Kassiani

18 ~ Orthodox Inquirer ~ Archaeology and Museum Studies Student (Prehistory ♡)

[prehistoricpatristics]

☦️ Glory be to Jesus Christ! Now and Forever, may peace be upon you all. ☦️

Welcome all to my corner of the Internet. I am Kassiani, a Greek Orthodox Inquirer and Archaeology student. My tumblr is dedicated to all things related to Greek culture, Greek Orthodoxy, and Archaeology (specifically prehistoric Southern Arabia and Eastern Africa). This will be a place of ramblings about random topics and my journey towards converting into the Orthodox Church. This conjunction of my life is also the source for my name "prehistoricpatristics" detailing both my love for Archaeology and my love for Orthodoxy.

For context, I was raised vageuly Orthodox, with my mum being the only believer in my house and not attending Church. I was lead to believe I was baptised, but I am not, so now that I am older I am seeking a full conversion into the Orthodox Church.

I have a few patron saints, namely: St. Kassiani, St. Katherine of Alexandria and St. Jerome. St. Kassiani is my namesake, St. Katherine of Alexandria is the patron of historians, and St. Jerome is the patron of Archaeologists!

I am often labelled as a grandma due to my approach to life and religion. Within religion I am very "superstitious" and do follow much of our folklore and beliefs. I take great strides to avoid the likes of the nereids and Vrykolakas, whilst welcoming and taking great care to appease our liafitis.

Outside of Religion and Archaeology, I love to bake, crochet, knit and embroider (seeing the grandma theme here too?).

[benwildflower]

Ben gets many requests for a high-quality image of his Magnificat piece. Here it is. Pay if/what you wish. paypal.me/benwildflower

- Naomi

[weepycat]

"how to prevent smile lines" there are a thousand more important things to do with your time than postpone evidence of life's joy on your face

[th3ophobia]

orthodox children

[dvudushnydiaries]

Hi 👋, My name is Mohammad, and I’m reaching out in a moment of desperate need. I’m a father of three young children living in Gaza, and we are caught in the midst of a catastrophic war. Our home is no longer a safe haven, and the future here seems increasingly uncertain. 💔

I’ve launched a fundraising campaign with the goal of raising $40,000 to relocate my family to a safer place where my children can grow up in peace and have a chance at a brighter future.

Unfortunately, my previous fundraising efforts were abruptly halted when my account was terminated without explanation. However, I remain determined to keep fighting for my family’s safety and well-being. 🫶

If you could take a moment to read our story, consider donating, or simply share our campaign with others, it would make an incredible difference. Every act of kindness, no matter how small, brings us one step closer to safety and a new beginning. 🙏

Thank you for your time, compassion, and support. ❤️‍🩹

https://gofund.me/fd1faea2 🔗

Hello Mohammad!

I’m so sorry to hear about your situation, and I’m more than happy to share the link to your fundraiser on this platform and others. I pray that you and your family will be able to reach safety soon. We see your strength and we support you. Sending love and funds from the U.S.

[lirios-y-rosas]

You can't love God if you don't love people

[and-her-saints]

you believe in the Trinity because you were told to never question the core religious beliefs taught to you by your family and community since a very early age. i believe in the Trinity because it is deeply bizarre, sensual and mysterious. we are not the same!!!

[langernameohnebedeutung]

The thing is, when museums and cultural institutions or researchers adopt memes in a "How do you do, fellow kids" way, that's adorable like my grandma when she's misusing emojis. However when some megacorp does it to sell me evil products or some influencer is trying to get me to buy nonsense skincare mud or cyberpunk looking face masks or weightloss pills, I think that's evil incarnate and their name goes into the Death Note (very mindful, very demure)

[pax-romana200]

♪⁠┌⁠|⁠∵⁠|⁠┘⁠♪

[thosefaroffconstellations]

Figured I should start posting my art here 🫶🏼

[queerbookwhore]

Jesus literally was like eat the rich. He told his followers to sell their earthly possessions and then give the money to the poor. He believed in helping the less fortunate and even told his followers that no rich man could enter the gates of heaven. In todays political climate Jesus would have been a socialist. In this essay I will piss off conservatives

[anothersystematicnightmare]

As a non-conservative Christian who keeps being recommended this post, I gotta clear up this misinformation. Jesus didn't say rich men can't enter heaven, he said only with great difficultly will a rich man enter heaven (Matthew 19:22) because money corrupts, you can't love God and money (Matthew 6:24). Salvation is a heart issue, so when people prioritize making themselves richer over using that blessing to bless and serve others, that's an indication your heart is in the wrong place - the greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor (Matthew 22:36-39), neither of which someone can do by hoarding their wealth out of their own self interest while others are in need. Which is also why Jesus probs wouldn't label himself according to a particular political affiliation because our worldly governments are corrupt establishments sadly designed to look out for their own interests/wealth rather than actually you know, serving people. So yeah, Jesus would absolutely be focused on directly serving people rather than promoting harmful and oppressive political ideologies, but we don't need to twist the Bible in order to get to that conclusion.

