Ascetic life of motherhood

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June Resource Guide (2021)

Destinie Winn

I wanted to create an overview of the various Feast Days or special Liturgical Days coming up this month. This month we celebrate some major feasts in the Liturgical year, as we follow along with Christ after His Resurrection. As a parent, I know what a difficult task it can be to stay ahead of the Liturgical calendar, particularly during a busy season like this one, so I hope to help other parents by providing timely reminders and age appropriate resources to help share the Faith with their children. I want to provide ways to more easily engage/connect our Liturgical lives, not only with our participation in the life of the church, but in our homes as well. In this guide you will find an overview of each day mentioned above, fun ways to participate using what you have at home, or what you can easily gather or print, book recommendations, and I’ve included links to additional resources I’ve found. I pray that together we can raise up the next generation of Christians who love God with all their hearts and minds!

June 6 - Sunday of the Blind Man

Sunday of the Blind Man - On the 5th Sunday after Pascha, the Orthodox Church remembers the miracle of Christ healing the man who was blind since birth, the biblical story found in John 9:1-41. This is the last Sunday of the Paschal period before the Feast of the Ascension, which will follow on Thursday of this week. The Leave-taking of Pascha is on Wednesday, a day which is fast-free and celebrated with the joy and brightness of the Feast of Feasts. Biblical Story - As Jesus went along, he saw a man who was born blind since birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus replied, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”. So the man went and washed, and went home seeing.

The miracle described in today’s Gospel (John 9:1-38) is even more remarkable than it might seem at first. Saint Basil and other Fathers tell us that this was not just a case of giving sight to a blind man born with eyes that did not function, but to someone who had no eyes at all! The Gospel says, “Since the world began, it was not heard that any man opened the eyes of one who was born blind” (John 9:32). There are examples in the Old (Tobit 2:17) and New (Mark 8:22-26) Testaments of blind people receiving sight, but this is something completely unprecedented. Jesus placed clay in the man’s empty sockets and told him to wash in the pool of Siloam. When he obeyed these instructions, the eyes of clay became living eyes! The blind man believed in Jesus' words, obeyed His command, went and washed himself, and the eyes of clay became living eyes. This was the greatest miracle that our Lord had yet worked. Because he now had eyes, some even doubted that he was the same person (John 9:8-9); and it was still in their mind when Jesus came to the tomb of Lazarus, for they said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have caused that even this man should not have died?" In his Menaion, Saint Demetrius of Rostov calls the blind man St Celidonius.

Activity Ideas :

‘MUD” BROWNIES

  • Listen to the Bible Story on the Podcast Let Us Attend of John 9:1-38, Told for Younger Children in this 3 minute video

  • Act out the Story - Take turns blindfolding different members of your family and have another family member guide them around the house or yard. After everyone has had a turn with the blindfold and as a guide, discuss what it was like not being able to see. Discuss how we can be spiritually blind and how we can work to see properly as Orthodox Christians (via GOARCH). You can even act out the scene with playdoh “mud” placed on their eyes instead of a blind fold. Check out this DIY playdough recipe HERE.

  • Coloring Sheet of the Story

  • Make “Mud” Brownies - I am always a fan of incorporating food into any lesson, especially for children! Check out this recipe for brownie pudding by Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and make your own delicious mud! It’s a great sensory experience to help kids connect the healing element (mud) Jesus used to heal the blind man!

Book Recommendations :

  • For Biblical Stories, we love to read them directly from the source! Read the story of Jesus healing a blind man in John 9:1-38.

June 10 - Ascension of Christ

Ascension is the name that marks the event when Jesus ascended into Heaven. In the Gospel, 40 days after Jesus’ Resurrection, while blessing his disciples, Jesus is received into heaven, taking His place at the right hand of the Father (Mark 16:19). Ascension is always celebrated 40 days after Pascha (Jesus’ resurrection) so this is why this feast always falls on a Thursday. The Ascension is one of the 12 Great Feasts in the Orthodox Church.

