. Father Hopko uses scrpture and tradition and his experiences to make his points. My favorite chapter was chapter five as father Hopko reminds us that those with SSA are still good people and still made in the image of God.

The chapters of this book are quite short, and due to that some might prefer a print copy as opposed to the audio book version, others may prefer to get to listen to the short chapters. If you are one of those people who wants to read or listen to one more chapter before bed you will probably find yourself finishing it.

The chapters flow well and Jonah Martin is a clear and concise narrator. whatever your reason for picking up this book I hope you will enjoy it as much as i did.

A review of Pilgramage to Pascha, A daily devotional for Great Lent. Written by Archpriest John Belonick with Michele Constable and Michael Soroko and narrated by Kristina Wenger.

First, let me say this is the audible version which I loved Kristina Wenger does an outstanding job in her narration is clear, concise and wasn’t just reading the material but really became a part of it and it made for quite enjoyable listening.

This is a book I’ve wanted since I started learning more about the Eastern Church. The devotional book especially for lent and advent seems quite common in the western church and I was quite sad that I hadn’t found more similar books for the East. This is an awesome book as it goes through a reading .. meditation and its nice that it includes what the writer gets from the reading as opposed to just having a reading itself. In addition there is a saint of the day as it were for each dayI want a print copy of this so i can flip through it throughout the year because while this is geared specifically towards lent there was so much in this book and many days had passages that would be good for meditating on at other times. For example the fifth sunday of great lent has a brief outline of one of my favorite saints, Mary of Egypt. There will be many times I would want to go back to read her section again.

I tried to listen both in the morning and at night it was interesting to see what i had thought about the days meditation and how things may have changed by the end of the day. This book is good for those who are already eastern catholics and orthodox but also those who are western catholics, other Christians and those of other faiths because it gives such a beautiful look at the Eastern Church and the Pascha journey. I have read several of Ancient Faiths books, but this by far is my favorite so far and it has deepened my faith as I hope it will everyone who reads it.

Great daily devotional for Great Lent
This is a wonderful daily devotional for Great Lent. The content was surprising to me as it contains not only personal commentary by the authors related to many topics that arise out of Lenten texts, but also includes snap shots of the lives of various saints. As well, content from hymns, prayers and sermons. I will be purchasing a hard copy of this book to work my way through during Lent next year as the Audible copy in my personal opinion is difficult to manage logistically on a daily basis. Meaning it is too difficult for me me turn off while driving which is where I listen to my audio books. I would like to experience the book as intended, a daily devotional. The narrator is is easy to listen to making the audio book easy to listen to at lengthier intervals during which I was able to chew on many topics brought up within the content of the book. I was given this audio book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is now a part of my annual Lenten reading rotation –

Thank you, Dr. Jeannie for this work. What I usually hear each season are the many prophecies Jesus fulfilled during the trial and crucifixion and that certainly is a part of this book. But what was eye opening for me was why the Jewish leaders thought the way they did and how the Temple operated and the basic structure of the Jewish hierarchy. It was helpful learning the specifics as to which words were used in Hebrew, Greek and Latin and why one version of a word was considered more accurate than another and the way a person of that time would have understood the words.

I like the layout of the book, starting with the issues that led to the arrest and trials of Jesus and then the in-depth review of the betrayal and trials. It is very interesting how Roman law worked during that time and the major differences from our modern law. The last section covering the Cross was well done and covered many nuances I had not known or overlooked before.

I read it through this time without spending much time looking into the bibliography references. I may just go back and read all the references at the bottom of the pages as I found many things of which I wasn’t aware in them. I look forward to reading this again and spending time reviewing the references in more detail.

I was given this book by AF in return for my honest review.

While, to be honest, I have not finished this book, it has started me on a journey that I pray will never end. I will also be completely honest that I am very ignorant as an American white female on the subject of African American slavery in my nation. And as I am not a black woman in this country, I cannot claim to know, understand, or even feel to the same depths the torment of which these people must feel of how their ancestors and they themselves are still treated in this country. I will pledge to you this: I will never stop learning how I can improve this world for all people not only through my thoughts and actions but also my children’s.

So, should you read this? Yes. It’s humbling, compelling, and will open your heart and mind to another culture’s inherited spirituality. It initiates the coming together of our religious traditions. There’s a love in this book that mimics the saints and a sense of hope that we can come together in all circumstances, without all the trappings of this sinful world.

