Hey, excuse my red face... my scarf is on too tight.

[ania]

That was the first time that I had heard of someone "stumbling" over Daylight Savings Time! :idea:
Orthodox6

I'm gonna get blasted for this, I know it...
I've known quite a few families (including mine) that do/did this. It was always nice on a Saturday night to have an extra hour to go & have icecream with your friends after vigil. Of course, the reverse had to be followed too... If it was a Wednesday or Friday, we'd fast til 1AM. I heard from several sources that it was okayed by St. John of Shanghai (not in writing, but in practice). I don't want to put words in his mouth, but most of the people who do this either live in San Francisco, or have lived there (my family included).

[joasia]

Tom,

What about St. John Maximovich? I know he died, but he is a recent saint of the 20th century, with many witnesses that still live. You and I were just kids at the time, but that qualifies for a "living saint" during our life, doesn't it? Even if we didn't know it then. Sometimes, questioning TOO much becomes the crutch. It just creates more confusion.

In Christ,

Joanna

[TomS]

Tom,

What about St. John Maximovich? I know he died, but he is a recent saint of the 20th century, with many witnesses that still live.

I agree. And in an earlier post I did specifically state that I believe there are Saints today, see:

There are Saints alive today.

I would also include Mother Teressa in that list of modern day Saints.

[Justin Kissel]

Aristokles

I daresay that the average layman in 5th century Constantinople was a far more qualfied theologian than most of today's internet experts.

Yet, I know of a half dozen quotes in St. John Chrysostom in which he rebukes his parish for their not reading the scripture, not paying attention in Church, etc. St. Gregory the Theologian mentions how many of the priests have no business being priests, and St. John Chrysostom said that most bishops wouldn't be saved. Perhaps the people in past generations really were better educated about their faith than the people today; but I don't think we could ever truly say that the majority "in the Church" in some other era really "got it" better than we do (better than me, yes! but I wouldn't say better than our generation collectively, world-wide). Humanity is the same now as then, and we still fall into the same ruts.

[Aristokles]

Good points, Justin. But I see a weakness in the logic. In the period you reference and in the sees of all of the Churches - most were orthodox Christians. That is not the case today. I stand by my assertion that 5th century Constantinople was much more faith-savvy than average laymen in the Church today. Indeed, in an era without TV, talk-radio, etc. theology was the pressing topic of the day.

Demetri

[Aristokles]

I would also include Mother Teressa in that list of modern day Saints.

While you where in Greece, over at Dustin's, we roiled through this sort of assertion. Debunked it as a matter of fact.

Demetri

[TomS]

I would also include Mother Teressa in that list of modern day Saints.

While you where in Greece, over at Dustin's, we roiled through this sort of assertion. Debunked it as a matter of fact.

On what grounds? Not simply because she was not Orthodox?