Synaxarion - After His Resurrection, Jesus remained on earth for forty days, appearing to His Disciples in various places. He ate, drank and conversed with them, verifying and assuring His Resurrection. On the fortieth day after Pascha, Jesus appeared to His Disciples in Jerusalem. He gave them His last commandment, to go forth and preach in His Name to all the nations. At the same time, He told them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait until they were clothed with the power from on high by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them. Having said this, Jesus led His Disciples to the Mount of Olives. Then He lifted up His hands and blessed them. And as He was speaking to them with words of fatherly blessing, Jesus departed from them and ascended into Heaven, being received by a shining cloud, indicating His divine majesty. He gradually disappeared from the sight of the Disciples as they gazed at Him. And as they stood thus, two angels in brilliant white robes appeared to them in the form of men and said to them: Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into Heaven? This same Jesus, Who is taken from you into Heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into Heaven. In these words is fulfilled and defined the doctrine concerning the Son of God and His Word, in the Confession of Faith. After our Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled all His great dispensation for us, He ascended in glory into Heaven, and sat on the right hand of God the Father. His Disciples returned from Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, rejoicing in the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Fun Fact: In many Jurisdictions, a general fasting dispensation has been given from fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays from Pascha until Ascension (40 days).

Make popovers that “ascend” or rise towards heaven! Recipe by Geraldine + Virginia

Activity Ideas :

Ascension craft

  • Attend Divine Liturgy - As I often say, the best way to celebrate a feast day is by attending a Divine Liturgy. This is an important way to connect our lives at home with our lives in the church. Check with your local Church to see when the service is being offered.

  • Make Popovers! Who doesn’t like a fun symbolic recipe to help us remember a Holy Day? These popovers remind us of the Ascension because they rise, or “ascend”, toward heaven! Check out this delicious recipe by Geraldine + Virginia (Orthodox Food Blogger) with a great recipe that will not only help your kids remember the details of this day, but one that is also super delicious!

  • Listen to this Podcast Under the Grapevine podcast which explains the Ascension to children

  • Color an Icon of the Ascension

  • Listen to a Song about Ascension (track 8)- Celebrate the Feasts, by Gigi Baba Shadid : a song for kids that easily engages and reminds kids of the elements of the story of Ascension in song form.

  • Check out this Ascension Craft you can easily make at home using a cup and string and free printables by April Homemaking Blog

Book Recommendations :

June 20 - Pentecost

The Feast of Holy Pentecost is celebrated each year on the 50th day after Pascha and 10 days after the Feast of the Ascension of Christ. The Feast is always celebrated on a Sunday and is one of the 12 Great Feasts in the Orthodox Church. The story of Pentecost is found in the book of Acts. In Chapter 2, we are told that the Apostles were gathered together in one place and suddenly, a sound came from heaven like a rushing wind, filling the entire house where they were sitting. Then, tongues of fire appeared, and one sat upon each one of Apostles. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as directed by the Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). This caused such a disturbance that others in Jerusalem heard and drew near in shock as they listened to the disciples speaking in their own language. Many believed, and they asked the Apostles, "What shall we do?" and Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38-39). The Bible records that on that day about 3000 were baptized. The book of Acts states that the newly baptized continued daily to hear the teaching of the Apostles, as the early Christians met together for fellowship, the breaking of bread, and for prayer. Many wonderful signs and miracles were done through the Apostles, and the Lord added to the Church daily those who were being saved (Acts 2:42-47).

Old Testament Connection - Did you know that Pentecost was the feast celebrated in the Old Testament? Acts chapter 2 mentions the disciples were gathered together on the “Day of Pentecost”. The feast of Pentecost in the Old Testament was given because God commanded the Jews in Leviticus 23:15-16, to count seven full weeks (or 49 days) beginning on the second day of Passover, and then present offerings to the Lord. It is also believed that this was the day that Moses received the 10 commandments by God on Mt Sinai. But wait, there’s more! Jesus was crucified on Passover: God offers Himself as a sacrifice for his people, and 50 days later we have Pentecost - when the Holy Spirit descends. It’s really eye opening to see these connections between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Sometimes these connections make me sit in awe realizing everything has meaning.

