Power on her head

I am getting married soon, and I need to know what we are going to need to get for the wedding, specifically for the wedding ceremony. We are both Orthodox, and we will be getting married at a ROCOR parish, if that is important. (We are in America.)

Here is what I know so far: rings, crowns, common cup, candles, civil marriage certificate. Is there anything else?

Another question - I am having trouble finding information about the common cup. Does it have to be made of some sort of metal, or can it be made of glass or wood?

Thank you for any information you can give me.

I am looking for a Greek love poem that I can give to my fiance. I need a translation, so that I know what it says, but I want to give it to him in Greek. Nothing sensual, please. We have not even so much as kissed, so it wouldn't make sense. Thank you for your help.

I am looking for a Greek love poem that I can give to my fiance. I need a translation, so that I know what it says, but I want to give it to him in Greek. Nothing sensual, please. We have not even so much as kissed, so it wouldn't make sense. Thank you for your help.

I know that women cannot partake of the Eucharist when on their periods. Is this restriction only applied to the Eucharist, or all of the Holy Mysteries? And before you say "Ask your priest," I tried that. He didn't know.

(This question is for EOC, not Oriental.)

I work retail, and every once in a while a customer will touch me. Not in a sexual way or anything. It's just that I don't touch men, so any time one touches me it bothers me greatly, especially if they touch me in the mid-section. (That has happened a few times.) Sometimes I say "Don't touch me," but sometimes I don't, because I know that if I do, I will explode on the guy, and I don't want to get in trouble for yelling at a customer. So my question is - how should I handle such a situation?

I am American, and I would like to watch some Russian news videos, or even streaming news if I can get it, but the Russian news sites I have tried seem to be really slow. I assume it's because they are meant for Russia, not America. Do you know some good sites where I could view Russian news without waiting a minute for the video to load? And I should probably mention that I am looking for Russian news in Russian, not English, because I know that some sites offer multiple languages.

спасибо!

This question is addressed to Orthodox Christians. I have read some Orthodox sources that sort of frown upon open displays of religion in secular settings, so I was wondering if this extends to asking a priest's blessing, since this is the proper way to start and end a conversation with a priest. I ask because I will be meeting with my priest at lunch tomorrow, and I don't want to do this if it will make him feel uncomfortable. Please excuse my ignorance. I am still a catechumen.

First things first - this is a discussion of head coverings, NOT face veils. That is a whole separate issue, one that I don't care to get into, as it doesn't affect me. Now to the question...

I have repeatedly heard it said on Y!A, from one poster in particular, that it is rude/disrespectful to wear hijab in western countries. I would like to know why exactly. She never states a reason, and I cannot fathom why anyone would think this way. Nuns wear head coverings, as do the Plain Christians (Amish, Mennonites, Quakers), Sikhs, and Jews. I have yet to hear anyone say that these are disrespectful, so I don't see how a hijab is.

Before anyone thinks I am a Muslim apologist, no, I am not. I am Christian. I am just tired of hearing this response without any reasoning for it. I veil by choice (veil as in covering the hair, not the face), independent of any church decree, and I know many other Christian women who also veil by choice. Be it a bandanna, snood, kapp, turban, tichel, or hijab, I fail to see how wearing a head covering is anti-American. If anything, it is very American, because this country is all about religious freedom, at least in theory. I come from a long line of Americans, and I served my country in the United States Marine Corps. I think I should be the judge of what is "disrespectful" to our country. None of my military friends have a problem with it, so why should anyone else? And for the record, I know a few other veterans that veil.

Sorry about the rant, but I really would like an answer from the offending party, or anyone else of a like mindset.

Hello. I have already been using natural soaps for a while, and my skin is loving me for it. I have tried various "natural" shampoos and conditioners that they sell in organic markets, but they just give me dandruff. Do you know of any alternatives to your average hair care products? The only ones I know of are henna and coconut oil.

