Piping in the Haggis

[Doc Hudson]

Oddly enough, my friend Tony is a second generation Scicilian American. He says the Russian Orthodox Church is closer to old-fashioned Italian Catholicism than the modern Roman Church.

[Prester John]

About Catholicism, it's true. That is why I became Orthodox. Orthodox was, is, and will be what Catholicism was (back when it was Orthodox!) before the Scholastics.

Interestingly, I remember coming across an article in Scientific American (I think) a long time ago that revealed in an archeological dig in Scotland, in an old church, that they found a chalice, diskos (not merely a paten), a spear and a star cover. All Orthodox Christian eucharistic implements. The spoon is a later addition, from about 400 yrs ago, I think.

After all, the celts did get their monastic practices from the Egyptian Thebaid, from egyptian monks. That is why they were so ascetic....and successful at evangelization. It was these monastics who converted Europe, and inspired so many celtic youth "back in the day."

This is why I joined the Orthodox Church. They revere St. Patrick, St. Columba, St. Aidan, and a multitude of other "Celtic" saints of the Church, even though the area itself is only rediscovering it's Orthodox roots.

Anyway, before someone accuses me of being anti-Catholic, my brother is Roman Catholic, and we have nothing but love and respect for one another. But even he laments the protestantization of the Roman Church. As do I.

Your friend is correct.

And, yes, you can find kilts in Orthodox Churches, especially among those who are converts and not married to the Russian/Greek paradigm.

PJ

[Prester John]

My apologies to all for the inadvertent hijacking of this thread.
Not intentional, and I'll watch it from here forward.

PJ