I want to leave with you a quote that summarizes this connection well:

“. . . For as of old on the fiftieth day after the Sacrifice of the Lamb, the Law was given on Mount Sinai to the Hebrew people, now delivered from the Egyptians, so, after the Passion of Christ, in which the True Lamb of God was slain, on the fiftieth day after His Resurrection, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and upon the people who believed (Acts 2:3); so that an earnest Christian might know beyond any uncertainty, that the sacred rites of the Old Testament had served as foundations for the Gospel, and that by this same Spirit was the Second Covenant laid down, by Whom the first had been established.”

+ St. Leo the Great

Holy Spirit Day - On the Monday following the Feast, the Divine Liturgy is celebrated in commemoration of the Holy Spirit: The All-holy and Life-creating and All-powerful Spirit, Who is God, and One of the Trinity, and of one honor and one essence and one glory with the Father and the Son (From the Synaxarion of the Feast).

Fun Fact - On this day, we resume a few practices that have been suspended since Pascha: KNEELING : We resume the practice of kneeling during the Liturgy at the time when the holy gifts of bread and wine are consecrated as the body and blood of Christ. The practice of kneeling has been suspended during the Paschal season and is reintroduced again after the Divine Liturgy. O HEAVENLY KING : From Pascha until Pentecost, the prayer “O Heavenly King,” where we invoke the presence of the Holy Spirit, is not said either in Church or in our private prayers at home. The removal of this familiar prayer from the cycle of the services emphasizes the importance of the descent of the Holy Spirit that we celebrate at Holy Pentecost. “O Heavenly King” will be heard again at the Aposticha of the Festal Great Vespers for Pentecost and returned to our services and prayers.

Activity Ideas :

Check out 10 Ways to Celebrate Pentecost blogpost

  • Attend Divine Liturgy - As I often say, the best way to celebrate a feast day is by attending a Divine Liturgy. This is an important way to connect our lives at home with our lives in the church. Check with your local Church to see when the service is being offered.

  • Lesson Plan and Paper Puppets by Orthodox Pebbles - Once again, Orthodox Pebbles knocks it out of the park with their lesson on Pentecost! In this lesson you will find an icon worksheet, a cut-and-glue-craft, worksheets to help with the details of the story, and activities, which you can find through this link HERE.

    *If you enjoy these materials, please consider making a donation in support of the hard working Orthodox moms behind these incredible materials or become a Patreon

  • Edible "‘Tongues of Fire" Snack Ideas :

    • Flame Cupcakes - Make cupcakes (any flavor will do) and decorate using yellow frosting on top and add slices of strawberries on the top resembling a little flame. RECIPE HERE

    • Flame Stawberry and Banana - This simple snack can be pulled together in just a few seconds. You can even make a bunch of them and form them in a half circle, resembling the tongues of fire on the Apostles’ heads in the icon.

Tongues of Fire Cupcakes

Flame Strawberry and Banana Snack

  • Listen to Podcast Readings from Under the Grapevine which includes 2 Stories on Pentecost

  • Say a prayer to the Holy Spirit as a family: ‘O heavenly King, the Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art in all places, and fillest all things, Treasury of good things, and Giver of life, come, and dwell in us, and cleanse us from every stain; and save our souls, O good One.’

  • Wear Green to Liturgy! The liturgical color of Pentecost is green. You can dress your family in green to help your children notice this change in the church! Green is the symbol for life, so in the green we can see a connection to themes of “life-giving”: the Holy Spirit which descends on Pentecost brings life into us!

  • Coloring Page for Pentecost from OCA (Scroll to Bottom of Page)

  • Sing Along with Gigi Baba in her song “Birthday of the Church (Pentecost)" Track 9

Book Recommendations :

June 24 - Nativity of St John the Baptist

Nativity of St John the Baptist - St. John was the son of the Prophet Zacharias and Elizabeth, who was the cousin of the Mary, the mother of Jesus (Theotokos). St. John is known as the “Forerunner” and “Baptist.” He is known as the Forerunner because he preceded Christ and taught repentance, which prepared men for Jesus’ teaching and His ministry. He even recognized Christ as the Messiah as early as when they were both still in their mothers’ wombs. The scriptures tell us the story of the miraculous birth of St John the Baptist in Luke 1. His parents, St Elizabeth and Priest Zachariah, were described as righteous before God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. But they were baren and childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

An angel of the Lord appeared to Zachariah, and he was startled and gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to drink wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:11-17) Zechariah questions the angel doubting how this would be possible seeing as his wife was very old. The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” He returned home, unable to speak. Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. It was in the 6th month of her pregnancy that we see that Mary is also visited by the same Archangel Gabriel with the news that she too will conceive a child.

