Anniversary (of sorts)

On August 2, 2007 I officially began posting daily the "Saint or Feast of the Day". So today, August 2, 2008 I would like make quick mention of how this practice came about.

I began this blog on March 7, 2007 as prior to this date I first became introduced to Orthodox blogs. I first began following Owen White's blog, The Ochlophobist , greatly enjoying his writing style and the way he formulates his ideas. Owen also is a very subtle original thinker.

I greatly enjoyed reading many other Orthodox sites some of which I do not follow anymore. I even began posting a comment or two now and then on different sites.

I was always interested on how the non-Orthodox viewed the Orthodox so I eventually became interested in the dialogue that took place between the Orthodox and Roman Catholics. Especially I would like to make mention of Mike Liccione's blog, Sacramentum Vitae along the lines of a person who staunchly and ably (and graciously)defends his beliefs. His defence of the Roman Catholic Church and challenge of the Orthodox Catholic Church has spurred much thinking on my own part.

Of course through Mike's blog, I came into contact with Perry Robinson and Photios Jones' blog, Energetic Procession in which I found very profound food for thought for speaking of the Orthodox Catholic Faith which raised my own awareness of how the Faith can be thought about at very high levels; that when assimilated the everyday "simple" Faith I had has taken on new meaning as a result.

And how can I forget our beloved Father Stephen Freeman' s blog, Glory to God? I cannot. Father Freeman genuinely loves the Church and through his pastoral writing his love for "introducing" the Orthodox faith to first himself, and through this to others, shows.

I cannot also fail to mention Andrea Elizabeth's two blogs, Andrea Elizabeth's Blog and her Andrea Elizabeth's Wordpress Blog. Andrea spends so much time and hardwork in her writing, especially on her Wordpress Blog where as she states it is her "Patristics and Philosophy based blog". Andrea is (relatively) new to Orthodoxy and in seeking to understand she grapples with very profound subject matter and is always a welcome voice on whatever site she comments on. I count her as a good online friend. And as well she is tied into this Anniversary.

As I mentioned, I first began blogging on March 7, 2007. My intent then was to post original stuff whether poetry or just random essays. I did not post much then. When I did, Andrea often commented.

About this time I ran into an unforeseen impasse with myself, questioning what right I had to speak about anything and the backdrop for this was the Lord's warning that we would be judged for every idle word(Matthew 12:36). At a loss but still wishing to post as I enjoyed blogging, I came across a little book, Christ is in Our Midst, which because of it's format was easy for me to comment on.

About this time I began daily posting the "Saint or Feast of the Day". I read these each day and this has been a good disipline for me and I have learned about these Saints and about our Faith. It satisfied my like of blogging and also my fear of speaking idly as I "hid behind them" during my impasse.

And of course I could make mention of every link on my sidebar and if I did not mention you specifically, please excuse my not doing so but know I appreciate each person and what they say on their sites.

So starting today at the bottom of the "Saint or Feast of the Day" I will also provide a link to the post from last year.

Thank all of you who have been reading this blog.

Sophocles