Venerating Peter's Chains

Today’s Epistle Reading: Acts of the Apostles 12:1-11 - ABOUT THAT TIME, Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword; and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the Church. The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison; and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, "Wrap your mantle around you and follow me." And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him. And Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting."

Today the Church venerates the very chains that held Saint Peter in prison. Some may wonder why the Church would venerate anything physical let alone prison chains. The Book of Acts teaches that even the shadow of Saint Peter was known for its healing miracles. “And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.” (Acts 5.14-16) If Peter’s shadow, why not the chains which participated in his miraculous release from prison?

To this some may argue that the various stories of handkerchiefs and shadows are legends that cannot be proven. Others would say that it is only the power of God that heals. It is true that ONLY the power of God heals and performs miracles, but history and the Church has witnessed that God often works His miracles through these holy objects. If venerating these holy objects helps us experience God’s grace, which He brought into creation through His Baptism and the power of the Holy Spirit, then may it be blessed by God.....so long as we never lose sight of the FACT that it is faith in God that accomplishes any good thing. Remember it isn't about being right; it is about being healthy.

Hidden Blessings

The other day, as I was leaving Philadelphia after the Clergy-Laity Congress, we decided to stop by the Russian Orthodox Cathedral for a visit. I had heard that it was built by the Czar, and I felt compelled, really, to go. I imagined it must have been an amazing Church if the Czar had invested in its construction. I imagined gilded icons, shining onion domes of various colors and the stench of ancient Orthodoxy in the heart of a modern city. I was NOT disappointed...

When we arrived at the Church, I almost missed it, tucked in between two buildings in what has recently become a “trendy” neighborhood after many years of crime and poverty. I stood across the street to take the first of what I imagined would be hundreds of pictures. When we entered, we were met by Fr Mark, the pastor for St Andrew Russian Orthodox Cathedral. He welcomed us into the most amazing Church I had visited in recent years.

As we walked up the stairs, I asked Fr Mark, “So this was built by the Czar?” “No,” he replied. “The Russian Navy built the Church.” With a lump of disappointed in my throat, and a bit of embarrassment, we ascended the stairs into the Church. The wooden floors creaked as we venerated the Icons of the Mother of God. The icons on the walls were covered in more than a hundred years of smoke and incense. I entered the Holy of Holies to venerate the Holy Altar. Every inch of the Church was filled with the fragrance of incense. I was in one of the simplest and most humble Churches considering its history and location in downtown Philadelphia.

I exited the Holy of Holies to begin venerating the Holy Icons, when it hit me. This WAS the glorious Church I had expected, but not for all the (lack of) gilded icons. As I went from icon to icon for veneration, I began to notice that each one, EACH ONE, had a relic of the Saint. I was blessed to venerate relics of:

• St. Andrew the Apostle
• Saints Peter and Paul
• The Three Great Hierarchs (Basil, John Chrysostom, and Gregory the Theologian)
• Saint George
• Saint Elizabeth the Grand Duchess
• Saint Luke the Physician
• Saint Tikhon who had consecrated the Church in 1902
• And at least a dozen more Russian Saints, the names of which I couldn’t read, including the first pastor of the Church who had been martyred by the Communists when he returned to Russia.

As we were preparing to leave the Church, I commented to Presvytera, “Much better than some ‘cracked bell’ isn’t it?” We were in Philadelphia just a few blocks away from the Liberty Bell. It may seem strange, but I have always been the kind of person who chose to visit local “hangouts” rather than famous tourist locations. I’ve been to New York several times, but never to the Empire State Building. I went to Athens and DIDN’T  go the Acropolis. It isn’t that I am against those places. I just prefer, when possible, to visit ‘normal’ places that help me appreciate people who live where I am visiting. But don’t worry, I have been to the US Capitol, The Prada Art Museum, Sidney Opera House, Ellis Island, and many other famous locations.

This has been a long-time tradition of mine which began in 1987 when I was in Australia with my high school choir. While visiting Melbourne, I heard of a nearby Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Catherine, the same name as my home Church at the time. I stopped by for a visit and have been hooked ever since. Visiting local churches during vacations has given me two blessings; experiencing the local people, and the grace of God present in their Church. I highly recommend fitting a visit to the local Orthodox Church into your next (and every future) vacation plans. You won’t be disappointed. I haven’t been.