Mary visits Elizabeth and when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:39-45). According to Holy Tradition, the baby leaping in his mother’s womb is considered his first acknowledgment of Christ as Messiah.

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.  On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Interesting Fact: According to Tradition, after the Nativity of Jesus and the worship of the shepherds and the Magi, wicked king Herod gave orders to kill all male infants. Hearing about this, St Elizabeth, St John’s mother, fled into the wilderness and hid in a cave. St Zachariah, John’s father, was in Jerusalem and was doing his priestly service in the Temple. Herod sent soldiers to him to find the whereabouts of his infant John and his mother. Zachariah answered he didn’t know their whereabouts, and he was killed right there in the Temple. Righteous Elizabeth continued to live in the wilderness with her son and she died there. The child John, protected by an angel, dwelt in the wilderness until the time when he came preaching repentance, and was accounted worthy to baptize the Lord.

Fun Fact : Holy Tradition also teaches us that St. John holds a position of honor among the Saints second to that of the Theotokos alone. In every Orthodox Church, you will find an icon of St John to the right of Our Lord on the Iconostastic (Icon wall in the front of the Church). He also has 6 feast days.

Source: OCA

Activity Ideas :

Locust and Honey Crescent Rolls

  • Make Locust and Honey Crescent Rolls - Did you know what he ate while in the wilderness…. ? Locust and honey! For his feast day, we made some yummy crescent rolls to look like locust, and topped them with honey! You can find the recipe and step by step instructions HERE.

  • Eat Honey and Locust Themed Foods - St John lived on locust and honey while living in the wilderness, so why not honor his memory by eating some honey themed desserts! Some ideas include:

    • Greek Honey Cake

    • Or buy some store bought honey buns, honey sticks, or honey comb!

    • Try some Edible Insects Bag of Mixed Edible Bugs. Grasshoppers, Crickets, Silk Worms and Sago Worms - If you’re feeling brave, try these freeze-dried bugs, available on amazon HERE

  • Listen to “Guess Who?” (St John the Baptist) By Gigi Baba - Check out this FREE song on Youtube. This song is a fun way for kids to learn more about St John the Baptist. It tells his story from his mission (preach repentance) to his martyrdom. We love Gigi Baba Shadid! She is an Orthodox Priest wife and she creates very catchy music for kids to help them learn about our faith. You can find all of her CDs available for purchase HERE would be a good one to start with. You can also find this song on Spotify.

  • Print the words for Guess Who? Right HERE! Having the words is great for readers to be able to sing along more easily. Special thanks to Gigi for sharing this with us!

Book Recommendations :

June 27 - Sunday of All Saints

Sunday of All Saints is the Sunday following Pentecost which is dedicated to All Saints, both those who are known to us, and those who are known only to God. There have always been saints, and they have come from every corner of the earth. They were Apostles, Martyrs, Prophets, Hierarchs, Monastics, and Righteous, and all were perfected by the same Holy Spirit. By the descent of the Holy Spirit, it is possible for us to rise above our fallen state and to attain sainthood, fulfilling God’s directive to “be holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44, 1 Peter 1:16). So, it is fitting to commemorate All Saints on the first Sunday after Pentecost. Guided by the teaching of the Divine Scriptures and Apostolic Tradition, we honor all the Saints, the friends of God, for they are keepers of God's commandments, shining examples of virtue. Of course, we honor the known Saints especially on their own day of the year. But since many Saints are unknown, and their number has increased with time, and will continue to increase until the end of time, the Church has appointed that once a year a common commemoration be made of all the Saints the Sunday following Pentecost.

