First it was "live podding," then the dread, the guilt and the heavens were separated from the earth (which, naturally, led to a parody of the theme song from "Green Acres"). Clean Monday blows through quickly; pigs don't fly, but kites do (and don't miss Fr. Joseph's fun outtakes at the very end).

Fr. Joseph's not much of a movie buff, but he was recently "blindsided" in Syria. This special 30-minute episode details his recent pilgrimage to Syria, and a certain "Paul" whom he kept bumping into while there. You'll need to listen all the way to the end to discover the answer to a question he's now asked: "Why did you go to Syria?"

Jesus cast the demons into the swine. What did that sound like? Fr Joseph, with help from the children of St Joseph Church, and a potent dish of Hopko, explains.

Fr Joseph reviews the rules of life, particularly Murphy's Law and its variants, and and then provides us with a rule we can all live with.

Rather than picture a perfect, established, normal Sunday school and try to fit yourself into that plan, maybe it's better to start by looking at what you do have and find a flexible, innovative way to make it work.

This week, the guys watch the Netflix original series "Stranger Things" and discuss friendship, transcendence, nostalgia, and our longing for eternity. They wrap up with their top 5 iconic '80s movies.

“Take her to the moon for me. Okay?” The guys explore the beautiful Pixar movie: "Inside Out." They discuss the importance of learning to handle our emotions, the danger of suppressing (rather than processing) negative emotions, and how sadness leads to empathy.

"I don’t know about you guys, but, um, you know, I’ve been thinking recently that… that you know, maybe, um, allowing giant digital media corporations to exploit the neurochemical drama of our children for profit… You know, maybe that was, uh… a bad call by us. Maybe… maybe the… the flattening of the entire subjective human experience into a… lifeless exchange of value that benefits nobody, except for, um, you know, a handful of bug-eyed salamanders in Silicon Valley… Maybe that as a… as a way of life forever… maybe that’s, um, not good." Steve and Christian watched Bo Burnham's new Netflix comedy special, "Inside." They discuss the pandemic, feeling trapped "inside," and technology. We do more than simply offer reviews. Just like a bee can take good things from flowers (and leave the rest behind), we can learn to take the good things from pop culture as we seek to open ourselves to Christ and His saving work in our lives. It's Orthodox Christian engagement with today's culture.

The girls watched the new adaption of the classic musical West Side Story. They explore how time can change your perspective, the tension between hope and the reality of hurt, and the tragedy of rejecting Love.

Even as Jesus showed mercy by tangible actions such as healing a Samaritan from a dreaded and isolating disease, we must take the actions available to us, no matter how seemingly small or imperfect, to manifest His love to our neighbors, regardless of who they are. Find the book Syria Crucified at store.ancientfaith.com/syria-crucified.

In our final episode of this series, we take a “bird’s eye” view of the entire book, considering its structure, and how that fills out the central theme of the Apocalypse—the loving Victory of Christ, who includes us in God’s ongoing plan to recover His creation. Our hearts are grasped by this unusual book, if read in this light. Hearers are invited to join Edith for a new series after Thanksgiving, focused on the “canticles” of the Church.

We read the second half of the second canticle of Moses, Deut 32:19-43, in the light of Jeremiah 1:10, Hosea 6:1-3, and the fathers. Its vigorous poetry must be read with care, but shows us strong truths concerning our holy God, and His desire for our purity and salvation.

Roland Ray Fulmer III delivers a Lenten lecture at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church on how small annoyances magnify God's presence in our spiritual journeys. Ray is an honors graduate from St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary who believes that religious education is the most under served lay vocation in the modern Orthodox Church.

Fr. Theodore Paraskevopoulos explains the meaning of the Gospel reading on the demonized man of Gadarene, calling us to live our lives in the Church rather than in the World.

The bread and wine, the gifts of the people, have been moved from the table of preparation (prothesis table) to the altar in the Great Entrance. In this program we further discuss the Cherubic Hymn in which we are admonished to "lay aside all earthly cares" as we confront the reality of the heavenly Kingdom and the unity of all believers both in heaven and on earth who confess "Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Trinity one in essence and undivided." We enter a liturgical dialogue with the priest as we contemplate the greatness of the grace of God who accepts from us sinners our gifts in order to return them to us as the Body and Blood of His Son. In this liturgical dialogue we acknowledge our life in the Trinity, the love and unity of the Church, the glory of God, our gratitude to God for His mercy and the awesome and fearful prospect of taking the "fire of divinity" into our human flesh in the Eucharist.

