04/07/2024
Posted some similar a few weeks ago, but got some question as I walked down the street. The last time I attended a speaker at Notre Dame I had one young man ask me if I was Coptic. They have something similar, but different. He knew more about the meanings of my skimo than I did. Motivated me to do some learning.
More than once I have listened to an Orthodox priest lecture how Orthodox priest must wear. Cassock always. My response is with just the skimo I have more folks stop and ask for guidance and prayer. While in a restaurant I have had a father send is young son to my table and ask if I would visit their table and offer a prayer. Would I ever. And for my friends who are not Orthodox understand that prayer is always liturgical In other words it is not just saying grace. Orthodox priest/monks pray hard and pray long. If there are four in the family, I make sure I ask for blessings and mercies for each individual by name. Do you know the look on little Jonny’s face when he hears his name. And his is always a load amen at the end. More than once little Johnny is the first to thank me and with a great big smile.
And it is not unusual that father asks little Johnny if he knows why I am wear black. When Johnny shacks his head no, father then always gives the 25-dollar theology class explanation. Than I give my two cents. Johnny we can always create theology to explain what we do. And many times doing so means the real living reason is lost. ‘Johnny, I wear a black cassock in fellowship and solitary with my brother priest today and in past history in the Middle East who were only permitted to wear black by the Muslims.”
Seems that Syriac Orthodox keep things simple. And with greater meaning. You can have a church which writes rules and laws in line discriptions of truth , or we can have a church who writes beautiful pictures, icons, that move our minds. But for the Syriac, we let the truth and spirit touch out compassionate hearts and let the spirit and truth spread over our total body. In other words poetry.
So you wish to be a priest, read poetry. Don’t listen to it with your mind, but let it fell you compassionate heart. You will fall even more in love with Christ. And you will be open to Christ teaching you today, not in studying history of the past. Yes we do learn some from studying the past and from learning what Christ taught. I am saying that Christ teaches still today. You just need to let his poetry enter your compassionate heart.
All of you should know and remember that no mater the time of day or night, no matter where in the world you are, Orthodox monks and nuns are praying for. Some in their cells. So liturgically
Close your eyes let your compassionate heart smell the beeswax candles and hear the bells on the censer and smell the incense raising, carrying your prayers to heaven. We pray long. We pray hard. And when we get done we are not finished, so we start all over again.
A week does not past that the monastery receive some requests for prayers. All are offered and all are remembered during the services here at the monastery. And since orthodox has a liturgical service for everything. The appropriate service is celebrated. If some asks for prayers for some who has reposed all the appropriate services are celebrated and their name is added to the list so each year on the date of their past prayers will be offered.
I am going to make another posting following this one which talks some more about asking for prayers. You can send your sister or our cousin or your friend a card of condolences, but I am saying that a Orthodox will also ask for prayers.
Not just when someone reposes. If someone is sick and about to have an operation, ask for prayers. Tells not just their name but also the hospital and date of surgery. We pray that God will guide the medical professionals hearts and minds.
So be sure to read my next posting which has more. And if you have questions ask us. And we pray for any and all, and pray also for you for asking and asking God to continue to guide your. Compassionate hearts to continue to live your life and be an example of a true Christian.
The first person to wear the Skimo "hood" was St. Antonios, the founder of monasticism. It is a traditional costume of Syrian, Coptic monks, and other oriental churches
The Skimo symbolizes chastity, purity, forgetting the world and its materialism and looking only forward in order to save the soul and spirit, and attain eternal life.
1.The line separating the crosses in the half of the head reminds the monk of the story that happened to St. Antonios, the father of the monks, when the devil came and tried to tear the hood off his head and split it in two, so that St. Antonios sewed them together.
2.The large cross at the back of the head symbolizes the Lord Jesus Christ
3.The twelve crosses symbolize the disciples of the Lord Jesus, six on each side.
4.The thin line that starts from the front of the head and ends at the back of the head should always remind the monk of the narrow path full of paths that he will walk until he reaches Christ
5.Symbolizes the crown of thorns that was placed on the head of Jesus Christ.
