The Fighting Priests

After six months away, Fr. Ted gives an update on what’s been going on and reflects on the journey to Easter 2024.

Stand up comic Carollynn Xavier is back on The Fighting Priests podcast to give an update on her spiritual journey and her career in comedy, taking a break from jujitsu and then coming back again.

With the war, both in Ukraine, and now in Israel, Fr. Ted and Fr. Thomas, discuss the idea of war, defence of one’s people, and the Orthodox understanding of it all.

In this episode Fr. Ted and Fr. Thomas discuss the difficulty of falling and getting back up. Defeat, both in BJJ and in the spiritual life can be difficult to overcome. Here they discuss how they deal with it and how BJJ and Orthodoxy has helped.

Fr. Ted and Fr. Thomas discuss with blue belt Dimitri Tsourounis, a Gracie Combatives certified instructor at RevMMA in Toronto, Canada. Together they explore the theme of “finding purpose“ through becoming part of a community and giving back.

In part two, Fr. Ted and Fr. Yuri, continue their conversation about the tension between strength and humility, and how it affects Orthodox Christians, who train BJJ.

In part one of this two-part interview, Fr. Ted speaks with white belt Fr. Yuri Hladio from Hamilton, Ontario. Together, they discuss the tension between strength and humility, and what that means for Orthodox Christians, who train BJJ.

In this episode, Fr. Ted interviews Yianni Avgeropoulos, a two stripe white belt from Markham, Ontario. Together they discuss the importance of consistency in training and in spiritual life.

In this episode, Fr. Thomas and Fr. Ted explore the history and practicality of both Orthodox, priestly, vestments and jujitsu uniforms.

In this episode Fr. Ted and Fr. Thomas discuss the importance of trust in any relationship, including religion and Jiu Jitsu.

In this 3rd Year Anniversary episode Fr. Thomas & Fr. Ted reflect back on the past three years of podcasting and review some of their favourite topics and episodes.

Fr. Ted & Fr. Thomas interview Captain Andrei Petrov, a US Marine of 13 years, who is also a first stripe purple belt, and also a seminarian, preparing himself for ordination in the Orthodox Church. In this two-part interview, they discuss war, peace, violence of Christianity with violence, and many other aspects of this continuing exploration of orthodoxy and pacifism. BJJ Lineage: -1 stripe white belt awarded by Professor Tim Sled (Atos-first American black belt under Andrea Galvao), Blue belt up to 4 stirpes awarded by Professor Charlie Grant (black belt under Christ Hauter-among first 12 American black belts), Purple belt up to 1 stripe awarded by Professor Jason Vigil who received his black belt from Jason Izaguirre (Owner/Coach of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Kailua) but is now 3rd degree black belt under Andrea Galvao. Currently training under Professor Kelly Grissom (under Leo Dalla-Jorge Pereira-Rickson Gracie) also holds a 2nd degree in Judo. Enlisted with the United States Marine Corps Reserves in September 2010 Communications Officer Married to Olesia Petrova for 9 years, 5 sons: Sergei, Nikolai, Vladimir, Alexander & Dimitri.

Fr. Ted & Fr. Thomas interview Captain Andrei Petrov, a US Marine of 13 years, who is also a first stripe purple belt, and also a seminarian, preparing himself for ordination in the Orthodox Church. In this two-part interview, they discuss war, peace, violence of Christianity with violence, and many other aspects of this continuing exploration of orthodoxy and pacifism. BJJ Lineage: -1 stripe white belt awarded by Professor Tim Sled (Atos-first American black belt under Andrea Galvao), Blue belt up to 4 stirpes awarded by Professor Charlie Grant (black belt under Christ Hauter-among first 12 American black belts), Purple belt up to 1 stripe awarded by Professor Jason Vigil who received his black belt from Jason Izaguirre (Owner/Coach of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Kailua) but is now 3rd degree black belt under Andrea Galvao. Currently training under Professor Kelly Grissom (under Leo Dalla-Jorge Pereira-Rickson Gracie) also holds a 2nd degree in Judo. Enlisted with the United States Marine Corps Reserves in September 2010 Communications Officer Married to Olesia Petrova for 9 years, 5 sons: Sergei, Nikolai, Vladimir, Alexander & Dimitri.

Fr. Ted interviews Kevin Donascimento, a Blue Belt under John Schell from North Carolina. Kevin is a catechumen in the Orthodox Church, preparing himself for baptism and also pursuing BJJ and MMA.

In this episode Fr. Ted and Fr. Thomas discuss training for longevity and the factors that affect it: ego, age, nutrition and lifestyle. They also discuss the parallel phenomenon of overtraining in the spiritual life and how the same factors that affect BJJ also influence religious life.

Fr. Ted & Fr. Thomas interview Fr. James Guirgis. Priest at St. Raphael Antiochian Orthodox Church in outside of Raleigh, North Carolina. Lives in Willow Springs, North Carolina Three Stripe White Belt, Shell Shock BJJ, under the lineage of John Schell, who trained under Ruben Rodrigues in the lineage of Joe Moreira Training for 16 months

Fr. Ted & Fr. Thomas thank you Carollynn Xavier, a white belt in BJJ and also an Orthodox Catechumen. Together they discuss her journey to Orthodoxy, getting into jujitsu, and trying to navigate the world of stand-up comedy while being a Christian.

Fr. Ted and Fr. Thomas compare and contrast natural ability vs hard work. What are the differences? How important are they? And, is one better than the other, as it pertains to spirituality and BJJ.

Fr. Thomas & Fr. Ted interview Raul Chavez of Project XGuard, a program that provides BJJ training for underprivileged children. Raul is a first degree Brown Belt under Fernando "Gringo" Zulick at Action Reaction MMA in Toronto, Canada. He started training in December of 2010 and started Project XGuard as an informal Not For Profit around 2015 and then gained status on February 2, 2018. More info on Project XGuard can be found at: Instagram: @projectxguard Facebook: Project XGuard Web: www.projectxguard.ca Email: [email protected]

Fr. Ted & Fr. Thomas interview Rev. Joshua Serrano, a Lutheran Pastor from San Carlos, CA. Joshua is 4 Stripe Blue Belt under Professor Marco Nascimento in San Mateo, CA. He’s been training on and off for 11 years and has initially trained at then famed gym Victory MMA in San Diego. Together the three clergy discuss the ideas of “progress” and “change” as they relate to Christian tradition and the evolution of BJJ.