St. Tikhon Chapel

Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils

On Sunday, July 19, the Church commemorates the Holy Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils. In the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, the Church confesses faith in “One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.” The Ecumenical Councils gathered to resolve major questions in the life of the Church and to defend the apostolic faith against false teachings.

The First Six Councils gave clear expression to the Church’s teaching concerning the Holy Trinity and the person of Jesus Christ. Their dogmatic definitions preserved the confession that the Son is truly God, that the Holy Spirit is fully divine, and that Jesus Christ is one divine Person in two complete natures, divine and human, with both a divine will and a human will.

The Church remembers these Fathers because, at decisive moments in her history, they guarded the purity of Orthodox teaching and expressed the faith received from the Apostles. Their work remains part of the Church’s living confession of Christ.

Holy, Glorious Prophet Elijah — July 20

On Monday, July 20, the Church commemorates the Holy, Glorious Prophet Elijah, one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament. From his youth he dedicated himself to the one true God through fasting, prayer, and life in the wilderness. Called to prophetic service during the reign of King Ahab, Elijah boldly confronted Israel’s idolatry and called the people back to repentance and faithful worship.

His contest with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel revealed that the Lord alone is God. After Elijah prayed, fire descended from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, and the people fell to the ground confessing the true God. Yet Elijah’s life also teaches that zeal must be joined to humility and attentive prayer. At Mount Horeb, the Lord was revealed to him not in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a gentle breeze.

Elijah later anointed Elisha as his successor and was taken up alive into heaven in a fiery chariot. At the Transfiguration of Christ, he appeared with Moses and spoke with the Savior on Mount Tabor. The Church honors him as a model of steadfast faith, repentance, prayer, and courage in defending the worship of God.

• His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon.
• His Eminence Archbishop Daniel.
• Our clergy, monastics, seminarians, missionaries, and every parish and mission of the Orthodox Church in America.
• Those preparing for Holy Baptism and Holy Chrismation.
• Those who are ill, homebound, traveling, or recently reposed in the Lord.
• The faithful, benefactors, and everyone laboring for the growth of St. Tikhon Orthodox Chapel.
• The continued growth of Orthodox Christianity throughout North America.

Each week, the Church teaches through the harmony of the saints, the appointed Scriptures, and the regular rhythm of prayer and fasting. Together, they form a pattern for Orthodox Christian life.

This week, the Holy Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils bear witness to steadfastness in the apostolic faith. The Holy Prophet Elijah shows zeal for the worship of the true God, joined to fasting, prayer, and obedience. Saint Mary Magdalene, the Myrrhbearer and Equal of the Apostles, shows faithful discipleship and witness to the Resurrection. The Holy Passion-Bearers Boris and Gleb reveal meekness and a refusal to return evil for evil.

The Wednesday and Friday fasts place these commemorations within the Church’s regular discipline of repentance and self-restraint: Wednesday recalls the betrayal of Christ, and Friday recalls His saving Passion and Crucifixion. The fast is traditionally joined to prayer, forgiveness, almsgiving, and participation in the services of the Church.

A weekly Orthodox practice: read the appointed Scripture passages, learn the lives of the saints being commemorated, observe the fast according to the guidance of the Church and one’s priest, pray the Creed attentively, and participate in the worship of the Church. In this way, the week’s commemorations are received not as isolated historical accounts, but as one continuing lesson in faith, witness, repentance, meekness, and communion with Christ.