24 July 2021 | St. Charbel Makhlouf | Eugene, Ore.

We’ve come at last to the final chapter of the Silmarillion! As we read of the fateful voyage of Eärendil and the final War of Wrath, we dive into the major themes of this epic saga, including the lingering effects of evil, the “long defeat,” and the real source of our hope, as well as the Silmarils themselves. What might these precious gems signify in Tolkien’s legendarium? We also venerate the great myrrh-streaming Saint of Lebanon, Charbel Makhlouf, on this his holy feast. 

Opening music: “Abun di bashmayya” (Our Father in Aramaic), sung by Archimandrite Seraphim and parishioners at Elevation of the Triumphant Cross Monastery, Qanda, Georgia, 2016. All rights reserved.