June 25, 2023
This post about saints with disabilities is based on a presentation I gave to parents and clergy at the St. Nicholas program of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in June 2023. The St. Nicholas program is a camping experience for children with disabilities and their...
December 5, 2020
Nicholas had learned, in the emperor’s prison, to sleep through the sounds of screams and shouts and blows. But that was years ago, and now the sound seeped through, disturbing his sleep. He rolled over without opening his eyes. And then he heard his name. He was...
July 16, 2020
If you’re looking for something fun to do with your little ones this month, I have just the thing: The Nativity of St. Nicholas falls on July 29. You can have a party to celebrate St. Nicholas’s birthday! Here are three different St. Nicholas party themes for...
November 5, 2019
The stores are already filled with ornaments and decorations that feature a man with a big white beard, dressed all in red. He might have children with him, or a bag of toys. There might be Christmas trees in the background. There might be elves. Who is this man? How...
January 10, 2019
The life of the Orthodox Church is carried through cycles of worship and prayer. If you follow these cycles, you’ll encounter St. Nicholas over and over. He has three feast days on the annual cycle of fixed feasts. And he’s also commemorated every Thursday, during the...
December 2, 2018
In Medieval Europe, the most common image of St. Nicholas shows him standing over three small children in a wooden tub. The image illustrates an odd story that was told and believed for centuries. The story began as the story of the three innocent men whom St....