Notice, I call him, “Abba,” parenthetically because “Old Man Fisher” was a well known preacher among the Great Dismal Swamp Maroons. He was a self absconded enslaved man as those he ministered to. I’m not sure and have no record if the old man became one of the deep interior Maroons who had no interactions … More “Abba” Fisher: Determination in the Spiritual Life
I’m a little peeved at myself. There is a great story of St. Moses that I read some time ago that I will use for today’s article. But I don’t have the source for it. I thought I had it in one of my previous articles and couldn’t find it. For a cross reference, read … More Lessons from St. Moses: Benefit of the Right Place
The lessons from Moses begins with a particular struggle he had with lustful thoughts. So great were his temptations that he fled his cell and ran to his spiritual father, Abba Isadore. The elder pointed to the west where Moses saw the demonic horde who sought to capture him. But to the east were a … More Lessons from St. Moses: Commit to the Struggle
The Christian Education Department of the Antiochian Orthodox Diocese has made the Book of Exodus the focus of our Sunday School year 2025-26 and the summer’s Bible Bowl. Brainstorming ideas of teaching the Teen SOYO class, my partner advisor, Philip Riske, brought up “The Life of Moses” by St. Gregory of Nyssa as a good … More Rethinking Exodus: A Forgotten Pursuit of Virtue?
Originally posted on St. Djan Darada Fellowship:
He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love you.” Jesus said…
Usually when we think of African-American Christian leaders who spoke and acted out against injustice, a number of Civil Rights era figures come to mind; MLK (of course), Fannie Lou Hammer and the like. Or, if we want to talk about self-help leaders in our community, Elijah Muhammad and Marcus Garvey come to mind. Yet, … More Of Desert Fathers & Maroons: Congolese Christian Experience
I read the lives of the saints from the Prologue of Orhid every morning. This is how I created a very long list of African holy men and women and created my book, Become All Flame: Lent with African Saints. A member of my parish gave me a copy of the Ethiopian Synaxarion. I find … More Abba Akaweh: An Orthodox Link to West Africa?
Perhaps every African American Orthodox Christian has August 28th circled on a calendar. It is the feast day of Abba Moses the Black. He is also known as the “Ethiopian” (due to his very dark “burnt” complexion), “Robber” (he was a former gang leader and thief), and “Strong” (mostly by Copts referring to a story … More Saints of Africa: August
Desert Fathers Dispatch 