[orthopunkfox]

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! EXCITING NEWS!

Hello my dear friends and siblings! I am so terribly sorry for my absence but I have been working on some big things and I have some VERY exciting news.

As some of you may know, I have been working with an affirming and inclusive parish, Saint Thekla Independent Orthodox Church. The priest and I have been working together for several months now and share a vision of building an inclusive and affirming community here in Indiana. To that end:

ANNOUNCEMENT ONE: I have been granted permission to found an offspring community under the umbrella of Saint Thekla. I am proud to announce the official opening of Holy Protection Orthodox Christian Community! Although we are mostly online currently, my girlfriend and I will be working diligently to establish in-person meetings locally. That said, our online ministry will continue and I invite you all to participate. Our virtual Coffee Hour is especially great and not to be missed! (links below). Eventually we hope, by the grace of God, to grow into a fully functioning parish with a priest serving weekly Divine Liturgy. Which brings me to my second announcement:

ANNOUNCEMENT TWO: I have been granted permission to begin the process of reading for Holy Orders with the goal of ordination to the priesthood. I will submit my official application later this week but my spiritual director is confident given my ministry experience (and my brief time in Anglican seminary before my transition) my application will be welcomed and granted quickly. This process will take a couple of years. but I'm very excited to finally complete my journey to the priesthood after so many years. Glory to God for all things!

I will try to post here more regularly and consider this blog as an extension of the online ministry of Holy Protection. I invite you all to please participate in our online community and for those of you who live in my neck of the woods, I hope to invite you to in-person meetings soon! In the meantime, please like the Facebook page and join the Facebook group to stay up to date on our development!

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563480251752

Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/ecxTi3GAJ8iZiAa6/

Youtube channel (in development): https://www.youtube.com/@AffirmingOrthodoxy

[gemsofgreece]

Since the New York Times and Reuters wrote about this, we can’t hide this anymore either.

Feel bored? Don’t worry, new Greek embarrassment just in!!!

^ No it’s not a road. Yes that’s dead fish flowing all the way from a lake to the sea. That’s in one of the largest cities in the country so you can imagine the living conditions there now, the smell, the future of local tourism and fishermen. It should be noted that this place is famed for its fish and seafood cuisine, now this dead contaminated biomass in the water will perhaps shrink it for quite some time.

By the way maybe some of the very very root of what happened might have to do with the natural destructive floods last year however once more this shitfest happened 99% due to human negligence and error.

[gayagendacommapangenda-deactiva]

Y’all be like “God is at work in my life (contented sense of gratitude)”

but I’m here like

“God is at work in my life (bittersweet sense of dread)”

We are NOT the same

[lesbianstgeorge]

eastern orthodoxy is so interesting to me does anyone have any resources to learn more about it? its such a fascinating branch of christianity

[prehistoricpatristics]

Hi there!

I'm an inquiring Orthodox Christian, but was raised around Orthodox Christianity my whole life. Here's some books I recommend, and please feel free to ask any questions you may have!

Personally, here's where I'd start based on what you're looking for:

If you're looking for a comparison of differences between different denominations and Orthodox Christianity: begin with "Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy"

If you're interested in the "practice" elements of Orthodoxy: start with "Welcome to the Orthodox Church"

If you want to know the Theological/actual living as an Orthodox Christian: start with the Orthodox Way

If you want a digestible way to begin to learn about Orthodoxy and the Historical Church: begin with one of the websites, I'd recommend "What is Orthodox Christianity?" By the Greek Orthodox Church of America

Books

The Website of Holy Ghost Orthodox Church

Websites

Orthodoxy 101: Exploring the Depth of Orthodox Christianity

Dive into the essence of Orthodox Christianity on Orthodoxy 101. From fundamental beliefs to spiritual practices and historical traditions,

The Website of Holy Ghost Orthodox Church

What is Orthodox Christianity? - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America - Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

What is Orthodox Christianity? The Orthodox Christian Faith proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the teachings of the Apostles, and the tr

[dvudushnydiaries]

The way that philosophy has been commodified to be totally self serving rather than a community thing is actually exhausting to observe

[gemsofgreece]

Origins of Modern Greek folk sayings

NOTE: By "origins" here I do not mean absolute exact origin as this would be impossible to know. It rather signifies the likely first documented usage of the saying in the Greek literary heritage.

