My kids are at the age where they really need something to look at if they are going to focus on something auditory for any length of time, and this book is the perfect companion to help them focus their minds and hearts on the wonderful service of Great Vespers. The book also includes an informative section on color and symbolism in icons–just what I was looking for as a reference for myself in teaching our parish’s preschool Sunday School.
My only criticism is that it is a bit distracting to have to flip to a different section for the daily hymnography at the prokeimenon. I probably would have included the hymn for Saturday vespers here and still made a note to flip if vespers is being offered on a different day. I also would have appreciated illustrations to accompany the pre-communion prayers included at the end.
Overall, an excellent book!

I found this book to be a valuable resource into understanding the roots of trauma from an Orthodox perspective, and how to process through it and heal. I now better understand some of my own traumas and reactions and how to go about working through them. Worth a read!

As a convert to Orthodoxy this is a great read. It explains Orthodox belief, tradition and history while comparing with other Christian beliefs.

It is straight and to the point. Not written in a way to persuade one to become Orthodox. He actually states you can not argue someone to become Orthodox.

Highly recommend

Highly recommended book for all.

Great quality, beautiful design!

This concise booklet is a helpful overview of the differences between Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. Written by a Orthodox priest who was formerly Roman Catholic, it follows the author's theological conversion, addressing each major doctrinal difference including theosis, atonement, and beliefs about Mary. I have given it to friends interested in Orthodoxy as a helpful introduction to Orthodox theology.

Incredibly beautiful with all the annotations and study notes to guide you.

I am enjoying this very much and I look forward to reading it everyday! It is refreshing and very digestible! Truly edifying and the large print is a pleasure! Higjly recommend this devotional for Lent! I fwill treasure it every year.

This book has really expanded my knowledge about the One True Church and has helped me understand the historical fact of it. I grew up in a Restorationist mindset in the church of Christ, and was told it was the restoration of the Original Church. However, once I began to read the historical Church and read the Fathers, that view started to crack. It now makes sense to me that the church has never left, but in fact has been preserved and protected by the Fathers and those who came after them.

ABBA Moses story is great for boys especially. It shoes them what real manhood is about and how Gods grace is needed for true strength. The story shows how we can be used by God when we are truly repentant and turn to Him. It has lots of adventures and action which especially pleases boys!

After reading the original by St. John Climacus last year I was hesitant of this version being watered down. While not as heavy, since it's not meant purely for monastics, this version has done a great job of keeping the heart and truth of the original and making it applicable for everyone else. Would recommend.

These were purchased for each of our Sunday school children to continue their learning.

A Child’s Guide to Vespers by Ancient Faith Kids is a truly wonderful resource for
introducing young hearts to the beauty of Orthodox evening prayer. The book’s gentle,
rhythmic text makes the Vespers prayers accessible and engaging for children, while the
warm and inviting illustrations create a peaceful, reverent atmosphere.
What makes this book especially delightful is how it helps children connect with the rich
tradition of the Church in a way that feels both natural and joyful. Whether read at bedtime
or used as part of family prayer, it’s a perfect tool for nurturing a love of worship from an
early age.
Ancient Faith Kids has once again created something both meaningful and beautiful—
highly recommended for Orthodox families looking to enrich their little ones’ spiritual lives

How to Read the Holy Fathers: A Guide for Orthodox Christians is a clearly written volume that will help both the novice and expert approach the writings of the Church Fathers in the correct mindset and with the proper framework. This is an incredibly approachable text; Fr. Lucas has done a phenomenal job of making reading these texts accessible to everyone and has provided the tools necessary to read them correctly.

The book is divided into two parts—Methodology and Application.

Methodology
The first chapter introduces the reader to the fathers, the time periods in which they lived, the different types of literary works one might come across in the fathers, and presents succinctly presents the idea of the “harmony” of the fathers—avoiding the extremes of viewing them as a monolithic whole or in entire disagreement which each other. The rest of the methodology section deals with how one is to read the fathers. Having taken a hermeneutics class in college for my degree, I can say that Fr. Lucas has distilled all that I learned in a semester along with numerous other Bible classes in a manner that is transparent and easy for anyone regardless of educational background able to understand. Finally, this section ends with understanding the fathers in context. Fr. Lucas details the various philosophical and theological presuppositions of the fathers. This is incredibly useful as it provides further perspective to help one avoid reading into the text from one’s own experience and preconceived ideas, rather than reading the fathers to understand what it is that they meant.

Application
In the second section, Fr. Lucas gives a detailed look at the various types of writings of the church fathers—Biblical exegesis, letters, doctrinal treatises, etc. This section reminds me a great deal of other books on literary criticism that help the novice gain a better handle on reading particular texts before diving into the deep end. I found this section useful and a great practice for one’s own later readings of these and other texts. I will definitely be dipping back into this section later on when I approach any of these types of texts and their authors.

Appendices
It is worth noting that this volume includes several appendices that any reader will find useful. Fr. Lucas provides a number of resources that offers further help to one’s future studies in the fathers. I found the Graduated Reading List to be especially useful as it provides a further framework for one’s further endeavors. I also found the annotated list of various translations of the church fathers incredibly useful for anyone who wants to begin building out their own library of patristic texts.

Overall, I found this to be a marvelous volume that is written with the average layperson in mind. This makes it useful for a great number of people, and even those who might have a greater familiarity with the writings of the church fathers will find a great deal of worth in this book as well. I highly recommend this book for personal as well as parish libraries. It is one that I know I will be continually referring back to in the future, and I am sure you will too.

Lost Histories is not only informative about Orthodoxy coming to America but it is also entertaining and gentle reading. I highly recommend it. Thank God for those who served the Orthodox in American in the early yeas of our country. They overcame so many challenges but stuck with the love of and the spread of our faith in hardships that we today can hardly understand.

If you're interested in Orthodoxy or have spent years in the Faith this book will be an invaluable tool.

My husband and I are reading this book together during Lent. We like it a lot. It has given us both food for thought at this particular time in our lives.

Do I recommend it?
Yes, as an academic and layperson, I found this book very accessible, it boiled down topics surrounding the Patristic Age in a way I haven’t seen so succinctly done before. For non-academics I think some of the wording might bring challenges that could be easily resolved by reading slowly, especially sections in which Father Lucas explains more difficult theological terms. I would recommend this to any student who wants to learn more about how to start reading the Holy Fathers or who are curious about the history of the Orthodox Church and the Patristic Age. See my full review here: https://kathrynreetzke.wordpress.com/2025/03/18/how-to-read-the-holy-fathers-a-guide-for-orthodox-christians/

I found this book to be very helpful and comforting. It t is easy to read, which I appreciate because I would not have been able to get through the book if it was difficult to follow under the circumstances.

Everyone should capitalize on acquiring these superb notecards. They testify to the beautiful craftsmanship of ages past in producing Gospel covers which reflect the infinite glory of God's infinite riches and man's appropriation of them in his spiritual life.
What a fitting way to greet others of the Faith!