From the Scriptures - In Hebrews chapter 11-12, St Paul tells a beautiful story of the Righteous who have gone before us, Saints since the beginning of time, starting with Abel and includes the many righteous decendents of Christ, “And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon,  Barak,  Samson  and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus”

Icon of the Sunday of All Saints - The icon of the Sunday of All Saints depicts our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ seated above the throne of heaven surrounded by the Saints.  The rows of Saints included the Archangel Michael and other Angels, the Theotokos and John the Baptist, the Apostles, Bishops, Great Martyrs, Ascetics and Monastics.  To the side of the throne are Adam and Eve, bowing in reverence to Christ.  They are joined by the Saints, who are lifting their hands in worship to the King of Glory.  At the lower left of the icon is the Patriarch Abraham who has a righteous soul in his bosom, as told in the story of Lazarus and the rich man in the Gospel.  At the lower center is the Good Thief who was crucified with Christ.  On the lower right is the Patriarch Jacob.

Check out our DIY Costumes in this blogpost!

Activity Ideas :

  • Have Your Children Dress as Their Favorite Saint - This is a super fun way to teach your children about the Saints.  Challenge yourself to make an outfit from what you have on hand, it’s just more fun that way! This year my kids dressed up as their patron saints (St Elizabeth the New Martyr, St Adelaide of Rome, and St Daniel the Prophet). Check out our DIY Costumes in this blogpost! You can also find additional costume ideas Pinterest !

  • Throw an All Saints’ Day Party - I look for any excuse to have a party, and certainly a Feast Day celebrating All Saints is a perfect excuse! Have your guests dress up as their favorite Saint, serve special foods like “Angel Food Cake”, pray together, and feast with one another!

  • Symbolic Snack Ideas

    • Saintly Halos - want a simple symbolic way to remember the saints? Buy and serve a can of sliced pineapple rings and serve to your kids as a snack. They remind us of the halos of uncreated light around the saints!

    • Buy or make Donuts - it may be a bit of a stretch, but why not serve donuts with a hole in the middle as a symbolic food! The circle of the donut reminds of the halo of uncreated light and the hole symbolizes the “holiness” of the saints!

  • Serve the poor, sick, suffering, and lonely - I can’t think of a better way to honor the Saints than to serve the needy in their honor. Each and every Saint was a human just like me and you. Jesus says “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” (Matt 25:26) Some ideas include: volunteer at a food bank, bring donuts to shut-ins, care for the sick, write a card to someone far away.

  • Ask for the Saints to Pray for us - What is this great feast day all about?  The gift of our friends in heaven who pray and help us. Ask for the intercessions from your favorite saints! St John Chrysostom says "We should seek the intercessions and the fervent prayers of the saints, because they have special 'boldness', before God."

Book Recommendations :

  • Read a Saint Story (or two!) - My favorite way to teach anything (especially the faith) is through stories. You can read the lives of the Saints in the Synaxarion is a compilation of the lives of the saints. Patristic Nectar Publications has recorded hundreds of stories which you can listen to and access HERE.

  • (Coming Soon) God’s Saintly Friends by Parker End Books - this brand new picture book is the first in the ‘God’s Saintly Friends series’ created by Kathryn Reetzke and Abigail Holt. Pre-Order now!

  • My Synaxarion “A Saint for Every Day” by Potamitis Publishing - is a brand new series of books, with each book covering the Saints' lives commemorated each month. Currently January and September are available!

June 29 - Saints Peter and Paul

Apostles Fast - The Church, in her wisdom, offers us the period of the Apostles’ Fast soon after Pentecost and just prior to the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, who were worthy to receive the Holy Spirit. The Apostles’ Fast is a prescribed fasting period of the Church, lasting from the day after the Sunday of All Saints until the feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul (June 29th). This Sunday is always one week after the Sunday of Pentecost, so the length of the Apostles' Fast varies from year to year depending on the date of Pascha. Because Pascha is late this year, the subsequent feasts are all later, which shortens the length of the Apostles Fast this year, lasting only 1 day (June 28). The fast of the Holy Apostles is very ancient, dating back to the first centuries of Christianity. We have the testimony of St. Athanasius the Great, St. Ambrose of Milan, St. Leo the Great and Theodoret of Cyrrhus regarding it. The oldest testimony regarding the Apostles’ Fast is given to us by St. Athanasius the Great (373 AD). If the aim of the Christian life is to aquire the Holy Spirit, we too must engage in the struggle through fasting and continual prayer. It is only then that we may acquire the Holy Spirit and can properly appreciate and be joyous in the feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

