The Great Tales

The podcast heads to Fr. Andrew's ancestral Baltic homeland of Lithuania, where we will explore three tales: The Tale of Sovijus, The Iron Wolf, and The Swan Queen.

We’re joined by mythologist, storyteller, and seanchaí Dr. Martin Shaw. With him, we explore traditional storytelling, hear timeless tales, and search for the “mossy face of Christ” hidden in the wild edges of myth and memory.

The Great Tales hosts prepare for the Church’s harrowing of Hades by examining another famous descensus ad infernos, the story of Orpheus and the underworld. They’ll also briefly talk about how the Church Fathers refer to him as the “first theologian” of the Greeks.

Richard and Fr. Andrew continue their discussion of he Kebra Negast, which tells the story of how the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Ethiopia and hidden there, waiting for the revelation of the Incarnation.

The Kebra Negast is set within the frame narrative about the debate of the true glory of kings held at the First Council of Nicaea, it tells the story of how the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Ethiopia and hidden there, waiting for the revelation of the Incarnation.

King Keret, son of the great god El, has been widowed and lost all his children, and he fears the extinction of his house. Fr. Stephen De Young joins the podcast to discuss this ancient Ugaritic epic, lost in the Syrian desert for over 3,000 years.

The great Old English poem ‘Beowulf’ is one of the most intriguing and gripping stories from the early English Christian world. What few people know, however, is that this story about giants has roots in a much older apocalyptic tale – the Book of Enoch.

The Great Tales continues the discussion of the Holy Grail in the story of Perceval. What does it actually mean to achieve the quest of the Holy Grail? And who may achieve it?

Arthur, King of the Britons, is the matter of the greatest of all Christian legends in the English language, and at the height of those legends is the Holy Grail. What exactly is this holy object? Did it ever come to England? And what does it mean to the Arthur legendarium?

Fantasy novelist and Russian language translator Dcn. Nicholas Kotar introduces two Russian fairy tales: “Marya Morevna, the Wondrous Queen” and “The Chestnut Roan.”

The Eddas are the two great sources for Norse mythology. In this episode, Fr. Andrew and Richard introduce the Prose Edda of Snorri Sturluson, the 13th-century Icelandic historian, poet and politician.

Fr. Andrew and Richard conclude their first look at the Iliad, one of the foundational stories of Western civilization, discussing not only the basics for understanding the poem but also why it’s been so enduring for so much of human history

Fr. Andrew and Richard Rohlin take their first look at the Iliad, one of the foundational stories of Western civilization, and offer clues and insights as to how we should approach this daunting poem.

Myths, legends, and lore are part of Christian tradition. Historically, Christians read and used even the mythology of paganism. In this inaugural episode of The Great Tales, Fr. Andrew and Richard discuss what St. Basil the Great has to teach us about reading pagan myth.

A new live show from Ancient Faith Radio. Join Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick and Richard Rohlin this coming fall as they examine the legends and stories that continue to remain relevant to the Christian Church today. The live edition of this show will air on the first and third Thursdays of the month at 2pm Eastern / 11am Pacific.