What is it about? Most likely, it’s about a history that you know less about than you thought and should know more about than you want to. There are harsh realities, tender moments of loss that are redeemed by overwhelming moments of faith, inspiration, hard facts, and best of all hope.

For several years now, Fr. Paul Abernathy, has been a much-referenced figure in American Orthodoxy. From the early stages of my catechism into the Orthodox church, I heard people speaking of his work in Pittsburgh and his enormous commitment to his community. He is very well respected, and this book has been much anticipated. The Prayer of a Broken Heart, by Rev. Paul Abernathy, takes his experience in his community and along with a breadth of research dives into the deeply spiritual history of African Americans. It covers everything from their African roots to their forced enslavement and connects it to the modern-day. He then compares it to the beliefs and practices of the Orthodox church finding connections where most have only believed there to be differences.

While the topic is heavy the narrative carries the reader along and finds hope and triumph even in dark stories of slavery. That does not mean it shies away from portraying the ugly truth of the hypocrisy of religious slaveholders, but it shows how the enslaved people glorified God even when all circumstances were against them. Fr. Paul also recounts modern examples of violence within his community and the prayers and human connection that arise during these dark moments. The United State’s history of discrimination runs deep but so does the faith of the African American people. There is much that needs to be faced in the stories Fr. Paul recounts and he asks the reader to do so. The subject matter of this book is not easy, but it is vital for those living in America and this book is directed particularly at Orthodox Christians.

I particularly enjoyed the range of sources that Fr. Paul employed. There are excerpts from famous African American writers, formerly enslaved people, abolitionists, spirituals, and even quotes from saints. It all works together to reveal a spiritual reality that I had not thought to consider. I will be mulling this book over and discussing it for many years to come. I pray that it fosters better understanding within the church and each individual member so we can better serve our communities.

The Crucifixion of the King of Glory

This book is an absolute masterpiece! I’ve never been so captivated by a book that centered on the crucifixion of Christ. The way Dr.Constantinou embeds the historical facts of the first century and the biblical context in more laymen’s terms ( in my opinion) gave me new insight into our Lords last days on this earth.

I felt like I was there almost. You could feel the emotions of everyone involved.

The addition of historical background that was given really helped me understand the time of the first century, because I will be honest my first century historical knowledge is lacking. So I very much enjoyed having it. I appreciated the authors biblical knowledge because she was able to explain things that I would have never known how they went. She explained them in a way that made me understand them and now I can take that knowledge and share it with my children. Speaking of children, when my eldest is a bit older I will have him read this book so he can have a better understanding of the crucifixion and the events that came before it. I believe it will be a great addition to many families that home educate.

Reviewing this book opened me up to more of the authors work and i have since purchased her other book. I am recommending this book to everyone I know that has been asking for a book recommendation for Lent. I honestly could not have been happier with this book as my Lenten reading, but alas… I finished it too quickly!

The Crucifixion of the King of Glory by Eugenia Constantinou, is an all encompassing account of the last week of Christ's life. Dr. Constantinou does a wonderful job of pulling in many different facets of that week to weave an in-depth narrative that will help the reader better understand Christ's last days. While narrating the last week of Christ's life, she writes about the history, archaeology, philology, medical concepts, religious practices (both Jewish and Pagan), and mentality of the people of that time. All of this helps the reader to attain a mindset closer to that of the people of that time and understand the motives of those involved as well. All of this leads one to find His last week to be more awesome and glorious than previously understood.

The author does well driving home points that one may already “know”, but not fully understand. For me personally, her writing on the Sanhedrin's relentlessness to have Christ crucified and not killed in any number of other ways was very eye-opening to me. Even though you can read explanations in other books, the Author's style of putting you in the mindset of those asking for his crucifixion helps you to “fully” understand rather than just “know”. This fuller understanding occurred many times throughout the book, through the author's explanation of the sacrificial lamb, crucifixion, arrest in the garden, and many other points that allowed me to appreciate the events more fully as God's glory. This book is fantastic and easy to read. I will be recommending it to many friends and family and it is in the top 5 books I would recommend to Christians of any denomination.

This book is amazing! A must read for every Christian of any denomination.

Thank you for this lovely story of your faithful journey. I was a teenager and youth evangelist during these same years. 35 years later, God has led me home to the fullness of faith.