Commenting on the epistle reading of Paul to the Colossians, the Very Rev. Dr Bogdan Bucur concentrates on the idea that the passions we struggle with also lead us into idolatry. For “when Christ who is our life appears,” we either die to the passions, or we choose them over Him.This is a battle which happens in our hearts every day, as Christ has already appeared to us through our baptism, and continues to appear to us through our every encounter with Him spiritually and physically in the sacraments and the body of the Church.

Fr. Apostolos talks about the dangers of confusing externalism with spiritual fruit.

Fr. Apostolos asks, "Of what value is our life in Christ?"

Fr. Tom reminds us that the spiritual life is full of ups and downs, but the downs are a provision from God for our salvation.

Fr. Emmanuel Kahn looks at the healing of the man who was paralyzed. What does it mean for this paralytic and for us to be healed? From what do we need to be healed?

Fr. Gregory Hallam reminds us that placing our ultimate hope in net gains through life is an exercise in futility, because, in the end, all that we have accomplished, all the disasters we have avoided, will not endure death, and within a century or so will most probably not even be remembered by our descendants.

What is our relationship with those who have gone to heaven? Dr. Rossi reflects on this as well as his remembrance of Fr. Thomas Hopko.

Did you know that the President and COO of the Chick-Fil-A restaurant chain is an Orthodox Christian? Meet Tim Tassopoulos who in 2016 was tapped by the Cathy family to head the day-to-day operations.

Bobby Maddex interviews Dr. Donald Jenkins, Clinical Professor in the Division of Trauma and Emergency Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center, in San Antonio, TX, and one of the keynote speakers at the upcoming annual conference of the Orthodox Christian Association of Medicine, Psychology, and Religion, or OCAMPR. For more information about the conference and to register, please click here.

Bobby Maddox, the Director of Digital Media for Ancient Faith Ministries, interviews Fr.Patrick Viscuso, the president of the brand new Orthodox Canon Law Society of North America. Pleae visit www.oclsna.org to learn more about the Orthodox Canon Law Society of North America

Fr. Pat considers the case for iconoclasm, for the veneration of icons, and the settling of the issue.

Fr. Pat preaches on the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness as told in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 4.

Many Orthodox Christians are wondering how to live and raise their families in an increasingly secularized and anti-Christian culture in the U.S. and Western Europe where many believe Christianity has lost the "culture wars." In this episode of Ancient Faith Today, host Kevin Allen speaks with author and journalist Rod Dreher, of The American Conservative, about what he calls "The Benedict Option."

Copywriting is the best side hustle for writers in 2023. Discover why it may be a good fit for you, plus how to get started.

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Black lives matter. All lives matter. What should our response be as Christians?

Something for if you’re stuck overthinking something: Very few decisions are permanent. Almost all decisions can be reversed, altered, or adjusted.

How Steve Borthwick's England react to another defeat will be critical with world champions South Africa up next, says rugby union correspondent Chris Jones.

Jon Rahm’s play-off defeat in the Spanish Open by the world number 398 shows golf’s enduring capacity to yield upsets - but this trait rarely extends to the Presidents Cup, writes Iain Carter.

St Pauls residents say the garden helps them to "slow down" during the pandemic.

Ten people were taken to hospital after the blaze at Niddrie Mill Crescent.

The online fashion firm is mulling whether to offload its brands as sales remain under pressure.

Nuclear Waste Services says it is undertaking a range of studies in the search area.

A report on the summer riots shows asylum seekers and refugees were afraid to leave their homes.

Wandsworth Council says the proposed closure of the Broadstairs school is for financial reasons.

The car lodged itself in the side of the building on Sunday, but no-one was injured in the crash.

Hunters claim it is a "way of life", but their opponents say they are breaking the law.

The Royal Victoria Hotel, which closed in 2015, is due to undergo emergency repairs.