God saw that the human being was weak and gave repentance while still in the body, until the last breath.

Let us take good care to remain in the protection of repentance, and let us receive nourishment from her holy breasts so that she will nourish us. ¹

Deep within the heart of the Church, in the place where sorrow and joy meet and where our bitter tears are kissed away by a mother’s love, we encounter the Most Holy Mother of God. The Church in its devotion to the Ever-Virgin Mary has always known that she is a mystery and a gift given to us by God. The Theotokos is a mystery that can be experienced and encountered, and yet never explained or described in words of logic and science, and she is a gift that brings radiant joy and comfort in the midst of darkness and need. Through the centuries the Church has expressed its love for her through countless hymns, has praised her in its most exquisite poetry and song, and has portrayed her in its most beautiful and beloved icons. No other saint is the subject of so much devotion, and no other saint has so many miracles attributed him or her.

Teva: First of all, I want to thank you for taking the time for this interview and for sharing your thoughts with the readers of the St. Nina Quarterly. Like many Orthodox Christians, I was first introduced to you through your books, The Orthodox Church and The Orthodox Way. Can you share with us how you came to Orthodoxy?

In the last issue, I dealt with Frank Schaeffer’s assertion:

[b]y ordaining women, “liberal” Protestants are in effect saying, “Christ did not come in the flesh, his maleness does not matter, he is a mere symbol of something larger.”

Dear Editors:

Christ is risen!

Thank you for including us on the mailing list for your new journal. We pray that all your efforts will be truly guided by the Holy Spirit, and that much fruit for the strengthening and upbuilding of Christ’s Holy Church will come from your labors.