Ένα χελιδόνι (ή ένας κούκος) δεν φέρνει την άνοιξη. Meaning: A single swallow (or a single cuckoo) does not bring the spring. This is where the english idiom "one swallow does not a summer make" come from as well. Origin: Μία χελιδὼν ἔαρ οὐ ποιεἶ ( A single swallow does not create the spring) - Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle (384 - 322 BC). Aristotle said this phrase inspired by one of Aesop's tales (620 - 564 BC).

Το ένα χέρι νίβει το άλλο. Meaning: Each hand washes the other. It exists in English as well as in other languages, spread through Latin "Manus manam lavat". Origin: ἁ δὲ χεὶρ τὰν χεῖρα νίζει - Epicharmus, 5th century BC.

Ό,τι σπείρεις θα θερίσεις. Meaning: You will reap what you sow. Widespread proverb. Origin: Εί κακά τις σπείραι κακά κέρδια αμήσειν (If one sows bad things, he will reap bad things) - Hesiod (~ 750 - 650 BC).

Κάλλιο να σε ζηλεύουνε παρά να σε λυπούνται Meaning: It's better to be envied than to be pitied by others. Origin: κρέσσον γὰρ οἰκτιρμοῦ φθόνος (for envy is better than pity) - Pindar, (~ 518 –  438 BC).

Έπαθε και έμαθε Meaning: He suffered so he learned Origin: τὸν πάθει μάθος (the suffering becomes a lesson) - Aeschylus (~ 525 - 455 BC)

Μη με συγχίζεις Meaning: Don't confound me, meaning "don't make me upset" Origin: μή μοι σύγχει - Homer (8th century BC)

Μη με σκοτίζεις Meaning: "Don't put me in the dark" meaning "don't annoy / bother me" Origin: Αποσκότησον με ("Get me out of the dark" AKA the notorious "Don't hide the sun and gtfo" line) - Diogenes to Alexander the Great

βίος αβίωτος Meaning: "Unlivable life", unbearable life Origin: Ἀβίωτον ζῶμεν βίον (We live an unlivable life) - Philemon (362 BC – c. 262 BC)

Ἐχει και του πουλιού το γάλα Meaning: "It even has the bird's milk" meaning it has anything you can imagine Origin: δώσομεν ὑμῖν γάλα τ᾽ ὀρνίθων (We will give you even the milk of birds / hens) - Aristophanes (446 - 386 BC)

Άει στον κόρακα Meaning: Go to the crow, an equivalent of "go to hell" Origin: ἔρρʼ ἐς κόρακας! (go to the crows) - standard phrase, frequently used by Aristophanes

Κάθε αρχή και δύσκολη Meaning: Every beginning is also difficult Origin: Αρχή δήπου παντός έργου χαλεπωτέρα (the beginning of every project is the hardest) - ancient saying

Η αλήθεια είναι πικρή Meaning: Truth is bitter Origin: ἔχει τι πικρὸν ὁ τῆς ἀληθείας λόγος (there is something bitter in the words of truth) - Demades (380 - 318 BC)

Η αλήθεια δεν κρύβεται Meaning: Truth cannot be hidden Origin: Ἀδύνατον τ' ἀληθές λαθεῖν (It is impossible to hide the true thing) - Menander (342 - 291 BC)

Φοβάται και την σκιά του Meaning: He's even afraid of his shadow (used when someone is afraid all the time) Origin: τὴν αὐτοῦ σκιὰν δέδοικεν (he's afraid of his own shadow) - Aristophanes (446 - 386 BC)

Καμιά δουλειά δεν είναι ντροπή Meaning: No job is shameful Origin: Έργον δ' ουδέν όνειδος - Hesiod (~ 750 - 650 BC)

Χτίζεις στην άμμο Meaning: You build in the sand, meaning you're doing something pointless, that will be ruined or over very soon. Origin: Εἰς ψάμμον οἰκοδομεῖς - Plutarch (46 - 119 AD)