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http://www.stjohnsmission.org/

The above linked ACROD Mission has "Jesus Prayer" scheduled. I have only used the Jesus prayer as a private prayer. Is there some sort of public devotion Jesus Prayer Service?

Hmmm ... I was wondering the same myself.

Dear Friends,

This is akin to the Orthodox monastic practice of having the Ihumen stand in Church with the Brethren as he recites the Jesus Prayer out loud 100 times with the others following in their minds and hearts.

This is in fact what Fr. Roberto has in his beautiful Chapel. The bread is great as well and is now sold by the most chic eateries and food places in Toronto.

Fr Roberto and his parish were formerly under the Eastern Eparchy of the UGCC but are now under the omophorion of His All-Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

A very pious, dedicated parish it is.

Alex

[font:Century Gothic]Dear Alex,

I would like to welcome you back.

Zenovia[/font]

I CONCUR!!!

Alex,

It's a small world--I've visited the mission to the poor that you refer to here. What a marvel! My sense was, this is what Christianity should be about--worship, serving the poorest of the poor in the name of Jesus. My question is, does anyone have information they are willing to share about why the mission changed from the UGCC to the Ecumenical Patriarch--a decision I assume which is not just about 'jurisdiction' but must have had had a doctrinal basis?

I have 2 questions:
1) I have visited many monasteries in Eastern Europe and also asked my priest about Ihumen's chanting the Jesus prayer out loud and never seen or heard of this. What I have seen and participated in was the chanting of the Acathist service to Jesus.
Is this a Greek Orthodox practice of chanting the Jesus prayer out loud 100 times? In which monasteries have you read about this or seen it.
2) When did the St. John the Divine Mission transfer to the Greek Orthodox Metropolia of Canada? Or is it part of Russo Carthapthian Orthodox Eparchy under Bishop Nicolas along with Fr. Maxim in Ottawa?
It is still listed as being part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada, but it is possible the web site has not been updated.

From their website...so it looks like they are with Metropolitan Nicholas at ACROD

Dear Orest,

As for the particulars of this form of praying the Jesus Prayer, you'll have to contact Fr. Roberto.

I said it was "akin" to what is outlined in the "keleynoye pravilo" that is published by Jordanville and practiced, as I understand, by them and by monasteries on Mt Athos and in Russia.

The Ihumen recites the Prayer three times out loud and then the monastics with him do 30 full prostrations with the Prayer on their lips. They then stand in silence as they recite the remaining 70 Prayers on their prayer ropes. They fulfill this ten times to do the prayer rule that prescribes 600 Prayers and 300 prostrations daily.

In Fr. Roberto's parish, an individual leads the Prayer out loud for the full 100. This has really helped many take up the prayer in their spiritual lives.

As to when and why they left the UGCC, it is the same answer with respect to anyone who changes one jurisdiction or one Church for another. Fr. Roberto may be willing to discuss this with you privately.

Also, just a note to your comment to the article on the prayer beads elsewhere, now that I think of it, please note that the seminarian who wrote in expressed his own views that are not necessarily shared by all Orthodox. When it came to discussing the Orthodox practice of the Lestovka, I used materials published by the Old Orthodox believers themselves. It was from them that I took the information that said that when discussing the prayer rope or Lestovka with Western Christians, one should use the term "rosary." And I"ve no doubt that a form of the Lestovka was extant from ancient times. The fact is that Old Rite Orthodox themselves say it embellished the "Vervitsa of St Basil" which was the knotted cord.

One thing that recurs is the idea that when an Eastern Catholic writes about an Eastern Christian subject, he or she is usually "Latinized" and is "off" from the exact "Orthodox mark" on that score.

In fact, among other things, I think this view is a disservice to the variety of viewpoint that does exist on many matters among Orthodox Christians themselves. There was nothing in the article I wrote that I did not base on Orthodox sources. But because I was identified as a "Uniate" Ukrainian Catholic, the criticism from some was that it was obvious I was injecting (Latin) Catholic presuppositions into the topic. I'm not singling you out at all - only the tendency among some Orthodox with respect to EC's.

Cheers,

Alex