Sts Peter and Paul - Both Apostles, being chosen by our Lord, were instrumental in the establishment and growth of the early Church through their boldness, spiritual strength, and wisdom. They are recognized as pillars of the Church, offering themselves, even unto death, for the sake of the Gospel of Christ. Historically, the reason why the Church combined the feast day of the two apostles into one was that they were both martyred in Rome and on the same day. There is a very ancient tradition which claims that they were both executed during Nero’s persecution in approximately 68 AD. For this reason, probably from the 4th century onwards, the Church in Rome (where they were martyred) came to celebrate the feast day of these two apostles on June 29. Theologically speaking, the reason why the feast day of these two apostles was combined into one was to show that even though their ministerial vision was not the same yet both were necessary and even complemented each other. Even though the Apostle Paul was not one of the twelve, he would claim, nevertheless that his ministry was considered equal to those ministers who had been appointed by Christ during His earthly ministry since he had suffered so much for Christ. During their lifetime, these two great apostles of our Church disagreed greatly as to how to receive new members into the newly established Christian faith. St. Paul is said to have rebuked St. Peter for duplicity in this matter. In Galatians 2:11, St. Paul tells us of a disagreement he had with St. Peter: “when Peter came to Antioch, I withstood him in the face because he was to be blamed.” Peter believed that new members firstly had to fulfill the requirements of the Jewish law by being circumcised before they could become Christians whereas Paul was totally opposed to this. What we can learn from this is that when the Church is ruled by the Holy Spirit tensions of this kind can be overcome. We see in their icon, they are embracing one another in brotherly love, a beautiful reminder for us all.

Fun Fact - The Feast of the Apostles Peter and Paul is followed on June 30 by the Feast of the Synaxis of the Holy Twelve Apostles.

Activity Ideas :

  • Eat Fish for Dinner - Sts. Peter and Paul, two of the Church's greatest apostles and fishers of men. In honor of this feast, try making some beer battered fried fish! This recipe is fun and easy and the kids can help. You can find the recipe HERE.

Book Recommendations : TBA

Personal Update:

We welcomed our newborn son, Daniel, on April 9th. He’s the perfect addition to our family and so sweet and calm. My daughters dote over him and still bicker over who gets to hold him next. He adds so much joy to our lives and I’m thankful God has given me the honor of raising him. I pray I am worthy of the task!

We were able to take a special family trip to the beach and our girls had so much fun in the sun and sand! This was our first family vacation since moving to North Carolina. The girls are still asking when we will go back to the beach house again.

I also took a social media break (2 weeks) and it’s been very refreshing. I needed a detox from using my phone constantly. I find that taking intentional breaks helps clears my mind and opens me up to more prayer, reading, and spiritual enrichment. I am tempted to take a longer break because it’s been so good for me, but I feel the pull to return and share the various feast days coming up this month. I will be implementing some new boundaries for myself so that I can continue to be open to prayer and spiritual enrichment while also sharing new content on social media. More on that soon!

What to Expect in the Future:

If you follow along with me on Instagram , you’ll find more Feast Day resources and timely reminders each week! I’m most active in stories, re-sharing the information in this blog in an easy and digestible fashion. My hope is to give bite sized pieces of information to help parents learn about the feasts or saint and be able to easily re-share the story with their kids. And I’m sure you know, I am learning about each of these feasts as I go, so I’m sharing what I find along the way. So no prior knowledge is required when teaching our kids about our faith. We can learn and grow right along side them!

Also, consider subscribing below to receive updates on future guides and resources. Here is what I have in store for the coming year:

  • Each month I’ll share a heads up on what feast days/liturgical events are happening that month so you can begin to think/plan/prepare for what’s ahead. I’ll also include simple activities and book recommendations

  • Orthodox Book list for kids and families broken down by month/Feast Day so you can start building a collection with intention. Many of them will be available at your local library or audio books

  • Feast Day Guides for Individual feast days (i.e. Ascension and Pentecost) with more details on how to participate

  • Baptismal Resources including links for items needed for baptism, shop links, and gift recommendations

Thank you for all your support and for checking out my latest Feast Day guide. Good strength, dear friends!

-Khouria Destinie

See this form in the original post