Facing East
I was sprawled on my couch facing west as I finished reading “Facing East: A Pilgrim’s Journey into the Mysteries of Orthodoxy” by Frederica Mathewes-Green. The people I was with when I started reading the book in early January probably felt a secret pity for me, thinking that I was deriving pleasure from studying heavy texts on Orthodox theology. Not at all. “Facing East” is personal, down-to-earth, even entertaining.
Last week, while my bookmark was stuck between pages eighty and eighty-one (January was busy, OK?), I had the privilege of attending a dinner event at which Frederica read selections from several of her books. The evening was delightful, and I could still hear her voice and her laughter echoing through the pages as I finished reading the book last night.
The chapters are structured around the Orthodox liturgical calendar, and although the church year begins on September 1, the book begins and ends with preparation for Lent in February. With warmth, honesty, and humor, Frederica tells the stories of a year in the life of the small Orthodox church in Maryland where her husband is known as Father Gregory. Interwoven with these stories, of course, is a wonderful introduction and welcome to the ancient and often mysterious world of icons, rituals, fasts, music, incense, prayers, and other rich traditions of Orthodoxy. I had plenty of “that makes so much sense!” moments.
While I had previously known little about Orthodoxy, it always struck me as being stuffy, foreign, and old. Well, it IS old! But “Facing East” showed me that the Orthodox church is also interesting, accessible, and alive!
P.S. I got a kick out of finding my name hidden in the middle of a word in the book! 
Epitrachelion is described in the glossary as “the stole of priesthood.”