I should probably add that I wear head coverings. That may make a difference in the answers.

Hello. I have already been using natural soaps for a while, and my skin is loving me for it. I have tried various "natural" shampoos and conditioners that they sell in organic markets, but they just give me dandruff. Do you know of any alternatives to your average hair care products? The only ones I know of are henna and coconut oil.

As-salaamu alaykum, ladies. This will be my first summer wearing hijab. (I started wearing hijab last fall.) I like to go running and skating. I have been ok so far with exercising in hijab, but summer is coming up, and I am a little worried that I will overheat. Do you all have any tips for me? A few items of note: one - I cannot get a treadmill and run indoors, because I don't have the money, and I don't have air conditioning. Two - I cannot join a gym, because, again, I don't have the money, and because I always run/skate with my dogs, so they get exercise as well. Three - I do have a sports hijab (Queendom Hijabs - yay product placement!), which is marvelous, so I won't have all kinds of layers around my neck. Four - I live in Ohio. (So you know the climate I live in.)

Thank you for your responses.

When I was watching the last episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", I noticed that one man greeted Brian (the man with paralysis) by touching heads. Is this the proper way to greet someone who has no movement in his arms/hands, or is this only for friends/acquaintances? Or is it better to ask if he shakes hands?

Since my last question was deleted:

I have been looking around the Beauty & Style section, and I have found a lot of posts that sadden me. For example, there are some young girls who have asked how to be hotter to attract guys. There was one 13-year-old girl a little while ago who asked if she was old enough to wear a bikini. She says she doesn't want to wear it to attract guys, rather because she thinks it will help her self-confidence. She even posted pictures of her belly to see if everyone thought she was skinny enough to wear one. (I do not mean to demean her by posting this. I am merely using her post as one example of the many.)

These kinds of questions sadden me on so many levels. As a girl, I don't recall ever dressing in a sexual manner to attract guys or to up my self-confidence. (I never dressed in a sexual manner period, at least not by American standards.) And now that I do dress very modestly, I find that I actually have great self-esteem, whereas it was pretty poor before.

What are your thoughts on this? If you are a mother, does this worry you in regards to your daughters?

This is something I have heard my fellow Christians say many times, and I don't believe it to be true. I think it is like when atheists say that Christians only believe because they don't want to go to Hell. (Which may be true for some, but not all of us.) After all, regardless of one's religion, we are all held accountable for our actions by society and government. Thoughts?

I would like to find some tunics to wear during those occasional times that I want to wear pants instead of skirts. I really like the Indian and Pakistani styles of tunic, but my white self can't pull that off. Are there any common American stores that sell Western-style tunics? (If such a thing exists.)

It has to be an actual physical store, not online. I don't buy clothing unless I can see it, feel it, and try it on.

Off of Google, I see there is only one, which is Amana Fashions. Are there any others? I find it hard to believe there is only one in the entirety of the Cleveland area.

And yes, I know I can buy online, but I am taller than most women, so I never buy skirts/dresses/shirts unless I can try them on.

Sorry, I know this section is supposed to be for religious questions, but I figured I would have the best luck getting an answer in this section.

I cover everything but my face, hands, and feet. I need some ideas as to what I can go for Halloween. It has to be something that wouldn't obstruct my movement or vision too much, because I will be wearing it to a doggy Halloween costume contest, where I will need to maneuver my dogs.

Also, I know I can go as a nun, but that is a no for me, because I see it as disrespectful.

Thank you for any helpful suggestions.

I am American, if that makes a difference.

I am an Orthodox Christian who has recently started covering. I have been having trouble with it slipping during church, because we do a lot of bowing and some prostrating during the liturgy. Is there a way to wrap/pin the shayla to prevent this? Or will I have to resign myself to buying one of those huge tied khimars from a hijab store online?

P.S. I know I already asked this earlier, but nobody actually answered my question.

I know that Christianity and Buddhism have monks. Any others?