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Ask An Eastern Orthodox Christian: Alpha and Omega

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What would you like to know about the Eastern Orthodox Christian faith? Submit your question.

By Nicholas Damascus

What do the following words mean in English? I see the words “Alpha and Omega” in Greek and Slavonic and the word “apocalypse” in Slavonic.
easternorthodoxAlpha and Omega in Greek “Άλφα και το Ωμέγα”  and in Slavonic “Алфа и Омега.”
Revelation 1:8 says “I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, Who is, Who was, and Who is to come, the Almighty.” Almighty means that there is nothing greater, stronger, more powerful or infinite than God. He is the “I AM” implying “Being,” “Existence,” “Is.”
As far as the East is from the West; beyond our comprehension; existing and always the same; never did not exist; it is easier to measure the entire sea with a coffee cup than to grasp God’s existence. If God were subject to space, time and matter, then God would be limited and finite, and therefore not God.
The Eastern Orthodox Church (which includes Greek and Slavonic jurisdictions) approaches God apophatically, being content to encounter God personally and yet realizes the inability of man’s intellect to understand and comprehend the God’s infinite existence.
Apocalypse in Slavonic “Апокалипса.“
The Book of Revelation also called the Apocalypse of St. John, is the last book of the Bible and is believed to cover those events which surround the end of the world and the Last Judgment. The main theme is faithfulness in tribulation and vigilance. Revelation means to uncover; the disclosure of something that has previously been hidden; a lifting of the veil and in this case, the final triumph of the Kingdom of God. The term ‘apocalypse’ has come to be used, very loosely, for the end of the world.
This book stands in intimate relation with the prophecies and prophetical writings of the Old Testament by Ezekiel, Zechariah, and particularly Daniel, since it is almost entirely symbolical. The interpretation of this book, which no interpreter has been able fully to overcome, remains much of a mystery.

Nicholas Damascus
Nicholas Damascus
As an infant, I was baptized as an Eastern Orthodox Christian. However, I would say that becoming a Christian is a work in progress, and I often wonder would there be enough evidence to convict me of becoming a Christian. The Orthodox Church is the ancient Church that Christ and the Apostles established. It is not a religion but rather a way of life. It is not about rules and regulations but rather guide posts to make choices to transition to what we were designed to become. Becoming Orthodox is not a conversion but more so a transformation of self. It’s not about being right: it is about “right being.” In John 14:6, Christ says I am the Way (to love and serve one another), the Truth (there is only one reality), and the Life (that life source is love). I invite you to submit any topics or questions to “Ask An Eastern Orthodox Christian” on the website. Join me in finding our way back home to the original teachings of the Church. When you change the way you look at things, things change the way they look.
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