[Vicomte13]

It was a SHAMROCK, not a clover!

The three stylized petals of the fleur-de-lys also echo the idea.

I think I get it.

Query: if the Greek words are the best, and since the textus receptus of the New Testament was all in Greek, and the Septuagint Old Testament used by the Apostles was also entirely in Greek, why doesn't the whole Church just use Greek as the ecclesial language?
We'd still have to translate the concepts, of course, but wouldn't there be a true Catholicism of liturgy if everyone used Greek in all Christian services?

By the way, how can I get an Orthodox Bible? (In modern English, please.)
There are a few more books in there: 3 and 4 Maccabees, I believe an Esdras or two.

[Kolokotronis]

Shamrock, yes of course. Boy, Dad must be rolling over in his grave!

Vicomte, it probably would be better to use Greek as the Liturgical language if we were ministering to a group of koine Greek literate theologians every Sunday, but we're not. The Church in the East has always had the Liturgies in the language of the people as did the West when Latin was the Lingua Franca of the Latin Church, and the ancient Celtic Liturgies were prayed in Gaelic.

Even in my Greek Orthodox parish, the majority of the Liturgy is said in English because the majority of the people there speak only English, or at least don't understand or speak Greek. It is actually quite beautiful. You know, Church English is an elevating and ennobling tongue! If people want to know what omoousios means, they sort have got to pick it up by osmosis. Phronema again.

"By the way, how can I get an Orthodox Bible? (In modern English, please.)
There are a few more books in there: 3 and 4 Maccabees, I believe an Esdras or two."

To the best of my knowledge, there is no complete modern Orthodox translation of the both the New and Old Testaments. There is, however, an excellent recent New Testament Orthodox and English translation called the "Orthodox Study Bible. You can order it on line at http://conciliarpress.bizhosting.com/the_orthodox_study_bible.html for about $30.00. We have two here at home.